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H^St' 


Explanatory  Note. 


ining  Magazine 

PUBLISHED    AT    SALISBURY     HOUSE,    LONDON, 

(INDEX   TO   VOLUME   XXIV. 

FROM    JANUARY    TO    JUNE,    1921. 

—Items  in  italics  are  name?  of  bDoks  reviewed  ;   illustrated  articles  are  denoted  by  asterisks  (•)  ;    the  letters  (w.i.) 
refer  to  notices  of  articles  under  the  heading  *'  Mining  Digest." 


PA'".E 

165 


00 
3S1 
314 
381 


3S4 
74 


328 
256 


AbcssoGold  Report. 

Acetylene  Lamps,  Makers  of   

Akini  AUuvials 

Alderson,  V Oil-Skalc  Industry 

Alignment  Charts J.  A.  P.  Gibb  (m.d.) 

Alum  and  Sulphm-  at  Tonopah    {m.'i.) 

Aluminium  in  Engineering J.  G.  A.  Rbodin  (m.d.) 

American  Smelting  and  Refinins;  Control    266 

Ammonia  Process,  Haber's {m.d.) 314 

Ammonium  Sulphate  Process,  Feld's (m.d.) 314 

Anaconda  Company's  Output    329 

Anaconda  Electrolvtic  7inc   (w.rf.)     303,  378 

Andean  Geology. .'. J.  A.  Douglas  (m.d.) 318 

.\nglo -Ecuadorian  Oilfields 266 

Anglo-Persian  Oil  Co.  in  Hungary    202 

Anglo-Persian  Oil  Co.  in  West  Australia    73 

Anglo-Persian  Oil  Co.'s  Concession  in  Ne^vfoundland    10 

Anglo- Persian  Oil  Co.'s  New  Capital    202 

Antimony  Oxide  as  a  Pigment    Itn.d.) 121 

Apatite-Magnetite  Deposits  of  Dhalbhum,  E.  F.  O.  Murray  *2ll 

Apes  (Trinidad)  Oilfields    Report   . . . 

Aramayo-Fraucke  Dividends 

Arizona  Copper  Co.'s  Metallurgy*  , (m.d.). . . . 

Ashanti  Goldfields  Corporation     

Associated  Northern  Blocks Report 

Atkinson,  J.  B Cumberland  Iron  Ores.  ...     06,  158 

Aurora  West  United   Report 383 

Austral  Oil  Welk  Co 73 

Australia,  Gold  Stealing  in 259 

Australian  Coal  Output    289 

Austrahan  Gold  Output   264 

Australian  Mineral  Output,  1920    101 

Bain,  H.  Foster,  and  U.S.  Bureau  of  Mines    63 

Balaghat  Gold  Mines Report 382 

Bantjes,  Exploration  in    . .' 135 

Barytes  in  Westmorland V.  BramaU  (ni.d.). . . .  101 

Bauxite  in  West  Africa A.  E.  Kitson  (m.d.) ....  189 

Berengiiela  Tin  Mines Report. ...  64 

Bolivia's  Case  for  the  League  of  Xations 102 

Borlase,  W.  H Greenside  Mine. . . .  2^1 

Borneo,  Petroleum  in Emmons  and  Grnner  (m.d.). . . .  2r)3 

Borneo,  Petroleum  in J.  Kewley  (m.d.) 250 

Boston  Creek    32,  359 

Bosworth,   T.   O Mackenzie   Oilfield   (m.d.)....  312 

Eotsford,  R.  S Open-cut  Mining •267 

Brakpan  Mines Report. . .  .  320 

Brakpan  No.  4  Shaft 71 

Brazil,  Diamonds  in D.  Draper  (m.d.) ....   *372 

Brcatfittjg  A pp.iTOiMS,  SfJf -contained R.  C.  Smart. . . .  348 

Brisbane  Letter 353 

British  .Mumiuium Report. . . .  256 

British  Aluminium's  Water  Power (m.d.) ....     253,  381 

British  America  Nickel  Corporation     138,  225 

British  .■\merica  Nickel  Corporation     (m.d.) ....  375 

British -Borneo  Petroleum 265 

British  Columbia,  Copper  Mining  Position  in    32 

British  Columbia,  Gold  Mining  Position  in 32 

British  Columbia  Output,  1920 150 

British  Controlled  Oilfields 330 

British  Platinum  and  Gold  starts  Production     1" 

British  West  Africa  Co.,  Collapse    137 

Broken  Hill  Associated  Smelters  Fire 72 

Broken  Hill,   Position  at 72,  137,  201 

Proken  Hill  Proprietary  Steel  Works  Closed 137 

Brown,   J.  Coggin Indian  Iron  and  Steel  Industry *339 

Building  Stones J.  Allen  Howe  (m.d.). . . .  122 

Building  Trades'  Exhibition  at  01>'mpia 295 

Bullfinch  Proprietary'    Report 128 

Bullfinch  Proprietar\-.  Management  of 328 

Eunker  Hill,  Electrolvtic  Zinc  at    74 

Bunker  Hill  Lead-Sraelting  Plant (mj.) 122 

Buraia  Corporation  and  Lead  Smellers   253 

Burna  Corporation's  Output 73 

Burmah  Oil  New  Shares 329 


P.KCE 

Cadmium,  Separation  of (m.d.) 122 

Calcium   (mJ.) ....  309 

Calloose  in  Court 36,  73 

Callow  Process,  Minerals  Separation  and 202 

Cam  and  Motor  Restarts 200 

Camborne  Geological  Holiday  Course  .  .1  f..i 194 

Camborne  Letter 34,  100 

Camborne  War  Memorial    2 

Camborne  War  Memorial Hutchin  and  White. . . .  359 

Camp  Bird    -, Report 317 

Canadian  Institute  ol'  Mining  and  Metallurgy 19.5 

Canadian  Metal  Output.   1920 ICO,  224,  330 

Canadian  Mint  and  Precious  Metals (m.d.) ....  191 

Canadian  Oil  Regulations ,  .  210 

Cape  Copper Report. ...  64 

Cape  Explosives  Works  Debent'ires 327 

Carbonic  Oxide  as  a  Poison 324 

Carbonization,  Low-Temperature  G.  H.  Thurston  (m.d.).,..  122 

Cam  Marth,  Geology  of j (m.d.)  — .  1 21 

Cz<s  Technical  Institute,  Sit  John    258 

Cassiteritc,  Flotation  of    /..,... (m.d.) 251 

Cementation  ind  Vein-Filling S.  J.  Lett 219 

Cementation  at  Mazoe  Dam (m.d.) 122 

Cementation  Process,  Francois H.  S.  Ball  [m.d.). ...  59 

Cementation,  Repairing  Lens  Collieries  by    (m.d.), ...  117 

Central  Mining  and  Investment    324 

Champion  Reef  Gold Report 128 

Champion  Reef  resumes  Dividends 9 

Charters  Towers  School  of  Mines    322 

Chemicals,  Prices  of 47,  109,  171 ,  239,  301,  367 

Chendai  Consohdated   Report 316 

Chile.  Gold  Mining  in L.  Pitblado •27 

Chillagoe  seeks  New  Capital J) 

China  Clav  Corporation    73 

China,  Quicksilver  Mining  in F.  Trythall  (m.d.) 187 

Chinese  Engineering  and  Mining Report G4 

Chinese  Engineering  and  Mining's  Iron  Enterprise    10 

Chloridizing  Roasting  bv  Ramen  Process    (m.d.) 253 

City  Deep   ' Report 318 

City  Deep,  New  Shaft  at    133 

Citv  Deep  Shaft E.  H.  Clifford  (m.d.) *179 

Cle'nnell,  J.  E Estimation  of  Phosphoric  Acid 151 

'  Co^il J-  H.  Ro..aldson 123 

Coal,  Flotation  Process  applied  to (m.d.) ISO,  190,  253 

Coal  in  Grcit  Britain Walcot  Gibson 62 

Coal  in  Tasmania,  Prospecting  for    163 

Coal,  Mineral  Matter  in R.  Lessing  (m.i.) 191 

Coal  Output,  Australian 289 

Coal  Washing E.  Prochaska 285 

Cobalt  Brasses    ('".rf.) 253 

Cobalt  Deposit  near  Selwvn,  Queensland    (m.d.) 253 

Cobalt,  Ontario      31,  09,  162,  225,  293.  358 

Colemanite.  Origin  of    (m.d.) 3Sl 

Colorado  Oil-shales    imti) 314 

Compressed  Air  for  Power  in  Mines   (m.d.) 252 

Compressed  Air  in  Mines    (m.d.) 59 

Compressed  .A.ir,  Measuring J.  L.  Hodgson  (m.J.) 190 

Congo  State,  Aeroplane  Ser\*ice  in    136 

Consolidated  Diamond  Mines  of  South  Africa    . . .  Report 255 

Consolidated  Langlaagtc  Mines Report 318 

Consohdated  ^'ines  Selection  Dividend    «  135 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  :\Ieeting    327 

Consolidated  Mining  and  Smelting   356 

Copper  Assay,  Fleitmann's ■. (m.d.) 253 

Copper  in  Steel ('"■'^-) 314 

Cooper  Losses  in  Slags    F.  E.  Lathe  (m.d.) 56 

Copper  Mines  Closed  in  United  States «     202.  329 

Copper  Production,  World's F.  H.  Hatch  (m.d.\ 122 

Copper  Smelting  in  Japan    : . . .  (m.d.) 122 

Coppers,  The  Porph>Ty 325 

Cordoba's  Property  in  India    264 

Cornish  Kaohn,  Ltd 329 

Cornish  Tin  Mines  Close-down        100 

Cornwall,  Pumping  Diitculties  in 202 

Contndnin  in  Transvaal A.h.  Hall. . . .  126 


Till';     MINING    MAGAZINE 


Costs.  RcH-ords  of  Miiiinc A.  E.  Pcltit  (wi.rf.). 


Cotln-ll  Prccioitalion  Process. 


.(....rf.). 


PACE 

la^),  101,  :tsi 


Crown  Mines Report 31 S 

Crvslallography J.  H.  .lordan 102 

Cumberl.ind  Iron  Ores,  Genesis  of. .  .,7.  n.  .\lkii\son ill,  I'lS 

A.  A.  lones W 

I.D.Kencl.ill OH 


PACE 

Gold  Minin?  in  Chile L.  Pitblado ">7 

Gold  Outpnt  of  World   2,  fifi 

Gold.  Precipit.ntion  of J.  H.  Johnson  {m.d.) 57 

Gold  Stealing  in  Anstralia    250 


Golden  Horse-shoe  Instates      Report. 

Goodchild.  J.  H ^.    . . Cumberhind  Iron  Ore. 


J.  H.  Goodchild 218 

Cumherlitnd.  New  Geolocical  Survey  for IHIl 

Cvanide Clean  up  Problem W.  B.  Chomley  (tn.rf.l !j7 

Cyanide  Practice,  Review  of A.  J.nmes  (iii.rf.) 122 

Cyaniding  in  Ecuador (w.rf.) 314 

DaRcafontein,  Closing  of 263 

Daggafoutein  Finances   1 99 

De-aeration  of  Solutions H.  A.  White  (m.d.) 190 

Dc  Beers  adopts  Crushing  Plant 7 

De  Beers  Consolidated  Mines     Report     . .  192 

Deebook  Dredsing Report 12S 

Deep  Mines,  Conditions  in,  Orenstein  and  Ireland    {m.d.) 314 

Desert,  Adventures  in  the    197 

Dhalbhum.  Apatite  Magnetite  Deposits  of. .  .E.  F.  O.  Murray  "211 

Diabase,  Use  of  the  Tenn 259 

Diamonds,  .alluvial  in  South  .Mrica.    F.  C.  Cornell  (m.rf.) 59 

Diamonds  in  Brazil D.  Draper  {m.d.) »372 

Diamond  Mines,  Depression  at    136 

Dolcoath  Mine    Repqft 62 

Dolcoath's  Financfs 30 

Dolcoath's  Future   '21 

Dollv  Varden  Mine    ICO 

Draper,  D Diamonds  in  Brazil  {m.d.) '372 

Drill-steel.  Heat  Treatment  of  ' {m.d.) 380 

Drill  Steels,  Sharpening    [m.d.) 30G 

Dua  (Nigeria)  Tin  Fieli^s    Report 63 

DundeeCoal Report 384 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep    Report 317 

Earth's  Crust,  Chemistry  of (m.d.) 118 

East  Indian  Topography  .  .  .G.  A.  1-.  Molengraaf  (lii.rf.) 191 

East  Pool  and  Agar    ,.» Report 254 

East  Pool,  Accident  at   ...j.J..L.\ 329 

East  Pool,  Developments  at  '.'■ ?6 

East  Rand  Proprietarj',  Results  for  1920    199 

Fconomic  Mineralogy   T.  Crook ....  220 

Electric  Plant  at  Easingfon  Colliery {m.d.) 59 

Electric  Smelting  in  Sweden J.  Herlenius  {m.d.) ....  190 

Electrostatic  Deposition  of  Dust {m.d.) 185,191,381 

Electrostatic  Precipitation  of  Sulphuric  .\nd {vi.d.) ....  190 

£;v,  .Vfi'arfu.  Or,-  Deposils  of .\.  C.  Spencer 125 

Enemy  Shareholdings  in  South  Africa 136 

Esperanza  Developments 10 

Excess  Profits  Duty     131 

Exploration  Company Report. . . .  192 

Falcon  Mines,  Position  of  263 

Falconer,  J.  D Nigerian  Geology 'SBl 

Falconer's  Geological  Survey  of  Nigeria 200,  323 

Fanti  Consohdated    264 

Farrow's  Bank.  Failure  of    3 

Federation  Tin  Companv    328 

Finsburv  Technical  College G.  T.  Morgan.  ...  97 

Fire-damp  in  Gold  Mines    {m.d.) ....  310_ 

Flats  and  Sops  in  Furness J.  D.  Kendall. . .  .  *145" 

Flin-Flon,  Mine  Option  on 266,  293 

Flin-Flon  Ore-body   {m.d.) •241 

Flotation  Litigation 202 

Flotation  of  Cassiterite   {m.d.).  . .  .  251 

Flotation  Process  applied  to  Coal {m.d.) 189,  190,  253 

Fluor-spar  in  Illinois {m.d.) 191 

Francois  Cementation  Process H.  S.  Ball  {m.d.) .59 

Fremantle  Smelter  Closes 264 

Fremantle  Trading    Report 64 

Fresnillo,  Mining  Methods  at  {m.d.) 380 

Frontino  and  Bolivia  Co.'s  Output ■ 330 

Frontino  and  Bolivia  Gold Report. ...  64 

Geduld  Proprietary  Mines    Report ....  320 

Geduld  Reserves     71 

Geevor  Position    34,  13S 

Geevor  Tin  Mines    Report ....  102 

Geldenhms  Deep    Report 319 

General  petroleum  of  1  riTiidad    330 

Geology  oj  fht  Bti'.isk  Empire F.  K.  C.  Reed 31-5 

Geology,  Political  and  Commercial J.  E.  Spurr 286 

Geology,  Text-book  of L.  V.  Pirsson 288 

Geothermal  Data  o)  lite  Untied  States N.  H.  Darton 192 

Gersoppa  Falls  Power  Scheme •  329 

Giew  Position  '^-^t  329 

Ginsberg  Liquidation     136 

Glencairn  Liquidation  136 

Glencoe  (Natal)  Collieries Report 384 

Globe  and  PhoinLi!          Report 256 

Globe  and  Phcenix  Metallurgy {m.d.) 308 

Goch,  New    Report ssa 

Gold  and  Platinum  in  South  Chile   {m.d.) 2:,3 


382 
•218 


Goodchild,  J.  H.,  on  Iron  Ore 197 

Gopeng  Consolidated Report. . . .     316 

Government  Gold  Minin.':  .^reas   Report. . . .     32(1 

Gowganrta,  Ontario 32,  359 

Granbv  Consolidated    226,  356 

Graphite  for  Cnieihte  U.w    Dubs  &  Moses 192 

Grecnawalt  Sintering  Process    {m.d.)....     183 

Greenhow  Hill    .5 

Greenland,  Development  of   322 

Greenside    Lead    Mines Interested 158 

W.  H.  Borlase....     281 
Grcnville  Position    34 

Haber's  Ammonia  Process  {m.d.) ....  314 

Halberg-Ileth  Gas  Cleaner   {m.d.) 381 

H,impden  Cloncurry's  Position    8 

Hampton  Plains,  Developments  at 228 

Hancock,  R.  T Physical  Basis  of  Tin-Dressing 'SO 

Helium    R.  B.  Moore  {m.d.) 191 

Herb  Lake  Gold  Deposit    {m.d.)....  376 

Hollinger  Consolidated  Gold  Mines    Report ....  256 

Hoover,  H.  C,  and  Food  Research 194 

Hoover,  H.  C,  as  Secretary  of  Commerce 130 

Huelva  Sulphur  and  Copper          Report....  128 

Hungary,  .Anglo-Persian  Oil  Co.,  in    202 

Hydro-electric  Power  in  Wales   {m.d.) ....  191 

329 
125 

•132 
258 

'.339 
130 
194 
322 
260 

'339 

197 

158 

96 

96 

218 

•214 
191 
253 
264 


Idris  Hydraulic  Tin  Company 

Igneous  Kocks,  Chemical  Analysis  of..H.  S.  Washington.... 

Imperial  College  Athletic  Ground 

Indian  Industries  and  Labour,  Journal  of 

Indian  Iron  and  Steel  Industry J.  Coggin  Brown.  . .  . 

Institute  of  Metals,  Local  Sections " 

Institution  of  Civil  Engineers    

Institution  of  Electrical  Engineers   

Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 

Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India .J.  Coggin  Brown.  . . . 

Iron  Ore  and  C^reenstone    

Iron   Ore,   Cumberland .1.   B.   Atkinson....     94 

.\.  A.  Jones  

I.  D.  Kendall 

J.  H.  Goodchild   

Iron  Ore  Deposits  of  Queensland    

Iron  Ores.  Vampi  Sound    {m.d.). . . . 

Iron  Smelting,  Electric,  at  Doranarfet {m.d.). . . . 

Ivanhoe  Position    

Jantar  Nigeria    Report ....  63 

Jantar's  New  Capital : S,  72 

Japan,  Copper  Smelting  in ' {m.d.) ....  122 

Jarosite  in  Victoria    {m.d.) ....  314 

Johannesburg  Consolidated  and  Coal _7 

Johannesville    258 

Jones.  A.  A Cumberland  Iron  Ores 96 

Jos  Tin  Areas  (Nigeria)    Report 256 


.{m.d.)... 


Kalahari  Desert,  Reclaiming. .  .E.  H.  L.  Schwarz  (m.rf.) 

Kalgoorlie  Letter 

Kalgoorlie,  Strike  at    

Kalgurli  Mine  Closes  

Katathemiometer,  Dr.  Hill's    

Keeley  Silver  Mines  . 

Kel5  Consolidated  Amalgamation 

Kelantan     V.  F.  Stanley  Lonv^ 

Kendall,  J.  D Cumberland  Iron  Ores 

Estimation  of  Reserves 

Flats  and  Sops  in  Fumess ' 

Origin  or  Primary  Ore  Deposits  . .  ' 

Kent  Coalfield,  Structure  of {m.d.) 

Kestner,  P.,  on  Removal  of  Gases  from  Water    

Killifreth  Mine,  Geology  of {m.d.) 

Kingsdown  Tin  Mine 

Kirkland   Lake,   Ontario 31,  100,  161,  22o,  293, 

Kirkland  Lake  Gold  Mining  District {m.d.) '111,  ' 

Kkkland  Lake,  History  of 

Kirkland  Lake,  Ontario 31,  100, 161,  225, 

Kit  Hill  and  Hingston  Mines 

Kitson,  .\.  E Bauxite  in  West  .Africa  {m.d.) 

Kleinlontein,  New Report 

Knigh  t  Central Repor ; 

Knights  Deep Report 

Knudsen  Smelting  Furnace   {m.d.) .... 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


-T' 


PAGE 

Lens  Collieries  bv  Cementation,  Repairing   ("i.rf.l 'll? 

Leasing,  R • Mineral  Matter  in  Coal  {m.d.) 181 

Lett,  s!  J Cementation  and  Vein-filling   219 

Levant  Position   > 3^ 

Lever  Brothers  in  Nigeria    ^UU 

Libel  and  Criticism '•o! 

Llandarcv    ■  • ; ,""■;■, r5„ 

Loading  Minerals  into  Ships    (m.d.) 190 

Lodge  Precipitation  Process (m.rf.) IS.i 

London  University  and  Holland  Park   2 

Lonc-lv  Reef  Developments '2,  26B 

Love  'C.  R Wave-transmission  Rock-drill   SaO 

Low  V  F.  Stanlev Kelantan '11 

/  ubricaiing  and  AlUrd  Oils E.  A.  Evans 287 

Luipaard's  Vlei        Report 62 

McDeimott,  W.,  on  Labour  Problems 327 

Mackenzie  Ri\er  Oilfield    102,  203 

Mackenzie  River  Oilfield T.  O.  Bosworth  {m.d.) 312 

Mackenzie  River  Oilfield J.  Ness  Im  d.) 'SGO 

Manganese  C.  M.  Weld. ...     220 

Manganes.m  Peak  Hilt  Goldfield A.  Montgomery 126 

Manganese  in  West  .\frica    26-1 

Marriott,  H.  F.,  on  Rand  Output 324 

Mason  and  Barry Report 315 

Mawchi  Mines  Finances    210 

Mazoe  Dam,  Cementation  at   (m.d.) 122 

Mechanical  Drauing,  Text-book  of J.  E.  Jagger 315 

Melbourne  Letter 07,  162,  229,  2S9 

Melbourne  Univcrsitv  Metallurgical  Department  .  .{m.d.) 59 

Menzies  Consolidated  Gold  Mines Report 63 

Mercury,  Estimation  of A.  A.  Hall  (m.d.) 190 

Messina  (Transvaal)  Development    Report....     126 

Melat  Handbook  and  Statistics L.  H.  Quin 192 

Metal  Markets    41,  103,  163.  233,  295,  360 

Metallic  Allo\s G.  H.  Gulliver 382 

Metals,  The  Low  Price  ol 3 

Mexican  Corporation '. Report. . . .     317 

Mexican  Gold  and  Silver  Output    330 

Jlexican  Oil  Problems  202 

Mexican  Oil  Resources U".d.) 253 

Mexican  Position,  R.  T.  Bayliss  on    138 

Mexico  Mines  of  El  Ore    Report 2.56 

Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro  and  New  Capital  10 

Mever  and  Charlton    Report 31S 

Mica  in  Australia (m.d.) 120 

Mica  in  Rhodesia (m.rf.) 51 

Milner,   H.  B Oil  Resources  of  South  America *203 

Mineral  Industry,  Vol.  28 62 

Mineral  Resources  Bureau,  Imperial    195 

Mineralogy Krauss   &   Hunt 124 

Minerals  Separation  v.  Callow 202 

Mining  Manual,  Skinner's 192 

Modderfoniein  B Report 319 

Modderfontein  B  South-west  Shaft 199 

Modderfontein  Deep  Levels Report 320 

Modderfontein  Deep  Reserves 135 

Modderfontein  East  Finances    199 

71 

00 

3S1 

253 
264 


PAGE 

Nitrate,  Recovery  of A  .  W.  Allen 25-1 

Norite  in  Manitoba    (m.rf.) . 59 

Northern  Exploration  Co.'s  Report    202 

Northern  Exploration  Notes    206 

Northern  Nigeria  (Rauchi)  and  Water  Power   8 

Northern  Nigeria  (Bauchi)  Tin  Mines Report. ...  63 

Nundydroog  Company's  Reconstruction    9 

Nundydroog  Output   205 


. .  .  {m.d.) 

'.'.'.{m.dy.'.'.'. 


Modderfontein  East.  New  Mill  for 

Modderfontein  Mine,  Model  of 

Molybdenum  Ores,  Separating  Copper  from 

Mond  Nickel's  New  Capital    

Monel  Metal,  Physical  Characteristics  of. . . 

Mongu  Progress   

Moulton,  Lord,  Death  of    194 

Mount  Elliott's  Position 9 

Mount  Lyell  Labour  Troubles 200,  32 

Mount  Lyell,  Welfare  Schemes  at 07 

Mount  Monger  Developments    229 

201 


Mount  Morgan 

Mount  Morgan  Labour  Troubles 

:\Iount  Quamby  Gold  Deposits    {m.d.) . . . 

Murray,"E.  F.  O.,  Apatite-Magnetite  Deposits  of  Dhalbhum. 

Mysore  Dividend   

Mysore  Results  for  1920 


Xamaqua  Copper  Metallurgy' 

Nevada  Consolidated,  History  of    {m.d.) .... 

Nevada  Consolidated  Open-cut  Mining    {m  d.). . . . 

New  Brunswick  Gas  and  Oilfields Report. . . . 

New  Unified  Main  Reef    Report. . . . 

Newfoundland,  .^ng'io- Persian  Co.,  in 

Nicaragua.  Gold  Mining  in {m.d.). . . . 

Nickel  and  its  L^ses P.  D.  Merica  {m.d.). . . . 

Nickel  Alloys P.  D.  .Merica  {m.d.) 

Nickel  Alloys  high  in  Nickel    {m.d.) 

Nickel-Copper  .Mlovs P.  D.  Merica  {m.d.) 

Nickel  Industry,  Canadian    138,  22.5, 

Nigeria,  Gold  in   

.s'igeria,  Salt  Deposits  in {m.d.) .... 

Nigerian  Geology J.  D.  Falconer * 

Ni^rian  Geological  Survey,  Falconer's 200, 

Nigerian  Mines,  Assistance  for 

Nigernn  Tin  Corporation 

Nile-Ccngo  Divide  Syndicate 


•211 
137 
201 

327 

380 
384 
383 
10 
253 
110 
381 
233 
314 
375 
328 
381 
331 
323 
264 
328 


Oil  Coal  Fuel  on  Railways    

Oil-Drilling A.  W .  Davson  (m.i.) 

Oil,  EfTect  of,  on  Marine  Life      

Oil  Enterprise  at  Wakkerstroom 

Oil  Geology R.  A.  Mills  tm.d.) 

Oil  Geology,  Roma    

Oil  in  Great  Britain  

Oil  in  Hungary 

Oil  in   Mackenzie   River   District 102,293,312, 

Oil  in  Palestine,  Boring  for    (m.d.) 

Oil  in  Punjab H.  Preiswerk  {m.d.) 

Oil  in  Western  Canada J.  Ness  {m.d.). . . . 

Oil  on  the  Waters    07, 

Oil  Problems  in  Mexico 

Oil  Promotions  in  Tasmania    

Oil  Regulations,  New  Canadian 

Oil  Resources  of  Mexico (m.d.). . . . 

Oil  Resources  of  South  America H.  B.  Milner. ... 

OiUshale    Industry V.    .^Iderson. . . . 

Oil-shales,  Colorado     (m.rf.) . . . . 

Oil  {see  also  Petroleum). 

Ontario,  Power  Shortage  in   

Ooregum  Gold Report .... 

Oorcgum  in  Depth 

Open-cut  Mining R.   S.   Botsford.... 

Ore  Deposits,  Origin  of ,T.    D.  Kendal! 

Orenstein  and  Ireland,  Conditions  in  Deep  Mines,  .{m.d.). . . . 
Oxygen  from  Water,  Removal  of 

Palestine,  Boring  for  Oil  in    {m.d.) .... 

Pas,  The,  District,  Manitoba   {m.d.) 

Pas,  The,  Mandy  Mine  at  {m.d.) 

Patents  Published    .59,122,191,253,314; 

Peace  River  District,  Oil  Surveys  of    

Pearls,  Cultured .' 

Peat  Power  in  Germany (m.d.). . , . 

Pengkalen Report 

Personals    40,  101,  164 ,  232,  294: 

Petrographic  Nomenclature,  British  

Petroleum  and  Products,  Examination  of,  Hamor  &  Padgett 

Petroleum,  Geology  of W,  H.  Emmons 

Petroleum  Geology,  Field  Methods  of Cox  and  others. . . . 

Petroleum  in  Borneo Emmons  and  Clruner  {m.d.)  .... 

Petroleum  in  Borneo J.  Kewley  {m.d.) 

Petroleum'  in  North  Borneo 

Petroleum,  Origin  of P.  Carmody  {m.d.) 

Petroleum  Production  in  Venezuela {m.d.) 

Petroleum  Spirit,  Storage  of A.  Cooper  Key 

Peti-oleum,  Working,  by  Shafts  and  Galleries (m.rf.) 

Petroleum,  World's  Production  of    

Petroleum  {see  also  Oil). 

Philippines,  Gold  Mining  in    {m.d.).  .  .  . 

Phosphates  in  Pacific  Islands    tm.d.\ .... 

Phosphoric  Add,  Estimation  of J.  E.  Clc.inell 

Phosphorus  from  Rock  Phosphate     {m.d.) 

Pitblado,  L Gold  Mining  in  Chile 

Plaline,  he Duparc  &  Tikonowitch 

Platinum  and  Gold  in  South  Chile   (w.rf.) 

Platinum  at  Lizard,  Search  for  

Platinum  Metals   A.   D.   Lurob 

Plymouth  Consolidated  Gold  Mines     Report 

Po'derosa  restricts  Output    

Pondoland,  Geology  of Du  Toit  &  Rogers 

Porco  Tin  Mines  Finances    

Porcupine,  Ontario  31,  100,  101,  224,  292, 

Porkellis,  Reinforced  Concrete  at E.  Gordon  {m.d.) 

Porphyry  Coppers  

Port  Pirie  Fire   

Postage  Rates,  Increase  of 

Potash-bearmg  Dust,  Electrostatic  Precipitation  of  ()«.a.) 

Potash,  Refining  Califomiau    (m.d.). ... 

Premier  Gold-Silver  Mine    l"li 

Premier  (Transvaal)  Diamond  Minmg   Report 

Prestca  Block  A Report 

Prestea  Block  .A  Developments 

Primrose,  New   Report. . . . 

Prospecting  by  Electric  Current   {m.d.) 

Pulverized  Coal  in  Copper  Furnaces • .  •  •  • 

Punjab,  Oil  in H.  Preiswerk  tm.d.) 

Pyrites  m  Coal J-  I-omax  {m.d.) 

Pyrites  Industry  of  Spain C.  dc  Kalb  {m.d.) 

Queensland,  Iron  Ore  DeposiU  of '214 

Queensland  Railway,  Proposed ...............  137 

Quicksilver  in  Spain H.  W  .  Could  (m.rf.  ... .  381 

Quicksilver  Mining  in  China F.  Trylliall  {m.d.) 1B7 


194 
314 
130 
200 
314 
353 

73 
202 
■369 

59 
122 
■369 
194 
202 
162 
210 
253 
•203 

60 
314 

74 
310 
265 
•267 
•272 
311 
194 

59 
•241 
59 
381 
291 
322 
314 
316 
,360 
278 
287 
154 
351 
253 
250 
265 
381 
'247 
352 
190 
210 

59 
314 
151 

59 
•27 
155 
253 
259 
123 
316 

10 
126 

74 
358 

52 
325 
201 
322 
185 
381 
357 
128 

63 

72 
384 
380 
8 
122 
253 
253 


^ 


TIUC     MINING    MAGAZINE 


Quicksilver  OiUpMl  in  I'nilcd  SUtcs 
Qtiirosa  Cruz  Tin  Mines     


.(m.rf.). 


PACE 

.     21)6 
.       59 


12S 
253 


R.»!u.p..  (Nigeria)  Tin    R»Port 

Kanibunn  Report 

Kamcn  Heskow  Process    (iii.rf.) ■■•■     -J^ 

Kand  Dividends  (or  in20      ' 

Uand  tiold ,  Proposed  Premiums  on  

Kand  MininR  Kesults    

Rand.  Strike  on  the    •  •  •  •  ■  •  ■ 

Randfonteiu  Central •  •  •  ■  •  •  Report 

Randfontein  Central's  New  Development  Methods  (m.d.) 
Randfontein    Hstates   Litigation 


200 
261 
135 
317 
..  '40 
136,  2(X) 


71, 


.J.   D. 


Rf/r,7itory  Materials :  rirrchys 

Reserves!   Ustimation  of 

Rezende  Mines 

Rhodesia  and  SelfUovemment 

Rhodesia  Gold  Mining  and  Investment 

Rhodesia,  Mic?  in 

Rhodesia,  Miners'  Strike  in    

Rhodesian  Dividends  1920  

Rhodesian  Gold  Output  1920    

Rhodesian  Government,  Future  of 

Rhodesian  Mine  Strike    

Rhodesian  Mineral  Output  1920   

Rio  Tin  to  Strike  settled    

Risdon   P    T     Wave-Transmission  of  Power 


Kendall. 
.  Report . 


Report . 
.(m.rf.). 


Robinson  Gold 

Rock-Drill,  Wave-Transmission 
Rock-Drill,  VVave-Transm  ission . 


Report. 

.  .P.  j.  Risdon 

R.  de  H.  St.  Stephens 
C.  R.  Love  


•75, 


Rocks  under  Pressure,  Study  of    

Roma  Oil  Geology      ■ ■  • 

Roodepoort  United  Main  Reef    ,^°J\' 

Roof  Supports  for  Mines ('"•''•) "'■* 

Rooiberg  Minerals  Position    ■ ■ ' 

RoseD«p Report...     2oo 

Roumanian 


192 

•91 

3S3 

72 

•51 

136 

8 

71 

200 

2(X) 

71 

10 

'139 

255 

130 

'139 

282 

359 

130 

353 

383 

3U 


PAGE 

Tasmania.  l-:iectrolvtie  Zinc  in    98 

Tasmania,  Hydro-i-leitric  Power  in 2'J9 

T.asmani.i,  Prcspecting  for  Oil  in 163 

Tasmaniau  M  ineral  Output    ; 264 

Tasra.anian  Oil  Promotions 162 

Tehidy  Minerals • 85 

Tchidy  Minerals Report 2a5 

Tckka-Taiping    Report 316 

Tharsis  Sulphur  and  Copper    Report 315 

This  WorU  of  Ours   J-   H.  Cuilc.  ...  28-3 

Tin  Dressing,  Phvsical  Bases  of R.  T.  Hancock •80 

Tin  in  New  Mexico ('"■''■! J^ 

Tin  Mines,  Cornish,  Close ,■  ■ ';  : ^99 

Tin  Mines,  Quimsa  Cruz  ('"•■'•) 59 

Tin  Output,  1-ederated  Malay  States  

Tin  Price  in  Federated  Malay  States 
Tin  Resources  of  British  Empire. . . 

Tincroft  Mine  Closed  

Tincroft  Position   

Tolima  

T?:;rpl;^^h;;:::;:::::;::;:::4irm;'i65;-23;i,-  m  300 

Transvaal  Consoli dated  Land  and  Finance  Co •s-i 

Transvaal  Gold  Output  1920 

Transvaal  Smelting  and  Refining  Co ,"  ' J  I 

Trevithick's  Engines  in  Peru ','"■  "i' ; 

Trevorite ('"•''•> 


.N.  M.  Penzer. 


. .  .Report. . . . 
31,  99,  161,  -224,  294 


9 

9,  137 
.  349 
.  265 
.  35 
.  64 
35S 


71 

71 

381 

312 


im.d.). 


n.d.) . 


iconsolidkted  Oilfields'' ciaim   1°' SIS 


Roumanian  Oil  Productions  . 

St.  Stephens,  R.  de  H..  .Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill 

Salt  and  G^■psum  in  South  Australia ■  ■  •  •  ■ 

Salt  Deposition.  Geology  <J/ A.  W.  Grabau 


266 

282 
382 
124 


,/,L<5^      VJ —        ■■    -      -  .    ,  .,(^. 

Salt  .Manufacture  in  Michigan  {m.a.j i Ji 

San  .\ntonio  de  Esquilache  Mines ■ !■» 

San  Francisco  Mines  of  Mexico  Report 

Santa  Gertrudis   Report 

School  of  Mines,  Royal,  Dinner 


256 
317 
323 


aCUUUi  Ul  iriiijca,    isuja,,  *-«*..«     

Scottish  Water- Power  ■  ■  •  ■  ■ ^J' 


U  V.X.  Metallurgical  Laboratory   

United  States  Gold  Output  1920 

United  States,  Non-Metallic  Minerals  in  . . . 

Urquhart  Family  and  Russia ,•  x  V 

Utah,  Ore  Deposits  of B.  S.  Butler  and  Others  ... 

Van  Rvn  Deep ^^^°J\  "" 

Vanadiferous  Asphaltites  of  Peru  '"'j'J 

Vanadium  in  the  Transvaal [m.a.) 

Vancouver  Island  Copper  Co •  .  ■  •  •  ■_■  •  •  ■  ■  •  •  •  •. •  ■  ■ 

Vancouver    Letter 32,    lo9,    22.),    .'91, 

Venezuela,  Petroleum  Production  in .'""j' I 

Ventilating  Currents,  Jleasuring D.  Penman   Dl.d. 

Ventilation  at  \'illage  Deep    )'"  A 

Viaducts,  Trestle,  in  Cornwall ('"■■•«•) 

Vickers'  and  Universitv  of  Sheffield :"j\ 

Victoria,  Gold  Occurrences  in N.  R.  Junner  {m.d.) 

Victorian  Mining 

Village  Deep ,^°J\'  '  ' ' 

Village  Deep,  \'eiitilation  at      ("'■'»■) 

Village  Main  Reef,  Liquidation  of 


Scottish  Water-Power 


.(m.rf.)....     381 

U     V,  tltCl-i   ui,  1.^       J  '  _„ 

Selkirk  Mountains,  Topography  of '«•!'■ Jif 

Shaft-Lining,  Concrete A.  B.  Parsons   m.rf. 

Shafts,  Concrete J-  H.  Stoyel    m.rf. 

Shaft  Sinking  in  Wet  Ground -C.  Walker  (i.i.rf. 

Share  Quotations  48,  110,  172,  240, 

Sheep  Creek  Gold  Mines r'JV 

SignaUing  Apparatus  for  Mines,  Granville (m.rf.). 

Silesia,  Conditions  in E.  P.  Rathbone  (m.rf.). 

Sintering  Process,  Greenawalt   ,'     j. 

Smelting  Works,  .\tmosphere  around (m.rf.) 

Sons  of  Gwalia    Report 

Sons  of  Gwalia,  Fire i;  ■  '^^  •,■,-■■ ' ' 

South  .\merica.  Oil  Resources  of H .  B.  Mimcr 

South  .\merican  Coppe  r's  Litigation ■ 10 

South  Bukeru  (Nigeria)  Tin Repor  . . . .     128 

SouthCrofty Report....     2oD 

South  Crofty  Developmente   ;; '  V,' V  jn/ ' 'i ; ' ' ' "       'i.a 

Spitsbergen  Coal ■••■:■••••  v" '  '^'-  "'"'''"  '"'■''■' '  'im  Ofifi 

Spitsbergen,  Northern  Exploration  Co ^0^,  ^w 

Spitsbergen,  Oxford  Expedition  to 10 

Spitsbergen,  Scottish  Sj-ndicate    A'  •  ■ ' : i?X 

SpringsMines  ....Report....     820 

Standardization  of  Mining  Materials    .^^. . .  ^. .....  .^. . . .  .^^^  J7 


59 

74 

191 

125 

320 
3S1 

120 
160 
355 
•247 
314 
121 
122 
2 
314 
290 
31S 
121 
135 

382 


380 
, . . .  380 
. . . .  314 
302,  368 

2-24 

. . . .  121 
....  314 
. . . .  ia3 
. . . .  59 
. . . .  316 
. . . .  73 
•203 


200 
191 
127 


WaibiGold R<"Port      „.,  ,„- 

Waihi  Gold,  Return  of  Capital '  .^m 

Wakkerstroom  Oil  Enterprise   ■  -  •  ■ : 

Wales,  Hvdro-electric  Power  in (m.rf.) 

Wanlue  Colliery ........  -Repo" 

Washington,  H.  S. ...  Chemistry  of  Earth's  Crust  (m.rf.)..^_.  US 

Wave-Transmission  of  Power P.  J.  Risdon la,  las 

Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill  Ig  j 

Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill.  .R.  de  H.  St.  Stephens....  282 

C.  R.  Love 3.-)9 

Well-rioring  for  Water,  Brine,  and  Oil .C.  Isler ..lo 

West  Africa,  Bauxite  in A.  E.  Kiteon  (m.rf.) ....  189 

West  Africa,  Labour  Position  in *■  ^5" 

West  Australia,  Anglo-Persian  Mining  Co.  in   '" 

West  Australia  Wages iy"  "  i oa? 

West  Rand  Consolidated  Mines Report o^o 

West  Springs  Shaft   ; 'AW  '  ■■ '  "  r 'j\"  " 

White,  H.  -A De-aeration  of  Solutions  (m.rf.) 

Wilfley  Centrifugal  Pump 


190 
103 
380 


Winding  Engine  at  Quincy  Mine (m.rf.) ... .     sou 

TT/;*..    )3«>,,.r    /Vlv    T4nictiwfl        *^0 


Wire  Ropes  for  Hoisting    

Witbank  Colliery ^f^    , ' ' ' 

Witwatersrand  IJeep  Report. . . 

Witwatersrand  Gold Report. . . 

WoUiuter  Gold  Mules Report... 


Statistics  of  Production,  etc.. ., ;.„  j  ,'         ■     =q      womuter  oora  :>mie>    

Stope-FiUing  in  Indian  ColUeries '«.«■) gj      Wraight.  E.  A.,  on  Standardization 

Stope-Filling  in  Nova -Scotia    ^-  A';-- y^   '  '"jl  "  '     ™ 

Stope  Survey F-  P-  Caddy  (m.rf.  . 

Sub-Nigel RePo;  ■  • 

subsidences  ui  Mining,  Preventmg .    .(iij.d.). , 

<ulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen ].  H.  L.  Vogt. 

sjlphide  Corporation    ,^°J\' 

sulphur,  American  Resources   (m.rf.  . 

hulphur  in  South  Africa   •  •  ■  ■  ■ .  -(m.rf-) • 

Sulphuric  Acid  in  the  United  States Wells  &  Fogg. 

^unset-Midwav  Oilfield R-  ^•,  ^^9^ 

Surveving  Instruments W.  H.  Connell  (m.rf.) . 

Surve'vs,  Stope F.  P.  Caddy  (m.rf.). 

Suneys,  Connecting  Surface  and  L'ndergroimd  ...  (m.rf.) . 


380 

62 
252 
156 

63 
122 
115 
102 

61 
3  SO 
380 

55 


Yampi  Sound  Iron  Ores  . . . 

Yuanmi  Gold  Mines    

Yukon,  Lead  Mining  in  the 
Yukon,  Lead-silver  in 


.{m.d.). 
.Report. 

.'.'(m.rf.). 


62 
319 
319 
1'26 

67 

191 
63 

355 
190 


Talisman  Mine  to  be  closed   

Taoganvika  Concessions Report. . 

Taquah' Central  Mines Report. . 

Taquah  Mining  and  Exploration Report. . 


9 

•127 

192 

03 


Field  (m.rf.). 

..(m.rf.) 

(m.rf.). 


230 
314 


Zinc  and  Lead  Mining  in  Great  Bnt.niu 

Zinc,  Electrolytic  

Zinc,  Electrolytic,  at  Anaconda 

Zinc,  Electrolvtic,  at  Bully  Hill    

Zinc,  Electrolytic,  at  Bunker  Hill 

Zinc,  Electrolvtic,  at  Judge  Co.'s  Plant [m-d.) M 

Zinc,  Electrolvtic,  in  Tasmania •,■••,""■;; q<i 

Zinc,  Electrolytic,  Purifying H.  R.  Haoley  (m.rf.). . . .    ^| 

Zinc,  Lectures  on ;  '  'i ', /i hil 

Zirconia,  Production  of,  Rossiter  &  Sanders  (m.rf.). . . ./  i^ 

Zirconium  Alloy,  Cooperite    ;  •  •> 


303,  378 
...  59 
...  74 
59 


The  Mining  Magazine 

W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director.  Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 

Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,  Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall.  London,  E.C.2. 

Telephone  :  London  Wall  S93S.     Telegraphic  Address  :  Olisoclase.     Codes  :  McNeill,  both  Editions. 


(420.  Market  Street.  San  Francisco. 
Branch  Offices  :    \  300.  Fisher  Bda..  Chicaeo 

12.222.  Equitable  Building.  New  York. 


Subscription 


(  16s.  per  annum  ISinele  Copy  Is.  6d  )  inclu- 
l       dine  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXIV.   No.  1.        LONDON,  JANUARY,    1921. 


Price 


6d. 


CONTENTS. 


Editorial 


PAGE 

.     32 


Notes  . 


GoldOutput  for  1920  ;  New  Year's  Honours  ;  Libel 
Suits  ;  Holland  Park  as  a  Site  for  London  Uni- 
versity ;  Memorial  to  Old  Students  of  Camborne 
School  of  Mines  ;  Vickers'  Subscription  to  the 
Funds  of  Sheffield  University  ;  Britons  in  Rus- 
sia :   Bank  Failures. 

The  Price  of  Metals    


The  slump  in  the  Metal  Market  continues,  and  base 
metals  are  being  generally  sold  below  cost  of 
production  owing  to  the  collapse  of  market 
speculations  and  to  the  lack  of  demand. 

Conditions  in  West  Africa 


The  mines  in  Nigeria  and  Gold  Coast  Colony  are 
greatly  inconvenienced  by  shortage  of  labour, 
caused  by  the  competition  of  other  industries 
and  also  of  the  Government  railway-building 
operations. 

Greenhow  Hill     

The  Editor  reviews  a  little  book  by  Mr-  Harold 
Bruff  who  tells  of  the  character  and  lives  of  the 
lead  miners  in  Yorkshire. 


Review  of  Mining 


Articles 

Kelantan   and  its   Natural    Resources 
...  V.  F.  Stanley  Low,  M.Inst.M.M.     11 

The  author  gives  an  account  of  one  of  the  lesser 
known  States  of  the  Malay  Peninsula,  and  tells 
of  his  experiences  there  during  a  recent  visit. 

Dolcoath's  Future  21 


We  print  herewith  the  reports  by  Mr.  R.  .Arthur 
Thomas,  maiiaeing  director  of  Dolcoath,  and  by 
Messrs.  Bewick.  Moreing  &  Co..  on  theproposed 
scheme  for  exploring  the  northern  ground  in 
depth  for  tin 

Gold  Mining  in  Chile 

Laurence     Pitblado,     M.Inst.M.M.     27 

The  author  writes  of  a  neglected  industry,  the  min- 
ing of  low. grade  deposits,  which  can  be  done 
under  most  favourable  climatic  and  economic 
conditions. 

News  Letters 

Toronto    31 

Metal  Output  of  Ontario:  Porcupine;  Kirkland 
Lake  ;  Cobalt :  Gowganda  ;  Boston  Creek. 


Vancouver,  B.C 

Copper  Mining  ;  Gold  Mining. 

Camborne 34 

Grenville  :  Geevor  :  Levant  ;  Giew  ;  Tincroft ; 
South  Crofty;  Tehidv  Minerals.  Ltd  ;  Calloose; 
East  Pool  &Agar;  Kit-Hill  &  Kingston  Down 
Mines ;  Dolcoath. 

North  of  England  37 

Lead  and  Zinc  Mining  in  1920. 

Personal 40 

Trade  Paragraphs    41 

Metal  Markets  41 

Statistics  of  Production 44 

Prices  of  Chemicals  47 

Share  Quotations 48 

The  Mining  Digest 

New   Development  Methods  at    Randfontein 

Central G.  H    Beatty       49 

Mica  Deposits  in  Lomagundi,  Rhodesia    

H.  B.  Maufe       51 

Reinforced  Concrete  in  Tin-Dressing  Plant ... 

Ernest  Gordon       52 

Connecting  Surface  and  Underground  Surveys 

Joseph  Eltringham       55 

Copper  Losses  in  Slags  F.  E.  Lathe       56 

Precipitation  of  Gold..../.  Hayward  Johnson  57 
A  Cyanide  Clean-up  Problem..  VV.  B.  Chomley       57 

Short  Notices  58 

Recent  Patents  Published 59 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  Etc. 

Alderson's  "The  Oil-Shale  Industry"    

H.  B.  Milner       60 

Pack's  "The  Sunset-Midway  Oilfield,  Cali- 
fornia"  H-  B.  Milner      61 

Company  Reports  62 

AbossoGold;  Berenguela  Tin  Mines  :  Cape  Copper  ;  Chinese 
Engineering  &  Mining;  Dolcoath  Mine;  Dua  (Nigeria!  Tin 
Fields;  Fremantle  Trading;  Fronlino  &  Bolivia  Gold;  Janlar 
Nigeria;  Knights  Deep;  I.uipaard's  Vlei  Estate  &  Gold  ;  Men- 
zies  Consolidated  Gold  Mines;  Northern  Nigeria  (Bauchi)  Tin 
Mines'  Prestea  Block  .\ ;  Sub-Nigel;  Sulphide  Corporation; 
Taquah  Mining  &  Exploration;  Tolima;  Witbank  Colliery: 
Vuanmi  Gold  Nlines. 


1—3 


EDITORIAL 


THE  world's  output  of  gold  during  1920 
is  estimated  by  Sainuel  Montagu  &  Co.  at 
approximately  ^"70,000,000  par  value,  as  com- 
pared with  ^75,000,000  in  1919,  /■79,000,000 
in  1918,  ^88,000,000  in  1917,and /'95,000,000 
in  1916.  During  the  same  years,  the  British 
Empire'squota  was  ^48,000,000,  £"50,000,000, 
;^51,000,000,  ^56,000,000,  and  ^^60,000,000. 
There  is  no  hope  of  this  steady  and  continuous 
fall  being  checked. 

LAST  month  we  mentioned  that  some  of  the 
J  shareholders  in  Brunner,  Mond  &  Co. 
objected  to  the  company  devoting  any  of  its 
funds  to  the  cause  of  University  education. 
Since  then  similar  protests  have  been  made 
in  connection  with  the  subscription  of  /"  10,000 
by  \'ickers,  Ltd.,  to  the  endowment  of  the 
University  of  Sheffield.  Some  shareholders 
evidently  do  not  appreciate  the  fact  that  in 
these  modern  businesses  with  a  scientific 
basis  a  supply  of  high  culture  and  education 
is  a  prime  necessity. 

THE  memorial  to  the  old  students  of  Cam- 
borne School  of  Mines  who  fell  in  the  war 
IS  to  take  the  form  of  the  purchase  of  a  school 
playing-field  capable  of  providing  accommoda- 
tion for  football,  cricket,  tennis,  and  hockey. 
It  is  hoped  to  raise  £"1,000  for  this  purpose. 
The  battle  of  life  is  still  often  won  on  the  play- 
ing-fields. Many  of  our  readers  will  be  glad  to 
have  the  opportunity  for  encouraging  this  im- 
portant part  of  the  miningstudents' curriculum, 
and  they  should  communicate  with  the  treasurer 
of  the  fund,  Mr.  Stanley  B.  White,  at  the 
Mining  School. 

DURING  the  course  of  a  libel  action  last 
month,  the  Lord  Chief  Justice  said  to 
the  editor  of  the  offending  journal :  "  I  am  a 
little  impatient  when  I  hear  that  these  articles 
are  written  because  it  is  a  public  duty  ;  you  did 
it  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business."  The 
case  was  connected  with  an  engineering  prob- 
lem, and  the  editor  honestly  believed  that  he 
was  exposing  a  public  grievance.  Neverthe- 
less he  had  to  pay  £^500  damages.  Naturally 
all  editors  are  pleased  that  the  Lord  Chief  is 
vacating  the  position  to  become  Viceroy  of 
India.  

AMONG  the  recipients  of  New  Year  Hon- 
ours are  Mr.  Bernard  Oppenheimer,  of 
Brighton  diamond- factory  fame,  who  has  been 
made  a  baronet;  Mr.  Ernest  Oppenheimer, the 


leading  spirit  in  the  Consolidated  Mines  Selec- 
tion Company,  the  Rand  Selection  Corpora- 
tion, and  the  .'\nglo-American  Corporation  of 
South  Africa,  who  is  made  a  knight ;  and  Mr. 
Henry  Strakosch,  managing  director  in  Lon- 
don of  the  Union  Corporation,  who  is  made 
a  knight  m  recognition  of  his  services  to  South 
Africa  in  connection  with  monetary  problems. 
It  is  also  announced  that  a  knighthood  has 
been  conferred  on  Mr.  H.  W.  A.  Deterding, 
managing  director  of  the  Royal  Dutch  Petro- 
leum Company. 

DISCUSSION  as  to  the  site  for  the  new 
London  University  buildings  has  been 
reopened  by  the  proposal  that  the  Senate  shall 
consider  the  suitability  of  Holland  Park,  which 
has  just  been  advertised  for  sale.  This  site  is 
much  larger  than  that  in  l^iloomsbury,  offered 
by  the  Government,  and  it  is  much  cheaper. 
It  is  in  a  quieter  neighbourhood,  and  it  is  in  the 
heart  of  an  admirable  residential  quarter. 
Though  not  in  the  centre  of  London,  it  is  easily 
accessible  from  all  parts  by  rail  and  omnibus, 
while  its  close  proximity  to  the  Imperial  Col- 
lege, the  Museums,  and  other  educational  in- 
stitutions in  South  Kensington  is  a  feature 
much  in  its  favour.  The  objection  to  Ken- 
wood, in  Hampstead,  was  that  the  means  of 
access  were  poor.  Holland  Park  does  not 
suffer  from  this  disadvantage. 


LAST  month  Mr.  E.  A.  Brayley  Hodgetts 
delivered  a  lecture  before  the  Royal 
Society  of  Arts  entitled  :  A  Retrospect  of  the 
Personal  Influence  of  Britons  in  Russia.  The 
influence  to  which  the  lecturer  referred  was 
largely  that  devoted  to  the  expansion  of  trade 
and  industry.  Of  particular  interest  to  mining 
engineers  was  his  reference  to  the  Urquhart 
family,  which  we  quote  herewith.  '  Another 
benefactor  of  Russia  was  Mr.  Thomas  Urqu- 
hart, M.Inst.C.E.,  locomotive  superintendent 
of  the  Grazi-Tzaritzin  railway  in  South  Russia, 
who  died  as  recently  as  1904.  He  introduced 
a  method  of  burning  oil-fuel  in  the  Grazi-Tzar- 
itzin railway,  with  the  result  that  by  1884  this 
form  of  fuel  had  supplanted  coal  over  the  whole 
system.  Mr.  F.  V.  Urquhart  was  the  actual 
inventor  of  the  method  adopted,  which  he  de- 
scribed in  a  paper  read  before  the  Institution  of 
Mechanical  Engineers.  It  is  unnecessary  to 
expatiate  on  the  benefits  conferred  not  only  on 
Russia,  but  on  the  whole  world  by  this  satis- 
factory practical  solution  of  the  use  of  oil  re- 


JANUARY,    1921 


siduals,  hitherto  waste,  as  fuel.  Another  mem- 
ber of  this  gifted  family  is  Mr.  Leshe  Urquhart. 
His  herculean  work  in  organizing  the  mining 
industry  of  Siberia  and  Russia  on  a  colossal 
scale  is  too  well  known  to  need  comment."  We 
take  the  liberty  of  adding  Mr.  Brayley  Hod- 
getts'  own  name  to  the  list  of  distinguished 
English  engineers  who  have  done  notable  work 
in  Russia. 

SINCE  writing  last  month  on  the  question 
"  What  is  a  Bank  ?  "  there  have  been  two 
regrettable  failures  of  institutions  that  were 
not  legitimately  entitled  to  this  designation. 
The  failure  of  Farrow's  Bank  came  with 
dramatic  suddenness  just  before  Christmas. 
This  is  one  of  the  two  types  of  so-called 
banks  to  which  reference  was  made  last 
month.  It  was  clearly  not  so  much  a  bank 
as  a  benefit  society.  Such  institutions  can- 
not afford  to  pay  interest  on  monthly  bal- 
ances on  the  scale  usually  adopted  by  them. 
As  for  the  application  of  funds,  they  are  not 
able  to  secure  first-class  business  in  competi- 
tion with  the  big  firms,  and  if  they  rely  on 
gilt-edged  securities  they  are  quite  unable  to 
make  good  the  heavy  depreciation.  We  are 
sorry  for  Mr.  Farrow,  for  he  did  great  service 
in  earlier  days  in  drawing  attention  to  abuses 
in  money-lending,  and  we  are  loth  to  believe 
that  there  have  been  any  irregularities  in  the 
conduct  of  the  bank.  The  leading  banks  have 
once  more  advertised  their  willingness  to  take 
small  deposits.  As  regards  the  Post  Office 
Savings  Bank,  the  weak  point  of  this  institu- 
tion continues  to  be  its  refusal  to  take  more 
than  ;^50  in  a  year  and  more  than  £2Q0  alto- 
gether. After  a  depositor  has  reached  this 
maximum  limit,  he  has  to  transfer  into  Con- 
sols or  some  such  security.  Then  his  capital 
begins  to  shrink.  It  is  probable  that  the  aver- 
age depositor  who  has  transferred  in  this  way 
has,  during  the  past  twenty  years,  lost  nearly 
as  much  capital  eventually  as  if  he  had  put  his 
money  in  the  Cheque  Bank,  the  Birkbeck 
Bank,  or  Farrow's  Bank.  Presumably  this 
maximum  was  fixed  originally  at  the  express 
desire  of  the  regular  banks,  and  in  that  case  it 
may  be  taken  that  the  latter  did  not  consider 
business  below  this  limit  as  being  profitable  to 
themselves.  With  dearer  money,  these  condi- 
tions are  no  doubt  different  nowadays.  Fol- 
lowing the  stoppage  of  Farrow's  Bank,  the 
Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  announced  in 
Parliament  that  the  question  of  "  What  is  a 
Bank  ?  "  will  have  to  be  discussed  and  settled 
in  the  House  of  Commons.  When  this  matter 
is  taken  in  hand,  it  will  be  desirable  to  have  the 


publicly-expressed  views  of  bankers  as  to  the 
removal  of  the  limit  on  Post  Office  deposits. 
The  British-American  Continental  Bank,  for- 
merly Hannevig's,  which  has  also  failed,  was 
of  the  type  which  we  had  in  mind  when  the 
editorial  last  month  was  written,  where  the  par- 
ticular abuse  to  which  the  word  was  put  re- 
ferred rather  to  its  application  in  the  names 
of  financial  houses  or  promoting  companies 
pure  and  simple.  Such  a  use  is  just  as  de- 
ceptive as  in  the  other  case,  though  it  oper- 
ates in  different  circles.  Both  classes  of  insti- 
tutions will  require  an  equally  close  scrutiny 
whenever  the  House  of  Commons  makes  its 
investigations. 

The  Price  of  Metals. 

Since  writing  last  month  on  the  slump  in  the 
price  of  metals,  the  situation  has  become  even 
worse,  copper,  lead,  zinc,  and  tin  all  showing 
further  substantial  falls.  The  price  of  zinc  is 
far  below  the  cost  of  production  even  under  the 
most  favourable  conditions,  while  the  prices  of 
the  other  metals  are  much  below  the  average 
cost.  Not  only  are  the  prices  low,  but  sales  are 
restricted  owing  to  the  dull  times  in  all  the  con- 
suming trades.  Every  now  and  then  a  slight 
rally  is  observed  in  quotations  in  lead, zinc, and 
tm,  but  it  IS  much  to  be  feared  that  the  cause  is 
merely  bear  covering.  The  American  copper 
producers  have  not  been  able  to  tempt  con- 
sumers by  progressive  cuts  in  quotations,  and 
stocks  are  accumulating.  The  Anaconda  com- 
pany is  not  paying  its  customary  dividend  ;  as 
one  of  the  directors  said,  "  they  have  plenty  of 
copper  but  no  gold."  Rumour  has  it  that  the 
"porphyries"  are  considering  ageneral closure. 
In  British  Columbia  the  Britannia  and  Canada 
Copper  mmes  have  been  closed,  owing  to  the 
fall  in  the  metal, and  the  Granby  and  Consoli- 
dated are  severely  restricting  operations.  The 
Broken  Hill  mines  are  in  an  unusually  unfor- 
tunate position.  Just  as  they  had  started  work 
once  more,  after  an  eighteen  months'  strike, 
the  low  level  of  prices  has  made  it  necessary 
to  pause  and  wait  for  prices  at  which  the  pro- 
ducts can  be  sold  at  a  profit.  The  Electrolytic 
Zinc  Company  at  Risdon,  Tasmania,  has  sus- 
pended production,  which  had  reached  25  tons 
per  day,  but  the  construction  of  the  plant  is  be- 
ing continued,  and  the  Mount  Read  &  Rosebery 
mines  are  being  developed  and  the  ore  tested. 
And  many  other  contractions  of  operations 
could  be  instanced,  as  a  result  of  the  slump  in 
prices. 

Whenever  a  slump  in  metals  occurs  and 
operations  of  established  mines  are  curtailed, 
proposals  for  the  development  of  new  proper- 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


ties  are  not  considered.  Readers  of  the  Maga- 
zine often  write  to  inquire  why  this  should  be 
so,  arguing  that  the  dull  times  when  sales  of 
output  cannot  be  eflected  profitably  should 
be  devoted  to  what  may  be  called  dead  work. 
They  point  out  that  new  properties  are  gener- 
ally floated  in  boom  days,  and  that  by  the  time 
there  is  an  output  the  prices  have  reacted  and 
the  expected  profits  are  not  realized.  The  an- 
swer to  these  inquiries  and  suggestions  is  that 
investment  in  mining  operations  is  largely  a 
matter  of  temperament  and  of  availability  of 
funds.  When  metal  prices  are  high  and  profits 
substantial,  the  quotations  of  the  shares  of  es- 
tablished companies  are  at  a  maximum.  Then 
the  promoter  and  speculator  sell  out  and  have 
the  funds  for  the  flotation  of  new  propositions. 
On  the  contrary,  when  times  are  dull  the  share 
market  is  depressed,  and  holdings  can  only  be 
realized  at  a  big  loss,  if  at  all.  If  that  is  so 
with  individuals,  how  much  more  must  it  be 
the  case  with  the  promoting  companies,  who 
have  to  take  steps  to  prevent  their  balance  sheets 
from  sufTering  owing  to  the  serious  shrinkage 
in  the  market  value  of  their  securities!  It  is 
thus  clear  that  only  the  individual  who  has  a 
long  pocket  mdependent  of  the  market  in  min- 
ing shares  could  possibly  consider  the  mvest- 
ment  of  funds  in  new  mining  ventures  during 
the  dull  times,  and  unfortunately  such  mdivid- 
uals  are  few  and  far  between. 


Conditions  in  West  Africa. 

During  the  last  year  or  two  the  mining  com- 
panies operating  in  the  Gold  Coast  Colony  and 
in  Nigeriahave  found  a  difficulty  in  keeping  their 
native  labour  forces  up  to  full  requirements. 
In  Nigeria  the  companies  have  not  only  had  to 
stand  up  against  the  competition  for  labour  com- 
ing from  other  industries  and  from  the  Govern- 
ment, but  they  also  have  suffered  internally  from 
the  action  of  a  few  of  their  members  in  offering 
higher  rates  of  remuneration  than  those  gener- 
ally recognized  as  suitable  in  connection  with 
tin-mining  operations.  All  endeavours  to  ar- 
rive at  some  concerted  plan  of  action  in  this 
matter  appear  to  have  failed  so  far.  In  the 
GoldCoast  Colony  thecocoaplantationsalways 
offer  serious  rival  attractionstothe  native  work- 
er, chiefly  for  the  reason  that  the  cocoaand  cho- 
colate manufacturer  is  one  of  those  fortunate 
folks  who  have  control  of  their  own  markets 
and  can  pass  on  any  increase  in  costs  to  the 
consumer,  thus  having  a  strong  pull  over  the 
producer  of  metals.  A  more  serious  compe- 
tition, however,  has  more  recently  arisen  owmg 
to  the  large  public  works  undertaken  by  the 
Government,  particularly  in  the  way  of  new 


railway  construction  and  the  rebuilding  of  old 
railways.  The  Government  gets  the  mines 
both  ways.  To  begin  with,  it  is  a  competitor  in 
securing  labour  for  its  railway  work,  and  then, 
after  construction  is  completed,  it  arranges  its 
haulage  rates  on  such  a  system  that  they  vir- 
tually constitute  a  tax  on  the  mines  for  Govern- 
ment revenue  purposes.  At  tlie  meetings  of 
four  of  the  West  African  companies  held  in 
December,  Ashanti  Goldfields,  Taquah,  Abos- 
so,  and  Prestea  Block  A,  the  chairmen  have 
drawn  attention  to  this  unfortunate  position  with 
regard  to  labour,  and  have  publicly  asked  the 
Governor  and  rhose  inauthorityathometotreat 
their  ventures,  which  are  all  sound,  established 
industries,  withrathermore  complaisance.  It 
may  possibly  be  said  that  it  is  bad  form  to  criti- 
cize a  Colonial  Government  on  points  directly 
in  connection  with  the  critic's  own  interests,  but 
in  connection  with  West  Africa  there  need  be 
no  such  hesitancy  in  alleging  that  there  is  some- 
thing wrong  somewhere,  for  the  mistakes  made 
in  the  matter  of  paper  currency  are  so  obvious 
to  every  one  that  it  is  permissible  to  presume 
a  lack  of  infallibility  on  the  part  of  those  in 
control.  Thus  every  business  man  will  back 
the  gold-mining  companies  in  their  appeal  to 
the  Government  authorities  for  fait  treatment. 
Whenever  the  question  of  native  labour 
arises  in  any  of  the  British  dominions,  it  is 
necessary  to  remember  the  perennial  difficulty 
of  treating  the  inferior  races  with  reasonable 
kindness  and  justice.  The  Aborigines  Pro- 
tection Society  keeps  a  sharp  eye  open  for  any- 
thing like  slavery  or  forced  labour.  It  is  right 
that  this  should  be  so,  for  otherwise  a  few  un- 
scrupulous men  might  bring  about  a  relapse  to 
conditions  prevalent  a  hundred  years  ago.  On 
the  other  hand,  many  dependable  and  unpre- 
judiced observers  have  advocated  some  be- 
neficent form  of  forced  labour,  for  their  gorge 
has  risen  at  the  sight  of  the  indolent  male  living 
on  the  results  of  female  exertions.  In  Tan- 
ganyika Territory  there  appears  to  be  some 
scheme  on  hand  for  organizing  native  labour, 
which  by  some  people  may  be  considered  as 
bordering  on  the  "forced."  Here  the  question 
is  of  unusual  difficulty,  for  the  chiefs  are  nat- 
urally harsh  and  false  to  their  word,  and  the 
German  influence  was  in  the  same  direction. 
Mr.  F.  S.  Joelson's  book,  just  published,  gives 
a  very  fair  statement  of  conditions  there.  He 
admits  that  much  patience  will  have  to  be  ex- 
ercised before  a  better  mode  of  living  is  in- 
culcated, but  he  sees  in  the  natural  sociability 
and  good  humour  of  the  native  a  means  for 
ultimate  improvement.  In  West  .Africa  the 
conditions  under  which  the  native  lives  are  not 


JANUARY,    1921 


unfavourable,  and  there  is  only  an  unproved  sus- 
picion that  the  chiefs  exercise  undue  pressure 
in  making  their  subjects  work  for  the  Govern- 
ment and  for  theBritishcompaniesandsettlers. 
Our  own  impression  is  that  the  West  African 
native  is  not  an  unwiUing  worker,  and  that,  as 
regards  the  mines,  the  general  question  of  the 
treatment  of  inferior  races  does  not  enter  into 
the  question  at  ail. 

The  mine  managers  would  naturally  take 
steps  to  modify  their  plans  whereby  to  reduce 
the  amount  of  labour  required,  if  such  a  course 
were  possible.      In  the  present  case  Ashanti 
Goldtields  is  the  only  company  that  could  so 
rearrange  the  methods,  and  even  here  it  is  only 
the  metallurgical  treatment  that  can  be  mod- 
ified.    The  ore,  as  readers  who  remember  Mr. 
W.  R.  Feldtmann's  article  in  the  Magazine 
for  May,  1916,  are  aware,  consists  of  quartz 
containing  free  gold  and  auriferous  sulphides 
and  also  much  graphite.     The  practice  for  the 
last  ten  years  has  been  to  dry-crush,  roast,  and 
cyanide.     This  plan  was  found  to  give  a  sub- 
stantially higher  recovery  than  wet-crushing, 
amalgamation, and  cyaniding  of  sandand  slime, 
though  the  cost  was  slightly  higher.     During 
the  last  year  or  two  the  cost  has  greatly  increas- 
ed, largely  owing  to  the  higher  price  of  wood 
and  of  spares  in  the  dry-crushers.     It  is  now 
consideredadvisable  to  rearrange  the  treatment 
and   adopt  wet   crushing,  concentration,  and 
roasting  and  cyaniding  the  concentrate.     In 
this  way  there  will  be  a  great  saving  in  wood 
fuel,  as  a  comparatively  small  bulk  of  concen- 
trate will  have  to  be  roasted,  instead  of  the  whole 
ore.     The   smaller  scale  of  other  operations 
will  also  bring  advantages  in  reduced  costs. 
Moreover,  there  will  not  be  the  same  likelihood 
of  stoppages,  entire  or  partial,  owing  to  scarcity 
of  labour  and  fuel.    1 1  is  clear  that  the  recovery 
will  not  be  so  good,  but  here  it  is  probable  that 
the  Minerals  Separation  process  will  prove  use- 
ful in  not  only  increasing  the  extraction  of  sul- 
phides but  also  in  saving  much  of  the  free  gold. 
In  fact,  Ashanti  Goldfields  is  one  of  the  two 
companies  trying  thisapplicationof  theprocess, 
as  mentioned  in  the  speech  of  the  chairman  of 
Minerals  Separation  held  last  month.     The  re- 
sult of  this  rearrangement  of   the   treatment 
process  will  be  that,  though  the  recovery  will 
be  lower,  the  reduction  in  costs  will  be  great 
by  comparison,  and  the  profit  will  be  improved. 
Unfortunately  Taquah,  Abosso,  and  Prestea 
Block  A  are  not  able  to  adopt  modifications  in 
metallurgical  methods,  and  they  will  have  to 
rely  solely  on  theirefforts  to  induce  the  Govern- 
ment to  take  steps  to  give  them  a  steady  and 
regular  supply  of  labour. 


Greenhow  Hill. 

Greenhow  Hill's  in  Yorkshire. 

Some  way  from  the  Minster  City. 

The  Nidd  flows  by  on  the  northern  side, 

To  the  south  is  Wharfedale,  rich  and  wide, 

A  breezier  spot  yoia  never  spied. 

But  when  begins  my  ditty, 

Nearly  thirty  years  ago. 

To  see  the  miners  suffer  so, 

Through  depression  of  trade,  was  a  pity. 

I-ead  !     .At  ten  or  eleven  pounds  a  ton. 

It  was  clear  that  the  mines  could  not  be  run 

At  a  decent  pro5t  for  anyone  ; 

So  the  men  had  to  leave  the  ore  and  chats, 

From  fifty  different  raikes  and  flats 

This  fragmental  parody  of  Robert  Brown- 
ing's well-known  lines  will  serve  to  introduce 
to  our  readers  a  little  book  just  published  en- 
titled: "  T'lll  an'  T'Oade  Uns  upuv  Greenho'," 
by  Mr.  Harold  J.  L.  Brufif.     If  it  had  not  been 
for  the  foregoing  introductory  jingle,  readers 
would  probably  have  imagined  that  the  title 
was  in  the   Haussa  or  perhaps  the  Siamese 
language.     As  a  matter  of  fact  it   is   broad 
Yorkshire  for  "  The  Hill  and  the  Old  Ones  up 
at   Greenhow.""     The   mining  operations  at 
Greenhow  Hill  were  described  in  the  Maga- 
zine for  May  last  by  Mr.  W.  W.  Varvill,  who 
gave  a  historical  account  of  the  fortunes  and 
misfortunes  of  this  old  mining  district,  as  well 
as  details  of  the  present  scheme  for  reviving 
the  industry.     Mr.  Varvill  told  us  that  this 
work  of  resuscitation  was  due  largely  to  Mr. 
Harold  Brufif,  a  resident  in  the  neighbourhood, 
who  is  one  of  the  engineers  of  the  North  East- 
ern   Railway.     The  driving  of   an  aqueduct 
tunnel  to  supply  Bradford  with  water  from  new 
reservoirs  in  the  upper  part  of  Nidderdale  had 
proved  the  continuation  of  the  lead  formations 
and  veins  in  depth,  thus  warranting  consider- 
able capital  expenditure  in  connection  with  new 
mining  ventures.     In  this  little  book  now  pub- 
lished we  find  Mr.  Bruff  to  be  one  of  those  few 
people  of  position  who    really  try  to  under- 
stand the  miners  and  other  working  men,  and 
to  appreciate  the  innate  goodness  of  heart  and 
honesty  of  purpose  of  the  average  worker.   But 
he  does  blame  the  miner  for  not  being  able 
to  regard  his  relationship  to  his  work  as  hav- 
ing influence  on  anything  or  anybody  but  him- 
self.    That  the  miner  should  work  only  as  long 
as  it  suits  him  personally  is  not  taken  as  an 
indication  of  wickedness  ;  but  Mr.  Bruff  puts 
it  clearly  to  him  that  this  attitude  is  the  chief 
obstacle  to  the  restoration  of  an  ancient  in- 
dustry.    Perhaps  the  author  will  be  able  to 
instil  in  the  minds  of  the  men  the  true  econo- 
mic principle. 

'  York  :  T.  A.  J.  Waddington,  Yorkshire  News  Office,  Mans- 
field Street ;  price  3s.  6d.  net. 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Greenhow  Hill  is  one  of  the  liit^liest  villages 
in  England,  and  stands  on  the  limestone  moors 
between  the  two  beautifni  valleys  of  the  Nidd 
and  Wharfe.  It  is  distinctly  breezy  at  all 
times,  and  in  winter  the  snow-drifts  are  often 
alarming.  Yet  the  miners  belong  to  the  cult 
of  the  open  window,  and  thus  escape  the 
tubercular  and  other  troubles  characteristic  of 
Cornwall  and  North  Wales.  They  are  also 
believers  in  good  feeding,  and  they  looked  as- 
kance at  the  miner  in  their  midst  from  Corn- 
wall, who  lived  on  tea,  bread,  and  marge,  and 
grilled  his  mid-day  rasher  of  bacon  under  the 
boiler  furnace,  and  who  ultimately  developed 
scurvy.  Many  of  them  are  characteristically 
tall  and  strong,  and  Mr.  Bruff,  who  is  himself 
half  a  Norwegian,  sees  in  them  the  strain  in- 
troduced by  settlers  from  among  the  old  Norse 
raiders. 

The  limestone  in  the  backbone  of  the  I'en- 
nine  Chain  is  full  of  underground  water  courses, 
and  both  water  and  air  ebb  and  flow  with  eerie 
effect.  Unexplainable  noises  give  rise  to  many 
ghost  stories,  which  generally  take  the  form  of 
visits  from  dead  friends  or  of  premonitory 
warnings  of  disaster.  The  existence  of  piskies 
or  gnomes  forms  no  part  of  their  superstitions. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  eflfective  reading  of  a 
chapter  of  the  Bible  has  served  to  allay  the  evil 
spirit  and  restore  courage  to  the  miners.  Some 
of  the  ghostly  appearances,  however,  are  not 
based  on  uncanny  sounds,  for  candles  and  clogs 
can  be  seen  at  times  moving  about,  and  of  these 
there  can  be  no  physical  explanation.  It  is 
possible  that  the  belief  in  these  visions  has 
come  down  from  the  early  days  of  Scandina- 
vian influence.  For  instance,  the  "  bar-gest," 
or  ghost  of  a  bear,  is  a  spirit  that  haunts  the 
falls  in  the  upper  Nidd,  as  the  White  Lady 
haunted  the  falls  near  Melrose,  according  to  Sir 
Walter  Scott  in  the  "  Monastery."  Also  the 
"  teleghaster,"  the  being  that  "  flees  about  in 
t'mornins  with  a  crooked  neb,"  has  a  family 
likeness  to  the  Norwegian  "  deilegast,"  a  de- 
parted spirit  that  may  easily  be  mistaken  for 
an  owl. 

Mr.  Bruft's  book  contains  character  sketches 
of  many  men  and  women  thinly  disguised  un- 
der homely  names,  and  many  of  their  doings 
are  in  connection  with  mining  operations. 
Naturally  the  tragic  events  recorded  have  to 
do  with  the  inevitable  accidents  in  mines,  and 
in  all  cases  some  act  of  true  heroism  and 
thoughtfulness  is  recorded.  Joss  and  Bin  and 
Kit  and  A'nt  Hannah  are  characters  such  as 
are  found  in  the  pages  of  Quiller  Couch. 
Many  of  their  adventures  reflect  the  dangers 
of  mining.     For  instance,   Kit  tells  how  he 


worked  in  a  mine  where  it  was  the  custom  that 
one  shift  of  men  were  let  down  40  fathoms  for 
their  ten  hours'  work  and  could  not  be  brought 
to  the  surface  again  until  the  other  shift  ar- 
rived in  due  course.  Many  a  time  the  air  be- 
came so  foul  that  the  candles  went  out  and  the 
men  had  to  grope  their  way  in  the  dark  to  the 
foot  of  the  shaft  to  wait  in  the  damp  and  drip- 
pings for  their  relief  in  due  course.  The  worst 
of  it  was  tliat  they  received  no  pay  for  these 
hours  of  wretched  idleness. 

In  another  part  of  the  book,  1  lenry  tells  how 
the  older  and  more  e.xperienced  men  among  the 
miners, whohadalsothe  responsibilityof  mana- 
gers as  regards  following  a  vein  or  leader,  used 
to  sit  on  their  clog  heels  underground,  chewing 
their  bacca,  and  turning  over  in  their  minds 
the  various  problems  before  them.  To  help 
their  cogitations  they  played  with  lumps  of 
clay  between  their  palms,  and  it  was  necessary 
that  the  clay  should  contain  no  grit,  as  the  grit 
wouldentirely  discompose  their  train  of  thought. 
So  important  was  it  that  the  clay  should  be 
perfectly  smooth,  that  old  miners  went  out  of 
their  way  to  obtain  the  best  qualities,  and  each 
man  would  carefully  keep  secret  the  source  of 
his  supply. 

One  of  the  most  tragic  stories  of  the  many 
in  the  book  refers  to  a  blasting  accident,  where 
two  young  miners  were  blown  to  bits.  Their 
fellow  miners  collected  the  remains  to  the  best 
of  their  ability,  and  placed  them  in  coffins. 
When  the  coffins  were  brought  to  the  church 
to  await  burial,  the  parson  refused  entrance, 
because  the  boys  had  been  christened  by  a  lay 
preacher,  though  after  a  long  argument  the  re- 
mains were  allowed  to  rest  in  the  porch  over- 
night. Old  Joss  said  he  did  not  see  why  there 
should  be  such  a  fuss  about  Christians  being 
received  into  a  church  under  such  circum- 
stances, when  black  men  and  real  heathens 
were  allowed  to  see  the  sights  at  York  Minster, 
St.  Paul's  Cathedral,  and  even  Westminster 
.•\bbey. 

Books  on  the  human  side  of  mining  are  so 
scarce  that  when  they  appear  they  are  worthy 
of  special  attention.  Mr.  BrufTs  book  pro- 
vided us  with  Christmas  reading  of  the  right 
sort,  and  it  can  be  recommended  to  all  mining 
men  for  perusal  in  the  same  spirit.  As  we 
have  said,  it  is  only  a  small  book,  but  it  is 
closely  printed  and  full  of  good  things.  One 
day  perhaps  Mr.  BrufT  will  feel  encouraged  to 
elaborate  and  expand,  and  to  give  illustrations 
and  even  maps,  though,  of  course,  maps  are 
only  a  weakness  of  the  Editor  of  The  Min- 
ing Magazine  and  may  not  be  really  neces- 
sary. 


REVIEW  OF  MINING 


Introduction. —  The  general  depression  of 
trade  is  becoming  accentuated  and  the  prices 
of  metals  have  fallen  so  low  that  mining  opera- 
tions are  hardly  profitable  anywhere.  The  ex- 
ception is  gold  mining,  and  here  in  many  cases 
it  is  only  the  premium  that  preserves  the  mines 
from  failure. 

Transvaal. — The  dividends  declared  by  the 
Transvaal  gold  mines  for  the  latter  half  of  1920 
are  given  in  the  accompanying  table.  The  rise 
in  the  gold  premium  and  itscomparativesteadi- 
ness  account  for  a  notable  increase  in  the  pro- 
fits. The  advance  in  the  working  cost,  which 
has  been  characteristic  of  the  last  few  years, 
has  slackened  somewhat,  but  expenses  are  still 
on  the  up  grade.  Unexpected  reappearances 
in  the  dividend  list  are  Kleinfontein  and  Knight 
Central. 

The  total  dividends  declared  by  mines  on  the 
Rand  during  the  year  amounted  to  ^8,3 14,300, 
as  compared  with  ^6,287,200  in  1919, 
£:5,330,000  in  1918,  and  i:6,556.000  in  1917. 
Of  the  total,  ^"5, 185,500  came  from  mines  in 
the  Far  East  Rand. 


Brakpan    

City  Deep    

Consolidated  Langlaagte 
Consolidated  Main  Reef 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) 

Ferreira  Deep    

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Government  .\reas  

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central  

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Estate    

Meyer  &  Charlton  

Modderfontein  (10s.)  — . 
Modderfontein  B  (5s.)-... 
Modderfontein  Deep  (5s.) 

New  Primrose  

New  Unified  

Nourse  Mines   

Robinson  Deep  "A"  (Is.).. 

Robinson  Gold  (jC5) 

Rose  Deep  

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs  Mines  

Sub-Nigel 

Van  Rvn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

Village  Main  Reef  

VVitwatersrand  Gold  

Wolhuter 


1st 
half. 
1919. 


s.    d. 
2    6 

2  0 
1     0 

6 

6 

1     6 

6 

3  6 


10    Ottc 
1     0 
1     0 


5    06 
1     6 
3 

1  0 
1  0 
4    6 

4    6§ 

1     0 

6 


2nd 
half. 
1919. 


1st 
half. 
1920. 


2nd 

half, 

1920. 


1  0 

10  0 

4  6 

6  6' 

3  0 


I     0 
1     3 


3    0 
1     3 


t  Go  old  £*  shares,  ft  On  old  £l  shares,  a  Scrip  distribution 
equal  to  16%.  6  Bonus.  ♦Free  of  tax.  .Also  Scrip,  c  Partly 
in  Scrip.     ?  Paid  in  Scrip.    '*  On  old  £l  shares. 

The  north  shaft  at  New  State  Areas  has  cut 
the  reef  at  a  depth  of  3,578  ft.  Here  the  reef 
is  faulted  and  disturbed  by  numerous  quartz 
intrusions,  and  the  assay-value  is  only  1  dwt. 
over  6  in.     It  will  be  remembered  that  the 


south  shaft  cut  the  reef  in  October,  and  that 
the  assay- value  averaged  89'8 dwt.  over  18'9in. 
The  chairman  of    the  Johannesburg  Con- 
solidated Investment  Company  devoted  a  large 
part  of  his  address  at  the  recent  shareholders' 
meeting  to  the  company's  newventures  in  coal- 
mining.    The  interests  acquired  are  the  Cape 
and  Carlchew  collieries, which  have  been  amal- 
gamated as  the  Consolidated  Collieries,  Ltd., 
the  Witrand  and  the  Springs  collieries,  in  the 
Transvaal,  and  the  Natal  Cambrian  and  Burn- 
side  Central  collieries,  in  Natal.    Of  these,  the 
collieries  in  the  Transvaal  and  the  Cape,  and 
the  Natal  Cambrian,  are  producers,  but  the 
scale  of  operations  can  be  greatly  extended. 
The  Burnside  is  not  yet  producing.      In  order 
to  facilitate  distribution  of  output,  the  com- 
pany has  acquired  the  business  of  J.  R.  Mac- 
duff and  Co.,  Ltd.,  and  introduced  new  capital. 
The  chairman's  comments  on  the  dilatory  me- 
thods of  the  Government  railways  are  likely  to 
make  those  in  authority  sit  up  and  take  notice. 
The  report  of  the  Rooiberg  Minerals  De- 
velopment Co.,  operating  lode-tin  properties 
north  of  Pretoria,  shows  that  the  mill  was  closed 
from   May,    1919,  to  January,    1920,   during 
which  time  attention  was  devoted  to  develop- 
ment.    From  the  period  of  resumption  to  the 
end  of  June,  the  mill  treated   15,427  tons  of 
ore,  and  12,056  tons  of  accumulated  middlings 
and  tailings.    The  total  yield  of  concentrates, 
includingsomewon  by  washingalluvial  ground, 
was  330  tons.     The  Blaauwbank  property  re- 
cently acquired  has   been  abandoned,  and  a 
trial  is  now  being  made  on  the  Weynek  pro- 
perty.     At  the  original   mines    no  new  ore- 
bodies  have  been  discovered  lately.    The  profit 
for  the  year  was  £1,663,,  and  ;f  9,000  was  dis- 
tributed as  dividend. 

Diamonds. — The  De  Beers  Consolidated 
has  adopted  the  crushing  system  for  its  blue 
ground  instead  of  weathering,  and  recently 
ordered  gyratory  crushers  capable  of  disinte- 
grating 40,000  loads  per  day.  It  will  be  re- 
membered that  the  Premier  company  employed 
crushing  from  the  commencement,  and  thus 
saved  a  considerable  lock-up  of  capital.  At 
one  time  it  was  thought  by  many  that  crush- 
ing would  injure  and  break  the  diamonds,  but 
apparently  this  does  not  form  an  economic  fea- 
ture of  the  matter.  The  crushing  plant  at 
Bultfontein  has  already  been  completed  and 
should  start  in  March.  The  plants  for  the 
Dutoitspan  and  Wesselton  mines  will  not  be 
at  work  for  eighteen  months. 


8 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Congo  State  -It  is  announceil  iliat  tlie 
Union  Minit-ie  is  adoptinp  the  GarredCavers 
system  of  employing  pulverized  coal  in  the 
blast  in  their  copper  furnaces,  with  the  object 
of  reducing  the  coke  consumption.  Tiiis  pro- 
cess was  described  in  the  MAGAZINE  for  Sep- 
tember, \'^\9. 

Rhodesia  — The  dividends  declared  by 
Rhodesiau  mining  companies  during  1920  ex- 
ceeded one  million  pounds,  the  figures  being 
nearly  double  those  of  the  year  before,  and 
more  than  £'300,000  higher  those  of  1917,  the 
previoushighest  figures.  The  premium  on  gold 
largely  accounted  for  this  increase,  but  asbestos 
production  was  also  an  important  factor. 

The  Cam  &  Motor  announces  the  starting 
of  the  reorganized  crushing  and  concentration 
plant.  The  flotation  section  will  be  at  work 
in  a  week  or  two. 

West  Africa.  The  labour  position  at  the 
West  .\frican  gold  mines  has  become  worse 
lately, owing  to  the  natives  being  provided  with 
counter-attractions  in  the  form  of  Government 
railway  work.  Reference  to  this  matter  is  made 
in  another  part  of  this  issue.  At  the  Taquah 
mine  the  lode  has  folded  upward,  and  it  has 
been  followed  by  rises  for  250  ft.  Drillmg  is 
now  in  progress  to  locate  its  continuance.  At 
the  Abosso,  developments  have  been  good  re- 
cently, and  it  is  therefore  disappointing  to  find 
that,  owing  to  shortage  of  labour,  it  has  not 
been  possible  to  keep  the  mill  going  full  time. 
The  Abosso  company  has  recently  acquired 
the  property  of  the  Wassau  company  adjoining 
on  the  north,  and  situated  on  the  dip  of  the 
Abosso  lode. 

The  Goldfields  of  Eastern  Akkim,  Ltd.,  one 
of  the  Tarbutt  group,  has  issued  a  subsidiary 
called  Akim  Alluvials,  Ltd.,  with  a  capital  of 
^150,000,  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  mining 
rights  over  gold  and  diamond  alluvial  deposits 
in  West  Africa.  In  the  report  by  Mr.  John 
Saxton  it  is  stated  that  a  "  shaft  has  been  sunk 
26  ft.  on  kimberlite  in  yellow  ground  yielding 
half  a  carat  per  cubic  yard  at  that  depth." 

Nigeria. — Last  month  we  recorded  that  the 
Jantar  had  absorbed  the  Kuru  Syndicate  and 
Kuru  South.  The  company  has  since  issued 
its  yearly  report  to  September  30,  from  which 
it  appears  that  a  loss  would  have  been  made 
had  not  a  refund  been  received  of  excess  pro- 
fits duty  previously  paid.  At  the  meeting  of 
shareholders  the  chairman  said  the  company 
had  ;f  12,000  worth  of  tin  concentrate  unsold 
and  very  little  cash.  As  it  is  not  possible  now- 
a-days  to  obtain  the  financial  help  customary 
on  such  occasions,  it  becomes  necessary  to  make 
an  issue  of  ^25,000  preference  shares  or  deben- 


tures in  order  to  put  the  company  on  a  sound 
basis. 

The  Northern  Nigeria  (Bauchi)  Tin  Mines 
is  considering  the  ways  and  means  of  raising 
the  additional  capital  reciuired  for  completing 
the  Kwall  Falls  hydroelectric  installation. 
This  plant  is  costing  much  more  than  origin- 
ally estimated,  owing  to  the  continued  advance 
in  the  price  of  materials  and  labour.  The  sum 
named  is  /"  125,000.  The  company  already 
has  a  large  preference  share  issue,  and  has  in 
addition  a  loan  of  ^45,000  covered  by  a  de- 
benture, the  latter  having  been  raised  in  con- 
nection with  the  hydro  electric  plant.  It  is 
doubtful  whether  the  chief  shareholders  would 
be  in  a  position  to  provide  further  funds  by  a 
reconstruction,  but  it  may  be  possible  to  raise 
the  money  by  the  issue  of  further  debentures. 
.•\nother  course  is  to  postpone  the  completion 
of  the  plant  until  the  money,  metal,  and  share 
markets  improve.  The  company  has  exten- 
sive proved  lands  that  can  be  profitably  worked 
by  present  methods.  In  fact  the  past  year's 
output  was  100  tons  greater  than  that  of  the 
year  before.  So  the  policy  of  delay  in  connec- 
tion with  the  new  power  plant  may  be  the  best 
under  the  circumstances. 

Australia. —  Itisunfortunatethat  the  slump 
in  metal  prices  should  come  just  as  the  Broken 
Hill  mines  had  resumed  work  after  a  prolonged 
strike.  The  advisability  of  continuing  opera- 
tions is  being  seriously  considered,  and  some 
of  the  mines,  at  any  rate,  will  close  down.  At 
Kalgoorlie  another  stoppage  is  reported,  again 
owing  to  the  lack  of  fire- wood.  The  whole 
community  is  also  upset  with  railway  and  ship- 
ping stoppages. 

The  further  rise  of  wages  in  the  West  Aus- 
tralian goldfields,  as  awarded  by  the  Arbitra- 
tion Court,  will  have  a  serious  eflfect  on  the  in- 
dustry. There  is  to  be  an  immediate  increase 
of  3s.  6d.  per  shift  in  the  minimum  average 
wage, and  the  machine  miners'  rate  is  advanced 
4s.  6d.  per  shift.  The  working  week  is  to  be 
48  hours  for  surface  employees,  and  44  hours 
for  underground  workers.  The  shift  in  rises, 
and  in  wet  shafts  and  winzes,  is  to  be  6  hours. 
A  fortnight's  holiday  on  full  pay  is  to  be  given 
annually. 

A  new  bill  is  being  introduced  by  the  West 
Australian  Minister  of  Mines  relating  to  tribu- 
ting  operations.  It  provides  that  before  any 
royalties  are  deducted  from  the  gold  won,  the 
tributers  must  have  received  £3  per  week  per 
man. 

The  Hampden  Cloncurry  reports  a  loss  of 
;^49,031  during  the  half-year  ended  August  31, 
owing  chiefly  to  the  fact  that  the  products  on 


JANUARY,    1921 


hand  at  the  beginning  of  the  period  were  sold 
at  lower  prices  than  the  valuation.  During  the 
half-year  the  yield  was  2,070  tons  of  copper, 
containing  1,152  oz.  gold  and  12,473  oz.  silver. 
All  operations  at  the  MacGregor  group  of 
mines  have  been  discontinued, owingtothelow- 
gradeoresnot  being  able  to  stand  the  increased 
mining  costs.  Since  the  above  cable  message 
was  received  another  has  come  to  hand  an- 
nouncing that  all  operations  have  been  sus- 
pended owing  to  the  low  price  of  copper. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  directors  of 
Mount  EIHott  gave  an  option  on  the  whole  of 
the  company's  copper  properties  to  Hayden, 
Stone  &  Co.,  of  Boston,  who  sent  Mr.  Edwin 
S.  Berry,  of  the  firm  of  Yeatman  &  Berry,  to 
see  if  the  great  reserves  of  low-grade  ores 
could  be  worked  to  profit.  He  reported  against 
the  project,  owing  to  the  impossibility  of  con- 
centration, and  the  option  lapsed.  Mr.  W.  H. 
Corbould,  the  company's  consulting  engineer, 
has  since  brought  forward  a  leaching  scheme, 
based  on  the  practice  atNewCornelia,  Arizona. 
The  company  will  require  a  large  amount  of 
new  capital  to  carry  out  this  proposal,  and  in 
addition  it  will  be  necessary  for  a  railway  to 
be  built  to  Argylla  and  Mount  Oxide.  Rail- 
way construction  in  Queensland  is  in  the  hands 
of  the  Government,  and  as  the  latter  cannot 
raise  funds  easily  for  any  purpose  the  outlook 
for  a  railway  is  not  bright. 

According  to  the  cabled  report  of  the  Mount 
Morgan  company  for  the  half-year  ended  No- 
vember, the  copper  unsold  and  in  process  of 
refining  amounted  to  5,035  tons.  This  state 
of  congestion  is  largely  due  to  accumulations 
caused  by  the  shipping  strike  and  by  a  strike 
at  the  Port  Kembla  refinery.  Consequently 
it  is  not  possible  to  declare  any  dividend. 
During  the  period  under  review,  172,343 
tons  of  ore  was  mined,  of  which  106,895  tons 
was  concentrated,  yielding  39,436  tons  of  con- 
centrates, while  the  rest  was  sent  direct  to  the 
smelters.  The  smelters  treated  58,868  tons  of 
ore  and  34,396  tons  of  concentrates,  and  pro- 
duced blister  copper  containing  3,431  tons  of 
copper  and  52,686  oz.  of  gold.  The  company 
announces  participation,  in  association  with 
the  Electrolytic  Refining  &  Smelting  Co.,  of 
Port  Kembla,  in  the  formation  of  the  Austra- 
lian Fertilizers  Proprietary,  which  has  been 
incorporated  with  a  capital  of  ^500,000.  The 
refining  company  desired  to  have  its  own 
source  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  the  opportunity 
presented  itself  to  start  an  acid  works  on  a 
large  scale,  using  the  acid  in  the  manufacture 
of  superphosphates.  The  fertilizer  works  is 
now  in  course  of  erection  at  Port  Kembla,  and 


the  first  unit,  with  a  yearlycapacity  of  30,000  to 
40,000  tons  of  superphosphate,  is  expected  to 
be  completed  next  July. 

The  Chillagoe  Company  handed  over  its  cop- 
per properties  and  railway  to  the  Queensland 
Government  in  1919,  and  now  only  owns  the 
Mount  Mulligan  coal  areas.  The  shareholders 
have  just  agreed  to  the' raising  of  new  capital, 
which  it  is  expected  will  be  at  the  rate  of  3s. 
per  10s.  share,  for  the  purpose  of  clearing  off 
its  indebtedness  tothe  Government  and  of  com- 
pleting the  coke-oven  installation. 

New  Zealand. —  It  is  announced  that  the 
Talisman  mine  is  to  be  abandoned,  and  all  un- 
derground plant  is  being  withdrawn.  This 
mine  contained  rich  ore  in  narrow  veins  and 
made  handsome  profits  over  a  series  of  years. 
Ayear  ago  the  reserves  cametoan  end,andsub- 
sequent  exploration  by  diamond-drill  has  not 
disclosed  any  further  deposits  of  value. 

India. — The  reconstruction  of  the  Nundy- 
droog  company,  to  which  reference  was  made 
in  the  November  issue,  has  been  successfully 
carried  through.  Shareholders  have  generally 
responded  to  the  call,  and  for  the  few  shares 
not  taken  up  by  holders  there  have  been  large 
inquiries  from  elsewhere. 

Another  favourable  event  in  the  Indian 
group  of  gold  mines  is  the  re-entry  into  the 
dividend  list  of  Champion  Reef,  which  has  just 
declared  a  dividend  of  4d.  per  2s.  5d.  share. 
The  last  distribution  was  the  final  dividend  ot 
4d.  for  the  year  ended  September  30,  1918. 

Malaya. —  In  order  to  stabilize  the  local  tin- 
mining  industry, the  Government  of  the  Feder- 
ated Malay  States  has  fixed  a  minimum  price 
of  tin,  the  basis  being  1 10  dollars  per  picul.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  two  years  ago  the 
Government  took  somewhat  similar  steps  for 
protecting  the  industry,  the  plan  then  being  to 
buy  at  the  official  quotation  whenever  there 
was  a  difficulty  of  selling  in  the  open  market. 
A  committee  has  been  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  cost  of  production  of  tin  in  the  Feder- 
ated Malay  States. 

The  Government  report  on  tin-mining  in  the 
Federated  Malay  States  during  1919  has  only 
just  been  published,  and  most  of  the  informa- 
tion is  therefore  rather  belated.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note  that  68%  of  the  tin  output  comes 
from  mines  under  Chinese  control,  ascompared 
with  74%  in  1913.  Also,  of  the  36,935  tons 
of  tin  exported,  5,137  tons  was  in  the  form  of 
metal  produced  at  native  smelters,  while 
31,798  tons  was  contained  in  concentrates  sent 
to  the  English  smelters  at  Singapore  and  Pe- 
nang.  The  native  smelters  appear  to  have  se- 
cured a  larger  share  of  the  ore  than  previously. 


10 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Newfoundland.  Tlie  Anglo  Persian  Oil 
Company  lias  received  a  concession  from  the 
Newfoundland  Government  giving  it  sole  right 
for  five  years  to  prospect  for  oil  in  all  ungranted 
Crown  lands.  The  existence  of  petroleum  at 
Parsons  Pond  on  the  west  side  of  the  island 
has  been  known  for  over  a  hundred  years. 
From  1867  onward  a  number  of  projects  have 
been  started  and  many  wells  were  sunk,  but 
the  venturers  were  generally  short  of  capital, 
with  the  result  that  commercial  failures  were 
recorded.  The  petroleum  is  found  at  an  un- 
usually low  geological  horizon,  the  rocks  con- 
taining it  belonging  to  the  Lower  Silurians. 

Mexico.—  The  fall  in  the  price  of  silver  is 
causing  great  concern  among  many  of  the  min- 
ing companies  operating  in  Mexico.  The  direc 
tors  of  the  Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro  have  de- 
cided for  this  reason  to  postpone  the  issue  of 
new  capital  to  which  reference  was  made  last 
month.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the  object 
of  the  issue  was  to  complete  the  purchase  of  a 
second  property  in  which  the  company  is  al- 
ready largely  interested. 

Another  favourable  cable  has  been  received 
from  the  Esperanza  mine  at  El  Oro  with  re- 
gard to  developments  on  the  fifth  level.  Dur- 
ing the  week  ended  December  31,  the  north 
drive  was  extended  13  ft.,  in  which  the  lode 
averaged  8  oz.  of  gold  and  105  oz.  of  silver  over 
16  in.  of  width. 

Colombia. — .^s  mentioned  in  last  issue,  the 
first  dredge  of  the  British  Platinum  &  Gold 
Corporation  has  started  work,  and  the  second 
is  in  course  of  shipment.  It  has  been  decided 
to  defer  the  placing  of  the  contract  for  No.  3 
owing  to  tne  high  prices  asked  for  this  class  of 
work.  Messrs.  Inder,  Henderson,  &  Dixon  re- 
port that  systematic  prospecting  of  the  Cimar- 
ronas  property  has  been  completed.  The  limits 
of  adeep  channel  have  been  ascertained, asalso 
have  been  those  of  some  blocks  of  shallower 
ground.  In  the  deep  lead  it  is  estimated  that 
there  are  1,828,406  cu.  yd.,  averaging  12'265d. 
per  yard,  and  in  the  shallow  leads  328,052  cu. 
yd.,  averaging  17'839d.  per  yard,  the  price  of 
crude  platinum  being  taken  at  £\2  per  ounce. 
It  is  intended  now  to  prospect  on  the  other 
properties  belonging  to  the  company. 

Venezuela. — The  South  American  Copper 
Syndicate  has  been  engaged  in  litigation  in  the 
United  States  owing  to  the  New  York  buyers 
of  the  syndicate's  products  desiring  to  evade 
their  contract.  The  contract  was  made  early 
in  1916  and  covered  the  eight  years  from  1918 
to  1925  inclusive.  One  of  the  terms  was  that 
the  buyers  should  provide  the  freight.  Ow- 
ing to  the  increased  cost  of  freight  and  refin- 


ing, the  buying  firm  attempted  to  repudiate 
its  obligations  under  the  contract.  The  com- 
pany won  its  case  in  the  court  of  first  instance. 
The  buyers  appealed,  and  the  case  was  re-ar- 
gued. News  is  now  to  hand  that  the  company's 
case  is  upheld  by  the  Court  of  Appeal.  The 
judgment  is  of  considerable  importance  to  the 
company,  for  it  thus  is  able  to  avoid  the  pres- 
ent heavy  charges  made  by  smelters  and  re- 
liners. 

Chile.  -Owing  to  the  low  price  of  copper, 
the  Poderosa  mines  are  reducing  the  shipments 
of  ore  and  work  is  being  devoted  chiefly  to  de- 
velopment. 

China.  TheChineseEngineeringand  Min- 
ing Company  is  about  to  start  an  iron  and  steel 
enterprise  in  Chinwangtao,  the  port  near  the 
company's  coal  mines.  The  enterprise  is  to  be 
conducted  jointly  with  the  Lanchow  Mining 
Co.,  the  Chinese-owned  coal-mining  company 
that  works  adjoining  lands  and  sells  its  coal 
through  the  same  organization.  The  iron  mines 
are  near  the  Yang-tse-kiang,  and  Mr.  Frank 
Merricks  has  reported  that  they  contain  large 
quantities  of  high-grade  ore.  The  companies 
have  made  a  contract  with  the  owners  of  the 
deposit  to  buy  four  million  tons  of  ore.  Other 
sources  of  supply  are  being  investigated.  De- 
signs for  a  blast-furnace  are  in  course  of  pre- 
paration by  Mr.  F.  W.  Harbord. 

Spain. — The  strike  at  the  Rio  Tinto  mines 
has  been  settled,  by  the  intervention  of  the 
Minister  of  War,  after  lasting  six  months,  but 
there  is  still  a  good  deal  of  unrest  in  various 
quarters. 

Roumania. — The  Court  of  Appeal  has  re- 
versed the  decision  of  Mr.  Justice  Darling,  who 
awarded  the  Roumanian  Consolidated  Oilfields 
the  sum  of  ^'1,255,513  as  compensation  for  the 
destruction  of  their  property  during  the  war. 
TheCrown  contended  that  application  forcom- 
pensation  should  not  have  been  made  to  the 
British  Government  but  to  the  Roumanian 
Government.  It  must  be  confessed  that  the 
attitude  of  the  Crown  and  the  result  of  the  ap- 
peal caused  considerable  surprise,  for  it  was 
always  understood,  as  recorded  in  our  pages  in 
October,  1917,  that  Sir  John  Norton-Griffiths 
was  sent  by  the  British  Government  to  destroy 
the  wells,  and  that  he  did  so  after  protest  from 
the  Roumanian  authorities. 

Spitsbergen. — .'Vn  expedition  of  scientists 
from  Oxford  University  to  Spitsbergen  is  in 
course  of  preparation.  Among  their  number 
there  will  be  geologists  and  paleontologists. 
Two  parties  are  to  go  out  in  sealing  sloops  in 
June  and  July  next.  The  expedition  is  to  be 
conducted  with  commendable  economy. 


KELANTAN  AND   ITS  NATURAL  RESOURCES. 

By   V.   F.   STANLEY   LOW,    M.lnst.M.M. 

The  author  gives  an  account  of  one  of  the  lesser  known  States  of  the   Malay  Peninsula, 
and  tells  of  his  experiences  there  during  a  recent  visit. 


Kelantan  and  its  People. — The  two 
least  known  or  explored  of  the  protected  states 
of  the  Malay  Peninsula  are  Kelantan  and 
Trengganu.  The  states  of  the  Malay  Penin- 
sula are  so  frequently  spoken  of  as  the  '  Feder- 
ated Malay  States  "  that  perhaps  it  would  be 
as  well  to  state  that  only  four  of  them  are 
federated.  British  Malaya  is  divided  into  the 
British  colony  of  the  Straits  Settlements  (Singa- 
pore, Penang,  Wellesley,  the  Dind-dings,  and 
Malacca),  the  Federated  Malay  States  (Perak, 
Pahang,  Selangor,  and  Negri  Sembilan),  and 
five  other  protected  native  states  (Kelantan, 
Trengganu,  Kedah,  Perils,  and  Johore),  all  of 
which  acknowledge  Great  Britain  as  suzerain. 
In  each  of  the  five  last-mentioned  states  Great 
Britain  is  represented  by  an  "  adviser "  ap- 
pointed froin  the  civil  service  of  the  Federated 
Malay  States ;  and  the  native  rulers  of  the 
various  states  are  expected  to  follow  the  advice 
given  by  their  respective  '  advisers."  The 
Governor  of  the  Straits  Settlements  is  also 
High  Commissioner  for  each  of  the  native 
states,  being  represented  in  the  Federated 
Malay  States  by  a  Chief  Secretary,  who  resides 
at  the  capital,  Kuala  Lumpur. 

There  appears  to  be  uncertainty  as  to  the 
origin  of  the  people  generally  classed  under  the 
title  "  Malays  "  who  form  the  bulk  of  the  popu- 
lation. By  many  these  are  thought  to  have 
come  from  Sumatra ;  but,  no  doubt,  many 
people  also  came  from  Siam,  Java,  and  the 
neighbouring  islands.  The  so-called  Malay  is 
able  to  cultivate  his  land  and  grow  rice,  maize, 
fruit,  and  vegetables  ;  he  is  a  skilled  boat- 
builder  and  boatman ;  he  can  weave  silk  and 
cotton  ;  but  he  seldom  produces  an  output  of 
any  of  these  articles  beyond  the  immediate 
wants  of  himself  and  his  family  ;  and  so  great 
has  been  the  kindness  of  Providence  in  furnish- 
ing rich  soil,  favourable  climate,  abundant 
fruits,  and  fish-teeming  rivers  that  the  life  of 
the  ulu,  or  up-country,  Malay  is  one  of  com- 
parative calm,  ease,  and  almost  luxury.  The 
Malay  who  has  not  come  into  much  contact 
with  members  of  other  nations  is  by  nature 
courteously  polite,  but  shy  ;  and  nearly  every 
Malay  is  a  born  liar,  who  finds  no  shame  when 
his  lies  are  exposed. 

As  a  worker  on  the  river,  poling  or  paddling 
his  native  craft,  the  Malay  is  an  untiring  ex- 


pert, and  he  is  also  good  at  jungle  clearing ; 
but  he  soon  tires  of  regular  employment  unless 
it  has  something  to  do  with  engines  or  ma- 
chinery. He  is,  therefore,  of  but  little  use  for 
work  on  mine  or  plantation  unless  in  charge  of 
a  launch  or  motor-car,  of  which  he  soon  be- 
comes a  careful  driver ;  and  in  these  depart- 
ments he  frequently  leaves  his  Chinese  com- 
petitor far  behind. 


Zty'sfMi  [mi   *«'«3f"'™m«§  Proteciontes  |~] 


Map  of  Malay  Peninsula. 
Showing  the  Various  States  and  Political  Divisions. 

Only  a  few  of  the  true  aboriginals — the  Saki 
— still  remain.  The  Saki,  as  found  in  the 
Eastern  states,  is,  generally  speaking,  very  shy 
and  holds  no  converse  with  members  of  other 
races,  be  they  white,  black,  or  yellow.  He 
does  no  cultivation,  but  leads  a  nomadic  life, 
gaining  his  sustenance  from  roots,  fish,  and 
birds,  the  last  of  which  he  brings  down  with 
darts  discharged  from  a  blowpipe  some  seven 
feet  in  length.  Being  a  nomad  he  builds  only 
temporary  shelters,  coinposed  of  palm  fronds 
placed  in  the  ground  in  a  circle  with  tips  in- ' 
clined  toward  the  centre  so  as  to  form  a  low 


11 


12 


THE    MINING     MAC.AZINK 


shelter,  in  appearance  like  an  upturned  bowl. 
Sometimes  the  palm  fronds  are  placed  in  a 
straight  line  so  as  to  form  a  simple  break-wind, 
the  inclined  and  overhanging  tips  being  suflici- 
ent  to  ward  ofl'the  drips  from  the  jungle  of  the 
heavy  tropical  dews.  The  Saki  inhabiting  the 
banks  of  the  Nenggiri  river  are  said  to  have 
become  more  settled.  I  have  not  come  into 
contact  with  the  Nenggiri  Saki  ;  but  such 
Malays  as  I  have  met  who  have  been  far  up 
that  river  have  spoken  of  the  Saki  there  as  be- 
ing well-developed  men,  skilful  boatmen,  and 
good  workers. 

History  and  Goveknment.  —  British 
Malaya  is  a  land  without  history  or  historical 
remains.  Europeans  have  lived  on  the  coast 
for  at  least  four  hundred  years  ;  but  until  1860 
there  was  only  one  w^hite  man  known  to  be 
resident  inland.  Such  development  as  had 
taken  place  prior  to  recent  years  was  due  to 
Chinese  adventurers,  and,  in  a  less  degree,  to 
the  Siamese;  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch  appear 
to  have  allowed  the  country  to  lie  dormant. 
The  time  of  entry  of  the  Chinese  is  unknown  ; 
but  the  turn  of  the  tide  came  when  the  British 
took  definite  action  in  1873.  Almost  the  first 
matter  in  the  native  states  to  receive  attention 
was  that  of  state  finances.  By  abolishing  many 
of  the  taxes  on  exports  and  by  taxing  the  im- 
portation of  opium,  spirits,  and  such  like; 
by  charging  rents  for  mining  and  agricultural 
lands,  and  by  seeing  that  the  money  so  obtained 
was  properly  expended,  the  financial  chaos 
which  previously  existed  was  straightened  out 
to  such  good  effect  that,  as  an  example,  the 
Federated  Malay  States  are  now  become 
wealthy  enough  to  make  state  loans  to  their 
neighbours,  and  at  the  end  of  1918  had  a  sur- 
plus of  over  twelve  million  pounds  sterling. 

When,  in  1903,  the  first  British  Adviser  was 
appointed  to  Kelantan,  which  then  belonged  to 
Siam,  he  found  everything  political  in  a  rotten 
condition.  The  ruling  Rajah,  through  the 
plotting  of  his  own  family  (the  usual  practice 
in  Malaya)  had  lost  practically  all  power  of 
governing  ;  such  taxes  as  it  was  possible  to 
gather  were  not  used  for  the  benefit  of  the 
state ;  and  no  accounts  of  expenditure  were 
kept.  Under  an  agreement  with  Siam,  Ke- 
lantan in  1909  became  an  independent  state 
under  the  protection  of  Great  Britain.  Since 
then  the  ruling  native  potentate  has  been 
raised  in  dignity  from  Rajah  to  Sultan  and 
governs  the  state  with  the  assistance  of  a 
Council  and  under  the  advice  of  a  resident 
British  Adviser. 

Kota  Bharu,  the  capital  and  seat  of  govern- 
ment, has  two  courts,  the  principal  one  being 


under  the  presidency  of  a  Hnlish  magistrate 
and  the  minor   one   under   that  of   one  of  the 
Malay    aristocracy.       District    Oflicers,    ap- 
pointed   from   the    British    side   of    the    civil 
service  of   the   Federated   Malay   States,   at- 
tend to  the  magistracy  of  the  country  districts 
and  reside  at   Pasir   Puteh  and   Kuala  Krai. 
The  officers  in  charge  of  the  Lands  Office  and 
of  the  Survey  Department  are  British,  as  are 
also  the  Chief  Police  Officer  and  his  Chief  In- 
spector.   Most  of  the  clerical  work  is  performed 
by  nati\es  from  India,  China,  and  Ceylon,  as- 
sisted by  a  fair  proportion  of  local   Malays. 
The  police  force  is  composed    of  Sikhs  and 
Malays.    The  Sikhs  are  purely  military  police  ; 
all  civil  police  work  is  performed  by   Malays 
under  Malay  inspectors  appointed  by  the  Chief 
Police  Officer.     All  inspectors  must  pass  an 
examination  in   English   before  appointment. 
There  are  three  British  doctors,  and  one  Chi- 
nese  doctor   holding    British    diplomas,    who 
are  assisted  in  the  various  native  hospitals  by 
trained  dressers  drawn  from  India  and  China. 
There  is  no  hospital  accommodation  for  white 
people  except  at  the  private  hospital  of  the 
DufT  Development  Company  at  Kuala  Lebir. 
Communications. —  Kelantan  has  a  coast 
line  of  45  miles  and  an  area  of  5,870  square 
miles  ;  its  greatest  width  is  perhaps  75  miles. 
The  country  is  fiat  along  the  coastal  district ; 
and  it  is  said  that  three  distinct  old  sea  beaches 
may  be  traced,  showing  the  rapid  encroach- 
ment of  the  land  on  the  sea  due  to  the  silt  de- 
positedbythe  torrentialflow  of  the  riversduring 
the  rainy  season.     At  a  distance  from  the  sea 
varying  from  10  to  20  miles  the  land  begins  to 
rise  and  then  quickly  becomes  mountainous, 
culminating    on    the    southern    boundary    in 
Gunong  Tahan — the  Forbidden  Mountain — 
7,186  ft.  above  sea  level.     This  is  about  the 
highest  peak  in   Malaya.     The  state  is  well 
watered  throughout  its  length  and  breadth  by 
rivers.     The  main  river,  the   Kelantan,  runs 
approximately  north  and  is  formed  some  62 
miles  inland  by  the  junction  of  the  Galas  and 
Lebir    rivers.     The  main    tributaries    of  the 
Kelantan  are  the  Sokor  and  Nal  rivers;  but 
these  two  are  not  nearly  so  important  as  the 
tributaries  of  the  Galas— the  Pergau  and  the 
Nenggiri — which  enter  that  river  some  80  and 
92  miles  respectively  from  the    coast.     The 
Lebir  has  tributaries  of  fair  size  in  the  San, 
the  Sok,  and  the  Rek. 

The  approach  from  the  sea  to  Tumpat,  the 
port  of  Kelantan,  is  bad,  owing  to  the  rapid 
encroachment  of  the  land.  A  few  years  ago 
the  custom  house  was  situated  on  a  coconut- 
grown  island  opposite  the  town  of  Tumpat  and 


JANUARY,    1921 


13 


not  far  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kelantan  river. 
In  those  days  coastal  steamers  on  the  way  from 
Siam  to  Singapore  entered  an  eastern  channel, 
anchored  behind  the  custom  house,  unloaded 
and  reloaded,  and  then  proceeded  to  sea  through 
the  western  channel.  Now  everything  has 
been  changed,  for  the  monsoons  have  made  a 
low  sandbank  of  the  island  which  has  spread 
out  to  such  effect  as  to  have  formed  a  lagoon 
across  the  mouth  of  the  river,  leaving  only  a 
small  opening  for  the  passage  of  launches  and 
lighters.     The  custom  house  and  the  coconuts 


A  railway  is  under  construction  and  will 
eventually  connect  the  Siamese  system  with 
that  of  the  Federated  Malay  States  by  travers- 
ing the  length  of  Kelantan  and  making  a  junc- 
tion at  Kuala  Lipis  in  Pahang.  For  carrying 
out  the  necessary  extensions  in  Siam  to  connect 
with  Kelantan,  and  also  to  make  another  such 
extension  on  the  west  coast,  the  Government 
of  the  Federated  Malay  States  advanced  four 
million  pounds  sterling  to  Siam.  For  a  con- 
siderable time  past  trains  have  been  running 
fromTumpat  to  Tanah  Merah,35  miles  inland; 


The  Lebir   River,  at.  a  point  about  78  Miles  from  the  Coast. 


have  disappeared  ;  and  steamers  must  anchor 
outside  at  a  distance  of  at  least  two  miles  from 
the  landing  place.  In  the  monsoonal  season 
Kelantan  has  been  cut  off  entirely  from  outside 
communication  for  three  weeks  or  a  month  at 
a  time  by  the  heavy  seas  breaking  at  the  mouth 
of  the  only  channel  available.  It  is  difficult  to 
forecast  what  will  happen  unless  a  monsoon  of 
exceptional  violence  follows  the  example  of 
some  of  its  predecessors  and  washes  a  new 
channel  or  entirely  removes  the  sand-bank, 
because  the  lagoon  which  has  been  formed  is 
being  filled  so  rapidly  with  silt  from  the  river 
that  even  the  shallow-draught  launches  which 
traverse  the  rivers  already  find  it  difficult  to 
cross  the  lagoon  from  the  river  mouth  to  the 
Tumpat  jetty. 


and  a  branch  line  has  also  been  completed  from 
Pasir  Mas  on  this  line  to  the  border  of  Siam, 
where  a  junction  should  have  been  completed 
by  this  time  with  the  Siamese  system.  It  will 
be  eight  years  or  more  before  a  junction  with 
Kuala  Lipis  will  be  made,  as  there  is  much 
tunnelling  to  be  done  between  Kuala  Lebir  and 
the  Pahang  border.  So  strange  is  the  policy  of 
the  Federated  Malay  States  Government  in 
some  things  that  their  railway  department, 
which  is  carrying  on  the  construction  of  the 
line  in  Kelantan,  states  that  neither  passen- 
gers nor  goods  will  be  carried  beyond  the  pres- 
ent terminus,  Tanah  Merah,  until  the  whole 
line  to  Kuala  Lipis  has  been  completed.  Thus 
will  the  development  of  Kelantan  be  delayed 
by  officialdom. 


14 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Kota  Bharu  may  be  reached  in  six  miles  by 
rail  and  ferry  from  Tumpat  or  in  eleven  miles 
by  launch  or  native  craft.  Above  Kota  Bharu 
the  Kelantan  river  is  navigable  throughout  its 
length  at  all  seasons  by  light-drauglit  launches 
and  lighters,  as  are  also  the  Lebir  for  twenty 
miles  and  the  Galas  for  20  miles  above  their 
junction  at  Kuala  Lebir,  so  that  one  may  pro- 
ceed upstream  some  82  miles  by  branching  off 
at  Kuala  Lebir  into  either  the  Lebir  or  Galas 
rivers.  Beyond  that  distance  the  rivers  are 
broken  by  rocks,  rapids,  shallows,  and  sand- 
banks ;  and  for  the  two  months  immediately 
preceding  the  rainy  season  are  passable  for 
only  the  lightest  of  native  craft.  During  a 
great  part  of  the  rainy  season,  when  the  rivers 
may  be  expected  to  rise  anywhere  from  sixteen 
to  thirty  feet  above  normal  level,  it  is  practi- 
cally impossible  for  nativecraft  to  go  upstream, 
because  the  flow  of  the  river  is  too  rapid  for 
oars  or  paddles  to  be  effective,  and  there  is  too 
great  a  depth  of  water  for  poling  ;  the  thick 
jungle  prevents  the  passage  of  boats  along  the 
edges  of  the  flooded  area.  Therefore  anyone 
engaged  in  prospecting  for  gold  on  the  upper 
Galas,  or  for  tin  near  the  source  of  the  Neng- 
giri,  could  quite  easily  be  cut  off  from  efficient 
supplies  of  food  and  mining  stores  for  four  or 
five  months  in  the  year. 

As  Kelantan  possesses  only  a  very  meagre 
mileage  of  roads,  and  as  these  roads  are  only 
lightly  constructed  and  badly  maintained,  and 
are  designed  to  serve  the  flat  lands  mostly 
planted  with  rice,  very  little  development,  from 
a  mining  point  of  view,  can  be  expected  until 
the  railway  has  been  opened,  roads  made,  and 
tracks  cut  to  districts  now  practically  inacces- 
sible. 

The  census  of  1911  showed  Kelantan  to 
have  a  population  of  286,75 1 ,  of  which  269,000 
were  Malays  and  10,000  Chinese. 

Geology. ^Very  little  is  known  geologic- 
ally of  Kelantan ;  and  there  is  no  work  pub- 
lished which  deals  with  Malaya  as  a  whole  or 
the  whole  of  any  one  state.  Kelantan  is  so 
deeply  covered  with  soil,  so  much  of  the 
country  is  dense  jungle,  and  the  outcrops  of 
rocks  are  so  few  that  geological  examination 
and  prospecting  for  minerals  are  difficult  mat- 
ters. The  main  backbone  of  mountains,  which 
runs  north-west  to  south-east  down  the  Malay 
Peninsula,  is  composed  of  granite,  and  there 
are  many  subsidiary  ranges  east  and  west  of 
this.  It  is  stated  that  the  Tahan  range,  on  the 
boundary  of  Pahang  and  Kelantan,  is  com- 
posed of  conglomerates,  quartzite,  and  shale, 
while  in  Pahang  conglomerate  and  sandstone 
ridges  are  found  at  the  foot  of  the  main  granite 


range.  A  belt  of  limestone  is  said  to  cross  the 
peninsula  from  Malacca  to  the  coast  of  Kelan- 
tan :  but  the  limits  of  this  belt,  if  it  exists,  have 
not  been  demarcated.  There  are  many  out- 
crops of  limestone  ;  and  limestone  hills  and 
cliffs,  containing  large  caves  whose  floors  are 
deep  in  the  guano  of  bats,  are  frequently  met 
with  in  Kelantan  ;  but  so  little  survey  work 
and  exploration  have  been  done  that  the  extent 
of  the  limestone  belt  is  at  present  unknown. 
Even  the  maps  which  have  been  supplied  by 
the  (Government  have  been  found  to  be  grossly 
inaccurate  ;  and  my  own  experience  has  been 
that  the  least  inaccurate  maps  are  those  which 
were  prepared  by  the  Duff  Development  Com- 
pany for  its  private  use.  The  most  reliable 
map  I  was  able  to  purchase  from  the  Govern- 
ment was,  I  believe,  mostly  compiled  from  one 
originally  made  by  the  Duff  Company,  to  whom 
in  all  things  relating  to  the  opening  up  and 
development  of  Kelantan  the  present  white 
population  of  the  state  owe  many  thanks,  a 
fact  which  many  of  them  seem  to  ignore  or 
forget. 

.Apart  from  thelimestones,  quartzites, shales, 
andconglomerates  already  mentioned,  onefinds 
clays,  slates,  schists,  sandstones,  and  granites, 
the  last  being  predominant. 

Mining  Oper.\tions.  —  In  spite  of  the 
difficulties  of  prospecting,  the  Chinese  appear 
to  have  been  through  the  country  long  ago  ; 
and  at  the  only  two  places  where  lode-mining 
is  known  to  have  been  attempted — near  the 
Sokor  river  and  at  Kundor,  near  Pulai — the 
surface  had  already  been  prospected  and 
sluiced  for  gold  ;  but  the  lodes  there  had  been 
allowed  to  remain  otherwise  undisturbed.  In 
the  neighbouring  states  of  Pahang  and  Treng- 
ganu  the  weathered  outcrops  of  such  lodes  as 
have  been  found  to  exist  there  had  been  work- 
ed, without  exception,  by  Chinese  or  Siamese 
in  the  years  long  gone  by  ;  and  many  hold  that 
the  most  successful  method  of  lode-prospecting 
is  to  follow  the  old  native  workings. 

As  the  population  of  Kelantan  is  mostly  con- 
fined to  narrow  strips  along  the  banks  of  the 
main  rivers,  and  as  the  Malay,  as  a  rule,  is 
either  afraid  or  disinclined  to  go  far  into  the 
jungle,  very  little  information  is  to  be  obtained 
from  them  with  regard  to  anything  in  the  coun- 
try except  in  close  proximity  to  their  homes  ; 
but  it  is  possible  that,  when  the  country  has 
been  opened  up  by  the  advent  of  the  railway 
and  the  population  has  become  denser,  further 
old  workings  will  be  found  which  will  lead  to 
the  opening  up  and  development  of  large  ore- 
bodies  lying  in  country  nowgiven  over  totigers, 
elephants,  and  panthers. 


JANUARY,    1921 


15 


The  Duff  Company  spent  a  large  amount  of  the  Duff  Company  near  the  source  of  the 
money  in  prospecting  and  in  dredging  the  river  Sokor  river,  on  what  are  often  referred  to  as 
bottoms  ;  but  none  of  its  mining  ventures  was  the  galena  mines.  Operations  were  carried  on 
attended'with  lasting  success.  It  would  appear  there  until  1907.  While  awaiting  the  fulfil- 
that  the  dredges  gave  variable  results,  rich  per-  ment  of  certain  business  negotiations  with  re- 


Map  of  the  State  of  Kelantan. 


iods  of  work  being  much  interspersed  with 
very  lean  ones  ;  the  four  dredges  at  work  seem 
to  have  lacked  efficient  supervision  from  head- 
quarters, and  the  gold  returns  to  have  been 
most  erratic. 

The  Author's  Journeys. — A  great  deal 
of  tunnelling  and  shaft-sinking  was  done  by 


gard  to  a  concession  of  two  hundred  square 
miles,  which  was  the  primary  cause  of  my  pre- 
sence in  Kelantan,  I  arranged  a  visit  to  these 
old  mines.  As  the  Sokor  river  enters  the  Kel- 
antan river  about  midway  between  TanahMer- 
ah  and  Kuala  Lebir,  I  sent  forward  the  leader 
of  my  party  to  engage  men  and  boats  and  meet 


16 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


me  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.     As  I  was  on  the 
point  of  leaving  Kota  Hhani  to  join  the  ex- 
pedition, word  was  sent  down  that  the  men  who 
had  been  engaged  were  afraid  to  proceed  w-hen 
they  foimd  that  the  expedition  was  to  traverse 
the  "poison"  belt-the  bad  man's  coimtry — 
where  it  is  said  that  one  can  arrange  for  the 
deatli  of  an  enemy  for  halfa-dollar  and  where 
most  of  the  nati\e  potions  and  poisons  are  com- 
pounded.    I  happened  to  mention  the  matter 
to  the  Chief  PoHce  Officer,  who  sent  a  party 
of  native  poUce  with  me,  and  we  proceeded 
upstream,  engaged  new  men  and  boats,  and 
started  shortly  after  daybreak  from  the  mouth 
of  the  river.    We  took  the  DufTCompany'sold 
route  to  the  mine, poling  up  the  Sokor  river  and 
then  walking  six  miles  overland.    Estimates  of 
the  river  distance  were  very  variable, and, as  be- 
fore stated,  the  maps  available  very  inaccurate. 
However,  our  boat  journey  occupied  a  good 
long  day  and  a  half ;    and,  as  the  river  at  the 
time  was  fairly  high,  good  progress  was  made 
until  the  middle  of  the  first  day.     After  that 
the  river  became  a  series  of  rapids,  shallows, 
sandbars,  and  deep  pools,  which  meant  wading 
in  the  water  a  great  part  of  the  time,  digging 
passages  through  the  shallows,  and  all  hands 
hauling  thefiveprahuswhich  formed  ourmeans 
of  transport.     It  was  no  uncommon  thing  to 
find  the  bows  of  one's  prahu  lying  in  ankle- 
deep  water,  while  the  stern  projected  over  the 
edge  of  a  steep  bank  of  granite  sand  in  a  depth 
of  over  fifteen  feet  of  water.     We  reached  our 
river  destination  during  the  second  day  and 
pitched  camp;    and  our  six-miles  tramp  next 
day  brought  us  to  the  deceased  mining  camp. 
Tfiis  tramp  was  over  the  old  wagon  road  of  the 
Duff  Company  ;  and,  although  then  devoid  of 
bridges  and  much  overgrown  with  jungle,  the 
track   was  in   otherwise  excellent   condition. 
As  far  as  jungle  growth  was  concerned,  our 
way  had  been  made  easy  by  an  adult  and  a  baby 
elephant  who  had  evidently  traversed  nearly 
the  whole  of  the  road  the  day  before  and  whose 
beds  of  the  previous  night  we  passed  on  our 
journey.     Aly  natives  were  interested,  but  not 
afraid,  when  we  met  with  the  elephant  tracks. 
It  was  not  until  we  crossed  the  spoor  of  a  slad- 
ang  (wild  buffalo)  that  I  had  difficulty  with  my 
bearers,  for  the  sladang  is  regarded  as  the  most 
dangerous  animal  in  the  Peninsula.      It  is  a 
matter  of  common  report  in  the  East  that  he 
who  goes  out  to  seek  sladang   must  keep  a 
watch  to  the  rear  as  well  as  to  the  front,  the 
sladang  becoming  the  hunter  instead  of  the 
hunted  if  sufficient  care  is  not  exercised. 

Various  tunnels  into  the  hillsides  were  noted; 
but  all  that  remained  of  the  former  main  engine 


shaft  was  a  jungle-covered  hole  and  some  rot- 
ting timber.  History  relates  that  after  the 
mine  had  been  closed,  and  even  before  the  last 
of  the  stores  had  been  carried  to  the  river  bank, 
the  Malay  natives  had  swarmed  in  and  stolen 
every  bolt  and  piece  of  iron  from  the  headgear, 
even  going  part  way  down  the  shaft  in  search 
of  bolts,  etc. 

No  galena  could  be  seen  on  any  of  the  old 
dumps  we  were  able  to  find  ;   but  records  show 
that  a  parcel  of  about  57  tons  was  bagged  and 
sent  to  the  smelters  just  prior  to  the  closure  of 
the  mine.     The  dumps  examined  showed  that 
the  bulk  of  the  material  mined  must  ha\e  been 
of  a  pyritic  nature,  and  the  records  also  show 
that  80  tons  of  such  ore  was  dispatched  about 
the  same  time  as  the  galena.     One  of  the  old 
assay  books  discovered  at  Kuala  Lebir  showed 
the  large  amount  of  exploratory  work  which 
had  been  earned  out,  and  that  as  the  work  pro- 
ceeded the  ground  was  regularly  sampled  and 
the  results  carefully  tabulated.     Most  of  the 
assays  from  the  "galena  deposit"  show  gold 
and  silver  values  only  ;  and  some  of  these  are 
of  considerable  richness.     For  example,  the 
following  values  are  taken  from  a  width  of  ore 
varying  from  two  to  five  feet :   Gold  64'8  dwt., 
silver   V6  oz. ;    gold  38'4  dwt.,  silver  2'3  oz. ; 
gold  44'0  dwt.,  silver  4'0  oz.     The  following 
assays  are  recorded  from  "  Manson's  deposit  "  : 
Gold  r6  dwt.,  silver  4'9  oz.,  lead  12'5%;  gold 
2'8  dwt.,  silver  8'2  oz.,  lead  36'0%;    gold  VS 
dwt.,  silver  3'3  oz.,  and  lead  14'5%.     The  re- 
cords also  mention  the  diamond-drilling  of  ver- 
tical holes  in  the  slates;    but  encouraging  re- 
sults do  not  appear  to  have  been  obtained.     It 
would  seem  that  the  whole  mining  proposition 
at  this  place  was  killed  by  bad  transport  ar- 
rangements.    A  road  from  the  Kelantan  river 
to  the  Sokor  mines,  say,  twenty  miles  in  length, 
and  then  extended  to  the  Pergau  river,  say,  an- 
other five  miles,  would  not  only   have  served 
the  mines  then  being  worked,  but  would  have 
opened  up  a  most  promising  belt  of  country  ex- 
tending up  to  the  Tomo  (Siam)  alluvial  gold- 
field.     In  spite  of  the  fact  that  labour  was  con- 
siderably cheaper  in  1907  than  it  is  to-day,  it 
cost  the  Duflf  Company  approximately  £"80  to 
bring  a  moderate-sized  boiler  from  the  mine  ; 
and  the  smaller  items  of  machinery,  weighing 
from  8  cwt.  to  1  ton,  were  contracted  for  at  a 
rate  of  about  3s.  lOd.  per  cwt.     The  slowness 
of  river  transport  may  be  gathered  from  the 
manager's  statement  that  loaded  prahus  which 
had  left  the  head  of  the  river  on  the  Tuesday 
could  not  be  expected  back  before  the  follow- 
ing Saturday. 

My  return  down  stream  in  our  lightly-laden 


JANUARY,    1921 


17 


prahus  and  with  the  channels  dug  on  the  up 
jourrfey  still  availablewas  comparatively  rapid. 
Upon  another  occasion  I  travelled  on  foot 
from  the  Kelantan  to  the  Bertang  river,  a  trib- 
utary of  the  Sokor,  and  found  native  mercury 
in  the  bed  of  the  stream  for  quite  aconsiderable 
distance  in  the  Duff  Concession.  Later  on  I 
took  an  expedition  up  the  Sckor  river,  where  I 
was  inforrhed  that  quicksilver  could  also  be 
found,  for,  if  the  metal  could  be  found  in  both 
rivers,  it  meant  the  probability  of  an  extensive 
mercury-bearing  belt.  On  this  occasion  we 
travelled  up  the  Sokor  to  our  old  river  camp, 
but,  the  river  being  lower  this  time,  we  were 
forced  to  leave  our  largest  prahu  part  way  up 
and  finish  our  river  journey  in  relays.  Arrived 
at  our  destination  we  set  out  for  the  spot  where 
our  guide  said  he  had  found  mercury  before  ; 
but  none  was  to  be  found  on  this  occasion,  and 
it  turned  out  that  our  guide  had  not  been  up- 
stream to  the  supposed  spot  for  at  least  eigh- 
teen years.  He  had  with  him  a  specimen  of 
galena  which  he  said  he  had  found  in  a  hole  8 
ft.  deep  some  twenty-two  years  before,  and 
was  much  incensed  because  I  would  not  go  with 
him  to  search  for  that  8  ft.  hole  which,  accord- 
ing to  the  location  given  by  him,  must  have 
been  within  the  area  afterward  prospected  and 
worked  by  the  Duff  Company. 

Our  last  night  at  the  Sokor  was  somewhat 
unpleasant,  as  the  river  began  to  rise  and,  hav- 
ing left  our  largest  prahu  some  distance  down 
stream,  we  had  not  sufficient  carrying  capacity 
for  the  whole  of  our  men,  kit,  and  provisions. 
We  were  therefore  faced  by  a  raging  torrent 
on  one  side  and  a  jungle  infested  with  leeches 
and  wild  beasts  on  the  other,  and  of  these  the 
leeches  were  the  worse,  while  the  rain  was 
coming  down  as  only  it  can  come  down  in  the 
tropics.  However,  we  managed  to  hang  on  un- 
til daylight,  when  we  built  some  bamboo  rafts 
and  floated  away  on  the  tide  of  the  flooded 
river. 

I  made  expeditions  to  other  places  where 
tin  was  supposed  to  exist  within  easy  reach, 
but  found,  as  a  rule,  only  iron  sands. 

Just  before  the  wet  season  was  expected  I 
set  out  with  my  guide  in  two  prahu-dowds  for 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Galas  in  search  of  that 
Golconda  of  Kelantan,  the  Kundor  mines.  A 
prahu-dowd  is  the  largest  form  of  native  up- 
river  boat ;  ours  were  about  50  ft.  long  and  5  ft. 
wide,  having  a  covered-in  living-room  in  the 
centre  about  14  ft.  long  but  only  4i  ft.  high. 
Each  was  poled  along  by  four  Malays  under 
the  direction  of  the  helmsman,  who  steered  by 
means  of  a  long  oar  lashed  to  the  stern. 

Prior  to  setting  out  on  this  expedition  I  went 

1—4 


to  Kota  Bharu  and  asked  the  British  Adviser 
whether  any  of  the  land  up  the  Galas  river  had 
been  granted  for  mining  purposes.  The  Brit- 
ish Adviser  referred  me  to  the  District  Officer 
up-river  at  Kuala  Krai.  An  inquiry  from  the 
said  District  Officer  received  a  reply  that  there 
were  no  papers  in  his  office  which  showed  that 
any  of  the  land  had  been  alienated  for  mining 
and  that  therefore  all  the  land  was  open  to  me  ; 
but  he  advised  me  to  take  out  a  prospecting 
licence  before  starting.  A  Kelantan  prospect- 
ing licence  states  clearly  the  location  of  the 
area  to  be  prospected  ;  but, as  neither  my  guide 


A  Road  at  Kota  tinAKC. 

nor  1  knew  the  exact  location  of  the  Kundor 
mine,  but  were  to  be  met  by  local  men  sixty 
miles  above  Kuala  Krai  who  were  to  take  us 
to  the  spot,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  take 
out  a  prospecting  licence  at  that  moment ;  but 
1  agreed  to  send  a  special  messenger  down  for 
a  licence  as  soon  as  I  had  located  the  old  work- 
ings. This  I  did,  applying  for  an  area  of  4,000 
acres.  I  was  away  with  my  expedition  for  a 
month,  living  and  travelling  in  my  prahu,  and 
after  having  done  some  track-makingandopen- 
ing-up  of  the  prospect,  was  compelled  to  re- 
turn on  account  of  the  serious  illness  of  my 
guide  and  also  by  the  rapidly-approaching 
rainy  season.  On  my  arrival  at  Kuala  Krai 
the  District  Officer  informed  me  that  after  my 
departure  the  British  Adviser  had  sent  him 
some  papers  which  tended  to  show  that  the 


18 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


land  for  which  I  had  applied  had  already  been 
alienated  and  was  not  therefore  available.  My 
protest  to  the  British  Adviser  broiight  the  ab- 
surd reply  that  he  was  inclined  to  think  that  if 
I  had  obtained  my  prospecting  rights  before 
proceeding  upstream  from  Kuala  Lebir  I  should 
have  avoided  this  loss  of  time  and  money. 

My  river  journey  of  seventy  miles  from 
Kuala  Krai  to  Pulai  took  sixteen  days;  and  I 
had  not  travelled  very  far  above  the  junction 
of  the  Pergau  river  before  the  difficulties  of 
transport  became  apparent.  The  river  had 
become  impassable  for  anything  but  light- 
draught  prahus>  we  encountered  rapid  after 
rapid,  up  which  our  prahus  often  had  to  be 
dragged  with  long  ropes  :  and  through  many 
rocky  and  sandy  places  we  had  to  dig  channels 
for  our  craft. 

The  Chinese  tow'n  of  Pulai,  which  is  known 
to  have  existed  for  over  a  hundred  years,  is  a 
great  contrast  to  the  Malay  kampongs  with 
their  jungle-constructed  houses.  In  Pulai  the 
houses  are  two  and  three  storeys  high,  the  thick- 
walls  being  constructed  of  a  lime  concrete  of 
rounded  pebbles  and  river  sand.  The  natives 
mostly  make  their  living  from  alluvial  mining  ; 
but  the  Kelantan  Government  gets  very  little 
in  the  way  of  taxation  from  the  district,  as  most 
of  the  traffic  is  by  foot  over  the  border  into  Pa- 
hang.  Formerly  a  Malay  police  inspector  and 
several  police  were  stationed  at  Pulai  to  collect 
dues  ;  but  they  are  reported  to  have  spent  most 
of  their  time  in  gambling,  and  when  the  bar- 
racks were  being  burned  to  the  ground  the 
Chinese  residents  say  that  the  Malay  police 
prevented  them  from  attempting  to  extinguish 
the  flames  or  salve  the  books  and  records,  all 
of  which  were  lost. 

The  Pulai  Chinese  are  the  remnant  of  a 
much  larger  population  of  the  past.  Some 
hundred  years  ago  the  ruling  Rajah  of  Kelan- 
tan made  over  to  his  son  the  taxes  on  rice ; 
these  the  Pulai  Chinese  refused  to  pay  and, 
when  the  Rajah's  son  came  to  enforce  the  pay- 
ment, they  killed  him.  In  revenge  for  this  a 
punitive  expedition  was  sent,  with  the  result 
that  most  of  the  Chinese  were  killed,  the  Galas 
river  ran  red  with  blood,  and  was  afterwards 
blocked  by  rotting  corpses.  Only  a  few  of  the 
residents  escaped  by  hiding  in  the  jungle  ;  and 
those  are  said  to  be  the  ancestors  of  the  present 
population.  I  had  a  number  of  Chinese  work- 
ing for  me  at  Kundor  and,  although  only  one 
or  two  of  them  could  speak  Malay,  we  soon 
came  to  an  excellent  understanding.  I  found 
them  a  hardworking,  jolly,  capable  crowd,  and 
eight  of  them  worked  my  prahus  down-stream 
for  me  as  far  as  Kuala  Lebir,  that  being  much 


farther  than  they  had  ever  been  away  from 
Pulai  before.  • 

Kundor  proved  to  be  about  eight  miles  down 
river  from  Pulai ;  and  an  inspection  showed 
that  much  alluvial  gold  must  ha\'e  been  won 
there.  The  Chinese  had  constructed  several 
miles  of  water-races,  and  in  some  cases  they 
had  cut  these  for  a  depth  of  1 5  or  20  ft.  through 
the  granite.  The  property  had  been  worked 
by  a  Dutchman  in  more  recent  years,  and  he 
had  done  a  fair  amount  of  tunnelling  and  shaft- 
sinking  before  his  death.  The  reputedly  richest 
portion  of  the  property  was  at  the  junction  of 
the  granite  and  the  slates,  and  I  made  arrange- 
ments with  the  Pulai  Chinese  for  the  opening 
up  and  repair  of  the  old  workings  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  approaching  wet  season,  only 
to  find  on  my  return  to  Kuala  Krai  that  the 
ground  was  not  available. 

Coming  down  stream  I  stopped,  inspected, 
and  sampled  several  (juartz  outcrops  of  good 
appearance  with  a  view  to  a  return  visit  at  a 
later  date. 

The  occurrence  of  a  tin  lode  was  rumoured 
on  the  border  of  Kelantan  and  Trengganu, 
and  it  is  possible  that  such  lode  may  exist,  for 
in  the  state  of  Trengganu  the  privately-owned 
Bundi  tin  mine  is  reported  to  have  given  good 
returns  to  its  owner.  The  neighbouring  state 
of  Pahang  gives  the  only  other  example  of  lode 
tin  mining  on  a  large  scale  in  Malaya.  In 
Pahang  the  Chinese  and  Siamese  are  known 
to  have  worked  the  soft  outcrops  of  at  least 
forty  lodes.  These  lodes  are  in  the  slates  near 
the  junction  with  the  granite,  into  which  they 
sometimes  penetrate.  In  Trengganu  wolfram 
veins  are  found  in  formations  of  quartzite, 
schist,  and  shale  overlain  by  clays.  The  veins 
are  worked  only  down  to  old  water  level,  below 
which  the  sulphides  of  iron,  copper,  and  arsenic 
occur.  The  ore,  as  sent  away,  contains  70% 
of  tungstic  acid.  Wolfram  found  in  the  Feder- 
ated Malay  States  is  associated  with  tin  :  in 
Trengganu  wolfram  is  found  alone. 

Alluvial  tin  is  found  in  limited  quantities  in 
Pahang,  Trengganu,  and  Kelantan  ;  and  it  is  a 
surprising  fact  that  so  much  alluvial  tin,  shed 
from  the  range  which  forms  the  backbone  of 
the  peninsula,  should,  so  far,  have  been  found 
on  the  v.'estern  side  and  so  little  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  range.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  the  Malay  States  have  produced  tin  to  the 
value  of  ^180,000,000,  the  small  proportion 
obtained  from  the  eastern  states  gives  much 
food  for  thought. 

Rubber  Industry. — One  cannot  remain 
long  in  Kelantan  without  being  impressed  with 
the  value  of  the  land  as  a  rubber  producer. 


JANUARY,    1921 


19 


There  is  plenty  of  virgin  jungle,  good  loamy 
soil  with  good  depth  of  humus,  and  light  roll- 
ing country  with  easy  drainage  ;  there  is  no 
great  variation  in  temperature  to  affect  the  flow 
of  latex,  and  a  reliable  and  generally  well-dis- 
tributed rainfall  is  assured.  Growers  state  that 
rubber  trees  come  into  bearing  six  months 
earlier  in  Kelantan  than  in  the  western  Malay 
States.  At  the  conclusion  of  my  mineral  ex- 
cursions I  explored  a  considerable  area  of  the 
country,  finally  demarcating  some  ten  thousand 
acres  for  rubber  planting.  This  involved  liv- 
ing among  the  up-river  Malays  for  a  consider- 
able period  and  the  cutting  of  some  thirty  miles 
of  tracks  and  survey  lines. 

In  clearing  the  virgin  jungle,  Malays  are 
generally  employed,  and  carry  out  the  work 
most  satisfactorily.  The  jungle,  though  dense, 
does  not  carry  a  large  number  of  trees  of  large 
girth  to  the  acre ;  most  of  the  jungle  is  "  sec- 
ondary." The  Malays  say  that  fifty  years  ago 
the  whole  country  was  devastated  by  a  tornado 
and  every  tree  was  rased  to  the  ground  ;  that 
fire  then  got  into  the  fallen  jungle;  and  that 
Kelantan  was  on  fire  from  end  to  end,  men  and 
animals  being  driven  into  the  rivers  by  the  heat 
and  smoke.  If  this  statement  is  true — and 
some  of  the  older  men  say  they  can  remember 
the  conflagration — the  comparative  sparsity  of 
big  timber  can  be  easily  understood. 

The  planting  of  the  rubber  trees  and  all 
subsequent  work  is  best  performed  by  Tamils, 
Chinese,  or  Javanese,  all  of  whom  must  be  im- 
ported from  their  native  countries. 

Rubber  trees  should  give  at  least  200  pounds 
of  latex  per  acre  for  the  first  year  of  tapping, 
increasing  yearly  by  50  pounds  per  acre.  A 
rubber  estate  should  show  a  profit  on  its  second 
year  of  tapping.  Of  course  the  crop  of  latex 
will  vary  with  the  quality  of  the  ground  and 
the  care  bestowed  upon  the  estate.  At  the 
Pergau  estate  in  Kelantan  the  average  output 
is  about  415  lb.  of  latex  per  acre  tapped  ;  but 
some  of  the  best  land  gives  660  lb.  per  acre. 
Costs  of  production  will  vary  with  location, 
nature  of  land,  and  efficiency  of  management. 
Owing  to  the  absence  of  transport  facilities  in 
Kelantan,  costs  may  be  expected  to  be  higher 
for  the  time  being  than  those  in  the  western 
states,  where  some  of  thebest  estates  havebeen 
able  to  produce  at  as  low  a  cost  as  23,  24,  and 
25  cents  per  lb.,  and  the  average  of  the  best  is 
35  cents  or  about  9}  pence  per  pound.  The 
costs  on  many  of  the  estates  are,  of  course, 
much  higher  than  these.  In  Kelantan  the 
lowest  costs  are  obtained  at  the  Bagan  Estate, 
where  rubber  is  produced  at  an  all-in  expen- 
diture of  29  cents  per  pound.     Owing  to  the 


situation  of  the  estate  and  the  ability  of  the 
management,  Bagan  is  able  to  use  Malay  la- 
bour in  all  branches  of  the  estate  work,  proving 
thereby  an  exception  to  general  Malayan  enter- 
prises. The  Taku  Estate  of  the  Duff  Develop- 
ment Company  is  producing  rubber  at  the  very 
satisfactory  cost  of  34  cents  per  pound. 

Other  Industries. — For  their  own  im- 
mediate consumption  the  Kelantanese  grow  a 
fair  quantity  of  tobacco,  and  an  increase  in 
this  industry  might  be  encouraged  with  advan- 
tage by  working  somewhat  on  the  lines  of  the 


A  Kelantan  Ska  Pkahu. 

Borneo  practice.  The  tobacco  grown  is  not 
of  high  grade,  but  there  is  a  ready  sale  for  it 
among  the  natives  of  the  surroundingcountries. 
In  Borneo  the  landowner  lays  out  li  acre  for 
each  native  to  cultivate  and  supplies  him  with 
tobacco  seed.  The  native  raises  the  tobacco 
and  gathers  the  leaf,  which  is  bought  from  him 
by  the  landowner  in  its  green  condition  at 
twenty  dollars  per  picul  (133-3-  lb.).  As  a 
Malay  should  produce  fifteen  piculs  from  his 
acre  and  a  half  of  properly  cultivated  land,  he 
should  be  able  to  make  three  hundred  dollars 
for  eight  months'  work  on  his  patch.  The  cost 
of  shredding,  drying,  fermenting,  and  curing 
should  amount  to  a  further  expenditure  of 
forty- five   to  fifty  dollars  per  picul,  and  the 


20 


Till':    MINING    MAGAZINE 


finished  article  can  be  sold  for  about  one  hun 
dred  and  twenty  dollars  per  picui. 

Altliougii  some  of  the  world's  finest  copra 
has  been  exported  from  Kelantan,  coconut 
growing  on  a  large  scale  has  not  been  very  suc- 
cessful up  to  the  present  time.  The  excellent 
sun-dried  copra  which  the  natives  produce 
comes  from  their  small  kampongs  where  the 
trees  thrive  on  the  refuse,  animal  manure,  and 
other  filth  which  usually  surrounds  native  habi- 
tations. 

Finance. — Thelast  annual  report  of  the  Ke- 
lantan Governmentshowed  the  revenue  collect- 
ed to  haveamounted  to/ 11 2, 000,  including  land 
revenue  /2 1,000,  levy  on  imports  and  exports 
/"SI, 700,  and  profit  from  the  sale  of  chandu 
(opium)  ^29,000.  Half  of  the  export  revenue 
of  /1 7,000  was  obtained  from  rubber,  10% 
from  betel  nuts,  17%  from  copra,  and  9%  from 
cattle.  Heavy  export  duties  have  often  been 
placed  on  produce  in  order  to  prevent  the  na- 
tives from  bringing  themselves  into  a  condition 
of  semi-starvation.  Chinese  traders  used  to 
travel  throughout  the  country,  reaching  even 
the  remotest  kampongs,  buying  upcattle,  fowls, 
ducks,  rice,  dried  fish,  &c.  The  Malay,  having 
but  little  insight  into  external  trading,  was  dis- 
posing of  all  his  animals  and  birds,  leaving 
himself  no  means  of  replenishing  his  stocks  ; 
he  even  sold  his  agricultural  cattle  and  then 
had  no  means  of  cultivating  his  rice.  Ov/ing 
to  the  high  export  duties  imposed,  the  exports 
of  livestock  are  now  mainly  composed  of  pigs, 
pork  being  forbidden  as  an  article  of  diet  for 
the  Malay.  Rubber  stood  at  the  top  of  the 
list  of  exports,  being  two-thirds  of  the  total 
value  of  /r425,000.  The  imports  were  valued 
at  /"SOO.boO. 

Climate. — The  highest  temperature  re- 
corded was  that  of  98°  F.  in  Kuala  Lebir  in 
1914,  and  the  lowest  was  62°  in  1913,  also  in 
Kuala  Lebir.  At  the  sea-coast  the  mean  maxi- 
mum and  minimum  temperatures  may  be  ta- 
ken at  90°  and  71°,  while  60  miles  inland  they 
may  be  taken  at  96°  and  64°.  The  mean  tem- 
perature throughout  Kelantan  is  about  79°  or 
80°.  In  Kuala  Lebir  the  annual  rainfall  taken 
over  a  number  of  years  shows  a  variation  be- 
tween 74  and  136  inches;  records  in  Kota 
Bharu  show  95  to  165  inches  with  a  maximum 
fall  of  13'43  inches  in  24  hours. 

The  wet  season  is  distributed  over  Novem- 
ber, December,  and  January  when  the  relative 
humidity  rises  to  a  maximum  of  90?o.  The 
wet  season  is  immediately  followed  by  the  dry 
months  of  February,  March,  and  April,  in 
which  the  mean  relati\e  humidity  is  about  80%. 
Living  in  the  jungle,  one  is  impressed  with 


its  stillness  and  quietude.  No  birds  are  to  be 
seen  except  in  the  topmost  branches  of  the 
highest  trees.  Occasionally  a  flock  of  monkeys 
is  heard  dashing  away  overhead,  and  in  the 
early  morning  one  may  sometimes  disturb  a 
deer  or  wild  pig.  The  air  is  still  and  breath- 
less; there  is  never  any  wind.  The  morning 
often  shows  the  tracks  of  elephants,  tigers,  and 
panthers  which  have  not  been  far  distant ;  but 
it  is  seldom  that  any  of  these  animals  is  seen, 
and  very  few  residents  of  the  Malay  States 
have  been  close  enough  to  get  a  shot  at  a  tiger. 
For  a  native  to  be  attacked  by  a  tiger  on  the 
east  coast  is  unknown  ;  but  on  one  of  the  es- 
tates about  35  miles  from  Kuala  Lumpur  the 
toll  of  natives  killed  by  tigers  during  the  past 
twelve  years  has  been  quite  a  heavy  one.  This 
is  attributed  to  the  closer  settlement  of  the  dis- 
trict having  driven  the  natural  food  to  the  tiger 
— the  pig — away.  Unlike  the  remainder  of 
the  Malay  States,  Kelantan  is  entirely  free 
from  crocodiles  and  bathing  is  therefore  pos- 
sible in  all  waters.  Elephant  hunts  occasion- 
ally take  place,  and  1  visited  one  of  the  stock- 
ades into  which  they  are  driven,  then  in  course 
of  constructionnear  thesource  of  the  Rek  river. 
The  animals  are  tamed  and  trained  within  a 
few  weeks  of  their  capture. 

Conclusion. — In  my  exploration  and  in 
my  various  excursions  I  received  much  assis- 
tance from  the  officers  of  the  Duff  Develop- 
ment Company,  the  Chief  Police  Officer,  the 
Government  Survey  Department,  and  District 
Officer  Monk.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  kindly 
offices  of  these  gentlemen  my  way  would  have 
been  much  harder  and  my  operations  delayed  ; 
but  I  was  deeply  disappointed  by  the  short- 
sighted policy  of  the  highest  Government 
officials  who,  as  soon  as  I  made  application  for 
rubber  lands,  gave  notice  of  the  imposition  of 
higher  rates  and  rents.  An  appeal  against 
such  imposition  was  upheld  when  placed  before 
the  Governor  of  the  Straits  Settlements  ;  but 
restrictions  introduced  with  regard  to  the  em- 
ployment of  labour  and  the  growing  of  food- 
stuff's made  it  so  evident  that  enterprise  from  out- 
side wasnot  welcome  that  it  was  decided  to  with  - 
draw  entirely  from  a  venture  which  would  have 
included  the  opening  up  of  10,000  acres  of  agri- 
cultural land  at  an  estimated  expenditure  of 
over  ^400,000  in  a  country  sadly  in  need  of 
development  and  of  the  introduction  of  capital. 

[In  connection  with  the  foregoing  article, 
readers  may  be  reminded  that  the  neighbour- 
ing State  of  Trengganu  was  described  by  Mr. 
Henry  Brelick  in  the  MAGAZINE  for  Novem- 
ber, 1915.— Editor.] 


DOLCOATH'S  FUTURE. 


We  print  herewith  the  reports  by  Mr.   R.  Arthur  Thomas,  managing 

director  of   Dolcoath,  and  by   Messrs.   Bewick,   Moreing  &  Co.  on  the 

proposed  scheme  for  exploring  the  northern  ground  in  depth  for  tin. 


FOR  some  time  it  has  been  known  that  the 
ore  supply  in  depth  at  Dolcoath  has  been 
failing,  and  that  the  engineers  are  in  fa- 
vour of  exploration  laterally.  The  concrete 
proposals  are  now  published,  and  the  main 
points  are  given  herewith.  Briefly  the  pro- 
posal is  to  run  a  cross-cut  at  depth  northward 
from  the  Williams  vertical  shaft  in  order  to 
test  the  Roskear  lodes  at  points  below  the 
deepest  level  of  the  old  workings.  The  Ros- 
kear lodes  were  profitably  worked  for  copper 
until  forty  years  ago.  At  that  time  the  copper 
gave  out  and  tin  put  in  appearance.  The  prob- 
lem now  is  to  test  the  lodes  for  tin  at  depth. 
It  is  expected  that  the  cross-cut  will  also  re- 
veal information  relating  to  south-westerly 
continuations  of  lodes  worked  at  East  Pool 
and  South  Crofty. 

Mr.  R.  Arthur  Thomas's  Report. 

It  has  not  been  possible  for  some  time  past 
to  record  any  satisfactory  results  from  the 
operations  at  Dolcoath,  and  it  has  been  found 
necessary  to  greatly  curtail  the  scale  of  work- 
ing pending  the  consideration  and  determina- 
tion of  the  future  policy.  In  June  last  the 
bottom  workings  were  abandoned  and  the 
pumping  plant  and  sundry  appliances  have 
been  successfully  withdrawn  from  the  550  fm. 
level. 

Having  regard  to  the  improbability  of  any 
immediate  profitable  developments  on  the  main 
Dolcoath  series  of  lodes  sufficient  to  retrieve 
the  position,  new  work  must  be  embarked  up- 
on and  capital  provided  therefor  fo  restore  the 
mine  to  its  former  importance  as  a  profit-earn- 
ing undertaking.  This  result  will,  I  con- 
fidently anticipate,  be  realized  if  the  following 
scheme  of  development  can  be  carried  out,  that 
is,  to  drive  a  cross-cut  from  the  Williams  shaft 
north  at  the  338  fm.  level  to  intersect  the  vari- 
ous lodes  shown  in  the  accompanying  plan,  and 
which  have  not  been  worked  by  this  or  any 
other  company  to  such  a  depth.  The  plan 
shows  the  Dolcoath  lode  series  and  the  pro- 
jected position  of  the  various  lodes  to  the  north, 
which  willbe  intersected  by  the  proposed  cross- 
cut. The  reasons  for  my  unhesitatingly  recom- 
mending the  driving  of  this  cross-cut,  and  my 
belief  that  in  so  doing  the  company  will  again 
become  a  profitable  as  well  as  large  undertak- 
ing, are  as  follows: 


(1)  Before  the  South  and  North  Roskears, 
as  well  as  the  East  Pool  (Rogers)  lode,  lying 
between  these  two  lodes,  would  be  intersected, 
the  important  Tincroft  and  Crofty  series  of 
lodes  would  be  met  with,  and  also  the  various 
other  lodes,  of  possibly  less  importance  (form- 
ing a  part  of  the  series  referred  to),  at  less  than 
half  the  distance  of  the  total  length  of  the  cross- 
cut, which  is  estimated  to  be  4,420  ft. 

(2)  The  mines  to  the  north  of  Dolcoath, 
namely,  South  Roskear,  North  Roskear,  and 
the  Setons,  slightly  to  the  west,  were  large  pro- 
ducers of  copper  in  the  killas,  as  was  also  Dol- 
coath in  the  approximately  parallel  lode  series 
in  the  killas  overlying  the  granite  in  which  the 
Dolcoath  main  series  of  lodes  have  been  so  re- 
markably consistent  producers  of  tin  to  a  far 
greater  depth  than  has  been  reached  elsewhere 
in  the  country.  None  of  the  lodes  in  thenorth- 
ern  areas  referred  to  has  been  explored  in  the 
granite. 

(3)  Dolcoath  mine  produced  copper  to  the 
value  of  ^2, 328,435,  and  subsequently  in  the 
granite  tin  realizing  ;^6,842,351  by  working  to 
a  depth  of  550  fm.  from  surface.  The  South 
and  North  Roskears  produced  copper  to  the 
value  of  ^1,024,623  and  in  the  latter  working 
tin  to  the  value  of  ^121,171.  The  adjoining 
properties,  the  Setons,  also  produced  copper 
to  the  value  of  more  than  /l, 125,000  and  tin 
to  the  value  of  over  ;/r500,000.  The  foregoing 
figures  in  themselves  without  giving  a  detailed 
history  of  the  working  of  these  properties  show 
this  area  to  be  highly  mineralized,  and  it  must 
be  remembered  that  the  above  returns  were 
made  mainly  when  copper  and  tin  were  at  a 
very  low  price. 

(4)  The  geological  conditions  in  these  north- 
ern areas  being  similar  to  those  at  Dolcoath, 
the  fact  that  there  was  a  distinct  change  in  the 
country  rock  in  the  bottom  of  the  Roskears  at 
the  300  fm.  level,  and  that  these  mines  at  the 
time  of  their  suspension  became  tin  producers, 
coupled  with  the  relative  proportions  of  tin  and 
copper  produced  (particularly  at  Dolcoath)  on 
its  main  series  of  lodes  provide  prima  facie 
evidence  that  the  expectations  for  discovering 
tin  by  the  proposed  cross-cut  in  the  granite  are 
well  founded. 

(5)  The  recent  discoveries  in  South  Crofty, 
which  adjoins  the  eastern  portion  of  this  mine, 
and  the  East  Pool  and  Agar  mines  (particu- 


21 


22 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


\ 


JANUARY,    1921 


23 


si^ear     i    Mam   Lode    st   Adit   Level 


1H€    \WILLIAMS' 
SHAFT     " 


Plan  of  Dolcoath  and  Roskear  Lodes 

Lodes  at  Adit  Level  marked  in  full  lines  :  lodes  at  depth  of  proposed  Cross-cut  in  broken  lines. 


24 


Tin-:     MINING     MAGAZINE 


iarly  llie  phenomenally  rich  Rogers  lode)  have 
undoubtedly  demonstrated  that  the  northern 
series  of  lodes  are  highly  productive  for  tin  in 
the  pranite  and  are  distinctly  confirmatory  of 
the  view  held  that  the  gioup  of  unexplored 
north  lodes  will  become,  by  development  in 
the  granite,  tin  producers  and  on  a  considerable 
scale  ;  moreover,  it  may  be  said  that  there  is 
a  general  concurrence  of  opinion  among  mining 
men,  supported  by  eminent  geologists,  m  this 
anticipation. 

(6)  Dolcoath  and  the  Roskears  are  divided 
from  the  eastern  group  of  mines,  that  is,  South 
Crofty,  Tincroft,  and  East  Pool  and  Agar  by 
the  great  cross-course,  andall  the  mines  bound- 
ing this  to  the  west  have  been  very  large  pro- 
ducers of  copper  and  tin  :  and  it  may  be  said 
that  the  eastern  mines  have  been  very  success- 
fully worked  for  a  great  mumber  of  years  in 
the  granite. 

(7)  The  338  fm.  level  from  which  the  cross- 
cut would  be  driven  has  been  chosen  because, 
among  other  reasons,  it  will  intersect  the  lodes 
above  referred  to  and  give  high  backs,  and  at 
the  most  faxourable  point  below  the  line  of  the 
killas-granite  contact,  so  that  it  seems  highly 
probable  that  large  bodies  of  ore  will  be  avail- 
able for  working  before  the  cross-cut  reaches 
the  Roskear  mines. 

(8)  The  Williams  shaft  is  a  very  valuable 
asset  in  this  scheme  of  development,  as  it  is  of 
ample  capacity  for  a  large  output,  for  such 
pumping  plant  and  mechanical  haulage  as  may 
be  necessary,  and  is  equipped  with  a  first-class 
winding-engine  and  general  mechanical  and 
electrical  appliances,  providing  most  excellent 
opportunities  for  the  concentration  and  rapid 
progression  of  all  operations.  There  is  no 
engineering  difficulty  in  returning  through  this 
shaft  the  ores  from  the  lodes  that  will  be  cut 
by  the  proposed  crosscut.  The  use  of  the 
Williams  shaft  will  render  it  unnecessary  to 
sink  a  new  shaft  on  the  northern  properties,  at 
all  events  for  a  long  time  ahead,  if  at  all. 

To  carry  out  this  projected  work  will  entail 
anestimated  expenditure  of  ;£"  120,000, in  which 
estimate  is  included  the  provision  for  a  pump- 
ing plant  of  ample  capacity  to  meet  the  pro- 
bable requirements  by  utilizing  the  pumps  re- 
moved from  the  bottom  of  the  Williams  shaft, 
and  for  preliminary  development  in  the  lodes 
to  be  intersected  by  the  cross-cut. 

Extracts  from  Bewick,  Moreing  & 
Co.'s  Report. 

We  have  examined  the  scheme  as  drafted 
by  Mr.  R.  Arthur  Thomas,  covering  the  ex- 
ploration and  working  of  the  northern  ground, 


including  the  North  and  South  Roskear  and 
other  lode  channels,  as  well  as  the  probable 
continuation  of  the  Rogers  and  other  northern 
lodes  now  being  worked  or  explored  in  the 
eastern  end  of  the  Camborne- Redruth  belt. 
The  prospects  of  this  scheme,  its  feasibility, 
the  time  necessary  for  its  completion,  and  the 
capital  required  are  factors  of  importance. 

We  have,  for  several  years,  given  close  at- 
tention to  the  geological  features  of  this  field 
relating  to  its  ore-bodies,  and  have  prepared 
very  complete  plans  and  sections  covering  the 
area  from  Dolcoath  on  the  west  to  Tolgus  on 
the  east.  From  these  we  have  made  the  plan 
and  section  accompanying  this  report,  in  which 
the  various  known  lode  channels  and  probable 
continuations  of  lode  channels  are  shown  dia- 
grammatically,  the  former  by  continuous  heavy 
lines  and  the  latter  dotted.  These  may  be 
divided  into  two  groups,  the  one  of  large,  well- 
defined  productive  ore  channels,  the  other  of 
minor  channels  which  may  develop  satisfac- 
torily in  the  granite.  There  is  also  the  further 
possibility  of  locating  unknown  lodes  which  do 
not  appear  at  the  surface. 

The  first  group  includes  the  following  lode 
channels,  taken  in  the  order  in  which  they  will 
probably  be  met  by  the  proposed  crosscut: 
(l)~Price's;  (2)— Crofty  Middle  ;  (3)— South 
Roskear;  (4)— Rogers;  (5)— North  Roskear. 
The  second  group,  which  for  the  present 
seems  to  be  of  minor  importance,  includes 
among  others  the  following:  (l) — Dolcoath 
South  Entral  and  other  lodes  worked  to  the 
north  of  the  Dolcoath  main  lode;  (2) — Minor 
lodes  which  may  continue  west  from  South 
Crofty  ;  (3) — Sundry  minor  lodes,  formerly 
worked  in  the  Roskear  mines. 

It  has  been  clearly  established  that  the  Great 
Cross-course  on  the  eastern  boundary  of  Dol- 
coath does  hot  cut  off  the  known  eastern  lode 
channels,  but  merely  displaces  them  to  the 
north  in  the  western  ground,  and  it  is  therefore 
a  reasonable  inference  that  any  strong  eastern 
lode  channel  which  lives  to  the  cross-course  is 
likely  to  continue  west  of  it.  Quite  apart  from 
that,  however,  this  scheme  finds  justification 
by  reason  of  the  known  lode  channels  in  the 
western  ground,  which  in  the  past  have  been 
so  productive  in  copper,  and  have  not  entered 
the  zone  which  experience  and  investigation 
indicate  as  likely  to  be  more  productive  in  tin. 
Reviewing  the  figures  available  on  the  Cam- 
borne-Redruth district  up  to  the  year  1919,  it 
stands  out  very  significantly  that  the  leading 
tin  producers  are  those  mines  which  in  the  early 
days  produced  much  copper,  and  then  sank  to 
greater  depth,  penetrating  the  granite.     The 


JANUARY,    1921 


25 


following  tabulation  of  output  of  tin  and  cop- 
per at  Dolcoath,  East  Pool,  South  and  North 
Roskear  points  to  the  prospects  of  the  two  lat- 
ter as  tin  producers  in  the  granite : 

Depth  of  Deepest 

Copper  Ore  Black  Tin  Granite  Working 

£  £               Fm.          Fm. 

Dolcoath    2,328.435  6.785.998  125  to  200       550 

East  Pool  and  Agar  -        457.322  2.700,736  135  to  212      340 

South  Roskear 217.993  15.160  ?         255'      170 

North  Roskear   806,630  106.011  '          280      280 

The  remarkable  richness  of  the  belt  of  coun- 
try running  from -Dolcoath  on  the  south  to  old 
Wheal  Seton  on  the  north  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing figures  giving  the  returns  to  1919,  which 
further  emphasize  the  possible  potentialities 
for  tin  in  the  ground  between  Dolcoath  and  the 
Setons,  which  so  far  is  practically  unexplored 
in  depth  : 

Copper  Tin  Total 

£  £  £ 

Dolcoath 2.328.435  6.785,998  9,114,433 

South  Roskear 217,993  15,160  233,153 

North  Roskear 806,630  106,001  912,631 

Wheal  Seton ••  535.286  71.664  606.950 

West  Seton    719.341  454.836  1,174,177 

4,607.685  7.433.669  12.041.344 

The  South  and  North  Roskear  mines  have 
produced  over  a  million  pounds'  worth  of  cop- 
per ores.  Neither  of  them  has,  as  yet,  been 
explored  in  the  granite,  and  both,  in  their 
deeper  levels,  have  been  tin  producers.  The 
early  history  of  these  two  mines  is  obscure, 
and  it  is  difficult  to  give  exact  figures  covering 
their  output  and  workings,  but  the  information 
herein  compiled  is  believed  to  be  on  the  con- 
servative side. 

The  South  Roskear  has  been  worked  for  a 
length  of  about  4,000  ft.  The  two  main  shafts 
(some  2,000  ft.  apart)  are  Wheal  Chance  Eng- 
ine Shaft  (Gregory's  Shaft)  in  the  western  sec- 
tion, 184  fm.  below  adit,  or  214  fm.  from  sur- 
face, and  the  Pendarves  Shaft  in  the  eastern 
section,  about  180  fm.  below  adit,  or  210  fm. 
from  surface.  Old  reports  refer  to  six  distinct 
lodes  as  having  been  located,  but  the  main 
workings  were  confined  to  the  South  Roskear 
main  lode,  which,  near  the  surface,  is  almost 
vertical,  but  from  the  adit  level  dips  steeply  to 
the  south.  The  greater  portion  of  the  large 
output  of  copper  was  obtained  from  the  adit 
down  to  the  150  fm,  level,  and  tin  began  to 
appear  in  quantity  at  the  112  fm.  level  at  Dun- 
kins  Shaft.  The  eastern  workings  are  not 
connected  with  the  western  below  the  80  fm. 
level,  and  the  water  in  the  former  was  handled 
by  flat  rods  worked  by  the  winding  engine,  and 
then  passed  westward  along  the  80  fm.  level  to 
the  Wheal  Chance  Engine  Shaft,  where  it  was 
pumped  by  a  70  in.  engine.     The  maximum 


quantity  was  reported  as  156  g.p.m.,  and  it  was 
considered  that  the  70  in.  engine  was  in  1876 
ample  for  the  requirements  then  and  in  the 
future.  The  mine  closed  down  in  1881,  the 
contributing  causes  being  as  follows  :  the  large 
copper  bodies  were  largely  exhausted  and  the 
price  of  that  metal  was  seriously  declining; 
development  "was  not  sufficiently  far  ahead  to 
open  up  the  deeper  tin  ground,  and  the  price 
of  tin  had  declined  so  seriously  as  to  discourage 
any  attempt  to  go  deeper. 

The  North  Roskear  Sett  was  over  a  mile 
long  and  the  lode  was  worked  for  a  length  of 
over  4,000  ft.,  the  chief  workings  being  on  the 
North  Roskear  main  lode.  The  two  main 
shafts  (some  1,700  ft.  apart)  were  the  New 
Doctor's  Shaft  on  the  east,  270  fm.  below  adit 
or  300  fm.  below  surface,  and  Pearce's  Shaft 
on  the  western  end,  220  fm.  from  adit  or  250 
fm.  from  surface.  PauU's  Shaft,  Pressure 
Shaft,  and  Prince  William  Henry  Shaft  were 
also  sunk,  all  over  200  fm,,  so  that  the  mine 
was  opened  up  by  five  deep  shafts  as  well  as 
several  to  the  region  of  100  fathoms.  Latterly 
the  workings  were  confined  chiefly  to  Pearce's 
and  New  Doctor's  shafts.  In  1871  Captain 
Josiah  Thomas  advocated  the  sinking  of  the 
latter  shaft  to  cut  the  granite,  which  he  con- 
sidered was  at  no  great  depth  below  the  bot- 
tom workings,  and  there  he  expected  that  a 
lasting  and  profitable  tin  mine  would  be  opened 
up.  Here,  however,  as  in  the  case  of  the  South 
Roskear,  adverse  influences  became  so  felt  that 
the  mine  was  closed  down.  The  large  copper 
stopes  had  become  exhausted,  the  prices  of  tin 
and  copper  seriously  declined,  and,  although  in 
this  case  the  tin  zone  had  been  entered,  par- 
ticularly in  the  deeper  workings  at  New  Doc- 
tor's Shaft,  still  the  development  in  that  zone 
was  quite  insufficient  to  open  up  sufficient  tin 
reserves,  and  therefore  in  1874  operations 
ceased.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  the  bottom 
portion  of  the  shaft  a  distinct  change  was  re- 
ported in  the  nature  of  the  country,  felspar, 
quartz,  and  much  mica  appearing. 

Having  outlined  the  results  of  the  operations 
on  the  two  lode  channels,  which  have  been 
worked,  those  which  may  be  expected  to  con- 
tinue through  the  country  to  be  explored  by  the 
proposed  cross-cut  are  now  referred  to  in  the 
order  in  which  they  are  likely  to  be  met  with 
in  cross-cutting. 

Pryce's  lode  channel  lives  frpm  East  Pool 
through  Tincroft  and  well  to  the  west  in  Crofty, 
but  so  far  has  not  been  worked  up  to  the  Great 
Cross-course.  On  account  of  its  strength  and 
persistence  it  seems  probable  that  it  will  live 
in  the  western  ground.     It  has  produced  large 


26 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


quantities  of  copper  and  tin  in  the  above-men- 
tioned mine.  In  Tincroft  it  has,  until  recently, 
been  responsible  for  more  than  half  the  returns, 
and  was  worked  for  a  length  of  J, 400  ft.  ; 
it  is  considered  there  that  it  will  make  junction 
with  the  South  lode  at  157  fm.  with  good  pros- 
pects of  enrichment. 

Crofty  middle  lode  is  the  continuation  of  the 
North  Tincroft  lode  after  being  thrown  north- 
ward by  Pryce's  lode,  and  has  been  very  ex- 
tensively worked  in  South  Crofty.  Like  Pryce's 
it  has  not  been  driven  west  to  the  Great  Cross- 
course,  there  being  apparently  a  poor  zone 
affecting  all  lodes  to  the  immediate  east  of  the 
cross  course.  Considering,  however,  the  great 
richness  of  the  Dolcoath  and  the  Koskears  on 
the  west,  these  lodes  may  improve  in  tin  con- 
tents in  that  zone.  The  North  Entral  lode  of 
Dolcoath,  which  coincides  with  the  North  Tin- 
croft lode,  was  intersected  at  the  80  fm.  level, 
close  to  the  northern  boundary,  and  after  being 
faulted  by  Pryce's  lode  was  cut  by  the  146  fm. 
cross-cut  south  from  South  Roskear  in  the 
killas. 

The  Rogers  lode,  which  in  East  Pool  has 
been  opened  up  in  the  granite  with  such  excel- 
lent results,  was  of  little  account  in  the  killas. 
To  the  west  it  meets  Reeves  lode  (the  Great 
Caunter),  and  is  faulted  by  it  in  the  eastern 
section  of  South  Crofty.  There  it  is  thrown 
to  the  north,  its  continuation  being  known  as 
the  Longclose  lode.  Unfortunately  the  245  fm. 
bore-hole  in  the  western  section  of  South 
Crofty  (east  of  the  cross  course)  entered  the 
killas  before  cutting  the  lode  channel  and  was 
consequently  too  shallow  to  enter  the  tin  zone. 
This  lode  dips  to  the  north,  whereas  the  South 
and  North  Roskear  lodes  both  dip  to  the  south, 
and  its  continuation  will  probably  be,  as  shown 
in  the  accompanying  section,  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  the  South  Roskear  lode  channel,  and 
at  the  depth  of  the  crosscut  may  be  expected 
some  distance  to  the  north  of  the  South  Ros- 
kear main  lode. 

The  following  table  gives  the  approximate 
distance  at  which  the  above  lode  channels  are 
likely  to  be  cut,  these  being  determined  on  the 
normal  dips  and  strikes,  any  deviation  from 
which  will  correspondingly  affect  the  positions 

Length  of  Cross-cut. 
From  Williams  Shaft  to  South  Entral  Lode  Channel  about  1.300  ft 

..    Pryce's                ,.  ,,  ,.  ::. 400ft 

..    Crofty  Middle  ,.  ..  ,.  3.200fl 

..    South  Roskear,.  ..  ..  3.600ft 

..    Rogers              ,.  ..  .,  4.300ft 

.,    North  Roskear,,  .,  4.500ft 

The  lineof  section  on  which  the  above  meas- 
urements are  made  runs  from  Williams  Shaft 
to  a  point  between  New  Doctor's  Shaft  and 


Pressure  Shaft  at  North  Roskear. 

The  depth  of  the  granite  slope  is  known  in 
South  Crofty  and  New  Cook's  Kitchen  setts, 
and  in  North  Crofty  (by  bore  holes),  and  in 
Dolcoath  the  granite  has  been  located  by  the 
1 90  fm.  north  cross-cut,  and  the  bore-hole  from 
its  northern  end,  which  are  both  in  granite, 
covering  together  a  distance  of  1,430  ft.  north 
of  the  main  lode.  The  position  has  also  been 
determined  on  the  main  lode.  On  the  other 
hand,  in  South  Roskear  the  146fm.  south  cross- 
cut was  extended  nearly  300  ft.  south  (on  the 
section  line)  and  was  in  killas.  Therefore  the 
surfaceof  thegranite  is  very  closely  determined 
as  lying  between  the  end  of  the  northern  cross- 
cut, at  the  190  fm.  level  from  Dolcoath,  and  the 
end  of  the  southern  cross-cut  from  the  146  fm. 
level  from  South  Roskear.  South-dipping  lodes 
generally  throw  up  the  granite  floor,  and  north- 
dipping  lodes  depress  it.  It  appears  that  in  the 
present  case  the  former  tendency  will  be  the 
more  marked. 

Variations  in  the  dip  of  the  granite  surface 
may  occur,  and  for  that  and  other  reasons  the 
proposed  cross-cut  should  be  driven  at  a  depth 
considerably  below  the  granite  floor,  which  is 
considered  to  be  very  close  below  the  255  fm. 
level  at  North  Roskear.  The  depth  proposed, 
338  fm.  below  adit  at  Williams  Shaft,  provides 
reasonably  for  this  contingency  and  allows  for 
good  backs  on  the  various  lode  channels  inter- 
sected. On  the  normal  dip  of  the  granite  sur- 
face and  lodes,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying 
section,  there  would  be  on  the  South  Roskear 
lode  about  500  ft.  of  backs,  and  on  the  North 
Roskear  about  300  ft.  of  backs. 

On  both  the  South  and  North  Roskear  lodes 
there  were  very  considerable  lengths  of  rich 
copper  lodes,  and  the  best  line  for  the  cross- 
cut would  be  underneath  the  richest  portions 
of  the  old  copper  workings,  which  allows  con- 
siderable latitude  in  location.  The  position 
chosen  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Doctor's  Shaft 
locates  the  crosscut  favourably  for  exploration 
of  the  probable  tin  zone  in  the  different  lode 
channels.  The  cross-cut  would  therefore  ex- 
plore the  ground  from  Williams  Shaft,  Dol- 
coath, to  Doctor's  Shaft  at  North  Roskear,  fol- 
lowing practically  a  straight  line  connecting 
these  two  points  with,  however,  a  slight  devia- 
tion to  allow  the  cross-cutto  avoid  old  workings 
on  the  Dolcoath  South  and  Main  lodes,  which 
should  be  cut  in  a  distance  of  about  700  ft.  from 
Williams  Shaft.  The  location  of  this  point  is 
of  such  importance  as  to  warrant,  before  com- 
mencing the  cross-cut,  a  check  survey  from 
Williams  Shaft  to  the  workings  to  the  near  east 
of  Harriett  Shaft. 


GOLD   MINING  IN  CHILE. 


By  LAURENCE   PITBLADO.  M.lnst.M.M. 

The  Author  writes  of  a  neglected  industry,  the  mining  of  low-grade  deposits,  which  can 
be  done  under  most  favourable  climatic  and  economic  conditions. 


HOLDING  the  third  place  among  gold- 
producing  countries  up  to  the  18th  cen- 
tury, Chile  has  now  descended  to  prac- 
tically the  lowest  on  the  list.  Judging  by  its  sta- 
tus as  a  metal-producing  country,  one  would 
naturally  have  expected  this  condition  of 
things  to  be  reversed.  It  cannot  be  said  that 
the  Mining  Laws  of  the  country  are  against  the 
industry,  as  they  are  the  most  simple  and  in- 
dulgent known  to  me,  giving  a  right  to  mine 
over  every  hectare  of  ground  taken  up  (about 
2'43  acres),  not  necessarily  in  square  blocks, 
but  as  rectangular  as  the  nature  of  the  ground 
demands,  or  the  surveyor  requires,  along  the 
run  of  the  vein,  for  the  small  Government  tax 
of  10  pesos  (say  10s.)  per  annum. 

No  labour  conditions  are  involved,  so  natur- 
ally this  allows  of  a  tremendous  amount  of 
"shepherding"of claims.  Thismilitates against 
the  due  working  of  any  likely  mines  by  foreign 
coinpanies,  as  the  owners  generally  demand 
such  a  price  as  to  frighten  all  investigators 
away.  This,  I  think,  maybe  taken  as  the  prime 
cause  of  decay  and  neglect,  as  no  engineer  is 
going  to  allow  a  big  cash  purchase  price  for 
only  a  hole  in  the  ground,  with  no  reserves 
blocked  out,  and  very  often  no  road  whereby 
to  reach  the  "  mine."  The  same  cry  is  repeat- 
ed time  and  again  in  Chile  that  the  London 
capitalists  are  too  exigent  and  want  only  de- 
veloped mines.  This,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  is 
not  the  case,  as  nearly  all  the  properties  on 
ofTer  must  be  approached  from  the  undeveloped 
point  of  view.  So  the  owner,  frequently  refus- 
ing quite  good  offers, goeson  paying  his  "paten- 
tes"  (taxes),  holding  his  ground  until  death 
overtakes  him.  Then  hisheirs  would  thereafter 
gladly  sell  for  half  the  original  amount  de- 
manded, if  a  capitalist  could  be  found  to  again 
take  it  up. 

Stretching  along  a  coast  line  of  some  3,000 
miles  in  length  from  north  to  south,  the  differ- 
ence in  climate  ranges  from  tiopical  to  glacial, 
and  these  again  are  varied  by  the  immense 
heights  to  which  the  Cordillera  rises  over  sea- 
level.  The  latitude  of  3 1°  between  Valparaiso 
and  Coquimbo  serves  very  well  as  an  imagin- 
ary boundary  line,  north  of  which  the  country 
is  arid  and  barren,  while  south  thereof  every 
prospect  pleases,  and  the  land  might  be  said 
to  flow  with  milk  and  honey.    The  north  suffers 


not  only  from  lack  of  transport,  but  more  often 
from  lack  of  water,  and  only  in  rare  cases  does 
it  hold  out  an  inviting  aspect  to  the  inspecting 
engineer.  Again,  while  the  principal  industry 
of  the  north  is  mining,  that  of  the  south  is  un- 
doubtedly agriculture,  though  there  are  large 
deposits  of  coal  and  a  limited  mineral  wealth 
of  deposits  of  lower-grade  ores,  which  are  found 
ranging  fromCoquimboalongthecoastalmoun- 
tains,  and  down  through  the  central  valley  to  the 


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Map  of  part  of  Chile. 

beachsands  of  theinlets  andfiordsof  thevarious 
straits  forming  Chile  del  Sur.  Occasionally  the 
gold  diggers  on  the  beaches  of  Chilean  Tierra 
del  Fuego,  especially  after  high  tides,  used  to 
get  fair  hauls.  A  progressive  Austrian  named 
Popper  minted  all  his  own  gold  himself,  in  the 
shape  of  little  coins  weighing  one  gramme.  I 
have  one  in  my  possession.     On  one  side  are 


28 


ll'.    MINING    MAGAZINE 


the  words:  El  Paramo,  Un  Gramo,  Au  864 
Ag  132,  and  crossed  miner's  hammers  ;  on  the 
other,  Tierra  del  Fuego,  Popper,  and  the  date 
1S89.  El  Paramo  was  the  name  of  Popper's 
mine.    The  miniiiiK  is  very  well  done. 

.Xround  Tiltil,  to  the  north  of  Santiago,  there 
are  large  bodies,  or  lenses,  of  heavy  pyrilic  ores 
carrying  gold,  which  have  been  worked  in  a 
sporadic  fashion.  They  do  not  lend  themselves 
readily  to  any  simple  metallurgical  treatment, 
and  so  have  more  or  less  been  relegated  to  the 
"  shepherded  "  class  of   mines.      While   they 


.\s  Old  Stope  at  Lo  Mejia. 

would  suit  a  smelter  well  for  a  pyritic  flux, 
carrying  a  small  percentage  of  copper  in  addi- 
tion to  the  gold,  there  are  none  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  one  which  used  to  be  in  blast 
alongside  Tiltil  station  is  now  dismantled. 

At  a  radius  of  about  50  miles  south  of  Sant- 
iago, and  between  Rancagua  and  Melipilla, 
there  are  quite  a  number  of  low-grade  gold- 
mining  propositions  suffering  from  neglect,  but 
rejoicing  in  a  climate  that  is  all  one  could  de- 
sire. Unfortunately  the  "  haciendados  "  (farm 
owners)  in  this  district  do  not  like,  and  certain- 
ly do  not  encourage,  the  prospector  to  fossick 
around  their  fields  and  camps.     If  an  "  extran- 


jero  "  to  the  place  should  take  it  into  his  head 
to  go  prospecting,  then  the  unanswerable  argu- 
ment of  a  shot  gun  is  brought  to  bear,  and  the 
trip  is  quickly  abandoned  for  fresh  fields  and 
pastures  new. 

On  the  head  waters  of  the  Alhuii  Creek,  at 
an  elevation  of  some  3,000  ft.  above  sea-level, 
the  oldest  and  most  extensively  worked  Minas 
de  Oro  de  Alhuc  form  a  compact,  self-contain- 
ed group  of  mines.  As  far  back  as  1700  the 
principal  lode,  the  Madariaga  -  and  which  to- 
day the  natives  call  the  mother  lode  of  the  dis- 
trict— was  worked  and  was  mentioned  favour- 
ably as  a  gold-producer  in  the  annals  of  the 
state.  Their  old  records  of  yields  of  so  many 
castillanos  per  cajon  ( 1  cast.  =  4'60  grams,  and 
1  cast,  per  cajon—  1  dwt.  per  ton)  can  still  be 
consulted, and  even  today  approximates  to  the 
new  development  work  as  a  large  low-grade  ore 
deposit, easily  mined  in  its  oxidized  ferruginous 
workings,  but  left  severely  alone  whenever 
hard  quartz  had  to  be  driven  on.  Apparently 
heating  the  rock  and  then  quenching  by  water 
constituted  their  best  means  of  driving  in  hard 
material,  and  little  work  was  ever  done  on  the 
quartz  veins  proper  until  the  advent  of  a 
Chilean  company  about  1880. 

This  group  of  claims,  as  now  owned  by  the 
Albion  Mining  Company,  Ltd.,  include  the  old 
Madariaga,  Lo  Mejia,  Florde  Alhue,  Profeta, 
Tribuna,  etc.,  amounting  to  some  12  in  all, 
cover  an  area  of  105  acres.  As  is  usual  in 
Chilean  deposits '''  thestnke  of  the  veins  is  more 
or  less  east  and  west, but  two  dip  north,  ranging 
from  80 '  to  perpendicular,  while  the  Madariaga 
and  various  others  conform  to  the  major  rule  in 
other  districts  by  dippmg  south.  If  one  were 
to  generalize  on  the  ground  developed,  the 
north-dipping  veins  show  up  rather  better  in 
average  values  than  the  south-dipping  veins. 
The  country  formation  is  principally  diorite, 
with  strips  of  schists  on  the  mountain  tops 
7,000  ft.  over  sea-level,  steeply  inclined  away 
from  the  Alhue  valley,  so  that  none  of  these  are 
visible  in  the  claims.  With  the  exception  of 
one  vein,  all  the  lode  walls  stand  well,  necessi- 
tating no  timbering,  as  is  shown  in  the  photo- 
graph of  an  old  stope  on  Lo  Mejia.  Probably 
that  stope  to-day  is  as  good  as  on  the  day  it 
was  opened,  in  spite  of  frequent  earthquakes. 
The  vein  matrix  is  mostly  a  hard  bluish 
quartz,  which  in  Lo  Mejia  is  freely  mixed  with 
rhodonite  (silicate  of  manganese),  and  when 
freshly  broken  shows  up  a  beautiful  pink  col- 
our. In  Flor  de  Alhue,  a  bold  outcrop  on  the 
mountain  side  carries  large  quantities  of  pyro- 

•  See  the  article  by  E.  David  Pope.  The  Mining  Magazine  for 
June.  1905. 


JANUARY,    1921 


29 


lusite  in  the  oxidized  zone,  and  as  may  be  in- 
ferred from  the  nature  of  this  (according  to 
Spurr),the  values  are  poor  until  some  consider- 
able distance  is  driven  into  the  ore-body. 


in  the  veins,  though  where  these  grade  into 
country  without  any  clea\age  wall,  generally 
the  hanging  wall  side,  they  form  a  dissemina- 
ted link,  as  it  were,  between  barren  rock  and 


Old  Works,  with  Ceruo  Cantillana  behind. 


A  like  characteristic  to  the  northern  fields  of 
Coquimbo  and  Atacama  is  noticed  in  the  Mada- 
riaga  by  the  presence  of  quantities  of  specular 
iron  ore,  generally  valueless,  which  is  repeated 
in  two  of  the  neighbouring  deposits  not  far  from 
here.     Pyrite  is  found  in  very  small  quantities 


payable  vein  stuft.  In  the  case  of  the  rhodo- 
nite vein,  assays  have  proved  that  most  of  the 
\alues  are  carried  in  the  quartz,  while  the  gold 
throughout  all  the  claims  is  in  such  a  fine  state 
of  division  that  no  free  gold  is  visible  in  any 
stone,  a  point  which  certainly  tells  largely  in 


30 


Tin:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


favour  of  the  company,  as  no  finger  amalgama- 
tion takes  place. 

Metaliurgically  the  ores  are  ideal  for  direct 
treatment:  crushing  in  cyanide  solution,  com- 
bined with  counter-current  decantation,as  they 
do  not  filter  well,  and  the  consumption  of  cya- 
nide only  runs  to  about  half  a  pound  per  ton. 
In  fact,  in  treating  the  rhodonite  ore  alone, over 
98?<o  extraction  can  be  obtained  for  a  consump- 
tion of  a  lb.  KCN  per  ton. 


The  Outcrop.  Flor  de  Alhle. 

The  widths  vary  from  2  ft.  in  the  Profeta  to 
49  ft.  in  the  Madariaga,  but  a  good  stoping 
average  of  the  remainder  may  be  taken  as  6  ft., 
while  over  such  a  width  assays  work  out  about 
7  dwt.  per  ton.  When  regular  stoping  work  is 
in  progress  it  is  expected  this  width  may  be  cut 
down  to4  ft.,  with  a  correspondmg  rise  in  assay- 
value  to  Ihe  half  ounce,  as  the  centre  foot  of 
the  vein  carries  richer  values,  ranging  up  to  27 
dwt.  According  to  the  books  of  the  previous 
owners,  the  ore  milled  has  averaged  about  the 
first  figure  given,  and  as  they  only  amalgamat- 
ed over  plates,  securingan  extraction  of  50''6,  the 
tailings  still  carry  3'5  dwt. 

No  shaft-sinking  is  necessary,  at  least  for 
years   to  come,  on  any  of   the  veins,  as  the 


"  backs  "  available  from  zero  levels  run  up  to 
1,300  ft.,  so  all  the  dormant  capital  involved 
both  in  shaft-sinking  and  winding  machinery 
is  entirely  obviated. 

Water  throughout  the  district  is  plentiful, 
and  on  the  property,  as  can  be  seen  from  the 
photograph,  the  country  is  very  precipitous,  so 
that  heads  up  to  3,500  ft.  can  be  obtained  for 
power  purposes.  The  mountain  peak  in  the 
background  is  the  highest  on  the  coastal  range, 
Cerro  Cantillana,  7,400  ft.  above  sea  level, 
and  4,000  ft.  above  the  old  works  site.  During 
the  summer  months,  from  December  to  April, 
the  water  How  is  small,  but  it  never  runs  dry, 
and  with  the  head  available  it  is  expected  to 
yield  all  the  power  necessary  for  an  output 
through  the  mill  of  200  tons  per  day.  Working 
costs,  as  may  be  imagined  from  the  foregoing 
description,  are  very  low,  and  when  the  hydro- 
electric power  plant  is  installed  it  is  expected 
that  for  tonnage  treated  these  will  be  far  be- 
low the  Rand  averages  of  milling  ore  of  7  dwt. 
grade. 

There  are  at  least  two  other  large  properties 
in  the  district  with  similar  characteristics,  one 
of  them  being  well  situated  for  transport  to  and 
from  the  railway  station  of  Rancagua,  in  the 
central  valley  of  the  country,  and  an  important 
town  on  account  of  the  Braden  Copper  Com- 
pany's line  branching  off  from  here.  The  pro- 
perties are,  however,  "shepherded"  by  their 
Chilean  owners,  and  no  practical  work  has  ever 
been  done  on  modern  lines,  so  that  these  and 
many  others  are  likely  to  go  on  lying  fallow 
until  the  demands  of  the  owners  are  moderated. 

Climatic  conditions,  as  has  already  been 
mentioned,  are  ideal.  Winter,  with  its  snows, 
and  rains,  and  frosts,  is  as  cold  as  at  home, 
while  the  summer  is  more  balmy  and  never 
enervating,  blankets  being  a  necessity  on  beds 
al  1  the  year  round.  The  economic  features  also 
of  the  locality,  provided  as  it  is  with  wood, 
water,  grass,  and  in  the  valleys  all  the  grain 
and  fruits  that  heart  of  man  could  desire, 
are  such  as  are  rarely  met  with  in  a  mining 
camp. 

Cooperite.  —  The  secretary  of  the  Zirco- 
nium .Alloys  Syndicate,  of  64,  Victoria  Street, 
Westminster,  writes  to  The  Tunes  to  say  that 
cooperite,  the  new  cutting  medium  for  ma- 
chining metal,  was  tested  at  the  Sheffield 
Testing  Works,  on  December  1 ,  with  the  re- 
sult that  at  the  same  speed  and  feed  the  tool 
removed  the  same  weight  of  steel  per  minute 
as  the  best  high-speed  steel,  but  it  lasted  21 
minutes  21  seconds  as  compared  with  2  min- 
utes 20  seconds  for  the  other  tool. 


JANUARY,    1921 


31 


NEWS  LETTERS. 

TORONTO. 

December  13. 

Metal  Output  of  Ontario. — The  On- 
tario Department  of  Mines  reports  that  the 
output  of  the  metalliferous  mines,  smelters, 
and  refining  works  of  the  province  for  the  nine 
months  ended  September  30  amounted  in  value 
to  ;p35,920,418,  as  compared  with  $27,875,713 
for  the  corresponding  months  of  1919.  Pro- 
duction during  the  last  two  months  has  been 
curtailed  to  such  an  extent  by  power  shortage 
thataproportionate  increase  for  the  last  quarter 
of  the  year  cannot  be  e.xpected.  The  gold  out- 
put was  424,297  oz.  of  the  value  of  $8,735,768, 
an  increase  of  l};i,161,182,  or  15%.  The 
leading  producing  mines  were  :  Hollinger 
$4,620,800,  Mclntyre  §1,603,376,  and  Dome 
Mines  $1,515,086,  the  total  production  of  the 
Porcupine  cainp  being  $7,938,649.  Silver 
production  increased  from  7,475,396  oz.,  valued 
at  $7,898,220,  to  7,831,132  oz.,  valued  at 
§8,435,088.  With  the  exception  of  32,073  oz. 
recovered  from  nickel  copper  refining  and 
71,990  oz.  from  gold-refining  operations,  the 
output  came  from  Cobalt,  Gowganda,  and  out- 
lying areas.  Nickel  was  produced  to  the 
amount  of  7,060,0781b.  valued  at  §2,440,303, 
as  compared  with  7,820,866  lb.  of  the  value  of 
$2,732,676  during  the  first  nine  months  of 
1919,  and  exports  of  nickel  in  matte  were 
17,446  tons,  valued  at  $8,723,000,  as  against 
1 1,301  tons  of  the  value  of  $5,424,552.  Cop- 
per in  matte  exported  amounted  to  9,497  tons, 
value  $2, 659, 160, as  compared  with  6,818  tons, 
valued  at  §1,908,936.  The  output  of  pig  iron 
showed  an  increase  from  30,849  tons,  valued  at 
§795,009,  to  49,422  tons,  valued  at  §1,395,048. 

Porcupine. — The  output  of  some  of  the 
mines  is  being  seriously  curtailed  by  the  short- 
age of  electric  power  which  has  continued  for 
some  time,  the  outlook  for  the  winter  being  de- 
pendent on  the  continuance  of  open  weather 
and  sufficient  rainfall  to  restore  the  level  of  the 
lakes  and  rivers  before  winter  sets  in.  So  far 
the  weather  has  been  unusually  mild  for  the 
season,  and  the  supply  of  power  shows  some 
improvement.  The  Hollinger  Consolidated 
has  met  the  difficulty  by  the  use  of  an  auxiliary 
steam  plant  and  is  steadily  increasing  its  work- 
ing forces.  The  company  has  declared  a  divi- 
dend of  1%,  payable  December  31,  being  the 
ninth  to  be  paid  this  year,  making  a  total  dis- 
bursement for  1920  of  §2,214,000.  Produc- 
tion at  the  Dome  Mines  has  fallen  off  tempor- 
arily owing  to  power  shortage  and  the  breaking 
of  an  underground  crusher.     About  700  tons 


of  ore  are  being  treated  daily,  as  compared 
with  between  900  and  1,000  tons  during  the 
first  nine  months  of  the  year.  This  is  offset 
by  a  considerable  improvement  in  the  grade  of 
the  ore  treated,  which  is  stated  to  average 
about  $7  per  ton,  operating  costs  being  esti- 
mated at  $3'50  per  ton.  At  the  Mclntyre  the 
new  vein  system,  lying  about  400  ft.  south  of 
the  No.  5  shaft,  is  being  opened  up  on  the 
1,375  ft.  level,  where  the  vein  is  20  ft.  wide 
with  high  gold  content.  This  development  is 
regarded  as  of  importance  to  the  Hollinger 
Consolidated,  as  the  system  is  believed  to  be  a 
continuation  of  its  No.  84  vein,  and  its  per- 
sistence at  an  equal  depth  to  that  proved  up 
on  the  Mclntyre  would  mean  a  considerable 
increase  to  Hollinger's  ore  reserves. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  large  new  mill  of 
the  Wright- Hargreaves  with  a  capacity  of  150 
tons  daily  will  be  completed  and  ready  for 
operation  at  the  close  of  the  year.  The  time 
of  starting  work  will  depend  on  power  condi- 
tions. The  mine  is  in  condition  to  keep  the 
mill  continuously  supplied  with  ore.  Most  of 
the  development  has  been  on  the  400  ft.  level, 
the  ore  being  high  in  grade.  Stations  are  be- 
ing opened  on  the  upper  levels  preparatory 
to  lateral  work.  .As  the  Wright- Hargreaves 
location  extends  for  nearly  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  on  the  main  belt  of  mmeralization,  having 
the  Lake  Shore  mme  on  one  side  and  the 
Tough  Oakes  on  the  other,  it  is  expected  to 
become  an  important  producer.  The  Lake 
Shore  during  October  treated  1,570  tons  of  ore, 
yielding  §47,077,  being  a  considerable  increase 
over  the  two  preceding  months.  The  average 
extraction  of  $29'98  per  con  made  a  new  high 
record,  and  was  the  highest  average  ever  estab- 
lished by  a  steady  gold  producer  in  Canada. 
The  main  shaft  is  now  down  514  ft.  The  com- 
pany is  keeping  production  up  to  normal  by 
the  use  of  steam  power.  Thackeray  Mines, 
Ltd.,  which  owns  250  acres  in  the  Kirkland 
Lake  area  in  addition  to  several  holdings  else- 
where, has  discontinued  operations  for  the 
season  and  is  planning  for  extensive  develop- 
ment work  in  the  spring.  The  Hunton- 
Kirkland  is  increasmg  its  capital  stock  from 
§1,500,000  to  $2,500,000. 

Cobalt. — The  silver-mining  industry  has 
been  hard  hit  by  the  drop  in  the  price  of  silver 
which,  combined  with  the  shortage  of  power, 
has  considerably  reduced  the  margin  of  profit, 
resulting  in  the  closing  down  of  some  mines 
and  the  passing  of  dividends  by  the  Mining 
Corporation  of  Canada  and  the  McKinley- 
Darragh.  Operatmg  costs  are  high,  the  prin- 
cipal item  being  wages,  which  remain  at  the 


32 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


s.inie  figure  as  when  silver  was  bringing  its 
highest  price  some  months  ago.  Labour  is 
now  plentiful  and  mine  managers  are  able  to 
pick  their  men,  with  the  result  that  efficiency 
on  the  part  of  workers  is  showing  some  im- 
provement. The  miners  are  stimulated  to  in 
crease  production  by  the  prospect  of  being 
thrown  out  of  work  should  the  mines  close 
down,  or  of  a  cut  in  wages  in  case  the  com- 
panies resort  to  this  alternative  to  bring  down 
operating  costs  to  a  point  which  will  enable 
them  to  continue  to  work  at  a  profit.  Some 
operators  are  again  storing  their  bullion  in 
the  hope  of  a  better  market.  The  Nipissing 
during  November  mined  ore  of  an  estimated 
value  of  51199,219  and  shipped  bullion  and  resi- 
due from  Nipissing  and  customs  ore  of  an  esti- 
mated net  value  of  §232,526.  The  company, 
in  addition  to  its  regular  quarterly  dividend  of 
5%,  has  declared  a  bonus  of  5%  extra.  The 
Chambers- Ferland  has  made  an  important 
discovery  of  silver  at  a  depth  of  385  ft.,  the 
deposit  being  20  ft.  wide  and  yielding  assays 
of  28i  oz.  to  the  ton.  A  winze  will  be  put 
down  into  the  underlying  conglomerate  where 
the  ore-body  is  expected  to  show  greater  en- 
richment. The  Mining  Corporation  has  dis- 
continued pumping  tailings  from  Cobalt  Lake, 
having  stacked  a  sufficient  tonnage  to  keep  the 
mill  running  through  the  winter,  thereby  effect- 
ing a  large  saving  of  power.  The  Beaver 
Consolidated,  w'hich  was  closed  down  for  a 
short  time  while  the  mill  was  undergoing  re- 
pairs, has  resumed  operations. 

GowGANDA. — The  Miller  Lake- O'Brien,  a 
privately  owned  mine  which  produced  708,872 
oz.  of  silver  last  year,  paid  taxes  on  profits  of 
$451,000.  Its  profits  were  exceeded  only  by 
those  of  the  Nipissing  and  Kerr  Lake.  The 
Sanderson  Syndicate,  formed  in  Montreal 
pending  the  organization  of  a  company,  has 
taken  over  a  group  of  ten  claims,  comprising 
approximately  400  acres,  in  the  Gowganda 
district. 

Boston  Creek. — At  the  Miller  Independ- 
ence systematic  exploration  is  being  carried  on 
at  the  500  ft.  level,  to  examine  laterally  all  the 
formations  not  penetrated  by  cross-cutting,  and 
subsequently  to  determine  the  gold  content  at 
depth  by  diamond-drilling.  A  vein  encoun- 
tered in  cross-cutting  on  the  500  ft.  level  is 
being  driven  on.  Henden's  Trust,  Ltd., 
whose  address  is  3,  London  Wall  Buildings, 
London,  E.C.2.,  has  started  work  on  the 
Hughes-McElroy  property,  comprising  nine 
claims  about  4  miles  from  Boston  Creek,  with 
Frank  C.  Loring  as  consulting  engineer. 
The  Peerless  has  resumed  operations. 


VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

December  7. 

Copper  Mining. — The  British  Columbia 
copper  mining  industry  has  received  an  un- 
pleasant set-back  by  the  closing  of  the  Britan- 
nia Mining  iS:  Smelting  Company's  concentra- 
ting plant  at  1  lowe  Sound,  and  the  stopping  of 
the  sliipping  of  concentrate  to  the  .'\merican 
Smelting  ilv:  Refining  Company's  smelter  at 
Tacoma.  The  development  of  the  mine  will 
be  continued,  but  fully  half  of  the  men  have 
been  dropped  from  the  pay-roll.  Of  late  years 
the  Britannia  has  contributed  about  one-third 
of  the  copper  output  of  the  province,  while 
last  year  it  was  the  only  copper  property  to 
maintain  its  rate  of  production  at  the  level  of 
the  previous  year.  Its  output  was  17,250,000 
lb.  of  copper  out  of  a  total  production  of 
42,500,000  lb.,  and  it  also  contributed  98,600 
oz.  of  silver  and  4,200oz.  of  gold  to  the  precious 
metal  output.  Ordinarily  the  mine  gives  em- 
ployment to  between  600  and  700  men.  At 
the  end  of  last  year  the  ore  reserve  was  esti- 
mated at  9,000,000  tons  assaying  slightly  in 
excess  of  2%  copper,  with  small  values  in 
precious  metals. 

Unfortunately  also  the  Granby  Consolidated 
has  started  to  curtail  production  and  has  laid 
off  400  men,  and  the  Consolidated  Mining  lS: 
Smelting,  though  continuing  smelting  opera- 
tions, has  stopped  all  new  construction  and  laid 
oft"  the  men  that  were  working  on  it.  This 
means  that  work  on  the  new  2,500-ton  concen- 
trator to  treat  the  Rossland  ores,  the  2,500-ton 
concentrator  to  treat  the  Sullivan  mine  ore, 
and  the  new  copper-rod  mill  has  been  stopped, 
pending  a  better  condition  of  the  base  metal 
market. 

The  Granby,  which  operates  the  largest 
copper  smelter  in  the  British  Empire,  is  in  a 
precarious  position,  as  is  reflected  by  the  share 
quotations,  which  at  the  time  of  writing  are 
standing  at  $20.  In  1913  these  shares  had  a 
low  record  of  $51  and  a  high  record  of  $78l, 
while  at  one  period  in  1916  they  climbed 
to  $120.  Toward  the  close  of  and  since  the 
war,  the  company  spent  large  sums  of  money 
in  improvements,  which  included  the  purchase 
of  coal  lands,  the  development  and  equipping 
of  a  colliery,  and  the  erection  of  by-product 
coke-ovens  and  other  improvements  at  its 
smelter  at  Anyox.  When  the  investments 
were  made  it  was  intended  that  these  improve- 
ments should  be  paid  out  of  earnings,  but  with 
the  armistice  came  the  slump  in  copper  prices, 
and,  instead  of  paying  out  of  earnings,  two 
bond  issues  had  to  be  floated,  amounting  to 
a  total  of  $4,003,300,  and  these  draw  an  an- 


JANUARY,    1921 


33 


nual  interest  of  $209,198.  Metallurgically,  the 
colliery  has  not  been  a  success.  The  coal  gives 
a  very  high-ash  coke  that  has  produced  trouble 
in  the  furnaces,  necessitating  additional  fluxes. 
Added  to  this,  the  title  to  the  coal  lands  pur- 
chased was  not  clear,  and  this  has  plunged  the 
company  into  expensive  litigation.  The  case 
is  still  before  the  courts;  in  the  last  trial  title 
to  the  colliery  was  given  to  the  Esquimalt  and 
Nanaimo  Railway,  a  subsidiary  of  the  Cana- 
dian Pacific  Railway.  The  Granby  has  ap- 
pealed the  case,  and,  in  the  meantime,  in  con- 
sideration of  a  deposit  the  court  has  allowed 
the  Granby  to  continue  coal-mining  operations, 
but  has  limited  the  output.  The  colliery  is 
now  producing  about  20,000  tons  of  coal 
monthly,  a  large  part  of  which  is  sold.  Pro- 
vided that  the  company  ultimately  regains  title 
to  the  coal  lands,  they  should  prove  to  be  a 
good  investment.  During  the  financial  year 
ended  June  30,  1920,  the  company  earned 
$r03  per  share.  The  total  output  amounted 
to  23,127,849  lb.  of  copper,  938,292  oz.  of 
silver,  and  14,616  oz.  of  gold.  The  main  por- 
tion of  the  silver,  however,  was  derived  from 
Dolly  Varden  ore,  which  the  Granby  pur- 
chased, the  ore  acting  as  a  flux  to  the  Hidden 
Creek  ore.  The  yield  approximately  was  31 
lb.  of  copper  per  ton  of  ore  smelted,  which 
was  an  increase  of  some  7  lb.  over  the  previ- 
ous year's  operation  ;  the  increase  being  due 
to  the  closing  of  the  Phcenix  mines,  which  were 
playing  out  and  reduced  the  tenor  of  the  whole. 

The  Anyox  plant  is  in  splendid  shape ;  it 
has  a  capacity  of  2,500  tons  daily,  and  is  cap- 
able of  producing  44,000,000  lb.  of  copper 
yearly.  The  Granby  Company  is  a  United 
States  owned  concern  and  is  backed  by  strong 
financial  interests,  and  there  is  no  doubt  but 
that  a  big  effort  will  be  made  to  bring  the  com- 
pany once  more  to  the  strong  position  that  it 
has  held  in  the  past.  There  is  a  considerable 
amount  of  unemployment  in  the  province,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  but  that  a  lower  wage-scale 
ultimately  will  obtain,  though  the  miners,  who 
have  been  enjoying  a  high  wage-rate,  will  re- 
sist it  to  the  last  ditch.  One  thing,  however, 
is  pretty  certain  :  with  its  heavy  bonded  in- 
debtedness the  Granby  Company  cannot  con- 
tinue to  operate  profitably  under  present  wage 
conditions  with  copper  much  below  15  cents 
per  pound. 

The  Canada  Copper  Corporation  is  another 
victim  of  adverse  conditions.  After  running 
its  plant  for  rather  less  than  two  months,  it 
closed  its  mine  on  December  9  and  its  mill  two 
days  later.  During  this  time  the  plant  was 
never  tuned  up  to  more  than  about  one-third 
1—5 


capacity.  The  manager  states  that  the  plant 
was  giving  complete  satisfaction, but  that  when 
the  price  of  copper  dropped  below  15  cents  per 
pound  operations  ceased  to  be  profitable,  and 
the  directors  decided  on  a  close-down.  Some 
time  before  the  plant  was  stopped  the  men 
were  asked  to  accept  a  reduction  of  50  cents 
per  day  in  wages  until  the  copper  market  im- 
proved. This  they  refused  to  do,  with  the  in- 
evitable result  as  recorded.  The  company  has 
issued  the  following  statement :  "Owing  to  the 
low  price  of  copper,  which  has  been  gradually 
dropping  for  the  last  few  weeks  until  it  has 
reached  an  alarmingly  lowfigure,  it  has  become 
necessary  to  close  down  the  mine  and  plant  at 
Copper  Mountain  and  Allenby.  The  Canada 
Copper  Corporation  is  in  a  position  to  operate 
at  as  low  a  figure  as  any  other  company,  and 
if  the  price  tends  upward  to  such  a  figure  as 
concordant  with  the  presentcost  of  supplies  and 
scale  of  wages  will  allow  the  company  to  make 
a  fair  profit,  operations  will  be  resumed."  It 
is  exceedingly  doubtful  whether  at  the  present 
cost  of  labour  and  supplies  current  in  British 
Columbia  any  company  can  produce  copper 
profitably  when  the  price  of  the  metal  falls 
below  15  cents. 

Gold  Mining. — At  the  present  time, 
everything  points  to  a  considerable  falling  off 
in  the  gold  production  of  the  province  during 
the  present  year.  The  Rossland  mines,  which 
are  the  principal  producers  of  the  province, 
have  been  closed  for  the  greater  part  of  the 
season.  They  were  re-started  about  six  weeks 
ago  (in  the  beginning  of  October),  but  this  to 
a  great  extent  has  been  off-set  by  the  closing  of 
the  Nickel  Plate  mine  at  Hedley  at  the  begin- 
ning of  November.  Of  late  years  the  Nickel 
Plate  has  been  producing  between  twenty  and 
thirty  thousand  ounces  of  gold  yearly  and  about 
§20,000  worth  of  arsenic.  The  closing  of  the 
mine  has  thrown  more  than  100  men  out  of 
work,  but,  as  their  insistent  demand  for  wage 
increases  has  been  the  main  factor  in  bringing 
about  the  closing  of  the  mine,  they  have  only 
themselves  to  blame.  There  is  a  large  reserve 
of  ore  that  will  run  better  than  nine  dollars  per 
ton  in  the  mine.  In  closing  the  property  the 
manager,  G.  P.  Jones,  stated  that  at  the  pres- 
ent cost  of  labour  and  supplies  it  was  impos- 
sible to  pay  dividends  and  at  the  same  time 
maintain  the  ore  reserve,  so  the  only  sensible 
thing  to  do  seemed  to  be  to  close  the  mine  until 
conditions  improved.  It  is  probable,  he  stated, 
that  the  mine  will  be  closed  for  not  less  than  a 
year. 

Placer  mining  has  been  at  a  standstill  dur- 
ing the  year.     Early  in  the  season  there  was  a 


34 


Tin:     MINING    MAGAZINE 


shortage  of  water,  the  late  frosts  holding  the 
water  in  the  mountains.  During  tiie  latter 
part  of  the  season  there  has  been  a  superabun- 
dance, too  much,  in  fact,  for  successful  opera- 
tion. Several  companies  have  announced  their 
intention  of  puttingdredges  on  the  Fraser  River 
next  year.  With  the  opening  of  the  Pacific 
Great  Eastern  Railway  into  the  old  Cariboo 
district,  and  the  consequent  increased  facility 
for  the  transport  of  machinery,  there  seems  to 
be  every  reason  why  the  Cariboo  field  should 
be  attractive  for  golddredging.  Withoutdoubt 
there  is  a  good  deal  of  gold  still  remaining  in 
many  of  the  rivers  that  might  be  profitably  ex- 
tracted by  dredging. 

CAMBORNE. 

Grenville. — The  recent  meeting  of  share- 
holders, called  for  the  specific  purpose  of  wind- 
ing up  the  company,  was  ultimately  adjourned 
to  test  the  suggestion  made  by  Mr.  C.  V. 
Thomas  that  the  shareholders  should  find  a 
sum  of  ^7,000  on  security  of  the  assets  of  the 
company  to  enable  the  property  to  be  nursed 
for  six  months,  in  the  hope  that  by  then  the 
tin  market  would  have  improved  sufficiently 
to  re-commence  operations  without  loss,  and 
capital  would  be  procurable  to  set  the  company 
on  its  legs  again.  The  consulting  engineer 
(Mr.  Josiah  Paull)  very  properly  pointed  out 
that  meanwhile  the  mine  was  filling  with  water 
and  the  plant  deteriorating,  while  the  chairman 
stated  that  it  would  simply  be  courting  disaster 
to  re-start  with  the  present  ramshackle  plant. 
New  plant  is  estimated  to  cost  from  /"l 50,000 
to  ^200,000  at  current  prices.  It  is  clear  that 
no  tin  mine  in  Cornwall,  being  worked  at  any 
depth  below  adit,  even  producing  ore  of  a  re- 
coverable grade  of  say  30  lb.  black  tin  per  ton 
and  with  tin  metal  at  £"300  per  ton,  will  be 
able  to  show  sufficiently  encouraging  financial 
results  unless  equipped  on  modern  lines  and 
managed  by  men  of  high  technical  knowledge 
and  skill.  Existingoperating  costsare  unlikely 
to  fall  to  any  considerable  extent ;  wages  are 
not  extravagant  now,and  the  principal  material 
cost,  coal,  is  most  unlikely  to  be  substantially 
reduced  in  view  of  foreign  markets  awaiting 
that  commodity  as  soon  as  export  is  permitted 
and  satisfactory  terms  of  payment  arranged. 
It  will  certainly  be  folly  to  re-start  without 
adequate  capital ;  the  present  company  might 
have  weathered  the  present  depression  but  for 
the  fact  that  the  money  provided  by  the  recent 
reconstruction  was  quite  inadequate.  Of  the 
;^27,000  raised,  all  but  ^5,000  was  spent  in 
meeting  the  old  company's  liabilities  and  in 
reconstruction  expenses,  and  certainly  the  new 


money  would  not  have  been  forthcoming  had 
the  then  directors  made  the  true  position  as 
clear  as  their  duty  demanded.  However,  there 
is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  criticism  in  that 
direction  now,  and  we  can  only  hope  that  local 
shareholders,  who  benefit  more  largely  than 
outsiders,  will  have  the  courage  to  back  their 
faith  and  opinions  so  as  to  give  this  fine  old 
mine  a  further  chance. 

Geevok. — On  December  18,  14  days'  no- 
tice was  given  to  all  employees  to  terminate 
their  engagements,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
mine,  under  present  circumstances,  cannot  be 
operated  without  loss.  It  is  stated  in  the  no- 
tice to  the  employees  that  increased  returns  to 
meet  the  serious  fall  in  the  price  of  tin  cannot 
be  looked  for  until  the  new  "Victory"  shaft 
has  been  sunk  to  a  level  permitting  of  the  haul- 
ing of  sufficient  stuff  to  allow  the  battery  to  be 
kept  going  at  full  capacity.  It  seems  rather 
a  pity  that  capital  should  have  been  locked  up 
in  the  enlarged  mill  so  long  in  advance  of  mine 
development,  but  doubtless  the  chief  respon- 
sibility rests  with  the  late  manager.  Geevor 
is  one  of  the  few  mines  working  to  a  large  ex- 
tent above  adit,  and  water  troubles  are  not 
the  usual  nightmare  in  this  case.  We  believe 
that  under  existing  circumstances  suspension 
is  undoubtedly  the  right  policy,  and  we  should 
still  express  that  opinion  even  if  sufficient  ore 
were  available  for  keeping  the  enlarged  mill 
working  to  full  capacity,  for  we  cannot  believe 
that,  with  black  tin  at  its  present  price,  any 
Cornish  mine  producing  only  that  commodity, 
can  be  operated  except  at  a  very  heavy  loss. 
We  recognize  that  certain  standing  charges 
must  continue  even  with  operations  suspended, 
but  they  must  be  out  of  all  proper  proportion 
in  this  case  if  they  are  not  less  than  the  oper- 
ating loss.  Moreover,  the  reserves  would  be 
being  depleted  with  no  benefit  to  the  share- 
holders if  working  was  continued.  Presumably 
the  sinking  and  equipment  of  Victory  shaft 
will  be  continued  in  readiness  for  the  time  when 
sloping  operations  can  be  resumed,  and  this 
will  provide  employment  for  a  limited  number 
of  men. 

Levant. — The  employees  at  this  adjoining 
mine  have  also  been  given  notice,  but  the  sit- 
uation here  is  not  the  same,  for  the  pumps 
must  be  kept  going  unless  the  mine  is  to  be 
allowed  to  fill  with  water.  As  the  deeper  work- 
ings are  extensive,  and  as  the  best  prospects, 
in  the  opinion  of  some  engineers  at  any  rate, 
lie  in  the  extension  seaward  of  these  workings, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  abandon  them.  The  incoming  water  at 
Levant  is,  comparatively  speaking,  light,  and 


JANUARY,    1921 


35 


it  would  be  a  thousand  pities  to  have  to  stop 
the  pumps.  Seeing  that  iTSO.OOO  new  capital 
was  provided  only  about  a  year  ago  and  that 
no  money  has  yet  apparently  been  spent  in 
sinking  the  newprojected  mainshaft,  the  finan- 
cial position  ought  not  to  be  such  as  to  neces- 
sitate this  course,  unless  indeed  the  mine  has 
been  worked  at  a  heavy  loss  during  the  year. 
Working  costs  at  this  mine  have  for  years  been 
abnormally  high  owmg  to  local  circumstances, 
and  always  will  be  until  a  suitable  shaft  has 
been  sunk  for  the  proper  exploitation  of  the 
lower  workings. 

QiEW.— As  further  evidence  of  the  desire 
of  the  miners  themselves  to  assist  the  com- 
panies to  tide  over  this  time  of  depression,  at 
this  mine  the  men  have  agreed  to  hand  back 
to  the  company  the  sum  of  £1  per  month  per 
man  until  the  price  of  tin  metal  again  reaches 
•  ;^260  per  ton.  This  spirit  of  good  will  and  co- 
operation is  to  be  commended,  and  is  a  heart- 
ening sign  that  in  some  cases,  at  any  rate, 
given  confidence  in  the  management,  the  work- 
ers are  willing  to  make  sacrifices  to  keep  the 
mines  in  operation. 

TiNCROFT. — At  this  mine,  it  will  be  re- 
called, the  employees  agreed  some  time  since 
to  contribute  £200  per  month  to  assist  in 
meeting  the  losses  being  incurred,  and  recent- 
ly they  adopted  and  submitted  the  following 
gratifying  resolution  to  the  directors: 

"  We  convey  to  the  board  of  directors  our 
sincere  gratitude  for  the  splendid  and  ready 
response  made  to  our  representations  for  the 
continuation  of  working  operations  during  the 
present  period  of  depression.  We  fully  realize 
the  difficulties  you  are  up  against,  with  the  low 
price  of  tin  now  prevailing.  It  makes  matters 
more  difficult,  but  we  have  every  confidence 
that  our  arsenic  returns  will  more  than  com- 
pensate for  the  drop  in  price  of  tin.  We  can 
assure  you,  gentlemen,  our  very  best  efforts 
are  being  made  to  obtain  the  best  results,  and 
hope  you  will  find  it  possible  to  continue  op- 
erations during  the  winter  months.  Then, 
with  the  prospects  of  trade  becoming  normal, 
we  may  expect  much  better  prices  and  pros- 
perity for  the  mining  industry." 

It  is  regrettable  that  the  directors  have, 
after  all,  had  to  issue  notices  to  suspend  oper- 
ations on  January  15.  The  employees,  who 
number  some  200,  will  now  have  to  draw  on 
the  unemployment  dole  of  the  Government, 
whereas  if  the  sum  so  payable  was  handed  over 
to  the  company,  operations  could  be  continued. 
It  is  hardly  to  be  expected  that  the  Govern- 
ment would  adopt  any  such  common- sense 
policy,  although  the  cost  to  them  would  be  the 


same,  so  it  looks  as  if  the  end  of  Tincroft  is  in 
sight. 

South  Crofty. — It  is  satisfactory  to  learn 
that  the  development  of  what  is  now  termed 
the  No.  2  North  lode  at  the  290  fm.  level  has 
proved  to  average  rather  over  30  lb.  of  black 
tin  per  ton  for  the  whole  length  of  the  drive. 
This  lode  has  also  been  intersected  at  the  260 
fm.  level  north  of  Robinson's  shaft,  its  value 
there  being  33  lb.  black  tin  over  a  width  of  5  ft. 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Ltd. — Owing  to  un- 
expected difficulties  which  have  arisen  in  con- 
nection with  the  settlement  of  the  account  be- 
tween the  company  and  the  vendors  of  the 
Basset  Estate,  it  was  found  impossible  to  pre- 
pare and  present  to  the  shareholders  at  the  re- 
cent meeting  a  statement  of  account  as  from 
the  inauguration  of  the  company,  and  so  the 
meeting  was  adjourned.  However,  the  report 
prepared  by  the  general  managers,  Messrs. 
Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.,  and  the  statements 
made  at  the  meeting  give  a  good  idea  of  the 
activities  to  date.  The  first  work  undertaken 
by  the  engineering  staff  and  Dr.  Maclaren  was 
the  geological  examination  of  the  unexplored 
tin  areas  in  the  Camborne- Redruth  district. 
Surveys  of  the  different  mines  were  co-ordma- 
ted.a  work  of  no  little  difficulty, andone  general 
plan  of  the  area  and  geological  plans  and  sec- 
tions were  prepared  showing  the  exploratory 
work  necessary  for  the  location  of  the  tin-bear- 
ing lodes  in  the  hitherto  unexplored  granite  zone 
north  of  the  present  operating  mines.  The 
conclusions  arrived  at  by  the  engineers  from 
this  work  are  stated  to  warrant  the  belief  that 
this  zone  will  prove  to  be  a  large  tin  producer 
when  capital  is  available  to  finance  the  neces- 
sary development  work.  The  driving  of  the 
Toigus  tunnel  and  the  proposed  exploratory 
cross-cut  from  Dolcoath  to  the  Roskears  will 
prove  whether  these  prognostications  are  cor- 
rect, but  most  certainly  the  evidence  collected 
justifies  up  to  the  hilt  these  proposed  develop- 
ments. 

A  preliminary  examination  has  been  made 
of  the  iron-ore  deposits  in  the  Roche,  Lanivet, 
and  Withiel  parishes,  which  shows  that  there 
are  several  long  lines  of  lode  of  reasonable 
width,  carrying  shoots  of  good-grade  iron  ore 
which  could  easily  be  developed  if  a  market 
was  available  for  the  product.  These  deposits 
were  worked  to  a  considerable  extent  before 
the  more  cheaply- mined  Spanish  ores  displaced 
them  from  the  market.  Unless  a  tariff  is  put 
on  imported  iron  ores,  which  is  most  unlikely, 
we  see  no  prospect  of  these  deposits  ever  being 
tackled. 

The  most  promising,  from  an  early  revenue- 


36 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


producing  point  of  view,  of  the  company's  ex- 
tensive mineral  areas  appears  to  be  the  china- 
clay  deposits  in  the  Bodmin  district.  In  the 
Temple  (South  Bodmin)  district  there  are  alto- 
gether fifteen  probable  and  possible  china-clay 
areas,  seven  of  which  are  considered  by  the  en- 
gineers to  be  of  first-class  importance.  Until 
they  have  been  completely  explored,  their  ex- 
tent and  commercial  value  cannot,  of  course, 
be  determined,  and  attention  is  now  being 
given  to  the  preliminary  work  relating  to  the 
development  of  one  section  of  these.  Already 
the  important  question  of  transport  has  been 
successfully  tackled  by  satisfactorily  arranging 
the  easements  for  the  necessary  pipelines.  As 
has  already  been  reported  in  these  columns, 
the  company  has  acquired  an  interest  in  the 
Cornish  Kaolin  Co.,  Ltd.,  owning  and  operat- 
ing china-clay  properties  in  the  Bodmin  dis- 
trict, and  that  company  has  acquired  from 
Tehidy  Minerals,  Ltd.,  an  adjoming  area, 
which  is  being  paid  for  in  shares. 

The  policy  of  the  company,  in  fully  investi- 
gating its  properties  before  commencing  defi- 
nite operations  is  thoroughly  sound,  although 
to  the  shareholder,  anxious  to  get  a  return  on 
his  money,  it  seems  slow  business.  In  Corn- 
wall, in  the  past,  much  capital  has  been  wasted 
because  of  the  absence  of  preliminary  investi- 
gation work.  Thegeneralmanagersof thecom- 
pany  appear  to  be  thoroughly  satisfied  with  the 
result  of  their  investigations,  and  we  trust  that, 
as  soon  as  the  general  financial  position  im- 
proves, capital  will  be  forthcoming  to  start 
operations  which  will  lead,  in  the  words  of  Cap- 
tain A.  H.  Moreing,  "to  an  era  of  prosperity 
such  as  seldom  has  been  equalled  and  neverex- 
celled  by  any  company  or  body  of  persons  in 
Cornwall  before."  These  are  brave  words  and 
perhaps  somewhat  on  the  optimistic  side,  but 
they  are  evidence  of  the  confidence  of  the 
general  managers  in  the  company's  future. 

Calloose. — Theconsideration  by  the  Court 
of  the  petition  for  the  winding-up  of  this  com- 
pany was  adjourned  pending  a  meeting  of 
shareholders  with  a  view  to  ascertaining  their 
wishes,  and,  if  it  was  decided  to  continue,  then 
on  what  terms.  Thismeetingwassubsequently 
held,  when  by  a  large  majority  it  was  decided 
not  to  wind  up,  but  as  no  scheme  was  presented, 
a  further  meeting  will  consequently  have  to  be 
held.  In  a  circular  issued  by  the  vendor  (Mr. 
A.  F.  Calvert)  of  the  company's  properties,  he 
claims  that  his  opposition  to  winding  up  is  in 
the  general  interests  of  the  shareholders,  and 
that,  according  to  local  opinion,  the  properties 
will  prove  profitable.  Shareholders  disposed 
to  believe  that  these  properties  are  as  valuable 


as  claimed  by  the  vendor  will  do  well  to  ask  for 
the  names  and  status  of  the  engineers  who  have 
expressed  that  opinion  and  to  call  for  the  pub- 
lication of  their  reports,  so  that  they  may  be 
examined. 

liAST  PonL  &  Agau. — Since  my  last  letter, 
yet  another  lode  has  been  intersected  in  the 
crosscut  to  the  Rogers  lode  at  the  252  fm. 
level.  This  lode  is  believed  to  be  Branwell's 
lode,  and  at  the  point  of  intersection  it  shows 
excellent  values.  This  is  the  third  lode  met 
with  in  this  cross-cut,  each  of  which  has  as- 
sayed well  above  the  milling  average.  It  is 
evidence  of  the  highly  mineralized  nature  of 
this  iiart  of  the  mine,  and,  once  the  price  of 
tin  advances,  should  enable  handsome  profits 
to  once  again  be  earned  by  this  company.  To 
judge  from  the  monthly  sales  and  known 
operating  costs,  the  mine  must,  at  present,  be 
working  at  a  substantial  loss,  but  the  splendid 
development  results  of  the  past  few  months 
indicate  a  rosy  future  once  the  price  of  tin  im- 
proves. 

Kit-Hill  &  Hingston  Down  Mines. 
— The  Duchy  of  Cornwall  has  abandoned  all 
work  at  these  mines,  and  the  machinery  and 
plant  was  recently  put  up  to  auction.  The 
Duchy  was  influenced  to  start  work  on  these 
properties  in  1916  by  the  then  national  short- 
age of  wolfram,  but  difficulties  in  securing  the 
necessary  plant  delayed  the  commencement  of 
milling  operations  on  any  scale  until  early  in 
1919,  by  which  time  wolfram  was  practically 
unsaleable.  The  capital  expended  on  this 
enterprise  amounted  to  over  ;^75,000,  and  we 
fear  that  this  unfortunate  experience  will  dis- 
courage the  Duchy  from  undertaking  any 
further  exploitation  of  its  many  mineral  pro- 
perties in  the  West  of  England. 

DoLCOATH.  —  The  accounts  for  the  six 
months  ended  June  30,  1920,  have  at  last  been 
issued,  and  a  loss  is  shown  of  £1 1,825.  This 
is  somewhat  less  than  was  perhaps  expected, 
but,  from  the  financial  position  disclosed  by 
the  balance  sheet,  it  is  clear  that,  without 
further  capital,  operations  could  not  be  con- 
tinued for  long.  The  tonnage  of  ore  treated 
for  this  period  was  30,052  tons,  from  which 
was  produced  338'5  tons  of  black  tin  (average 
recovery  25  lb.)  which  realized  ^70,752.  The 
total  receipts  figure  at  49s.  8d.,  the  working 
costs  at  57s.  2d.,  and  the  loss  at  7s.  6d.  per  ton 
milled. 

Accompanying  the  directors'  report  was  the 
report  by  Messrs.  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.  on 
the  Roskear  scheme.  This  is  given  in  full  in 
another  part  of  this  issue,  so  that  it  need  only 
be  said  here  that  they  are  very  favourably  im- 


JANUARY,    1921 


37 


pressed  with  the  possibilities  of  the  proposed 
exploratory  cross-cut  from  the  Williams  shaft 
to  test  the  granite  area  between  that  shaft  and 
the  Roskears,  the  cost  of  which  is  approxi- 
mately estimated  at  ^120,000.  To  raise  this 
sum,  it  is  proposed  to  form  a  new  company 
with  a  capital  of  ^350,000  (the  same  capital 
as  the  existing  company),  and  to  issue  one  £l 
share,  10s.  paid,  in  exchange  for  each  share 
held  in  the  old  company.  If  fully  subscribed, 
this  would  realize  a  sum  of  £"175,000,  which 
would  allow  for  the  registration  costs  of  the  new 
company,  the  payment  of  outstanding  liabili- 
ties, and  doubtless  leave  still  a  margin  beyond 
the  sum  estimated  by  the  engineers  for  the  pro- 
posed exploratory  work.  The  money  will  be 
called  up  by  small  instalments  spread  over 
probably  eighteen  months,  and  it  may  be  sure- 
ly expected  that  local  people  will  take  up  all 
shares  not  subscribed  for  by  the  present  share- 
holders, as  the  district  is  so  largely  dependent 
on  the  success  of  this  undertaking.  The  de- 
benture debt  of  £^75,000  will  be  continued, 
and  Messrs.  H.  Montagu  Rogers  and  C.  A. 
Moreing  will  probably  join  the  board  of  the 
new  company.  The  scheme  has  been  very 
well  received,  the  only  criticism  we  have 
heard  being  whether  the  work  can  be  carried 
out  for  the  sum  estimated.  In  these  times, 
close  estimating  is  out  of  the  question,  and  we 
doubt  whether  any  one  has  better  knowledge 
than  Mr.  R.  Arthur  Thomas  and  Messrs.  Be- 
wick, Moreing  &  Co.  (who  substantially 
agree  as  to  the  cost)  on  which  to  form  a  re- 
liable judgment. 

NORTH   OF  ENGLAND. 

Lead  and  Zinc  Mining  in  1920. — Lead 
and  zinc  mining  in  1920  has  been  a  long  and 
hopeless  struggle  against  adverse  circum- 
stances. The  price  of  pig  lead  has  been  sub- 
ject to  violent  fluctuations,  the  mean  February 
average  being  ;^50.  12s.  9d.  against  £"21.  10s. 
on  December  16,  and  spelter,  which  in  Febru- 
ary last  was  ;^62.  3s.  6d.,  is  now  (December 
23)  ^22.  10s.  The  market  for  galena  has  been 
difficult,  as  the  smelters  could  not  anticipate 
what  additional  charges  might  be  placed  upon 
them,  and  they  have  been  reluctant  to  enter 
into  forward  contracts  for  ores.  Several  mines 
even  found  difficulty  in  selling  spot  lots,  except 
at  exceedingly  low  prices,  and  a  few  stocked 
production  in  the  hope  of  a  more  satisfactory 
price  in  relation  to  the  price  of  pig  lead.  The 
mine-owner  has,  however,  to  accept  the  posi- 
tion that  any  additional  cost  incurred  by  the 
smelter  has  to  be  added  to  the  returning  charge, 
and  everyrise  in  coal  or  labour  has  been  passed 


on  to  the  producer  of  galena.  The  returning 
charge  was  in  pre-war  days  about  40s.  to  45s. 
per  ton  for  high-grade  ores,  but  lately  smelters 
have  asked  as  much  as  ;^10.  10s.  Od.  f.o.r.  I 
think,  however,  that  galena  might  be  sold  at 
about  £7  returning  charge,  as  tentative  offers 
have  been  received  for  shipment  below  this 
figure. 

Certain  old  contracts  are  still  in  force  at  a 
much  lower  returning  charge,  and  the  smelters 
have  made  no  effort  to  denounce  them.  We 
miners  have  hitherto  been  always  fairly  treated 
by  the  lead  smelters.  Taking  a  returning 
charge  of  £7,  galena  80%  Pb,  silver  8  oz.,  the 
price  in  February  was  £34-.  10s.  Od. ;  in  De- 
cember the  same  ore  was  worth  £9.  16s.  Od., 
a  drop  that  is  rather  startling. 

With  regard  to  blende,  there  is  really  no  mar- 
ket. All  the  home  zinc  smelters  have  now 
closed  down,  except  Seaton  Carew, where  there 
is  a  small  production,  and  the  only  real  outlet 
is  the  Continent.  I  can  give  no  idea  of  the 
price  obtainable  now,  but  when  spelter  was 
about  ^48  two  fairlylargeparcelswere  shipped 
to  Antwerp  at  a  figure  that  gave  the  mines 
about  £9  net.  With  spelter  at  the  present 
level  there  can  be  no  resumption  of  produc- 
tion, the  Swansea  works  finding  that  ^52  is 
the  minimum  figure  at  which  they  can  cover 
costs.  It  has  been  suggested,  in  influential 
quarters,  that  the  Government  should  supply 
blende  at  a  nominal  price  as  long  as  large 
stocks  are  available,  and  thus  galvanize  the 
corpse  into  temporary  vitality. 

The  only  blende  producers  who  have  a  cer- 
tain and  satisfactory  market  are  the  Austra- 
lians, and  the  chairman  of  the  Sulphide  Cor- 
poration stated  on  December  22  :  For  our 
production  of  zinc  concentrates  a  satisfactory 
market  is  assured  through  the  contract  made 
by  the  Zinc  Producers'  Association  with  the 
British  Government,  which  runs  until  1929." 
Our  Mine  Owners'  Association  has  constantly 
pressed  for  the  inclusion  of  the  home  mines  in 
this  contract.  Verbal  promises  made  during 
the  war  have,  however,  been  repudiated,  al- 
though the  whole  facts  were  laid  before  Sir 
Robert  Home  in  June.  The  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trade  did  not  hurriedly  reject  our 
claims,  as  an  answer  was  only  extracted  late 
in  December.  This  was  to  the  effect  that  the 
Government  refused  to  place  us  upon  theterms 
granted  to  the  Colonies.  The  stock  of  zinc 
concentrates  purchased  is  alreadyover  500,000 
tons.  This  is  lying  at  port  in  Australia,  and 
the  current  output  will  be  acquired  under  the 
contractuntil  1929.  Mr.  Bridgeman  also  states 
that  he  cannot  recommend  the  inclusion  of  our 


38 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


home  mines  in  the  Key  Industries  Bill.  The 
logic  of  these  eminent  gentlemen  is  unim- 
peachable. They  are  bnyuifi  blende  abroad, 
and  by  destroying  the  home  producer  untd 
1929  they  have  at  least  one  competitor  dis- 
posed of.  The  differentiation  against  the  home 
producer  is,  I  hope,  unitjue  in  the  history  of 
muddle  and  incompetence  that  has  character- 
ized the  mining  "  policy  "  of  the  present  ad- 
ministration. The  effect  has  been  to  kill  the 
industry, and  the  end  of  1920  leaves  this  coun- 
try without  a  single  blende  mine  in  operation, 
and  a  Government  buying  enormous  quantities 
of  blende  at  a  "  satisfactory  "  price,  which  it  is 
trying  to  dispose  of  to  the  continental  smelters. 
I  do  not  assert  that  the  Government's  hos- 
tile policy  is  the  only  cause  of  the  present  dis- 
astrous position.  It  is  perhaps  the  most  im- 
portant factor,  but  the  costs  of  material  and 
labour  have  been  steadily  increasing  during  the 
year.  I  give  a  few  comparisons,  partly  from 
market  quotations,  and  partly  from  actual  in- 
voice's. 

1919.  1920. 

per  ton.  per  ton. 

Slack  Coal 33s.  43s.  3d. 

Anthracite  for  engines 5-4s,  Id.  72s.  6d. 

Sieving  (standard  clothing)         ;fl5  /19.  13s.  9d. 

Cement i^  19s.  8d.  lb.  5s. 

Gelignite  50% ;fl40.  /160. 

W.  Coast  Hematite  Iron..       ^10.  4s.  /15.15s. 

Round  bars /21.15s.  /30.10s. 

Rails /16.  12s.  6d.  /26. 

Bolts  and  nuts /45.  /57.10s. 

At  one  mine  (the  conditions  in  the  two 
years  being  identical)  the  cost  of  coal  in  1914 
was  £b,im,  and  in  1920  /ri5,000.  Replace- 
ments have  been  bought  at  ransom  prices;  for 
instance,  trommel  cast  iron  centres  1914,  12s.; 
1920,  80s.  I  need  not  labour  the  point,  but 
the  coal-miner  has  in  fact  obtained  his  specially 
favoured  position  at  the  cost  of  the  rest  of  the 
community. 

As  to  labour,  there  has  been  a  general  rise 
of  6s.  per  week,  awarded  by  the  Industrial 
Court,  under  the  ruthless  pressure  of  the 
Unions,  and  further  claims  have  been  recently 
advanced.  The  mines  have,  however,  closed 
down  in  the  meantime,  a  quite  convincing  an- 
swer to  further  claims. 

I  have  heard  in  several  instances  of  an  im- 
proved standard  of  effort  among  the  men,  and 
in  some  cases  the  level  of  output  is  as  high  as 
pre-war.  This  is  all  to  the  good ;  nevertheless 
it  will  have  to  be  realized  that  the  wages  in 
country  places  cannot  be  gauged  by  the  stan- 
dard in  industrial  centres.  A  very  considerable 
level  of  comfort  can  be  maintained  with  a 
much  lower  scale  of  wages  in  isolated  districts. 

I  am.  not  familiar  with  all  mining  areas,  but 


I  think  it  would  he  safe  to  say  that  no  mines 
are  covering  the  cost  of  production,  and  with 
those  still  in  operation,  the  object  is  to  see  if 
the  present  crisis  can  be  tided  over. 

In  Cumberland,  (jreenside  is  still  produc- 
ing galena,  but  the  company  has  gone  into 
liquidation,  and  is  merely  engaged  in  crushing 
its  large  stocks  of  crude  ore.  This  important 
mine  will  sell  its  plant  some  time  next  year, 
and  permanently  close  down.  Tlirelkeld  mine, 
worked  by  adit  level,  has  suspended  produc- 
tion, but  the  owners  are  keeping  on  the  men  for 
a  few  months  on  the  developtnent  of  the  large 
area  of  "  payable  "  lode  that  has  recently  been 
laid  open.  Brundholme  mine  has  no  produc- 
tion yet,  but  is  arranging  with  the  Threlkeld 
lessees  to  follow  a  nice-looking  lode  into  their 
area.  Thornthwaite  has  quite  definitely  closed 
down  for  the  present,  about  10  men,  including 
the  staff,  being  retained  to  keep  the  pumps  in 
operation  and  the  mine  in  working  order. 
Force  Crag  is  stopped  except  for  a  tew  men 
trying  a  barytes  deposit. 

Further  east  in  the  Alston- Nenthead district, 
the  Vieille  Montague  Zinc  Co.  has  a  few  men 
working  at  Nentsbury,  where  there  is  quite  a 
nice  lead  deposit,  but  the  large  concentration 
plant  is  idle,  and  I  very  much  doubt  if  milling 
will  be  resumed  there.  Across  the  Pennines, 
Weardale  is  still  running  with  an  outputof  over 
200  tons  of  galena  per  month,  but  I  am  pretty 
certain  that  heavy  losses  must  be  now  incurred 
with  pig  lead  at  £2\.  10s.  The  wages  in  this 
area  are  the  highest  in  the  industry.  Despite 
this  fact,  the  6s.  advance  was  awarded  against 
this  company,  bringing  up  wages  to  an  average 
of  25s.-30s.  per  week  beyond  those  of,  say, 
Wales.  At  Lord  Allendale's  mines  there  are 
some  encouraging  developments,  but  I  hear 
that  they  may  be  shortly  closed  down.  The 
output  is  not  important  at  present. 

Taking  the  Scottish  area,  Tyndrum  is  prac- 
tically standing,  but  with  fair  prices  I  believe 
this  mine  may  become  an  important  producer. 
At  the  Newton  Stewart  mines  production  has 
been  suspended.  The  important  Scottish  mines 
are,  of  course,  Leadhills  and  Wanlockhead. 
Both  are  looking  well  underground,  and  with 
fair  prices  would  be  a  permanent  source  of  sup- 
plies. They  both  have  deep  shafts  and  heavy 
pumping  charges.  At  the  moment  they  are  in 
operation,  but  with  the  heavy  losses  now  being 
incurred  their  stoppage  may  be  anticipated. 
This  would  be  a  disaster  to  the  district,  as  the 
whole  population  depends  upon  the  mines.  If 
the  pumps  are  stopped  the  cost  of  reopening 
would  be  enormous,  but  the  shareholders  may 
well  object  to  spending  ^20,000,  at  each  mine. 


JANUARY,    1921 


39 


in  pumping  charges  for  a  year,  with  no  cer- 
tainty of  profit  at  the  end  of  this  period. 

In  Wales,  East  Halkyn  has  now  definitely 
closed  down,  and  there  are  rumours  that  the 
plant  is  to  be  sold.  The  pumping  charges  here 
are  very  heavy  indeed.  The  only  other  mine 
in  active  operation  is  the  famous  Halkyn  mine, 
and  matters  have  now  reached  an  acute  crisis; 
by  the  time  this  appears,  operations  will  pro- 
bably have  ceased.  The  future  of  this  district 
absolutely  depends  upon  the  successful  prose- 
cution of  the  deep  drainage  tunnel,  which  has 
been  driven  a  long  way  already,  but  work  was 
suspended  in  August,  1919,  and  so  far  it  has 
beenimpossibleto  devise  any  scheme  that  would 
satisfy  the  claims  of  the  various  interested 
parties.  The  Government  advanced  large  sums 
durmg  the  war,  but  additional  capital  is  re- 
quired to  complete  the  work.  A  conference 
was  held  under  the  chairmanshipof  Sir  Charles 
Stewart,  but  proved  abortive.  I  do  trust  that 
further  efforts  may  be  made,  as  the  scheme  is 
absolutely  sound  in  its  conception.  It  would 
unwater  the  following  mines  in  the  order 
named:  New  North  Halkyn,  Halkyn,  Mount 
Halkyn,  Bryngwiog,  East  Halkyn,  North 
Hendre,  South  Halkyn,  Llynpandy,  Panty- 
mwyn  ;  giving  a  further  depth  of  200  ft.  free  of 
water  to  most  of  them,  but  in  one  case  at  least 
350  ft.  To  show  the  importance  of  the  tunnel, 
East  Halkyn  sunk  its  shaft  about  90  ft.  below 
the  old  tunnel,  and  had  to  pump  a  steady  flow 
of  4,000  gallons  per  minute  to  keep  the  work- 
ings clear  of  water  ;  yet,  despite  the  richness 
of  the  deposit,  the  cost  of  pumping  has  now 
rendered  it  impossible  to  work  the  mine.  The 
mines  mentioned  are,  more  or  less,  equipped 
with  concentration  plant.  To  an  outsider  it  is 
difficultto believe  thatacomprehensive  scheme 
cannot  be  devised  by  which  the  royalty  ow- 
ners, the  Tunnel  Co.,  the  Government,  and  the 
mine-owners  would  mutually  benefit. 

In  the  Llanidloes  district,  the  \'an  and 
neighbouring  mines  are  idle,  through  the  usual 
causes,  and  the  new  equipments  erected  are  so 
far  wasted.  Esgairmv/yn  mine  has  stopped, 
but  a  development  policy  is  under  considera- 
tion by  the  owners.  The  Lisburne  Syndicate 
at  Frongoch  and  Glogfawr  has  erected  a  large 
plant,  but  work  is  now  suspended. 

In  the  Shropshire  district  practically  the 
whole  mineral  area  isin  the  hands  of  the  Shrop- 
shire Mines,  Ltd.,  and  Lieut. -Col.  J.  V.  Rams- 
den  is  conducting  large  operations  there.  The 
output  of  galena  up  to  the  present  has  been 
very  small,  but  the  potentialities  of  the  district 
are  enormous.  There  is  here  a  large  drainage 
tunnel  called  the   Leigh  Level,  and  the  com- 


pany is  driving  this  right  under  the  group  of 
mines,  in  order  to  unwater  the  whole  area.  The 
scheme  is  being  carried  out  on  broad  lines  and 
with  the  most  modern  appliances,  and  should 
eventually  prove  a  source  of  great  mineral 
wealth.  It  is  intended  to  sink  the  Bog  shaft 
a  further  300  ft.  In  the  meantime  the  com- 
pany has  concentrated  its  efforts  on  the  pro- 
duction of  barytes,  which  happily  is  still  sale- 
able. The  output  of  barytes  during  1920  was 
8,300  tons.  The  present  number  of  men  em- 
ployed on  development  work  and  the  produc- 
tion of  barytes  is  about  300. 

I  have  no  further  news  of  the  Mill  Close 
mine,  Derbyshire,  but  the  huge  cost  of  pump- 
ing there  must  be  giving  the  owners  some 
anxiety. 

On  the  basis  of  anything  like  the  present 
level  of  prices  and  costs,  the  future  looks  hope- 
less, but  I  do  not  consider  that  the  quotations 
for  either  metal  represent  in  any  way  the 
intrinsic  value.  The  holders  of  metals  are 
raising  cash  at  any  sacrifice,  actual  consump- 
tion having  fallen  quite  suddenly  to  a  very  low 
ebb.  The  banks  cannot  finance  dealers,  who 
would  otherwise  have  held  their  stocks,  and  no 
one  is  buying  who  can  postpone  orders.  The 
consumption  in  Europe  is  far  below  normal, 
despite  the  necessity  of  reconstruction,  and  the 
world's  production  has  fallen  to  far  below  pre- 
war standards.  The  Broken  Hill  output  ceased 
through  the  strike, and  operations  are  not  being 
recommenced  because  of  low  prices.  The  pre- 
sent level  is  now  below  that  at  which  the  Bur- 
ma Corporation  originally  stated  it  could  pro- 
fitably produceconcentrates.  When  the  normal 
demand  arises,  there  must  be  a  serious  short- 
age, and  then  both  metals  must  appreciate  in 
price  to  the  point  at  which  equipped  mines  can 
operate. 

To  illustrate  this,  the  world's  production  of 
pig  lead  in  1913  was  estimated  at  1,142,264 
tons,adropof  130,012  tons  on  1912.  We  have 
no  information  as  to  the  output  during  1919 
from  many  countries,  but  there  is  now  no  con- 
siderable Australian  production  and  the  United 
States  output  has  steadily  fallen  for  the  past 
four  years ;  indeed,  wherever  there  is  any  ac- 
curate information  the  output  is  down.  I 
hardly  think  that  the  world's  production  at  the 
present  moment  is  more  than  800,000  tons  per 
annum.  The  statistical  position  of  zinc  is 
equally  striking.  The  world's  production  in 
1913wasabout  980,000  tons,  and  in  1919  about 
570,000  tons,  and  today  is  probably  not  more 
than  500,000,  a  generous  estimate.  When  one 
considers  the  requirements  for  reconstruction 
m  Europe,  including  England,  it  is  quite  evi- 


40 


Tinc    MINING    MAGAZINE 


dent  that  the  present  lack  of  demand  is  only 
temporary,  and  that  there  must  be  a  rapid 
alteration  in  the  situation. 

Capital  will  not  be  attracted  to  the  mining' 
industry  either  here  or  abroad  until  there  is 
some  evidence  of  substantial  prohts,  and  we 
need  not  fear  the  opening  of  new  fields  at  the 
present  moment.  After  all,  the  smelters  can- 
not produce  lead  or  spelter  without  ore,  and 
no  ore  will  be  raised  if  it  does  not  pay  to  mine 
it.  Personally  I  anticipate  a  fairly  long  period, 
say  si.K  months,  before  there  is  a  steady  con- 
sumption, and  then  there  should  be  a  period  of 
super-normal  demand,  which  may  last  several 
years.  The  important  thing  from  our  point  of 
view  is  whether  we  can  compete  agamst 
foreign  countries.  This  depends  on  the  cost 
of  labour  and  materials  and  theiiuality  of  our 
deposits.  We  have  few  natural  advantages, 
and  many  artificial  disadvantages,  among 
which  may  be  mentioned  royalties,  rates,  tax- 
ation, and  the  cost  of  acquiring  land  and  dis- 
posal ground.  Evidence  was  given  by  our 
Association  at  theNon-Ferrous  Metal  Inquiry 
of  the  crushing  nature  of  these,  and  recom- 
mendations were  made  to  the  Government,  all 
of  which  have  been  ignored. 

With  regard  to  labour,  I  am  more  than  ever 
convinced  that  a  new  and  better  standard  of 
effort  can  be  obtained  if  the  mine-owners  will 
seriously  face  the  formation  of  Consultative 
W'orks  Councils,  with  wages  based  on  the  suc- 
cess of  individual  mines  as  a  whole.  The 
present  method  of  contracts  underground  is 
thoroughly  bad,  and  is  the  antithesis  of  co- 
operative production.  We  want  intelligent 
team,  work,  and  I  am  quite  sure  that  if  this  can 
be  achieved  we  shall  increase  our  production 
per  man  by  20/o  to  25%  without  any  slave- 
driving  pressure.  I  have  found  that  men  re- 
spond readily  if  they  only  know  the  facts,  and 
every  man  on  the  mine  should  be  placed  in  the 
position  of  seeing  the  collective  result  of  his 
eflTort.  I  should  like  to  enlarge  on  this  impor- 
tant factor,  but  the  editor  can  hardly  give  me 
space. 

Taking  the  lead  and  zinc  mines  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  there  were  1,501  underground  work- 
ers and  1,475  surface  workers  in  1919.  The 
effect  of  the  existing  conditions  is  that  most  of 
these  will  be  on  the  unemployed  list  within  a 
month  or  two.  These  figures  include  mines 
that  were  in  course  of  development,  with  an 
abnormal  number  of  surface  workers  engaged 
on  the  erection  of  plant,  but  if  these  non-pro- 
ductive mines  are  excluded  the  figures  would 
of  course  be  much  smaller.  My  advice  to 
mine-owners  is  to  hold  on  as  long  as  they  can, 


as  the  present  depression  is  quite  artificial, 
and  one  hopes  that  the  world  will  soon  show 
signs  of  recovery  from  the  destitution  that  is 
now  its  lot. 

PERSONAL. 

R.  A.  Arciihold  lias  led  (or  Madras. 

C.  1'.  C.  Uekhsi-ord  has  recently  been  appointed 
consullint;  engineer  to  the  interests  controlled  by  S.  I. 
I'atino  in  l^olivia,  and  left  ICngland  on  December  31. 

Max  \V.  von  Hf.knicwit/  has  rejoined  Walter  Har- 
vey Weed  in  compiling;  the  "  Mines  Handbook."  The 
office  of  the  Handbook  is  at  Tuckahoe,  New  York  State. 

A.  E.  BiDLAKE  has  gone  to  Oruro,  Bolivia. 

F.  K.  Borrow  has  left  for  the  I'rontino  &  Bolivia 
Company's  gold  mines  in  Colombia. 

V.  W.  BovLE  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

Dr.  W.  H.  Collins  has  been  appointed  director  of 
the  Canadian  Geological  Snrvey. 

V.  J.  Edwards  has  left  for  Portugal. 

J.  P.  Grenfell  is  back  from  the  Transvaal. 

Geouge  a.  Harrison,  who  was  out  for  the  Russo- 
Asiatic  Consolidated,  has  returned  from  Siberia. 

Ross  B.  Hoffmann  is  here  from  the  United  States. 

Austin  Y.  Hoy.  London  manager  for  the  Sullivan 
Machinery  Company,  is  back  from  the  United  States. 

].  H.  I\EY  has  resigned  as  manager  of  the  Poderosa 
mine.  Chile,  and  is  now  in  charge  of  the  Corocoro  Com- 
pany's copper  mines  in  Bolivia. 

R.  C.  Jennings  has  gone  to  Venezuela. 

C.  E.  JOBLING  is  returning  from  Sweden. 
A.  A.  Kelsev  has  left  for  Mexico. 

N.  S.  Kelsev  has  been  appointed  manager  of  the 
Tomboy  Company's  mines  in  Colorado. 

E.  A.  Knapp  is  expected  from  Nigeria. 

W.  J.  Lakeland  has  gone  from  Burma  to  Ballarat. 

F.  H.  Lathbury  has  gone  to  Selangor.  Federated 
Malay  States. 

F.  H.  B.  Leggett  has  gone  to  Burma. 

W.  J.  LoRiNG  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
American  Mining  Congress  for  192L 

V.  F.  Stanley  Low  has  gone  to  Sweden. 

R.  Macfee  has  gone  to  Algeria. 

H.  Mackav  has  gone  to  Colombia. 

T.  Bruce  Marriott  has  left  for  South  America. 

J.  A.  McKinlav  has  gone  to  Burma. 

A.  H.  P.  MOLINE.  manager  of  the  Bendigo  Amal- 
gamated Goldfields.  is  visiting  the  United  States. 

].  W.  NewberY  has  gone  to  Burma. 

Eric  Newbold  has  gone  to  New  Mexico. 

R.  E.  Palmer  has  gone  to  Spain. 

Frank  Powell  is  leaving  for  Colombia  on  Janu- 
ary 18. 

R.  Allison  Purvis  has  joined  the  staff  of  the  Mar- 
mito  Mines,  Ltd.,  Colombia,  and  left  on  December  16. 

R.  QUANCE  has  gone  to  Dunkwa.  West  .Africa. 

Edgar  P.  Rathbone  is  with  the  Upper  Silesia 
Plebiscite  Commission,  at  Oppeln.  Silesia. 

William  Russell.  London  manager  for  the  Dorr 
Company,  has  returned  from  the  United  States. 

W.  P.  Rutherford,  managingdirector  of  theThar- 
sis  Sulphur  &  Copper  Co.,  has  been  appointed  chair- 
man in  succession  to  the  late  Lord  Glenconner. 

D.  A.  Sutherland  has  left  for  South  America. 
A.  E.  Taylor  has  left  for  India. 

E.  O.  Teale  has  left  for  Tanganyika  Territory  to 
make  a  new  geological  survey  for  the  Colonial  Office. 

David  M.  THOMPSoN.formerly  an  engineer  with  the 
Naraguta  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines,  Ltd..  has  joined  the 
board  of  the  National  Engineers'  Supply  Company, 
Ltd..  of  Liverpool. 


JANUARY,    1921 


41 


E.  F.  V.  Wells  has  been  appointed  manager  of 
the  Tweefontein  CoHieries. 
A.  Hedley  Williams  is  at  the  Lobitos  oilfields. 


E.  W.  Sandeman,  secretary  of  Ipoh  Tin  Dredging, 
Ltd.,  died  on  January  1. 

Curtis  H.  Lindley,  the  eminent  San  Francisco 
lawyer,  and  the  author  of  the  handbook,  "The  Ameri- 
can Law  Relating  to  Mines  and  Mineral  Lands,"  died 
last  month. 

Matthew  T.  Wigham,  secretary  of  the  New  Rand, 
Ltd.,  and  other  companies,  died  last  month.  He  was 
born  in  Northumberland  in  1S54,  and  joined  the  late 
T.  J.  Bewick  as  personal  secretary,  becoming  subse- 
quently secretary  of  some  of  Mr.  Bewick's  companies. 
For  a  short  time  he  served  in  London  in  the  same 
capacity  with  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.  Subsequently 
he  became  associated  with  the  Hon.  H.  Finch  Hatton. 
Of  recent  years  he  was  known  among  mining  engmeers 
as  the  secretary  of  the  New  Rand,  Ltd.,  Arthur  Saw- 
yer's enterprise  for  testing  ground  in  the  Orange  Free 
State. 


TRADE   PARAGRAPHS 

BoviNG  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  56,  Kingsway,  London, 
W.C.2,  have  issued  a  leaflet  describing  their  low-lift 
pumps. 

Millars'  Timber  &  Trading  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Pin- 
ners Hall,  London,  EC. 2,  have  issued  a  pamphlet  de- 
scribing their  air-compressor,  which  is  suitable  for  ap- 
plication for  all  sorts  of  purposes,  for  instance,  rock- 
drilling,  caulking,  rivetting,  and  pneumatic  painting. 

The  International  Barge  Supply  &  Trans- 
port Co.,  Ltd.,  of  5,  Lloyd's  Avenue,  London, 
E.C.3,  send  us  a  pamphlet  containing  specifications 
and  drawings  of  steel  lighters  and  motor-driven  barges, 
suitable  for  short  coastal  journeys  or  inland  water 
traffic. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  International 
Company,  of  2,  Norfolk  Street,  Strand,  London, 
W.C,2,  send  us  Motor  Application  Circular  No.  7,132, 
which  is  devoted  to  a  description  of  electrically-driven 
shovels  used  for  digging  and  moving  earth  and  broken 
rock. 

Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stockton-on- 
Tees,  well  known  for  their  manufactures  in  connection 
with  mining,  such  as  cyanide  vats,  head-frames,  tube- 
mills,  Nissen  stamps,  etc.,  have  commenced  the  manu- 
facture of  a  number  of  metallurgical  and  mining 
specialties  by  arrangement  with  the  Colorado  Iron 
Works  Co.,  of  Denver.  These  are  as  follow:  The 
Convertible  Discharge  Ball-Mill,  a  short  mill  fitted  for 
either  grate  or  open  discharge  ;  the  Rod  Mill,  a  cylin- 
drical mill  using  rods  instead  of  balls  as  the  grinding 
medium  ;  the  Akins  Classifier,  a  highly  efficient  ma- 
chine of  simple  construction  ;  the  Impact  Screen,  a 
mechanically-operated  high-capacity  screen  ;  the  Low- 
den  Dryer,  a  machine  for  handling  flotation  concen- 
trate and  other  materials  of  a  sticky  nature  ;  and  the 
Skinner  Roasting  Furnace,  a  vertical  multiple-hearth 
furnace  of  improved  construction. 

The  Dorr  Company,  of  New  York  and  Denver 
(London  Office:  16,  South  Street,  London,  E.C.2), 
have  issued  Bulletin  19,  describing  the  Dorr  Washer. 
This  machine  is  the  result  of  a  demand  for  a  more 
economical  installation,  both  in  initial  and  operating 
cost,  than  was  previously  used  for  washing  iron  ores. 
While  the  washer  was  developed  primarily  for  washing 
iron  ore,  it  has  a  wide  application  in  other  fields  for 
washing  and  classifying  mixed,  coarse,  and  fine  ma- 
terials such  as  gravel,  crushed  ores,  etc.  It  is  a  com- 
bination of  the  Dorr  classifier  with  a  trommel  partly 


submerged  below  the  water  level  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  classifier  tank.  As  applied  to  iron-ore  washing, 
the  feed  consists  of  the  undersize  from  a  grizzly,  with 
the  bars  spaced  about  6  in.,  and  is  introduced  through 
a  suitable  hopper  into  the  upper  end  of  the  trommel. 
The  washed  oversize  is  discharged  from  the  lower  end 
of  the  trommel  with  from  &%  to  12%  moisture.  The 
undersize  passes  through  3  in.  or  i  in.  openings  in  the 
trommel  into  the  classifier  tank,  where  it  is  separated 
into  two  products.  The  coarse  material  is  discharged 
at  the  upper  end  of  the  classifier  with  from  10%  to 
15%  moisture  after  having  been  washed  free  from  clay 
and  the  finer  material,  due  to  the  action  of  the  rakes 
and  spray  water  added  above  the  water  level  in  the 
classifier.  The  fine  silicious  and  clayey  material  over- 
flows with  the  water,  together  with  a  small  amount  of 
fine  ore,  and  is  discharged  to  waste,  or  in  some  cases 
treated  on  tables.  The  concentrate  consists  of  the 
trommel  oversize  and  coarse  product  from  the  classifier. 

METAL   MARKETS 

Copper. — The  downward  course  of  values  made 
further  progress  during  the  month  of  December.  This, 
of  course,  was  partly  due  to  sympathy  with  the  whole 
trend  of  world's  prices,  but  at  the  same  time  the  copper 
situation  in  itself  has  not  been  by  any  means  a  strong 
one.  The  big  surplus  stock  held  by  the  American  pro- 
ducers still  hangs  as  a  kind  of  threatening  cloud  over 
the  market,  and  the  difficulty  of  disposing  of  this  has 
necessitated  further  price  cuts  on  the  part  of  the  pro- 
ducers in  the  United  States.  Meanwhile  consumption 
both  there  and  here  has  been  quiet,  and  although  con- 
sumers in  this  country  are  still  fairly  actively  employed 
on  old  contracts,  new  bookings  show  a  tendency  to 
diminish,  and  with  the  price  slipping  away  there  is  lit- 
tle inducement  to  buyers  to  take  hold  of  any  quantity 
of  the  metal.  In  the  United  States  there  is  a  general 
tendency  to  curtail  production.  This,  however,  will 
take  some  time  to  affect  the  situation  of  slocks.  In  the 
meanwhile,  up  to  October  at  all  events,  in  spite  of  the 
curtailment  already  in  effect,  production  was  appar- 
ently on  a  larger  scale  than  in  pre-war  years.  It  is 
therefore  not  surprising  that  the  big  stock  of  copper 
which  accumulated  as  a  result  of  the  cessation  of  the 
war  has  been  difficult  to  disperse.  Another  thing 
which  may  have  a  considerable  bearing  on  the  situa- 
tion is  the  tendency  to  reduce  wages  in  many  of  the 
copper  districts  of  America,  thus  automatically  reduc- 
ing the  cost  of  production.  Reports  from  Spain  state 
that  the  Rio  Tinto  strike  has  been  settled  following 
upon  the  intervention  of  the  Minister  of  War.  The 
men,  it  is  understood,  accepted  the  company's  terms, 
reserving  the  right  to  discuss  certain  features  later. 
From  reports  in  regard  to  the  Cape  Copper  Company's 
operations  it  would  appear  that  they  have  been  ship- 
ping part  of  their  copper  to  America  for  sale.  It  would 
seem  that  some  changes  are  being  made  in  selling  ar- 
rangements in  America.  The  output  of  the  porphyry 
companies  is  apparently  to  be  sold  by  Messrs.  Gug- 
genheim Bros,  instead  of  the  American  Smelting  & 
Refining  Co.  It  is  understood  also  that  the  latter 
company  will  lose  the  sale  of  the  output  of  the  Cerro 
de  Pasco  Copper  Corporation,  which  will  be  handled 
by  the  American  Metal  Company,  while  the  Tennessee 
Copper  Company  will  transfer  the  sale  of  their  pro- 
duct from  the  American  Smelting  to  Adolph  Lewisohn 
&  Son.  It  appears  that  Mexico  has  lifted  the  export 
duty  on  copper  ore  going  to  the  United  States  until  the 
price  of  copper  on  the  New  York  market  is  above  15 
cents.  It  is  reported  from  Melbourne  that  the  direc- 
tors of  the  Hampden  Cloncurry  Copper  Mines  have 


42 


Till':    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Mhtal  Prices:   Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  LonR 


Coi-l'KK 

Standard  Cash 

Standard  (3 

inos,) 

d. 

Electrolytic 

Wire-Bars 

Best  Selected 

Dec. 

£  s.  d. 

£ 

S. 

d. 

£ 

S. 

d. 

£   !. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

S. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

S, 

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£ 

s.  d. 

10 

77  15  0  lo 

78 

0 

0 

73 

0 

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73  5 

0 

89 

10 

0  10 

90 

10 

0 

90 

0 

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90  10 

0 

87 

0 

0  to 

88 

0  0 

13 

76  15  0  to 

77 

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0 

76 

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0  to 

76  15 

0 

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89 

0 

0 

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71  0  0  to 

71 

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82 

0 

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84 

0 

0 

83 

0 

0  to 

84 

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0 

82 

0 

0  to 

83 

0  0 

29 

70  10  0  to 

70 

15 

0 

72 

5 

0  10 

72  10 

0 

80 

0 

0  10 

83 

0 

0 

Hi 

0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

82 

0 

0  10 

S3 

0  0 

30 

72  0  0  to 

72 

5 

0 

73 

5 

oto 

73  10 

0 

80 

0 

0  lo 

83 

10 

0 

83 

0 

0  to 

83 

10 

0 

82 

0 

0  to 

83 

0  0 

31 

Jan. 
3 

71  15  0  to 

72 

0 

0 

73 

5 

oto 

73  10 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

83 

10 

0 

83 

0 

oto 

83 

10 

0 

81 

0 

0  lo 

82 

0  0 

71  10  0  to 

71 

15 

0 

73 

0 

oto 

73  5 

0 

80 

0 

0  lo 

S3 

10 

0 

83 

0 

0  to 

83 

10 

0 

SI 

0 

0  to 

82 

0  0 

4 

72  0  0  to 

72 

5 

0 

73 

5 

0  to 

73  10 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

S3 

0 

0 

82 

10 

0  10 

83 

0 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

81 

0  0 

5 

72  7  6  to 

72 

10 

0 

73 

5 

0  to 

73  10 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

82 

10 

0  lo 

83 

0 

0 

80 

0 

0  10 

81 

0  0 

6 

72  15  0  to 

73 

0 

0 

73 

15 

Olo 

74  0 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

82 

10 

0 

81 

10 

0  to 

82 

10 

0 

SO 

0 

Oto 

81 

0  0 

7 

73  C  0  to 

73 

5 

0 

74 

0 

0  to 

74  5 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

S3 

0 

0 

81 

10 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

81 

0  0 

10 

74  0  0  to 

74 

5 

0 

74 

15 

0  lo 

75  0 

0 

81 

10 

0  lo 

83 

10 

0 

82 

10 

Oto 

83 

10 

0 

80 

0 

0  to 

81 

0  0 

decided  to  cease  operations  pending  an  improvement 
in  the  metal  markets. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  December 
1920,  ;^75.  16s.  8d.  ;  November  1920,  £8'i.  18s.  6d.  ; 
December  1919.  ;£103.  17s.  Id.  ;  November  1919,  ;f98. 
18s.  9d. 

Tin. — This  market  has  as  usual  fluctuated,  but  not 
to  an  extent  that  is  anything  remarkahle  (or  this  m.etal. 
In  the  earlier  part  of  the  month  some  strength  was 
shown,  but  subsequently  values  eased  off,  touching  the 
lowest  levels  since  the  great  rise  in  February,  1920. 
The  chief  feature  of  interest  has  been  the  arrangement 
come  to  whereby  the  Federated  Malay  States  Govern- 
ment takes  over  the  unsold  supplies  from  the  smelters 
there  at  115  dollars  per  picul,  this  figure  representing 
a  value  of  £236  landed  here.  It  was  also  reported  that 
the  Dutch  interests  in  Batavia  were  negotiating  with 
the  Straits  interests  with  a  view  to  coming  to  some 
agreement  in  regard  to  the  maintaining  of  prices. 
From  the  fact  that  these  two  grades  of  tin,  which 
represent  such  very  important  supplies,  were  going  to 
be  strongly  held,  it  might  naturally  be  supposed  that 
strength  would  be  seen  in  the  market,  but  the  opposite 
was  the  case.  This  must  be  attributed  to  the  general 
pessimism  and  weakness  in  all  markets  everywhere, 
combined  with  the  fact  that  the  actual  demand  for  the 
metal  from  consuming  centres  was  poor.  America  has 
been  working  for  some  time  on  her  stocks,  and  even 
the  fixing  of  the  price  in  the  Straits  does  not  seem  to 
have  induced  her  to  buy  on  any  important  scale. 
Meanwhile  consumption  in  this  country  is  also  poor, 
the  tinplate  industry  being  in  a  bad  way.  Works 
generally  are  slowing  down  in  their  operations  and  talk 
of  stopping  altogether.  The  standard  market  here  is 
now  virtually  based  on  Chinese  and  English  tin,  the 
latter  having  been  more  or  less  a  drug  on  the  market, 
with  the  result  that  it  was  being  delivered  against 
standard  contracts  at  the  fixed  allowance  of  £7  per  ton. 
For  both  Straits  tin  and  Banka  tin  on  spot  premiums 
are  realizable,  but  even  adding  the  premium  for  Straits 
on  to  the  price  of  standard  tin  it  has  been  obtainable 
on  spot  at  considerably  less  than  it  could  be  replaced 
in  the  East. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  December  1920, 
/212.  lis.  8d.;   November  1920,  /241.  5s.  6d.  ;    De- 


cember 1919,  ;f314.  5s.  id.  :  November  1919,  .^283. 
13s.  7d. 

Lead. — Like  other  metals  the  market  for  this  article 
also  came  to  lower  levels  during  the  month  of  Decem- 
ber. The  primary  cause  of  this  seems  to  have  been 
liquidation  of  stocks  of  lead  which  under  present  tight 
financial  conditions  it  was  becoming  burdensome  to 
carry.  Another  feature,  however,  has  been  that 
America  has  been  at  times  selling  lead  here,  and  arri- 
vals have  been  fairly  heavy  not  only  from  Spain,  but 
also  from  Americaand  Germany.  It  has  been  rumoured 
that  smelting  operations  in  Australia  may  not  be  re- 
commenced quite  so  soon  as  was  expected  in  view  of 
the  depression  in  the  markets,  but  whether  this  be  cor- 
rect or  not  the  report  had  no  effect  on  the  market  here, 
the  fact  being  that  there  is  plenty  of  lead  in  sight  for 
the  moment,  and  consumptive  demand  has  been  poor. 
It  is  stated  that  owing  lo  the  decline  in  lead  and  zinc 
prices  the  board  of  the  Broken  Hill  South  mine  wish 
to  have  time  to  review  the  situation,  and  all  productive 
operations  except  the  slime  plant  are  discontinued  un- 
til January  10.  It  seems  to  be  generally  anticipated 
that  early  in  the  New  Year  the  demand  for  manufac- 
tured lead  products  will  revive,  but  this  of  course  re- 
mains to  be  seen,  and  meantime  it  looks  as  if  the  trade 
might  be  able  to  subsist  upon  the  arrivals  continually 
coming  in  without  making  any  great  inroads  upon  the 
stocks  in  this  country,  which  increased  by  over  4,000 
tons  during  the  month  of  December. 

.\verage  price  of  soft  pig  lead  ;  December  1920, 
£2-i.  lis.  lOd.  :  November  1920,  £i2.  5s.  6d.  ;  De- 
cember 1919,  ;f41.  7s.  8d.  :   November  1919,  /34.  16s. 

Spelter. — This  metal  also  declined  to  a  marked 
degree  during  the  month  of  December,  the  price  in- 
deed coming  to  quite  a  normal  pre-war  level.  As  in 
the  case  of  other  metals,  the  chief  reason  has  been  the 
paucity  of  demand  from  consumers,  the  galvanizing 
trade  having  experienced  a  great  lack  of  fresh  orders. 
Meanwhile  Germany  has  been  selling.  At  one  time 
■some  demand  was  experienced  here  from  .\merica,  and 
it  is  understood  a  fair  line  was  sold  to  that  country. 
This  business  was  of  course  attracted  by  the  compara- 
tively low  prices  ruling  here.  Of  course  Ameiica  has 
plenty  of  spelter  of  her  own,  and  the  removing  of  sup- 
plies of  the  metal  to  a  producing  country  is  rather  an 


JANUARY,    1921 


43 


Prices  on  the  London  Metal  Exchange. 

Tons;  Silver  per  Standard  Ounce;    Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 

Gold 

Soft  Foreign 

English 

(Spelter) 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

£   s. 

d.  £   s. 

d. 

t 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.   £ 

5. 

d. 

s.  d 

Dec. 

25  15 

0  to  26  10 

0 

23 

0 

0 

30 

5 

Oto  31 

IS 

0 

223 

0 

0  to  223 

10 

0 

226 

0 

0  to  226 

5 

0 

38j 

39 

118  10 

10 

24  7 

6  to  25  0 

0 

26 

10 

0 

2S 

10 

Oto  30 

0 

0 

215 

0 

Oto  215 

10 

0 

218 

0 

Oto2l8 

10 

0 

405 

41 

118  9 

13 

23  0 

0  to  24  5 

0 

25 

0 

0 

28 

0 

0  to  29 

15 

0 

212 

10 

0  to  213 

0 

0 

216 

0 

0to216 

10 

0 

401 

40i 

118  7 

14 

22  10 

0  to  23  15 

0 

25 

0 

0 

25 

15 

Oto  27 

10 

0 

217 

s 

Oto  217 

IS 

0 

220 

0 

0  to  220 

10 

0 

42S 

42 

117  10 

15 

22  10 

0  to  23  0 

0 

24 

0 

0 

25 

15 

Oto  27 

10 

0 

215 

0 

Oto  215 

10 

0 

218 

0 

Oto  218 

10 

0 

4li 

4U 

117  6 

16 

22  5 

0  to  24  0 

0 

25 

0 

0 

25 

15 

Oto  27 

5 

0 

211 

0 

0  to  211 

10 

0 

215 

0 

Oto215 

10 

0 

41 

41i 

116  2 

17 

25  5 

0  to  24  10 

0 

25 

10 

0 

26 

0 

0  to  27 

7 

6 

207 

10 

0  to  208 

0 

0 

211 

5 

Oto  211 

10 

0 

40 

40j 

117  5 

20 

22  10 

0  to  23  10 

0 

25 

0 

0 

25 

5 

Oto  26 

15 

0 

205 

5 

0  to  205 

15 

0 

210 

0 

Oto  210 

10 

0 

40 

40 

US  9 

21 

21  IS 

0  to  22  10 

0 

24 

0 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  25 

7 

6 

202 

0 

0  to  2i.2 

10 

0 

207 

5 

0  to  207 

15 

0 

40i 

40j 

116  6 

22 

21  10 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24 

0 

0 

22 

10 

0  to  24 

12 

fi 

198 

0 

0  to  199 

0 

0 

205 

0 

0  to  206 

0 

0 

40S 

41 

115  8 

23 

21  10 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24 

0 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  26 

0 

0 

200 

0 

0  to  200 

10 

0 

205 

15 

0  to  206 

0 

0 

42 

42 

116  10 

28 

22  0 

0  to  23  10 

0 

24 

10 

0 

26 

0 

0  to  28 

0 

0 

200 

0 

0  to  201 

0 

0 

2U6 

0 

0  to  206 

10 

0 

43 

43S 

116  9 

29 

23  10 

0  to  24  10 

0 

25 

10 

0 

27 

0 

Oto  28 

0 

0 

207 

0 

0  to  208 

0 

0 

212 

0 

Oto212 

10 

0 

41| 

41j 

116  4 

30 

23  10 

0  to  24  5 

0 

25 

10 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

10 

0 

205 

10 

0  to  206 

0 

0 

210 

5 

Oto  210 

10 

0 

40i 

4l| 

116  1 

31 

Jan. 
3 

24  5 

0  to  25  0 

0 

26 

5 

0 

26 

12 

6  to  28 

0 

0 

206 

10 

0  to  207 

0 

0 

211 

10 

Oto  212 

0 

0 

415 

412 

115  11 

24  10 

0  to  25  0 

0 

26 

5 

0 

26 

12 

6  to  27 

15 

0 

205 

10 

0  to  206 

0 

0 

210 

10 

Oto  210 

15 

0 

4ia 

4lS 

115  10 

4 

23  5 

0  to  24  0 

0 

25 

5 

0 

26 

7 

6  to  27 

7 

6 

205 

10 

0  to  206 

0 

0 

209 

15 

Oto  210 

5 

0 

424 

424 

114  10 

5 

22  15 

0  to  23  10 

0 

24 

15 

0 

25 

5 

0  to  26 

5 

0 

208 

5 

0  to  208 

15 

0 

213 

5 

Oto  213 

15 

0 

424 

424 

112  2 

6 

23  10 

0  to  24  0 

0 

25 

10 

0 

25 

7 

6  10  26 

2 

6 

210 

10 

Oto  210 

15 

0 

213 

15 

Oto  216 

0 

0 

4l4 

418 

113  3 

7 

24  0 

0  to  24  10 

0 

26 

0 

0 

27 

Z 

6  to  27 

17 

6 

210 

0 

0  to  210 

10 

0 

215 

0 

Oto215 

10 

0 

408 

40 

112  6 

10 

abnormal  feature.  Dealers  could,  however,  buy  in  this 
country  at  less  money  than  in  the  United  States  and  so 
buying  orders  came  to  this  side.  At  the  moment  the 
whole  situation  is  rather  difficult  to  read.  The  price 
is  admittedly  low,  but  as  already  stated  the  demand  is 
poor,  and  further  offers  may  yet  be  seen  from  the 
Continent.  It  appears  that  the  Federation  of  Belgian 
Producers  has  fixed  a  selling  price  at  182'50  frs.  per 
100  kilos,  working  out  at  something  like  £i-\.  15s.  Lon- 
don terms.  This  price  is  of  course  far  above  the  mar- 
ket level  here,  and  it  seems  doubtful  whether  the  Bel- 
gian producers  can  hold  on  till  the  market  recovers  to 
that  level.  It  is  understood  that  the  Electrolytic  Zinc 
Company's  works  at  Risdon,  Tasmania,  are  ceasing 
operations  till  the  metal  markets  improve,  although 
constructional  work  will  continue.  The  Welsh  zinc 
smelters  are  still  closed,  and  there  is  little  likelihood  of 
any  resumption  of  work  for  some  time  to  come. 

Average  price  of  spelter  :  December  1920,  ;^28.  lis. 
6d.  ;  November  1920,  /35.  14s.  7d.  ;  December  1919. 
£51.  9s.  2d.  :   November  1919,  £-^6.  17s.  3d. 

Zinc  Dust. — High-grade  Australian  zinc  dust  is 
quoted  at  £TQ  to  £80  per  ton,  with  English  at  £75  to 
/_'85  and  American  at  £lO  to  £80. 

Antimony. — English  regulus  of  ordinary  brands  is 
quoted  at  /42  to  £'\5  per  ton,  and  special  brands  at 
£43.  10s.  to  £48  per  ton.  Foreign  regulus  is  easy,  and 
can  be  had  on  spot  at  about  £35  per  ton. 

Arsenic. — Business  is  quiet  and  the  market  is  easy, 
the  price  being  about  £55  to  £60  per  ton  for  Cornish 
white. 

Bismuth. — The  quotation  still  continues  at  about 
12s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — The  current  quotatioa  is  about  6s.  to 
6s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — For  home  and  export  the  price  rules 
at  £165  per  ton. 

Nickel. — The  price  stands  at  £215  for  home  and 
export. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  present  quotation  is  about 
27s.  to  30s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — Blackoxide  is  quoted  at  about  17s. 
6d.  and  grey  at  18s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum. — The  market  has  been  weak,  and  the 
quotation  is  now  about  /16  per  oz. 


Palladium. — The  demand  for  this  metal  is  also 
slackening,  and  the  price  is  quoted  at  £l6  per  oz. 

Quicksilver. — This  metal  has  only  been  in  very 
quiet  demand.  The  price  of  Spanish  was  reduced  by 
the  leading  interests  to  £l4  per  bottle,  and  later  to  £12 
per  bottle,  afterward  recovering  to  £l2.  10s. 

Selenium  is  still  quoted  at  from  10s.  6d.  to  13s. 
per  lb. 

Tellurium  is  also  unaltered  at  from  95s.  to  100s. 
per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — Prices  are  rather  easier, 
and  now  stand  at  about  £38  to  £40  per  ton. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  quotation  is  about  2s.  6d. 
per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K.  or  Continent. 

Tungsten  Ores. — Wolfram  65%  isquoted  at  about 
17s.  6d.  to  18s.  6d.  per  unit  c.i.f. 

Silver. — On  December  1  the  quotation  of  spot 
standard  bars  was  44jd.  per  oz.,  values  declining  un- 
til they  touched  38jd.  on  December  10,  rising  again  to 
43d.  on  December  29.  At  the  end  of  the  month  the 
quotation  was  40jd. 

Graphite. — There  is  little  fresh  in  this  market. 
The  price  of  soft  velvety  flake  85  to  90%  is  about 
£60  to  £80,  and  Madagascar  80  to  90%  about  £21  to 
£25  per  ton. 

Molybdenite. — 85%  is  quoted  at  55s.  to  60s.  c.i.f. 
U.K. 

Chrome  Ores. — The  current  quotation  for  48  to 
52%  is  about  £8  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  and  Steel. — These  trades  are  in  a  somewhat 
transitional  state.  Prices  were  of  course  abnormally 
high  during  the  boom  period,  and  the  readjustment 
has  been  slower  in  these  than  in  the  case  of  most  other 
commodities.  With  demand  falling  off,  and  much 
lower  prices  being  quoted  for  both  pig  iron  and  steel 
by  Continental  countries,  it  was  inevitable  that  the 
prices  of  home  makers  should  be  readjusted.  Cleve- 
land ironmasters  early  in  January  met  the  situation  by 
marking  down  their  prices  by  10s.  to  20s.  Makers  of 
manufactured  material  are  naturally  easier  in  their 
attitude  as  regards  prices,  and  although  reductions 
have  been  made  in  certain  descriptions  and  makers 
generally  are  willing  to  book  actual  orders  when  these 
are  submitted  at  shaded  quotations,  a  more  general 
marking  down  in  prices  seems  still  to  be  due. 


44 


TIIK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


STATISTICS. 


PKOni'CTION    OK    C, 


Year  1919 

January  1920 

February  

March    

April  

May    

June  

July   

Aucust  

September  •• 

October    

November   ■. 


8.111,271 


653,295 
607.918 
689.645 
667.926 
681.551 
659.199 
718,521 
683,604 
665.486 
645,819 
618,525 


218,820 


17,208 
17,412 
17.391 
19.053 
17,490 
16.758 
17,578 
18.479 
16.687 
16.653 
15.212 


670.503 

625,330 
707.036 
6S6.979 
699.041 
715.957 
736.099 
702.083 
682.173 
662.472 
633.737 


107 
110 
105 
102 
105 
102 
105 
112 
US 
117 
117 


Nativrs  Kmploybd  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
mines 


Septi-uiber  30.  lyl'J  ■ 

October  31  

November  30 

December  31 


169.120 
167.499 
164.671 
166.155 


January  31,  1920 

February  29  

March  31 

April  30 

May  31 

June  30 

July  31 

.^URUSt  31 

September  30 

October  31  

Novem ber  30 ■ 


176.390 
185,185 
188,564 
189.446 
184,722 
179.827 
174,187 
169,263 
163.132 
159,426 
158.773 


Coal 
mines 


j  Diamond 
I    mines 


12.392 
12.691 
12.565 
12.750 


12.766 
12,708 
12,788 
12.951 
12.897 
13.036 
13,005 
13.535 
13.716 
13  858 
14.245 


5.294 
4,492 
4,337 
4.271 


4.796 
5,217 
5.232 
5.057 
4.793 
4.596 
4.521 
4.244 
4,323 
4.214 
3.504 


Total 


186.806 
184.682 
181.573 
183.176 


193.952 
203.110 
206.584 
207,454 
202.412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181,171 
177.498 
176,522 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled  from  official  statistics  published  by  the  Transvaal 

Chamber  of  Mines.    The  pro6t  available  for  dividends  is  about 

65%  of  the  working  profit.     Figures  for  yield  and  profit  for  1919 

based  on  par  value  of  gold:  subsequently  gold  premium  included. 


Tons 
milled 

Yield 
per  ton 

Work's 

cost 
per  ton 

Work'g 

profit 

per  ton 

Total 

working 

profit 

July.  1919   

2.134.668 
2.036.128 
2,019,109 
2,108.698 
1,933.526 
1.845.088 

s.    d. 

27  10 

28  5 
28    6 
28    3 
28    8 
28    8 

s.    d. 

21  9 

22  11 
22  10 

22  6 

23  5 
25    6 

s.  d. 
6    0 

5    5 
5    7 
5  10 
5     5 
3  10 

£ 

611.118 
551,203 
560,979 
612.841 
521.472 
354,098 

September 

October  

November 

December 

Year  1919  

24.043.638 

28    7 

22  11 

5    6 

6.605.509 

January.  1920— 
February  

2.038.092 
1.869.180 
2.188,104 
2,065.446 
2.117.725 
2.146.890 
2,194,050 
2,057,560 
1,950.410 
1.871.140 

34  4 

35  1 
31     8 
31     5 
31     9 
31  10 
33     6 

36  11 

38  n 

39  9 

24  2 
28     3* 

25  2 

26  3 
25  11 
25     2 

24  6 

25  0 

25  6 

26  1 

10  2 
6  10* 
6    6 
5     2 

5  10 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13     5 
13    8 

1.036.859 

644.571* 

716.610 

533.940 

618.147 

692.510 

985.053 

1 ,226.906 

1,276.369 

1.278.385 

April 

May 

July   

September     ... 

*  Results  affected  by  the  back-pay 
with  new  wages  agreement. 


disbursed   in  accordance 


Production  of  Gold  in  RHODEstA  and  West  Africa. 


Rhodesia 


West  Africa 


1919 


January 

February  

March    

April  

May    

lune   

July    

August  

September  . 

October 

November    ■ 
December    . 

Total.... 


£ 

211.917 
220,885 
225,808 
213.160 
218.057 
214.215 
214.919 
207.339 
223.719 
204.184 
186.462 
158.835 


1919 


oz. 
43.428 
44,237 
45.779 
47.000 
46.266 
45.054 
46.208 
48.740 
45.471 
47.343 
46.782 


506.308 


£ 

104.063 
112.616 
112.543 
109.570 
100.S27 
106.612 
102.467 
103,112 
100,401 
91.352 
98,322 
98,806 


1,240.691 


1920 


No 

official 

returns 

published. 


Transvaai,  Gold  Outputs, 


Aurora  West   

brakpan    

City  Deep 

Cons.  Langlaagte 

Cons.  Main  Keef  

Crown  Mines 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  P.M 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep  

Glynn's  Lydenburg 

Gocb  

Government  G.M.  Areas 

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central  

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Estate 

Luipaard's  Vtei 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  

Moddcrfontein  B  

Modderfontein  Deep  .... 

Moddcrfontein  East 

New  Unified   

Nourse  

Primrose  

Princess  Estate 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United  

Rose  Deep   

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

"Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  Ryn   

Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witwatersrand  (Knights) 
Witvvatersrand  Deep  .... 
Wolhuter 


October 


Treated     Yield 


Treated Yield 


Tons 
9.400 
56.000 
75.000 
39.200 
47.000 

179.000 
23.000 

119.000 
30,700 
44.500 
45,300 
3.060 
12.900, 

135.0001 
43.800 
24.400 

41.500 
14.740 
12.600 
94.0C0 
55.000 
42.600 
26.6001 
10.8001 
44.700 
20.000 

104,5001 
39.2001 
49.100i 
22.000 
47.500 
55.800 
38.700 
10.700 
17.4301 
32.1001 
46.600 
46.000! 
12.300 
30.800 
33.P00 
33.100! 
33,500 


Oz. 

£14,858* 
24,629 
30,587 

£67,851' 
16.500 
55,473 
7,331 
31,641 
11.219 
15.757 
12.47^ 
£7.317' 

£l8.111* 

£315.633* 

12,458 

6,507 

£68,456* 

£21,781* 

£48.733* 

47,358 

28,705 

21.927 

10.916 

£14.746' 

13.852 

£23.884' 

553 

£172.433* 

7.902 

14.881 

26.189 

12.067 

12.406 

16.450 

6.C49 

£36.468* 

£51.203* 

£142.895' 

14.595 

2.654 

£50.140* 

£55l471' 

8.976 

8.598 


November 


Tons 
9,100 
52.600 
58,500 
40.100 
44.200 

174.000 
23.600 

1 1 1.000 
30,200 
44.600 
46.200 
3.265 
14.000 

130.500 
43,600 
22,450 

38.400 
14,500 
13.300 
93.C0O 
53.500 
42.700 
26.100 
lO.OOO 
41.600 
19.500 

101.000 
39.200 
47.200 
24,000 
45.800 
57.300 
33.800 
10.000 
15.650 
31.160 
46.600 
45,300 

30.300 
32.000 
31.300 
32.500 


£^3 


Oz. 

£15.422* 
22.946 
23,916 

£69.087* 
16.018 
52.269 
7.827 
30.069 
10,490 
15.834 
12.487 
:6.616' 

.- 19,074* 
£309,569* 
12,397 
5,932 

£69.645* 

£20.567* 

£46.426* 

45.325 

27.691 

22.564 

11,447 

£14.215* 

12.824 

£24.373* 

641 

£172.377'* 

7.525 

13,396 

£26.801* 

11.353 

11.937 

17,185 

5.739 

£31.367* 

£55,009* 

£90,024* 

14,172 

£50.299* 

£53.038* 

£50.489* 

8.435 


•Output  at  £5.  17s.  6d.  peroz. 
West  African  Gold  Outputs. 


October 

November 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Tons 
6.401 
5.970 

5.856 

694 

9,629 

2  810 

Oz. 
£11.804* 
2,390 

6.637 

£1,987* 

£l5.577* 

1.562 

Tons 
5.492 
4,280 
210 
5.018 
660 
8.670 
2.211 

Oz. 

£9.546* 

1.714 

158 

5.805 

£3.086* 

£15.490* 

1,243 

Ashanti  Goldfields    

*  At  par. 
Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


Falcon  

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix 

London  &  Rhodesian  .... 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet- Arcturus    

Rezende    

Rhodesia,  Ltd.  

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I 

Shamva     

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian  . 


October 

Treated 

Oz. 

Tons 

15,362 

2.983: 

3,858 

1,285 

5,722 

7,277 

5,400 

5,344 

5.400 

2.460 

5,700 

2.517 

834 

478 

650 

315 

51.150 

£45.2045 

1.500 

£5.055 

November 
Treated  I  Value 


Tons 
15.013 
3.933 
5.759 

5.350 
5.650 
5,700 

630 

45,050 

1,500 


2.735* 

1.333 

7.875 

5,298 
2,985 
2,538 

294 
£46.138§ 
£4,900 


t  Also  271  tons  copper  :  *  .^Iso  251  tons  copper. 
§  Sold  at  115s.  per  oz. 


JANUARY,    1921 


45 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics.— Par  Values. 


Production  of  Gold  in  Ihdia, 


Reported 
for  Export 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

oz. 


October.  1919 
November  ... 
December  ... 
January.  1920 

February  

March   

April  

May    

June   

July    

August  

September  •• 

October 

November  -• 
December    -■ 


586 

1.171 

831 

836 

1.928 

835 
227 
502 

167 
141 
174 
128 
321 


64.987 
64.823 
27.334 
25.670 
49.453 
54.020 
56.256 
50.976 
56.679 
48.341 
54.258 
54.940 
53.801 
54.729 
53.595 


Total 
oz. 


Total 
value  jC 


65.573 
65.994 
28.165 
26.506 
51.381 
54.020 
57.091 
51.203 
57.181 
48.341 
54.425 
55.081 
53.975 
54.857 
53.916 


278.535 
280.323 
162.575 
112,590 
218.251 
229.461 
242.506 
217.495 
242.638 
205.340 
231.185 
233.963 
229.275 
233,017 
229,057 


Australian 

Gold  Returns. 

New 

RndTH 

Victoria. 

Queensland. 

Wales 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

£ 

Oz. 

£ 

Oz. 

£ 

£ 

36.238 

7.105 

37.100 

4.724 

18.000 

28.000 

February 

46.955 

8.677 

43.330 

7.200 

24.000 

15.000 

40.267 

24.126 

48.000 

6.973 

16.000 

22.000 

63.818 

6.368 

61.200 

8.368 

24.000 

12.000 

37.456 
41.465 
37.395 

13.263 
15,707 
12.782 

38.200 
44.600 
42.060 

8.432 
13.725 
9.596 

16.000 
17.000 
22.000 

13.f00 

I    np 

8.700 

July    

17.410 

Aueust    .■- 

51.564 

12.809 

49.700 

9.973 

20.000 

17.168 

76.340 

13.973 

37.120 

11.789 

13.000 

13.872 

October  --- 

39.018 

13.432 

36.100 

9,300 

28.000 

24.752 

November 

40.735 

32.720 

10.200 

51.000 

— 

December 

63.311 

— 

44.500 

— 

31.000 

~ 

Total  ... 

575.260 

127.141 

514,630 

100.201 

280.000 

172.702 

Australasian  Gold 

Outputs. 

October 

November 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.)  . 

Blackwater  (N.Z.) 

Bullfinch  (VVA.)    

Tons 
5.601 
1.042 
6.000 

10.560 
8,731 

13.817 
3.681 
9.892 
1.500 
6.0O2 
1.627 

12.996 
7.238 

12.706  1 
1.533 

£ 
8.273 
1.411 
1.2601 
1.459* 
4.916! 

26.327 
5.466: 
7.702 

12.88lt 
2.828 
7.240 

10.575 
538 

16.065 
2.917; 
4.007: 

11.691S 

872! 

Tons 
5.865 
2.685 
5.330 

10.608 
8.472 

12.461 
3.038 
9.063 
1,570 
5,636 
1,726 

10,373 
7,058 

13,103  { 

7.760  1 
1.540 

£ 
8.894 
3.804 
1,4671 

Golden  Horseshoe  (W.A.) 
Great  Boulder  Pro. (W.A.) 
IvanhoelW.A.)  

4,717! 

29.603 

5.117! 

3.945 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.I. 

Menzies  Con.  (W..\.)  

Mount  BoppylN.S.W  )   ... 
Orova  I  inks  (W  A  )  

l!.2S2t 
2.906 
7.070 
9.424 

Progress  (N.Z.I 

Sonsof  Gwalia(W.A) 

SouthKalgurli(W.A.) 

Waihi  (N  Z  1    

13.302 
12,643 

3.576: 
30.323§ 

2.394: 
10.753S 

3.591 

Waihi  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z.) 
Yuanmi  (W.A.)  

+  Including  royalties ; 


:0z.  gold. :   §0z  silver;   *  Also  17  tons 
tin  cone. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and 

Silver 

Outputs. 

October 

November 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Tons 
33.000 

2.650 
6.875 

20.993 
5.600 
7.60O 

44.444 

1,252 

18,000 

216.0001 

10,408t! 

7.464 

270.0001 

108.459' 

101.187 

2.04411 

10.148 

31.000 

22.747! 

6,292* 

87.000t 

Tons 
31.000 
26.245 
2,470 
11,000 

6,000 
7,200 

36,514 

16,000 

£ 

216.0001 

9.0901! 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'Ibia) 
Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico)... 
Mining  Corp.  of  Canada... 
Orienlal  Cons.  (Korea) 

7,562 
I64,320t 

108.750t 
2.00811 

PlymouthCons.lCalif'rnla) 
St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil) 
Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico) 

9,977 
32.000 
9.779! 

85.0001 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

January 

February  ... 
March    

oz. 
45.214 
43.121 
43.702 
44.797 
45.055 
44.842 
45.146 
45.361 
45.255 
45.061 
45.247 
48.276 

541.077 

oz. 
44.718 
42.566 
44.617 
43.726 
42.901 
42.924 
42.273 
42.591 
43.207 
43.041 
42.915 
44,883 

oz. 
41.420 
40.787 
41.719 
41.504 
40.889 
41.264 
40.229 
40.496 
40.088 
39.472 
36.984 
40.149 

oz. 
38.184 
36.834 
38.317 
38.248 
38.608 
38.359 
38.549 
37.850 
36.813 
37.138 
39.628 
42.643 

oz. 

39.073 
38.872 
38.760 
37.307 

38.191 

June 

37.864 

37.129 

August  

September 

October 

November 
December 

37.375 
35.497 
35.023 
34.522 
34.919 

Total ... 

520,362 

485.236 

461.171 

444.532 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balagbat   

Champion  Reef ... 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur 

Nundydroog   

Ooregum 


November. 


Tons         Fine 
Treated   Ounces 


3.200 

11.676 

18.169 

700 

8.656 
12.800 


2.320 
5.203 
12.249 
1.001 
5.300 
8.449 


December. 


Tons 
Treated 


3.300 

11.550 

17.699 

700 

8.837 
12,900 


Fine 
Ounces 


2.564 
5.613 
12,049 
1,005 
5,222 
8.466 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Broken  Hill  Block  10 

Burma  Corp 

Fremantle  Trading 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper 

I  Tons  lead  cone 

British  Broken  Hill  ...  \  Tons  zinc  cone 

[  Tons  carbonate  ore.... 

(  Tons  lead  cone 

1  Tons  zinc  cone. 

I  Tons  refined  lead  

1  Oz.  refined  silver  

Long  tons  lead    

,,,-,,  J  Tons  copper  

Hampden  Cloneurry..  ^  q^    gj^jj  

Kafue  Copper Short  tons  copper 

(Tons  copper 

Mount  Lyell   1  Oz  silver  

lOz.  gold 

,,  (  Tons  copper  

Mount  Morgan  |  q^   g^u    

,  „     ,        ,,.,,         J  Tons  lead 

North  Broken  Hill    ■■•  |  qz    silver 

Pilbara  Copper Tons  ore 

Poderosa Tons  copper  ore 

Rhodesian  Broken  Hill-Tons  lead    ;■■■ 

S'th  American  Copper  Tons  copper  ore  ship  d . 

Tanganyika Long  tons  copper  

Tolima Tons  silver-lead  cone 

_  j  Tons  zinc  cone 

Zinc  Corp 1  -Pons  ig^j  ^a„c 


Oct.        Nov 


1.400 


2.200 

246.260 

210 

552 

335 

34 

401 

12.779 

392 

523 

7.552 


114 

480 

1,150 

1.750 

1.224 

60 


1.400 


2.203 

278.750 

310 

505 

324 

469 

14.476 

463 

587 

9.517 


97 
250 
952 


Imports  of  Ores.  Metals,  etc..  into  United  Kingdom- 


December.    Year  1920. 


+  U.S.  Dollars. 


I  Profit,  gold  and  silver. 
*  Oz.  silver. 


I  Oz.  gold. 


lion  Ore 

Manganese  Ore  

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites  .. 
Copper  Ore.  Matte,  and 

Precipitate 

Copper  Metal    

Tin  Concentrate  

Tin  Metal    

Lead.  Pig  and  Sheet 

Zinc  (Spelter)    

Quicksilver 

Zinc  Oxide    

White  Lead  

Barytes    

Phosphate  

Sulphur  

Borax  

Other  Boron  Compounds 

Nitrate  of  Soda    

Nitrate  of  Potash   

Petroleum: 

Crude  

Lamp  Oils 

Motor  Spirit  ■-■ 

Lubricating  Oils 

Gas  Oil    

Fuel  Oil 

Total  Petroleum 


.-Tons  ... 
..Tons  -■ 
..Tons  ... 

..Tons  ... 
..Tons  - 
--Tons  ... 
..Tons  -■ 
--Tons  ••■ 
...Tons  .. 
..Lb.  - 
-.Tons  .. 
...Cwt.  .. 
...Cwt.  .. 
...Tons  .. 
.-Tons  .. 
...Cwt.  .. 
..Tons  .. 
..Cwt.  •• 
..Cwt.    .. 


.  Gallons 

.  Gallons 
.  Gallons 
-  Gallons 
.  Gallon* 
.  Gallons 
■  Gallons 


528.628 

6.500.911 

47.345 

452.613 

63.563 

630.564 

2.592 

31.164 

9,201 

104.930 

2,519 

41.358 

2,410 

28.749 

22.784 

162.850 

7,217 

109.367 

4-15,006 

2.682.016 

367 

7.681 

9,757 

669.491 

34,340 

581.857 

82,221 

521.350 

15.759 



8.540 

2.145 

23.117 

110.175 

2.949.530 

11,790 

184,973 

993,315 

4,180.128 

11,176,497 

160.951.946 

12.381.806 

207.739.144 

11.739.132 

105.914.877 

1.547.732 

53.564.775 

32.926.439 

347.771.044 

70.768.408 

880,207.568 

46 


MI  N  INC,    MAGAZINIi; 


Oi'Tfrrs  OF  Tin  Mimni:  i 
In  Tons  of  C>'iu  .  nti 


Niitorin : 

Associated  Niiierian 

Bonue 

Bisichi 

Bonnvvelli  

Champion  (Nigeria) 

Dua 

Ex-Lands  

Filani  

Forum  River 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated.. 

Guruin  River 

Jantar 

Jos    

Kaduna  

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano 

Kuru    

Kwall  

Lower  Bisichi  

Lucky  Chance 

Minna 

Mongu 

Naragnta    

Naraguta  Extended   

Nigerian  Consolidated 

Ninghi 

N.N.  Bauchi 

Offin  River 

Raytield  

Ropp    

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru  

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri  


Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderians 

Gopeng   

Zdris  Hydraulic   

Ipoh 

Kamunting    

Kinta  

Lahat  

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang    

Rambutan 

Sungei  Besi  

Tekka 

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    


Cornwall : 

East  Pool  

Geevor    

Grenville 

South  Crofty    

Other  Countries : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia) 

Berenguela  (Bolivia) 

Briseis  (Tasmania) 

Deebook  (Siam)  

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal) 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Mawchi  (Burma) 

Porco  (Bolivia) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooiberg  Minerals  (Transvaal) ... 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)    

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)  


Sept. 
Tons 


II 

a 

3 

35 

8 
II 

5 
15 
15 
20j 
14i 

6i 

4J 


9i 
1 

24 
31 
45 
24 
33j 

4i 
53 

35 

92 
34 
84 

a 

84 
4 

79* 

60 

173 

12 
106' 

26 

534 

684 
183 

13 

30 

36 

39 

37 


54t 


180 
30 
21 
18 

265* 
21* 
70t 
5 
594 
50 
534 
85 
30 


Oct. 

Tons 

20 

16 
14 

24 
33 

5J 
10 

3 
15 
10 
224 
13 

9j 

5 
12 

83 

1 

3 
40 
45 
23 
30 

6 
55 

35 
168 
54 
13 
li 


72 
18 
134 

32j 
594 
804 
1784 
15 
30 
30 
39 
494 

6941 
55t 


29 
20 
194 


Nov. 

Tons 

20 

16 
li 
3 

14 

35 
5 

74 
24 
15 
10 
24i 
174 
9 
51 


84 
1 

40 
45 
15 
224 
54 
55 

35 
115 


72 

194 

13 

32i 
594 
785 
166 
164 
31 
30 
31 
38 


74t 


602t 


27 
23 
19* 


6l3 

934 

50 

15 

604 

63i 

68 

76 

28 

28 

*  Three  months.     +  Tin  and  wolfram. 


NuiKRiAN  Tin  PRomtcTioN. 

In  lone  tons  of  conoentrute  of  unspecified  content. 

Note      These  fi/inrcs  are  Itihcn  /mm   the  monthly  returns 


matte  hyimlivitlmtl  comtyiinies  rf/>(ir/i»i*.'  im  /.< 
Probably  represent  85%  of  the  actual  outputs 


uton,  and 


191S 

1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

January  

February    ... 

Tons 
417 

358 
418 

Tons 
531 

328 

!47 

Tons 
667 
646 
633 
555 
309 
473 
479 
531 
538 
578 
621 
655 

Tons 
678 
668 
707 
584 
525 
492 
545 
571 
520 
491 
472 
518 

Tons 
613 

623 
606 
546 
483 
484 
491 
616 
561 
625 
536 
511 

Tons 

547 
477 
505 

April    

444     '       486 
357     !       536 
373     !       510 

467 

May 

383 

June     

435 

August 

September 

October  

November  ... 
December  ... 

438 
442 
511 
467 
533 

498 
535 
584 
679 
654 

447 
528 
628 
544 

Total    .. 

_5'2L3_ 

J^94_ 

6.927 

6.771 

6.685 

5,445 

Production  of  Tin  in  pEnKRATKD  Malay  States. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters. 
Long  Tons. 


January     .. 
February  .. 

March    

April  

May    

June  

July    

August  ..... 
September 

October 

November 
December 


1916 

Tons 
4,316 
3.372 
3,696 
3,177 
3.729 
3,435 
3,517 
3,732 
3,636 
3.681 
3,635 
3,945 

43,871 


1917 


Tons 

3.558 
2,755 
3.286 
3,251 
3,413 
3,489 
3,253 
3,413 
3,154 
3,436 
3,300 
3,525 


39.833 


1918 

Tons 
3,149 
3  191 
2,608 
3,308 
3.332 
2.950 
3,373 
3,259 
3,166 
2.870 
3,131 
3.023 


1919 


37,370 


Tons 
3,765 
2.673 
2,819 
2.855 
3.404 
2.873 
3,756 
2.955 
3,161 
3,221 
2,972 
2,413 


36,867 


1920 


Tons 
4,265 
3,014 
2.770 
2,606 
2,741 
2.940 
2,824 
2.786 
2.734 
2.837 
2,573 


32.090 


Total  Sales  of  Tin  Concbntrate  at  Redruth  Ticketings. 


August  25.  1919  . 
September  8  .... 
September  22  .... 

October  8 

October  20   

November  3 

November  17  .... 
December  1  .... 
December  15  .... 
December  31  .... 


Total  and  Average, 
1919 


January  12,  1920.. 

January  26   

February  9  

February  23 

March  8 

March  22  

April  6  

April  19 

May  3 

May  17   

May  31   

June  14  

June  28  

July  12  

July  26  

August    9 

August  23 

September  6  — 
September  20  — 

October  4 

October  18  

November  1 

November  15  .... 
November  29  — 
December  13  .... 
December  28  -.. 


Long  tons 


1304 
115* 
1354 

72 

32 

344 

39 

38 

29 

14i 


Value 


£18,297 

£16.588 

£19.557 

£10,867 

£5,093 

£5,235 

£6,161 

£5,905 

£5,133 

£2.884 


Average 


£l40  4 
£l43  12 
£I44  6 
£l50  18 
£159  3 
£l51  15 
£l57  19 
£l55  8 
£l76  10 
£195  10  10 


2,858 


£366.569 


31 

5ii 

374 

533 

18 

44 

444 

334 

6l4 

44 

10 

243 

144 

433 

10* 

104 

27i 

19 

10 
9 

39* 
9 
4i 
8* 
8* 
84 


£6.243 
£lO,574 
£-.880 
£12,120 
£4,038 
£8.286 
£8.367 
£6.375 
£11.641 
£6.151 
£1,578 
£3,278 
£1.932 
£6.133 
£1.643 
£1.664 
£4,022 
£2.563 
f  1.552 
£l.359 
£5.225 
£1.329 
£597 
£965 
£981 
£946 


£l28     5    0 


£201  8 
£204  6 
£210  2 
£225  10 


£224 
£188  6 
£188  0 
£190  6 
£189  5 
£139  16 
£l57  16 
£132  9 
£133  4 
£l40  4 
£l56  10 
£158  10 
£l47  !2 
£l34  18 
£155  5 
£151  0 
£132  5 
£147  14 
£132  17 
£113  12 
£ll5  8 
£111     5 


On  December  13,  Tincroft  sold  84  tons,  and  on  December  28 
a  similar  amount. 


JANUARY,    1921 


47 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Lone  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  

Ditto.  Landing  and  in  Transit  -- 

Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Land- 
ing   

Straits.  Afloat 

Australian.  Afloat 

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto.  Afloat   

Billiton,  Spot  

Billiton.  Afloat   

Straits.  Spot  in  Holland  and 
Hamburg 

Ditto.  Afloat  to  Continent 

Total  Afloat  for  United  States--- 

Stock  in  America 

Total 


1.043 
556 

3,261 
2,154 
179 
2,143 
1.222 

230 


100 
5.363 
3.191 


19.442 


Nov.  30       Dec.  31 


1.944 
620 

2,743 

1.955 

203 

2.966 

1.095 

721 

295 


300 
3  257 
2,966 


2.170 
1.138 

3.355 
1,183 
250 
3.511 
278 
755 
264 


485 
1,734 
2.856 


Shipments.  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin, 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  toDS- 


Sbipments  from : 

'  Straits  to  UK 

Straits  to  America   

Straits  to  Continent 

Straits  to  Other  Places  

Australia  to  U.K 

U.K.  to  America  

Imports    of  Bolivian   Tin    into 
Europe 


Supply : 

Straits   

Australian 

Billiton 

Banca    

Standard  --. 


Total- 


Consumption  : 

U  K.  Deliveries 

Dutch         

American   

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc 


Total-. 


Ocl- 


1,470 
1.770 
100 
165 
350 
225 

1.117 


3,340 

350 

542 

1,148 

1.305 


6,685 


1,670 

126 

3,465 


5.569 


Nov. 


1.505 
825 
300 
199 
350 
175 

2.172 


2,630 
350 
482 

1.154 
475 


5,091 


1,607 

215 

3,420 

226 


915 
825 
485 
225 
250 
150 


2,225 
250 


250 
1,500 


4.225 


1.518 

366 

2,580 


4,811 


Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies, 


Date 


Dec.  22. 

Dec.  21- 

Jan.  7- 

Dec.  17. 

Dec.  21- 

Dec.  22. 

Dec.  22. 

Dec-  17 

Dec.  27. 

Dec.  21. 

Dec.  17- 

Dec.  14. 

Jan-  4. 

Dec-  18 


Company 


Anglo-  American 
Corp'n  of  South 
Africa 

Apex  Mines 

Champion  Reef   

De  Beers  Consoli-  J 
dated   1 

Gopeng  Consolidated 

Leeuwpoort  (African 
Farms)  Tin    

McCreedy  Tin 

New  Era 

Ouro  Preto 

Rand  Mines 

Rand  Selection  Cor- 
poration   

Rezende -- 

Tekka  

Tongkah  HarbourTin 
Dredging  


Par 

Value  of 

Shares 


10s- 
2s.  6d. 


Pref. 
Def. 


Pref.  £l 
5s. 


£l. 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


5%  less  tax 

7^d.  less  tax 

4d.  less  tax 

20%  less  tax 
20%  less  tax 

9d. less  tax 

10% 

10% 

20%  less  tax 

Is.  less  tax 

4s.  3d.  less  tax 

17^%  less  tax 

20%  less  tax 
4i%  less  tax 


PRICES  OF  CHEMICALS 

These  quotations  are  not  absolute  ;  they  v 
quantities  required  and  contracts 


Alum 

Alumina.  Sulphate  of  

Ammonia.  Anhydrous 

0S80  solution    

,.  Carbonate 

..  Chloride  of.  grey 

..  „         M  pure  

Nitrate  of  

M  Phosphate  of    

Sulphate  of    

Antimony  Sulphide.  Golden 

Arsenic,  White  

Barium  Sulphate  

Bisulpbate  of  Carbon 

Bleachine  Powder.  35%  CI 

Borax    

Copper.  Sulphate  of    

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100% 

Hydrofluoric  Acid , 

Iodine    

Iron.  Sulphate  of  

Lead,  Acetate  of,  white 

,.  Nitrate  of 

„  Oxide  of.  Litharge 

„  White   

Lime.  Acetate,  brown 

grey  80% 

Magnesite,  Calcined 

Magnesium.  Chloride 

..  Sulphate  

Methylated  Spirit  64°  Industrial  - 
Phosphoric  Acid    


January 

7. 

ary  according  to 

running. 

l 

s. 

d. 

per  ton 

19 

0 

0 

16 

0 

0 

per  lb. 

2 

6 

per  ton 

46 

0 

0 

per  lb. 

6^ 

per  ton 

54 

0 

0 

per  cwt. 

5 

10 

0 

per  ton 

50 

0 

0 

„ 

95 

0 

0 

„ 

24 

0 

0 

per  lb. 

1 

6 

per  ton 

65 

0 

0 

„ 

1(1 

0 

0 

„ 

55 

0 

0 

„ 

19 

0 

0 

„ 

41 

0 

0 

„ 

38 

0 

0 

per  lb. 

1 

0 
7* 

per  oz. 

1 

0 

per  ton 

4 

0 

0 

„ 

58 

0 

0 

„ 

55 

0 

0 

,, 

50 

0 

0 

„ 

64 

0 

0 

„ 

15 

0 

0 

„ 

22 

0 

0 

22 

0 

0 

„ 

13 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

per  sal 

7 

4 

per  lb. 

1 

6 

Potassium  Bichromate   per  lb. 

„          Carbonate  85% per  ton 

„          Chlorate per  lb. 

Chloride  80%    per  ton 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% 

„  Nitrate    

„          Permanganate per  lb. 

„          Prussiate,  Yellow    i. 

Sulphate,  90%  per  ton 

Sodium  Metal per  lb. 

„      Acetate    per  ton 

„      Arsenate  45%    >• 

„      Bicarbonate  .. 

„      Bichromate per  lb. 

Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)   per  ton 

„  (Crystals) 

Chlorate per  lb. 

„      Hydrate.  76%    per  ton 

Hyposulphite   ). 

„      Nitrate.  95% » 

„      Phosphate i> 

„      Prussiate    per  lb. 

„      Silicate    per  ton 

..      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)  >. 

(Glauber's  Salts)  

•t      Sulphide i. 

Sulphur.  Roll ,1 

„        Flowers 

Sulphuric  Acid.  Fuming,  65° t. 

,,  ..      free  from  Arsenic,  144° 

Superphosphate  of  Lime.  18%    

Tartaric  Acid per  lb. 

Tin  Crystals    

Zinc  Chloride per  ton 

Zinc  Sulphate „ 


£ 

s 

1 

d. 

4 

65 

0 

0 

0 

8 

30 

0 

0 

70 

0 

0 

50 

0 

0 

3 
1 

0 
7 

38 

0 

0 

1 

3 

47 

0 

0 

55 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 
11 

16 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 
51 

28 

0 

0 

23 

0 

0 

24 

0 

0 

32 

0 

0 
11 

11 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

36 

0 

0 

17 

0 

0 

17 

0 

0 

24 

0 

0 

6 

5 

0 

8 

10 

0 

1 

2 
9 

27 

0 

0 

22 

0 

0 

48 


THIC     MINING     MAGAZINl': 


SHARE  QUOTATIONS 

Shares  ace  £l  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOLD.    SII.VK[<. 
DIAMONDS: 

RANn  : 

Brakpan 

Central  Minins  (iCS)    

City  &  Suburban  U*) 

City  Peep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  I.an^Iaaitte 

Consolidated  Main  Reef 

Consolidated  Mines  SelectiondOs.) 

Crown  Mines  llOs  ) 

Daettafontein 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenluiis  Deep 

Gov't  Gold  Mining  Areas 

Heriot 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Jupiter  

Kleinfontein 

Knielit  Central 

Knights  Deep  

Lanf:Ia3»:te  Estate 

Meyer  A:  Charlton 

Modderfontein  (lOs.)  

Modderfontein  H  (5s.)- 

Modderfontein  DeeplSs.)  

Modderfontein  East    

New  State  Areas  

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  {5s.) 

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (^5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.) 

Rose  Deep  

Simmer  &  Jack 

Simmer  Deep 

Springs , 

Sub  Nieel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.)    

Van  Ryn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep  

Villatje  Main  Reef 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep  

Wolhuter 

Other  Transvaal  Gold  Mines: 

Glynn's  Lydenburg 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates.... 
Diamonds  in  South  Africa: 

De  Beers  Deferred  {£z  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.) 

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  .... 

Falcon 

Gaika.* 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (lOs.l 

West  Africa  ■ 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso 

Ashanti  (4s.)    

Frestea  Block  A 

Taquah 

West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines  

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch  

Golden  Horse-Shoe  !f  51 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary(2s.) 

Great  Finsall  (10s) 

Hampton  Properties  

Ivanhoe  its)    

Kalgurii 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)    

Sons  of  Gwalia  

South  Kalgurii  (10s.) 

*  £\  shares  split  into  4  of  5s 


Ian.  7, 

1920 

£    s.  d. 


3  13 

11  10 

9 

3    6 

1  18 

1    6 

16 

1  13 

3  16 

1  2 
10 
11 
12 

2  16 
15 

5  2 
11 
1  14 
7 
14 
7 
12 

1  0 
5    2 

4  10 
9    8 

2  IS 
1  12 
1  12 

17 

4  0 

5  7 
1     0 

14 
1     3 


5 
6 
3 
2 
2 
3 
1 
3 
6 
17 
7 
1  1 
11 
5 


16  3 

IS  9 

32     5  0 

6  17  6 

13    0  0 


11 

1  0 
17 
17 
16 

3  2 

4  0 

2  3 
7 


5  6 

12  6 

1     4  0 

5  6 

17  6 


3 

3 

3 

1     6 

9 

1 

1  11 

1  18 

1     0 

1     3 

10 

5 

each. 


Jan.  7. 

1921 
£   s.  d. 


3  0 
7    0 

G 

2    7 

18 

IS 

13 

18 

2     7 

8 

3 

6 

8 

2    8 

8 

4  5 
9 

1     4 
2 

7 
5 
9 
13 
4   12 


0 
0 
6 
6 
9 
0 
6 
6 
6 
6 

y 

6 
9 
9 
3 
0 
3 
6 
0 
6 
6 
0 
fi 
6 
3  12    6 

1  10    Ot 

2  3 
1     0 

1  5 
9 

2  II 

3  0 
11 

9 
11 
16 

3 


1  16 

13 

16 

12 

3  17 

8 

5 

16 

13 

7 

3 


10  0 

8  6 

13     5  0 

3    0  0 

5  15  0 


15 

10 

II 

19 

2  10 

2  15 

1  11 

5 


2  9 

9  0 

15  3 

2  0 

10  0 


3 
3 
I 
15 
5 
I 
7 
18 
11 
II 
5 
6 


Gold.  Silvicr,  coitt. 

Othkrs  in  Australasia: 

Blackwater,  New  Zealand 

ConsolidaiidG.l'.of  New  Zealand 

Mount  Boppv.  N.S.W.  (10s) 

Progress,  New  Zealand  

Talisman,  New  Zealand 

W'aihi,  New  Zealand 

Waihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd 
America  : 

Bucna  Tierra.  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

El  Oro.  Mexico 

Esperanza.  Mexico  

Frontino  &  Bolivia.  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (£5). British  Columbia 
Mexico  Mines  of  Kl  Oro.  Mexico.. 

Ncchi  (Pref.  10s.).  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredging,  Colombia  

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California 

St.  John  del  Rey,  Brazil  

Santa  Gerlrudis.  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balaghat  (10s.)    

Champion  Reef  (2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  (10s.)  

Norlh  Anantapur  

Nundydroog  (10s.) 

Ooreguin  (10s.)   

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.).  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£.1),  Cape  and  India. 

Esperanza.  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry.  Queensland 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal  

Messina  (5s. I,  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (f5).  Queensland  ... 

Mount  Lyell.  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan.  Queensland 

Mount  Oxide.  Queensland    

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  (£5),  Spain 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd..  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia    

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika.  Congo  and  Rhodesia 

LEAD-ZINC: 

Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc    

British  Broken  Hill  

Broken  Hill  Proprietary    

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Cor|)oration  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees)    .. 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (59.)    


Jan.  7. 

1920 

£    s.  d. 


3 
6 

1 

8 

2    7 

12 

15 

1     0 

15 

15 

12 

II 

7    0 

12 

1     7 

I     3 

16 

1   12 

13 

1    7 
12 

6 
3 
1  1 
4 
14 
16 


Jan.  7 

1921 

£   8.   d. 


1  12 
49  10 


17    6 

1  5    0 

2  18    9 


1  6 

2  6 
2  12 

1  5 

2  17 
2  16 
1  3 
1     2 


14    0    0 
12    6 


6 

7 

11 

1    6 

8 
5 
5  10 
7 
1  2 
17 
13 
12 
7 


12    6 
3    0 


I  10    0 
15    0 


5 

5 

1   10 

4 

10 
16 
12 


17 

1  I 

2  3 
15 

1  ID 

1   12 

12 

12 


8    61 
7    6 


TIN  : 

Aramayo  Francke,  Bolivia 4  12  6 

Bisichi.  Nigeria 16  3 

Briseis.  Tasmania *  6 

Dolcoath,  Cornwall  8  5 

East  Pool  (5s.)  Cornwall 18  3 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  12s.).  Nigeria  ...  3  3 

Geevor  (10s  )  Cornwall  i  14  0 

Gopeng,  Malay  2    0  0 

Ipoh  Dredging.  Malay     18  6 

Kamunting,  Malaya 2    6  3 

Kinta,  Malaya 2  15  0 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 2    8  9 

Mongu  (10s.).  Nigeria  1    9  0 

Naraguta,  Nigeria 17  6 

N.N.Bauchi.NigeriadOs.)   9  0 

Pahang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay.  15  0 

Rayfield.  Nigeria  15  0 

Renong  Dredging, Siam 2  15  6 

Ropp  (4s. 1.  Nigeria  1  12  0 

Siamese  Tin.  Siam 3  15  0 

South  Crofty  (5s.).  Cornwall 19  0 

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall  1    6  3 

Tekka.  Malay    4  12  6 

Tekka-Taiping   Malay    6  10  0 

Tronoh.  Malay  I  2  12  6 

t  10-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co.  5  New  shares.  '  New  shares  5s.  paid. 


2  15 
6 


3 

1  10 
13 

2  10 
1  12 
1     8 

13 

10 

1 

7 


1  13 
7 

2  10  0 
7  9 

10  0 

I     0  0§ 

1     3  9§ 

I     6  3 


THE   MINING  DIGEST 

A    RECORD    OF     PROGRESS     IN     MINING,   METALLURGY.    AND    GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 

proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers  ;  also  reviews  of  new 

books,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly  reports  of  mining  companies. 


NEW   DEVELOPMENT,  METHODS 

The  'Kovemher  Journal  of  the  South  African  Insti- 
tution of  Engineers  contains  a  paper  by  G.  H.  Beatty 
on  the  new  shafts  and  development  methods  at  the 
Randfontein  Central.  These  new  methods  were  adop- 
ted after  the  acquirement  of  control  by  Barnatos  from 
Sir  ].  B.  Robinson. 

The  portion  of  the  Randfontein  group  of  mines 
affected  by  the  new  lay  out  consists  of  seven  sections 
— numbered  1  to  7 — from  south  to  north  on  the  strike 
of  the  reef  series.  Mining  operations  are  being  carried 
on  in  sections  Nos.  2  to  7,  along  a  strike  of  17,000  feet. 
With  the  old  lay-out,  hoisting  and  pumping  were  con- 
ducted in  all  sections  through  ten  shafts,  namely,  the 
Nos.  1,  6,  and  7  main  inclines.  No.  2  sub-incline,  and 
Nos.  3,  4,  and  5  main  verticals  and  sub-inclines.  Un- 
til 1918  the  No.  7  section  was  served  by  a  main  com- 
pound shaft  and  sub-incline.  In  that  year  the  sub-in- 
cline was  connected  to  the  surface,  and  the  compound 
shaft  was  cut  out.  The  ten  shafts  were  served  by  19 
hoists,  and  employed  54  engine  drivers,  54  skipmen,  20 
banksmen,  and  30  shaft  timbermen.  The  average 
monthly  tonnage  hoisted  during  the  year  1919  was 
103,000  tons,  at  a  hoisting  cost  of  2  363s.  per  ton,  from 
an  average  depth  of  2.300  ft.  In  September,  1917.  a 
start  was  made  upon  the  sinking  of  two  new  verticals, 
known  as  the  North  and  South  Deep  shafts,  the  object 
being  to  cut  out  all  nine  shafts  in  sections  No.  1  to  6. 

There  are  two  reefs,  200  ft.  apart  horizontally,  with  a 
very  even  strike  roughly  north  and  south,  and  a  regu- 
lar dip  averaging  65'.  Dislocations  are  rare,  and  the 
few  faults  and  dykes  in  evidence  are  not  of  much  im- 
portance.    The  gold  is  evenly  distributed,   and  about 


AT   RANDFONTEIN   CENTRAL. 

5 


Scale  oF  Feet 


Cross-Section  of  Reefs. 


Scale 
2,500 


of      Feet 

5,000  7500 


3      5  0 


27 


10,000 


Rock  Tunnel 


18  Rock  Tunnel 


1—6 


Sketch  Plan  of  Shafts  and  Rock  Tunnels. 
49 


50 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


85?o  of  the  ore  developed  is  sloped.  With  the  excep- 
lion  of  the  sleep  dip,  these  conditions  are  favourable, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  reef  channel  is  very  thin, 
the  hanninn  and  foot-walls  aredilticult  lo  support,  and 
the  present  workin(;s  are  subject  to  great  pressure  and 
movement,  due  to  depth  and  the  fact  that  practically 
all  the  ore  above  them  has  been  stoped  out  and  no  sup- 
port provided. 

The  design  of  the  new  shafts  has  already  been  the 
subject  of  a  paper  read  by  W.  L.  White  and  published 
in  the  Journal  in  February,  1919.  (See  the  Maga- 
zine for  April,  1919.)  They  are  designed  and  situated 
so  as  to  serve  an  ultimate  depth  of  5,000  ft.  They  are 
placed  in  a  position  to  intersect  the  reefs  midway  in  the 
area  between  the  present  lowest  workings  and  that 
depth.  With  a  dip  as  high  as  65  no  great  amount  of 
cross-cutting  is  necessary  from  the  shafts  lo  the  reels, 
even  on  the  lop  and  bottom  levels 

Under  the  old  shaft  lay-out,  five  inclines  were  being 
sunk  to  exploit  the  area,  namely,  the  No.  6  main  in- 
cline and  Nos.  5,  4,  3,  and  2  sub-inclines.  They  were 
very  difficult  to  sink,  and  progress  was  painfully  slow 
owing  to  the  awkward  dip  and  delays  caused  by  break- 
downs in  the  pumping  and  hoisting  plants. 

The  old  method  of  development  was  the  usual  prac- 
tice on  the  Kand,  and  consisted  of  cross-cuts  from  the 
shaft  sialions  lo  the  reefs,  reef  drives,  and  connections 
between  drives  at  intervals.  The  vertical  distance  be- 
tween drives  was  about  120  ft.  This  method  proved 
costly,  inadequate,  and  totally  unsuiled  to  the  local 
conditions,  for  the  following  reasons:  (a)  Limited 
speed  and  high  cost  or  driving  on  reef,  because  when 
a  drive  had  advanced  some  distance  the  operalions  be- 
hind it  retarded  its  progress  Almost  immediately 
sloping  commenced  it  became  necessary  to  timber  the 
drives.  Pillars  left  above  the  level  were  useless  and 
dangerous,  and  consequently  a  quantity  of  rock  was 
always  broken  directly  on  to  the  level  This  resulted 
in  constant  injury  to  the  water  and  air  supply  pipes, 
difficulty  in  feeding  the  machines,  and  delay  in  clean- 
ing out  the  development  end.  (b)  Cost  of  supporting 
drives.  With  several  slopes  working  above  and  below 
any  drive,  it  became  necessary  to  close  limber  it  practi- 
cally from  end  to  end,  and  the  limber  had  to  be  re- 
newed several  times  per  annum,  (c)  Cost  of  tramming. 
The  track  was  subject  lo  injury  through  blasting  opera- 
tions and  falling  rock.  As  before  mentioned,  the  dip 
is  65°,  and  with  sufficient  foot-wall  cut  away  lo  support 
the  track,  the  fool-wall  of  the  upper  slope  became 
troublesome,  and  the  sloping  width  above  the  drive 
difficult  to  control ;  further,  the  development  rock  value 
was  reduced  lo  practically  nothing.  With  insufficient 
fool-wall  cut  away  the  track  sagged  immediately  slop- 
ing commenced  below  the  level.  Owing  lo  pressure, 
no  regular  grade  could  be  kepi  on  the  track,  and  in 
sloped  areas  the  track  became  a  switchback.  Rock 
from  inside  slopes  had  lo  be  trammed  through  con- 
gested drives  and  past  numerous  box-holes,  through 
which  water  and  fines  were  falling,  with  resulting  de- 
railments. Id)  Limited  output  from  any  one  drive  in 
a  given  time,  due  lo  reasons  given  in  (c)  and  (/).  (e) 
Length  of  lime  each  drive  had  to  be  kept  in  commis- 
sion, due  10  (d).  (fl  No  mechanical  means  of  transport 
was  possible  through  the  reef  drives,  (g)  Mine  water 
could  not  be  kept  on  the  level  on  which  it  was  struck 
or  used,  and  found  its  way  to  the  lo%vest  sloping  level, 
becoming  very  muddy  in  its  progress,  {h'l  The  cost  of 
support  and  tramming  increased  with  the  age  of  the 
level,  and  toward  the  end  of  its  life,  the  inside  slopes 
— probably  one  or  two  faces  only  were  working — had 
10  bear  the  whole  cost  of  upkeep.  Unless  they  were 
rich  they  were  unpayable  and  abandoned.     (J)  It  was 


dillicult  lo  control  air  currents  and  the  ventilation  was 
unsalisfaclorv  in  places,  (k)  Loss  of  compressed  air  in 
friction  and  leakages;  140,000ft.  of  air  pipe  was  in 
commission  in  the  reef  drives,  all  of  it  liable  to  damage 
from  many  sources.  (/)  The  workable  length  of  a  drive 
on  reef  was  limited,  and  a  shaft  could  serve  a  limited 
strike  only. 

The  new  method  introduced  is  as  follows  :  A  head- 
ing termed  a  "rock  tunnel,"  size  8  ft.  by  8  ft.,  is  driven 
from  iO  to  50  fl.  in  the  foot-wall  of  the  lower  reef,  and 
cross-culs  are  driven  to  the  reefs  at  intervals  of  500  fl. 
The  levels  are  connected  by  means  of  winzes  and  rises 
from  the  intersections  of  reefs  and  cross-cuts.  Heef 
drives  are  driven  at  leisure  as  the  slope-faces  advance. 
The  distance  between  levels  is  171  fl.  vertically,  giving 
200  ft.  lo  210  ft.  backs.  The  rock  tunnels  are  providetl 
with  either  10  Ion  electric  locomotives,  of  the  overhead 
wire  type,  or  smaller  battery  locomotives.  Sidings  for 
ten  JO  cwl.  cars  are  provided  at  each  cross  cut. 

The  advantages  of  this  system  areas  follows:  (a) 
Ore  can  be  developed  rapidly,  as  there  is  nothing  to 
hinder  the  rapid  advancement  of  the  rock  tunnel,  (b) 
Each  slope-face  has  an  independent  drive,  there  is  no 
tramming  past  box-holes  or  through  congested  drives, 
and  the  average  length  of  hand  tram  to  the  rock  tun- 
nels is  270  ft.  only.  When  llie  slope-face  is  worked 
out,  it  is  reclaimed,  washed,  and  abandoned,  together 
with  its  drive,  (c)  Given  adequate  means  of  transport, 
the  rock  tunnels  can  easily  handle  the  rock  broken  in 
the  slopes  feeding  them  ;  their  life  is,  therefore,  deter- 
mined by  the  rate  at  which  ihey  can  be  driven,  and  the 
rate  of  exhaustion  in  the  slopes.  Concentration  is  thus 
possible  in  a  high  degree,  and  the  life  of  a  level  and 
the  number  of  levels  in  commission  are  reduced  to  a 
minimum,  (d)  The  main  air  and  water  supply  pipes 
are  situated  in  the  rock  tunnels,  and  out  of  harm's  way. 
ie)  Mine  water  is  led  to  the  rock  tunnels,  which  are 
provided  with  concreted  drains,  (t)  There  is  no  diffi- 
culty in  controlling  air  currents,  and  ventilation  is  im- 
proved, (g)  The  rock  tunnels  can  be  of  great  length, 
with  very  little  disadvantage.  Transport  of  rock,  ma- 
terial, or  men  through  them  presents  no  difficulty  or 
undue  expense.  The  rock  tunnels  going  north  from 
the  North  Deep  shaft  will  be  6,000  ft.  long.  Locomo- 
tives travelling  at  eight  miles  per  hour  bring  the  most 
distant  workings  within  nine  minutes  of  the  shaft,  (/i) 
It  is  evident  that  the  method  has  a  beneficial  effect  up- 
on the  grade  of  the  ore  crushed.  The  value  of  de- 
velopment rock  from  main  drives  driven  on  reef  aver- 
ages only  about  25  dwt.  per  ton,  even  when  the  reef 
is  carried  in  the  correct  position  in  the  drives.  But 
with  a  steep  reef  a  degree  of  accuracy  is  necessary 
which  is  not  obtainable  under  present-day  conditions, 
with  the  result  that  an  unnecessary  amount  of  waste  is 
broken  at  times.  Flaking  commences  as  soon  as  slop- 
ing is  in  full  swing  and  weight  thrown  upon  the  lengths 
of  drive  between  slope-faces,  and  the  drives  are  con- 
stantly increasing  in  size  until  finally  stoped  out.  It  is 
probable  that  the  rock  broken  in  drives,  plus  subse- 
quent additions  of  waste,  averages  under  2  dwt.  per 
ton.  The  new  shafts  are  provided  with  waste  bins  on 
every  level,  and  the  waste  broken  in  the  rock  tunnels 
and  cross-cuts  is  trammed  and  hoisted  as  waste.  The 
waste  broken  in  the  reef  drives  is  easily  controlled  and 
kept  at  a  minimum  ;  in  most  cases  the  reef  drive  is  no 
more  than  a  ledge,  wide  enough  lo  support  a  2  ft.  track, 
cut  in  the  fool-wall. 

The  method  eliminates  the  working  defects  and  limi- 
tations of  the  old  system,  and  permits  of  two  shafts 
serving  a  strike  of  14,000  ft.  for  rock  concentration  and 
hoisting  purposes,  and  an  additional  6,000  ft.  for  drain- 
age.    Further,  it  greatly  increases  the  tonnage  that  a 


JANUARY,    1921 


51 


given  area  can  produce  in  a  given  time.  The  area  in 
question ,  Nos.  2  to  6  sections  inclusive,  may  be  called 
upon  to  produce  1,700,000  tons  per  year.  To  develop 
thatquantityfiforeit  will  be  necessary  todrive  14,000ft. 
of  rock  tunnel  annually,  and  to  break  and  handle  the 
tonnage  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  28,000  ft.  of  rock 
tunnel  in  full  commission.  Not  more  than  four  levels 
will  be  in  commission  at  one  time  :  probably  two  will 
be  in  certain  stages  of  exhaustion,  one  in  full  commis- 
sion, and  one  opening  up. 

It  may  appear  that  the  points  of  attack  for  develop- 


ment purposes  are  insufficient  for  such  a  large  area. 
Roughly  speaking,  the  strike  is  divided  by  the  shafts 
into  stretches  of  4,000  ft.  at  the  southern  end,  4,500  ft. 
between  shafts,  and  5,500  ft.  at  the  northern  end. 
Thus,  as  the  middle  portion  will  be  attacked  from  two 
ends,  there  will  be  four  points  of  attack  until  the  mid- 
dle portion  is  developed,  and  two  afterwards,  or,  say, 
an  average  of  three  over  the  development  life  of  the 
level.  If  development  work  is  confined  to  the  single- 
shift  basis,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  twelve  ends 
working,  or  four  levels  in  course  of  development. 


MICA  DEPOSITS  IN  LOMAGUNDI,  RHODESIA. 


A  report  has  been  issued  by  the  Rhodesia  Geological 
Survey,  written  by  the  Government  Geologist,  H.  B. 
Maufe,  on  the  mica  deposits,  recently  developed,  on 
the  western  flanks  of  the  .'Vngwa  river  basin  in  the 
Lomagundi  District  of  Rhodesia.  The  majority  of  the 
claims  are  situated  between  the  Mwami  and  Mkwichi 
rivers,  tributaries  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Angwa  river. 
The  area  over  which  the  mica  claims  are  scattered 
measures  more  than  40  square  miles,  but  the  limits  of 
the  deposits  are  not  known.     The  deposits  are  only  a 


Sketch  M.\p  of  Mica  District. 

few  miles  east  of  the  probable  route  of  the  proposed 
Sinoia  Kafue  Railway,  and  is  about  64  miles  from  pres- 
ent rail-head  at  Sinoia. 

The  country-rock  is  a  well-foliated  mica  schist  re- 
markably uniform  in  composition.  On  the  rough  edges 
of  the  rock  glassy  quartz  in  grains  and  small  lenticles 
may  be  seen  lying  between  the  mica  scales,  but  it  seldom 
seems  to  form  as  much  as  half  the  rock.  The  chief  varia- 
tion from  the  mica  schist  is  due  to  the  incoming  of 
quartzite  or  quartz  schist  bands.  These  consist  of  grey, 
micaceous  quartzite  from  a  fraction  of  an  inch  to  several 
feet  thick.  Usually  a  number  of  bands  of  quartzite  are 
separated  by  bands  of  mica-schist,  and  in  places  the  al- 


ternations are  so  rapid  that  the  rock  might  be  described 
as  a  striped  schist.  Some  bands  contain  a  little  biotite 
in  addition  to  muscovite.  A  fine-grained  grey  porphy- 
ritic  biotite  granite  crops  out  at  the  northern  end  of  the 
Miame  claims.  As  is  so  frequently  the  case,  a  stream 
follows  the  contact  between  granite  and  schist,  and  the 
granite  was  not  actually  seen  to  be  intrusive  into  the 
schist.  A  grey  felsite  and  a  small  outcrop  of  diorite 
similar  to  that  seen  in  the  Angwa  river  on  Romsey  farm 
were  noticed  in  the  small  stream  running  into  the  Karoe 
river. 

Pegmatite  dykes  contain  all  the  merchantable  mica. 
They  commonly  trend  in  a  direction  a  few  degrees  west 
of  north,  but  cannot  often  be  followed  for  as  much  as 
100  yards  without  setting  off  to  the  east  or  to  the  west. 
They  vary  in  width  from  a  few  inches  to  10  or  15  yards, 
and  over  much  of  the  field  they  dip  to  the  west  at  high 
angles.  In  the  north-western  part  of  the  field  called 
Dounka,  situated  around  the  Karoe  (north)  river,  the 


MS  MB  P  MB        MS       MB 

Pegmatite  Dykes  with  Books  of  Mica. 

dykes  dip  east  at  a  high  angle  and  are  on  the  average 
narrower  than  elsewhere.  The  mica  books  o-cur  in 
the  dykes  in  a  remarkably  regular  manner,  which  assists 
considerably  prospecting  and  mining.  Thebooksoccur 
in  a  belt  or  in  a  succession  of  lenticles  against  the  mica 
schist  walls,  and  usually  on  both  sides  of  a  dyke,  as 
shown.  Otherwise  the  dykes  present  the  many  varia- 
tions of  composition  so  characteristic  of  pegmatites. 
The  commonest  variety  of  pegmatite  is  one  consisting 
almost  entirely  of  felspar,  the  quartz  occurring  incon- 
spicuously in  glassy  grey  blebs  scattered  through  the 
felspar,  which  is  itself  decomposed  to  a  pinkish,  buff, 
or  white  earth.  This  kind  of  rock  usually  forms  the 
central  portion  of  a  dyke.  In  some  instances  it  has 
scattered  regularly  through  it  books  of  mica  lying  at  all 
angles.  The  books  are  large,  but  very  thin.  The  mica 
is  stained  a  dark  colour  and  does  not  yield  a  marketable 
grade.  In  portions  of  some  dykes,  and  usually  near  the 
walls,  the  quartz  becomes  more  abundant  than  the  fel- 
spar and  forms  lenticles  or  blows.  These  quartz  blows 
are  occasionally  free  from  felspar,  butcontain  numerous 
books  of  mica  an  inch  or  two  in  length.  This  variety 
is  known  on  the  field  as  greisen.  It  usually  lies  close 
beside,  or  is  mixed  with,  the  pockets  of  workable  mica. 
Since  this  greisen  resists  decomposition  and  disintegra- 
tion, It  forms  blocks  at  the  surface,  and  is  frequently 


52 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


the  only  indication  of  a  peKmaiiie  dyke.  In  prospect- 
ing greisen  may  be  taken  as  an  indication  o{  a  possible 
niicabeariiiK  ilyke  bencalli. 

The  mica  is  wholly  nuiscovite,  chemically  a  hydrated 
silicate  o(  aluminium  and  potassium.  It  is  usually 
either  of  a  ruby  or  of  a  bottle-j;reen  colour,  though  some 
clouded  silvery  mica  has  been  found.  The  statement 
that  marketable  biotite  and  phlogopite  have  been  found 
is  not  substantiated.  The  native  name  for  the  mica  is 
"datsi."  The  books  of  mica  occur  in  a  band  or  in  a 
series  of  lenticles  on  each  wall  of  a  pegmatite  dyke,  the 
books  lying  at  all  angles,  but  often  touching  oneanolher 
and  even  being  closely  packed.  The  band  or  lenticle  is 
in  places  close  to  the  wall  of  mica  schist  country-rock , 
in  others  separated  from  it  bya  few  inches  of  pegmatite. 
Here  and  there  a  dyke  is  seen  with  only  one  hand,  but 
this  is  unusual,  except  in  the  case  of  the  narrower  dykes. 
Inclusions  or  horses  of  mica  schist  country-rock  are 
very  common  in  the  dykes,  and  it  is  usual  to  find  a  zone 
of  mica  books  completely  surrounding  the  horse,  which 
is  thus  a  structure  not  unwelcome  to  the  mica  miner. 
The  books  vary  in  size  from  4  to  5  in.  in  length  to  as 
many  feet,  the  majority  probably  being  between  C  and 
18  in.  They  are  seldom  more  than  0  in.  tliick,  and  fre- 
quently half  that.  Mucli  of  the  mica  is  stained,  near 
the  surface  deeply  stained,  but  mining  seems  to  show 
that  staining  diminishes  10  to  15  ft.  down,  and  the  mica 
becomes  slightly  stained,  spotted,  or  clear. 

All  work  is  open-cut,  and  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Maufe's 
visit  had  not  gone  below  a  depth  of  about  35  ft.  Much 
of  the  work  is  done  by  pick  and  shovel,  the  felspar  of 
the  pegmatite  being  decomposed  to  a  clay  and  therefore 
easy  to  work.  When  blasting  has  to  be  resorted  to, 
either  30%  or  farmer's  dynamite  is  used  for  loosening 
the  rock  without  shattering  the  books.  The  pegmatite 
dykes  are  on  some  claims  so  closely  placed  that  it  is 
economical  to  take  out  together  the  foot-wall  band  of 
mica,  the  intervening  strip  of  mica  schist  country-rock, 
and  the  hanging-wall  band  of  mica  in  the  next  dyke.  In 
other  cases  the  two  bands  belonging  to  the  one  dyke 
are  worked  together,  or  each  band  is  separately  worked. 


The  books  commonly  split  up  on  being  taken  out  into 
slabs  about  4  in.  thick.  These  slabs  are  taken  to  the 
dressing  ground,  and  first  split  up  with  the  aid  of  a 
knife  into  sheets  about  j',  in.  thick.  They  are  next 
trimmed  by  shears  into  irregular  polygonal  shapes,  all 
cracks,  flaws,  and  striations  being  rigorously  cut  away, 
and  the  laces  of  the  sheets  peeled  until  a  smooth  even 
surface  is  obtained.  Bent  or  buckled  mica  sliould  not 
be  split  at  all,  but  rejected.  The  irimnicd  sheets  are 
taken  lo  the  grading  sheds,  where  this  most  important 
operation  is  carried  out.  The  groups  depending  on 
transparency  recognized  lately  bylhe  Ministry  of  Muni- 
tions are  :  Clear,  part  stained,  2nd  quality  clear,  2nd 
quality  part  stained,  fair  stained,  ordinary  (rust  and 
clay  stained),  densely  stained,  black  spotted,  and  soft 
white  (Jenerally,  however,  only  four  groups  are  re- 
cognized, namely  :  Clear,  slightly  stained,  stained,  and 
densely  stained.  In  each  group  there  are  ten  sizes,  de- 
pending upon  the  largest  rectangle  which  a  sheet  can 
give.  The  largest  size  is  72  in.  square  or  over.  Itisesti- 
mated  that  U  lb.  of  trimmed  mica  is  a  good  average 
yield  from  each  hundredweight  of  mica  won.  The 
waste  is  therefore  enormous.  Much  of  this  waste  is  of 
marketable  (juality,  and  could  be  converted  into  split- 
tings for  the  manufacture  of  mica  board,  mica  cloth,  or 
mica  paper,  while  oilier  portions  could  be  pulverized 
lo  form  ground  mica. 

Mr.  Maufe  gives  the  following  general  conclusions  : 
(I)  The  quantity  and  quality  of  the  mica  over  a  large 
area  in  Lomagundi  are  sufficient  for  the  establishment 
of  a  regular  mica-mining  industry.  (2)  The  mica  is 
more  regular  in  its  distribution  in  the  dykes  than  is 
usual  in  pegmatites.  The  deposits  are  seldom  pockets, 
but  are  generally  sufficiently  continuous  to  be  called 
"  reefs,"  as  this  term  is  understood  in  South  Africa.  (3) 
The  mode  of  occurrence  of  ihe  mica,  and  the  ease  with 
which  a  marketable  product  can  be  obtained  without 
much  capital,  makes  the  work  suitable  lor  the  "small 
man,"  and  in  view  of  the  large  number  of  reefs  scatter- 
ed over  a  wide  area  it  may  be  confidently  anticipated 
that  continual  efforts  will  be  made  to  work  the  mineral. 


REINFORCED  CONCRETE  IN  TIN-DRESSING  PLANT. 


At  the  meeting  of  the  Cornish  Institute  of  Engineers 
held  on  December  18.  Ernest  Gordon  read  a  paper  de- 
scribing the  use  of  reinforced  concrete  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  100-ton  mill  and  dressing  plant  at  the  Por- 
kellis  (Basset  &  Grylls)  tin  mine  near  Wendron.  It 
was  decided  to  use  reinforced  concrete  on  account  of 
the  high  price  of  timber. 

A  cheap  and  effective  form  of  reinforcement  was  ob- 
tained by  using  the  strands  of  old  scrap  winding  rope. 
This  rope,  IJ  in.  diameter,  was  unstranded  by  hand  in 
100  ft.  lengths,  there  being  6  resulting  strands  of  rough- 
ly ^  in.  diameter.  No  attempt  w^as  made  to  straighten 
out  the  twist  in  the  strands  ;  but,  in  order  to  free  them 
from  grease,  they  were  coiled  up  and  heated  in  the  fire- 
box of  a  boiler.  The  strands  were  very  stiff  and  strong. 
A  rough  idea  of  their  strength  may  be  gathered  by  as- 
suming that  the  original  breaking  stress  of  the  rope, 
when  new,  was  60  tons,  and,  assuming  that  the  present 
strands  were  half  worn  through,  the  breaking  stress 
would  be  about  5  tons.  The  sand  used  svas  ideal  for 
the  purpose,  being  the  washed  refuse  of  the  old  alluvial 
tin  streamers.  It  was  composed  chiefly  of  sharp  quartz 
grains  from  J  in.  down  in  size,  and  contained  no  slime 
or  earthy  matter.  The  cement  used  was  the  ordinary 
Portland  cement,  which  has  been  taken  in  the  follow- 
ing costs  at  £5  per  ton  on  the  mine. 

A  wheelbarrow  was  taken  as  the  standard  unit  for 
measuring  the  ingredients.    Inestimating  thecubiccon- 


tents  of  the  final  mixture,  no  allowance  should  be  made 
for  the  cement,  as  the  latter  is  so  fine  that  it  fills  up  the 
voids  without  appreciably  adding  to  the  volume.  One 
cubic  foot  of  cement  is  taken  at  90  lb. 

Great  attention  was  paid  to  mixing,  and  all  batches 
were  turned  over  three  times  dry  and  then  three  times 
wet.  It  was  found  that  by  using  little  water  the  moulds 
could  be  freed  more  quickly,  but  this  practice  was  given 
upas  the  cement  lost  so  much  of  itsstrength,  due  to  the 
difficulty  of  efficient  packing  in  the  wood  moulds. 
Cement  is  quick  setting  by  using  hot  water,  the  chemical 
action  being  hastened.  This  is  useful  in  an  emergency, 
but  the  resulting  concrete  is  not  ultimately  so  strong  as 
that  produced  by  the  natural  slow  process.  The  best 
result  is  obtained  bv  keeping  the  mixture  moist  for  sev- 
eral days.  Frost  has  a  bad  effect  if  the  mixture  freezes 
before  it  has  had  time  to  set,  the  result  being  that  a 
spongy  mass  is  formed  owing  to  the  included  water  ex- 
panding on  becoming  ice.  To  avoid  this,  straw  was  on 
one  occasion  placed  around  an  important  loading  with 
successful  results.  Another  method  is  to  add  rommon 
salt  to  the  water  before  mixing  in  order  to  lower  the 
freezing  point.  This,  however,  is  not  good  practice. 
Thorough  packingismostessential ;  for,if  thisisscamp- 
ed.  numerous  voids  are  formed,  with  a  corresponding 
loss  of  strength. 

In  compression  concrete  is  very  strong,  but  in  ten- 
sile strength  it  is  only,  as  a  rough  guide,  equal  to  atwen- 


JANUARY,    1921 


53 


tieth  the  strength  of  timber ;  consequently  the  added  re- 
inforcement should  be  equal  to  dealing  with  the  load 
alone. 

At  the  main  shaft  a  100- ton  ore-bin  was  made  of  con- 
crete. This  ore- bin  had  to  be  connected  with  the  mill 
900  ft.  away  by  a  double  tramway  with  an  endless  rope 
system  of  haulage.  A  cutting  was  made  through  some 
fields,  and  a  gantry,  228  ft.  long  and  23  ft  high  at  the 
highest  point,  was  erected.  All  the  fence  posts,  sleepers, 
and  gantry  legs  were  made  of  reinforced  concrete.  The 
fence  posts  were  of  the  ordinary  type  now  becoming  so 
common.  They  were  6  ft.  long,  3  in.  square  at  the  top, 
and  5  in.  square  at  the  bottom  end  ;  5  holes  were  cast 
in  each  for  the  fencing  wire  to  pass  through.  Several 
moulds  were  made  of  wood,  casting  6  posts  at  a  time. 

The  mi-KtureUsed  consisted  of  one  part  cement  to  four 
parts  sand.  Reinforcement  was  made  by  two  strands 
of  wire  rope,  embedded  in  the  mixture,  one  on  either 
side  of  the  holes.  The  holes  were  formed  by  five  .|  in. 
iron  rods  which  passed  through  all  six  posts.  As  soon 
as  the  mixture  started  to  set,  these  rods  were  drawn  out, 
leaving  behind  them  nice  clean  holes.  The  cost  per 
post  for  labour  and  material  worked  out  at  Is.  Id .  The 
weight  is  about   100  lb.   each.     They  were  sunk  into 


Fig  1.     Concrete  Slef.fer. 

the  ground  18in.,andset  8  ft.  apart.  The  fencing  wires 
used  were  old  winding  rope  strands,  the  ends  of  which 
were  fastened  together  by  an  ordinary  fishplate  bolt 
with  two  specially  turned-up  washers  to  clamp  the 
strand  on  either  side  of  it. 

The  sleepers  were  8  ft.  long,  5  in.  wide,  and  4jto3jin. 
thick  between  the  gauge  ;  designed  for  two  1  ft.  6  in. 
tracks  of  4  ft  6  in.  centre.  The  wood  moulds  were 
made  tapered  so  as  to  draw  out.  They  differed  in  this 
respect  from  the  moulds  for  the  posts,  which  had  to  be 
taken  apart  after  each  cast.  A  mould  would  cast  5 
sleepers  at  a  time.  The  mixture  was  four  to  one,  and  the 
reinforcement  was  again  made  by  two  strands  of  old 
wire  rope  embedded  close  to  the  bottom  of  the  sleeper. 
It  will  be  seen  from  the  sketch  that  the  rail  is  held  in 
position  by  means  of  an  ordinary  iron  dog  on  the  inner 
edge,  the  outer  being  wedged  up  against  the  concrete 
sleeper.  To  strengthen  this  portion,  as  well  as  to  allow 
for  a  dog  to  be  driven,  special  blocks  of  wood  were 
cast  as  shown.  Before  placing  these  blocks  in  the  moulds 
they  should  be  thoroughly  soaked  in  water.  Otherwise 
they  will  swell  and  crack  the  concrete  before  it  has  had 
time  to  set.  They  should  also  be  treated  with  some 
form  of  wood  preservative  to  prevent  dry  rot.  In  mould- 
ing, a  small  piece  of  the  rail  to  be  used  was  set  on  the 
top  of  the  mould  in  position.  This  held  up  the  wood 
block  while  the  material  was  being  rammed.  When  the 
ramming  is  completed  the  rail  can  very  soon  be  with- 
drawn, and  the  impression  left  in  the  concrete.  The 
cost  per  sleeper  for  labour  and  material  worked  out  at 
Is.  8d.  The  weight  was  about  1501b.  A  timber  sleeper 
of  this  size  would  have  cost  2s.  9d.  on  the  mine.  The 
concrete  sleepers  were  found  to  be  easy  to  lay,  as  the 
gauge  was  already  fixed.  Moreover,  as  they  grasped 
the  rails  firmly,  they  could  be  placed  at  intervals  of  5  ft. 
So  far  the  only  disadvantage  is  the  weight.  As  the  cars 
in  use  are  only  10  cu.  ft.  capacity  the  comparative  lack 
of  resilience  is  not  of  importance. 

In  the  construction  of  the  gantry,  timber  was  used 


for  the  road  bearers  and  the  legs  were  made  of  rein- 
forced concrete.  These  legs  vary  in  height  from  9  ft. 
to  19  ft.  7  in.  Those  over  9  ft.  were  strengthened  by  a 
horizontal  tie  as  shown  in  the  sketch.  The  legs  are  of 
12  in.  by  9  in.  section  with  a  batter  of  2  in.  to  the  foot, 
and  the  caps  9  ft.  long  of  15  in.  by  9  in.  section.  Four 
bolt  holes  were  cast  in  the  cap  for  bolting  down  the 
road  bearers,  and  a  bolt  was  cast  in  each  end  to  support 
the  hand  rail.  The  foundations  were  so  made  that 
their  tops  came  to  certain  fixed  levels,  to  reduce  the 


■1       i.fc 


,3,_.  jjTxywa Hp^, 


Concrete  Gantry  Leg;  Reinforcement  shown 
IN  Dotted  Lines. 


legs  to  standard  lengths.  The  bottom  half  of  the  legs, 
up  to  and  including  the  horizontal  tie,  was  made  first ; 
and,  after  this  had  set,  the  top  half  of  the  mould  was 
fixed  and  the  work  completed.  The  mixture  used  was 
four  to  one,  and  the  reinforcement  consisted  of  four 
strands  in  each  limb.  These  strands,  set  in  each  corner, 
pass  right  down  from  the  cap  to  the  bottom  of  the  foun- 
dation. The  cross  tie  had  3  in.  iron  pipe  filled  with  con- 
crete placed  an  inch  or  so  above  the  bottom,  and  this 
reached  to  the  centre  of  each  limb.  Thecapwasstreng- 
thened  by  means  of  two  IJ  in.  iron  pipes  (also  filled 
with  concrete)  embedded  near  the  bottom,  one  on  either 
side  of  the  bolt  holes.  Under  the  top  there  were  four 
horizontal  strands,  besides  two  which  crossed  the  cap 
diagonally  downwards.  The  cost  of  a  9  ft.  leg  includ- 
ing labour  and  materials  came  to  32s.  6d.  against  66s. 
5d.  for  one  made  of  timber.  The  legs  were  set  at  12  ft. 
centres  apart,  and  all  the  woodwork  on  top  was  boiled 
in  tar  to  preserve  it. 

To  keep  the  haulage  rope  off  the  ground ,  rollers  were 
made  from  lengths  of  3  in.  iron  pipes.  The  spindle  was 
held  in  position  by  a  thin  disc  of  concrete  at  either  end 
of  the  pipe,  the  intervening  space  being  filled  with  straw 
and  paper.   The  weight  of  one  of  these  rollers  was  just 


54 


Till-:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


over  one  pound,  which  compared  favourably  with  one 
made  with  sohd  wood  core,  and  the  cost  was  about  one 
half. 

For  the  foundations  for  Holman's  pneumaticstamps, 
after  excavating  to  pood  solid  ground,  a  i  ft.  base  with 
plenty  of  area  was  formed  of  14  to  1  concrete.  From 
this  base  the  main  loading  was  formed  For  the  first  2 
ft  a  mixture  of  S  to  1  was  used,  for  the  next  2  ft.  6  to  1, 
and  finally  a  mixture  of  4  to  1  brought  the  loading  up  to 
the  anvil  blocks.  Owing  to  considerable  trouble  having 
previously  been  experienced  through  having  wood 
blocks  under  the  cofTers,  these  blocks  were  dispensed 
with.  Heavy  cast  iron  anvils  were  substituted  to  dis- 
tribute the  blow  from  the  stamp  over  a  sufficiently  large 
area.  A  layer  of  hot  pitch  was  used  on  the  under  side 
of  the  anvil ;  and,  on  the  top  of  this,  a  jj  in.  rubber  mat 


_^^^ 


^^: 


Fig.  3.     Foundations  for  Holman  Stamps. 

was  inserted.  This  arrangement  has  increased  the 
stamp's  output  by  8%  over  the  wood  blocks,  other  con- 
ditions being  equal.  Foundation  bolls  were  brought 
right  up  through  the  anvil  and  coffer,  long  washers 
taking  the  head  of  the  bolts  well  above  the  discharge. 
Consequently,  should  these  nuts  become  loose,  they 
can  be  readily  tightened  without  stopping  the  stamp. 
The  reinforced  concrete  floor  in  front  and  behind,  as 
well  as  theconcrete-formed  trayround  thecoffer,  render 
the  loadings  quite  dry  beneath,  so  that  inspection  can 
be  done  with  ease  and  comfort. 

The  concrete  loadings  for  main  belt  drives  were  stan- 
dardized, the  ends  of  the  original  bo.\  being  used  time 
after  time.  The  same  applied  to  the  crowhole  boxes 
which  were  all  made  tapered  to  permit  their  withdraw- 
al. The  horizontal  launders  which  passed  through  the 
ends  of  the  box  were  removed  assoon  as  the  mass  started 
to  set.  All  these  launders  were  well  soaked  in  water  be- 
fore using  ;  otherwise  they  would  swell  and  be  difficult 
to  extract. 

For  light  walls  for  the  wood  buildings  to  rest  on  to 
bring  them  well  clear  of  the  ground,  a  mixture  of  8  of 
stone,  6  of  sand,  to  1  of  cement  was  used.  This  mix- 
ture, even  with  large  stones  added,  gave  a  surprisingly 
strong  result. 

Several  experiments  were  made  in  the  making  of  con- 
crete floors.     It  was  found  that  good  results  were  ob- 


tained by  laying  the  ground  over  with  stones  from  J  in. 
to  4  in.  cube  and  beating  them  well  in.  A  layer  of  con- 
crete was  then  added  consisting  of  6  of  rough  sand,  1  of 
fine  sand,  to  1  of  cement.  This  mixture  ran  down  be- 
tween the  stones,  cemented  them  together,  and  formed 
a  layer  on  top  about  1  in.  thick.  When  this  had  been 
roughly  smoothed  over,  dry  cement  was  sprinkled  and 
a  good  hard  face  produced.  It  was  found  that  a  bag  of 
cement  (11  bags  to  the  ton)  would  cover  80  sq.  ft.  of 
floor  area. 

The  ore-bin  behind  the  stamps  was  of  the  usual  wood- 
en V  type  with  sloping  bottom.  It  was  found  lo  be  less 
expensive  to  cover  the  bottom  with  a  layer  of  ferro-con- 
crete  rather  than  buy  scrap  sheet  iron  or  boiler  plates. 
A  few  iron  sheets  have  been  bolted  on  the  top  of  the 
concretewhere  the  actual  blow  comes  from  the  dumped 


Iron  Lip  For 
Overflow  Water 


Spigot  Discbarge 


Fig.  4,    Conical  Df.waterf.r 


No. 2  Vamer 


No.  i  Vanner 


Fig.  5.    Section  of  Vanner  Loadings. 

ore.  So  far  the  lining  has  shown  no  signs  of  wear,  and 
the  whole  bottom  of  the  bin  has  been  madequite  imper- 
vious to  slime. 

For  the  concrete  stack  for  the  Brunton  calciner,  an 
old  iron  stack  18  in.  diameter,  IS  ft.  long,  was  used  as 
the  core.  To  avoid  the  concrete  cracking,  through  the 
expansion  of  the  iron  from  heat,  straw  w  as  bound  around 
it  so  as  to  form  an  air  space.  After  the  iron  stack  had 
been  erected  with  its  straw  lagging,  an  outer  mould  22 
in.  diameter  and  3  in.  long  was  centred  and  filled  with 
4  to  1  concrete.  When  this  had  set  the  outer  mould  was 
loosened,  raised  2  ft.  6  in.,  and  again  filled.  In  this  way 
the  stack  was  built  up  in  sections  to  the  top.  When  in 
the  course  of  time  the  iron  core  perishes  through  cor- 
rosion by  gases',  the  concrete  should  take  its  place  with- 
out interruption.  Before  this  work  was  decided  upon, 
a  test  was  made  to  see  how  a  similar  mixture  of  con- 
crete would  stand  the  action  of  the  hot  gases ;  also  to 
test  the  expansion  of  an  iron  core  lagged  with  straw. 

A  section  is  shown  of  an  oil  barrel  converted  into  a 
dewaterer.  The  concrete  ring  for  the  overflow  water 
was  cast  in  position,  a  few  nails  being  driven  into  the 
barrel  to  prevent  the  concrete  from  slipping.  For  this 
ring  a  mixture  of  4  to  1  was  used,  as  well  as  a  few  single 
wires  as  reinforcement.  Practically  the  only  expense 
attached  was  in  making  the  wood  mould  for  the  ring  ; 
but,  once  this  has  been  made,  it  can  be  used  time  after 
time. 

On  dismantling  Frue  vanners,  it  is  usually  found  that 
the  sills  have  become  rotten  through  the  lack  of  venti- 
lation from  being  embedded  in  concrete.  The  section 
shows  the  arrangement  of  vanner  loadings  recently  put 
in,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  a  considerable  amount 


JANUARY,    1921 


55 


of  concrete  has  been  saved  as  well  as  the  sills.  The 
wood  box  which  surrounds  the  tenon  and  tightening 
wedge  is  made  of  rough  timber.  Theconcretecontracts 
around  the  box  and  tends  to  make  the  leg  very  secure. 

The  main  shaft  ore-bin,  designed  for  a  capacity  of 
100  tons,  was  rectangular  in  construction  with  a  flat 
bottom.  The  front  side  rested  on  4  pillars  which  also 
supported  the  floor  of  the  bin  to  enable  the  cars  to  come 
underneath  for  filling.  The  landing  stage  and  roof  of 
the  previous  wood  ore  bin.  as  well  as  the  crusher  load- 
ing. ha%'e  been  combined  in  the  general  design. 

A  ferroconcrete  tank  of  3,000  gallons  capacity  was 
made  for  gas  engine  cooling  water.  This  tank  was  6  ft. 
deep  with  sides  6  in.  thick  at  the  top  and  9  in.  at  the 
bottom.  Four  pillars  supported  it  10  ft.  off  the  ground. 
A  mixture  of  4  to  1  was  used  throughout  the  entire  tank. 
Owing  to  considerable  vibration  being  present.  greaT 
care  had  to  be  taken  with  the  reinforcement.  A  mesh 
of  winding  rope  strands  was  made.  set6in.  apart,  for  the 
bottom  of  the  tank.  The  strands  were  bent  to  continue 
up  in  the  sides  where  they  were  woven  with  horizontal 
strands  placed  a  foot  apart.  The  strandswereall  placed 
as  near  the  outside  edge  of  the  tank  as  possible.  It  was 
found  on  trial  that  the  tank  leaked  slightly.  By  wash- 
ing the  inside  with  a  mixture  of  lime  and  cement  no 


trouble  has  been  experienced  since.  The  tank  was  braced 
on  top  by  four  ferro-concrete  bearers  which  supported 
the  water  cooler.  The  cooler  consisted  of  12  poilite 
sheets  placed  horizontally  one  above  the  other,  the 
water  being  made  to  cover  the  area  of  each. 

Two  travelling  beams  were  constructed,  of  23  ft.  and 
16  ft.  4  in.  centres,  (or  use  over  the  gas  engines.  They 
were  more  or  less  experimental.  They  were  reinforced 
with  steel  rails  and  lengths  of  complete  wire  rope.  The 
latter  was  distributed  throughout  the  beam  in  such  a 
way  as  to  break  up  the  neutral  axis.  The  mixture  used 
was  three  to  one  ;  special  care  was  taken  in  selecting 
the  sand.  So  far  they  have  answered  their  purpose  well 
and  were  most  useful  when  erecting  the  engines. 

A  number  of  concrete  blocks  were  cast,  1  ft.  6  in.  by 
9  in.  by  9  in.  thick,  hollowed  out  to  leave  3  in.  sides. 
These  blocks  were  found  very  useful  for  quoins  ;  more- 
over, being  hollow,  they  were  light  for  getting  into  posi- 
tion. When  in  position  they  can  be  filled  with  a  cheap 
mortar  which  also  serves  to  key  them  together.  They 
were  made  in  wood  moulds  which  were  fastened  to- 
gether by  cottar  bolts.  The  wood  cores  were  made  with 
plenty  of  taper,  and  well  soaked  in  water  before  using. 
The  mixture  was  4  to  1.  Very  little  water  was  used,  so 
as  to  allow  the  cores  to  be  withdrawn  soon  after  packing. 


Connecting  Surface  and  Underground  Surveys. — 

The  method  of  connecting  surface  and  underground 
surveys  in  connection  with  two  shafts  at  the  Throckley 
colliery,  Northumberland,  formed  the  subject  of  a 
paper  read  at  the  meeting  of  the  Associates'  and  Stu- 
dents' Section  of  the  North  of  England  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Mechanical  Engineers,  held  at  Newcastle- 
upon-Tyne  on  November  27.  by  Joseph  Eltring- 
ham.  The  following  account  is  taken  from  the  report 
of  the  paper  published  in  the  Iron  &  Coal  Trades  Re- 
view for  December  3.  These  two  shafts  are  known  as 
the  Derwentwater  and  the  Margaret  respectively,  and 
are  some  distance  apart.  The  depth  of  the  main  seam 
is  243  ft.  The  plans  of  the  separate  pits  having  been 
laid  down  to  the  magnetic  base  by  the  magnetic-needle 
method  and  a  holing  effected  between  the  two  pits,  it 
was  decided  to  connect  the  two  systems  and  so  check 
the  respective  plans.  For  plumbing  the  shafts,  a  hand- 
manipulated  drum  was  used,  with  wire  005Sin.  di- 
ameter, a  pulley  and  cross-beam  for  lowering  two 
weights  (small  and  large),  and  a  bucket  containing 
engine  oil.  Operations  commenced  at  the  Derwent- 
water pit.  The  cross-beam  was  erected  at  the  top  of 
the  shaft,  and  the  pulley  wheel  was  fixed  in  position  so 
that  the  running-offside  was  in  the  centre  of  the  shaft. 
The  drum  was  then  fixed  on  the  pulley- wheel  platform 
and  the  wire  with  a  small  weight  attached  passed  over 
the  pulley  and  gently  lowered.  When  nearing  the 
level  where  underground  operations  were  to  commence, 
the  lowering  ceased  to  allow  for  further  elongation  of 
the  wire  when  the  heavier  weight  was  suspended.  The 
wire  was  further  lowered  to  the  required  position  and 
the  weight  placed  into  the  bucket  containing  oil.  The 
weight  was  not  allowed  to  immerse  completely,  so  that 
any  further  elongation  of  the  wire  could  be  readily  de- 
tected. To  lessen  the  oscillations  due  to  air  currents 
the  fan  was  stopped  for  a  short  period.  A  6  in.  transit 
theodolite  was  next  set  up  near  the  shaft-bottom  and  a 
fore-sight  established.  There  was  a  slight  movement 
of  the  plumb-line,  and  its  angular  movements  were 
measured  several  times.  A  mean  position  was  deter- 
mined, and  from  this  the  angle  to  the  fore-sight  ob- 
served. Before  a  base  line  of  sufficient  length  could 
be  made  five  additional  sights  were  necessary.  This 
base-line,  59025  links,  was  established  by  having  bore- 
holes put  in  the  roof,  in  which  plugs  were  dri%'en  and 


staples  fixed  before  final  observations  were  taken. 
The  distances  were  measured  and  booked  in  the  usual 
manner.  The  party  then  returned  to  the  surface  by 
way  of  a  second  shaft  near  by.  so  as  not  to  interfere 
with  the  plumb-line.  The  theodolite  was  set  up  at  the 
surface  a  short  distance  from  the  shaft.  The  oscilla- 
tions at  the  surface  were  very  slight,  and  a  fore-sight 
was  fixed  and  the  necessary  observations  and  distances 
determined.  The  two  shafts  at  the  surface  were  con- 
nected by  traversing  in  the  ordinary  manner,  because 
the  surface  conditions,  being  level,  favoured  this 
method.  Had  the  surface  been  of  an  undulating 
character  a  system  of  triangulation  would  have  been 
the  better  method  to  adopt.  A  base  line,  1.140  links, 
w-as  laid  down  as  near  the  shaft  as  practicable,  tiles 
were  sunk  into  the  ground  to  a  depth  of  about  18  in., 
and  a  suflScient  number  of  measurements  taken  so  as  to 
determine  their  position  at  some  future  date.  It  was 
from  this  base-line  that  the  observations  for  determin- 
ing the  magnetic  declination  were  taken.  The  travers- 
ing was  continued,  and  when  nearing  the  Margaret  pit 
another  base-line,  923  links,  was  laid  down.  The 
plumbing  apparatus  was  now  erected  and  wi.-e  sus- 
pended at  the  Margaret  pit  in  exactly  the  same  way  as 
at  the  Derwentwater  pit,  traversing  being  carried  on  to 
the  Margaret  pit  and  the  surface  survey  connected  to 
the  suspended  wire.  The  party  made  their  way  under- 
ground by  means  of  a  day-drift  travelling  road  to  the 
seam  at  the  shaft  where  operations  were  to  be  resumed. 
This  was  necessary  so  as  not  to  interfere  with  the 
plumb-line  in  the  shaft.  The  theodolite  was  set  up 
underground,  the  wire  observed,  the  angular  move- 
ment measured,  a  mean  position  determined,  and  a 
fore-sight  taken.  A  base-line,  405  links,  was  now 
established  underground.  The  underground  connec- 
tion was  made  by  connecting  the  two  base-lines  left 
near  the  two  shafts.  Several  base-lines  were  estab- 
lished underground  at  convenient  points  so  as  to  ex- 
tend the  survey  into  various  districts. 

The  theodolite  was  only  provided  with  a  2J  in.  mag- 
netic needle,  and  a  miner's  dial  provided  with  a  6  in. 
magnetic  needle  was  used  to  determine  the  magnetic 
bearings.  The  night  following  the  surface  survey  the 
observations  for  the  determination  of  magnetic  declina- 
tion by  equal  altitude  of  stars  were  carried  out.  The 
theodolite  was  set  up  at  one  end  of  the  base  and  truly 


56 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


centred,  and  a  tripod  set  up  at  the  other  end,  this  also 
being  truly  centred  and  a  lamp  placed  on  the  top.  The 
lamp  was  used  as  a  referring  object.  Zero  of  the 
graduated  plate  of  the  theodolite  was  made  to  coincide 
with  this  line,  and  the  vernier  plate  released  and  al- 
lowed to  rotate  to  any  desired  position.  Three  stars, 
each  of  the  first  magnitude,  were  selected.  The  first 
sl.ir  was  sighted  and  the  horizontal  and  vertical  angles 
noted.  About  15  minutes  later  a  second  star  was 
sighted,  and  in  the  same  manner  a  third  after  another 
15  minutes  had  elapsed.  After  crossing  the  meridian 
the  last  sighted  star  was  the  first  to  reacli  the  altitude 
recorded  on  the  west  side  of  the  meridian,  and  the 
horizontal  angle  was  noted  at  the  point  of  equal  alti- 
tudes. The  second  star  was  then  carefully  followed 
until  it  corresponded  with  the  altitude  observed  before 
the  crossing,  and  again  the  horizontal  angle  noted. 
The  same  was  obtained  for  the  third  star.  Bisecting 
the  horizontal  angle  passed  through  by  each  star  the 
resultant  line  will  be  in  the  geographical  meridian,  and 
from  this  the  azimuth  of  the  base-line  obtained.  To 
find  the  magnetic  bearing  of  this  line  the  miners  dial 
was  set  up,  clear  of  all  magnetic  attraction,  about  50 
yards  from  the  theodolite,  and  a  sight  taken  from  the 
latter  to  the  former,  and  vice  versa.  The  dial  was  set 
up  at  other  seven  points  around  the  theodolite.  In 
this  manner  magnetic  and  azimuth  bearings  were  ob- 
tained, and  the  mean  of  the  difference  between  the  two 
was  the  magnetic  declination. 

The  clockwise  angle  between  the  various  sights  was 
measured  and  recorded  as  follows.  After  all  the  neces- 
sary adjustments  of  the  instrument  had  been  made  the 
vernier  A  was  brought  near  the  zero  of  the  graduated 
plate  and  clamped.  The  readings  of  both  verniers  A 
and  B  were  noted.  The  telescope  was  then  brought 
into  perfect  alignment  with  the  back-sight  and  clamped. 
The  vernier  plate  was  then  released  and  rotated  clock- 
wise until  the  fore-sight  was  in  the  field  and  accurately 
bisected  by  the  hairs  of  the  diaphragm.  Both  verniers 
were  read.  The  above  was  repeated  twice  with  vernier 
A  near  60=  and  120  of  the  graduated  plate.  The  above 
method  was  continued  throughout  the  survey,  and  after 
each  sight  had  been  taken  a  straight  line  was  ranged 
out  with  lamps  underground  and  poles  at  the  surface 
and  carefully  measured,  and  a  measurement  checked 
in  the  opposite  direction. 

The  magnetic  bearing  of  the  base  at  the  surface  hav- 
ing been  determined,  the  remaining  sights  were  calcu- 
lated in  relation  to  the  magnetic  meridian  and  the  bear- 
ing and  length  of  the  tie-line  obtained.  The  under- 
ground survey  was  calculated  to  an  assumed  meridian 
and  the  tie-line  calculated.  The  difference  between 
the  assumed  and  the  magnetic  tie-lines  was  the  bear- 
ing of  the  first  sight  underground.  Knowing  the  mag- 
netic bearing  of  the  first  sight,  the  remainder  of  the 
survey  was  calculated  to  the  magnetic  base.  Twice  in 
the  underground  survey  observations  were  made  to  the 
miner's  dial  situate  in  an  old  roadway,  and  the  two  dif- 
fered from  the  calculated  by  6  minutes  and  4  minutes 
respectively.  This  dial  only  read  to  three  minutes. 
The  plan  was  plotted  by  co-ordinates  and  compared 
with  the  working  plan  which  has  seen  many  years 
of  service,  and  was  found  to  be  within  the  limits 
allowed. 

Copper  Losses  in  Slags. — In  the  Eitgi>ieering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  December  4,  F.  E.  Lathe,  metal- 
lurgist to  the  British  America  Nickel  Corporation,  dis- 
cusses the  losses  of  copper  in  slags  and  the  methods 
for  determining  the  amounts  of  sulphide  and  oxide 
present  in  the  slags.  He  also  indicates  lines  of  experi- 
ments for  the  reduction  of  losses.  We  quote  this  part 
of  the  paper  herewith. 


It  is  customary  to  pl.ice  immediately  below  the  blast 
furntice  spout  one  largesetllcr,  the  overllow  from  wliich 
goes  to  waste.  Although  the  necessity  for  matte  stor- 
age may  require  a  settler  of  large  size,  it  will  often  be 
found  that  two  or  more  smaller  ones  in  series  will  more 
effectively  clean  the  slag  ;  or  the  large  settler  may  be 
followed  by  small  ones.  The  fall  of  slag  from  one 
settler  to  another  probably  allows  the  escape  of  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  gas,  which  may  have  cansed  the  flota- 
tion of  matte  particles.  Such  a  treatment  is  especially 
desirable  when  analyses  show  that  the  percentage  of 
sulphide  copper  in  the  slag  is  high,  as  may  be  true  in 
matte  concentration  or  in  other  cases  with  a  high  per- 
centage of  copper  on  the  charge  to  the  furnace. 

If  the  oxidized  copper  in  the  slag  be  high,  some  may 
be  reduced  by  the  addition  of  coarse  pyrite  to  the  sec- 
ond-last settler  of  a  series.  This  was  done  at  the 
Grand  Forks  plant  of  the  Granby  company  with  some 
success.  The  coarse  pyrite  added  settles  to  the  matte, 
and  the  sulphur  driven  off  by  heat  stirs  up  the  slag  and 
has  an  excellent  chance  to  reduce  oxides.  The  lower- 
grade  matte  produced  in  this  way  also  has  a  tendency 
to  cause  the  precipitation  of  dissolved  sulphides,  if 
present. 

.\s  regards  reverberatories,  owing  to  the  presenceof 
oxidized  copper  in  the  charge,  and  the  comparatively 
neutral  atmosphere  in  reverberatory  smelting,  the  loss 
as  oxide  or  silicate  is  likely  to  be  high.  To  reduce  this 
loss  to  a  minimum  there  is  no  method  more  promising 
than  that  suggested  some  years  ago  by  F.  ].  Carlyle. 
Mr.  Carlyle  thought  that  if  a  wall  of  refractory  ma- 
terial were  built  across  a  reverberatory  furnace  near 
the  skimming  end,  high  enough  to  keep  back  the  main 
body  of  matte,  but  low  enough  to  allow  the  slag  to  flow 
over  it.  pyrite  could  be  charged  through  the  roof  be- 
tween this  wall  and  the  skimming  door,  thus  bringing 
about  a  material  reduction  in  the  copper  content  of  the 
slag.  A  separate  tap-hole  could  be  provided  for  the 
low-grade  matte  as  well  as  a  side  door  behind  the  dam 
for  the  removal  of  floaters.  Such  a  practice  would  not 
involve  radical  changes  in  construction,  and  would  ap- 
pear to  be  of  general  application  in  reverberatory 
smelting. 

If  converter  slag  forms  a  large  proportion  of  the 
charge,  the  sulphide  content  of  the  slag  may  increase. 
In  such  results,  if  the  loss  be  due  to  sulphides  floated  by 
gas  bubbles,  the  lo%v-grade  matte  treatment  may  re- 
duce magnetite  introduced  in  the  converter  slag,  and 
consequently  bring  down  the  sulphide  loss,  as  well  as 
reducing  the  oxides.  To  lower  the  sulphide  content  a 
succession  of  small  settlers  might  also  be  effective,  as 
suggested  for  blast-furnaces.  In  all  such  instances  the 
amount  of  settling  which  can  be  done  outside  the  fur- 
nace is  dependent  principally  upon  the  degree  to  which 
the  slag  has  been  superheated  before  leaving  the  fur- 
nace. 

Metallurgically  speaking,  it  may  be  wasteful  to  pour 
converter  slag  into  blast-furnace  settlers,  but  one  can- 
not say  that  such  a  practice  is  never  justified.  As  in 
all  other  industries,  smelting  and  converting  are  gov- 
erned by  commercial  considerations,  and  these  must 
be  the  deciding  factors.  This  much  may  be  said,  how- 
ever. In  most  plants  possessing  both  converters  and 
blast-furnaces,  at  least  a  part  of  the  converter  slag  is 
re-smelted,  and  when  this  is  done  the  slag  to  be  poured 
into  settlers  should  as  far  as  possible  be  that  produced 
in  the  early  part  of  the  blow,  when  oxidized  copper  is 
at  a  minimum.  If  the  suggested  modification  of  rever- 
beratory furnaces  should,  upon  trial,  prove  commer- 
cially successful,  that  would  appear  to  be  the  logical 
outlet  for  whatever  converter  slag  is  not  required  for 
fluxing  purposes. 


JANUARY,    1921 


57 


Precipitation  of  Gold. — The  October  Journal  of 
the  Chemical,  Metallurgical,  &  Mining  Society  of 
South  Africa  contains  a  paper  by  J.  Hayward  Johnson, 
entitled  :  "  Notes  on  the  Influence  of  Soluble  Silica  and 
Calcium  Salts  in  the  Process  of  Precipitation  of  Gold 
from  Cyanide  Solutions."  As  regards  soluble  silica  the 
author  quotes  two  cases  :  (1)  A  deposit  found  on  the 
^incin  the  sand  solution  precipitation  boxes;  (2)  a  scum 
lound  at  the  head  and  between  compartments  of  sand 
solution  precipitation  boxes.  The  sample  (1)  of  deposit 
and  metallic  zinc  received  was  stirred  with  water  and 
the  deposit  decanted  away  from  the  metal  until  as  much 
zinc  as  possible  was  eliminated.  The  purified  deposit 
was  dried  and  analysed  with  following  results  : 


Calcium  Oxide 
Carbon  Dioxide 

Zinc  Oxide       

Sand,  etc.,  insoluble 
Combined  Water 

Soluble  Silica 

Sulphur  as  Sulphate 
Sulphur  as  Sulphide 
Magnesium  Oxide 

Iron  Oxide       

Gold  and  Silver 

Organic  ,\Iatter.  Lead.  etc. 


"to 
26'4 
18'0 

9'0 

08 
IS'O 
22'8 

07 

10 

0'9 

11 

0'22 
Traces. 


The  deposit  was  therefore  practically  composed  of  cal- 
cium carbonate  and  gelatinous  silica  containing  water. 
The  mixture  was  very  readily  soluble  in  dilute  acids, 
but  if  the  solution  was  heated,  neutralized,  etc.,  the 
colloidal  silica  at  once  assumed  the  gelatinous  form  and 
was  deposited.  The  silica  formed  an  impermeablecoat- 
ing  on  the  zinc  and  prevented  precipitation.  If  the 
solutions  entering  the  boxes  were  perfectly  clear,  it  is 
apparent  that  the  silica  must  exist  in  the  colloidal  sol 
form  and  be  deposited  on  the  zinc  in  the  gel  form  by 
chemical  or  galvanic  disturbance. 

(2)  The  scum  from  the  precipitation  boxes  was  practi- 
cally the  same  as  that  found  on  the  zinc  shavings,  con- 
sisting of  calcium  carbonate  and  colloidal  silica  mixed 
with  a  little  wax.  The  latter  was  probably  derived  from 
candle  grease  and  is  the  cause  of  the  flotation  of  the 
scum. 

Theturbidityof  the  slime  solution  after  24  to  48  hours' 
settlement  (KCy  0  005%  CaO  0  008%)  was  due  to 
silica  in  a  very  fine  state  of  division  (presumably  col- 
loidal suspensoids)  which  was  not  removed  by  the  sand 
clarifiers.  This  turbidity  remained  in  the  plant  for  a 
period  of  about  seven  days,  but  did  not  show  itself  in 
every  charge  treated  during  that  period. 

The  make-up  water  used  in  the  reduction  plant  was 
obtained  from  a  dam  which  received  part  of  its  water 
from  a  valley  into  which  the  drainage  from  several  old 
sumps,  slime  dams,  and  the  compound  was  delivered. 
The  ignited  solids  contained  in  this  water  were  as 
follows  : 


Silica  and  insoluble 

Oxides  of  iron  and  alumina 

Oxide  of  calcium       

Oxide  of  nickel  

Oxide  of  magnesium 


Parts  per 
100.000. 
■•  23 
■  ■  2'3 
..  13  0 
..  27 
..       3'6 


Two  samples  of  so-called  white  precipitate,  one  from 
the  East  Rand  and  one  from  West  Rand,  showed  on  ex- 
amination that  they  carried  37'95%  and  3S'75%  silica, 
respectively,  which  was  found  in  a  very  fine  state  of 
division,  almost  gelatinous. 

The  foregoing  instances  fairly  demonstrate  that  col- 
loidal silica  has  quite  a  considerable  effect  on  precipita- 
tion. In  connection  with  all  these  cases,  considerable 
trouble  was  experienced  in  the  filter  press,  the  silica 
forming  on  the  filter  papers  in  a  gelatinous  film,  almost 
impervious  to  water,  and  causing  a  rapid  rise  in  pressure 
on  the  press. 


Excessively  burnt  lime,  when  the  limestone  carries 
an  amount  of  silica,  is  also  responsible  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  soluble  silica  into  the  solution. 

The  excess  alkalinity  in  the  solution  circuit  is  well 
known  to  have  a  detrimental  effect  on  precipitation, 
and  this  excess  is  sometimes  caused  by  the  slow  solu- 
bility of  the  lime. 

The  deleterioi:s  influence  of  the  sulphates  and  of  car- 
bonate of  lime  is  no  doubt  due  to  the  formation  of  pro- 
tective coatings  on  the  zinc.  Regarding  the  sulphates, 
the  trouble  does  not  develop  apparently  until  the  point 
of  saturation  is  reached  (256  parts  per  100.000),  when 
it  becomes  rapidly  acute.  The  use  of  the  condenser  cir- 
cuit of  the  steam  plant  as  make-up  water,  though  the 
circuit  water  is  valuable  on  account  of  its  available  heat 
during  the  winter  months,  is.  owing  to  its  prior  concen- 
tration, very  liable  to  develop  this  point  of  saturation, 
in  conjunction  with  the  neutralized  acid  salts  of  the  ore. 
With  the  large  amount  of  reclamation  work  being  car- 
ried out  on  many  mines  and  consequent  treatment  of 
partly  oxidized  ores,  the  amount  of  calcium  sulphate  in 
solution  tends  to  increase,  and  during  the  long  winter 
drought  usually  develops  trouble. 

A  Cyanide  Clean-up  Problem. — In  the  Monthly 
Journal  of  the  Chamber  of  Mines  of  West  Australia 
for  September,  W.  B.  Chomley  gives  an  account  of 
difficulties  encountered  in  the  cyanide  clean-up  at  the 
Oroya  Black  Range  gold  mine  and  the  method  of  sur- 
mounting them.  The  difficulties  arose  from  the  pres- 
ence of  copper  in  the  ores. 

It  had  been  the  custom  to  do  the  smelting  in  a  tilting 
furnace,  and  to  refine  the  resulting  bullion  by  the  well- 
known  method  of  stirring  sulphur  into  it  while  molten. 
The  practice  of  smelting  with  an  oxidizing  flux  in  aclay- 
lined  crucible  had  been  tried  and  had  proved  successful 
as  far  as  the  grade  of  bullion  was  concerned  ;  but  it  had 
been  abandoned  as  being  too  tedious,  owing  to  the  low 
gold  contents  of  the  slime.  The  clarifying  arrange- 
ments were  not  equal  to  the  capacity  of  the  rest  of  the 
cyanide  plant  ;  consequently  the  solution  coming  tothe 
extractor  boxes  was  frequently  cloudy.  This  accounted 
for  the  large  bulkof  poor  slime  which  had  to  be  handled 
at  each  clean-up.  Much  might  be  said  as  to  the  com- 
parative merits  and  disadvantages  of  these  two  methods 
of  gold-refining,  but  it  is  only  necessary  here  to  remark 
that  by  the  use  of  the  sulphur  method,  even  after  all 
the  gold  in  the  matte  and  ashes  has  been  taken  into 
account,  a  slight  deficiency  has  been  observed.  This 
loss  is  difficult  to  explain,  but  is  easy  to  estimate ;  while 
on  the  other  hand,  that  which  occurs  while  charging 
an  open  pot  in  a  wind  furnace  is  quite  simple  to  under- 
stand, but  almost  impossible  to  estimate. 

Clay-lined  pots  had  been  tried  in  the  tilt  furnace,  but 
they  were  not  a  success,  for  as  soon  as  a  crack  or  flaw 
developed  in  the  lining,  which  in  these  pots  is  not  re- 
movable, the  carbonaceous  material  composing  the 
outer  shell  was  subjected  to  the  oxidizing  action  of  the 
whole  of  the  charge,  usually  with  disastrous  results,  as 
these  cracks  generally  occurred  at  or  below  the  level  of 
the  molten  metal. 

In  the  early  life  of  the  mine,  the  copper  had  been  an 
unimportant  factor,  but  as  the  upper  levels  became  de- 
pleted and  the  proportion  of  ore  drawn  from  the  sul- 
phide zone  increased,  the  copper  contents  of  the  cyan- 
ide bullion  did  likewise,  until  a  stage  was  reached  when 
it  amounted  to  over  50%  of  the  total.  This  increase  in 
the  copper  in  the  ore  had  no  deleterious  effect  upon  the 
recoveries,  as  the  undissolved  gold  in  the  residue  seldom 
exceeded  two  shillings  in  either  the  leaching  or  agita- 
tion plants.  Precipitation  in  the  zinc-boxes  sometimes 
gave  trouble,  but  although  it  was  demonstrated  that 
copper-coated  zinc  was  a  less  active  precipitant  than 


58 


THE     MINING     MAGAZIN1-: 


the  clean  sliavin^js.  the  (act  thai  while  the  presence  of 
copper  wasconsiant.  these  periods  of  bail  precipitation 
were  intermittent,  indicated  that  the  seat  of  the  [rouble 
lav  elsewhere. 

Of  the  many  possible  canses  that  were  considered  in 
the  search  for  an  explanation  for  these  periods  of  par- 
tial breakdown  in  the  precipitation,  that  connected  with 
varying  ratio  of  zinc  cyanide  to  free  KCN  seemed  to  be 
the  most  probable.  The  physical  condition  of  the  solu- 
tion, that  is,  whether  it  was  clear  or  cloudy,  seemed  to 
have  no  direct  connection  with  it.  It  was  always 
noticed  that  the  new  zinc  in  the  lower  compartments  of 
the  extractor  boxes  quickly  became  coated  with  a  film  of 
copper  and  that  as  it  was  moved  up  toward  the  liead  of 
the  box  to  take  the  place  of  that  whicli  had  been  con- 
sumed, the  copper  was  gradually  replaced  by  sold,  and 
that  short  zinc  in  the  top  compartment  was  practic.illy 
copper  free.  Obviously  a  simple  way  of  obtaining  bul- 
lion free  from  this  base  would  have  been  to  take  out 
only  the  short  zinc  and  to  leave  the  remainder  for  the 
next  clean-up,  but  unfortunately  economic  reasons  de- 
manded quite  tlie  opposite  course. 

The  chief  trouble,  and  the  one  with  which  this  paper 
is  mainly  concerned,  arose  through  the  corrosive  action 
of  the  roasted  slime,  or  rather  the  oxidized  copper, 
upon  the  plumbago  crucibles  The  flux  which  had 
been  found  most  suitable  was  approximately  as  follows : 
roasted  slime  100  parts,  borax  glass  40,  silica  5.  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  percentage  of  silica  here  is  very  low  ; 
but  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  slime  itself  con- 
tained some  gangue  material  which  had  escaped  the 
clari6er.  Sometimes  it  was  necessary  to  leave  out  the 
silica  and  add  sodium  bicarbonate  in  order  to  obtain  a 
fluid  slag.  An  over-silicious  slag  was  really  worse  on 
the  pot  than  a  basic  one,  as  the  time  and  temperature 
required  for  fusion  were  increased.  It  was  seldom  at 
that  lime  that  a  pot  lasted  out  one  full  clean-up,  and  it 
often  happened  that  one  ran  through  during  the  first 
charge,  and  the  amount  of  work  and  trouble  that  this 
entailed  was  considerable. 

At  that  time  the  supply  of  crucibles,  like  all  other 
mining  stores,  was  very  uncertain,  but  it  was  impera- 
tive that  some  means  should  be  found  to  stop  this  de- 
struction of  valuable  and  perhaps  non-replaceable  ar- 
ticles. Several  attempts  were  made  to  remove  the  cop- 
per from  the  slime  prior  to  smelting.  On  an  experi- 
mental scale  this  was  quite  simple,  but  many  difficulties 
arose  when  it  came  to  put  any  of  these  methods  into 
practice.  It  was  found  that  boiling  the  raw  slime  in 
concentrated  sulphuric  acid  would  accomplish  the  de- 
sired purpose,  but  this  was  quite  impracticable  with 
the  plant  available.  Dilute  nitric  acid  was  tried,  but 
although  it  attacked  the  copper,  owing  to  the  presence 
of  much  chlorides  in  the  water  supply,  an  appreciable 
amount  of  gold  went  into  solution,  which  discouraged 
further  investigation  in  that  direction.  The  copper  ox- 
ide was  very  soluble  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  a 
clean-up  carried  out  on  these  lines  produced  bullion 
almost  free  from  base,  and  also  reduced  the  work  of 
smelting  to  a  minimum  ;  but  it  was  found  to  be  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  clear  the  slime  before  bringing  it 
into  contact  with  the  liquid,  otherwise  great  loss  by 
dusting  would  take  place,  and  in  dealing  with  a  large 
quantity  of  material,  this  required  more  time  than  cir- 
cumstances allowed.  Another  serious  objection  to  this 
second  acid  treatment  was  the  extra  handling  involved. 

As  a  return  to  the  original  method  of  smelting  with 
the  certainty  of  having  to  refine  the  bullion  seemed  in- 
evitable, the  matter  was  viewed  in  a  different  light.  As 
the  whole  of  the  trouble  had  been  caused  by  the  copper, 
.  which,  after  being  oxidized  by  the  roast,  would  be  re- 
duced back  to  metallic  state  at  the  expense  of  the  pot, 


the  question  which  presented  itself  was  "  Why  roast  at 
all?"  It  was  realized  that  some  of  the  zinc,  which 
otherwise  would  have  been  roasted  oil,  would  find  its 
way  into  the  bullion,  but  it  seemed  safe  to  assume  that 
in  the  presence  of  so  much  copper  this  would  be  a  neg- 
ligible ipiantity.  Accordingly  a  sample  was  dried  at 
a  low  temperature,  lluxed  on  its  calculated  roasted 
weight,  and  fused  in  a  small  plumbago  crucible.  The 
result  was  encouraging,  but  the  dried  slime  proved  very 
dusty  and  more  dilhcult  to  handle  than  that  which  had 
been  roasted  thoroughly,  so  trials  were  made  on  damp 
slime,  with  equally  satisfactory  results.  Some  misgiv- 
ings were  felt  before  attempting  to  smelt  wet  gold  slime 
on  a  working  scale,  and  the  first  charge  was  very  care- 
fully fed  into  a  barely  warm  pot  alter  a  layer  of  borax 
had  been  first  sprinkled  over  the  bottom.  These  pre- 
cautions were  subsequently  found  to  be  unnecessary, 
and  wet  slime  would  be  fed  into  a  red  hot  pot  without 
any  ill  effect.  It  is  not  known  exactly  what  percentage 
of  moisture  the  slime  held,  but  it  had  only  been  dried 
on  a  vacuum  filter  and  was  distinctly  wet  before  it  was 
fluxed.  No  great  evolution  of  gas  or  steam  took  place 
during  fusion,  but  the  charge  just  sank  quietly  down 
and  was  periodically  topped  up.  A  good  deal  of  the 
surplus  moisture  was  taken  up  by  the  borax  glass  in  the 
flux,  '.vhich  caused  the  whole  to  set  into  a  fairly  dry- 
looking  mass.  A  section  of  the  charge  after  it  had  been 
going  for  some  time  would  have  disclosed  a  gradual 
transition  from  the  wet  slime  on  top,  through  a  layer 
of  w  hat  looked  like  ordinary  roasted  slime,  then  a  zone 
of  slag  with  the  molten  metal  beneath.  The  resulting 
bullion  was  not  appreciably  worse  than  formerly,  and 
there  was  no  noticeable  action  on  the  pot  at  all.  The 
actual  time  taken  in  smelting  was  somewhat  longer; 
but  this  was  counterbalanced  by  that  saved  by  cutting 
out  the  roasting.  The  manual  labour  was  reduced, 
which  was  a  consideration  during  the  hot  months. 

After  the  first  pot  had  been  in  use  for  three  months 
it  was  removed  as  a  precautionary  measure.  Upon  ex- 
amination it  was  found  to  be  quite  sound  and  looked 
good  enough  to  have  lasted  as  long  again.  This  effect- 
ually put  an  end  to  those  mishaps  which  had  unfortu- 
nately become  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception,  and 
the  output  was  not  again  delayed  while  the  contents  of 
the  ashpit  and  furnace  were  being  re-smelted.  It  was 
reallv  the  smelting  of  this  mixture  that  first  suggested 
the  course  ultimately  adopted,  as  it  was  noticed  that  in 
these  cases  the  pot  was  not  attacked  to  the  same  extent 
as  usual.  The  cause  of  this  was  soon  traced  to  the  re- 
ducing action  of  the  small  pieces  of  coke  in  the  charge 
which  protected  the  less  easily  oxidized  graphite  in  the 
crucible. 

It  may  be  mentioned  that  the  author  has  subsequently 
made  trials  of  this  method  on  other  mines  where  the 
same  circumstances  did  not  prevail,  and  as  might  be  ex- 
pected, in  the  absence  of  any  other  base  in  large  quan- 
tities, the  remaining  zinc  was  sufficient  to  spoil  what 
would  otherwise  have  been  fair  grade  bullion,  and  the 
process  was  not  applicable,  but  under  the  conditions 
described  it  can  be  claimed  that  it  was  a  decided  success. 


SHORT   NOTICES 


Stope-Filling. — The  November  Bulletin  of  the  Ca- 
nadian Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a 
paper  by  Walter  Herd  on  the  proposed  application  of 
hydraulic  stowing  to  the  submarine  coal  workings  at 
Sydney,  Nova  Scotia. 

Stope-Filling. — At  the  November  meeting  of  the 
Junior  Institution  of  Engineers,  R.  H.  Squire  read  a 
paper  on  hydraulic  sand-packing  as  practised  jn  Indian 
collieries. 


JANUARY,    1921 


59 


Electric  Power  in  Mines. — Engineering  for  Decem- 
ber 1 7  contains  a  paper  describing  the  electric  winding, 
liauling,  andventilatingplant  at  the  Easington  Colliery, 
L)urham.  The  electric  plant  was  supplied  by  the 
General  Electric  Co.,  Ltd. 

Compressed  Air. — At  the  December  meeting  of  the 
North  of  England  Institute  of  Mining  and  Mechanical 
Engineers,  J .  T.  Pringle  read  a  paper  on  the  production 
and  transmission  of  compressed  air  in  mines. 

Francois  Cementation  Process. — At  the  meeting  of 
the  South  Wales  Institute  of  Engineers  held  at  Cardiff 
on  December  16,  H.  Standish  IJall  read  a  paper  on  the 
Francois  system  of  cementation  for  stopping  the  flow 
of  water  in  shafts  and  drifts. 

Surveying. — The  Colliery  Guardian  for  December 
17  prints  a  paper  read  at  the  South  Wales  branch  of  the 
Institute  of  Mine  Surveyors  of  Great  Britain  on  the  line 
of  collimation  in  dumpy  levels,  etc. 

Electrolytic  Zinc. — Mining  and  Metallurgy  for  De- 
cember contains  an  abstract  of  a  paper  on  the  electro- 
lytic zinc  plant  at  Anaconda,  by  F.  Laist,  F.  F.  Frick, 
J.  O.  Elton,  and  R.  B.  Caples,  to  be  read  at  the  Feb- 
ruary meeting  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgical  Engineers. 

Electrolytic  Zinc.  —  The  Mining  and  Scientific 
PressioT  December  4  contains  a  paper  by  H.  R.  Hanley 
on  the  electrolytic  method  of  producing  zinc.  The 
author's  experience  was  at  Bully  Hill,  California. 

Electrolytic  Zinc. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  December  11,  G.  C.  Heikes  describes  the 
electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Judge  Mining  &  Smelting 
Co.,  Park  City,  Utah. 

Melbourne  University. — In  the  Industrial  Aus- 
tralian and  Mining  Standard  for  October  14,  A.  J. 
Higgin  describes  the  metallurgical  department  of  Mel- 
bourne University. 

Metallurgical  Laboratory.— In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  for  November  20,  H.  O.  Ham- 
mond describes  the  laboratory  attached  to  the  smelting 
plant  of  the  United  Verde  Extension  copper  mine,  Ari- 
zona. 

Gold-Mining  in  the  Philippines. — In  theMiningand 
Scientific  Press  for  December  4,  C.  M.  Eye  and  M.  F. 
Dodd  commence  an  article  on  metallurgical  practice  at 
the  Benguet  Consolidated  gold  mine  m  the  Philippine 
Islands. 

Atmospheric  Impurities. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  December  8,  Osborn  Mon- 
nett  commences  an  article  on  the  determination  of  at- 
mospheric impurities,  with  particular  reference  to  the 
atmosphere  around  smelting  works,  as  at  Salt  Lake 
City. 

Phosphorus  from  Rock  Phosphate. — In  Chemical 
and  Metallurgical  Engineering  for  December  1,  W. 
H.  Waggaman  and  T.  B,  Turley  describe  the  produc- 
tion of  phosphoric  acid  from  rock  phosphate  by  smelt- 
ing with  sand  and  coke  in  a  furnace  fired  with  oil  fuel 
and  electrostatically  precipitating  the  phosphoric  acid 
evolved. 

Mandy  Mine. — The  November  Bulletin  of  the  Ca- 
nadian Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a 
paper  by  G.  R.  Bancroft  on  the  mining  operations  at 
Mandy  mine  in  The  Pas  district,  Manitoba. 

Manitoba  Geology. — The  November  Bulletin  of  the 
Canadian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains 
a  paper  by  R.  ].  Colony  on  the  occurrence  of  norite, 
similar  to  that  at  Sudbury,  at  a  point  twenty  miles  east 
of  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Winnipeg. 

Bolivian  Tin  Mines, — In  the  Engineering  and  Min- 
ing Journal  for  November  20,  J .  T .  Singewald  describes 
the  tin  deposits  in  the  Quimsa  Cruz  mountains,  Bolivia. 


Spitsbergen. — At  the  December  meeting  of  the  Min- 
ing Institute  of  Scotland,  H,  M.  Cadell  read  a  paper  on 
coal  mining  in  Spitsbergen. 

Kent  Coal. — In  the  Iron  and  Coal  Trades  Review 
for  December  10,  H.  A.  Baker  writes  on  the  structural 
features  of  the  Kent  coalfield. 

Oil  in  Palestine. — .\t  the  meeting  of  the  Institution 
of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on  December  14, 
Paul  H.  Mangin  read  a  paper  on  boring  in  Palestine. 

South  African  Diamonds. — At  a  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  Arts  held  on  January  3,  F.  C.  Cornell 
read  a  paper  on  the  alluvial  diamondiferous  deposits  of 
South-W'est  Africa. 

British  Columbian  Topography.  —  In  the  Geo- 
graphical Journal  for  January,  Howard  Palmer  de- 
scribes the  topography  of  the  region  north  of  Revel- 
stoke,  British  Columbia,  including  the  Gold  Range 
and  the  northern  Selkirk  mountains,  a  hitherto  un- 
mapped territory. 


RECENT  PATENTS  PUBLISHED. 

^^^A  copy  of  the  st>ecification  of  any  of  the  patents  men- 
tioned in  this  colitinn  can  be  ohtained  by  sending  Is.  to 
the  Patent  Office,  Southampton  Bitildings,  Chancery 
Lane,  London,  WC.2.,wiih  a  note  of  the  number  and  year 
of  the  patent. 

12,969  of  1918  (154,240).  U.  A.  Garred,  New 
York.  Introduction  of  powdered  fuel  into  the  blast  of 
blast-furnaces  to  take  the  place  of  coke  in  the  reactions. 

4,938  of  1919  (154,240).  M.  A.  Adam,  J.  Ste- 
venson, and  A.  T.  Mabbitt,  London.  Removing  tin 
from  scrap  by  dissolving  in  strong  solution  of  ferric 
chloride  rich  in  tin,  and  electrolysing  the  solution 
obtained. 

12,415  of  1919  (153,926).  W.  M.  Goodwin 
and  .-v.  F.  G.  Cadenhead,  Kingston,  Ontario.  Elec- 
tric smelting  process  for  recovering  vanadium  from 
vanadiferous  iron  ores. 

16,833  of  1919  (150,490).  J.  P.  Mellor,  Swan- 
sea. Method  of  producing  metallic  powders  by  making 
jets  of  steam  or  compressed  air  impinge  on  sheets  of 
molten  metal. 

17,084  of  1919  (153,352).  R.  S.  Sherwin,  St. 
Louis.  Improved  process  for  precipitating  aluminium 
hydrate  from  alkali  aluminate  solutions. 

17,975of  1919(154,265).  G.  Morimoto,  Kyoto, 
Japan.  Claim  (1)  :  "A  rock-drill  or  rock-boring  ma- 
chine of  the  percussive  type,  comprising  a  hammer  or 
striker  adapted  to  make  a  forward  stroke  divided  into 
two  stages  through  the  medium  of  a  blow-inducing  cam  ; 
and  a  U-shaped  rod  having  one  of  its  limbs  formed  to 
afford  curved  surfaces  upon  which  a  grooved  pulley  is 
adapted  to  rest  and  to  shift  either  to  a  straight  high  face 
from  a  straight  low  face  by  passing  through  a  curved 
face  of  the  rod,  or  to  a  straight  high  face  from  a  point 
of  the  curved  face  according  to  the  extent  of  movement 
of  the  striker  relatively  to  the  pulley." 

18,337  of  1919(130,334).  F.  M.  Wiberg,  Falun, 
Sweden.  Furnace  for  smelting  iron  ores  with  gaseous 
fuel. 

15,210  of  1919  (153,931).  A.  R.  Mangnall, 
Chester,  and  R.  F.  Irving,  Bristol.  Earth-boring 
machines  for  boring  holes  through  soft  earth. 

19,391  of  1919  (153,649).  I.  B.  Hobsbawn, 
Brighton,  and  J.  L.  Grigioni,  Valparaiso.  Method 
for  recovering  nitrate  from  solutions,  particularly  with 
the  object  of  separating  common  salt  and  sulphate  from 
the  liquors. 

19,579  of  1919(153,659).  W.  H.  Dorman  & 
Co.,  Ltd.,  and  J.  Hanson,  Stafford.  Hydraulic  wave 
generators  for  use  in  connection  with  the  wave-trans- 
mission rock-drill  and  similar  tools. 

20,662  of  1919  (153,700).     British  Thomson- 


60 


Till'.    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Houston  Co.,  Lth.,  London.  Controlling  mechanism 
for  electric  hoists  and  winding  engines. 

21,608  of  1919  (132.260).  T.  H.  rAi.MEK,  H. 
V.  Se\I-i:.  and  K  P.  Ni:\i:tt,  Broken  Hill.  The 
addition  of  snlphur  in  elemental  form  to  theliquids  nsed 
in  treating  weathered  ore  in  the  llotation  process. 

21,074  of  1919(153,983).  .\.  Fkance,  Lidge. 
Coal-washing  apparatus  consisting  of  a  number  of 
troughs  arranged  \n  cascade  formation. 

22,376of  1919(154,373).  S  O.  Cowpek Coles, 
London.  Means  for  producing  a  tempered  or  springy 
copper  bv  electrolysis  of  sulphate,  by  rotating  the  cath- 
ode at  a  high  speed  and  adding  arsenic  to  the  solution. 
22,388  of  1919  (152,840).  Union  .\i.iiii)E  Co., 
New  York.  Method  of  producing  and  using  magne- 
sium-silicon alloys  in  connection  with  the  deoxidizing 
process  in  purifying  iron  or  steel. 

24,383  of  1919(152,509).  C.  F.  Priest,  Redcar. 
Regenerative  gas  fired  kilns  for  burning  ore  briquettes 
or  high-temperature  refractory  materials. 

24,744  of  1919  (134,825).  Klectkolvtic  Zinc 
Co.  of  .\isTRALASi.A,  Ltd.,  Melbourne.  Method  of 
giving  a  sulphatizing  roast  to  zinc  sulphide  ore  prepara- 
tory to  leaching. 

25,300  of  1919  (133,960).  E  Fourneau,  La 
Houverie,  Belgium.  Apparatus  surrounding  the  steels 
of  rock-drills  whereby  the  dust  created  may  be  drawn 
awav. 

26.317  of  1919  (152,526).  M  Uchino.  .■\shio, 
Japan.  Refining  arsenic  soot  by  distilling  through  a 
mixture  of  copper  and  iron  oxides. 

26,511  of  1919  (151,842).  A  Stevenson  and 
A.  Logan.  Glasgow.  Improved  cutting  tools  of  coal- 
mining machines, 

27,1 15of  1919  (140,050).  Deutsche  Maschin- 
ENFABRIK,  Duisburg.  Bessemer  plant  having  a  pair 
of  rails  on  which  the  casting  ladles  travel  suspended 
from  the  converter  staging. 

27,859  of  1919  (152,533).  E  Pickard,  Notting- 
ham. Safety  apparatus  for  supporting  mine  cages  in 
case  of  the  failure  of  the  winding  rope. 

28,209  of  1919(154,434).  J.  R.  Broadley.Lou- 
don.  Claim  (1)  :  "  In  a  machine  (tube-mill)  for  grind- 
ing ores,  minerals,  stones,  and  the  like,  means  for  evacu- 
ating finished  material  comprising  a  classification  com- 
partment with  access  from  a  grinding  compartment 
through  passages  provided  in  a  diaphragm  separating 
the  two  compartments  and  with  a  discharge  outlet  for 
decanting  fine  material  in  suspension  in  water  or  other 
liquid." 

28,749  of  1919  (151,854).  Lindsay  Light  Co., 
Chicago.  Method  of  extracting  thorium  compounds 
from  monazite  sand. 

28,845of  1919(152,879).  E.  A.  Ashcroft, Lon- 
don. Improved  electrolytic  cell  for  decomposing  fused 
magnesium  chloride. 

29,239  of  1919  (153,182).  W.  Graham,  South 
Shields.  .-V  detonator  for  blasting  purpose,  damp-proof 
and  positive  in  its  action. 

30,977  of  1919  (152,887).  H.  C.  Pedersen, 
Trondhjem.  Norway.  Arrangement  of  roasting  fur- 
naces so  asto  obtain  the  sulphur  in  elemental  condition. 
31,201  of  1919  (140,746).  Dvnamit  AG.  nor- 
mals Alfred  Nobel,  Hamburg,  and  P.  Naol'm. 
Cologne.  A  blasting  gelatine  that  can  be  safely  used 
in  the  presence  of  firedamp. 

31,560  of  1919  (153,481).  W.  Morley  Mar- 
tin, Redruth.  Improvements  in  the  motion  and  groov- 
ings  of  reciprocating  tables. 

32,409  of  1919  (152,549).  F.  Quinonero,  La 
Union,  Murcia.  Spain,  A  magnetic  separator  suitable 
for  separating  magnetic  iron  oxide  from  galena. 


32,853  of  1919(154,471).  C.  Heuerlein,  Lon- 
don Improvement  in  ilie  inventor's  process  of  deposit- 
ing nickel  eleclrolvtieallv 

1,711  of  1920(153,500).  S.  E.  SiEiRiN,  Haga- 
nas,  Sweden.  Extracting  alumina  by  treating  the  raw 
material  with  hydrochloric  acid,  liquid  and  then  gas- 
eous, and  calcining  the  chloride  produced. 

2,668  of  1920  (151,884).  1  .  Bkckett  and  R. 
C.  .\NDEUsoN,  Glasgow.  Electric  haulage  gear  for 
mines. 

3.311  of  1920(123,503).  C.  A.  Edgley,  Yarm- 
on-Tees.    Method  of  leaching  chloridized-roasted  ores. 

4,376  of  1920(152,916).  J  B  Gi^iMETand  A. 
Gt'lLLOCHON,  l'"leurien-sur-Sa6ne,  France.  In  the 
manufacture  of  ultramarine,  the  use  of  alkali  sulphites 
or  bisulphites  in  place  of  carbonate  and  sulphate  of  soda 
usually  employed. 

4,695  of  1920  (139,173).  L.  H.  Diehl,  Berlin. 
In  thesmelting  of  iron  ores,  an  arrangement  for  blowing 
air  through  the  slag  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the 
sulphur  contained  therein  as  sulphur  dioxide. 

4,975  of  1920  (139,194).  V.  (;erber,  Ober 
Usler,  Switzerland.  Smelting  of  alumina  mixed  with 
carbon  in  an  electric  furnace  using  alternating  current. 

5,549  of  1920  (154,108).  S.  O.  Cowper-Colks, 
London.  Method  of  electrolytically  precipitating  alloys 
of  copper  and  zinc. 

7,747  of  1920  (153,830).  T.  M.  Allison,  New- 
castle-on-Tyne.  .V  centrifugal  separating  machine  for 
removing  earthy  matters  from  coal. 

12,791  of  1920  (152,281).  G.  II.  T.  and  P. 
Ravner,  Sheffield.      Improved  valve  for  rock-drills. 

13,536  of  1920(154,512).  Dorr  Co  ,  Denver. 
An  improved  classifier, 

14,711  of  1920  (152,939).  R.  H.  Harris,  Seven 
Sisters,  Glamorgan.  Improvements  in  the  inventor's 
electric  detonators. 

16,525  of  1920  (145,442).  Fried.  Krupp  GRt;- 
SOXWERK,  Magdeburg-Buckau,  Germany.  Improved 
magnetic  separator. 

18,032  of  1920  (145,734).  Fried  Krupp  Gru- 
SONWERK,  Magdeburg-Buckau,  ("rermany.  Device 
for  closing  the  tap-hole  in  smelting  furnaces. 

20,656  of  1920  (148,818).  H.  Stehmann,  Ber- 
lin. Blast-proof  closing  of  discharging  devices  for 
blast-furnaces. 

27,659  of  1920  (152,990).  Th.  Goldschmidt, 
Essen,  Germany.  Method  of  obtaining  carbon-free 
f  erro-chromium  from  chrome-  iron  ores  by  the  alumino- 
thermic  process, 

NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

!)•" Copies  of  the  books,  etc..  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
through  ihe  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine. 
724.  Salisbury  House.  London  Wall.  E.C.2. 

The  Oil-Shale  Industry.     By  Victor  C.  Alderson. 

Cloth,  octavo,   180   pages,   illustrated.      Price  26s. 

New  York  :   Frederick  .\.  Stokes  Company. 

Hitherto  when  it  has  been  necessary  to  get  together 
some  general  information  concerning  the  technology  of 
oil-shale,  the  amount  of  reference  work  needed  in  eluci- 
dating the  really  fundamental  data  has  proved  to  be  no 
small  task,  and  if  for  no  other  reason  than  that.  Dr. 
Alderson  is  to  be  congratulated  on  Ihe  production  of 
the  present  comprehensive  volume.  As  will  be  gather- 
ed from  the  bibliography  included  at  the  end  of  the 
book,  most  of  our  knowledge  of  the  subject  is  scattered 
over  a  wide  field  of  literature,  some  of  it  easy,  but  most 
of  it  difficult,  of  access  to  the  average  person  outside  a 
technical  or  scientific  institution.  One  result  of  this  is 
that  the  prevalent  ideas  concerning  the  oil-shale  indus- 
try are  somewhat  confused  and  even  conflicting,  and  we 


JANUARY,    1921 


61 


therefore  welcome  the  appearance  of  a  volume  which 
summarizes  all  the  information  thus  far  accumulated 
in  so  satisfactory  a  manner. 

The  book  is  essentially  economic,  and  does  not  at- 
tempt to  deal  with  the  many  vexed  geological  and  chemi- 
cal questions  as  yet  remaining  unsolved  with  regard  to 
shale  oil  ;  probably  this  is  a  good  feature,  since  in  the 
present  state  of  our  knowledge  littlevaluewouldaccrue 
to  such  considerations  unless  they  were  of  a  very  ex- 
liaustive  character.  With  the  growth  of  the  industry 
both  at  home  and  abroad  research  is  bound  to  receive 
a  further  stimulus,  and  much  that  is  at  the  moment  im- 
perfectly understood  will  doubtless  be  made  clear  in 
the  light  of  new  facts  and  hypotheses  thus  advanced. 
To  this  end,  and  as  an  offset  against  the  gradually  de- 
clining production  of  crude  oil,  the  author's  main  plea 
throughout  the  work  is  the  immediate  development  of 
the  world's  oil  shale  resources,  and  in  this  he  has  the 
fullest  support  of  all  far-sighted  men  of  to  day. 

We  in  this  country  are  constantly  hearing  of  the 
"vast  mountains  of  oil  shale"  hitherto  untouched  in 
America,  and  possibly  we  may  regard  such  a  statement 
as  a  piece  of  pardonable  exaggeration  on  the  part  of  our 
enthusiastic  friends  in  the  States.  But  Dr.  Alderson 
shows  in  a  most  convincing  manner  that  far  from  being 
an  exaggeration  it  is  possibly  but  a  modest  computation 
of  the  resources  of  that  country.  We  read  (page  29) 
that  in  the  Utah  portion  of  the  Uintah  basin  alone 
there  are  40,000,000,000  tons  of  shale  which,  yielding 
a  barrel  of  oil  to  the  ton  under  normal  working  condi- 
tions, will  require  over  500  years  for  their  exhaustion  ; 
similarly  in  Colorado  there  would  seem  to  be  at  least 
800  years'  supply  !  Such  estimates  as  these,  which 
omit  all  consideration  of  oil-shale  deposits  elsewhere, 
both  in  America  and  other  countries,  are  sufficient  in 
themselves  to  make  us  wonder  why  such  valuable  re- 
sources of  oil  fuel  should  remain  comparatively  unde- 
veloped until  now,  and  we  are  driven  to  seek  an  expla- 
nation in  the  study  of  the  many  commercial  aspects  of 
the  problem.  Of  these,  one  factor  stands  out  very 
clearly,  quite  apart  from  prevalent  economic  conditions, 
and  that  is  the  general  crudeness  of  present  methods  of 
shale  refining.  I',  is  well  known  that  no  one  method  of 
retorting,  for  example,  will  suit  all  facies  of  shale;  a 
process  well  adapted  for  the  treatment  of  the  Scottish 
shale  may  be  quite  inapplicable  in  the  States  or  in  other 
parts  of  the  world,  where  the  nature  of  the  shales, 
climatic  conditions,  and  economic  criteria  are  all  vary- 
ing factors,  and  where  the  difficulties  of  initiating  satis- 
factory commercial  processes  to  meet  local  requirements 
are  extremely  acute.  Such  obstacles  can  only  be  over- 
come by  much  detailed  experimental  work,  work  which 
we  are  glad  to  see  is  at  last  claiming  the  attention  of 
experts  both  in  this  country  and  abroad. 

The  author  deals  at  some  length  with  the  several  pro- 
cesses of  refining  at  present  employed,  and  he  supplies 
some  valuable  information  from  the  results  of  much 
experimental  work  carried  out  at  the  Colorado  School 
of  Mines,  of  which  he  is  himself  the  president.  In  this 
country  similar  work  has  been  done  and  is  in  progress 
in  the  Oil  Technology  Department  of  the  Royal  School 
of  Mines,  and  we  take  this  opportunity  of  framing  a  few 
criticisms  of  the  method  of  shale  distillation  carried  out 
at  the  former  school,  and  described  in  detail  in  the  pres- 
ent volume  on  page  94  et  seq. 

(1)  The  cast-iron  retort  or  pot  still  described  by  Dr. 
Alderson  might  with  advantage  be  replaced  by  an  iron 
tube,  since  uniform  heating  of  the  shale  is  thus  much 
more  rapidly  obtained. 

(2)  When  carrying  out  the  distillation  with  steam, 
there  is  a  danger  in  using  the  pot-still,  since  the  steam 
will  tend  to  take  theeasiestchannel  through  the  material 


without  passing  uniformly  through  the  shale  ;  this 
danger  is  minimized  with  a  tube  retort,  especially  if  the 
latter  be  narrow,  say  2J  in.  internal  diameter. 

(3)  There  is  also  a  danger  of  some  of  the  oil  condens- 
ing on  the  cooler  upper  surface  of  the  pot-still,  and  in 
the  vertical  portion  of  the  delivery  tube,  thus  dropping 
back  on  to  the  hot  shale  and  becoming  decomposed,  a 
possibility  largely  eliminated  in  the  tube  retort. 

(4)  More  rapid  methods  of  estimating  the  yield  of 
ammonium  sulphate  can  be  employed  than  that  de- 
scribed by  the  author.  If  the  ammonia  water  is  not  too 
strongly  coloured,  a  known  excess  of  normal  NaOH 
solution  may  be  added  ;  the  oily  bases  thus  liberated  may 
be  extracted  by  shaking  with  petroleum  ether,  when  by 
titrating  back  the  aqueous  layer  with  standard  acid,  the 
amount  of  ammonia  present  in  the  liquor  may  be  easily 
determined.  Where  the  ammoniacal  liquor  is  too 
strongly  coloured  to  make  this  method  possible,  the 
yield  of  sulphate  may  be  determined  by  rendering  it 
strongly  alkaline  with  NaOH  and  distilling  off  the  am- 
monia into  standard  sulphuric  acid.  The  oil  must  of 
course  be  separated  from  the  liquor  in  the  first  place. 

The  book  is  markedly  free  from  technical  and  literary 
inaccuracies,  and  is  in  itself  a  tribute  to  the  patient  and 
thorough  work  which  the  author  has  been  and  is  doing  ; 
his  inquiries  made  personally  in  this  country  during 
the  early  summer  months  of  last  year  with  reference  to 
the  oil-shale  industry  in  England  and  Scotland,  and  re- 
ported at  some  length  in  the  October  issue  of  the  Quar- 
terly of  the  Colorado  School  of  Mines,  clearly  show 
the  broadmindedness  and  sincerity  of  the  effort  which 
he  and  his  pupils  are  making  in  an  organized  endeavour 
to  establish  the  foundations  of  a  far  greater  oil-shale 
industry  than  the  world  has  yet  appreciated. 

H.  B.  MiLNER. 

The  Sunset-Midway  Oilfield,  California.     By  R.  W. 

Paciy,      United  States  Geological  Survey,    Profes- 
sional Paper  116. 

This  memoir  deals  with  the  geology  and  technology 
of  the  oil  resources  of  an  area  situated  at  the  southern 
end  of  the  San  Joaquin  valley,  Kern  County,  California, 
and  is  yet  another  example  of  the  high  standard  of  ex- 
cellence attained  by  American  publications  of  this  na- 
ture. It  constitutes  Part  I.  of  the  Official  Report  on  the 
Sunset-Midway  field,  and  besides  giving  a  thorough  ac- 
count of  the  occurrence  of  petroleum  there,  it  contains 
some  most  valuable  information  on  oil  accumulation 
which,  by  reason  of  its  wider  application,  repays  care- 
ful study. 

The  author  first  treats  of  the  stratigraphy  of  the  dis- 
trict, which  consists  essentially  of  an  enormous  mass  of 
Tertiary  sediments  reposing  unconformably  on  a  com- 
plex of  granitoid  rocks  with  associated  metamorphics. 
forming  part  of  thegreat  batholith  of  the  SierraNevada. 
These  sediments  have  an  estimated  thickness  of  18,000 
ft.,  and  though  not  expressive  of  continuous  deposition, 
they  range  in  age  from  Eocene  to  Pliocene,  with  but 
few  important  stratigraphical  breaks  in  the  succession. 
Of  these  deposits  the  central  Miocene  diatomaceous 
formation  is  both  geologically  and  economically  the 
most  characteristic,  and  is  referred  to  here  as  the  Mari- 
copa Shale  series,  the  lower  part  of  which  is  equivalent 
to  the  younger  beds  of  the  better  known  Monterey 
group  of  this  region.  The  oil  is  regarded  as  indigenous 
to  this  series,  which  has  a  thickness  here  of  nearly  5, 000 
f  t , ,  and  most  of  the  productive  horizons  of  this  field  are 
located  in  and  about  these  shales. 

The  geological  structure  of  the  area  is  by  no  means 
simple.  The  accumulation  of  oil  has  apparently  been 
controlled  by  a  series  of  folding  movements  along  a 
line  trending  W.N.W.-E.S.E.,  a  direction  somewhat 


62 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


oblique  to  ihe  strike  of  the  main  coastal  rariKe.  This 
folding  has  produced  aseriesofantichnesandsynclines, 
in  places  closely  packed  together,  with  a  certain  amount 
of  concomitant  faulting,  especially  in  thesoutli,  in  the 
San  Kmi^dio  Mountains,  where  the  main  structure 
lines  are  trending  practically  li-W.  Most  of  the  pro- 
ductive 6elds  of  the  region  to  the  west  of  the  San  Joa- 
quin valley,  embracing  the  Sunset-Midwaydistrict,  are 
situated  near  the  axes  of  these  anticlinals. 

With  regard  to  actual  production,  up  to  January  1, 
1918,  2,827,900.000  barrels  of  oil  had  been  obtained 
from  over  2,000  wells  drilled  :  from  the  statistical  de- 
tails given  by  Arnold  in  the  "  Manual  for  the  0>\  and 
Gas  Industry."  pp.  l-tS-152,  it  is  evident  that  the  future 
prospects  of  the  SunsetMidv,'ay  field  are  exceedingly 
good,  such  being  the  impression  also  conveyed  from  a 
study  of  this  memoir  and  of  the  excellent  maps  included. 

H.  B.  MiLNER. 

The  Mineral  Industry  :  Its  Statistics,  Technology, 
and  Trade  during  1919,  Vol.  xxviii.  Edited  by  G.  A. 
Koush  and  Allison  Butts.  Cloth,  octavo,  902  pages. 
Price  {2.  15s.  Od.  New  York  and  London  :  McCJraw- 
llill  Hook  Company. 

Ontario  Department  of  Mines  29th  Annual  Re- 
port. I'art  1\':  Kirklaiid  Lake  ( lold  Area,  by  A.  G. 
Burrows  and  V.  IC,  Mopkins 

Ontario  Department  of  Mines  29th  Annual  Re- 
port. Part  III  :  Ben  Nevis  Gold  Area,  by  C.  W. 
Knight ;  West  Shiningtree  Gold  .^rea,  by  P.  E,  Hop- 
kins ;  Matachewan  Gold  Area,  by  \.  G.  Burrows; 
Argonaut  Gold  Mine,  by  C.  W.  Knight;  Gowganda 
Silver  .\rea.  by  A.  G.  Burrows. 

Coal  in  Great  Britain  :  The  Composition,  Structure, 
and  Resources  of  the  Coalfields,  Visible  and  Concealed, 
of  Great  Britain.  By  Dr.  Walcot  Gibson.  Cloth, 
octavo.  320  pages,  illustrated.  Price  21s.  net.  Lon- 
don .  Edward  Arnold. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Dolcoath  Mine. — The  report  of  this  Cornish  tin- 
mining  company  for  the  six  months  ended  June  30  last 
shows  that  30.052  tons  of  ore  was  treated,  yielding 
338i  tons  of  tin  concentrate,  or  25'21b.  per  ton.  This 
was  sold  for  ;f  70.75L  and  in  addition  ;^1,918  was  re- 
ceived from  the  sale  of  crude  arsenic.  Other  items 
brought  the  total  receipts  to  ;f74,732,  against  which 
there  was  an  outgoing  of  /86,006.  including  ^3,213 
paid  as  debenture  interest.  The  loss  for  the  half-year 
was  ;^n,275.  Since  the  end  of  the  half-year  the  bot- 
tom workings  have  been  abandoned,  and  operations 
have  been  continued  on  a  reduced  scale.  The  propo- 
sal to  explore  to  the  north  is  given  in  detail  elsewhere 
in  this  issue. 

Sub-Nigel. — This  company  was  formed  in  1895  to 
acquire  property  on  the  dip  of  the  Nigel  gold  mine  in 
the  Heidelberg  district  of  the  Far  East  Rand.  In  1909 
the  adjoining  property  of  the  Nigel  Deep  was  absorbed. 
More  recently  property  on  the  dip  in  the  Grootfontein 
has  been  acquired,  and  an  extensive  scheme  of  develop- 
ment inaugurated.  The  control  is  with  the  Consoli- 
dated Gold  Fields  of  South  .-Vfrica  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  117,304  tons  of  ore 
was  sent  to  the  mill,  where  38,911  oz.  gold  was  ex- 
tracted by  amalgamation  and  33,862  oz.  by  cyaniding, 
being  a  total  of  72,773  oz.,  or  12  33  dwt.  per  ton.  The 
gold  was  sold  for  ^384,365,  of  which  ;f7G.311  repre- 
sented premium.  The  value  of  the  yield  per  ton  was 
65s.  Id.,  or  excluding  premium  52s.  2d.  The  working 
cost  was  /253,636.  or  42s.  Hd.  per  ton,  leaving  a  profit 
of  /130,729,  or  22s.  2d.  per  ton,  out  of  which  ;(;70,000 
was  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  10%. 


The  developments  have  not  maintained  the  ore  reserve, 
which  stands  at  284,000  tons  averaging  IQdwt.  The 
new  vertical  shaft  reached  the  reef  at  a  depth  of  2,379ft. 
in  November.  1919.  and  connection  has  been  made 
with  tiie  17th  and  21st  levels.  Since  the  close  of  the 
company's  linancial  year,  developments  on  the  21st 
level  have  disclosed  a  number  of  runs  of  profitable  ore. 

Knights  Deep. -This  company  was  formed  in  1895 
to  accjuire  deep  level  claims  in  the  middle  east  Rand, 
and  milling  commenced  in  1903.  The  control  is  with 
the  Consolidated  Gold  Fields  of  South  Africa.  From 
1905  to  1917  satisfactory  dividends  were  paid  regularly. 
In  September,  1920,  the  mill  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Under  the  conditions  now  ruling  at  this  low  grade  mine, 
it  was  impossible  to  rebuild  the  mill,  so  the  company  is 
to  go  into  liquidation.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
July  31  last  shows  that  1,070,200  tons  of  ore  was  raised 
and  milled,  for  a  yield  of  193,881  oz.  This  gold  was 
sold  for /1,049,48b,  of  which  /224,236represented  pre- 
mium. The  income  per  ton  milled  was  19s.  7d.,  of 
which  4s,  2d.  was  premium.  The  working  expenses 
were  ^940, 965,  or  17s.  7d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  working 
profit  of  /10S,514,  or  2s.  per  ton.  A  dividend  of  3.?% 
was  paid  in  January,  1920,  absorbing  .f27,882.  The 
ore  reserve  was  estimated  on  July  31  at  727,000  tons, 
averaging  4  8  dwt.  over  65  in. 

Luipaard's  Vlei  Estate  &  Gold.  —  This  company 
was  formed  in  1888  by  the  Consolidated  Gold  Fields 
to  work  a  gold  mining  property  in  the  far  west  Rand. 
Milling  was  started  in  1898,  but  was  suspended  on  the 
outbreak  of  the  Boer  war,  and  was  not  resumed  until 
1906.  In  1909  the  adjoining  Windsor  mine  was  ab- 
sorbed. In  1912  the  control  was  acquired  by  L. 
Ehrlich  &  Co.  The  property  consists  of  four  sections, 
two  on  the  Main  Reel  Series,  and  two  on  the  Battery 
Reef  to  the  south.  Small  dividends  were  paid  in  1908, 
1909,  and  1916.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June 
30  last  shows  that  226,985  tons  of  ore  averaging  4  99 
dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill,  where  52,523  oz.  of 
gold  was  extracted  by  amalgamation  and  cyaniding, 
being  a  yield  of  4  628  dwt.  per  ton.  The  amount 
realized,  including  premium,  was  ;f276,026,  while  the 
working  cost  was  ;^247,906,  and  the  item  for  develop- 
ment redemption  was  ;^34,047.  Thus  the  total  work- 
ing cost  was  /281,954,  and  the  adverse  balance  for  the 
year  ^5,928.  A  shortage  of  native  labour  and  a  fall 
in  the  sloping  width  of  the  reefs  had  a  very  serious 
effect  on  the  output  and  revenue,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  costs  went  up  3s.  6d.  as  compared  with  the 
previous  year.  An  advance  in  the  gold  premium  came 
to  the  rescue,  however,  and  obviated  the  contempla- 
ted stoppage  of  operations.  It  is  now  intended  to  re- 
sume development  directly  a  supply  of  natives  can  be 
obtained.  The  reserve  stands  at  701,847  tons  averag- 
ing 52  dwt..  together  with  84.564  tons  partly  develop- 
ed expected  to  average  571  dwt.  per  ton. 

Witbank  Colliery. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1896  to  acquire  coal  lands  in  the  Middelburg  district  of 
the  Transvaal,  about  90  miles  east  of  Johannesburg. 
The  control  was  with  Neumann's,  but  is  now  with  the 
Central  Mining  &  Investment.  The  report  for  the  year 
ended  June  30  last  shows  that  sales  amounted  to995, 589 
tons,  of  which  550,818  tons  came  from  the  Witbank 
mine  and  444,771  tons  from  the  Uitspan  mine.  The 
total  was  127,734  tons  higher  than  that  for  the  previous 
year,  and  was  the  highest  recorded  in  the  history  of  the 
company.  The  profit  for  the  year  was  £9i'},750,  out  of 
which  /61.250 wasdistributedasdividend.  Duringthe 
year,  /140,000  of  the  accumulated  profit,  used  in  the 
business,  was  capitalized,  and  140,000  shares  were  dis- 
tributed as  a  bonus  to  shareholders.  The  capital  of  the 
company  was  thus  raised  from  /2 10, 000  to  /350,000. 


JANUARY,    1921 


63 


Taquah  Mining  &  Exploration. — This  company 
was  formed  in  ISSS  as  the  Taquah  &  Abosso  Gold 
Mining  Co.,  to  acquire  gold-mining  properties  in  Gold 
Coast  Colony,  West  Africa.  In  1901  the  company 
was  split,  the  Abosso  mine  being  transferred  to  a  sub- 
sidiary company.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June 
30  last  shows  that  53,844  tons  of  ore  svas  sent  to  the 
mill,  and  that  the  total  yield  of  gold  was  32,907  oz. 
The  par  value  of  the  gold  was  /139,550,  and  the  pre- 
mium brought  the  total  receipts  up  to  /173,S79.  The 
working  cost  was  /109,544.  and  allowance  for  depre- 
ciation /27.782,  while  jf  13.317  was  received  as  divi- 
dends and  profits  on  sale  of  shares.  The  net  profit 
was  /51,129,  out  of  which  ^48,434  was  distributed  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  12^%.  The  ore  reserve 
was  estimated  on  June  30  at  182,226  tons  averaging 
52s,  6d.  par  value.  Labour  shortage  has  interfered 
with  development.  The  lode  turns  upward  at  the  14th 
level  of  the  internal  shaft.  This  has  been  followed  for 
250  ft.,  and  its  further  continuance  is  now  being  tested. 

Abosso  Gold. — This  company  is  a  subsidiary  of  the 
Taquah.  particulars  of  which  are  given  in  the  preced- 
ing paragraph.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June 
30  last  shows  that  82.588  tons  of  ore  was  treated, 
averaging  37s.  8d.  in  gold  per  ton  par  value.  The 
yield  of  gold  was  33,555  oz.,  worth  ^142,310  par  value, 
or  vvith  the  premium  ^177,735.  The  net  profit  was 
/50,039.  out  of  which  /50.000  was  distributed  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  12^%.  Developments 
continue  to  be  satisfactory,  and  the  reserve  at  June  30 
was  calculated  at  300,003  tons  averaging  34s.  6d.  par 
value.  The  shortage  of  available  labour  is  a  serious 
question  at  present.  During  the  year  the  property  of 
the  Wassau  (Gold  Coast)  Mining  Co.  has  been  pur- 
chased for  /'20,000.  This  property  consists  of  mining 
areas  on  the  dip  of  the  Abosso  and  of  timber  conces- 
sions near  by. 

Preslea  Block  A.  —  The  report  of  this  company, 
operating  a  gold  mine  in  West  Africa,  for  the  year 
1919,  just  published,  shows  that  181,398  tons  of  ore 
was  milled  for  a  yield  of  gold  selling  for  ;f330,090,  of 
which  ^29,222  came  from  premium.  The  yield  per 
ton  was  36s.  4d.  The  working  cost  was  /297,657,  or 
32s.  9d.  per  ton,  and  allowance  for  depreciation 
;f25,605.  The  ore  reserve  at  December  31  was  esti- 
mated at  317,350  tons  averaging  38s.  8d.  per  ton,  as 
compared  with  469.645  tons  at  the  end  of  1918.  The 
newly  discovered  ore-body  north  of  Prestea  shaft  is 
giving  good  results,  and  the  average  assay-value  is 
higher  than  that  of  the  ore  reserve.  The  length  of 
the  pay-shoot  on  this  ore  body  is  greater  on  the  12th 
than  on  the  11th  level,  but  on  the  131h  level  the  re- 
sults are  not  so  satisfactory.  Owing  to  the  bad  nature 
of  the  ground  in  Prestea  shaft,  the  development  of  the 
lower  levels  is  to  be  done  by  an  auxiliary  internal 
shaft.  The  mine  has  suffered  greatly  by  shortage  of 
labour,  as  ha%-e  all  other  mines  in  West  Africa. 

Northern  Nigeria  (Bauchi)  Tin  Mines. — This  com- 
pany was  formed  in  1910  to  acquire  alluvial  tin  ground 
at  N'Gel  in  Nigeria  from  the  Anglo-Continental  Mines 
Co.  An  account  of  the  property  was  given  in  the 
Magazine  for  February,  1918,  and  in  March,  1920, 
particulars  were  given  of  the  hydro-electric  installation 
in  course  of  erection.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
June  30  last  shows  that  the  output  of  tin  concentrate 
was  465  tons,  an  increase  of  100  tons  as  compared  with 
the  previous  year.  Of  the  total,  268  tons  came  from 
the  Gona  section.  The  profit  was  /14,150,  out  of 
which  /10,039  was  distributed  as  dividend  on  the  pref- 
erence shares.  Additional  properties  and  licences  have 
been  acquired,  and  much  e.xploratory  work  has  already 
been  done.     Altogether  ground  estimated  to  contain 


1,876  tons  has  been  proved,  bringing  the  total  contents 
of  the  proved  ground  to  9,797  tons.  The  construction 
of  the  new  plant  is  progressing,  but  owing  to  increases 
in  the  price  of  materials  the  cost  will  be  much  greater 
than  originally  contemplated,  and  a  further  ;£125,000 
will  be  required.  Negotiations  are  at  present  in  hand 
for  the  raising  of  this  amount. 

Jantar  Nigeria. — This  company  was  formed  in  1912 
to  work  alluvial  tin  ground  near  Naraguta,  Nigeria. 
The  report  for  the  year  ended  September  30  shows  that 
143  tons  of  tin  concentrate  was  e.xtracted,  as  compared 
with  110  tons  and  166  tons  during  the  two  preceding 
years.  In  addition  to  the  income  from  sales  there  is 
an  item  in  the  accounts  of  ;^4.100  as  returned  excess 
profits  duty,  which  had  the  effect  of  converting  a  de- 
ficit on  working  into  a  profit  balance  of  {83S.  Owing 
to  labour  shortage  it  has  been  impossible  to  work  the 
new  properties  recently  acquired,  .^s  recorded  last 
month,  the  company  is  being  amalgamated  with  the 
Kuru  South  and  the  Kuru  Syndicate. 

Dua  (Nigeria)  Tin  Fields. — This  company  was  form- 
ed in  1902  to  acquire  mining  rights  in  Bauchi  Province, 
Nigeria.  In  1907  it  acquired  the  properties  on  the  Ja- 
rawa,  previously  owned  by  Mertens,  of  Hamburg,  and 
also  properties  on  the  Juga  river  at  Sutumi.  J.  H. 
Cordner-James  is  the  chairman.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  June  30  shows  that  the  output  of  tin  concen- 
trate was  46i  tons.  The  receipts  were  ;f  10,787,  and 
the  expenditure  ;£^15,260,  leaving  an  adverse  balance  of 
£4,473.  The  Sutumi  property  has  proved  to  be  a  great 
disappointment.  Partsof  thejarawapropertyalsohave 
given  similar  adverse  results,  while  the  parts  containing 
tin  would  require  considerable  expense  for  pumps  to 
give  an  adequate  water  supply.  Under  existing  con- 
ditions the  directors  do  not  consider  such  expenditure 
warranted. 

Menzies  Consolidated  Gold  Mines. — This  company 
was  formed  by  C.  Williamson  Milne  in  1895  to  acquire 
gold-mining  properties  at  Menzies.  West  Australia. 
R.  Goninon  is  manager.  Thecapital  is  £224.015,  and  the 
only  dividends  paid  were  distributed  for  the  four  years 
1914  to  1917,  when  2^%  per  year  was  paid.  The  re- 
port for  the  year  ended  July  31  shows  that  19,909  tons 
of  ore  was  milled,  yielding  10,080  oz.  of  gold  bullion, 
by  amalgamation,  cyaniding,  and  concentration.  This 
goldwassoldfor/52,332,of  which  .f  12, 927 represented 
premium.  The  net  profit  was  ^3.231,  which  was  car- 
ried forward.  Development  has  given  unfavourable 
results  during  the  year,  and  the  ore  reserve  has  de- 
clined. The  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  1,933  ft.,  and  a 
19th  level  is  to  be  opened.  The  future  of  the  mine  will 
depend  on  the  results  obtained. 

Yuanmi  Gold  Mines. — This  company  has  been  work- 
ing the  Yuanmi  gold  mine  in  the  East  Murchison  gold- 
field.  West  Australia,  since  1911.  Dividends  were  paid 
in  1913  and  1914,  but  afterward  developments  gave 
poorresults.  A  year  ago  conditions  became  more  hope- 
ful. In  order  to  raise  additional  capital,  500.000  pref- 
erence shares  at  2s.  each  were  created,  and  of  these 
220,000  have  been  issued  so  far.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  labour  conditions 
have  prevented  any  comprehensive  scheme  of  develop- 
ment being  undertaken.  In  fact  the  shortage  was  such 
that  the  treatment  operations  were  suspended  for  several 
periods  totalling  three  months.  Owing  to  faults  and 
dykes  the  ground  is  not  easy  to  prospect.  During  the 
year  14,922  tons  of  ore  was  treated,  yielding  gold  which 
sold  for  /57,920.  The  expenses  were  greater  than  the 
income  by  £2,013. 

Sulphide  Corporation.  —  This  company  owns  the 
Central  lead-zinc-silver  mine  at  Broken  Hill,  a  lead 
smelter  at  Cockle  Creek,  near  Newcastle.  New  South 


64 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Wales,  and  a  zinc  smeller  at  Seaton  Carcw,  Connly 
IHirham.  The  mine  was  idle  during  the  year  ended 
June  30  last,  covered  by  the  report  now  issued.  On 
ilie  exhavisiion  of  slocks,  ihe  Cockle  Creek  smeller 
was  closed  at  the  end  of  1919.  DurinR  the  six  monlhs 
it  was  working,  15.SS5  Ions  of  mine  and  cnstom  ore 
was  smelted  for  a  production  of  3.S<9  tons  of  load  bul- 
lion containing  5,S0_'oz.  of  gold  and  503,493  oz.  sil- 
ver. .M  Ihe  reiinery  there  was  produced  3,597  tons  of 
soft  lead,  207  ions  of  antimonial  lead,  8,333  oz  gold, 
and  664,407  oz.  silver.  At  the  sulphuric  acid  plant  the 
production  was  13,2J2  tons,  and  at  the  superphos- 
phate plant  17,398  tons.  The  Central  zinc  works  at 
Sealon  Carew  was  occupied  in  treating  zinc  material 
thai  had  been  purchased  by  the  British  (iovernment, 
including  some  from  .Xuslralia.  The  amount  of  roast- 
ed concentrate  smelted  was  8,302  ions,  from  which 
was  produced  2.817  tons  of  spelter,  13  tons  of  zinc 
dust,  and  17  tons  of  lead.  The  residues,  6,3 16  tons,  were 
loo  low  in  lead  and  silver  to  warrant  treatment,  with 
the  exception  of  336  tons,  which  was  concentrated  for 
a  yield  of  67  Ions  of  leady  material.  The  company's 
accounts  show  a  balance  of  profit  of  iiZ.iOA,  but  it 
was  not  possible  to  distribute  a  dividend. 

Fremantle  Trading. — This  company  was  formed  as 
the  Western  Australian  Smelting  Co.  in  1897  to  erect  a 
smelter  and  to  work  lead  mines  in  the  Northampton 
district  of  West  Australia.  A  description  of  the  pro- 
perly was  published  in  the  Magazine  for  March,  1919. 
The  mines  were  reopened  in  February.  1920.  The  re- 
port for  the  year  ended  July  31  shows  that  at  the  Bad- 
dera  mine  2.978  tons  of  ore  yielded  506  tons  of  con- 
centrate averaging  72%  lead  ;  at  Narra  Tarra.  8.406 
tons  of  ore  yielded  975  tons  averaging  70'9%  ;  at 
Wheal  Ellen.  208  tons  of  ore  yielded  44  tons  averag- 
ing 71  6"u.  At  Ihe  smelting  works  1,134  tons  of  ore 
and  concentrate  was  treated  for  a  yield  of  579  6  tons 
of  soft  lead,  which  was  sold  at  an  average  price  of  /40. 
16s.  per  ton.  The  accounts  show  a  profit  of  ;f2,378. 
which  was  carried  forward.  The  labour  position  and 
the  low  price  of  lead  make  it  uncertain  how  long  opera- 
lions  can  be  continued. 

Chinese  Engineering  &  Mining.  —  This  company 
was  formed  m  1900  to  acquire  coal  mines  at  Kaiping. 
in  the  State  of  Chili,  north  China  It  was  recon- 
structed in  1912  in  order  to  effect  a  working  arrange- 
ment with  the  Lanchow  company,  a  Chinese-owned 
company  operating  in  the  same  neighbourhood.  The 
businesses  of  these  two  companies  are  now  controlled 
by  the  Kailan  Mining  .Administration.  The  report 
for  the  year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  the  sales 
effected  by  this  Administration  during  the  year  were 
4,010.980  tons  of  coal,  an  increase  of  882,303  tons  as 
compared  with  the  previous  year,  and  the  net  profit 
was  58,917,456,  of  which  the  Chinese  Engineering  & 
Mining  Co.'s  share  was  54,581,804.  The  net  profit  of 
the  company  was  /l, 112, 412.  Out  of  this,  /524,702 
has  been  placed  to  reserve  for  excess  profits  duty,  and 
/300,000  has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at 
the  rate  of  30% .  It  is  proposed  to  capitalize  ;f  400.000 
of  the  accumulated  profits.  For  this  purpose  the 
nominal  capital  is  to  be  increased  from  /^l, 000,000  to 
/2. 000. 000,  and  after  the  400.000  new  shares  are  is- 
sued, 600.000  will  be  available  for  issue  whenever  de- 
sirable. The  reason  for  this  provision  of  further  capi- 
tal arises  out  of  a  project  for  establishing  an  iron  indus- 
try. The  company  and  the  Lanchow  company  have 
acquired  an  iron  ore  deposit  on  the  Yangtse  River,  re- 
ported by  Frank  Merricks  to  contain  4,000,000  tons  of 
high-grade  ore.  It  is  proposed  to  build  a  smelter  at 
the  port  of  Chinwangtao  from  plans  prepared  by  F. 
W.  Harbord. 


Cnpc  Copper. — This  company  was  formed  in  1863 
10  work  copper  mines  in  Liltle  Namaijualand,  Cape 
Province.  The  ore  and  matle  were  brought  to  lirilon- 
ferry,  South  Wales.  More  recently  copper  mines  in 
Rakha  Hills,  CholaNagpur,  India,  have  been  develop- 
ed. The  report  for  Ihe  year  ended  August  31  sliosvs 
that  mining  operations  are  still  in  abeyance  at  the 
Cape,  having  bi-en  discontinued  in  May,  1919,  owing 
to  the  adverse  copper  position.  The  mines  are  being 
kept  in  working  order,  and  an  extensive  drilling  cam- 
paign is  in  hand  for  the  purpose  of  prospecting  ad- 
joining properties  at  Koperberg  and  Carolusberg.  Tlie 
metallurgical  plant  at  Kakha  Hills  had  not  been  final- 
ly completed  during  the  year  under  review,  so  that  the 
actual  oiuput  of  copper  was  small,  but  since  the 
issue  of  the  report  a  full  output  of  250  tons  of  copper 
per  month  had  been  reached.  Some  of  Ihe  slocks 
at  the  Cape  have  been  sold  in  New  York,  and  the  re- 
mainder has  been  treated  at  Kakha  Hills.  During  the 
year.  35.540  tons  of  ore  averaging  357%  copper  was 
mined  at  Kakha  Hills.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at 
354.688  tons  averaging  3  66%  copper.  The  company's 
accounts  for  the  year  show  a  deficit  of  /163.627.  ow- 
ing to  the  virtual  suspension  of  sales.  As  recorded 
last  month,  the  company  has  made  provision  for  fur- 
ther capital  by  the  issue  of  .i{^120.000  debentures. 

Tolima. — This  company  was  formed  in  1871  to  ac- 
quire the  Frias  silver-lead  mine  in  Colombia.  In  the 
early  days  the  operations  were  highly  profitable,  but 
in  1903  and  1909  reconstructions  were  necessary  Dur- 
ing the  war  great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  shipping 
the  concentrate  and  getting  it  smelted.  The  report  for 
the  year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  7.259  tons  of 
ore  was  raised  and  concentrated,  yielding  607  tons  of 
concentrateaveraging  4533  oz.  silver  per  ton  and  1487% 
lead  This  material  was  sold  for  /63,530.  The  ac- 
counts show  an  adverse  balance  of  /4,0S7  for  the  year. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  to  contain  1.361  tons  of 
shipping  material.  During  the  year  there  was  a  brief 
strike,  which  led  to  an  increase  in  miners'  v;ages  of 
25%.  This  and  the  continued  rise  in  the  cost  of  ma- 
terials makes  profitable  mining  increasingly  difficult. 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  Gold.  —  This  company  was 
formed  in  1864  (being  reconstructed  in  1886  and  1911) 
to  work  a  group  of  gold  mines  in  Colombia,  the  prin- 
cipal properly  being  the  Silencio  mine.  Pellew-Har- 
vey  &  Co.  a"re  the  consulting  engineers.  The  report 
for  the  year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  29.760  tons 
of  ore  was  treated,  giving  by  amalgamation  and  cya- 
niding  a  yield  of  25.815  oz,  of  gold.  The  profit  was 
/28.161,  out  of  which  /4.513  was  paid  as  debenture 
interest.  ;f2,339  as  preference  dividend,  and  ;f  14,000 
as  ordinary  dividend,  at  the  rate  of  10%.  Labour 
conditions  have  prevented  the  mine  from  being  work- 
ed at  full  capacity.  Developments  at  Ihe  lowest  level, 
the  16th,  have  been  good,  and  the  reserve  has  been 
slightly  increased,  standing  now  at  05,600  tons  averag- 
ing 16  dwt.  per  ton.  The  company  has  a  half  share 
in  the  Marmajito  Mines,  Ltd.  The  plant  for  unwater- 
ing  and  developing  this  property  has  been  despatched. 
Berenguela  Tin  Mines. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1905  to  acquire  lode-tin  properties  at  Berenguela, 
Bolivia.  Particulars  were  given  in  an  article  in  the 
Magazine  for  December,  1914.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  the  output  of  tin 
concentrate  was  386  tons,  as  compared_  with  366  tons 
the  year  before.  Thegross  trading  profit  was  ;f41,521, 
and.  after  the  placing  of  /14,751  to  reserve  for  contin- 
gencies, Ihe  net  profit  was  ;^25,125.  Out  of  this  profit, 
2l0,000  has  been  placed  to  general  reserve,  and 
;f  10,000  has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at  Ihe 
rate  of  25%. 


^^ 


The  Mining  Magazine 

W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director.  Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 

Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,  Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House.  London  Wall,  London,  E.G. 2. 

Telephone:  London  Wall  8938.    Telegraphic  Address  :  Olieoclase.     Codes:  McJVetW,  both  Editions. 


Branch  Offices  : 


(420.  Market  Street.  San  Francisco. 
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,  Equitable  Building.  New  York. 


(420.  M 
]  600.  Fi 
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Vol.  XXIV.   No.  2.      LONDON.   FEBRUARY.    1921, 


Price   Is.  6d. 


CONTENTS. 


Editorial 

Notes 66 

World's  Gold  Output :  Model  of  New  Modderfon- 
tein  Surface  Plant ;  Wave-Transmission  Rock- 
Drill;  Royal  Society  of  Arts  Prize  Essays  :  Lady 
Directors  of  Minini;  Companies :  H.  Foster 
Bain's  Appointment  as  Director  of  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Standardization  of  Mining  Materials...     67 

Note  is  made  of  Mr.  E.  A  Wraight's  paper  read 
before  the  Institution  on  the  Standardization  of 
Materials  Employed  in  Mining  and  Milling 
Plant. 

Oil  on  the  Waters  67 

Complaint  has  been  made  in  the  Press  of  the  foul- 
ing of  the  surface  of  the  sea  by  oil-burning  ships 
and  of  the  possible  damage  done  thereby  to 
marine  life. 

Kirkland  Lake     68 

Attention  is  drawn  in  this  Editorial  to  a  new  Geo- 
logical Survey  of  the  Kirkland  Lake  gold-min- 
ing district  of  Ontario,  and  some  account  is 
given  of  its  history  and  development. 

Libel  and  Criticism     69 

The  attitude  of  the  Magazine  as  regards  adverse 
comments  is  here  explained,  and  it  is  shown 
that  libel  and  criticism  are  neither  "business" 
nor  "  pleasure." 

Review  of  Mining 71 

Articles 

The  Transmission  of  Power  by  Waves 
P.J.Risdon     75 

The   Physical  Bases  of  Tin- Dressing 
...  R.  T.  Hancock,  Assoc. Inst. M.M.     80 

On  the  Estimation  of  Mineral  Reserves 


/.  D.  Kendall 

With  special  reference  to  the  Iron  Ores  of  Cumber- 
land and  Lancashire. 

Letters  to  the  Editor 

Genesis  of  Cumberland  Iron  Ores    ... 

J.  B.  Atkinson 

...    A.  Alec  Jones,  Assoc. Inst. M.M. 

/.  D.  Kendall 

The  Finsbury  Technical  College  

G.  T.  Morgan 


91 


94 
96 
96 

97 


News  Letters 

Melbourne    97 

Welfare  Schemes  at   Mount   Lyell ;    Electrolytic 
Zinc  in  Tasmania. 

Toronto    99 

Cobalt ;  Porcupine ;  Kirkland  Lake  :  Larder  Lake : 
Mineral  Production  of  1920. 

Camborne     100 

The  Tin  Mines  :  China  Clay. 

Personal 101 

Trade  Paragraphs    102 

Metal  Markets  103 

Statistics  of  Production 106 

Prices  of  Chemicals  109 

Share  Quotations 110 

The  Mining  Digest 

Kirkland  Lake  Gold-Mining  District 

A.  G.  Burrows  and  P.  B.  Hopkins  lU 

Sulphur  in  South  Africa   T.  G.  Trevor  115 

Repairing  Lens  Collieries  by  Cementation    ... 

H.  Standish  Ba'l  117 

Chemistry  of  the  Earth's  Crust  

Henry  S.  Washington  US 

Nickel  and  its  Uses  Paul  D    Merica  119 

Mica  in  Australia B.  Dunstan  120 

Vanadium  in  the  Transvaal  

Malcolm  Ferguson  and  Dr.  P.  A.  Wagner  120 

Antimony  Oxide  as  a  Pigment...//.  E.  Clarke  121 

Geology  of  Killifreth  Mine    M.  H.  Kitto  121 

Short  Notices 121 

Recent  Patents  Published 122 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  Etc. 

Ronaldson's  "  Coal  " Henry  Louis 

Lumb's  " The  Platinum  Metals "  A.L.  Simon 
Grabau's  "  Principles  of  Salt  Deposition  "  ... 

H.  B.  Milner 

Washington's  "  Chemical  Analyses  of  Igneous 

Rocks" W.  H.  Goodchild 


123 
123 


124 


125 

Company  Reports  126 

Bullhnch  Proprietary;  Champion  Reef  Gold  Mining  of  India 
Deebook   Dredging  :    Muelva   Copper  and  Sulphur  :    Messina 
(Transvaal)  Development  :    Premier  (Transvaal)  Diamond  Min^ 
iiif^;    Rafinpa  (Nigeria)  Tin  ;  South  Bukeru  (Nigeria)  Tin  ;    Tan 
^.tnyika  Concessions  ;  Wankie  Colliery  ;  Wolhuter  Gold  Mines 


EDITORIAL 


A  writer  in  the  Hiigiiieeniii'  tiiul  Mniiiifi 
Journal  ol  New  \'q\\<.  estimates  the  out- 
put of  gold  throughout  the  world  during  the  year 
1^20  at  /' (59, 700,000,  par  value,  as  compared 
with  ^75^000,000  in  1919,  and  /'79,000,000  in 
1918.  The  highest  total  ever  recorded  was 
ir98,000,000  in  1915.  He  reports  that  the  con- 
dition of  gold-mining  in  the  United  States  is 
far  from  satisfactory,  for  there  is  no  premium 
on  the  metal,  and  prices  of  labour  and  com- 
modities have  increased  enormously. 

A  MODEL  of  the  surface  plant  at  the 
south  shaft  of  the  New  Modderfontein 
gold  mine  has  been  prepared  by  the  Central 
Mining  &  Investment  Corporation,  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  11.  F.  Marriott,  and  it  is  now 
on  exhibit  at  the  London  office  of  the  company, 
No.  1,  London  Wall  Buildmgs.  It  is  to  be 
shown  at  various  places  in  this  country  and  on 
the  Continent,  and  it  is  suitable  for  the  mstruc- 
tion  of  both  the  public  and  the  mining  student. 
This  plant  is  an  excellent  example  of  latest 
Kand  hoistmg  and  metallurgical  practice,  and 
the  model  is  well  worth  inspection. 

IN  this  issue  is  published  the  first  half  of  an 
article  describing  the  principle  of  trans- 
mission of  power  by  waves  of  water-compres- 
sion, and  its  application  in  practice,  particu- 
larly to  rock-drills.  We  have  purposely  split 
the  article  in  two,  so  that  readers  shall  obtain 
a  grasp  of  the  prmciple  before  trying  to  under- 
stand the  action  of  the  machines.  The  prin- 
ciple isso novel,  andits  action  in  rock-drilling  is 
of  such  an  unaccustomednature,  that  engineers 
will  probably  take  some  time  to  obtain  a  full 
grasp  of  the  subject.  Next  month  we  intend 
to  say  more  of  the  possibilities  of  the  drill.  In 
the  meantime  it  is  sufficient  to  mention  that 
the  drill  is  a  practical  machine  and  that  several 
are  already  at  work  in.  mines  and  quarries. 

FIVE  years  ago  Mr.  Reginald  Le  Neve 
Foster  endowed  the  Royal  Society  of  Arts 
with  a  small  fund  in  memory  of  his  father, 
Peter  Le  Neve  Foster,  who  was  secretary  of 
that  society  from  1853  to  1879,  the  proceeds 
of  the  fund  to  be  devoted  as  prizes  for  the  best 
papers  on  current  subjects  of  importance.  The 
first  offer  of  the  prize  was  for  a  paper  on  the 
metallurgy  of  zinc,  and  the  best  of  those  sub- 
mitted were  by  Mr.  J.  C.  Moulden  and  Mr.  E. 
A.  Smith.  The  society  now  announces  a  sec- 
ond competition  under  the  terms  of  the  bene- 
faction.    This  time  the  subject  is  the  Mineral 


Resources  of  China,  a  subject  open  to  consider- 
able discussion,  for  opinions  vary  widely. 
There  are  many  engineers  well  qualified  to 
gi\e  the  records  and  their  views  as  to  the  future. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  they  will  respond  to  the 
invitation. 

PARTICIP.'XTION  in  the  direction  of  min- 
ing companies  is  not  usually  a  congenial 
occupation  for  a  lady,  but  every  now  and  then 
opportunity  is  afTorded  for  the  exercise  of  con- 
spicuous ability  in  the  conduct  of  mining  busi- 
ness. Lady  Khondda  is  a  director  of  a  dozen 
South  Wales  colliery  companies,  and  many 
readers  will  remember  Mrs.  Kermode,  a  direc- 
tor of  the  Tasmanian  Metals  Extraction  Com- 
pany. This  month  the  appointment  of  Mrs. 
H.  J.  Tennant  to  the  board  of  the  Champion 
Reef  Gold  Mining  Company  of  India  is  an- 
nounced. Before  her  marriage  to  the  son  of 
the  late  Sir  Charles  Tennant,  she  was,  as  Miss 
-Abraham,  the  Superintending  Inspector  of 
F'actories  in  England,  and  achieved  a  distin- 
guished success  in  that  position. 


PRECEDENT  dating  from  1 776  interdicts 
the  reference  by  an  Englishman,  approv- 
ingly or  otherwise,  to  the  appointment  or  can- 
didature of  any  individual  for  a  public  position 
in  the  United  States.  For  this  reason  we  re- 
frained from  making  any  comment  on  Mr.  H. 
C.  Hoover's  chances  of  becoming  president, 
and  even  now  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  dis- 
cuss the  outlook  for  his  becoming  a  member 
of  Mr.  Harding's  administration.  Probably 
also  it  is  out  of  order  for  us  to  congratulate 
the  United  States  on  the  appointment  of  Mr. 
H.  Foster  Bain  to  the  directorship  of  the 
Bureau  of  Mines;  but  as  this  is  not  in  the 
nature  of  a  political  position,  we  feel  justified 
in  breaking  the  time-honoured  custom.  Mr. 
Bain  is  well  known  throughout  the  world  as 
an  alert  geologist  and  mining  engineer,  one 
with  an  open  mind,  one  desirous  of  making 
friends  without  restriction  as  to  nationality  or 
position.  For  a  few  years  he  edited  the  Min- 
ing and  Scientific  Press,  and  subsequently 
he  was  editor  of  The  Mining  Magazine  for  a 
short  time.  His  travels  have  taken  him  to 
many  places  outside  his  own  country.  South 
.\frica,  Rhodesia,  the  Congo,  the  Malay  Pen- 
insula, Burma,  China,  and  Japan.  In  his  new 
position  he  will  be  occupied  with  much  con- 
genial work,  and  his  "  soul  will  not  be  fettered 
to  an  office  stool." 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


67 


Standardization  of  Mining 
Materials. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgy  held  last  month,  a  subject  of 
considerable  interest  to  the  mining  profession 
was  introduced  by  a  paper  presented  by  Mr.  E. 
A.  Wraight,  on  the  Standardization  of  Materials 
employed  m  Mming  and  Milling  Plant.  In 
order  to  avoid  a  misconception  as  to  the  scope 
of  the  paper,  it  should  be  said  at  once  that  this 
discussion  relates  only  to  materials  employed 
and  not  to  the  design  and  construction  of  plant. 
This  latter  subject  has  been  to  the  forefront  in 
certain  quarters  in  the  United  States  recently, 
where  proposals  have  been  made  for  the  evolu- 
tion of  standards  for  all  machinery,  beginning 
with  motor  cars  and  including  mining  machin- 
ery and  supplies.  Mr.  Wraight's  proposals  are 
confined  solely  to  a  discussion  as  to  the  best 
materials  for  each  particular  purpose  required. 
This  subject  has  seldom  received  serious  dis- 
cussion and  experimentation,  and  the  reasons 
are  not  difficult  to  recognize,  as  far  as  non-fer- 
rous metal  mining  is  concerned.  In  the  first 
place  the  persistence  of  ore  is  such  an  uncertain 
factor  in  the  economics  of  mining  that  an  engi- 
neer or  director  is  seldom  warranted  in  conduct- 
ing testsor  subscribing  money  to  that  end.  Then 
again,  the  conditions  of  work  vary  so  widely 
that  accurate  comparisons  are  difficult  to  make. 
Where  the  requirements  are  clearly  ascertain- 
able, the  funds  at  disposal  unlimited,  the  labour 
highly  skilled, and  competition  severe,  it  is  pos- 
sible and  necessary  to  specify  the  exact  nature 
of  the  material  to  be  used  for  every  separate 
component  of  the  machine.  These  conditions 
are  not  often  found  in  mining.  Another  diffi- 
culty arises  from  the  fact  that  non-ferrous 
metal  mming  is  a  comparatively  small  indus- 
try. For  instance,  the  Sheffield  firms  produce 
special  steels  suitable  for  rock-drill  purposes, 
for  the  wearing  faces  of  ore  crushers,  and  for 
stamp  shoes  and  dies,  but  the  proportion  of 
their  production  of  steel  for  these  particular 
purposes  is  very  small  compared  with  the  total 
output  of  the  works,  and  it  is  consequently  im- 
possible to  ask  them  to  make  the  investigations 
desired. 

Mr.  Wraight's  paper  dealt  with  drill  steel, 
component  parts  of  stamp-mills,  balls  and  lin- 
ings for  re-grinding  mills,  facings  for  Cornish 
rolls,  etc.  Even  his  short  statement  was  suffi- 
cient to  indicate  the  bewildering  complication 
of  the  subject.  In  the  discussion  following  the 
presentation  of  the  paper,  Mr.  Robert  Allen 
gave  a  brief  outline  of  the  work  he  did  in  con- 
nection with  drill  steels  for  the  Johannesburg 
2—3 


Mines  Trials  Committee,  particulars  of  which 
were  published  in  the  MAGAZINE  for  July,  1913  ; 
and  the  subsequent  speakers  confined  their  re- 
marks entirely  to  this  branch  of  the  subject. 
Mr.  F.  W.  Harbord  and  Professor  Carpenter, 
as  leadingauthorities  on  the  metallurgy  of  steel, 
gave  their  views  as  to  the  nature  of  the  steels 
required  for  drilling  purposes  andthebehaviour 
of  such  steels  under  forging  and  sharpening. 
They  considered  that  theoretically  three  or  more 
standards  would  be  required,  according  to  the 
hardness  of  the  rocks,  and  they  doubted  whether 
the  expense  of  such  special  steels  would  be 
warranted  unless  the  smiths  in  charge  of  shar- 
pening were  fully  equal  to  their  work.  The 
general  impression  obtained  fromthediscussion 
was  that  mining  operations  cannot  profitably 
demand  very  accurate  metallurgical  distinctions 
as  regards  the  steels  used,  and  that  better  re- 
sults from  the  economic  standpoint  can  be  ob- 
tained with  steels  having  wider  ranges  of  ap- 
plicability. The  discussion  at  the  meeting  con- 
cluded with  a  general  recommendation  that  the 
various  mining  societies  mightappointcommit- 
tees  to  consider  these  subjects,  and  make  in- 
vestigations and  suggestions,  but  it  is  doubtful 
whether  anything  definite  can  be  done  in  this 
direction. 


Oil  on  the  Waters. 

Oil-fuel  for  steam-raising  on  board  ship  pre- 
sents a  good  many  advantages,  as  is  well 
known.  Absence  of  smoke  during  the  voyage 
and  of  dust  during  coaling,  the  rapidity  with 
which  the  supply  of  fuel  can  be  taken  on  board, 
the  great  reduction  in  the  number  of  men  re- 
quired in  the  furnace  rooms,  and  the  ease 
with  which  the  vessel  can  be  kept  in  trim  all 
favour  the  employment  of  oil-fuel.  One  of 
the  most  serious  drawbacks,  however,  is  that 
the  supply  of  this  type  of  fuel  is  not  unlimited. 
Reference  has  already  been  made  in  these 
pages  to  Admiral  Dumas'  protests  against  its 
indiscriminate  use.  Since  then,  one  of  the 
leading  shipbuilders,  Lord  Pirrie,  head  of 
Harland  &  Wolff,  has  also  uttered  a  public 
warning  to  the  shipowners,  telling  them  that, 
even  at  the  present  rate  of  consumption,  the 
available  supply  will  come  within  very  narrow 
compass  in  twenty  years,  and  that  if  this 
method  of  steam-raising  is  at  all  widely  ex- 
panded the  world's  resources  will  be  drained 
long  before  then.  The  evil  day  will,  of  course, 
be  postponed  by  the  use  of  the  colloidal  fuel 
now  being  developed  by  Minerals  Separation, 
seeing  that  about  a  quarter  of  the  oil  employ- 
ed in  this  way  will  be  replaced  by  fine  coal. 
For  this  reason  the  shipping  people  ought  to 


68 


THK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


pay  close  attention  to  the  new  process.  To 
attempt  to  induce  the  shipowners  to  go  slow 
on  oil  would  be  a  fatuous  proceeding,  for,  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  business,  profits  must 
always  be  made  w-hen  opportunity  arises  and 
when  good  engineering  work  can  be  done.  In 
any  case  it  is  not  a  difficult  matter  to  make 
alterations  in  the  furnaces  when  it  becomes 
necessary  to  revert  to  coal,  and  moreover  it  is 
always  possible  that  a  method  will  eventually 
be  devised  whereby  fine  coal  dust  can  safely 
be  used  on  board  ship  without  any  admixture 
of  oil. 

The  foregoing  considerations  with  regard  to 
the  use  of  oil  fuel  at  sea  are  already  well 
known  to  engineers,  and  reference  to  them  is 
made  now  only  for  the  purpose  of  emphasiz- 
ing the  position.  A  new  objection  to  oil,  how- 
ever, has  recently  been  widely  ventilated  in 
the  press,  and  this  deserves  careful  examina- 
tion with  a  view  to  ascertaining  the  extent  of 
its  truth.  It  is  alleged  that  the  oil  escaping 
from  the  ships  has  a  deleterious  effect  on 
marine  life,  and  that  as  a  consequence  the 
fishes  and  birds  stand  in  danger  of  extermina- 
tion. It  is  alleged  that  the  leakage  of  oil  both 
from  tankers  and  oil-driven  steamers  is  gradu- 
ally covering  the  surface  of  the  sea  with  a 
film  of  oil,  of  infinitesimal  or  molecular  thin- 
ness certainly,  but  nevertheless  sufficient  to 
prevent  the  aeration  of  the  water  and  thus 
check  the  growth  of  marine  life.  The  de- 
struction of  submarines  and  the  wreck  of  ships 
also  account  for  the  release  of  much  oil.  An- 
other cause  of  oil  getting  access  to  the  surface 
of  the  sea  arises  from  the  practice  of  filling 
empty  oil  tanks  with  water  ballast,  and  after- 
wards pumping  out  the  water  when  the  tanks 
have  to  be  recharged.  This  last-named  pro- 
ceeding causes  an  unpleasant  fouling  of  har- 
bour waters.  The  first  to  call  public  attention 
to  this  unfortunate  state  of  aflfairs  was  Sir 
Arthur  Quiller-Couch,  who  uttered  a  power- 
ful protest  against  the  filthy  condition  of  the 
roadstead  at  his  beloved  Fowey.  Anyone  who 
visits  the  ports  patronized  by  oil-ships  can  see 
for  himself  the  unpleasant  nature  of  the  sur- 
face of  the  waters,  and  it  can  hardly  be  dis- 
puted that  in  the  harbours,  and  in  the  ap- 
proaches by  sea  toward  them,  the  conditions 
are  distinctly  unsatisfactory.  It  is  an  open 
question,  however,  whether  the  ocean  highways 
suffer  much  pollution  from  the  passage  of  the 
oil-ships.  In  fact,  they  probably  suffer  less 
from  oil-ships  than  from  coal  ships.  With 
ordinary  coal-burning  ships,  oil  escapes  into 
the  sea-water  circulated  through  the  condens- 
ers, while  the  products  arising  from  the  incom- 


plete combustion  of  the  coal,  namely,  soot, am- 
monia, acids,  and  a  multitude  of  organic  com- 
pounds, eventually  reach  the  water.  So  the  de- 
filement of  the  track  of  civilization  is  not  due 
solely  to  this  new  class  of  offender.  There  are 
many  other  possible  causes  for  tlie  disappear- 
ance of  i'lsh  from  our  shores  than  the  pouring  of 
oil  upon  the  waters.  Forinstance,  vast  amounts 
of  imperfect  explosives  and  other  chemicals 
have  been  dumped  in  the  seas  by  order  of  the 
Government.  Then  also  works  and  factories 
on  the  rivers  and  sea-board  discharge  some 
sort  of  eflluent  directly  into  the  sea,  and  are  in 
fact  encouraged  to  deliver  their  refuse  far  out. 
The  authorities  are,  of  course,  keen  that  rivers 
should  not  be  polluted,  but  they  are  not  con- 
cerned with  what  happens  beyond  the  limits 
of  the  sea-shore.  Taking  eveiything  into  con 
sideration  it  seems  to  us  that  this  case  against 
oil  is  not  particularly  strong,  except  from  the 
point  of  view  of  the  condition  of  the  harbours 
where  oil-ships  resort.  The  Government  and 
the  local  authorities  are  competent  to  deal 
with  this  matter.  As  for  the  fouling  of  the  open 
seas,  it  will  be  well  if  it  were  possible  for  some 
scientific  body  to  make  an  impartial  investiga- 
tion so  that  the  supposed  or  actual  damage  can 
be  traced  to  its  ultirhate  source. 


Kirkland  Lake. 

One  of  the  most  important  geological  reports 
issued  recently  is  that  on  the  Kirkland  Lake 
gold  area,  Ontario,  made  by  Messrs.  A.G.  Bur- 
rows and  P.  E.  Hopkins  for  theOntario  Bureau 
of  Mines.  The  first  section  of  this  report,  deal- 
ing with  the  geologyand  theoredeposits,ispub- 
lished  in  the  Mining  Digest  elsewhere  in  this 
issue,  and  the  remainder,  describing  the  indi- 
vidual mines,  will  appear  in  subsequent  num- 
bers. Like  most  of  the  official  technical  docu- 
ments published  in  Canada,  it  is  up  to  date  and 
helpful  for  the  present  purposes  of  the  pro- 
spector and  miner.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  same  two  geologists  made  a  report  on  the 
district  in  1912,  shortly  after  the  first  discov- 
eries were  made.  Thus  the  pioneers  have  con- 
tinuously had  every  assistance  from  the  Gov- 
ernment, and  many  useful  hints  for  futurework 
have  been  provided  by  disinterested  parties. 
Readers  of  the  Magazine  will  have  followed 
the  rise  of  this  centre  of  gold  production,  for 
without  intermission  news  has  been  published 
regularly  since  1913.  In  the  early  days,  Mr. 
Reginald  E.  Hore,  editor  of  the  Canadian 
Mining  Journal,  gave  a  comprehensive  ac- 
count, and  Mr.  J.  B.  Tyrrell  contributed  a 
paper  on  the  subject  to  the  Transactions  of  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy.     These 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


69 


authors  were  followed  by  Mr.  Charles  Spear- 
man, who  discussed  the  nature  of  the  ore  min- 
erals. For  the  benefit  of  those  who  are  not 
familiar  with  this  district  and  its  history  a  few 
notes  at  this  juncture  may  be  given.  In  read- 
ing these  notes  reference  should  be  made  to 
the  maps  accompanying  the  report  and  repro 
duced  in  the  Mining  Digest. 

The  Kirkland  Lake  area  forms  part  of  a 
large  mineralized  region  which  extends  from 
Matachewan  north-easterly  through  Larder 
Lake  and  into  the  province  of  Quebec.  There 
was  a  gold  rush  in  1906  to  Larder  Lake,  and 
during  that  time  many  claims  were  staked  at 
various  points  between  that  lake  and  the  rail- 
way at  Swastika.  The  Larder  Lake  boom  did 
not  yield  any  substantial  mining  success  and 
the  district  was  soon  deserted.  On  the  other 
hand,  a  property  at  Swastika,and  subsequently 
an  adjoining  property  known  as  the  Lucky 
Cross,  proved  profitable.  These  successes  and 
the  concurrent  progress  at  Porcupine  served 
to  draw  attention  once  more  to  this  area.  The 
first  golddiscovery  at  Kirkland  Lakewas  made 
in  1911  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Wright,  who  staked  out 
claims  which  are  now  parts  of  the  Wright- 
Hargreaves  mine.  By  the  end  of  that  year 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  ground  was  re-staked. 
Early  in  the  next  year  gold  was  found  on  the 
Tough-Oakes  claims  to  the  north-east  of  the 
lake.  These  early  discoveries  did  not  reveal 
any  particularly  attractive  ore,  and  it  was  not 
until  1913  that  rich  ore  found  on  No.  2  vein  of 
the  Tough-Oakes  workings  brought  the  district 
into  prominent  notice.  During  that  year  much 
surface  trenching  was  done,  and  a  number  of 
promising  veins  were  found  on  the  Burnside, 
Sylvanite,  Wright- Hargreaves,  Lake  Shore, 
Teck-Hughes,  Orr,  Kirkland  Lake,  and  Hun- 
ton  claims.  At  first  theore  raised  at  theTough- 
Oakes  was  hand-sorted,  and  the  picked  ore 
sold  to  smelters.  As  an  indication  of  the  nature 
of  theore  it  may  be  mentioned  that  durmg  1914 
the  assay-value  of  the  ore  mined  was  $41  per 
ton ;  the  amount  of  high-grade  ore  shipped 
was  212  tons,  averaging  $350  per  ton,  while  a 
5-stamp  mill  treated  3,493  tons,  averaging  $22 
per  ton,  extracting  55%  of  the  gold  content. 
In  1915  capital  was  provided  for  the  erection 
of  a  treatment  plant  on  the  continuous  cyanide 
system,  having  a  capacity  of  100  to  125  tons 
per  day.  During  the  year  1916  this  plant  ex- 
tracted gold  worth  $700,000.  In  this  year  also 
a  mill  was  built  on  the  Teck-Hughes  mine, 
working  on  much  the  same  system  as  that  at 
the  Tough-Oakes,  but  at  this  property  the  aver- 
age assay-value  of  the  ore  is  much  lower.  Dur- 
ing this  time  development  was  continued  at 


the  Lake  Shore,  and  in  1916  work  was  com- 
menced on  the  Wright- Hargreaves  and  the 
Kirkland  Lake  properties.  Toward  the  close 
of  1917  mills  were  built  for  the  Lake  Shore 
and  Kirkland  Lake.  In  1918  the  Tough-Oakes 
mine  was  closed  owing  to  the  developed  ore 
being  exhausted  and  no  development  having 
been  done,  but  mining  operations  were  resumed 
next  year  in  conjunction  with  the  Burnside. 
In  1919  three  mills  were  in  operation  at  the 
Kirkland  Lake, LakeShore,andTeck- Hughes, 
while  mills  were  being  built  on  the  Burnside 
and  Wright- Hargreaves.  During  these  latter 
years  there  were  many  interruptions  owing  to 
scarcity  of  labour,  high  wages,  and  increased 
cost  of  supplies,  and  a  strike  of  four  months' 
duration  also  supervened.  The  district  has  also 
suffered  owing  to  disputes  relating  to  the  trans- 
fer of  ownership  of  some  of  the  properties  to 
an  English  company,  the  Kirkland  Lake  Pro- 
prietary. These  difficulties  were  fortunately 
overcome  a  little  over  a  year  ago  by  the  amal- 
gamation of  that  company  with  the  English 
Tough-Oakes,  Sylvanite,  and  Burnside  com- 
panies, and  a  new  campaign  of  development 
has  been  commenced. 

It  is  expected  that  the  yield  of  gold  during 
1920  will  be  worth  about  a  million  dollars. 
This  may  seem  small  compared  with  the  out- 
put at  Porcupine,  but  nevertheless  the  impor- 
tance of  the  Kirkland  Lake  district  is  consider- 
able. The  lodes  are  plentiful,  and  in  places  the 
ore-shoots  are  rich.  Further  prospecting  pro- 
mises to  give  excellent  results  through  a  large 
area  of  country  in  all  directions.  As  will  be 
seen  by  a  perusal  of  Messrs.  Burrows  and  Hop- 
kins's report,  the  gold,  accompanied  by  tellu- 
rides,  is  found  in  an  extensive  series  of  frac- 
tures. This  fracturing  crosses  all  the  rocks, 
which  include  felspar-porphyry,  syenite,  1am- 
prophyre,  and  conglomerate.  The  gold  is  most 
plentiful  in  lodes  contained  in  the  porphyry, 
and  it  is  probably  genetically  connected  with 
that  rock.  It  is  clear  from  the  geological  de- 
scription that  the  Kirkland  Lake  district  will 
well  repay  further  and continuousinvestigation 


Libel  and  Criticism. 

Last  month  brief  notice  was  made  in  these 
columns  of  a  pronouncement  made  by  the  Lord 
Chief  Justice,  in  the  course  of  a  libel  suit,  to 
the  effect  that  he  felt  impatient  when  he  was 
told  that  the  offending  articles  were  written 
as  a  public  duty,  adding  :  You  did  it  in  the 
ordinary  course  of  business."  Such  an  expres- 
sion of  opinion  coming  from  the  head  of  the 
English  Bench  is,  to  say  the  least,  disconcert- 
ing, and  is  likely  to  make  an  editor  feel  and 


70 


THF.     MINING     MAGAZINI'. 


look  small  when  confronted  with  the  majesty 
of  the  law.  Seeing  that  the  policy  of  the 
M  AGAZIN  K  has  always  been  to  express  opinions 
freelv,  it  is  clear  that  we  come  within  the  scope 
of  the  Lord  Chief's  dictum,  and  for  that  reason 
several  readers  have  asked  us  for  a  definite 
statement  as  to  our  general  views  with  regard 
to  criticism  and  libel.  We  would  say,  to  begin 
with,  that  all  personal  criticism  is  repugnant 
to  us  and  to  99%  of  the  technical  editors  of  the 
world.  In  the  first  place,  it  makes  enemies  and 
brings  no  new  friends;  and  secondly,  a  libel 
action  distracts  the  editor's  attention  from  his 
proper  occupations  and  involves  him  and  the 
proprietors  in  unlimited  legal  expenses.  Thus 
from  both  points  of  view  it  is  not  "  business." 
Here  it  should  be  observed  that  we  are  con- 
cerned only  with  libel  in  technical  publications, 
and  that  the  offending  journal  appearing  in  the 
Lord  Chief's  court  was  devoted  to  a  branch  of 
engineering.  It  is  necessary  to  call  attention 
to  this  fact,  for  it  is  well  known  that  certain 
types  of  popular  papers  welcome  libel  suits  as 
they  afford  means  for  securing  publicity  and 
advertisement.  Moreover  a  personal  libel  is 
often  associated  with  blackmail,  and  as  such 
constitutes  one  of  the  most  unsavoury  phases 
of  evil-doing.  It  is  possible,  of  course,  that 
the  Lord  Chief  saw  no  distinction  between 
these  two  classes  of  libel,  and  that  he  would 
not  even  recognize  the  possibility  of  such  a 
distinction.  The  fact  is  that  most  lawyers  of 
good  standing  do  not  particularly  relish  the 
duty  of  defence  in  a  libel  action,  however  great 
may  be  the  integrity  of  the  author  of  thealleged 
libel.  Their  attitude  on  the  subject,  both 
physically  and  mentally,  is  usually  reminiscent 
of  Mr.  Pickwick's  famous  interview  with 
Serjeant  Snubbin.  "  Mr.  Serjeant  Snubbin 
unfolded  his  glasses,  raised  them  to  his  eyes, 
and,  after  looking  at  Mr.  Pickwick  for  a  few 
seconds  with  great  curiosity,  smiled  slightly  as 
he  spoke.  .  .  .  The  smile  on  his  countenance 
became  more  defined,  and  throwing  himself 
back  in  his  easy  chair,  coughed  dubiously.  .  . 
The  Serjeant  tried  to  look  gravely  at  the  fire, 
but  the  smile  came  back  again." 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  it  is  obvious 
that  irritant  criticism  is  not  a  "  business  "  pro- 
position for  an  editor  of  a  technical  journal. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  editor  has  to  think  of 
the  honour  and  reputation  of  the  profession 
which  his  paper  seeks  to  represent.  Mining  is 
unfortunately  not  free  from  public  reproach, 
and  in  some  quarters  it  is  even  classed  with 
gambling  and  swindling.  Thus  it  is  incumbent 
on  the  editor  of  a  mining  paper,  in  the  way  of 
"  business,"  to  say  something  in  protest  when 


mining  propositions  resting  on  insecure  foun- 
dations are  placed  before  the  public,  for,  when 
ventures  of  this  character  collapse,  it  is  usually 
mining  and  the  mining  engineer  that  are  blam- 
ed, and  not  the  organizers  of  the  schemes. 
Thus,  in  spite  of  his  repugnance,  the  editor 
has  to  imagine  that  it  is  his  duly  to  his  profes- 
sion and  to  the  public  to  point  out  the  absence 
of  any  real  basis  for  such  ventures.  But  it  is  im- 
possible to  embark  on  such  an  attempt  at  expo- 
sure unless  the  re  is  am  pie  confirmatory  evidence 
of  the  unsoundness  of  the  ventures  in  question. 
It  would  surprise  our  readers  to  know  how 
many  grievances  are  brought  to  our  notice 
which  are  not  suitable  for  public  comment. 
Some  of  them  are  real  enough,  but  the  faults 
are  often  due  more  to  lack  of  personal  judgment 
than  to  evil  intent,  while  others  are  not  sub- 
stantiated by  evidence  acceptable  in  a  court. 
Comment  could  never  be  made  by  an  editor  on 
any  grievance  that  rests  on  a  difference  of  opin- 
ion betw-een  two  members  of  the  profession,  or 
on  any  allegation  against  a  member  of  the  pro- 
fession made  by  an  outsider.  Such  matters 
are  not  of  public  interest,  and  adjudication  on 
them  rests  entirely  with  the  Council  of  the 
Institution. 

There  is  another  point  of  view  in  connection 
with  the  presumed  "  public  duty  "  that  remains 
for  consideration,  .'\fter  an  editor  has  per- 
suaded himself  of  this  public  duty,  the  question 
usually  arises  within  his  mind  as  to  whether 
the  public  will  ever  thank  him  for  drawing  at- 
tention to  the  lack  of  basis  for  a  particular  ven- 
ture. On  the  failure  of  the  properties,  or  on 
the  exposure  of  their  barrenness,  the  share- 
holders find  their  shares  unsaleable,  or  saleable 
only  at  an  absurdly  low  price,  and  their  attitude 
of  mind  is  naturally  bitter.  The  editor  who 
issued  the  warning  is  an  unpopular  person,  for 
he  has  knocked  down  the  house  of  cards,  and 
has  prevented  the  shareholders  from  realizing 
their  shares,  and  he  is  certainly  unable  to  offer 
them  any  solatium.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
promoter  or  the  board  may  be  often  in  a  posi- 
tion to  help  the  shareholders  to  retrieve  a  part 
at  least  of  their  losses.  In  any  case  the  average 
subscriber  to  mining  shares  does  not  read  the 
technical  mining  papers,  so  it  seems  little  use 
from  the  "  public-duty  "  point  of  view  for  such 
papers  to  utter  these  warnings.  Thus  we  are 
faced  with  the  conclusion,  which  seems  like  a 
reductio  ad  absurdum,  that,  whether  considered 
from  the  point  of  view  of  "public  duty"  or 
of  "  business,"  libel  and  criticism  do  not  pay. 
Nevertheless,  a  spice  of  criticism  partakes  of 
the  nature  of  an  imponderable  asset,  which, 
though  indefinable,  is  none  the  less  real. 


I 


REVIEW  OF  MINING 


Introduction. — The  world  is  now  passing 
through  a  serious  trade  crisis.  Metals  are 
quoted  at  prices  a  long  way  below  the  average 
cost  of  production,  and  stoppages,  partial  or 
total,  are  announced  in  many  quarters.  The 
position  of  the  Cornish  tin  industry  is  very 
serious,  for  hardly  any  actual  mining  is  being 
done.  The  gold  industry  exists  largely  on  the 
premium  at  present  obtainable.  In  business 
circles  there  is  gratification  at  the  forthcoming 
withdrawal  of  the  Excess  Profits  Duty,  though 
the  real  reason  for  the  change  of  front  on  the 
part  of  the  Government  is  gloomy  enough. 

Transvaal. — The  output  of  gold  in  the 
Transvaal  during  the  year  1920  amounted  to 
8,153,625  oz.,  as  compared  with  8,330,091  oz. 
in  1919  and  8,418,292  oz.  in  1918.  In  1912, 
1915,  1916,  and  1917,  the  totals  exceeded  nine 
million  ounces,  and  the  highest  figure  was 
9,296,618  oz.  in  1917.  The  par  value  of  the 
1920  output  was  ^34,652,700,  but  owing  to 
the  premium  the  value  of  the  gold  was  esti- 
mated at  ^44,640,420.  It  will  thus  be  seen 
that  approximately  ^10,000,000  was  received 
as  premium.  When  it  is  added  that  the  divi- 
dends declared  during  the  year  amounted  to 
^8,314,300,  it  becomes  clear  how  much  the 
Transvaal  gold-mining  industry  depends  on 
the  premium  for  its  profits.- 

The  new  Currency  Act  of  the  Union  came 
into  force  on  December  17,  and  so  far  the  mail 
accounts  show  that  the  disappearance  of  the 
gold  coins  has  been  accepted  without  complaint 
or  comment.  The  attitude  of  the  natives  to- 
ward paper  money  was  carefully  considered 
before  the  change  was  made,  and  the  supply 
of  silver  coin  was  increased  so  that  as  far  as 
possible  native  wages  should  be  paid  in  hard 
cash.  In  some  quarters  the  substitution  of 
paper  for  gold  gave  rise  to  uncertainty  among 
the  natives,  but  the  position  was  so  fully  ex- 
plained by  the  Government  and  by  the  various 
employers  that  there  was  no  serious  trouble. 
The  authorities  have  handled  the  matter  with 
much  more  common  sense  than  was  shown  by 
those  responsible  for  paper  money  in  West 
Africa. 

A  strike  of  white  mmers  has  put  Consoli- 
dated Langlaagte  out  of  action  for  the  time. 
The  cause  is  imperfectly  understood  in  this 
country.  There  are  rumours  that  the  men's 
Union  contemplate  a  general  strike,  but  this 
may  be  only  a  ruse  in  connection  with  the 
elections.  At  the  time  of  going  to  press  little 
definite  news  has  come  to  hand. 


The  directors  of  Modderfontein  East  have 
completed  the  negotiations,  to  which  reference 
was  made  in  the  December  issue,  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  Simmer  Deep  and  Jupiter  mill- 
ing plant.  The  figure  agreed  to  is  ^110,000. 
The  capacity  of  the  plant  as  it  stands  is  80,000 
tons  per  month,  but  only  50,000  tons  is  to  be 
treated  at  Modderfontein  East. 

No.  4  vertical  shaft  in  the  new  section  of 
Brakpan  has  reached  thereefatadepthof  4,218 
ft.  The  average  of  the  assays  gave  7'6  dwt. 
over  39'2  in.  The  foot-wall  leader,  included  in 
the  foregoing  measurement,  averaged  15'3 
dwt.  over  18'4  in. 

The  ore-reserve  position  at  Geduld  con- 
tinues to  show  advances.  The  figures  at  De- 
cember 31  were  estimated  at  3,220,000  tons 
averaging  8  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with 
2,580,000  tons  averaging  7'4  dwt.  the  year  be- 
fore, in  both  cases  the  sloping  width  being  as- 
sumed at  61  inches. 

Brief  mention  is  made  in  the  directors'  re- 
port of  the  Messina  company,  and  in  the  chair- 
man's speech  at  the  meeting  of  shareholders, 
of  the  new  project  for  establishing  a  copper 
smelter  and  refinery  to  treat  the  ores  produced 
at  the  company's  mines.  The  building  of  this 
plant  is  in  the  hands  of  a  new  company,  the 
Transvaal  Smelting  &  Refining  Co.,  Ltd.  Its 
business  will  not  be  confined  to  the  smelting 
of  the  Messina  ores,  for  it  is  intended  also  to 
purchase  copper  ores  from  mines  now  being 
opened  up  in  the  same  district.  The  Messina 
mines  were  closed  some  months  ago  owing  to 
continued  rises  in  costs  and  the  fall  in  copper, 
and  the  labour  force  was  transferred  to  the 
erection  of  the  company's  new  concentrating 
plant  and  of  the  smelting  company's  furnaces. 
Mining  will  not  be  recommenced  until  the  new 
plants  are  ready. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during  the 
year  1920  was  552,498  oz.  and  the  estimated 
amount  obtained  by  its  sale  was  ^3,056,549. 
This  figure  is  really  slightly  higher  than  it 
should  be,  forin  May  there  was  includedamong 
the  receipts  an  unspecified  amount  represent- 
ing premium  on  the  outputs  during  October, 
November,  and  December,  1919.  At  present 
the  biggest  producers  are  the  Shamva,  Lonely, 
Falcon,  and  Globe  &  Phoenix,  of  which  the 
first  two  exhibit  the  healthiest  symptoms  as 
regards  the  future. 

The  British  South  Africa  Company  has 
issued  figures  for  the  output  of  metals  and 
minerals  in  Southern  Rhodesia  during  1920. 


71 


72 


thp:   mining   magazine 


These  are  given  in  the  following  table,  together 
with  the  figures  for  1919. 

1919  1920 

Gold    Or.  59J.222  552.497 

Silver 172.000  158.982 

Copper  Tods  3.012  J. 109 

Chrome  Iron  Ores...     ..  33,282  60.269 

Asbestos   9.799  18.823 

Coal    5I0.0«0  578.492 

Tunusten  Ores    20  17 

Arsenic 242  437 

Antimooy —  II 

Ironstone 2.500  — 

Mica   6  97 

Tin  4  4 

Diamonds     Carats  385  243 

The  market  value  of  the  gold  produced  in  1920 
is  given  at  .^3,056,549,  as  compared  with 
/2,499,498  in  1919.  Though  the  output  was 
39,000  oz.  less,  the  amount  received  by  the 
mines  was  .^557,000  greater,  owing  to  the 
premium  ruling  for  gold. 

The  Lonely  Reef  continues  to  give  good 
results  in  depth.  On  the  24th  level  the  ore  is 
found  to  assay  39'9  dwt.  over  44  in.,  and  de- 
velopment of  this  level  has  been  started. 

The  Cave  Commission  has  at  last  presented 
its  report  as  to  the  amount  due  to  the  British 
South  Africa  Company  for  administration  ex- 
penditure on  behalf  of  the  Crown.  The  com- 
pany claimed  the  amount  of  .^7,866,1 17  up  to 
July,  1919.  Against  this,  the  award  of  the 
Commissioners  is  ^4,435,225  up  to  the  end  of 
March,  1918,  but  a  good  many  items  based  on 
valuations  may  have  to  be  reargued. 

The  desire  of  the  residents  in  Rhodesia  for 
responsible  self-government  has  been  before 
Lord  Milner,  Secretary  of  State  for  the  Colon- 
ies, for  some  time  past  owing  to  the  result  of 
the  election  to  the  Legislative  Council  in  .'\pril 
last  of  twelve  out  of  thirteen  members  pledged 
to  demand  the  immediate  grant  of  this  form  of 
government.  Lord  Milner  recommends  that 
this  question  should  be  postponed  until  the 
election  in  1923.  Owing  to  the  charter  of  the 
British  South  .A-frica  Company  expiring  in 
1924,  it  is  clear  that  the  future  government  of 
the  country  will  then  come  up  for  consideration, 
and  the  elections  for  the  council  in  1923  would 
naturally  be  the  proper  time  for  registering 
public  opinion.  Lord  Milner,  in  the  meantime, 
proposes  that  for  the  next  three  years  the 
British  Government  should  advance  certain 
sums  required  for  public  works,  owing  to  Rho- 
desia not  being  in  a  position  to  raise  loans  in 
the  open  market.  The  members  of  the  council 
do  not  accept  these  proposals  for  delay  and 
have  addressed  Lord  Milner  once  more  on  the 
subject. 

Congo. — An  outline  of  the  yearly  report  of 
Tanganyika  Concessions,  together  with  a  new 
official  map  of  Haut  Katanga,  are  given  else- 
where in    this  issue,    as  is  also    Mr.   Robert 


Williams'  speei:h  to  shareholders.  The  most 
interesting  item  of  news  relates  to  the  forma 
tion  of  the  Nile-Congo  Divide  Syndicate,  which 
has  secured  an  80%  interest  in  certain  mineral 
rights  in  the  Sudan  along  the  Nile-Congo 
watershed.  The  syndicate  has  a  capital  of 
.^35,000,  of  which  Tanganyika  Concessions  has 
subscribed  if  10,000,  with  an  option  to  take  up 
5,000  more  shares  within  live  years.  The  lead- 
ing spirit  in  this  enterprise  is  Major  Christy, 
who,  together  with  Mr.  Robert  Williams,  has 
had  evidence  for  some  time  that  the  region 
would  repay  prospecting  for  minerals.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  the  north-eastern  part  of 
Congo  State,  which  is  also  on  this  watershed, 
contains  a  number  of  rich  gold  deposits. 

West  Africa. — The  Frestea  Block  A  com- 
pany reports  that  the  main  ore-shoot  is  show- 
ing serious  signs  of  exhaustion.  The  only 
recent  accession  to  reserves  was  in  a  length  of 
90  ft.  on  the  12th  level  between  the  North  and 
the  Appantoo  shafts,  averaging44s.  over  1 1  Oin. 
A  winze  is  being  sunk  to  ascertain  how  far  the 
ore  continues  downward.  On  the  11th  level 
a  newly  discovered  shoot  is  being  developed, 
where  the  ore  averages  45s.  6d.  over  107  in. 
for  a  distance  of  310  ft.  On  the  12th  level  the 
ore  averages  37s.  over  126  in.  for  635  ft.  The 
immediate  future  of  the  mine  depends  on  how 
this  shoot  develops  in  length  and  breadth. 

Nigeria. — The  persistent  slump  in  tin  is 
giving  most  of  the  producing  companies  an 
anxious  time.  Not  only  is  the  price  low,  but 
sales  are  not  promptly  effected,  so  that  the 
financial  position  of  most  of  the  mines  is  by  no 
means  secure.  As  regards  the  issue  of  ^"25,000 
debentures  by  the  Jantar  company,  announced 
last  month,  the  response  has  been  so  poor  that 
the  issue  has  been  withdrawn,  and  orders  have 
been  given  to  cease  work  at  the  properties  at 
the  end  of  April  unless  the  tin  market  sub- 
stantially revives. 

Australia. — The  Broken  Hill  industry  is 
fated toreceive one set-backafteranother.  The 
latest  disaster  is  the  burning  of  part  of  the 
Associated  Smelters'  plant  at  Fort  Pirie,  the 
sintering  section  being  the  chief  sufferer.  It  is 
estimatedthatdamage  totheextentof  .^100,000 
has  been  done.  The  official  cable  states  that 
the  question  of  replacement  and  the  erection  of 
temporary  plant  for  use  in  the  meantime  is 
receiving  the  consideration  of  the  board. 

The  position  at  the  Broken  Hill  mines  re- 
mains obscure.  It  is  obvious  that  the  discus- 
sion on  reduction  of  work  owing  to  low  prices 
of  metals  is  now  complicated  by  the  fire  at 
Port  Pirie.  The  Zinc  Corporation  announces 
that  mining  is  to  be  stopped  at  the  South  Blocks, 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


73 


and  that  the  only  material  to  be  treated  is  the 
old  zinc  tailing.  It  will  be  possible  to  realize 
on  the  zinc  concentrate  produced,  for  the  Brit- 
ish Government  is  still  bound  by  the  contract 
to  purchase  such  concentrate  for  10  years  from 
1916. 

The  railway  strike  which  caused  the  stop- 
page of  work  at  the  Kalgoorlie  mines,  men- 
tioned last  month,  has  terminated  and  work  has 
been  resumed. 

The  shipping  strike,  to  which  reference  was 
made  last  month,  has  had  the  eftect  of  prevent- 
ing the  delivery  of  iron  ore  from  South  Aus- 
tralia to  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary's  blast- 
furnaces at  Newcastle,  New  South  Wales. 
The  consequence  is  that  the  blast-furnaces  will 
be  closed  down  shortly,  andafterwards  thesteel 
plant  and  roiling  mills. 

A  serious  fire  occurred  at  the  Sons  of  Gwalia 
on  January  19,  a  large  part  of  the  surface  plant 
being  destroyed.  The  fire  broke  out  in  the 
gas-engine  house,  and  it  eventually  damaged 
the  milling  plant  and  the  air-compressor.  The 
headgear,  hoisting  engine,  slime  plant,  and  ex- 
tractor-houses were  saved. 

Baring  for  oil  is  to  be  undertaken  in  Gipps- 
land,  Victoria,  by  a  company  that  has  recently 
been  formed  called  the  Austral  Oil  Wells,  No 
Liability.  The  drilling  is  to  be  done  in  the 
Morwell  and  Omeo  districts.  The  occurrence 
of  oil  in  this  region  has  been  observed  for  many 
years,  but  no  exploratory  work  appears  to  have 
been  done.  The  Wonthaggi  and  Morwell  coal 
deposits  are  in  this  part  of  Victoria. 

The  Anglo-Persian  Oil  Company  has  made 
proposals  to  theGovernment  of  West  Australia 
with  the  object  of  prospecting  for  oil  in  that 
state.  The  company  is  prepared  to  spend 
^50,000  in  geologicalsuryey  work  and  boring. 
The  Government  appears  to  be  disinclined  to 
grant  such  large  concessions  as  the  company 
desires. 

New  Zealand. — The  Waihi  Gold  Mining 
Co.  announces  that  a  proposal  is  to  be  made 
for  the  reduction  of  the  nominal  value  of  its 
shares  from  £l  to  10s.,  and  the  return  of 
t  250,000  to  shareholders.  The  company  has 
large  assets  in  first-class  securities  represent- 
ing about  half-a-million  pounds,  virtually  rep- 
resenting the  nominal  capital.  It  also  has 
;f2 12,500  in  New  Zealand  bonds  redeemable 
in  ten  years'  time,  received  as  purchase  price 
for  the  Hora-Hora  hydro-electric  installation. 
The  company  has  been  working  much  poorer 
ore  during  the  last  few  years  than  that  which 
made  so  great  a  name  for  the  mine.  For  some 
time  eflforts  have  been  made  to  secure  a  new 
property,  but  so  far  without  avail. 


India. — The  BurmaCorporation  announces 
that  its  output  of  refined  lead  during  1920 
was  approximately  23,816  tons  and  of  silver 
2,874,000  oz.,  as  compared  with  18,540  tons 
and2,168,000oz.  respectively  in  1919.  Of  the 
shipments  of  lead  during  1920,  9.200  tons  came 
to  London  and  16,312  tons  went  to  India  and 
the  Far  East.  At  the  present  time  the  demand 
for  lead  in  the  Far  East  is  increasing  so  much 
that  nearly  the  whole  of  the  output  is  now 
absorbed  there  and  hardly  any  is  coming  to 
London. 

Cornwall. — The  collapse  of  the  tin  market 
is  having  a  disastrous  effect  on  the  Cornish  tin 
mines.  Our  Camborne  correspondent  gives 
some  account  of  the  present  sad  plight  of 
Cornwall.  Every  mine  has  closed  down  as 
far  as  production  is  concerned,  and  the  diffi- 
culty will  be  to  provide  funds  for  pumping  and 
keeping  the  mines  in  good  condition.  .-At- 
tempts to  keep  Grenville  going  have  failed  and 
the  company  has  gone  into  liquidation. 

The  two  petitions  for  the  compulsory  wind- 
ing-up of  the  Calloose  Tin  Mines  &  Alluvials, 
Ltd.,  have  been  dismissed  by  the  Court.  Mr. 
H.  Newhouse  and  other  shareholders,  who  had 
previously  successfully  petitioned  lor  a  removal 
of  their  names  from  the  register,  have  had  their 
claims  against  the  company  paid  in  full,  so  that 
their  action  was  annulled.  The  other  petition, 
brought  by  the  Naraguta  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines, 
Ltd.,  was  not  pressed.  The  company  is  now 
free  to  try  other  properties,  and  the  famous 
"Calloose"  incident  is  at  an  end. 

Devon. — A  few  months  ago  it  was  an- 
nounced that  Mr.  H.  Mallaby-Deeley,  chair- 
man of  the  company,  had  acquired  the  pro- 
perty of  the  China  Clay  Corporation  at  Red- 
lake  and  Ivybridge,  which  was  sold  by  the 
order  of  the  Court.  It  is  now  announced  that 
the  amount  paid  was  £"47,000,  and  that  a  new 
company  is  to  be  formed  with  a  capital  of 
^75,000.  Of  this  capital  Mr.  Mallaby-Deeley 
will  take  £^47,000  in  shares  as  purchase  price, 
while  28,000  shares  will  be  offered  for  sub- 
scription among  shareholders  in  the  old  com- 
pany. The  old  company  had  an  issued  share 
capital  of  £^270,000,  and  there  were  ir34,264 
debentures,  and  it  had  .-^pent  nearly  ^200,000 
on  equipment.  The  new  board  is  to  be  com- 
posed of  men  conversant  with  the  china-clay 
business,  so  the  actual  value  of  the  deposits 
should  soon  be  ascertained. 

Oil  in  Great  Britain. — The  Government 
Petroleum  Department  has  issued  a  report 
on  oil-drilling  operations  during  1920.  The 
Hardstoft  well  continues  to  yield  oil  by  natural 
overflow  at  the  rate  of  1  ton  per  day,  and  the 


74 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


output  for  1920  was  375  tons,  of  which  325 
tons  lias  been  sold  to  the  Anglo-American  Oil 
Co.  at  C~~-  10s.  per  ton.  .\t  Ironville  No.  1, 
also  in  Derbyshire,  there  was  a  good  showing 
of  thick  oil  at  a  depth  of  2,031  ft.,  at  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Limestone  Shales  and  the  Carbonif- 
erous Limestone,  and  there  were  also  shows  in 
the  Limestone  at  2,500  ft.  and  3,630  ft.  At 
the  latter  point  the  well  was  shot  with  180  lb. 
of  dynamite,  but  with  what  result  is  not  yet 
known  on  account  of  water  in  the  well.  At 
the  Heath  well  a  good  show  of  light  filtered 
oil  was  encountered  at  3,940  ft.  At  the  D' Arcy 
well,  near  Edinburgh,  gas  was  tapped  at  724  ft., 
with  a  flow  of  approximately  300,000  cu.  ft. 
per  twenty-four  hours.  At  West  Calder,  near 
by,  the  bore  gave  indications  of  oil  at  several 
points,  but  the  presence  of  volcanic  rocks 
caused  much  trouble. 

Canada. — The  average  man  would  never 
expect  hydro-electric  power  to  fail  in  Canada 
owing  to  shortness  of  water.  Such,  however, 
has  been  the  case  recently  in  Northern  On- 
tario, w'ith  the  result  that  at  Porcupine  and 
Cobalt  the  output  of  ore  has  been  limited  by 
the  rationing  of  current.  Our  Toronto  corres- 
pondent refers  to  this  matter  in  his  news  letter 
published  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 

United  States. — The  United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey  reports  the  output  of  gold  in  the 
individual  states  during  1920  as  follows,  the 
figures  for  1919  being  appended  also  for  com- 
parison. 

1919  1920 

ft  s 

California 16,695.900  14.305.300 

Alaska   9.036.000  7.856.000 

Colorado    9.S67.S00  7.613  OOO 

Arizona 4.506.400  4.493.000 

South  Dakota 4.862,500  4,201, «00 

Nevada 4,451,500  3,554.900 

Utah   2,159.400  2,076  400 

Montana    2.229,600  1,839,200 

Oregon  980.800  965,100 

Idaho 713  200  465.300 

New  Mexico    595.700  463.400 

Washington 252,800  148,800 

Totals 60  300.000  50,000,000 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  decrease  in  production 
continues,  and  that  the  fall  is  general  through- 
out all  the  States. 

The  Bunker  Hill  &  Sullivan  Company,  of 
Idaho,  recently  built  a  lead  smelter,  and  now 
produces  its  own  lead  instead  of  selling  concen- 
trates. The  directors  have  since  decided  to 
start  an  electrolytic  zinc  plant.  The  Star  mine 
contains  complex  ore,  and  this  is  to  be  treated 
for  the  production  of  lead  and  zincconcentrates, 
the  latter  to  be  used  for  zinc  production.  The 
initial  capacity  of  the  zinc  plant  is  to  be  25  tons 
per  day,  and  the  cost  is  estimated  at  a  million 
dollars.  It  is  hoped  that  the  zinc  market  will 
have  revived  by  the  time  the  plant  is  built. 


The  condition  of  the  /.inc  industry  in  the 
United  States  is  reflected  in  the  fact  that 
work  at  the  electrolytic  plant  at  Anaconda 
has  been  suspended  owing  to  the  low  prices 
ruling. 

It  is  announced  that  vanadium  is  not  now 
produced  from  Colorado  ores,  which  consist  of 
carnotite,  the  mineral  yielding  also  uranium 
and  radium.  Ihe  whole  of  the  vanadium  used 
in  America  is  now  made  from  Peruvian  ores, 
and  it  is  stated  that  such  vanadium  is  purer 
and  cheaper  to  prepare  than  that  made  from 
Colorado  ores. 

Mexico. —  Last  month  a  brief  cable  was 
received  in  this  country  announcing  the  burst- 
ing of  a  dam  at  Pachuca  and  the  consequent 
flooding  of  several  mines.  No  confirmatory 
news  is  to  hand  yet.  The  Santa  Gertrudis 
company  announces  a  shortage  of  hydro  elec- 
tric power,  which  will  result  in  some  contrac- 
tion in  the  scale  of  operations  at  its  varipus 
mines.  Whether  the  shortage  is  caused  by 
the  accident  referred  to  or  by  drought  is  not 
stated. 

Bolivia. — It  has  already  been  recorded  that 
the  main  reserves  at  the  Porco  tin  mines  have 
been  exhausted  and  that  the  mill  has  been  kept 
going  chiefly  on  custom  work.  Owing  to  the 
low  price  of  tin,  it  has  now  been  decided  to  sus- 
pend mining  and  milling  operations.  It  is  felt, 
however,  that  the  property  should  not  be  aban- 
doned without  some  more  prospecting  being 
done  in  depth.  A  proposal  is  therefore  being 
made  that  theshares  shall  be  writtendown  from 
£\\.o  5s.,  and  that  shareholders  shall  be  invited 
to  subscribe  a  further  5s.  per  share.  The  alter- 
native will  be  a  foreclosure  by  the  debenture 
holders,  Messrs.  Avelino  Aramayo  &  Company. 

Some  months  ago  Mr.  Justice  Russell  de- 
cided that  certain  dividends  distributed  by  the 
Aramayo  Francke  Mines,  Ltd.,  to  its  German 
shareholders  during  the  war  should  have  been 
paid  instead  to  the  Public  Custodian  in  this 
country.  The  company  had  large  assets  in 
Germany  and  the  directors  felt  justified  in  pay- 
ing dividends  out  of  those  assets  to  the  Ger- 
man shareholders.  An  appeal  from  Mr.  Jus- 
tice Russell's  judgment  was  before  the  Court 
of  .\ppeal  last  month,  and  the  three  judges 
unanimously  upheld  the  decision  of  the  court 
below.  It  was  maintained  that  the  Custodian 
was  the  shareholder  under  English  law.  It 
seems  hard  lines  that  the  company  should  not 
be  allowed  to  consider  the  dividend  as  paid  out 
of  funds  which  had  probably  already  been  con- 
fiscated by  the  German  Government,  but  the 
legal  interpretation  of  the  Act  is  presumably 
the  correct  one. 


THE  TRANSMISSION   OF   POWER   BY  WAVES. 


By   P.   J.    RISDON. 

Particulars  are  given  in  this  article  of  the  new  method  of  transmitting  power  by  wave 
motion,  invented  by  G.  Constantinesco  and  developed  by  W.  H.  Dorman  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Particular  reference  is  made  to  the  application  of  the  system  to  the  driving  of  rock-drills. 


ON  several  occasions  reference  has  been 
made  in  the  columns  of  The  Mining 
Magazine  to  a  new  rock-drill  operated  by 
means  of  power  transmitted  in  waves  through 
water.  This  article  gives  an  outline  of  the 
theory  of  the  new  process,  while  another  article 
to  follow  will  give  details  of  the  construction 
of  the  various  apparatus. 

This  important  new  system  of  transmitting 
power  is  the  invention  of  a  Roumanian,  Mr. 
G.  Constantinesco,  while  credit  for  developing 
it,  so  that  it  is  now  a  practical  and  commercial 
proposition,  is  due  to  Messrs.  W.  H.  Dorman 
&  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stafford.  The  first  application 
of  the  system  was  in  the  synchronization  of 
machine-gun  fire  with  the  revolutions  of  aero- 
plane propellers.  The  device  enabled  2,000 
shots  a  minute  to  be  fired  between  the  blades 
when  revolving  at  high  speed  without  the  pos- 
sibility of  a  single  bullet  striking  a  blade.  This 
was  known  as  the  C.C.  Interrupter  Gear.  The 
use  of  the  principle  involved  has  now  been  ex- 
tended and  applied  so  that  a  wave  generator 
can  transmit  waves  of  10  h.p.  through  water  in 
a  pipe  1  in.  diameter. 

Theory  of  Wave  Transmission. — At 
first  sight  the  system  might  be  mistaken  for  a 
form  of  hydraulic  transmission,  but  in  point  of 
fact  it  is  based  upon  an  e.xactly  opposite 
principle.  In  hydraulic  transmission,  use  is 
made  of  the  fact  that  water  is  only  compres- 
sible to  such  a  small  extent  that  it  serves  the 
same  purpose  as  a  long  flexible  piston  rod,  the 
water  being  propelled  bodily  through  a  pipe 
and  expelled  from  the  cylinder  upon  comple- 
tion of  the  stroke.  In  wave  power  transmis- 
sion, the  water  does  not  move  bodily  forward, 
nor  is  it  expelled,  but  remains  in  the  system. 
In  this  case,  the  method  depends  upon  the  fact 
that  water  is  slightly  compressible  or  elastic. 
Assume  that  we  have  150  metres  of  wrought- 
iron  steampipe  of  2'5  cm.  diameter  and  0'5 
cm.  thickness  of  metal,  closed  at  one  end  and 
filled  with  water  ;  and  suppose  a  fluid-tight 
piston  is  forced  into  the  pipe  under  a  steady 
pressure  of  35  kg.  per  sq.  cm.  If  the  liquid 
were  incompressible  the  increase  in  volume  of 
the  containing  pipe  under  the  pressure  would 
allow  the  piston  to  enter  about  r5  cm.  If  the 
pipe  were  absolutely  inexpansible  the  pressure 


would  compress  the  water  to  an  extent  that 
would  allow  the  piston  to  enter  about  26  cm. 
It  is  seen,  therefore,  that  the  compression  of 
the  water  m  a  wrought  iron  steampipe  of  the 
size  considered  isthe  chief  factor  in  the  changes 
of  volume  that  take  place  under  pressure,  and 
that  the  expansion  of  the  containing  pipe  is 
almost  negligible.  On  removing  the  pressure 
from  the  piston,  the  water  will  again  expand  to 
its  original  volume. 

With  other  liquids  similar  results  will  be 
obtained.  Consider  what  takes  place  in  a 
speaking  tube  when  the  contained  air  is  set  in 
motion  by  a  diaphragm,  in  a  plane  normal  to 
the  axis  of  the  tube,  that  vibrates  about  a  mean 
position.  The  first  movement  of  the  diaphragm 
in  the  direction  of  the  tube  displaces  some  air 
in  the  tube;  this  di-placement  is  resisted  by 
the  still  air  farther  along  the  tube,  so  that  a 
zone  of  compressed  air  is  produced  in  the  im- 
mediate neighbourhood  of  the  diaphragm.  At 
the  same  time  the  moving  diaphragm  is  giving 
velocity  to  the  particles  of  air  in  its  immediate 
neighbourhood,  and  these  particles  communi- 
cate their  velocity  to  those  beyond  them,  and 
thus  any  disturbance  once  produced  by  the 
diaphragm  must  travel  forward  along  the  tube. 
On  the  return  movement  of  the  diaphragm,  the 
compressedair  in  itsimmediate  neighbourhood, 
being  elastic,  expands,  and  we  have  then  a 
zone  of  low-pressure  air  in  contact  with  the 
diaphragm.  The  continuing  vibrations  of  the 
diaphragm  produce  alternate  zones  of  high  and 
lov^  pressure,  and  the  disturbances  so  produced 
travel  forward  along  the  tube  until  the  whole 
of  the  air  particles  in  the  tube  are  in  a  state  of 
vibration  ;  it  has  been  found  that  the  zones  of 
high  and  low  pressure  travel  along  the  tube 
with  a  definite  velocity  of  about  1,100  ft.  per 
second,  this  velocity  varying  slightly  with  the 
diameter  of  the  tube.  In  a  similar  manner 
sound  energy  travels  through  other  elastic 
media.  The  velocity  through  water  has  been 
found  to  be  about  4,800  ft.  per  second. 

As  hitherto  employed  for  the  transmission 
of  power  in  hydraulic  systems,  liquid  and  solid 
connections  have  been  considered  as  movable 
en  bloc,  and  for  practical  purposes  incompres- 
sible and  inextensible.  Both  liquid  and  solid 
columns, however,  are  elastic,  and  this  property 


75 


76 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


can  be  made  use  of  to  transmit  energy  by  vi- 
lirations  of  the  particles  of  matter  of  which 
they  are  built  up.  We  will  now  consider  the 
case  of  liquid  columns. 

Assume  that  a  pipe,  instead  of  bein^  closed 
rigidly  at  one  end,  is  closed  by  a  light  floating 
piston  held  always  in  contact  with  the  liquid 
column,  but  free  to  move  with  the  liiiuid;  as 
sume  further  that  the  working  piston,  instead 
of  being  slowly  pushed  into  the  pipe,  is  con- 
nected to  a  rapidly  rotating  crank,  so  that  it 
moves  witha  simpleharmonic  motion,  and  that, 
in  addition  to  the  piston  impulses,  a  steady 
pressure  acts  on  the  liquid  column  at  both  ends. 
The  only  resistance  to  the  movement  of  the 
piston  is  then  the  inertia  of  the  liquid  column, 
and  if  the  column  is  short  the  liquid  will  move 
as  a  solid  mass.  If,  however,  the  column  is 
of  considerable  length  the  motion  of  the  layers 
of  liquid  nearer  the  working  piston  is  resisted 
by  the  inertia  of  the  more  remote  layers,  and  on 
the  in  stroke  of  thepiston  theliquid  in  its  neigh- 
bourhood will  be  compressed  and  its  volume  di- 
minished :  it  follows  that  the  motion  of  the  lay- 
ers of  liquid  remote  from  the  piston  will  be  but 
very  slightly  less  than  that  of  layers  nearer  to  it. 

At  any  given  speed  of  rotation  of  the  crank 
there  will  be  a  point  in  the  liquid  column  at 
which,  on  the  completion  of  the  in-stroke  of  the 
piston,  no  movement  of  the  liquid  has  occurred. 
The  liquid  between  this  point  and  the  piston 
will  at  this  moment  be  in  a  state  of  compres- 
sion, varying  from  a  maximum  at  the  piston  to 
zero.  At  the  moment  of  maximum  velocity 
of  the  piston,  the  velocity  of  the  layer  of  liquid 
in  contact  with  it  will  necessarily  be  greater 
than  the  velocity  of  the  more  remote  layers, 
and  the  kinetic  energy  of  the  layers  nearer  the 
piston  will,  therefore,  be  transmitted  in  the  for- 
ward direction  along  the  column.  The  energy 
expended  by  the  piston  in  its  forward  stroke  at 
the  end  of  this  stroke  is  present  in  the  liquid 
column,  partly  in  the  form  of  potential  energy 
due  to  the  decreased  volume  of  the  liquid  un- 
der compression  and  partly  as  kinetic  energy. 

On  the  return  stroke  of  the  piston,  the  com- 
pression of  the  layer  of  liquid  in  contact  with 
it  decreases,  and  expansion  of  the  liquid  takes 
place  between  the  piston  and  the  point  in  the 
column  at  which  the  pressure  is  a  maximum. 
As  the  point  of  maximum  pressure  movesaway 
from  the  piston  at  the  commencement  of  the 
return  stroke,  the  velocity  of  the  layer  of  liquid 
in  contact  with  the  piston  is  reversed,  -ivhile 
the  pressure  of  this  layer  diminishes  until  the 
piston  is  at  the  end  of  its  out-stroke.  At  the 
end  of  this  out-stroke  the  layer  of  liquid  in 
•contact  with  the  piston  is  for  the  instant  at 


rest.  As  the  crank  continues  rotating,  there 
are  thus  impressed  on  the  liquidcolumn  aseries 
of  impulses  sending  a  series  of  changes  of  pres- 
sure and  vohimealong  the  column,  the  particles 
of  liquid  each  vibrating  about  a  mean  position. 

In  order  that  a  receiver  may  be  able  to  re- 
spond to  the  vibrations  falling  on  it,  certain 
conditions  are  essential.  The  part  of  the  re- 
ceiver which  is  to  be  put  in  action  must  be 
capable  of  vibrating  at  the  periodicity  of  the 
vibrations  which  fall  on  it.  Thus  when  it  is 
desired  to  transmit  power  economically  by 
means  of  vibrations,  it  is  necessary  that  the 
part  moved  sh<juld  be  designed  so  that  it  can 
respond  to  the  particular  periodicity  of  vibra- 
tions at  which  the  power  is  transmitted.  It  is 
further  necessary,  if  the  part  moved  has  to 
perform  useful  work,  that  the  work  should  be 
performed  in  such  a  manner  that  the  ability  of 
the  receiver  to  vibrate  in  unison  with  the  im- 
pressed vibrations  is  not  interfered  with. 

Let  us  now  consider  further  the  case  of  a 
rapidly  rotating  crank  causing  a  piston  to  re- 
ciprocate at  the  end  of  a  long  pipe  containing 
liquid.  We  have  seen  that  a  series  of  zones 
of  high  pressure  and  compression  of  the  liquid 
alternating  with  zones  of  low  pressure  and  ex- 
pansion of  the  liquid  are  produced,  and  that 
these  zones  travel  forward  along  the  pipe. 

In  Fig.  1,  suppose  the  crank  A  to  be  rotating 
uniformly,  causing  the  piston  B  to  reciprocate 
in  the  pipe  C  which  is  full  of  liquid.  .At  each 
instroke  of  the  piston  a  zone  of  high-pressure 
is  formed,  and  these  zones  of  high  pressure, 
shown  by  shading,  travel  along  the  pipe  away 
from  the  piston  ;  between  every  pair  of  high- 
pressure  zones  is  a  zone  of  low  pressure,  shown 
light  in  the  figure.  The  pressure  at  any  point 
in  the  pipe,  therefore,  will  go  through  a  series 
of  values  from  a  maximum  to  a  minimum,  and 
these  values  will  repeat  periodically.  Let  the 
line  OX  represent  the  value  of  the  mean  pres- 
sure ;  then,  with  the  piston  in  the  position  il- 
lustrated, the  instantaneous  pressures  at  differ- 
ent points  along  the  pipe  may  be  represented 
by  the  ordinates  of  the  sine  curve  EFG  .  .  K. 
.As  the  rotation  of  the  crank  is  uniform,  it  will 
be  evident  that  the  distances  between  succes- 
sive points  of  maximum  pressure  will  be  equal. 
This  uniform  distance  along  the  pipe  at  which 
the  values  of  the  pressure  are  repeated  is  the 
wave  length  of  the  vibrating  movement  of  the 
liquid.  If  V  is  the  velocity  with  which  these 
waves  travel  along  the  pipe,  and  n  is  the  num- 
ber of  revolutions  in  unit  time  of  the  crank  A, 
it  will  readily  be  seen  that  the  wave  length  y 

must  be 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


77 


Assume  now  that  the  pipe  is  closed  at  the 
point  R  at  a  distance  from  the  piston  B  equal 
to  an  exact  multiple  of  the  wave  length,  and 
suppose  that  the  stroke  of  the  piston  is  small 
compared  with  the  wave  length,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  2.  The  wave  of  compression  will  be 
stopped  at  R  and  reflected,  and  the  reflected 
wave  will  travel  back  along  the  pipe. 

If  the  crank  continues  its  rotation  at  uniform 
speed,  with  the  length  of  pipe  and  speed  of  ro- 
tation we  have  taken,  that  is,  with  the  distance 
from  the  piston  B  to  the  stop  R,  an  exact 
multiple  of  the  wave  length,  a  zone  of  maxi- 
mum pressure  will  be  just  starting  from  the 
piston  at  the  instant  the  reflected  zone  of  maxi- 
mum pressure  reaches  it  ;  so  that  we  shall  have 
a  wave  of  double  the  original  amplitude  travel- 
ling forward  along  the  pipe.  The  next  revolu- 
tion of  the  crank  will  again  add  to  the  ampli- 
tude of  the  wave  sent  forward,  and  so  on  with 
successive  revolutions.  The  result  of  this  con- 
tinual pouring  in  of  energy  is  that  the  maximum 
pressure  increases  without  limit  until  ultimately 
the  pipe  bursts. 


It  should  be  noted  that,  in  a  wave  of  greater 
amplitude,  the  maximum  pressures  are  in- 
creased and  the  maximum  velocities  and  dis- 
tance of  travel  of  the  oscillating  particles  are 
also  increased. 

Suppose  now  that  instead  of  closing  the  pipe 
rigidly  at  R,  we  have  at  R  a  piston  M  con- 
nected to  a  crank  N  similar  to  A,  as  shown  in 
Fig.  3.  Suppose  that  the  crank  N  is  rotating 
at  the  same  angular  velocity  and  in  the  same 
phase  as  the  crank  A.  If  the  liquid  column 
were  continued  beyond  the  piston  M,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  movement  of  the  piston  would 
produce  in  this  column  a  series  of  waves  which 
would  be  exactly  similar  to  and  a  continuation 
of  the  waves  between  B  and  M.  The  piston 
M,  therefore,  if  moving  synchronously  with  B, 
will  be  able  to  take  up  the  whole  energy  of  the 
waves  produced  by  B  and  travelling  along  the 
pipe.  It  will  be  seen,  further,  that  the  piston 
will  be  able  to  take  up  and  utilize  the  whole  of 
the  energy  of  the  waves  travelling  to  it  if 
placed  at  any  point  of  the  pipe,  provided  its 
time  period  of  reciprocation  is  the  same  as  that 


78 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINK 


of  the  piston  A,  ami  provided  that  the  phase  of 
its  movement  is  such  as  would  proiluce  a  con- 
tinuation beyond  it  of  the  impiuKuig  waves; 
that  is  to  say,  provided  the  piston  movement 
is  in  phase  with  the  movement  of  the  layer  of 
liquid  in  contact  with  it. 

In  the  transmission  of  power  by  wave  mo- 
tion in  this  example,  the  maximum  pressure  in 
the  pipe  will  at  no  point  exceed  the  maximum 
pressure  in  the  neishhourhood  of  the  working 
piston,  however  long  the  transmission  line  may 
be  ;  and  will  be  the  same  whether  the  line  is  a 
single  wave  length  or  any  number  of  wave 
lengths.  Also  the  two  pistons  may  be  moving 
in  the  same  or  in  opposite  directions,  and  their 
motions  may  differ  in  phase  by  any  angle  ac- 
cording to  the  relation  between  the  distance 
from  one  to  the  other  and  the  wave  length. 

In  the  example  above  discussed,  the  whole 
of  the  energy  put  into  the  liquid  column  by  the 
piston  B  can  be  taken  up  by  the  piston  M.  If 
more  energy  is  put  in  by  B  than  is  taken  up 
by  the  piston  M,  assuming  no  frictional  losses, 
itisobviousthatreflected  waves  must  befonned 
as  the  direct  waves  fall  on  the  piston  M.  The 
result  of  this  will  be  that  the  surplus  energy 
will  remain  in  the  liquid  and  the  continuation 
of  the  rotation  will  continually  pour  in  energy, 
increasing  the  maximum  pressure  indefinitely, 
until  ultimately,  as  in  the  case  of  the  closed 
pipe,  the  pipe  will  burst. 

Suppose  that,  m  the  case  of  a  closed  pipe 
having  a  length  of  several  wave  lengths,  a 
vessel  D,  completely  filled  with  liquid,  of  con- 
siderable volume  in  proportion  to  the  stroke 
volume  of  the  piston  13  and  with  rigid  walls,  is 
placed  in  communication  with  the  pipe  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  piston,  as  shown  in  Fig. 
4.  At  each  in- stroke  of  the  piston  a  flow  will 
take  place  through  the  entrance  to  the  vessel 
D,  and  the  liquid  in  this  vessel  will  be  com- 
pressed ;  at  each  out-stroke  of  the  piston  the 
liquid  in  the  vessel  will  again  expand,  and,  ac- 
cording to  the  volume  of  the  vessel, more  or  less 
liquid  will  flow  into  it  and  out  of  it  at  each  revo- 
lution of  the  crank.  The  water  in  the  vessel  D 
will  thus  act  as  a  spring,  taking  up  the  energy 
of  the  direct  and  reflected  waves  when  the  pres- 
sure is  high,  and  giving  back  this  energy  when 
the  pressure  falls ;  the  mean  pressure  in  the 
vessel  D  and  in  the  pipe  will  be  the  same,  so 
that  when  the  successive  reflected  waves  in 
the  pipe  have  been  produced  and  have  reached 
a  certain  amplitude  equivalent  to  this  mean 
pressure,  the  piston  will  merely  exert  energy 
in  cotnpressing  the  liquid  in  the  vessel  D  on 
its  in  stroke,  and  the  liquid  acting  as  a  spring 
will  restore  this  energy  to  the  pi=ton  on  its  out- 


stroke.  The  result  of  this  is  that,  when  the  re- 
flected waves  have  been  produced,  there  will 
be  a  series  of  stationary  waves  in  the  pi|)e,  and 
no  further  increase  of  energy  in  the  li(iuid  will 
take  place  and  the  pressures  in  the  pipe  will 
never  exceed  the  fixed  limit. 

By  using  a  vessel  such  as  D,  therefore,  the 
pipe  can  be  completely  or  partially  closed.  It 
is  therefore  possible  to  place  at  the  far  end  or 
other  point  of  the  pipe  apparatus  for  utilizing 
only  part  of  the  energy  of  the  wave,  and  the 
rotating  crank  A  will  only  require  to  perform 
work  to  the  extent  of  the  energy  actually  uti- 
lized. 

Consider  now  a  case  (Fig.  5)  in  which  waves 
are  transmitted  by  a  reciprocating  piston  A 
along  a  line  E-E-E  provided  with  branches. 
.Assume  that  the  pipe  E  is  closed  at  P  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one  complete  wave  length  from  the 
wave  generator  .'\,  and  that  there  are  branches 
B,E,D,  at  the  half,  three  quarter, and  full  wave 
length  distances  respectively.  We  know  from 
the  cases  discussed  above  that  if  the  cock  P  is 
closed  and  the  cock  D  open,  leading  to  a  motor 
L  rotating  at  the  synchronous  speed,  the  motor 
L  will  be  able  to  take  up  the  whole  of  the 
energy  put  into  the  liquid  by  the  generator. 

We  also  know  that  if  all  the  cocks  are  closed, 
stationary  waves  will  be  produced  in  the  pipe 
E  having  maximum  variations  of  pressure  at 
the  end  P  and  at  the  half  wave  length  B.  At 
these  points  the  flow  will  always  be  zero,  while 
the  pressure  will  alternate  between  maximum 
and  minimum  values  determined  by  the  closed 
vessel  F  filled  with  liquid.  At  the  quarter  and 
three  quarter  wave  length  G  and  C  respec- 
tively the  flow  will  alternate  between  maximum 
and  minimum  values,  but  the  variation  of  pres- 
sure will  remain  zero. 

In  this  case  the  points  of  maximum  pressure 
and  maximum  movement  do  not  travel  along 
the  pipe  but  are  fixed  in  position,  and  theo- 
retically no  energy  flows  from  the  generator. 
At  the  points  of  maximum  movement  no  varia- 
tion of  pressure  will  occur ;  and  at  the  points 
of  maximum  pressure  variation  there  will  be 
no  movement  of  the  liquid.  It  is  evident, 
therefore,  that  if  the  cock  B  leading  directly  to 
a  motor  M  be  opened,  the  motor  M,  running  at 
the  synchronous  speed,  will  be  able  to  take  up 
all  the  energy  given  to  the  line.  The  station 
ary  half-wave  between  A  and  B  will  therefore 
disappear,  its  place  being  taken  by  the  forward 
travelling  wave,  while  between  B  and  P  the 
stationary  wave  will  persist.  If  the  cock  C 
leading  to  the  motor  N  at  the  three-quarter 
wave  length  be  opened,  all  other  cocks  being 
closed,  since  at  the  point  C  the  variation  of 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


79 


/^=% 


FIG  4 


pressure  is  always  zero,  no  energy  can  be  taken 
up  by  the  motor,  and  the  stationary  wave  will 
persist  in  the  whole  length  of  the  pipe. 

If  the  motor  be  connected  at  any  intermedi- 
ate point,  part  of  the  energy  will  be  taken  up 
by  the  motor,  while  the  stationary  wave  will 
persist,  but  will  be  of  reduced  amplitude  be- 
tween the  generator  A  and  the  motor.  The 
state  of  the  liquid  between  the  generator  A  and 
the  motor  may  be  considered  as  the  resultant 
of  two  superposed  waves ;  one  a  stationary 
wave,  and  the  other  a  travelling  wave  of  flow- 
ing energy. 

Assume  now  that  the  motor  L  is  not  capable 
of  taking  up  all  the  energy  which  can  be  trans- 
mitted to  the  line  by  the  generator  A  ;  then  we 
shall  have  superposed  in  the  pipe  a  system  of 
stationary  waves  and  a  system  of  waves  travel- 
ling along  the  pipe,  so  that  there  will  be  no 
point  in  the  pipe  at  which  the  variation  of  pres- 
sure will  always  be  zero  ;  consequently  a  motor 
connected  at  any  point  of  the  pipe  will  be  able 
to  take  up  and  utilize  a  portion  of  the  energy 
which  is  transmitted  to  the  line. 

We  see,  therefore,  that  if  we  have  a  num- 
ber of  motors  all  connected  to  the  line,  every 
one  of  them  will  be  able  to  take  some  energy 
and  do  some  useful  work.  It  is  only  when  no 
energy  is  being  utilized  that  points  at  which 
the  variation  of  pressure  is  permanently  zero 
can  e.xist. 

In  the  next  article  will  be  given  a  full  de- 


scription of  the  application  of  the  wave-trans- 
mission principle  in  practice,  with  particulars 
of  the  wave-generator,  means  of  transmission, 
and  method  of  applying  the  power  to  rock- 
drills  and  other  tools. 

(To  be  concluded). 


Sir  John  Cass  Technical  Institute. — 

The  annual  distribution  of  prizes  was  held  on 
February  10,  the  ceremony  being  performed 
by  Sir  Frederick  Black,  president  of  the 
Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists.  Sir 
Frederick  subsequently  delivered  an  address 
on      Liquid  Fuel  in  Peace  and  War." 

Robert  Peele,  author  of  "  Compressed  Air 
Plant"  and  "The  Mining  Engineers'  Hand- 
book," is  the  subject  of  an  appreciative  notice 
in  the  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for 
January  15.  Mr.  Peele  graduated  at  the 
Columbia  School  of  Mines,  New  York,  in 
1883,  and  for  several  years  thereafter  was  en- 
gaged in  mining  and  metallurgical  work  in 
Colorado,  Arizona,  and  New  Mexico.  After- 
wards he  went  to  Colombia  and  Dutch  Guiana, 
and  subsequently,  from  1890  to  1892,  he  was 
in  Peru  and  Bolivia  for  the  Peruvian  Corpora- 
tion. In  the  latter  year  he  became  assistant 
professor  of  mining  in  the  Columbia  School  of 
Mines,  but  retained  his  professional  business, 
being  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Olcott,  Corning, 
&  Peele.  In  1910  he  visited  the  Rand  and 
the  diamond  mines  at  Kimberley. 


THE   PHYSICAL  BASES  OF  TIN-DRESSING. 


Bv    R.    T.    HANCOCK,    Assoc.lnst.M.M. 


Introduction. — To-day  the  wet  method 
of  dressing  by  which  tin  ores  are  concentrated 
is  httle  more  than  an  interesting;  survival.  All 
other  ores  of  importance  (wolfram  is  not  im- 
portant at  present)  are,  or  can  be,  successfully 
treated  by  smelting,  chemical,  or  dotation  pro- 
cesses. And  the  Cornish  industry  is  looking 
forward  hopefully  to  the  day  when  one  of  these 
will  be  made  applicable  to  its  own  problems, 
and  is  altogether  indisposed  to  countenance  in 
vestigation  into  the  methods  it  already  prac- 
tices. With  a  personal  belief  that  this  day  is 
more  distant  than  those  whose  thoughts  are 
fathered  by  their  wishes  are  inclined  to  believe, 
I  have  collected  the  followmg  notes,  and  hope 
that  something  will  be  found  among  them  of 
service  to  those  who  are  now  engaged  in  guid- 
ing the  industry  through  a  particularly  critical 
period. 

Anyone  who  is  engaged  in  dressing  ores 
should  have  a  clear  idea  what  his  object  really 
is.  The  mere  percentage  recovery  of  themetal 
contentmeans  nothing;  this  can  best  besecured 
by  avoiding  dressing  altogether.  Metallurgi- 
cally,  the  efficiency  of  the  result  of  an  ore- 
dressing  operation  is  expressed  by  the  differ- 
ence between  the  percentage  recovery  of  the 
original  metal  or  mineral  content  and  the  per- 
centage "  recovery,"  or  retention  in  the  con- 
centrate, of  the  waste  matter  or  gangue  present 
in  the  original  ore.  Economically,  efficiency 
is  reckoned  in  the  same  way,  but  here  the  re- 
tention in  the  concentrate  of  a  given  percent- 
age of  the  original  waste  generally  more  than 
counterbalances  the  recovery  of  a  similar  per- 
centage of  metal  or  mineral,  and  so  the  per- 
centage retention  of  the  waste  must  be  multi- 
plied by  a  factor  depending  for  magnitude  on 
the  prevailing  economic  conditions  before  de- 
ducting it  from  the  percentage  recovery  of 
metal  or  mineral  in  order  to  correctly  express 
the  economic  efficiency.  In  this  paper  metal- 
lurgical efficiency  will  alone  be  considered. 

Action  of  a  Flowing  Stream  on  Solid 
Particles. — The  late  Dr.  Grove  K.  Gilbert, 
in  "Transportation  of  Debris  by  Running 
Water"  (Professional  Paper  No.  86  of  the 
United  States  Geological  Survey),  distin- 
guished two  main  sets  of  conditions  of  trans- 
port : 

(1)  Over  a  smooth  surface.      (Flume  trac- 
tion). 

(2)  Over  a    bed    of   the   deposited    solids. 
(Stream  traction). 


The  first  condition  is  found  on  the  rag  frame 
and  on  the  Frue  vanner,  and  the  second  on 
the  huddle. 

A  transitional  stage  may  be  recognized 
where  the  load  is  a  little  too  great  for  complete 
transport  over  a  smooth  surface,  so  that  part 
settles  out  and  the  condition  changes  to  trans- 
port over  a  deposited  bed.  The  capacity  of 
water  to  transport  solids  is  much  the  greater 
over  a  smooth  surface,  though  decreasingly  so 
as  the  particles  are  smaller,  and  if  part  of  the 
load  deposits  it  will  build  up  the  bed  till  a 
steeper  grade  is  established.  From  the  point 
of  view  of  capacity  of  machines,  a  consistency 
of  pulp  such  that  deposit  does  not  take  place 
would  appear  preferable.  .•\  tendency  to  de- 
posit is  responsible  for  the  formation  of  patches 
of  settled  material  which  may  lead  to  channel- 
ling if  flow  is  continued.  Initially  these  patches 
are  due  to  rhythm  in  the  flow  of  the  water.  In 
stream  traction  they  are  represented  by  dunes, 
and  with  this  mode  of  traction  the  formation 
of  dunes  was  found  to  be  at  a  minimum  on 
slopes  of  approximately  1%  grade,  the  region 
being  little  affected  by  changes  in  other  condi- 
tions. No  similar  observation  on  flume  trac- 
tion is  recorded. 

The  sizes  of  sand  used  by  Gilbert  ranged 
from  60  mesh  to  coarse  gravel,  and  the  quanti- 
ties of  water  from  0141  to  I'llQcu.  ft.  per 
second  per  foot  of  width.  The  smaller  of  these 
quantities  is  equivalent  to  528  lb.  of  water  per 
foot  of  width  per  minute,  which  is  enormously 
in  e.xcess  of  anything  used  in  ore-dressing. 
On  the  other  hand  the  slopes  seldom  exceeded 
2%.  For  the  treatment  of  slimes  on  fixedslime 
tables,  Professor  R.  H.  Richards  proposes 
2  lb.  of  water  per  minute  per  foot  of  width, 
and  Professor  S.  J.  Truscott,  reproducing  on 
an  experimental  frame  the  conditions  prevail- 
ing in  Cornish  practice,  used  practically  this 
same  quantity.  Nevertheless,  it  would  appear 
legitimate  to  apply  some  of  Gilbert's  conclu- 
sions to  the  study  of  slime  treatment. 

In  Gilbert's  experiments  on  stream  traction, 
the  sized  sand  was  caused  to  flow  over  a  bed 
formed  by  the  deposit  of  that  sand  itself.  Re- 
sistance to  transport — indicated  by  low  capacity 
of  the  flowing  water  for  sand — appears  to  be 
at  a  maximum  when  the  bed  thus  corresponds 
in  roughness  to  the  size  of  the  moving  particles. 
Over  a  bed  composed  of  smaller  grains,  larger 
particles  move  more  rapidly.  The  same  thing 
applies  with  any  degree  of  roughness  of  sur- 


80 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


il 


face  however  arising.  Yet  experiments  con- 
ducted at  the  Utah  School  of  Mines,  and  re- 
corded in  Mines  and  Minerals  for  February, 
1909,  showed  a  larger  capacity  for  10  to  30 
mesh  limestone  tailings  and  30  to  40  mesh  py- 
rites in  launders  lined  with  linoleum  or  of  wood 
than  when  the  launders  were  bottomed  with 
plate-glass.  Large  quantities  of  water  were 
used  (from  10  to  60  lb.  per  inch  of  width  per 
mmute),  and  the  observation  is  probably  con- 
nected with  the  fact  that  at  velocities  exceed- 
mg  about  1  ft.  per  second,  the  velocities  of  the 
l1ow  of  water  in  a  wooden  pipe  (planed)  is 
iiiuch  greater  than  in  a  glass  pipe  of  the  same 
diameter  and  on  the  same  gradient.  Thus  with 
pipes  4  ft.  in  diameter  and  lying  on  a  1%  slope 
the  velocity  in  the  wooden  pipe  would  be  15  ft. 
per  second  against  1 1  ft.  per  second  in  the  glass 
pipes.  The  laws  of  flow  change  below  the 
critical  velocity  of  about  1  ft.  per  second,  and 
it  is  not  known  if  the  same  is  true  at  lesser 
velocities.  The  subject  of  the  inherent  pro- 
perties of  surfaces  of  different  bodies,  which 
manifestthemselves  asaboveand  in  other  ways, 
IS  of  special  interest  to  the  investigator,  but 
can  be  no  more  than  referred  to  here. 

In  Gilbert's  experiments  on  stream  traction 
(deposited  bed),  the  capacity  of  the  water  as  a 
carrier  of  debris  increased  regularly  as  the 
debris  was  finer.  With  flume  traction  (smooth 
bed),  on  the  other  hand,  there  might  be  sizes 
too  large  to  roll  at  all,  but  for  the  next  smaller 
capacity  was  high  and  decreased  as  size  of 
particle  decreased untilaminimum  wasreached 
corresponding  to  a  critical  size  varying  with 
the  flow  conditions,  after  which  further  de- 
crease in  particle  size  was  attended  by  a  steady 
increase  in  capacity.  (See  Fig.  l).  It  is  a 
matter  of  common  observation  that  in  a  sluice 
bottomed  with  sand,  coarse  particles  travel 
down  faster  than  the  sand  grains  over  which 
theyroll,and  that  thelargeroutstripthesmaller. 
On  the  other  hand,  particles  small  enough  to 
remain  in  suspension  travel  as  rapidly  as  the 
water  itself. 

The  travel  of  particles  over  a  bed  or  surface 
is  mainly  by  rolling  for  the  largest  sizes  and 
suspension  for  the  very  smallest,  these  two  sys- 
tems grading  into  each  other  through  a  type  of 
motion  called  by  Gilbert  "  saltation,"  in  which 
the  particles  both  roll  and  leap,  the  latter  pre- 
dominatingly as  the  particles  are  smaller. 
Saltation  is  the  motion  of  the  majority  of  the 
particles. 

Themathematicai  treatment  of  the  behaviour 
of  particles  which  roll  is  discussed  by  Profes- 
sor Henry  Louis  in  The  Dressing  of  Miner- 
als," and  elaborated  by  St.  Rainer  in  the  issues 


of  Oesterreichische  Zeitschrift  fiir  Berg-  und 
Hiittenwesen  of  February  4  and  11,  1905. 

As  the  velocity  of  a  current  decreases  with 
depth  (a  generalization,  but  perhaps  true  of  all 
currents  carrying  loads),  any  particle  in  sus- 
pension is  subjected  to  a  force  which  causes  it 
to  move  into  a  slower-moving  stratum,  and 
consequently  to  sink.  The  greater  the  rate  of 
change  of  velocity  with  depth,  the  greater  this 
force.  Tea-leaves  seek  the  centre  of  the  cup 
on  stirring,  and  not  the  outer  margin  where 
centrifugal  force  would  naturally  place  them. 
Thus  a  suspended  particle    will  sink   to  the 


AFTER      Gl 

LBERT 

• 

^ 

5L0OE   ftN 

)  WATER   5ufpi.i   aSauM 

D  C0^5TaNT 

y 

^ 

^' 

^^^'■ 

/ 

1 

/ 

/ 

^ 

4^ 

-^ 

^^'° 

OlAMEfEU     OF     PABTICIE5 

Fig.  1. 


bottom  more  rapidly  than  it  would  if  acted  upon 
by  gravity  alone. 

Concentration  Conditioned  by  Mini- 
mum Velocity. — Only  a  limited  number  of 
experiments  were  conducted  by  Gilbert  on 
flume  traction,  and,  under  the  particular  con- 
ditionsemployed,minimumcapacityor  velocity 
was  found  associated  with  a  coarse  sand. 
Evidently  the  minimum  will  occur  where  the 
particles  are  too  small  to  respond  freely  to  the 
couple  which  produces  rolling,  and  yet  too  large 
to  pass  freely  into  suspension.  Stream  condi- 
tions favouring  suspension  will  cause  the  size 
of  sand  characterized  by  minimum  velocity  to 
be  large.  With  any  stream  conditions  there 
must  be  a  particular  size  of  particle  which  will 
travel  slower  in  that  stream  than  any  larger 
or  smaller  particle  of  similar  shape.     As  to 


82 


rill';    MINING    MAGAZINE 


what  tliis  size  may  be  there  is  httle  available 
evidence. 

The  late  J.  J.  Beringer  (Transactions  Insti- 
tution of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  Vol.  xxiv, 
p.  411)  gives  the  following  estimate  of  the  sizes 
of  particles  in  concentrates  based  on  micro- 
scopic examination  : 
Slime  product  from  5  to  45  /i  .Xverage  25  /< 
Vanner  product  „    25  „  95  /<  „        50  /< 

one  micron  (/i)  =  0'001  mm. 

In  the  same  contribution  (The  Physical 
Condition  of  Cassiterite  in  Cornish  Mill  Pro- 
ducts) he  mentioned  a  case  where  vanner  tail- 
ings from  the  calcined  concentrate  were  re- 
turned to  the  vanner  for  treatment.  '  The 
second  concentrate  on  being  examined  >mder 
the  microscope  showed  distinctly  two  dillerent 
sizes,  a  coarser  portion  with  grains  measuring 
from  50  to  75  f,  and  a  finer  portion  with  grains 
measuring  from  10  to  15  p,  a  fair  proportion 
being  of  10/^'  size." 

1  regard  this  as  strong  evidence  that  the  first 
treatment  abstracted  particles  of  a  size  ranging 
about  a  definite  mean  magnitude,  say  40  ^t,  and 
the  second  treatment  saved  particles  on  the 
margins  of  this  range  which  had  escaped  under 
the  first  treatment  more  or  less  by  accident. 
There  are  those  who  believe  that  the  vanner 
treatment  of  unclassified  pulp  saves  fine  slime 
tin  which  would  not  be  caught  otherwise.  The 
above  figures  might  be  claimed  to  support  such 
a  theory,  but  it  is  in  the  highest  degree  unlikely 
that  such  fine  particles  would  form  a  distinct 
group  with  practical  absence  of  particles  rang- 
ing from  their  size  to  those  constituting  the  re- 
mainder of  the  concentrate.  It  may  be  added 
that  Mr.  H.  W.  Hutchin  has  sought  for  evi- 
dence of  such  extra  saving,  and  failed  to  find  it. 

I  am  strongly  of  opinion  that  with  any  given 
set  of  conditions  the  sizes  of  the  particles  of 
mineral  in  the  concentrate  produced  will  be 
grouped  about  a  definite  mean  magnitude,  and 
the  mineral  in  the  tailing  will  be  predominantly 
composed  of  particles  of  a  size  on  one  side  or 
the  other  (or  both)  of  this  range.  The  con- 
centrate particles,  both  mineral  and  waste,  will 
be  those  which  travel  most  slowly  under  the 
actual  flow  conditions. 

Where  there  is  a  marked  difference  in  the 
specific  gravities  of  mineral  and  gangue,  as 
with  tin  ores,  the  tendency  to  roll  and  the  re- 
luctance to  pass  into  suspension  will  extend 
further  into  the  region  of  small  sizes  with  the 
cassiterite  than  with  the  gangue,  and  conse- 
quently the  gangue  found  in  a  concentrate 
would  consist  of  larger  particles  than  the  ac- 
companying cassiterite.  A  grading  analysis 
of  such  concentrate  would  show  the  values 


mainly  m  the  finer  sizes.  Hut  as  in  an  ulutna- 
tion  analysis  the  finest  material  is  unavoidably 
reported  as  of  lower  grade  than  the  actual  sort- 
ing by  screens  would  shovv,  this  feature  is  not 
usually  conspicuous  in  published  instances  of 
grading  analyses  so  made.  Moreover,  such 
concentrates  as  have  been  examined  in  this 
manner  have  usually  been  produced  in  an  en- 
deavour to  obtain  a  low-grade  tailing  rather 
than  effectively  concentrate,  and  so  do  not  show 
the  full  effect  of  the  above-noted  tendency. 
Further,  the  grading  analysis  of  a  concentrate 
or  tailing  is  profoundly  modified  by  the  treat- 
ment history  of  the  product  from  which  it  is 
originally  derived.  Consequently  there  are  no 
data  in  existence  which  indicate  what  particu- 
lar sizes  of  crushed  cjuartz  (say)  travel  slowest 
under  given  conditions  of  slope  and  water- 
supply.  A  particular  size  might  still  remain 
associated  with  minimum  velocity  if  slope  were 
changed  and  water-supply  suitably  modified. 
Mr.  J.  A.  Davis  {Ennineering  and  Mining 
Journal,  November  9,  1908)  gives  the  formula 
which  follows  for  the  best  dressing  conditions 
in  separating  closely-classified  galena  from 
quartz  on  a  glass  frame,  as  deterrhined  in  the 
laboratories  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology  : 

o,  •  u  f  1/275-50 y/n  10  \ 
Slope  in  inches  per  ft.  =  ^  I  ttt r  -777=  I 

where  d  =  average  diameter  of  quartz  particle 
in  millimetres,  and  W  =  lb.  water  per  foot  of 
width  per  minute. 

It  was  found  that  the  classification  had  been 
carried  a  good  deal  further  than  was  necessary 
for  good  results,  and  that  a  large  number  of 
classified  products  from  an  original  pulp  were 
not  necessary.  No  determinations  were  made 
on  sizes  smaller  than  about  180  mesh,  and  the 
formula  is  so  empiric  as  to  make  its  extension 
to  slimes  very  unreliable.  But  it  is  of  interest 
to  observe  that  with  300  mesh  material  two  lb. 
of  water  per  foot  of  width  per  minute  would 
call  for  a  slope  of  2k  in.  per  foot. 

With  a  feed  in  which  the  values  are  regu- 
larly distributed  throughout  the  range  of  sizes, 
variations  in  flow  conditions,  within  such  as 
are  practicable  for  dressing,  would  have  little 
effect  on  the  efficiency  of  concentration  result- 
ing. The  actual  particles  of  mineral  (say  cas- 
siterite) saved  under  one  set  of  conditions 
might  be  quite  different  from  those  saved  un- 
der another,  and  the  gangue  particles  which 
accompanied  them  different  individuals  in 
either  case,  but  the  resulting  proportion  of 
mineral  to  gangue  is  not  necessarily  modified. 
Perhaps  as  a  consequence  of  this  it  is  not  easy. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


83 


in  the  many  cases  instanced  by  Truscott  in 
his  paper  on  "  Slime  Treatment  on  Cornish 
Frames,"  to  say  definitely  that  a  given  set  of 
conditions  of  flow  produces  better  results  than 
another.  When  there  is  a  difference  it  can 
usually  be  as  well  ascribed  to  other  causes. 
Truscott  in  fact  decides  that  the  finer  the  ma- 
terial the  less  the  inclination  should  be,  while 
Richards  comes  to  the  exactly  opposite  con- 
clusion as  the  result  of  his  own  experiments, 
but  admits  that  he  does  not  find  any  rule  to  be 
followed  in  practice.  Where,  on  the  other 
hand,  the  distribution  of  the  values  is  irregular 
in  the  feed,  or  a  classified  product  is  being 
treated,  a  particular  set  of  conditions  will  doubt- 
less give  better  results  than  any  other,  but  such 
conditions  must  be  found  by  trial. 

In  any  ordinary  ore-pulp,  and  under  any  set 
of  conditions  in  reason,  there  will  always  be 
certain  particles  of  gangue  which  will  behave 
exactly  as  do  certain  particles  of  valuable 
mineral,  and  will  accompany  them  either  into 
the  concentrate  or  the  tailing.  Even  if  it  were 
possible  to  break  up  this  grouping  by  specially 
adjusting  conditions,  it  would  only  mean  the 
substitution  of  one  group  for  another  with  little 
effect  on  the  final  result. 

Although  it  has  been  implied  that  the  parti- 
cles forming  the  concentrate  will  be  those  hav- 
ing the  slowest  travelling  rate  under  the  pre- 
vailing conditions,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind 
that  the  dominant  size  of  the  particles  in  the 
concentrate  is  a  function,  not  only  of  the  travel- 
ling rate,  but  of  the  distribution  of  the  various 
sizes  throughthe  original  pulp.  Thusif  there  is 
a  group  adjoining  the  slowest  travelling  group, 
which  forms  a  comparatively  large  percentage 
of  the  pulp,  that  group  is  likely  to  predominate 
in  the  concentrate.  A  usual  practice  is  to  re- 
treat tailings  under  different  conditions  of  slope. 
A  shift  of  the  range  of  size  of  saveable  cas- 
siterite  may  now  be  expected,  and  sizes  saved 
which  previously  escaped,  but  it  is  evident  that 
an  adjacent  group  of  barren  material  will  now 
be  present  which  was  rejected  in  the  first  treat- 
ment, and  this  is  likely  to  be  thrown  into  the 
second  concentrate  by  the  very  changes  which 
made  that  collection  possible.  Consequently 
the  re- treatment  of  tailings  in  this  way  is  not 
a  very  satisfactory  process.  To  repeat  the 
original  treatment  on  a  tailing  product  serves 
its  most  useful  purpose  when  the  original  treat- 
ment was  not  carried  to  completion.  Thus  in 
the  case  instanced  by  Beringer,  the  first  van- 
ner  concentrate  was  produced  at  an  efficiency 
of  62'5%  with  a  recovery  of  78%,  while  the 
concentrate  produced  by  re-treatment  of  its 
tailing  was  at  an  efficiency  of  3'3%  with  a 
2—4 


further  recovery  of  5'5%. 

It  becomes  evident  that  effective  concentra- 
tion is  much  more  dependent  on  the  initial 
physical  condition  of  the  feed  than  on  any  ad- 
justment of  dressing  conditions. 

Granting  that  the  effective  concentration  of 
ores  by  the  flow  of  water  over  smooth  surfaces 
in  thin  films  is  dependent  for  success  on  the 
fact  that  under  these  conditions  certain  particles 
travel  more  slowly  than  others,  then  it  neces- 
sarily follows  that  on  a  frame  fed  at  a  regular 
rate  and  with  a  normal  feed  there  will  result 
an  accumulation  of  such  particles  on  the  sur- 
face,such  accumulationnotresulting  from  their 
actual  arrest  or  settlement,  but  simply  from 
their  slower  motion.  As  the  feed  period  is 
prolonged  these  particles  continue  to  progress 
down  the  frame,  and  after  a  certain  time  reach 
its  lower  edge  and  commence  to  pass  into  the 
tailing.  During  the  feed  period  the  assay  of 
the  escaping  tailing  increases,  not  necessarily 
regularly,  for  that  depends  on  the  physical  con- 
dition of  the  feed,  and  at  the  moment  when  the 
first  fed  of  the  slowest  travelling  particles 
passes  the  lower  edge,  the  assay  of  the  tailing 
increment  then  escaping  attains  the  assay  of 
the  feed.  Naturally  it  can  never  exceed  it, 
but  will  remain  at  the  same  figure  if  feed  is 
further  prolonged.  During  the  time  that  each 
increment  of  tailing  passing  the  lower  edge  has 
a  lower  assay  than  the  feed,  the  efficiency  of 
concentration  is  increasing  and  attains  its 
maximum  at  the  moment  when  the  former  at- 
tains the  assay  of  the  feed,  decreasing  if  feed 
is  further  prolonged.  Given  regular  feeding 
and  flow  it  follows  that  the  assay  of  any  strip 
taken  at  right  angles  to  the  flow  when  maxi- 
mum efficiency  is  attained  will  be  the  same  as 
that  of  any  other  strip.  The  enrichment  thus 
attained  will  be  the  maximum  under  the  con- 
ditions employed,  and  if  there  is  one  set  of  con- 
ditions better  suited  to  the  ore  than  another,  a 
determination  of  the  enrichments  attained  will 
give  a  pretty  good  guide  to  its  selection.  The 
actual  efficiency  attainable  cannot  be  ascer- 
tained unless  the  feed  is  interrupted  at  the  criti- 
cal moment,  to  discover  which  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  sample  successive  tailing  increments. 

The  best  length  of  feed  period  will  vary  di- 
rectly with  the  length  of  the  frame,  and  with 
any  given  pulp  and  dressing  conditions  there  is 
a  particular  feed  period  best  suited  to  a  given 
length,  and  vice  versa.  The  condition  of  an 
even  assay  all  down  the  frame  is  one  that  is 
attained  from  the  feed-end  downwards,  and 
when  half  the  correct  period  has  elapsed,  the 
upper  half  of  the  frame  should  assay  the  same 
all  over,  the  area  extending  as  feed  is  prolonged 


84 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


until  the  whole  fmme  is  so  covered.  Terminal 
conditions,  especially  at  the  feed  end  where  the 
feed  may  come  on  to  the  frame  with  an  ac- 
quired velocity  different  from  that  generally 
prevailing  on  the  surface,  are  left  out  of  pres- 
ent consideration.  When  the  lowest  part  of 
the  frame  is  thus  covered,  the  assay  of  the 
material  escaping  just  below  is  nevertheless 
not  higher  than  that  of  the  original  feed. 
In  other  words,  the  assay  of  the  material  flow- 
ing across  a  particular  narrow  strip  is  an  alto- 
gether different  thing  from  the  assay  of  the 
material  on  that  strip  considered  as  suddenly 
arrested  there.  This  is  not  an  altogether  easy 
thing  to  realize.  The  ratio  of  the  "  arrested  " 
assay  to  the  "  flowing  "  assay  may  be  quite 
high,  and  is  a  measure  of  the  tractability  of 
the  ore.  It  may  be  that  this  ratio  is  preserved 
on  the  lower  part  of  the  frame  before  the  feed 
period  is  completed,  but  this  point  is  of  little 
more  than  speculative  interest. 

In  the  experiments  which  were  carried  out 
at  Great  Falls,  Montana,  described  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Mining  Engineers  for  1913,  with  the  object  of 
devisingthebestmeansof  saving  copper  slimes, 
the  conditions  finally  adopted  were  such  that 
the  assay  of  the  concentrate  collected  on  the 
round  tables  was  the  same  from  top  to  bottom, 
with  the  exception  of  a  strip  at  the  feed-end. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  research  led 
to  the  installation  of  a  system  of  slime  treat- 
ment at  Anaconda  which  paid  for  the  erection 
of  the  necessary  plant  in  two  months,  and 
thereafter  saved  81,250,000  per  annum. 

Professor Truscott's  Researches. — 
In  the  paper  already  referred  to,  a  number  of 
experiments  are  described  where  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  concentrate  down  the  frame  was 
determined  by  dividing  it  into  five  sections  at 
right  angles  to  the  flow,  and  assaying  and 
weighing  the  concentrate  on  each  section. 
Employing  the  data  obtained,  if  the  reciprocals 
of  the  cumulati\e  enrichment  ratios  be  plotted 
against  the  cumulative  percentage  concentra- 
tions, it  is  found  that  the  loci  corresponding  to 
the  lower  sections  fall  closely  along  a  straight 
line.  The  first  section,  sometimes  the  first 
two,  and  in  one  case  the  first  three,  do  not  con- 
form to  this  arrangement.  I  find  strong  con- 
firmation of  the  views  I  have  expressed  above 
in  these  facts.  The  lower  sections  are  those 
below  the  limit  of  maximum  enrichment,  and 
the  graphs  confirm  my  view  that  if  feed  were 
prolonged  there  would  be  no  sections  conform- 
ing to  the  law  indicated  by  this  straight  line, 
but  that  the  plotted  points  corresponding  to  all 
the  sections  would  lie  along  a  line  parallel  to 


the  percentage  concentration  axis.  Fig.  2 
shows  the  plot  of  two  such  experiments  on  a 
wooden  surface  with  auxiliary  washing,  all  the 
plots,  whether  on  wood  surfaces,  plate  or  fluted 
glass,  and  with  or  without  washing,  being  of 
the  same  general  character.  All  the  experi- 
ments having  been  conducted  with  the  same 
length  of  feed-period,  no  direct  evidence  of  the 
effect  of  a  longer  feed- period  is  available,  but 
an  increase  in  the  slope  would  have  a  similar 
effect,  and  it  will  be  observed  that  this  is  to 
shorten  the  length  of  the  line  representing  the 
lower  sections,  the  inference  being  that  with  a 


CUMJIATIVE 

CONSIST 

NCY     .0     . 

/ 

SUftFACi 

-   WOOD 

lUT  m»iHO 

/ 

/ 

5 
< 

/4 

// 

^ 

z 

/ 

■J 

/ 

•^ 

/ 

5 

/  ' 

|0i5 

'A 

{'' 

'>iO 
J  03 

Jy 

/i 

j 

1 

1 

percentage     xnc£nt«apon 
Fig.  2. 

sufficiently  long  period  of  feed,  or  one  duly 
proportioned  to  the  gradient  and  the  length  of 
the  frame,  this  sloping  line  would  disappear 
altogether,  leaving  only  the  short  horizontal 
portion  of  the  graph.  If  feed  were  unduly 
prolonged,  this  horizontal  line  itself  would 
shorten.  Two  different  laws,  then,  are  desir- 
able from  a  study  of  the  graphs,  the  first  and 
most  conspicuous  being  that  on  the  lower  sec- 
tons  of  a  frame  on  which  concentration  has  not 
beenpushed  to  maximumefficiency.therelation 
of  enrichment  ratio  (ER)  to  concentration  (C), 
both  cumulative,  is  expressed  by  a  formula  of 
the  type 

1 


ER 


=  a  +  bC 


the  second  being  that  on  those  sections  where 
maximum    efficiency   has   been    attained   the 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


85 


cumulative  enrichment  is  equal  to  a  constant. 

This  last  law,  which  is  demanded  by  the 
theory  of  concentration  outlined  above,  is  not 
very  strongly  supported  by  the  different  graphs, 
possibly  because  in  the  majority  of  cases  con- 
centration has  not  been  pushed  anything  like 
far  enough  to  show  its  application  clearly,  but 
in  the  one  case  observed  where  concentration 
has  proceeded  furthest,  it  may  fairly  be  said 
that  the  first  three  sections  out  of  the  five  con- 
form to  the  required  law.  Further  support  is 
derived  from  the  Anaconda  researches  already 
mentioned. 

The  first  law,  the  law  of  the  lower  sections, 
may  be  written  : 

a  +  bC 

which  is  the  equation  of  a  hyperbola.  A 
straight  line  equation  can  also  be  derived  con- 
necting cumulative  percentage  recovery  (R) 
with  cumulative  enrichment  ratio. 

A  law,  or  mathematical  formula,  e.xpressing 
the  relation  of  recovery  to  concentration  has 
long  been  sought,  and  its  discovery  here  is 
therefore  of  some  interest,  but  of  very  little 
practical  importance,  as  it  merely  serves  to  ex- 
press the  relation  existing  on  a  frame  where 
flow  has  been  arrested,  and  arrested  too  soon. 
What  is  of  real  importance  is  the  assay  of  the 
flowing  pulp,  and  not  that  of  the  arrested  pulp. 

The  data  indicate  that  under  the  conditions 
and  with  the  particularconditions  of  flow  given, 
a  shorter  frame  would  have  given  better  tech- 
nical results,  and  on  these  grounds  Truscott 
suggests  that  the  present  length  of  the  Cornish 
frame  should  be  diminished  by  half  in  order  to 
secure  the  improved  efficiency  characteristic 
of  the  upper  sections.  But  actually  no  guide 
to  the  appropriate  length  can  be  found  in  the 
figures  obtained,  as  these  relate  only  to  the 
arrested  concentrate,  and  give  no  clue  to  what 
might  have  been  the  assay  of  the  flowing  pulp 
at  the  diflferent  points.  It  is  where  the  flowing 
pulp  has  the  same  assay  as  the  feed  that  deter- 
mines the  optimum  length  of  frame,  and  not 
the  assay  of  the  arrested  concentrate  on  any 
particular  section.  With  the  feed  conditions 
given,  the  data,  if  obtainable,  would  point  to  an 
even  more  drastic  shortening  of  the  standard 
frame  than  Truscott  proposes. 

In  asupplementary  paper  Truscott  describes 
experiments  carried  out  at  Dolcoath  where  the 
ordinary  6  ft.  6  in.  frame  was  run  against  a 
frame  divided  into  two  lengths  of  3  ft.  each 
with  arrangements  for  collecting  the  upper  and 
lower  concentrates  separately.  These  experi- 
ments were   carried  out  under  ordinary  mill 


conditions  and  are  therefore  of  special  interest. 
1 1  was  considered  that  the  results  demonstrated 
the  general  superiority  of  the  3  ft.  frame,  but  I 
do  not  altogether  concur  after  a  detailed  ex- 
amination of  the  figures. 

%        %  % 

Frame  Slope       Feed      Reco-  Concen-  Enrich-     Effi- 

length.  Tests,  per  ft.  period,     very,    tration.  ment.    ciency. 

6ft. 6in.      6       r25in.  27min.      712       639  I'llS         7.2 

Do.  2        150  in.  44min.      617       40  3  1'535       2r4 

Do.  I        150  in.  5  0inin.        —  —  —  24'1 

3  ft.  8       150  in.  5'6min.      4'30        150  2'87         280 

Increased  steepness  of  gradient,  as  it  causes  a 
general  speeding-up  of  all  the  particles,  is  sim- 
ilar in  effect  to  a  longer  period  of  feed. 

The  above  figures  seem  to  indicate  that  with 
equal  feed  periods  and  slopes  the  technical  re- 
sults would  have  been  equal  on  both  types  of 
frames,  and  further  that  a  longer  period  of 
feed  than  was  employed  in  any  case  would 
have  given  better  results  still. 

Truscott  claims  that  the  adoption  of  his  sug- 
gestion to  cut  down  the  length  of  the  frames 
would  enable  an  efifect  styled  "  rapid  enrich- 
ment "tobeattained, better  technical  results  be- 
ingobtainableon  half  the  present  area  of  frames 
employed,  the  remaining  area  becoming  avail- 
able for  re-treatment  of  the  tailings  from  rapid 
enrichment.  This  is  undoubtedly  true,  but  as 
far  as  better  technical  results  are  concerned, 
it  seems  probable  that  these  could  equally  be 
secured  on  the  present  frames  by  increasing 
the  length  of  the  feed  period.  It  is  difficult  to 
see  any  justification  for  the  present  practice  of 
gradual  enrichment,  though  one  usually  exists 
for  empirical  methods  which  have  been  evolved 
in  Cornwall  through  theexperienceof  centuries, 
and  I  am  inclined  to  regard  such  practices  with 
considerable  respect,  but  since  it  is  compara- 
tively yesterday  that  accurate  methods  of  as- 
certaining the  true  contents  of  an  ore  or  tailing 
were  evolved,  it  is  perhaps  permissible  to  re- 
view them  in  a  fresh  light.  A  frame  is  a  ma- 
chine, and  it  is  difficult  to  justify  the  employ- 
ment of  a  machine  at  far  below  its  maximum 
efficiency. 

Two  sets  of  experiments  were  conducted  by 
Truscott  on  a  laboratory  scale  to  ascertain 
whether  the  customary  practice  of  obtaining 
the  final  concentrate  in  three  stages  possessed 
any  marked  advantage  over  his  suggested 
method  of  obtaining  it  at  one  operation.  The 
first  of  these  was  tried  on  slime  samples  from 
Dolcoath  and  South  Crofty.  The  similarity  of 
the  results  was  remarkable,  the  efficiency  of 
the  final  result  of  gradual  enrichment  being 
31 '3%,  of  rapid  enrichment  30'6%,  and  of  rapid 
enrichment  at  a  double  rate  of  feed  287%. 

In  the  second  set  original  mine-ore  was 
ground  to  the  condition  of  slime.     Again  the 


86 


THli     MINING     MAGAZINE 


results  showed  ureal  similarity,  the  average  of 
the  four  ores  givint;  an  elhciency  of  65'4%  with 
gradual  enrichment,  65'8"o  witli  rapid  enrich- 
ment, and  64" i%  with  rapid  enrichment  at  a 
double  rate  of  feed.  Calculating  the  figures 
for  the  individual  ores,  Tresavean  ore  gave  an 
efficiency  of  64'3%  with  all  three  methods,  so 
it  is  evident  that  no  importance  is  to  be  attached 
to  such  slight  dilTerences  as  were  shown,  but 
that  these  were  only  such  as  might  easily  arise 
in  experimental  determinations. 

Further  experiments  were  conducted  on  the 
tailings  resulting  from  rapid  enrichment  and 
from  rapid  enrichment  at  a  double  rate  of  feed, 
but  not  on  the  tailings  from  gradual  enrich- 
ment. A  further  recovery  was  effected  at  low 
efficiency  rates,  and  a  claim  was  based  on  the 
figures  for  increased  recovery  in  the  form  of 
saleable  concentrate  as  a  result  of  the  adoption 
of  the  principle  of  rapid  enrichment,  but  it  is 
evident,  if  the  weights  and  assays  of  the  three 
tailings  are  calculated  and  compared,  that  their 
composition  and  physical  state  could  not  have 
varied  very  much  whichever  of  the  three  pro- 
cesses was  adopted,  and  a  similar  further  re- 
covery might  have  resulted  from  the  re-treat- 
ment of  the  combined  tailings  from  gradual  en- 
richment, so  that  rapid  enrichment  does  not 
necessarily  render  possible  a  higher  recovery 
of  saleable  concentrate  than  if  the  present  sys- 
tem of  gradual  enrichment  were  employed. 
Any  advantage  of  rapid  enrichment  lies  in  the 
more  efficient  employment  of  the  dressing  sur- 
faces,lowering  the  dressing  cost, and  so  making 
it  possible  to  chase  values  further. 

A  method  of  calculating  the  final  recovery 
in  the  form  of  saleable  concentrate  was  used 
in  the  paper,  based  on  the  result  of  a  single 
stage  of  treatment,  and  it  purported  to  show 
that  the  reduction  of  the  mine-ore  to  slime  in 
the  first  instance  and  its  treatment  on  frames 
in  the  manner  described  might  produce  better 
results  than  coarser  crushing  and  the  prelimin- 
ary classification  of  the  pulp  into  sands,  fine 
sands,  and  slimes,  for  individual  treatment.  If 
the  basis  of  thiscalculation  be  examined,  which 
is  that  the  loss  suffered  by  a  medium-grade 
concentrate  in  being  raised  to  merchantable 
grade  varies  inversely  with  its  assay,  it  is  found 
to  be  the  same  as  stating  that  the  tailing  re- 
moved at  every  subsequent  stage  of  dressing 
will  assay  the  same  as  the  original  battery  feed, 
a  most  unlikely  series  of  events. 

Returning  to  a  consideration  of  the  Dolcoath 
experiments,  a  striking  feature  is  that,  contrary 
to  what  might  be  expected,  the  tailing  assays 
were  actually  lower  with  longer  periods  of  feed. 
Thus  on  the  standard  frame  with  \  25  in.  slope 


and  a  feed  period  of  i'7  min.  the  tailing  assay 
was  0'4  lb.,  with  1  '5  in.  slope  and  4'4  min.  feed 
It  was  (i'45  lb.,  and  on  the  double  frame  (com- 
bining both  concentrates  to  get  the  equivalent 
length  to  a  standard  frame)  with  a  15  in.  slope 
and  5'6  min.  feed  it  was  5  lb.  These  figures 
require  to  be  corrected  for  differences  in  the 
average  assays  of  the  respective  feeds,  and 
allowing  for  these,  the  figures  are  in  the  ratios 
080  :  064  :  0'60.  The  probable  explanation  is 
that  the  first  tailings  to  escape  are  rich  slimes, 
which  naturally  continue  to  escape  during  the 
whole  operation,  but  their  effect  becomes 
masked  by  the  later  arrival  of  poor  sands.  If 
these  sands  are  retained  on  the  frame  through 
short  duration  of  the  feed  period,  the  whole 
operation  suffers  in  efficiency. 

In  frame  treatment  a  pulp  having  the  values 
mainly  associated  with  a  certain  range  of  size 
of  particles  will  require  for  best  results  alto- 
gether different  dressing  conditions  from  those 
best  suited  to  a  pulp  having  the  values  mainly 
associated  with  a  different  range  of  sizes.  Any 
pulp  may  be  considered  as  consisting  of  a  mix- 
ture of  two  or  more  such  pulps,  all  being  treated 
togetherunder  conditions  whichare  moreorless 
a  compromise.  It  is  useful  to  regard  certain 
pulps  from  this  point  of  view,  particularly  those 
consisting  of  tailings  where  the  operation  pro- 
ducing them  has  taken  a  big  bite  out  of  a  cer- 
tain range  of  sizes  aqd  left  the  principal  values 
in  the  tailings  on  either  side  of  this  range,  such 
as  the  vanner  tailings  instanced  by  Beringer, 
the  conditions  in  this  respect  recorded  by  him 
being  probably  true  of  vanner  tailings  in 
general.  An  attempt  to  adjust  the  dressing 
conditions  to  save  the  faster  travelling  particles 
of  cassiterite  means  that  scarcely  any  effective 
concentration  of  the  slower  travelling  fraction 
is  obtained,  yet  this  seems  to  be  what  is  gener- 
ally done.  The  escaping  tailing  increment, 
mainly  slime,  quickly  attains  the  assay  of  this 
rapidly  moving  portion  of  the  pulp,  and  this 
may  be  high.  1  f  feed  is  now  stopped,  the  con- 
centrate arrested  on  the  lower  portion  of  the 
frame  may  well  be  of  lower  assay  than  the 
whole  of  the  tailing  which  has  escaped,  as 
Truscott  found  with  an  experimenton  Dolcoath 
No.  4,  a  typical  specimen  of  this  class  of  pulp. 
Further  experiments  were  conducted  on  this 
pulp  to  determine  whether  a  longer  period  of 
feed  might  give  better  results;  as  the  experi- 
ments were  designed  to  reproduce  on  a  flat 
frame  the  conditions  obtainable  on  a  round 
table  by  slowing  down  its  period  of  revolution, 
a  washing  period  was  given, and  this  waslonger 
with  longer  duration  of  feed.  An  unfortunate 
arithmetical  error  was  responsible  for  the  de. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


87 


cision  that  the  shorter  period  was  best,  but  the 
following  observation  is  a  better  record  of  the 
facts:  "The  appearances  suggest  that  owing 
to  the  relatively  high  inclination  much  of  the 
very  fine  tin  goes  direct  to  the  tailing,  but  that 
if  discard  were  continued  the  next  material  to 
go  would  be  poor  sand." 

Truscott's  experiments  on  whole  pulps,  that 
is,  on  pulps  which  represent  the  whole  battery 
product,  such  as  those  on  his  synthetic  ore  and 
on  the  mill-ores  ground  to  the  condition  of 
slime,  indicate  that  the  maximum  enrichment 
obtainable  on  frames  without  washing  will  be 
about  143  associated  with  a  concentration  to 
5%,  a  recovery  of  71 '6%,  and  consequently  an 
efficiency  of  66'6%.  Any  attempt  to  push  en- 
richment further  by  washing  seems  to  be  at 
the  expense  of  efficiency.  These  figures,  and 
in  particular  the  efficiency,  are  dependent  on 
the  physical  condition  of  the  ore,  and  not  on 
its  original  assay.  They  demand  that  the 
cassiterite  should  have  been  practically  freed 
i  from  its  matrix.  The  richer  the  original  ore, 
the  richer  will  be  the  concentrate  and  tailing  in 
direct  proportion.  With  a  1%  ore,  the  concen- 
trate would  assay  320  lb.  per  ton,  and  the  tail- 
ing 6'7  lb. 

Instancesof  the  frametreatmentof  thickened 
overflow  from  classifiers  taking  the  original 
millpulparenot  sufficiently  numerous  for  close 
figuring,  but  indicate,  in  the  case  of  the  Tin- 
croft  slime,  an  efficiency  of  possibly  50%,  with 
a  4  lb.  tailing,  the  latter  low  figure  being  due 
to  original  feed  only  assaying  about  a  half  per 
cent.  This  on  what  might  be  described  as  a 
classified  feed. 

Shaking  Tables. — Such  figures  as  are 
available  relating  to  the  performances  of  tables 
of  the  Wilfley  type  and  Frue  vanners,  in  the 
treatment  of  unclassified  or  origmal  pulp,  do 
not  indicate  that  a  higher  efficiency  is  attain- 
able by  these  machines  than  on  flat  frames. 
Messrs.  Cox,  Porter,  and  Gibbon  ("  Mineral 
Industry,"  1911)  obtained  figures  which  I  be- 
lieve relate  to  the  performances  of  a  Wilfley 
on  copper  ore,  though  my  notes  are  not  com- 
plete in  this  respect,  which  show  that  the  effici- 
ency with  which  the  natural  ore  was  treated 
was  64'4%,  the  mean  efficiency  of  treating  this 
ore  in  separate  lots  graded  by  screening  being 
63'9%,  and  of  grading  the  lots  by  classification 
66'7%.  In  obtaining  these  averages  it  is  as- 
sumed that  each  of  the  six  lots  obtained  by  each 
grading  process  were  of  equal  weight.  The 
minus  100-mesh  lot  obtained  by  screening  was 
treated  at  an  efficiency  of  48'7%,  the  average 
of  the  remainder  being  67'3%,  while  the  finest 
product  of  classification  was  treated  at  an  effi- 


ciency of  5r2%,  the  average  of  the  remainder 
being  69'8%.  An  advantage  of  shaking-tables 
lies  in  their  greater  capacity  per  unit  of  floor 
area.  Thus  the  Frue  vanner  will  handle  one 
ton  per  foot  of  width  in  24  hours,  a  flat  frame 
requiring  six  feet  of  width  to  treat  this  tonnage. 
The  effect  of  shortening  the  frame  length,  in- 
creasing the  gradient,  and  feeding  a  larger 
quantity  of  a  thicker  pulp  than  usual,  all  of 
which  appear  feasible,  would  be  to  place  the 
two  appliances  on  a  more  equal  footing  as  re- 
gards area  capacity. 

Washing. — The  general  question  of  wash- 
ing remains  to  be  discussed.  Washing  is  not 
practised  on  flat  frames,  and  the  complications 
which  its  employment  would  entail  militate 
against  its  adoption  unless  a  very  marked  ad- 
vantage can  be  demonstrated.  Where  concen- 
tration on  a  flat  frame  has  not  been  carried  to 
the  point  of  maximum  efficiency,  washing  is 
somewhat  similar  in  effect  to  a  prolongation  of 
the  feed  period,  and  is  therefore  commonly  at- 
tended by  improved  technical  results.  Wash- 
ing will  in  fact  improve  the  technical  result  just 
so  long  as  the  tailing  increments  escaping  dur- 
ing the  washing  period  do  not  attain  the  assay 
of  the  feed.  Where  the  feed  period  has  been 
so  prolonged  that  maximumtechnicalefficiency 
has  been  obtained  it  is  difficult  to  see  that  wash- 
ing can  further  increase  this,  and  certainly  it 
has  not  been  demonstrated.  Nor  has  it  been 
demonstrated  that  a  higher  efficiency  is  attain- 
able by  auxiliary  washing  than  by  the  selection 
of  a  suitable  period  of  feed. 

Round  frames,  on  the  other  hand,  are  always 
provided  with  arrangements  for  washing.  The 
concentrate  from  these  goes  customarily  direct 
to  the  calciner,  and  the  function  of  washing  is 
here  to  increase  the  enrichment,  even  if  a  slight 
loss  in  metallurgical  efficiency  is  thereby  in- 
curred. If  it  is  attempted,  by  employing  the 
principle  of  rapid  enrichment  in  the  flat-frame 
treatment  of  slimes,  to  obtain  at  one  operation 
a  concentrate  sufficiently  high-grade  to  send  to 
the  calciner,  some  means  of  washing  might  be 
advantageously  employed  in  the  same  way. 

Classification. — The  term  classification 
isreserved  toexpress  sizing  by  the  employment 
of  rising  hydraulic  currents  and  covers  a  rather 
wide  range  of  effects,  from  the  mere  division 
of  a  mill-feed  into  sands  and  slimes,  to  the 
operation  of  a  multiple-spigot  classifier  of  the 
latest  type. 

Cornish  practice  has  come  in  for  a  good  deal 
of  outside  and  not  always  too  well-informed 
criticism  on  account  of  the  small  part  which 
classification  supposedly  plays  in  it,  particu- 
larly that  classification  direct  from  the  stamp 


88 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


which  some,  who  have  not  sufficiently  talcen 
into  account  the  nature  of  tlie  subsequent  pro- 
cesses, consuier  essential  to  Kood  work. 

Granted  that  the  concentrate  produced  by  a 
frame,  vanner,  or  other  smooth  surface,  con- 
sists essentially  of  finer  cassiterite  associated 
with  coarser  waste,  its  becomes  evident  that 
classification,  by  throwing  together  line  cas- 
siterite and  coarse  waste,  is  the  deliberate  pre- 
paration of  the  worst  possible  kind  of  material 
for  treatment  on  a  smooth  surface.    This  arises 
from  the  existence  of  a  minimum  value  on  Gil- 
bert's curve  of  velocities  plotted  against  par- 
ticle diameters  treated  under  flume   (smooth 
surface)  conditions.    .\ coarse  particle  of  quartz- 
may  occupy  a  position  on  the  descendmg  leg  of 
the  curve  which  will  indicate  the  same  velocity 
as  possessed  by  a  small  particle  of  cassiterite 
on  the  rising  leg.    It  is  possible,  of  course,  that 
if  the  classified  product  consisted  only  of  two 
such  groups,  one  of  quartz  and  the  other  of  cas- 
siterite, a  modification  of  the  flow  conditions 
might  be  made  which  would  place  the  cassiter- 
ite in  the  minimum  velocity  position,  but  hardly 
anything  is  known  of  ttie  modifying  efifect  of 
such  changes,  except  in  the  vaguest  way,  and 
extreme  niceties  of  adjustment  cannot  be  se- 
cured and  preserved  in  practice.     The  more 
perfect  the  classification,  the  more  likely  it  is 
to  be  attended  by  ill  results,  and  the  practice  of 
treating   the  whole  battery  pulp  on  vanners 
without  classification  is  abundantly  justified. 
It  is  possible  that  the  dilution  of  the  slime  feed 
consequent  to  classification  also  has  an  injuri- 
ous effect.     Mr.  J.  Bland  {Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal,  June  28,  1919)  has  published 
figures  showing  that  on  a  Deister  No.  3  slime 
table  the  concentrate  contained  40'2%  of  minus 
1/2,000  in.  wolfram  when  the  consistency  of 
the  pulp  was  two  and  a  half  parts  by  weight  of 
water  to  one  of  solids,  whereas  none  of  this  fine 
wolfram  was  recovered  when  the  consistency 
was  twelve  to  one.    The  quality  of  the  concen- 
trate did  not  suffer,  but  the  capacity   of   the 
table  was  reduced  as  thicker  pulps  were  treated, 
and  the  percentage  recovery  and  extent  of  con- 
centration are  not  stated. 

Recoveries  by  Tin  Streamers. — Asthe 
amount  of  concentrate  recovered  in  a  saleable 
condition  forms  so  small  a  portion  of  the  whole 
mill-feed,  the  total  tailings  produced  by  the 
various  operations  of  the  mill,  if  put  together 
finally,  would  reproduce  very  closely  in  physi- 
cal condition  the  original  feed  as  it  came  from 
the  stamps,  allowance  being  made  for  supple- 
mentary crushing  undergone  by  some  fractions. 
The  intractability  characteristic  of  the  tailings 
of  a  particular  machine  would  be  found  to  have 


largely  disappeared  if  such  a  combined  tailing 
were  put  through  a  mill  again,  and  the  prelimi- 
nary stage  of  Its  treatment  might  be  attended 
with  something  approaching  the  high  degree 
of  metallurgical  efficiency  characteristic  of  an 
original  pulp,  due  allowance  being  made  for  the 
fact  that  a  much  larger  fraction  of  the  cassiter- 
ite in  the  (lulp  would  not  be  free,  but  combined 
as  chats.  The  foregoing  seems  a  quite  suffi- 
cient explanation  of  the  fact  that  streamers  make 
satisfactory  recoveries  of  tin  which  has  resisted 
saving  in  the  original  mills.  It  is  not  in  the  least 
necessary  to  drag  in  "colloids"  or  imagine  that 
the  cassiterite  undergoes  some  physico  chemi- 
cal change  in  its  passage  down  the  Red  River. 
The  intractable  condition  of  a  tailing  can 
also  be  modified  by  re-crushing  before  retreat- 
ment,  which  smoothes  down  the  asperities  of 
the  grading  analysis,  and  reproduces  a  pulp  of 
a  more  normal  type.  This  alteration  of  the 
grading  analysis  is  an  advantage  additional  to 
the  liberation  of  previouslyattached cassiterite, 
and  as  re-grinding  isobviously  limited  to  coarse 
products,  is  an  argument  in  favour  of  prelimi- 
nary coarse  crushing. 

The  Buddle. — So  far  the  conditions  dis- 
cussed have  been  those  prevailing  on  a  smooth 
concentrating  surface.  Those  which  obtain  on 
a  buddle  are  quite  different,  for  the  reason  that 
the  flow  conditions  are  now  more  those  of  the 
stream  (deposited  bed)  traction  of  Gilbert.  Yet 
here  also  the  influence  of  a  minimum  value  in 
the  velocity  curve  has  not  altogether  disap- 
peared, but  persists  for  a  reason  which  has 
been  left  undiscussed :  that  over  a  surface  which 
is  not  perfectly  smooth,  the  maximum  retard- 
ing effect  on  a  moving  particle  is  found  on  a 
surface  whose  roughness  corresponds  in  grain 
to  the  size  of  the  particle.  The  behaviour  of 
the  particle  is  of  course  not  conditioned  by 
this  cause  alone,  but  this  is  the  principal  one. 
The  roughness  of  the  surface  on  the  buddle  in- 
creases toward  the  discharge  periphery,  and 
every  particle  finds  an  appropriate  resting- 
place  among  its  fellows.  There  is  nothing  in 
the  theory  that  cassiterite  tends  to  catch  cas- 
siterite; size  is  most  important  in  deciding 
where  any  individual  comes  to  rest,  and  the  in- 
fluence of  specific  gravity  seems  to  be  secon- 
dary. Some  tests  made  by  me  on  Nigerian 
concentrate  obtained  by  a  process  akin  to  hud- 
dling showed  that  the  finer  grained  fraction 
separable  by  screening  was  of  noticeably  lower 
grade  than  the  coarser,  the  specific  gravity  of 
the  waste  mineral  being  47  to  5,  proving  that 
a  slight  diminution  in  size  caused  particles  of 
lighter  material  to  hang  back  among  the  denser 
cassiterite. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


89 


i  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  no  data  are 

i  in  existence  on  the  performance  of  buddies 
comparable  to  those  obtained  by  Truscott  for 
frames ;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  such 
data  would  establish  that  the  buddlmg  of  mixed 
(unclassified)  sizes  causes  the  cassiterite  toper- 
sist  through  the  buddle  products  in  a  way  that 
might  be  prevented  by  feeding  the  buddle  with 
a  classified  pulp. 

The  operation  of  panning  is  in  many  ways 
comparable  to  huddling  in  that  the  coarser 
particles  tend  to  roll  across  the  mass  deposited 
in  the  bottom  of  the  pan  and  escape,  the  re- 
sulting concentrate  being  one  of  finer  grain  as 
well  as  of  denser  material.  So  that  certain 
figures  published  by  Professor  Edwin  Edser 
in  a  recent  communication  to  the  Institution 
of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  may  be  usefully 
studied,  although  they  were  given  solely  with 
a  view  to  the  elucidation  of  a  law  of  concen- 
tration connecting  recovery  with  enrichment. 
The  material  tested  was  a  sample  from  a  Corn- 
ish river  deposit  containing  waste  cassiterite 
from  tin- dressing  operations.  This  waste  was 
screened  through  SOmesh  and  the  undersize 
elutriated  into  seven  products  by  the  method 
described  by  Mr.  Thomas  Crook  in  the  appen- 
dix to  Hatch  and  Rastall's  "  Petrology  of  the 
Sedimentary  Rocks."  This  method  would 
doubtless  give  products  obtained  under  free- 
settling  conditions,  and  not  so  perfectly  graded 
as  those  obtainable  with  a  classifier  working 
under  hindered-settling  conditions,  yet,  as  a 
laboratory  product,  perhaps  more  perfectly 
classified  than  would  result  from  the  operation 
of  a  hindered-settling  classifier  on  a  practical 
scale. 

The  two  finest  sizes  proved  unsuitable  for 
panning  (but  not  for  framing),  and  the  remain- 
ing five,  77  6%  of  the  total,  were  panned  in- 
dividually to  an  average  concentration  of  15% 
sampled  and  assayed,  and  further  panned  down 
to  an  average  concentration  of  I'S  per  cent. 
First  stage  of  concentration  : 


Mesh 

Weight 

Re-  _ 

Con- 

Efiici- 

Tail- 

covery 

centra- 
tion 

ency 

ings 
lb. 

A 

-2.500 

132 

B 

-1.800  +  2.500 

92 

C 

-1,0)0+1.800 

12'6 

0  808 

01 29 

0679 

40 

D 

-   570+1.000 

77 

0'840 

0162 

0'678 

2'7 

E 

-    300+    570 

8-7 

0'7-t8 

0216 

0'532 

4'0 

F 

-    200+    300 

36'2 

0-6'J4 

0125 

0'559 

5-1 

G 

-     80+    200 

124 

0777 

0215 

0562 

36 

Totals  and  averages      1000        0  745        0'154 


4'3 


Thus  from  an  original  feed  assaying  14'4  lb. 
Sn  per  ton,  a  recovery  of  74'5%  has  been 
effected  in  a  concentrate  assaying  70  lb.  per 
ton,  witha  concentration  to  15'4%of  theoriginal 
weight,  the  tailings  assaying  4"3  lb. 


Thesecondconcentration  of  the  concentrates 
obtained  above  gave  the  following  results, 
reckoning  from  the  original  feed  : 

Recovery      Concen-      Etfici-      Tailings 
tration        ency  lb. 

C  0656  0014  0642  51 

D  0660  0  014  0  645  4'0 

E  0'590  0020  0570  52 

F  0437  0008  0  429  SI 

G  0'585  0018  0'567  53 

Totals  and  averages  0'563  0'013  0  550  64 

Thus  the  combined  result  of  the  two  stages 
of  concentration  was  to  produce  a  concentrate 
assaying  605  lb.  per  ton,  with  a  recovery  of 
56'3%  of  the  original  contents  in  a  concentra- 
tion to  l'i%,  with  a  combined  final  tailing  as- 
saying 6'4  lb.  per  ton. 

The  combined  tailings  made  in  producing 
the  second  concentration  from  the  first  assayed 
21  lb.  per  ton,  showing  that  the  concentration 
was  pushed  too  far  in  the  second  stage  for  the 
best  metallurgical  result.  This  was  particu- 
larly the  case  with  product  F,  the  second  tail- 
ing of  which  ran  31  lb.  per  ton. 

It  is  my  opinion  that  if  buddies  were  fed 
with  a  well-classified  feed  from  a  multiple- 
spigot  hindered-settling  classifier,  something 
closely  approaching  the  foregoing  results  could 
be  duplicated  in  practice.  Such  a  result,  for 
instance,  on  a  1%  ore,  as  15  tons  of  500  lb.  Sn 
concentrate  ready  for  the  calciner,  13'5  tons  of 
85  lb.  middling  for  re-treatment,  and  85  tons 
of  4  lb.  tailing  for  final  rejection.  The  exist- 
ence of  this  comparatively  large  tonnage  of 
middlings  would  be  due  to  unavoidable  imper- 
fections in  classification  and  to  the  existence  of 
chats,  the  latter  particularly  in  the  coarser  sizes. 
Such  coarser  middlings  might  be  re-ground  and 
returned  to  the  classifier  circuit,  while  the  finer 
middlings  went  back  to  the  same  classifier  to 
get  another  chance.  I  f  the  loss  in  dressing  the 
first  concentrate  and  middlings  up  to  shipping 
grade  amounted  to  1 1  lb.  per  ton,  the  final  mill 
tailings  would  run  5  lb.  per  ton. 

Present  practice  may  perhaps  be  guessed  at 
as  producing  a  final  tailing  at  8'3  lb.  per  ton 
from  l%ore,  composed  as  to  two-thirds  of  sands 
at  5  lb.  per  ton,  and  as  to  one-third  of  slimes 
at  15  lb.  per  ton.  A  reduction  to  5  lb.  per  ton 
on  the  whole  tailing  would  mean  an  additional 
saving  of  3  3  lb.  per  ton,  equivalent  to  an  in- 
creased recovery  of  14'3%  of  the  contents  of 
the  original  feed,  or  an  increase  of  20%  in  the 
amount  of  saleable  concentrate  now  produced. 

At  the  prices  which  prevailed  in  April  last, 
this  would  mean  an  additional  annual  income 
to  the  industry  of  ;^200,000. 

I  realize  that  this  is  an  extremely  bold  claim 
to  put  forward  as  the  result  of  a  single  series 
of  laboratory  experiments,  and  prefer  to  sub- 


90 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


mit  the  fiRures  which  the  experiments  actually 
support  witliout  allowances  for  contingencies 
which  can  be  supplied  hy  the  reader.  It  is 
apparent  that  it  is  cjuite  possible  to  recover  a 
high  percentage  of  the  slime-tin  content  of  a 
pulp  in  a  concentrated  form  if  suitable  means 
of  dressing  are  provided.  There  is  nothing 
disclosed  showing  that  successful  slime  treat- 
ment is  impossible  through  anythmg  arising 
from  the  nature  of  slime  tin  itself,  indeed  the 
finest  slimes  panned  gave  the  highest  efifici- 
ences,  and  that  there  were  two  still  finer  pro- 
ducts made  by  classification  but  not  tested  in 
this  way  does  not  imply  that  these  would  have 
to  be  run  to  waste,  as  Edser  only  rejected  these 
as  difficult  to  perform  a  second  treatment  on  to 
establish  a  particular  mathematical  treatment, 
and  states  that  they  yielded  a  concentrate  to 
framing. 

Still  greater  improvements  might  be  ex- 
pected in  the  recoveries  of  arsenic  and  wolfram, 
as  the  present  losses  of  these  are  mainly  m  the 
slimes. 

It  may  be  objected  that  a  proposal  to  sub- 
stitute huddling  on  a  wholesale  scale  for  the 
present  semi-automatic  handling  of  the  pulp 
would  lead  to  an  increase  in  milling  costs.  A 
study  of  present  slime  plants  will,  however, 
show  that  many  operations,  although  cheaply 
performed, are  of  such  low  efficiency  that  while 
each  stage  costs  but  little,  the  multitude  of 
stages  is  responsible  for  a  high  total  cost.  The 
proposed  system  would  have  the  effect  of  re- 
ducing the  tonnage  sent  to  the  calciner  and  tin- 
yard,  where  the  bulk  of  the  manual  handling 
takes  place  at  present,  and  of  rapidly  reducing 
the  tonnage  handled  at  each  stage. 

Milling  ore  in  which  the  tin  is  not  exception- 
ally fine,  and  where  a  single-spigot  is  now  em- 
ployed in  front  of  the  stamps  to  feed  tables  of 
the  Wilfley  type,  the  overflow  going  to  the 
slime  plant,  the  battery  pulp  might  be  sent 
direct  to  the  tables  if  these  have  sufficient 
capacity.  These  would  be  set  to  produce  a 
sandy  tailing  for  rejection  going  about  4  lb.  per 
ton,  after  the  slimes  in  it  had  been  removed  by 
a  Bunker  Hill  screen  or  m  some  similar  way. 
Theoversize  of  thisscreen, which  mightamount 
to  30  or  40%  of  the  whole  mill- feed,  would  be 
rejected  without  further  handling.  A  compara- 
tively small  table-concentrate  would  go  direct 
to  the  calciner,  and  a  large  middling  product 
would  pass  to  a  tube-mill  running  in  circuit 
with  a  single  spigot  classifier,  the  table-slimes 
joining  the  circuit  at  any  convenient  point. 
The  whole  product,  suitably  thickened,  would 
pass  to  a  multiple  spigot  hindered-settling 
classifier   making   eight  or  ten  products,  the 


spigot  products  going  to  separate  buddies  and 
the  o\erflow  to  frames.  It  will  be  objected 
th:\t  there  is  no  classifier  now  on  the  market  de- 
signed to  classifyslimes  inthemanner  required, 
classification  not  being  practised  at  present 
below  200  mesh.  It  would  not  be  possible  to 
employ  an  existing  type  by  modifying  the 
velocity  of  the  rising  current,  as  the  areas  of 
the  quicksand  and  sorting  columns  have  to  be 
relatively  proportioned  with  regard  to  the  size 
of  the  material  with  which  they  deal,  and  the 
problem  would  appear  to  be  no  more  than  one 
of  design.  The  heads  of  the  buddies  would  go 
to  the  calciner,  the  tailings  to  waste,  while  the 
middlings  from  the  buddies  treating  the  sandier 
products  would  be  sent  back  to  the  tube-mill, 
returning  via  the  multiple-spigot  classifier,  to 
which  the  middlings  from  the  buddies  treating 
the  finer  products  would  also  be  returned  with- 
out further  reduction.  There  would  appear  to 
be  no  good  reason  for  calcining  the  different 
products  apart,  except  perhaps  as  regards  the 
originalWilfley  product,  and  the  whole  calciner 
product  would  be  passed  through  a  similar 
multiple-spigot  classifier  and  the  products  bud- 
died.  The  heads  would  be  tossed  and  huddled 
until  fit  for  market,  and  the  whole  of  the  tails 
might  require  re-pulverizing,  so  that  no  part 
could  bereturneddirecttothecalciner-classifier 
for  resorting. 

In  milling  ores  where  the  tin  occurs  in  a  fine 
state  of  division  the  probable  procedure  would 
be  to  pass  the  whole  of  the  battery  pulp,  crush- 
ed through  a  fine  grate,  over  Frue  vanners 
without  classification, pulling  a  high-grade  con- 
centrate for  the  calciner,  and  sending  the  whole 
of  the  tailings  to  the  multiple  spigot  classifier. 
The  products  sent  to  the  buddies  then  being 
usually  of  lower  grade  than  those  handled  in 
the  previously  considered  case, a  larger  fraction 
of  the  huddle  contents  would  be  rejected  as 
waste,  and  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  mid- 
dles, if  any,  would  be  re-ground.  Thereafter 
treatment  would  follow  the  lines  already  indi- 
cated. 

Conclusions. — Frames  :  The  sizesof  par- 
ticles saved  on  a  smooth  surface,  as  of  a  frame 
or  vanner,  are  grouped  about  a  definite  mean 
magnitude  and  the  tailings  are  characterized 
by  intractability  to  re-treatment. 

In  the  treatment  of  unclassified  pulp,  varia- 
tions in  dressing  conditions  within  practicable 
limits  do  not  greatly  affect  the  technical  result, 
except  that  a  thicker  pulp  may  possibly  effect 
an  increased  saving  of  finer  particles. 

Washing  is  of  value  only  as  an  expedient, 
and  does  not  produce  technical  results  other- 
wise unobtainablefrom  the  view-point  of  metal- 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


91 


lurgical  efficiency.  Under  appropriatecircum- 
stances,  improved  economic  results  may  be  ob- 
tained by  its  employment.  The  duration  of 
the  feed  is  the  most  important  factor  in  decid- 
ing the  technical  result  of  a  single  operation  on 
a  frame.  With  a  given  ore,  appropriate  dura- 
tion will  vary  directly  as  frame  length,  and 
there  is  no  reason  to  anticipate  better  technical 
results  on  a  short  frame  than  on  one  of  custo- 
mary length.  The  customary  duration  of  feed 
is  too  short  to  secure  the  best  technical  result 
of  a  single  operation. 

The  technical  result  obtained  by  selection 
of  the  optimum  length  of  feed  period  can  also 
be  secured  by  stage  treatment  in  which  the 
duration  of  feed  in  each  stage  is  shorter.  The 
combined  tailings  obtained  by  the  latter  meth- 


od do  not  differ  in  character  from  those  yield- 
ed by  the  other,  and  no  better  technical  re- 
sult finally  is  indicated  apart  from  the  simpli- 
fication and  cheapening  of  dressing  which  the 
other  gives. 

Classification  of  feed  intended  for  treatment 
on  frames  or  vanners  is  likely  to  produce  in- 
ferior results.  That  better  results  can  be  ob- 
tained by  classification  coupled  to  the  selection 
of  appropriate  dressing  conditions  remains  to 
be  established  by  research. 

Buddies  :  Buddies  should  receive  a  classi- 
fied feed.  The  close  classification  into  a  num- 
ber of  grades  of  the  material  now  sent  to  the 
slimes  plant,  and  its  treatment  by  buddling, 
promises  an  improvement  over  present  recov- 
eries amounting  to  possibly  20%. 


ON  THE   ESTIMATION   OF   MINERAL   RESERVES. 

With  special  reference  to  the  Iror>  Ores  of  Cumberland  and  Lancashire, 

By   J.   D.   KENDALL. 


ON  pp.  45-48  of  vol.  viii.  Iron  Ores  (Geo- 
logical Survey)  there  are  a  number  of 
statements  on  this  subject  so  mislead- 
ing and  so  utterly  at  variance  with  the  recent 
practice  of  mining  engineers  that  I  am  at  a 
loss  to  understand  why  they  have  been  allowed 
to  appear  in  that  publication. 

Nineteen  years  ago,  I  invited  the  attention 
of  the  members  of  the  Institution  of   Mining 


and  Metallurgy  to  the  very  elastic  use  of  the 
phrase  "  Ore  in  Sight."  In  many  cases  then 
it  simply  meant  ore  in  imagination,  which,  I 
need  hardly  say,  has  not  any  marketable  value, 
unless  it  be  to  the  unscrupulous  promoter.  A 
long  adjourned  discussion  followed  the  reading 
of  the  paper  and,  on  my  invitation,  a  committee 
was  formed  to  consider  the  matter.  As  a  re- 
sult of  the  deliberations  of  that  committee  the 


Fa  u  I  t  s, 

A      L  i  rn  e  5to  n  e 
^^1^     Hematite  I 


Fig.  1. 


92 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


Institution  sent  out  to  its  members  a  number 
of  recommendations  of  which  the  three  follow- 
ing are  the  essence : 

(1)  That  members  of  the  Institution  should 
not  make  use  of  the  term  "  Ore  in  Sight  " 
in  their  reports  without  indicating,  in  the  most 
explicit  manner,  the  data  upon  which  the  esti- 
mate is  based  ;  and  that  it  is  most  desirable 
that  estimates  should  be  illustrated  by  draw- 
ings. ^^ 

(2)  That  as  the  term   '  Ore  in  Sight  "  is  fre- 


•   Boreholes  in  Ore 
O  .  not  .      .. 


Since  these  recommendations  were  issued  I 
have  not  seen  anything  so  glaringly  bad  in  the 
way  of  estimates  as  the  passages  from  the 
Memoir  above  referred  to,  which  I  will  now 
quote. 

Referring  to  the  possibilityof  finding  further 
ore  between  Lamplugh  and  Egremont,  the 
Memoir  says  on  p.  45  :  "  Assuming,  in  the 
absence  of  definite  information,  that  ore  is 
present  in  average  quantity,  we  allow  a  reserve 
of  8  million  to  10  million  tons,  some  of  which. 


A  Limesfone 

B  Hematite 

•  Boreholes  in  Ore 
O  not 


Scale  o(  Fee; 

0  100         20O  300 


Fig.  2. 

quently  used  to  indicate  two  separate  factors 
in  an  estimate,  namely  :  (a)  ore  blocked  out, 
that  is,  ore  exposed  on  at  least  three  sides  within 
reasonable  distance  of  each  other,  and  (6)  ore 
which  may  be  reasonably  assumed  to  exist 
though  not  actually  blocked  out.  These  two 
factors  should  in  all  cases  be  kept  distinct,  as 
(a)  is  governed  by  fixed  rules,  while  (6)  is  de- 
pendent upon  individual  judgment  and  local 
experience. 

(3)  That  in  making  use  of  the  term  "  Ore  in 
Sight"  an  engineer  should  demonstrate  that 
the  ore  so  denominated  is  capable  of  being 
profitably  extracted  under  the  working  condi- 
tions obtaining  in  the  district. 


Fig.  3. 

however,  may  be  difficult  to  win."  In  refer- 
ence to  the  area  south  of  Egremont  we  read 
on  p.  47  :  "  Provided  that  ore  occurs  as  freely 
in  this  area  as  in  the  proved  field  to  the  north, 
there  should  be  a  reserve  of  about  50  million 
tons  of  ore,  apart  from  that  already  allowed  for 
in  the  Ullcoats-Winscales  district."  On  the 
same  page,  a  little  lower,  we  read :  On  the 
assumption  that  the  ore  occurs  between  the 
Hodbarrow  Mines  and  the  Park  and  Konhead 
group  as  freely  as  in  Furness  generally,  we 
estimate  for  this  tract  a  reserve  of  some  24 
million  tons  of  ore,  about  equally  divided  be- 
tween Cumberland  and  Lancashire."  On  p. 
48  the  following  summary  of  reserves  is  given  : 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


93 


HemaHhe  Deposits 
•—  Faults. 


In  Mi 
Proved 


I  LampluKh-Egremont 
Cumberland     ]  Estemont-Yotlen  Fews 
I  Millom  District 
j  West  of  Dalton 
1  East  of  Dalton 


Lancashire 


lion  Tons 
Unproved 

10 
50 
12 
12 
6 


The  Memoir  does  not  employ  the  phrase 
"  Ore  in  Sight,"  but  the  word  "  Reserves." 
These  are  shown  by  the  above  table  to  be  di- 
vided into  two  classes,  "  proved  "  and  un- 
proved." Nothing  is  said  as  to  how  the  proof, 
in  the  case  of  the  former  class,  was  effected, 
but  in  the  sequel  I  will  endeavour  to  show  that 
it  is  impossible  to  estimate  quantities  in  these 
ore-bodies  with  any  approach  to  accuracy  un- 
less the  ground  has  been  blocked  out. 

Unproved  reserves  are  reserves  in  anticipa- 
tion and  imagination  only.  That  there  is  still 
a  large  quantity  of  ore  to  work  beyond  that 
blocked  out  in  each  of  the  three  fields  may  be 
confidently  expected.  But  how  much  no  one 
can  say,  nor  what  proportion  of  it  can  be 
worked  at  a  profit.     The  90  millions  of  the 


Memoir  is  no  more  likely  to  be  even  the  ap- 
proximatetotalthan  20  millions  or  200millions. 
There  is  as  much  justification  for  any  one  of 
these  quantities  as  for  either  of  the  others. 
There  is  really  no  justification  for  fixing  any 
quantity. 

If  90  millions  is  not  an  aggregate  of  una- 
dulterated guesses,  it  must  have  been  reach- 
ed by  involving  assumed  quantities  per  unit 
area  into  unknown,  because  unexplored,  areas. 
Such  a  product,  it  will  be  readily  admitted, 
cannot  be  of  the  least  value  either  commer- 
cially or  scientifically. 

Fig.  1  represents  a  part  of  the  Whitehaven 
mining  district,  showing  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant deposits  hitherto  worked.  They  occur 
on  different  geological  horizons,  some  in  the 
First  and  Second  Limestones,  some  in  the 
Third  and  Fourth,  others  in  the  Seventh.  It 
will  be  seen  that  there  is  no  fixed  relation  be- 
tween land  areas  and  the  areas  of  deposits  in 
that  land.  Each  of  the  squares  in  Fig.  1  has 
an  area  of  about  41  acres.     Some  contain  a 


94 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


large  proportion  of  ore,  some  very  little.  But 
that  tact  is  still  more  evident  when  the  area 
shown  in  Fig.  1  is  looked  at  in  conjunction 
with  other  parts  of  the  district,  where  the 
spaces  between  the  deposits  are  much  larger. 

Fig.  2  shows  the  positions  of  49  bore-holes 
put  down  in  a  rich  part  of  the  district.  Forty 
of  these  holes  proved  ore  on  the  same  geologi- 
cal horizon.  N  me  were  in  limestone.  Twenty- 
five  years  ago  1  suppose  most  mining  men  who 
had  not  given  serious  thought  to  the  vagaries 
of  hematite  deposits  w-ould  have  said  that  these 
holes — their  positions  and  journals  only  being 
known — proved  the  existence  of  an  ore- body 
interrupted  by  but  a  comparatively  small  ex- 
tent of  limestone.  Let  us  see  what  was  the 
fact. 

Fig.  3  shows  the  plan  of  the  ore-bodies, 
proved  by  the  49  bore-holes,  after  the  deposits 
had  been  practically  exhausted  by  the  miner. 
It  also  gives  the  relative  positions  of  all  the 
bores  shown  on  Fig.  2. 

There  were  4'44  times  as  many  bores  in  ore 
as  in  limestone,  but  the  area  of  the  limestone, 
splitting  up  and  enclosing  the  ore  within  the 
area  covered  by  the  holes,  was  2'78  times 
larger  than  that  of  the  hematite.  To  reconcile 
the  results  obtained  in  some  of  the  bores  with 
those  of  the  miner  it  must  be  remembered  that 
bore-holes  are  seldom  if  ever  quite  plumb  and 
sometimes  they  are  a  long  way  from  being  so. 

This  is  not  a  specially  selected  case  to  illus- 
trate the  erratic  nature  of  these  ore-bodies,  as 
will  be  seen  by  reference  to  Fig.  1.  There 
have  been  deposits  in  which  the  ore  was  less 
interfered  with  by  limestone,  but  that  could 
not  be  known  until  they  were  laid  open,  that 
is,  until  they  were  blocked  out. 

Fig.  4  is  a  plan  of  some  of  the  more  im- 
portant deposits  in  Furness.  It  is  on  the  same 
scale  as  Fig.  1 ,  but  many  of  the  deposits  shown 
on  It  have  a  vein-like  habit,  and  therefore  do 
not  make  so  great  a  display  horizontally  as 
those  in  Fig.  1,  nearly  all  of  which  have  a  bed- 
like form.  Each  square  has  an  area  of  about 
15'9  acres.  All  the  deposits  of  importance  that 
have  been  found  in  the  area  covered  by  Fig.  4 
are  shown  on  that  drawing,  but  only  a  few  of 
the  larger  faults.  It  will  be  seen  that,  as  in 
the  Whitehaven  district,  there  is  not  any  fixed 
ratio  between  the  area  of  ore-bodies  and  that 
of  the  limestone  in  which  they  occur.  Here, 
too,  as  at  Whitehaven,  it  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate reserves  that  are  not  blocked  out,  and 
for  the  same  reason. 

If  Fig.  4  be  compared  with  Plate  III.  of 
the  Survey  Memoir,  a  fair  idea  may  beobtained 
of  the  neglect  of  this  district  by  the  Geological 


Survey.  Only  two  faults  are  shown  on  that 
plate  in  the  area  corresponding  to  I'ig.  4,  and 
neither  of  them  exists  in  the  ground,  while  the 
ore-bodies  do  not  bear  any  resemblance  to 
actuality. 

A  map  of  mere  rock-areas  is  of  very  little 
value  to  the  explorer.  He  wants  to  know  the 
structure  of  the  probable  ore-bearing  ground. 

If  it  is  not  possible  to  form  anything  like  an 
accurate  estimate  of  the  quantity  of  hematite 
that  may  exist  in  a  deposit  that  has  been  pierced 
by  40  bore- holes,  as  shown  by  Figs.  2  and  3, 
what  value  can  be  placed  on  estimates  in  which 
— like  those  of  the  90  millions  of  the  Memoir 
— there  is  an  entire  absence  of  evidence  ? 

LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

Genesis  of  Cumberland  Iron  Ores. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — Mr.  J.  D.  Kendall  discusses  the  origin 
of  the  iron  ores  of  Cumberland  and  Furness 
in  a  paper  entitled  '  The  bearing  of  the  dis- 
tribution of  certain  metallic  minerals  on  their 
genesis,"  which  appeared  in  the  MAGAZINE 
for  November,  1920. 

He  makes  three  points  to  which  I  desire  to 
refer  : 

(7)  Some  of  the  veins  of  hematite  occur  in 
the  Skiddaw  slates,  the  Borrowdale  rocks,  the 
Ennerdale  granophyre,  and  the  Eskdale  gran- 
ite, in  situations  which  he  attempts  to  show 
were  never  overlain  by  Triassic  rocks.  The 
iron  ore  in  these  veins  could  not,  therefore,  he 
contends,  be  derived  from  the  iron  oxide  of  the 
Trias. 

(2)  The  Permian  breccia  directly  overlying 
a  deposit  of  hematite  in  the  Carboniferous 
Limestone  near  Orebank  House,  Bigrigg,  in 
the  Cleator  district  of  Cumberland,  contained 
angular  fragments  of  hematite  evidently  de- 
rived from  the  deposit  on  which  the  breccia 
lay,  and  which  deposit,  therefore,  must  have 
beeninexistencebefore  thebrecciawas  formed. 

(J)  He  contends  that  the  view  that  the  hema- 
tite deposits  vvere  formed  by  the  down  ward  filtra- 
tion of  iron  ore  from  overlying  Triassic  rocks, 

if  held  by  those  having  the  direction  of  ex- 
plorations, would  lead  to  a  great  waste  of  time 
and  money." 

As  regards  (7)  I  do  not  think  we  have  suffici- 
ent data — we  may  never  have — to  decide  how 
far  the  Triassic  rocks  extended  over  the  Lake 
District.  In  the  jumble  of  geological  events 
so  many  things  may  have  happened  that  it  is 
safer  not  to  dogmatize.  As  Mr.  Kendall  indi- 
cates, the  late  Mr.  J.  G.  Goodchild  thought 
that  the  Carboniferous  and  later  rocks  spread 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


95 


at  one  time  over  the  entire  Lake  District. 

The  northern  part  of  the  Isle  of  Man  re- 
sembles in  many  of  its  features  the  Lake  Dis- 
trict. We  have  at  the  Point  of  Ayre  the  Salifer- 
ous  Marls,  then,  going  south,  the  Triassic  and 
Permian,  then  the  lower  Carboniferous,  and 
finally  the  Manx  slate  rocks  rising  to  a  height 
of  2,034  ft.  at  Snaefell. 

Mr.  Lamplugh,  in  his  Geological  Memoir  of 
the  Isle  of  Man,  remarks  on  p.  1  :  The  pre- 
dominant feature  of  its  stratigraphy  is  the  cen- 
tral ridge  of  slate  and  greywacke,  which  seems 
to  have  constituted  an  insulated  tract  at  as  early 
a  date  as  the  beginning  of  the  Carboniferous 
period.  This  prototype  of  the  present  island 
appears  afterwards  to  have  been  enfolded  and 
obliterated  by  the  sediments  of  later  times ; 
but  with  the  progress  of  denudation  the  old 
ridge  has  once  more  emerged  from  beneath 
this  mantle."  And  on  page  25  :  "  Before  the 
commencement  of  the  Carboniferous  period, 
erosive  influences  had  cut  deeply  into  this  old 
massif,  the  rocks  of  which  at  that  tmie  already 
possessed  the  lithological  and  structural 
characters  that  we  find  in  them  to-day.  By 
this  early  denudation  there  seems  to  have  been 
shapedout  an  isolated  hilly  tract  approximately 
resembling  the  present  land,  which  was  pro- 
bably afterwards  buried  under  sediments  of 
Carboniferous  and  later  times,  and  thus  during 
long  ages  protected  from  erosion.  By  the 
stripping  away  of  these  enfolding  strata,  pro- 
bably finally  accomplished  during  Tertiary 
times,  the  central  position  of  the  ridge  was 
once  more  exposed,  and  must  since  have  lost 
considerably  in  altitude." 

Mr.  Kendall's  arguments  in  favour  of  a  cen- 
tral tract  in  the  Lake  District  that  was  never 
overlain  by  later  rocks  do  not  impress  me. 
They  seem  to  me  to  be  mere  speculations. 

The  certainties  appear  to  be  as  follows : 
The  Lake  District  is  now  more  or  less  sur- 
rounded by  belts  of  Carboniferous,  Permian, 
and  Triassic  rocks.  These  beds  formerly  ex- 
tended nearer  the  centre,  covering  a  larger  area 
of  the  Lake  District  than  they  cover  now. 
The  central  mountains  were  pushed  up.  What 
area  of  the  Lake  District  was  once  covered  by 
Carboniferous  and  later  rocks  is  speculative, 
and  depends  on  another  speculative  matter,  the 
dates  of  the  various  upheavals  and  sinkings  of 
the  mountains. 

If  I  were  to  venture  on  a  conjecture  it  would 
be  something  in  this  form.  I  would  grant  Mr. 
Kendall  his  island  at  the  close  of  the  Yoredale 
period,  and  this  would  account  for  "  the  occur- 
rence of  a  rounded  boulder  of  Ennerdale  syen- 
ite (granophyre)  in  the  shale  between  the  Sixth 


and  Seventh  Limestones,  at  Crossfield  mines." 
I  would  suppose  the  Lake  District  to  be  sink- 
ing and  the  Coal  Measures  to  extend  partly 
over  it.  With  later  sinking  after  the  Coal 
Measures  were  laid  down,  rocks  of  Permian, 
Triassic,  and  possibly  later  date  would  be 
formed,  creeping  nearer  and  nearer  the  centre 
of  the  area  and  possibly  entirely  covering  it. 
The  Triassic  rocks  might  then  directly  overlie 
"  the  Skiddaw  slates,  the  Borrowdale  rocks,  the 
Ennerdale  granophyre,  the  Eskdale  granite," 
and  furnish  the  iron  contents  of  the  hematite 
veins  occurring  in  them.  Then  upheavals 
and  denudation  left  the  rocks  as  we  now  find 
them. 

With  respect  to  (2),  if  Mr.  Kendall's  account 
is  correct  it  is  a  strong  argument  in  favour  of 
the  genesis  of  the  Cumberland  hematite  de- 
posits before  the  formation  of  the  Permian 
breccia.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  particu- 
lar evidence  he  describes  is  completely  des- 
troyed, and  also  that  at  the  time  it  was  avail- 
able the  fragments  of  hematite  found  in  the 
breccia  were  not  submitted  to  microscopical 
examination  so  as  to  attempt  to  determine  if 
they  were  replacements  of  limestone  fragments 
in  the  breccia  by  the  same  ferruginous  solu- 
tions which  Goodchild  and  others  contend 
formed  the  irregular  masses  in  the  solid  lime- 
stone below,  and  were  not  in  fact  fragments 
of  hematite  torn  from  a  pre-existing  deposit  of 
hematite. 

If  the  masses  of  hematite  in  the  limestone 
were  formed  by  descending  ferruginous  solu- 
tions, it  would  be  surprising  if  these  solutions 
on  their  way  through  the  breccia  did  not  attack 
and  replace  some  of  the  limestone  fragments 
in  it.  I  am  advised  by  geologists  that  an  ex- 
amination of  such  fragments  might  indicate 
whether  they  were  replacements  or  fragments 
derived  from  a  pre-existing  mass.  It  is  rather 
singular  that  such  an  examination  has  not  been 
made,  and  I  think  the  Geological  Survey  people 
have  been  remiss  in  not  making  the  investiga- 
tion. 

I  have  endeavoured  for  some  time  to  obtain 
specimens  of  hematite  from  the  breccia  so  as 
to  submit  them  for  examination,  but  so  far  I 
have  not  been  successful.  It  is  not  necessary 
that  the  specimens  should  come  from  breccia 
directly  overlying  a  deposit  of  hematite.  If  it 
was  found  that  the  pebbles  and  fragments  of 
hematite  in  the  breccia  were  replacements  of 
limestone  fragments  in  situ,  it  would  weaken 
Mr.  Kendall's  views  as  to  the  date  of  the  de- 
posits in  the  body  of  the  limestones.  It  would 
not,  however,  prove  the  downward  filtration 
theory,  as  it  could  still  be  urged  that  ascending 


96 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


solutions  or  vapours  had  affected  both   lime- 
stone and  overlying  breccia. 

Great  liRht  would  be  thrown  both  upon  the 
genesis  and  the  age  of  lieniatite  deposits  by  a 
microscopical  examination  of  the  pebbles  and 
fragments  of  hematite  found  in  the  Permian 
breccia,  and  to  this  matter  I  would  strongly 
direct  the  attention  of  geologists. 

The  proximity  of  Triassic  rocks  to  the  Car- 
boniferous Limestone  cannot  be  urged  as  a 
reason  for  not  expecting  hematite  as  (i)  would 
seem  to  imply.  Even  if,  as  Mr.  Kendall  thinks, 
the  iron  oxide  from  the  Trias  played  no  part  ui 
the  formation  of  hematite  deposits  in  the  un- 
derlying limestone,  yet  he  cannot  deny  that, 
in  the  hematite  districts  of  Cumberland  and 
Furness  as  well  as  in  North  and  South  Wales, 
the  Forest  of  Dean,  and  Derbyshire,  Triassic 
rocks  are  in  close  proximity  and  can  with  some 
certainty  be  said  to  have  overlain  at  one  time 
the  areas  where  the  deposits  occur.  Indeed, 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  Cleator  district  of 
Cumberland,  and  in  parts  of  the  hematite  dis- 
trict of  South  Wales,  hematite  is  or  has  been 
worked  m  the  limestone  now  overlain  by  Trias. 

1  fail,  therefore,  to  see  how  it  can  be  argued 
that  even  if  the  Trias  has  no  relation  to  hema- 
tite deposits  in  the  limestone  any  loss  of  time 
or  money  in  exploration  can  result  from  the 
opposite  view. 

J.  B.  Atkinson. 
86,  St.  George's  Terrace, 

Newcastle-on-Tyne,  December   14. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — In  the  last  paragraph  of  Mr.  J.  D. 
Kendall's  interesting  article  m  The  Mining 
Magazine  of  November  last,he  alludes  to  the 
chemistry  relative  to  the  deposition  of  the 
North-West  of  England  hematite  deposits. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  gypsum  is  com- 
paratively abundant  in  the  Triassic  strata.  Is 
it  Hot  reasonable  to  infer  that  the  gypsum  is 
very  likely  the  residual  salt  resulting  from  the 
repiacementof  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  by 
hematite  through  the  agency  of  powerful  solu- 
tions of  ferric  sulphate  from  below  ?  That  re- 
action is  conveniently  represented  by  the  fol- 
lowing equation  : 

3CaCO,  +  Feo  (S04)3  =  3CaS04  +  Fe^Os 
+  3COo. 

If  this  reaction  can  be  taken  as  probable, 
then  we  have  still  further  evidence  of  miner- 
alization from  below.  Whereas,  on  the  con- 
trary,nostriking  abundanceof  gypsum  is  found 
below  the  Carboniferous  Limestone.  It  would 
be  interesting  to  know  whether,  in  the  opinion 
of  Mr.  Kendall,  the  amount  of  gypsum  in  the 


Triassic  strata  could  represent  a  residuum  from 
the  reaction  that  I  suggest. 

A.  Ai.KC  Junes,  Assoc. Inst. M.M. 
Miilom,  Cumberland,  January  8. 

The  Editor: 

Sir — I  thank  you  for  letting  me  see  Mr. 
Jones's  and  Mr.  Atkinson's  letters  so  that  my 
replies  may  appear  in  the  same  issue. 

In  his  letter,  Mr.  J.  B.  Atkinson  has,  I 
assume  inadvertently,  omitted  the  evidence  on 
which  he  bases  the  numerous  statements  made. 
If  he  will  be  good  enough  to  supply  this  most 
important  deficit  his  readers  will,  I  think,  be 
able  to  form  a  more  reliable  judgment.  If, 
for  instance,  we  take  paragraph  11,  in  which 
Mr.  .-\tkinson  first  puts  forth  his  ideas,  we  find 
the  following  statements:  "  If  I  were  to  ven- 
ture on  a  conjecture  it  would  be  something  in 
this  form  .  .  .  :  I  would  suppose  the  Lake  Dis- 
trict to  be  sinking  and  the  Coal  Measures  to  ex- 
tend partly  over  it.  With  later  sinking  after  the 
Coal  Measures  were  laid  down,  rocks  of  Per- 
mian, Triassic,  and  possibly  later  date  would 
be  formed,  creeping  nearer  and  nearer  the 
centre  of  the  area  and  possibly  entirely  cover- 
ing it.  The  Triassic  rocks  might  then  directly 
overlie  the  Skiddaw  Slates,  etc."  Here  we 
have  a  number  of  suppositions  but  no  evidence. 

The  next  paragraph  seems  to  indicate  that 
Mr.  Atkinson  is  not  sure  of  my  presentation  of 
the  facts  relating  to  the  occurrence  of  ore  frag- 
ments in  the  Breccia  near  Orebank  House. 
But  he  does  not  say  why.  I  invite  him  to  do  so. 
As  I  have  previously  told  Mr.  Atkinson,  I 
sliced  hematite  fragments  from  the  Breccia,for 
microscopic  examination,  40  years  ago,  but 
found  no  difference  between  them  and  pieces 
taken  from  the  mine.  In  both,  the  sections 
varied  considerably, some  containing  numerous 
minute  quartz-filled  cavities.  In  others  there 
was  nothing  but  iron  ore.  Mr.  Atkinson  says, 
"  Great  light  would  be  thrown  both  upon  the 
genesis  and  age  of  hematite  deposits  by  a  micro- 
scopical examination  of  the  pebbles  and  frag- 
ments of  hematite  found  in  the  Permian  Brec- 
cia." One  would  naturally  expect,  after,  or  be- 
fore, a  positive  statement  like  this,  some  evi- 
dence would  be  adduced,  for  Mr.  Atkinson  says 
would,  not  might. 

To  the  last  paragraph  of  the  letter  I  need 
not  add  to  what  I  have  said  elsewhere,  beyond 
this  :  "  Hematite  is  or  has  been  worked  in  the 
limestone  now  overlain  by  "  boulder  clay  (Mr. 
Atkinson  saysTrias),  but  that  is  not  any  reason 
for  thinking  there  is  some  intimate  relation  be- 
tween them.  It  is  merely  an  incident  in  geo- 
logical evolution.     The  same  statement  may 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


97 


be  made  with  reference  to  the  Trias. 

In  reply  to  Mr.  Jones's  letter,  there  are  two 
reasons  why  the  suggested  reaction  cannot,  in 
my  opinion,  be  accepted  as  an  explanation  of 
the  facts.  (1)  The  volume  of  calcium  carbonate 
required  as  precipitant  is  so  much  in  excess  of 
the  volume  of  hematite  precipitated  that  the 
cavities  formed  in  the  limestone  would  be  very 
much  larger  than  the  ore-body.  (2)  The  ore 
and  the  gypsum  referred  to  were  not  formed  at 
or  near  the  same  time. 

J.  D.  Kendall. 

London,  January  28. 

The  Finsbury  Technical  College. 

The  Editor: 

Sir — In  an  article  published  under  the  above 
heading  in  The  Mining  Magazine  for  No 
vember,  reference  was  made  to  the  threatened 
extinction  of  the  Finsbury  Technical  College, 
and  a  powerful  appeal  was  put  forward  for  the 
continuance  of  this  historic  school  of  engineer- 
ing and  industrial  chemistry.  One  emendation 
may,  however,  with  advantage  be  made  in  this 
otherwise  excellent  notice,  in  regard  to  two  ref- 
erences to  the  Board  of  Education  as  the  au- 
thority which  contemplates  closing  the  College. 
On  the  contrary,  although  the  Board  has  never 
had  official  relations  with  the  College,  yet  it  has 
on  atleast  two  recentoccasions  expressed  warm 
sympathy  with  the  movement  set  on  foot  by  the 
Finsbury  Technical  College  Defence  Commit- 
tee. Hitherto  the  Board  of  Education  has  not 
been  called  upon  to  contribute  towards  the 
financial  support  of  the  College,  this  responsi- 
bility having  been  undertaken  solely  by  the 
City  &  Guilds  of  London  Institute  for  the 
Advancement  of  Technical  Education.  The 
lioard  has,  however,  intimated  that  if  the 
future  of  the  College  could  be  assured  it  would 
be  prepared  to  offer  material  assistance. 

In  a  statement  issued  by  the  City  &  Guilds 
of  London  Institute  last  July  a  survey  is  made 
of  the  circumstances  in  which  the  Institute  is 
constrained  to  terminate  the  educational  work 
of  the  College  in  July,  1921.  With  much  of 
this  explanatory  statement  those  interested  in 
the  scientific  and  technical  education  of  the 
Metropolis  will  have  the  fullest  sympathy.  It 
IS  evident  that  the  Institute  is  averse  from  en- 
tering into  competition,  on  very  unequal  terms, 
with  institutions  liberally  subsidized  by  the 
Local  Education  Authority,  which  in  the  pres- 
ent instance  is  the  London  County  Council. 
The  Defence  Committee  has,  however,  found 
strong  support  for  the  view  that  there  is  still 
abundant  scope  for  the  continued  existence  of 
the  pioneer  technical  college  of  the  London 


area.  The  great  traditions  of  instruction  and 
research  associated  with  the  memory  of  such 
illustrious  teachers  as  Ayrton,  Perry,  Meldola, 
and  Silvanus  Thompson,  and  the  undiminish- 
ed success  of  the  College  under  their  successors, 
constitute  a  priceless  asset  worthy  to  be  con- 
served and  utilized  in  the  training  of  future 
generations  of  students  of  applied  science. 
With  the  spread  of  the  Finsbury  Defence 
Movement  it  is  becoming  more  widely  realized 
that  it  is  precisely  this  side  of.  the  Institute's 
activities  for  which  there  is  at  present  the 
greatest  need.  In  regard  to  the  recent  past, the 
imperial  importance  of  the  Institute's  work  in 
the  College  may  be  gauged  by  the  war  services 
rendered  by  the  staff  and  former  students  of 
Finsbury.  "  Happy  is  the  man  that  hath  his 
quiver  full  of  them,  for  he  shall  not  be  ashamed 
when  they  speak  with  the  enemy  in  the  gate." 

G.  T.  Morgan. 
London,  December  29. 


NEWS  LETTERS. 

MELBOURNE. 

December  9. 
Welfare  Schemes  at  Mount  Lyell. 
— During  the  past  three  or  four  years  the 
Mount  Lyell  company,  like  many  other  big 
industrial  concerns  in  the  Commonwealth,  has 
been  carrying  out  a  welfare  scheme  for  its  min- 
ing employees,  the  bulk  of  whom  reside  at 
Gormanston,  near  the  mines,  the  principal  fea- 
ture being  the  provision  of  comfortable  and 
adequate  housing  accommodation.  This  pro- 
blem, in  an  isolated  district  like  Mount  Lyell, 
is  naturally  a  difficult  and  expensive  one  to 
overcome,  but  the  company  is  striving  ear- 
nestly and  determinedly  to  cope  with  it,  and 
the  results  are  highly  gratifying.  There  has 
just  been  finished  a  block  of  ten  houses,  which 
makes  a  total  of  38  erected  since  the  initia- 
tion of  the  scheme.  The  dwellings  contain  four 
or  five  living  rooms,  and  are  built  of  hardwood, 
lined  throughout  with  either  similar  wood  or 
3-ply  material.  They  are  of  simple  and  neat 
design,  and  have  been  built  under  the  super 
visionof  Mr.  R.M.  Murray, engineer-in-charge 
of  the  mines,  and  his  staff.  Malthoid  and 
shingles  are  used  for  roofing,  and,  in  addition 
to  the  four  or  five  living  rooms,  each  dwell- 
ing is  furnished  with  pantry,  scullery,  wash- 
house  (in  some  instances  a  bathroom),  wood- 
shed, and  sanitary  accommodation.  The  land 
is  sufficient  to  provide  reasonable  yard  and 
garden  space,  which  is  all  securely  fenced. 
Electric  lighting,  heating,  and  power  are  sup- 


98 


Til 


MINMNG     MAGAZINE 


plied  direct  by  the  company  at  the  reason- 
able rate  of  4d.  per  unit  for  lighting  and  2d. 
for  power,  and  the  water  supply  is  provided 
by  the  municipal  council.  The  building  of 
these  houses  is,  however,  not  by  any  means 
the  limit  of  the  company's  efforts  in  this  direc- 
tion, as,  in  addition  to  the  38  houses  built,  they 
have  purchased  from  time  to  time  other  dwel- 
lings, many  of  which  were  in  a  dilapidated 
state,  and  made  them  fit  to  live  in.  Altogether 
the  company  owns  in  Gormanston  about  100 
houses  for  the  benefit  of  their  mine  employees. 
The  rent  charged  for  the  dwellings  is  only  7s. 
6d.  per  week  for  a  four-roomed  and  9s.  for  a 
five-roomed  cottage,  and  it  is  fairly  safe  to  say 
that  in  no  industrial  centre  or  large  city  of  the 
Commonwealth  can  as  good  houses  be  found 
for  ordinary  workers  of  all  classes  as  those 
which  the  Mount  Lyell  company  is  providing 
for  its  mine  employees  at  such  low  rentals. 

Another  detail  of  the  scheme  is  the  promo- 
tion of  direct  trading,  by  what  are  virtually 
co-operative  establishments.  The  company, 
for  about  18  months  past,  has  been  the  only 
supplier  of  meat  in  the  Gormanston  centre, 
having  purchased  the  businesses  of  those  local 
butchers  who  complained  that  they  could  not 
carry  on  owing  to  the  high  price  of  stock. 
Under  the  company's  management  the  meat 
supply  business  has  been  reorganized  on  lines 
which  mean  a  reduction  of  2d.  and  3d.  a  pound 
as  compared  with  the  prices  charged  by  private 
firms.  In  furtherance  of  their  scheme,  the 
company,  a  few  months  ago,  also  acquired  the 
principal  general  stores  in  the  municipality, 
and  are  now  supplying  groceries  and  general 
food  commodities,  household  ironware,  crock- 
ery, etc.,  and  in  the  clothing  line  all  classes  of 
working  requirements,  including  blueys,  oilers, 
and  boots.  With  a  view  to  encouraging  the 
cash  system  of  trading,  and  eliminating,  as  far 
as  possible,  the  credit  system,  the  company 
offers  every  inducement  to  the  people  to  pay 
cash  and  thus  get  their  goods  at  the  lowest 
possible  prices.  All  purchasers  of  meat  who 
pay  cash  at  the  shop  are  allowed  Id.  per  lb.  as 
against  that  sold  on  the  fortnightly  credit  basis, 
while  at  the  general  store  the  buver  paying 
cash  is  allowed  10%  discount,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  a  very  large  number  of  the  consu- 
mers are  taking  advantage  of  the  benefits  of 
this  cash  system. 

Another  item  in  the  welfare  scheme  is  the 
providing  of  facilities  for  improving  social  life, 
and  to  this  end  the  company  has  established 
and  equipped  recreation  halls  at  both  Gorman- 
ston and  Linda,  where  for  6d.  a  week  comfort- 
ably furnished  billiard,  reading,  and  pastime 


rooms  are  available  to  the  employees  and  the 
public  generally,  and  this  in  itself  is  a  great 
help  towards  minimizing  the  unfavourable  cli- 
matic anil  living  conditions  which  are  insepar- 
able from  a  rougii  and  isolated  district  like  the 
Mount  Lyell  mining  lield. 

It  must  be  understood  that,  although  the 
company  is  financing  the  business  and  taking 
the  responsibility  of  monetary  loss,  it  is  not 
out  to  make  any  profit  whatever  in  its  trad- 
ing department.  The  business  is  purely  co- 
operative, with  practically  no  expense  or  risk 
to  the  employees  (and  employees  in  this  con- 
nection means  the  whole  of  the  Gormanston 
community,  every  member  of  which,  if  not  di- 
rectly, is  certainly  indirectly,  employed  by  the 
company),  the  principle  aimed  at  being  the 
supply  of  goods  at  cost  price,  after  allowing  for 
the  cost  of  purchase,  management,  and  distri- 
bution,thereby  eliminating  theretailer'sprofits. 
As  the  turnover  in  the  butchering  and  general 
store  business  is  approximately  ^60,000  a 
year,  it  will  easily  be  realized  what  an  appreci- 
able benefit  this  trading  department  is  to  the 
employees  and  the  public  of  Gormanston  gen- 
erally. The  men  as  a  body  are  not  at  all  back- 
ward in  acknowledging  the  efforts  of  the  com- 
pany to  establish  sympathetic  relations  with 
their  employees.  If  the  result  of  the  Mount 
Lyell  Co.'s  action  in  this  direction  is  to  elimi- 
nate strikes  or  other  industrial  troubles,  and 
prevent  stoppages  of  work,  the  money  will 
have  been  well  spent. 

Electrolytic  Zinc  in  Tasmania. — 
The  works  near  Hobart  of  the  Electrolytic 
Zinc  Co.  of  Australasia,  which  were  started  in 
1917,  now  employ  some  1,200  workmen,  and 
rapid  constructional  work  is  being  carried  on. 
A  representative  of  the  Industrial  Australian 
and  Mining  Standard  has  made  a  tour  of  in- 
spection in  company  with  the  general  manager, 
Mr.  H.  W.  Gepp.  In  addition  to  the  buildings, 
wharves  are  being  constructed  along  the  banks 
of  the  Derwent  1,000  ft.  in  length  and  60  ft. 
wide,  with  a  depth  of  30  ft.  at  low  water,  in 
readiness  for  theshipments  which  will  be  neces- 
sary to  deal  with  the  100  ton  per  day  output. 
Mr.  Gepp  states  that  the  company  will  be  ex- 
porting annually  10,000  tons  of  zinc  oxide, 
15,000  tons  of  zinc-lead  oxide,  and  from  10,000 
to  15,000  tons  of  lithophone,  with  quantities  of 
rolled  zinc  sheets  and  silver  and  lead  in  bullion, 
in  addition  to  the  daily  output  of  100  tons  of 
zinc.  At  present  25  tons  of  zinc  are  being  pro-  M 
duced  in  addition  to  by  products,  and  it  is  an-  1 
ticipated  thatby  next  November  the  output  will 
be  50  or  60  tons  per  day.  [Owing  to  the  low 
price  of  zinc,  production  has  been  suspended 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


99 


since  this  letter  was  written,  but  the  construc- 
tion of  new  plant  and  buildings  is  still  actively 
in  hand. — Editor.]     At  present  only  5,700 
h.p.  is  delivered  by  the  State  HydroElectric 
Department,  but  when  the  full  30,000  h.p.  con- 
tracted for  is  supplied  and  the  100-ton  plant  is 
in  full  operation,  some  100,000  tons  of  concen- 
trates will  be  imported  yearly  from  Port  Pirie 
and  some  35,000  to  40,000  tons  of  zinc  and 
about  the  same  quantity  of  other  products  will 
be  exported  from  Hobart,  so  it  is  evident  that 
some  shipping  accommodation  will  be  required. 
A  power  house  is  being  built  of  reinforced  con- 
crete to  contain  seven  rotary  converters,  and 
the  full  30,000  h.p.  will  come  here  direct,  and 
when  the  machinery  on  order  from  Rugby  is 
installed  the  building  will  contain  ;^150,000 
worth  of  electrical  equipment.     This  building 
will  be  200  ft.  long  and  60  ft.  wide,  the  walls 
being  40  ft.  high.     Six  of  the  seven  converters 
will  be  in  constant  use.     Overhead  cranes  will 
be  installed  for  the  purpose  of  lifting  out  the 
machines  for  overhaul  or  repair  in  the  adjacent 
workshop.     A  conveyor  is  being  built  which 
will  take  the  concentrates  on  an  endless  30  in. 
belt  from  the  steamers  to  the  bin,  which  will 
hold  about  20,000  tons  of  concentrates.     Dis- 
tributing conveyors  are  also  to  be  erected  from 
the  bins  to  the  final  roasters,  and  from  there  to 
the  leaching  plant,  etc.    Electric  shovels  are  to 
beinstalled  at  the  bin  forliftingtheconcentrates 
on  to  the  conveyors.     A  carpenter's  shop  is 
also  being  specially  designed  for  the  making  of 
the  50  ft.  vats  used  for  the  supply  of  solutions 
to  the  cell-room.     The   butcher's   shop,  now 
nearing  completion,  is  replete  with  every  mod- 
ernconvenience,and  is  fitted  with  a  refrigerator 
chamber.     This  shop  is  being  run  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  company's  co-operative  stores  and 
under  the  direction  of  the  employees'  co-opera- 
tive council,  which  deals  with  all  matters  rela- 
ting to  the  health  and  recreation  of  the  workers. 
The  latest  venture  is  the  importation  of  ma- 
chinery for  the  making  of  barrels  of  ply-wood. 
The  ply  will  be  cut  from  green  myrtle  timber, 
and  the  barrels  will  be  used  for  exporting  the 
by-products.     The  company  has  its  own  saw- 
mill and  a  large  seasoning  yard  on  the  property. 
A  model  village  is  being  built  on  the  slope 
of  the  hill  near  Prince  of  Wales  Bay,  and  this 
has  been  laid  out  on  the  best  garden-suburb 
lines,  there  being  a  perfect  panorama  of  river, 
mountain,  and  orchards,  with  not  the  least  sug- 
gestion of  the  deadly  monotony  of  suburbia. 
A  dozen  different  styles  of  houses  have  been 
built  of  concrete,  in  chalet  and  bungalow  style, 
roofed  with  concrete  tiles,  corrugated  iron,  and 
shingles,  and  the  tenants  can  take  their  choice. 
2—5 


As  the  site  was  previously  an  orchard,  the  fruit 
is  ready  to  be  picked  as  the  tenants  take  pos- 
session. Some  23  houses  are  already  occupied, 
and  as  many  more  are  nearing  completion. 
Sixty  are  to  be  built  on  the  orchard  site,  and 
another  120  are  to  follow  on  a  site  above  the 
main  road. 

TORONTO. 

January  12. 
Cobalt. — The  production  of  silver  has  been 
greatly  curtailed  by  the  shortage  of  electric 
power.     Only  some  10  mines  out  of   19  that 
were  being  operated  duringthesummerarenow 
working,  and  it  is  doubtful  as  to  whether  they 
will  be  able  tocontinue  in  operation  until  spring. 
But  for  the  unusually  mild  weather  which  has 
so  far  prevailed,  conditions  would  have  been 
still  more  serious.     Working  forces  have  been 
considerably  reduced  at  those  mines  which  are 
still  producing,  and  only  about  1,000  men  are 
now  at  work  as  compared  with  some  2,000  last 
summer.   The  vvagescale,  which  has  been  main- 
tained so  far  at  the  same  rate  which  prevailed 
when  the  price  of  silver  was  high,  will  be  re- 
duced by  75c.  per  day  or  approximately  15?'o 
from  February  15.     Among  the  mines  which 
have  recently  closed  down  are  the  Beaver  and 
the  McKinleyDarragh,  both  of  which  are  be- 
ing kept  clear  of  water  in  readiness  for  the  re- 
sumption of  work  as  soon  as  power  is  available. 
The  Nipissing  is  the  only  mine  which  has  not 
reduced  its  output.     During  December  it  pro- 
duced  silver   of    an   estimated   net   value  of 
$299,894.    Its  production  of  cobalt  metal  dur- 
ing 1920  was  valued  at$224,204.  At  the  Bailey 
a  2  in.  vein  of  high-grade  ore, running  4,000oz. 
to  the  ton,  recently  discovered  on  the  240  ft. 
level,  is  being  developed.     During  November 
the  company  made  gross  earnings  of  $13,668 
from  the  treatment  of  4,556  tons  of  ore.    Three 
high  grade  veins  discovered  on  the  surface  of 
the  Kerr  Lake  have  proved  disappointing  un- 
der development,  as  the  enrichment  apparently 
extends  only  a  few  feet  downward.   A  newcom- 
pany,  entitled  the   Ruby  Co-operative  Silver 
Mines,  Ltd.,  with  acapitalization  of  $1,500,000, 
has  been  formed  to  operate  the  Ruby  mine  in 
Bucke  township.    High-grade  ore  has  been  en- 
countered on  the  100  ft.  level.    The  annual  re- 
port  of   the   Coniagas   showed    an  output  of 
994,235  oz.  of  silver  from  the  treatment  of 
97,624  tons  of  ore,  as  compared  with  940,267 
oz.  during  the  previous  year.    The  mine  is  now 
solely  dependent   upon   the  concentration   of 
ores  averaging  about  10  oz.  to  the  ton,  and  the 
re- treatingofaccumulationsofsandsand  slimes 
which  yield  a  moderate  profit.    There  has  been 


100 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


a  total  distribution  to  shareholders  as  dividends 
and  bonuses  of  810,140,000. 

PoucuriNE. — The  available  supply  of  elec- 
tric power  for  the  mines,  which  is  considered 
as  assured  for  the  winter,  is  only  about  4,000 
h.p.,anamount  far  below  normal  requirements. 
This  is  being  allotted  to  the  mines  which  have 
contracts  with  the  power  company.  The  Hol- 
linger  Consolidated  receives  about  2,000  h.p. 
which,  together  with  about  1,400  h.p.  generated 
by  its  auxiliary  steam  plant,  enables  it  to  main- 
tain a  fair  rate  of  production.  The  Dome 
mines  with  1,000  h.p.  is  working  at  consider- 
ably reduced  capacity,  treating  an  average  of 
about  500  tons  daily.  It  is  not  expected  that 
the  decrease  in  output  will  interfere  with  the 
payment  of  the  regular  dividends,  as  activity 
will  be  resumed  on  a  larger  scale  than  ever  in 
the  spring.  The  Mclntyre  receives  only  a 
small  allowance  of  power,  but  its  auxiliary 
equipment  enables  the  company  to  continue 
operations  at  about  two  thirds  capacity.  The 
North  Crown,  which  receives  250  h.p.,  is  carry- 
ing on  cross-cutting  at  the  500  ft.  level,  where 
two  veins,  one  5  ft.  and  the  other  10  ft.  in 
width,  have  been  encountered.  Negotiations 
are  in  progress  with  a  view  to  an  amalgama- 
tion of  the  North  Crown  and  the  Vipond- North 
Thompson, which  would  give  the  newcompany 
a  combined  area  of  320  acres  and  enable  im- 
portant economies  m  working  the  properties 
to  be  carried  out.  The  annual  report  of  the 
Porcupine- Keora  states  that  diamond-drilling 
shows  that  the  gold  content  of  about  §6  per  ton 
found  in  outcropping  veins  continues  at  a  depth 
of  1,000  ft.  The  Clifton- Porcupine  has  sus- 
pended operations  on  account  of  the  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  raising  funds  by  selling  treasury 
stock  under  present  conditions. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — There  has  been  a  con- 
siderable influx  of  labour  into  this  camp  from 
Cobalt,  and  mming  stafls  have  been  increased. 
The  Lake  Shore,  during  November,  treated 
1,810  tons  of  ore  with  a  recovery  of  $49,339, 
being  an  average  of  Si27'25  per  ton.  The 
shaft  is  down  to  the  600  ft.  level  and  sinking 
has  been  temporarily  stopped  until  a  cross-cut 
has  been  run  at  that  depth  to  tap  two  veins. 
The  Ontario- Kirkland  is  developing  ore  on 
the  300  ft.  and  450  ft.  levels,  which  assays 
from  §8  to  .fi28  per  ton,  and  has  enough  in 
sight  to  supply  the  mill  for  two  years.  Ma- 
chinery and  supplies  will  be  brought  in  during 
the  winter  and  the  construction  of  the  mill 
will  be  pushed  in  the  spring.  The  Kirkland 
Lake  has  made  a  shipment  of  gold  bullion 
produced  during  December  of  the  approximate 
value  of   $30,000.     The   King   Kirkland  has 


ordered  a  mining  plant,  and  following  its  in- 
stallation will  begin  the  development  of  prom- 
ising surface  outcrops.  Plans  for  a  merger 
of  the  Teck-  Hughes  and  Orr  mines  are  being 
consideretl,  involving  the  formation  of  a  new 
company  capitalized  at  $5,000,000  in  shares 
of  par  value  of  $1.  The  Teck- Hughes  inter- 
ests, including  the  bondholders,  will  receive 
2,500,000  shares,  the  Orr  stockholders  to  get 
1,500,000  shares,  leaving  the  remainder  in  the 
treasury. 

Lakdek  Laki-:. --The  Associated  Goldlields 
has  been  reorganized  under  a  new  charter  as 
the  Canadian  Associated  (ioldhelds,  Ltd., 
capitalized  at  $30,000,000,  each  stockholder 
receiving  four  shares  of  the  new  company  for 
each  share  in  the  Associated  Goldtields. 
George  A.  Gray,  who  was  for  several  years 
chief  engineer  at  the  Dome  Mines,  Porcupine, 
has  been  appointed  general  manager. 

MiNKKAL  Production  of  1920. — -A 
preliminary  estimate  of  the  mineral  produc- 
tion of  Canada  issued  by  the  Department  of 
Mines  gives  the  total  value  as  approximately 
$200:000,000  as  compared  with  $176,686,390 
in  1919.  The  principal  increases  are  :  copper 
from  75,053,581  lb.  to  82,500,000  lb., zinc  from 
32,194,7071b.  to  42,000,000  1b.,  nickel  from 
44,544,883  lb.  to  61,500,000  lb.,  and  coal  from 
13,681,218  tons  to  16,000,000  tons.  The  out- 
put of  gold  is  estimated  at  $16,000,000,  being 
a  slight  increase,  and  silver  shows  a  decline 
from  16,020,657  oz.  to  13,500,000  oz. 

CAMBORNE. 

The  Tin  Mines. — The  up  and  downs  of 
Cornish  mining  are  proverbial,  but  never,  in 
the  known  history  of  the  industry,  has  such  a 
bad  period  as  the  present  been  experienced. 
The  only  mine,  of  any  size  at  any  rate,  in  full 
swing  is  East  Pool  &  Agar,  and  here  the 
monthly  loss  is  such  that  unless  there  is  a 
speedy  recovery  in  the  tin  and  arsenic  markets, 
operations  even  at  this  famous  mine  will  have 
to  be  brought  to  a  standstill.  [Since  the  above 
was  written,  notice  has  been  issued  for  a  stop- 
page of  mining. — EDITOR.]  Indeed,  but  for 
the  financial  foresight  of  the  board  in  getting 
together  a  substantial  reserve  fund  when  hand- 
some profits  were  being  earned,  it  is  clear  that 
the  company  would  not  have  been  in  a  position 
to  continue  the  struggle  so  long,  and  like  many 
of  the  other  concerns,  weakened  by  the  effects 
of  the  war,  would  ere  this  have  been  shut  down, 
probably  never  to  be  reopened.  South  Crofty 
has  suspended  operations,  but  the  mine  is  be- 
ing kept  unwatered  and  a  little  development 
done.     Fortunately  the  pumping  charges  here 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


101 


are  light,  so  there  is  hope  that  absolute  closure 
may  be  avoided,  so  long  as  East  Pool  con- 
tinues in  fork.  At  the  latter  mine,  the  incom- 
ing water  is  exceedingly  heavy,  particularly 
during  the  winter  months,  so  that  even  if  active 
mining  operations  were  suspended,  and  only 
pumping  continued,  the  monthly  loss  would 
still  probably  be  over  /"SjOOO.  The  staff  and 
employees  at  East  Pool  have  agreed  to  a  re- 
duction in  wages  which  will  help  matters  a 
little,  and  we  commend  the  good  sense  of  the 
men  and  their  leaders  in  their  attitude  in  this 
matter.  In  the  St.  Just  district,  doubtless  un- 
der the  advice  of  the  Union  leaders  (inciden- 
tally a  different  Union),  the  men  have  declined 
to  accept  any  reduction,  with  the  result  that 
operations  at  Levant  and  Geevor  have  been 
suspended  and  the  men  are  being  forced  to 
subsist  on  the  unemployment  donation.  Un- 
der the  circumstances,  probably  these  com- 
panies are  the  gainers,  but  it  is  difficult  to  un- 
derstand the  attitude  of  the  men,  particularly 
when  one  remembers  that  they  have  always 
been  most  considerately  treated  by  Mr.  Oliver 
Wethered  and  his  colleagues  and  that  the  rates 
of  pay  in  the  St.  Just  district  were  higher  than 
elsewhere.  At  Tresavean  and  Porkellis,  only 
the  pumps  will  be  kept  working.  With  tin 
metal  at  ^165  per  ton,  even  alluvial  undertak- 
ings cannot  be  operated  at  a  profit  with  pres- 
ent working  costs,  so  that  there  must  surely 
be  a  recovery  in  price  within  the  next  few 
months.  We  hope  it  may  be  soon,  for  if  not, 
the  dirge  of  Cornish  tin-mining  will  have  to 
be  sung.  With  coal  at  its  present  exorbitant 
price,  and  we  note  with  dismay  that  a  further 
increase  is  threatened,  even  pumping  opera- 
tions only  cannot  long  be  continued.  No 
further  move  has  been  made  to  secure  new 
capital  for  Dolcoath  under  the  scheme  outlined 
in  the  last  issue,  and  this  postponement  is  wise, 
for  even  local  people  would  not  have  had  the 
courage  to  put  up  more  money  under  existing 
conditions.  The  difficulty  will  be  to  find  the 
money  to  enable  the  water  to  be  kept  below 
the  level  of  the  proposed  Roskear  exploratory 
cross-cut,  but  we  hope  this  may  be  done. 

China  Clay. — Tehidy  Minerals,  Ltd.,  has 
recently  purchased  the  Halviggan  china-clay 
works  owned  by  Messrs.  Pochin  &  Co.,  situa- 
ted near  St.  .Austell.  The  output  of  these  pits 
is  stated  to  be  about  20,000  ions  per  annum. 
The  terms  of  the  purchase  are  not  stated.  Pre- 
sumably,thecompany's  own  china-clay  proper- 
ties in  this  district  will  be  worked  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Halviggan. 

A  new  company  is  now  to  be  formed  to  re 
purchase  from  Mr.  Mallaby-Deeley  the  works 


of  the  China  Clay  Corporation  on  Dartmoor 
for  the  sum  of  ^47,000.  This  is  the  actual 
price  Mr.  Deeley  paid  for  the  property  at  the 
recent  sale.  The  new  company  will  be  capital- 
ized at  ^'75,000,  so  that  /"28,000  will  be  avail- 
able as  working  capital,  which  is  believed  to 
be  adequate,  bearing  in  mind  that  close  on 
ir200,000  was  spent  by  the  previous  owners  on 
equipment  and  development. 


Australia's  Metal  Output,  1920. 

The  Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau 
has  received  from  its  Corresponding  Member 
in  Australia  cable  information,  from  which  the 
following  table  is  prepared,  relative  to  the  min- 
eral industry  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Aus- 
tralia for  the  year  1920. 

Home 
Produc-  Consump- 
tion. Exports.  Imports     tion 
Tons.  Tons.  Tons.        Tons. 
Copper — 
(n)  bar  copper        ...         23.069  28,612  —              5.231 
ib)  in  blister  copper          2.000  2.000  —               — 
{c  in  copper  ore    ...             115*  115  —               — 


Lead— 

(a)  lead          

4,077 

50,069 

— 

13,992 

ib)  in  lead  bullion  .. 

1.939 

1,798 

— 

— 

(c)  in  concentrates 

4,122* 

4,122 

— 

— 

Zinc        

9,665 

5,689 

— 

6,456 

Zinc  Concentrates     .. 

— 

52,732t 

— 

— 

Tin          

4.108 

3,015 

— 

l.COOt 

Pig  iron 

344,000 

22,657 

1.967 

300,000.5 

Arsenic 

1.202 
Ounces. 

582 
Ounces. 

— 

— 

Silver     

701,177 

341,901 

— 

— 

*  Exported.     +  Containing  approximately  47% 

zinc.  7%  lead,  and 

11  oz.  silver  per  ton. 

t  Approximate,      §  Estimated. 

PERSONAL. 


Dr.  Frank  Dawson  Adams  has  been  appointed 
vice- principal  of  McGill  University. 

George  Rennie  Airth  has  returned  from  Trini- 
dad. 

Dr.  J    Mackintosh  Bell  is  here  from  Canada, 

].  E    Breakell  has  returned  to  West  Africa. 

J.  M.  Cairns  is  back  from  Spain. 

William  Calder  has  left  for  Trinidad. 

G  W.  Campion  has  left  London  on  his  return  to 
West  Africa. 

Sir  W   Dalrymple  is  here  from  South  Africa. 

Clement  Dixon  has  arrived  from  Rhodesia. 

Sir  George  Doolette,  chairman  of  Great  Boulder 
Proprietary.  celebratedhisSlst  birthday  on  January24. 

C.  H.  Feldtmann  has  been  appointed  metallurgist 
to  the  Colombian  Mining  &  Exploration  Co.,  and  left 
on  February  14. 

Donald  Gill  has  left  for  France. 

Thohjas  Girtin  has  joined  the  board  of  Johnson, 
Matthey  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

F.  H.  Granstedt  has  been  appointed  manager  of 
the  Leviathan  tin  mine,  New  South  Wales. 

Dr.  Eugene  Haanel  is  resigning  the  directorship 
of  the  Mines  Branch  of  the  Canadian  Government 
under  the  age-limit  regulation. 

A.  F.  Haseltine  has  been  appointed  principal  of 
the  Ballarat  School  of  Mines. 

(Continued  on  next  page.) 


102 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


LOFTUS  Hills,  Government  Geologist  (or  Tas 
mania,  is  making  an  examination  of  the  Mount  Lyell 
region. 

William  Husking,  who  was  (or  twenty  years 
mineral  agent  (or  the  Tehiiiy  Ksiate,  when  under  the 
ownership  of  Mr.  Hasset,  has  opened  an  office  as  con- 
sulting mining  engineer,  at  18,  Fenventon  Terrace, 
Redruth. 

Ui:rtkam  Hunt  has  joined  the  London  staff  of  the 
Dorr  Company  as  chemist  and  metallurgist. 

P.  K  KkndaLL  will  be  resigning  the  professorship 
of  geology  in  Leeds  University  next  June,  under  the 
age  limit.  Professor  Kendall  is  well  known  for  his 
work  in  connection  with  the  concealed  coalBelds  of 
Yorkshire  and  the  Midlands. 

Mark  R.  Lamu,  of  New  York,  is  visiting  South 
America. 

George  C.  Mackenzie  has  been  appointed  secre- 
tary of  the  Canadian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy. 

C.  H.  MACNtJTT  has  resigned  as  manager  of  the 
Black  I^ke  Asbestos&  Chrome  Co.,  I^td.,  and  is  now 
in  charge  of  the  Vimy  Ridge  property  of  the  Bennett- 
Martin  Asbestos  &  Chrome  Mines,  Ltd..  at  Coleraine, 
Quebec. 

Erk;  Newbold  has  gone  to  New  Mexico. 

David  Penman  has  been  appointed  principal  and 
professor  of  mining  in  the  new  School  of  Mining  and 
Geology  to  be  founded  at  Dhanbad  in  the  Bihar-Orissa 
coalmining  district,  India. 

C.  W.  PORINGTON  IS  back  from  Okhotsk,  far  east 
Siberia. 

H.  K.  Scott  has  returned  from  the  Gold  Coast. 

J.  E.  Spurr,  editor  of  the  Engineering,  and  Min- 
ing Journal,  has  been  elected  president  of  the  Mining 
and  Metallurgical  Society  of  America. 

W.  C.  Stephens,  managing  director  of  the  Climax 
Rock  Drill  &  Engineering  Works,  Ltd.,  is  on  his  way 
home  from  the  Rand. 

G.  W.Eaton  Turner  has  returned  from  Colombia. 

Dr.  Arthur  Wade  has  returned  from  Australia, 
and  is  now  acting  as  consulting  engineer  to  the  Com- 
monwealth with  office  at  91,  Basinghall  Street,  E  C. 

William  Whyte.  lately  underground  manager  at 
the  Messina  mine,  has  gone  to  Colombia  for  the 
Colombian  Mining  &  Exploration  Company 

Owen  B.  Williams  has  been  appointed  manager 
of  the  North  Mount  Farrell  mine,  Tasmania. 


John  Barry,  chairman  of  the  California  Explora- 
tion Co.  and  the  Plymouth  Consolidated  Gold  Mines, 
and  a  directorof  the  Sonsof  Gwalia,  died  on  January  27. 

Sir  Lazarus  Fletcher,  for  so  many  years  keeper 
of  the  mineral  collection  at  the  Natural  Hisiory  Mu- 
seum, at  South  Kensington,  and  later  Director  of  the 
Museum  from  1909  to  1919,  died  last  month. 

Dr.  Regis  Chauvenet,  emeritus  professor  of 
chemistry  at  the  Colorado  School  of  Mines,  Gol- 
den, Colorado,  died  on  December  5,  in  his  78th  year. 
Dr.  Chauvenet  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  on  October  7, 
1842  He  graduated  from  Washington  University  in 
1862  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  and  in  1864 
be  received  the  degree  of  Master  of  .Arts.  In  1867  he 
received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science  at  Harvard. 
In  1900  his  alma  mater  conferred  upon  him  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Laws.  From  1871  to  1883  Dr  Chauvenet 
had  an  office  in  St.  Louis  as  an  analytical  chemist,  and 
was  not  only  successful  in  a  financial  wav.  but  won  a 
wide  reputation  technically.  During  this  time  he  was 
chemist  to  the  Missouri  Geological  Survey.  From  1872 
to  1875  he  was  also  city  gas  inspector  for  St.  Louis. 
In  1883  he  was  called  to  the  Colorado  School  of  Mines 


as  president, and  professor  of  chemistry  and  melallurgy. 
It  w.as  largely  through  his  high  educational  ideals  and 
efforts  thai  the  School  won  its  place  among  the  insti- 
tutions of  higher  learning  of  the  world.  In  1902,  afler 
a  service  of  twenty  years,  he  resigned  and  .-igain 
entered  private  practice  as  a  consulting  engineer  and 
chemist,  with  offices  in  Denver.  Though  resigning  as 
active  head  of  the  School,  for  many  years  he  was  a 
special  lecturer  in  the  cliemistry  and  melaliurgy  de- 
partments During  the  latter  years  of  his  li(e  he  de- 
voted most  of  his  time  to  writing  a  history  of  the  School. 
In  1911  he  issued  a  volume  on  "Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Calcul.ations  "  which  enjoyed  a  wide  circula- 
tion. 

TRADE   PARAGRAPHS 

Henry  Bath*  Son,  Ltd.,  of  53,  New  BroadStreet, 
London,  EC. 2,  Swansea,  and  Liverpool,  send  us  their 
chart  giving  the  average  monthly  cash  prices  of  copper, 
tin,  lead,  and  spelter. 

A.  Gallenkamp  &  Co..  Ltd.,  of  19  &  21,  Sun 
Street,  Finsbury  Square,  London,  E.G. 2,  send  us  their 
catalogues  of  filter  papers  and  porcelain  and  glass  ware 
for  laboratory  purposes 

N  Taylor  &  Sons,  of  17,  Goree  Piazzas,  Liverpool, 
send  us  their  pamphlet  relating  to  hydro-carbonated 
bone-black  for  case-hardening,  which  gives  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  process. 

Sandvcroft,  Ltd.,  of  Chester,  and  4,  Broad  Street 
Place,  London,  E.G. 2,  have  acquired  from  Chalmers 
Sc  Williams,  Chicago,  the  sole  licence  for  manufactur- 
ing the  Symons  Disc  Crusher  in  England. 

The  Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tool  Co..  Ltd.. 
of  170.  Piccadilly.  London.  W.l.  have  appointed  J.  A. 
Angus,  of  Kaims  Foundry,  Strand  Road.  Rangoon, 
their  agent  for  Burma. 

The  Edgak  Allen  News  for  January- February 
contains  a  number  of  interesting  articles.  One  is  by 
C.  K.  Everitt  describing  special  steel  processes;  a 
second  gives  information  relating  to  instruments  for 
measuring  temperatures  in  heat  treatment  of  steel  ;  a 
third  is  devoted  to  the  application  of  the  Stag  ball  mill 
to  the  production  of  fine  stone  dust  used  in  dusting  the 
roads  of  collieries. 

The  British  Ropeway  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  34,  Fenchurch  Street.  London.  EC. 3  (purchasers 
from  the  Government  Controller  of  Bleichert's  Aerial 
Transporters.  Ltd.),  send  us  a  pamphlet  describing  the 
application  of  their  ropeway  to  the  automatic  disposal 
of  refuse  of  all  descriptions.  In  mining  it  is  applicable 
for  the  dumping  of  tailings  and  waste  rock,  refuse  from 
coal  washers,  etc. 

The  International  Barge  Supply  &  Trans- 
port Co  ,  Ltd  ,  of  5.  Lloyds'  Avenue.  London,  E  C.3. 
send  us  a  pamphlet  describing  iheir  barges,  which  are 
built  of  steel,  and  are  suited  for  propulsion  by  petrol 
engines  or  for  towing  purposes.  Each  barge  is  divided 
longitudinally  into  four  sections,  so  that  a  number  of 
them  can  be  packed  in  one  big  motor-driven  barge  for 
transport  to  their  destination  abroad.  The  sections 
can  be  easily  put  together  on  arrival. 

The  Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd..  of 
147.  Queen  Victoria  Street,  London,  E.G. 4,  send  us  a 
book  describing  their  installations  of  machinery  for 
making  superphosphate  manures.  The  preparing  plant 
described  includes  vertical  rotary  crushers,  ring-roll 
mills,  Newaygo  screens,  air  separators,  dust  collectors, 
etc.,  and  jaw  crushers  and  rolls  lor  breaking  iron  py- 
rites. The  book  also  describes  the  plant  for  producing 
superphosphate  by  acting  on  the  phosphate  with  sul- 
phuric acid. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


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The  Wilfley  Centrifugal  Pump. 


The  Wilfley  Co.,  Ltd  .  of  Salisbury  House,  Lon 
don,  E.C.2,  send  us  particulars  of  a  new  type  of  cen- 
trifugal pump  which  they  are  putting  on  the  market. 
The  pump  differs  from  that  of  the  ordinary  type  in  that 
the  impeller  is  fitted  with  a  hollow  trunnion  through 
which  the  suction  water  passes  on  its  way  to  the  impel- 
ler passages,  and  the  trunnion  itself  runs  in  a  packed 
gland,  with  the  result  that  leakage  of  water  from  the 
delivery  to  the  suction  side  is  pievented,  a  source  of  loss 
liable  to  occur  in  centrifugal  pumps  of  ordinary  design. 
Owing  to  the  water  entering  on  one  side  only  of  the  im- 
peller there  is  an  end  thrust  which  is  taken  by  a  ball 
thrust-bearing  on  the  driving  shaft.  The  main  dimen- 
sions of  the  pump  are  ;  Diameter  of  impeller,  12  in.  ; 
diameter  of  interior  of  trunnion,  1  75  in.  ;  angle  of 
blades,  20°  :  diameter  of  suction  pipe,  2J  in. ;  diameter 
of  delivery  pipe,  2  in.  Tests  made  by  Professor  John 
Goodman,  of  Leeds,  showed  that  the  pump  lifted  a 
maximum  of  llljgallons  tol25ft.atalowspeedof  L500 
r.  p.m.,  and  193  gallons  to  53  ft  at  a  speed  of  1, 320  r  p.m. 
A  suction  lift  of  33  ft.  water  was  obtained  at  1, 590 r. p.m. 
with  the  barometer  standing  at  355  ft.  It  is  believed 
that  no  centrifugal  pump  has  lifted  previously  more  than 
about  20  ft.  suction,  and  the  usual  total  lift  in  one  stage 
does  not  exceed  about  80  ft.  The  efficiencies  obtained 
were,  it  is  believed,  greater  than  could  be  obtained  with 
so  small  a  pump  of  the  ordinary  type,  while  such  high 
lifts  could  only  be  reached  by  multi-stage  pumps  of 
high-grade  construction.  The  pump  tested  by  Piofes- 
sor  Goodman  is  quite  rough,  and  there  is  no  internal 
machining  of  the  case  or  the  impeller,  excepting  that 
the  trunnion  of  the  impeller,  which  is  the  novel  feature, 
is  of  course  turned  to  fit  the  stuffing  box  glands. 


METAL   MARKETS 

Copper. — Prices  of  this  metal  declined  further  dur- 
ing the  month  of  January,  this  remark  applying  to  both 
standard  and  electrolytic  copper  in  this  country.  So 
far  as  the  price  of  electrolytic  is  concerned,  the  fall  is, 
of  course,  largely  on  account  of  the  improvement  in  the 
rate  of  dollar  exchange,  as,  so  far  as  the  American  mar- 
ket is  concerned,  things  have  not  on  balance  become  any 
easier  during  the  period  in  question.  Indeed  at  one 
time  some  firmness  was  in  evidence  there,  and  there 


seemed  to  be  a  little  more  doing,  but  latterly  this  ap- 
parent spasm  of  strength  evaporated.  Generally  speak- 
ing the  whole  copper  .situation  has  not  very  materially 
altered.  The  stocks  on  hand  in  America  are  still  big. 
The  exact  quantity  is  not  known,  and  various  estimates 
are  put  forward,  one  being  that  there  is  about  390  000 
tons  of  copper  in  existence  there,  this  of  course  doubt- 
less including  blister  copper  as  well  as  the  refined  pro- 
duct. In  the  meanwhile  consumption  everywhere  re 
mains  on  a  very  restricted  scale.  It  is  difficult  to  form 
an  estimate  as  to  the  future  of  the  market  On  this  side 
the  price  depends  to  a  large  extent  on  whether  the  re- 
cent improvement  in  the  dollar  exchange  is  maintained. 
There  is  a  general  movement  in  America  to  curtail  pro- 
duction, but  of  course  it  must  be  a  little  lime  before  this 
becomes  evident.  This,  however,  should  help  the  mar- 
ket in  the  long  run.  For  example,  the  Calumet  and  Ari- 
zona it  is  stated,  has  now  reduced  output  to  between 
35  and  40%  of  capacity.  Until  the  last  two  or  three 
months  of  1920  curtailment  did  not  materially  affect 
the  company's  cost,  the  production  figure  averaging 
about  13J  cents.  Under  the  new  basis  it  is  expected  that 
the  cost  will  show  someexpansion.  Curtailment  is  also 
evident  in  the  December  production  figures  of  the  four 
Jackling  porphyry-copper  companies.  With  an  output 
of  7,500  000  lb.  of  copper  the  Utah  company  is  produ- 
cing at  the  rate  ol  90,000.000  lb  a  year,  while  in  1917 
the  company  produced  197,837,111  lb.  of  metal.  Chino 
is  now  producing  at  the  rate  of  36.000,000  lb  of  copper 
annually,  compared  with  79,636  000  in  1917.  Ray  has 
reduced  oatput  60%  below  the  1917  rate.  Nevada  Con- 
solidated's  indicated  annual  output  is  56%  less  than 
the  big  war  year.  These  reductions  in  output  will  pre- 
sumably tend  to  increase  the  per-lb.  cost,  but  on  the 
other  hand  it  should  be  remembered  that  wages  and 
other  costs  are  meanwhile  declining,  which  should 
therefore  oif-set  this  increase.  At  the  beginning  of 
this  year,  for  example,  the  American  Smelting  and  Re- 
fining Co.  reduced  wages  to  the  extent  of  2,000.000 
dollars  per  annum  as  well  as  cutting  off  another  500  000 
dollars  a  year  through  the  curtailment  of  forces,  while 
it  is  admitted  that  the  general  dropping  of  prices  will 
greatly  assist  the  supply  department.  There  are  reports 
that  arrangements  have  been  made  in  America  for  the 
financing  ofa  part  of  thestocks,  presumably  the  export- 


10+ 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Metal  I'kious:   Official  Closing 

Copper,  l.t'ad,  /.inc.  and  Tin  per  LonR 


Copper 

Standard  Cash 

Standard  (3 

mos.) 

Electrolvtic 

Wire-Bars 

d. 

Best  Selected 

Jan. 

£  s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

C   s. 

d. 

£   s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£   s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£     s.  d. 

11 

74  0 

0  to 

74 

2 

6 

74  0 

0  to 

74  2 

6 

81 

0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

82  0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

80  0  0 

74  0 

0  to 

74 

5 

0 

73  15 

Oto 

73  17 

6 

81 

0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

82  0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

80  0  0 

13 

73  17 

6  to 

74 

0 

0 

73  12 

6  to 

73  17 

6 

81 

10 

0  to 

83 

10 

0 

82  10 

0  to 

83 

10 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

80  0  0 

14 

73  0 

0  to 

73 

5 

0 

72  15 

0  to 

73  0 

0 

81 

0 

0  to 

83 

0 

0 

82  0 

Oto 

83 

0 

0 

79 

0 

0  lo 

80  0  0 

17 

72  0 

0  to 

72 

5 

0 

71  15 

0  to 

72  0 

0 

80 

0 

U   to 

82 

0 

0 

81  0 

0  to 

82 

0 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

80  0  0 

18 

70  7 

6  to 

70 

10 

0 

70  7 

6  to 

70  10 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

81 

0 

0 

80  0 

0  to 

81 

0 

0 

76 

15 

0  to 

77  5  0 

19 

70  5 

0  to 

70 

7 

6 

70  7 

6  to 

70  10 

0 

79 

0 

0  to 

81 

0 

0 

80  0 

0  to 

81 

0 

0 

76 

15 

0  to 

77  5  0 

20 

70  0 

0  to 

70 

5 

0 

70  2 

6  to 

70  7 

6 

79 

0 

0  to 

81 

0 

0 

80  0 

0  to 

8J 

0 

0 

76 

15 

0  to 

77  5  0 

21 

69  5 

0  to 

69 

7 

6 

69  10 

0  to 

69  12 

e 

79 

0 

0  to 

80 

0 

0 

79  0 

0  10 

SO 

0 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77  0  0 

2-1 

67  15 

0  to 

67 

17 

6 

68  0 

0  to 

68  5 

0 

78 

0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

78  0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77  0  0 

25 

67  0 

0  to 

67 

5 

0 

67  5 

0  to 

67  10 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

76  0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74  0  0 

26 

68  2 

6  to 

68 

7 

6 

68  10 

0  to 

6S  15 

0 

77 

0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

77  0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74  0  0 

27 

69  10 

0  to 

69 

15 

0 

70  2 

6  to 

70  5 

0 

77 

0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

77  0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74  0  0 

28 

67  15 

0  to 

68 

0 

0 

68  5 

0  to 

68  10 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

76  0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

74 

0 

Oto 

75  0  0 

31 

67  15 

0  to 

68 

0 

0 

68  5 

Oto 

68  10 

0 

75 

10 

0  to 

77 

0 

0 

75  10 

0  to 

77 

0 

0 

74 

0 

0  to 

75  0  0 

Feb. 

1 

69  10 

0  to 

69 

15 

0 

70  0 

0  to 

70  5 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

10 

0 

76  0 

0  to 

77 

10 

0 

74 

10 

0  to 

75  10  0 

2 

69  5 

0  to 

69 

10 

0 

69  15 

0  to 

70  0 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

10 

0 

76  n 

Oto 

77 

10 

0 

74 

10 

0  to 

75  10  0 

3 

6S  5 

0  10 

63 

7 

6 

68  17 

6  to 

69  0 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

■7 

10 

0 

76  0 

0  to 

77 

10 

0 

74 

10 

0  to 

75  10  0 

4 

69  15 

0  to 

70 

0 

0 

70  3 

0  to 

70  10 

0 

76 

10 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

76  10 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

75 

0 

0  to 

75  10  0 

7 

72  0 

0  te 

72 

5 

0 

72  7 

6  to 

72  10 

0 

77 

0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

77  0 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

75 

0 

0  to 

75  10  0 

8 

72  0 

0  to 

72 

5 

0 

72  10 

0  to 

72  15 

0 

78 

0 

0  to 

to 

0 

0 

78  0 

0  to 

80 

0 

0 

76 

10 

0  to 

77  10  0 

9 

72  0 

0  to 

72 

5 

0 

72  10 

0  to 

72  15 

0 

78 

0 

0  to 

80 

0 

0 

78  0 

0  to 

80 

0 

0 

76 

10 

0  to 

77  10  0 

able  surplus.    What  effect  this  will  have  on  the  market 
is  hard  to  say. 

Average  prices  of  cash  standard  copper :  January 
1921,.^71  Is.  4d.;  Decemberl920, /75. 16s.8d. ;  Janu- 
ary 1920,  ^118.  4s.  Id.  ;   December  1919.  ;fl03.  17s   Id. 

Tin. — The  chief  feature  in  this  market  during  the 
past  month  was  the  severe  slump  in  prices  of  standard 
tin  which  took  place  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  ft 
isdifficult  to  ascribe  the  fall  to  any  one  particular  reason, 
except  that  the  general  demand  for  tin  has  been  poor, 
and  a  considerable  amount  of  liquidation,  apparently 
on  the  part  of  tired  bulls,  appeared  on  the  markel .  with 
the  result  that  in  the  absence  of  any  determined  support 
values  lost  ground  heavily.  In  the  meanwhile  no  busi- 
ness has  been  moving  in  the  Straits  Settlements  where 
the  price  remains  pegged  at  the  equivalent  of  if236 
per  ton  delivered  to  this  country.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that  Straits  tin  there  was  well  held,  the  stocks  of  that 
grade  which  are  in  existence  in  this  country  have  been 
fetching  a  considerable  premium  over  the  price  of  stan- 
dard tin,  this  ranging  at  one  time  up  to  ;f25  per  ton. 
Even,  however,  when  this  figure  is  added  on  to  the  price 
of  standard  it  is  very  considerably  less  than  the  price 
at  which  the  same  material  could  be  purchased  in  the 
East.  Of  course  the  market  for  standard,  and  the  mar- 
ket for  Straits,  have  really  come  to  be  two  different  pro- 
positions, the  bulk  of  the  dealings  in  the  former  being 
based  on  the  stocks  of  Chinese  and  English  tin,  pre- 
miums being  obtained  for  both  Banka  and  Australian 
metal,  as  well  as  for  Straits,  as  already  mentioned.  In 
view,  however,  of  the  severe  drop  in  prices  here,  there 
has  been  a  general  feeling  that  some  change  in  policy 
would  have  to  be  adopted  in  the  Straits.  The  Govern- 
ment there  took  up  the  attitude  they  did  with  a  view  to 
keeping  the  industry  going,  and  preventing  unemploy- 
ment and  discontent.  There  is,  however,  a  belief  that 
some  change  will  take  place  at  the  Chinese  New  Year, 
but  no  news  is  yet  to  hand.  In  the  meanwhile  agrowing 
demand  has  been  experienced  from  the  Continent,  but 
business  with  home  consumers  is  slow.  and.  although  a 
certain  amount  of  trade  has  been  doing  with  America, 
on  the  whole  it  did  not  amount  to  a  sufficiently  impor- 
tant demand  to  give  any  material  support  to  the  market. 
Average  prices  of  cash  standard  tin  :  January  1921. 
/190.13s.lld.  ;  December  1920.;f212. lis. 8d.  ;   Janu- 


ary 1920.  ;f376  12s.  8d.  ;  December  1919,  £314.  5s.  Id. 

Lead. — During  the  month  of  January  this  market 
maintained  a  very  steady  tone  on  the  whole,  and  was 
not  so  aflecled  by  the  general  depression  as  were  other 
metals.  Copper,  tin.  and  spelter  may  be  said  to  have 
fallen  to  a  pre-war  level,  but  lead  still  remains  at  a 
comparatively  high  figure  as  compared  to  what  used  to 
be  considered  normal.  This  seems  all  the  more  sur- 
prising in  view  of  the  fact  that  business  with  consumers 
has  been  on  a  very  restricted  scale  indeed,  and  the 
firmness  must  be  chiefly  ascribed  to  the  fact  that  the 
arrivals  coming  in  recently  have  been  rather  reduced. 
There  is  a  very  considerable  stock  of  lead  in  this  coun- 
try, but  this  seems  to  be  well  held  A  part  of  it  con- 
sists of  the  Government  stock,  which  is  believed  to  be 
partly  Broken  Hill  lead  which  they  appear  anxious  to 
conserve  for  home  requirements  and  are  not  selling  it 
forshipmeni  abroad.  In  a  manner  this  is  unfortunate, 
as  there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  inquiry  from  the  East 
for  this  brand  which  has  had  to  be  turned  down. 
Meanwhile,  owing  to  the  impossibility  of  securing  Bro- 
ken Hill  lead,  the  Eastern  markets  seem  to  be  drawing 
upon  Burma  for  supplies.  Spain  does  someselling  there 
from  time  to  time,  and  recently  it  is  understood  that 
some  American  lead  has  also  been  sold  there.  It  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  world  is  being  deprived  of  its 
usual  supplies  of  Broken  Hill  lead,  and  this  looks  like 
continuing,  a  serious  fire  having  occurred  at  the  smelt- 
ing works  at  Port  Pirie,  where  it  is  estimated  the  dam- 
age amounts  to  about  /^lOO.OOO. 

.-Average  prices  of  lead  :  January  1921.  £2i.  12s.  6d.  ; 
December  1920,  ^24.  lis.  lOd.  ;  January  1920.  ;f47. 
7s.  Id.  ;   December  1919.  £'i\.  7s.  8d. 

Spelter. — During  the  month  of  January  prices  of 
this  metal  eased  off  to  a  certain  extent,  but  on  the 
whole  the  market  kept  up  a  fairly  steady  tone,  this  be- 
ing apparently  due  to  a  certain  amount  of  buying  being 
done  here  on  behalf  of  the  United  States.  There  is  a 
big  stock  of  spelter  in  America,  and  this  buying  was 
solely  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  metal  could  be  bought 
cheaper  here  than  there,  .\part  from  this  there  has 
not  been  very  much  demand  for  the  metal,  the  con- 
sumption everywhere  being  very  poor  on  account  of 
the  slack  conditions  in  the  galvanized  sheet  trade,  and 
indeed  in  business  generally.     In  the  meanwhile  a  cer- 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


105 


Prices  on  the  London  Metal  Exchange. 
Tons ;  Silver  per  Standard  Ounce ;    Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Zinc 
Spelter) 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Soft  Foreign 

English 

( 

Cash 

3  raos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

GOLU 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d,  £    s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £s. 

d. 

s. 

d 

Jan. 

.  ■.  1  ? 

0   to  24 

5 

0 

26 

0 

0 

26 

15 

0  10  27 

10 

0   209 

0 

0  to  209  10 

0 

213 

15 

oto  214  5 

0 

39j 

39i 
394 

108 

10 

11 

J ;  10 

0  to  24 

0 

0 

25 

10 

0 

26 

10 

Oto  27 

7 

6  205 

0 

Oto  205  10 

0 

210 

15 

0to211  0 

0 

40 

108 

11 

12 

-i    5 

0  to  23 

12 

6 

25 

10 

0 

26 

0 

0to26 

15 

0  205 

0 

0  to  205  10 

0 

211 

0 

0IO211  5 

0 

39S 

39S 

110 

6 

13 

23  10 

0  to  24 

0 

0 

25 

10 

0 

24 

17 

6  to  26 

0 

0  200 

0 

0  to  200  10 

0 

204 

10 

010  205  0 

0 

40 

39j 

109 

8 

14 

23  5 

0  to  23 

5 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

10 

0  to  25 

15 

0  191 

0 

Oto  191  10 

c 

196 

0 

0  to  196  10 

0 

39i 

393 

109 

9 

17 

22  17 

6  to  23 

5 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  25 

5 

0  IBO 

10 

Oto  181  0 

0 

185 

10 

0  to  IS6  0 

0 

39i 

39I 

108 

9 

18 

22  17 

6  to  23 

5 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

5 

0  to  25 

5 

0  181 

10 

OtolS2  0 

0 

187 

0 

Oto  187  10 

0 

39^ 

391 

109 

5 

19 

23  0 

0  to  23 

7 

6 

25 

5 

0 

25 

0 

Oto  26 

0 

0!  187 

0 

0  to  187  5 

0 

191 

15 

Oto  192  0 

0 

40§ 

40J 

108 

9 

20 

23  5 

0  to  23 

15 

0 

25 

0 

0 

25 

10 

0  lo  26 

10 

0  179 

10 

0  to  ISO  0 

0 

184 

10 

OtolSS  0 

0 

40 

393 

109 

0 

21 

23  2 

6  to  23 

10 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

15 

0  to  26 

0 

0  171 

10 

0  10  172  0 

0 

177 

5 

Oto  177  10 

0 

40 

39S 

108 

6 

24 

23  5 

0  to  23 

15 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

5 

0  to  25 

5 

Ol  164 

0 

0  to  164  5 

0 

169 

15 

Oto  170  0 

0 

395 

39i 

107 

4 

25 

23  12 

6  to  24 

2 

6 

25 

10 

0 

24 

5 

Oto  25 

5 

0|  169 

0 

0  to  169  10 

0 

175 

0 

Oto  175  10 

0 

40 

385 

107 

9 

26 

23  5 

0  to  23 

15 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  25 

0 

0 

174 

10 

0  to  175  0 

0 

180 

10 

Oto  181  0 

0 

39 

38j 

106 

3 

27 

23  5 

0  to  23 

12 

6 

25 

0 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  25 

0 

0 

167 

10 

0  10  168  0 

0 

173 

0 

Oto  173  10 

0 

37: 

348 

105 

7 

28 

23  2 

6  to  23 

15 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

15 

Oto  25 

15 

0 

168 

10 

0  to  169  0 

0 

174 

10 

0  to  175  0 

0 

35 

106 

1 

31 
Feb. 

23  5 

0  to  23 

10 

0 

25 

0 

0 

24 

10 

Oto  25 

10 

0 

163 

10 

Oto  168  15 

0 

173 

15 

Oto  174  0 

0 

34* 

34 

107 

z 

22  15 

0  to  23 

5 

0 

24 

10 

0 

24 

C 

Oto  25 

0 

0 

162 

10 

Oto  163  0 

0 

168 

15 

0  to  169  0 

0 

36} 
372 

353 

107 

0 

2 

22  10 

0  to  23 

0 

0 

24 

10 

0 

23 

15 

0  to  24 

15 

0 

155 

10 

Oto  156  0 

0 

161 

10 

Oto  162  0 

0 

363 

106 

9 

3 

22  15 

0  to  23 

5 

0 

24 

10 

0 

24 

5 

Oto  25 

0 

0 

164 

0 

0  to  164  10 

0 

169 

5 

0  to  169  10 

0 

36i 

34i 

106 

9 

4 

22  12 

6  to  23 

2 

6 

24 

10 

0 

24 

15 

Oto  25 

10 

0 

166 

10 

0  to  167  0 

0 

172 

0 

Oto  172  10 

0 

36 

343 

107 

0 

7 

22  10 

0  to  22 

17 

6 

24 

10 

0 

25 

7 

6  to  26 

7 

6;  164 

0 

0  to  164  10 

0 

169 

0 

Oto  169  10 

0 

36J 

343 

106 

6 

8 

22  5 

0  to  22 

17 

6 

24 

0 

0 

25 

17 

6  to  26 

17 

6'  161 

15 

0  to  162  0 

0 

167 

5 

Oto  167  ;o 

0 

37 

35 

106 

0 

9 

tain  amount  of  selling  has  been  seen  both  by  Germany 
and  Belgium,  but  it  is  understood  that  the  Belgians  are 
now  putting  a  policy  of  curtailment  of  production  into 
effect.  The  outlook  is  still  rather  obscure.  It  must 
be  admitted  that  the  price  of  spelter  is  very  moderate 
indeed,  but  in  view  of  the  general  absence  of  demand 
it  might  still  be  forced  lower  on  account  of  selling  by 
the  Continent.  On  the  other  hand  consumers  are  pro- 
bably very  poorly  supplied,  and  when  trade  revives 
values  would  no  doubt  firm  up  quickly. 

Average  prices  of  spelter:  January  1921,  ;^25.  15s. 
7d.  ;  December  1920,  ;f28,  lis.  6d.  ;  January  1920, 
;i59.  10s.  4d.  ;   December  1919.  £5i.  9s   2d. 

Zinc  Dust. — This  market  is  very  quiet  and  without 
much  change.  High-grade  Australian  stands  at  about 
;(^70  to  £80  per  ton,  and  English  at  about  ;^70  to  /80, 
while  American  is  quoted  at  ;f70  upwards.  There  is, 
of  course.  Continental  material  offering  at  less  money. 

Antimony. — The  price  of  English  has  been  reduced, 
and  now  stands  at  £37  to  £40  per  ton  for  ordinary 
brands,  while  special  brands  are  quoted  at  £^38.  5s.  to 
/42  per  ton.  The  market  for  foreign  has  been  easier 
also,  with  a  good  deal  of  irregularity  in  quotations. 
Offers  are  reported  to  have  been  made  at  down  to  £24 
per  ton  c.i.f.  for  shipment  from  the  East. 

Arsenic. — The  market  is  practically  stagnant,  and 
the  present  quotation  of  Cornish  white  is  about  £55 
per  ton  delivered. 

Bismuth. — The  price  is  steady  at  about  12s.  6d.  per 
lb.  with  a  fair  demand. 

Cadmium. — The  present  quotation  is  about  6s.  3d. 
per  lb.,  the  market  being  quiet. 

Aluminium — Prices  continue  to  be  quoted  at  /165 
per  ton  for  home  and  export. 

Nickel. — The  price  has  been  reduced  by  £5  per 
ton  to  £210  per  ton  for  home  and  export. 

Cobalt  Metal. — Unaltered  at  about  27s.  to  30s. 
per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — The  price  of  black  oxide  has  been 
reduced  to  16s.  and  grey  10  17s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — The  official  price 
IS  /19  per  oz.  for  both  these  articles,  but  apparently 
material  can  be  had  at  around  ;f  16. 

Quicksilver. — The  market  has  been  very  quiet, 
at  about  £\2.  10s.  to  £^12.  15s.  per  bottle. 


Selenium. — The  price  continues  at  10s.  6d.  to  13s. 
per  lb. 

Tellurium. — The  current  quotation  is  90s.  to  95s. 
per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  market  is  quiet  and 
without  much  change,  the  present  price  being  quoted 
at  £'38  to  £40  per  ton. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  quotation  is  about  2s.  Id.  to 
2s.  2d.  per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K.  for  Indian  grades,  but  this 
is  more  or  less  nominal  in  the  absence  of  business. 

Tungsten  Ores. — There  is  little  or  no  demand,  and 
the  present  price  of  wolfram  is  about  15s.  6d.  to  16s. 
6d.  per  unit  c.i.f. 

Silver. — On  January  3  the  price  of  spot  standard 
bars  was  41|d.,  this  figure  rising  to  42id.  on  the  5th. 
Subsequently  quotations  fluctuated,  with  a  downward 
tendency,  the  figure  at  the  end  of  the  month  being 
35Jd.  per  oz. 

Graphite.— Soft  velvety  flake  85%  to  90%  stands 
at  about  £60  to  £80  per  ton,  and  Madagascar  80%  to 
90%  at  about  £21  to  /25  per  ton. 

Molybdenite. — 85%  is  quo  ted  at  about  65s.  on  spot 
and  55s.  for  forward  per  unit  c.i  f.  U.K. 

Chrome  Ores.— 48%  to  52%  stands  at  about  £7. 
10s.  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  and  Steel. — The  fall  in  prices  which  has 
been  so  long  expected  is  now  beginning  to  take  more 
tangible  shape.  Prices  of  Cleveland  pig  iron  were  re- 
duced and  now  stand  at  £^9  15s.  to  £lO  per  ton  for 
No.  3  foundry.  East  Coast  hematite  has  also  come 
down  to  220s.  with  No.  1  at  2s.  6d.  per  ton  more. 
These  reductions  do  not  appear,  however,  to  have 
stimulated  very  much  business,  and  consumers  every- 
where appear  to  wait  for  still  lower  prices,  and  in  this 
it  does  not  look  as  if  they  would  be  disappointed. 
Prices  of  certain  descriptions  of  steel  and  manufactured 
iron  have  also  come  down,  but  in  no  case  does  very 
much  fresh  buying  seem  to  have  been  stimulated,  the 
fact  being  that  Continental  prices  are  still  very  con- 
siderably lower.  With  general  world  trade  conditions 
in  the  stagnant  condition  they  have  been,  it  is  useless 
to  expect  any  activity  in  this  particular  branch  of  in- 
dustry, and  in  any  case,  with  further  price  reductions 
apparently  inevitable,  it  was  hardly  to  be  expected  that 
any  buying  of  importance  would  develop. 


106 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


STATISTICS. 

Production  of  Gold  in  tmk  Transvaal. 


Year  1919  - 


January.  1920  . 

February  

March   

April  

May    

June  

July  

August  

September  ■■•■ 

October    

November  ••■■ 
December    ■••■ 


Rand 


8.111.271 


653.295 
607.918 
689.6<5 
667.926 
631.551 
6<9.I99 
718,521 
683.604 
665.486 
645.8. 9 
618.525 
617.549 


Total.  1920  1  7.949.038 


Else- 
where 


Ot. 


218,820 


17.208 
17.412 
17  391 
19.053 
17.490 
16.758 
17.578 
18,479 
16,687 
16.653 
15.212 
14  666 


201.587 


Total 


Ot. 


8.330.091 


Price  of 

Gold  per  oz. 

s.    d. 


670.503 
625. 130 
707  036 
586  979 
699.041 
715,957 
736,099 
702,083 
682.173 
662.472 
613.737 
63 '.215 


107    6 

no    0 

IDS     0 

102 

105 

102 

105 

112 

115 

117 

117 

115 


8.133.625 


Natives  Ehploved  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


January  31,  1920 
February  29  --•.■ 

March  31 

April  30 

May  31 

June  30 

July  31 

Aui:usl31 

September  30 — 

October  31     

November  30 — 
December  31  ••■- 


Gold 

Coal 

Diamond 

mines 

mines 

mines 

176.390 

12,766 

4.796 

185,185 

12.708 

5.217 

188.564 

12.783 

5.232 

189.446 

12.951 

5.057 

184.722 

12.897 

4.793 

179.827 

13.036 

4.596 

174.187 

13.005 

4.521 

169.263 

13.535 

4.244 

163.132 

13.716 

4.323 

159.426 

13  858 

4.214 

158.773 

14.245 

3.504 

159,671 

14.263 

3.340 

Total 


193.952 
203.110 
206  584 
207.454 
202,412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181.171 
177  498 
176.522 
177.274 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand 

Compiled  from  oflicial  statistics  published  by  the  Transvaal 

Chamber  of  Mines,    The  profit  available  for  dividends  is  about 

65%  of  the  working  profit.     Figures  for  yield  and  profit  for  1919 

based  on  par  value  of  gold;  subsequently  gold  premium  included. 


Tons 
milled 

Yield 
per  ton 

Work'g 

cost 
per  ton 

Work'g 

profit 

per  ton 

Tolal 

working 

profit 

October.  1919... 

November 

December 

2.108,698 
1.933,526 
1.845,088 

s,    d 

28     3 
28     8 
28    3 

s.    d 

22  6 

23  5 
25     6 

s.  d, 
5   10 
5     5 
3   10 

€ 

612.841 
521.472 
354.098 

Year  1919   

24.043.638 

28     7 

34  4 

35  1 
31     8 
31     5 
31     9 
31   10 
33    6 

36  11 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 

22  11 

5    6 

6.605.509 

January.  1920.- 
February  

2.038  092 
1.869.180 
2.188.104 
2.065.446 
2.117.725 
2.146.890 
2.194.050 
2.057.560 
1.9S0.410 
1.871.140 
1.79 '.710 

24  2 
28     3* 

25  2 

26  3 
25  U 
25     2 

24  6 

25  0 

25  6 

26  1 
26    3 

10  2 
6  10* 
6    6 
5     2 

5  10 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13     5 
13     8 
13     1 

1.036.859 
644,571' 
716,610 

April    

533,940 

618,147 

692,510 

98  .058 

1 .226.906 

September     --. 

1.276.369 
1.278.385 

November 

1.255,749 

*  Results  affected  by  the  back-pay 
with  new  wages  agreement. 


Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia  and  West  Africa. 


Rhodesia 

West  Africa 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

Jdouary  

February 

March 

£ 

211.917 
220.835 
225.808 
213  160 
218.057 
214.215 
214.919 
207  339 
223.719 
204.184 
186.462 
158.835 

oz. 

43.428 
44.237 
45  779 
47.000 
46.266 
45.054 
46.208 
4S.740 
45,471 
47.343 
46.782 
46.190 

£ 
104,063 
112,616 
112.543 
109.570 
100.827 
106.612 
102.467 
103,112 
100.401 
91.352 
98.322 
98.806 

May    

No 

July       

returns 

September  ... 

November   ... 
December    ..- 

Total 

2.499.498 

552.498 

1.240.691 

Transvaal  Gold  OuxruTi. 


disbursed    in  accordance 


December 
Treated     Yield 


Aurora  West  

Brakpan   

City  Deep 

Cons,  I.anglaagte 

Cons,  Main  Keef  

Crown  Mines 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

Kasl  Rand  P,M 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep  

Glynn's  Lydenburi; 

Goch  

Government  G,M,  Areas 

Kleinfonlein    

Knight  Central  

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Estate 

Luipaard's  Vlei 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  

Modderfontein  B  

Modderf(jntein  Deep   

Modderfontein  East 

New  Unified   

Nourse  

Primrose  

Princess  Estate 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson   

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United  

Rose  Deep    

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G,M,  Estates., 

Van  Ryn    

Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witwatersrand  (Knights) 
Wilwatersrand  Deep  •-■■ 
Wolhuter 


Tons 

8.800 
47.100 
73.500 
38.100 
45.100 

175.000 
21,300 

107,000 
31.600 
43.000 
46,900 
3,0t5 
15.350 

128.50(1 
45.000 
22.400 

36.000 
15.130 
12.760 
90.0t0 
51.500 
41.200 
25,700 
10.800 
40.500 
19,000 

105,000 
38,700 
47,300 
22,200 
49.4C0 
58.400 
37.600 
9.000 
15.750 
30  600 
47.6'-0 
45.300 

31,100 
31.000 
30.830 
31.500 


January 


Treated 


Oz. 

ifl4.4141 

21,489 

31,868 

£68.055) 

15.562 

52.967 

7,286 

30,531 

9,808 

15.213 

12,657  I 

£7.6881 

£l9,542t 

£311,7971 

13,332  ' 

6,227 

£63,494t 

£19.7861 

£46.2821 

43.0  2 

25,472 

22  299 

10,631 

£l4. 18711 

12,536 

£23,0241 

158 

£176,152< 

7,442 

12,820 

£25,9691 

11,690 

13,250 

16.897 

5.459 

£30.0OT! 

£54.603) 

£138,3191 

13,646 

£51,8281 

£52,0071 

£51.7531 

8.578 


Tons 
9.100 

83.500 
38.(00 
47.000 

185.000 
26.450 

116.000 
32.500 
45.000 
44.3(0 
3.184 
16,100 

132,500 
47  060 
23.00i) 

38.300 

13.700 
91.000 
55,000 
42,600 
25,7C0 
11,300 
42,700 
19,500 


Yield 

Or. 
£13,064' 

35.867 

£61.172' 

16.243 

52.018 

8.714 

30.716 

10.112 

15.644 

12.635 

£6.203* 

£l9.390* 

£280,930* 

12,868 

6,013 

£62,492' 

£43,135' 
43,560 

26.540 
22.864 
10.572 

£13.239 
13,550 

£21.879* 


117.000    £176.773" 


38.000 
50.100 
22.800 
53.800 
61.500 

9.700 
16,650 
30.750 
49.800 
47.700 

33.400 
31.700 


7.892 
14.435 
£22.956* 
12.414 
13.193 

5.265 

£25.746* 

£48.763* 

£137.046* 

14.567 

£50.444* 
£46.352* 

7.617 


•  £5.  5s.  Od.  per  oz,    t  £5.  15s.  od.  per  oz, 
I  £5.  18s.  9d.  per  oz 

West  African  Gold  Outputs, 


Abbontiakoon     

Abosso  

Akoko   

Ashanti  Goldfields 

Obbuassi  

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


November 


Treated      Value 


Tons 
5.492 
4.280 

210 
5.018 

660 
8.670 
2  211 


Oz. 

£9.546* 

1.714 

158 

5,805 

£3,086' 

£15,490' 

1.243 


December 


Treated     Value 


Tons 
5,029 
5,440 

206 
5.110 

670 
8.545 
2,720 


Oz, 

£11,175* 

2,178 

156 

3,251 

£2,5i.6l 

£16,523* 

1,500 


*  At  par.    +  Including  premium. 
Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


Falcon  

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix 

London  &  Rhodesian  ...- 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-Arcturus    

Rezende    

Rhodesia.  Ltd.  

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I 

Shamva     

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian  ■ 


November 


Treated 


Tons 
13013 
3.933 
5.759 

5.330 
5.650 
5,700 

630 

45.050 

1.500 


Oz. 


2.735' 
1.333 
7.875 

5.298 
2,985 
2,538 

29 » 
£46.1 -SS 
£4.cont 


December 


Treated 


Tons 
15.130 
3.5SS 
5.560 
3,844 
5.280 
5.900 
5.700 


Oz. 


2.99111 
1.175 
7.611 
£2.4671 
5,115 
2,713 
2,513 


660  228 

50,300      £41,312! 

1,500    I  £5,2781 


•Also  251  tons  copper,    §  Gold  at  115s.  per  oz,    II  Also  255  tons 
copper.     I  Gold  at  105s,  per  oz,     1  At  par. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


107 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics.— Par  Values. 


Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


Reported 
for  Expon 


oz. 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

oz. 


October.  1919 
N'nveniber  ... 
December  -■■ 
lanuary.  1920 

February  

March    

.\pril  

May    

June   

July    

Aufiusi  

September  .. 

October 

November  ■• 
December  -■ 
January.  1921 


586 

1,171 

831 

836 

1,928 

835 
227 
502 

167 
141 
174 
128 
321 
523 


64.987 
64.823 
27.334 
25.670 
49.453 
54.020 
56.256 
50.976 
56.679 
48.341 
54.258 
54,940 
53.801 
54.729 
53.595 
50,934 


Total 
oz. 


65.573 
65,994 
28,165 
26.506 
51.381 
54.020 
57.091 
51.203 
57.181 
48.341 
54  425 
55.081 
53.975 
54,857 
53.916 
51.457 


Total 
value  {, 


278.535 
280,323 
162,575 
112.590 
218.251 
229.461 
242.506 
217.495 
242.638 
205.340 
231.185 
233,963 
229  275 
233.017 
229,057 
218.574 


Australian 

Gold  Returns. 

New 

Victoria. 

Queensland, 

W 

ALES 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

£ 

Oz. 

£ 

Oz. 

£■ 

£ 

January  ... 

36,238 

7,105 

37.100 

4.724 

18.000 

28.000 

46.955 

8,677 

43.330 

7.200 

24.000 

15.000 

March 

40.267 

24.126 

48.000 

6.973 

16.000 

22.000 

63,818 

6.i68 

61.200 

8.368 

24.000 

12.000 

37.456 

13.263 

38.200 

8.432 

16.000 

13.^00 

41.465 

15,707 

44.600 

13.725 

17.000 

8.700 

July    

37.395 

12.782 

42.060 

9.596 

22.000 

17.410 

51,564 

12.809 

49.700 

9.973 

20.000 

17.168 

September 

76.340 

13,973 

37.120 

11.789 

13.000 

13.872 

October  - 

39.018 

13.432 

36.100 

9,300 

28,000 

24.752 

November 

40.735 

9.245 

32.720 

10200 

51.000 

16,907 

December 

63.311 

15,305 

44.500 

— 

31.000 

18,137 

Total   ... 

575,260 

152.792 

514.630 

100.201 

280,000 

207.746 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 

November 

December 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

.Associated  G.M.CW. A.). . 

Blackwater(N.Z.) 

Bullfinch  (W.A.)    

Cock's  Pioneer  (V  ) 

Golden  Horseshoe  (W.A.) 
Great  Boulder  Pro.lW.A.) 
Ivanhne(WA)       

Tons 
5,865 
2,685 
5.380 

10.608 
8,472 

12,461 
3,038 
9,063 
1,570 
5,636 
1,726 

10.373 
7,058 

13,103  { 

7,760  ] 
1.540 

£ 

8.891 
3.804 
1,467: 

4,7171 
29.603 
5,117: 
3.945 
11.282t 
2.906 
7.070 
9.424t 

13,302 
12,643 

3,576: 
30.323* 

2.394; 
10.753S 

3.591 

Tons 
5.069 
2.700 
5.500 

5.064 
4,479 
6.960 
2.707 
5.330 
1.160 
5.385 
1.461 

12.917 
4.308 

11.393  1 

5.630  ] 
1.460 

£ 
6.050 
5.822 
5.738 

1.9451 
18.2511! 
2,760! 

4.61211 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.I. 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.) 

Mount  Boppy(N.S.W)   ... 

11.9951 
2.132 

2.283: 
10.649+ 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

Sonsof  Gwalia(W.A) 

South  KalgurlKW.A.) 

Waihi  (N  7  )    

15.80611 
9,64' It 
4.192: 

23.9931 
2.3B4: 

1I.153S 

5.029* 

Waihi  Grand  Junc'n (N.Z.) 
Vuanmi  (W.A.)  

t  Including  royalties  ;    lOz.  gold  :   §0z  silver;   li  At  i 
*  lacluding  premium. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and 

Silver 

Outputs. 

November 

December 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Brit.  Plat   &Gold(C'lbia) 
FI  Orn  (Mexico) 

Tons 

31.000 

20,843 

2,470 

11.000 

19.957 
6.000 
7.200 

36,514 

16.000 

£ 

216.000+ 

577+: 

7,562 

164.320+ 

128,287' 

108.760+ 

2,00811 

9,977 

32.000 

9.779: 

85.0001 

Tons 

31.500 

2.670 
12,200 

6,200 
8.350 

37.588 

15.000 

£ 

66§ 
210.000+ 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'Ibia) 
Mexico  El  Ore  (Mexico)... 
Mining  Corp.  of  Canada.- 
Oriental  Cons.  (Korea) 

7.833 
164.410+ 

104.650+ 
2,11211 

PlymoutbCons. (Calif  "rnia) 
Si.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil) 
Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico) 

10.832 
34.000 
16.827t 

Tomboy  (Colorado) 

79.000+ 

1917 

1910 

1919 

1920 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

January 

44.718 

41.420 

38.184 

39.073 

34.028 

February  ... 

42.566 

40.787 

36.834 

38.872 

— 

March    

44.617 

41.719 

38.317 

38.760 

— 

April  

43,726 
42,901 
42.924 

41  504 

38  248 

37.307 

May     

40  8ti9 

38  608 

38.191 



41.264 

38.359 

37.864 



July    

42  273 

40.229 

38.549 

37  12J 

— 

August  

42  591 

40.496 

37.850 

37.375 

— 

September 

43.207 

40.088 

36.813 

35.497 

— 

October 

43.041 

39.472 

37.138 

35.023 

— 

November 

42.915 

36.984 

39.628 

34.522 

— 

December 

44,883 

40.149 

42.643 

34.919 

— 

Total ... 

520.362 

485.236 

461.171 

444.532 

34,028 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balagbat   

Cbampion  Reef  ..■• 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur  . 

Nundydroog   

Ooregum 


Decen 

ber. 

Tons 

Fine 

Treated 

Ounces 

3.300 

2.564 

U.SiO 

5.613 

17.699 

12,049 

700 

1,005 

8.837 

5.222 

12.900 

8.466 

January. 


Tons 
Treated 


3.200 

11.293 

16.515 

700 

8,553 
12.900 


Fine 
Ounces 

2.323 
5.512 
11.798 
920 
5.021 
8.464 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper 

Tons  lead  cone 
British  Broken  Hi 


Broken  Hill  Prop 
Burma  Corp.  


Tons  zinc  cone,  

Tons  carbonate  ore. 

(  Tons  lead  cone. 

\  Tons  zinc  cone 

(  Tons  re5ned  lead  ... 
(  Oz,  refined  silver  ... 


Fremantle  Trading  ...Long  tons  lead 
Hampden  Cloncurry..  ]  o?"  gold'^^.^.. 


l  Oz, 


+  U.S.  Dollars.    1  Profit. eold  and  silver 
*Oz.  silver.    §  Oz..  30  oz.  platinum  and 


II  Oz.  gold. 
16oz.  gold. 


Kafue  Copper Shnrt  tons  copper 

(Tons  copper 
Oz  silver  
Oz.gold 

Mount  Morgan [^l^^i.;::"::::. 

North  Broken  Hill  -  [^'J^^^::"::::::::::, 

Pilbara  Copper Tons  ore 

Poderosa Tons  copper  ore 

Rhndesian  Broken  Hill-Tons  lead ... 

S'th  American  Copper  Tons  cop.  ore  ship'd., 

_    ,   ..,     _  ,.        1  Tons  lead  cone. 

Sulphide  Corporation  ■,  ^^^^  ^.„^  ^^^^ 

Tanganyika Long  tons  copper  

Tolima Tons  silver-lead  cone. 

„.       ^  (  Tons  zinc  cone 

Zinc  Corp.   1  Tons  leadconc 


2.20' 

278.750 

310 

505 

324 

469 

14.476 

463 


97 
250 
952 


Dec. 


1.325 

2.330 

2.120 

580 

533 

1,207 

2.445 

280.210 

352 

282 

141 

357 

12.279 

352 

587 

9.517 


132 

20O 

1.323 

1.373 
1.979 


Imports  OF  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kinc-dom. 


Iron  Ore Tons  . 

Manganese  Ore  Tons  . 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites Tons  . 

Copper  Ore.  Matte,  and 

Precipitate Tons  ■ 

Copper  Metal    Tons  . 

Tin  Concentrate  Tons  - 

Tin  Metal   Tons  . 

Lead.  Pig  and  Sheet Tons  . 

ZineiSnelter)    Tons  . 

Quicksilver Lb.    ■ 

Zinc  Oxide    Tons   . 

White  Lead  Cwt.   . 

Barytes   Cwt. 

Phosphate  Tons 

Sulphur  Tons  ■ 

Borai  Cwt.  . 

Other  Boron  Compounds    Tons  - 

Nitrate  of  Soda    Cwt.    ■ 

Nitrate  of  Potash   Cwt.    • 

Petroleum  ■ 

Crude  Gallons 

Lamp  Oils Gallons 

Motor  Spirit  Gallons 

Lubricating  Oils Gallon: 

Gas  Oil    Gallon 

Fuel  Oil  Gallons 

Total  Petroleum Gallons 


Year  1920      Jan..  1921 


6.500911 
452.613 
630.564 

31.164 

104,930 

41.358 

28  740 

162.850 

109.367 

2.682.0'6 

7.f81 

669.491 

581  857 

523  3"0 

15.759 

8,540 

21.117 

2.949.530 

184,973 

4.180  12" 
160.051.046 
207.739.144 
105.914.877 
53.564  775 
347.771.014 
880,207,568 


569  515 
48.312 
61.924 

843 

7,508 

1.379 

2.662 

12.113 

7.945 

2.277 

389 

12.602 

31.738 

92705 

600 

1.316 

138.880 

74) 


19.387.468 
52.134.702 
10  888.J66 
4.690.163 
28.691,484 
95.782.423 


108 


THl-:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Outputs  or  Tin  Mining  Comi-aniks. 
In  Tons  of  Concentrate. 


Nifieria : 

Associated  Nigerian 

Benue 

Bisichi 

Bonftwelli  

Champion  (Nigeria) 

Dua  

Ex-Lands  

Fiiani  

Forum  River 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated-- 

Guruui  River 

lantar 

Jos    

Kaduna 

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano  

Kuru    

Kwall  

Lower  Bisichi  

Luc)<y  Chance 

Minna 

Moneu 

Naragnta    

Naraf;uta  Extended   

Nigerian  Consolidated  ■■■- 

Ninghi 

N.N.  Bauchi 

OfiSn  River 

Bayfield  

Ropp    

Rukuba  

South  Bulteru  

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri  


(federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderianfi 

Gopeng   

Idris  Hydraulic    

Ipoh 

Kamunting    

Kinta   

Lahat  

Malayan  Tin 

Pahanti    

Ranibutan 

Sungei  Besi  

Tekka 

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh   


•Cornwall : 

East  Pool  

Geevor    

Grenville 

South  Crofty 


■Other  Countries  : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia) 

Berenguela  (Bolivia) 

Briseis  (Tasmania) 

Deebook  (Siam)  

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal) . 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Mawchi  (Burma) ■ 

Porco  (Bolivia) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooiberg  Minerals  (Transvaal). 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)    

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)    

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal) 


Oct. 

Tons 

20 

16 
li 

24 
33 

5i 
10 

3 

15 
10 
224 
13 

93 

5 
12 

83 

1 

3 
40 
45 
23 
30 

6 
55 

73 
35 
168 

55 
13 

li 

8 

5 


72 
18 
13j 

323 
594 
80| 
178^ 
15 
30 
30 
39 
494 


e9M 


55t 


Nov. 

Tons 

20 

IG 
li 
3 

14 

35 
5 

74 
24 
15 
10 
24i 
174 
9 
5i 


1 

40 
45 
15 
224 

54 
55 

-i 
35 
US 

4 
15 


72 

194 

13 

323 
594 
783 
166 
16* 
31 
30 
31 
38 


741 


60|+ 


80 

170 

154 

29 

27 

18 

20 

23 

13 

19* 

19* 

304 

— 

— 

247* 

— 

19* 

615 

934 

891 

50 

15 

- 

60* 

63i 

713 

68 

76 

73 

28 

28 

27 

Dec. 

Tons 

20 

10 

54 

li 

le 

35 
54 

104 

3 
12 
20 
264 
154 

8i 


73 

14 

50 
42 
17 
23 

5 
50 

9i 
37 
126 

44 
15 

44 

4 

5 

103' 
66 
173 

194 
120* 

353 

60i 

834 
166 

15 

30 

30 

27 

29 

893 1 


62t 


NioKKiAN  Tin  Fkoduction. 

In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 

\'ote      These  ti^iures  tire  taken  from  tin-  monthly  returns 

made  by  intlivuttial  com/>anies  reftortinit  in  Lomion,  anti 

probably  represent  SS%  of  the  actual  outputs. 


1915        1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

January  

February    ... 

Tons      Tons 

417  531 
358     1      528 

418  547 
444           486 
357           536 
373     i       510 
455     '       506 
438    \      498 
442            535 
511            584 
467           679 
533           654 

Tons 
667 
646 
655 

Tons 
678 
66S 

707 

Tons 
613 
623 
606 
546 
483 
484 
481 
616 
561 
625 
536 
511 

Tons 
547 
477 
505 

April     

555     1       584 
509           525 

467 

May 

383 

June     

473 
479 
551 
538 
578 
621 
655 

492 
545 
571 
520 
491 
472 
518 

435 
484 

August 

September 

October  

November  ... 
December  ... 

447 
528 
628 
544 
577 

Total     . 

5.213     1   6.594 

^6_?27_ 

6.771 

6.685 

6.022 

Production  op  Tin  in  Federated  Malay  States. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters. 
Long  Tons. 


January 
February  .. 

March    

April  

May    

June   

July    

August  

September  . 

October 

November  . 
December  . 


1916 

1917 

1918 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

4.316 

3.558 

3.030 

3,372 

2.755 

3.197      1 

3.696 

3,286 

2.609 

3.177 

3,251 

3.308 

1       3.729 

3,413 

3.332       1 

'       3.435 

3,489 

3,070 

3.517 

3,253 

3,373 

3.732 

3,413 

3,259 

3.636 

3.154 

3.157 

3,681 

3.436 

2.870 

3.635 

3.300 

3.132 

3,945 
43.871 

3.525 
39.833 

3,022 

37,370 

1919 

Tons 
3,765 
2.734 
2.819 
2.858 
3.407 
2,877 
3.756 
2.956 
3.161 
3,221 
2,972 
2,409 

36,935 


1920 

Tons 

4.265 
3,014 
2,770 
2,606 
2.741 
2.9»0 
2.824 
2,786 
2.734 
2.817 
2.573 
2.838 

34.928 


Total  Sales  of  Tin  Concentrate  at  Redruth  Ticketings. 


August  25.  1919  . 
September  8  .-■- 
September  22  -■.. 

Octobers  

October  20   

November  3 

November  17  .... 
December  1  .... 
December  15  .... 
December  31  .... 


Total  and  Average. 
1919 


'  Three  months.    +  Tin  and  wolfram- 


January  12,  1920.. 

January  26   

February  9  

February  23 

March  8 

March  22  

April  6  

April  19 

May  3 

May  17  

May  31   

June  14  

June  28  

July  12  

July  26  

August     9 

August  23 

September  6  .... 
September  20  .... 

October  4 

October  18  

November  1 

November  15  .... 
November  29  •■.- 
December  13  .... 
December  28  — . 


Long  lont- 


1304 
1154 
1354 

72 

32 

344 

39 

38 

29 

14| 


Value 


Average 


2.858 


£18.297 

£16,588 

£19.557 

£10.867 

£5.093 

£5.235 

£6.161 

£5.905 

£5.133 

£2.884 


£l40  4 
£l43  12 
£l44  6 
£l50  18 
£l59  3 
£l51  15 
£l57  19 
£155  8 
£l76  10 


£l95  10  10 


£366.569 


£l28     5    0 


January  10.  1921.. 
January  24  


31 

513 

18 

44 

444 

334 

614 

44 

10 

243 

144 

43l 

104 

104 

27J 
19 
10 
9 

394 
9 
44 
84 
84 
84 


£6.243 
£10.574 


M 


84 
74 


£12.120 
£4.038 
£8,286 
£8.367 
£6,375 
£11,641 
£6.151 
£l,578 
£3,278 
£1.932 
£6.133 
£1.643 
£1.664 
£4.022 
£2.563 
£1.552 
£1,359 
£5,225 
£(,329 
£597 
{965 
£981 
£946 


£201     8     0 
£204     6  10 
£210    2     8 
£225  10 
£224     7 


£188 
£l88  0 
£190  6 
£l89  5 
£139  16 
£157  16 
£132    9 


tl33     4  10 


£140  4 
£l56  10 
£l58  10 
£l47  !2 
£134  18 
£155     5 

£151   0 

£132  5  II 
£147  14  5 
£|32  17  6 
£113  12  0 
£115  8  6 
£111     5  10 


£991 
£671 


£ll6  13    0 
£89  11     4 


On  January  10.  Tincroft  sold  84  tons,  and  on  January  24.7* 
tons. 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


109 


Stocks  op  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Lone  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  

Ditto.  Landing  and  in  Transit 

Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Land- 
ing   

Straits.  Afloat 

Australian,  Afloat 

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto,  Afloat   

Bi!liton,  Spot 

Billiton,  Afluat    

Straits.  Spot  in  Holland  and 
Hamburg 

Ditto.  Afloat  to  Continent 

Total  Afloat  for  United  States... 

Stock  in  America 

Total •• 


1,944 
620 

2,743 

1,955 

203 

2,966 

1,095 

721 

295 


300 
3  257 
2,966 


19.065 


Deo   31 


2.170 
1.138 

3.855 

1.183 

250 

3,5U 

278 
755 
264 


485 
1.734 
2,856 


Jan.  31 


2,701 
40 

4,960 
345 
264 

3,341 
356 
755 
141 


60 
2,595 
2,546 


Shipments.  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  ions. 


Shipments  from : 

Straits  to  UK 

Straits  to  America    

Straits  to  Continent 

Straits  to  Other  Places  

Australia  to  U.K 

U.K.  to  America  

Imports  of  Bolivian  Tin  into 
Europe 

Supply : 

Straits  

Australian    

Billiton 

Banca    

Standard  

Total 

Consumption  : 

U  K.  Deliveries 

Dutch         „ 

American  

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc.    

Total 


Nov.     I      Dec. 


1,505 
825 
300 
199 
350 
175 

2.172 


2,630 
350 
482 

1,154 
475 


5.091 


L607 

215 

3.420 


5.468 


915 

825 
485 
225 
250 
150 

251 


2,225 
250 


250 
1,500 


Jan, 


4,225 


1,518 

366 

2,580 

347 

4,811 


35 
960 

60 
106 
350 
985 


1.055 
350 


498 
1.290 


3,193 


1.254 

269 

1.555 

490 

3.568 


Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 

Company 

Par 

Value  of 

Shares 

Amount  of 
Dividend 

Jan.    24 

Broken  Hill  Prop.  ... 
Glynn's  Lydenburg... 
Rand  Selection  Cor- 

a. 

£i. 

a. 
i\. 

Jan     ■'4 

Jan     19"- 

Jan.    27 

Jan     29 

Waihi  Gold  

PRICES  OF  CHEMICALS.     February  8, 

These  quotations  are  not  absolute:  they  vary  accordinj 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

Acetic  Acid.  40%  per  cwt  1 

80%  2 

,,             Glacial ..  3 

Alum per  ton  19 

Alumina.  Sulphate  of  ..  16 

Ammonia.  Anhydrous ■•      per  lb. 

0  880  solution    per  ton  46 

Carbonate per  ib. 

Chloride  of,  grey per  ton  54 

„                 ..         .,  pure  per  cwt.  5 

Nitrate  of  per  ton  50 

Phosphate  of    95 

Sulphate  of    24 

Antimony.  Tartar  Emetic per  lb. 

Sulphide,  Golden 

Arsenic.  White  per  ton  50 

Barium  Carbonate ..  U 

..    Chlorate  per  lb. 

,,    Chloride per  ton  21 

„    Sulphate  «  10 

Benzol.  90"^    per  gal. 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton  55 

Bleaching  Powder.  35%  CI ..  19 

Liquor.  7%    7 

Boras     38 

Boric  Acid,  crystals i,  74 

Calcium  Chloride m  10 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60%  per  gal. 

crystallized.  40%     per  lb. 

13 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn)    per  ton  - 

(4 

Citric  Acid  per  lb. 

Copper,  Sulphate  of     per  ton  36 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100% per  ib. 

Hydrofluoric  Acid .t 

Iodine   per  oz. 

Iron,  Nitrate  of '■    per  ton  10 

„  Sulphate  of    .,  4 

Lead.  Acetate  of,  white ..  54 

,.  Nitrate  of    50 

,.  Oxide  of.  Litharge ti  45 

„  While    51 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown .i  12 

grey  80% 19 

Magnesite,  Calcined 22 

Magnesium,  Chloride •.  13 

Sulphate  „  12 

Methylated  Spirit  64°  Industrial per  gal. 

Nitric  Acid.  &0°  Tw. per  ton  37 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb. 

Phosphoric  Acid per  Ib. 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb. 

,,          Carbonate85% per  ton  50 

Chlorate per  lb. 

Chloride  80%    per  ton  30 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% 55 

„          Nitrate    50 

„  Permanganate per  lb. 

Prussiate,  Yellow    i, 

Red 

Sulphate.  90%  per  ton  35 

Sodium  Metal per  lb. 

„      Acetate     per  ton  35 

„      Arsenate  45%    45 

„      Bicarbonate  ..  9 

M      Bichromate per  lb. 

„      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)   per  ton  16 

(Crystals) ..  7 

Chlorate per  lb. 

„      Hydrate.  76%   per  ton  27 

Hyposulphite    y,  20 

„       Nitrate,  95% 22 

Phosphate •.  26 

.,      Prussiate    per  lb. 

„      Silicate    per  ton  11 

.,      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)  9 

..           ,.          (Glauber's  Salts)  „  10 

,.      Sulphide u  30 

„      Sulphite »  15 

Sulphur,  Roll „  15 

„       Flowers , ..  15 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65° 24 

free  from  Arsenic,  144° „  6 

Superphoephate  of  Lime.  30?'o    .,  8 

Tartaric  Acid per  !b. 

Turpentine per  cwt.  4 

Tin  Crystals   per  Ib. 

Tit  annus  Chloride   .. 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton  27 

Zinc  Sulphate... ■.... .,  20 


s 

d 

7 

0 

14 

0 

10 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

6 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1) 

0 

0 

2 

7 

1 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

10 

0 

0 

0 

3 

10 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

3 

H 

10 

0 

to 

10 

0 

2 

ft 

0 

0 

1 

0 

7* 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

n 

c 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

.0 

1 

6 

0 

n 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

1 

4 

2 

0 

0 

0 

1 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

n 

0 

4* 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

9 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

n 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

5 

0 

10 

0 

2 

0 

10 

0 

1 

7 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

no 


THK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


SHARE  QUOTATIONS 

Shares  ate  £l  par  value  eicept  where  otherwise  noU'd. 


GOLD.    SILVER, 
DIAMONDS: 

Rand  : 

Brakpan 

Central  Mininit  (£8)    

City  &  Suburban  (£4) 

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  Landaaiite 

Consolidated  Maiit  Reef 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (lOs.) 

Crown  Mines  llOs  ) 

DaR^iafontein 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Froprielaty 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhnis  Deep 

Gov't  Gold  Mininu  Areas 

Heriot 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Jupiter  

Kleinfontein 

KniRht  Central 

Knietals  Deep  

LanelaaKte  Estate 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  '.10s. 1  

Modderfontein  BtSs.) 

ModdetfonteiD  Deep(5s.)  

Modderfontein  East    

New  State  Areas  

Nourse ■ 

Rand  Mines  (5s.) 

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfonteio  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.) 

Rose  Deep  

Simmer  Sc  Jack  

Simmer  Deep 

Springs 

Sub  Nieel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.)    

Van  Ryn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  Springs 

Witwatersraiid  (Knight's) ■ 

Witwatersrand  Deep  

Wolhuter 

Other  TpANSVAAt-  Gold  Mines: 

Glynn's  Lydenburg  

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates.. 
Diamonds  in  South  Africa; 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.) 

Rhodesia  - 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  .. 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.) 

West  Africa  ■ 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso  

Ashanti  (4s.)    

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquab 


West  Australia: 

Associated  Gold  Mines  

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch  

Golden  Horse-Shoe  {£5) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary  (2s.).. 

Great  Fingall  (10s) 

Hampton  Properties   

Ivanhoe (£5)    

Kalgurii 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)    -. 

Son«  of  Gwalia  

South  Kalgurii  (10s  ) 


Feb.  6, 

1920 
£    s.  d. 


4  i 

12  i 
9 

3  17 

2  7 
1  10 

17 
1  14 

4  7 
1  2 

10 
14 
13 

3  2 
16 

5  8 
12 

1  IS 
7 
lU 
7 
13 
1  3 
5  15 

4  17 
9  2 

3  1 
1  11 
1  12 

17 

4  12 

5  11 
1  2 

13 
1  10 


5  17 
1  0 

10 
1  6 
1  5 

13 
6 


17  6 

17  6 

31  10  0 

7  0  0 

12  5  0 


10 

1  2 
16 
16 
16 

3  11 
3  12 

2  5 
7 


6  0 

15  6 

1  4  9 

5  0 

1  2  0 


3 

1  7 

10 

1 

1  10 

2  8 
1  2 
1  2 

10 
6 


Feb.  7. 

1921 
C    s.  d. 


2  17 

6  10 

6 

2  3 

17 

15 

12 

15 

2  5 

7 

2 

5 

8 

2  5 
8 

3  15 

9 
1  2 
2 
7 
4 
10 

4  10 
3  5 

1  10 

2  1 
17 

1  2 
7 

2  5 

2  12 

9 
8 
10 
16 
3 

1  12 
11 
16 
11 

3  10 

8 
9 
15 
13 
7 
4 


6 
0 
9 
9 
6 
9 
3 
0 
0 
6 
6 
6 
3 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
0 
6 
6 
6 
0 
0 
0 
3 
6 
6 
9 
0 
6 
3 
9 
0 
0 
0 

6 
3 
0 
3 
0 
3 
6 
0 
9 
6 
0 


8  9 

3  9 

II  5  0 

2  8  9 

5  0  0 


12 

9 

9 

17 

2  7 

2   15 

1  7 

5 


6 
3 
6 
6 
6 
6 
0 
6 
3 

6 
6 
0 
6 
0 

6 
6 
6 
6 
0 
6 
9 
0 
9 
0 
9 
6 


GoLo,  SiLVKR.  cont. 

Othkrs  in  Australasia  : 

Blackwater.  New  Zealand 

ConsolidaledG.F.of  New  Zealand 

Mount  Boppv.  N.S.W.(lOs) 

Progress.  New  Zealand 

Talisman,  New  Zealand 

Waihi.  New  Zealand   

Waibi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'Ind 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

El  Oro.  Mexico 

Esperanza,  Mexico  

Fronlino  &  Bolivia.  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (f  5). British  Columbia 
Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro,  Mexico.. 

Nechi  (Pref.  10s. ),  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredging.  Colombia  

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California 

St.  John  del  Rey.  Brazil  

Santa  Gertrudis.  Mexico 

Tomboy.  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority  

India  : 

Balagbat  (lOs)    

Champion  Reef  (2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  llOs.)  

North  Anantapur  

Nundvdroog  (10s.) 

Ooregum  (lOs.)    

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copper  (5s,),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India. 

Esperanza.  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland 

Mason  ,S:  Barry.  Portugal  

Messina  (5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (f  5),  Queensland  ... 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania  

Mount  Morgan.  Queensland 

Mount  Oxide,  Queensland     

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  (£5),  Spain  • 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert.  Russia   

Spassky,  Russia .- 

Tanganyika.  Congo  and  Rhodesia 

LEAD-ZINC: 
Broken  Hill : 

Amalgamated  Zinc    

British  Broken  Hill  

Broken  Hill  Proprietary    

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees)    ■ 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)    


Feb.  6. 

1920 
£   s.  d. 


i 


TIN: 

Aramayo  Francke.  Bolivia 

Bisichi.  Nigeria 

Briseis.  Tasmania 

Dolcoath.  Cornwall  

East  Pool  (5s,)  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria  ... 

Geevor  (IDs)  Cornwall  

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging.  Malay     

Kamunting,  Malaya 

Kinta,  Malaya 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (IDs.).  Nigeria  

Naraguta.  Nigeria 

N.  N.Bauchi.  Nigeria  (10s, )    

Pahang  Consolidated  (5s,),  Malay 

Rayfield,  Nigeria   ;... 

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (4s.).  Nigeria  

Siamese  Tin.  Siam 

South  Crofty  t5s  ),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Cornwall  

Tekka.  Malay    

TekkaTaiping   Malay    

Tronoh,  Malay   


8 
3 
6 
1 
8 
2  7 
12 

16 
1    3 

16 

16 

II 

6 

6  17 

10 
1  9 
I     3 

18 
1  18 

13 

1     5 
12 

8 
3 

1  1 
4 

15 
17 

2  12 
2     2 

5 

17 

2  10 

6 


1   12 

47   10 

13 

17 

1     5 

3    0 


1  6 

2  3 

3  1 

1  7 

2  13 
2  15 
1  1 
1     1 

13  10 

15 


18    0 


5  5 
16 
5 
8 
18 
4 

1  2 

2  5 
1     2 

1  18 

2  16 
2     6 

1  7 
17 

8 
15 
14 

2  16 
14 

3  17 
18 

1     7 

4  16 

1  6 

2  12 


5 

5 

10 

1    2 

8 

5 

4  15 

7 

1     } 

17 

15 

7 

6 


12    6 
5    0 


7 
2 

11 
3 
6 

II 

1  10 
IS 
5 
6 
1  10 
4 

12 
13 
12 

1     2 

26    0 

7 

10 

10 

1     5 


18 
17 

2  0 
12 

1    7 


9 

6 
0 
6 
6 
3 
6 
0 

Ot 
3 


2  10 
6 


4 
2 
3 

1  10 
12 

2  10 
1  12 
1     7 

12 

11 

1 

6 

3 

1  10 

6 

2  10 

5 

10 
1  0 
I  3 
1     5 


t  10-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE   MINING  DIGEST 

A    RECORD    OF     PROGRESS     IN     MINING.   METALLURGY,    AND    GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 

proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers  ;  also  reviews  of  new 

books,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly  reports  of  mining  companies. 


KIRKLAND   LAKE  GOLD   MINING   DISTRICT. 


The  Ontario  Department  of  Mines  has  issued  areport 
on  the  Kirkland  Lake  gold  area  by  A.  G.  Burrows  and 
P.  E.  Hopkins.  As  this  is  the  fourth  most  important 
precious-metal  producing  district  in  Ontario,  we  give 
herewith  lengthy  extracts  on  the  general  geology  and 
ore  deposits.  Next  month  we  intend  to  reproduce  the 
details  relating  to  the  individual  mines.  Reference  to 
the  history  and  development  of  the  district  is  made  in 
the  editorial  pages  this  month. 

The  Kirkland  Lake  area  is  situated  a  few  miles  south 
of  the  divide  between  the  Hudson  Bay  and  river  St  Law- 
rence waters  The  lake  hasan  elevation  of  1 ,038  ft.  above 
sea-level  and  no  hill  apparently  rises  more  than  100  ft. 
above  that  level.  There  are  rock  outcrops  over  most 
of  the  area.  The  small  proportion  of  drift  is  usually 
sand,  thinly  distributed.  The  mineral  deposits  are  fre- 
quently found  in  the  lower  parts  of  the  area,  since  the 
fractured  zones  and  adjoining  altered  rocks  are  more 
easily  eroded  than  are  those  that  are  less  fractured  and 
less  altered.  The  porphyry  apparently  weathers  down 
more  easily  than  the  other  rocks.  The  area  is  part  of  a 
large  mineralized  region  that  extends  roughly  from 
Matachewan  in  the  south-west  to  Larder  Lake  and  be- 
yond into  Quebec  province  to  the  east.  In  places  the 
older  gold  bearing  rocks  are  covered  by  deposits  of 
newer  formations,  conglomerate,  greywack^,  and  slate 
of  the  Cobalt  series,  which  have  not  been  removed  by 
erosion  and  consequently  cover  possible  gold  deposits. 
The  charncter  ot  the  gold  deposits  varies  greatly  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  larger  area,  but  all  occurrences  are 
believed  to  be  associated  with  the  acid  intrusive  rocks 
of  a  granite,  syenite,  and  porphyry  character  that  fre- 
quently outcrop  in  various  parts  of  the  area. 

General  Geology.  —  The  compact  rocks  are  Pre- 
Cambnan,  classiSed  according  to  the  following  table, 
the  oldest  being  placed  at  the  bottom  and  the  others  in 
the  order  of  their  relative  ages. 


Keweenawan  (?) 

POST-TIMISKAMING      In- 
TRUSIVES  (ALGOMAN?) 


Quartz  diabase  and  olivine  diabase. 

Red  and  grey  felspar-porphyry  with 
subordinate  amounts  uf  horntilende- 
syenite  and  felsite  occurring  as  dykes 
and  stocl<^. 

Red  hornblende-syenite. 

Black  mica  iampropbyre  grading  into 
or  cut  by  red,  hornblende  syenite,  ihe 
latter  being  felsiiic  or  porphyritic  in 
p'aces. 

(The  above  three  groups  of  rocks  are 
differentiation  facies  from  the  same 
niagmal. 

Serpentine. 

Hornblende  and  biolite  graniie  and 
gneiss,  syenite,  granite-porphyry, 
feispar-port^hyry.  felsite.  pegma- 
tite and  hornblendite. 

Schistose  conglomerate  grey  wack6  and 
quartzite  containing  some  carbonate 
schist. 

Rusty  carbonate. 

Keewatin  Pillow    lava,    altered    diabase,    green 

schists,  rusty  carbonate  and  iron  for- 
mation. 

The  Keewatin,  which  is  the  dominant  rock  in  the 
region,  occupies  only  a  small  portion  along  the  north 
and  south-east  sides  of  the  area.  These  rocks  are  chiefly 
basalt  and  diabase,  volcanic  rocks  which  have  flowed 
out  under  the  sea.  with  subordinate  amounts  of  iron 


TiMISKAMIAN 


formation,  rusty  carbonate,  and  other  rocks.  Lying 
unconformably  on  these  rocks  and  interfolded  with 
them  is  a  band  of  Timiskamian  sediments  which  occu- 
pies most  of  the  area.  These  fragmental  rocks  are  two 
miles  in  width,  and  extend  to  the  south-west  and  to  the 
north-east  for  several  miles.  After  the  deposition  of 
the  sediments,  extensive  folding  and  metamorphism 
took  place.  Later  the  sediments  were  cut  by  a  number 
of  intrusives,  namely  :  granite,  syenite,  serpentine  and 


Maf  of  part  of  Ontario 


SHOWING    POSITION     OF    KiRKLAND 
I^AKE. 


Ill 


11. 


Till':     MINING    MAGAZlNli 


rt-laied  laniprophyre.  syenite,  and  felspar-porphyry. 
The  (jokl  deposits  are  genetically  connecteil  with  the 
porphyry.  All  the  rocks,  including  iheore  bodies,  have 
been  intruded  by  diabase  dykes  of  Keweenawan  age 
These  I're  Cambrian  rocks  may  have  been  covered  by 
Palivozoic  rocks,  but  no  erosion  remnanisare  to  be  seen 
at  present.  The  glaciers  which  passed  over  the  whole 
region  have  scraped  away  any  decomposed  rock  from 
the  surface  and  carried  it  southward,  leaving  the  rocks 
and  mineral  deposits  exposed  as  we  find  them  In  places 
the  rocks  are  still  covered  with  a  thin  mantle  of  glacial 
sand  and  gravel 

Origin  anil  Age  of  the  Hold  Deposits.  —  All  the 
gold  deposits  of  northern  Ontario  are  in  the  Pre- 
Cambrian,  in  rocks  which,  with  few  exceptions,  are 
older  than  the  Cobalt  series.  After  the  folding  of  the 
Timiskaming  series  and  before  the  deposition  of  the 
Cobalt  series,  there  was  a  period  of  igneous  activity  dur- 
ing which  basic  and  acid  rocks,  including  lamprophyre. 
porphyry,  syenite,  and  granite,  wore  intruded  into  the 
older  rocks.  The  probable  genetic  relationship  of  the 
gold  deposits  of  Porcupine  to  granite  in  irusions  has  been 
noted  in  a  report  on  that  area  There  are  a  number  of 
gold  bearing  veins  at  Kirkland  Lake  associated  with 
felspar  porphyry  and  syenite,  suggestive  of  a  relation- 
ship between  the  intrusives  and  the  veins.  There  are 
areas  of  granite  and  syenite  within  a  short  distance  of 
the  gold  deposits.  An  examination  of  a  number  of 
specimens  from  these  plutonic  areas  shows  that  these 
rocks  contain  albite,  usually  as  phenocrysts.  similar  to 
the  felspar-porphyry.  It  is  quite  likely  that  the  granite, 
syenite,  and  felspar-porphyry  belong  to  the  same  period 
of  intrusion  and  are  different  facies  of  a  magma  which 
underlay  or  underlies  a  large  part  of  the  area  The 
syenite  and  granite  have  been  exposed  by  deep  erosion. 

While  the  gold-bearing  \eins  were  formed  subse- 
quent to  the  intrusion  of  the  porphyry,  it  is  likely  that 
they  are  genetically  connected  with  the  intrusive  rock 
which  occurs  as  dykes  and  boss-like  masses  The  cool- 
ing of  the  intrusive  was  apparently  accompanied  by 
shrinkage,  faulting,  and  displacement  in  the  porphyry 
itself  and  in  theadjacentrocks.  Thegold-bearingsilici- 
ous  solutions  that  deposited  their  burdens  in  ihefissures 
and  other  fractures  in  all  probability  represented  the 
end  product  of  the  intrusion  of  the  acid  rocks  that  have 
been  mentioned 

Lindgren.  in  his  classification  of  mineral  deposits, 
places  the  gold-quartz  veins  of  Ontario  in  the  division 
of  "veins  and  replacement  deposits  formed  at  high 
temperature  and  pressure  and  in  genetic  connection 
with  intrusive  rocks."  He  says:  "These  veins  are 
clearly  related  to  those  of  the  southern  Appalachian 
states,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  present  some  re- 
markable analogies  with  those  of  California."  These 
veins  were  formed  at  considerable  depth  and  have  been 
exposed  by  extensive  erosion,  but  it  is  probable  that 
they  were  not  formed  at  as  high  temperatures  as  the 
veins  at  Porcupine,  in  which  tourmaline  and  pyrrhotite 
frequently  occur.  The  minerals  tourmaline,  pyroxene, 
garnet,  amphibole.  and  biotite,  characteristic  of  deposits 
formed  at  high  temperatures,  have  not  been  recognized 
by  the  writers  in  the  Kirkland  Lake  area  .Albite.  chlo- 
rite, sericite.  and  carbonates  are  present  in  the  deposits 
as  alteration  products.  The  veins  at  Kirkland  Lake  in 
their  mineral  constituents  greatly  resemble  those  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada.  California,  which  are  described  by 
Lindgren.  In  these  latter  veins  tellurides  like  altaite, 
bessite.  calaverite,  petzite,  and  melonite  are  frequently 
associated  with  native  gold  In  a  comparison  of  the 
Cripple  Creek  and  Kalgoorlie  gold  deposits,  Lindgren 
has  shown  that  telluride  of  gold  may  be  deposited  in 
large  quantities  both  near  the  surface  (as  at  Cripple 


Creek),  and  at  a  depth  of  many  thousands  of  feet  below 
it  (as  at  Kalgoorlie).  Tellui  ide  of  gold  is  not  so  abun 
dant  in  the  Kirkland  Lake  deposits  as  telluride  of  lead. 
but  probably  occurs  in  greater  quantity  than  has  been 
suspected  owing  to  the  dilliculty  of  identifying  the  tel- 
luride in  fine  grains  when  accompanied  by  native  gold 
As  stated  above,  the  mineral  associations  at  Kirkland 
Lake  are  not  typically  those  of  high  temperature  de- 
posits. Magnetite  has  been  found  in  gold-bearing  veins 
at  the  .-XTgonaut  mine,  a  few  miles e.asl  of  Kirkland  Lake, 
and  spccularite  has  been  reported  in  veins  from  the 
Tough  Oakes  mine.  The  Kirkland  Lake  deposits  have 
probably  been  formed  at  considerable  depth,  like  the 
Kalgoorlie  deposits,  but  not  at  such  high  temperatures, 
while  the  mineral  association  is  somewhat  similar  in 
that  native  gold  accompanies  the  tellurides. 

Distribution  of  Ore  Deposits  — Exploration  in  the 
Kirkland  Lake  area  has  indicated  three  principal  zones 
of  mineralization.  The  main  or  central  zone  is  that 
which  runs  north-easterly  and  south-westerly  along  the 
southern  expansion  of  Kirkland  Lake  and  along  which 
a  group  of  mines  is  being  developed  over  a  distance  of 
Z\  miles.  The  principal  mines  of  the  area.  Tough 
Oakes,  Burnside.  Sylvanite,  Wright-Hargreaves,  Lake 
Shore,  Teck  Hughes,  Orr,  Kirkland  l^ake,  and  also 
several  prospects  are  situated  along  this  zone  A  south- 
erly zone  lies  about  3  mile  to  the  south  with  a  similar 
strike,  and  along  it  are  the  Ontario-Kirkland.  Hunton, 
Honer,  and  Canadian-Kirkland,  on  which  considerable 
work  has  already  been  done.  A  northerly  zone,  known 
as  the  Goodfish  Lake  gold  area  lies  about  two  miles 
north  of  the  central  zone,  where  a  number  of  proper- 
ties, including  the  Costello,  La  Belle  Kirkland,  and  Fi- 
delity, are  located. 

Kirhland  Lake  Mineral  Zone.  —  The  greatest 
amount  of  work  has  been  done  on  the  central  zone, 
where  a  number  of  gold  bearing  veins  have  been 
discovered  extending  over  Z\  miles  in  length  and 
a  width  of  J  mile.  In  this  zone  operations  have 
shown  a  major  fracturing  along  which  the  principal 
properties  are  located  It  is  believed  that,  after  the  in- 
trusion of  the  porphyry  and  syenite,  faulting  took  place 
in  lines  roughly  parallel  with  the  long  axis  of  the  intru- 
sions, accompanied  by  fracturing  and  crushing  of  the 
por  jhyry  and  other  rocks  with  the  formation  of  the 
veiis  or  lodes  along  these  fracture  planes.  The  princi- 
pal or  major  fracturing  can  be  traced  across  a  number 
of  properties  where  ore-shoots  are  being  developed  at 
widely  separated  points,  but  evidently  along  one  system 
of  fracturing.  This  fracturing  has  crossed  all  the  dif- 
ferent rocks  in  this  zone,  including  felspar-porphyry, 
syenite,  lamprophyre.  and  conglomerate.  No,  I  vein 
at  the  Kirkland  Lake  mine.  No  2  vein  of  the  Orr,  No. 
3  vein  of  the  Teck-Hughes,  No.  2  vein  at  the  Lake 
Shore,  and  No  2  vein  at  the  Wright-Hargreaves  are 
being  developed  along  the  major  fracturing.  In  addi- 
tion there  are  branch  veins  and  other  fractures  roughly 
parallel,  on  which  development  has  been  done  on  a 
number  of  properties  ;  examples  are  No.  1  vein  at  the 
Lake  Shore,  Nos  1  and  5  veins  at  the  Teck-Hughes, 
and  No.  1  vein  at  the  Wright-Hargreaves 

The  fault  planes  along  which  the  ore  deposits  have 
been  formed  dip  to  the  south,  usually  at  a  high  inclina- 
tion, 80°  to  85°,  although  locally  there  are  rolls  in  the 
fault  planes  that  are  steeper  or  flatter  than  the  average 
dip  .A  fracture  zone  will  contain  several  fault  planes, 
which  often  form  the  boundaries  of  ore,  and  at  several 
mines  development  has  been  carried  on  with  regard  to 
twoprominentfaultplanescalledfoot-walland  hanging- 
wall  planes.  These  planes  are  from  a  few  feet  to  40 
ft.  or  more  apart,  the  ore  sometimes  occurring  over  this 
whole  width,  or,  as  is  more  frequent,  near  one  or  the 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


113 


-TiS! 


Map  showing  Principal  Workings  and  Lodes  at  Kirkland  Lake. 


other  wall,  depending  on  subsidiary  slip  or  fault  planes. 
The  ore  will  also  at  times  extend  beyond  the  recogniz- 
able fault  planes  or  so  called  vein  boundaries. 

The  faulting  and  fracturing  of  the  rock  has  permitted 
the  circulation  of  mineral-bearing  solutions  with  accom- 
panying vapours,  which  have  partly  filled  any  open 
fissures  and  partly  replaced  the  country  rock  in  the 
fracture  zone.  The  amount  of  vein  quartz  in  the  ore 
deposits  is  relatively  small  as  compared  with  the  min- 
eralized porphyry  or  other  rock  through  which  the  frac- 
tures have  extended.  In  addition  to  irregular  masses 
of  quartz  several  ieet  in  width  that  occur  along  the 
veins,  there  are  numbers  of  narrow  irregular  quartz 
veins  a  few  inches  in  width  penetrating  the  porphyry  or 
other  rock,  together  with  mineralized  or  replaced  rock, 
which  make  up  the  ore-body.  In  consequence  of  the 
irregular  distribution  of  quartz  in  the  veins  the  working 
faces  along  drifts  on  the  veins  vary  greatly  in  appear- 
ance, sometimes  showing  considerable  quartz  and  at 
other  times  almost  entirely  mineralized  porphyry  or 
other  rock  with  minute  veiniets  of  quartz  intersecting  it. 

The  mineralization  of  the  veins  has  extended  over  a 
long  period,  since  there  has  been  repeated  fracturing 
along'  the  mineralized  zone.  The  primary  quartz  is 
greatly  brecciated.  and  fragments  of  quartz  and  por- 
phyry have  been  displaced  along  the  fault  planes. 
Movement  along  the  walls  in  theore  bodies  is  evidenced 
by  grooving  and  slickensided  surfaces  in  the  direction 
of  movement.  Information  as  to  the  extent  of  horizon- 
tal displacement  may  be  obtained  at  the  Teck-  Hughes 
mines,  where  a  north  and  south  dyke  of  diabase  60  ft. 
in  width  has  been  faulted  a  distance  of  150  ft.  along  No. 
3  vein,  the  part  of  the  dyke  to  the  north  of  the  fault 
planes  being  to  the  west.  Several  large  blocks  of  dia- 
base occur  in  the  fracture  zone  together  with  masses  of 
crushed  porphyry  or  syenite  thrust  along  the  fault 
planes.  Mineralization  even  later  than  this  extensive 
movement  is  indicated  by  the  presence  of  gold  values 
along  slip  planes  in  fragments  of  diabase  in  the  fault 
zone.  The  unalteied  diabase  itself  does  not  carry  gold 
\'alues. 

Mineralization  of  Porphyry  and  Syenite. — There 
has  been  an  extensive  mineralization  of  porphyry 
and  syenite  in  parts  of  the  area  that  extend  through 
the  southerly  part  of  Kirkland  Lake.  This  is  apart 
from  that  mineralization  which  occurs  with  the  com- 
mercial ore-bodies.  The  long  crosscuts  connecting 
Nos  1  and  2  veins  on  the  200  ft.  and  400  ft.  levels 
at  the  I^ake  Shore  mine  are  through  these  rocks.  The 
assay  plans  show  numerous  assays  of  gold  from  traces 
up  to  40  cents  with  occasional  higher  assays  of  rock  in 
the  cross-cuts.  This  rock  when  examined  closely  is  seen 
to  carry  minute  veiniets  of  quartz  with  disseminated 
iron  pyrites,  which  would  account  for  the  frequent  gold 
values.  Similar  low  values  are  shown  in  cross-cuts  at 
other  properties  away  from  the  veins,  indicating  a  gen 
eral  mineralization  of  much  of  these  intrusives  away 
from  the  recognized  veins  This  mineralization  is  pro- 
bably dependent  on  the  faulting  and  fracturing  pre- 
viously referred  to  along  the  central  zone,  and  not,  as 


Scale    of   Feet, 


Plan  of  Mining  Properties  at  Kirkland  Lake. 

might  at  first  be  supposed,  due  to  a  gold  distribution  at 
the  time  of  the  crystallization  of  the  intrusive  rock. 

Character  of  Gold  Deposits. — The  early  develop- 
ment of  the  Kirkland  Lake  area  was  chietiy  at  the 
Tough-Oakes  mine,  where  a  number  of  narrow  gold- 
bearing  veins  were  discovered.  The  most  important 
was  No.  2,  which,  at  the  surface,  carried  extremely 
high  grade  ore  over  a  width  of  2  to  6  in  in  the  con- 
glomerate, the  vein  fissure  being  largely  filled  with 
quartz.  Development  proved  that  the  vein  ran  from 
the  conglomerate  into  the  porphyry  on  the  surface 
and  at  depth,  and  by  far  (he  greater  part  of  the  gold 
extraction  has  come  from  the  ore-shoot  in  the  porphyry. 
While  the  high-grade  quartz  vein  in  the  conglomerate 
carried  most  of  the  values  with  mill  ore  in  the  waM-rock 
affording  a  narrow  compact  ore  deposit,  when  it  entered 
the  porphyry  the  quartz  occurred  usually  in  narrower 
veiniets  spread  across  a  greater  width  with  much  frac- 
turing of  the  porphyry  along  the  vein.  Consequently 
most  of  the  ore  in  the  porphyry  is  fractured  porphyry 
with  numerous  slip  planes,  along  which  quartz,  calcite, 
and  ore-bearing  minerals  have  been  deposited,  afford- 
ing a  greater  width  of  ore  than  in  the  conglomerate. 
The  slopes  on  the  vein  average  about  5  ft.  in  width. 
Development  on  other  veins  on  the  property  also  indi- 
cated that  they  contained  narrow  ore-bodies  either  in 
the  porphyry  or  greywack<^  and  conglomerate 

The  early  exploration  farther  west  along  the  mineral- 
ized zone  did  not  meet  with  such  satisfactory  results, 
the  veins  in  the  conglomerate  and  porphyry  along  the 
surface  not  showing  such  high-grade  ore  as  occurred 
at  the  Tough-Oakes,  with  the  exception  of  the  north 
vein  at  theWright-Hargreaves,  which  produced  a  small 
amount  of  high-grade  ore  when  it  was  operated  for  a 
short  time  in  1913. 

The  main  fracture  zone,  or  main  vein,  which  for 
most  of  its  length  is  in  low  ground  or  under  the  bed  of 
Kirkland  Lake,  was  difficult  to  prospect,  and  only  after 


114 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


several  years  of  work  has  il  been  proved  lo  be  llie  locus 
of  ihe  principal  ore  deposition.  Much  of  the  previous 
work  was  done  on  parallel  or  subsidiary  and  narrower 
veins.  In  the  main  fracture  the  ore  deposits  have  been 
found  to  be  wider  than  had  been  expected,  reaching 
in  places  40  ft.  in  width,  but  as  a  general  rule  running 
from  about  5  ft.  to  15  ft   in  width. 

Strictly  speaking;  the  ore-bearing  deposits  should  be 
called  lodes  or  composite  veins  formed  under  strong 
compressive  forces,  with  the  solutions  following  open- 
ings along  fracture  planes  in  an  irregular  manner  and 
partly  replacing  the  country  rock  adjacent  to  the  frac- 
tured planes.  The  stringers  and  masses  of  quartz  inter- 
mingled with  the  fractured  porphyry  or  other  rock 
generally  lie  in  the  direction  of  the  vein  or  lode,  but  are 
often  connected  by  transverse  stringers.  The  replace- 
ment character  of  the  ore  is  frequently  recognized  by 
massesof  quartz  spotted  with  remnants  of  red  porphyry  ; 
this  ore  has  a  faint  reddish  colour  due  to  the  included 
porphyry.  In  other  cases  masses  of  ore  are  bright  red 
porphyry  or  syenite  with  very  thin  seams  of  quartz  that 
are  hardly  recognizable.  Thelenses  of  quartz  are  some- 
times several  feet  wide  in  portions  of  an  ore  deposit  and 
contain  much  visible  gold  together  with  tellurides,  py- 
rite.  copper  pyrites,  molybdenite,  etc.  Some  of  the  ore 
shows  very  little  vein  quartz,  and  specimens  of  altered 
red  syenite  from  the  Lake  Shore  mine  have  been  found 
to  contain  grains  of  gold  in  the  secondary  minerals,  cal- 
cite,  and  sericite  intermingled  with  the  original  felspars 
of  the  rock.  Mining  operations  at  the  Kirkland  Lake 
mine,  October,  1920,  have  indicated  promising  ore  at  a 
depth  of  900  ft.  where  the  same  general  mineralization 
has  been  encountered. 

Minerals  in  Kirkland  Lake  Veins. — The  oldest 
mineral  in  the  veins,  apart  from  the  rock-forming 
minerals,  is  a  coarsely  crystalline  quartz.  Usually 
this  quartz  has  been  broken  up  and  other  miner- 
als deposited  in  the  fracture  planes.  Of  these  there 
is  quartz,  often  of  a  somewhat  darker  colour  than 
that  6rst  deposited.  Carbonates  of  various  com- 
position are  present  in  the  veins.  A  pink  carbonate 
proved  on  analysis  to  be  calcite  with  534%  of  r°ag- 
nesium  carbonate  ;  a  grey  variety  is  ankerite.  There 
have  been  different  periods  of  fracturing.  Some  of  the 
quartz  is  later  than  the  carbonates.  Where  there  have 
been  inclusions  of  country  rock  in  the  vein  and  replace- 
ment, some  sericite  has  been  developed.  Chlorite  also 
occurs  as  a  vein  material.  Iron  pyrites  is  the  most 
abundant  of  the  sulphides,  being  found  both  in  the  wall- 
rock  and  in  the  veins,  usually  in  well  crystallized  forms. 
Some  of  the  pyrite  in  the  vein  is  in  fine  grains.  Copper 
pyrites  occurs  lo  some  extent,  generally  where  the  vein 
is  gold-bearing.  Galena  and  zinc  blende  occur  in  very 
small  quantity.  The  latter  material  has  been  observed 
in  small  incrustation  veinlets,  which  are  later  than  the 
ore.  Molybdenite  has  been  deposited  abundantly  in 
fractures,  usually  as  a  thin  film.  Graphite  has  been  re- 
cognized in  some  of  the  ore.  This  mineral,  when  in 
thin  films,  is  difficult  to  distinguish  from  molybdenite. 
Crushed  iron  pyri  tes  along  slip  planes  has  also  produced 
a  bright  blackish  deposit  that  resembles  molybdenite 
or  graphite.  Gold-bearing  solutions  have  circulated 
along  ihese  planes,  and  the  veins  have  been  enriched 
by  the  deposition  of  gold  in  these  later  fractures  Later 
movements  have  often  occurred  along  these  planes,  and 
the  gold,  altaite,  and  other  tellurides,  pynte,  copper 
pyrites,  molybdenite,  and  graphite  deposited  along  the 
planes  have  been  crushed  and  polished  or  slickensided. 
In  some  cases  the  gold  has  been  deposited  after  the 
slickensides  have  been  formed,  since  veinlets  of  the 
metal  have  been  observed  on  the  200  ft.  level  of  the 
Tough-Oakes  mine  cutting  across  the  smooth  planes  of 


the  molybdenite  One  of  the  latest  minerals  with  white 
calcite  along  fault  planes  is  barite  of  a  deep  red  colour, 
observed  at  the  Teck-llughes  and  Lake  Shore  mines. 
Several  tellurides  have  been  recognized  in  ore  from 
the  Kirkland  Lake  area  The  most  abundant  lelluride 
is  altaite  (I'bTe),  telluride  of  lead,  which  has  been  re- 
cognized in  ore  from  all  the  mines  in  the  central  zone 
This  mineral  is  readily  recognized  by  the  well  developed 
cubical  cleavage  and  brilliant  cleavage  planes.  It  has 
a  very  faint  greenish  tinge,  which  aids  in  recognizing  it 
in  fine  grains.  This  mineral  is  usually  accompanied  by 
visible  gold  and  its  presence  often  indicates  high  grade 
portions  of  the  vein.  Telluride  of  gold,  calaverite 
(AuTe.^),  has  only  been  recognized  in  ore  from  No.  3 
vein  at  the  Tough-Oakes  mine  Specimens  from  this 
vein  show  calaverite  in  quite  coarse  grains  and  readily 
recognizable.  The  mineral  is  of  a  pale  brassy,  almost 
white  colour,  brittle  and  quite  soft.  It  resembles  pale- 
coloured  iron  pyrites,  but  is  much  softer.  The  mineral 
on  assay  yielded  40  G%  gold.  This  mineral  is  probably 
sparsely  distributed  in  the  ore,  but  if  in  very  fine  grains 
would  be  difficult  to  recognize  in  hand  specimens. 
Black  tellurides  carrying  mercuryhave  been  recognized 
recently  in  specimens  from  the  Tough-Oakes  mine. 
One  of  these  corresponds  to  kalgoorlite,  a  telluride  of 
gold,  silver,  and  mercury.  An  analysis  of  selected 
material  by  W.  K.  McNeill  gave  the  following  composi- 
tion :  Au20  40%,  Ag3ri%.  Hg  10  2%  Another  tel- 
luride contains  mercury  and  tellurium  with  no  gold  or 
silver  and  is  coloradoite.  These  mercury-bearing  tel- 
lurides were  definitely  recognized  in  polished  surfaces 
by  means  of  the  microscope  and  by  chemical  and  blow- 
pipe tests.  A  mercury  telluride.  probably  coloradoite, 
also  occurs  in  specimens  of  ore  from  No  2  vein  at  (he 
Lake  Shore  mine.  The  mineral  is  here  associated  with 
native  gold,  altaite,  pyrite,  and  copper  pyrites.  The 
tellurides,  tetradymite  (telluride  of  bismuth),  and  hess- 
ite  (telluride  of  silver;,  have  been  reported  from  No.  2 
vein  of  the  Tough-Oakes  mine,  but  have  not  been  re- 
cognized by  the  authors. 

Examination  of  a  number  of  thin  sections  of  ore  from 
the  Kirkland  Lake  area  shows  that  the  vein  material 
has  been  much  brecciated.  Fragments  of  porphyry, 
syenite,  conglomerate,  or  greywacke.  depending  on  the 
character  of  the  wall-rock,  are  enclosed  in  vein  materials, 
which  are  chiefly  quartz  with  calcite  and  dolomite. 
Replacement  of  the  various  rocks  by  quartz  is  also  in 
evidence.  The  coarsely  crystallized  quartz  of  the  first 
generation  is  fractured,  and  the  fracture  filled  with 
later  quartz,  calcite,  and  dolomite  The  principal  sul- 
phide and  telluride  minerals  occur  chiefly  with  the  finer- 
grained  material  in  the  minute  fracture  planes  in  the 
quartz  and  altered  rock.  An  interlacing  meshwork  of 
metallic  sulphides  and  tellurides  with  native  gold  is  fre- 
quently observed  Wherever  the  tellurides  occur, 
native  gold  is  usually  recognized  in  grains  close  to  the 
telluride  grains.  Grains  of  gold  are  seen  in  the  tellu- 
rides, and  again  minute  veinlets  of  gold  sometimes  tra- 
verse coarse  masses  of  telluride.  The  crystallized  cal- 
cite frequently  contains  gold  that  has  been  deposited 
along  the  rhombic  cleavage  planes.  The  contact  of 
fragments  of  porphyry  or  other  rocks  with  quartz  is 
usually  a  place  for  concentration  of  the  sulphides,  tel- 
lurides. and  gold.  Replacement  of  the  rock  is  recog- 
nized by  a  gradual  transition  to  quartz  and  other  later 
minerals.  Native  gold  has  been  observed  in  contact 
with  telluride.  molybdenite,  pyrite.  and  copper  pyrites. 
A  section  of  high-grade  ore  from  the  Kirkland  Lake 
mine  shows  quartz  in  contact  sviih  altered  syenite. 
There  is  a  concentration  of  pyrite  and  tellurides  with 
gold  along  the  contact  of  quartz  and  rock  and  also  in 
the  quartz,  which  is  fractured  and  carries  fine-grained 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


115 


quartz  and  calcite  in  the  fracture  planes.  There  isabun- 
dantsericiteand  carbonate  in  the  altered  rock.  A  black- 
ish mineral  in  very  thin  films  is  believed  to  be  molyb- 
denite. Asampleof  high-gradeorefrom  KirklandLake 
mine,  containing  21'42  oz.  of  gold  per  ton,  has  the  fol- 


lowing partial  composition  :  Fe  1  65%,  MoSo  034%, 
S065%,  C  0  09%,  Te  010%.  This  analysis  shows 
the  presence  of  both  molybdenite  and  graphite  in  the 
ore. 

(To  be  continued). 


SULPHUR   IN   SOUTH   AFRICA. 


The  South  African  Journal  of  Industries  for  No- 
vember contains  a  report  by  T.  G.  Trevor.  Inspector 
of  Mines,  on  the  production  and  consumption  of  sul- 
phur in  South  Africa.  The  demand  for  sulphur  in 
South  Africa  is  great,  both  in  its  elemental  form  for 
vine  dressing,  etc.,  and  as  sulphuric  acid  for  the  manu- 
facture of  explosives,  fertilizers,  and  many  other  at 
present  smaller  chemical  industries.  The  imports  in 
1917  were:  sulphur,  899  tons  ;  pyrites,  18,465  tons; 
sulphuric  acid,  37,435  lb.  The  prices  were  approxi- 
mately ;f  10  per  ton  for  sulphur,  £3.  9s.  for  pyrites,  and 
4id.  per  lb.  for  sulphuric  acid.  In  1913,  before  the 
war,  the  quantities  were  as  follow  :  sulphur,  2,672 
tons;  pyrites.  22.903  tons  ;  sulphuric  acid,  291,9761b. 
The  following  were  the  approximate  values  :  sulphur 
£6.  83  per  ton,  pyrites  £2.  13s.  per  ton,  sulphuric  acid 
4  2d.  per  lb. 

In  1918  it  was  reported  that  there  were  three  explo- 
sives factories,  one  chemical,  and  one  fertilizer  works 
in  the  country,  which  were  producing  sulphuric  acid 
for  their  own  needs,  producing  it  lor  trade  when  they 
get  the  necessary  pyrites  and  convenient  railway  facili- 
ties. Two  large  by-product  works  were  then  starting 
and  more  will  doubtless  follow  ;  these  also  will  need 
either  to  buy  or  to  make  their  own  acid.  The  names 
and  addresses  of  the  above-mentioned  works  and  the 
essential  details  about  them  in  August.  1920,  are  given 
in  the  accompanying  table.  The  Cape  Explosives 
Company  do  not  at  present  accept  gold-bearing  pyrites. 
The  other  companies  purchase  the  gold  contents  at 
their  current  value  less  certain  agreed  charges.  It  will 
be  seen  from  the  table  that  the  present  demand  for  py- 
rites is  1,650  tons  per  month,  and  in  fifteen  months' 
time  It  may  be  3.500  tons.  It  is  more  than  likely  that 
this  demand  will  increase  by  leaps  and  bounds,  for  the 
enormous  quantities  of  low-grade  cheap  coal  in  the 
country,  which  contains  a  high  percentage  of  nitrogen, 
is  already  attracting  world  wide  notice,  and,  given  a 
cheap  source  of  sulphuric  acid,  the  fertilizer  industry 
is  capable  of  indefinite  expansion  ;  other  industries  also 
are  daily  springing  up,  most  of  which  need  the  acid. 
It  is  therefore  necessary  to  study  the  question  of  the 


possible  sources  of  supply. 

Native  sulphur  occurs  in  small  quantities,  probably 
as  a  product  of  the  decomposition  of  pyrites,  in  the 
cavities  of  honeycombed  quartz  in  the  mines  of  Pil- 
grims Rest.  It  has  also  been  found  occurring  in  some 
of  the  rocks  of  the  coastal  belt  near  Port  St.  Johns, 
but  so  far  as  is  known  neither  of  these  occurrences  is, 
or  is  likely  to  be,  of  any  commercial  importance. 
From  the  coastal  plain  at  Walvis  Bay  a  sample  of  na- 
tive sulphur,  a  few  pounds  in  weight,  has  recently  been 
received  by  the  Geological  Survey  Department.  This 
appears  to  be  native  sulphur  mixed  with  sand.  It  burns 
freely,  and  evidently  contains  at  least  50%  of  sulphur. 
It  is  said  to  occur  from  Walvis  Bay  southward  to  Con- 
ception Bay  in  surface  agglomerations  in  the  same  sands 
that  carry  the  diamonds  The  occurrence  was  brought 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  De  Beers  Company  some  years 
ago.  but  that  company  did  not  interest  itself  in  it. 
considering  the  quantities  to  be  too  small,  though  its 
agents  estimated  that  some  90  tons  might  be  collected 
from  the  visible  deposits.  The  occurrence,  however, 
has  not  been  scientifically  investigated,  and.  in  view  of 
the  extraordinary  developments  which  have  attended 
the  following  of  somewhat  similar  surface  occurrences 
in  Texas,  it  certainly  merits  closer  attention.  For  the 
time  being,  however,  it  must  be  admitted  that  the  Union 
is  void  of  any  known  deposit  that  is  likely  to  develop 
into  a  profitable  sulphur  mine. 

Up  to  1915,  when  the  war  began  to  curtail  the  sup- 
ply of  foreign  sulphur  and  pyrites,  there  had  never  been 
any  demand  or  inquiry  for  pyrites  in  South  Africa,  with 
the  result  that  no  one  had  ever  sought  for  it.  or  recorded 
its  occurrence  if  found  in  prospecting  for  other  metals. 
A  lode  or  deposit  of  massive  pyrites  never  appears  on 
the  surface,  except  as  an  outcrop  of  barren  ferruginous 
gossan.  There  are  many  such  known  to  the  author  in 
the  Transvaal,  and  there  must  be  many  more,  but,  as 
they  show  nothing  in  the  pan  to  the  prospector,  and 
as  pyrites  of  itself  was  formerly  of  no  value,  they  have 
never  been  opened,  and,  with  oneexception,  no  massive 
pyrites  is  yet  known  in  the  Union.  The  exception 
mentioned  is  the  Areachap  copper  mine,  situated  some 


Producers  of   Sulphuric  Acid  in   South   Africa. 


Process 
used 

Kilns 

adapted 

for 

Minimum 
Sulphur 
content 
accept- 
able 

Maximum 
Arsenic 
content 
accept- 
able 

Quantity 

of  Pyrites 

used  per 

Month 

Maximum 
Quantity  of 

Pyrites 
needed  per 

Month 

Quantity 

of  Sulphur 

used  per 

Month 

Maximum 
Quantity  of 

Sulphur 

needed  per 

Month 

% 

% 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

B.S.A.  Explosives  Works. 

Chamber  and 

Sulphur  and 

43M5 

0'5 

200-220 

200-220 

130 

130 

Modderfontein 

Contact 

Concentrates 

Natal  Ammonium  Co., 

Chamber 

Concentrates 

35 

10 

250-300 

300 

None 

None 

Mt.  Newibi.  Natal 

New  Transvaal  Chemical 

Chamber 

Sulphur  and 

38 

0  1 

200 

300-500 

Varying 

Varying 

Company.  Delmore 

Concentrates 

Cape   Explosives  Works, 

Contact 

Sulphur  and 

45 

025 

None  at 

In  8  months, 

200 

200 

Somerset    West,    Cape 

(Proposed  to 

Concentrates 

present 

Province 

erect 
Chamber) 

In  15  months. 
1.500 

Kynochs  Ltd..  Umbogint- 

Contact  and 

Lump  and 

35 

O'l 

1.000 

l.OOD 

None 

None 

wini,  Natal 

Chamber 

Concentrates 

2—6 


116 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


28  miles  from  Upington  anil  10  miles  from  the  railway. 
This  mine  was  discovered  in  1>J0(>  and  closed  down  in 
1909.  It  was  reopened  on  the  advent  of  the  railway 
to  the  neighbourhood  in  1916,  but  aKam  closed  down  m 
1917  In  the  first  period  an  attempt  was  made  to  run 
the  Areachap  solely  a<  a  copper  mine.  In  the  second 
period  attempts  were  made  to  establish  a  trade  in  pv- 
rites.  Some  few  hundreds  of  tons  were  supplied  to  the 
explosives  factories,  and  the  ore  was  found  to  be  en- 
tirely suitable  for  burning,  but  the  expenses  were  so 
great  that  there  was  no  profit  in  it  (or  the  mine.  If  a 
railwav  siding  were  constructed  to  the  mine,  which 
could  be  done  at  an  estimated  cost  of  /17.000.  and  the 
mine  were  properly  developed  and  eciuipped,  it  seems 
well  within  the  bounds  of  possibility  that  the  mine 
would  prove  to  be  the  permanent  and  reliable  source 
of  pyrites  which  is  needed  ;  but  in  the  meantime  the 
railway  waits  on  the  development  of  the  mine,  and  the 
mine  waits  on  the  construction  of  the  railway. 

The  average  of  assays  of  Areachap  ore  delivered  to 
Messrs.  Kynoch  in  1915  was  sulphur  3iS9% ,  and 
arsenic  011%,  but  in  many  other  assays  the  arsenic 
appears  as  nil.  On  the  surface  the  outcrop  of  this  lode 
shows  as  a  ferruginous  gossan  of  great  extent,  being 
50  ft.  wide  and  1.450  ft.  in  length.  Small  masses  of 
native  copper  and  some  nodules  and  bunches  of  copper 
sulphide  occurred  in  this  gossan.  A  main  shaft  was 
sunk  to  the  depth  of  295  ft.  and  several  other  shafts  to 
lesser  depths,  but  no  iron  pyrites  was  found  above  the 
200  ft.  level.  Down  to  that  level  the  ore  was  com- 
pletely oxidized  to  gossan.  The  iron  pyrites  begins  at 
200  ft.,  and  at  223  ft.  the  lode,  inclusive  of  some  horses, 
is  said  to  be  50  ft  wide  and  to  consist  of  massive  py- 
rites assaying  39%  sulphur.  Such  a  mass  of  pyrites 
would,  underordinary  circumstances,  be  of  great  value, 
but,  situated  as  it  is — 10  miles  from  the  railway  and 
more  from  fresh  water  and  many  hundreds  of  miles 
from  anywhere  where  the  product  can  be  economically 
used — it  has  so  many  difficulties  to  overcome  that  the 
price  of  the  pyrites  at  the  point  of  use  can  never  be  as 
low  as  is  desirable  in  competition  with  the  imported 
article. 

Though  the  Union  is.  for  the  present  at  all  events, 
void  of  satisfactory  workable  deposits  of  massive  py- 
rites, yet  disseminated  pyrites  is  common  throughout 
all  the  older  formations,  and  plentiful  in  all  the  gold- 
bearing  rocks  and  in  most  of  the  coal  mines.  It  is  from 
these  sources  that  the  present  local  supply  of  pyrites 
for  the  South  African  factories  is  being  derived,  and 
this  source  of  supply  seems  to  be  capable  of  great  ex- 
pansion to  the  advantage  of  the  gold  and  coal  mines. 

The  coal  in  the  working  coal  mines  of  the  Transvaal 
and  Natal  contains  an  average  of  about  15%  sulphur 
in  the  form  of  pyrites;  this  equals  say  3%  pyrites. 
For  the  ordinary  coal  trade  it  is  not  necessary  to  elimi- 
nate this,  but  for  making  metallurgical  coke  it  is  im- 
perative that  the  coal  should  have  as  low  a  sulphur 
content  as  possible.  One  large  and  several  small  cok- 
ing plants  are  now  being  erected,  and  the  demand  for 
coke  by  the  Pretoria  iron  mines  alone,  on  the  estimated 
output  of  300  tons  of  iron  per  day,  will  be  some  350 
tons  per  day — say  10.500  tons  per  month.  This  coke 
will  take  for  its  formation — including  the  loss  in  sort- 
ing and  washing — probably  18.000  tons  of  coal.  Over 
and  above  the  demands  of  the  Pretoria  iron  mines  it  is 
likely  that  there  will  be  an  almost  equal  general  de- 
mand, and  it  will  not  be  an  exaggeration  to  say  that  in 
the  course  of  the  next  year  or  two  30.000  tons  of  coal 
per  month  will  be  coked  in  the  country.  Allowing  that 
half  the  pyrites,  or  say  1'5%,  is  recoverable  in  the 
washing  plants,  this  will  yield  a  supply  of  some  450 
tons  of  pyrites  per  month,  and.  as  this  will  be  a  by- 


product, its  cost  to  the  acid  factories  should  be  well 
within  the  economic  limits 

All  the  gold  ores  in  the  country,  with  the  exception 
of  the  free  milling  ores  in  the  oxidized  outcrops,  are 
charged  with  disseminated  pyrites,  and  this  pyrites  in- 
variably carries  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  gold 
In  the  banket  reefs  of  the  Hand,  this  amount  is  com 
monly  about  3"i.  and  aboiu  2  5'!,,  could  be  reckoned 
on  in  the  tailing  dumps.  This  pyrites  also  carries  a 
consideralile  value  in  gold,  though  it  is  a  mistake  to 
consider  that  all  the  gold  lost  in  the  tailings  is  contained 
in  it.  The  author  is  informed  that  some  years  ago 
Professor  Stanley  investigated  the  (piestion  of  concen 
trating  these  dumps  and  extracting  the  sulphur  and 
gold  from  the  concentrates,  but  came  to  the  definite 
conclusion  that  in  so  far  as  the  Main  Reef  dumps  went 
it  was  not  a  payable  proposition.  On  the  Hlack  Keef , 
however,  near  where  the  outcrop  of  the  reef  is  crossed 
by  the  Natal  Spruit,  there  were  several  old  mine  dumps 
which  contained  upwards  of  20%  sulphides,  and  in  the 
Klerksdorp  district  the  Machavie  mine  gave  an  ore 
carrying  an  equal  amount.  l''or  the  last  ten  years  and 
more  this  source  of  supply  has  been  dr,awn  upon  by  the 
New  Transvaal  Chemical  Company  for  their  sulphuric 
acid  works,  and  latterly  some  has  also  been  supplied  to 
Kynochs  and  the  Natal  Ammonium  Company.  Un- 
fortunately the  dumps  are  now  worked  out  and  the  sup 
ply  from  the  Machavie  mine  became  too  cosily,  and 
that  mine  has  had  to  closedown.  About  1906  the  so- 
called  Sandstone  Reef  at  the  Sabie  was  discovered. 
This  is  an  interbedded  quartz  reef  in  the  sandstone 
lying  between  the  Black  Reef  and  the  dolomites.  Usu- 
ally it  is  up  to  3  ft.  in  width  and  carries  up  to  7  dwt. 
gold  and  25%  pyritic  material.  A  good  many  small 
mines  have  since  then  been  worked  on  this  reef. 

In  1916  the  surviving  mines,  which  had  been  worked 
with  some  small  degree  of  success  by  their  owner- 
managers,  became  aware  of  the  possible  value  of  the 
pyrites  in  their  tailings,  and  negotiations  were  entered 
into  with  the  explosives  companies,  A  good  deal  of 
difficulty  attended  these  negotiations  :  the  owners  did 
not  wish  to  go  to  the  expense  of  concentrating  plants 
unless  the  explosives  companies  would  contract  to  buy 
the  concentrates  ;  the  explosives  companies  did  not 
wish  to  alter  their  plants  to  burn  fines  or  to  accept  a 
contract  unless  they  were  first  satisfied  that  the  other 
parties  were  really  in  a  position  to  keep  their  contract 
over  a  period  of  years.  This  difficulty  has  now  been 
overcome,  and  the  following  mines  are  turning  out  a 
regular  supply,  much  to  their  profit,  and  other  mines 
are  preparing  to  do  so  too  :  Ceylon-Lydenburg.  67  tons 
pyrites  per  month  ;  Buchanan  Syndicate.  156  Ions  py- 
rites ;  JoUie  Bright,  105  tons  pyrites.  These  figures 
are  for  July.  1920  The  terms  on  which  the  concen- 
trates are  purchased  are  approximately  as  follow  : 
The  purchasers  pay  30s  per  short  ton  for  concentrates 
carrying  45%  sulphur  f.o.r.  Sabie;  the  gold  contents 
to  be  extracted  by  the  purchaser  and  to  be  the  property 
of  the  sellers.  6s  per  ton  being  deducted  for  extraction 
charges.  All  by-products  which  may  be  discovered  in 
the  pyrites  to  be  shared  equally  by  both  parties.  As 
these  concentrates  usually  carry  over  10  dwt.  of  gold, 
and  in  many  cases  double  that  quantity,  it  is  obvious 
that  this  demand  for  pyrites  has  been  very  much  to  the 
advantage  of  the  mine-owners,  who  are  receiving  64s. 
per  ton  or  more  for  concentrates  which  were  formerly 
lost,  merely  at  the  additional  cost  of  concentration, 
which  must  equal  a  value  of  about  10s.  to  12s  per  ton 
on  the  rock  crushed,  and  this  advantage  has  enabled 
them  to  continue  working  profitably  when  otherwise 
the  increased  cost  of  stores,  etc.,  in  the  past  two  years 
would  probably  have  led  to  some  of  them  at  least  clos- 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


117 


ing  down.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  explosives 
companies,  though  their  position  has  been  greatly  re- 
lieved by  the  local  supply  of  pyritic  sulphur,  are  not  in 
such  a  satisfactory  state  as  they  were  before  the  war, 
and  that  for  a  long  time  a  struggle  will  go  on  between 
the  consumers  and  the  producers  before  a  stable  price 
is  arrived  at.  The  Rietfontein  mine,  though  not  on  the 
Sandstone  Reef,  produces,  say,  5%  concentrates  carry- 
ing up  to  3  oz  of  gold  to  the  ton.  This  mine  formerly 
had  great  difficulties  with  its  extraction,  but  these  have 
now  been  overcome  by  selling  the  concentrates  on  terms 
similar  to  the  above. 

In  1919  these  mmes  were  supplying  about  400  tons 
of  pyrites  per  month.  This  supply  can,  and  probably 
will  be  increased  to  about  1,000  tons,  but  even  then  the 
present  demand,  which  is  not  less  than  1,650  tons,  will 
not  be  satisfied,  and  the  question  must  be  asked  how 
can  this  deficit  be  made  up  and  provision  for  the  in- 
creased demand  which  is  sure  to  arise  be  made  Fail- 
ing the  discovery  of  massive  pyrites  it  is  possible  that 
the  demand  may  be  met  by  the  mines  of  the  Barber- 
ton  district.  Practically  all  the  mines  of  that  district 
are  pyritic,  and  there  are  many  reefs  and  deposits 
which  have  never  been  worked  because  they  were  so 
pyritic  that  there  was  little  chance  of  their  paying  as 
free- milling  propositions.  The  Sheba  mine  of  late 
years  has  been  entirely  a  concentration  proposition, 
and  about  300  tons  of  concentrates  were  produced 
monthly,  but  the  local  treatment  was  not  profitable. 
The  mine  has  now  reopened,  and  is,  or  shortly  will  be, 
again  in  a  position  to  produce  these  concentrates,  and 
if  these  can  be  sold  somewhat  on  the  same  terms  as 
those  from  the  Sabie  the  question  of  the  payability  of 
the  mine  will  be  largely  solved.  Unfortunately,  how- 
ever, these  concentiates  contain  a  considerable  per- 
centage of  arsenic,  which  is  almost  absent  in  those  from 
the  Sabie,  which  contain  only  001  to  0  14%,  and  the 
consuming  companies  are  loth  to  use  it,  as  so  far  they 
have  been  able  to  either  import  or  obtain  locally  py- 
rites low  m  arsenic  For  the  contact  process  it  is  true 
that  arsenic  is  very  undesirable,  as  even  very  small 
quantities  have  extremely  detrimental  results,  and  must 


be  eliminated  during  the  process  ;  but  for  the  chamber 
process  there  are  quite  sufficiently  satisfactory  dearseni- 
cating  processes  which  are  not  particularly  costly,  and 
it  appears  that  when  once  pyrites  containing  1%  or  so 
of  arsenic  is  accepted,  a  supply  quite  equal  to  the  de- 
mand might  be  obtained  from  the  Barberton  district. 
Unfortunately  the  claims  in  this  district  are  all  in  the 
hands  of  small  men,  who  cannot  afford  to  develop  on 
pyrites  unless  they  can  first  get  a  firm  offer  for  their 
product.  The  consumers  are  not  likely  to  give  this, 
and  in  order  to  give  it  go  to  the  preliminary  expense  of 
adding  a  dearsenicating  process  to  their  plant,  unless 
they  are  certain  of  a  fixed  and  reliable  supply.  The 
properties  at  Barberton,  which  the  author  has  in  mind 
as  possible  producers  of  auriferous  pyrites,  are  as  fol- 
low :  (1)  Mount  Morgan  mine.  Moodies  ;  concentrates 
15%  to  29%,  gold  in  original  ore  believed  to  be  not 
less  than  8dwt.  (2)  North  Star  mine;  concentrates 
20%  to  25%,  gold  in  original  ore  believed  to  be  not 
less  than  5  dwt.  (3)  French  Bobs  mine  ;  concentrates 
25%  to  30%,  gold  in  original  ore  believed  to  be  not 
less  than  4  dwt.,  much  arsenic,  etc.  (4)  Golden  Hill 
claims;  concentrates  20%,  gold  in  original  ore  be- 
lieved to  be  not  less  than  5  dwt.  (5)  Eagles  Nest  mine  ; 
portion  carries  20%  concentrates,  gold  in  original  ore 
believed  to  be  not  less  than  5  dwt.  But,  among  the 
old  and  abandoned  claims,  which  were  abandoned  be- 
cause there  was  too  little  gold  and  too  much  pyrites, 
and  of  which  no  record  has  been  kept,  there  must  be 
many  others,  and  the  subject  is  one  which  he  believes 
would  thoroughly  repay  investigation  hi  loco  by  any 
of  the  prospective  consumers.  It  will  not  be  sufficient 
for  them  merely  to  express  their  desire  for  such  con- 
centrates and  to  wait  until  sellers  come  forward  with 
them,  for  mining  in  Barberton  is  at  such  a  low  ebb  at 
present  that  there  are  not  enough  well-to-do  miners  and 
prospectors  left  to  take  advantage  of  such  an  offer.  It 
will  be  necessary  to  send  a  competent  engineer  to  the 
district  to  investigate  every  deposit  that  can  be  heard 
of  and  to  make  arrangements  for  having  such  proved 
as  seem  most  suitable.  It  will  be  impossible  to  em- 
bark on  any  scheme  of  development  otherwise. 


REPAIRING   LENS  COLLIERIES   BY   CEMENTATION. 


In  December,  H  Standish  Ball  read  a  paper  before 
the  South  Wales  Institute  of  Engineerson  the  Francois 
cementation  process  as  applied  to  mining  In  the  course 
of  this  paper  the  author  described  the  repairing  of  shafts 
in  the  Lens  district  in  northern  France  after  the  retire- 
ment of  the  German  armies. 

As  a  result  of  the  British  victory  on  the  Vimy  Ridge 
on  April  9,  1917,  a  large  number  of  the  collieries  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Lens  were  recaptured  from  the  Ger- 
mans, and  a  military  engineer  was  immediately  in- 
structed to  carry  out  an  investigation  and  ascertain 
whether  there  was  an  underground  communication 
with  Lens,  that  town  being  still  in  hostile  hands.  Fosse 
11  was  the  first  pit  examined  within  a  few  days  after 
the  German  retirement.  On  reaching  the  heap  of  de- 
bris representing  the  surface  plant  a  roaring  sound  was 
heard,  apparently  proceeding  from  the  depths  of  the 
shaft.  A  small  party  was  formed,  and  after  some  diffi- 
culty succeeded  in  descending  the  shaft  for  a  certain 
distance  The  noise  was  found  to  be  caused  by  water 
pouring  through  a  cavity  in  the  tubbing  some  sixteen 
feet  square.  Through  this  cavity  the  water  was  pour- 
ing at  the  rate  of  many  thousand  gallons  a  minute. 
The  break  in  the  tubbing  occurred  about  sixty  yards 
from  the  surface,  and  some  distance  below  the  per- 
manent chalk  water-level.  Traces  of  German  handi- 
work were  apparent,   being  represented  by  a  kibble 


used  by  their  demolition  party,  electric  leads,  &c.  So 
rapidly  were  the  workings  of  the  mine  flooded  that,  in 
spite  of  the  shaft  being  some  340  yards  deep,  the  water 
rose  to  the  chalk  water-level  within  the  space  of  a  few 
days.  Ou  measuring  the  water-level  in  several  other 
pits  the  rise  was  found  to  be  constant,  proving  that  all 
the  eighteen  pits  of  the  Concession  de  Lens  w-ere 
flooded  ;  it  was  therefore  thought  probable  that  other 
shafts  had  been  treated  in  a  similar  manner  to  the  one 
mentioned.  This  was  found  to  be  the  case,  and  nego- 
tiations were  immediately  entered  into  by  the  French 
Government  with  various  English  firms  tosuppiv  pump- 
ing machinery  for  the  unwatering  of  these  pits  when 
once  the  breaks  had  been  sealed  off. 

Soon  after  the  conclusion  of  hostilities  Monsieur 
Franfois  %vas  entrusted  with  the  work  of  repairing 
several  of  the  shafts.  By  means  of  suitably  placed 
bore-holes  and  injections  of  cement  under  high  pres- 
sure the  water  flowing  into  these  shafts  was  sealed  off 
in  a  comparatively  short  time,  and  the  ultimate  re- 
covery of  the  coal  greatly  expedited.  The  procedure 
adopted  in  the  cementation  of  each  pit  differs  little  in 
detail  ;  it  is  therefore  only  proposed  to  deal  with  pit 
No.  11.  When  the  pit  was  originally  sunk,  a  very  large 
horizontal  fissure  was  encountered  at  a  depth  of  63 
yards,  a  certain  amount  of  difficulty  being  experienced 
in  dealing  with  the  great  amount  of  water.     This  fact 


118 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


was  taken  advantage  of  by  the  (".ermans,  for  a  cl)art;e 
was  CNplcded  in  (he  shaft  at  the  exact  depth  of  the  fis- 
sure, causing  holes  16  fi.  by  22  ft.  and  19  ft.  by  13  ft. 
to  be  blown  in  the  sides.  The  resuhing  rush  of  water 
has  been  already  mentioned,  and  it  was  this  break  in 
the  tubbing  and  consequent  flooding  of  the  mine  that 
had  to  be  dealt  witli  by  cementaiion. 

Kig.  1  shows  a  section  of  the  shaft,  giving  particulars 
of  the  shaft  lining,  ground,  and  position  where  the  tub- 
bing was  blown  out  by  explosion,  the  lower  charge 
having  been  exploded  previously  without  any  very  seri- 
ous result.  Fig  2  is  a  plan  of  the  cementation  holes, 
each  hole  having  been  bored  vertically  downward  to  a 
depth  of  125  yards,  to  ensure  its  reaching  below  the 
bottom  of  the  water-bearing  measures      The  diameter 


teresting,  ,is  on  referring  to   l-'ig.  2  they  show  clearly 
the  amount  of  cement  i.aken  up  by  the  fissure  : 


I 


T 


I — ^ : '—         '— T — ^ ^ 


r/SSt/^J    £00C  CJ'.I 


Com.  ^lasu/!£s 


"TTTTTTTTTy 

*CAST  IROfi  Tt/9SIM: 


J4i  roi 


Fig.  1.    Section  of  a  Shaft,  showing  Tubbing  destroyed 

BY  Explosion. 
High  Water  Mark  of  Permanent  Chalk  Water- Level  •IS  yds.: 
Low  Water  Mark  52  yds  ;  Tubbing  broken  by  Explosion  of 
Two  220  lb.  charges  shown  at  A, 

of  the  shaft  was  16  ft  ,  that  of  the  outside  circle  of 
holes  84  ft.,  and  the  inside  circle  67  ft  The  outside 
circle  was  injected  and  finished  before  the  inside 
one  was  commenced.  The  holes  were  treated  in 
pairs,  being  situated  on  opposite  sides  of  the  shaft,  the 
one  being  bored  while  the  other  was  being  injected. 
An  average  of  fourteen  irjections  was  found  necessary 
in  each  hole,  the  injection  commencing  at  a  depth  of 
39  yards  and  being  repeated  about  every  5  yards  down, 
whenever  water  was  being  made  in  the  hole.  A  total 
of  340  tons  of  cement  was  used  for  the  outer  holes  and 
101  tons  for  the  inner  ones.  When  injecting,  the  pres- 
sure was  not  allowed  to  rise  above  200  lb.  per  square 
inch,  this  being  found  ample  for  the  type  of  ground 
under  treatment.  One  foreman  and  eleven  men  were 
employed  on  each  shift,  the  total  time  taken  for  the 
completion  of  the  work  being  just  under  three  months. 
The  following  particulars  of  cement  injected  are  in- 


Cfnlrnt 

Cement 

Ceiiu'iit 

Mole. 

injected. 

Hole. 

injected. 

Hole. 

iii)<'CiL-d 

Ions. 

Ions, 

1  ons. 

1 

56 

9 

30 

17 

Hi 

■0 

51 

10 

34 

18 

8 

3 

19 

11 

8 

19 

5 

4 

19J 

12 

174 

20 

10 

5 

18 

13 

6* 

21 

8 

6 

41 

14 

4 

22 

24 

7 

40 

15 

8 

23 

i 

8 

33 

10 

20 

24 

14 

On  the  water-level  in  the  pit  falling  sufficiently  to 
allow  of  the  tubbing  break  being  examined  it  was  found 
that  the  How  of  water  had  been  completely  sealed  oh, 
and  in  the  place  of  the  (>. 000  gallons  per  minute  feeder 
which  was  visible  in  the  shaft  on  its  previous  examina- 
tion three  and  a  half  years  before,  there  was  now  only 
a  small  feeder  of  25  gallons  per  minute,  this  latter  be- 


FiG.  2.     Plan  oi-  Cementation  Holes  for  the  Repairing 

OF  Tubbing  Destroyed  by  Exi-losion. 

Diameter  of  Shift  16  It.  :  Diameter  of  Outside  RinB  of  Holes 

84ft.:   Diameter  of  Inside  RinB  of  Holes  68  ft  :    Depth  of 

Holes  360  ft. ;  Depth  of  Break  in  Tubbine  190  ft. 

ing  entirely  sealed  off  after  a  few  hours'  further  injec- 
tion. The  successful  treatment  of  the  pit  is  one  worthy 
of  record,  for  with  the  exception  of  the  fact  that  it  was 
known  that  the  tubbing  had  been  badly  broken  at  a 
vitally  important  part  and  that  the  shaft  and  neigh- 
bouring pits  were  completely  flooded  to  a  few  yards 
from  the  surface,  no  information  was  available  that  was 
of  any  assistance  in  the  preparation  of  the  scheme  of 
treatment.  The  majority  of  ihe  pits  were  damaged  by 
the  Germans  towards  ttie  end  of  1915,  and  in  conse- 
quence it  had  been  found  that  at  times  the  wooden 
tubbing  had  suffered  considerably.  In  such  cases  the 
affected  parts  were  treated  by  injection  from  the  inside 
of  the  shaft.  As  a  result  of  the  cementaiion  of  pit  No. 
11  and  other  pits  in  the  neighbourhood  it  was  possible 
to  start  pumping  operations  on  a  large  scale. 

Chemistry  of  the  Earth's  Crust.— The  Journal  of 

the  Franklin  Institute  for  December  contains  an  article 
with  this  title  written  by  Henry  S.  Washington,  petro- 
logist  of  the  petrological  laboratory  at  the  Carnegie 
Institution,  Washington.  After  brief  consideration  of 
the  interior  of  the  earth,  the  general  characters  of  ig- 
neous rocks  are  discussed,  and  the  presence  of  water 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


119 


vapour  and  other  gases  in  the  magma,  and  its  analogy 
with  a  salt  solution,  are  pointed  out.    In  the  discussion 
of  the  mineral  characters  of  rocks,  stress  is  laid  on  the 
fact  that  the  number  of  essential  rock-forming  minerals 
is  very  small.    These  are  mostly  silicates  of  Al,  Fe,  Mg, 
Ca.  Na,  and  K.     Any  two  or  more  of  these  minerals 
(with  two  exceptions)  may  occur  together  and  in  any 
proportions.    The  chemical  characters  of  igneous  rocks 
are  summarized,  and  the  ranges  and  maxima  of  the 
various  constituents  are  given.     The  average  igneous 
rock  is  considered  and,  after  some  discussion  of  the 
sources  of  error  involved  m  the  calculation,  a  new  aver- 
age in  terms  of  oxides  (ba^ed  on  5.179  analyses)  isgiven. 
The  average  rock  is  shown  to  be  approximately  a  grano- 
diorite.     The  average  composition  of  the  earth's  crust 
in  terms  of  elements  is  also  given.    Twelve  elements  (O, 
Si,  Al,  Fe,  Ca,  Na,  K,  Mg,  Ti,  H,  P,  and  Mn)  make  up 
9961%  of  the  crust.  .The  elements  are  referred  to  two 
main  groups  in  the  periodic  table  :   (1)  The  petrogenic 
elements,  characteristic  of,  and  most  abundant  in,  the 
igneous  rocks,  of  low  atomic  weight,  and  occurring 
normally  as  oxides,  silicates,  chlorides,  and  fluorides  ; 
(2)  the  metallogenic  elements,  rare  or  absent  in  igneous 
rocks,  but  occurring  as  ores,  of  high  atomic  weight, 
and  forming  in  nature  native   metals,   sulphides,  ar- 
senides, bromides,  etc.,  but  not  primarily  oxides  or  sili- 
cates.   The  suggestion  is  made  that  beneath  the  silicate 
crust  of  petrogenic  elements  is  a  zone  essentially  of 
nickel-iron,  and  beneath  fhisacentral  core  of  the  metal- 
logenic elements.    This  vertical  distribution  is  m  accord 
with  Abbot's  view  as  to  the  distribution  of  the  elements 
in  the  sun.    In  igneous  rocks  and  minerals  the  elements 
show  a  correlation,  in  that  certain  of  them  are  prone 
to  occur  with  others,  and  a  similar  limited  correlation 
is  apparently  true  of  the  animal  and  vegetable  king- 
doms.   The  idea  of  "comagmatic  regions,"  that  is,  the 
distribution  of  igneous  rocks  in  regions  of  chemically 
related  magmas,  is  discussed,  and  some  of  these  are 
briefly  described.     The  calculation  of  rock  densities 
from  their  chemical  composition  is  discussed,  and  the 
average   chemical  compositions  and  densities  of    the 
continental  masses  and  oceanic  floors  are  given.     It  is 
shown  by  these  that  the  average  densities  of  the  conti- 
nents, ocean  floors,  and  various  smaller  regions  of  the 
earth  stand  in  inverse  relation  to  their  elevations.    The 
bearing  of  this  relation  of  average  density  and  elevation 
on  the  theory  of  isostasy  is  pointed  out,  and  it  is  shown 
that  the  data  presented  are  confirmative  of  the  theory. 
Nickel  and  its  Uses. — In  Chemical  and  Metallur- 
gical Engineering  for  January  5,  Paul  D   Merica  com- 
mences a  series  of  articles  on  nickel  and  its  alloys.    We 
qHote  herewith  his  notes  on  commercial  nickel  and  its 
uses. 

Nickel  appears  on  the  market  in  the  following  forms : 
(a)   Grains,  cubes,  rondelles,  or  powder,  reduced  at 
a  low  temperature  from  nickel  oxide  and  not  fused  in 
the  process  of  manufacture. 

(6)  Nickel  deposited  in  concentric  layers  from  nickel 
carbonyl  and  not  fused  in  the  process  of  manufacture. 

(c)  Nickel  deposited  electrolytically  in  the  form  of 
cathode  sheets. 

id)  Nickel  in  the  form  of  blocks  or  shots  made  by 
reducing  nickel  oxide  above  the  melting  point  of  nickel 
and  casting  the  resulting  molten  metal  or  pouring  it 
into  water. 

(e)  Malleable  nickel  made  in  the  same  manner  as  {d) 
but  treated  with  some  deoxidizer  before  pouring  inio 
ingots.  This  nickel  appears  in  the  usual  commercial 
forms,  rods,  sheets,  wire,  etc. 

Most  of  the  commercial  production  of  nickel  falls  in 
class  [d). 

The   International   Nickel    Co.   has   described    the 


grades  of  material  which  it  produces  and  contributes 
the  average  analyses  of  the  materials  given  in  the  fol- 
lowing table. 

Percentage 
Ni  and  Co. 

1.  Malleable  Nickel  Rods,   A        9900 

2.  „  „  „  B        98  75 

3.  „  „  „         C        9675 

4.  Nickel  Castings 9895 

5.  Orlord  Electrolytic  Nickel       99  84 

6.  Nickel  Shot  A 98-65 

7.  Nickel  Shot  X 99  05 

The  impurities  were  as  follows:  In  (no'55  Fe.0'025  S.O'IO  Si. 
015  C:  anil  0  15  Mn.  In  121  050  Fe,  0  025  S,  0'20  Si.  0  15  C.  175 
Mn.  In  (3)  075  Fe.  0'"3  S,  020  Si.O  15  C,  r75  Mn.  In  (4)  0  50 
Fe.  0  035  S.  0  16  C.  In  (5)  001  Cu,  0005  S.  0  005  C.  001  As,  0  01 
Snand  Sb.  In  16)  0  15  Cu,  OtiO  Co,  0'5o  Fe.  00*)  S.  0  15  Si,  045 
C.  0015  As.  0015  Sn  and  Sb.  In  (7)  0  15  Cu  0  80  Co.  0  47  Fe, 
004  S.  0  10  Si.  OlS  C,  0  015  As.  0  015  Sn  and  Sb. 

"A"  shot  nickel  is  a  high-carbon  nickel  used  by  manu- 
facturers of  anodes  for  nickel  plating.  "X"  shot  nickel 
is  a  purer  material  used  by  the  manufacturers  of  crucible 
nickel  steel  and  of  nickel  silver.  Ingot  or  block  nickel 
is  almost  identical  in  composition  with  "  X  "  shot.  It  is 
sold  in  25  lb.  and  50  lb.  blocks  or  ingots  and  is  used  in 
the  manufacture  of  open- heartn  and  electric  steel.  Elec- 
trolytic nickel  in  the  form  of  cathodes  24  by  36  in., 
weighing  about  100  lb.,  or  in  smaller  squares,  and  is 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  high-grade  nickel  silver  and 
cupro-nickel  alloys.  Malleable  nickel  intended  for  rol- 
ling into  sheets  or  rods  or  for  drawing  into  wire  is  made 
in  various  grades  according  to  the  purpose  for  which  it 
is  destined.  All  malleable  nickel  is  treated  before  cast- 
ing into  ingots  with  some  deoxidizer.  generallv  magne- 
sium, for  the  purpose  of  removing  the  nickel  oxide  pres- 
ent and  making  the  metal  suitable  for  rolling  or  forging. 
Manganese  is  also  added  both  for  the  purpose  of  clean- 
ing the  metal  and  as  an  alloying  element.  Nickel  can- 
not in  general  be  rolled  or  forged  without  this  prelimi- 
nary treatment  with  a  deoxidizer.  Grades  A  and  C 
malleable  nickel  ingots  are  used  for  rolling  into  rods  and 
sheets  and  drawing  into  wire.  There  is  also  a  grade 
D  malleable  nickel,  which  is  high-manganese  nickel 
having  practically  the  same  analysis  as  grade  C,  except 
that  manganese  varies  from  2  to  5%.  This  is  used 
principally  for  spark-plug  wire  to  resist  the  action  of 
high  temperatures  and  combustion  gases. 

Besides  these  commercial  forms  of  nickel,  the  metal 
is  on  the  market  in  the  form  of  anodes  for  the  metal- 
plating  industry.  These  cast  anodes  are  variable  in 
composition  and  contain  from  88  to 95%  nickel,  together 
with  iron,  aluminium,  tin.  silicon,  sulphur,  and  carbon. 
A  typical  analysis  of  a  commercial  anode  is  the  follow- 
ing :  graphiticcarhon  1  '70% .  silicon 0  50% ,  iron  0  80% , 
copper  0  15%.  aluminium  0  03%.  nickel  96  82%. 

The  principal  commercial  application  of  nickel  is  in 
themanufactureof  ni  kel  steel,  and  this  industry  absorb- 
ed fully  75%  of  the  total  nickel  production  during  the 
war  and  probably  65%  normally.  Besides  its  use  in  sieel. 
nickel  is  used  extensively  as  an  alloying  element  with 
non  ferrous  metals,  principally  copper.  About  15%  of 
the  production  is  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  alloys 
of  nickel,  such  as  cupro  nickel  and  nickel  silver,  the 
former  series  of  alloys  having  come  into  prominence 
during  the  war.  Nickel  coinage  and  the  electroplating 
industries  mav  each  absoi  b  from  3  to  5%  of  the  produc- 
tion, the  latier  requiring  the  metal  both  in  the  metallic 
form  and  in  the  form  of  nickel  salts,  the  sulphate  and 
double  ammonium  sulphate.  The  proiluction  of  mal- 
leable nickel,  although  never  relati\ely  large,  has 
amounted  to  about  5%  of  the  total  production,  and  is 
steadily  growing  in  volume  as  the  properties  of  the 
metal  in  this  form  become  better  known.     Malleable 


120 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINK 


nickel  is  produced  in  all  commercial  forms  and  is  used 
principally  for  coinage,  cookinj;  utensils  (chiefly  in  Ger- 
many and  Austria)  and  ornamenial  and  household 
slampin);s  and  6ttin^s  In  the  form  of  wire  it  is  much 
used  for  motor  ignition  sparkpUiK  points,  for  the  sus- 
pension wires  in  electric  light  bulbs,  for  electrical  re- 
sistance pyrometers,  electrical  instruments,  and  recently 
in  the  construction  of  the  audion  amplifier.  Some  mal- 
leable nickel  is  produced  in  the  form  of  castings  for  ap- 
paratus such  as  digesters  and  evaporators  for  the  chemi- 
cal industry,  for  which  its  resistance  to  corrosion  in 
sulphuric  and  other  acids  makes  it  particularly  suitable. 
The  Edison  storage  cell  contains  nickel  both  in  tlieform 
of  nickel  oxide  and  as  nickel  anodes.  Finely  divided 
nickel  is  much  used  as  a  catalytic  agent  in  the  hydro- 
genalion  or  hardening  of  oils,  following  the  discovery 
of  this  property  by  Sabatier  and  Sendcrens.  Nickel 
oxide  is  used  in  the  ceramic  industries  for  the  produc- 
tion of  under  or  holding  coats  of  enamel  on  steel,  and 
also  for  colouring  glazes  on  pottery.  Nickel  castings 
have  been  used  with  much  success  as  rabble  shoes  by 
the  International  Nickel  Co.,  in  calcining  furnaces  used 
in  roasting  nickel  matte.  The  shoes  are  exposed  to 
oxidizing  and  to  sulphurizinggases  at  temperaturefrom 
600  to  1,000°  C.  and  to  severe  mechanical  abrasion  ; 
theyhavestood  up  in  this  severe  service  forninemonths, 
whereas  iron  shoes  would  last  no  more  than  from  six 
to  eight  weeks. 

Mica  in  Australia. — In  the  Queensland  Govern- 
ment Mining  Journal  for  October,  B.  Dunstan,  Chief 
Government  Geologist,  gives  an  account  of  the  mica 
production  of  the  world.  We  extract  the  portion 
dealing  with  Australian  occurrences. 

Pegmatite  veins  containing  large  crystals  of  mica  are 
known  to  occur  on  many  of  the  mining  fields  of  North- 
ern (Queensland,  the  deposits  on  the  Einasleigh  River 
to  the  south  east  of  Georgetown  and  at  Brookland  near 
Junction  Creek,  both  within  the  Etheridge  goldfield, 
being  specially  worthy  of'  note.  Attention  has  been 
directed  to  the  occurrence  of  deposits  in  the  Cloncurry 
district,  and  from  recent  examinations  they  appear  to 
be  of  more  importance  than  anything  previously  known 
in  the  State.  They  are  situated  on  Rifle  Creek,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Upper  (West)  Leichhardt  River,  on  Park- 
side  No.  6  Pastoral  Lease,  and  about  68  miles  almost 
due  west  of  the  town  of  Cloncurry.  Many  references 
are  given  in  the  Queensland  Mineral  Index  to  mica 
occurrences,  but  without  any  information  regarding 
their  extent  or  value.  .\s  regards  other  occurrences  in 
Australia,  in  the  Northern  Territory  a  mica  mine  was 
opened  and  abandoned  some  years  ago  at  Hart  s  Range, 
to  the  north  of  Arltunga  goldfield  ;  in  1914  operations 
were  again  started,  the  war,  however,  stopping  the  work 
at  the  mine  in  consequence  of  the  mica  being  intended 
for  Germany.  In  South  Australia  it  is  reported  to  oc- 
cur in  an  area  near  Williamstown,  in  the  hundred  of 
Barossa,  and  a  low-grade  deposit  has  been  opened  near 
the  Warren  Reservoir  in  the  hundred  of  Para  Wirra. 

The  country  about  the  Rifle  Creek  mica  area  near 
Cloncurry  is  said  to  be  in  hornblendic  and  micaceous 
schist,  in  which  a  dyke  of  pegmatite  was  discovered  to 
be  made  up  almost  exclusively  of  large  crystals  of  mica, 
the  thickness  of  the  dyke  being  from  10  to   12  ft.     A 
large  number  of  pegmatite  dykes,  some  with  quartz 
predominating,  occur  in  the  locality,  but  have  not  been 
examined,  although  the  mica-bearing  belt  is  said  to  ex- 
tend for  several  miles.     Samples  for  examination  have 
been  rece'"'Pd  from  the  outcrops  of  these  deposits,  but 
np  ..  ireatment.,s  (q  have  been  made  to  determine  the 
employed  on  eacl,ality  of  the  mica  below  the  surface 
completion  of  ibe\n,uch  stained  with  iron  oxides,  and 
The  following  partly  defective  condition,  as  might  be 


expected,  but  no  doubt  any  blemishes  in  this  surface 
material  would  disappear  if  the  mica  were  obtained  in 
deeper  ground.  Some  of  the  crystals  have  well-de- 
veloped cleavages,  are  roughly  9  in,  square,  and  after 
being  stripped  and  trimmed,  even  in  tlieir  weathered 
condition,  have  given  very  satisfactory  tests,  electrical 
and  otherwise.  The  deposits  near  Arltunga  are  in  mica 
schist  in  the  form  of  large  pegmatite  dykes  of  felspar. 
quartz,  and  mica.  Some  of  the  mica  crystals  obtained 
were  several  feel  in  diameter,  and  one  specimen  is  said 
to  have  yielded  7cwt.  of  trimmed  mica  sheets. 

The  question  for  consideration  so  far  as  Queensland 
is  concerned  is  whether  the  Kifle  Creek  deposits  con- 
tain mica  equal  in  quality  to  that  imported  from 
America  and  India,  and  if  so  whether  mining  and  dress- 
ing operations  could  be  carried  on  cheaply  enough  to 
allow  of  competition  with  this  imported  material.  Im- 
perial demands  for  mica  in  connection  with  electrical 
and  wireless  work  have  stimulated  the  interest  in  these 
deposits  and  should  induce  miners  to  open  up  the  out- 
crops, and  obtain  some  estimate  of  the  value  of  the 
very  large  mica  sheets  at  a  depth  where  they  are  not 
affected  by  weathering  agencies.  The  distance  from 
Rifle  Creek  to  Cloncurry  is  68  miles  by  road,  and  from 
Cloncurry  to  Townsville  by  rail  -ISl  miles,  altogether 
making  549  miles  over  which  the  product  would  have 
to  be  carried.  In  the  mineral  belt  of  country  extend 
ing  for  many  miles  to  the  north-west  and  south-east  of 
Cloncurry.  and  embracing  the  Rifle  Creek  deposits  to 
the  west,  there  is  a  large  number  of  outcrops  of  granite 
and  schist  which  all  appear  to  be  the  result  of  the  altera- 
tion of  the  associated  sedimentary  rocks.  This  area 
contains  pegmatite  dykes  in  the  granites  and  schists 
which  have  never  been  prospected  and  the  conditions 
are  ideal  for  the  occurrence  of  mica  in  qualities  and 
sizes  suitable  for  manufacturing  purposes. 

Vanadium  in  the  Transvaal. — In  the  September 
issue  reference  was  made  to  a  company  called  the  Afri- 
can Vanadium  and  Lead  Co  ,  formed  in  the  Transvaal 
for  the  purpose  of  working  lead  vanadium  deposits  at 
old  Doornhoek  lead  mine,  17  miles  south-east  of  Zee- 
rust.  The  November  issue  of  the  South  African  Jour- 
nal of  Industries  publishes  the  report  made  by  Mal- 
colm Ferguson,  Inspector  of  Mines,  Krugersdorp.  and 
Dr.  P.  A.  Wagner.  Government  Geologist.  This  report 
is  reproduced  herewith. 

The  deposit  occurs  in  the  upper  portion  of  the  dolo- 
mite formation.  It  consists  of  soft  decomposed  bedded 
manganese  earth  containing  thin  layers  of  chert  and 
large  masses  and  boulders  of  unaltered  dolomite.  Ga- 
lena is  scattered  through  the  manganese  earth  in  ir- 
regular nodules  ranging  in  diameter  from  a  fraction  of 
an  inch  to  over  2  ft.  The  nodules  are  often  covered  with 
a  thin  film  of  brilliant  red  minium,  and  some  of  them 
show  traces  of  the  original  bedding  of  the  dolomite.  In 
addition,  cerussite,  vanadinite.  and  pyromorphite  are 
present.  These  minerals  occur  in  irregular  layers  fol- 
lowing the  bedding  of  the  manganese  earth,  also  in 
pockets,  and  finally  encrusting  vertical  and  steeply-in- 
clined joint-planes.  In  the  eastern  part  of  the  workings 
there  is  a  big  exposure  of  dolomite  containing  irregular 
masses  and  patches  of  galena,  which  has  clearly  devel- 
oped by  the  replacement  of  the  dolomite  It  is  associa- 
ted with  fluor-spar  and  talc.  Whether  this  dolomite 
forms  part  of  a  great  horse  in  the  manganese  earth,  or 
whether  it  represents  a  projecting  portion  of  the  wall 
of  the  deposit,  is  not  clear. 

The  deposit  clearly  owes  its  origin  to  a  long  and  com- 
plex succession  of  metasomatic  processes.  In  the  first 
place  galena  appears  to  have  been  introduced  from  a 
series  of  inclined  fractures  striking  N.E.-3.W.  by  min- 
eralizing solutions  that  spread  along  the  bedding  planes 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


121 


of  the  dolomite.  The  alteration  of  that  rock  to  manga- 
nese earth  took  place  subsequently,  in  all  probability 
through  the  agency  of  descending  meteoric  waters. 
The  formation  of  the  vanadinite  appears  to  have  been 
connected  with  the  conversion  of  the  dolomite  into 
manganese  earth,  but  the  evidence  on  the  pomt  is  not 
quite  conclusive. 

The  mine  is  situated  on  the  east  side  of  a  valley,  and 
has  been  opened  by  quarrying  into  the  side  of  the  hill, 
and  up  to  the  present  the  work  has  consisted  mainly  in 
turning  over  the  quarried  earth  and  extracting  by  hand 
the  galena  lumps  which  are  sufficiently  large  to  be  pick- 
ed out.     Additional  amounts  of  galena  have  been  re- 
covered from  shafts  sunk  from  the  surface  outside  the 
quarry  and  from  drives  driven  off  the  shafts  and  pushed 
in  from  the  faces  of  the  quarry.    The  eastern  face  of  the 
quarry  against  the  hillside  is  about  100  ft.  high.     The 
walls  of  the  quarry  practically  everywhere  appear  to 
carry  lead  minerals.     The  mineral-bearing  deposit  is 
found  to  continue  in  the  floor  of  the  quarry  and  in  the 
shaft  and  underground  workings  beyond,  so  that  it  is 
at  present  impossible  to  estimate  the  probable  extent  of 
the  deposit.     A  rough  traverse  by  prismatic  compass 
was  made  of  the  most  westerly  underground  workings 
at  the  60  ft.  level,  and  some  samples  were  taken  for  an- 
alysis.   Further  samples  were  taken  at  various  parts  of 
the  face  of  the  quarry,  and  one  from  the  dump.    In  the 
underground  workings  above  referred   to,  and  at  the 
lower  portion  of  the  western  face  of  the  quarry,  lead 
and  vanadium  ores  were  found  to  occur  in  fairly  con- 
sistent quantities  throughout  the  deposit  over  a  con- 
siderable area  and  thickness.     These  workings  cannot 
be  looked  upon  as  having  opened  up  any  tonnage  of  ore 
reserves.    They  merely  serve  to  prove  that  the  deposit 
exists  over  an  extended  area  and  carries  the  minerals 
referred  to  beyond  the  horizon  of  the  present  workings. 
The  samples  taken  on  the  face  of  the  quarry  show  the 
consistent  nature  of  the  lead  contents  throughout  the 
deposit.     The  writers  are  of  opinion   that  a  consider- 
able deposit  carrying  lead  and  vanadium  oresexists.  but 
that  the  extent  of  it  cannot  be  determined  at  present. 
Dr.  James  Moir,  Government  Mining  Chemist,  re- 
ports as  follows  on  seven  specimens  of  ore  from  the 
Doornhoek  mine  ; 

Vanadium 
Lead.  Pentoxide. 

%  % 

A 995  090 

B 115  060 

C 8  15  0  -tS 

D 15-5  1  35 

E 14  3  0  40 

F 14  4       Uncertain  trace. 

G 14-3    Trace  about  02% . 

Antimony  Oxide  as  a  Pigment. — At  a  meeting  of 
the  Oil  &  Colour  Chemists'  Association  held  last  month, 
H.  E.  Clarke  gave  particulars  of  a  new  antimony  oxide 
pigment  put  on  the  market  under  the  name  "  Timonox." 
This  pigment  is  said  to  be  free  from  coarseness  of  crys- 
talline structure  and  yellow  impurity  that  have  been 
the  great  drawbacks  in  the  past.  Two  brands  have 
been  introduced,  the  "red  star"  being  a  very  pure 
white  colour,  and  the  "green  star"  a  pale  ivory  cast. 
The  specific  gravity  of  this  antimony  oxide  is  about  5  4, 
which  is  approximately  that  of  zinc  oxide.  The  two 
pigments,  however,  differ  sharply  in  their  behaviour 
with  oil  ;  antimony  oxide  is  readily  wetted,  while  its 
oil  absorption  is  so  much  lower  that  good  paste  can  be 
ground  containing  10%  of  oil.  It  is  said  to  be  possible 
to  prepare  from  such  paste  oil  paints  with  as  much  as 
78%  pigment,  which  flow  well  under  the  brush  and  give 
coats  of  great  opacity  and  purity  of  colour.     For  glossy 


finishes  good  results  are  obtained  with  about  1  0%  le 
pigment.  The  drying  rate  is  carefully  adju'ited,  as 
there  would  seem  to  be  a  tendency  to  flatti  ng  ivhen  the 
drying  is  undulydelayed.  Matt  and  semi  -g  lossy  effects 
are  readily  obtained.  Antimony  oxide  has  been  found 
to  have  no  accelerating  effect  on  the  dr  ying  of  linseed 
oil,  but  this  deficiency  can  be  overcome  by  the  incor- 
poration of  a  small  proportion  of  drier.  Th  is  may  take 
the  form  of  litharge,  white  lead,  man  ganese  borate, 
zinc  oxide,  gold  size,  or  a  drying  resin  ale  or  linoleate. 
These  mixtures,  however,  require  to  be  broken  with 
rather  more  oil  and  less  volatile  thinner  than  white 
lead  pastes.  Durability  and  colour  sta  bility  tests  have 
shown  that  this  pigment  has  excellent  wearing  proper- 
ties. The  films  show  practically  no  cracking  and  very 
little  chalking.  Zinc  oxide  has  proved  itself  a  useful 
auxiliary  to  antimony  oxide,  acting  first  as  a  drier  and 
later  as  a  hardener  of  the  film. 

Geology  of  Killifreth  Mine. — At  a  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Geological  Society  of  Cornwall,  held  in  Novem- 
ber, M.  H.  Kitto  read  a  paper  describing  the  geology 
of  Killifreth  mine,  near  Redruth,  with  special  reference 
to  the  middle  lode.  The  mine  is  situated  in  the  clay- 
slate  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  the  granite  outcrop,  but 
granite  is  met  with  in  the  70  fathom  level  in  the  form 
of  a  tongue  or  apophysis,  and  again  as  a  tongue  in  the 
20  fathom  level,  where  it  is  seen  to  pass  in  to  schorl  rock. 
Quartz-porphyry  dykes  are  met  with  at  the  50  fathom 
level  and  again  in  the  40  fathom  level.  The  middle 
lode  has  yielded  blende,  cassiterite,  chalcopyrite,  mis- 
pickel,  molybdenite,  pyrite.  and  wolfram,  while  smaltite 
has  been  found  in  a  cross-course.  The  mineral  values 
are  irregularly  distributed.  The  lode  shows  comb 
structure  and  in  places  is  filled  with  cassiterite  in  tour- 
malinized  slate,  clean  quartz  with  wolf  ram,  clean  quartz 
with  wolfram  and  molybdenite  in  separate  layers  The 
author  comes  to  the  conclusion  that  there  has  been 
chiefly  lateral  movement  with  little  or  no  vertical  dis- 
placement in  the  cross-course  which  cuts  the  middle 
lode. 

Geology  of  Cam  Marth. — At  a  meeting  of  the  Royal 
Geological  Society  of  Cornwall,  held  in  November,  G. 
M.  McPherson,  Jr.,  read  a  paper  on  the  geology  of 
Carn  Marth,  and  of  the  district  lying  immediately  to 
the  east  of  Redruth.  He  describes  some  interesting 
cases  of  differentiation  in  the  granite  and  concludes  that 
four  types  of  rock  are  represented:  (1)  the  original 
coarse  muscovite  biotite  granite  which  forms  the  bulk 
of  the  mass  ;  (2)  an  intrusion  of  fine-grained  granite 
which  penetrated  the  coarse  type  with  an  irregular  line 
of  contact  along  which  it  is  seen  to  contain  coarse 
crystals  of  felspar;  (3)  an  intrusion  of  fine-grained 
schorl  granite  which  penetrates  the  fine  granite  but  does 
not  reach  the  coarse  type;  (4)  an  intrusion  of  pegma- 
tite, and  in  the  coarse  granite  only  narrow  dykes  of 
aplite.  The  author  also  describes  a  contact  of  two 
quartz-porphyry  dykes  (elvans)  which  occurs  at  the 
junction  of  the  granite  and  clay-slate. 


SHORT   NOTICES. 


Mine  Signalling. — The  Colliery  Guardian  for  Janu- 
ary 7  describes  the  Granville  audible  and  visual  sig- 
nalling apparatus,  as  applied  at  the  Granville  colliery, 
Bur  ton -on -Trent. 

Ventilation  in  Mines. — The  November  Journal  of 
the  Chemical,  Metallurgical,  &  Mining  Society  of 
South  Africa  contains  an  article  by  E  J.  Laschinger 
describing  ventilation  tests  at  Village  Deep  undertaken 
with  the  object  of  ascertaining  the  amount  of  fresh  air 
re(|uired  to  remove  the  fumes  after  blasting  in  develop- 
ment drives. 


122 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


Kata-thermometer. — In  a  paper  published  in  llic 
November  Jon  r»iii/  o(  the  Chemical,  Melalliir^iical,  & 
Mining  Society  of  South  Africa.  II.  J.  Irelanii  describes 
Dr.  Leonard  Hill's  kata-lhermometer,  which  is  used 
for  measuring  the  cooling  power  of  the  atmosphere 

Copper  Smelting  in  Jnpan. — In  the  Em^itwcring 
and  .MiMiii!,'  Journal  (or  January  8,  C.  F:  Mason  de- 
scribes the  operation  of  the  Hidachi  copper  smeller  in 
Japan 

Bunker  Hill. — In  the  Mining  and  Scicttti/ic  Press 
for  January  S,  T.  A.  Kickard  describes  the  Bunker  Hill 
&  Sullivan  Company's  lead-smelling  plant. 

Cadmium. — Chemical  and  Metallurgical  Engi- 
necruifi  for  December  29  contains  a  paper  by  H.  R. 
Hanley  on  an  electrolytic  process  for  producing  cad- 
mium as  devised  by  the  author  at  the  Mammoth  electro 
lytic  zinc  plant  of  the  United  States  Smelting,  Refining, 
&  Mining  Co  .  at  Kennett,  California. 

Cyaniding.  —  In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  January  15  and  22.  Alfred  James  reviews 
the  position  of  the  cyanide  process. 

American  Sulphur. — Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  January  12  reprints  a  paper  read  by 
R.  F.  Bacon  and  H.  S.  Davis  before  the  American  In 
stitute  of  Chemical  Engineers  on  December  6.  describ- 
ing the  American  resources  of  elemental  sulphur,  par- 
ticularly those  in  Texas,  and  comparing  the  relative 
advantages  of  pyrites  and  sulphur  as  a  source  of  sul- 
phuric acid. 

Midland  Coalfields. — A  paper  was  read  by  H.  H. 
Ridsdale  at  the  January  meeting  of  the  South  Siaflord- 
shire  and  Warwickshire  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers 
on  the  geological  relationship  of  the  South  SiafJ'jrd- 
shire,  Warwickshire.  South  Derbyshire,  and  Leicester- 
shire coalfields. 

Oil  in  India. — The  Geological  Magazine  for  Janu- 
ary contains  a  paper  on  the  geology  of  the  oil  regions 
in  the  northern  Punjab.  India,  by  H.  Preiswerk. 

Old  Sussex  Iron  Industry.-  At  the  meeting  of  the 
New':omen  Society,  held  on  January  27,  Rhys  Jenkins 
read  a  paper  on  the  rise  and  fall  of  the  iron  manufac- 
ture in  Sussex 

World's  Copper  Production. — In  the  Geological 
Magrtsinc  for  January,  Dr.  F.  H.  Hatch  writes  on  the 
growth  of  the  world's  copper  production. 

Low-Temperature  Carbonization. — At  a  meeting  of 
the  Society  of  Chemical  Industry  held  on  January  3, 
G.  H.  Thurston  read  a  paper  describing  the  Smith  low- 
temperature  system  of  carbonization. 

Building  Stones. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Concrete 
Institute  held  on  Januarv  27,  J  Allen  Howe  read  a 
paper  on  geology  in  relation  to  building  stones. 

Cementation  at  the  Mazoe  Dam. — In  a  paper  pub- 
lished in  the  November  Journal  of  the  Chemical, 
Metallurgical,  &  Mining  Socieiy  of  South  Africa,  G  A. 
Voskule  described  the  hardening  of  the  substrata  of 
the  Mazoe  dam  in  Rhodesia,  effected  by  means  of  the 
Francois  cementation  process. 

Trestle  Viaducts. —  The  Engineer  for  January  21 
gives  particulars  and  drawings  of  the  old  timber  via- 
ducts on  the  Great  Western  Railway  in  Cornwall  and 
Devon.  These  'oridges  were  built  in  Brunei's  days, 
but  have  gradually  been  replaced  by  stone  viaducts. 
At  present  two  are  being  removed  on  the  Kingswear 
branch  and  two  of  the  eight  on  the  Falmouth  branch 
are  to  be  removed  shortly. 

Arthur  De  Wint  Foote. — The  Mining  and  Scien- 
tific  Press  for  December  25  contains  the  report  of  an 
interview  between  Mr.  Foote  and  Mr  T  A  Rickard 
giving  the  former's  record.  Mr  Koote's  svork  at  the 
North  Star  gold  mine,  in  Grass  'Valley,  California,  is 
of  great  interest  to  mining  engineers. 


RECENT  PATENTS  PUBLISHED. 

f-^^A  cofty  ()/  the  st^cciticttfion  of  auy  o/  the  f^atfuts  men- 
liotii-it  tn  tilts  cnlitmn  can  Iw  o/i/iliritv/  tiy  .si-iti/iMi:  ts.  to 
titc  l\ltcnt  O.ttioc,  Soutlutmt>ton  tiniltiinns,  Cltiiitcery 
/.(iKC.  I.tnttton,  \V  C.2.,  with  a  tiute  of  the  nttmbcr  iinil  year 
of  the  l>.iteiit. 

14,865  of  1917(155.600).  C.J.  Head,  London. 
Produrtum  of  tungsten  powder  by  heating  sodium  with 
sal  ammoniac  and  carbon. 

4.376  of  1919  (155,855).  A.  R.  Mangnall, 
Chester.  Boring  machine  lor  forcing  aheadingthrough 
soft  ground. 

11,184-6  of  1919  (126,625-7).  P  Desachv, 
Paris.  Method  of  preparing  an  anhydrous  zinc  sul- 
phide from  hydraled  sulphide  precipitated  from  solu- 
tions by  chemical  reactions. 

19,316  of  1919  (142,432).  C.  P.  Madsen, 
Newark.  New  Jersey.  Improved  method  of  electro- 
lytic plating  with  nickel. 

20,891  of  1919  (125,875).  W.  Broadbridgk, 
E.  ICdsei!,  W.  W.  Sti£nning,  and  Mineisals  Sep- 
akation.  Ltd  ,  London  In  the  seoaration  of  coal 
from  stone  by  the  agitation  froth  method  the  use  of  a 
flocculating  medium  which  will  serve  as  a  binding  agent 
in  the  production  of  britjueites. 

22,174  of  1919  (137,273).  Brown,  Bovf.ri  & 
Co.,  Baden,  Switzerland.  In  air-compressors  of  the 
rotary  type,  methods  of  preventing  the  surging  of  tlie 
delivery. 

22,370  of  1919  (155,349).  L  A.  Wood  and 
Minerals  Sf.paration,  Ltd.,  London.  In  the  agi- 
tation-froth concentration  process,  in  which  air  is  in- 
troduced below  the  agitator,  the  arrangement  of  a  grid 
just  above  the  agitator. 

22.825  of  1919  (155,373).  H.  T.  Arrowsmith, 
Burslem.  Method  of  making  acid  pots  used  in  the 
manufacture  of  white  lead. 

23,352  of  1919  (155,644).  (;.  He.n^e  and  E. 
Weber,  Brussels.  .An  internal  combustion  engine 
suitable  for  use  on  mine  locomotives. 

25,545  of  1919  (155,945).  P.  A.  Mackay,  Lon- 
don. Method  of  making  sulphate  of  lead  from  metal- 
lic lead  by  the  attack  of  strong  sulphuric  acid. 

26,231  and  28.489  of  1919  (155,692).  J  J 
Hood.  London.     Method  of  purifying  sulphur. 

26.310  of  1919  (155.953).  G.  Becker,  Magde- 
burg. Germany.  Improvements  in  conveyors  of  the 
jigging  type. 

27.784  of  1919  (135,186).  Aktiebolaget  Fer- 
rolegeringar,  Stockholm.  Method  of  preparing 
manganese  and  manganese  alloys  low  in  carbon  and 
silicon. 

27.785  of  1919  (135,187).  Aktiebolaget  Fer- 
ROLEGERINGAR.  Stockholm.  Method  of  removing 
silicon  and  carbon  from  chromium  and  chromium 
allovs. 

1,715  of  1920  (138,083).  W.  Friederick, 
Cologne.  Detonating  caps,  loaded  with  a  suitable  ni- 
tro  compound,  primed  with  an  initial  charge  of  lead 
azide,  and  lead  tri  nitro-resorcinate  placed  over  it. 

3,279  of  1920  (139,160).  B.  Raedek  and  A.  S. 
ZiNK  Co.,  Christiania,  Norway.  Arrangement  of  dry- 
ing, heating,  and  reduction  chambers  in  electric  fur- 
naces for  producing  zinc. 

3,892  of  1920  (155,145).  G.  H.  Elmore  and 
H.  L.  McLean,  Scranton,  Pennsylvania.  Jigs  for 
coal  washing. 

4,369  of  1920(138,924).  New  Jersey  ZiNC  Co., 
F.G.  Brever,  and  E  H  Bunce.  New  York.  Method 
of  treating  impure  zinc  oxides  by  heat  for  the  improve- 
ment of  their  colour  and  their  suitability  for  use  as  pig- 
ments. 


I 


I 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


123 


5,532  of  1920  (156,019).  J.  Dean,  Racine,  Wis- 
consin. Mechanical  method  of  preparing  the  surface 
of  aluminium  to  permit  of  coating,  tinning,  or  soldering, 

6,049of  1920(139,520).  SociiiTi;  Anonvme  des 
Charbonnages  de  Beeringen,  Liege.  Improve- 
ments in  the  method  of  shaft-sinking  by  means  of  freez- 
ing. 

9,633  of  1920  (155,739).  Metal  &  Thermit 
Corporation,  New  York.  Method  of  introducing 
tungsten  metal  into  molten  steel  for  the  formation  of 
tungsten  steel. 

15,884  of  1920  (144,728).  Fried  Krupp  Gru- 
sonwerk,  Magdeburg-Buckau.  Germany.  Improve- 
ments in  the  chlondizing-roasting  process,  particularly 
with  the  object  of  separating  lead  and  silver  from  com- 
plex zinc-lead  ores. 

16,162  of  1920(145,047).  Siemens-Schuckert- 
werke,  Berlin.  Improved  transporter  for  use  in  con- 
nection with  tunnelling  and  mining  m.ichines. 

16,559  of  1920  (146,108).  R.  M  McKenna, 
Washington,  U  S.A.  Purification  of  ferro-tungsten, 
by  treating  with  hydrochloric  acid  few  the  removal  of 
sulphur,  carbon,  and  phosphorus. 

17,690  of  1920  (155,S22).  L  A.  Irazusta, 
Guipuzcoa.  Spain.  Use  of  pure  alumina  and  water  as 
binding  agent  for  fine  iron  ores,  in  the  manufacture  of 
briquettes  for  smelting 

17,760of  1920(145,600).  P.  Goldberg,  Berlin. 
Electrolytic  process  for  separating  copper  and  nickel. 

24,854  of  1920  (151,260).  G.  Haglund,  Falun, 
Sweden.  Improved  electrolytic  cell  for  the  deposition 
of  nickel  from  solutions. 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

IIW"Copies  of  the  books,  etc  ,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
thiQugti  the  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine, 
724,  Salisbury  House.  London  Wall,  E.C.2. 

Coal;  being  one  of  the  Monographs  on  Mineral  Re- 
sourceswith  Special  Reference  to  the  British  Empire, 
issued  by  the  Imperial  Institute.  By  J.  H,  Ronald- 
son,  M.Inst  M.E.,  M.Inst.M.M..  F.G.S.  Paper 
covers,  octavo,  166  pages.  Price6s.net.  London: 
John  Murray. 

In  this  littlevolume  Mr.  Ronaldson  hasattempted  the 
almost  impossible  task  of  producing  an  account  of  the 
coal  resources  of  the  entire  British  Empire.  To  do  this 
adequately,  many  such  volumes  and  at  least  as  many 
authors  would  be  needed  ;  no  one  man  can  possess  all 
the  requisite  information,  and  no  one  book  can  contain 
it.  Mr.  Ronaldson's  book  is  of  course  only  a  compila- 
tion of  matter  already  published,  but  it  can  fairly  claim 
to  present  in  a  convenient  form  a  sketch  of  thecoalBelds 
of  the  British  Empire  and  to  act  as  an  index  to  the  vast 
mass  of  scattered  publications  on  the  subject.  The 
author  has  of  course  drawn  mainly  upon  the  great  work, 
"  The  Coal  Resources  of  the  World."  published  in  1913 
in  Canada  under  the  auspices  of  the  International  Geo- 
logical Congress,  and  most  of  the  statistics  given  are 
quoted  from  this.  Unfortunately  the  author  has  drawn 
some  of  his  statistical  matter  somewhat  indiscriminately 
from  other  sources,  as,  for  e.xample,  for  Great  Britain 
from  the  Report  of  the  1904  Commission  on  Coal  Sup- 
plies or  from  Hull's  work  on  the  Coalfields  of  Great 
Britain,  and  uses  at  times  the  figures  from  one  source, 
at  times  from  another,  and  even  in  places  puts  down 
two  sets  of  estimates  and  leaves  it  to  the  reader  to  select 
whichever  he  may  happen  to  fancy.  The  same  want  of 
care  in  the  due  co-ordination  of  his  sources  of  informa- 
tion may  be  seen  in  such  an  example  as  in  the  spelling 
of  the  same  coalfield  as  "Jharia"  and  "Jherria"  re- 
spectively on  two  adjoining  pages.  The  portion  of  the 
book  that  will  probably  strike  the  reader  as  the  least 


satisfactory  is  that  relating  to  the  coalfields  of  Great 
Britain,  though  this  may  be  merely  due  to  the  fact  that 
information  concerning  these  is  better  known  and  more 
readily  accessible.  It  is  noteworthy  that  Mr.  Ronald- 
son  has  given  only  15  references  to  literature  concern- 
ing the  United  Kingdom,  and  has  omitted  some  of  the 
most  important ;  thus  he  would  no  doubt  have  written 
differently  from  what  he  has  done  had  he  consulted 
Stanley  Smith's  %vork  on  the  Limestone  Coals  of  the 
Northumberland  coalfield,  while  again  he  seems  to 
have  made  no  use  of  A.  E.  Ritchie's  book  on  the  Kent 
coalfield.  It  is  at  least  as  surprising  that  he  has  not 
availed  himself  of  the  mass  of  valuable  matter  to  be 
found  in  the  Transactions  of  the  Institution  of  Mining 
Engineers.  In  spite,  however,  of  such  imperfections 
and  limitations,  the  book  should  be  found  decidedly 
useful  to  a  wide  circle  of  readers,  particularly  if  care  is 
taken  to  consult  on  all  matters  of  detail  the  more  exten- 
sive works,  of  which  the  present  volume  may  be  re- 
garded in  the  light  of  a  convenient  abstract. 

Henry  Louis. 

The  Platinum  Metals.  By  A.  D.  LuMB.  A.R  S.M.. 
F.G.S  .  Assoc. Inst. M.M.  Octavo,  paper  covers.  63 
pages.  Price  3s.  6d.  net.  London  :  John  Murray. 
This  book  is  one  of  the  monographs  on  mineral  re- 
sources with  special  reference  to  the  British  Empire, 
prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  Imperial  Institute. 
The  63  pages  are  divided  into  three  chapters.  Chapter 
I  deals  with  the  occurrences,  characters,  and  uses  of 
the  platinum  metals,  and  contains  interesting  tables 
giving  various  analyses  of  platinum  from  different  parts 
of  the  world,  a  list  of  the  principal  platinum  and  pal- 
ladium alloys,  the  world's  output  of  platinum  from  1910 
to  191S.  and  others.  As  regards  the  world's  output  of 
platinum,  the  author  on  page  13  mentions  that  "it ap- 
pears to  have  been  a  tendency  for  private  enterprises 
(in  Russia)  to  keep  these  published  outputs  as  low  as 
possible  in  order  to  avoid  registration."  In  this  re- 
spect the  author  iswrongly  informed,  and  such  a  serious 
statement  should  certainly  never  have  been  made  with- 
out closer  investigaiion.  The  real  discrepancy  between 
official  and  actual  figures  is  solely  due  to  theft  either 
by  workmen  from  their  employers  or  by  marauders 
working  without  licence  or  authority.  Chapter  II. 
which  deals  with  the  sources  of  supply  of  the  platinum 
metals  from  the  British  Empire,  contains  in  condensed 
form  descriptions  of  occurrences  throughout  the  Em- 
pire. It  is  very  complete  and  useful.  Chapter  III  is 
devoted  to  the  supply  of  platinum  metals  from  foreign 
countries.  It  lacks  accuracy  ;  the  geological  data  for 
some  of  the  countries  are  decidedly  antiquated  and  a 
good  many  mis-spellings  (or  are  they  printer's  errors?) 
should  have  been  avoided.  In  France  there  is  no  De- 
partment of  "  Charaste,"  but  "  Charente  "  ;  "  Chate- 
lard  "  is  given  as  "  Chatalard  "  :  in  French  Guiana  the 
river  "  Aporuague  "  should  be  "  Apronaguel  "  and 
"  Danmer  "  should  be  "  Damoiir."  The  platinum  de- 
posits in  Germany,  according  to  the  author,  are  quite 
real  and  practically  ready  to  start  exploitation.  Yet 
Krusch,  the  author  cited,  entitles  his  treatise  on  these 
deposits:  "  Die  Platinverddchtigen  Lagerstatten  etc," 
that  is,  the  deposits  5t*.s/>eci^(i  of  containing  platinum, 
etc.  Krusch  cites  assay-results  made  by  one  and  the 
same  method,  on  the  same  material  but  in  different 
laboiatories.  thus  : 

1st  Laboratory  2nd  Laboratorv 

Grammes  per  Ton.    Grammes  per  Ton. 
No.  1  30  00  Traces 

No.  2  35  05  3  8 

No.  3  8  00  OS 

In  the  face  of  such  facts,  by  simply  saying  that  his 


124 


THE    MINING    MAC.AZINE 


samples  yielded  values  varying  from  a  trace  to  33  5 
j;rammes  per  ton,  a  uronn  impression  is  beint;  con- 
veyed. The  (lerman  deposits  from  a  technical  point 
of  view  are  far  from  being  proved  As  regards  Hnssia, 
the  statistical  data  are  substantially  correct,  but  the 
geography  dealing  with  the  deposits  is  not  properly 
co-ordinated  and  rather  confusing,  even  wrong.  Des- 
cribing the  methods  in  use  in  certain  parts  of  Russia 
when  %vorking  the  deposits  in  winter,  the  author  states 
(page  -10)  that  the  deposits  are  allowed  to  freeze  and 
the  frozen  ground  is  mined  after  having  partially 
thawed.  This  method  is.  however,  only  resorted  to 
for  prospecting  purposes,  as  has  been  extensively  des- 
cribed in  Leon  Ferrets  paper  in  Volume  xxi.  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy. The  references  to  literature  on  the  platinum 
metals,  while  extensive  in  many  instances,  are  second- 
hand ;  besides,  they  are  not  sufiiciently  up  to  date.  A 
publication  by  Visotski  is  mentioned  which  dates 
back  to  1903  and  which  in  the  original  is  entitled  "  Pre- 
liintnary  Notice  on  the  i'laiinum  Deposits,  etc  "  His 
completed  treatise  was  published  in  1913  and  bears  the 
title  "  The  .-Mluvial  Platinum  Deposits  of  the  Iss  and 
of  Nijnv  Taguil  in  the  Urals."  The  latter  publication 
should  have  been  consulted  Some  of  the  eminent 
workers  on  th^  geology  of  platinum  deposits  are  not 
mentioned  at  all,  for  instance,  Feodoroff,  Nikitin,  I.e 
vinson-Lessing,  etc.  The  book  under  review  is  framed 
on  a  comprehensive  basis  and  deserves  re-ediling.  Its 
shortcomings  could  readily  be  amended  ;  they  should 
certainly  not  have  escaped  the  vigilance  of  the  scien- 
ti5c  and  technical  staff  of  the  Imperial  Institute. 

A.  L.  Simon. 

Geology  of  the  Non-Metallic  Mineral  Deposits  other 
than    Silicates.      Volume    1.      Principles    of     Salt 
Deposition.     By  Amadeus   \V.   Gkahau.     Cloth, 
octavo,  430  pages,   illustrated.      Price  30s.      New 
York  and  London  :   The  McGraw-Hill  Book  Co. 
Those  who  have  carefully  studied  the  author  s  "Prin- 
ciples of  Stratigraphy  "  will  welcome  the  appearance 
of  the  present  volume,  which  deals  in  a  most  lucid 
manner  with  the  practical  application  of  those  princi- 
ples in  so  far  as  they  affect  salt  deposition.      In   this 
term  "salt"  are  included  nitrates,  phosphates,  borates, 
common  salt,  and  similar  deposits,  thus  embracing  a 
wide  field  of  investigation,  and  the  author  has  spared 
no  pains  to  treat  the  subject  as  systematically  and  or- 
iginally as  he  expounded  his  theories  of  stratigraphical 
geology  in  his  former  standard  work,  though  with  this 
exception  :   that  a  somewhat  heavy  style  and  cumber- 
some nomenclature  characteristic  of  the  "  Principles" 
find  no  place  in  this  later  production,  to  its  very  dis- 
tinct advantage. 

As  in  so  many  phases  of  applied  stratigraphy,  our 
knowledge  of  the  geology  of  salt  deposits  has  its  de- 
cided limitations,  and  even  the  standard  textbooks  are 
astonishingly  vague  or  stereotyped  in  their  treatment 
of  the  matter  ;  certain  well-defined  theories  of  salt  de- 
position (using  the  word  salt  in  its  more  restricted 
sense),  modelled  on  the  lines  of  the  famous  Stassfurt 
occurrence,  recur  in  nearly  every  publication  on  the 
subject  with  monotonous  frequency,  with  little,  if  any, 
review  or  modification  in  the  light  of  advancement  of 
genera!  ideas  on  stratigraphy.  There  is  nothing  vague 
or  stereotyped  in  this  book,  and  its  advent  anticipates 
and  lays  the  foundation  for  a  distinct  line  of  progress 
to  be  followed  in  future  researches  of  this  branch  of 
economic  geology. 

The  author  first  considers  the  natural  salts,  their  min- 
eral characteristics  and  classification  from  a  strictly 
chemical  standpoint ;  this  includes  a  valuable  glossary 


of  the  principal  properties  and  mode  of  occurrenceof  the 
non metallic  salts  (<itlier  than  silicates),  oxides,  hydro- 
carbons, and  non  metallic  native  elements.  This  is  fol- 
lowed by  a  very  succinct  account  of  Van  t  Hoff's  fa- 
mous researches  on  oceanic  deposition,  illustrated  by 
saturation  and  crystallization  diagrams,  in  the  chapter 
dealing  with  the  sea  as  a  source  of  saline  deposits  ;  in 
this  chapter,  (Jrabau's  treatment  of  the  biological  fac- 
tors involved  is  good,  but  we  would  have  preferred  a 
fuller  discussion  of  the  parts  played  by  marine  bacteria 
and  alg:r  in  the  secretion  of  lime  salts  than  he  has 
given  us,  on  the  lines  of  Drew's  excellent  paper  of  1914 
(Carnegie  Institute  of  Washington),  to  which  theauthor 
makes  only  passing  reference.  Although  he  anticipates 
this  criticism  in  the  preface  to  a  certain  extent,  it  is 
doubtful  whether  a  sudden  Hood  of  illustrations  of 
modern  and  extinct  organisms  included  at  this  stage 
makes  up  for  the  omission  of  details  so  essentially  cog- 
nate to  the  subject  The  succeeding  four  chapters  are 
devoted  to  a  consideration  of  the  several  phases  of  ma- 
rine salt  deposition,  and  include  a  short  description  of 
those  interesting  "cyclic  salts,"  illustrated  with  refer- 
ence to  Holland  and  Christy's  account  of  the  well- 
known  Sambhar  Lake  of  Kajputana.  This  type  of 
deposit  is  defined  as  salt  which  has  been  lifted  from 
the  sea  with  the  spray,  blown  inland  and  deposited 
either  near  to  the  coastal  margin,  or  under  special  cir- 
cumstances (as  at  Sambhar)  in  inland  drainage  basins. 

The  next  section  deals  with  terrestrial  salt  deposi- 
tion, and  in  our  opinion  is  the  most  valuable  part  of 
the  book  ;  all  deposits  of  this  description  are  classified 
with  reference  to  both  the  source  of  the  material  and 
the  cause  of  deposition  ;  with  this  as  a  basis,  the  reader 
is  presented  with  a  very  able  thesis  on  this  phase  of  the 
subject.  In  particular  chapters  9  and  10  deserve 
special  mention  ;  in  the  former  he  discusses  "connate 
salts."  a  phrase  happily  chosen  to  define  a  type  of  in- 
organic sediment  of  which  little  account  is  usually 
taken  by  the  average  geo-physicist.  Connate  salt  im- 
plies just  that  deposit  derived  from  seawater  and  en- 
closed with  the  sediments  actually  laid  down  therein, 
and  when  not  removed  by  subsequent  leaching  action, 
constitutes  a  fundamental  factor  in  the  formation  of 
salt  deposits,  and  one  hitherto  unappreciated  at  its  full 
stratigraphical  significance. 

The  succeeding  pages  are  devoted  to  a  consideration 
of  nitrates,  phosphates,  and  salts  derived  from  hot 
springs,  mineral  springs,  and  the  like,  and  in  the  pen- 
ultimate chapter  the  author  discusses  several  theories 
of  origin  of  those  curious  salt-dome  structures  which 
are  so  imperfectly  understood  and  at  the  same  lime  of 
such  far-reaching  importance,  particularly  in  oilfield 
technology. 

We  strongly  recommend  this  volume  to  all  those  in- 
terested in  problems  of  salt  deposition  and  economics, 
and  we  look  forward  to  the  promised  volume  2,  and 
also  to  the  volume  on  hydrocarbons  at  which  theauthor 
hints  in  his  preface. 

H.  B.  MlLNER. 

Mineralogy.    By  Drs.  E.  H.  Kraus  and  W.  F.  Hunt 
Cloth,  octavo,  580  pages,  illustrated.    Price  27s.  net 
New  York  and  London  :  The  McGraw-Hill  Book  Co 
The  volume  is  described  as  an  introduction  to  the 
study  of  minerals  and  crystals.    In  the  introduction  the 
authors  point  out  the  intimate  connection  between  min- 
eralogy and   mining  and  agriculture,  and  hence  also 
commerce  and  industry  generally.     Its  relations  to  the 
other  sciences  is  indicated,  and  its  origin  on  a  scientific 
basis  is  justly  credited  to  Werner.    The  introduction  is 
followed  by  chapters  on  crystallography,  wnich  are  il- 
lustrated by  photographs  of  actual  crystals  and  crysta 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


125 


models,  in  addition  to  line  drawings.  This  should  help 
the  student,  whose  training  in  solid  geometry  is  usually 
slight,  to  master  the  initial  difficulties  of  the  subject. 
Chapters  dealing  with  the  polarizing  microscope  and 
chemical  properties  of  minerals  follow,  and  the  mtro- 
ductory  matter  is  completed  by  chapters  on  the  forma- 
tion and  occurrence  of  minerals  and  on  qualitative 
blow  pipe  methods.  Descriptive  mineralogy,  including 
a  chapter  on  gems  and  gem  stones,  occupies  about  150 
pages,  followed  by  classification  tables  and  a  glossary 
of  terms.  The  text  is  copiously  illustrated  by  figures 
and  photographs,  and  also  by  portraits  of  eminent  min- 
eralogists. The  definitions  of  the  terms  "drusy"  and 
"  hydration  "  as  given  in  the  glossary  might  be  improv- 
ed, and  it  is  to  be  noted  that  while  the  names  of  some 
plutonic  rocks  are  given  others  are  omitted .  An  inspec- 
tion of  the  blow-pipe  tests  shows  them  to  be  complete 
and  up-to-date,  but  it  should  be  mentioned  that  some 
varieties  of  cassiterite  refuse  to  yield  a  satisfactory  re- 
sult with  the  zinc  and  hydrochloric  acid  test.  The  book 
can  be  thoroughly  recommended  to  the  student  as  an 
introduction  to  the  subject,  and  is  especially  suitable 
to  one  attempting  to  improve  his  knowledge  of  minerals 
without  access  to  lectures  and  demonstrations. 

E.  H.  Davison. 

The  Ore  Deposits  of  Utah.  By  B.  S  BUTLER,  G. 
F.  LouGHLiN,  V.  C.  Heikes,  and  others.  Profes- 
sional Paper  No.  Ill  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey. 

A  discussion  of  the  numerous  ore  deposits  of  a  State 
that  has  produced  nearly  a  thousand  million  dollars 
worth  of  metals,  and  written  by  such  a  galaxy  of  emi- 
nent economic  geologists  as  the  experts  of  the  United 
States  Geological  Survey,  is  a  work  of  exceptional  in- 
terest to  mining  geologists  aiid  engineers  in  general. 
Such  is  this  volume.  It  contains  accounts  of  copper, 
silver,  gold,  lead,  and  zinc  deposits  of  great  variety,  be- 
sides descriptions  of  deposits  of  many  other  less  com- 
mon metals,  together  with  critical  discussions  of  the 
modes  of  genesis  of  the  several  kinds  of  deposits.  While 
most  of  these  deposits  are  derived  from  igneous  sources, 
many  occur  in  sedimentary  formations  often  showing 
no  obvious  connection  with  igneous  rocks  and  of  doubt- 
ful affinities.  Covering  such  a  wide  range  of  types  the 
work  is  practically  a  textbook  on  ore  deposits  and  their 
modes  of  genesis.  It  is  profusely  illustrated  both  with 
field  photographs  and  photomicrographs  illustrating 
important  points  in  occurrence,  and  contains  numerous 
statistical  diagrams.  Among  features  of  special  interest 
may  be  mentioned  the  descriptions  of  alunite  veins  and 
a  critical  discussion  of  the  genesis  of  sulphuric  acid 
under  magma'.ic  conditions  and  the  general  problems 
of  primary  sulphate  veins.  Alunite  veins  and  aluniti- 
zation  are  geological  features  that  are  particularly  well 
developed  in  Utah.  The  volume  also  contains  much  in- 
formation on  the  problems  of  metamorphism  and  some 
very  interesting  applications  of  quantitative  methods 
for  elucidating  the  probable  characters  of  the  solutions 
or  emanations  that  have  brought  about  metamorphic 
changes  and  the  deposition  of  ore  minerals.  Altogether 
fhe  work  is  one  that  may  be  studied  with  profit  by  all 
interested  in  the  problems  of  ore  occurrence  and  ore 
genesis.  W.  H.  Goodchild. 

The  Geology  and  Ore  Deposits  of  Ely,  Nevada.     By 

Arthur  C    Spencer,     Professional  Paper  96  of 

ihe  United  States  Geological  Survey. 

This  volume  is  of  great  interest  to  the  general  student 
of  ore  deposits  as  a  treatise  on  the  occurrence  and  gene- 
sis of  the  huge  disseminated  copper  or  mineralized  por- 
phyry deposits  that  have  contributed  so  largely  to  the 
establishment  of  America's  pre-eminent  position  as  the 


producer  of  such  a  large  proportion  of  the  world's  cop- 
per supply.  In  addition  to  and  apart  from  its  local  in- 
terest as  a  descriptive  treatise  on  the  ore  deposits  of  a 
particular  region,  it  is  of  special  interest  in  that  it  gives 
a  very  full  account  of  the  processes  of  primary  or  ig- 
neous and  secondary  or  katamorphic  metamorphism, 
both  of  which  processes  have  been  necessary  to  gene- 
rate rock  sufficiently  impregnated  with  metalliferous 
material  to  rank  as  commercial  copper  ore.  The  chem- 
istry of  secondary  enrichment  of  lean  primary  iron 
and  copper  sulphides  is  discussed  in  considerable  de- 
tail. The  primary  or  igneousmetamorphism  and  miner- 
alization of  the  monzonitic  porphyry  intrusives,  which 
carried  little  or  no  mineral  as  originally  formed,  is  fully 
described,  and  the  extensive  changes  wrought  in  the 
rock-masses  are  ascribed  to  magmatic  waters  emanat- 
ing from  an  internal  magma  reservoir  undergoing  cry- 
stallization, the  reservoir  being  the  parent  reservoir  of 
the  monzonitic  extrusions.  It  is  of  interest  and  indeed 
somewhat  striking  that  the  theory  of  primary  sulphide 
mineralization  and  wholesale  metamorphism  here  quite 
independently  put  forward,  as  a  result  of  careful  and 
detailed  geological  surveying  in  this  region,  to  account 
for  the  introduction  of  the  enormous  quantities  of  py- 
rite  and  accompanying  copper,  together  with  the  ac- 
companying silicate  metamorphism,  is  identical  in  prin- 
ciple with  the  theory  put  forward  elsewhere  by  the  re- 
viewer to  account  for  the  wholesale  metamorphism  of 
the  Witwatersrand  series  and  the  introduction  of  iron 
sulphides  and  gold  in  large  quantities  into  the  con- 
glomerates and  their  associated  rocks.  There  seems  to 
be  a  marked  parallelism  between  the  two  types  of  oc- 
currence, which,  though  differing  considerably  in  de- 
tail, are  closely  allied  in  principle,  so  that  it  seems 
possible  that  a  study  of  the  copper  porphyries  of  the 
New  World  might  be  helpful  in  the  elucidation  of  the 
great  gold  problem  of  South  Africa. 

W.  H.  Goodchild. 

Chemical  Analyses  of  Igneous  Rocks.  By  Henry 
Stephens  Washington.  Professional  Paper  99 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey. 
This  volume  is  a  revised  and  greatly  enlarged  edition 
of  the  original  tables  of  rock  analyses  collected  by  the 
same  author,  and  published  as  Professional  Paper  14 
of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey.  This  edition 
embraces  the  analyses  of  no  less  than  8,602  igneous 
rock  samples  as  against  2,281  in  the  original  paper.  It 
is  undoubtedly  the  most  complete  collection  of  igneous 
rock  analyses  extant  and,  having  regard  to  the  care 
with  which  it  has  been  compiled,  may  be  regarded  as 
thestandard  work  of  reference  on  this  important  branch 
of  petrological  research.  The  tables  give  the  analysis 
of  each  rock,  together  with  its  ordinary  name,  the  lo- 
cality from  which  the  specimen  was  obtained,  the  name 
of  the  analyst,  the  bibliographical  reference  to  the 
source  of  information,  its  position  in  the  quantitative 
system,  and  remarks.  To  quote  the  author's  words, 
"  it  is  coming  to  be  recognized  by  petrologists  in  general 
that  the  study  of  igneous  rocks  is  in  large  part  the 
study  of  silicate  solutions  and  their  equihbria,  often 
complicated  by  the  presence  of  volatile  components, 
and  is  thus  to  be  regarded  as  essentially  a  branch  of 
physical  chemistry."  For  such  a  study  rock  analyses 
are  all-important  and,  indeed,  indispensable.  Hence 
the  importance  and  value  of  this  work  to  all  geologists 
concerned  with  the  study  of  igneous  rocks,  and,  it  may 
be  added,  to  mining  geologists  in  particular,  since  so 
many  ore  deposits  are  derived  from  such  rocks  or  the 
molten  masses  from  which  they  have  crystallized.  The 
tables  are  prefaced  with  a  critical  discussion  of  the  char- 
acter and  use  of  such  analyses  and  contain  much  in- 


126 


rill':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


formation  of  value  to  jjeolo^iisis  who  may  not  bo  fa 
miliar  with  tin-  chemical  methods  of  rock  analysis  and 
the  possible  errors  in  ordinary  rock  analyses  The  well- 
known  quantitative  system  of  classification  is  adopted 
in  the  presentation  of  the  analysis.  Whatever  may  he 
said  as  to  the  limitations  and  shortcomings  of  this  sys- 
tem as  at  present  developed,  there  can  be  no  question 
as  to  the  usefulness  of  this  volume  as  a  dictionary  of 
igneous  rock  analyses.  The  construction  of  the  system 
and  a  general  explanation  of  its  principles  and  practical 
working  is  given  in  an  appendix,  so  that  the  work  is 
complete  in  itself  and  can  be  used  by  those  who  may 
not  be  accustomed  to  its  peculiar  conventions  and 
usages.  The  work  is  one  that  should  find  a  place  in 
the  library  of  every  petrologist  and  mining  geologist. 

\V.  H.  GOODCHII-D. 

Wire  Ropes  for  Hoisting.     Quarto,  284  pages,   with 
many  illustrations.      Price20s.net.     Johannesburg: 
The  South  African   Institution  of  Engineers. 
This   volume  contains  a  reprint   of  extracts   from 
articles,    etc.,   appearing  in   the    publications  of    the 
South  African  Institution  of  Engineers  and  of  the  pre- 
viously existmg  societies  of  which  it  is  the  successor. 
The  papers  and  articles  are  not  by  any  means  given 
in   full.     In   most   cases   parts  of   the  discussion   are 
given  also.    The  followmg  are  the  titles  of  the  papers  : 
Winding  Plants  for  Great  Depths,  by  Hans.  C    Hehr 

(1902)  ;     Rope    Statistics,   extracted    from    CHickauf 

(1903)  :  Notes  on  the  Corrosion  of  Wire  Kopesby  Mine 
Waters,  by  W.  S  Thomas  (igO'l)  ;  An  Investigation 
Regarding  the  Effect  of  Kinetic  Shocks  on  Winding 
Ropes  in  Vertical  Shafts,  by  ].  A.  Vaughan  (1904); 
The  Risk  Arising  from  Using  Winding  Ropes  with  too 
High  an  Initial  Factor  of  Safety,  by  H.  J.  S.  Heather 
(1905)  ;  Some  Interesting  Repairs  to  Machinery,  by  K. 
Schweder  (1906)  ;  Wire  Ropes  Used  for  Wmdmg  : 
Their  Strength  and  Some  Causes  for  its  Reduction,  by 
J.  A.  Vaughan  and  W.  M.  Eplon  (1905)  ;  Some  Notes 
on  an  Electrical  Apparatus  for  Ascertaining  the  Cross 
Sectional  Area  of  Wire  Ropes,  by  C.  McCann  (1906)  ; 
A  Few  Notes  on  Resultsof  Tests  of  Worn  Ropes,  by  W. 
M.  Epton  (1907)  ;  Record  Keeping  as  Applied  to  the 
Resident  Engineer's  Department  of  a  Mine,  by  H.  L. 
Templer  (1909)  :  The  Kimberley  System  of  Handling 
Large  Quantities  of  Ground  in  the  Minimum  of  Time, 
with  Notes  Regarding  the  Life  of  Wire  Ropes,  by  k.  F. 
Williams  (1911)  ;  Notes  on  the  Margin  of  Safety  Re- 
quired by  Government  for  Man  Haulage  at  Great 
Depihs,  by  R.  B.  Greer  (1912)  ;  Hauling  from  Great 
Depths,  by  H.  Kesiner  (1913)  :  Notes  on  the  Value  of 
Annealing  the  Connecting  Attachments  on  Winding 
Plants,  by  J.  A.  Vaughan  (1916)  ;  The  Factor  of  Safety 
of  Wire  Ropes  Used  for  Winding  in  Mine  Shafts,  by 
J.  A.  Vaughan  (ls/17). 

Geology  of  the  Northern  Portions  of  the  Districts 
of  Marico  and  Rustenburg,  Transvaal.  By  H.  Kyn- 
ASTON,  W.  A.  Hlmphkey,  and  A.  W.  Rogers. 
Pamphlet  and  maps  published  by  the  Geological  Sur- 
vey of  South  Africa. 

Geology  of  Pondoland.  By  A.  L.  Du  ToiT  and 
A  W.  Rogers.  Pamphlet  and  map  published  by  the 
Geological  Survey  of  South  .'Africa.  Thecoppernickel 
deposits  at  Insizwa  lie  on  the  north  western  border  of 
the  area  covered  by  this  work 

The  Limestone  Resources  of  the  Union  of  South 
Africa  II.  By  W.  Wybergh.  Memoir  No.  11  of 
the  Geological  Survey  of  South  Africa,  dealing  with 
the  limestones  of  Natal,  the  Cape,  and  Orange  Free 
State. 

Corundum  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern  Transvaal. 
By  A.  L.  Hall.      Memoir  No.  15  of  the  Geological 


Survey  o(  South  Africa,  220  pages,  with  many  maps 
and  other  illustrations.  This  volume  gives  detailed  in- 
formation as  to  the  many  corundum  deposits  of  the 
Transv.aal  with  an  account  of  the  geology  of  the  coun- 
try .\  paper  on  tliis  subject  by  Dr.  P.  A.  Wagner  was 
quoted  in  the  Mac.x/ini-;  for  September,  1918. 

Asbestos  1913  to  1919.  Pamphlet  published  by 
the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Huieau.      Price  Is. 

Manganese  Deposits,  Peak  Hill  Goldfield.  By  A. 
MoNTiuiMKUV.  Slate  Mining  Engineer  for  West  Aus- 
tralia. This  report  describes  manganese  deposits  at 
Horseshoe  Range  in  the  Peak  Hill  goldfield. 

Geology  of  the  Enterprise  Mineral  Belt.  By  II.  B. 
Maufi:.  Director  of  the  Rhodesian  (leological  Survey. 
Geological  Survey  Bulletin  No.  7. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Wolhuter  Gold  Mines. — This  company  was  formed 
in  ISS7  to  work  a  gold-mining  property  on  the  outcrop 
on  the  central  Rand.  The  control  passed  from  the 
Neumann  group  a  year  or  two  ago  to  the  Central  Min- 
ing &  Investment  Corporation.  The  report  fbr  the 
year  ended  October  31  last  shows  that  396,292  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  and.  after  the  rejection  of  waste,  359,600 
tons  averaging  5  9  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill. 
The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  71,841  oz.  and 
by  cyaniding  31,828  oz.,  being  a  total  of  103,669  oz.  or 
5'6  dwt.  per  ton.  The  par  value  of  this  gold  was 
^■435  337,  but  an  additional  income  of  /133,000,  aris- 
ing from  the  premium,  was  realized.  The  working 
cost  was  ^433,001,  or  23s.  5d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  profit 
of  ^"135, 336.  Dividends  absorbing  £107,500  were  dis- 
tributed, being  at  the  rate  of  12J%.  The  ore  reserve 
is  estimated  at  661.904  tons  averaging  5  7  dwt.  The 
mine  is  fully  developed  and  the  number  of  available 
slope  faces  is  gradually  decreasing.  In  order  to  main- 
tain the  output  it  becomes  necessary  to  draw  from  re- 
clamation sources  ore  of  lower  grade.  Thus  in  the 
future  smaller  profits  will  be  made,  and  it  will  only  be 
by  means  of  the  gold  premium  that  the  mine  can  be 
kept  working. 

Messina  (Transvaal)  Development. — This  company 
was  formed  in  1905  to  work  copper  properties  in  the 
northern  Transvaal.  Though  the  ore  was  rich  it  was 
not  possible  for  some  lime  to  make  profits  owing  to  the 
high  cost  of  shipment  to  England.  Subsequently,  when 
treatment  plant  was  provided,  the  richer  ore  had  become 
exhausted.  The  only  dividends  paid  were  for  the  years 
ended  June  30,  1916.  and  June  30,  1917.  The  cessation 
of  shipments  of  matte  during  the  latter  part  of  the  war 
was  another  adverse  factor.  As  already  recorded,  it 
was  decided  recently  to  build  a  new  mill  and  a  new 
smelter  and  refinery,  the  financing  of  which  was  pro- 
vided by  a  subsidiary  company  called  the  Transvaal 
Smelting  &  Refining  Co.,  Ltd.,  which  would  treat 
other  ores  as  well.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
June  30  last  shows  that  11,659  tons,  averaging  51% 
copper,  was  raised  from  the  Vogelenzang  mine,  and 
80.488  tons,  averaging  251%.  from  the  Messina 
mine  The  results  of  concentration  were  :  55  tons  of 
picked  shipping  ore  and  concentrate,  averaging  68%. 
and  5.871  tons  of  concentrate,  averaging  33  4%,  suit- 
able for  smelting  on  the  spot.  The  matte  produced  by 
smelting  6,284  tons  of  ore  and  concentrate  was  3,036 
tons,  averaging  63  6%.  Concentration  and  smelting 
were  suspended  at  the  beginning  of  May,  owing  to  the 
operations  not  being  profitable,  and  the  building  of  the 
new  plant  was  commenced.  Owing  to  the  usual  delays 
it  is  not  expected  that  the  new  plant  will  be  finished 
until  April  of  this  year.  The  accounts  show  an  income 
of  £^174, 089  from  the  sale  of  products,  and  the  adverse 


FEBRUARY,    1921 


127 


balance  was  jf  12-4.424.  The  proved  ore  reserve  at  the 
Vogelenzang  mine  is  estimated  at  28,370  tons,  averag- 
ing 5'12%,  and  at  the  Messina  124,071  tons,  averaging 
3'84%.  Taking  into  account  the  probable  and  possible 
ore.  these  figures  become  85.202  tons,  averaging  3  72% . 
and  433.508  tons,  averaging  3'14%.  respectively. 

Tanganyika  Concessions. — Thiscompany  was  form- 
ed in  1899  by  Robert  Williams  to  develop  lands  in  nor- 
thern Rhodesia.  The  Kansanshi  copper-gold  mine  was 
opened,  but  is  not  now  being  worked.     Subsequently 


tent.  Combustion  tests  show  that  the  coal  is  useful  for 
steam-raising  but  not  for  coke  manufacture.  The  com- 
pany is  also  largely  interested  in  the  Benguella  railway, 
the  Katanga  Railway,  and  the  Rhodesia- Katanga  Rail- 
way. Recently  a  substantial  interest  has  been  taken  in 
the  Nile-uongo  Divide  Syndicate,  which  has  been  form- 
ed to  investigate  mineral  deposits  in  the  Sudan  along 
the  Nile-Congo  watershed.  The  utilization  of  water 
power  derived  from  falls  on  the  Lualaba  and  Lufira 
rivers  is  still  under  consideration,  the  chief  object  being 


y> 


3w(Hs  bemg  worked 

'    MINES     -kCotd      mCopper    Oiin 

\t^^.:itij  Capper  Mi/fiJiff  Coiwessum. 


— ^ jT jj — **Tg  ^-f-^  t,^-r^^ ^-\ 

rked      .^_._L^  Rtulways  projected      \      ^     s      ^"^-^ 


limestone     ^ho 

ijTsxsui/i  Tat  Mimng  \C(mcessieJi. 


26E;.  of  Gr, 


a  40%  interest  in  the  Union  Miniere  du  Haut  Katanga 
was  acquired.  This  Belgian  company  operates  copper 
and  other  mines  in  Congo  State.  The  report  of  Tan- 
ganyika Concessions  for  the  year  ended  June  30  last 
shows  that  the  output  of  copper  during  1919  was  23.004 
tons,  and  that  the  output  for  1920  isestimated  at  19,000 
tons.  The  output  of  tin  concentrate  at  the  Busanga  tin 
mine  to  August  31  last  was  272  tons.  The  present  out- 
put is  about  50  tons  per  month,  and  is  expected  shortly 
to  be  increased  to  80  tons.  Prospecting  for  tin  has  been 
conducted  at  several  points  in  the  Kasonso  district  with 
encouraging  results.  Coal  deposits  have  been  discov- 
ered by  drilling  close  to  the  railway  near  Sankishia,  and 
the  evidence  indicates  the  coal  to  be  of  considerable  ex- 


to  secure  cheap  electricity  on  a  large  scale  for  the  elec- 
trolytic treatment  of  low-grade  copper  ores.  As  already 
recorded ,  the  debentures  have  been  paid  off  by  means  of 
funds  raised  by  the  issue  of  a  million  new  shares  at  /3 
each.  The  company  has  taken  its  proportion  of  a  new 
issue  made  by  Union  Miniere,  namely,  9,800  shares  at 
800  francs  each.  The  accounts  show  the  receipt  of  a 
dividend  from  the  holding  in  Union  Miniere  shares, 
4,900,000  francs,  which,  at  56  5  francs  to  the  pound, 
realized  /86,725  Interest  on  loans  and  investments 
brought  /45,918.  The  net  profit  was  /89,666,  which 
was  carried  forward. 

Wankie  Colliery. — This  company   was   formed   in 
1899  to  acquire  coal  lands  in  Rhodesia,  north  of  Living- 


128 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


stone  Falls,  about  200  miles  north-west  of  Bulawayo. 
The  railway  from  Bulawayo  northwards,  passing; 
through  the  properly,  w.is  opened  in  1903.  Kdmund 
Davis  is  chairman  and  managing  director,  and  A.  K 
Thomson  is  manager.  The  report  (or  the  year  ended 
AuKusi  31  shows  that  the  sales  of  coal  were  320,476  tons 
and  of  coke  102. 6S1  tons.  The  revenue  for  the  year 
was  £309.('07,  and  the  profit  was  ^57.5D5,  out  of  which 
.f  56,733  has  been  paid  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of 
10%  ■  The  mine  was  idle  for  5-1  days,  due  to  strikes  and 
shortageof  truck  supply.  Nevertheless  the  outpiit  show- 
ed an  increase  of  17%  on  the  previous  year.  A  strike 
which  lasted  from  December  22,  1919,  to  January  3, 
1920.  was  not  directed  against  the  company,  but  was  in 
sympathy  with  strikers  at  other  mines.  The  supply  of 
native  labour  has  greatly  improved.  The  developed 
reserve  isestimated  at  6.015.000  tons,  and  the  probable 
reserve  within  a  two  mile  radius  at  54,000.000  tons.  As 
recorded  a  year  or  more  ago,  it  is  not  convenient  to  ex- 
tend operations  ai  the  present  workings,  so  new  work- 
ings are  being  opened  at  another  site,  where  shaft-sink- 
ing is  now  in  progress. 

Premier  (Transvaal)  Diamond  Mining. — This  com- 
pany was  formed  in  1902  to  work  diamond  pipes  north 
of  Pretoria.  Control  was  obtained  by  Harnaio  l?roihers 
in  1912,  and  it  was  transferred  to  the  De  Beers  company 
in  1917.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  October  31  last 
shows  that  4.660.498  loads  (16  cu.  ft.  each)  was  washed 
for  a  yield  of  820,564  carats,  or  0  176  carat  per  load. 
The  pipe  has  been  developed  to  the  460  ft  level,  above 
which  the  quantity  of  ground  available  for  mining  is 
41,000,000  loads.  At  this  level  there  is  no  sign  of  any 
contraction  of  the  pipe.  The  accounts  show  credits  o( 
/2, 098, 482  on  diamond  account,  and  working  e.\penses 
2749,410,  Of  the  profit,  60%  was  paid  to  the  Union  o( 
South  Africa  as  its  share,  absorbing  .^799,400,  and 
;f  72,205  was  paid  as  taxes.  The  preference  shares  re- 
ceived /lOO.OOO.  being  at  the  rate  of  250% ,  and  the  de- 
ferred shares  ,^440.000.  being  at  the  rate  of  1.100%. 

Champion  Reef  Gold  Mining  of  India. — This  com- 
pany was  formed  in  1SS9  by  John  Taylor  &  Sons  to  ac- 
quire property  in  the  Kolar  goldfield.  Mysore  State, 
South  India.  From  1894  to  1905  big  dividends  were 
paid  :  afterward,  on  the  ore  becoming  of  lower  grade, 
the  rate  of  dividends  was  much  lower.  For  the  year 
ended  September  30.  1919.  no  distribution  was  made. 
The  report  for  the  year  ended  September  30  last,  now 
issued,  shows  that,  owing  chiefly  to  better  conditions 
ruling  for  the  sale  of  gold,  it  has  been  possible  to  re- 
sume the  payment  of  dividends  During  the  year. 
143,386  tons  of  ore  was  treated  for  a  vield  of  79.274 
oz.  o(  gold.  The  income  from  the  sale  of  gold  was 
/376.222.  or  about  £40,000  more  than  par  value.  The 
working  pro6t  was  /66,575,  of  which  £16.000  was 
written  off  for  depreciation  and  £10,000  was  placed  to 
reserve  The  shareholders  received  £34.666.  or  4d. 
per  2s.  6d  share,  the  rate  being  13?,%.  The  ore  reserve 
at  September  30  was  estimated  at  248.846  tons,  a  reduc- 
tion of  44.669  Ions  as  compared  with  the  previous  year. 
Sufficient  work  has  not  been  done  on  the  new  shoot 
of  ore  on  the  63rd  level  in  Carmichael's  Section  to 
warrant  a  definite  estimate  of  the  ore  being  made.  The 
mine  continues  to  suffer  from  rock  bursts,  which  inter- 
fere with  sloping  operations.  Recent  bursts  have  caus- 
ed a  drop  in  the  output,  and  it  will  be  some  months 
before  the  normal  figures  are  reached  once  more. 

Huelva  Copper  and  Sulphur. — This  company  was 
formed  in  1903  to  work  the  Monle  Romero  and  other 
pyrites  mines  in  the  south  of  Spain,  previously  worked 
by  the  Huelva  Central  Copper  Mining  Co.  Under  the 
management  of  Henry  F,  Collins,  a  smelting  plant  was 
erected      The  company  now  produces  smelted  copper. 


cement  copper,  washed  pyrites,  and  complex  ore.  The 
report  (or  the  year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  66.243 
tons  of  ore  was  raised,  and  thai  5,862  tons  o(  ore  and 
precipitate  was  purchased  The  output  o(  copper  was 
1.649  tons,  and  3.068  tons  o(  complex  ore  was  sold 
The  financi.al  result  o(  the  year's  work  was  a  loss  o( 
£5.632  Since  the  end  o(  ilie  period  under  review, 
more  (avourable  conlracts  have  been  made  (or  the  sale 
of  the  copper,  complex  ore,  and  washed  ore.  The  com- 
pany had  great  dillicully  in  securing  coal  and  coke,  but 
recently  were  able  lo  make  a  contract  (or  supplies  with 
the  I'enarroya  Company.  The  outlook,  therefore,  is 
now  more  favourable. 

Rafinpa  (Nigeria)  Tin. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1912  to  acquiie  alluvial  tin  property  62  miles  east  of 
Zaria,  Northern  Nigeria  This  property  was  not  a  suc- 
cess, and  other  properties  have  been  acquired  since 
An  interest  has  also  been  secured  in  stream  deposits  at 
Bissoe,  Cornwall.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
March  31  last  shows  expenditure  o(  £7,413,  o(  which 
£1,349  represented  interest  on  loans,  as  against  £2,469 
received  from  the  sale  of  tin  concentrate  Since  the 
close  of  the  period  covered  by  the  report,  the  first  unit 
of  the  treatment  plant  at  Bissoe  has  been  started,  but 
additional  plant  has  been  necessary  to  improve  the  re- 
covery and  lo  save  by  products. 

South  Bukeru  (Nigeria)  Tin. — This  company  was 
(ormed  in  1910  lo  acquire  alluvial  tin  properly  in  Ni- 
geria, and  other  properties  have  been  acquired  since. 
S  R.  Bastard  ischairman,  and  C.  G.  Lush  isconsulting 
engineer.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30  last 
shows  that  the  output  of  tin  concentrate  svas91i  tons, 
as  compared  with  53  tons  during  the  previous  year. 
The  sales  of  concentrate  brought  an  income  of  £17,356, 
and  the  net  profit  was  £95.  but  if  it  had  not  been  for  a 
re(und  of  excess  profits  duty,  £2.384,  there  would  have 
been  a  considerable  adverse  balance. 

Bullfinch  Proprietary. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1910  lo  acquire  gold- mining  property  23  miles  north- 
east of  Southern  Cross,  West  Australia.  It  was  recon- 
structed in  1919.  The  report  for  the  thirteen  months 
ended  September  30  last  shows  that  70,250  tons  of  ore 
was  raised  and  sent  to  the  mill,  where  15,560  oz.  of 
gold  was  extracted.  The  par  value  of  the  gold  and 
silver  won  was  £67,353,  to  which  is  added  £27.438  for 
gold  premium  realized.  The  working  cost  at  the  mine 
w.is  £77,984,  and  £6.997  was  spent  in  testing  other  pro- 
perties, notably  the  Victory  North,  on  Hampton  Plains. 
The  net  profit  for  the  year  was  ;f5,S06,  which  was  car- 
ried forward.  A  large  amount  of  development  work  has 
been  done  during. the  period  The  reserve  isestimated 
at  50,710  tons,  averaging  18s.  8d.  per  ton  at  par. 

Deebook  Dredging. — This  company  was  formed  in 
Victoria  in  1913  to  acquire  alluvial  tin  properties  at  the 
northern  end  of  Bangnon  Valley,  Renong,  Western 
Siamese  States.  One  dredge  commenced  work  in  1914 
and  another  twelve  months  later.  The  property  not 
proving  satisfactory,  one  of  the  dredges  was  sold  in 
1917  to  the  Ronpibon  Extended,  and  in  1918  negotia- 
tions were  entered  into  for  the  sale  of  the  other  dredge 
to  the  Taiping  Tin  Dredging  Co.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  May  31  last  shows  that  the  Ronpibon  dredge 
extracted  282  tons  of  tin  concentrate  from  678.000  cu. 
yd.  o(  ground,  and  that  the  Deebook  company  received 
£1.125  as  dividend  on  its  holding  in  Ronpibon  Ex- 
tended shares.  The  company  has  not  been  able  to 
acquire  any  other  suitable  property,  so  the  directors 
have  decided  to  distribute  the  money  received  from  the 
Taiping  company  in  payment  for  the  dredge  as  a  return 
of  capital.  The  first  instalment  of  £5.000  has  already 
been  paid,  and  further  sums  will  be  distributed  as  the 
debt  is  liquidated. 


The  Mining  Magazine 

W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director.  Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 

Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,  Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall,  London,  E.C.2. 

Telephone:  London  Wall  S93S.    Telegraphic  Address:  Oligoclase.     Codes:  A7cJVetiZ.  both  Editions. 


Branch  Offices  : 


420.  Market  Street.  San  Francisco. 

600.  Fisher  Bdfi..  Cfaicat^o. 

2,222,  Equitable  Building,  New  York. 


Siii.=roi»xin~  i  '*5-  P"  annum  (Single  Copy  Is.  6d.)  inclu- 
bUBSCRiPTiON  ^        jijjjg  postage  to  any  part  of  the  WorJd. 


Vol.  XXIV.   No.  3. 


LONDON.   MARCH,    1921. 


Price   Is.  6c1. 


CONTENTS. 


Editorial 

Notes 130 

Mr.  H.  C.  Hoover  in  the  Harding  Administration: 
The  Institute  of  Metals:  Effects  of  Oil  on  Ma- 
rine Life  ;  Geological  Survey  of  Cumberland. 

The  Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill...    130 

Attention  is  drawn  to  the  article  on  this  subject  else- 
where in  this  issue. 

The  Excess  Profits  Duty   131 

Comment  is  made  on  the  evil  influence  of  this  tax 
on  the  development  of  new  mining  properties. 

The  Imperial  College's  AthleticGround   132 

Particulars  are  given  of  the  new  Sports  Ground,  and 
subscriptions  are  invited  in  order  that  the  debt 
may  be  cleared  oft. 

Deep  Shafts 133 

Comment  is  ma-te  on  the  paper  on  the  City  Deep 
shaft  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Clifford,  discussed  at  the  last 
meetinfi  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy. 

Review  of  Mining  

Articles 

The  Transmission  of  Power  by  Waves 
P.J.Risdon  139 


135 


Flats"  and 


Sops"  in  Furness 

J.  D.  Kendall 


145 


Theauthor  discusses  the  Hematite  Deposits  known 
as  '*  Flats  "  or  Bed-like  Deposits,  and  "  Sops  "  or 
"Pots,"  with  Special  Reference  to  those  of  Fur- 
ness. 


On  the  Estimation  of  Phosphoric  Acid 

by  the  Molybdate  Method 

/.  E.  Clennell  151 

Book  Reviews 

Emmons'  "  Geology  of  Petroleum  "   

H.  B.  Milner     154 

Duparc  and  Tikonowitch's  "  Le  Platine  et  !es 
Giles  Platiniferes  de  I'Oural  et  du  Monde" 
A.  L.  Simon     155 

Vogt's  "Die  Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen,  I  i 
Die  Sul6dschmelzen  und  die  SulBdsilikat- 
schmelzen" R.  H.  Rastall     156 

Vogt's  "  Die  Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen  " 
R.  H.  Rastall     156 


Letters  to  the  Editor 

TheGreensideLeadMines  ...Interested  158 

Genesis  of  Cumberland  Iron  Ores 

J.  B.  Atkinson   158 

News  Letters 

Vancouver,  B.C 159 

Mineral  Production  for  1920  ;  Smelters  ;  Coal 
Prices;  Dolly  Varden  ;  Vancouver  Island  Cop- 
per;  Premier;   Iron  Ore. 

Toronto     161 

Porcupine;  Kirkland  Lake  ;  Cobalt;  The  Macken- 
zie River  Oilfield. 

Melbourne    162 

Tasmanian  Oil-Promotions  ;  Prospecting  for  Coal 
in  Tasmania;  North-East  Tasmania. 

Personal 16+ 

Trade  Paragraphs    165 

Metal  Markets  165 

Statistics  of  Production 168 

Prices  of  Chemicals  171 

Share  Quotations 172 

The  Mining  Digest 

The  Kirkland  Lake  Gold  Mining  District 

A.  G.  Burrows  and  P.  E.  Hopkins 

The  New  City  Deep  Shaft E.  H.  Clifford 

The  Greenawalt  Sintering  Process 

W .  E.  Greenawalt 

Electrostatic  Deposition  of  Potash  •  Bearing 
Dust.-.fi.  Bury,  O.  Ollander,  and  F.  Bain- 
bridge    185 

Quicksilver  Mining  in  China.... Frank  Trythall     187 

Bau-xite  in  West  Africa A.  E.  Kitson     189 

Flotation  Applied  to  Coal A.  F.  Bury  and 

A.  Bicknell 189 

Silver-Lead  in  Yukon W.  E.  Cockfield     190 

Short  Notices  190 

Recent  Patents  Published 192 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  Etc 192 

Company  Reports  192 

De  Beers  Consolidated  ;  Exploration  Company  :  Geevor  Tin 
.Mines;  Taquah  Central  Mines. 


173 
179 

183 


EDITORIAL 


THE  memorial  tablet  erected  lo  tlie  nieiii- 
ory  of  members  of  the  MininR  and  Metal- 
lurgical Club  who  fell  in  the  war  was  unveiled 
on  March  7,  ttie  ceremony  being  performed  by 
Mr.  Walter  McDermott,  who  spoke  a  few  brief 
but  touching  words. 

THE  appointment  ol  Mr.  H.  C.  Hoover 
as  Secretary  of  Commerce  in  Mr.  Hard- 
ing's administration  is  a  source  of  gratification 
to  minmg  men  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  His 
administrative  and  financial  abilities  are  ap- 
preciated on  this  side  as  widely  as  they  are  in 
his  own  country,  and  his  friends  here  will  unite 
with  those  in  .\nierica  in  wishing  him  good  luck. 

FEW  technical  societies  have  enjoyed  such 
rapid  and  solid  success  as  the  Institute 
of  Metals.  Though  only  in  its  twelfth  year, 
its  membership  is  already  1,350.  The  Insti- 
tute already  has  local  sections  at  Birmingham, 
Sheffield,  and  Glasgow,  and  the  latest  move 
has  been  the  formation  of  a  London  section. 
The  council  also  has  in  view  the  establish- 
ment of  local  sections  at  Newcastle-on-Tyne 
and  Swansea. 

STUDIES  of  the  behaviour  of  rocks  under 
great  pressure  are  to  be  instituted  at  the 
University  of  Wisconsin,  which  has  been  able, 
by  means  of  funds  supplied  by  Mr.  W.  A. 
Clark,  the  copper  magnate  of  Butte  and  Ari- 
zona, to  install  a  hydraulic  press  capable  of 
exerting  a  pressure  of  200  tons  per  square  inch 
for  prolonged  periods  of  time.  The  press  is 
fitted  with  devices  for  raising  the  temperature 
of  the  material  under  treatment  and  for  meas- 
uring it.  It  is  hoped,  with  this  machine,  to  in- 
vestigate many  points  connected  with  the  meta- 
morphism  of  rocks. 

A  branch  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Eng- 
land and  Wales  has  been  established  in 
Whitehaven,  with  Mr.  Bernard  Smith  as  dis- 
trict geologist.  The  re-mapping  of  the  Cum- 
berland and  Furness  iron  and  coal  districts  is 
to  be  undertaken,  and  investigations  are  also 
to  be  made  in  connection  with  lead,  zinc,  and 
copper  deposits.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Mr. 
Bernard  Smith  will  invite  the  assistance  of 
Mr.  J.  D.  Kendall;  whose,  knowledge  of  this 
district  is  unrivalled.  There  is  one  point  in 
relation  to  these  industrial  activities  of  the 
Geological  Survey  that  requires  comment. 
We  refer  to  the  fact  that  the  Survey  is  now 

130 


in  the  control  of  the  Department  of  Scientific 
and  Industrial  Research,  a  department  which 
does  not  give  the  entireresultsof  the  researches 
to  the  public.  In  this  case  we  wonder  who 
will  get  the  benefit  of  such  discoveries  or 
recommendations  as  may  be  made  by  Mr. 
Bernard  Smith  and  his  coadjutors. 

L.AST  month  reference  was  made  to  the 
alleged  injury  to  marine  life  caused  by  the 
escape  of  oil-fuel  from  oil-burning  steamers. 
Many  of  the  statements  on  this  subject  are  un- 
supported by  direct  evidence  and  are  rather 
\ague,  so  it  is  desirable  to  draw  attention  to 
definite  and  reliable  pronouncements.  For 
instance,  in  Nature  for  February  24,  Professor 
Walter  E.Collmge.of  St.  Andrews,  writes  to  the 
efTect  that  during  the  past  five  years  numbers 
of  birds  which  dive  beneath  the  surface  of  the 
water  in  order  to  obtain  their  food  have  been 
washed  up  on  the  Fife  coast  and  elsewhere 
dead  or  in  a  dying  condition  and  covered  with  a 
thick  coating  of  oil.  In  one  day  he  counted 
more  than  threehundred  kittiwakes.and  almost 
the  same  number  of  razorbills  and  guillemots, 
and  dozens  of  little  auks  and  puffins. 

The  Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill. 

Last  month  we  published  an  article  by  Mr. 
P.  J.  Risdon  explaining  the  principle  of  the 
wave-transmission  rock-drill,  and  in  this  issue 
appears  his  second  article  describing  the  drill 
and  the  wave-generator.  A  general  account  of 
the  drill  was  given  in  our  issue  of  June  last,  so 
thatthere  is  little  left  to  be  said  on  thisoccasion. 
Some  of  our  readers  may  remember  that  this 
drill  was  tried  in  South  Africa  between  four 
and  five  years  ago,  and  an  illustrated  note  of 
the  trials  was  made  in  these  pages  at  the  time. 
War  conditions  then  prevented  the  continua- 
tion of  the  trials  and  the  making  of  modifica- 
tions suggested  by  the  result  of  these  trials. 
The  application  of  the  principle  to  the  syn- 
chronizing of  aeroplane-engine  with  hind  gun- 
fire took  up  all  the  attention  of  Mr.Constantin- 
esco,  the  inventor,  and  Messrs.  W.  H.  Dorman 
cV  Co.,  Ltd.,  the  makers.  It  is  only  since  the 
end  of  the  war  that  attention  has  once  more 
been  given  to  the  drill.  In  the  South  African 
tests  one  of  the  weaknesses  revealed  arose  from 
the  use  of  a  spring  for  effecting  the  back  stroke 
of  the  drill.  In  the  improved  drill  as  at  present 
working  both  the  back  and  the  forward  motions 
areobtainedby  the  wave  power.  Aseconddiffi- 
culty  in  the  early  days  was  to  find  a  pipe  that 


MARCH,    1921 


131 


could  withstand  the  high  pressures  employed. 
The  introduction  of   the  jointed  steel   piping 
known  as  "  flexstel  "  has  overcome  this  draw- 
back.    A  third  problem  that  caused  consider- 
able trouble  at  first  was  to  find  some  way  of 
preventing  a  continuous  increase  of  pressure 
when  the  generator  was  workmg  and  the  drills 
were  out  of  use.    This  source  of  danger  has  now 
been  removed  by  the  introduction  of  the  vessels 
called  "  capacities  "  as  part  of  the  structure  of 
the  generators.     Naturally  the  employment  of 
such  high  pressures  has  made  it  necessary  to 
use  considerable  thicknesses  of  metal  in  the 
experimental  work,  for  it  was  obviously  desir- 
able to  eliminate  or  reduce  risks.     Thus  the 
drill  asat  present  mademayseem  bulky, though 
it  would  not  appear  so  by  comparison  with  the 
heavy  drills  of  a  dozen  years  ago.     With  ex- 
perience it  will,  of  course,  be  possible  to  reduce 
the  weight  eventually.    The  drill  as  at  present 
exhibited  and  in  use  is  applicable  for  develop- 
ment rather  than  for  stoping,  but  judging  by 
the  success  of  the  firm's  rivetters  and  caulking 
hammers  there  is  no  reason  why  light  stopers 
and  sinkers  should  not  be  made.     As  regards 
the  structure  of  the  drill  itself,  it  will  be  seen  to 
be  extremely  simple.   There  are  no  valves,  and 
a  close  fit  of  the  moving  parts  is  not  an  absolute 
necessity.     The  prevention  of  dust  is  easily 
effected,  for  the  water  is  allowed  to  pass  down 
the  central  hole  by  its  own  pressure.   As  regards 
efficiency,  the  drill  gives  blows  at  a  greater 
rate  than  the  ordinary  hammer-drill,  and  the  ac- 
tual drilling  time  is  proportionately  decreased. 
It  is  claimed  by  the  makers  that  the  ratio  of 
work  done  to  power  put  into  the  drill  is  much 
higher  than  when  the  compressed  air  is  used. 
This  is  quite  likely  to  be  so,  for  only  a  small 
proportion  of  the  power  of  compressed  air  is 
utilized  in  the  drill.     On  the  other  hand,  the 
power  cannot  be  efficiently  conducted  along  a 
great  length  of  water  pipe,  so  that  it  is  out  of 
the  question  to  place  the  generator  at  the  sur- 
face and  carry  the  pipes  down  the  shaft.     The 
plan  is  to  bring  the  power  as  near  the  working 
faces  as  possible  by  electric  current  and  to  feed 
anything  up  to  ten  drills  from  each  generator. 
The  drill  has  arrived  at  a  practical  stage,  and 
is  being  put  to  work  at  a  number  of  mines  and 
quarries.     It  has  also  been  shown  in  full  work 
at  the  Efficiency  Exhibition  at  Olympia,  and 
it  is  always  to  he  seen  at  Messrs.   Dorman's 
works  at  Stafford. 


The  Excess  Profits  Duty. 

As  briefly  recorded  last  month,  the  Chancel- 
lor of  the  Exchequer  has  announced  that  the 
Excess  Profits  Tax  is  to  be  abandoned,  and 
3—3 


for  a  gloomy  enough  reason.  That  is  to  say, 
the  Government  anticipates  a  severe  drop  in 
the  receipts  from  this  source  owing  to  the  seri- 
ous depression  in  trade,  and  is  moreover  frigh- 
tened that  the  demands  for  refunds  will  become 
overwhelming.  The  position  of  the  Chancel- 
lor is  humorously  reminiscent  of  that  of  the 
colonel  of  volunteers  of  early  days,  who  sten- 
toriously  gave  the  order  "  Cease  firing  !  "  when 
the  corporal  told  him  that  the  ammunition  was 
exhau-^ted.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  much 
at  this  juncture  as  to  the  expected  relief  to  in- 
dustry which  this  withdrawal  of  the  tax  will 
bring,  for  the  depression  is  so  general  and  the 
causes  for  it  are  so  numerous  that  the  removal 
of  one  of  the  causes  will  have  little  effect  for 
the  time  being.  It  is  true  that  another  cause 
of  the  dullness,  the  high  cost  of  living,  is  show- 
ing some  signs  of  abatement.  Here  and  there 
also  wages  are  being  reduced.  Both  of  these 
movements,  however,  must  go  very  much 
farther  before  the  trade  position  can  be  ap- 
preciably affected,  and,  finally,  the  rate  of  work 
must  be  speeded-up  enormously. 

The  Excess  Profits  Duty  is  one  of  those 
projects  which  are  theoretically  ideal  but  prove 
in  practice  to  bring  evil  results  in  their  wake. 
It  was  originally  introduced  for  the  purpose  of 
equalizing  war  profits  and  war  expenditure, and 
as  such  It  was  willingly  accepted  by  the  nation 
and  by  the  war  contractors.      Hardly  anybody 
realized  at  first  that  the  Act  as  passed  brought 
every   business   in   the  country   into   its  net. 
Least  of  all  did  the  mining  companies,  whose 
assets  automatically  deteriorate,  imagine  that 
they  would  be  subjected  to  the  same  tax  as  the 
manufacturing  companies  and  the  producers 
whose  assets  renew  themselves  annually.      In 
glancing  back  through  the  pages  of  the  MAGA- 
ZINE in  the  latter  part  of  1915,  we  renew  our 
recollection  of  the  incredulity  and  the  state  of 
appal  which  came  over  the  mining  profession 
when  this  fact  was  realized.     It  then  became 
clear  that  new  mining  business  based  on  moder- 
ate capitalization  was  virtually  doomed.     It  is 
true  that,  subsequently,  the  terms  were  made 
easier  by  the  maximum  untaxable  return  being 
raised,  but  this  relief  was  grudgingly  given  and 
only  to  individual  companies  or  groups  of  com- 
panies that  brought  a  petition.     It  is  not  too 
much  to  say  that  the  present  parlous  state  of 
metalliferous  mining  is  due  to  some  extent  to 
this  penalizing  of  the  beginner.     The  old  mines 
have  continued  at  work,  and  are  correspond- 
ingly nearer  to  their  end,  while  few  new  enter- 
prises have  been  developed.     Now  that  the  tax 
is  withdrawn,  the  effect  of  the  relief  will  un- 
fortunately be  a  negligible  quantity,  for  the 


132 


TllK     M  IN  INC.     MAGAZINI-: 


prices  of  metals  are  so  low  and  the  output  so 
ditlicult  to  sell  that  the  complete  or  partial  clo- 
sure of  operations  is  the  oriler  of  the  day  and 
the  consideration  of  new  business  is  out  of  the 
question.  But  this  depression  cannot  last  for 
ever,  and  when  better  times  arrive  the  life  of 
the  promoter  and  investor  will  be  sweeten- 
ed by  the  knowledge  that  profits  will  not  be 
rationed. 

Of  the  many  evil  results  of  the  tax  two  have 
become  notoriously  conspicuous.  One  is  the 
flouting  of  prudent  policy  by  the  abstraction  on 
the  part  of  llie  Government  of  the  profits  that 
should  go  to  reserve  funds.  The  other  hasbeen 
the  tendency  to  dodge  the  tax  by  inaugurating 
extravagant  expenditure.  Both  of  these  inter- 
ferences with  the  strict  principles  of  economics 
have  had  very  bad  influence  on  business 
methods.  The  aberrations  from  the  narrow 
path  have  not  only  been  bad  for  the  business 
man  himself,  but  the  infection  of  his  careless- 
nessandextravagance  hasspread  to  the  worker, 
and  has  had  the  effect  of  making  the  worker's 
present  indifference  more  pronounced.  The 
business  man  may  be  able  to  retrieve  the  posi- 
tion when  the  irritating  cause  is  removed,  but 
the  worker,  not  being  able  to  diagnose  the 
symptoms,  is  not  so  easy  to  convert  once  more 
to  principles  of  diligence  and  economy.  It  is 
not  possible,  within  the  bounds  of  a  short  edi- 
torial, to  weigh  all  the  constituents  of  the  com- 
plicated problems  of  labour,  business  adminis- 
tration, and  taxation  bearing  on  this  question 
of  Excess  Profits  Duty.  All  that  we  can  say 
is  that  the  abolition  of  the  tax  constitutes  an 
important  step  toward  bringing  about  cheaper 
and  more  profitable  operations  once  more, 
benefiting  capital  and  labour  alike. 


The  Imperial  College's  Athletic 
Ground. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  about  a  year  ago 
a  committee  was  formed  representing  the 
Royal  School  of  Mines,  the  Royal  College  of 
Science,  and  the  City  &  Guilds  College,  which 
are  the  constituent  schools  of  the  Imperial  Col- 
lege of  Science  and  Technology,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  inaugurating  a  War  Memorial.  Wisely, 
the  idea  of  an  elaborate  structure  in  stone  or 
bronze  was  ruled  out  at  the  beginning,  and  it 
was  decided  that  the  records  of  the  men  who 
had  fallen  in  the  war  should  be  inscribed  on 
simple  tablets  to  be  placed  in  each  of  the 
schools  ;  thus  the  funds  to  be  subscribed  would 
be  available  for  a  more  permanently  useful 
memorial,  one  which  would  help  in  the  incul- 
cation of  an  esprit  de  corps,  and  at  the  same 
time  cultivate  hardihood,  personal  daring,  and 


ability  to  command  and  obey.     South    Ken- 
sington has  for  long  enough  been  short  in  op- 
portunities for  athletic  exercise,  though   it   is 
clear  that  bodily  fitness  should   form   part  of 
the  equipment  of  an  engineer.     The  appro- 
priateness of  recording  war  services  by  doing 
something  to  remove  this  anomaly  was  there- 
fore obvious,  and  the  committee  had  no  hesi- 
tation in  embarking  on  a  scheme  commensur- 
ate with  the  dignity  of  the  Imperial  College. 
After  many  inquiries  and  investigations  had 
been  made,  a  suitable  site  for  the  grounds, 
comprising  23  acres,  was  discovered  between 
Wembley  and  Harrow.   This  district  is  a  well- 
known  habitat  for  Sports  Clubs  of  all   kinds. 
The  Harrow  School  playing  fields  are  nearby. 
University  College  School  has  it  grounds  the 
other  side  of  Wembley.    There  are  numerous 
first-rate  golf  clubs  within  easy  reach.   Moie- 
over,  a  number  of  big  business  houses  have 
established  sports  grounds  for  their  employees 
at  various  points  along  the  railways  that  inter- 
sect the  district.  The  one  drawback  is  the  dis- 
tance of  the  ground  from  the  College,  but  this 
is  a  drawback  that  is  unfortunately  unavoid- 
able in   London.     Those   who  have  cars  or 
motor-bikes  will  not  complain  of  the  journeys 
to  and  fro,  but,  it  cannot  be  denied,  those  who 
go  by  train  or  tram  will  find  the  travel  tedious. 
The  grounds  are   most  easily  accessible  from 
North  Wembley  station  on  the  Bakerloo  line, 
and  the  nearest  station  to  the  College  is  across 
Hyde  Park  at   Paddmgton.     Sudbury  Town 
station  on  the  District  Railway  is  about  a  mile 
away  from  the  grounds,  and  the  trains  serving 
this  station  come  from  South   Kensington  by 
way   of    Ealing.     The  grounds  can   also   be 
reached   from   Preston    Road   station  on   the 
Metropolitan,  and  from  Sudbury  station  on  the 
Great  Central, though  there  are  very  few  trains 
on  the  latter  line.     An  alternative  route  is  by 
tram  from  Edgware   Road  and   Paddington, 
along  the  Harrow  Road  to  the  Sudbury  ter- 
minus at  the  junction  of  the  upper  and  lower 
roads  to  Harrow.     Considering  London  con- 
ditions generally,  the  position  of  the  ground  is 
perhaps  not  so  very  inconvenient  as  it  might 
appear  at  first  sight. 

The  committee  estimated  that  the  total  cost 
would  amount  to  ;^1 2,000,  the  actual  price  of 
the  freehold  of  the  23  acres  of  ground  being 
/7,500.  A  three  months'  option  was  obtained, 
and  a  campaign  for  raising  funds  was  at  once 
commenced.  The  response  was  sufficiently 
encouraging  to  warrant  the  committee  com- 
pleting the  purchase,  by  the  help  of  a  bank 
advance  on  security  of  a  mortgage.  It  has 
been  possible  during  the  winter  to  use  part  of 


MARCH,    1921 


133 


Hendon 


Greenford 


Map  showing  position  of  the  Imperial  College  Athletic  Grounds 


the  ground  for  football  purposes,  but  funds  are 
required  for  putting  the  fields  into  condition 
for  other  sports,  and  a  suitable  pavilion  is  still 
wanted.  In  addition  it  is  necessary  to  payoff 
the  overdraft  from  the  bank.  The  actual  posi- 
tion at  the  end  of  1920  was  that  ^7,000  had 
been  subscribed,  while  ;^2,000  had  been  bor- 
rowed. On  behalf  of  the  committee  we  take 
this  opportunity  of  appealing  to  all  Associates 
of  the  Royal  School  of  Mines  to  send  contri- 
butions. Those  who  have  not  yet  responded 
are  asked  to  give  liberally,  and  those  who  have 
already  sent  something  to  send  a  little  more. 
City  men  who  prize  technical  and  administra- 
tive ability  at  the  mines  and  works  they  con- 
trol are  also  encouraged  to  help  in  completing 
the  endowment  of  this  necessary  phase  of  en- 
gineering education,  this  branch  of  education 
which  makes  managers  and  not  dreamers. 


Deep  Shafts. 

The  paper  discussed  at  the  February  meet- 
ing of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy put  in  a  concise  form  the  main  problems 
involved  in  mining  at  great  depths.  In  this 
paper  Mr.  E.  H.  Clifford  gave  particulars  of 
the  new  vertical  shaft  now  being  sunk  at  City 
Deep  for  the  purpose  of  attackingground  down 
to  7,000  ft.  In  the  Mining  Digest  we  repro- 
duce the  first  part  of  the  paper,  dealing  with 
the  mechanical  details  of  the  shaft, but  we  have 
omitted  the  second  part,  in  which  the  theory 


of  the  ventilation  of  deep  and  hot  mines  is  dis- 
cussed, for  the  reason  that  there  has  been  much 
in  the  Magazine  recently  on  this  branch  of  the 
subject.  In  the  first  place,  Mr.  Clifford's  ac- 
count of  the  ventilation  problem  at  City  Deep 
was  given  in  our  issue  of  September,  1919, and 
a  paper  on  the  problem  at  St.  John  del  Rey, 
written  by  Mr.  Eric  Davis,  was  published  in 
the  issue  of  October,  1919.  Then  the  whole 
subject  of  ventilation  of  deep  mines  was  treated 
by  Mr.  David  Penman  in  an  article  in  June, 
1920.  The  physiological  conditions  as  induced 
by  heat,  cold,  moisture,  and  air  currents  have 
been  very  fully  studied  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill, 
a  distinguished  London  physician,  and  his 
writings  should  be  in  the  hands  of  all  mining 
engineers  interested  in  ventilation.  In  par- 
ticular should  be  mentioned  his  reports  on  the 
science  of  ventilation  written  for  the  Medical 
Research  Committee  and  published  by  the 
National  Health  Insurance  organization.  His 
modified  hygrometer,  called  the  kata-ther- 
mometer,  has  been  designed  to  indicate  the 
cooling  effect  due  to  the  motion  of  the  air, 
and  thereby  to  test  the  physical  efficiency 
of  a  ventilating  current.  As  regards  the 
general  question  of  cooling  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  dried  air,  there  is  one  special  feature 
of  mining  on  the  Rand  that  has  to  be  con- 
sidered ;  that  is  to  say,  if  the  current  is  too 
rapid  the  natives  are  likely  to  be  attacked  by 
pneumonia,  so  there  is  a  very  definite  limit  to 


134 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


the  amount  of  air- motion  allowable.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  mines  on  the  Hand  are  at  a 
great  advantaRe  over  mines  in  many  other  dis- 
tricts. For  instance,  a  large  proportion  of 
them  are  dry,  and  the  incoming  air  is  also  dry. 
Also  the  rise  of  temperature  with  depth  is  com- 
paratively slow,  so  that  the  rock  temperature 
at  7,000  ft.  is  not  likely  to  be  much  more  than 
95°F.  The  other  items  deciding  the  feasibility 
of  deep  mining  are  the  amount  of  pumping 
necessary,  and  the  ability  of  the  walls  to  stand 
the  strain  due  to  the  weight  of  the  overlying 
strata.  In  both  cases  the  conditions  at  City 
Deep,  and  indeed  on  the  Rand  generally,  are 
favourable.  It  is  true  that  in  some  sections 
of  the  Rand  the  incoming  water  is  large,  but 
these  wet  mines  are  mostly  in  the  Far  East 
basin,  where  mining  in  depth  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered in  the  same  light  as  at  City  Deep, 
Crown  Mines,  or  other  properties  in  the  cen- 
tral Rand. 

There  are  a  number  of  points  in  Mr.  Clif- 
ford's description  of  the  new  shaft  that  are  of 
interest.  In  the  first  place,  he  indicates  the 
limit  of  hoisting  from  depth  in  a  vertical  shaft. 
A  consideration  of  ruling  conditions  showed 
the  engineers  that  4,500  ft.  should  be  the  maxi- 
mum depth  for  a  single  hoist.  The  only  doubt 
that  existed  was  as  to  whether  the  hoisting 
from  7,000  ft.  should  not  be  divided  into  two 
equal  hoists  of  3,500  ft.  each,  but  the  point  was 
decided  by  the  fact  that  the  electric  winders 
which  were  to  be  installed  underground  for  the 
lower  lift  would  give  out  a  great  amount  of 
heat,  and  that  the  ventilation  problem  would 
be  complicated  accordingly.  It  is  often  for- 
gotten by  engineers  that  electric  motors  give 
out  heat  proportional  to  the  difference  between 
the  total  electrical  input  of  the  winder  and  the 
net  work  of  raising  the  load.  This  is  an  im- 
portant point  in  connection  with  electrical  en- 
gineering, and  mining  men  and  others  who 
have  an  idea  that  electrical  machinery  is  en- 
tirely self-contained  in  its  influence  and  action 
should  make  note  of  this  circumstance.  In 
many  cases,  of  course,  the  disadvantage  has 
been  overcome  by  the  use  of  hoists  driven  by 
compressed  air.  At  the  City  Deep  new  shaft  it 
was  found  desirable  to  have  the  first  lift  as  deep 
as  possible,  so  that  the  underground  electric 
winder  should  be  of  the  minimum  size  pos- 
sible. Even  then  the  electrical  winders  for 
the  lower  2,500  ft.  are  found  to  require  a  ven- 
tilating current  of  75,000  cu.  ft.  per  minute,  or 
practically  one  quarter  of  the  total  amount  of 
air  sent  under-ground.  The  ventilation  prob- 
lem for  deep  mining  is  therefore  csmplicated 
by  the  necessity  for  having  double  lifts. 


\  second  point  of  interest  in  the  City  Deep 
equipment  is  that  skips  are  not  used,  hut  that 
double-deck  cages  are    employed,   the    lower 
deck  acromiiiodating  an  8  ton  ore  car,  and  both 
decks  being  adapted  for  a  hundred  men  being 
carried   on  each   trip.      Each  cage  measures 
15  ft.  6  in.  by  5  ft.  3  in.     Instead  of  there  being 
a  divider  between  the  track  of  the  two  cages, 
two  so-called  dividers  are  placed  one  on  each 
side  of  the  shaft,  and  guide  rails  are  employed 
instead  of  guide  ropes.      It  will  be  seen  from 
the  illustrations  accompanying  the  paper  that     J 
the  area  of  the  shaft  is  put  to  good  advantage.     | 
The  only  other  vertical  shaft  which  has  been 
described  in  our  pages  is  thatsunk  at  theCham- 
pion  Reef  of  India,  particulars  of  which  were 
given  in  the  issue  of  January,  1912.   By  refer- 
ence to  the  drawing  then  given,  it  will  be  seen 
that  there  are  two  cages  on  one  side  of  the  cen- 
tral divider  and  two  skips  on  the  other  side, 
both  skips  and  cages  being  held  in  position  by 
guide  rails.    As  regards  the  discussion  as  to  the 
advantages  of  circular  shafts  as  compared  with 
rectangular  shafts  on  the  Rand,  nothing  need 
be  said  here,  as  the  question   was  fully  dis- 
cussed in  papers  quoted  in  the  MAGAZINE  for 
April  and  May,  1919.     In  this  discussion  it 
was  made  manifest  that  the  engineers  of  the 
Central  Mining  group  were  strongly  in  favour 
of  the  vertical  shaft.    One  of  the  points  in  the 
City  Deep  design  that  wants  some  farther  ex- 
planation is  the  arrangement  of  the  upper  and 
lower  shaft  so  close  together  in  the  vertical  line. 
The  idea  was  no  doubt  to  reduce  the  lateral 
movement  of  the  cars  at  the  intermediate  sta- 
tion to  a  minimum,  but  a  number  of  speakers 
at  the  meeting  expressed  the  view  that  some        i 
method  more  economical  in  power  than  the        ] 
traverser  should  be  employed,  and  that  it  would 
be  better  to  have  the  shafts  farther  apart  so  as 
to  afford   leeway  in  case  of  any  hitch  in  con- 
nection of  the  machinery  of  either  shaft.    For 
ourselves  we  do  not  think  that  this  point  is  of 
as  great  importance  as  the  critics  suggested, 
but  Mr.  Clifford's  reply.givingdetailson  which 
the  decision  to  adopt  this  system  was  based, 
will  be  of  considerable  interest.    There  is  one 
question  which  we  should  like  to  put  to  Mr. 
Clifford:   Why  does  he  call    Holman   sinking 
drills  Leyners  ?  We  had  an  idea  that  Leyners 
were  made  by  the   Ingersoll-Rand  Company. 
Whether  the  latter  company  or  Holman  Bro- 
thers, or  either  of  them,  will  feel  flattered  by 
this  mixture  of  terms  we  are  not  prepared  to 
say.     In  the  interests  of  precision  of  nomen- 
clature we  consider  that  the  word  "  Leyner  " 
should  be  a  trade  mark  of  the  makers  of  the 
Leyner  drill. 


REVIEW  OF  MINING 


Introduction. — The  tendency  toward  lower 
prices  for  food  and  clothing  and  also  toward 
lower  wages  is  growing  more  marked.  Coal 
mining  and  the  railways  are  being  released 
from  Government  control,  and  the  wages  ques- 
tion will  be  immediately  tackled.  In  spite  of 
the  present  severe  depression  in  trade,  there 
is  a  general  impression  that,  as  there  is  an  ob- 
vious cure,  the  outlook  is  not  really  bad.  In 
metal  and  mining  circles  the  curtailment  of 
production  and  the  low  prices  have  caused  many 
hardships,  but  the  belief  is  gaining  ground  that 
an  approaching  lowering  of  wages  and  costs 
and  a  renewing  of  demand  will  restore  normal 
conditions.  There  is  certainly  a  revival  of  in- 
terest in  new  mining  properties.  The  political 
situation  with  regard  to  Germany  has  arrived 
at  another  state  of  crisis,  and  the  severance  of 
negotiations  with  regard  to  reparations  and  the 
decision  of  the  Allies  to  occupy  certain  Ger- 
man towns  indicate  a  stiffening  of  policy  which 
will  be  all  for  the  best. 

Transvaal.  —  The  triumph  of  General 
Smuts  at  the  recent  general  election  has  had  a 
steadying  effect  in  businessandpoliticalcircles, 
and  the  controllers  of  the  gold  mines  in  particu- 
lar feel  a  substantial  accession  of  confidence. 

The  strike  which  broke  out  at  Consolidated 
Langlaagte  just  before  the  General  Election 
and  spread  rapidly  among  workers  at  other 
mines  did  not  last  long,  for  the  men's  unions 
were  against  a  general  strike  and  also  con- 
demned the  precipitate  action  at  Langlaagte. 
It  is  settled  that  the  present  rate  of  wages  shall 
continue  until  the  end  of  the  year. 

The  exploratory  work  that  is  being  done  in 
the  Bantjes  property  by  the  Consolidated  Main 
Reef  company  is  giving  disappointing  results. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  this  work  was  done 
with  the  object  of  testing  Bantjes  ground  at  a 
considerably  greater  depth  than  the  present 
lowest  levels.  An  exploratory  drift  in  the 
Consolidated  Main  Reef  ground  was  carried 
into  the  Bantjes,  and  the  intention  was  to  con- 
tinueitfor3,500  ft.  to  a  point  a  distance  of  three 
levels  under  the  Bantjes  incline  shaft.  About 
1,500  ft.  has  been  driven  so  far,  and  it  is  in- 
tended to  continue  for  another  500  ft.  in  hopes 
of  something  valuable  being  found.  If  the  re- 
sults continue  unfavourable,  the  directors  will 
propose  the  liquidation  of  the  Bantjes  com- 
pany. During  the  past  month  there  were  ru- 
moursthat  Consolidated  Main  Reef  was  intend- 
ing toabsorb  Bantjes,  but  such  a  scheme  would 
be  quite  out  of  the  question. 


The  ore  reserves  at  Modderfontein  Deep,  as 
calculated  at  the  end  of  December  last,  show 
agratifying increase.  The figuresare4, 100,000 
tons  averaging  9'4  dwt.  over  77  in. ;  these  com- 
pare with  3,775,000  tons  averaging  9T  dwt. 
over  the  same  width  at  the  end  of  1919.  As 
recorded  last  month,  the  other  Far  East  Rand 
property  of  the  Union  Corporation  group,  the 
Geduld,  shows  a  similar  improvement. 

The  Daggafontein  mine  has  had  to  close 
down  owing  to  the  continued  want  of  success 
in  development  and  to  the  exhaustion  of  work- 
ing capital.  This  event  was  not  unexpected  by 
those  who  had  followed  development  reports, 
but  nevertheless  it  has  given  a  nasty  jar  to  the 
mining  market.  It  is  only  eighteen  months 
since  the  property  was  defined,  according  to  the 
system  devised  by  the  Transvaal  Government. 
Reference  to  a  map  in  our  issue  of  August,  1919, 
will  show  that  the  property  consists  of  2,059 
claims  to  the  east  of  Springs  and  south  of  the 
Cassel-Clydesdale.  One  cause  of  the  trouble 
has  been  the  faulting  by  dykes,  which  occurs 
to  a  greater  extent  than  is  usual  in  the  Far  East 
Rand.  As  regards  finance,  the  Consolidated 
Mines  Selection  Company,  on  the  reorganiza- 
tion in  1916,  subscribed  ^300,000  by  the  pur- 
chase of  300,000sharesat  par,and subsequently 
took^ll5,874sharesatpar.  In  1919thecom- 
pany  advanced  ^250,000  on  loan  and  a  further 
;^100,000  was  lent  last  year.  The  question 
at  the  present  juncture  was  whether  the  loans 
should  be  increased,  the  finances  reorganized, 
orthe  work  suspended  until  a  time  arrives  when 
additional  funds  can  be  raised  under  more  aus- 
picious conditions.  The  policy  adopted  is  to 
let  things  lie  quiet  for  a  while  until  more  geo- 
logical evidence  is  obtained  in  the  adjoining 
Springs  workings. 

The  Consolidated  Mines  Selection  Company 
has  declared  its  dividend  for  1920  at  the  rate 
of  Is.  6d.  per  10s.  share.  This  compares  with 
3s.  6d.  for  1919  and  3s.  for  each  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding years.  In  spite  of  the  fall  in  the  rate, 
the  result  can  be  considered  quite  good,  when 
the  general  depression  in  the  Rand  market  dur- 
ingthepast  year  is  considered.  In  factinsome 
quarters  it  was  believed  that  there  would  be  no 
distribution  at  all.  The  company  has  done 
notable  work  in  financing  Brakpan,  Springs, 
West  Springs,  and  Daggafontein.  In  all  pro- 
bability it  will  have  to  find  further  funds  for 
the  last  named. 

The  liquidators  of  Village  Main  Reef  have 
announced  a  first   distribution  amounting  to 

135 


136 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINli 


i  157,000,  being  at  the  rati*  of  6s.  8ci.  per  share. 
It  is  officially  estiniateil  that  a  further  3s.  4d. 
will  he  available  for  ilistribution. 

Two  of  the  old  Barnato  companies  that  went 
into  liiiuidation  recently  have  announced  their 
first  distribution  of  assets.  Glencairn  is  pay- 
ing 2s.  per  share  and  Ginsberg  5s.  per  share. 

One  of  the  depressing  elements  in  the  mar- 
ket for  South  African  gold- mining  shares  has 
been  the  uncertainty  .'tsto  thedisposal  of  enemy 
shareholdings.  The  terms  of  sale  offered  by 
the  Custodian  in  South  .\frica  and  the  Trustee 
in  England  were  not  acceptable  to  the  finance 
houses,  and  also  they  to  some  extent  clashed 
with  each  other.  These  difficulties  are  now 
under  consideration  by  the  authorities,  and  as 
theSouth  .-Xfrican  Custodian  is  in  London,  con- 
ferring with  the  Trustee  and  others,  some  com- 
prehensive and  satisfactory  scheme  for  the  sale 
of  these  shares  will  no  doubt  be  evolved. 

The  appeal  of  Sir  J.  B.  Robinson  against  the 
award  of  the  lower  court  in  the  Randfontein 
Estates  case  has  been  dismissed,  and  he  will 
have  to  pay  ^460,000.  This  would  be  a  large 
sum  in  ordinary  transactions,  but  the  Randfon- 
tein Estates  is  a  big  finance  company,  and  has 
lent  more  than  this  amount  to  the  Randfontein 
Central.  Nevertheless,  the  money  will  be  ac- 
ceptable, seeing  that  the  reorganization  of  the 
lattercompany's  mine  has  cost  so  much  money. 

Diamonds. — The  depression  in  the  market 
for  the  sale  of  diamonds  is  becoming  more  ac- 
centuated, and  the  steps  taken  by  the  mines, 
as  reported  last  month,  to  prevent  over-pro- 
duction are  proving  by  no  means  sufficient  to 
meet  the  position.  At  the  Premier  mine  the 
work  had  already  been  reduced  from  three  to 
two  shifts  per  day,  but  new's  is  now  to  hand  that 
a  further  curtailment  has  taken  place.  Only 
one  shift  per  day  is  now  being  worked.  At  the 
De  Beers  group  it  has  been  found  necessary  to 
close  the  Wesselton  mine  for  a  time.  This 
closure  involves  the  dismissal  of  five  hundred 
white  employees.  The  companies,  in  dismiss- 
ing the  white  employees,  give  them  bonuses  of 
/flOO  each. 

The  Frank  Smith  diamond  mines  are  to  be 
closed  down,  owing  as  much  to  the  want  of  suc- 
cess that  has  attended  operations  since  the  re- 
opening some  months  ago  as  to  the  slackness  in 
the  diamond  trade.  The  funds  recently  sub- 
scribed are  exhausted,  and  the  present  is  not  the 
time  for  raising  more  capital ;  otherwise  the 
directors  would  have  tested  other  parts  of  the 
ground.  Possibly,  when  conditions  improve, 
this  latter  policy  will  be  adopted. 

Congo  State. —  Reference  has  been  made 
many  times  in  the  Mag.^ZINE  to  the  fact  that 


the  river  Congo  is  of  little  use  in  navigation 
owing  to  shallows  and  rapids.  The  Belgian 
Government  recently  established  an  air  way 
along  the  river  from  Kinshasa  to  Stanleyville 
for  the  transportof  passengers  and  goods.  One 
of  the  difliculties  was  to  provide  landing  places 
along  the  route  and  toaflford  relief  to  aeroplanes 
that  might  have  to  land  on  account  of  engine 
troubles.  Many  parts  of  the  country  are  so  iso- 
lated and  the  communications  so  bad  that  an 
aeroplane  making  a  forced  landing  might  be 
irrevocably  lost.  The  plan  adopted  is  to  send 
two  or  more  aeroplanes  together,  so  that  if  one 
of  them  fails  the  others  can  notify  the  fact  and 
bring  relief.  It  is  hoped  eventually  to  estab- 
lish wireless- telephone  stations  able  to  com- 
municate with  each  aeroplane.  This  service 
of  aeroplanes  will  eventually  be  of  great  service 
in  the  prospecting  of  the  Congo  State  and  the 
regions  behind. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during  Janu- 
ary was  returned  at  46,956  o/-.,  and  the  value 
at  ^293,784.  As  the  value  per  ounce  works 
out  at  Cb.  5s.,  it  is  clear  that  the  authorities  are 
not  yet  able  to  fix  even  approximately  the 
premium  receivable  for  each  month's  produc- 
tion and  that  the  figure  for  January  includes 
some  accumulation  of  premiums.  The  other 
outputs  for  the  month  in  Southern  Rhodesia 
were:  Silver  12, 529oz., copper  240tons, arsenic 
34  tons,  tin  3  tons,  coal  54,534  tons,  chrome  ore 
5,285  tons,  asbestos  2,501  tons,  mica  14  tons, 
diamonds  ZZ  carats. 

The  labour  trouble  at  the  Rhodesian  mines 
has  at  last  been  brought  to  a  definite  head 
by  the  firm  attitude  of  the  Mine  Owners'  As- 
sociation. For  a  long  time  the  men's  unions 
have  been  squeezing  the  companies  one  by  one, 
and  when  each  had  agreed  to  new  terms  the 
unions  commenced  anothercircuit  of  themines. 
On  this  occasion  the  trouble  started  at  Shamva, 
when  the  pien  came  out  on  February  19.  At 
the  Wankie  Collieries  trouble  arose  with  regard 
to  the  employment  of  non-union  men.  Even- 
tually the  Mine  Owners'  .Association  gave 
notice  of  a  general  policy  of  lock-out.  .Mready 
the  Lonely  Reef  has  been  closed  down. 

West  Africa.  —  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Taquah  Central  Mines,  the  chairman,  Mr.  T. 
F.  Dalglish,  was  able  to  gi  vea  much  more  hope- 
ful account  of  the  labour  position  in  West  Africa 
as  affecting  the  gold-mining  industry  than  he 
could  when  presiding  at  the  Taquah  and  Abosso 
meetings  two  months  earlier.  The  Governor 
of  the  Gold  Coast  and  the  Colonial  Office  at 
homehavelistened  to  representations, andsteps 
are  being  taken  to  meet  the  gold  industry's  re- 
quirements.   Mr.  Dalglish'sgroup.incombina- 


MARCH,    1921 


137 


tion  with  the  Ashanti  Goldfields,  are  devising 
a  scheme,  with  the  consent  and  assistance  of 
the  Government,  for  recruiting  in  the  northern 
territories,  and  a  recruiting  officer  is  being  ap- 
pointed who  will  be  fullyaccreditedby  the  Gold 
Coast  Government.  One  of  the  competitors 
for  labour,  the  cacoa  industry,  is  tending  to 
slacken,  and  this  fact  will  also  benefit  the  gold 
mines. 

Nigeria. — The  collapse  of  the  British  West 
.African  Trading  Company  is  a  matter  of  regret, 
not  only  to  the  shareholders  but  to  all  interested 
in  the  prosperity  of  British  trade  with  Nigeria 
and  the  Gold  Coast.  The  company  was  until 
a  few  months  ago  known  as  the  Tin  Areas  of 
Nigeria.  Foundedonthetin  industry,  itgradu- 
Ij  ally  e.\tended  its  interests,  and  there  was  every 
prospect  of  it  becoming  a  sound  trading  con- 
cern. The  slump  in  Nigerian  products  caused 
financial  difficulties,  and  an  attempt  was  made 
to  provide  further  funds  by  offering  debentures 
in  October  last.  In  December  a  member  of  a 
firm  of  chartered  accountants  was  made  re- 
ceiver and  manager,  and  on  February  23  an 
order  was  made  by  the  Court  for  the  compul- 
sory windingup  of  the  company.  It  is  believed 
that  not  only  will  the  shareholders  get  nothing 
but  that  the  debenture  holders  will  not  be  paid 
off  in  full.  _ 

Australia. — The  position  of  the  Broken 
Hill  minescontinues  to  be  serious,  owing  partly 
to  the  low  price  of  metals  and  partly  to  the  fire 
at  the  Port  Pirie  smelting  works.  As  regards 
the  lead-smelting  question,  the  Sulphide  Cor- 
poration has  undertaken  to  treat  600  tons  of 
concentrates  weekly  from  the  other  mines  at 
Broken  Hill,  making  with  its  own  concentrates 
fromtheCentral  mine  a  treatment  of  1,100  tons 
weekly.  In  addition  the  mines  will  produce 
400  tons  weekly  to  be  exported  for  smelting  in 
Europe.  It  is  not  believed  that  any  profit  will 
be  made  by  this  scheme  of  operations,  and  it  is 
only  to  hold  good  for  two  months  or  so,  after 
which  the  future  policy  will  have  to  be  decided 
according  to  conditions  then  current.  At  Port 
Piriea  temporary  roasting  plant  is  to  be  erected 
capable  of  treating  2,000  tons  of  concentrates 
weekly,  but  the  cost  of  roasting  will  be  greater 
with  this  plant  than  at  the  plant  that  was  des- 
troyed by  fire,  so  it  is  doubtful  to  what  extent 
it  will  be  eventually  of  value  in  easing  the  posi- 
tion. 

The  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  hashad trouble 
at  its  iron  and  steel  works  as  well  as  at  Broken 
Hill.  Owing  to  the  shipping  strike  communi- 
cation between  the  smelter  and  steel  works  at 
Newcastle,  New  South  Wales,  and  the  iron  ore 
deposits  in  South  Australia  was    suspended. 


The  result  was  that  the  furnaces  went  out  of 
blast  andsubsequently  the  steel  works  stopped. 
Later  cables  announce  that  the  seamen's  strike 
has  been  settled,  and  that  the  steamers  have 
commencedtorunagain.  Still  later  cables  state 
that  the  strike  of  the  men  at  the  company's  iron 
mines  has  also  been  settled,  so  that  the  position 
is  once  more  clear. 

The  Queensland  Government  is  contempla- 
ting the  building  of  a  railway  from  Croydon 
eastward  to  Georgetown  and  Forsayth  in  the 
Etheridge  goldfield,  thus  connecting  the  rail- 
way starting  from  the  Gulf  of  Carpentaria 
with  the  railways  coming  westward  from  Cairns 
and  serving  the  Chillagoe  and  the  tin  districts. 
The  idea  is  that  such  a  railway  would  help  the 
Etheridge  goldfield,  which  is  now  practically 
deserted.  The  Einasleigh  copper  mine,  in  the 
Etheridge  district,  was  once  well  known  in 
London.  As  regards  the  building  of  this  new 
railway,  the  doubtful  question  is  whether  the 
Government  can  raise  the  capital.  To  put  for- 
ward such  a  project  at  the  present  time  when 
there  has  been  a  hitch  in  the  payment  of  deben- 
ture interest  and  in  the  redemption  of  deben- 
tures of  the  Chillagoe  Company  does  not  seem 
good  politics. 

New  Zealand. — Last  month  we  announced 
that  the  Waihi  Gold  MiningCompany  wascon- 
templating  the  return  of  ir250,000  capital  in 
cash  and  the  concurrent  reduction  of  the  £\ 
shares  to  a  denomination  of  10s.  Notices  have 
now  been  issued  for  the  holding  of  the  neces- 
sary meeting  on  March  17  for  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  the  consent  of  shareholders  prior  to 
the  scheme  going  before  the  Court  for  its  sanc- 
tion. 

India. — The  Mysore  Gold  MiningCompany 
announces  a  final  dividend  for  1920  amounting 
to  Is.  3d.  per  10s.  share,  together  with  a  bonus 
of  6d.  per  share.  The  total  distribution  for 
1920  is  therefore  2s.  6d.  per  share.  In  compar- 
ing this  distribution  with  those  of  recent  previ- 
ousyears,ithas  to  be  remembered  that  the  capi- 
tal was  doubled  a  year  ago,  when  610,000  new 
shares  of  10s.  were  subscribed  at  par  by  the 
shareholders  for  the  purpose  of  embarking  on  a 
comprehensive  scheme  of  development  in  depth. 
Thus  the  2s.  6d.  for  1920,  when  compared  with 
the  2s.  for  1919,  represents  a  correspondingly 
greater  profit.  This  increase  is  partly  due  to 
various  items  of  cost  being  covered  by  the  new 
capital  instead  of  beingprovidedoutof  revenue; 
but  it  is  chiefly  due  to  the  more  favourable  terms 
obtained  by  the  company  as  regards  the  dis- 
posal of  the  gold  produced. 

Malaya. — In  January  the  Federated  Malay 
States  Government  undertook  to  buy  tin  at  a 


138 


TilK     MININC.     MACAZINI-: 


price  corresponding  to  1236  delivered  in  this 
country,  in  order  to  sustain  the  local  industry. 
In  tlie  middle  of  I'ebru.iry  this  price  was  re- 
duced to  the  equivalent  of  /'J04.  At  the  end 
of  February  the  "peg"  was  withdrawn  alto- 
gether, an  action  which  indicates  that  the  Gov- 
ernment considers  drastic  restriction  of  output 
the  only  possible  remedy  for  the  present  la- 
mentable condition  of  the  tin  market. 

Cornwall. — The  position  of  the  tin  mining 
industry  continues  to  cause  anxiety  throughout 
the  county.  The  men  out  of  work  are  not  able 
to  find  other  occupations  and  have  to  subsist 
on  the  doles.  The  mines  owned  by  public  com- 
panies have  all  closed  down,  and  the  only  ques- 
tion is  whether  all  of  them  will  be  able  to  stand 
the  heavy  cost  of  pumping  necessary  to  keep 
the  workings  clear.  The  Geevor  mine  is  in  a 
particularly  unfortunate  position  owing  to  short- 
ness of  funds.  The  cause  of  this  arises  from 
the  inability  of  certain  shareholders,  both  indi- 
viduals and  financecompanies,to  meet  the  calls 
due  on  the  newshares  issued  at  the  end  of  1919. 
The  present  position  is  that  the  company  is 
/^15,000  in  debt,  and  a  sum  of  ;^5,000  is  also 
required  wherewith  to  continue  pumping  and 
to  keep  the  plant  in  repair.  In  order  to  raise 
these  funds,  the  directors  have  decided  to  oflfer 
pro  rata  to  shareholders  ^25,000  8%  tax-free 
debentures  redeemable  in  two  years  at  par. 
The  shareholders  who  have  not  been  able  to 
pay  their  calls  have  agreed  to  hand  over  suffi- 
cient fully-paid  Geevor  shares  to  give  a  bonus 
of  25  of  these  shares  to  every  subscriber  of 
^100  debentures. 

The  report  of  East  Pool  &  Agar  shows  a  loss 
of  /19,421,  or  when  depreciation,  etc.,  is  al- 
lowed, ^28,007.  This  position  is  entirely  due 
to  the  fall  in  the  price  of  tin,  arsenic,  and  wol- 
fram, and  the  increase  in  the;  cost  of  coal,  ma- 
terials, and  labour.  The  mine  has  never  looked 
better,  and  new  discoveries  of  high-grade  ore 
have  added  substantially  to  the  reserves.  The 
outputs  for  the  year  were  :  tin  concentrate  874 
tons,  wolfram  46  tons,  and  arsenic  500  tons. 
As  recorded  last  month,  mining  was  suspended 
on  February  12  until  conditions  improve. 

Canada. — The  nickel  industry  of  Canada 
is  suffermg  owing  to  the  lack  of  demand  for 
the  metal  following  on  the  slackening  of  naval 
and  military  construction  work.  The  mines  of 
the  British  American  Nickel  Corporation  at 
Sudbury  have  been  shutdown.  Thesmelterhas 
also  been  closed,  and  the  refinery  will  be  closed 
when  the  matte  in  hand  has  been  treated.  At 
the  Mond  Nickel  Company'smines  andsmelter 
the  men  have  agreed  to  a  reduction  of  wages 
averaging  40  cents  per  day. 


Owing  to  the  low  price  of  silver  the  Mining 
Corporation  of  Canada  has  closed  down  its 
mines  at  Cobalt.  The  Kirklaiul  Lake  Proprie- 
tary reports  the  disco\ery  of  high-grade  ore  at 
its 'Cobalt  property,  and  also  promises  to  issue 
a  report  on  the  Kirkland  Lake  properties. 

Mexico.— The  speech  of  Mr.  R.  T.  Hayliss 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Exploration  Company 
contained  much  that  was  cheerful  with  regaril 
tothe  future  of  Mexico.  He  considers  that  the 
position  in  that  country  has  vastly  improved 
during  the  past  year,  though  there  still  remains 
much  to  be  done  for  improving  its  economic 
and  industrial  stability.  He  believes  that  the 
large  public  revenue  accruing  from  the  export 
of  oil  will  in  itself  be  sufTicient  to  re-establish 
the  finances  on  a  sound  basis,  and  that  this 
revenue  will  amply  make  good  the  losses  due 
to  the  fall  in  the  price  of  silver  and  the  reduced 
outputs  of  silver,  gold,  copper,  and  lead.  As 
to  the  fall  in  silver  and  the  consequent  closini^ 
of  many  mines,  he  sees  in  this  the  economic 
opportunity  for  bringing  wages  down  once  more 
toareasonable  level.  Taking  things  altogether 
he  considers  the  outlook  hopeful,  and  feels  en- 
couraged to  increase  the  company's  interests  in 
Mexican  mines  whenever  reasonable  proposals 
are  put  before  him. 

Peru. — Another  attempt  is  to  be  made  to 
put  the  San  Antonio  de  Esquilache  Mines,  Ltd., 
on  its  feet  again.  The  present  company  was 
formed  in  1914  to  take  over  the  properties,  and 
under  the  management  of  the  late  Mr.  Sydney 
A.  R.Skertchly  a  large  amount  of  newdevelop- 
ment  was  done.  The  mines  are  near  Puno,and 
have  been  producers  of  silver  and  lead.  The 
celebrated  Caylloma  silver  mine  is  in  the  same 
district.  Mr.  Skertchly  had  not  completed  his 
scheme  of  development  before  the  funds  were 
exhausted,  and  his  death  complicated  matters. 
The  directors  invited  the  help  of  Mr.  G.  R. 
Bonnard  with  a  view  of  raising  further  funds. 
The  present  times  are  not  favourable  for 
schemes  of  this  sort,  and  the  proposals  put  for- 
ward by  Mr.  Bonnard  are  naturally  somewhat 
onerous,  though  if  all  shareholders  take  their 
part  in  the  scheme  their  position  will  be  right 
enough.  The  proposal  is  that  ;^20,000  addi- 
tional capital  shall  be  raised  by  the  issue  of 
10%  cumulative  preference  shares,  which  shall 
have  the  right  to  a  cash  bonus  of  /^40,000  out 
of  the  first  profits  of  thecompany;  alternatively 
notes  might  be  issued  instead  of  preference 
shares,  carrying  the  same  interest  and  bonus. 
This  proposal  is  now  being  considered  by  the 
board  and  principal  shareholders.  The  latest 
news  from  the  mine  is  that  a  silver-lead  ore- 
body  has  been  struck  in  the  long  adit. 


THE  TRANSMISSION   OF   POWER   BY   WAVES. 


By    P.   J.    RISDON. 

(Concluded  fyoin  the  February  issue,  page  7'JJ  . 

Pariiculars  are  given  in  this  article  of  the  new  method  of  transmitting  power  by  wave 
motion,  invented  by  G.  Conslantinesco  and  developed  by  W.  H.  Dorman  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Particular  reference  is  made  to  the  application  of  the  system  to  the  driving  of  rock-drills. 


L\ST  month  I  gave  anoutlineof  theprinciple 
J  of  transmission  of  power  by  waves.  In 
the  present  article  I  will  describe  the  applica- 
tion of  this  principle  and  give  details  of  the 
construction  of  the  several  machines. 

The  Wave  Generator. — In  a  typical  10 
h.p.  plant  (Figs.  6  and  7)  the  wave  generator  is 
mounted  upon  the  same  bedplate  as  the  electric 
motor  for  driving  it.  The  bedplate  is  cast  in 
the  form  of  a  pair  of  tanks,  one  for  holding 
water  and  the  other  oil,  and  may  be  arranged 
for  bolting  to  a  concrete  foundation  or  for 
mounting  upon  two  pairs  of  wheels  and  axles. 
If  required  the  plant  can  be  made  self-propel- 
ling. Upon  thebedplate  is  bolted  the  generator 
crank-case,  also  of  cast  iron,  which  accommo- 
dates the  crankshaft  bearings  and  cross-head 


guides.  The  top  of  the  crank  case  is  provided 
with  an  inspection  cover  which  serves  as  a 
ventilator  and  comprises  an  anti-splash  plate. 
The  steel  crankshaft  runs  in  phosphor  bronze 
bearings,  registered  in  housings  integral  with 
the  crank-case.  There  are  two  cranks  opposed 
at  an  angle  of  180°.  Each  crank  works  a  con- 
necting rod,  cross-head,  and  plunger  or  wave- 
power  ram.  On  each  side  of  the  crank-case  is 
a  spherical  water  chamber  known  as  a  capa- 
city." The  outer  ends  of  the  plungers,  which 
are  fitted  with  special  U-shaped  packing  rings, 
enter  the  "  capacities  "  :  the  other  ends  are  en- 
larged and  work  in  the  cross-head  guides.  The 
plunger  has  a  stroke  of  29/32in.,and  a  diameter 
of  slightly  more  than  l^n  in.  The  two  '  capa- 
cities" are  connected  by  an  overhead  pipe,  at 


Fig.  6.     Section  of  Genf.ratok  throcgh  the  "Capacities. 

139 


140 


THE     MINING    iMAGAZINlC 


the  higliest  point  in  which  is  an  air-release 
needle  valve,  opened  and  closed  by  hand. 
From  each  of  these  "  capat  ities  "  one  or  more 
pipes  are  led  to  the  machines  to  be  served. 

At  the  forward  end  of  the  nenerator  are  the 
oil  and  water  pumps  operated  by  worm  gearing. 
The  former  provide  forced-feed  lubrication  of 
all  working  parts.  The  water  pump  is  regula- 
ted by  a  pressure-dilTerence  valve  fitted  to  one 
of  the  "capacities"  so  as  to  maintain  a  con- 
stant water  supply  at  a  minimum  pressure  of 
IOC  lb.  per  sq.  in.  through  the  system,  even 
although  there  may  be  a  leakage  or  water  may 
be  led  olT  to  rock-drills.  When  the  minimum 
pressure  in  the  "  capacity  "  is  greater  than  the 
pump  pressure,  the  valve  is  closed,  but  im- 
mediately it  falls  below  that  of  the  pump  it 
opens.  This  water  pump  must  not  be  confused 
with  the  wave-power  plungers  or  rams,  driven 
by  the  crankshaft,  which  set  up  the  wave  im- 
pulses. A  heavy  steel  tlywheel  is  mounted  on 
the  crankshaft  between  the  power  unit  and  the 
generator. 

The  generator  is  so  free  from  vibration  that, 
when  at  work,  a  coin  can  be  balanced  edgewise 
upon  it.  It  may  be  driven  by  any  convenient 
and  efficient  means,  such  as  an  electric  motor 
or  by  a  steam,  oil,  or  petrol  engine.  Even  belt 
driving  is  permissible,  but  direct-coupled  drive 
without  intermedia  te  gearing  is  preferable  when 
a  power-unit  capable  of  the  exact  requisite 
speed  is  available. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  have  closer  governing 
than  5%  when  the  transmission  line  is  short, 
that  is,  up  to  about  300  ft.,  but  with  longer 
pipe-lines  it  is  advisable  to  have  the  speed  of 
the  generator  more  constant ;  this,  however, 
automatically  adjusts  itself  within  limits.  The 
dimensions  and  weight  of  a  wave  generator 
compared  with  those  of  an  air-compressor  set, 
for  a  given  power  output,  are  in  the  ratio  of 
about  1  to  6  in  favour  of  the  wave  generator. 
Two  or  more  generators  can  be  run  in  parallel, 
supplying  power  to  the  same  pipe-line. 

Supposing  the  "capacities"  and  pipe-lines 
to  be  empty,  the  method  of  charging  is  to  admit 
water,  which  has  been  properly  strained  to  rid 
it  of  loose  matter,  to  the  system,  by  gravity  if 
possible.  The  generator  is  started  up  and  the 
water  pump  compresses  the  water  to  an  initial 
pressure  of  100  lb.  per  sq.  in.  The  air-release 
valve  is  then  opened  to  release  air  from  the 
system,  which  would  otherwise  create  surges 
and  fluctuating  pressures  and  greatly  reduce 
the  etTiciency.  The  air-release  valve  is  then 
closed  again,  and  thereafter  the  generator  coo- 
tinues  to  work  automatically  until  further 
orders.    Generators  such  as  that  described  have 


been  in  constant  use  for  experimental  and  de- 
monstration purposes  in  Messrs.  Dorman's 
works  for  several  years,  during  which  time  it 
is  stated  that  they  have  proved  the  elliciency 
and  economy  claimed  for  them  by  tlie  makers. 

MicANS  OF  Tkansmission. —  Ten  horse- 
power waves  are  transmitted  through  1  in.  pip- 
ing for  a  distance  of  240  ft.  But  there  is  no 
theoretical  limit  to  the  length  of  transmission. 
The  longer  the  distance  the  greater  the  dia- 
meter of  pipe  necessary,  and  the  practical  eco- 
nomic limit  is  only  reached  when  the  initial 
cost  of  the  pipe  line  and  the  drop  in  efficiency 
compare  unfavourably  with  the  corresponding 
items  in  electrical  transmission.  Hut  although 
pipe- lines  miles  in  length  are  practical  proposi- 
tions, the  system  accommodates  itself  to  short 
distance  transmission  as  well,  so  that  a  genera- 
tor and  wave  motor  may  form  integral  portions 
of  a  self-contained  machine,  such  as  the  port- 
able rnetter  made  on  this  system. 

Although  long  pipe-lines  require  to  be  laid 
underground  or  to  be  otherwise  protected 
against  frost  in  winter  time,  it  Is  an  interesting 
fact  that  so  long  as  waves  are  passing,  the  water 
in  a  pipe-line  cannot  freeze.  Indeed,  suppos- 
ing a  main  to  have  frozen  up  except  for  a  small 
core  of  water,  waves  passed  through  the  system 
will  soon  melt  the  ice.  At  first  it  might  be  sup- 
posed that,  since  ice  in  the  system  can  be  melted 
and  heat  is  obviously  generated,  there  must  be 
heat  losses.  But  that  is  not  so.  Heat  generated 
is  absorbed  in  the  act  of  expansion  at  the  tool 
end,  so  that  in  point  of  fact  after  a  plant  has 
been  at  work  for  an  indefinite  period,  the  pipes 
are  quite  cold. 

From  what  was  said  last  month,  it  might 
not  unreasonably  be  assumed  that  every  wave 
motor  must  necessarily  be  inserted  at  an  exact 
wave  or  half-wave  length  from  the  generator 
in  order  to  secure  maximum  efficiency. 
Although  in  ordinary  field  plants  there  would 
be  no  difficulty  about  this,  in  the  cases  of  fac- 
tories and  workshops  it  would  clearly  entail  in- 
convenient odd  lengths  of  piping  for  individual 
motors  in  order  to  bring  them  to  within  mul- 
tiples of  half-wave  lengths  from  the  generator. 
This  is  overcome  by  a  device  called  a  conden- 
ser, comprising  a  small  cylinder,  of  larger  dia- 
meter than  the  pipe  main,  which  may  be  inser- 
ted at  any  point.  In  this  cylinder  is  a  floating 
piston  which  is  normally  maintained  in  a  cen- 
tral position  by  a  spring  on  either  side.  From 
the  cylinder  a  branch  is  led  to  a  wave  motor 
which  it  is  desired  to  operate.  Struck  by  the 
power  wave  on  one  side,  the  piston  passes  on 
the  impulses  to  the  water  on  the  other  side  of 
it.     But  the  cylinder  serves  as  a  '  capacity," 


MARCH,    1921 


141 


Fig.  7.     Section  of  the  Generatok  through  the  Pump  Gear  Box- 


Fig.  8.     The  Generator.  Transmission  Pipes,  and  Rock-Drill. 


142 


Till':    MiMN(.    macazinl: 


causinj;  a  transfurmation  in  piiase  and  pressure 
of  the  waves.  Simple  as  is  the  principle  in- 
volved,each  condenser  has  of  course  to  be  care- 
fully proportioned  for  its  particular  function. 

In  motors  for  percussive  tools  such  as  rock- 
drills  the  monophase  system  is  obviously  the 
best,  as  will  be  explained  later.  But  where  it 
is  required  to  utilize  wave  power  in  rotary 
motors  the  three-phase  system  presents  dis- 
tinct advantages,  as  for  example  in  startint;  up 
a  motor.  This  will  be  instantly  appreciated  by 
the  electrical  engineer,  who  will  also  best  ap- 
preciate the  fact  that  wave- power  transmission 
bears  a  remarkable  resemblance  to  electrical 
transmission  of  power.  Indeed  so  similar  are 
the  two  systems  that  there  is  no  expression 
used  in  connection  with  alternating  current 
appliances  which  has  not  its  counterpart  in 
wave- power  transmission  parlance. 

The  wave  velocity  is  4,800  feet  per  second, 
the  same  as  the  speed  of  sound  in  water.  This 
velocity,  divided  by  the  number  of  generator  re- 
volutions per  second,  gives  the  wave  length. 
Thus  with  a  speed  of  2,400  revolutions  per 
minute,  4,800  -^  (2,400  ^  60)  =  1 20  ft.,  which  is 
the  wave  length. 

The  pipe  mains  may  consist  of  ordinary  hy- 
draulic piping,  which, however, has  to  be  rigidly 
anchored  at  intervals  to  minimize  vibration. 
From  the  mains,  "  flextel  "  piping  with  flexible 
joints  branches  to  the  machines.  There  is  no 
reason  why  the  pipes  should  deteriorate  in  con- 
sequence of  the  waves  passing  through  them, 
if  they  are  of  suitable  section  and  the  material 
is  not  stressed  beyond  its  elastic  limit.  Messrs. 
Dorman  have  had  pipes  in  constant  daily  use 
for  the  past  three  years,  and  state  that  they 
have  never  had  a  case  where  a  pipe  has  given 
out  owing  to  fatigue.  All  joints  are  conical  and 
metal  to  metal,  entirely  dispensing  with  all 
packing  materials.  The  joints  can  be  broken 
and  re-made  any  number  of  times  without  a 
sign  of  leakage. 

The  maximum  wave  pressure  in  a  typical 
10  h.p.  installation  is  1,500  lb.  per  sq.  in.,  the 
mean  pressure  being  750  lb.  In  the  unlikely 
event  of  a  burst  there  is  no  danger  whatever  to 
be  apprehended.  Higher  or  lower  pressures 
can  be  adopted  in  wave-transmission.  The 
higherthepressureadopted  for  agiven diameter 
of  pipe,  the  greater  is  the  power  that  can  be 
transmitted  and  the  higher  the  efficiency.  The 
conditions  for  best  efficiency  in  a  pipe-line  are 
large  diameter  of  pipes,  high  pressure,  and 
high  frequency;  the  length  of  pipe-line  must 
be  a  multiple  of  half-wave  lengths;  the  dia- 
meter of  pipe  can  be  reduced  as  power  is  taken 
off  at  various  points  ;   it  is  not  necessary  to  pro- 


vide V  junctions  for  branch  lines,  square  tees 
being  equally  eflicient. 

\\'a\I';  MoH)KS. — We  have  nowtoconsider 
theconversion  of  power  waves  into  useful  work. 
As  already  indicated,  the  waves  could  be  made 
to  operate  a  rotary  motor  by  direct  impact,  but 
the  necessity  for  self-starting  motors  renders 
the  direct  or  monophase  system  unsuitable  for 
the  purpose.  Monophase  waves  are  therefore 
converted  into  a  three-phase  system,  so  that 
self-starting  rotary  motors  of  the  three-phase 
or  collector  type  may  be  employed.  The  rotary 
motors  as  manufactured  by  Messrs.  Dorman 
are  of  simple  construction.  They  may  be 
either  synchronous  or  asynchronous.  They  are 
self-starting.  Thestartingtorquecanbegreater 
than  the  driving  torque.  With  asynchronous 
motors  it  will  be  equal  to  or  but  slightly  less  than 
driving  torque,  but  with  synchronous  motors 
the  starting  tortjue  will  be  low.  The  power 
input  to  the  generator  is  proportional  to  the 
work  done  by  the  motors,  so  that  if  two  or  three 
motors  in  a  system  are  cut  out,  the  power  in- 
put to  the  generator  is  proportionately  reduced. 
If  the  wave  power  is  not  being  absorbed  by  the 
motor,  waves  are  reflected  back  to  the  genera- 
tor and  give  up  their  energy  to  the  generator, 
thereby  reducing  the  power  necessary  to  drive 
it.  Synchronous  motors  essentially  work  at 
constant  speed,  and  in  the  case  of  these  ma- 
chines variable  speed  of  the  driven  shaft  can 
only  be  obtained  by  gearing  or  slipping  devices 
external  to  the  motor.  Asynchronous  motors 
work  with  a  slip,  that  is,  run  at  a  speed  slightly 
less  than  synchronous  speed;  loading  increases 
the  slip  and  decreases  the  efficiency  in  propor- 
tion to  the  slip.  The  starting  torque  with  these 
motors  is  much  larger  than  with  synchronous 
machines.  These  motors  correspond  to  the 
electrical  squirrel-cage  motors,  in  which  vari- 
able speed  cannot  be  obtained  without  loss  of 
power. 

Collector  motors  are  another  typewhich  have 
a  maximum  torque  at  starting  which  will  be 
five  times  the  running  torque  with  machines 
designed  to  run  at  approximately  twice  the 
synchronous  speed.  Variable  speed  can  be 
obtained  most  favourably  with  this  type.  The 
single-phase  system  can  be  adapted  to  working 
rotary  motors  in  several  ways:  (1)  By  mono- 
phasedisplacement  motor,  (2)  by  ratchet  motor, 
(3)  by  dividing  up  the  last  wave  length  into 
three  parts  and  using  a  three-phase  rotary 
motor.  The  single-phase  system  is  best  for 
driv'ing  resonators,  percussive  tools,  and  for 
long-distance  transmission.  The  three-phase 
system  is  best  for  rotary  motors.  A  static 
phaseconverter  can  be  used  forconvertingfrom 


MARCH,    1921 


143 


Figs.  9  and  10.     Sections  through  the  Rock-Drill. 


single-phase  to  polyphase  at  any  point  in  the 
system  and  is  a  very  simple  device. 

The  best  frequency  for  a  particular  case  is 
determined  largely  by  the  class  of  work  that 
has  to  be  done.  .As  an  example,  assume  a 
plant  consisting  of  a  single  line  driving  a  rock- 
drill,  the  most  suitable  speed  is  determined  by 
the  quality  of  drill  steels  in  use,  and  the  grade 
of  rock  to  be  drilled.  In  practice  this  has  been 
found  to  be  40  to  50  cycles  per  second,  giving 
2,400  to  3,000  blows  per  minute. 

The  frequency  of  the  generator  is  not  de- 
pendent on  the  natural  speed  of  the  prime 
mover  used,  as  obviously  this  can  be  adjusted 
by  interposing  suitable  speed  reducers  or  gear- 


ing. In  practice  it  is  advisable  to  avoid  in- 
termediate gear,  so  that  every  effort  is  made  to 
obtain  a  prime  mover  of  the  desired  frequency. 
The  length  of  pipe  plays  no  part  at  all  in  de- 
termining the  frequency. 

Figs.  9  and  10  show  a  rock-drill  in  which 
both  the  percussive  and  rotary  motions  are 
effected  by  the  same  monophase  waves,  so  that 
absolutely  perfect  synchronization  is  ensured 
although  a  separate  motor  is  provided  for  each 
of  the  two  motions.  One  end  of  the  hammer 
works  in  a  bearing  and  ends  in  a  small  chamber 
filled  with  water  and  communicating  with  the 
pipe-line.  The  striking  end  of  the  hammer, 
of  smaller  diameter,  also  works  in  a  guide  with 


Fig.   11      The  Rotating  Device 


144 


THE     MINING     MAc.AZlNE 


U  packiriRs.  The  body  of  the  hammer  is  en- 
larged in  diameter  and  is  enclosed  in  a  chamber 
("died  with  water.  A  stop  cock,  operated  by 
hand  from  outside,  admits  power  waves,  which 
drive  the  hammer  forward  against  the  end  of 
the  drill  shank.  In  thus  moving,  the  striking 
end  of  the  hammer  passes  out  of  the  chamber, 
while  the  larger  end,  entering  the  chamber, 
compresses  the  water  therein.  The  result  is 
that  the  instant  the  wave  impact  is  ended,  the 
water  in  the  chamber,  acting  under  compres- 
sion  like  a  spring,  drives  the  hammer  back 
again  ready  for  the  next  power  wave. 

At  the  forward  end  is  a  rotating  chuck  for 
gripping  the  end  of  the  drill  shank  (see  Fig. 
11).  The  chuck  is  fitted  with  si.\  pawls  which 
engage  a  circular  ratchet,  working  in  a  guide, 
formed  by  an  e.xtension  of  the  main  body  cast- 
ing. The  ratchet  is  formed  with  a  lug  which 
is  engaged  by  a  slotted  plunger,  the  ends  of 
which  work  in  guides  communicating  with 
water  chambers.  Power  waves,  admitted  at 
one  end,  drive  the  plunger  forward,  causing  a 
partial  turn  of  the  ratchet  chuck  and  drill. 
Water  at  the  other  end  of  the  plunger  is  com- 
pressed and,  acting  as  a  spring,  drives  the 
plunger  back  again  ready  for  the  next  wave. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  only  springs  are  the 
six  small  pawl  springs  ;  otherwise  the  drill  and 
all  its  parts  are  of  simple  and  solid  construc- 
tion, fool-proof  and  extremely  unlikely  to  get 
out  of  order,  as  there  are  no  finely-fitting  parts. 
A  tube  passes  right  through  the  hammer  from 
a  small  water  chamber  at  the  back  end  of  the 
machine,  and  enters  the  shank  of  the  hollow 
drill  steel  about  2i  to  3  in.  Through  this  tube 
water  is  forced  from  the  wave  power  main,  the 
quantity  being  regulated  by  a  valve. 

The  perfectly  synchronous  action  of  the  two 
wave  motors  combined  with  their  independent 
operation  is  a  feature  of  great  importance,  as 
mining  engineers  will  quickly  realize. 

The  complete  drill  is  about  the  same  weight, 
power  for  power,  as  a  pneumatic  drill.  The 
only  lubrication  required  is  an  occasional  drop 
of  oil  on  the  rotation  motor  and  on  the  screw- 
feed.  The  drill  delivers  about  2,400  blows  per 
minute.  Other  types  of  Dorman  rock-drills 
are  worked  in  a  similar  manner. 

Rivetting  hammers  are  operated  by  a  per- 
cussion motor  in  just  the  same  way  as  the 
hammers  of  rock-drills.  In  the  typical  port- 
able rivetting  machine  we  have  an  example  of 
wave  power  generated  in  close  proximity  to 
the  wave  motor  without  intervening  piping. 
In  this  instance  oil  is  used  instead  of  water. 
In  the  top  of  the  framing  is  a  small  dome- 
shaped  chamber  into  which  oil  is  pumped  and 


maintained  at  a  constant  pressure.  This  cham- 
ber communicates  through  a  pressure  dilTer- 
ence  valve  with  the  generator  "  capacity  "  be- 
low it,  in  which  the  generator  plunger  or  ram 
impinges  on  the  oil.  When  the  pressure  in  the 
capacity  "  falls  below  the  normal  minimum 
pressure,  the  valve  automatically  opens,  and 
by  admitting  more  oil  increases  the  pressure 
again,  and  when  the  normal  pressure  is  restored 
the  valve  closes.  The  "capacity  "  communi 
cates  with  the  rivetting  hammer  beneath  it 
through  a  hand-operated  valve.  The  hammer 
is  operated  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  the 
hammer  of  a  rock-drill.  The  oil  pump  is  lo- 
cated in  the  upper  portion  of  the  frame,  which 
is  divided  off  by  a  horizontal  partition  so  as  to 
constitute  an  oil-storage  tank.  The  hammer 
delivers  2,400  blows  per  minute.  As  in  all 
other  wave-power  appliances,  when  the  rivet- 
ter  is  not  in  use  no  power  is  consumed  by  the 
wave  generator  beyond  overcoming  friction  of 
working  parts,  the  "  capacity  "  serving  to  store 
and  give  back  again  all  the  energy  imparted  to 
it.  To  start  the  rivetter  it  is  only  necessary  to 
pull  down  the  valve  handle  and  admit  the  wave 
impulses  to  the  hammer  head.  The  generator 
may  be  driven  by  electric  motor,  belt,  or  any 
other  convenient  means.  The  other  mechani- 
cal features  of  the  portable  rivetter  need  no  ex- 
planation, beyond  mentioning  that  special  pro- 
vision is  made  for  rapidly  adjusting  a  toothed 
quadrant  so  that  when  the  table  is  raised  to 
the  height  required  it  will  not  rise  higher. 

Efficikncy. — We  now  come  to  the  all-im- 
portant question  of  efficiency.  However  won- 
derful an  invention  may  be,  its  commercial 
value  depends  upon  how  it  emerges  from  the 
searching  test  of  efficiency  which  has  doomed 
so  manyotherwise clever, scientific  discoveries. 
Wave  power  has  been  through  the  test,  and  has 
emerged  with  such  success  that,  if  Messrs.  W. 
H.  Dorman's  statements  are  even  approxi- 
mately correct  (and  they  are  backed  by  guar- 
antees), the  manufacturers  of  compressed-air 
plant  must  be  living  in  anxious  times.  Prob- 
ably no  one  deplores  the  shortcomings  of  pneu- 
matic plant  and  appliances  more  than  the 
makers  themselves.  Against  a  system  entail- 
ing such  wastage,  Messrs.  Dorman  ofler  wave- 
power  transmission  plant  with  a  guaranteed 
minimum  efficiency  of  50%,  increasing  to  as 
much  as  85%  in  many  cases. 

Messrs.  Dorman  &  Company  give  practical 
demonstrations  of  working  plant  at  their  Staf- 
ford works,  where  those  interested  receive 
every  attention  and  courtesy.  Engineers  are 
recommended  to  pay  a  visit  to  these  works  to 
make  investigations  for  themselves. 


"FLATS"   AND   "SOPS"   IN   FURNESS 


By  J.    D.   KENDALL. 

The  Author  discusses  (he  Hematite  Deposits  known  as  "  FUts  "'  or  Bed-hke  Deposits, 
and  "  Sops  "  or  "  Pots,  '  with  Special  Reference  to  those  of  Furness. 


Flats, 

In  the  Memoir  of  the  Geological  Survey, 
\'ol,  viii,,  Iron  Ores:  Hematites  of  West 
Cumberland,  Lancashire,  and  the  Lake  Dis- 
trict, we  find,  in  the  last  paragraph  on  page  25, 
the  following  statement :  "  A  noticeable  ab- 
sence of  flats  in  the  limestone  of  Furness  may 
be  due  to  the  superabundance  of  fissures  that 
lay  ready  for  alteration."  Again,  on  page  41, 
"  In  Furness,  where  flats  are  usually  absent, 
vertical  bores  have  less  chance  of  success,  &c." 
As  there  is  not  a  "flat"  referred  to  in  that  part 
of  the  Memoir  devoted  to  Furness — except  at 
Stank,  and  that  reference  is  from  information 
gleaned  from  another  work — it  may,  I  think, 
be  reasonably  inferred  that  the  writer  of  the 
Memoir  did  not  know  of  any.  Yet  many  such 
deposits  have  been  worked  there. 

Ore- bodies  of  this  form  are  usually  found  as 
contact-deposits  in  limestone,  on  or  under  beds 
of  sandstone  or  shale.  For  example,  the  flats 
in  the  top  or  first  limestone  of  the  Whitehaven 
district  occur  either  immediately  under  the 
Millstone  Grit  formation,  or  on  the  sandstone 
underlying  that  limestone.  In  the  first  case 
they  have  a  regular  roof  of  sandstone  or  shale 
andan  irregularfloor  of  limestone, except  where 
the  deposit  has  the  full  thickness  of  the  first 
limestone.  There  the  sole  or  floor  is  sandstone. 
If  the  ore  occurs  mainly  along  the  floor  of  the 
limestone,  the  sole  will  be  sandstone  and  regu- 
lar, the  roof  limestone,  sometimes  very  irregu- 
lar, the  ore  extending,  at  places,  in  "guts"  up 
to  the  sandstone  roof. 

When  the  ore  occurs  as  a  flat  in  the  seventh 
or  bottom  limestone  of  the  Whitehaven  dis- 
trict, it  generally  has  a  fairly  regular  floor  of 
shale  and  an  uneven  roof  of  limestone,  but  in 
some  places  there  is  a  layer  of  limestone  be- 
tween the  ore  and  the  underlying  shale,  as  for 
exampleatUllcoats,  Fig.  1,  whichis  wronglyre- 
ferred  to  in  the  Memoir  (p.  10)as  a  fair  example 
of  an  irregular  ore-hody.  On  the  contrary,  it  is 
entirely  a  flat,  notwithstanding  the  thickening 
of  the  ore  adjoining  the  fault.  The  irregular 
ore-bodies  mainly  occurred  in  the  fourth  lime- 
stone and  were  quite  different  in  character  from 
the  Ullcoats  deposit. 

The  most  important  flats  have  been  found  in 
one  or  other  of  the  aforesaid  positions,  but  they 
occur  in  all  the  limestones  of  the  Whitehaven 


field,  and  in  every  case  they  have  either  a  sand- 
stone or  shale  roof,  or  a  sandstone  or  shale 
floor,  the  sole  or  roof  in  the  respective  cases 
being  limestone,  unless,  as  was  the  case  at  No. 
5  pit,  Eskett  Park,  the  ore  had  replaced  the  full 
thickness  of  the  limestone  and  both  roof  and 
sole  were  shale. 

The  Carboniferous  Limestone  series  of  the 
Whitehaven  district  being  split  up  into  seven 
distinct  beds  of  limestone,  separated  by  beds 
of  shale  or  sandstone,  there  are  many  horizons 
on  which  flats  may  occur. 

The  Carboniferous  Limestone  series  in  Fur- 
ness is  developed  differently  from  that  of  the 
Whitehaven  district.  In  Furness  the  lime- 
stone occurs  in  practically  one  solid  mass,  ex- 
cept near  the  top,  where  it  is  split  up  by  com- 
paratively thin  layers  of  black  shale  leading  up 
to  the  base  of  the  Yoredales.  It  rests  on  the 
lower  limestone  shales,  which  are  underlain  by 
the  Basement  Conglomerate.  It  is  clear  there- 
fore we  can  expect  to  find  flats  only  at  or  near 
the  top  or  bottom  of  the  limestone,  and  then 
only  in  connection  with  faults.  The  most 
faulted  part  of  the  district  and  the  part  too  that 
has  been  by  far  the  most  explored,  is  a  belt  of 
the  Carboniferous  Limestone,  less  than  half- 
a-mile  wide,  bordering  on  the  Silurians.  I  will 
therefore  confine  my  remaining  observations 
mainly  to  that  area,  or  rather  to  part  of  it, 
where  most  work  has  been  done.  The  lime- 
stone there,  resting  on  the  Lower  Limestone 
shale,  is  within  easy  reach  of  the  surface  and 
numerous  flats  have  been  found  and  worked 
on  the  same  geological  horizon  as  the  flats  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Egremont  and  Woodend 
in  the  Whitehaven  field. 

The  section  in  Fig.  2  intersects  ten  of  these 
flats  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lindal  Moor,  and 
they  are  not  all  by  many  ;  but  I  do  not  propose 
to  deal  with  all  the  flats  in  the  district,  merely 
to  give  some  ground  for  my  complaint  as  to  the 
conspicuous  incompleteness  of  the  Memoir  on 
a  matter  well  known  to  mining  men  who  have 
had  a  general  experience  of  the  district.  It  will 
be  noticed  that  the  flats  are  all  on  the  down- 
side of  the  faults,  which  is  very  remarkable  if 
the  hematite-producing  solution  came  from 
above.  Much  the  same  thing  is  seen  in  the 
flats  near  Egremont  in  Cumberland. 

None  of  the  faults  in  the  above  section  is 


145 


146 


THE    MININC".     MAGAZINE 


shown  on  the  map  prepared  by  the  (ieological 
Survey,  notwithstanding;  their  importance  to 
the  explorer.  The  fact  of  deposits  havintj  been 
exhausted  alont;  certain  parts  of  tliose  faults 
does  not  diminish  their  importance,  nor  the 
need  for  their  appearing  on  a  map  tiiat  is  to  be 
of  any  use  to  the  explorer. 

1  had  occasion  some  time  back,  in  a  review 
of  the  Memoir,  to  point  out  some  of  its  numer- 
ous inaccuracies,  but  I  was  rehictant  to  en- 
croach upon  the  valuable  space  of  Tiiic  Min- 
ing M.\C..-\ziNii;  or  I  could  have  gone  much 
farther.  There  is,  however,  one  serious  error 
relating  to  some  of  the  rocks  of  Furness,  herein 
referred  to,  which  I  ask  permission  to  rectify 
now.  On  p.  21  of  the  Memoir  the  thickness  of 
the  shales  and  limestones  (the  Lower  Lime- 
stone shales),  bored  through  between  Dunner- 
holm  and  Ireleth,  is  given  as  1,136  ft.  The 
authority  for  the  statement  is  said  to  be  on  pp. 
64-67  of  the  Iron  Ores  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  But  the  thickness  there  given  is  714 
ft.  10  in.,  not  1,136  ft. 

"  Sops"  ok  "  Pots." 

On  p.  31  of  the  Memoir  we  read:  "The  Fur- 
ness swallow-holes,  after  removal  of  the  ore, 
show  a  smoothing  of  the  walls  that  is  charac- 
teristic of  water,  and  presumably  was  effected 
in  pre-Triassic  times.  When  a  hole  ceased  to 
serve  as  an  open  conduit,  falling  material  filled 
the  bottom  with  breccia,  including  masses  of 
limestone-shales.  Disintegrated shaleand mud, 
washed  in,  formed  a  rough  lining  to  the  whole 
mass,  and  in  some  cases  formed  a  plug  at  the 
bottom.  Subsequently  Triassic  sands  and 
clays  filled  the  top  of  the  swallows  and  covered 
the  limestone-plateau.  The  mineralizing  solu- 
tion,entering  from  above, attackedthis  breccia, 
which  was  in  a  particularly  vulnerable  condi- 
tion. As  the  alteration  progressed  the  new  ore 
packed  together  and  led  to  the  collapse  of 
the  roof  and  the  overlying  sands  in  jumbled 
masses." 

Had  the  Memoir  been  produced  40  years 
ago,  as  it  ought  to  have  been,  when  the  writer 
would  have  been  able  to  see  the  deposits  before 
mining  operations  had  obscured  their  original 
features,  I  do  not  think  the  above  passages 
would  have  been  written,  nor  others  depending 
on  them.  They  are  very  far  from  explaining 
the  facts  to  be  seen  at  the  time  referred  to. 
But  if  we  look  at  the  Park  deposit,  as  repre- 
sented by  Fig.  23  on  p.  137  of  the  Memoir, 
and  reproduced  here,  in  part,  by  Fig.  3,  there 
is  no  appearance  of  the  jumble  referred  to  in 
the  Memoir.  There  are  a  number  of  masses 
of  sand  and  clay,  of  various  sizes,  distributed 


in,  and  adjoining,  the  ore-body,  but  they  all 
occur  in  positioiiswhichconldnot  possibly  have 
been  occupied  if  the  supposed  ovt-t lying  sands 
and  clays  had  collapsed  and  fallen  on  to  the 
ore  in  the  manner  suggested  by  ihe  Memoir. 
Fig.  23  of  the  Memoir  does  not  show  clearly 
the  clay  which  occurred  between  the  sand  and 
the  ore,  and  between  the  ore  r\nd  the  surround- 
ing limestone.  I  therefore  give,  in  Fig.  4,  a 
plan  of  the  Park  deposit,  at  the  50  fathom 
level,  which  does  show  them,  as  proved  bv  the 
mining  operations  prior  to  1882. 

1 1  is  necessary  to  say  here  that  there  was  not 
any  material  mixing  of  the  different  minerals 
in  and  ad  joining  the  ore- body.  The  ore,  whether 
rich  or  poor,  was  always  ore.  There  was  clay. 
In  places,  in  the  interstices  of  the  fragmentary 
hematite  constituting  the  mass,  which  had  evi- 
dently been  washed  down  from  the  overlying 
glacial  deposits.  There  was  a  large  quantity 
of  broken  kidney-ore  in  the  deposit  and  a  few 
small  loughs.  The  sand  also  was  without  ad- 
mixture. So,  practically,  was  the  clay,  al- 
though it  had,  in  places,  a  few  pieces  of  ore 
and  stone  in  it.  The  limestone  adjoining  the 
clay  was  decomposed  for  aboutan  inch  in  depth, 
itshardnessdecreasing  fromtheunaltered  stone 
toward  the  clay,  against  which  it  was  quite 
friable.  The  junction  of  the  clay  and  ore,  in 
every  case,  was  well  defined  ;  there  was  no 
mixing  of  the  two.  liqually  distinct  was  the 
junction  of  the  clay  and  sand  and  that  of  the 
sand  and  ore.  At  the  60  fathom  level  the  sand 
was  mainly  white,  but  some  of  it  was  red. 
That  immediately  adjoining  the  red  was  mot- 
tled. Both  red  and  white  were  in  places  quite 
hard  and  bedded;  the  red  then  looked  exactly 
like  St.  Bees  sandstone.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
binding  material  was  being  decomposed  through 
exposure.  Blocks  that  were  quite  hard  in  the  ' 
centre  became  softer  outwards  and  ultimately 
quite  incoherent.  Another  feature  of  the  de- 
posit which  IS  irreconcilable  with  the  collapses 
suggested  by  the  Memoir  is  that  many  of  the 
blocksof  sand  and  clay  are  either  nearly  plumb, 
or  their  sides,  adjoining  the  ore,  are  in  parts 
more  or  less  vertical,  as  in  Fig.  3.  If  we  sup- 
pose that  the  several  spaces  occupied  by  sand 
were  originally  occupied  by  limestone  which 
had  not  been  replaced  by  ore,  that  subse- 
quently the  limestone  was  dissolved  and  car- 
ried away,  leaving  cavernous  spaces  in  the  ore, 
into  which  the  red  and  white  sand  was  after- 
ward deposited,  we  have  a  complete  explana- 
tion of  the  existence  of  these  sandy  masses. 

I  have  seen  one  or  two  deposits  in  another 
part  of  the  district  which  consisted  of  a  con- 
glomeration of  heterogeneous, non-ferrous, ma- 


MARCH,    1921 


147 


A.  Boulder  Clay.  &c. 

B.  S"^  Sees  Sandstone 

C.  Perm  IS  n  Breccia. 

D.  Carboniferous  Limestone 
E    Hematite 

F.   Lower  Limestone  Shale. 


too  200  300  -*oo  500 


Scale  oF  Feeh 


'/zmile 


A  Limestone      B  Shale.       C    Conglomerafe.     D   Coniston  Flags  !.  Grits.       WHemahte 


Fig.  3. 


A     Limestone  C       Hematrite. 

B     Red  8,  White  Sand    -*-^    Clay 

Fig.  4. 


3—4 


148 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


terials,  through  which  a  considerable  quantity 
of  ore  was  scattereci,  but  they  scarcely  de- 
served to  be  called  ore  deposits.  Yet  even  they 
could  not  be  explained  in  the  way  suRRested  by 
the  Memoir.  Here  is  a  description  of  the  ma- 
terials seen  in  one  of  them,  taken  from  one  of 
my  1879  notebooks:  "The  deposit  consists 
mainly  of  brown  and  yellow  clay,  black  muck, 
and  anpular  bunches  of  what  at  a  distance  looks 
like  white  sand,  but  is  really  partly  decomposed 
limestone.  The  clay  is,  in  places,  laminated, 
and  occurs  in  layers  of  different  colours,  but 
these  are  not  parallel  to  any  particular  plane, 
dipping  and  twistmg  in  all  directions.  Ore — 
mostly  hard  pieces — is  scattered  sparsely 
through  the  clay  generally,  but,  in  places,  it  is 
packed  in  it  in  bunches  12  to  14  inches  in  di- 
ameter, the  interstices  of  the  pieces,  in  the 
bunches,  being  filled  with  soft,  greasy-looking 
red  ore.  The  black  muck  occurs,  in  patches 
too,  in  the  brown  and  yellow  clay,  and  in  it 
there  are  small  pieces  of  hard,  bluish,  fibrous 
ore,  Ij  in.  diameter,  and  less.  The  white 
sandy-looking  material  gives  to  the  mass  the 
appearance  of  a  breccia.  Each  patch  of  that 
material  is  distinctly  defined  at  the  edges  and 
they  are  mostly  angular  in  form"  (as  in  Fig.  5). 

In  the  same  notebook  there  is  a  description 
of  the  ore  of  a  deposit  having  the  ordinary 
"  sop  "  character.  It  is  as  follows  :  "  This 
deposit  consists  of  closely  packed  angular  frag- 
ments of  blue  ore,  up  to  3  or  4  inches  di- 
ameter, and  broken  lamina?  of  kidney-ore.  In 
the  interstices  there  is  a  soft,  greasy-looking 
red  ore.  In  several  parts  of  the  deposit  I  found 
small  loughs — up  to  5  inches  across — lined 
with  quartz  spar.  Bunches  of  clay,  6  to  12 
in.  across,  are  met  with  occasionally  in  the  ore. 
More  rarely,  large  masses,  10  to  12  yards 
through  them,  are  come  across,  which  contain 
small  fragments  of  ore.  Clay  also  occurs  in- 
terruptedly on  the  outside  of  the  ore-body,  be- 
tween the  ore  and  the  limestone.  In  places  it 
is  only  a  few  inches  thick,  in  others  several 
feet.  These  clayey  masses  occur  much  oftener 
and  more  abundantly  between  the  ore  and  the 
enclosing  limestone — that  is,  on  the  outside 
of  the  ore — than  within  it.  For  a  foot  or 
two  from  the  top  the  ore  is  much  mixed  with 
'  pinnel,'  that  is,  boulder  clay  by  which  the 
deposit  was  overlain,  glaciated  stones,  in 
places,  lying  completely  buried  in  the  ore  12 
in.  or  more  below  the  top  of  it,  and  numerous 
pieces  of  ore  occur  in  and  near  the  base  of  the 
pinnel." 

There  were  not  any  masses  of  red  sand  in 
either  of  these  deposits — which  were  at  Cross- 
gates — as  there  were  at  Park  and   Ronhead. 


These  masses  are  confined  to  deposits  on  the 
western  side  of  the  fault  extending  southward 
from  Greenscaw.  The  reason  for  this  will  ap- 
pear later. 

.Ml  the  sops  are  overlain  by  boulder  clay 
which,  in  some  cases,  is  much  mixed  with  the 
ore,  as  shown  in  F"ig.  6,  a  section  of  Rawlin- 
son's  open-cut, near  Martin,  as  I  sawit  in  1874. 

In  explanation  of  the  distribution  of  "sops" 
the  following  passage  occurs  on  page  24  of  the 
Memoir:  "It  may  be  assumed  that  in  the  pre- 
New  Red  times  the  main  limestones  formed  a 
plateau,  extending  from  the  Duddon  estuary 
north  of  Sandscale  to  near  Lindal  (plate  III.) 
and  tlominated  on  the  south  by  an  escarpment 
of  Yoredale  beds.  On  such  plateau  swallow- 
holes  and  caverns  abound,  and  to  this  origin 
the  sops  of  ore  which  are  found  from  Ron- 
head  to  Lindal,  and  possibly  those  at  Kirk- 
santon,  and  Water  Blean,  near  Millom,  may 
be  ascribed.  In  New  Red  times  both  plateau 
and  escarpment  were  overspread  by  New  Red 
deposits,  relics  of  which  still  survive  in  several 
places  (pp.  24,  137,  142).  In  post-Triassic 
times  an  uplift  ensued,  as  a  result  of  which  the 
Sandscale-.Mdingham  fault  came  into  exist- 
ence. Near  Sandscale  it  coincided  with  the 
foot  of  the  Yoredale  escarpment,  but  south  of 
Dalton  it  broke  across  it.  In  Newton  and 
Yarlside  mine,  farther  south,  the  fault  escarp- 
ment has  the  irregular  outline  of  a  present-day 
liinestone  cliff.  The  New  Red  Sandstone  is 
banked  up  against  it." 

In  the  first  place  let  me  say  that  the  assumed 
clifT  from  Dalton  to  Lindal  does  not  mark  the 
limit  of  the  sop  area.  To  mention  one  in- 
stance only,  as  showing  the  inaccuracy  of  the 
assumed  line,  there  was  a  sop  on  the  boundary 
of  the  Highfield  House  property  and  that 
worked  by  the  Dalton  Mining  Co.  which  was 
1,200  ft.  east  of  the  assumed  Yoredale  cliff. 

I  cannot  find  any  evidence  of  this  supposed 
Yoredale  escarpment  at  any  of  the  three  points 
mentioned.  Nor  can  I  find  any  evidence  of  a 
fault  having  the  direction  of  that  marked  on  the 
map  (plate  III.  of  the  Memoir)  between  Sand- 
scale and  the  railway  from  Dalton  to  Furness 
Abbey.  The  New  Red  Sandstone  at  Yarlside 
was  not  banked  up  against  the  Yoredales.  The 
two  formations  were  placed  side  by  side  by  a 
fault,  as  shown  in  Fig.  7.  Further,  I  am  satis- 
fied, if  such  an  escarpment,  as  is  assumed  by 
the  Memoir,  ever  existed,  it  could  not  have  in- 
fluenced the  distribution  of  any  known  sops  of 
ore.  Fig.  8  is  a  sketch  section  of  the  geo- 
logical conditions  pictured  by  the  above  ex- 
cerpt from  the  Memoir  on  a  line  between  Bol- 
ton  Heads  and   Park  mines,  showing  a  few 


MARCH,    1921 


149 


100 


A    Clay.      B  ParHy  decomposed  Limesrone. 

Fig.  5. 


A  Boulder  Clay.        B   Hefnatlte.      C  Limestone. 
Fig.  6. 


Scale  of    feet 


ABoulderClay    DHematite 

D  Red  RocUs         E  Carboniferous  Limestone 

C  Yoredales  F  St^ff  Clay.  Lamm. ce   Parallel  to  Fault. 

Fig.  7. 


sops  under  the  Triassic  sandstone.  Since 
the  days  when  those  conditions  existed,  the 
rocks  have  been  so  denuded  that  the  rise  edge 
of  the  Yoredales  is  now  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  east  of  the  supposed  escarpment  (c,  Fig. 
8)  and  the  surface  of  the  ground  is  at  the  level 
represented  by  the  dotted  line  a  b,  so  that  the 
sops,  which  were  supposed  by  the  Memoir  to 
have  been  formed  immediately  below  the  Red 
Rocks,  were  destroyed  ages  ago,  and  the  postu- 
lated escarpment  as  well. 

Let  us  now  see  if  there  is  not  a  simple  ex- 
planation of  the  occurrence  of  the  masses  of 
sand  and  clay  associated  with  the  sops  that 
does  not  require  any  collapsing  caverns,  nor 
the  assumption  that  the  ore  in  the  sops  was 
foimed  otherwise  than  by  the  replacement  of 
solid  limestone  like  that  in  all  the  other  de- 
posits. 

In  mining  the  sops,  it  was  not  an  uncom- 
mon thing  to  break  into  a  cavernous  space  be- 
tween the  clay  or  black  muck  and  the  lime- 
stone. These  caverns  were  sometimes  several 
feet  wide  and  extended  up  to  the  boulder  clay, 
as  well  as  horizontally  along  the  deposit.  In 
wet  weather  great  quantities  of  water  came 
down  them  into  the  mine,  which  were  costly 
and  troublesome  to  deal  with.  So  long  as 
there  was  a  through  passage  for  free  circula- 
tion there  would  not  be  any  deposit  in  such 
caverns,  but  if  the  circulation  were  impeded 
there  would  be  a  deposit  and  the  cavern  would 
eventually  be  tilled  with  clay,  or  clay  and  black 
muck,  perhaps  including  a  few  pieces  of  ore 
or  stone. 


A     Red   Rocks 
B     Yoredales 


C    Carboniferous  Limestone 
1^    Hematite 


The  initiation  of  these  caverns  and  of  all 
those  now  filled  with  clay  between  the  ore  and 
the  limestone,  or  between  the  ore  and  sand — 
whether  on  the  outside  of  an  ore-body  or  within 
it — most  probably  arose  as  follows  :  The  ore, 
consisting  chiefly  of  packed  fragments,  would 
allow  water  to  circulate  through  it,  and  as  the 
outlets  would  be  less  than  the  inlets,  the  sops 
would  soon  be  saturated  with  water,  which 
would  extend  to  the  walls  in  all  directions.  If 
that  water  was  acidulated — as  it  almost  cer- 
tainly would  be,  being  rain  water  which  had 
passed  over  decaying  vegetable  matter — it 
would  attack  the  limestone  walls  wherever  it 
reached  them,  unless  they  were  too  silicious, 
and  produce  a  number  of  caverns  along  the  out- 
side of  the  deposits,  and,  in  a  similar  way, 
round  about  the  pieces  of  limestone  included 
in  the  ore-body.  These  would  afterwards  be 
filled  with  clay  and  black  muck,  the  junctions 
of  which  with  the  ore  would  be  quite  distinct, 
as  we  actually  find  them. 


150 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


The  clay  existing  between  the  ore  ami  the 
sand  must  liave  been  deposited  before  the  sand. 
The  hinestone  which  preceded  the  sand  must, 
therefore,  have  been  removed  by  dissokition 
after  the  clay,  adjoining  the  ore,  had  been  hlied 
into  the  first- formed  caverns,  in  the  same  way 
as  the  Hmestone  w-as  dissolved  out  of  where  the 
two  clay  loughs  now  are  in  Fig.  1  of  '  'J"he 
Distribution  of  Ore  in  Depth"  (see  THE  Min- 
ing Magazine,  May,  1920).  It  is  not  neces- 
sary that  the  caverns  into  which  either  the  clay 
or  sand  was  deposited  should  have  been  of  the 
final  size  of  the  clay  or  sand  masses  before 
being  filled,  as  dissolution  and  formation  might 
be  going  on  at  the  same  time. 

I  am  satisfied  the  source  of  the  clay  was  the 
boulder  clay  overlying  the  deposits  and  the 
sand  came  from  the  large  area  of  Red  Sand- 
stone, about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  sops, 
where  disintegrated  rock  occurs  abundantly. 
The  top  of  any  of  these  sops  is  not  more 
than  about  25  ft.  above  sea  level.  But  the  Red 
Sandstone  area  to  the  south  of  them,  from 
Thwaite  Flat  to  Sinkfall,  is  from  125  to  225 
ft.  above  that  level.  To  anyone  familiar  with 
the  swallow-holes  of  Furness — and  the  dis- 
tances to  which  the  water  is  carried  under- 
ground by  them — the  deposition  of  sand  from 
this  source  in  the  sops  of  Ronhead  and  Park 
will  appear  a  very  simple  process,  and  one  in 
strict  conformity  with  what  we  know  is  going 
on  in  the  district  to-day.  There 'would  be  an 
average  hydraulic  gradient  of  at  least  1  in  30, 
which  is  more  than  sufficient  for  the  purpose, 
and  would  allow  a  good  deal  of  current  retarda- 
tion. 

There  are  not  any  sand  masses  in  or  on  the 
sops  occurring  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  dis- 
trict, as  there  ought  to  have  been  if  the  Red 
Sandstone  had  been  deposited  on  all  the  sops 
alike,  as  the  Memoir  supposes.  Why  is  this? 
The  answer  is  that  the  ground  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  district,  where  the  sops  occur, 
is  higher  than  that  in  either  of  the  Red  Sand- 
stone areas,  being  from  250  to  375  ft.  above 
sea  level,  whereas  the  highest  Red  Sandstone 
does  not  exceed  about  225  ft. 

Let  us  now  devote  a  little  further  consider- 
ation to  the  ore.  It  is  not  necessary  to  look 
long  at  any  of  these  sops  to  be  convinced 
that  the  ore  in  them  has  been  subjected  to  some 
severe  internal  strain  by  which  the  fragmentary 
condition  now  existing  was  brought  about.  In- 
controvertible evidence  of  this  is  furnished  by 
the  broken  "  shells  "  (concretionary  layers)  of 
kidney-ore  which  form  so  large  a  part  of  most 
of,  if  not  all,  these  deposits.  In  some  deposits 
half  of  the  ore  seems  to  be  broken  kidney.  This 


form  of  hematite,  as  is  well  known,  was  formed 
on  the  walls  of  loughs,  but  there  are  very  few 
loughs  now  in  the  sops,  and  the  broken  con 
cretionary  layers  of  the  kidney-ore  are  buried 
indiscriminately  in  the  fragmentary  mass.  An- 
otlier  thing  to  be  borne  in  mind  is  that  the 
kidney-ore  is  in  places  very  soft  and  easily 
broken  or  crushed  into  powder.  Here  is  a  note 
made  on  the  Parkside  Co.'s  Pennington  mine 
in  1877:  "  Much  of  the  kidney-ore  near  the 
hanging  wall  is  as  soft  as  clay,  but  has  the  true 
kidney  structure." 

We  may  now  conveniently  direct  our  minds 
back  to  the  dawn  ot  the  Glacial  period,  when, 
by  the  ordinary  forces  of  denudation  the  upper 
part  of  the  ore  deposits,  as  originally  formed, 
had  been  removed,  the  lower  part,  or  sops, 
only  remaining.  The  ore  in  them  was  then 
doubtless  in  the  loughy  condition  of  its  forma- 
tion, and  the  loughs  would  as  certainly  be  full 
of  water.  Soon  the  intense  cold  of  that  period 
would  freeze  the  water  and  exert  such  an  ir- 
resistible strain  on  the  ore  in  all  directions  and 
from  so  many  centres  in  each  deposit  that  the 
ore  would  be  ruptured  throughout  and  the  frag- 
mentary condition  produced  that  is  so  charac- 
teristic of  the  sopore  to-day. 

When  the  glaciers  receded,  and  acidulated 
waters  began  to  circulate  through  the  broken 
ore,  the  limestone  would  be  attacked  and  cav- 
ities produced  in  which  clay  first  and  after- 
ward sand  accumulated.  It  ignores  the  work 
done  by  the  forces  of  denudation  to  assume,  as 
the  Memoir  does,  that  the  red  sand  was  de- 
posited in  Triassic  times.  As  shown  in  Fig. 
8,  the  limestone  on  which  the  Red  Rocks  were 
laid  was  hundreds  of  feet  above  the  Park  and 
Ronhead  deposits  and  disappeared  in  days 
that  are  now  far  distant  even  in  a  geological 
sense. 

The  above  explanations  regarding  the  sand, 
clay,  and  ruptured  ore  were  first  put  forward 
in  "  The  Hematite  Deposits  of  Furness  "  (see 
Transaction,  North  of  England  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Mechanical  Engineers,  Vol.  xxxi., 
1882),  but  with  much  less  detail  than  I  have 
thought  it  necessary  to  introduce  here. 


The  Ceramic  Society,  of  Stoke-on-Trent, 
will  hold  a  joint  meeting  with  the  French  Ce- 
ramic Society  in  May.  After  the  sessions  in 
Paris,  there  will  be  excursions  to  pottery  dis- 
tricts in  Alsace  and  Lorraine.  Train  will  be 
taken  to  Metz,  and  afterward  Merzig,  Mett- 
lach,  Sarreguemines,  Strasbourg,  Soultz-sous- 
Foret,  and  Oberbetschdorf  will  be  visited.  On 
the  return  to  Paris  a  visit  to  the  Sevres  porce- 
lain works  will  probably  be  arranged. 


ON  THE   ESTIMATION   OF  PHOSPHORIC  ACID 

BY  THE   MOLYBDATE   METHOD. 
By  J.  E.  CLENNELL,  B.Sc,  Assoc.lnst.M.M. 


Difficulties  of  the  Molyhdate  Method. 

The  fact  that  this  method  has  already  been 
the  subject  of  a  large  amount  of  experiment 
is  evidence  that  its  execution,  as  generally 
carried  out,  presents  considerable  difficulties. 
These  difficulties  arise  from  the  following 
causes:  (I)  the  variable  composition  of  the 
precipitate  according  to  the  conditions  of  pre- 
cipitation ;  (2)  the  solubility  of  the  precipitate 
in  water  or  in  the  liquids  from  which  it  is  de- 
posited ;  (3)  its  liability  to  decomposition  on 
heating ;  and  (4)  its  hygroscopic  nature. 

The  errors  due  to  these  causes  may  be  avoid- 
ed, or  at  least  minimized,  by  working  under 
strictly  defined  conditions,  and  the  writer  has 
recently  carried  out  a  number  of  experiments 
to  determine  the  correct  conditions  in  the  case 
of  such  substances  as  the  soluble  phosphates 
of  thealkalisandammonium.and  of  phosphates 
like  that  of  aluminium  which  are  insoluble  in 
water,  but  soluble  in  dilute  acids. 

Literature  of  the  Subject. 

The  chief  causes  which  affect  the  composi- 
tion and  physical  condition  of  the  precipitate 
are  temperature,  dilution,  acidity,  the  presence 
of  certain  salts  such  as  those  of  ammonium, 
and  the  addition  of  a  larger  or  smaller  excess 
of  the  precipitant.  Some  of  these  conditions 
have  been  fully  investigated  by  other  workers, 
and  the  following  references  may  be  consulted  : 

Hundeshagen,  Zeit.  Anal.  Chem.,  28,  141  (1889). 

J.  C.  Olsen,  "Text-book  of  Quantitative  Chemical 
Analysis"   (1904),  p.  113. 

A.  Blair,  "Chemical  Analysis  of  Iron,"  3rd  ed. 

A.  H.  Low,  "Technical  Methods  of  Ore  Analysis," 
5th  ed.  (1911),  p.  209. 

J.  W.  Mellor,  "Quantitative  Analysis  (Ceramic  In- 
dustries)," 1913,  p.  590. 

O.  Bauer  and  E.  Deiss,  "Sampling  and  Chemical 
Analysis  of  Iron  and  Steel  "  (1915).  p.  223. 

Lord  and  Demorest,  "Metallurgical  Analysis,"  4th 
ed.  (1916),  p.  49. 

Conditions  of  Precipitation. 
From  these  writers  it  may  be  gathered  that 
the  precipitation  of  phosphoric  acid  by  molyb- 
date  solutions  proceeds  best  at  a  temperature 
of  about  43°  C.  In  cold  solutions,  the  precipi- 
tate settles  slowly  and  is  difficult  to  filter,  and 
at  a  temperature  above  60°  C.  white  needles  of 
ammonium  tetra-molybdate  may  be  produced. 
Free  HCl  or  H.2SO4  must  be  absent,  but  a 
small  amount  of  free  HNO3  is  necessary.  A 
large  excess  of  any  of  these  acids  causes  in- 


complete precipitation.  Ammonium  nitrate 
hastens  precipitation,  but  ammonium  chloride 
and  ammonium  sulphate  retard  it.  With  re- 
gard to  dilution,  Olsen  (loc.  cit.)  states  that  the 
phosphate  solution  should  have  100  mgr.  P2O6 
in  every  25  cc.  Free  H  N O3  should  be  present 
to  the  extent  of  26  molecules  to  1  molecule  of 
P3O.,.  80  cc.  of  the  standard  molybdate 
(which  represents  6  grm.  of  ammonium  molyb- 
date) should  be  present  for  every  100  mgr. 
P2O5  ;  this  standard  solution  contains  75  grm. 
ammonium  molybdate  and  250  cc.  concentra- 
ted HNO3  per  litre.  Enough  ammonium  ni- 
trate, 750  grm.  per  litre,  should  be  added  to 
constitute  15%  of  the  total  volume. 

Conditions  of  Settlement  and  Filtration. 
After  precipitation,  the  mixture  should  be 
stirred  vigorously,  say  for  5  minutes,  and  allow- 
ed tosettle.  Thetime  and  temperature  of  settle- 
ment are  variously  given  by  different  writers, 
but  in  general  not  less  than  onehourisrequired, 
and  the  mixture  should  be  allowed  to  stand  in 
a  warm,  but  not  too  hot  place,  until  the  super- 
natant liquid  is  perfectly  clear.  It  is  then  fil- 
tered. Owing  to  the  solubility  of  the  precipi- 
tate in  pure  water,  it  must  be  washed  with  a 
liquor  containing  free  HNO3  and  NH4NO3. 
When  the  volumetric  determination  by  alkali 
is  to  be  used,  a  final  wash  of  potassium  nitrate 
is  given,  to  remove  all  free  HNO3  and  am- 
monium salts. 

Final  Treatment  of  the  Precipitate. 
The  final  treatment  of  the  precipitate  may 
be  varied  in  many  ways,  thus : 

(1)  It  may  be  collected  on  a  weighed  filter, 
washed  as  directed  above,  dried,  and  weighed 
direct  as  ammonium  phospho-molybdate.  This 
involves  all  the  difficulties  due  to  the  solubility, 
variable  composition,  instability,  and  hygro- 
scopic nature  of  the  precipitate. 

(2)  It  may  be  filtered  off,  redissolved  (say) 
in  ammonia  and  re-precipitated  as  magnesium 
ammonium  phosphate,  and  finally  ignited  and 
weighed  as  magnesium  pyro-phosphate.  This 
method  avoids  the  difficulties  involved  in  pre- 
paring ammonium  phospho-molybdate  of  con- 
stant composition,  and  the  necessity  for  a 
weighed  filter,  but  still  involves  the  filtration  of 
the  phospho-molybdate  and  errors  due  to  the 
solubility  of  this  compound,  together  with  the 
additional  errors  involved  in  the  manipulation 


151 


152 


THE    MININC.    MAGAZINE 


of  the  magnesium  compound  (solubility  of  the 
latter  in  the  mother  liquor  and  impurities  re- 
tained after  ignition  to  magnesium  pyrophos- 
phate). 

(3)  Theammoniumphospho-molybdate  pre- 
cipitate,after  filtering  and  washing,  is  dissolved 
in  any  suitable  way  and  converted  into  lead 
molybdate,  which  is  filtered  off,  ignited,  and 
weighed.  This  is  an  indirect  gravimetric  meth- 
od in  which  the  amount  of  P.^Oo  is  deduced 
from  the  amount  of  molybdenum  used  to  pre- 
cipitate it,  and  involves  any  error  due  to  vari- 
able composition  of  the  original  phospho- 
molybdate  precipitate. 

(4)  Various  volumetric  methods  are  in  use, 
in  which  the  PoOr.  is  indirectly  determined, 
either  by  estimating  the  amount  of  alkali  which 
the  compound  is  capable  of  neutralizing,  after 
it  has  been  washed  to  remove  all  free  acid,  or 
by  estimating  the  molybdenum  content,  for  ex- 
ample, by  permanganate  after  reduction  with 
zinc  and  sulphuric  acid. 

Author  s  Modification. 
I  will  now  give  an  account  of  my  own  ex- 
periments. These  experiments  were  made 
chiefly  on  methods  involving  (1)  the  direct 
weighing  of  ammonium  phospho-molybdate  ; 
(2)  the  volumetric  estimation  by  consumption 
of  alkali.  The  preliminary  operations  are  the 
same  in  both  cases,  and  the  method  finally 
adopted  was  as  follows:  A  weighed  quantity 
of  the  salt  or  a  measured  quantity  of  solution  is 
taken,  containing  about  50  to  75  mgr.  of  P2O5 
(the  amount  should  be  approximately  known 
by  a  preliminary  test).  This  is  dissolved  in 
water  if  necessary;  if  insoluble  in  water,  it  may 
be  dissolved  in  25  or  50%  HNO3,  warming  till 
solution  is  complete. 

Precipitation  of  Soluble  Phosphates. 

In  the  case  of  a  neutral  (aqueous)  solution, 
this  is  then  mixed  with  60%  of  its  volume  of 
acid  ammonium  nitrate  (3  volumes  cone. 
HNO3,  2  volumes  cone,  ammonia,  and  7  vol- 
umes water).  The  mixture  is  heated  to  45°  C. 
and  mixed  with  a  small  excess  of  8%ammonium 
molybdate,  previously  heated  to  the  same  tem- 
perature. It  is  important  to  avoid  a  large  ex- 
cess of  molybdate.  About  33  parts  by  weight 
of  ammonium  molybdate  was  found  to  be  suffi- 
cient for  complete  precipitation  of  1  part  of 
P2O5  under  the  conditions  of  the  test.  Olsen's 
figures  imply  60  parts  ammonium  molybdate 
for  1  part  of  P2O5,  but  the  present  writer  finds 
that  any  considerable  excess  beyond  that  indi- 
cated above  results  in  the  formation  during 
settlement  of  a  white  crystalline  deposit  con- 
taining molybdenum  and  ammonium,  presum- 


ably the  ammonium  tetra- molybdate  referred  to 
by  Mellor  (loc.cit.),even  when  the  temperature 
is  kept  strictly  within  the  limits  recommended 
during  precipitation  and  settlement.  The  mix- 
ture is  then  agitated  briskly  for  5  minutes  and 
set  aside  to  settle  m  a  moderately  warm  place 
for  at  least  2  hours.  It  is  not  desirable  to  let  it 
stand  too  long,  as  in  some  cases  the  white  de- 
posit referred  to  gradually  forms. 

Treatiiietit  of  Aluiiniiinr)!  Pliosphate. 

In  testing  aluminium  phosphate,  100  mgr. 
of  the  finely  ground  substance,  after  recent  ig- 
nition and  cooling  in  a  desiccator,  is  weighed 
out  and  warmed  with  30  cc.  of  50%  UNO..,. 
This  generally  dissolves  it  completely  in  a  few 
minutes.  Ammonia,50%strength,is  thenadded 
till  the  mixture  is  just  alkaline,  then  30  cc.  of 
the  acid  ammonium  nitrate  referred  to  above, 
and  the  mixture  boiled.  Occasionally  a  minute 
residue  remains.  This  is  filtered  ofT,  dried,  ig- 
nited, fused  with  sodium  peroxide,  extracted 
with  water,  and  the  extract  added  to  the  main 
solution.  Experiment  showed  that  this  insol- 
uble matter  does  not,  as  at  first  supposed,  con- 
sist of  silica,  but  is  only  a  part  of  the  aluminium 
phosphate  which,  for  some  cause  not  ascertain- 
ed, shows  great  resistance  to  the  action  of  the 
HNOs.  This  refractory  material  usually  occurs 
in  acid  phosphates,  formed  by  precipitation  of 
aluminium  with  a  large  excess  of  soluble  phos- 
phate. When  a  perfectly  clear  solution  has 
been  obtained,  this  is  heated  to  45°  C.  and 
mixed  with  ammonium  molybdate  at  the  same 
temperature.  Usually  25  cc.  of  an  8%  solution 
of  ammonium  molybdate  is  a  suitable  amount, 
but  this  must  beregulated  by  theapproximately 
known  P2O5  content  of  the  substance  to  be 
analysed.  From  this  point  the  procedure  is  ex- 
actly the  same  as  with  soluble  phosphates. 

Gravimetric  Datennitiation  as  Phospho- 
Molybdate. 
For  the  direct  determination  as  ammonium 
phospho-molybdate,  the  clear  liquid  is  decanted 
through  an  alundum  crucible  which  has  been 
previously  ignited  and  weighed.  Portions  of 
the  filtrate  are  used  for  transferring  the  whole 
of  the  precipitate  to  the  crucible.  The  filtration 
generally  proceeds  rapidly  under  slight  vacuum, 
yielding  a  perfectly  clear  filtrate,  which  should 
not  give  any  further  deposit  on  adding  a  small 
quantity  of  nitric  acid  or  of  ammonia,  when 
warmed  to  45°  C.  and  allowed  to  stand.  It 
should  also  give  no  yellow  precipitate  with  fur- 
ther addition  of  ammonium  molybdate,  but  if 
much  of  the  latter  be  added, a  white  precipitate, 
as  stated  above,  will  eventually  appear.  Three 
or  four  washes  are  now  given  with  dilute  acid 


MARCH,    1921 


153 


ammoniumnitrate(5%NHiN03  +  2/oHN03), 
filling  the  crucible  up  each  time  and  allowing 
to  drain  completely  before  giving  thenextwash', 
then  2  or  3  washes  of  2%  H  NO3  applied  in  the 
same  way.  This  is  apparently  sufficient  to  ex- 
tract all  soluble  impurities  and  the  excess  of 
ammonium  salts  without  redissolving  any  ap- 
preciable amount  of  the  ammonium  phospho- 
molybdate.  The  crucible  is  now  placed  in  a 
drying  oven  at  1 10°  C.  and  weighed  at  intervals 
till  constant  weight  is  obtained.  This  is  the 
most  unsatisfactory  part  of  the  whole  operation, 
as  prolonged  drying  is  required  to  eliminate 
every  trace  of  moisture,  and  at  some  point  not 
determined  the  precipitate  begins  gradually  to 
decompose  at  a  temperature  not  exceeding 
120°C.  The  difficulties  due  to  the  hygroscopic 
nature  of  the  precipitate  were  overcome  by 
weighing  the  alundum  crucible  and  contents 
inside  a  larger  vessel  with  a  fairly  close-fitting 
cover  (for  example,  a  nickel  crucible  with  lid) 
to  which  it  is  quickly  transferred  from  the  de- 
siccator previous  to  weighing.  The  weight  of 
precipitate  is  found  by  deducting  the  combined 
weights  of  the  empty  alundum  crucible  and 
containing  vessel.  While  accurate  results  were 
sometimes  obtained  by  this  method,  the  uncer- 
tainty as  to  the  true  final  weight  made  the  pro- 
cedure very  troublesome.  Further  tests  would 
be  necessary  to  determine  the  best  conditions 
for  drying  the  precipitate  to  constant  weight. 

Volumetric  Method. 

After  precipitating  and  settling  as  above,  the 
clear  liquid  is  decanted  through  a  9  cm.  paper 
filter,  leaving  the  precipitate  as  much  as  pos- 
sible m  the  vessel  in  which  settlement  took 
place.  The  precipitate  is  then  washed  by  de- 
■cantation  5  times  with  dilute  acid  ammonium 
nitrate  (5%  NH4N03  +  2?4  HNO3),  then  with 
a  3%  potassium  nitrate  solution,  until  the  wash- 
ings no  longer  react  with  litmus  (this  requires 
5  or  5  washes).  All  decanted  liquor  is  passed 
through  the  filter.  The  material  on  the  paper 
is  then  washed  back  as  far  as  possible  into  the 
vessel  containing  the  bulk  of  the  precipitate  by 
means  of  a  jet  of  hot  water  from  a  wash  bottle. 
N/10  caustic  soda  is  then  run  slowly  from  a 
burette  through  the  paper  until  every  trace  of 
yellow  precipitate  has  dissolved  from  the  latter, 
collecting  in  the  vessel  containing  the  precipi- 
tate. Enough  NaOH  is  added  from  the  burette 
to  dissolve  all  the  precipitate  and  give  a  clear 
solution,  distinctly  alkaline  to  phenol -phthalein. 
The  paper  in  the  funnel  is  then  washed  4  or  5 
times  with  small  quantities  of  hot  water,  which 
also  runs  into  the  containing  vessel.  The  com- 
pleteness of  the  washing  may  be  tested  by  add- 


ing a  drop  of  phenol-phthalein  to  the  paper. 
The  mixture  is  allowed  to  stand  a  few  minutes, 
and  the  excess  of  alkali  is  then  titrated  with 
N/10  sulphuric  acid.  The  end-point  of  the  ti- 
tration is  not  absolutely  sharp,  perhaps  owing 
to  the  unavoidable  presence  of  ammonia  in  the 
final  liquor,  but  as  1  cc.  N/10  alkali  represents 
only  0307  mgr.  PoOs,  the  error  from  this 
source  is  negligible. 

Illustrations  of  above  Methods. 

(1)  By  the  gravimetric  method : 
Sodiutn  Phosphate. —  A  solution  was  pre- 
pared containing  0'5/oof  thesalt,  supposed  to  be 
Na2HP04,12H20.  Duplicate  tests  were  made 
on  portions  of  50  cc.  =  250  mgr.  of  the  salt. 

No.  1  No.  3 

Grm.  Grm. 

Combined  weight  of  nickel  and  alundum   I   ci-o^^  ^o-f^i^ 

crucibles f  6' ^^^  62  936 

Successive  weights  of  crucibles  and  pre-   I  fi  ),«  ctoof 

cipitate.  weighed  at  intervals J  gjj"  64297 

Accepted  weight  of  dry  precipitate 1'292  1*297 

P2O5  mgr.  on  50cc 4884  49'03 

PaOs  per  cent  m  the  dry 'alt I  •'54  19'6I 

(theoretical)  19'-0 

Factor  assumed.     Precipitate  x  0  0378  =  P^Os. 

AfTtfnonium  Phosphate. — A  solution  was 
prepared  containing  0'25%  of  the  salt,  supposed 
to  be  (NHJ2HPO4.  Tests  on  50  cc.=  125 
mgr.  of  the  salt. 

No.  1       No.  2 

Combined  weights,  nickel  and  alundum   I   ^,  q,^       ^2  qfi? 
crucibles f 

Successive  weights  of  crucibles  and  pre-  t   ^,  ^7?  ^4-091 

cipitate.  weighed  at  intervals J    63  664  64  813 

Accepted  weight  of  precipitate  1628  1'826 

PaOs  mgr.  onSOcc 69"10  69  02 

P2O5  per  cent  in  the  dry  salt 5528  5521 

(theoretical)  33'8 

Aluminiutn  Phosphate. — 100  mgr.  of  two 
different  samples  treated  as  described  above. 

No.  1         No,  2 
Combined  weights  of  empty  crucibles  ■■■       6r843        53'103 

Successive  weights  of  crucibles  and  pre-    I   g^  375  50  771 

cipitate  weighed  at  intervals j   6yi77  59'771 

Final  weight  of  precipitate 1534  1668 

P3O5  mgr.  and  per  cent    5799  63  05 

Theoretical  for  AIPO.  =  58  15. 

(2)  By  the  volumetric  method  : 
Ammonium  Phosphate,  025%. 

c         .  —      c  «       —  .Q  —-o  c 

I   2   :Sz.  i|   <^     t-B    <l    o^l  OSS 

cc.  cc.  cc.       cc.  cc.  cc. 

1  25  15  15  123'4  11  1I2'4  3451  552 

2  25  15  15  123'4  10  5  112'9  3466  555 

3  50  30  30  227  8           18  226  0  69  38  555 

4  50  30  30  2i7'3          9'7  227  6  6  ■'67  55  9 

Factor  :   1  cc.  N/10  alkali  =  0'3O7  mgr.  PjOs 

Aluminium  Phosphate,  100  mgr.,  3  differ- 
ent samples. 

N/IO  N/IO  NnO  PaOs 

No.  Alkali  H2SO4  Alkali  oigr.  or 

taken  added  consumed  ^er  cent 

cc.  cc.  cc. 

1  19S9  9'2  1897  5825 

2  198'9  6'6  192'3  5)04 

3  198  9  6  7  192  2  59'01 

Theoretical  for  A1P0»         58  15 


154 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINK 


BOOK   REVIEWS 

Geology  of  Petroleum.  By  \V.  H.  Emmons. 
Cloth,  octavo,  oJ5  [xiBes,  illustrated.  Price 
36s.  New  York  and  London:  McGraw-Hill 
Book  Company. 

With  the  very  rapid  advancement  of  oilfield 
geology,  and  in  view  of  the  enormous  amount 
ofgeologicaldataaccumulateddurinKthecourse 
of  exploration  for  petroleum  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  within  the  last  twenty  years,  it  seems 
almost  incredible  that  the  much-needed  text- 
book on  the  subject  should  have  been  delayed 
until  the  present  time,  more  especially  when 
we  consider  the  magnitude  of  the  literature 
dealing  with  most  of  the  other  important  eco- 
nomic aspects  of  natural  science.  We  do  not 
for  one  moment  suggest  that  the  various  tech- 
nical publications  on  oil  that  have  appeared  m 
the  past  have  been  deficient  in  quality  or  want- 
ing in  scope,  but  they  have  comprised  essen- 
tially specialized,  general,  or  popular  treatises 
on  the  subject,  and  have  had  their  obvious  limi- 
tations in  each  case. 

To  students  of  petroleum  technology,  and 
more  particularly  to  those  framing  as  oil  geolo- 
gists, a  knowledge  of  the  geologic  conditions 
obtaining  in  the  principal  oilfields  of  the  world 
must  be  a  sine  qua  non  to  their  technical  edu- 
cation ;  such  knowledge  in  the  past  must  of 
necessity  have  been  derived  from  lectures  at  a 
training  college  or  from  laborious  research  into 
the  official  memoirs  of  geological  survey  for 
oil  issued  by  the  several  countries  concerned, 
and  only  those  who  have  applied  themselves 
to  such  intensive  study  can  appreciate  the  diffi- 
culties and  enormous  range  of  the  task. 

It  is  not  so  much  a  question  of  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  oil  technology,  or  of  the 
technique  of  oil  andgasproduction  ;  thesebran- 
ches  of  the  subject  are  treated  exhaustively  in 
many  well  known  publications.  But  when  it 
becomes  a  matter  of  thestratigraphy, structure, 
mode  of  occurrence,  and  economics  of  a  par- 
ticular oilfield,  where  is  the  textbook  to  which 
we  can  refer  to  save  recourse  to  the  more  de- 
tailed official  volumes  ?  The  answer  to  that 
question  is  to  be  found  in  the  publication  of  the 
present  book,  since  Dr.  Emmons  has  fortunate- 
ly decided  to  deliver  his  course  of  Geology  of 
Petroleum  lectures  (customarily  given  at  the 
University  of  Minnesota)  to  a  larger  audience, 
and  in  offering  these  lectures  in  their  present 
form  he  has  filled  a  gap  which  both  teacher  and 
student  will  gratefully  acknowledge. 

The  book  contains  two  distinct  sections ;  the 
first,  occupying  about  one-third  of  the  volume, 
deals  with  the  first  principles  of  the  subject  by 


way  of  introduction  to  a  broader  and  more  de- 
tailed  consideration   of   the   world's  oilfields, 
which  composes  the  larger  section.     On  first 
taking  up  the  volume,  we  were  inclined  toglance 
somewhat  cursorily  at  these  first  fourteenchap- 
ters  of  introductory  matter, because  we  instinc- 
tively expected  a  repetition  of   the  orthodox 
story  of  oil  with  its  origin,  causes  of  migration, 
accumulation,  etc.,  but  certain  headings  attrac- 
ted attention,  particularly  those  defining  chap- 
ters 2,  10,  12,  and  14,  dealing  with  surface  in- 
dications, structural  features  of  oil  and  gas  res- 
ervoirs, metamorphism  of  petroleum  by  dyn- 
amic agencies,  and  petroliferous  provinces  re- 
spectively.   A  careful  perusal  of  these  led  to  a 
closer  study  of  the  associated  chapters,  and  any 
preconceived  ideas  were  soon  dispelled  by  the 
fresh,  convincing  manner  with  which  the  author 
handles  this  introductory  subject  matter.  There 
is  no  "  laying  down  the  law  "  in  this  section,  and 
the  elasticity  of  argument  which  the  author  has 
allowed  himself  not  only  gives  the  reader  food 
for  thought,  but  stimulates  interest  in  the  more 
purely  philosophical  criteria  engendered.      In 
this  connection  his  passing  reference  to  petro- 
graphic  methods  of  determination  of  the  com- 
position of  reservoir  rocks  (p.  58)  will  doubt- 
less set   many   geologists    thinking    hard,    for 
though  by  no  means  a  new  idea,  such  methods, 
with  their  far-reaching  importance  in  strati- 
graphical  correlation  over  small  areas,  have  yet 
to  be  more  generally  applied. 

Passing  now  to  the  larger  division  of  the 
work,  that  dealing  with  individual  oilfield  geol- 
ogy, the  plan  adopted  in  the  description  of  each 
region  consists  of  a  discussion  of  the  general 
features,  stratigraphy, subterranean  structures, 
mode  of  occurrence,  and  economics  of  oil  pro- 
duction, supplemented  with  more  local  details 
of  the  better  known  districts  within  the  region 
underconsideration.  Maps, horizontal  andver- 
tical  sections,  well  records,  statistics  of  produc- 
tion,and  explanatory  diagrams  are  lavishly  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  book, making  reference 
easy  and  text  details  simple  to  understand  ;  in 
addition,  the  short  bibliography  appended  to 
each  discussion  of  a  particular  region  greatly 
enhances  the  value  of  the  volume. 

It  is  probably  only  natural  that  by  far  the 
larger  part  of  this  section  of  the  work  is  devoted 
to  a  consideration  of  the  oilfields  of  the  North 
American  continent ;  possibly  in  this  fact  alone 
are  we  able  to  level  a  slightly  adverse  criticism 
of  the  book,  since  the  proportion  of  a  little  over 
300  pages  to  those  fields  and  about  86  to  the 
rest  of  the  world  seems  at  first  somewhat  in- 
congruous. It  must  be  realized,  however,  that 
the  amount  of  technical  literature  on  the  North 


MARCH,    1921 


155 


American  oilfields  far  outweighs  that  of  any 
other  country,  and  further,  the  excellence  and 
thoroughness  of  that  hterature  renders  a  more 
universal  understanding  of  the  oil  conditions  of 
that  continent  a  matter  of  comparative  simpli- 
city. It  is  therefore  not  surprising  that  the  de- 
scriptions of  these  fields  are  fuller  and,  on  the 
vhole,  more  comprehensive  than  those  of  the 
European,  Asiatic,  and  other  fields,  a  matter 
which  will  probably  receive  adjustment  in  fu- 
ture editions  of  the  work. 

For  after  all,  the  educational  value  of  the 
book  is  not  so  much  centred  about  the  discus- 
sions of  American  oilfields  (notwithstanding 
their  superlative  importance  in  regard  to  actual 
oil  production)  as  about  the  broader  geologic 
principles  to  be  deduced  from  a  study  of  fields 
all  over  the  world  ;  it  is  the  author's  grasp  of 
this  essential  which  completely  justifies  the 
publication  of  the  volume  and  which  proclaims 
it  as  unique  in  the  literature  of  petroleum  geol- 
ogy, and  we  hope  that  this  wider  view  of  the 
scope  of  the  work  will  be  even  more  rigidly 
taken  in  future  editions  than  in  the  present  case. 
In  this  way  Dr.  Emmons  will  maintain  a  live 
textbook  which  can  never  become  out  of  date. 

We  venture  to  congratulate  both  author  and 
publishers  on  the  production  of  a  volume  which, 
for  excellence  of  material  and  literary  merit, 
deserves  a  very  wide  circulation. 

H.  B.  MiLNER. 


Le  Platine  et  les  Gites  Platinif^res  de 
rOural  et  du  Monde.     By  Louis  Du- 
PARC  and  Marguerite  N.  Tikonowitch. 
Paper  covers,  quarto,  542  pages,  illustrated, 
accompanied  by  an  Atlas  containing  5  Geo- 
logical Maps  and  8  Plans.    Geneva  :  Societe 
Anonyme  des  Editions  Sonor. 
Ever  since  1900  Professor  Duparc  and  his 
scholars  have  devoted  considerable  time,  in- 
tense energy,  and  genial  thought  to  the  study 
of  platinum  and  platiniferous  deposits.     The 
result  of  their  study  is  contained  in  the  book 
under  review.   It  is  divided  into  1 7  chapters,  an 
introduction,  and  a  list  of  123  reference  books. 
All  is  so  extremely  thorough  and  interesting  that 
we  do  not  hesitate  to  mention  the  titles  of  the 
various  chapters. 

(1)  The  Urals  from  the  topographical  and 
geological  aspect. 

(2)  Matrix  of  platinum,  distribution,  and 
general  characteristics  of  the  primary  platinif- 
erous centres. 

(3)  Petrography  of  the  primary  platinifer- 
ous centres  ;  dunite  and  the  peridotites. 

(4)  Pyroxenites  and  koswites. 

(5)  The  rocks  of  the  gabbro  group. 


(6)  The  vein  rocks. 

(7)  Metamorphic  rocks  adjacent  to  the  plat- 
iniferous eruptive  zone. 

(8)  Distribution  of  the  platinum  in  the  mat- 
rix and  primary  platinum  deposits. 

(9)  Analysis  and  chemical  composition  of 
the  platinum  compounds. 

(10)  Secondary  deposits  and  platiniferous 
alluvials. 

(11)  Platinum  extraction  from  alluvial  de- 
posits. 

(12)  Description  of  the  dunitic  centres  in 
the  Urals. 

(13)  Description  of  the  pyroxenitic  centres 
in  the  Urals. 

(14)  The  world's  platiniferous  deposits  out- 
side those  of  the  Urals. 

(15)  Metallurgy  of  platinum. 

(16)  Industrial  uses  of  platinum. 

(17)  Platinum  production  and  general  sta- 
tistics. 

Duparc  establishes  most  convincingly  that 
dunite  is  the  pre-eminent  matrix  of  platinum, 
that  pyroxenite  may  be  a  matrix  of  minor  im- 
portance, and  that  gabbros  for  all  practical  pur- 
poses may  be  considered  sterile.  The  relation- 
ship of  these  rocks  is  very  closely  studied,  and 
numerous  varieties  of  transitional  character  are 
minutely  described.  The  transitions  from  one 
rock  into  another  are  closely  gone  into,  and  the 
origin  of  uralization  is  explained. 

The  platiniferous  dunite  centres,  moreor  less 
of  elliptic  shape,  are  generally  within  a  band  of 
pyroxenite,  the  latter  being  surrounded  by  ex- 
tensive masses  of  gabbro.  Dunite  is  held  to  be 
aproduct  of  magmatic  segregation  from  pyrox- 
enite, the  latter  being  similarly  derived  from 
gabbro.  Dunite,  which  consists  essentially  of 
olivine  and  chromite,  contains  the  platinum  as- 
sociated with  the  latter,  but  never  in  sufficient 
quantity  to  allow  of  a  remunerative  mining  of 
platinum  from  the  rock  in  situ. 

Dunite  is  a  deep-seated  rock,  and  exposed 
only  in  consequence  of  extensive  denudation. 
In  the  majority  of  cases, rivers  which  take  their 
origin  indunitecentres, or  after  passingthrough 
these, contain  platiniferous  gravels;  exception- 
ally pyroxenite  centres  of  definite  composition 
have  yielded  platinum  to  river  gravels  origin- 
ating in  or  passing  through  them.  Eleven  dun- 
ite centres  have  been  located  in  the  Urals,  where- 
as only  five  pyroxenite  ones  are  known.  The 
crude  platinum  from  different  dunite  centres  is 
of  variable  composition  and  contains  from 
60'39?^  to  84"60%  of  pure  Pt,  while  that  derived 
from  pyroxenite  centres  contains  from  78'40% 
to  88'54%  of  pure  Pt. 

One  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  the  geologi- 


156 


THF.     IMININC.     MAGAZINE 


cal  and  petroRraphical  work  contained  in  the 
book,  and  unstinted  praise  is  due  to  the  thor- 
ough elaboration  of  a  rehable  chemical  analysis 
for  crude  platinum. 

There  are  also  mentioned  in  the  book  prac- 
tical results  of  applied  economic  geology,  sev- 
eral platinum  deposits  having  been  located  by 
theauthor  and  hispupils  as  results  of  geological 
lield-work.  The  platiniferous  deposits  in  other 
parts  of  the  world  are  summarily  described  as 
results  of  personal  inspection  by  the  author  or 
at  the  hand  of  trustworthy  information. 

The  criticisms  of  the  book  chiefly  apply  to 
the  purely  technical  part,  where  we  find  meas- 
urementsgiven  indiscriminately  in  metric,  Eng- 
lish,or  Russian  units.  On  page410  thealluvial 
deposit  of  the  river  BolshaiaSosnowka  is  given 
in  Russian  units,  and  overleaf  (page412),when 
describing  the  river  Logwinska  of  the  same 
river  system,  metric  units  are  applied.  It  is 
also  regrettable  that  platinum  contents  in  the 
gravels  are  chiefly  given  in  doli  or  zolotnik  per 
100  pood,  which  do  not  convey  anything  to  the 
reader  unacquainted  with  Russian  units.  At 
least  a  conversion  table  should  have  been  pro- 
vided. The  same  remark  applies  to  the  plans 
of  machinery  where  archines.vershoks,  metres, 
and  feet  are  used  anyhow.  The  frequent  use  of 
foreign  words  should  be  avoided,  such  as  lojok, 
ouwal,  retchniki,  peski,  and  many  more,  when 
describingRussianplatinumdeposits.  Ail  such 
words  jar,  and  moreover  cannot  be  found  in  a 
French  dictionary.  The  climax  in  the  use  of 
foreign  words  is  to  be  found  on  page  475,  where 
the  author  says  :  "  The  bore-holes  carried  out 
by  Mr.  Orueta  on  thealluvial  deposits  of  the  Rio 
Verde  as  well  as  on  other  rios  of  the  region." 

When  discussing  the  methods  which  have 
been  used  for  prospecting  platiniferous  alluvial 
deposits  the  author  claims  that  results  obtained 
with  the  Empire  drill  are  unreliable,  and  that 
the  drill  is  quite  useless  for  the  prospecting  of 
such  deposits.  That  may  be  so,  yet  he  describes 
the  drill  fully  and  gives  numerous  illustrations 
thereof,  and  even  calls  it  a  diamond  drill  in  a 
photo  facing  page  284. 

The  only  reference  of  a  dry  assay  for  plati- 
num from  its  matrix  is  to  be  found  on  page  194, 
where  it  is  mentioned  that  when  platinum  is 
not  visible  in  a  rock  the  latter  may  be  crushed 
and  panned  appropriately,  or  it  may  be  subjec- 
ted to  a  lead  fusion  and  the  leadbuttoncupelled. 
This  method  is,  however,  far  from  reliable,  and 
deserves  special  study  and  elaboration.  The  re- 
sults contained  in  the  tabulated  statement  of 
page  195  and  referring  to  platinum  contents  in 
dunite  are  thereforenotconvincing;  furtherde- 
tails  of  the  methods  employed  by  the  various 


operators  would  be  generally  welcomed. 

These  criticisms  are,  however,  trilling,  and 
the  causes  leading  thereto  can  readily  be  avoi- 
ded in  a  revised  edition.  In  all  other  respects 
the  publication  is  and  will  remain  a  standard 
text- book  on  platinum  and  its  deposits.  All 
those  interested  in  that  precious  metal,  be  it 
from  the  geological,  petrographical,orchemical 
point  of  view,  will  welcome  this  publication  of 
undoubtedly  great  merit.  The  geological  maps 
published  in  connection  with  the  book  are 
models  of  accuracy  and  valuableguides  for  sim- 
ilar investigations.  The  illustrations  generally 
are  clear  and  good  ;  particular  interest  attaches 
tothose  of  famous  platinum  nuggets  which  have 
vanished  during  the  Russian  revolution. 

.    A.  L.  Simon. 


Die  Sulfid  -  Silikatschmelzlosungen,  I  : 
Die  Sulfidschmelzen  und  die  Sulfid- 
silikatscHmelzen.  By  J.  H.  L.  Vogt. 
X'idensk.  Selsk.  Skrifter,  I  Mat.-nat.  Klasse, 
1918,  No.  1.  132  pp.,  with  45  text-figures. 
Kristiania,  1919. 

Die  Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlbsungen.  By 
J.  H.  L.  V'OGT.  Norsk.  Geol.  Tidsskr., 
vol.  iv.,  97  pp.,  with  13  text-figures.  Kris- 
tiania, 1917. 

(This  review  appeared  in  the  Oeolosical  Magazine  for  Feb- 
ruary, and  is  reproduced  here  by  permission  of  the  Editor. 1 

These  two  publications  contain  the  results 
of  researches  undertaken  by  Professor  Vogt 
during  the  last  few  years  on  the  physical 
chemistry  and  mineralogy  of  the  sulphides 
and  their  relation  to  silicate  melts,  with  special 
reference  to  the  slags  obtained  in  the  smelting 
of  copper  matte.  The  first-named  and  larger 
work  forms  a  third  part  of  Professor  Vogt's 
well-known  work  "  Die  Silikatschmelzlosun- 
gen "  ;  the  second  contains  a  summary  of  the 
results  set  forth  in  the  larger  volume,  publish- 
ed at  an  earlier  date  owing  to  difficulties  en- 
countered on  the  production  of  the  complete 
work  under  war  conditions.  We  are  also  in- 
formed in  a  preface  that  another  memoir  is  in 
preparation  dealing  specially  with  the  nickel- 
iferous  pyrrhotite  ore-bodies,  which  are  here 
only  referred  to  incidentally.  The  publication 
of  this  will  be  anticipated  with  much  interest 
by  all  mining  geologists.  Professor  Vogt  also 
states  that  he  has  in  hand  a  nearly  completed 
work  on  crystallization  and  magmatic  differen- 
tiation in  the  basic  intrusive  rocks. 

The  facts  here  set  forth  are  of  the  greatest 
possible  interest,  both  in  their  technical  appli- 
cations to  furnace  practice  and  in  their  bearing 
on  theoretical  petrology  and  the  genesis  of  the 
sulphide  ores.     It  is  now  generally  accepted 


MARCH,    1921 


157 


that  silicate  melts  of  whatever  composition  are 
completely  miscible  in  all  proportions,  but  with 
regard  to  the  relations  between  fused  silicates 
and  sulphides  the  conditions  are  quite  other- 
wise. Silicate  and  sulphide  melts,  as  well  as 
silicates  and  molten  metals,  possess  only  very 
limited  mutual  solubilities,  and  in  the  fused 
state  must  form  systems  of  two  liquid  phases. 
This  proposition  is,  in  fact,  self-evident,  since 
it  forms  the  foundation  of  all  smelting  proces- 
ses. Pig  iron  and  slag  separate  in  the  blast- 
furnace, not  because  the  molten  iron  is  heavier 
than  the  slag,  but  because  the  two  liquids  are 
mutually  insoluble  at  the  furnace  temperature, 
and  the  same  applies  to  the  separation  of  sul- 
phide and  slag  in  copper  matte-smelting.  In 
both  these  processes  it  is  obviously  desirable 
tohavethecleanest  possible  separation  of  metal 
or  sulphide  and  slag,  and  it  is  the  investigation 
of  the  conditions  most  favourable  to  this  clean 
separation  that  is  the  chief  object  of  Professor 
Vogt's  researches. 

Inthe  firstplace,  it  is  evidently  desirable  that 
the  slag  should  be  as  liquid  as  possible,  partly 
in  order  that  it  can  be  drawn  off  easily  and 
partly  to  facilitate  the  sinking  of  globules  of 
sulphide,  which  might  otherwise  remain  en- 
tangled in  a  viscous  slag.  This  can  be  obtained 
partly  by  employment  of  a  very  high  furnace 
temperature,  which  is  undesirable  from  the 
point  of  view  of  fuel  consumption  and  running 
costs.  It  is  found,  however,  that  the  viscosity 
of  the  slag  is  very  clearly  a  function  of  its 
chemical  com  posit  ion,  and  especially  of  its  silica 
percentage.  This  also  has  a  very  important 
bearing  on  the  solubility  of  sulphide  in  slag; 
this  solubility  varies  inversely  as  the  silica  per- 
centage, and  directly  as  the  temperature.  Very 
basic  slags  at  a  high  temperature  cause  the 
greatest  losses  of  copperin  matte-smelting,  and 
this  loss  is  apparently  increased  by  the  presence 
.  of  much  zinc.  The  practical  problem  is  there- 
fore to  find  the  best  working  conditions,  so  that 
the  two  opposed  factors  may  compensate  each 
other.  The  lo-s  of  copper  inevitable  with  a 
liquid  basic  slag  in  which  the  solubility  is  high 
has  to  be  balanced  against  the  loss  of  copper 
in  a  viscous  acid  slag  with  low  solubility,  but 
with  a  strong  tendency  to  mechanical  retention 
of  sulphide.  This  is  a  nice  example  of  the  ap- 
plication of  mineralogy  and  petrology  to  prob- 
lems of  the  highest  practical  importance,  a 
point  of  view  which  appears  to  be  scarcely  ap- 
preciated by  British  petrologists. 

Rather  more  than  half  of  the  smaller  work 
here  reviewed  is  devoted  to  a  discussion  of  the 
nickeliferous  sulphide  segregations  and  their 
relation  to  the  norites.     This  is  presumably  a 


summary  of  the  forthcoming  larger  publication 
before  mentioned.  It  is  shown  that  nickelifer- 
ous sulphides  have  a  strong  tendency  to  occur 
along  with  rocks  rich  in  rhombic  pyroxenes, 
which  are  mainly  magnesia- iron  silicates,  rather 
than  with  the  more  calcareous  diopside-rocks 
or  normal  gabbros.  A  few  sulphide  masses  of 
this  type  are  found  along  with  olivine  rocks, 
especially  peridotites.  The  physical  chemistry 
and  equilibria  of  the  norite  magmas  are  dis- 
cussed, and  it  is  shown  that  many  of  them 
approximate  closely  to  eutectic  composition 
(anchi-eutectic  rocks).  Most  of  the  great  pyr- 
rhotile  deposits  are  associated  with  norites  that 
contain  more  hypersthene  than  corresponds  to 
the  eutectic  limit  between  labradorite  and  hy- 
persthene ;  where  felspar  is  in  excess  sulphide 
segregations  are  much  less  common.  In  the 
cases  described  it  is  quite  clear  that  the  pyr- 
rhotite  crystallized  later  than  the  pyroxenes, 
olivine,  and  felspars.  Incidentally  it  is  of  in- 
terest that,  however  quickly  cooled,  sulphides 
are  always  completely  crystalline;  no  such 
thing  as  sulphide  glass  is  known  to  exist.  This 
behaviour  is  in  strong  contrast  to  that  of  the 
silicates.  Likewise,  it  appears  that  owing  to 
the  highly  mobile  nature  of  fused  sulphides, 
under-coolingdoesnot  occur  to  any  appreciable 
extent,  but  sulphides  crystallize  sharply  close 
to  their  true  freezing-point. 

All  the  phenomena  attending  the  occurrence 
and  crystallization  of  the  sulphide  segrega- 
tions and  their  consanguineous  silicate  rocks 
become  easily  intelligible  when  it  is  once  fully 
realized  that  silicates  and  sulphides  possess 
very  limited  mutual  solubility,  and  at  the  nor- 
mal temperature  of  intrusion  must  of  neces- 
sity form  two  liquid  phases  ;  this  conception 
greatly  helps  in  the  solution  of  the  problem  of 
the  genesis  of  the  great  nickel  deposits  of  Sud- 
bury and  others,  a  problem  which  has  of  late 
years  led  to  so  much  discussion  by  many  pet- 
rologists, both  from  its  inherent  interest  and 
from  its  great  technical  importance. 

R.  H.  Rastall. 


[Other  notices  of  new  books  and  pamphlets 
page  192.1 


vill  be  found  on 


The  Australasian  Association  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science  was  not  able  to  hold  its 
annual  meeting  at  Hobart  owing  to  the  ship- 
ping strike,  and  the  sittings  were  held  in  Mel- 
bourne instead.  Sir  Baldwin  Spencer  deliver- 
ed the  presidential  address,  and  Sir  Edgworth 
David  gave  a  lecture  on  "  The  Romance  of 
Ice."  There  were  special  discussions  on  "The 
Physical  Sciences  in  Warfare  "  and  "  The 
Constitution  of  the  Atom." 


158 


Tin:     MININC.     MAC.AZINE 


LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

The  Greenside  Lead  Mines. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir— 1  shall  be  glad  if  you  will  find  space  for 
a  reply  to  your  correspondent  who  contributed 
to  the  January  issue  an  article  under  the  head- 
ing:  North  of  England  Lead  and  Zinc-Min- 
ing in  1920.      I  think  it  would  only  be  fair  to 
say  in  regard  to  the  Greenside  Mines  that  the 
sole  reason  the  present  company  do  not  propose 
to  continue  operations  after  a  certain  time  is 
because  the  proposed  royalties  for  the  granting 
of  a  new  lease  were  too  high  in  the  opinion  of  the 
directors  of  the  company.    It  is  early  yet  to  say, 
as  your  correspondent  puts  it,  that  it  will  per- 
manently close  down.     Knowing  the  proposi- 
tion perhaps  a  good  deal  better  than  your  writer, 
I  may  say  it  is  not  likely  to  cease  as  quickly 
as  supposed.     The  mines  have  been  in  opera- 
tion   over    a  century   without   a  stoppage  of 
any   moment,  and    within  the    last   60   years 
have  returned  to  shareholders  approximately 
^400,000,  a  return  equal  to  14%  on  the  actual 
capital.      It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  say  the 
present  company  offered  to  purchase  the  royal- 
ties, but  as  the  price  could  not  be  agreed  upon, 
it  remained  to  try  and  get  better  terms  on  a 
royalty  basis,  which  was  not  considered  favour- 
able at  the  time.     The  property  is  a  low-grade 
proposition,  but  under  a  favourable  royalty  it 
could  carry  on  even  with  lead  at  its  present 
price,  and  there  would  be  no  need  to  close,  as 
in  the  case  of  most  mines    in  this    country. 
The  total  cost  of  working  for  a  series  of  years 
was  under  15s.  per  ton  crude  and  the  mine  paid 
when  pig  lead  was  down  to  ^12  per  ton.     It 
always  carries  a  large  reserve  of  broken  ore 
underground,  which  is  important  to  successful 
mining,  and  is  able  to  treat  100  tons  per  day 
when  required  to  cope  with  prices. 

Too  little  attention  has  been  paid  in  the  past 
in  this  country  to  working  costs  above  and 
below  ground,  and  how  such  can  be  met  in  the 
most  efficient  way.  Lack  of  development  of  the 
ore-bodies  and  working  from  hand  to  mouth, 
combined  with  asmall  output  of  treatment,  lead 
and  zinc-mining  in  this  country  is  in  an  unsatis- 
factory state.  It  has  been  a  sore  point  with 
the  average  miner  that  the  more  he  makes  on 
his  contract  over  a  certain  wage,  when  the  same 
comes  to  be  re-let  the  price  would  in  most  cases 
be  cut.  This  has  come  about  by  inefficient 
valuation  and  not  knowing  what  a  worker  or 
workers  can  do  when  letting  the  contract.  To 
my  mind  no  contract  should  be  let  on  what  an 
individual  has  done  the  previous  month  ;  the 
value  should  be  put  on  the  ground  to  give  the 


worker  u  living  wage  from  the  ground  in  sight, 
if  he  works.  I  am  afraid  the  managements 
have  done  more  to  kill  contract  work  than  the 
worker  himself.  Hence  the  demand  for  a 
minimum  wage  with  a  go-as-you-please  policy. 
A  maximum  wage  was  never  too  much,  but  a 
standard  wage  irrespective  of  capacity  or  in- 
telligence is  fatal  to  all.  There  are  many  mines 
in  this  country  run  on  modern  lines  that  could 
show  good  returns  if  handled  in  the  right  way, 
and  keep  capital  at  home,  where  it  is  certainly 
needed. 

As  your  correspondent  was  anonymous,  1 
take  the  liberty  of  Ijeing  ditto,  and  sign  myself 

iNTERliSTEU. 

London,  February  18. 

Genesis  of  Cumberland  Iron  Ores. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — Mr.  Kendall,  in  hisletter  of  January  28, 
states  that  I  offer  no  evidence  in  my  letter  of 
December  14  in  favour  of  my  conjecture  as  to 
the  course  of  geological  events  in  the  Lake 
District.  As  I  said,  it  is  only  a  conjecture  de- 
pendingon  speculative  considerations  on  which 
we  have  now  and  may  never  have  certain  know- 
ledge. My  conjecture  is  founded  on  as  little 
certain  knowledge  as  Mr.  Kendall's  positive 
statement  that  the  Carbon  if  erousand  later  rocks 
never  extended  over  the  Lake  District.  Per- 
haps the  most  that  can  be  said  for  either  view 
is  that  it  is  not  impossible. 

I  am  not  satisfied  with  the  conclusion  Mr. 
Kendall  draws  from  the  facts  he  states  relating 
to   the   occurrence  of  fragments  of  hematite 
found  in  the  Permian   Breccia  near  Orebank 
House,  Bigrigg.     I  do  not  know  if  at  the  time 
(40  years  ago)  the  possibility  of  the  hematite 
deposits  in  the  limestone  being  formed  from 
iron  oxide  from  overlying  rocks  was  in  view. 
Anyone  finding  fragments  of  ore  in  the  breccia 
would  naturally  conclude  they  were  derived 
and  may  not  have  examined  them  with  special 
regard  to  being  replacements  of  limestone  frag- 
ments.    Mr.  Kendall  states  he  sliced  the  frag- 
ments 40  years  ago  for  microscopical  examina- 
tion and  found  no  difference  between  them  and 
pieces  taken  from  the  mine,  yet  some  peculi- 
arities in  the  structure  of  the  fragments  from 
the  breccia  would,  I  am  advised  by  geologists, 
have  afforded  some  evidence  as  to  whether  they 
were  derived  fragments  of  hematite  or  frag- 
mentsof  limestonereplaced  by  ironoxide.    The 
question  is  too  important  to  be  finally  decided 
without  the  fullest  evidence,  and  I  hope  Mr. 
Kendall  will  pardon  me  if  I  say  that  wh^t  was 
observed  so  long  ago  and  cannot  now  be  veri- 
fied does  not  satisfy  me. 


MARCH,    1921 


159 


It  is  to  be  hoped  that  Mr.  Kendall's  inter- 
pretation is  correct  as  this  would  open  up  the 
probability  of  hematite  being  found  in  the  lime- 
stone below  the  Cumberland  coalfield  in  situa- 
tions where  the  lines  of  faulting  are  known  and 
where  deposits  might  easily  be  located.  My 
observations  in  the  few  cases  where  the  lime- 
stone has  been  proved  under  and  at  sotne  dis- 
tance from  the  outcrop  of  the  Coal  Measures 
in  Cumberland  is  not  in  favour  of  Mr.  Kendall's 
views  as  to  the  source  of  hematite,  but  this  evi- 
dence is  slight  and  negative  only. 

I  cannot  see  any  objection  to  my  statement 
to  which  Mr.  Kendall  takes  exception  that 
great  light  would  be  thrown  upon  the  genesis 
and  age  of  hematite  deposits  by  a  microscopi- 
cal examination  of  the  pebbles  and  fragments 
found  in  the  Permian  Breccia."  Perhaps  Mr. 
Kendall  thinks  that  I  assume  the  result  would 
be  against  his  view.  One  of  three  results 
would  follow  :  (a)  Found  to  be  derived  frag- 
ments ;  (bj  found  to  be  replaced  fragments  of 
limestone;  (c)  no  evidence  either  way.  As 
(c)  is  unlikely,  I  think  I  was  justified  in  my 
statement. 

Apart  from  enclosed  fragments  of  hematite 
the  red  staining  of  the  breccia  over  large  areas 
in  the  Cleator  and  Egremont  districts  is  a  fea- 
ture to  be  noted.  This  staining  appears  to  be 
subsequent  or  secondary.  I  feel  great  diffi- 
culty in  ascribing  it  to  the  ascent  of  iron  bear- 
ing solutions  or  vapours,  it  is  so  regular  and 
widespread.  It  seems  more  likely  to  be  due 
to  the  percolation  of  water  through  overlying 
Trias  carrying  down  iron  oxide.  The  same 
feature  is  observed  in  some  parts  of  the  Lan- 
cashirecoalfield  where  Carboniferous  rocks  are 
stained  red  for  some  hundreds  of  feet  in  depth 
where  overlain  by  Trias. 

Mr.  Kendall  seems  to  think  that  we  might 
as  well  suggest  a  relation  between  the  boulder 
clay  and  hematite  as  between  the  Trias  and 
hematite,  as  both  formations  are  found  directly 
overlying  deposits  of  hematite  in  the  limestone. 
The  objections  to  such  a  view  are  :  (l)  There 
is  not  sufficient  iron  in  the  boulder  clay  to  ac- 
count for  the  masses  of  hematite  in  the  lime- 
stone ;  (2)  boulder  clay  is  not  readily  perme- 
able to  water;  (3)  in  many  districts  boulder 
clay  is  found  lying  on  the  limestone  with  no 
accompanying  deposits  of  hematite.  My  con- 
tention is  that  all  these  conditions  are  satisfied 
by  the  Trias. 

In  conclusion,  my  answer  to  Mr.  Kendall's 
contention  thatexplorationbased  on  a  supposed 
connection  between  the  Trias  and  hematite  in 
the  limestone  will  result  in  "a  great  waste  of 
time  and  money  "  has  not  been  met,  and  I  in- 


vite him  to  do  so.     Even  if  there  is  no  connec- 
tion I  do  not  see  how  the  waste  comes  in. 
J.  B.  Atkinson. 
86,  St.  George's  Terrace, 
Newcastie-on-Tyne,  February   17. 


NEWS   LETTERS. 

VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

January  21 . 
Mineral  Production  for  1920. — In  the 
latter  part  of  January,  the  Provincial  Depart- 
ment of  Mines  issued  the  annual  preliminary 
review  and  estimate  of  the  mineral  production 
of  the  Province  of  British  Columbia.  This 
report  is  issued  at  the  commencement  of  each 
year  for  the  purpose  of  placing  an  approximate 
estimate  before  the  public,  without  waiting  for 
the  compilation  of  the  actual  production, which 
cannot  be  completed  much  before  the  middle 
of  June.  It  is  understood,  therefore,  that  the 
figures  in  the  preliminary  estimate  are  subject 
to  revision,  but  most  of  them  have  been  found 
to  closely  approximate  the  final  figures.  The 
following  is  the  estimate  for  last  year,  with  the 
1919  production,  for  the  sake  of  comparison: 

1919  1920 

Gold,  placer oz.  14.325  13.250 

Gold,  lode oz.  152.426  118.176 

Silver oz.  3,403.119  3.404.926 

Copper lb.  42.459.339  4J.773.660 

Lead lb.  29  475.968  21,545.CM7 

Zinc lb.  56.737.651  75.765.268 

Coal long  tons  2,267.541  2,712,228 

Coke long  tons  91,138  68,190 

The  estimate  of  the  value  of  the  mineral 
production  of  last  year  exceeds  the  value  of  the 
1919  production  by  more  than  two  and  a  quar- 
ter million  dollars.  This  increase  is  due  al- 
most entirely  to  the  increased  production  of 
coal  and  zinc.  The  increase  in  the  production 
of  coal  is  due  very  largely  to  a  shortage  of  fuel- 
oil  during  the  latter  half  of  the  year ;  a  short- 
age so  serious  that  it  necessitated  the  Imperial 
Oil  Co.  closing  it  refinery,  near  Vancouver, 
and  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  converting 
a  number  of  its  oil-burning  locomotives  into 
coal-burners.  Several  coast-going  steamships 
and  industrial  plants  have  had  to  make  a  simi- 
lar change.  Some  idea  of  how  this  has  in- 
creased the  demand  for  coal  will  be  gleaned 
from  the  fact  that  the  C.P.R.  has  had  to  place 
an  additional  order  with  the  Canadian  Col- 
lieries, Ltd.,  for  25,000  tons  more  coal  per 
month.  With  regard  to  the  zinc  figures,  it  is 
difficult  to  see  how  either  those  of  last  year 
or  this  year  are  obtained,  unless  it  is  on  the 
assay- value  of  the  ore  raised  and  not  on  the  zinc 
produced.  Whatever  the  method,  it  is  quite 
certain  that  both  the  1919  production  and  the 
estimate  for  last  year,  as  given  by  the  Provin- 


160 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


cial  Departtiient  of  Mines,  is  fully  45'o  above 
the  actual  protluction  of  zinc  from  British  Co- 
lumbia ores.  The  Consolidated  Mining  & 
Smelting  Company  produces  at  least  85%  of 
the  zinc  made  from  Hritish  Columbia  ores,  and 
thecompany'sproduction  wasabout  26,000,000 
lb.  in  1919  and  37,000,000  lb.  in  1920,  as 
compared  with  56,000,000  lb.  in  1919,  and 
76,000,000  lb.  given  by  the  local  department. 
There  unfortunately  is  a  tendency  at  times  to 
try  to  boost  output  for  political  reasons,  and  it 
looks  very  much  as  though  that  has  been  the 
case  with  the  zinc  output  of  the  last  two  years. 
As  was  to  be  e.xpected,  the  gold  production 
shows  a  decrease,  the  reason  for  which  is  quite 
evident,  not  only  in  British  Columbia  but 
nearly  all  over  the  world.  Silver  and  copper 
both  show  an  increase  in  production,  but  a  de- 
crease in  value,  owing,  of  course,  to  market 
fluctuations.  For  the  same  reason  the  value 
of  the  lead  production  shows  an  increase, while 
the  production  of  actual  metal  shows  a  de- 
crease. Owing  to  labour  troubles  that  have 
tied  up  the  Slocan  and  Slocan  City  mines  for 
the  greater  part  of  the  season,  this  erstwhile 
silver  district  shows  a  marked  falling  off  in  out- 
put ;  fortunately,  however,  the  Dolly  Varden 
and  Premier  mines,  in  the  north-west  section 
of  the  Province,  have  made  up  the  deficit,  and 
the  total  output  is  slightly  greater  than  that  of 
the  previous  year. 

Western  Canada  has  not  as  yet  started  to  try 
to  catch  up  in  building  for  the  four  years  com- 
paratively idle  period  during  the  war,  conse- 
quently the  production  of  building  materials 
does  not  show  any  appreciable  increase  over 
that  of  1919.  Labour  prices  have  been  very 
high,  and  buildmg  materials  have  been  kept 
at  such  an  e.xorbitant  figure  that  people  have 
held  off  reconstruction  as  long  as  possible. 
Just  towards  the  end  of  the  year  there  was  a 
break  in  prices  of  both  labour  and  materials, 
and  considerable  activity  in  building  may  be 
looked  for  during  the  coming  year. 

Smelters. — The     Granby     Consolidated 
Mining,  Smelting  &  Power   Company  insti- 
tuted a  cut  of  75  cents  per  day  in  its  wage- 
scale  on  the  first  day  of  the  year,  and  the  men 
agreed  to  accept  it  rather  than  suffer  a  shut- 
down, which   was  the    alternative  offered  to 
them.      Despite    the   laying-off  of   some  300 
men,  Granby  is  turning  out   about   two  and 
three-quarter    million    pounds  of  copper  per 
month  :  a  greater  amount  than  at  any  time 
during  the  past  eighteen  months.     This  has 
jjbeen  reflected  on  the  shares  of  the  company, 
jj,  j'jiich  have  advanced  10  points  above  the  mini- 
value'b°^  15  reached  during  November. 


The  Consolidated  Mining  tV  Smelting  Com- 
pany has  cut  day  wages  55  cents  per  day  and 
those  paid  by  the  month  $15  per  month.  The 
company  has  an  enormous  stock  of  metals  on 
hand,  and,  as  a  conseiiuence,  has  had  to  notify 
individual  mine-owners  that  it  is  no  longer  able 
to  pay  cash  for  metal  contents  of  ores  received, 
but  can  give  only  warehouse  receipts.  This, 
it  is  feared,  will  mean  the  closing  of  a  number 
of  the  small  interior  mines,  as  freight-rates 
prohibit  shipment  to  smelters  in  the  United 
States.  Probably  85%  of  the  ore  treated  at 
Trail  comes  from  the  Consolidated  Company's 
own  mines,  and  the  output  of  these  is  being 
maintained.  During  last  year  some  60,000 
tons  more  ore  was  treated  at  Trail  than  in  1919, 
and  metallurgically,  that  is  with  regard  to  high 
extraction,  it  is  said  to  be  the  best  year  that 
the  company  ever  has  had.  Only  a  small  quan- 
tity of  copper  ore  is  being  treated  at  Trail,  so 
that  Granby  may  be  said  to  be  practically  the 
only  copper  producer  at  the  present  time. 

Coal  I^kices. — The  boards  of  trade  of  the 
big  cities  have  demanded  a  Government  in- 
quiry into  the  price  of  coal,  the  high  price  of 
which  is  checking  industry  in  the  Province. 
In  Victoria  and  Vancouver,  according  to  qual- 
ity, coal  ranges  at  from  !j>13  to  $15  per  ton, 
while  in  its  official  estimate  the  Department 
of  Mines  places  the  price  at  the  pit's  mouth  at 
$5.  As  it  is  only  about  an  80-mile  haul  by 
water  from  the  Nanaimo  mines  to  Victoria  and 
less  to  \ancouver,  the  middlemen  appear  to  be 
profiteering  pretty  extensively.  No  great  cut 
can  be  made  at  the  pit's  mouth,  as  a  majority 
of  the  companies  have  wage-agreements  with 
the  men  that  do  no  expire  until  the  end  of  next 
year. 

Dolly  Varden.— The  Taylor  Mining 
Company  has  completely  closed  the  Dolly 
Varden  mine  for  the  winter,  the  directors  of 
the  company  having  decided  that,  as  it  is  likely 
that  there  will  be  a  considerable  reduction  in 
the  cost  of  wages  next  year,  it  would  be  cheaper 
to  push  development  at  the  same  time  as  pro- 
duction next  spring,  as  it  is  impossible  to  ship 
during  the  winter  months  on  account  of  the 
heavy  snows  blocking  the  railways. 

Vancouver  Island  Copper. — The  Tide- 
water Copper  Co.,  which  has  been  developing 
a  property  and  installing  machinery  at  Sidney 
Inlet,  \'ancouver  Island,  for  the  past  three 
years,  shipped  its  first  consignment  of  400  tons 
of  concentrate  to  the  Tacoma  smelter  last  De- 
cember. Although  nothing  has  been  an- 
nounced, evidently  the  return  from  the  con- 
signment was  found  to  be  insufficient  to  guar- 
antee the  continuance  of  production  with  cop- 


MARCH,    1921 


161 


per  at  its  present  price,  for  the  concentrating 
plant  lias  been  closed  down,  but  the  develop- 
ment of  the  mine  is  being  continued. 

Premier. — The  winter  shippingai  the  Pre- 
mier mine,  in  the  Salmon  River  district,  is  pro- 
gressing favourably,  850  tons  of  ore,  running 
$400  per  ton,  already  having  been  shipped,  while 
another  500  tons  will  be  sent  to  the  Tacoma 
smelter  by  the  next  boat.  A  survey  isnow  being 
made  for  an  aerial  tramway  from  the  mine  to 
tide-water,  and  when  this  is  completed  the 
Premier  will  be  able  to  ship  throughout  the 
year.  The  Algunican  Development  Company 
will  commence  to  ship  ore  from  the  Spider 
mine  early  in  February.  This  will  make  the 
second  shipping  mine  in  the  Salmon  River  dis- 
trict. The  ore  is  a  complex  one,  containing 
sulphides  of  zinc,  lead,  copper,  and  iron,  and 
is  rich  in  native  and  ruby  silver, some  of  it  run- 
ning several  thousand  ounces  per  ton.  About 
100  tons  of  such  ore  will  be  shipped  during  the 
winter. 

Iron  Ore. — British  engineers  have  been 
investigating  the  iron-ore  resources  of  the 
Province  for  the  past  four  months,  and  it  is 
stated  that  steps  will  be  taken  toward  the 
founding  of  an  iron  and  steel  industry  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Vancouver  during  the  pre- 
sent season. 


TORONTO. 

February  10. 
Porcupine. — The  output  of  gold  has  been 
greatly  curtailed  by  reason  of  the  shortage  of 
electric  power,  which  is  likely  to  continue  for 
a  few  weeks  longer  until  the  breaking  up  of 
winter  brings  relief.  As  soon,  however,  as 
power  is  available  a  great  expansion  in  the 
mining  industry  seems  assured,  as  several  pro- 
perties now  closed  will  be  reopened  and  new 
companies  are  preparing  to  enter  the  field.  At 
the  Dome  Mines  an  important  discovery  of  rich 
ore  has  been  made  at  the  1,050  ft.  level,  where 
several  large  ore-bodieshave  been  encountered. 
Much  of  the  ore  will  run  as  high  as  §20  per 
ton.  The  mill  is  now  only  working  at  about 
one-third  capacity.  The  shareholders  of  the 
Davidson  Consolidated  have  decided  to  sell  the 
property  to  an  English  syndicate,  which  has 
purchased  1,000,000  shares  of  the  treasury 
stock  at  75c.  per  share  and  will  buy  the  stock 
outstanding  in  the  hands  of  shareholders  at 
$1T8  per  share.  Mr.  Rowland  C.  Feilding, 
consulting  engineer,  who  examined  the  mine 
for  the  British  interests,  estimates  the  tonnage 
of  ore  disclosed  by  the  work  done  including 
probable  ore  at  350,000  tons  averaging  $11  per 
ton  recoverable.     The  mine  will  be  reopened 


about  March  1,  and  it  is  intended  to  erect  a  500 
ton  mill.  The  annual  financial  statement  of 
the  Porcupine  Crown  shows  profits  of  $28,788 
which,  added  to  the  balance  carried  forward, 
makes  a  surplus  of  $242,532.  Milling  opera- 
tions were  obliged  to  be  discontinued  and  de- 
velopment much  restricted  owing  to  power 
shortage.  The  Premier  Paymaster,  formerly 
the  Standard,  which  has  been  closed  for  some 
time  after  about  $100,000  had  been  expended 
upon  it,  is  to  be  reopened,  having  been  financed 
by  Boston  capital.  Theshaft,nowdown200ft., 
will  be  sunk  to  the  500  ft.  level.  A  large  ore- 
body  has  been  developed  at  the  200  ft.  level. 
The  Porcupine  Associated  Goldfields,  Ltd.,has 
been  organized,  capitalized  at  $5, 000, 000,  to  op- 
erate a  large  group  of  mining  claimsin  the  east- 
ern part  of  the  field.  Among  the  properties  in- 
cluded in  their  holdings  are  the  La  Palm  and 
Three  Nations,  on  which  a  good  deal  of  work 
has  been  done,  and  the  Jermy  Veteran  claim. 
Altogether  the  company  will  control  about  720 
acres.  A  large  block  of  the  stock  is  being  un- 
derwritten by  an  English  syndicate.  Negotia- 
tions are  in  progress  looking  to  the  amalgama- 
tion of  the  West  Dome  and  the  Dome  Lake. 
As  the  veins  of  the  Dome  Lake  run  into  the 
West  Dome  it  is  proposed  to  work  both  pro- 
perties through  the  Dome  Lake  shaft.  The 
long  disputed  question  as  to  whether  the  mills 
of  the  mining  companies  were  liable  to  muni- 
cipal taxation  has  been  finally  settled  by  a  de- 
cision of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Ontario,  declar- 
ing them  exempt.  As  the  properties  involved 
in  the  Porcupine  district  are  valued  at  about 
$2,000,000  the  matter  is  of  considerable  im- 
portance to  the  mining  companies. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  power  situation  is 
not  soserioushere  asinthe  other  mining  ramps, 
butthe  supply  of  electric  energy  is  by  no  means 
equal  to  requirements.  The  position  of  the 
Lake  Shore  has  been  greatly  improved  by  de- 
velopment on  the  200  ft.  and  400  ft.  levels, 
which  have  been  opened  up  for  2,000  ft.  and 
1 ,000  ft.  respectively,  encountering  a  large  ore- 
body  which  is  stated  to  rank  with  the  Porcu- 
pine deposits  in  size  and  to  show  higher  enrich- 
ment. ThemillduringDecembertreated  1,865 
tons  of  ore  for  a  yield  of  $34,670.  The  Wright- 
Hargreaves  mill,  with  a  capacity  of  150  tons 
per  day,  has  been  completed  and  will  be  put  in 
operation  as  soon  as  power  can  be  obtained. 
Thecompany  is  expected  to  be  one  of  the  largest 
producers  of  the  district.  The  Ontario  Kirk- 
land  is  developing  a  good  shoot  of  high-grade 
ore  which  has  been  opened  up  for  about  100  ft. 
on  the  450  ft.  level.  The  vein  also  carries 
galena, chalcopyrite, and  molybdenite.    A  mm- 


162 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


iiiR  plant  is  being  installed  on  the  Wood- Kirk- 
land  and  work  will  shortly  be  resumed.  The 
vein  at  a  depth  of  100  ft.  is  4  ft.  wide,  carrying 
good  commercial  ore.  At  the  Hunton-Kirk- 
land  rich  ore  showing  visible  gold  has  been  en- 
countered in  the  shaft  at  a  depth  of  95  ft.  The 
King-  Kirkland  has  installed  a  mining  plant.  A 
shaft  is  down  40  ft.  on  a  promising  \ein.  The 
Kirkland  Lake  mine  during  December  pro- 
duced approximately  ,^300,000  in  gold.  De- 
velopment is  in  progress  on  the  ^00,  700,  and 
900  ft.  levels.  Exploration  work  is  being  un- 
dertaken on  the  400  ft.  level  to  open  up  the 
western  part  of  the  property  where  a  second 
ore  zone  is  believed  to  occur.  The  capacity 
of  the  mining  equipment  of  the  Bidgood  is  be- 
ing doubled  preparatory  to  the  resumption  of 
operations  on  a  large  scale.  The  shaft  will  be 
put  down  from  300  ft.  to  deeper  levels. 

CoHALT. — With  the  arrival  of  spring  a  gen- 
eral resumption  of  activity  on  many  of  the 
smaller  properties,  where  operations  have  been 
suspended  or  temporarily  curtailed,  is  antici- 
pated. The  lower  wage  scale  which  comes 
into  force  on  the  I5th,  involving  an  all-round 
reduction  of  75c.  per  day,  will  be  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  restoring  normal  conditions. 
During  December  the  Nipissing  produced 
silver  to  the  estimated  value  of  $139,882  and 
cobalt  valued  at  §18,200.  The  company  is  in  a 
strong  financial  position,  with  cash  and  bonds 
in  hand  to  the  amount  of  $3,432,201,  and  ore 
and  bullion  valued  at  $1,488,802,  making  a 
total  of  $4,921,010.  The  Kerr  Lake  has  se- 
cured an  option  on  the  two  Hargraves  claims 
adjoining, -which  will  be  worked  from  the  Kerr 
Lake  shaft  at  the  375  ft.  and  425  ft.  levels. 
The  annual  report  of  the  Crown  Reserve  is  a 
disappointing  one,  as  owing  to  adverse  condi- 
tions development  had  to  be  discontinued,  re- 
sulting in  a  deficit  of  $72,055.  The  diamond- 
drilling  campaign,  carried  on  to  a  depth  of 
1,500  ft.,  will  be  continued  to  2,500  ft.  An  im- 
portant strike  has  been  made  on  the  first  level 
of  the  University  property  of  the  La  Rose, 
where  a  vein  2  in.  in  width  carries  high-grade 
ore  in  addition  to  milling  ore  of  a  good  width. 
At  the  Bailey  a  recently  discovered  vein  is  be- 
ing followed  up  and  shows  good  milling  ore 
over  a  width  of  3  to  4  ft.  with  some  patches  of 
high-grade  ore.  The  Ruby  was  driven  for 
about  100  ft.  on  the  110  ft.  level,  on  a  vein 
which  has  widened  to  18  in.  and  carries  native 
silver, with  well-mineralized  wall-rock.  Anew 
company,  the  Primo  Silver- Cobalt  Mining 
Co.,  Ltd.,  has  been  formed  with  an  authorized 
capital  of  $1,000,000  to  operate  the  Barber 
property,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  the 


Montreal  River  and  some  ten  miles  west  of 
the  producing  area  of  the  camp.  The  pro- 
perty contains  several  veins  having  low  silver 
content  and  a  high  percentage  of  cobalt  metal. 
A  mining  plant  has  been  purchased. 

Tin-:  Mackknzik  River  Oil  Field.— 
The  discovery  by  the  Imperial  Oil  Co.  of  oil 
in  the  Mackenzie  River  district,  close  to  the 
Arctic  circle,  created  much  excitement  and  led 
to  the  taking  up  of  extensive  areas  in  Western 
Canada.  .X  rush  of  prospectors  to  the  north 
would  have  taken  place  but  for  the  action  of 
the  Government,  which,  fearing  a  repetition  of 
the  hardships  and  disasters  attendant  upon  the 
gold  rush  to  the  Yukon  in  '98,  issued  orders 
that  all  prospecting  parties  which  were  not 
well  provisioned  and  supplied  to  encounter 
the  rigours  of  an  Arctic  winter  should  be  turn- 
ed back  by  the  Mounted  Police.  This  has 
more  recently  been  followed  by  an  Order  in 
Council  suspending  the  negotiations  for  the 
disposal  of  oil  lands  in  the  North-West.  This 
is  merely  a  temporary  measure  to  give  the 
Government  an  opportunity  to  consider  the 
whole  situation  in  the  North-West  and  adopt 
a  permanent  policy  in  regard  to  oil  develop- 
ment, which  it  is  expected  will  be  made  public 
in  a  few  days.  In  the  meantime  the  Imperial 
Oil  Co.,  which  had  laid  out  an  extensive  pro- 
gramme for  this  season's  operations,  is  hold- 
ing it  in  abeyance  until  the  new  regulations 
are  promulgated. 


MELBOURNE. 

January  10. 

Tasmanian  Oil- Promotions.— Owingto 
exaggerated  statements  issued  by  promoters  in 
connection  with  the  so-called  oilfields  in  the 
Barn  Bluff  and  Pelion  areas,  Mr.  Loftus 
Hills,  Government  Geologist,  has  found  it  ad- 
visable to  address  a  report  on  the  subject  to 
the  Secretary  of  Mines.  We  quote  Mr.  Hills 
in  full  herewith. 

"  I  would  first  wish  to  bring  under  your 
notice  that  statements  have  been  attributed  to 
an  officer  of  the  Geological  Survey  which  are 
not  in  accordance  with  the  conclusions  arrived 
at  and  the  wording  of  his  report.  The  article 
referred  to  appeared  in  the  Zeehan  and  Dun- 
das  Herald  of  November  30,  and  was,  I  be- 
lieve, copied  from  the  Melbourne  Age  of  some 
days  earlier.  The  article  in  question  contains 
the  following  :  'It  has  been  estimated  by  the 
Assistant  Government  Geologist  of  Tasmania 
that  there  are  nearly  4,000,000  tons  of  material 
very  rich  in  oil  and  wax.'  The  only  statement 
published  by  the  Geological  Survey  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Barn  Bluft  coalfieldof  recentdate 


MARCH,    1921 


163 


IS  that  by  Mr.  A.  Mcintosh  Reid,  in  Geological 
Survey  Bulletin  No.  30,  pages  75-80.  Mr. 
Mcintosh  Reid  does  not  make  the  statement 
that  there  are  nearly  4,000,000  tons  of  material 
rich  in  oil  and  wax.  What  Mr.  Reid  has 
stated  is  as  follows:  'The  quantity  of  pelionite 
in  the  Barn  Bluff  area  has  been  put  at  ap- 
proximately 1,700,000  tons,  and  that  of  the 
second  grade  cannel  is  estimated  at  i, 200, 000 
tons.'  In  describing  the  properties  of  the  pe- 
lionite in  regard  to  oil  production,  the  only 
statement  made  by  Mr.  Reid  was  that  the  dis- 
tillation test  by  Mr.  W.  F.  Ward,  Government 
Analyst,  showed  that  pelionite  contained  92 
gallons  of  oil  and  tar  per  ton  of  coal.  As  the 
report  appearing  in  the  press  makes  Mr.  Reid 
appear  to  state  that  there  are  nearly  4,000,000 
tons  of  material  rich  in  oil  and  wax,  there  is 
clearly  a  misrepresentation  which  isapt  to  mis- 
lead the  public. 

I  further  desire' to  draw  your  attention  to 
the  fact  that  a  great  number  of  the  articles  that 
have  appeared  in  the  press  within  the  last  few 
days  contain  assertions  that  the  material,  which 
they  term  '  albertite,'  occurring  in  the  Barn 
Blufif  field,  and  the  general  geological  features 
of  the  country,  are  indications  of  the  existence 
of  liquid  oil,  and  it  is  proposed  to  raise  capital 
to  carry  out  boring  operations.  While  not  de- 
siring in  any  way  to  interfere  with  the  investi- 
gations of  our  natural  resources,  I  consider  it 
my  duty  to  draw  attention  to  what  are  really 
mistaken  ideas  in  regard  to  the  possibility  of 
the  discovery  of  oil  in  this  area.     There  is  a 
very  great  attraction  to  the  general  public  in 
the  possibility  of  striking  oil,  and  it  would  be 
a  most  regrettable  thing  if  money  were  sub- 
scribed and  wasted  on  carrying  out  boring  op- 
erations in  an  area  where  there  is  no  chance  of 
striking  liquid  oil.    The  main  reason  adduced 
in  favour  of  Barn  Bluff  area  as  an  oilfield  is 
the  so  called  discovery  of  albertite.      In  the 
first  place,  this  is  not  a  discovery,  as  the  sub- 
stance was  discovered  about  thirty  years  ago. 
It  is  described  in  several  publications  of  the 
Geological  Survey  as  pelionite,  and  it  is  shown 
in  Bulletin   No.  13  of  the  Geological  Survey 
that  it  is  a  variety  of  sapropelic  coal.     It  has 
since  been  demonstrated  that  this  substance 
occurs  in  practically  horizontal  beds  of  Permo- 
Carboniferous  age,  and  the  geological  data  in 
connection  with  this  are  contained  in  Bulletin 
No.  30  of  the  Geological  Survey.    All  of  these 
sapropelic  coals  have  kerosene- like  products, 
together  with  more  or  less  tar  on  being  sub- 
jected to  distillation.     The  fact  that  this  pe- 
lionite, which  has  been  referred  to  as  albertite 
in  the  recent  press  paragraphs,  gives  oils  on 
3—5 


distillation  is  no  fresh  discovery,  and  of  no 
special  significance.  In  fact,  the  kerosene 
shale  of  Preolenna  and  the  other  sapropelic 
coals  occurring  in  that  district  have  been  de- 
monstrated to  yield  a  similar  proportion  of 
crude  oil  on  distillation.  The  two  occurrences 
are  in  fact  on  the  same  geological  horizon,  and 
of  the  same  general  geological  character.  If, 
therefore,  there  is  to  be  any  attention  paid  to 
the  possibility  of  liquid  oil,  the  first  investiga- 
tion should  be  that  of  the  accessible  Preolenna 
district  rather  than  the  very  remote  Barn  Blufif 
districts.  One  is  tempted  to  conclude  that  the 
very  remoteness  of  the  Barn  Bluff  deposits  has 
lent  enchantment  to  the  proposition. 

"  On  the  geological  evidence  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Geological  Survey,  there  is  no  more 
chance  of  finding  liquid  oil  in  the  Barn  Bluff- 
Pelion  area  than  in  the  Preolenna  district.  It 
is  further  the  opinion  of  the  Geological  Sur- 
vey, based  on  the  knowledge  of  the  geological 
structure,  and  the  geological  history  of  Tas- 
mania acquired  during  the  investigations  of 
the  last  thirty  years,  that  the  conditions  essen- 
tial for  the  formation  and  existence  of  an  oil- 
field do  not  occur  in  either  of  these  districts. 
The  reference  to  pelionite  as  the  mineral  al- 
bertite is  misleading,  as  albertite  occurs  in 
nearly  vertical  fissures,  and  is  inspissated  pe- 
troleum, whereas  pelionite  is  a  defined  coal  bed 
from  which  the  volatile  matter  has  not  been 
distilled.  Investigation  of  the  Barn  BlulT- 
Pelion  area  from  the  point  of  view  of  its  po- 
tentialities as  a  coalfield  is  a  justifiable  and  a 
very  desirable  undertaking,  but  I  consider  it 
my  duty  to  point  out  that  money  spent  in  the 
hope  of  locating  liquid  oil  will  be  surely  wasted. 
The  persons  responsible  for  the  paragraphs 
recently  appearing  in  the  press,  and  the  claims 
made  therein,  must  produce  more  evidence 
pointing  to  the  possibility  of  finding  liquid  oil 
than  the  reasons  put  forth  up  to  the  present. 
In  the  absence  of  such  more  definite  indica- 
tions, I  am  compelled,  by  a  realization  of  my 
duty  to  the  general  public,  to  warn  them  that 
on  the  evidence  in  our  possession  there  is  no 
hope  of  any  discovery  of  liquid  oil  in  the  Barn 
Bluff-Pelion  area." 

Prospecting  for  Coal  in  Tasmania. — 
The  George  Town  Coal  Prospecting  Associa- 
tion has  been  formed  in  Launceston  to  pro- 
spect a  coal-bearing  belt  adjacent  to  the  pro- 
posed deep-water  port  at  Bell  Bay,  on  the 
Tamar.  A  boring  machine,  supplied  by  the 
Government  Geologist,  Mr.  Loftus  Hills,  and 
used  during  the  war  on  the  Western  front,  is 
being  utilized  for  the  purpose  of  testing  the 
belt.    Small  seams  have  been  discovered,  and 


164 


Till-:     MINING     MAGAZINE 


certainly  the  coal  possesses  excellent  qualities, 
in  fact,  equal  to  anything  that  has  so  far  been 
discovered  in  the  State  ;  but  the  bore  alone 
will  reveal  whether  the  seams  will  develop  to 
such  an  extent  as  to  warrant  the  opening  up 
on  an  extensive  scale.  Mr.  Loftus  Hills  con- 
siders that  the  coal-bearing  nature  of  the  coun- 
trv  is  well  worthy  of  a  thorough  test. 

NOKTU-E.AST  T.\SMANI.\. — The  restricted 
water  supply  has  caused  mining  operations 
throughout  the  north-eastern  district  of  Tas- 
mania to  ease  ofl".  The  recent  slump  in  the 
tin  market  will  afTect  prices  very  considerably, 
and  the  higher  prices  ruling  for  all  mining  re- 
quisites, as  well  as  labour,  are  having  a  deter- 
rent effect  on  mining  generally.  At  the  Briseis 
mines  sluicing  operations  have  been  proceed- 
ing at  Krushka's  Flat  main  face  and  also  at  the 
Kingarooma  high-level  drift  face,  but  owing  to 
the  shortness  of  water  the  latter  work  has  been 
suspended  for  the  present.  Krushka's  Flat  tin 
face  IS  looking  well.  The  drainage  water  is 
now  considerably  less,  and  there  is  no  trouble 
from  that  source  now,  nor  will  be  during  the 
summer  months.  Preparations  for  turning  the 
river  are  in  progress,  but  it  will  most  likely  be 
a  year  or  two  before  this  is  accomplished. 

PERSONAL. 

A.  W.  Allen  has  been  appointed  associate  editor  of 
the  Milling  and  Scientific  Press. 

D.  H.  .i^NGUS  has  been  appointed  manager  of  the 
Bidgood  mine,  Kirkland  Lake. 

].  A.  Bancroft,  professor  of  geology  at  McGill,  is 
serving  for  a  year  as  assistant  general  manager  of  the 
Anyox  copper  mines  of  the  Granby  ConsoHdated  Com- 
pany. 

W.  ].  Barnett  has  left  for  Spain. 

H.  Bertram  Bateman  is  back  from  Arabia. 

.\.Chaston  Chapman  has  been  appointed  president 
of  the  Institute  of  Chemistry. 

Dr.  J.  Mackintosh  Bell  has  returned  to  Ontario. 

Frank  Cogill  has  left  for  West  Africa. 

C.  V.  Corless  is  nominated  for  the  presidency  of 
the  Canadian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy. 

E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig  has  been  making  a  re- 
port on  the  properties  of  the  Oilfields  of  Egypt. 

G.  D.  Delprat  has  resigned  the  general  manager- 
ship of  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  and  is  succeeded 
by  EssiNGTON  Lewis.  Mr.  Delprat  preserves  his 
connection  with  the  company  as  consulting  engineer. 

Henry  S.  Drinker  has  been  made  an  honorary 
member  of  the  .\merican  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineers.  He  is  one  of  the  original  members, 
and  he  attended  the  organization  meeting  in  1871. 

P.  Ross  Frames  is  here  from  South  Africa. 

Charles  W.  Goodale  is  to  be  presented  with  the 
gold  medal  of  the  Mining  and  Metallurgical  Society  of 
America. 

H.  A.  Guess  has  gone  to  South  America  for  the 
Guggenheim  interests. 

Sir  Robert  Hadfield  has  been  awarded  the  John 
Fritz  Medal. 


William  IIdskino  is  the  new  president  of  tlir 
Cornish  Institute  of  Kngineers. 

OWKN  Li;  i(lii:u  has  been  appointed  editor  of  the 
South  Africiin  MniinU  <'■  Enfiinccrinfi  Journal . 

T.  H.  MoTiUAM  ha^been  appointed  Chief  Inspector 
of  Mines  for  the  United  Kingdom. 

C.  H.  Mi-nro  has  returned  to  the  Federated  Malay 
Stales  from  America. 

C.  T.  Nicoi.soN.of  the  Bucyrus  Company,  is  back 
from  the  United  States. 

K.  II.  Kasiall,  lecturer  on  economic  geology  at 
Cambridge  and  editor  of  the  Geological  Magazine, 
has  taken  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Science  in  Cambridge 
University. 

J    B.  Richardson  is  back  from  Bolivia. 

J   H .  Ron  ALDSON  is  on  his  way  home  from  Australia. 

Edgar  F.  Smith  is  the  new  president  of  the  Ameri- 
can Chemical  Society.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  he 
was  president  of  this  society  twenty-five  years  ago. 
He  is  well  known  in  this  country  as  the  author  of  the 
book  on  Electro-Analysis. 

D.  A.  Thompson  has  left  for  West  Africa. 
G.  H.  Thurston  is  back  from  West  Africa. 
Professor  Thomas  Turner  will  deliver  the  an- 
nual May  lecture  before  the  Institute  of  Metals, 

T.  Weir  is  expected  from  tlie  Bongwelli,  Nigeria, 

J,  S.  Wetzlar.  the  London  managing  director  of 
the  Consolidated  Mines  Selection  Company,  has  left 
for  South  Africa. 

W.  R.  Whitney,  director  of  the  research  laboratory 
of  the  General  Electric  Company,  at  Schenectady,  New 
York,  has  been  awarded  the  Perkin  Medal. 

M.  Y.  Williams,  of  the  Canadian  Geological  Sur- 
vey, has  been  appointed  professor  of  paleontology  in 
the  University  of  British  Columbia. 

].  H  G.  Wilson  has  been  appointed  manager  of 
the  Akim  Alluvials,  and  left  England  on  February  16, 

L,  B,  Woodworth  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
South  African  Institute  of  Electrical  Engineers. 


Fergus  L.  Allan,  manager  of  the  Mexico  Mines  of 
El  Oro,  died  in  November  last. 

EwenCattanach,  a  director  of  the  British  Platinum 
and  Gold  Corporation,  died  on  February  21. 

G.  A.  Prentice  died  on  February  20.  He  was  a 
notable  figure  in  Stock  Exchange  circles,  particularly 
in  the  South  African  market. 

Frederick  Walker  died  on  February  18.  He  was 
a  London  solicitor  and  took  part  in  many  successful 
resuscitations  of  mining  companies  that  had  got  into 
difficulties, 

C.  F.H.  Leslie, atonetimechairmanof  the  Kyshtim 
Corporation  and  of  the  Messina  (Transvaal)  Develop- 
ment Co.,  died  last  month.  In  early  days  he  was  a 
distinguished  cricketer,  playing  for  Oxford  and  Mid- 
dlesex, and  being  a  member  of  one  of  the  English  teams 
visiting  Australia. 

Frederick  Close  died  of  tubercular  trouble  in 
Switzerland  last  month.  He  was  a  mining  engineer  of 
varied  experience.  He  did  a  great  deal  for  the  flotation 
process  in  early  days.  Later  he  was  manager  of  gold 
mines  in  Sumatra.  His  article  in  the  Magazine  a  few 
years  ago  on  the  mining  developments  behind  Juneau, 
Alaska,  showed  his  sagacity  of  judgment, 

G.  J.  Snelus  died  on  January  21  at  the  Jos  Hospital, 
Nigeria,  of  blackwater  fever.  Mr.  Snelus  was  serving 
his  first  term  in  Nigeria,  whither  he  proceeded  in  De- 
cember, 1919.  tolakeuptheassistant  managershipof  the 
Kaduna  Syndicate,  Ltd,  and  KadunaProspectors,  Ltd,, 
while  the  manager,  J.  E.  Snelus,  his  brother,  was  on 
leave.  He  had  served  in  many  parts  of  the  world  be- 
fore going  to  West  .-Xfrica,  and  he  was  particularly  well 


MARCH,    1921 


165 


known  on  the  Continent.  From  1895  to  1900  lie  was 
in  Belgium  with  the  Societe  John  Cockerill,  Seraing, 
I. lege,  and  from  there  he  went  to  France  for  two  years. 
He  then  returned  to  England,  and  worked  as  an  in- 
^[lector  of  iron  and  steel.  Subsequently  he  worked  in 
New  Caledonia,  Spain,  Canada,  and  Cornwall.  From 
1912  to  1919  he  was  in  Madagascar  on  gold  and  gra- 
phite prospecting  and  on  land  irrigation  work.  During 
the  war  be  was  British  Vice  Consul  at  Majunga,  Mada- 
gascar. He  was  born  at  Dowlais,  Glamorgan,  in  1869, 
and  was  the  eldest  son  of  the  late  G.J.  Snelus,  the  dis- 
tinguished steel  metallurgist. 


TRADE   PARAGRAPHS 

Low  l1  Bonak,  Ltd.,  of  Dundee,  send  us  their  chart 
showing  the  monthly  prices  of  raw  jute  and  hessian 
cloth  during  the  past  six  years. 

The  Carborundum  Co  ,  Ltd.,  of  Trafford  Park, 
Manchester,  send  us  Catalogue  No.  6,  dealing  with 
manufactures  of  carborundum  and  aloNite,  used  for 
grinding  and  abrasive  purposes. 

Hyatt,  Ltd.,  of  Thurloe  Place,  South  Kensington, 
London,  S.W.7,  send  us  a  new  pamphlet  describing 
fully  the  application  of  Hyatt  Roller  Bearings  to  indus- 
trial trucks  and  trollies. 

The  Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,  of  Manchester,  send  us  two  pamphlets.  One  of 
these.  No.  7855/lB,  describes  buffing  motors,  and  the 
other.  No.  7974/2A,  deals  with  the  electrical  equipment 
of  cinematograph  theatres. 

John  &  Edwin  Wright,  Ltd.,  of  the  Universe 
Rope  Works,  Birmingham,  are  well  represented  at  the 
British  Industries  Fair,  held  at  Birmingham.  They 
have  a  special  show  of  steel  ropes  used  in  mine  haulage, 
aerial  ropeways,  and  for  oil-well  drilling  purposes. 

Guthridge,  Ltd.,  of  Sydney,  have  recently  made 
further  improvements  in  their  "Curvilinear"  concen- 
trating table.  This  table  is  small  but  of  large  capacity. 
The  London  agents  are  James  Smith  &  Partners,  Ltd., 
of  36,  CamomileStreet,  E.C.3,  who  will  supply  pamph- 
lets and  other  information  on  application. 

G.  A,  Harnev  &  Co.  (London),  Ltd.,  of  Suffolk 
House,  Laurence  Pountney  Hill,  London,  E.C.4,  and 
Woolwich  Road,  S.E.7,  inform  us  that  their  Galvanized 
Tank  IJst  No.  225  is  now  subject  to  60%  discount  in- 
stead of  55%  as  hitherto  :  also  that  their  galvanizing 
rates  have  been  reduced  10%,  that  is,  tariff  rates  are 
now  being  charged  without  any  addition. 

The  Sullivan  Machinery  Company,  of  Chicago, 
and  Salisbury  House,  London,  E  C  2,  are  now  giving 
displays  of  their  cinema  show  in  England.  Particulars 
of  this  interesting  enterprise  were  published  m  the 
Magazine  for  July,  1920.  The  pictures  give  a  vivid 
record  of  the  business  of  a  machine  shop  where  drills 
and  coal-cutters  are  made,  and  of  the  doings  of  the  coal- 
cutters underground.  They  might  to  advantage  be 
shown  in  coalmining  centres  in  this  country,  where 
they  cannot  fail  to  have  considerable  educative  influ- 
ence, for  they  show  why  American  coal  is  mined  cheaply. 

We  have  received  catalogues  from  a  number  of  firms 
making  Acetylene  Lamps  suitable  for  the  purposes 
of  the  mining  engineer.  These  names  will  be  of  use  to 
many  of  our  readers,  so  we  give  them  herewith  :  Car- 
Bic,  Ltd..  51,  Holborn  Viaduct,  London,  E.C.I; 
Thorn  &  Hoddle  Acetylene  Co.,  Ltd.,  151,  Vic- 
toriaStreet,  Westminster;  Allen-Liversidge,Ltd., 
106,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster;  The  Phos  Com- 
pany, Dalston  Lane,  London,  E.8.  ;  The  Wolf 
Safety  Lamp  Co  ,  Star  Works,  Sheffield  ;  and  The 
Premier  Lamp  &  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.,  Moor- 
field  Works,  Wortley,  Leeds. 


The  Hardinge  Company  announces  that,  owing  to 
expanding  business,  it  has  removed  its  London  offices 
to  larger  premises  at  11,  Southampton  Row,  WC.l 
Satisfactory  arrangements  have  now  been  made  for 
manufacturing  in  England  on  a  much  greater  scale  in 
order  to  ensure  prompt  deliveries.  The  latest  design 
of  Hardinge  mill  embodies  important  new  features,  en- 
suring rapid  feed  and  discharge  of  large  tonnages  for 
both  wet  and  dry  grinding.  The  company  has  recently 
issued  two  new  pamphlets,  one  dealing  with  the  appli- 
cation of  the  Hardinge  mill  to  the  grinding  of  cement 
clinker,  and  the  other  to  the  grinding  of  foundry  waste 
and  the  reclamation  of  brass  and  other  metal  therefrom . 

Nobel  Indi'stries,  Ltd.,  of  6.  Cavendish  Square, 
London,  W.l.  send  us  particulars  of  their  exhibit  at  the 
British  Industries  Fair,  Birmingham.  The  details  of 
the  exhibit  are  as  follow  :  Hardware  products  :  metals 
and  metal  fittings,  Kynoch  lanterns  and  stoves,  power 
presses,  thermit  welding,  metal  alloys  :  ammunition  : 
cartridges  by  Eley,  Kynoch,  and  Nobel,  smokeless 
powders,  components;  incandescent  mantles:  iron- 
clad, shocking  machine  :  bicycles;  "all-weather  "  and 
"speed  "models,  1921  improvements,  transfer  machine; 
industrial  collodions:  "  Necol "  products,  cements, 
varnishes,  lacquers,  textile  stains.  Circularsand  other 
printed  matter  relating  to  the  foregoing  and  also  to 
mining  and  other  explosives  will  be  sent  on  application 
to  the  firm's  advertising  department  at  5,  PalaceStreet, 
London,  SVV.l. 

METAL   MARKETS 

Coppek  , — The  position  in  copper  so  far  as  the  fun- 
damental factors  are  concerned  has  really  not  altered 
during  the  past  few  weeks.  That  is  to  say,  the  stocks 
of  the  metal  still  remain  more  than  abundant,  whilecon- 
sumption  is  at  a  very  unsatisfactory  rate.  An  event  of 
some  interest  recently  was  the  arrangement  carried 
through  in  the  LInited  States  between  the  Copper  Ex- 
port Association  and  a  syndicate  headed  by  the  Na- 
tional City  and  Guaranty  companies,  whereby  some 
400,000,000  lb.  of  copper  was  financed.  Against  this 
bankers  were  offering  40,000,000  dollars  of  8%  notes 
with  the  copper  as  collateral.  This  metal  has  therefore 
been  set  aside  as  exportable  surplus,  and  a  good  deal 
was  made  of  the  fact  at  the  time  by  those  interested  in 
getting  prices  higher.  In  the  long  run  it  has  had  little 
effect  upon  the  situation.  According  to  reports  to  hand 
from  .America  recently,  copper  production  is  being  pared 
down  to  the  lowest  limit.  The  January  output  figures 
of  several  leading  mines  show  that  current  production 
is  just  about  50%  of  the  1917  rate.  This  reduction  of 
output  must  affect  the  situation  in  the  end.  The  stan- 
dard market  in  London  showed  some  tightness  at  one 
time  so  far  as  positions  maturing  up  till  April  were  con- 
cerned. This  was  brought  about  by  the  covering  of 
bears  or  possibly  of  others  who  had  sold  short  in  standard 
against  purchases  of  refined.  These  shorts  seemed  to 
become  somewhat  nervous  on  the  report  that  some 
.American  buying  had  been  done  here,  but  after  the 
more  pressing  demand  was  satisfied  values  eased  oft 
again.  It  is  understood  that  with  the  return  of  a  further 
action  of  the  miners,  the  strike  at  the  Rio  Tinto  mines 
is  now  completely  over. 

Average  prices  of  cash  standard  copper :  February 
1921,  .^71.  Os.  9d.  ;  January  1921,  /71.  Is.  4d.  ;  Feb- 
ruary 1920.  O20.  6s.  2d.  ;  January  1920,  .^118.  4s.  Id. 

Tin  — This  market  continues  to  fluctuate  without 
any  very  definite  tendency.  So  far  as  the  consuming 
industries  are  concerned,  business  is  very  unsatisfactory. 
The  demand  from  America  has  been  very  disappoint- 
ing, while  little  can  be  expected  to  be  done  with  home 


166 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Metal  Prices:   Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  Lone 

Copper 


Standard  Cash 

Standard  (3 

inos,) 

Electrolvtio 

Wire-Bars 

Best  Selected 

Feb. 

C    s.  d. 

I    s.  d. 

i   s. 

d. 

i    s. 

d. 

t. 

s. 

d. 

I 

s.  d. 

i 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

s. 

d. 

I     8.  d. 

10 

71  IS  0  to 

72  0  0 

72  5 

Oto 

72  7 

6 

78 

0 

0  to 

80 

0  0 

78 

0 

oto 

80 

0 

0 

76 

10 

0  to 

77  10  0 

11 

71  7  6  to 

71  10  0 

71  15 

Oto 

71  17 

6 

78 

0 

0  to 

79 

10  0 

78 

0 

0  to 

79 

10 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77  0  0 

14 

71  0  0  to 

71  5  0 

71  7 

6  to 

71  10 

0 

77 

10 

0  to 

79 

0  0 

77 

10 

0  to 

79 

0 

0 

76 

0 

oto 

77  0  0 

15 

71  12  6  to 

71  15  0 

71  12 

6  to 

71  15 

0 

77 

0 

0  to 

78 

0  0 

77 

0 

oto 

78 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

76  0  0 

16 

72  5  0  to 

72  10  0 

71  12 

6  10 

71  17 

6 

76 

0 

0  to 

78 

0  0 

76 

0 

0  to 

78 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

76  0  0 

17 

73  5  0  to 

73  10  0 

71  10 

0  to 

71  15 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

0  0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

76  0  0 

18 

73  5  0  to 

73  7  6 

71  0 

0  to 

71  5 

0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

0  0 

76 

0 

0  to 

77 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

76  0  0 

21 

72  5  0  to 

72  10  0 

70  10 

0  to 

70  15 

0 

75 

0 

0  to 

77 

0  0 

75 

0 

0  to 

77 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

76  0  0 

22 

70  15  0  to 

71  0  0 

69  17 

6  to 

70  2 

e 

74 

0 

0  to 

76 

0  0 

74 

0 

0  to 

75 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

75  0  0 

3 

70  15  0  to 

71  0  0 

70  0 

Oto 

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0 

74 

0 

0  to 

76 

0  0 

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0 

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76 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

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24 

70  0  0  to 

70  5  0 

69  5 

0  to 

69  10 

0 

73 

10 

0  to 

75 

10  0 

73 

10 

0  to 

75 

10 

0 

0 

0  to 

75  0  0 

25 

69  5  0  to 

69  10  0 

68  5 

Oto 

68  10 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

75 

0  0 

73 

0 

0  to 

75 

0 

0 

10 

0  to 

73  10  0 

28 

68  5  0  to 

6S  10  0 

67  10 

Oto 

67  15 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

75 

0  0 

73 

0 

0  to 

75 

0 

0 

10 

0  to 

73  10  0 

Mar. 

1 

68  5  0  10 

6S  10  0 

67  15 

Oto 

68  0 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74 

10  0 

73 

0 

oto 

74  10 

0 

0 

Oto 

73  0  0 

2 

67  10  0  to 

67  15  0 

67  5 

Oto 

67  10 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74 

0  0 

73 

0 

0  10 

74 

0 

0 

0 

Oto 

73  0  0 

3 

67  12  6  to 

67  15  0 

67  7 

6  to 

67  10 

0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74 

0  0 

73 

0 

0  to 

74 

0 

0 

0 

0  to 

73  0  0 

4 

66  15  0  to 

67  0  0 

67  5 

0  to 

67  10 

0 

72 

0 

0  to 

73 

0  0 

72 

0 

oto 

73 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0  to 

71  0  0 

7 

66  0  0  to 

66  2  6 

66  5 

Oto 

66  10 

0 

71 

0 

0  to 

72 

0  0 

71 

0 

0  to 

72 

0 

0 

69 

0 

Oto 

71  0  0 

8 

66  0  0  to 

66  5  0 

66  5 

Oto 

66  10 

0 

71 

0 

0  to 

72 

0  0 

71 

0 

0  to 

72 

0 

0 

68 

0 

0  to 

70  0  0 

9 

65  10  0  to 

65  15  0 

66  0 

Oto 

66  5 

0 

70 

0 

0  to 

71 

0  0 

70 

0 

Oto 

71 

0 

0 

68 

0 

0  to 

70  0  0 

consumers  in  view  of  the  slack  conditions  prevailing  in 
the  South  Wales  tinplate  industry.  A  certain  amount 
of  inquiry  has  been  seen  from  the  Continent,  and  a  fair 
amount  of  business  has  resulted,  mostly  apparently  in 
Banka  tin.  Generally  speaking,  however,  the  outlet 
for  the  metal  among  actual  users  has  been  small ,  Mean- 
while the  standard  tin  market  remains  based  virtually 
upon  the  stocks  of  Chinese  and  English  tin  which  are 
in  this  country,  other  brands  such  as  Straits,  Banka, 
Billiton,  and  Australian  metal  all  commanding  pre 
miums.  In  the  middle  of  the  month  the  Federated 
Malay  States  Government  reduced  the  "  pegged  "  price 
from  115  dollars  to  100  dollars  per  picul.  The  reduced 
5gure  equalled  something  like  ;f  204  for  the  tin  landed 
here,  which  therefore  was  still  above  the  level  of  the 
market  in  this  country,  and  business  consequently  con- 
tinued suspended  in  that  quarter.  .\t  the  end  of  Feb- 
ruary the  peg  was  withdrawn  altogether,  and  this  had 
a  somewhat  depressing  effect  on  the  market  here.  It 
is  understood  that  the  Federated  Malay  States  Govern- 
ment do  not  intend  sacrificing  the  stocks  they  have  ac- 
cumulated, but  when  they  will  be  able  to  sell  them  at  a 
profit  is  hard  to  say.  Batavia  has  also  been  reserved, 
but  China  has  sold  from  time  to  time.  The  net  result 
of  these  price-pegging  policies  is  that  supplies  of  the 
metal  tend  to  accumulate,  and  are  apt  to  become  a  men- 
ace to  the  market  in  the  future.  Meanwhile,  in  other 
directions  output  is  being  cut  down.  The  Cornish  mines, 
in  consequence  of  the  continued  fall  in  the  price  of 
tin,  wolfram,  and  arsenic,  have  suspended  operations. 
What  is  more  important  from  the  market  point  of  view 
is  that  cables  from  Bolivia  say  that  mine-owners  there 
have  put  into  force  a  sharp  cut  in  production.  The 
January  exports  were  only  1,400  tons  (reckoned  in  fine 
tin),  while  those  for  February,  March,  and  April  are 
only  expected  to  average  700  tons  (fine)  per  month. 

Average  prices  of  tin  :  February  192 1,  ;f  166.  9s.  Id. ; 
January  1921,  /190.  13s.  Ud.  ;  February  1920,  /395. 
16s.  6d.  ;   January  1920.  /376.  12s.  8d. 

Lead. — Values  of  this  metal  declined  materially 
during  the  month  of  February,  the  price  having  indeed 
come  to  within  measurable  distance  of  an  ordinary  pre- 
war level.  In  this  respect  lead  was  somewhat  of  a  lag- 
gard, the  other  non-ferrous  metals  having  come  already 
to  such  prices  as  usually  ruled  prior  to  the  war.     Prob- 


ably the  value  is  now  below  the  average  cost  of  produc- 
tion, but  with  the  consumption  very  unsatisfactory  and 
stocks  accumulating  theconsequent  liquidation  had  the 
inevitable  effect.  Business  with  users,  as  already  indi- 
cated, has  been  very  unsatisfactory.  At  one  time  the 
cable  makers  took  fair  quantities,  but  latterly  this  tended 
to  ease  off,  although  the  decrease  may  have  been  partly 
off-set  by  an  improvement  in  some  other  lines.  Gener- 
ally speaking,  however,  the  aggregate  consumption  is 
poor.  It  is  understood  that  production  in  Spain  is  being 
curtailed  to  some  extent  by  the  stoppage  of  some  mines, 
but  it  is  generally  believed  that  the  bigger  concerns 
continue  operating,  no  doubt  with  the  object  of  keeping 
their  staffs  together  and  preventing  unemployment.  It 
is  believed  that  there  is  a  stock  of  lead  in  Spain  amount- 
ing to  something  like  32,000  tons,  though  this  figure 
cannot  be  confirmed.  Arnvalscontinuallycomein  here 
from  that  quarter,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  producers  are 
doing  more  than  getting  rid  of  their  current  production. 
The  production  in  America  last  year  increased,  and 
business  in  the  consuming  industries  in  that  country  is 
apparently  very  unsatisfactory.  Consequently  prices 
there  have  eased  off,  the  last  Trust  price  quoted  being 
4' 10  cents.  It  would  not,  therefore,  be  surprising  to  see 
additional  quantities  coming  forward  from  that  quarter 
to  Europe  before  long.  Meanwhile,  owing  to  the  fire 
at  the  Port  Pirie  refinery,  Australia  is  almost  out  of  the 
picture  as  a  producer.  This  would  be  serious  were  con- 
sumption normal,  but  present  supplies  are  sufficient 
apparently  without  shipments  from  there. 

Average  prices  of  lead  ;  February  1921,  /21  :  Janu- 
ary 1921,  /23.  12s.  6d.  ;  February  1920,  ;f50.  12s.  9d.  ; 
January  1920,  /-t?,  7s.  Id. 

Spelter. — This  market  has  been  showing  a  moder- 
ately steady  tendency  recently,  the  fluctuations  being 
really  only  of  a  minor  character.  The  general  situa- 
tion shows  little  material  alteration.  Business  with 
consumers  still  remains  very  unsatisfactory,  and.  al- 
though at  times  there  are  signs  of  inquiry  waking  up  a 
little  bit.  this  is  seldom  sustained.  Some  demand,  how- 
ever, has  been  seen  from  the  East  and  metal  has  been 
sold  for  shipment  from  here  to  Japan,  America  has 
not  continued  her  buying  policy  here,  owing  no  doubt 
to  the  improvement  in  the  rate  of  dollar  exchange, 
coupled  with  the  easing  of  the  price  in  America  having 


MARCH,    1921 


167 


Prices  on  the  London  Metal  Exchange. 

Tons :  Silver  per  Standard  Ounce ;    Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 

GOL 

D 

Soft  Foreign 

English 

(Spelter) 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

£   s. 

d.  £   s. 

<i. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£   s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

^ 

d. 

Feb. 

22  0 

0  to  22  10 

0 

23 

15 

0 

26 

0 

Oto27 

0 

0 

165 

0 

0  to  165 

5 

0 

170  0 

Oto  170 

5 

0 

36j 

34l 

105 

10 

10 

21  5 

0  to  22  0 

0 

23 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0  to  26 

0 

0 

168 

0 

Oto  168 

5 

0 

172  10 

Oto  172 

5 

0 

36i 

34i 

105 

6 

U 

20  15 

0  10  21  12 

6 

23 

0 

0 

24 

15 

0  to  25 

15 

0 

172 

0 

0  to  172 

5 

0 

175  10 

0  10  176 

0 

0 

352 

34 

105 

6 

14 

21  5 

0  to  22  0 

0 

23 

0 

0 

24 

17 

6  to  25 

12 

6 

170 

5 

0  to  170 

10 

0 

173  10 

Oto  174 

0 

0 

34i 

34i 
33: 

105 

1 

15 

20  15 

0  to  21  10 

0 

22 

10 

0 

24 

15 

Oto  25 

15 

0 

163 

0 

0  to  163 

10 

0 

167  10 

0  to  168 

0 

0 

34 

104 

7 

16 

20  0 

0  to  20  12 

fi 

23 

0 

0 

24 

12 

6  10  25 

12 

6 

168 

0 

Oto  163 

10 

0 

172  0 

010  172 

10 

0 

34| 

34 

104 

11 

17 

20  0 

0  to  20  10 

0 

22 

0 

0 

25 

10 

0  to  26 

5 

0 

173 

10 

0  to  174 

0 

0 

176  10 

Oto  177 

0 

0 

335 

33! 

105 

6 

13 

19  5 

0  to  20  5 

0 

21 

10 

0 

25 

10 

Oto  26 

5 

0 

170 

0 

0  to  170 

5 

0 

173  10 

Oto  173 

15 

0 

33 

32; 

106 

0 

21 

19  0 

0  to  19  15 

0 

21 

10 

0 

25 

2 

6  10  25 

12 

6 

170 

0 

0  to  170 

10 

0 

173  0 

Oto  173 

10 

0 

333 
32| 

33g 

105 

6 

22 

18  10 

0  to  19  7 

6 

20 

15 

0 

25 

7 

6  10  26 

0 

0 

169 

0 

0  to  169 

10 

0 

172  10 

0  to  173 

0 

0 

323 

105 

8 

23 

IS  5 

0  to  19  0 

0 

20 

10 

0 

25 

10 

Oto  25 

15 

0 

168 

10 

0  to  169 

0 

0 

171  15 

Oto  172 

0 

0 

32, 

32 

105 

11 

24 

16  10 

0  to  17  5 

0 

19 

0 

0 

23 

15 

0  10  24 

15 

0 

165 

10 

0  10  166 

0 

0 

169  10 

Oto  170 

0 

0 

3lg 

3li 

106 

4 

25 

17  10 

0  to  13  2 

6 

19 

10 

0 

23 

15 

0  10  24 

10 

0 

159 

10 

0  to  160 

0 

0 

163  10 

0  to  164 

0 

0 

33 

32i 

106 

1 

28 
Mar. 

1 

17  10 

0  to  IS  5 

0 

19 

10 

0 

23 

15 

Oto  24 

15 

0 

158 

0 

0  to  159 

0 

0 

162  0 

0  to  162 

10 

0 

324 

32 

105 

10 

18  5 

0  to  19  0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

23 

10 

Oto  24 

15 

0 

155 

10 

0  to  156 

0 

0 

159  10 

Oto  160 

0 

0 

Hi 

31 

105 

8 

2 

IS  15 

0  to  19  7 

6 

20 

10 

0 

23 

12 

6  10  24 

17 

6 

154 

15 

Oto  155 

0 

0 

158  0 

Oto  158 

10 

0 

Hi 

31} 

105 

7 

3 

18  12 

6  to  19  5 

0 

20 

10 

0 

23 

12 

6  to  25 

2 

6 

133 

0 

Oto  153 

10 

0 

156  10 

Oto  157 

0 

0 

Hi 

30 
30 

105 

3 

4 

18  2 

6  to  IS  15 

0 

20 

0 

0 

24 

5 

Oto  25 

15 

0 

153 

0 

Oto  153 

10 

0 

156  10 

Oto  157 

0 

0 

Hi 

105 

3 

7 

IS  0 

0  to  IS  7 

6 

19 

10 

0 

26 

5 

Oto  26 

10 

0 

150 

15 

Oto  151 

5 

0 

154  10 

Oto  155 

0 

0 

3'l 

3ii 

105 

6 

8 

18  5 

0  to  18  12 

6 

19 

10 

0 

26 

15 

Oto  26 

15 

0 

148 

0 

0  10  148 

10 

0 

151  0 

010  151 

10 

0 

30| 

105 

11 

9 

ma<3e  such  business  unprofitable.  Germany  sells  here 
from  time  to  time,  and  in  view  of  the  amount  of  metal 
that  has  been  sold  here  by  that  country  the  market  may 
be  said  to  have  held  up  very  well  considering  the  fact 
that  consumers  are  taking  so  little.  There  still  seems 
to  be  a  good  deal  of  metal  to  come  forward  from  Ger- 
many, and  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  market 
herecan  absorb  this  without  prices  suffering.  Belgium 
does  not  offer  very  much,  and  is  considerably  reducing 
production.  It  is  expected  that  by  March  the  produc- 
tion will  only  amount  to  about  4,000  tons,  or  half  the 
December  output.  Were  trade  anything  like  normal 
the  existing  supplies  of  spelter  would  no  doubt  get 
quickly  used  up,  as  there  is  certainly  no  superabun- 
dance for  normal  times,  but  with  industry  everywhere 
as  stagnant  as  it  has  been,  there  is  more  than  enough 
for  present  requirements. 

Average  prices  of  speller:  February  1921,  /25.  5s. 
5d.  ;  January  1921,  ^25.  15s.  7d,  :  February  1920.  ;^62. 
3s.  6d.  ;  January  1920,  ^59.  10s.  4d. 

Zinc  Dust. — There  is  little  fresh  to  report  regard- 
ing this  market,  which  continues  very  quiet.  High- 
grade  Australian  stands  at  about  £'70  to  ;^80  per  ton, 
with  American  at  ;f  65,  and  English  at  ^75.  Continen- 
tal material  can  be  had  at  lower  figures. 

Antimony. — English  regulus  continues  at  /37  to 
£40  for  ordinary  brands,  and  at  /38.  5s.  to  /42  for 
special  brands.  Foreignregulus  has  been  quiet.  Down 
to  /23  c  i.f.  has  been  done  for  shipment  from  the  East. 

Arsenic. — Business  continues  very  idle,  and  the 
current  quotation  for  Cornish  white  is  nominal  at  /50 
per  ton  delivered. 

Bismuth. — The  price  has  had  a  sharp  drop  to  7s.  6d. 
per  lb.     Business  is  quiet. 

Cadmium. — The  current  price  is  about  6s.  3d.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — The  price  has  been  reduced  10  £150 
per  ton  for  home  and  export. 

Nickel. — The  price  has  been  reduced  to  ^200  per 
ton  for  home  and  export. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  price  has  been  reduced  to 
20s.  per  lb 

Cobalt  O.xide. — Black  oxide  stands  at  16s.  and  grey 
at  17s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — These  metals  can  be 
had  at  around  /17  per  oz.,  although  more  is  asked  for 


small  quantities  or  in  manufactured  form. 

Quicksilver. — The  market  has  continued  quiet, 
but  in  the  absence  of  selling  pressure  values  have  been 
steady  at  about  ^12,  10s    to  ;^12.  15s,  per  bottle. 

Selenium. -Theprlcestandsat  10s,  6d.  to  13s.  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — The  quotation  continues  at  90s.  to 
95s.  per  lb. 

Sulphate  OF  Copper, — Business  isquiet,  and  prices 
are  easier  at  about  /34  to  .^36  per  ton. 

Manganese  Ore.— Values  are  lower  at  about  Is. 
9d.  to  Is.  lOd,  per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K.  for  Indian  grades. 

Tungsten  Ores. — The  current  quotation  for  wol- 
fram is  about  14s.  per  unit  c.if. 

Molybdenite. — 85%  stands  at  57s.  6d.  to  65s.  per 
unit  c.if.  U.K. 

Chrome  Ores. ^48%  is  quoted  at  about  £5  c.if. 
U.K. 

Silver. — On  February  1,  the  price  of  spot  standard 
bars  was  34jd,  per  oz.,  values  improving  to  37id,  on 
the  3rd.  Subsequently  31id.  was  touched,  the  price  at 
the  end  of  the  month  being  33d. 

Graphite. — Soft  velvety  flake  85  to  90%  is  quoted 
at  ^60  to /80  per  ton.  Madagascar  80  to  90%  is  quoted 
at  ^20  to  .^25  per  ton. 

Iron  and  Steel. — The  past  month  has  again  been 
far  from  satisfactory  to  the  British  iron  and  steel  trades. 
Pig  iron  makers  have  found  their  product  almost  un- 
saleable owing  to  the  hesitation  on  the  part  of  buyers 
to  place  orders  here  owing  to  slack  trade  and  the  lower 
prices  quoted  by  the  Continent  Prices  have  in  conse- 
quence been  reduced.  No,  3  Cleveland  G.M.B,  stand- 
ing at  £7.  10s,  for  the  home  trade  and  £7.  15s.  for  ex- 
port. Makers  are  being  forced  to  curtail  their  output, 
and  already  sixteen  Cleveland  blast-furnaces  have  been 
blown  out.  In  the  finished  branches  of  the  trade  many 
works  are  closed,  or  partly  closed,  owing  to  the  lack  of 
orders,  and  trade  is  gradually  being  brought  to  a  stand- 
still. Drastic  reductions  in  prices  have  made  their  ap- 
pearance, being  desperate  eftbrts  to  keep  plants  going, 
but  orders  are  few  and  far  between.  The  competition 
from  the  Continent  is  exceedingly  keen,  not  only  with 
this  country,  but  there  is  also  much  scrambling  among 
the  Continental  producers  themselves  to  secure  any 
business  that  is  going,  with  the  result  that  prices  are 
ruthlessly  cut. 


l^^ 


THE     MININC.     MAGAZINE 


STATISTICS. 

Production  or  Goli>  in  tmk  Transvaal. 


Transvaal  Gold  Outputs. 


Rand 


I  0«- 

Year  1919 S.111.271 

January.  1920- 653,295 

February  607.918 

March    6WJ.615 

April  607.9.'6 

.May   6S1,551 

June  659.199 

July  7is.5-'l 

.\ugust  683.601 

September  665.4.'<6 

October    645. »ly 

November   r)ls.525 

December   ■.  617.549 

Total,  1920 7,949.038 

January.  1921  ■■ '  637.425 


Else- 
where 


Oi, 


218.820 
'  17.208 
17,412 
17  391 
19.053 
17.490 
16,758 
17,578 
18.479 
16.6S7 
16.653 
15.212 
14,666 


Total 


Ol. 

8,330,091 
670,503 
625.330 
707.036 
686.979 
699.041 
715.957 
736,099 
702.083 
682.173 
662.472 
633,737 
632,215 


Price  of 

Gold  per  oz, 

s.  d. 

V67  6 

110  0 

105  0 

102  6 

105  0 

102  6 

105  0 

112  6 

115  0 


117 
117 


20t,587       8,153.625 


14.168    I     651.593  I      105    0 


.Natives  Employkd  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
mines 


Coal 
mines 


January  31.  1920   176.390 

February  29  185,185 

March  31 188,564 

April  30 ■•  189,446 

May  31 184,722 

June  30 179.827 

July  31 174,187 

AuEust31 169,263 

September  30 163.132 

October  31 159.426 

November  30 158.773 

December  31 '59.671 


January  31.  19^1 


165.287 


Diamond 
mines 1 


Total 


12,766 

4.796 

12,708 

5,217 

12.788 

5,232 

12.951 

5.057 

12,897 

4,793 

13,036 

4,596 

13,005 

4,521 

13,535 

4,244 

13.716 

4,323 

13  858 

4.214 

14,245 

3.504 

14,263 

3.34f)       I 

193.952 
203.110 
206  584 
207.454 
202.412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181.171 
177.498 
176,522 
177.274 


3,319 


183,147 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled  from  official  statistics  published  by  the  Transvaal 

Chamber  of  Mines.    The  profit  available  for  dividends  is  about 

65%  of  the  working  profit.     Figures  for  yield  and  profit  for  1919 

based  on  par  value  of  gold  ;  subseciuently  gold  premium  included. 

Work'gjWork'6 1     Total 

cost         profit      working 
per  ton   per  ton        profit 

f 
6,605.509 


Tons 
milled 


Yield 
per  ton 


Year  1919  I  24,043,638 


January,  1920.- 

February  

March 

April    

May 

June     

July  

.\ueust 

.September     .. 

October  

November 

December 


2.038, 
1,869, 
2,188. 
2,065. 
2.117, 
2,146 
2.194, 
2.057, 
1,950, 
1,871. 
1.799. 
1.797, 


,092     \    34 
.180     I    35 


104 
,446 
,725 
,890 
,050 
,560 
.410 
,140 
,710 
,970 


31  10 
33  6 
36  11 

38  II 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 


s.    d 

22  11 


24  2 
28  3" 

25  2 

26  3 
25  11 
25  2 


s.   d. 
5     6 


10  2 
6  10' 
6  6 
5     2 

5  10 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13  5 
13  8 
13  1 
13     3 


1,036.859 

644,571' 

716.610 

533.940 

618.147 

692.510 

985.05S 

1.226.906 

1,276,369 

1,278,385 

1,255.749 

1.193,672 


'  Results  aflec 
with  new  wages 


ted  by  the  back-pay  disbursed   in 
agreement. 


accordance 


Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


January  .... 
February .. 

March    

April  

May    

June    

July    

August  

September 

October 

November 
December 

Total ., 


1919 

1920 

£ 

oz. 

211,917 

43,428 

220,885 

44.237 

225,808 

45.779 

213.160 

47.000 

218,057 

46.266 

214.215 

45.054 

214.919 

46,208 

207,339 

48,740 

223,719 

45,471 

204,184 

47,343 

186,462 

46,782 

158,835 

46,190 

1921 


2,499,498 


January 


I  Treated 


Aurora  West   

brakpan    

City  Deep 

Cons.  Langlaagte 

Cons.  Main  Reef   

Crown  Mines 

Durban  Koodepoort  Deep 

Fast  Uand  P.M 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep  

Glynn's  Lydenburti 

Goch  

Governmeui  G.M.  Areas 

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central  

Knights  Deep 

LHiiglaagte  Estate 

Luipaard's  \'lei 

Meyer  tV  Charlton 

Modderfontein  

Modderfontein  B  

Motlderfonlein  Deep  

Modderfontein  East 

New  Unified   

Notirse  

Primrose  

Princess  Estate 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United  

Rose  Deep   

Simmer  6;  Jack  

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates.. 

Van  Ryn    

Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witwalersrand  (Knights) 

Witwatersrand  Deep   

Wolhuter 


Tons 

9.  ICO 
54.000 
83.500 
38.000 
47.000 

185.000 
26,450 

116.000 
52.500 
45,000 
<4.300 
3,184 
16,100 

132.500 
47.060 
23,000 

38.300 
14.775 
13.700 
91,000 
55,000 
42.600 
25.700 
11,300 
42,700 
19.500 

117.000 
38.01 
50.11 
22.800 
53,800 
61.500 
39.700 
9.700 
16.65(1 
30.750 
49.8C0 
47,700 

33,400 
31.700 
32.400 
32.500 


Yield 


February 


Treated     Yield 


Oz. 

£13,064* 
22,627 
35.867 

£61.172' 
16,243 
52.018 
8.714 
30,716 
10.112 
15,644 
12.635 
£6.203' 

£19,390' 

£280,930' 

12,868 

6.013 

£62.492' 

£17.683' 

£43,135' 

43.560 

26.540 

22.864 

10.572 

£13.239 

13,550 

£21.879' 

£l76.773'i 

7.892 

14.435 

£22.956'| 

12.414 

13.193  I 

16.989 

5.265 

£25.746' 

£48,763' 

£137.046' 

14.567 

£50.444' 

£46.352* 

£46.076' 

7.617 


Tons 

7.080 
48.500 
52.51.0 
14  300 
33.000 

124.000 
24,550 

112.000 
22.500 
40.000 
39.760 
5.560 
12.000 

111,500 
43.800 
21.300 

27.100 

9,700 
8i,000 
50.000 
39.400 
25.000 

9.300 
35,600 
20,300 

100,500 
26.700 
39.200 
22.000 
47.500 
53.200 
29.500 
9.500 
14.835 
28.100 
46.800 
43.300 

30.100 
28.500 

23.600 


Oz. 

£10.0301 
19.937 
22,266 

£27.9871 
11.515 
42.328 
7.719 
29.099 
7.457 
14.058 
10.804 

£5,5eo: 

£13,8981 

£231,4001 

11,723 

5,469 

£45.2831 

£31.5401 

39.580 

25,324 

21,656 

9.-883 

£10.7621 
11.678 

£22.3281 

£162.6051 

5.769 

12.208 

£22.2241 

10.748 

12.657 

12.843 

5.066 

£26.129: 

£44.5191 

£127.8771 

13,475 

£45,7891 
£43.0411 


'£5.  5s.  Od.  per  oz      I  £5.  3s.  9d.  per  oz.     t  £5.  2s.  9d.  per  oz 
Returns  not  yet  to  hand. 

West  African  Gold  Outputs. 


December 


Treated 


Tons 
5,029 
5.440 
206 


46,956 


Abbontiakoon     

Abosso  

AWoko    ■'■- >•-•■•! 

Ashanti  Goldfields    I     5,110 

Obbuassi  I        670 

Prestea  Block  A |     8.545 

Taguah I     2,720 


Value 


Oz. 

£11, 175' 

2.178 

156 

3.251 

£2,5861 

£16.523' 

1.500 


January 


Treated      Value 


Tons 
6.330 
5,000 

4,691 

680 

7.898 

2.755 


Oz. 

£9.304' 
1.989 

5.375 

£2.2521 

£14,534' 

1,620 


'  At  par.     +  Including  premium. 
Rhodhsian  Gold  Outputs. 


December 


January 


Falcon  

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix 

London  &  Rhodesian  , 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-.\rcturus    

Rezende    

Rhodesia.  Ltd 

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I 

Shamva 


Transvaal  &  Rhodesian  • 


Treated 
Tons 
15.130 
3,558 
5.560 
3,844 
5.280 
5.900 
5,700 


660 
50.300 


Oz. 


Treated 


2,9911 
1,175 
7.611 
£2,4671 
5,115 
2.713 
2.513 


Tons 
15,301 
2,813 
5.949 

5,350 
5.750 
5.436 


228  661 

£41.312:      50.700 
£5.278t        1.550 


2.803' 

1,383 

7,200 

5.219 
2,535 
2,536 

253 

£40.450.5 
£5,440t 


*  Also  241  tons  copper.    §  Gold  at  1 
copper.     :  Gold  at  105s. 


10s.  per  oz.    Il  Also  i 
per  oz.    I  At  par. 


MARCH,    1921 


169 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics.— Par  Values. 


Reported 
for  Exporl 


lanuary, 1920 

February  

March   

April  

May   

June  

July    

August 

September  .- 

October 

November  ■. 
December  .. 
January,  1921 
February 


836 
1,928 

835 
227 
502 

167 
141 
174 
128 
321 
523 
684 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

oz. 


25.670 
49.433 
54.020 
56.256 
50.976 
56.679 
48,341 
5t,258 
54.940 
53,801 
54,729 
53,595 
50,934 
26,872 


Total 
oz. 


Total 
value  £ 


26.506 
51.381 
54.020 
57.091 
51.203 
57.181 
48.341 
54.425 
55.081 
53.975 
54,857 
53,916 
51,457 
27,556 


112,590 
218,251 
229,461 
242,506 
217,495 
242,638 
203,340 
231,185 
233,963 
229.275 
233,017 
229,057 
218,571 
117,050 


Australian  Gold  Returns. 


Victoria. 

QUKENSLAND. 

New  South 
Wales 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

1920 

1921 

i 

Oz. 

(. 

Oz. 

£ 

i 

January  .- 

36,238 

7,105 

37.100 

4.724 

28.000 

20.463 

February 

46.955 

8,677 

43,330 

7.200 

15.000 

— 

March 

40.267 

24,126 

48,000 

6.973 

22.000 

— 

April    

63,818 

6.368 

61,200 

8.368 

12.000 

— 

May       •— 

37  456 

13  ^63 

38  200 

8.432 

13.800 

13.725 

8.700 



July  

37.393 

12,782 

42.060 

9.596 

17.410 

— 

Aueust    ... 

51,564 

1 2. 809 

49.700 

9.973 

17.168 

— 

September 

76,340 

13.973 

37.120 

11,789 

13.872 

— 

October  ... 

39.018 

13,432 

36.100 

9,300 

24.752 

— 

November 

40.735 

9.245 

32.720 

10.200 

16,907 

— 

December 

63.311 

15,305 

44.500 

12,874 

18.137 

— 

Total  ... 

575.260 

152.792 

514.630 

114,181 

207,746 

20,463 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


Associated  G.M.  IW.A.)  . 

Blackwater  (N.Z.) 

Bullfinch  (W.A.)  

Golden  Horseshoe  (W.A.) 
Great  Boulder  Pro.(W.A.) 

Ivanhoe  (W.A.)  

Kalgurli  (W.A  ) 

Lake  Vievf  &  Star  (W.A  ). 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.) 

Mount  Boppy(N.S.W  )  . 

Oroya  Links  (W.A  ) 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

Sons  of  Gwalia(W.A)  — 
South  KaleurlK W.A.)  .... 

WaihKN.Z.)    

Waihi  Grand  J  unc'n  (N.Z.) 
Vuanmi  (W.A.)  


December 

January. 

Treated  1 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Tons 

£ 

Tons 

£ 

5.069 

6,050 

2,677 

2,90711 

2.700 

5,822 

2,129 

3,47111 

5.500 

5.738 

5.350 

5.32S 

5.064 

1,9451 

3,528 

1.772: 

4,479 

18,25111 

3.544 

10,62311 

6,960 

2,760: 

4,987 

2.193: 

2,707 

4,64211 

— 

— 

3,330 

11,9951 

— 

— 

1.160 

2,132 

1.360 

2.289 

3,385 

2,283: 

5,672 

1,760: 



12,917 

15,8061 

— 

z 

4,308 

9,6451 

— 

— 

11,393  { 

4,192: 
23,993§ 

7,087  1 

1,787 

5.630  1 

2,384: 
11,1538 

-{ 

— 

1,460 

5,029* 

1,320 

4,123* 

t  Including  royalties  :    tOz.  gold  ;   §0z  silver;    II  At  par; 
*  Including  premium. 

Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 


December 


January. 


Treated  |  Value  I  Treated  |   Value 


Tons 
Brit.  Plat   &  Gold  (C'lbia)l        — 

El  Oro  (Mexico) I  31,500 

Esperanza  (Mexico) — 

Frontino&  Bolivia  (C'lbia)        2.670 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico)...  12,200 
Mining  Corp.  of  Canada...         — 

Oriental  Cons.  (Korea) 15,931 

Ouro  Prelo  (Brazil)  6,200 

PlymouthCons.!Califrnia)       8,350 
St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil)  — 

Santa  Gerlrudis  (Mexico)  37,588 

Sonora  (Mexico)   — 

Tolima  (Colombia)  55* 

Tomboy  (Colorado) 15.000 


66§ 

210,000tl 

3,241tt 

7,833 

164,410+ 

196,033* 

106,211+ 

2,1121! 

10.832 

34,000 

16,827t 


Tons 


2,020 
12.050 


6.300 
9.000 


37.588 


I     £ 

I     221§ 
!  200.000+ 
1,249:+ 
5,558 
163,240+ 

♦75,500+ 
2,08211 
11,435 
35,000 
10.104; 


75*' 


t  U.S.  Dollars,    t  Profit,  gold  and  silver.    II  Oz 
§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.    **  Production 


79.000+      15.000     '   71.000+ 


Production  of  Gold  in  India, 

1917 

1918             1919 

1920 

1921 

January 

February  ... 
March    

oz. 
44.718 
42,566 
44,617 
43,726 
42,901 
42,924 
42.273 
42,591 
43.207 
43.041 
42.915 
44.883 

oz. 
41,420 
40,787 
41,719 
41,504 
40,889 
41,264 
40.229 
40.496 
40.088 
39.472 
36.984 
40.149 

oz. 
38.184 
36.834 
38.317 
38.248 
38.608 
38.359 
38.549 
37.850 
36.813 
37.138 
39.628 
42.643 

oz. 
39.073 
38.872 
38.760 
37.307 
38.191 
37.864 
37.129 
37.375 
35.497 
35.023 
34,522 
34.919 

oz. 
34,028 
32.529 

May    



July    



August  

September 

October 

November 
December 

- 

Total ... 

520.362 

485.236 

4')1.171 

444.532 

66.557 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balaghat   

Champion  Reef-... 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur  - 

Nundydroog   

Ooregum  


January. 


Tons        Fine 
Treated   Ounces 


3.200 

11,293 

16,515 

700 

8.553 
12,900 


2,323 
5,512 
11,798 
920 
5.021 
8.464 


February. 


Tons 
Treated 


3.000 

10.831 

15.950 

700 

8.324 
12.500 


Fine 
Ounces 


2.220 
4.561 
11.563 
917 
4,901 
8.367 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper, 

( Tons  lead  cone 
British  Broken  Hill         "" 


Broken  Hill  Prop 


\  Tons  zinc  cone 

I  Tons  carbonate  ore. 

j  Tons  lead  cone 

Tons  zinc  cone 


Broken  Hill  South    Tons  lead  cone 

r,           ^  f  Tons  refined  lead  ■ 

Burma  Corp \  q^  ^^^^^^  ^-^^^^^  _ 

Fremantle  Trading  ...Long  tons  lead    

Hampden  cioneurry..  ]  S°"  g"d"!"..::::::: 

Kafue  Copper Short  tons  copper.... 

( Tons  copper 

Mount  Lyell   ",  Oz   silver  

Oz.gold.. 


J  Tons  copper 

■  lOz.  gold    

I  Tons  lead 

I  Oz,  silver 


Mount  Morgan  

North  Broken  Hill 

Pilbara  Copper Tons  ore 

Poderosa Tons  copper  ore 

Rhodesian  Broken  Hill. ..Tons  lead    -... 

S'th  American  Copper  Tons  cop.  oreship'd.. 

^  ,  ...    ,,  ..       j  Tons  lead  cone 

Sulphide  corporation  -j  ^^^^  ^j^^  ^^„^ 

Tanganyika Long  Ions  copper  

„.       _  J  Tons  zinc  cone 

Zinc  Corp ITonsleadconc 


Jan. 


2, 
280, 


325 
,330 
120 
580 
533 
,207 

,445 
.210 
352 
282 
141 

357 
.279 
352 
587 
.517 


132 
200 

1.323 

1,373 
1,979 


1,130 

1,320 

1,190 

40 

845 

2,460 

1,693 

2,548 

234.487 

473 


672* 

24,277* 

726' 

340 

4.485 


170 

150 

1.442 

1.585 
2.580 

4.015 
287 


*  For  period  December  16  to  February  9. 
Imports  OF  Ores.  Metals,  etc..  into  United  Kingdom. 


Jan.,  1921.     Feb..  1921 


,  gold.    *  Oz.  silver, 
of  silver  ore. 


Iron  Ore Tons  .. 

Manganese  Ore  Tons  .. 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites Tons  .. 

Copper  Ore.  Matte,  and 

Precipitate Tons  .. 

Copper  Metal    Tons  •• 

Tin  Concentrate  Tons  • 

Tin  Metal   Tons  . 

Lead.  Pig  and  Sheet  Tons  -. 

Zinc  (Speller)    Tons  . 

Quicksilver Lb.    .. 

Zinc  Oxide    Tons  .. 

White  Lead  Cwt.  . 

Barytes.  ground  Cwt.  ., 

Phosphate  Tons  . 

Sulphur  Tons  ■ 

Borax  Cwt.  . 

Other  Boron  Compounds    Tons  - 

Nitrate  of  Soda   Cwt.    . 

Nitrate  of  Potash Cwt.    ... 

Petroleum : 

Crude  Gallons 

Lamp  Oils Gallons 

Motor  Spirit Gallons 

Lubricating  Oils Gallons 

Gas  Oil    Gallons 

Fuel  Oil  Gallons 

Total  Petroleum Gallons 


569.515 
48.312 
61.924 

843 

7,508 

1.379 

2.662 

12.113 

7.945 

2.277 

389 

12.602 

31.738 

92.705 

600 

1.306 

138.880 

744 


19.387.468 
32.124.702 
10.8S8.366 
4.690.163 
28.691,484 
95.782,423 


283,839 
35.193 
40.719 

3.3S5 
7.186 
2.546 
1.581 

14.684 
4.319 

16.982 

239 

5.939 

22.646 

37.465 

960 

1.428 

133.664 

7.525 

920.111 
14.621.854 
13.775.416 
3.392.702 
3.193.753 
33.515.259 
69.420,821 


170 


THl':    MINING    MAC.AZINK 


Outputs  OF  Tin  Mining  Companirs. 
In  Tons  of  Concentrate. 


Nigeria ; 

Associated  Nitierian 

Benue  

Bisichi 

BonRwelli  

Champion  (Nigeria) 

Dua  

Es-Lands  

Filani  

Forum  River 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated.. 

Guruui  River 

Jantar 

Jos    

Kaduna 

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano  

Kuril    

Kwall  

Lower  Bisichi  

Lucky  Chance 

Minna 

Moni4u 

Naraguta    

Naraguta  Extended  

Nigerian  Consolidated 

Ninghi 

X.N.  Bauchi 

OBin  River 

RayBeld 

Ropp    

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru  

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Varde  Kerri  


Federated  Malay  States : 

Cbenderiang 

Gopeng  

Idris  Hydraulic    

Ipoh 

Kamnnting    * 

Kinta    

Labat  

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang    

Rambutan 

Sungei  Besi  

Tekka 

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh   


Cornwall : 

East  Pool  

Geevor    

Grenville 

South  Crofty 


Other  Countries : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia) 

Berenguela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania) 

Deebook  (Siam)  

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal) 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Mawchi  (Burma) 

Porco  (Bolivia) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooiberg  Minerals  (Transvaal) . 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)    

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal) 


Nov. 
Tons 

20 

16 
IJ 
3 

i4 

35 
S 

7} 
2} 
13 
10 
24j 
17i 
9 
31 


8i 
1 

2 
40 
45 
15 
22i 

5* 
35 

71 
35 
115 


72 

I9j 
13 

32j 
595 
785 
166 
16* 
31 
30 
31 
38 

74 1 


60|) 


Dec. 
Tons 

20 


20 

265 

15i 

8} 


7i 

1 

lA 
50 
42 
17 
23 

5 
50 

9} 
37 
126 


4 

44 

15 

15 

- 

44 

4 

4 

4 

5 

893 1 


62+ 


170 

154 

157 

27 

18 

24 

23 

13 

U 

19* 

30J 

20 

— 

247* 

— 

"~ 

19» 

93i 

89| 

90 

15 

- 

45 

631 

711 

83 

76 

73 

67 

28 

27 

21 

Jan. 

Tons 

7 


10 

2S 

i\ 

S 

li 

19 

28 

35 

30 

5i 

4 

101 

- 

3 

3 

12 

11 

14 
6 


91 

1 

51 
35 
10 
17 


45 
86 

4 
IS 

1 

4 

55 


103* 

— 

66 

72 

175 

— 

194 

191 

120* 

— 

35i 

311 

601 

68i 

83* 

80i 

166 

166 

15 

16* 

30 

33 

30 

254 

27 

21 

29 

36 

95  f 


55t 


NiciKMiAN  Tin  Prodiic  i  kin. 
In  lonR  Ions  of  concentrate  of  unspecilied  oonteiil. 
JVo/e      Thenc  finutes  itre  taken  from  the  monthly  returns 
MMtle  by  indii'iiiuiil  com/>iinies  ref>ortinn  in  London,  and 
Probiihly  reftrescnt  ii5%  of  the  ttctunL  outputs. 


*  Three  months.    I  Tin  and  wolfram. 


1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

January  

531 

667 

678 

613 

347 

438 

February    .. 

328 

646 

665 

623 

477 

— 

March 

347 

655 

707 

606 

505 

— 

April    

486 

555 

584 

546 

467 

— 

May 

536 

309 

525 

483 

383 

— 

June     

310 

473 

492 

484 

435 

July  

306 

479 

545 

481 

484 

— 

August 

498 

351 

571 

616 

447 

— 

Seiitember 

533 

538 

520 

561 

528 

— 

October  

384 

578 

491 

623 

628 

— 

November  .. 

679 

621 

472 

536 

544 

— 

December  .. 

634 

655 

318 

511 

577 

— 

Total    .. 

1   6.594 

6,927 

6,771 

6.685 

6.022 

438 

Pkoduction  of  Tin  in  Federated  Mai.av  States. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters. 
Long  Tons. 


January     ■■■ 

February  ■- 

March    

April  

May    

June  

July    

August  

September  . 

October 

November  . 
December  . 


1917 

1918 

Tons 

Tons 

3.358 

3.030 

2,755 

3.197       , 

3,286 

2.609       1 

3,251 

3.308       1 

3,413 

3.332       ' 

3.489 

3,070 

3,253 

3.373 

3,413 

3.259 

3.154 

3.157 

3,436 

2.870       1 

3.300 

3.132       1 

3,525 

3.022 

39,833 

37.370 

1919 

1920 

Tons 

Tons 

3.765 

4,265 

2.734 

3.014 

2.819 

2.770 

2.858 

2,606  ; 

3.407 

2,741     1 

2.877 

2,940 

3,756 

2.824 

2.956 

2.786 

3.161 

2.734 

3.221 

2.837 

2.972 

2.573 

2.409 

2.838 

36.933 

34.928 

Tons 

3.298 


3.298 


Total  Sales  of  Tin  Concentkate  at  Redruth  Ticketings. 


August  25.  1919  • 
Septembers  .... 
September  22  -... 

Octobers 

October  20   

November  3 

November  17  — 
December  I  .... 
December  15  .... 
December  31  .... 


Total  and  Average. 
1919 


Long  tons 


1304 
1154 
1334 

72 

32 

344 

39 

38 

29 

14j 


2.858 


Value 


^18.297 

;Cl6.588 

£19.557 

£10,867 

£5,093 

£5,235 

£6,161 

£5.905 

£5.133 

£2,884 


Average 


£366.569 


January  12.  1920.. 

January  26  

February  9  

February  23 

March  8 

March  22  

April  6  

April  19 

May  3 

May  17  

May  31   

June  14  

June  28  

July  12  

July  26  

August     9 

August  23 

September  6  — 
September  20  .... 

October  4 

October  18  

Novemoer  1 

November  15  .... 
November  29  ..•• 
December  13  .... 
December  28  ■.■■ 


January  10.  1921.. 
January  24  


31 
511 

53! 

18 

44 

444 

334 

6l4 

44 

10 

243 

43l 

10* 

104 

271 

19 

10 
9 

394 
9 
44 
84 
84 
84 


£6.243 
£10.574 


/^ 


112,120 
£4,038 
£8.286 
£8,367 
£6.375 

£11.641 
£6.151 
£1,578 
£3.278 
£  1,932 
£6.133 
£1.643 
£1.664 
£4,022 
£2.563 
£1,552 
£1,359 
£5,225 
£1,329 
£597 
£965 
£981 
£946 


£l40  4 

£143  12 ■ 

£l44  6 

£150  18 

/:i59  3 

£151  15 

£157  19 

£155  S 

£l76  10 


£195  10  10 


£l28     5    0 


£201     8    0 
£204    6  10 


84 
74 


£991 

£671 


£210  2 

£225  10 

£224  7 

£188  6 

£188  0 

£190  6 

£189  5 

£139  16 

£157  16 

£132  9 

£133  4  10 

£140  4    0 

£l56  10    0 

£l58  10    0 

£147  12    0 

£134  18    6 

£155  5    0 

£151  0    7 

£132  5  11 

£147  14     5 

£132  17    6 

£113  12    0 

£115  8    6 

£111  5  10 

£116  13     0 

£89  11     4 


Ticketings  suspended. 


MARCH,    1921 


171 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Lone  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  

Ditto.  Landing  and  in  Transit... 

Other  Standard.  Spot  and  Land- 
ing   

Straits.  Afloat 

Australian.  Afloat 

Banca.  in  Holland 

Ditto.  Afloat   

Billiton.  Spot 

Billiton,  Afloat   

Straits.  Spot  in  Holland  and 
Hamburg 

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent 

Total  Afloat  for  United  Slates... 

Stock  in  America 


Dec.  31  I   Jan.  31 


Total . 


2.170 
1,138 

3.855 
1.183 
250 
3.511 
278 
755 
264 


485 
1,734 
2.856 

18.479 


2.701 
40 

4.960 
345 
264 

3,341 
356 
755 
141 


60 
2.595 
2,546 


Feb. 28 


2,12S 
10 

5  365 
40 
295 

3,187 
209 
755 


1,385 
3.546 


16,900 


Shipments.  Imports.  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co,     Long  tons. 


Shipments  from  : 

Straits  to  UK 

Straits  to  America   

Straits  to  Continent 

Straits  to  Other  Places  

Australia  to  U.K 

U.K.  to  America  

Imports  of  Bolivian  Tin  into 
Europe  ■- 

Supply : 
Straits  

Australian    

Billiton 

Banca    

Standard  

Total 

Consumption  : 

U  K,  Deliveries 

Dutch         .,        

American  

Straits.  Banca  &  Billiton.  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc,   

Total 


Dec. 


Jan, 


Feb. 


915 
825 
485 
225 
250 
150 


35 
960 

60 
106 
350 
985 


2.225 
250 


250 
1,500 


1.518 

366 

2.580 

347 

4.811 


1,055 
350 


498 
1.290 


1,254 

269 

1.555 

490 

3.568 


20 
220 

33 
100 

715 

800 


240 
100 


1.321 

164 

1.585 


Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


Company 


,,  1    ^„f         Amount  of 
"li^arefl        D-"-! 


March  8— 

March  9... 
Feb.    16... 

Feb.  10... 
March  4... 
March  4... 
March  9  .. 
March  9-, 
Feb.  24... 
March  3,-. 
March  10. 
Feb.    24.. 

March  3-. 
Feb.  14.. 
March  4.. 

Feb.  15.. 
March  1-- 
Feb.  18- 
Feb,   22.- 


Consolida- 


Borax 
ted 
Broken  Hill  Block  14 

Consolidated     Mines 
Selection 

Exploration  Co.  • 

Ginsberg 

Glencairn   

Great  Boulder  .-.- 

Mexico  of  El  Oro 

Mysore  Gold 

Nechi  Mines 

New  Gold  Trust 

North  Anantapur  I 
Gold  Mines   ) 

Oroville  Dredging  -. 

Rambutan  

South   African   Gold 
Trust   

Vereeniging    Estates 

Village  Main  Reef  ... 

Witbank  Colliery    ... 

Witwatersrand  Deep 


Def  Ord. 

£i. 

J  Pref. 
I     6s. 

10s. 
10s, 
£l. 

£1. 

2s. 

£1. 

lOs. 
Ord,  10s 

Cu 

Pref. 

£1. 
£i. 
£i. 


£i. 

£i. 
£1. 


2s.  less  tax 

5% 

15%  less  tax 

10%  tax  paid 

Ss.' 

2s.' 

6d.  less  tax 

4s.  tax  paid 

Is.  9d.  less  tax 

5s.  less  tax 

Is.  tax  paid 

20%  less  tax 

9d.  less  tax 
8d. less  tax 

Is.  3d.  tax  paid 

5%  less  tax 

6s.  8d.' 

I7i%  less  tax 
5%  less  tax 


'  First  distribution  of  assets  on  liquidation. 


PRICES  OF  CHEMICALS.     March  8. 

These  quotations  are  not  absolute  :  they  vary  according  to 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

£    s.  d. 

Acetic  Acid,  40%  percwt-      1     5     0 

80%  2  10    0 

Glacial 3    6    0 

Alum per  ton     19    0    0 

Alumina.  Sulphate  of  .- 16    0    0 

Ammonia.  Anhydrous per  lb.  2    6 

0  S80  solution    per  ton    46    0    0 

Carbonate per  lb.  4 

Chloride  of.  grey per  ton     54    0    0 

„        ..  pure  percwt.     5    0    0 

Nitrate  of  per  ton     50    0    0 

Phosphate  of    95    0    0 

Sulphate  of    24    0    0 

Antimony.  Tartar  Emetic per  lb  2    7 

Sulphide.  Golden 1    6 

Arsenic.  White  ••—    per  ton     50    0    0 

Barium  Carbonate 11    0    0 

..    Chlorate  per  lb.  1    0 

..    Chloride  per  ton     20    0    0 

..    Sulphate  10    0    0 

Benzol.  90%    per  gal.  3    0 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton     55    0    0 

Bleaching  Powder.  35%  CI 19    0    0 

Liquor.  7%    7    0    0 

Borax    ..  38    0    0 

Boric  Acid,  crystals ■•  74    0    0 

Calcium  Chloride ••  10    0    0 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60%  ■•■ per  gal.  110 

crystallized.  40%    per  lb.  8 

13  10    0 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn)   per  ton    i       to 

U  10    0 

Citric  Acid  per  lb.  2    3 

Copper.  Sulphate  of    per  ton    33    0    0 

Cyanideof  Sodium.  100% per  lb.  1    0 

Hydrofluoric  Acid "  7* 

Iodine    per  oz.  1    0 

Iron.  Nitrate  of per  ton     10    0    0 

..Sulphate  of    4    0    0 

Lead.  Acetate  of.  white 50    0    0 

..Nitrate  of    50    0    0 

„  Oxide  of.  Litharge 40    0    0 

„  White  46    0    0 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown 12    0    0 

..        ..        grey  80% 19    0    0 

Magnesite,  Calcined 21    0    0 

Magnesium.  Chloride 12    0    0 

Sulphate  10    0    0 

Methylated  Spirit  64°  Industrial per  gal.  7    0 

Nitric  Acid.  80°  Tw per  ton     37    0    0 

Oxalic  .\cid per  b  10    0 

Phosphoric  Acid    Per  Ih.  1    6 

Potassium  Bichromate   P"  lb.  1     1 

Carbonate  85% per  ton     45    0    0 

Chlorate per  lb.  0    6 

Chloride  80%    per  ton     24    0    0 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% 48    0    0 

Nitrate    »S    0    0 

Permanganate per  lb.  2    0 

Prussiate.  Yellow    <•  1    '^ 

Red 2    0 

Sulphate.  90%  per  ton     25    0    0 

Sodium  Metal per  lb.  13 

.,      Acetate   per  ton     33    0    0 

„      Arsenate  45%    45    0    0 

„      Bicarbonate  9    0    0 

„      Bichromate per  lb.  10 

„      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton     15    0    0 

(Crjstals) 7    0    0 

„      Chlorate per  lb.  4J 

„      Hydrate.  76%   per  ton     27    0    0 

,.      Hyposulphite   20    0    0 

„      Nitrate,  95% 22    0    0 

„      Phosphate 25    0    0 

„      Prussiate    per  lb.  S 

„      Silicate    per  ton     11     0    0 

„      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)  9    0    0 

(Glauber's  Salts)  9    0    0 

„      Sulphide 30    0    0 

„      Sulphite 13    0    0 

Sulphur,  Roll I!    9    2 

Flowers 15    0    0 

Sulphuric  Acid.  Fuming,  65° ^*    °    ° 

„      free  from  Arsenic.  144° 6    5    8 

Superphosphate  of  Lime.  30%     8  10    0 

Tartaric  Acid per  lb.  2    0 

Turpentine percwt.     3    3    0 

Tin  Crystals   per  lb.  1    7 

Titanous  Chloride   .X 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton     27    0    0 

Zinc  Sulphate "  19    0    0 


THIC     MINING     MAGAZINi: 


SHARE  QUOTATIONS 

Shares  are  £l  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


West  Australia: 

Associated  Gold  Mines  

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch  

Golden  Horse-Shoe  '.£5) 

Great  Boulder  ProprietaryC2s.).. 

Great  Fineall  (10s).   

Hampton  Properties  

Ivanhoe  (£5)    

Kalgurli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)    .- 

Sons  of  Gwalia  

South  Kalgurli  (lOs.) 


GOLD.    Sir.VER. 
DIAMONDS: 
Rand  : 

Brakpan 

Central  Mininit  1^8)    

City  &  Suburban  (£4) 

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  Laii|i:laa^le 

Consolidated  Main  Reef 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.) 

Crown  Mines  (10s  ) 

DaKKafonteiii 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep .... 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Gov't  Gold  Mining  Areas 

Heriot 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Jupiter  

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep  

Langlaagte  Estate .*. 

Meyer  iSi  Charlton 

Modderfontein  (10s.)  

Modderfontein  U(5s.). 

Modderfontein  Deep(53.)  

Modderfontein  East    

New  State  Areas  

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (Ss.) 

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deen  A  (Is.) 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Simmer  Deep 

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.)    

Van  Ryn  

Van  Uyn  Deep  

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  S|irings 

Witwatersraud  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep   

Wolhuter j 

Other  Transvaal  Gold  Minks :       I 

Glynn's  Lydenburg j 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates....  . 
Diamonds  in  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£"2  10s.) ] 

Jagersfontein  

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.) 

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.) 

West  Africa  ■ 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso 

Ashanti  (4s.)    

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


Nfar. 

5. 

Mar. 

7. 

1920 

1921 

£   s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

3  15 

0 

2 

10 

0 

11  3 

9 

6 

2 

6 

8 

0 

6 

9 

3  5 

0 

2 

0 

0 

2  2 

6 

16 

3 

1  8 

0 

12 

6 

15 

6 

10 

3 

1  13 

3 

13 

9 

4  0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

1  0 

6 

2 

6 

11 

3 

2 

6 

14 

6 

5 

0 

13 

0 

9 

0 

2  15 

0 

2 

5 

0 

15 

0 

6 

0 

4  17 

6 

3 

15 

0 

12 

0 

9 

6 

1  15 

0 

1 

2 

0 

7 

0 

3 

3 

16 

3 

6 

0 

6 

9 

3 

6 

12 

6 

12 

6 

1  0 

0 

10 

6 

4  17 

6 

4 

2 

6 

4  3 

9 

3 

5 

0 

7  17 

6 

1 

5 

0 

2  13 

9 

2 

0 

0 

1  8 

9 

17 

6 

1  10 

0 

1 

2 

6 

16 

9 

6 

9 

4  6 

3 

2 

2 

6 

5  2 

6 

2 

5 

0 

1  2 

0 

8 

6 

13 

0 

9 

3 

1  10 

0 

11 

3 

1  3 

9 

12 

6 

6 

9 

2 

6 

3 

3 

— 

2  18 

9 

1 

12 

6 

1  0 

0 

11 

3 

1  3 

6 

16 

0 

1  2 

6 

11 

3 

5  0 

0 

3 

2 

6 

17 

3 

7 

0 

9 

0 

12 

9 

1  5 

0 

15 

0 

1  4 

3 

11 

3 

14 

0 

6 

9 

6 

9 

3 

9 

17 

6 

8 

9 

16 

9 

8 

3 

30  0 

0 

9 

15 

0 

6  15 

0 

1 

17 

fi 

12  5 

0 

4 

5 

0 

13 

0 

7 

6 

1  I 

0 

12 

0 

14 

9 

6 

6 

15 

6 

S 

6 

14 

0 

18 

6 

3  6 

3 

1 

17 

6 

3  15 

0 

2 

12 

6 

2  3 

9 

I 

7 

6 

6 

9 

5 

3 

5 

0 

2 

0 

14 

0 

8 

0 

1  2 

9 

11 

3 

4 

9 

1 

6- 

1  0 

0 

/ 

6 

5 

6 

2 

6 

5 

6 

2 

6 

9 

0 

6 

1  6 

3 

12 

6 

8 

9 

5 

6 

2 

6 

1 

6 

1  IS 

9 

fi 

3 

2  7 

6 

18 

9 

iV 

9 

7 

6 

19 

0 

9 

9 

10 

0 

5 

0 

6 

3 

5 

6 

Gold,  Silver,  coHi. 

Otiikrs  in  Ai'stralasia  ; 

Blackwater.  New  Zealand 

ConsolidalcdG.F.  of  New  Zealand 

Mount  Boppv.  N.S.W.  (10s  ) 

Progress,  New  Zealand 

Talisman,  New  Zealand 

Waihi.  New  Zealand    

Waihi  Grand  Junction.  New  Z'Ind 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

EI  Oro,  Mexico 

Esperanza,  Mexico  

Frontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (ifS). British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  F.I  Oro,  Mexico  . 

Nechi  (Href.  10s.).  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredging.  Colombia  

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California 

St.  John  del  Rey,  Brazil  

Santa  Gertrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy.  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority  

India  : 

Balaghat  (lOs.)    

Champion  Reef  (2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  (IDs.) 

North  Anantapur  

Nimdydroog  (10s.) 

Ooreguin  (10s.)    

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  iCz).  Cape  and  India. 

Esperanza.  Spain ' 

Hatnpden  Cloncurry.  Queensland   ' 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal  

Messina  (5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (jC5),  Queensland  -. 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  NIorgan.  Queensland 

Mount  Oxide.  Queen.^iland     

Nama^iua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Timo  (f  5),  Spain  

Russo-Asiatic  Consd..  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia    

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika.  Congo  and  Rhodesia 

LEAD-ZINC  : 

Broken  Hill : 

Amalgamated  Zinc    

British  Broken  Hill  

Broken  Hill  Proprietary    

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  llO  rupees)    -. 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  ; 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)    


Mar,  5. 

1920 
€   s.  d. 


Mar.  7. 

1921 
£  9.    d. 


TIN: 

Aramayo  Francke.  Bolivia 

Bisichi,  Nigeria  

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath.  Cornwall  

East  Pool  (5s.)  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.).  Nigeria  ... 

Geevor  (lOs)  Cornwall  

Gopeng.  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging.  Malay     

Kamunting.  Malay     

Kinta.  Malay   

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (IDs.).  Nigeria  

Naraguta.  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi.  Nigeria  (10s.)   

Pabang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay. 

Rayfield,  Nigeria   

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (4s.).  Nigeria  

Siamese  Tin.  Siam 

South  Crofty  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall  

Tekka.  Malay   

Tekka-Taiping   Malay    

Tronob.  Malay  


8 
3 
5 

1 
8 
6 
11 


12  6 

1  6 

15  3 

17  0 


II 

10 
8    5 

10 
1  7 
I      1 

18 
1   15 

13 

1     8 


2  10 

6 

3  10 
1  6 
1     fi 

s 

1   12 

46  10 

14 

16 

1  7 

2  16 


1  6 

2  5 

3  2 

1  7 

2  7 
2  18 
1  0 
1  1 

12  17 
15 


5  5 
16 
5 
8 

IS 
4 

1  2 

2  8 
1     9 

1  10 

3  1 

2  13 

1  8 
18 

9 
15 
14 

2  13 
16 

4  10 
17 

1     7 

5  5 

1  11 

2  15 


3     9 
15    0 


5 

5 

1    10 


0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
3 
3 

6 

0 
9 

5  0 
10    0 

2     6 


15 

15 
1   15 

10 
1  2 
1     1 

11 
7 

7 
5 


1  15 
6 
2 


3 

1   10 

II 

1     7 

1   10    0 

1     2    6 

II 

12 

1 

6 
3 

1  5 
5 

2  5 


3 
6 
9 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
10    0 


lOTupee  sbares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE   MINING  DIGEST 

A    RECORD    OF     PROGRESS     IN     MINING,   METALLURGY,    AND    GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers  ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  paiiiplilcts,  lists  of  patents  on  mining  and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


THE   KIRKLAND   LAKE   GOLD    MINING   DISTRICT. 


Plan  showing  Principal  Workings  and  Lodes  at  Kirkland  Lake. 


KIRKWNDf 

KIRR 

AND 

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KirKlana 

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Sc3'?  o'  F«ei 

m  ^-"-^-^ 

Holt;  Fne'0ng'Mi'>a!  SKlion  il'PS  60° :ct :^  i, *i:f  'J  :k  jupron^dre  a>B  0 

Section  of  Principal  Workings  along  the  Line  oh  Lode. 


Last  month  we  quoted  the  report  by  A.  G.  Burrows 
and  P.  E.  Hopkins  on  the  Kirkland  Lake  district,  made 
for  the  Ontario  Department  of  Mines,  reproducing  that 
part  of  the  report  dealing  with  the  general  geology  and 
the  ore  deposits.  Herewith  we  give  their  account  of 
the  development  work  done  at  each  mine. 

Elliott  Kirkland. — This  property  lies  to  the  west  of 
the  Kirkland  Lake  mine.  It  includes  three  claims,  on 
the  principal  of  which  the  shaft  and  mine  buildings  are 
located.  The  main  fracture  zone  has  been  traced 
westerly  through  low  land  from  the  Kirkland  Lake 
mine.  A  vertical  shaft  has  been  sunk  537  ft.,  with 
cross-cuts  on  five  levels  and  drifts  on  the  third,  fourth, 
and  fifth  levels  along  fault  planes.  The  rocks  encoun- 
tered are  porphyry,  lamprophyre,  syenite,  and  reddish 
felspathic  quartzite.  During  the  time  of  the  strike  at 
Kirkland  Lake  the  workings  were  allowed  to  fill  with 
water  and  no  further  exploratory  work  has  since  been 
done. 

Kirkland  Lake  — The  Kirkland  Lake  Gold  Mining 
Company  is  operating  the  claim  formerly  known  as  the 
McKane,  situated  one-quarter  of  a  mile  south-west  of 
the  lake.  Native  gold  had  been  discovered  in  the  main 
vein  by  the  early  operators,  who  also  sank  No.  1  shaft 
to  a  moderate  depth.  Theoriginal  discovery  was  made 
through  about  20  ft.  of  overburden,  the  strike  of  the 
vein  having  been  determined  from  workings  on  the 
Teck-Hughes  and  other  properties.  There  are  two 
vertical  shafts  on  the  property.  No.  1  is  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  claim  near  the  Orr  line  and  has  been 
sunk  to  a  depth  of  700  ft.  (April  1,  1920).  The  mineral- 
ization was  followed  to  104  ft.,  where  the  vein  left  the 
shaft  on  the  south  side.  From  the  different  levels 
cross-cuts  were  run  to  the  south  to  intersect  the  vein. 
Since  the  vein  dips  approximately  85°  S.,  the  cross- 
cuts are  slightly  longer  at  each  succeeding  level.  Drifts 
have  been  run  on  seven  levels,  but  those  on  the  first 
and  second  are  short,  the  values  obtained  not  having 
been  as  good  as  those  from  the  300  ft.  to  the  700  ft. 


Scale    of    Feet 


Plan  of- Mining  Properties  at  Kirkland  Lake. 

levels.  A  main  hoisting  shaft  is  600  ft.  south-west 
from  No.  1  shaft  and  to  the  south  of  the  main  vein  as 
exposed  on  the  surface.  This  contains  two  hoisting 
compartments  and  amanway  compartment,  and  is  con- 
nected on  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  levels  with  the 
main  workings  along  No.  1  vein.  With  depth  the  con- 
necting cross  cuts  become  shorter  owing  to  the  dip  of 
the  vein  to  the  south. 

The  main  vein  is  recognized  by  the  presence  of  fault 
planes,  which  dip  to  the  south.  These  are  called  the 
foot-wall  and  hanging-wall  planes,  and  they  vary  con- 
siderably in  distance  apart  in  different  sections  of  the 
mine.  At  the  cross-cuts  from  No.  1  shaft  on  the  400  ft., 
500  ft.,  600  ft.,  and  700  ft.  levels  they  are  respectively 
19  ft.,  33  ft.,  40  ft.,  and  40  ft.  apart.  The  area  between 
the  principal  faults  is  very  much  disturbed,  since  minor 


173 


174 


THE     MININC.     MAGAZINl': 


fault  planes  and  cross-slips  have  in  part  controlled  the 
ore  deposition.  Kxploration  has  shown  that  there  is 
consequently  ^;reat  irregularity  in  the  mineralization  in 
the  fractured  zone  and  values  change  quite  rapidly  in 
driving  alonj;  the  vein.  The  development  has  been 
carried  on  with  regard  to  the  two  principal  planes  or 
vein  boundaries.  On  the  ^00ft.  and  500  ft  levels 
drifts  have  been  run  on  the  foot-wall  and  hanging-wall 
sides  of  the  vein  for  some  distance,  and  up  to  the  pres- 
ent time  the  greatest  amount  of  development  has  been 
done  on  these  levels,  where  large  stopes  have  been 
opened  up,  that  on  the  -tOO  ft.  level  being  about  300  ft 
in  length  and  Zi  ft.  wide  at  one  point.  The  assay  plans 
of  the  stopes  have  shown  the  greatest  values  to  be  in 
the  foot- wall  section  of  the  vein  Development  has 
also  shown  that  the  ore  sometimes  extends  beyond  the 
recognized  vein  boundary  planes  The  best  grade  of 
ore  has  been  obtained  where  the  fault  planes  or  vein 
boundariesare  moderate  distances  apart,  roughly  15  ft 
to  25  ft,  Where  they  are  within  a  few  feet  of  each 
other  the  values  are  not  so  good,  and  where  very  widely 
apart  the  values  have  a  tendency  to  become  more  scat- 
tered. The  ground  between  the  fault  planes  is  so 
broken  and  contains  so  many  slip  planes  that  it  has 
been  found  advisable  to  leave  solid  backs  above  the 
drifts  to  protect  them  from  the  weight  of  broken  ore  in 
the  stopes. 

The  development  has  so  far  indicated  that  the  princi- 
pal ore  shoot  e.xtends  from  above  the  300  ft.  level  to  be- 
low the700ft  level,  thedeepestworkingsuptothistime 
Theore-shoot  pitches  somewhat  to  the  west,  but  suffici- 
ent development  has  not  been  accomplished  to  delimit 
its  actual  outline  On  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  levels 
theore-shootextends easterly  to  theOrr  west  boundary 
Somegold  values  are  generally  obtained  along  the  main 
vein  fracture,  but  these  are  not  always  of  commercial 
importance.  However,  this  mineralization  indicates 
the  possibilitv  of  exploration  developing  other  ore- 
shoots  A  lieavy  fault  plane  is  often  in  evidence  in 
the  workings,  the  gouge  being  frequently  several  inches 
thick.  Considerable  brecciation  of  ore  has  occurred, 
indicating  faulting  subsequent  to  ore  deposition.  The 
best  ore  is  a  bright  red  porphyry  or  syenite  through 
which  there  are  ribbons  of  quartz  carrying  tellurides. 
copper  pyrites,  iron  pyrites,  molybdenite,  graphite, 
calcite.  and  native  gold.  The  vein  is  principally  in 
the  porphyry  and  syenite  that  lies  adjacent  to  a  band 
of  conglomerate,  greywacke,  and  quartzite,  in  which 
the  shaft  has  been  sunk  entirely  from  above  the  300  ft. 
level  to  the  700  ft.  level.  The  dip  of  the  contact  is 
approximately  the  same  as  that  of  the  vein,  or  about 
85"  S.  The  north  fault  plane  or  foot- wall  of  the  vein  is 
sometimes  in  the  sedimentary  formation.  High-grade 
ore  with  visible  gold  was  observed  on  the  400  ft  and 
500  ft.  levelstopes,  which,  together  with  a  lower  grade, 
is  expected  to  average  approximately  810  a  ton.  The 
ore  is  hoisted  in  the  main  shaft,  passed  through  a 
crusher,  and  carried  to  the  mill  bin  on  a  conveyor  belt. 
The  mill  treats  140  tons  per  day  and  the  recovery  is 
92  to  95  per  cent. 

Orr. — The  main  fracture  of  the  area  passes  from  the 
Kirkland  Lake  mine  across  the  north-west  corner  of  the 
Orr  claim,  otherwise  known  as  the  Orr  Wettlaufer,  and 
extends  to  the  Teck-Hughes  and  Lake  Shore  on  the 
north-east.  The  vein  on  the  Orr  property  was  dis- 
covered in  1913  and  some  work  done.  In  1917  the 
property  was  optioned  to  the  Kirkland  Porphyry,  and 
considerable  underground  work  was  done.  Ore  was 
developed  on  the  280  ft.  and  400  ft.  levels  during  1918. 
In  1919  a  long  cross-cut.  700  ft.  in  length,  was  driven 
on  the  400  ft.  level  to  the  south-east  to  reach  a  parallel 
vein  that  outcrops  575  ft.  to  the  south.     The  cross-cut 


was  thought  to  be  within  a  few  feet  of  the  objective  in 
June.  1919,  when  the  miners  went  on  strike  and  all  work 
was  suspended.  The  main  No.  1  vein,  on  which  some 
ore  has  been  developed,  is  approximately  300  ft.  in 
length  on  the  surface  and  400  ft,  on  the  fourth  level, 
the  gain  in  length  being  due  to  the  vein  dipping  ap- 
proximately S3  to  the  south.  .'\  vertical  shaft  has  been 
sunk  toadepthof  420  ft.  On  the  150  ft  .  240ft.,  280  ft.. 
and  400  ft.  levels  the  vein  has  been  cross-cut  ai  12  ft.. 
18  ft,,  23  ft.,  and  50  ft.  respectively,  to  the  south  of 
the  shaft.  The  vein  is  similar  in  character  and  struc- 
ture to  the  main  vein  on  the  adjoining  properties.  For 
a  depth  of  about  300  ft.  the  vein  is  on  or  near  the  con- 
tact between  the  sediments  and  a  red  hornblende  syen- 
ite. The  shaft  at  a  depth  of  310  ft.  passed  from  con- 
glomerate into  syenite  On  the  400  ft.  level  the  vein  in 
places  is  entirely  in  the  syenite,  while  in  the  west  work- 


^^       ~ TECK-HUGHES 

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o 

2 

Claim   N?  16626 

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Legend 

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1  ^J^'  1  -Oiz/f  p/ones 

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Scale   of    Feet. 
lOo     »      0             K»           an           xo 

•1: 

I'LAN  OF  Orr  Mine  at  400  i-t.  Le\-f.i,. 

ings  it  is  in  the  contact  between  quartzite  and  syenite. 
There  are  two  main  faults  from  12  ft.  to  25  ft.  apart, 
along  and  between  which  the  ore  occurs.  A  central 
fault  is  also  quite  pronounced,  and  there  are  numerous 
minor  slips.  A  narrow  drift  400  ft.  in  length  has  been 
driven  along  the  central  fault  in  ore.  Several  cross- 
cuts on  this  level  show  that  there  is  high-grade  across 
narrow  widths  on  both  the  hanging  wall  and  foot-wall. 
The  high  grade  is  comprised  of  silicified  porphyry  with 
numerous  molybdenite  streaks  and  much  iron  pyrites, 
chalcopyrite,  altaite,  and  gold. 

Teck-Hughes. — The  main  ore-bearing  zone  of  the 
Kirkland  Lake  area  passes  through  a  southern  portion 
of  the  Teck-Hughes  property,  where  it  is  known  as  vein 
No.  3.  The  bulk  of  the  gold  produced  at  the  mine, 
namely  S316.S82  up  to  the  end  of  1919.  has  come  from 
this  vein ,  It  occurs  largely  in  the  porphyry  and  syen- 
ite, but  passes  for  several  hundred  feet  along  the  con- 
tact between  the  intrusives  and  the  conglomerate. 
Practically  all  the  early  development  work  in  1913  was 
done  on  vein  No.  1,  which  lies  about  100  ft.  north  of 
the  main  zone.  The  main  vertical  No.  1  shaft  at  the 
east  side  of  the  property  was  commenced  on  vein  No. 
1.  which  dips  SO'  to  the  south.  The  vein  is  composed 
of  brecciated  porphyry  and  quartz  from  2  ft.  to  6  ft. 
wide  and  carries  low  contents  of  gold.  Shafts  Nos  2 
and  4  are  to  the  west  on  a  narrow  vein  in  the  con- 
glomerate which  may  be  a  continuation  of  the  No.  1 
vein.  This  vein  resembles  the  vein  in  the  conglomer- 
ate on  the  Ontario-Kirkland.  No.  3  shaft  near  the 
south  boundary  of  the  claim  has  been  sunk  200  ft.  on 
the  main  ore  deposit  with  winzes  down  on  ore  to  the 
fourth  level.  Cross-cuts  from  the  No.  1  shaft  have  cut 
the  main  No.  3  ore  zone  at  distances  ranging  from 


MARCH,    1921 


175 


100  ft.  to  170  ft.  to  the  south.  Drifts,  each  approxi- 
raatelj'  1,000  ft.  long,  e.xtend  along  the  main  zone  on 
the  second,  fourth,  and  fifth  levels.  A  cross  cut  to  the 
vein  has  been  made  on  the  sixth  level.  Over  10,000  ft. 
of  underground  work  has  been  accomplished  to  date 
above  the  600  ft  level.  The  section  shows  the  work- 
ings and  ore-shoots  on  the  main  vein,  as  recognized  up 
to  March,  1920.  Vein  No.  5  is  a  branch  from  the 
hanging- wall  side  of  the  main  vein  and  dips  about  60° 
to  the  south.  The  ore  in  the  main  No.  3  vein,  which 
is  typical  of  the  ore  described  on  other  properties, 
occurs  in  shoots  usually  between  two  prominent,  nearly 
parallel  mud  seams  or  faults,  from  6  to  40  ft.  apart, 
and  dips  85°  to  the  south.  The  faults  or  slips  are  often 
filled  with  gouge  from  an  inch  to  six  inches  in  thick- 
ness, narrowing  down  in  places  to  mere  cracks.  In 
many  places  secondary  minerals  such  as  quartz,  calcite. 
and  reddish  barite  fill  the  faults.  The  ore,  which  is 
similar  to  that  on  the  adjoining  properties,  is  comprised 
of  brecciated  syenite,  porphyry,  and  quartz  cut  by  vein- 
lets  of  quartz,  the  whole  containing  numerous  slip 
planes.  The  minerals  present  are  pyrite,  copper  py- 
rites, molybdenite,  altaite,  and  gold. 


a  consolidation  of  five  claims  along  the  main  frac- 
ture zone  that  passes  through  Kirkland  Lake.  It  in- 
cludes an  area  on  the  south  side  of  the  lake  and  also 
the  southerly  part  of  the  lake  bed  itself.  The  first 
work  was  done  on  No.  1  vein  on  the  south  shore  of  the 
lake,  where  a  vertical  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  400  ft.  and  drifts  run  on  the  100  ft.,  200  ft.,  300  ft., 
and  400  ft.  levels,  the  greatest  amount  of  work  having 
so  far  been  done  on  the  third  and  fourth  levels.  De- 
velopment has  shown  that  the  vein  dips  slightly  to  the 
north  above  the  200  ft.  level.  A  strong  fault  was  en- 
countered just  above  the  200  ft.  level,  dipping  25°  to 
the  south.  The  fault  displaced  the  vein  a  distance  of 
28  ft.  From  the  200  ft.  level  to  the  400  ft.  level  the 
vein  is  nearly  vertical.  The  400  ft.  level  is  also  con- 
nected with  the  surface  by  rises.  With  the  exception 
of  a  small  amount  of  ore  from  back-stoping  and  rises, 
all  the  ore  obtained  from  No.  1  vein  has  so  far  been 
taken  from  the  drifts.  The  ore  occurs  chiefly  in  the 
reddish  porphyry,  but  parts  of  the  vein  have  con- 
glomerate and  lamprophyre  as  wall-rocks.  Owing  to 
the  small  amount  of  cross-cutting  the  distribution  of 
these  bands  of  other  rocks  has  not  been  worked  out. 


p._^ 

N°5  Ve(n>.   ^ 

Main  Ore  Zone 

Oalum 

900  ft 

«'Teck-Hu5hes  Shaft 

'.'''  '  ' 

r 

Lmc  300  rr.jbov.  Sea  Lc> 

600  fr- 
el. 

Cross  Section  of  Teck-Hughes. 

The  ore-shoots  are  irregularly  distributed  throughout 
the  faulted  zone.     Usually  the  shoots  lie  on  the  inside 
and  adjacent  to  one  of  the  main  fault  walls.     In  places, 
however,  the  ore  is  continuous  between  the  two  fault 
walls,  while  in  other  places  the  ore  extends  out  beyond 
a  fault  wall.     Two  or  three  main  faults  are  apparently 
subsequent  to  the  ore  deposition,  but  act  as  guides  in 
following  the  ore.     The  shoots  range  in  size  from  a  few 
feet  to  over  several  hundred  feet  in  length,  being  at 
times  over  40  ft.  in  width.     It  has  been  found  that  the 
best  ore  usually  occurs  where  the  faults  are  a  consider- 
able distance  apart,  or  where  there  is  a  sharp  roll  in 
the  dip  along  the  main  faults.     The  south  or  hanging 
wall  has  produced  more  ore  than  the  foot-wall.     The 
values  are  so  erratic  that  the  careful  sampling  of  every 
face  or  round    is    required    to  locate  the  ore-shoots. 
Stoping,  however,  has  shown  that  the  values  are  not 
so  uneven  as  lateral  work  would  indicate.      In  1917-18 
the  ore  averaged  |7  87  per  ton,   which  was  a  lower 
value  than  was  indicated  by  the  underground  sampling. 
This  was  due  to  a  dilution  with  waste  rock  caused  by 
the  easy  breaking  qualities  along  numerous  slips  in 
stoping.     Ore,  however,  occasionally  extends  behind 
one  of  the  fault  planes  or  the  supposed  ore  wall,  hence 
horizontal  drill  holes  are  put  in  at  regular  intervals  be- 
yond the  supposed  ore  wall  for  testing  purposes.    The 
west  shoot  was  found  to  extend  from  the  surface  to  the 
fifth  level  and  to  be  still  continuing  as  shown  on  the 
section.     The  values  in  the  large  slope  above  the  400  ft 
level  near  the  eastern  boundary  of  the  property  were 
more  even  than  in  the  other  ore-shoots.     The  frac- 
tured zone  between  the  ore-shoots  assays  from  40  cents 
to  $4  00  in  gold,  per  ton  ;   hence  the  grade  of  ore  varies 
according  to  the  amount  of  lower-grade  material  that 
is  mined  with  the  higher-grade. 

Lake  Shore.  —  The  Lake  Shore  Mines  property  is 


Pi..»N  OF  Workings,  etc..  Lake  Shoke  Mint. 


Thaw  house.  10 

Carpenter  shop.  11 

Boiler  house.  12 
Compressor  and  hoist  house.     13 

Transformer  house.  H 

Water  tank.  15 

Shaft  house.  16 

Dry.  17 
Crusher  house. 


Blacksmith  shop. 
Lime  house. 
.\ssay  office. 
Relinery. 

Manager's  residence. 
Office  and  store  room. 
Meter  house. 
Bungalow. 


On  the  200  ft  level,  100  ft.  west  of  the  shaft,  lampro- 
phyre has  been  faulted  over  porphyry.  A  strong  cross 
fault,  310  ft  west  of  the  shaft,  on  the400  ft.  level,  strik- 
ing nearly  north  and  south  and  dipping  nearly  verti- 
cally, has  displaced  the  part  of  the  vein  lying  to  the 
west  of  the  fault  20  ft.  to  the  south.  This  fault  is  also 
indicated  in  the  workings  in  the  west  drifts  on  No.  2 
vein.  The  work  on  the  vein  in  the  vicinity  of  this  fault 
was  rendered  difficult  by  the  occurrence  of  several  sub- 
sidiary faults. 

Cross-cuts  have  been  run  from  the  shaft  north- 
westerly on  the  200  ft.  and  400  ft.  levels  to  intersect 
No.  2  vein  under  the  bed  of  Kirkland  Lake.  This  vein 
is  on  the  main  fracture  that  is  being  developed  at  a 
number  of  mines  over  a  distance  of  2J  miles.     It  has 


176 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


been  driven  on  north-easterly  and  south-westerly  from 
the  cross-cut  on  each  level,  the  greatest  amount  of 
driving  having  been  done  on  the  200  ft  level.  Here 
the  vein  is  opened  up  for  a  distance  of  1.500  ft.,  for  the 
greater  part  in  ore.  With  the  exception  of  some  back- 
stoping,  preparatory  to  timbering  for  mining,  the  ore 
extracted  h.is  come  from  development.  Red  felspar- 
porphyry  and  syenite  occur  with  the  vein  over  most  of 
the  distance  so  far  developed,  but  in  the  west  drifi. 
J30ft.  from  the  crosscut,  this  rock  is  associated  with 
bands  of  conglomerate  and  lamprophyre  to  the  face  of 
the  west  drift  (April  15,  1920),  about  800  ft.  from  the 
cross-cut.  The  west  face  isentirelyconglomer.-ite,  and 
for  a  distance  of  about  150  ft.  the  vein  is  in  this  rock 
and  is  of  commercial  grade.  Ore  also  occurs  where 
lamprophyre  is  the  wall-rock.  Development  on  the 
400  ft.  level  is  similar  to  that  on  the  200  ft  level,  the 
vein  where  opened  being  principally  in  the  red  por- 
phyry and  syenite  with  conglomerate  showing  in  the 
west  drift.  A  long  slope  has  been  opened  on  tliis  level 
and  at  the  time  of  visit  was  almost  through  to  the 
200  ft.  level.  Fracture  planes  occur  along  the  vein. 
the  ore-body  showing  slickensided,  nearly  vertical 
walls  with  a  slight  dip  to  the  south.  The  ore  is  largely 
of  the  red  porphyry  type,  associated  with  which  is 
quartz  in  lenticular  masses  and  ribbon-like  structures. 
Brecciation  of  the  ore  is  evident  in  the  fractured  charac 
ter  of  the  porphyry  and  the  vein  quartz.  Minor  slip 
planes  occur  along  the  ore-body,  and  commercial  values 
sometimes  cease  at  one  of  these  slips  and  come  in  agam 
on  other  slips  in  driving  along  the  vein.  Constant 
assaying  of  faces  is  necessary,  since  the  ore  sometimes 
turns  off,  from  where  it  has  been  following  a  well  de 
fined  wall,  diagonally  along  another  wall.  In  addition 
to  the  fracture  planes  with  which  the  ore  is  associated 
there  are  heavy  faults  showing  much  clay  gouge  in 
places  that  in  part  have  followed  the  ore-bodies,  and 
again  are  not  near  the  ore-body.  One  of  these  faults 
was  driven  on  for  210  ft.  easterly  from  the  cross  cut  on 
the  200  ft.  level,  being  mistaken  for  the  vein.  Later 
it  was  discovered  that  the  ore-body  had  turned  off  from 
this  heavy  fault  40  ft.  from  the  cross-cut  on  the  north 
side.  Beyond  this  it  was  followed  north-easterly  for 
several  hundred  feet  nearly  to  the  Wright- Hargreaves 
boundary.  The  ore-bodies  vary  in  width,  and  it  is 
difficult  to  determine  the  widths  along  the  drifts,  which 
are  usually  about  5  ft.  wide,  and  frequently  all  in  ore. 
Much  of  the  ore  in  the  400  ft.  slope  on  No.  2  vein  will 
average  11  ft.  in  width.  In  mining  in  the  slopes  the 
walls  are  tested  by  horizontal  drill-holes  at  regular  in- 
tervals and  the  sloping  continued  to  the  boundary  of 
the  ore. 

Wright  -  Hargreaves. — The  Wright  -  Hargreaves 
mine  is  situated  on  the  main  ore-bearing  fracture  near 
the  centre  of  the  productive  area,  where  the  porphyry 
rocks  have  the  greatest  exposed  width  in  the  area.  The 
mineralized  zone  has  been  traced  intermittently  for 
2,400  ft.  on  the  surface,  and  it  undoubtedly  extends  for 
1,500  ft.  across  ihe  western  part  of  the  property,  which 
is  covered  by  a  portion  of  Kirkland  Lake  and  passes  to 
the  Lake  Shore  mine  on  the  west.  The  zone  is  roughly 
parallel  to  the  longer  boundaries  of  the  properly.  It 
was  in  veinlets  in  this  fracture  that  gold  was  first  found 
in  the  area  m  1911  by  W.  H.  Wright,  During  that 
autumn  two  core  drill  holes  were  put  down  on  the  vein 
with  a  shot-drill.  The  holes  were  driven  only  to  shal- 
low depths,  partly  on  account  of  the  hardness  of  the 
porphyry.  Cartwright  look  an  option  on  the  property, 
and  in  1913  discovered  a  small  rich  vein  about  550  ft. 
north  of  and  parallel  to  the  main  vein  A  60  ft.  shaft 
was  sunk  on  this  vein,  which  is  5  ft,  or  6  ft.  wide,  and 
also  in  the  porphyry,  from  which  i'4  tons  of  ore  was 


shipped  giving  returns  of  #331  to  the  Ion.  The  option 
was  allowed  to  lapse,  and  the  property  lay  idle  for  a 
long  time  before  the  present  Wright- Hargreaves  com- 
pany commenced  operating.  Two  shafts  about  950  ft. 
apart  have  been  sunk  on  the  main  fracture  to  Ihe  JOO  ft. 
and  400  ft.  levels  respectively,  and  a  drift  on  the  300  ft. 
level  to  connect  these  shafts  is  about  half  completed. 
The  vein  and  ore  are  very  similar  to  those  ol  the  Lake 
Shore  The  vein  varies  in  width  from  a  few  feet  to 
over  twenty  feet.  The  north,  or  No.  2  vein,  is  similar 
in  appearance  to  the  main  vein.  The  strike  of  the 
western  portion  of  the  vein  suggests  thai  it  may  be  a 
branch  from  the  main  vein.  This  No  2  vein  where 
located  at  the  300  ft  level  by  a  long  cross-cut  from  the 
main  shaft  was  reported  to  contain  high  grade  ore  over 
a  sloping  width.  The  vein  at  this  point  occurs  slightly 
to  the  north  of  the  vertical  projection  of  the  60  ft.  shaft, 
which  would  indicate  that  the  vein  either  dips  to  the 
north  or  has  been  faulted  in  that  direction.  The  un- 
derground workings  of  this  mine  were  filled  with  water 
at  the  time  of  inspection,  but  the  owners  state  that  ore 
of  good  grade  occurs  in  a  number  of  faces.  Sulficient 
work  has  not  been  done  to  show  the  sizes  and  number 
of  oreshoots.  However,  the  property  gives  promise 
of  becoming  a  substantial  producer.  A  175  ton  mill 
was  commenced  in  the  spring  of  1919,  but  owing  to  the 
miners'  strike  during  that  sum.mer  all  work  was  sus- 
pended until  May,  1920. 

TougliOakes. — The  property  was  the  first  to  be 
operated  in  the  area  following  the  discovery,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1912,  of  gold-bearing  veins  in  the  porphyry  and 
conglomerate.  It  consists  of  five  claims  situated  along 
the  boundary  lines  between  Teck  and  Lebel  townships. 
Surface  prospecting  in  the  early  years  of  the  mine  re- 
sulted in  the  finding  of  1 1  veins  in  the  porphyry,  grey- 
wacke,  and  conglomerate,  some  of  the  veins  passing 
from  one  to  the  other  formation.  The  veins  are 
roughly  parallel  with  the  average  strike,  somewhat 
south  of  west.  The  principal  development  has  been 
on  veins  Nos.  2,  3,  and  6,  the  first  two  producing  most 
of  the  ore  already  taken  from  the  mine.  The  veins 
were  traced  on  the  surface  by  trenching.  No.  2  vein 
was  traced  for  370  ft.  ;  No.  3  for  830  ft.  ;  No.  6  for 
1,460  ft  .  entirely  in  porphyry,  with  740  ft.  of  it  show- 
ing an  assay-value  of  about  f  12  per  ton  for  a  width  of 
60  in.  ;  No.  7  was  trenched  for  245  ft.  in  the  greywacke, 
the  quartz  rib  of  which  averaged  18  in.  with  stringers 
in  both  walls.  In  the  first  three  years  of  operations 
high-grade  ore  was  hand-sorted  and  shipped  to  smel- 
ters. The  richness  of  the  ore  can  be  judged  from  ship- 
ments. In  1912  and  1913,  101  tons  with  a  value  of 
$46,221,  or  $457  per  ton.  were  shipped  to  smellers.  In 
1914.  212  tons,  with  a  value  of  9781,590  38.  or  $350 
per  ton.  were  shipped.  After  being  hand  sorted  the 
remaining  ore  was  treated  in  a  5-slamp  mill  by  amal- 
gamation, with  a  recovery  of  55%.  The  tailings  from 
this  treatment  were  impounded,  and  later  treated  in  the 
new  100  ton  cyanide  plant  in  operation  in  March,  1915. 
The  operations  of  the  small  stamp  mill  may  be  judged 
from  the  statement  that  during  1914  there  were  treated 
3,493  tons  of  ore  with  a  head  value  of  $22  35  per  ton 
for  a  recovery  of  $43,353.  The  ore  raised  from  the 
mine  in  1914  had  an  average  value  of  $4118  per  ton. 

The  veins  that  were  developed  were  comparatively 
narrow,  and  the  average  sloping  width  was  about  5  ft. 
.An  idea  of  the  value  of  the  ore  along  drifts  is  obtained 
from  statements  in  annual  reports  of  the  company. 
For  instance,  in  No.  2  vein  one  section  of  ore  on  the 
200  ft.  level  had  an  assay-value  of  $78  for  a  length  of 
218  ft,  and  width  of  65  in,  .A  section  on  the  same  vein 
on  the  300  ft.  level  showed  an  assay-value  of  $32  over 
65  in.  ;   180  ft.  of  driving  on  vein  No.  3  on  the  200  ft. 


MARCH,    1921 


177 


The  Lakk  Short  Mill. 


level  had  an  assay-value  of  ?32  over  a  sloping  width  of 
63  in.  The  early  development  was  on  No.  2  vein,  the 
first  work  being  an  open-cut,  from  which  the  first  ship- 
ments of  high-grade  ore  to  smelters  were  made.  An 
incline  shaft  (A)  was  then  sunk  on  the  vein,  which  has 
a  dip  of  55  '  south,  and  the  main  ore  shoot  developed 
on  four  levels.  The  workings  that  started  in  con- 
glomerate passed  into  porphyry  and  the  high-grade 
character  of  the  ore  was  maintained.  In  driving  west- 
ward on  different  levels  the  vein  was  found  to  be  faulted 
by  a  basic  dyke  a  few  feet  in  width  that  strikes  N.  20" 
W.,  and  dips  nearly  vertically.  Within  the  dyke  there 
are  heavy  fault  planes.  The  dyke  was  encountered 
295  ft.  west  of  the  shaft  on  the  200  ft  level.  The  e.\- 
tension  of  the  vein  on  the  west  side  of  the  fault  has  not 
been  determined  definitely  ;  one  theory  is  that  No.  1 
vein,  exposed  on  the  surface  340  ft.  south  of  No.  2  vein, 
is  the  faulted  portion  of  No  2  vein.  High-grade  ore 
in  No.  2  vein  was  cut  off  abruptly  against  the  dyke, 
and  consequently  the  solving  of  the  fault  problem  is  of 
great  importance  to  the  mine.  The  dyke  is  known  to 
have  displayed  a  strong  east  and  west  fault,  dipping 
87"  S.  on  the  Burnside  to  the  south,  a  distance  of  only 
about  8  ft.  horizontally;  while  No.  11  vein,  with  a  dip 
of  80'  S.  on  the  Tough  Oakes  180  ft.  north  of  No.  2, 


has  been  apparently  faulted  only  very  slightly.  In 
view  of  these  facts  it  is  probable  that  the  displacement 
has  been  largely  in  a  vertical  direction.  The  main 
ore-shoot  on  No.  2  vein  has  a  stope  length  of  about 
250  ft.  on  the  300  ft.  level.  The  easterly  margin  of 
the  ore-shoots  indicates  a  pitch  to  the  west.  Ore- 
shoots  were  also  developed  on  subsidiary  veins  to  No. 
2.  Shaft  B  was  sunk  on  No.  3  vein,  which  also  dips 
to  the  south,  and  development  continued  below  the 
100  ft.  level  by  means  of  a  number  of  winzes  to  the 
400  ft.  level.  The  main  ore-shoot  on  No.  3  vein  also 
pitches  to  the  west.  No.  6  vein  and  other  parallel 
veins  near  No.  3  vein  were  also  opened  from  the  work- 
ings at  B  shaft.  The  workings  on  No,  3  and  parallel 
veins  are  connected  with  A  shaft  on  No.  2  vein  by  a 
long  cross-cut  on  the  200  ft.  level.  The  ore  from  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  mine  is  hoisted  through  the  A  shaft. 
Since  the  amalgamation  of  the  Burnside  with  the 
Tough-Oakes,  No.  2  shaft  (vertical)  on  the  Burnside 
has  been  deepened  and  connected  with  A  shaft  on  the 
400  ft.  level  by  a  long  cross-cut.  This  shaft  will  be 
used  for  handling  men  and  supplies.  C  shaft,  sunk  to 
the  100  ft.  level  on  vein  No.  1,  and  shaft  No.  3  on  the 
Burnside  are  not  as  yet  connected  with  the  main  work- 
ings of  the  Tough-Oakes. 


Part  of  the  Tolgh-Oakes  Property. 


178 


THli     MINING     MAGAZINK 


Sylviinite — This  properly  lies  belween  the  Wrijjlii 
llarKreaves  and  ToiinhOakes  mines  with  workings  in 
llie  felspar  porphyry  along  fracture  zones  The  pro 
perty  was  not  in  operation  in  1919.  but  during  1917  a 
shaft  was  sunk  to  a  depth  of  IJO  ft  and  169  ft.  of  cross 
cutting  and  driving  was  done  on  the  100  It.  level.  The 
mineralization  as  exposed  where  the  vein  is  stripped 
on  the  surface  is  similar  to  otlier  occurrences,  where 
altered  porphyry  with  quartz  veinlets  form  the  ore. 

Kirklatui  Combined.  —  The  Kirkland  Combined 
Mines  is  operating  the  Pay  Claims  wliich  adjoin  the 
Sylvanite  on  the  north,  and  corner  the  Tough  Oakes 
on  the  nortli-west.  These  two  claims  were  formerly 
known  as  the  Wishman  claims,  and  considerable 
trenching  and  surface  sampling  were  done  in  1913. 
Theclaims,  which  were  allowed  to  revert  to  the  Crown, 
were  restaked  and  operated  in  the  autumn  of  1919  by 
the  Kirkland  Combined  Mines.  .Air  was  delivered 
from  the  electrically  driven  compressor  on  the  Sylvan- 
ite. The  west  claim  is  practically  all  laniprophyre, 
while  the  east  claim,  on  which  most  of  the  work  has 
been  done,  has  about  eijual  proportions  of  conglomer- 
ate, lamprophyre.  and  porphyry  Extending  along 
the  porphyry-lamprophyre  contact  and  passing  into  the 
lamprophyre  to  the  west  is  a  pronounced  fracture  zone, 
which  is  5  ft.  wide  and  traceable  on  the  surface  for  over 
500ft.  in  an  east-west  direction.  Veinlets  of  quartz 
and  considerable  iron  pyrites  and  some  molybdenite 
occur  in  the  fault  zone.  Samples  yielding  low  gold 
contents  on  assay  have  been  obtained  from  a  few  places 
in  the  vein.  By  diamond-drilling  it  was  found  that 
the  fracture  zone  was  mineralized  with  pynte  to  a 
depth  of  about  200  ft.  At  a  point  on  the  surface  where 
the  vein  passes  from  the  lamprophyre  into  the  por- 
phyry-lamprophyre contact  a  vertical  shaft  was  sunk 
to  a  depth  of  200  ft.  and  a  106  ft.  cross-cut  driven  to  the 
south.  The  vem  passes  out  of  the  shaft  on  the  south 
wall  at  a  depth  of  85  ft.  In  the  cross  cut  on  the  200  ft. 
level  two  nearly  parallel  mineralized  fractures  were 
encountered.  20  ft  and  tOft.  respectively  south  of  the 
shaft  upon  which  dri\ing  is  being  done,  the  south  frac- 
ture being  on  the  porphyry-lamprophyre  contact. 

Black — The  Black  claim  lies  immediately  south  of 
the  Wright-Hargreaves  east  claim  Near  the  north 
boundary  is  a  vein  striking  north-east  in  the  conglomer- 
ate, on  which  a  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  155  ft. 
No  mining  was  being  done  in  the  summer  of  1919,  but 
tbevein,  which  is  mineralized  conglomerate  withquartz 
stringers,  is  lenticular  and  narrow.  It  is  said  to  con- 
tain in  places  high-grade  ore  o%'er  a  width  of  4  or  5 
inches. 

Ontario-Kirkland.  —  The  Ontario-Kirkland  Gold 
Mines  owns  two  claims,  formerly  known  as  the  Hurd, 
which  are  situated  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  south 
of  the  central  ore  zone  of  the  Wright-Hargreaves. 
These  claims  were  optioned  during  the  early  part  of 
1917  to  the  La  Rose  Mines,  who  stripped  and  sampled 
a  part  of  the  surface  and  sank  a  100  ft.  shaft  on  the 
main  vein,  after  which  the  option  was  dropped.  The 
present  company  continued  the  shaft  to  a  depth  of 
300  ft.,  where  1.000  ft.  of  driving  and  cross-cutting  and 
930  ft.  of  horizontal  diamond  drilling  have  been  done, 
resulting  in  the  finding  of  som.e  ore.  Recently  (May 
23,  1920)  the  shaft  reached  the  450  ft.  level,  where  two 
gold  bearing  veins  were  encountered  at  points  25  ft 
and  37  ft.  respectively  south  of  the  shaft,  and  upon 
which  additional  lateral  work  is  being  done.  The 
rocks  consist  of  schistose  conglomerate  and  greywacke, 
which  have  been  intruded  by  typical  reddish  felspar- 
porphyry  The  largest  porphyry  mass  in  the  area  ex- 
tends across  the  northern  part  of  the  property.  It  is 
250  ft.   wide  on  the  surface  and  one-half  that  width 


where  it  has  been  pierced  by  a  diamond  drill  hole  on 
the  300  ft.  level.  The  porphyry  in  the  south  west  part 
is  unusually  schistose.  Six  veins  have  been  found  on 
the  surface,  all  of  which  are  practically  vertical,  with 
a  nearly  east-west  strike.  They  occur  largely  in  the 
sediments.  Two  extend  from  the  conglomerate  into 
the  porphyry,  while  another  is  entirely  in  the  porphyry. 
The  main  No  1  vein,  on  which  most  work  has  been 
done,  has  been  traced  for  400  ft  ,  the  western  part  in 
a  yellowish  sediment  resembling  altered  porphyry 
schist.  At  the  shaft  the  vein  passes  into  conglomerate, 
and  farther  east  it  has  been  faulted  and  probably  ex 
tends  into  the  porphyry.  Two  narrow  short  veins 
occur  about  60  ft    and  80  ft.  respectively  to  the  south 


Plan  of  Ontario-Kirklanu.  300  ft.  Level. 

of  the  main  vein.  A  fourth  vein  carrying  high  values 
in  gold  has  been  exposed  by  trenching  in  the  south 
central  part.  It  is  a  narrow,  rusty  band  containing 
disseminated  pyrite,  chalcopyrite.  and  a  little  quartz. 
Pits  have  also  been  sunk  on  two  rusty  pyritous  por- 
phyry bands  in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  property 
The  main  No.  1  vein  passed  out  of  the  shaft  on  a  fault 
on  the  south  side.  On  the  300  ft  level  the  vein  was 
located  at  a  point  25  ft  to  the  south  of  the  shaft,  and 
driven  on  for  180  ft  .  over  which  length  the  values 
were  reported  by  the  manager  to  average  912  in  gold 
per  ton  across  5  ft.  The  deposit  consists  of  altered 
conglomerate  and  greywacke,  quartz  veinlets,  iron  py- 
rites, copper  pyrites,  and  some  molybdenite.  Little 
gold  is  visible.  The  ore  has  been  cut  off  at  both  ends 
by  faults.  The  portion  of  the  vein  to  the  »^ast  of  the 
fault  has  not  been  definitely  located,  but  a  mineralized 
porphyry  fault  zone  in  the  north  east  cross-cut  may  be 
this  extension.     To  the  west  of  the  west  fault  a  some- 


MARCH,    1921 


179 


what  similar  ore  deposit,  but  not  necessarily  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  No.  1  shoot,  has  been  located  35  ft.  to 
the  north.  A  drift  on  this  deposit  for  a  length  of  150  ft. 
was  reported  to  average  $17  per  ton  across  6  ft. 

Montreal  Kirkland.  —  These  claims  are  situated 
^;outh  of  the  Ontario- Kirkland,  A  shaft  has  been  sunk 
on  claim  number  L.  66S1,  but  was  full  of  water  at  the 
time  of  mspection. 

Hunton. — The  Hunton  property  is  situated  nearly 
a  mile  south  of  the  south-west  end  of  Kirkland  Lake 
and  consists  of  two  claims.  A  porphyry  dyke  with 
strike  N.  66°  E.  intrudes  the  schistose  sedimentary 
rock  near  the  line  between  the  claims  ;  most  work  has 
been  done  so  far  on  the  northerly  claim.  A  mineraliza- 
tion occurs  along  the  south  contact,  extending  into 
both  formations.  An  open-cut  was  made  along  a  series 
of  narrow  quartz  veinlets  1  in.  to  3  in.  wide,  which  in- 
tersect the  sediments  and  porphyry,  the  cut  passing 
from  the  sediments  to  the  porphyry  to  the  north-east. 
A  shaft  was  sunk  to  a  depth  of  40  ft.  in  the  sediment 
with  the  porphyry  on  the  north  wall.  The  mineraliza- 
tion is  reported  to  extend  to  the  bottom  of  the  shaft, 
while  visiblegold  was  encountered  down  to  about  30  ft. 
Diamond  drilling  indicated  gold  in  the  core  from  a 
depth  of  254  ft.  from  the  surface,  vertically.  By  open- 
cuts  and  pits  the  mineralization  has  been  traced  for 
300  ft.  along  the  surface.  Just  north-east  of  the  shaft 
three  quartz  stringers  dipping  south  are  exposed  in  the 
open-cut ;  while  25  ft.  from  the  shaft  there  is  a  quartz 
vein  2  in.  wide  running  diagonally  across  the  trench, 
N.  30°  E.  in  the  porphyry,  carrying  extremely  rich 
showings  of  gold  with  pyrite.  The  gold  is  very  fine, 
almost  like  mustard  gold,  and  shows  as  a  yellow  stain 
throughout  the  quartz.  The  porphyry  and  quartz 
along  the  rich  streak  carry  abundant  iron  pvrites.  This 
mineralization  is  adjacent  to  a  fault  plane  that  strikes 
in  the  same  direction  as  the  vein. 

Chaput'Hughes. — A  power  plant  has  been  installed 
on  this  property  and  a  shaft  has  been  commenced. 

Hotter. — This  property  is  just  west  of  the  Hunton. 
The  rocks  are  sediments  intruded    by  narrow  dykes 


of  red  porphyry  striking  north-east  and  south-west. 
Several  quartz  veins  have  been  found,  the  principal 
one  of  which  is  in  the  southwest  part  of  the  claim.  It 
has  been  traced  about  300  ft.  and  prospected  by  means 
of  several  pits  and  a  shallow  prospect  shaft.  It  occurs 
in  schistose  sediment  on  the  north-west  side  of  a  por- 
phyry dyke.  Where  seen  in  one  pit  the  structure 
shows  a  somewhat  banded  character  of  quartz  veinlets 
in  the  sediment  over  a  width  of  6  ft.,  with  the  wider 
quartz  bands  toward  the  centre  of  the  deposit.  The 
quartz  veins  dip  70°  to  80°  S.E.,  and  the  best  values 
are  reported  to  occur  in  the  foot-wall  side  in  the  nar- 
row seams  of  quartz.  The  principal  metallic  sulphide 
is  iron  pyrites.  A  working  shaft  was  being  sunk  near 
the  north-east  end  of  the  exposure  of  the  vein, 

Canadian  Kirkland. — The  property  is  situated  a 
few  hundred  feet  south  of  the  Swastika- Kirkland  Lake 
road,  Ij  mile  south-west  of  Kirkland  Lake.  The  sur- 
face exposures  are  schistose  sediments,  conglomerate, 
greywacke,  and  slate,  intruded  by  narrow  dykes  of  red 
felspar-porphyry  and  a  younger  diabase  dyke  that  runs 
south-west  through  the  property.  There  is  a  thin 
mantle  of  drift  on  much  of  the  surface,  requiring 
trenching  to  expose  the  rocks.  Two  vertical  shafts 
and  several  pits  have  been  sunk  on  mineralized  zones. 
The  main  shaft  was  sunk  on  a  mineralized  zone  in  the 
greywacke,  consisting  of  quartz  veinlets  and  greywacke 
impregnated  with  iron  pyrites,  copper  pyrites,  galena, 
and  calcite.  The  strike  of  the  mineralized  zone  is 
E.N.E.  and  W.S.W.  A  section  exposed  in  the  shaft 
shows  a  series  of  quartz  veinlets  about  one  inch  wide, 
dipping  steeply  to  the  south  across  the  shaft  to  the 
150  ft.  level.  A  short  cross-cut  was  made  southward 
at  the  100  ft.  level,  and  on  the  150  ft.  level  a  cross-cut 
was  made  to  the  north  and  south  of  the  shaft. 
Promising  assays  were  obtained  for  about  85  ft.  in  the 
shaft,  but  no  driving  was  done  to  determine  whether 
the  mineralized  zone  pitched  eastward  or  westward. 
The  cross-cut  at  the  150  ft.  level  is  in  greywacke 
with  fine-grained  slate-like  rocks  85  ft.  south  of  the 
shaft. 


THE   NEW   CITY   DEEP  SHAFT. 


At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy held  on  February  17,  a  paper  by  E.  H.  Clifford 
was  presented  describmg  the  City  Deep  South  Shaft 
which  is  being  sunk  to  a  depth  of  7,000  ft.  in  order  to 
work  the  deepest  parts  of  the  gold  bearing  reef  on  this 
property. 

The  claims  of  the  City  Deep  cover  an  approximately 
rectangular  area  2  3  miles  along  the  strike  by  r2  on  the 
dip.  The  Main  Reef  Leader,  which  is  virtually  the  only 
reef  worked,  lies  at  a  depth  of  about  2,000  ft.  at  the  top 
or  northern  boundary,  and  at  the  southern  boundary 
its  depth  probably  ranges  between  6,600  ft.  and  7,300 
ft.  The  mean  dip  is  rather  less  than  40°.  The  mine  is 
now  being  operated  from  two  vertical  rectangularseven- 
compartment  shafts,  4.000  ft.  apart,  having  depths  of 
3,300  ft.  and  4,000  ft.  respectively.  From  the  bottom 
of  these  shafts  there  extend  two  five-compartment  in- 
clines which  underlie  the  reef  and  are  connected  with 
it  by  cross-cuts  at  each  level.  The  inclines  have  two 
double  hoisting  ways  and  a  ladder  and  pipe  compart- 
ment. The  West  Shaft  has  reached  the  20th  level  and 
the  East  the  18th  level  ;  the  vertical  depth  of  the  20th 
level  being  4,950  ft.  In  addition,  there  is  a  ventilating 
shaft  2,200  ft.  deep  near  the  northern  boundary.  The 
monthly  output  is  about  80,000  tons.  While  incline 
shafts  of  short  length  and  in  firm  ground  are  an  excel- 
lent means  of  opening  a  mineral  deposit  inclined  at  a 
dip  less  than  45°,  it  is  found  in  practice  that  they  become 

3—6 


unsatisfactory  under  opposite  conditions.  On  account 
of  the  difficulty  of  filling  very  large  skips,  it  is  not  pos- 
sible to  increase  loads  indefinitely,  nor  is  it  possible  to 
reach  the  winding  speeds  that  are  common  in  vertical 
shafts,  consequently  the  shaft  capacity  falls  away  very 
rapidly  when  a  certain  length  is  reached,  usually  about 
3,500  ft.  Furthermore,  inclines  are  difficult  to  manage, 
and  expensive  to  sink  and  maintain,  in  bad  ground  or 
where  the  pressure  becomes  heavy,  and  obviously  this 
difficulty  is  most  serious  where  the  span  is  large.  The 
City  Deep  inclines  will  before  long  not  only  have  reach- 
ed the  vertical  depths  at  which  troubles  with  rock  pres- 
sure are  likely  to  become  serious,  but  at  the  same  time 
their  length  will  also  have  reached  the  economic  limit. 
In  this  instance,  the  latter  will  be  about  the  22nd  level, 
at  a  vertical  depth  approximately  5,300  ft.  below  the 
surface.  There  will  remain,  therefore,  an  area  equal  to 
about  one-third  of  the  property  which  is  not  provided 
for  by  present  appliances,  and  the  problem  was  how  to 
exploit  it.  Briefly,  the  scheme  adopted  consists  in  sink- 
ing a  vertical  shaft  of  circular  section  7,000  ft.  in  depth, 
in  two  stages  of  4,500  ft.  and  2.500  ft.  respectively. 
The  upper  section  will  stop  at  the  17th  level,  where  it 
will  make  connection  with  the  two  incline  shafts,  and 
the  reef  will  be  attacked  from  the  lower  section  of  the 
shaft  by  cross-cuts  at  each  level. 

The  capacity  required  of  the  shaft  is  2,000  tons  of 
oreper24  hours  plus  all  the  men,  natives,  and  materials 


180 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


V«nl)litionSnaa(Pny«tet)>      No  2  SHAFT 
HriormiMvr&taUvrl    H<iqhtdtwvtSt«l(vfl 

4  n«ft  'Wi  (."t^ 


Oeoih  22 
below  Sue 


§ 


SOUTH  SHAFT 

Height  above  6ealfvel 

SiiBOOft. 


i;;^ 


^'sth 


Engine  Chamber^ 

Mam  Loading  Station 


SCALE    IN  FEET 


V>H 


2nd  Level 
0th  Level 


DepthatSI  1220 
2950  ft. below  Surface-^; 


Transfer  ::Station 
■s^l7th  Level  Main  Cross  Cut       45_OOft.r^»tflbeiowSLtrface 


N-^XiBih  Level 
%^?^  19  th  Level 

Depth  «il:l!^H°'"-"" 
5000 ft. Oelow Surface  ^■.'■*.?'*^»\^' 


..N»* 


,^»" 


^;.5000ft. 
'IbelowSurface 


Limit  of  Incline  Shaft 


22n(J  Main  Crou  Cut  fti  Haulage 


X. 


■-■i;25fd  Level 

-^JEathLevel 

■  ilZSthLevel 

26ihX:---ji*6OO0ft. 


Projectea  work  shotun  dottea 


>».27lh 

l?r--.---.-.;-.:i'|ix30th 


J  ^7PP.Q  ft-.*>''?«Surf«? 


Fig.  1. 


Main  Loading  5tation:32ti*. *-:-." :--.-: •---i=-: 

Vertical  Section  of  City  Deep  showing  position  of  New  Shaft. 


necessary  for  this  output,  together  with  a  liberal  allow- 
ance for  contingencies.  In  addition  to  this  the  shaft 
must  be  capable  of  carrying  300.000  cu.  ft.  of  air  per 
minute,  without  undue  consumption  of  power.  It  may 
be  questioned  whether  it  would  not  have  been  prefer- 
able to  divide  the  distance  into  two  equal  portions  of 
3,500  ft.  each ,  thus  requiring  a  moderately  large  winder 
on  the  surface  instead  of  a  very  large  one.  The  reply 
is,  that  the  heat  released  by  an  electric  winder  located 
underground  is  a  serious  matter,  therefore  the  smaller 
it  can  be  made  the  better.  The  total  heat  produced  is 
equivalent  to  the  difference  between  the  total  electrical 
input  less  the  net  work  of  raising  the  rock,  and  with  the 
size  of  winder  required  for  a  depth  of  2.500  ft.  the  loss 
would  be  about  18,000  B.T.U.  per  minute  while  the 
winder  is  at  work.  This  considerable  quantity  of  heat 
can  only  be  got  rid  of  by  conveying  it  to  the  air,  and  as 
it  is  most  desirable  that  it  should  be  kept  away  from 
the  lo%vest  workings  of  the  mine,  some  75,000  cu  ft.  of 
air  per  minute  must  pass  through  the  engine  and  con- 
verter set  chamber  and  along  the  17th  level  cross-cut. 
In  regard  to  the  hoisting  of  the  ore,  the  work  is  well 
within  the  capacity  of  one  engine,  and  in  view  of  the 
enormous  cost  of  large  electric  winders  at  the  present 
time,  to  say  nothing  of  operating  costs  and  duplication 
of  shaft  equipment,  it  is  obvious  that  this  is  an  impor- 
tant consideration.    Using  a  single  engine,  however, 


necessitates  an  alternative  route  both  for  men  and  ma- 
terials, and  this  is  provided  for  by  means  of  the  17th 
level  cross-cut  which  is  directly  connected  with  the 
western  incline  shaft,  and  also  by  means  of  a  main  trans- 
port drive,  with  the  eastern  or  No.  1  incline.  The  trans- 
port drive  is  some  distance  below  the  reef  and  therefore 
out  of  harm's  way  when  the  slopes  cave,  and  both  it 
and  the  cross-cut  will  be  equipped  with  an  overhead 
electric  locomotive  system.  It  will  thus  be  possible  to 
bring  any  ore  in  the  mine  to  the  17th  level,  whence  it 
can  be  diverted  to  either  of  the  two  present  winding 
shafts  or  to  the  new  main  shaft.  This  elasticity,  which 
is  almost  complete,  is  an  extremely  desirable  condition 
and  worth  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  attain.  It  safe- 
guards the  continuity  of  the  mine  output  in  case  of  acci- 
dent toany  of  theshafts  and  renders  possible  the  laying- 
off  of  either  of  the  old  main  shafts  when  the  output  of 
ore  in  its  neighbourhood  becomes  too  small  to  keep  it 
busily  employed. 

The  shaft  is  20  ft.  in  diameter  in  the  clear  and  is  fitted 
with  concrete  rings  spaced  at  10  ft.  vertical  intervals, 
each  ring  being  18  in.  deep  by  15  in.  wide.  The  function 
of  the  rings  is  to  provide  adequate  fastenings  for  the 
shaft  guides,  pipes,  cable,  etc.,  and  also  to  afford  a 
foundationforanykindof  lining,  such  as  bricks  or  mono- 
lithic concrete,  should  such  lining  be  found  necessary. 
In  this  particular  case  22  sections  near  the  surface  were 


MARCH,    1921 


181 


Fig.  2.     Cross-Sections  of  the  City  Deep  Shaft. 


so  lined,  but  the  remainder  of  the  shaft  as  far  as  it  has 
gone  at  present  needs  no  support,  although  it  is  quite 
possible  that  signs  of  local  deterioration  may  show 
themselves  subsequently,  in  which  case  the  remedy  will 
be  simple.  The  rocks  of  theWitwalersrand  System  are, 
for  the  most  part,  extremely  strong  and  rarely  need  sup- 
port, at  least  in  a  vertical  shaft.  The  concrete  formmg 
the  rings  is  moulded  round  steel  pegs  about  20  in  num- 
ber and  24  in.  long,  driven  into  drill-holes  in  the  rock. 
The  guides  are  80  lb.  standard  section  flat  bottom  steel 
rails  specially  strengthened  and  fastened  to  10  in.  by  10 
in.  pitch  pme  dividers  connected  by  special  fish-plates 
machined  to  ensure  accurate  registration  at  the  jomts. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  base  of  the  guide  rails  is  at 
right  angles  to  the  divider  and  not  bolted  to  it  directly. 
The  latter  method,  which  results  in  the  heads  of  the 
rails  facing  outward,  commonly  referred  to  as  the  Bri- 
an system,  necessitates  the  use  of  a  guide  shoe  embra- 
cing the  head  of  the  rail,  obviously  requiring  great  accu- 
racy of  gauge.  This  accuracy  is  not  easy  to  achieve 
during  installation,  and  still  less  easy  to  maintain.  The 
method  used  in  this  instance,  without  sacrificing  strength 
or  safety,  admits  of  some  latitude  in  gauge  and  asimple 
adjustment  for  wear.  The  dividers  are  placed  at  the 
sides  instead  of  one  divider  in  the  middle,  as  the  latter 
scheme  necessitates  long  and  rather  fragile  girders 
which  are  bound  to  be  damaged  by  an  accident  to  either 
cage,  thereby  probably  putting  both  cages  out  of  action. 
Another  rather  serious  objection  to  a  central  divider  is 
that  it  prevents  the  use  of  a  stage  for  shaft  repairs,  an 
important  point  in  a  shaft  not  provided  with  ladders. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  this  form  of  construction  admits 
of  scarcely  any  timber  being  used  in  the  shaft  equip- 
ment, a  most  important  consideration  in  view  of  the 
necessity  of  keeping  the  shaft  absolutely  dry.  A  timber- 


ed shaft  should  be  either  wet  or  dry  ;  if  it  is  damp  the 
timber  rots,  and  if  it  is  alternately  wet  and  dry  the 
shrinkage  of  the  wood  leads  to  continual  difficulties  in 
the  alignment  of  the  guides.  Furthermore,  a  dry  tim- 
bered shaft  is  in  perpetual  danger  of  fire.  In  this  in- 
stance, wood  has  not  been  entirely  dispensed  with, 
since,  when  repairs  are  necessary,  it  is  a  much  more 
convenient  material  to  work  with,  as  anybody  who  has 
had  experience  of  an  accident  to  steel-work  in  a  shaft 
well  knows.  The  position  of  the  guides  with  relation  to 
the  cage  is  not  perhaps  ideal ;  a  symmetrical  disposition 
at  the  centres  of  the  ends  would,  from  thispointof  view, 
have  been  better,  but  this  arrangement  would  entail 
the  breaking  of  the  guides  at  landing  stations,  which  is 
a  dangerous  practice,  and  also  necessitates  short  guide 
shoes  which  cannot  be  strongly  fastened,  instead  of  the 
shoes  shown,  which,  if  need  be,  maybe  made  the  whole 
length  of  the  cage. 

The  concrete  rings  are  moulded  in  plain  steel  forms, 
20  ft.  in  diameter,  made  for  convenience  in  handling  in 
seven  sections,  which  are  suspended  from  the  last  ring 
up.  The  bottom  of  the  form  is  filled  with  short  lengths 
of  wood  to  hold  the  concrete.  The  filling  and  removal 
of  the  forms  is,  of  course,  done  from  the  stage  and  does 
not  interfere  with  the  sinking.  The  plumbing  arrange- 
ments are  carefully  carried  out  and  consist  of  a  gallery 
under  the  collar  of  the  shaft,  equipped  with  four  per- 
manent geared  winches  and  ^\  in.  stranded  steel  plumb- 
bob  wire.  It  takes  very  little  time  to  check  the  concen- 
tricity of  the  rings  and  give  the  sinkers  their  marks. 
The  lay-out  at  the  transfer  station  is  shown  in  Fig.  3. 
By  means  of  hydraulic  pushers  the  cars  are  transferred 
from  cages  to  traversers  operated  from  a  continuously 
moving  rope  by  ordinary  tramway  clips.  The  track 
arrangements  provide  all  necessary  facilities  for  trans- 


182 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


yFint'noWht*!:  ^         ■>    ;  '  Main  Crosscut  to  No. Z  Incline  Shaft 


Fig.  3.     Plan  and  Elevation  of  Internal  Hoisting  Installation. 


ferring  cars,  both  fulls  and  empties,  either  direct  to  the 
surface  or  through  the  cross-cut  to  No.  2  shaft  and  vice 
versa. 

The  cage  is  15  ft.  6  in.  by  5  ft.  3  in  ,  with  two  decks. 
It  is  intended  to  make  it  of  alloy  steel,  as  the  saving  in 
weight  thereby  effected  will,  in  this  instance,  materially 
increase  the  working  life  of  the  winding  ropes,  diminish 
the  consumption  of  power,  and  more  than  compensate 
for  the  additional  cost.  The  rock  will  be  carried  in  a 
single  8-ton  bottom  discharge  truck  in  the  lower  deck, 
the  upper  deck  being  provided  for  men.  the  load  amount- 
ing to  50  on  each  deck,  or  100  in  all.  The  great  length 
of  the  cage  will  permit  of  timber,  drill  steel,  and  other 
stores  being  taken  to  their  destination  in  the  mine  on 
trucks  without  any  rehandling  at  the  landing  stages,  an 
important  matter  in  saving  time.  The  condition  deter- 
mining the  size  of  the  equipment  is,  in  this  instance, 


capacity  in  handling  men  and  material  rather  than  rock- 
hoisting  capacity.  The  rejection  of  skip-winding  and 
the  adoption  of  the  cage  and  truck  system  is  a  depar- 
ture from  standard  practice  in  this  and  most  other  metal- 
liferous districts.  The  great  advantage  of  skips  is,  of 
course,  their  low  tare  and  ease  of  loading  or  unloading. 
The  first  advantage  is  undoubted,  but  the  latter  does 
not  show  up  so  well  when  compared  with  truck  loading 
into  cages  by  power,  especially  if  the  units  are  large. 
The  disadvantages  of  skips  are,  their  very  low  capacity 
for  men  and  materials,  thegreater  danger  of  overwinds, 
and  the  fact  that  they  do  not  permit  of  a  large  capacity 
in  the  headgear  ore  bins  unless  the  headgear  is  built  of 
an  inordinate  height  The  men  and  material  question 
can  be  overcome  either  by  duplicating  the  winding 
plant  or  by  interchanging  cages  for  skips,  but  both  these 
remedies  are  subject  to  obvious  disadvantages.    In  this 


MARCH,    1921 


183 


particular  instance,  skips  show  still  less  advantage  be- 
cause at  the  transfer  station  on  the  17th  level  it  is  ob- 
viously easier  to  send  ore  already  in  a  truck  either  di- 
rect to  the  surface  through  the  South  Shaft  or  to  the 
other  shafts,  and  vice  versa,  than  it  would  be  to  do  the 


same  thing  if  the  ore  had  to  be  taken  from  or  put  into  a 
chute.  This  could  only  be  done  by  branch  chutes  with 
deflecting  doors,  which,  although  satisfactory  enough 
for  small  tonnages,  are  a  source  of  continual  trouble 
when  the  tonnages  are  large. 


THE  GREENAWALT  SINTERING   PROCESS. 


In  the  Mining  and  Scientific  Press  for  January  15, 
W.  E.  Greenawalt  gives  a  description  of  the  sintering 
process  and  plant  invented  by  J.  E.  Greenawalt,  of 
50,  East  42nd  Street,  New  York  A  number  of  these 
plants  are  in  use,  the  largest,  having  a  capacity  of  2,000 
tons  per  day,  being  employed  in  sintering  magnetite 
concentrate  and  flue-dust  from  iron  blast-furnaces  re- 
spectively. The  process,  as  practically  developed,  is 
intermittent  in  operation.  A  charge  of  the  material  to 
be  sintered  is  placed  in  a  pan-shaped  furnace  and  sub- 
jected to  a  down-draft  blast  of  air  ;  the  upper  surface 
of  the  charge  is  ignited  and  the  sintering  action  pro- 
ceeds through  the  charge  from  the  top  downward. 
After  sintermg,  the  charge  is  dumped  from  the  pan  and 
the  operation  repeated.  The  apparatus  consists  es- 
sentially of  the  furnace  in  which  the  charge  is  sintered  ; 
an  exhauster  which  creates  a  blast  of  air  downward 
through  the  charge  ;  a  mi.xer  ;  a  charge-car  ;  and  an 
igniter.  The  mixer,  the  charge  car,  and  the  igniter, 
may  serve  from  one  to  ten  or  more  sintering-pans. 
Mixing  is  an  important  preliminary  step  to  sintering. 
A  properly  mixed  and  proportioned  charge  sinters 
readily  and  the  resulting  sinter  is  usually  in  large 
chunks.  A  poorly  mixed,  or  poorly  proportioned, 
charge  is  likely  to  give  inferior  results,  in  which  a  con- 
siderable portion  of  the  charge  has  to  be  returned  for 
re-sintering.  The  charge  should  have  about  10%  mois- 
ture. The  mixing  may  be  done  in  a  rotary  drum  like  a 
concrete-mixer,  in  a  rotary  cylinder,  or  in  a  pug-mill. 
With  thorough  mixing,  the  charge  becomes  uniform  in 
moisture  and  the  combustible  content  is  evenly  distri- 
buted through  the  charge.  The  combustible  content 
of  the  charge  is  important.  It  is  impossible  to  get  a 
good  sinter  from  a  concentrated  sulphide  material,  or 
from  iron-ore  fine,  containing  an  excessive  amount  of 
coke.  The  sulphur  content  in  sintering  lead  or  copper 
ores  may  vary  from  5%  to  15%  sulphur.  In  sintering 
iron-ore  flue-dust  or  magnetic  concentrate  the  coke  con- 
tent may  vary  from  3%  to  10%  carbon.  A  good  sinter 
may  be  made  on  some  charges  with  as  little  as  2%  car- 
bon. Ordinarily,  from  4%  to  6%  carbon,  in  the  sinter- 
ing of  iron-ore  flue-dust,  will  give  the  best  results.  In 
the  sintering  of  copper-ore  fine  or  flue-dust,  from  5%  to 
10%  sulphur  will  give  uniformly  good  results.  In  sinter- 
ing iron-ore  fine,  low  in  sulphur,  the  sulphur  can  be  re- 
moved almost  entirely.  On  the  other  hand,  when  it  is 
desired  to  retain  a  high  percentage  of  sulphur  in  the 
sinter,  as  in  sintering  copper-ore  fine  for  the  blast-fur- 
nace, this  may  be  done  by  stopping  the  operation  after 
the  material  has  been  sintered  and  before  the  sulphur 
is  all  removed.  In  cases  where  the  material  to  be  sin- 
tered contains  too  much  combustible,  such  as  coke  or 
sulphur,  the  best  method  to  adjust  it  is  to  dilute  it  with 
other  fine  material  desired  in  the  blast-furnace  charge, 
such  as  any  fine  having  a  low  combustible  content.  In 
sintering  copper-sulphide  concentrate  the  sulphur  con- 
tent can  usually  be  adjusted  to  the  desired  amount  by 
mixing  flue-dust  or  fine  crude  ore  with  the  sinter  charge. 
In  cases  where  such  mixtures  cannot  well  be  made,  as 
in  galena  concentrate,  the  material  may  be  pre-roasted 
to  bring  the  sulphur  down  to  about  12%  or  15%.  Pre- 
roasted  material  sinters  readily.  The  moisture  in  the 
charge,  to  get  the  best  results  in  sintering,  may  vary 
somewhat  with  different  material,  but  10%  moisture 


will  be  found  a  fair  average. 

The  sintering  pan  consists,  essentially,  of  a  pan- 
shaped  sintering-furnace,  mounted  on  hollow  trunni- 
ons, and  divided  into  an  upper  and  a  lower  portion  by 
the  grates.  The  upper  portion  receives  the  charge  for 
sintering,  and  the  lower  portion  communicates,  through 
the  hollow  trunnions,  with  the  exhauster,  which  cre- 
ates a  suction  in  the  lower  portion,  or  chamber,  and 
causes  a  flow  of  air  downward  through  the  charge  and 
through  the  hollow  trunnions  and  exhauster  into  the 
stack.  The  grates  are  secured  to  the  pan  and  inter- 
locked. They  are  easily  inserted  and  easily  removed. 
The  pans  are  made  in  various  sizes.  The  usual  sizes 
are:  6  by  8  ft.,  8  by  12  ft.,  9  by  16  ft.,  and  10  by  24  ft. 
The  depth  of  the  charge  is  the  same  for  all  the  pans, 
and  varies  from  8  to  10  or  more  inches,  depending  on 
the  material  to  be  sintered.  The  6  ft.  by  8  ft.  pan  repre- 
sents the  smallest  commercial  unit  and  has  a  capacity, 
under  ordinary  conditions,  of  about  one  ton  of  sinter 
per  charge.  The  10  ft.  by  24  ft.  pan  is  the  unit  for  the 
larger  installations,  and  has  a  capacity  of  from  150  to 
250  tons  per  day  of  24  hours.  These  larger  pans  are 
arranged  to  dump  directly  into  standard  railroad  cars. 
A  sintering  plant  usually  contains  from  one  to  ten  or 
more  pans.  The  pans  are  made  of  cast-steel  and  are 
practically  indestructible  They  are  rotated  on  hollow 
trunnions  by  means  of  a  special  mechanism.  When 
the  sintering  is  completed  the  pans  are  rotated  to  dump 
the  sinter  and  rotated  back  into  position  for  a  new 
charge.  The  small  pans  may  be  dumped  without  any 
special  rotating  mechanism.  Connection  is  made  with 
the  exhauster  by  means  of  a  stuffing-box  at  the  ends  of 
the  hollow  trunnions. 

The  exhauster  is  usually  of  the  regular  fan  type.  It 
is  rotated  at  a  high  speed  and  has  to  be  well  made  and 
the  exhaust-wheel  well  balanced.  A  suction  of  from 
30  to  35  in.  of  water  is  easily  obtainable  in  the  pans  by 
this  means.  This  is  due  largely  to  the  fact  that  in  the 
stationary  charge  there  is  no  leakage  and  all  the  air  and 
gases  have  to  pass  through  the  charge  to  get  at  the 
chamber  below  and  through  the  hollow  trunnions  to 
the  exhauster.  There  is  an  advantage  in  using  a  high 
suction.  The  sintering  is  more  uniform,  there  is  less 
unsintered  fine,  and  the  sinter  is  firmer  and  in  larger 
chunks.  In  sintering  iron-ore  flue-dust,  if  the  coke  con- 
tent is  a  little  high,  water  is  sometimes  showered  on 
the  charge  to  cool  it  during  the  sintering.  The  tem- 
perature on  such  occasions  may  rise  so  high  as  to  lique- 
fy portions  of  the  charge.  The  best  way,  however,  to 
avoid  thiscondition,  is  to  work  with  a  lowercombustible 
content.  It  is,  of  course,  desirable  to  sinter  a  charge 
at  as  high  a  temperature  as  practicable  to  get  a  firm 
sinter  and  as  large  chunks  as  possible,  for  the  reason 
that  the  firm  hard  chunks  add  considerably  to  the  de- 
sirability of  the  sinter  in  the  operation  of  the  blast-fur- 
nace. 

The  charge-car  receives  the  mixed  material  and  de- 
livers it  to  the  pan.  In  charging  the  pan,  the  car 
spreads  a  porous  bed,  or  layer,  of  non-sinterable  ma- 
terial over  the  grates,  delivers  the  charge  on  top  of  the 
permeable  layer,  and  levels  the  charge  even  with  the 
top  rim  of  the  pan.  This  is  all  done  in  a  few  seconds, 
while  the  car  travels  with  moderate  speed  over  the  pan. 
The  charge-car  is  usually  motor-driven,  but  may  be 


184 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


moved  in  any  other  convenient  way.  In  small  units 
the  pans  may  be  charged  with  hand-labour  bv  simply 
spreadmg  a  permeable  layer  over  the  grates  and  shovel- 
ling in  the  charge  and  levelling  it.  This  adds  some- 
what to  the  cost  of  sintering,  but  saves  a  little  in  the 
cost  o(  installation.  It  may  also  do  as  a  temporary  ex- 
pedient. The  porous  bed,  or  permeable  layer  of  non- 
sinterable  material,  which  usually  varies  from  J  to  ii  in. 
thick,  serves  several  important  purposes  :  it  prevents 
the  fine  material  of  the  charge  from  passing  through 
the  grate  ;  it  serves  to  distribute  uniformly  the  air  pass- 
ing through  the  charge;  and  it  prevents  the  charge 
from  being  sintered  to  the  grates.  If  the  charge  were 
placed  directly  on  the  grates  and  the  sintering  com- 
pleted, the  charge  would  be  sintered  to  the  grates  and 
the  removal  of  the  sinter  would  be  diflicult  and  expen- 
sive ;  besides  the  grates  would  be  quickly  destroyed. 
This  porous  bed  acts  as  a  buffer  between  the  grates  and 
the  charge,  so  that  when  the  pans  are  inverted  the  en- 
tire charge  drops  out  and  leaves  the  grate  clean.  The 
porous  bed  may  be  any  comparatively  non-sinterable 
material,  such  as  fine  sinter,  crushed  limestone,  or 
crushed  silicious  or  oxidized  ore. 

The  ignition  is  one  of  the  most  important  steps  in 
sintering.  Unless  the  ignition  is  uniform,  the  sintering 
will  be  uneven  and  some  of  the  charge  will  remain  un- 
sintered.  If  the  ignition  is  uniform  the  sinter  will  al- 
ways be  good  on  a  suitable  charge,  and  little  fine  will 
have  to  be  returned.  Manifestly,  the  quick  and  uni- 
form ignition  of  the  entire  surface  of  the  charge  pre- 
sented something  of  a  problem,  especially  in  connection 
with  the  10  ft.  by  24  ft.  pans.  This  problem  was 
thoroughly  solved  by  the  ignition-hood,  or  igniter, 
which  temporarily  covers  the  charge  while  the  ignition- 
fuel  is  projected  over  the  entire  surface  of  the  charge. 
The  air  for  the  combustion issucked  through  thenumer- 
ous  perforations  in  the  hood.  The  ignition  fuel  may 
be  oil  or  gas.  Both  are  being  used  successfully.  Crude 
oil  is  satisfactory.  Distillate,  or  kerosene,  is  a  good 
ignition-fuel  if  cheaply  obtainable.  Gas  is  usually 
cheaper  than  oil.  Either  natural  gas,  blast-furnace 
gas,  or  producer-gas  may  be  used  and  are  giving  excel- 
lent results.  The  combustion  should  be  complete.  A 
sooty  flame  is  not  as  good  as  a  flame  which  does  not 
show  any  unconsumed  carbon.  The  oil  or  gas  is  so 
finely  atomized  and  so  intimately  mixed  with  the  in- 
rushing  air  through  the  perforations  in  the  hood  that 
there  is  little  or  no  difficulty  in  getting  a  clear  flame. 
When  the  combustion  is  complete  the  temperature  in 
the  igniter  is  intense.  The  ignition  can  usually  be 
made  in  a  minute.  The  igniter  itself  does  not  become 
very  hot ;  this  is  due  to  the  cool  inrushing  air  and  to 
the  momentary  time  required  for  ignition.  In  the 
operation  of  a  commercial  plant  the  igniter  is  mounted 
on  wheels  and  runs  on  the  same  tracks  as  the  charge- 
car.  The  hood,  or  igniter,  is  normally  about  half  an 
inch  above  the  upper  rim  of  the  pan,  so  that  it  can  be 
freely  moved  over  all  the  pans.  When  ignition  is  to  be 
made  the  hood  is  temporarily  lowered,  and  makes  a 
close  connection  with  the  pan,  so  as  to  give  a  uniform 
ignition  over  the  entire  surface  of  the  charge,  and  es- 
pecially around  the  edges.  If  it  were  not  for  this,  the 
inrushing  air  around  the  perimeter  of  the  pan  would 
divert  the  flame,  and  result  in  incomplete  ignition. 
When  the  ignition  is  made,  the  hood  is  raised,  and  the 
igniter  is  ready  for  another  pan.  After  the  ignition  has 
been  made,  the  sintering  of  the  charge  proceeds  with- 
out the  igniter.  The  igniter  is  usually  motor-driven, 
the  same  as  the  charge-car  For  the  smaller  pans  the 
igniter  may  simply  be  pushed  from  one  pan  to  the  other. 
If  oil  is  used  for  ignition,  it  will  usually  take  from  0  75 
to  10  gallon  per  ton  of  sinter.     In  a  small  plant,  in 


Mexico,  sintering  copper  roncenlrate  and  flue-dust,  the 
oil  consumption  was  materially  reduced  by  sprinkling 
a  little  waste  coke  or  charcoal  dust  over  the  lop  of  the 
charge.  It  was  found,  in  this  connection,  that,  if  fine 
coke  or  charcoal  were  mixed  with  the  sinter  charge  of 
copper  concentrate  and  flue-dust,  much  of  the  carbon 
would  remain  unconsumed  and  fixed  in  the  sinter  so  as 
to  make  it  available  in  the  blast  furnace. 

The  sintering  of  a  charge  may  be  briefly  described 
as  follows  :  The  mixed  material,  asalso  the  porous  bed, 
is  deliveretl  to  the  charge-car  ;  the  car  is  then  run  over 
the  pan,  and  in  passing  over  it  the  porous  bedding  is 
uniformly  spread  over  the  grates  by  the  distributor  at 
the  front  of  the  car,  and  the  charge  immediately  placed 
upon  the  bedding  and  levelled  off  with  the  top  rim  of 
the  pan.  This  usually  takes  less  than  a  minute,  even 
for  the  10  ft  by  24  ft.  pans.  The  exhauster  is  then 
started,  or  switched  on  to  the  pan.  This  creates  a 
strong  downward  draft  of  air  through  the  charge.  The 
igniter  is  then  run  over  the  pan  and  the  ignition-fuel, 
under  a  high  pressure,  is  atomized  over  the  charge  and 
ignited.  The  flame  and  hot  products  of  combustion 
are  sucked  down  through  the  charge  and  completely 
ignite  the  surface,  usually  in  less  than  a  rninute.  The 
igniter  may  then  be  remo\'ed  and  used  for  another 
charge.  The  time  of  sintering  may  vary  from  15  to  60 
minutes,  depending  on  the  nature  of  the  material  and 
the  results  desired.  The  suction  may  vary  from  10  to 
35  in.  of  water.  It  is  usually  higher  at  the  beginning 
than  at  the  end  of  the  operation,  for  the  reason  that  at 
the  beginning  the  mass  is  not  as  permeable.  With  a 
high  suction,  there  is  not  so  much  danger  of  short  cir- 
cuits of  the  air  through  the  charge  ;  when  a  short  cir- 
cuit occurs,  the  temperature  at  that  point  becomes  so 
intense  as  to  cause  fusion,  which  automatically  has  a 
tendency  to  close  the  larger  air-passages  through  the 
partly  sintered  charge,  and  make  the  sintering  more  in- 
tense at  other  portions.  When  the  sintering  is  com- 
plete, the  exhaust  is  shut  off,  the  pan  mechanically  ro- 
tated, and  the  sinter  dumped.  The  pan  is  then  rotated 
back  to  its  normal  position,  and  the  cycle  repeated.  In 
some  of  the  large  plants  the  cycle  is  completed  in  about 
20  minutes 

The  power  required  for  sintering  depends  somewhat 
on  the  nature  of  the  material  to  be  sintered.  Ordinarily, 
it  will  be  from  5  to  6  5  kw.-hr.  per  ton  of  sinter.  The 
repairs  are  small  and  consist  principally  of  the  replace- 
ment of  grates. 

Several  interesting  problems  arise  in  reference  to 
sintering  by  the  present  method.  One  is  the  possibility 
of  sintering  concentrate  for  shipping  instead  of  drying. 
Sintering  requires  about  10%  moisture.  Drying  of  the 
concentrate,  if  sintering  is  contemplated,  would  there- 
fore be  unnecessary  and  could  be  eliminated.  Concen- 
trates contain  their  own  fuel  for  sintering,  as  opposed 
to  extraneous  fuel  which  has  to  be  purchased  for  dry- 
ing The  sinter  would  be  ready  for  smelting,  and  the 
shipping  weight  would  be  reduced  to  from  15%  to  20% 
from  theordinary  dry  shipping  weight  This  reduction 
in  weight  is  due  to  the  replacement  of  the  sulphur  with 
the  lighter  oxygen,  to  the  elimination  of  the  water  of 
hydration,  to  the  elimination  of  other  volatile  elements, 
and  to  the  evaporation  of  the  uncombined  moisture, 
which  in  ordinary  dr\  ing  is  never  complete.  A  reduc- 
tion of  from  15%  to  20%  in  the  shipping  and  smelting 
weight  will  ordinarily  much  more  than  pay  for  the  sin- 
tering. If  the  sulphur  content  in  the  concentrate  is  too 
high  for  sinienng.  the  charge  can  often  be  diluted  with 
fine  shipping  ore  low  in  sulphur,  and  this  would  tend 
to  give  a  greater  porosity  to  the  sinter  charge,  especi- 
allv  in  the  sintering  process  as  applied  to  the  treat- 
ment of  flotation  concentrate. 


MARCH,    1921 


185 


ELECTROSTATIC   DEPOSITION   OF   POTASH-BEARING   DUST. 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Cleveland  Institution  of  Engi- 
neers held  at  Middlesbrough  on  February  7,  E.  Bury, 
A.  Bury,  O.  Ollander,  and  F.  Bainbridge  presented  a 
paper  on  the  electrostatic  precipitation  of  dust  from 
blastfurnace  gases  and  the  extraction  of  potash  there- 
from. In  our  issues  of  February  and  March.  191S.  we 
quoted  a  paper  and  a  discussion  on  ii  relating  to  this 
subject  read  before  the  same  society.  The  present 
paper  gives  further  information  in  the  light  of  subse- 
quent experience.  The  paper  contains  two  themes, 
one  the  electrostatic  precipitation  of  dust,  and  the  other 
the  extraction  of  potash  in  the  form  of  soluble  salts. 
We  quote  the  first  part  of  the  paper  fully,  because  it 
reviews  the  subject  generally.  Hitherto  most  of  the 
literature  on  the  subject  has  come  from  the  United 
States,  and  consequently  many  people  think  that  the 
idea  originated  with  Dr.  Cottrell.  The  present  paper 
puts  the  matter  in  a  more  correct  light  historically. 
The  second  part  of  the  paper  contains  much  informa- 
tion of  use  to  those  who  are  engaged  in  separating  mixed 
salts. 

Precipitation  of  Dust. — The  formation  of  dust  and 
fume  in  the  iron  blast-furnace  takes  place  in  four  ways  : 
(1)  Dust  carried  m  with  the  burden,  namely,  coke,  iron- 
stone, and  limestone  dust  ;  (2)  dust  caused  by  attrition 
between  the  pieces  of  material  as  they  descend  the  fur- 
nace ;  (3)  dust  caused  by  spalling-off  of  particles  as  the 
materials  become  heated  :  (4)  fume,  the  result  of  vo- 
latilization of  various  chemical  substances,  particularly 
of  chlorides,  in  the  case  of  Yorkshire  ores.  The  first 
three,  while  usually  constituting  by  far  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  dust,  are  also  the  most  easily  removed,  as 
their  carriage  is  almost  entirely  dependent  on  the 
velocity  of  the  gas  stream.  It  has  been  stated  by  one 
writer  on  the  subject  that  the  quantity  carried  varies 
as  the  square  of  the  velocity  of  the  gas,  and  this  seems 
reasonable  for  particles  of  a  mechanical  size.  By 
"  mechanical  size"  is  meant  particles  large  enough  to 
obey  mechanical  laws,  in  contrast  to  particles  so  small 
that  they  may  be  compared  to  colloids,  and  will  behave 
in  a  manner  similar  to  a  vapour  or  fume,  in  which  case 
the  law  of  the  square  of  the  velocity  will  not  apply. 
Another  writer  quotes  a  statement  that  the  dust  carried 
varies  as  the  seventh  power  of  the  velocity,  but  it  seems 
difficult  to  believe  such  can  be  the  case 

There  remains  the  fume,  the  smallest  proportion  of 
the  total  dust  in  the  gas,  the  most  diflficult  to  remove, 
and  usually  the  most  valuable  when  recovered.  It  is 
formed  low  down  in  the  furnace,  and  is  due  entirely  to 
the  heal  volatilizing  or  subliming  the  various  constitu- 
ents, whose  quantity  depends  entirely  on  that  of  the 
constituents  contained  in  the  burden.  With  regard  to 
the  water  vapour,  this  will  condense  on  a  fall  of  tem- 
perature to  below  the  dew-point,  and  consequent  low- 
ering of  the  gas  velocity,  and  probably  bring  down  a 
little  of  the  chemical  fume  with  it.  The  fume  may  be 
compared  to  the  colloidal  state  of  matter  ;  that  is. 
matter  so  finely  divided  that  when  mixed  with  a  liquid 
it  is  beyond  the  laws  of  gravity,  and  refuses  to  settle 
out  even  after  prolonged  rest,  unless  some  other  influ- 
ence is  brought  into  action. 

The  authors  have  had  the  opportunity  of  inspecting 
two  plants  working  under  the  Halberg  Beth  system, 
and  a  very  high  efficiency  has  been  reported.  In  one 
case  the  gas  has  been  cleaned  down  to  0  007  gramme 
per  cubic  metre.  The  method  employed  is,  after  cool- 
ing below  dew-poini,  to  condense  the  water  vapour, 
and  then,  raising  the  temperature  to  slightly  above  the 
dew-point  to  avoid  any  further  deposition  of  moisture, 
to  pass  the  gas  through  the  filter-bags,  where  the  dust 


is  trapped.  Apart  from  the  loss  of  the  sensible  heat  of 
the  gas.  the  plant  is  elaborate  mechanically,  and  occu- 
pies a  larger  ground  space  than  the  other  methods. 

With  regard  to  the  Kling-Weidlin  system,  theauthors 
have  had  no  experience  of  this,  but  have  heard  excel- 
lent reports.  It  consists  of  a  mattress  of  steel  fibres, 
through  which  the  gas  is  passed,  and  is  periodically 
shaken  to  remove  the  dust  caught  in  it.  It  should  be 
easy  and  inexpensive  to  install,  it  requires  small  space 
and  little  attention,  and  has  the  advantage  of  removing 
no  sensible  heat  from  the  gas.  The  authors  have  seen 
a  sample  of  the  dust  removed  by  this  method,  where  it 
was  installed  on  a  plant  using  hematite  ores.  This  dust 
was  very  different  from  that  to  which  the  authors  are 
accustomed  at  Skinningrove,  Yorkshire,  being  of  ahard, 
gritty  nature,  with  particles  of  a  relatively  large  size. 
They  are  prepared  to  believe  that,  where  dust  of  this 
character  has  to  be  dealt  with,  the  Kling-Weidlin  mat- 
tress will  be  highly  efficient.  They  are  afraid,  however, 
that  where  fume  exists  in  the  dust  to  more  than  a  mi- 
nute extent  the  mattress  will  be  clogged  very  rapidly, 
and  no  amount  of  shaking  will  dislodge  it.  Deposited 
fume  such  as  exists  at  Skinningrove.  is  a  most  difficult 
material  to  dislodge,  even  when  hanging  on  a  perpen- 
dicular surface,  and  the  problem  hasnot  yet  been  solved 
to  the  authors'  entire  satisfaction. 

Coming  now  to  the  electrostatic  method  of  deposi- 
tion. Sir  Oliver  Lodge  about  1880  patented  a  method 
of  depositing  smoke  for  making  lamp  black,  and  in  later 
years  considerable  attention  was  drawn  to  his  sugges- 
tion for  the  dispersal  of  fogs — which  consist  of  water 
vapour  and  smoke  intimately  mixed — by  means  of  an 
electric  discharge,  such  as  is  given  by  a  Leyden  jar  or 
Wimshurst  machine.  In  recent  years  this  method  was 
employed  on  a  practical  scale  by  both  Lodge  in  Eng- 
land and  Cottrell  in  America  for  condensing  SO.,  fumes 
in  sulphuric  acid  concentrating  plants.  The  latter  also 
applied  it  to  the  recovery  of  dust  from  blast-furnaces 
employed  in  reducing  copper  ores.  Both  employ 
identically  the  same  principle,  the  main  differences  be- 
tween the  two  systems  being  in  the  manner  in  which 
the  electrostatic  discharge  is  generated  and  then  ap- 
plied to  the  gas  stream.  In  the  case  of  the  Lodge  sys- 
tem the  discharge  is  generated  by  means  of  a  static 
transformer  of  the  induction-coil  type,  selective  devices 
being  employed  for  rectifying  the  discharge,  sc  that  it 
is  uni-directional.  Only  a  portion  of  the  discharge  is 
employed,  namely,  the  "peak  of  the  break."  that  is, 
the  most  intense  portion.  The  apparatus  employed  is 
very  light  in  character,  and  for  the  quantity  of  gas 
treated  at  Skinningrove  a  large  number  of  such  units 
are  required,  32,  or  two  to  each  chamber.  So  that  it 
may  be  said  that  one  of  the  features  of  this  system  is 
that  practically  standard  units  are  employed,  the  num- 
ber varying  with  the  type  and  quantity  of  gas  to  be 
treated.  The  Cottrell  system,  on  the  other  hand,  em- 
ploys much  more  massive  plant  for  generating  the  dis- 
charge, consisting  of  a  rotary  transformer  and  rectifier, 
designed  in  accordance  with  the  whole  requirements 
of  the  plant,  and  only  divided  into  units  for  purposes 
of  stand-by,  etc. 

As  regards  the  discharge  electrodes  in  thegasstream, 
the  Lodge  system  at  Skinningrove  employs  an  arrange- 
ment of  vertical  steel  plates  about  IS  in.  wide  and  10  ft. 
long,  placed  edgewise  to  the  flow  of  the  gas  in  stag- 
gered rows,  and  standing  on  a  grid  of  light  sections, 
which  are  earthed  They  are  built  to  form  a  unit  of 
85  plates.  Suspended  between  them  from  insulators 
in  the  roof  of  the  treater  chamber  are  vertical  steel 
tubes,  provided  with  discharge  points  on  either  side  of 


186 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


one  diameter,  and  pointinj;  to  the  steel  receiving  elec- 
trodes immediately  opposite,  on  wliich  the  dust  is  de- 
posited. Such  a  unit  of  electrodes  is  served  by  one  of 
the  dischart;e  (jeneratiuj,'  units  already  described,  and 
two  of  them  are  installed  in  each  cliamber.  The  dust 
is  removed  by  cutting  off  the  gas  flow,  and  striking  the 
grids  supporting  the  plates  from  below  with  hammers, 
and  in  the  case  of  the  discharge  tubes  by  striking  the 
frame  from  which  they  are  suspended. 

In  the  Cottrell  system,  vertical  cast-iron  pipes  about 
11  in.  in  diameter  are  employed,  arranged  in  batteries 
and  set  into  a  header  at  their  tops,  whicl)  communicates 
with  the  dirty  gas  main,  their  lower  ends  standing  on 
grids  carried  over  the  hopper  in  which  the  dust  is  de- 
posited, with  a  side  exit  opening  into  the  clean  gas  main . 
Hanging  down  the  centre  of  each  pipe  is  the  discharge 
electrode,  a  chain  sometimes  being  employed.  The 
discharge  passes  from  this  electrode  to  the  wall  of  the 
pipe,  the  dust  being  removed  by  mechanically-operated 
hammers  striking  the  outside  of  the  pipe,  and  by  a 
shaking  arrangement  for  the  discharge  electrodes.  It 
is  obvious  that  such  an  arrangement  must  occupy  a 
much  larger  space  for  a  given  quantity  of  gas  if  the 
velocity  is  to  be  the  same  as  the  Lodge  system.  The 
authors  have  been  informed,  however,  that  the  Cottrell 
operates  at  a  velocity  of  5  to  6  ft.  per  second,  as  against 
the  Lodge  at  Skinningrove  at  3  ft.  per  second.  The 
Cottrell,  however,  employs  considerably  more  power 
than  the  latter. 

These  are  the  main  differences  between  the  two  sys- 
tems In  both  systems  it  is  essential  to  high  efficiency 
not  only  that  the  discharging  electrodes  should  be  all 
symmetrically  disposed  with  regard  to  the  receiving 
electrodes  (plates  or  pipes),  but  that  the  gas  should 
pass  through  them  in  an  even,  steady  stream,  with 
neither  concentrations  nor  idle  pockets.  Should  such 
conditions  occur,  dust  will  pile  up  unevenly  on  the 
discharge  electrodes,  so  providing  shorter  paths  for 
the  discharge  in  which  it  will  naturally  concentrate, 
the  result  being  that  other  electrodes  will  be  robbed  of 
discharge,  no  dust  will  be  deposited  thereon,  and  a 
free  passage  will  be  given  to  dirty  gas. 

The  plant  at  Skinningrove  consists  of  16  chambers 
in  parallel  through  which  the  gas  is  passed,  each 
chamber  containing  two  of  the  units  of  electrodes 
aforesaid,  in  tandem.  Any  chamber  can  be  isolated 
for  inspection,  repair,  etc.  The  plant  is  constructed 
of  ferro  concrete,  and  although  some  cracking  of  the 
chambers  and  gas  mains  has  occurred,  it  has  not  hap- 
pened to  any  serious  extent,  and  in  future  structures 
could  be  largely  avoided  by  a  better  disposition  of  the 
steel  reinforcement,  to  take  the  bulging  stresses  set  up 
under  the  influence  of  heat.  The  32  discharge  genera- 
tors are  stationed  in  the  top  floor,  which  rests  on  sli- 
ding shoes  to  allow  for  expansion,  on  the  chambers 
proper.  The  space  between  the  top  floors  and  the 
roof  of  the  chambers  is  occupied  by  the  leads  from 
the  generators  to  the  insulators  from  which  the  dis- 
charge electrodes  are  suspended,  the  arrangement  en- 
suring a  very  short  and  sheltered  path  for  the  discharge 
from  the  generators  to  the  chamber,  thereby  reducing 
leakage  to  a  minimum.  The  chambers  themselves, 
also  resting  on  sliding  shoes,  are  carried  by  the  bridge 
over  the  slag  tunnel. 

Extraction  of  Potash. — The  soluble  constituents  of 
the  flue  dust  obtained  from  the  electrostatic  plant  at 
Skinningrove  Ironworks  are  almost  entirely  in  the  form 
of  chlorides,  only  very  minute  traces  of  sulphate  being 
present  and  carbonate  and  cyanide  not  at  all.  The 
average  analysis  is  as  follows  :  Soluble  potassium 
chloride,  20%  ;  soluble  sodium  chloride,  8%  ;  soluble 
calcium  chloride,  7% .     On  this  account  the  separation 


of  pure  potassium  chloride  presented  few  difficulties. 
The  method  of  separation  finally  decided  upon  is  divi- 
ded into  two  stages  ;  (1)  Separation  of  the  sodium  and 
potassium  chloride  from  the  calcium  chloride  as  a  mixed 
salt.  (2)  Separation  of  the  potassium  chloride  from 
the  sodium  chloride.  The  first  stage  is  accomplished 
by  direct  evaporation,  and  is  rendered  possible  by 
reason  of  the  extreme  solubility  of  calcium  chloride  as 
compared  with  the  solubility  of  sodium  and  potassium 
chloride.  31'?  kg.  of  calcium  cliloride  requiring  rather 
less  than  -19  1  kg.  of  water  for  solution.  If.  therefore, 
the  strong  liquor  be  evaporated  to  this  concentration 
and  cooled,  90",,  of  the  potassium  chloride  and  sodium 
chloride  will  be  thrown  out  of  solution.  It  is  possible 
further  to  reduce  the  KCI  and  NaCl  content  of  the 
liquor,  but  as  the  calcium  chloride  may  be  used  to  re- 
move the  carbonate  from  alkali-carbonatebearing  flue 
dusts  by  double  decomposition,  there  is  no  need  to  en- 
danger the  purity  of  the  mixed  crystals  by  further  con- 
centration. 

The  second  separation  is  based  on  the  fact  that  the 
solubility  of  potassium  chloride  increases  with  the 
temperature,  while  the  solubility  of  the  sodium  chloride 
decreases,  according  to  the  following  table  of  solubility 
in  grammes  per  100  grammes  of  water  : 

Deg.  C.  KCI.  NaCI. 


0 

11-2 

30O 

25 

15'8 

29  0 

50 

220 

27  7 

70 

27  3 

26'8 

80 

30  0 

26' 4 

100 

3V7 

25  8 

On  evaporating  the  solution  no  crystals  are  deposited 
until  a  density  of  46 "  Tw.  is  obtained,  when  the  solution 
is  saturated  with  potassium  chloride.  If  evaporation 
be  now  continued,  potassium  chloride  crystallizes  out 
until  a  density  of  49  5"  Tw.  is  obtained.  At  this  point, 
the  solution  is  cooled  and  potassium  chloride  crystal- 
lizes out,  finally  reaching  25°  C,  which  is  the  lowest 
temperatureinactual  practice.  The  solution  isreheated 
toa  point  at  which  the  solution  is  saturated  with  sodium 
chloride  but  not  with  potassium  chloride.  Evapora- 
ting further,  sodium  chloride  will  be  deposited,  and  if 
the  solution  be  filtered  hot  to  remove  the  sodium  chlor- 
ide, potassium  chloride  again  crystallizes  out  on  cool- 
ing.    The  operations  now  become  a  cycle. 

The  dry  dust  from  the  conveyor  is  lixiviated  with 
water  or  wash  liquor  as  it  falls  from  the  conveyor  chute 
into  the  concrete  slurry  tanks  below  the  electrostatic 
plant.  In  order  to  prevent  any  settling  this  slurry  is 
circulated  continuously  through  the  chute  and  agitated 
with  blast,  thus  producing  an  intimate  mixture,  only 
enough  water  or  liquor  being  added  to  produce  a  slurry 
thin  enough  to  be  pumped  through  the  circulating  sys- 
tem and  to  the  mixers.  In  the  mixers,  which  are  steel 
vessels  of  about  800  gallons  capacity,  and  provided  with 
efficient  stirring  arrangements,  the  slurry  is  boiled  and 
then  continuously  run  down  on  to  a  series  of  revolving 
vacuum-filter  drums  situated  below  the  mi.xer.  The 
filter  drums,  which  are  3  ft.  6in.  diameter,  and  7ft.  6  in. 
long,  are  built  of  oak  laths  3  in.  apart  covered  with  a 
strong  wire  net,  which  carries  the  filter  cloth.  To  pro- 
tect thecloth  an  J  in.  steel  wire  is  spirally  wound  round 
the  drums,  which  are  driven  by  a  worm-gear  and  re- 
volve at  3  to  4  revolutions  per  minute.  The  wells  in 
which  the  drums  revolve  are  built  in  concrete  with  a 
cast-iron  front,  and  in  order  to  prevent  any  settling  they 
are  made  V-shaped,  with  a  stirrer  revolving  along  the 
bottom.  The  dried  cake  containing  about  50%  mois- 
ture is  cut  off  by  a  steel  knife  placed  in  such  a  position 
that  the  cake  flaked  off  from  one  drum  falls  into  a  re- 
pulping  trough,  and  from  thereinto  the  well  of  the  next 
drum.     In  order  to  break  the  cake  up  into  a  thin  slurry 


MARCH,    1921 


187 


this  trough  is  fitted  with  a  stirrer  and  an  air  Uft,  which 
continuously  circulates  the  slurry  from  the  drum  well 
through  the  trough.  All  feed  liquors  for  each  drum 
are  also  fed  into  these  troughs  so  as  to  get  an  intimate 
mixture.  By  having  four  drums,  four  consecutive 
washings  with  liquor  of  falling  strength  are  obtained, 
the  last  washing  being  done  with  water;  and  the  last 
cake,  free  from  soluble  salts,  is  transferred  by  a  worm 
conveyor  to  railway  trucksoutside  the  building,  whence 
It  is  returned  to  the  blast-furnaces.  The  liquors  from 
the  four  drums  are  drawn  off  by  vacuum  into  separate 
tanks,  and  from  there  delivered  intermittently  to  the 
respective  storage  tanks.  The  strongest  liquorof  about 
JO^  Tw.  from  No.  1  drum  is  treated  with  air  and  lime 
if  any  soluble  iron  salts  are  present,  and  then  filtered 
through  a  sand  filter  and  delivered  to  the  preliminary 
evaporator.  The  liquor  from  No.  2  drum  goes  to  the 
slurry  tanks,  the  liquor  from  No.  3  drum  is  used  for 
washing  in  No.  2,  that  from  No.  4  drum  for  washing 
in  No.  3,  and  No.  4  receives  water.  The  strong  liquor 
of  about  30^  Tw.  is  transferred  to  a  feed  tank  for  the 
preliminary  evaporator,  and  continuously  fed  into  a 
Kestner  salting-type  evaporator,  in  which  the  separa- 
tion of  the  sodium  and  potassium  chloride  from  the  cal- 
cium chloride  takes  place.  The  crystallization  starts  at 
about  62"  Tw.,  and  continues  to  about  94"  Tw.,  when  the 
liquor  is  approximately  saturated  with  all  three  salts  ; 
above  76°  Tw.  theevaporation  isveryslow,  and  very  lit- 
tle mixed  salt  is  obtained.  The  liquor  also  becomes  very 
viscous  above  this  density  and  is  difficult  to  filter.  The 
evaporator  is  therefore  emptied  at  this  point  and  the  solu- 
tion allowed  to  cool,  whereby  a  crop  of  crystals  is  ob- 
tained which  contain  approximately  10  to  15%  calcium 
chloride,  the  remainder  being  a  mixture  of  potassium 
chloride  and  sodium  chloride.  The  mother-liquor 
drained  from  the  above  contains  90%  of  the  total  calcium 
chloride  and  only  about  5%  of  the  total  potassium  chlo- 
ride in  the  original  dust,  and  is  further  evaporated  to 
drynessin  open  pans  After  the  mother-liquor  isdrained 
off,  the  crystals  are  dissolved  in  water  or  feed  liquor  for 
No.  1  evaporator,  and  returned  to  the  feed  tank  for  this 


evaporator.  The  crop  of  crystals  received  during  the 
evaporation  from  62  to  76"Tw.'is  from  lime  to  time 
emptied  out  of  the  separator  of  the  evaporator  on  to  a 
vacuum  filter,  the  mother-liquor  drawn  off,  and  the  re- 
maining mixed  salt  washed  twice  with  a  hot  saturated 
mixed  salt  solution  in  order  to  remove  the  calcium  chlo- 
ride, which  generally  amounts  to  1  to  3%  in  the  un- 
washed salt,  the  wash  liquor  being  each  time  returned 
to  the  evaporator.  The  mixed  crystals  are  dissolved  in 
hot  water  in  a  tank.  The  resulting  liquor  of  about  30° 
is  filtered  through  a  brick  filter  and  passed  on  to  the 
feed  tank,  from  whence  it  is  fed  into  the  evaporator 
Evaporation  is  then  commenced  and  continued  until 
the  liquor  has  a  density  of  49°  Tw.  During  this  evapo- 
ration potassium  chloride  crystallizes  out,  and  more 
liquor  is  added  until  the  evaporator  is  completely  full 
of  liquor  of  the  required  density,  at  which  point  the 
whole  contents  of  the  evaporator  are  run  out  and  passed 
through  a  revolving  crystallizer,  more  potassium  chlo- 
ride being  deposited  during  the  cooling.  The  mother- 
liquor  is  drained  from  the  crystals  in  a  centrifugal  hydro- 
extractor  and  returned  to  the  feed  tank,  from  which  it 
can  either  be  supplied  to  the  crystal  dissolver,  or  to  the 
evaporator  for  further  evaporation.  In  the  latter  case 
the  liquor  is  evaporated  until  the  density  again  reaches 
49°  Tw.,  but  owing  to  the  saturation  of  the  liquor  only 
sodium  chloride  is  thrown  out  of  the  solution  during 
this  second  evaporation.  The  sodium  chloride  is  re- 
moved from  the  evaporator  by  means  of  the  vacuum 
filter  box,  and  the  clear  liquor  run  through  the  crystal- 
lizer, when  potassium  chloride  again  crystallizes  out. 
From  this  point  the  process  is  cyclic,  sodium  chloride 
crystallizing  out  on  evaporation  and  potassium  chloride 
on  cooling.  It  is  obvious,  of  course,  that  the  above 
operations  may  be  varied,  and  modifications  are  made 
from  time  to  time  in  order  that  the  final  evaporator  may 
be  kept  full  of  concentrated  liquor.  All  crops  of  potas- 
sium chloride  are  washed  twice  with  a  cold  saturated 
solution  of  potassium  chloride  in  order  to  remove  the 
last  traces  of  mother-liquor,  so  as  to  produce  a  product 
containing  at  least  98%  of  potassium  chloride. 


Quicksilver  Mining  in  China. — At  a  meeting  of  the 

Cornish  Institute  of  Engineers  held  on  February  19, 
Frank  Trythall  read  a  paper  describing  the  mining  of 
quicksilver  in  the  Toon- Yen  prefecture,  Kwei-chow 
Province,  South  China.  Quicksilver  has  been  exten- 
sively mined  in  Kwei-chow,  for  how  long  no  informa- 
tion can  be  obtained  beyond  the  assertions  of  the  land- 
owners, who  claim  that  their  ancestors  were  mining  for 
quicksilver  during  the  Ming  Dynasty  (1368-1644). 
Gunpowder  was  introduced  for  the  first  time  as  an  ex- 
plosive about  the  year  1870  by  miners  from  Sze-chuan. 
Previously  fire-setting  and  the  hammer  and  gad  were 
the  only  means  of  mining.  The  geological  formation 
of  the  region  is  magnesian  limestone,  in  horizontally 
stratified  beds  of  several  hundred  feet  in  thickness.  The 
mineralized  zone  is  roughly  three  miles  square.  The 
quicksilver  deposits  are  not  continuous,  and  they  are 
irregular  in  shape.  The  country  is  cut  by  canyons  run- 
ning in  various  directions,  and  it  is  noticeable  that  those 
deposits  which  are  near  the  rim  of  the  canyons  are 
richer  and  more  extensively  worked  than  those  occur- 
ring farther  afield.  The  ore  occurs  :  (1)  As  impregna- 
tion of  well-defined  beds  of  limestone  ;  (2)  along  the 
joints,  cracks,  and  planes  of  stratification  ;  (3)  in  iso- 
lated bunches,  nests,  or  pockets,  and  in  vughs  or  cavi- 
ties which  contain  crystalline  aggregates  or  well  devel- 
oped crystals  of  cinnabar  in  the  form  of  penetration 
twins  of  two  rhombohedra,  associated  with  quartz  and 
calcite  ;  (4)  irregularly  disseminated  through  a  number 
of  beds  which  have,  in  most  cases,  undergone  consider- 


able local  disturbances.  There  are  two  varieties  of 
cinnabar.  One  is  a  bright,  transparent  red,  the  other 
a  dark,  opaque  red  with  which  antimony  is  almost  in- 
variably associated  in  small  quantities.  The  former  is 
known  as  the  "red,  "and  the  latter  as  "black  "cinnabar. 
Pyrites  is  entirely  absent.  Native  mercury  is  occasion- 
ally met  with,  associated  with  the  antimonial  ores. 
These  deposits  are  similar  to,  and  characteristic  of, 
others  in  the  districts  of  Beh-mah-tung,  Wuchuan,  and 
Pachai. 

The  methods  employed  in  mining  and  smelting  are 
distinctly  crude,  and  conform  to  no  laws  or  regulations. 
About  the  time  of  the  writer's  visit,  mining  regulations 
were  issued  by  the  Imperial  Government,  but  were 
never  enforced,  nor  was  the  slightest  notice  taken  of 
them.  In  the  mines  known  as  "  private  "  mines,  which 
have  been  acquired  by  a  company,  the  miners  are  re- 
quired to  sharpen  their  own  drills  before  entering  the 
mine,  and  drill  and  fire  two  15  in.  holes.  They  drill 
single-handed  with  71b.  hammers,  a  back  hole  counting 
double.  The  drills,  J  in.  diameter,  are  of  iron,  pointed 
with  steel  at  both  ends.  Other  mines,  described  as 
"public,"  are  usually  old  workings  which  have  been 
abandoned  by  companies  as  too  poor  to  work,  but  still 
containing  patches  of  sufficiently  remunerative  ore  for 
individual  miners,  who  are  allowed  to  work  them  on 
payment  of  600  cash  (Is.  7d.)  per  month,  known  as 
"hammer  tax,"  to  the  local  magistrate.  The  miners 
work  either  on  day's  pay  or  on  tribute.  In  the  first  case 
the  hours  worked  amount  at  most  to  six ;  but  every  fifth 


188 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


day.being  market  and  pay  day,  is  regarded  as  a  holiday, 
when  they  receive  -tOO  cash  (about  Is).  In  adthtion  to 
the  wages  they  are  supphed  daily  with  two  meals,  con- 
sisting of  boiled  rice  and  vegetables,  and  on  market 
days  a  small  portion  of  pork.  The  meals  cost  rouglily 
50  cash  or  16  pence  each.  Thus  a  miner  on  day's  pay 
earns,  inclusive  of  hisfood,  130  cash  (4  2pence)  perday, 
and  works  at  the  outside  24  hours  in  5  days.  Overtime 
is  paid  on  all  lioles  drilled  above  two  in  a  shift  at  the 
rate  of  12  pence  per  hole.  The  tributer  supplies  his 
own  tools,  e.xplosives,  etc.,  and  works  without  restric- 
tion on  a  piece  of  ground  allotted  to  him  by  a  company, 
and  his  ore  has  to  be  taken  to  the  company's  smelter 
for  treatment.  He  is  paid  for  the  quicksilver  so  pro- 
duced at  a  rather  lower  rate  than  the  prevailing  market 
price,  and,  in  addition,  the  buyer  retains  such  mercury 
as  remains  in  the  furnace.  All  taxes  are  paid  by  the 
company  to  the  officials  and  land-owners,  whether  the 
mines  are  worked  on  day's  pay  or  tribute.  In  the  blast- 
ing operations,  after  the  hole  has  been  drilled  to  the  re- 
quired depth,  a  pricker  is  inserted  and  from  two  to  three 
ounces  of  gunpowder  are  tamped  around  it  with  an  iron 
rod,  after  which  the  hole  is  filled  with  clay,  or  fines, 
nearly  to  the  top.  The  pricker  is  then  carefully  with- 
drawn by  twisting  it  with  a  pointed  bar  inserted  in  the 
eye  of  the  pricker,  and,  in  the  space  thus  left,  the  fuse 
is  introduced  and  a  conical-shaped  piece  of  paper  at- 
tached to  the  end  of  the  fuse,  which,  on  being  lit,  smoul- 
ders and  acts  as  a  time  fuse  until  it  reaches  the  powder. 
The  native  fuse  consists  of  a  peculiar  kind  of  brown 
paper,  treated  with  nitre,  and  rolled  very  tightly,  en- 
closing a  minute  quantity  of  gunpowder.  When  finish- 
ed it  has  the  appearance  of  a  piece  of  whip  cord.  The 
timing  is  very  unreliable.  Owing  to  the  inferior  quality 
of  the  gunpowder  (which  is  made  on  the  mines  from  in- 
gredients obtained  locally),  the  explosive  force  is  small, 
only  from  200  to  300  lb.  of  rock  being  dislodged  per 
hole  drilled. 

No  system  of  driving,  sinking,  or  stoping  is  observed 
in  the  winning  of  the  ore,  the  mmer  simply  following  a 
stringer  on  a  mineralized  band  of  ore,  enlarging  or  re- 
ducing his  working  face  as  the  mineral  widens  or  pinches, 
resulting  in  a  series  of  intricate  workings.  Timbering 
is  unnecessary,  as  the  ground  is  compact  and  holds 
well,  even  in  the  largest  workings.  The  ore  is  trans- 
ported from  the  working  face  to  the  surface  by  means 
of  baskets  carrying  30  to  40  lb. ,  fastened  to  the  coolie's 
back  by  ropes  which  pass  under  the  arms.  In  the  very 
low  and  narrow  workings  where  it  is  impossible  to  stand 
upright,  wooden  boxes  containing  the  ore  are  drawn 
along  the  floor  by  small  boys,  crawling,  with  a  rope 
passing  around  the  neck,  down  the  stomach,  between 
the  legs  and  attached  to  the  box.  On  the  ore  reaching 
the  surface,  coolies,  termed  ore  pickers,  cob  and  pick 
it,  as  much  as  possible  of  the  barren  rock  being  dis- 
carded The  large  crystals  of  cinnabar  are  detached  by 
means  of  a  stout  pointed  wire.  The  ore  is  crushed  on  a 
large  flat  stone  with  hammers,  to  pass  a  J  in.  bamboo 
sieve,  and  if  the  cinnabar  is  of  the  red  variety,  it  is 
panned,  the  concentrates  removed,  and  the  tailings 
treated  for  quicksilver  in  the  furnace  retort.  If  the  cin- 
nabar is  black,  the  panning  is  dispensed  with,  and  the 
whole  put  direct  into  the  furnace. 

During  the  winter  months,  when  agricultural  labour 
is  more  or  less  at  a  standstill,  a  lar^e  percentage  of  the 
population  turn  their  attention  to  the  working  over  of 
the  old  dumps,  and  may  be  seen  wending  iheir  way  to 
the  dumps  at  all  hours  of  the  morning,  armed  with  a 
basket,  hammer,  and  rake,  and  sometimes  a  lamp  to 
enter  the  abandoned  mines,  returning  in  the  evening 
with  perhaps  10  to  15  lb.  of  picked  ore  containing  1% 
to  2%  quicksilver.   This  ore  is  disposed  of  to  the  owners 


of  private  furnaces,  of  which  there  are  a  number  scat- 
tered about  the  district.  I'umping  is  a  minor  item,  from 
the  fact  that  the  deposits  are  not  deep-seated,  and  the 
deeply  carved  and  fissured  country  does  not  permit  of 
the  accumulation  of  large  cjuantities  of  water,  which 
would  prevent  the  natives  from  carrying  out  their  primi- 
tive modes  of  mining.  Where  water  accumulates  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  check  operations,  a  bamboo  or 
wooden  chain-pump  is  installed,  similar  to  those  used 
for  irrigation  purposes,  but  if  they  prove  inadequate, 
the  workings  affected  are  abandoned  until  the  water  re- 
cedes. Ventilation  is  also  a  question  which  does  not 
worry  the  Chinese  miner.  The  imperfect  combustion 
of  the  explosive,  the  smoke  arising  from  the  oil  lamps, 
the  filthy  habits  of  the  miners  themselves,  and  the  fact 
that  many  absolutely  live  in  the  mine  for  fear  of  having 
their  rich  ore  stolen,  tend  to  make  the  air  as  foul  as  it  is 
possible  to  conceive,  and  often,  on  entering  a  working, 
it  is  almost  impossible  to  see  how  many  are  at  work  or 
what  is  being  done.  The  miners  will  submit  to  all  these 
discomforts  and  dangers  to  health  rather  than  do  any 
work  which  would  cause  expenditure  without  direct 
remuneration. 

The  furnaces,  built  in  pairs,  are  2  ft.  6  in.  in  diameter 
and  I  ft.  6  m.  in  height.  Each  consists  of  a  cooking  pan, 
which  serves  as  a  receptacle  for  the  ore,  resting  on  a 
round  fireplace  made  of  unburnt  bricks,  on  which  is 
placed  a  similar  pan  inverted,  with  a  12  in.  hole  in  its 
centre.  On  this  is  built  a  collar  of  clay,  12  in.  high, 
strengthened  by  a  plaited  bamboo  network,  extending 
a  few  inches  above  the  clay  collar,  serving  as  a  support 
to  the  upper  pan.  The  top  of  the  clay  collar  is  grooved 
in  the  centre,  and  a  third  pan,  with  a  12  in.  diameter 
hole,  rests  on  its  inner  rim,  and  this,  being  covered  by 
an  earthenware  pot  which  acts  as  a  condenser,  an  an- 
nular space  is  formed  between  the  groove,  the  lower 
part  of  the  top  pan,  and  the  inner  side  of  the  bamboo 
network.  Three  holes  3  in  diameter  are  pierced  through 
the  rim  of  clay  on  which  the  topmost  pan  rests,  and  are 
known  as  "percentage  holes."  inclining  towards  the 
centre  of  the  furnace.  The  amount  of  quicksilver  col- 
lected in  this  annular  space  depends  on  the  inclination 
of  the  percentage  holes,  increasing  in  quantity  as  the 
angle  of  inclination  increases.  The  earthenware  pot  or 
condenser  is  luted  with  fine  residues  and  the  bamboo 
network  is  lined  with  clay.  Wood  fuel  is  used  for  heat- 
ing purposes.  The  usual  charge  for  one  furnace  is  50 
lb,  of  ore.  The  quicksilver  vapours  condense  in  the 
annular  space  and  earthenware  pot,  which  is  changed 
at  intervals  until  the  ore  is  exhausted,  when  the  residues 
are  withdrawn  by  means  of  a  shovel  the  blade  of  which 
is  at  right  angles  to  its  handle,  and  replaced  by  another 
charge.  While  the  condenser  is  being  changed,  the 
ore  in  the  pan  is  stirred  wiih  a  wooden  pole,  the  fumes 
escaping  copiously  during  the  operation.  The  conden- 
ser becomes  coated  with  minutesglobulesof  quicksilver, 
which  on  removal  are  run  together  hy  rubbing  the  sur- 
face with  a  rag  forming  a  pool  at  the  bottom  of  the  pot. 
The  losses,  as  far  as  can  be  esiimated,  vary  between 
30%  and  40%  of  the  total  quicksilver.  The  amount 
collected  in  thecondenser  naturallvdependson  therich- 
ness  of  the  ore  treated,  and  sometimes  as  much  as  a 
catty  (1  3  lb  )  is  collected.  The  metal  is  poured  into 
bamboo  flasks  and  eventually  transported  to  the  river 
ports  in  pigs'  bladders.  The  residues,  especially  in  ihe 
case  of  rich  orts.  which  still  contain  imperfectly  burnt 
ore.  are  ground  by  hand,  sluiced,  and  the  concentrates 
again  retorted 

In  add. lion  to  the  furnaces  at  work  near  the  mines, 
considerable  numbers  are  owned  by  individuals  who 
carry  on  custom  smelting,  recei\ing  in  payment  the 
quicksilver  collected  in  the  annular  space  through  the 


MARCH,    1921 


189 


percentage  holes.  The  ore  treated  in  these  furnaces  is 
obtained  from  the  mines  or  from  the  dumps,  and  not  in- 
frequently by  theft.  The  owners  of  private  mines  have 
a  set  of  furnaces  for  rich  ore,  and  another  for  poor  ore, 
and,  if  the  miner  strikes  a  rich  pocket,  the  ore  is  treated 
in  the  rich-ore  furnaces,  the  percentage  holes  being  so 
inclined  that  the  furnace  owner  receives  about  40%  of 
the  total  distillate  as  his  share.  This  is  an  established 
custom  to  which  the  miners  willingly  conform. 

Bauxite  in  West  Africa. — The  report  of  Mr.  A.  E. 
Kitson,  the  Director  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  the 
Gold  Coast,  for  the  year  1919,  just  to  hand,  contains 
further  information  relating  to  the  bauxite  deposit  at 
Mount  Ejuanema  discovered  by  him  previously,  and 
described  in  his  report  for  1917-  The  latter  report  was 
quoted  in  our  issue  for  July,  1919,  and  we  reproduce 
the  more  recent  report  herewith.  It  will  be  seen  that 
some  interesting  notes  are  given,  of  value  to  those  in- 
terested in  the  formation  of  bauxite. 

Thewholeof  the  shafts  at  Mt.  Ejuanema  sunk  through 
the  bauxite  deposits  were  carefully  examined,  the  char- 
acter of  the  bauxite  noted,  and  numerous  samples  from 
top  to  bottom  taken  for  analysis  or  record  from  nearly 
all  the  shafts.  These  shafts  number  65  on  the  flat  top 
of  the  mountain  and  68  alont:  the  sides.  The  shafts  on 
the  top  vary  in  depth  from  19  ft.  to  31  ft.  to  the  bottom 
of  the  bauxite,  or  23^  ft.  to33ift.  in  total  depth.  Those 
on  the  sides  vary  from  3j  ft,  to  15j  ft.  of  rubbly  and 
massive  bauxite  with  soil,  and  in  total  depth  from  4j  ft. 
to  33  ft.  As  disclosed  by  the  shafts  the  average  thick- 
ness of  massive  and  rubbly  bauxite,  with  interstitial 
finely  granular  bauxite,  like  red  soil,  is  20i  ft.  The 
massive  bauxite  is  12i  ft.  thick,  and  the  rubbly  bauxite 
7§  ft  ,  but  It  is  impossible  at  present  to  form  more  than 
a  very  approximate  estimate  of  the  proportion  of  red 
soil  to  the  rest.  Analyses  of  this  material  are  in  hand  ; 
those  already  received  prove  almost  the  whole  of  it  to 
be  bauxite.  The  surface  soil,  which  is  also  probably 
very  finely  granular  bauxite,  has  an  average  thickness 
of  2  ft  10  in.  It  occurs  only  on  certain  parts  of  the  top 
of  the  mountain,  for  massive  bauxite  outcrops  cover 
considerable  portions  of  it.  The  average  of  17  analyses 
already  made  of  bauxite  from  various  portions  of  the 
deposit  gives  the  following  percentages:  Al^O.,,  60'55  ; 
Fe-jO:,,  975;  TiO.,,  221  ;  CaO+MgO,  0  73;  SiOa. 
1'42;  water,  25  59.  The  total  quantity  of  bauxite  on 
the  mountain  may  be  taken  for  the  present  at  approxi- 
mately 3  000,000  tons. 

An  interesting  feature  connected  with  the  bauxite  is 
that  in  many  of  the  deeper  shafts  on  the  top  of  the 
mountain  there  was  so  much  bad  air  caused  by  carbon 
dioxide  that  complete  observations  could  not  be  made 
in  all  of  them  In  many  cases  the  light  of  a  lantern  low- 
ered into  the  shafts  went  out  instantaneously  on  reach- 
ing depths  varying  from  5  to  15  ft.  from  the  bottom  of 
the  shafts.  Time  did  noi  permit  repeated  visits  to  these 
shafts,  nor  to  exhaust  the  bad  air  by  extemporized 
means,  while  no  tornadoes  supplied  water  when  wanted 
to  dissolve  the  gas.  Consequently  some  10  shafts  have 
not  been  completely  examined,  for  it  was  found  that, 
even  protected  by  a  rope  for  rapid  haulage,  it  was  not 
safe  to  venture  down  owing  to  the  bad  effects  of  this 
gas.  The  source  of  the  carbon  dioxide  is  undetermined, 
but  there  is  presumptive  evidence  that  it  is  being  ex- 
uded from  the  pores  and  cracks  in  ihe  bauxite.  It  is 
certainlv  not  due  to  decomposing  vegetation  fallen  into 
the  shafts,  or  to  exhalations  and  exudations  from  the 
native  workmen.  Only  some  of  the  shafts,  and  those 
not  the  deepest,  showed  the  presence  of  bad  air.  In  one 
case  a  shaft  being  sunk  was  found  the  following  morn- 
ing lo  be  so  foul  that  the  light  vanished  at  once  10  ft. 
from  the  bottom.     Many  shafts.  20  to  JO  ft.  deep,  with 


6  to  18  in.  of  decaying  vegetable  matter,  had  no  foul  air, 
for  no  bad  effects  were  felt  at  the  bottom.  Further,  rats, 
mice,  a  squirrel,  frogs,  snakes,  lizards,  and  insects  of 
various  kinds,  which  were  found  at  the  bottoms  of  many 
shafts,  were  quite  lively,  and  even  when  burrowing  into 
the  material  at  the  bottom  seemed  to  suffer  no  ill  effects. 
In  other  cases,  usually  in  shafts  without  vegetable  mat- 
ter, they  were  somewhat  torpid,  possibly  from  starva- 
tion or  injury.  If  carbon  dioxide  is  now  coming  from 
the  bauxite,  there  seems  to  be  no  reason  to  doubt  that, 
dissolved  in  water,  it  is  acting  on  the  clay-shales  and 
assisting  in  the  formation  of  bauxite.  Should  this  ac- 
tion be  taking  place,  it  is  evident  that  bauxite  is  still  in 
process  of  formation. 

Flotation  Applied  to  Coal.  —  Reference  has  been 
made  in  these  columns  on  several  occasions  to  the  ap- 
plication of  the  Minerals  Separation  process  to  the  flo- 
tation of  coal  and  the  means  thereby  secured  for  separa- 
ting fine  coal  from  the  dusty  or  slimy  material  obtained 
from  the  screens  or  coal-washers  respectively 

A  paper  on  this  subject  was  read  by  A.  F.  Bury  and 
A.  Bicknell  before  the  Newcastle  section  of  the  Society 
of  Chemical  Industry  on  January  26.  The  authors 
said  that  the  methods  for  separating  impurities  from 
coal  had  hitherto  depended  on  the  fact  that  coal  was 
of  less  specific  gravity  than  the  waste,  and  the  use  of 
jig  washers,  tables,  and  other  forms  of  gravity  separa- 
tors had  been  steadily  perfected.  All  the  machines  de- 
veloped for  that  purpose,  however,  had  failed  lo  treat 
in  an  efficient  commercial  manner  the  finer  portions  of 
the  coal.  Such  a  method  had  been  evolved  by  the 
Minerals  Separation,  Ltd.,  whose  froth-flotation  pro- 
cesses had  already  created  a  revolution  in  the  dressing 
of  metallic  ores.  The  experiments  carried  out  by 
Minerals  Separation,  Ltd  ,  showed  that  their  flotation 
processes  could  be  modified  and  adapted  to  the  re- 
covery of  the  large  amount  of  coal  daily  going  to 
waste  in  washery  pit  refuse,  and  to  the  reclaiming  of 
the  vast  tonnage  of  coal  thrown  away  in  previous  years. 
In  1919  it  was  suggested  to  the  Skinningrove  Iron  Co. 
that  the  process  thus  developed  might  be  employed  ad- 
vantageously for  the  purification  of  coal  for  the  mak- 
ing of  coke  for  blast-furnace  use.  Investigations  show- 
ed beyond  doubt  that  the  process  offered  a  means  for 
the  production  of  coal  of  very  low  ash,  and  subsequent 
coking  tests  showed  how  admirably  the  washed  coal 
was  suited  to  the  pioduction  of  the  finest  metallurgical 
coke. 

Coal  as  delivered  at  the  works  might  be  briefly  said 
to  consist  of  a  mixture  of  the  following  substances  in 
varying  proportions:  (1)  pure  coal,  having  a  low  ash 
of  from  2  5  to  50%  ;  (2)  bone  coal,  having  a  higher 
ash  of  from  10  to  16%  ;  (3)  shale  containing  a  varying 
amount  of  bituminous  matter  and  an  ash  of  from  60 
to  85%  ;  (4)  small  quantities  of  other  impurities  such 
as  gypsum  and  pyrites.  The  shale,  gypsum,  and  py- 
rites could  be  removed  by  mechanical  means  providing 
the  coal  was  crushed  sufficiently  fine  to  ensure  that  the 
shale  was  freed  fiom  coal,  the  tlegree  of  fineness  vary- 
ing with  the  extent  to  which  the  coal  and  shale  were 
interstratified.  The  bone  coal  presented  quite  a  differ- 
en  problem  Most  Durham  coking  coals  appeared  to 
contain  approximately  10%  of  the  high-ash  coal,  in 
which  the  ash  was  so  intimately  mixed  or  even  chemi- 
cally combined  that  no  separation  was  possible  by  me- 
chanical means.  It  had  been  found  that  the  ash  of  the 
bone  coal  could  not  be  removed  or  reduced  even  when 
the  coal  was  ground  to  pass  a  200  mesh  screen.  The 
separation  of  the  bone  coal  from  the  better  qnalites 
was  one  of  the  most  striking  features  of  the  llotaiion 
process,  and.  it  was  believed,  unattainable  by  any  other 
method  of  coal  purification. 


190 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


Silver-Lead  in  Yukon.  The  CiinaJiiin  Miniiif; 
Journal  for  January  21  contains  an  article  by  W.  K. 
Cockfield  on  silver  lead  ore  deposits  in  tlie  Mayo  dis- 
trict. Vnkon  Territory,  some  distance  east  of  Klondyke 
The  press  has  contained  news  from  time  to  lime  during 
the  last  few  years  of  these  discoveries,  and  brief  refer- 
ences to  them  have  been  made  in  the  publications  of 
the  Canadian  Geolot;ical  Survey.  As  attention  has 
recently  been  attracted  to  them  again,  it  is  opportune 
to  quote  Mr.  Cockfields  article. 

In  the  year  I'.'H.  with  the  opening  of  the  rich  de- 
posit at  Galena  creek,  an  impetus  was  given  to  the 
search  for  argentiferous  galena,  which  resulted  in  the 
discovery  of  a  number  o(  promising  properties  These 
include  Keno  llill.  Lookout  Mountain,  Kambler  Hill, 
Stand-to  Mountain,  Mt,  Cameron,  and  a  number  of 
others. 

Keno  ridge  is  a  long  wedge-shaped  ridge  lying  be- 
tween the  heads  of  Lightning  Creek,  Christal  Creek, 
and  Ladue  River  about  -tJ  miles  from  Mayo  by  road 
It  has  the  characteristic  flat  top  of  the  Yukon  plateau 
country,  and  is  surmounted  by  a  number  of  hillocks 
known' locally  as  Keno  Hill,  Minto  Hill.  Monument 
Hill,  Caribou  Hill  and  Beauvetle  Hill       Upwards  of 
600  claims  have  been  staked  on  the  ridge,  and  on  most 
of  these  sufficient  work  has  been  done  to  keep  them  in 
good  standing.     Real  development  work,  however,  has 
been  performed  only  onasmall  number  of  groups.   The 
geology  of  Keno  HiU  is  similar  to  that  of  the  greater 
part  of  Mayo  area.     The  rocks  exposed  consist  of  a 
series  of  crystalline  schists  and  gneisses,  intruded  by 
sillsof  greenstone  and  dykes  and  sillsof  rhyolite,  quartz- 
porphyry,  and  "granite-porphyry.     The  schist  series  is 
made  up  of  gneissoid  quartzite,  quartz-mica  schists, 
mica,  and  chlorite  schists.     The  greenstone  sills  vary 
in  colour,  composition  and  texture,  ranging  from  a  dio- 
rite  to  a  diabase.     The  acid  sills  and  dykes  are  believed 
to  be  apophyses  from  a  granite  mass  to  the  eastward. 
The  strata  in  general  have  an  east-west  trend  and  dip 
to  the  south  at  low  angles.     Near  the  hillocks  known 
as  Keno  Hill,  Minto  Hill,  and  Monument  Hill,  how- 
ever, they  undergo  a  sharp  flexure,  bending  nearly  at 
right  angles,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  this  flexure  there  is 
much  local  faulting.     The  ore-bodies  are  found  in  6s- 
sure  veins  and  are  consequently  intimately  related  to 
the  systems  of  faulting.     Two  such  systems  have  been 
recognized,  one  of  which  is  in  a  general  way  parallel 
to  the  trend  of  the  strata  and  is  referred  to  as  longi- 
tudinal faulting  ;   the  other  making  an  angle  of  70"  to 
80°  with  these  and  cross-cutting  the  strata,  is  referred 
to  as  transverse  faulting.     In  the  longitudinal  system 
one  main  fault  traverses  the  ridge  for  several  miles  and 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  flexure  diverges  into  three  main 
branches,  which  are  also  quite  persistent.     Traces  of 
other  faults  parallel  to  these  have  been  found,  but  ow- 
ing to  the  rather  heavy  drift  cover,  they  could  not  be 
followed  any  considerable  distance.     These  faults  are 
mineralized  with  quartz  and  arsenopyrite,  and  occasion- 
ally with  galena,  manganite,  and  siderite.     The  trans- 
verse faults  occur  in  great  numbers,  particularly  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  flexure      As  a  rule  they  are  much  shorter 
than  the  longitudinal  faults  and  of  relatively  slight  dis- 
placement.    They  are  mineralized  with  galena,  man- 
ganite, and  siderite,  and  occasionally  with  calcite  and 
blende.  In  both  systems  the  galena  is  enriched  in  places 
with  freibergite.     The  principal  ore-shoots  already  dis- 
covered lie  in  the  transverse  faults.     From  what  has  al- 
ready been  learned  it  may  be  established  as  a  general 
rule  that  where  one  of  these  fissures  taps  a  longitudinal 
fault  and  passes  upward  out  of  a  hard  stratum  such  as 
quartzite  or  greenstone  into  schist,  an  ore-shoot  will  be 
found  in  the  vein  below  the  schist  capping.     In  the 


longitudinal  faults  ore  deposition  has  taken  place  at 
points  where  the  older  filling  (if  tiuartzarsenopyrile  has 
been  opened  by  a  distinct  (racture.  but  at  some  locali- 
ties a  disseminated  ore  occurs,  which  may  have  been 
introduced  at  the  time  of  formation  of  these  veins. 
The  ore-shoots  vary  in  width  from  a  few  inches  up  to 
4  or  5  ft.  The  galena  in  them  is  fairly  free  from  mix- 
ture with  gangue  minerals  and  samples  are  usually 
taken  of  the  galena  only.  A  content  of  about  200 
ounces  of  silver  per  ton  and  60"',.  lead  probably  repre- 
sents closely  the  value  of  ihe  ore  shoots.  None  of 
these  shoots  has  been  fully  blocked  out  as  yet.  and  none 
of  the  deposits  has  been  tested  in  depth.  The  galena 
occurs  fresh  and  unaltered  right  at  the  surface,  but  on 
some  properties  carbonates  are  encountered  at  a  depth 
of  a  few  feet.  In  other  cases  no  alteration  was  noted. 
It  is  expected  that  about  3.000  tons  of  ore  will  be  hauled 
to  Stewart  river  during  the  winter  from  these  deposits. 
The  Stewart  discharges  into  the  Yukon  river  50  miles 
above  Dawson  City. 

SHORT   NOTICES. 

Measuring  Compressed  Air. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Midland  Institute  of  Mining,  Civil,  and  Mechanical 
Engineers  held  on  January  22.  J .  L.  Hodgson  presented 
a  paper  on  the  metering  of  compressed  air. 

Mechanical  Loading  of  Ships. — .'\t  the  meeting  of 
the  Institution  of  Mechanical  Engineers  held  on  Janu- 
ary 21,  H.  J.  Smith  read  a  paper  on  the  mechanical 
loading  of  ships,  giving  much  attention  to  the  handling 
of  minerals  in  bulk. 

Working  of  Petroleum  by  Shafts  and  Galleries. — 
Atthe  February  meelingof  the  Institution  of  Petroleum 
Technologists,  a  paper  was  presented  by  Paul  de  Cham- 
brier,  describing  the  exploitation  of  oil  deposits  at 
Pechelbronn,  Alsace,  by  means  of  shafts  and  galleries. 
This  paper  is  an  abstract  of  a  pamphlet  noticed  in  an- 
other column.  By  meaas  of  shafts  and  galleries  the 
oil  drains  downward. 

Flotation  of  Coal.  —  The  Iron  and  Coal  Trades 
Review  for  February  1 1  describes  the  application  of  the 
Minerals  Separation  flotation  process  to  the  recovery 
of  fine  coal  from  waste. 

De-aeration  of  Solutions. — The  December /o!( ma/ 
of  the  Chemical,  Metallurgical,  and  Mining  Society  of 
South  Africa  contains  a  paper  by  H.  A.  White  discus- 
sing methods  of  removing  oxygen  from  solutions  and 
water  by  the  addition  of  chemicals  and  giving  details 
of  his  experiments  with  tannin,  ferrous  ammonium  sul- 
phate, manganese  sulphate,  etc.  The  suitability  of 
chemicals  for  this  purpose  depends  upon  price,  insolu- 
bility after  oxygen  absorption,  and  freedom  from  unde- 
sired  reactions. 

Estimation  of  Mercury.— At  the  February  meeting 
of  the  Newcastle  section  of  the  Society  of  Chemical  In- 
dustry. A.  A.  Hall  described  a  quick  method  lor  the 
estimation  of  mercury. 

Knudsen  Furnace. — In  the  Engineering  and  Min- 
ing Journal  ior  February  12,  E.  H.  Robie  describes 
the  use  of  the  Knudsen  furnace  in  the  pyritic  smelting 
of  Sudbury  nickel-copper  ores,  and  the  experiments 
undertaken  by  the  International  Nickel  Company. 

Zirconia.— At  the  February  meeting  of  the  Birming- 
ham section  of  the  Society  of  Chemical  Industry,  E. 
C.  Rossiter  and  P.  H.  Sanders  read  a  paper  on  the 
preparation  of  zirconia  from  Brazilian  ores,  giving  also 
a  new  method  of  determination. 

Fume  Precipitation.— fingfneeri'ng  for  January  28 
describes  the  Cottrell  electrostatic  plant  as  applied  to 
the  precipitation  of  SO3  fume  at  the  sulphuric  acid 
plant  of  the  Holton  Heath  cordite  factory. 


MARCH,    1921 


191 


Electric  Smelting. —  In  Cheiii  ical  and  Metal tii  rgical 
Engineering  for  January  19,  Jonas  Herlenius  writes 
on  the  electric  furnace  used  in  S.veden  for  producing 
pig  iron. 

Helium. — The/oi<rKa/ of  the  Franklin  Institute  for 
February  contains  a  paper  by  R.  B.  Moore,  chief 
chemist  of  the  United  Slates  Bureau  of  Mines,  on  the 
history,  properties,  and  commercial  development  of 
helium. 

Mineral  Matter  in  Coal. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Mid- 
land Institute  of  Mining,  Civil,  and  Mechanical  Engi- 
neers held  on  January  22,  Dr.  R.  Lessing  presented  a 
paper  on  the  distribution  and  nature  of  mineral  matter 
in  coal.    This  is  a  paper  of  great  importance. 

Westmorland  Minerals. — .\t  a  meeting  of  the  Man- 
chester Geological  and  Mining  Society  held  last  month, 
Vincent  Bramall  read  a  paper  on  the  minerals  found 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Appleby,  Westmorland,  with 
special  reference  to  barytes. 

Canadian  Gold  and  Silver. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Royal  Statistical  Society  held  on  February  15,  J.  Bonar 
read  a  paper  entitled  :  The  Mint  and  the  Precious 
Metals  in  Canada. 

Yampi  Sound  Iron  Ores. — The  Queensland  Gov- 
ernment Mining  Journal  for  December  contains  an 
abstract  of  a  report  on  the  Yampi  Sound  iron  ore  de- 
posits, northern  West  Australia,  made  for  the  Queens- 
land Mines  Department  by  C,  F.  V.  Jackson  and  E. 

A.  Cullen. 

Salt  Manufacture. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgi- 
cal Engineering  for  February  2,  W.  L.  Badger  de- 
scribes the  salt  deposits  of  Michigan  and  the  method 
of  raising  the  brine  and  manufacturing  salt. 

Non-Metallic  Minerals  in  the  United  States. — In  the 
Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for  January  29,  R. 

B.  Ladoo  gives  an  account  of  the  production  of  non- 
metallic  minerals  in  the  United  States. 

Fluor-Spar.  —  In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  January  29,  J.  M.  Blayney  describes  the 
mining  of  fluor-spar  at  Fairview,  Illinois. 

East  Indian  Topography.  —  The  Geograpliical 
Journal  for  February  contains  a  paper  by  G.  A.  F. 
Molengraaf  on  modern  deep-sea  research  in  the  East 
Indian  Archipelago.  Thepaper  contains  much  matter 
useful  to  the  geologist  interested  in  Eastern  tin  deposits. 

Hydro-Electric  Power  in  Wales. —  In  the  Engineer 
for  February  25,  J.  B.  C.  Kershaw  gives  an  illustrated 
account  of  the  hydro-electric  installations  in  North 
Wales,  in  being  and  contemplated. 


RECENT  PATENTS  PUBLISHED. 

•■^^A  copy  of  the  s/yecificatinn  of  any  of  the  patents  men- 
tioned in  this  column  can  be  obtained  by  sendtna  Is.  to 
the  Patent  Office.  Southampton  Buildings.  Chancery 
Lane,  London.  W  C. 2., -with  a  note  of  the  nutnber  and  year 
of  the  patent . 

16,719  of  1919  (157,487).  H.  S.  Potter,  Jo- 
hannesburg. A  hammer  drill  with  a  reversible  hammer 
piston  and  rotating  device  modified  accordingly. 

18,038andl9,797of  1919(157,490).  W.  Broad- 
BRIDGE,  E.  Edser,  and  Miner.als  Sep.\ration, 
Ltd,  London.  Agitation  method  for  removing  sub- 
stances such  as  fals  from  emulsions. 

1 8,498of  191 9(1 58.0 10).  John  Thompson,  Ltd  , 
and  H.  E.  Partridge,  Wolverhampton.  Method 
of  coating  iron  and  alloys  of  copper  with  aluminium. 

21,188  of  1919  (156,852).  W  L.  McLaughlin. 
Decatur,  Illinois.  In  grinding  and  pulverizing  machines 
consisting  of  cylinders  containing  rods,  the  use  of  rods 
of  varying  diameters,  whereby  the  interstitial  spaces 
are  reduced. 

23,960  of  1919(156,866).    E.  A.  Ashcroft,  Lon- 


don. Treatment  of  comple.\  sulphides  with  chlorine  to 
make  chlorides,  and  the  treatment  of  these  chlorides 
with  magnesium  or  allov  of  magnesium  and  lead  or  zinc 
for  the  production  of  metallic  zinc  and  lead  and  mag- 
nesium chloride  ;  the  latter  is  electrolysed  to  recover 
the  magnesium  and  chlorine. 

24,767  of  1919  (157,523).  C.  M.  Conder  and 
G.  T.  Vi\'ian,  Camborne.     Improved  vibrating  screen. 

24,936  of  1919  (133,716).  DorrCompany,  New 
York.  In  thickening  tanks,  arrangements  whereby  the 
solid  settled  materials  are  forced  upward  and  discharged 
at  a  point  near  the  top  of  the  tanks. 

25,544  of  1919  (157,554).  P.  A.  Mackay,  Lon- 
don. Making  lead  sulphate  pigment  by  Ireating  galena 
with  fuming  sulphuric  acid. 

25,546  of  1919  (157,555).  P.  A.  Mackay,  Lon 
don.  Recovering  vanadium  from  vanadate  of  lead  by 
treating  with  fuming  sulphuric  acid,  thereby  obtaining 
a  soluble  sulphate  of  vanadium  and  an  insoluble  com- 
pound of  lead. 

26,332of  1919(146,919).  Armour  Fertilizer 
Works,  Chicago.  Electric  furnace  for  producing  alu- 
minium nitride. 

26,542  of  1919  (156,944).  T.  L.  Galloway, 
Campbelltown,  Scotland.  Portable  magnetometer, 
(described  in  the  Magazine  for  December). 

26,570  of  1919  (157,576).  S.  Hare,  Bishop 
Auckland.  Improved  method  of  mounting  coal-cut- 
ters to  enable  them  to  work  a  wider  track. 

26,985  of  1919  (156,367).  Universal  Coal 
Machine  Co.,  Boston,  U.S.A.  Improved  tunnel- 
boring  machine. 

28,091  of  1919(135,199).  C.  L  Stickney,  Skull 
Valley,  Arizona.  An  e.\panding  bit  for  use  in  rock- 
drills,  having  for  its  object  the  widening  of  the  drill- 
hole at  the  bottom  into  a  chamber  to  take  the  charge 
of  powder. 

29,417  of  1919(156,971).  Y.  Nishizawa,  Tokyo, 
Japan,  The  addition  to  white  sulphide  pigments  of 
organic  hydro.\yl  compounds,  with  the  object  of  pre- 
venting the  pigments  turning  yellow. 

30,613  of  1919  (136,177).  GEBRiiDER  EiCK- 
hoff,  Bochum,  Germany.  Improved  compressed-air 
motors  for  jigging  conveyors. 

30,930  of  1919  (156,396).  W.  W.  Hoover  and 
T.  E.  Brown,  New  York.  Distilling  oil  from  shale  in 
situ,  by  fracturing  the  shale  by  explosives  and  circulat- 
ing a  healing  medium  through  it. 

31,661  of  1919  (136,831).  Societa  Milanese 
Impianti  Industriali  Cortese-Crespi-Souassi, 
Milan,  Ilaly.     A  rotarv  pulverizer  for  minerals. 

1,267  of  1920  (156,414).  Taylor  Wharton 
Iron  and  Steel  Co.,  Highbridge,  New  Jersey.  Im- 
proved teeth  for  the  edges  of  excavator  buckets. 

5,192  of  1920(158,154).  S.  O.  CowPER  Coles, 
London.  Improvements  in  drums  used  in  the  sherar- 
dizing  process. 

5,227  of  1920  (139,219).  J.  E.  Kennedy,  New 
York.  Improved  mounting  for  the  shafts  of  gyratory 
crushers. 

15,775  of  1920  (144,710).  Graf  Schwerin  Ak- 
tien  Gesellschaft,  Berlin.  Improved  method  of 
separating  substances  by  electro-osmosis. 

16,521  of  1920(147,546).  Fried.  Krupp  Ak- 
TiEN  Gesellschaft  Grusonwerk,  Magdeburg, 
Germany.     Improvements  in  magnetic  separators. 

16,533  of  1920  (145,444).  L.  Malecot,  Grand 
Croix,  Loire,  France.  Classifier  for  coal  and  other 
minerals- 

33,450  of  1920  (156,475).  H.  S.  Potter,  Johan- 
nesburg. Improved  rotatable  chuck  for  steels  of 
hammer-drills. 


192 


TH1-:     MINING     MAGAZINE 


NEW  BOOKS.  PAMPHLETS.  Etc.         COMPANY    REPORTS 


'"Copies  of  the  books,  etc  .  nioulioned  below  can  be  obtained 
through  the  Technical  Hockshop  of  The  Mining  .\Jti}iazine , 

7i4.  Salisbury  House,  Lomiou  Wall.  1-;.C.2. 

Quin's  Metal  Handbook  and  Statistics,  1921.  Com- 
piled by  L.  H  (JllN.  Price5s.net.  Published  by  llie 
Metal  Information  Hureau,  Ltd..  7.  East  India  Avenue, 
London,  L  C  3.  This  is  the  eislitb  yearly  issue  of  a 
statistical  publication  wliich  is  invaluable  to  all  inter- 
ested in  the  output  and  sale  of  metals  and  minerals. 
The  advertisements  form  a  useful  feature  of  the  book, 
for  they  convey  a  good  deal  of  information  with  regard 
to  the  marketing  of  metals  and  the  metal  trade,  and 
will  be  continuously  helpful  to  the  producer  and  buyer. 
The  Mining  Manual  and  Mining  Year-book,  1921. 
Hy  W.M.Tiu;  K.  Skinnkr  Price  JOs,  net,  Published 
by  W.  R.  Skinner,  11  and  12,  Clement  s  Lane,  and  The 
Financial  Times,  7Z,  Coleman  Street.  London.  This 
is  the  35th  annual  volume  of  the  standard  reference 
book  relating  to  mining  companies  registered  in  this 
country  and  companies  registered  abroad  that  are  known 
among  English  inv'eslors. 

Cobalt,  1913  to  1919.  Pamphlet  published  by  the 
Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau.     Price  9d. 

Antimony,  1913  to  1919.  Pamphlet  published  by 
the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau.      Price  Is. 

Mining  and  Preparing  Domestic  Graphite  for  Cru- 
cible Use.  By  G.  D.  DlBand  F  G.  Moses.  Bul- 
letin 112  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Bolivia's  Case  for  the  League  of  Nations.  By  JoSE 
Carkasco.  Published  by  Selwyn  &  Blount,  21,  York 
Buildings.  Adelphi,  London,  W.C  2. 

Manufacture  of  Sulphuric  Acid  in  the  United 
States.  By  A.  E,  WELLS  and  I).  E.  Fogg.  Bulletin 
184  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Crystallography  ;  A  series  of  Nets  for  the  Construc- 
tion of  Models  Illustrativeof  Simple  Crystalline  Forms. 
By  James  B.  Jordan  Price  3s  London  :  Thomas 
Murby  &  Co. 

Exploitation  du  Petrole  par  Puits  et  Galeries.  By 
Paul  de  Chambrier.  Paris:  Dunod,  47  and  49, 
Quai  des  GrandsAugusiins.  A  paper  based  on  this 
pamphlet  was  read  at  the  February  meeting  of  the  In- 
stitution of  Petroleum  Technologists. 

Geothermal  Data  of  the  United  Stales.  By  N.  H. 
Darton.  Bulletin  701  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey.  In  this  volume  are  collected  all  the  available 
records  of  earth  temperatures  in  the  United  States,  to- 
gether with  many  original  investigations. 

Refractory  Materials  :  Fireclays,  Resources  and 
Geology.  Paper  covers,  octavo,  250  pages,  illustrated. 
Price  Ss.  net.  This  is  vol.  xiv.  of  the  special  reports  on 
the  mineral  resources  of  Great  Britain  prepared  by  the 
Geological  Survey.  The  volume  contains  a  brief  but 
comprehensive  account  of  the  geology  of  the  fireclay 
deposits  of  Great  Britain,  with  special  reference  to 
those  beds  which  are  at  present  employed  for  the  manu- 
facture of  fire-bricks,  furnace-linings,  and  other  refrac- 
tory materials.  The  industry  isan  old-established  one, 
and,  especially  during  the  war.  was  of  great  national 
importance.  The  British  fire-clays  are  described  ac- 
cording to  the  counties  in  which  they  occur,  and  par- 
ticulars are  given  of  every  deposit  that  is  known  to  be 
of  economic  value.  Fortunately  for  the  country  there 
is  an  abundant  supply  of  fire-clav,  and  the  reserves  are 
large,  while  the  variety  of  clays  is  such  that  almost 
every  use  to  which  the  mineral  is  put  can  be  adequately 
provided  for  from  home  sources.  The  volume  is  a  se- 
quel to  the  Memoir  on  Silicious  Refractories  previously 
published,  and  it  is  intended  to  issue  another  part  con- 
taining chemical  analyses  and  furnace-tests  of  many  of 
the  best  known  fire-clays. 


Taquah  Central  Mines. — This  company  was  formed 
in  lyO'J  to  acquire  gold-mining  claims  at  Tarkwa.  West 
Africa.  Bewick,  ^Ioreingc'^:Co.  andtheTaiiuah-Abosso 
group  were  interested.  The  property  was  being  devel- 
oped in  1912  when  the  workings  were  flooded.  As  re- 
corded last  June,  the  mines  are  being  reopened,  /GO, 000 
of  new  capital  having  been  subscribed.  Bewick,  More- 
ing  &  Co.  have  retired  from  the  general  managership, 
and  the  management  has  been  transferred  totheTaquah 
Mining  &  Exploration  Company.  The  report  now  pub- 
lished covers  the  year  ended  June  30  last.  This  shows 
that  work  was  resumed  in  July.  The  surface  plant  has 
been  reorganized  and  additional  plant  supplied.  The 
present  development  work  consists  of  making  connec- 
tion between  two  adits2. 000ft. apart.  When  thepumps 
are  going,  development  will  be  undertaken  on  the  400  ft. 
level.  The  labour  position  in  this  district  is  improving. 
Geevor  Tin  Mines. — The  report  of  this  company, 
which  operates  tin  mines  near  St.  Just.  Cornwall,  covers 
the  year  ended  March  31,  1920.  During  this  period 
28,324  tons  of  ore  was  treated,  yielding  432  tons  of  tin 
concentrate,  being  an  average  of  34  16  lb.  per  ton.  The 
amount  received  by  the  sale  of  this  concentrate  was 
/69,064,  or  ^159.  17s.  5d.  per  ton.  After  allowing  for 
depreciation  and  writing  off  a  proportion  of  develop- 
ment and  shaft-sinking,  the  balance  of  profit  was /6, 256, 
which  was  carried  forward.  In  our  issue  of  December, 
1919,  detailswere  given  of  the  increase  in  capital  for  the 
purpose  of  extending  operations ;  during  theperiod  cov- 
ered bv  the  present  report  /21,407  was  spent  on  this 
extra  development  and  /17,605  on  additional  equip- 
ment. Last  summer  further  capital  was  issued  for  the 
purpose  of  acquiring  control  of  Levant.  The  present 
position  at  Geevor  is  that  mining  is  suspended  owing  to 
'he  low  price  of  tin.  Further  particulars  are  given  in 
the  Review  of  Mining. 

De  Beers  Consolidated. — This  company  has  been 
working  diamond  mines  near  Kimberley.  Cape  Prov- 
ince, South  Africa,  since  1888.  The  report  for  the  year 
ended  June  30  last  shows  that  1.927,178  loads  of  dia- 
mond ground  svas  raised  at  the  Wesselton  mine. 
2.021,026  loads  at  Bultfontein,  and  1,796,573  loads  at 
Dutoitspan,  making  a  total  of  5,744.777  loads.  The 
amounts  of  weathered  ground  washed  at  these  mines 
were  1.646.895  loads,  2.251,895  loads,  and  l.S92,55S 
loads  respectively,  making  a  total  of  5,790,710  loads. 
The  respective  yields  per  load  were  024  carat,  0'29 
carat,  and  016  carat.  As  already  recorded,  disintegra- 
tion by  weathering  is  being  abandoned  for  mechanical 
breaking,  as  adopted  at  the  Premier  diamond  mine. 
The  accounts  show  a  mining  expenditure  of  £  1 ,991 .258, 
and  other  expenditure  /741 ,976,  The  credit  for  sales 
of  diamonds  was  /6. 761, 840,  and  interest  and  dividends 
brought  the  total  revenue  to  /6, 997, 899.  The  profit 
was  ^4.264,665,  out  of  which  /439,550  was  paid  as 
taxes.  /800,000  was  paid  as  preference  dividend,  and 
/3, 000, 000  as  ordinary  dividend,  the  rate  on  the  prefer- 
ence shares  being  40%  and  on  the  ordinary  120 per  cent. 
Exploration  Company. — The  report  of  thiscompany 
for  1920  shows  a  gross  profit  of  /74.599and  anet  profit 
of  /57,162  :  /20.000  has  been  written  off  for  deprecia- 
tion, and  /37,500  has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  be- 
ing 10%  tax  paid  The  low  .American  exchange  during 
the  early  part  of  1920  made  it  profitable  to  sell  nearly 
all  the  company's  investments  in  the  United  States. 
At  the  meeting  of  shareholders,  the  chairman.  R.  T. 
Bayliss,  spoke  very  hopefully  of  the  prospects  in  Mexico 
and  recorded  his  tlesire  to  increase  the  company's  busi- 
ness in  that  country  provided  suitable  properties  came 
before  his  notice. 


I-?'^ 


The  Mining  Magazine 

W.   F.  White,  Managing  Director.  EDWARD  Walker,  M.Sc.  F.G.S.,  Editor. 

Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,  Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall.  London.  E.C.2. 

Telephone:  London  Wall  893S.     Telegraphic  Address :  Oligoclase.     Codes:  jWciVeti^.  both  Editions. 


(420,  Market  Street.  San  Francisco. 
Branch  Offices  :    \  600.  Fisher  Bdfi..  Chicaso, 

l2,222.  Equitable  Building,  New  York. 


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Vol.  XXIV.    No.  4. 


LONDON,   APRIL.    1921 


Price 


6d. 


CONTENTS. 


Editorial 

Notes 194 

Oil-Coal  Fuel ;  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers  ;  Re- 
moving Gases  from  Water  and  Solutions  ;  Death 
of  Lord  Moulton  ;  The  Hoover  Footl  Research 
Institute;  Destruction  of  Marine  Life  by  Oil; 
Economic  Geology  at  Camborne  ;  .A.nnual  Meet- 
ing of  the  Canadian  Institute  of  Mining  an»i 
Metallurgy. 

The  Imperial  Mineral  Resources 
Bureau 195 

The  progress  made  b\  the  Bureau  is  reviewed,  and 
note  is  made  of  its  publications,  particularly 
those  on  zinc  antl  iron. 

Mining  at  Great  Depths 196 

The  discussion  on  Mr.  E.  H.  Clifford's  paper  read 
before  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
was  continued  at  the  March  meeting. 

Iron  Ore  and  Greenstone   197 

The  Editor  draws  attention  to  a  letter  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Goodchild  throwing  doubts  on  the  ij^neous  origin 
of  certain  rocks. 

Adventures  in  the  Desert  197 

.\n  incident  of  travel  is  recorded,  which  shows  that 
journeys  through  waterless  regions  are  still  often 
fraught  with  danger. 

Review  of  Mining  199 

Articles 

The  Oil  Resources  of  South  America 

Henry  B.  Milner  203 

The    Apatite  -  Magnetite    Deposits    of 
Dhalbhum,  India...  E.  F.  O.  Murray  211 

The  author  fiives  particulars  of  phosphate  deposits 
in  India,  whicli  niifiht  form  the  basis  of  an  ex- 
tensive fertilizer  industry. 

Iron  Ore  Deposits  of  Queensland 214 

The  Author  of  this  article,  who  has  an  intimate 
knowled^le  of  the  Mineral  Resources  of  Queens- 
land, gives  herewith  a  description  of  the  princi- 
pal iron  ore  deposits  in  that  State,  which  are  to 
be  used  in  the  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  about  to 
be  established  by  the  Government  of  Queens- 
land, 

Letters  to  the  Editor 

Cumberland  Iron  Ore  J.  H.  Goodchild  218 
Cementation  Process  and  Vein- Filling 
Stephen  J.  Lett  219 

Book  Reviews 

Crook's  "  Economic  Mineralogy  "  

E.  H.  Davison     220 


PAGE 

Book  Reviews  (continued) 

Weld  and  Others'  "  Manganese  :  Uses, 
Preparation,  Mining  Costs,  and  Production 
of  Ferro  Alloys  '" Herbert  K.  Scott     220 


News  Letters 
Toronto     


Mineral  Production  of  Canada  ;   Porcupine:   Kirfc- 
land  Lake  ,  Cobalt  ;   Sudbury. 


224 


Vancouver,  B.C 225 

Sheep  Creek  ;  Granby  Consolidated  ;  Miscellane- 
ous Miniufi  News:  Oil. 

Kalgoorlie,  W.A 227 

Mining  Conditions  in  West  Australia;  Lancefield  : 
Sons  of  Gwalia  :  State  Aid  for  Prospectors  : 
Hampton  Plains  :  Mount  Monger  :  Ravens- 
thorpe:  Oil. 

Melbourne    229 

Hydro-Electric  Power  in  Tasmania. 

North  of  England  230 

Personal 232 

Trade  Paragraphs    233 

Metal  Markets  233 

Statistics  of  Production 236 

Prices  of  Chemicals   239 

Share  Quotations 240 

The  Mining  Digest 

The  Flin-Flon  Ore- Body R.  C.  Wallace 

Reclaiming  the  Kalahari  Desert  H.J.  Choles 
Petroleum  Production  in  'Venezuela  

A.  H.  Redfield 

The  Petroleums  of  Borneo James  Kewley 

Flotation  of  Cassiterite...    M.  T.  Taylor  and 

J.  W.  Partington 

Arizona  Copper  Company's  Metallurgy    

/.  O.  Ambler 

Short  Notices 

Recent  Patents  Published.... 
New  Books,  Pamphlets,  Etc.  ... 


241 

244 

247 
250 

251 

252 

252 

253 
254 

Company  Reports  254 

,\ssociated  Northern  Blocks  ;  British  .\luniinium  ;  Consolidated 
Diamond  Mines  of  South-West  .-Xfrica  ;  East  Pool  &  Afiar;  Globe 
&  Phffinix  ;  Hollint^er  Consolidated  Gold  Mines;  Jos  Tin  Area 
(Nigeria) ;  Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro  ;  Robinson  Gold  ;  Rose  Deep  ; 
San  Francisco  Mines  of  Mexico  :  South  Crofty:  Tehid\' Minerals. 


EDITORIAL 


Fl'EL  composed  of  a  mixture  of  oil  and 
coal  dust  is  being  tried  in  locomotives  on 
the  Great  Central  Railway  with  encouraging 
results.  Experiments  are  now  being  conducted 
with  a  view  to  perfecting  the  burners  and  com- 
bustion chambers.  The  reports  indicate  ttiat 
this  type  of  fuel  is  easier  to  handle  than  coal 
dust. 

IT  will  be  remembered  that  recent  efforts  of 
the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers  to  pro- 
tect the  term  "  civil  engineer  "  failed  owing  to 
the  difticulty  of  dealing  with  engineers  who 
were  not  members  of  the  Institution  but  were 
ne verthelessof  high  professional  standing.  The 
Institution  is  now  applying  to  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil for  a  supplementary  charter  to  enable  it  to 
confer  the  title  "  chartered  civil  engineer," 
which  shall  be  recognized  as  a  mark  of  pro- 
fessional civil  engineering  status.  Members  of 
other  societies  will  no  doubt  make  the  neces- 
sary inquiries  so  as  to  ascertain  how  this  pro- 
posal will  affect  them. 


THE  removal  of  gases  dissolved  in  water, 
especially  oxygen,  is  nowadays  receiving 
the  close  attention  of  chemists  and  other  engi- 
neers. The  Crowe  vacuum  treatment  in  cya- 
niding  is  one  example  of  this  line  of  research 
and  improvement.  Another  example  is  found 
in  the  similar  method  of  softening  water  for 
boilers  and  other  chemical  and  mechanical  ap- 
plications. The  removal  of  oxygen  may  be 
efifected  by  heat,  vacuum,  or  chemical  reaction, 
and  the  relative  advantages  of  the  methods 
may  be  tested  for  each  individual  application. 
Readers  interested  in  this  subject  should  study 
a  paper  by  Mr.  Paul  Kestner,  presented  to  the 
Institution  of  Mechanical  Engineers  and  the 
Society  of  Chemical  Industry  last  month,  and 
another  paper  by  Mr.  H.  A.  White,  published 
in  the  December  Journal  of  the  Chemical, 
Metallurgical,  &  Mining  Society  of  South 
Africa.  Exigencies  of  space  have  prevented 
us  from  giving  fuller  notice  of  these  papers. 


LORD  Moulton,  who  died  last  month,  was  in 
^  many  ways  a  remarkable  man,  whether 
considered  as  a  mathematician,  scientist,  ad- 
ministrator, or  lawyer.  Perhaps  his  greatest 
service  to  the  country  was  done  as  head  of  the 
explosives  department  of  the  Ministry  of  Muni- 
tions, where,  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Kenneth 
Quinan,  he  impressed  the  true  requirements  of 
the  country  upon  the  military  authorities  and  the 


politicians,  and  forced  the  expansion  of  produc- 
tion. He  shone  less  as  a  lawyer  than  as  a 
scientist,  for  the  miserable  insincerities  of  pa- 
tent litigation  have  the  tendency  of  narrowing 
a  man's  mental  process.  Science  lost  a  power 
ful  exponent  when  Moulton  became  an  expert 
in  patent  law. 

L ELAND  Stanford  I'niversity  is  about  to 
J  establish  a  research  institute  for  the  study 
of  the  problems  of  the  production,  distribution, 
and  consumption  of  food,  and  it  is  proposed  that 
the  institute  shall  bear  the  name  of  Mr.  H.  C. 
Hoover, who  has  deposited  with  his  alma  mater 
an  enormous  amount  of  documentary  material 
on  these  subjects,  accumulated  during  his  work 
in  connection  with  the  Belgian  Relief  Fund 
and  also  as  Food  Controller  for  the  I'nited 
States.  A  large  measure  of  financial  support 
for  the  institute  will  come  from  the  Carnegie 
trustees. 

THE  destruction  of  marine  life  by  oil  dis- 
charged from  ocean-going  and  other  ships 
continues  to  receive  the  attention  of  various 
authorities  around  the  coast.  The  Kent  and 
Essex  Sea  Fisheries  Committee,  at  a  nieetmg 
held  last  month  at  Fishmongers' Hall,  had  much 
to  say  on  this  subject.  It  was  stated  that  at 
times  the  surface  of  the  lower  reaches  of  the 
river  and  even  the  sea  off  Southend  are  covered 
with  oil,  which  settles  on  the  flats  at  low  tide. 
The  fishermen  who  used  to  make  a  good  living 
between  the  Essex  and  Kent  coasts  are  giving 
up  their  operations  owing  to  the  detrimental 
effect  of  oil  on  the  young  fish. 


THE  holiday  course  in  economic  geology 
held  in  connection  with  the  Camborne 
School  of  Mines  last  summer  was  a  great  suc- 
cess, forstudents,  young  and  old,  were  attracted 
from  all  parts  of  England.  Preparations  are 
now  in  hand  for  a  similar  course  during  the 
coming  summer,  the  period  to  be  occupied  ex- 
tending from  July  18  to  August  27.  On  two 
days  every  week  there  will  be  lectures  and 
laboratory  work  dealing  with  rocks  and  rock- 
forming  minerals,  veinstones  in  the  hand  speci- 
men and  thin  section,  and  mechanical  analysis 
of  alluvial  sands  and  dressing  products  by 
vanning,  magnetic,  electrostatic,  and  flotation 
methods  and  by  means  of  hea\y  liquids.  One 
day  a  week  will  be  devoted  to  the  detailed  niap- 
pingofasmallareaon  surface  andunderground. 
On  one  day  a  week  there  will  be  a  short  local 


194 


APRIL,    1921 


195 


excursion,  and  on  another  day  every  week  a 
longer  excursion,  occupying  the  whole  day. 
These  longer  excursions  will  be  to  St.  Just  and 
Land's  End,  and  to  St.  I\es  and  Zennor,  where 
contact  metamorphism and  mining  methods  will 
bestudied;  toSt.  Austelldistrict,inorderto  visit 
china-clay  properties;  to  Carnmenellis,  south 
of  Camborne,  where  granite  is  quarried  ;  to  the 
Porthleven  district  to  study  intrusions  ;  and 
to  the  Lizard,  to  study  Pre-Cambrian  rocks. 
Those  desirous  of  attending  the  course  should 
communicatewith  Mr.  E.  H.  Davison,  lecturer 
on  geology  at  Camborne  School  of  Mines. 


ANNUAL  meetings  of  the  Canadian  Insti- 
^  tute  of  Mining  Engineers,  now  the  Cana- 
dian Institute  of  Mmingand  Metallurgy,  have 
a  widely  established  reputation  on  account  of 
the  keen  interest  shown  in  the  discussions  and 
the  good  fellowship  of  the  social  sessions.  The 
Montreal  meeting  of  1921,  held  from  March  2 
to  4  inclusive,  was  fully  up  to  the  past  stan- 
dards of  the  Institute.  Notable  papers  were 
read  dealing  with  the  newly  discovered  petro- 
leum fields  of  the  Mackenzie  River  basin,  the 
necessity  for  a  more  active  development  of  the 
coal  and  iron  industries  of  the  Dominion,  and 
other  matters  of  national  and  imperial  import- 
ance. Reference  to  some  of  these  papers  will 
be  made  in  due  course  in  the  Mining  Digest. 
At  the  dinner.  General  Sir  Arthur  Currie,  the 
new  head  of  McGill  University,  was  among  the 
speakers.  He  referred  feelingly  to  the  last 
previous  meeting  of  the  Institute  that  he  had 
attended,  a  session  organized  behind  the  fight- 
ing lines  in  Flanders  during  the  dark  winter  of 
1916.  Much  has  happened  since  then,  and 
while  perhaps  not  all  the  swords  have  been 
turned  into  ploughshares,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  re- 
cord the  general  satisfaction  felt  at  the  conver- 
sion of  this  well  known  general  into  the  Princi- 
pal of  McGill  University. 


The  Mineral  Resources  Bureau. 

Judging  by  the  second  annual  report  just  is- 
sued, the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau 
appears  to  have  got  into  its  stride.  It  enjoys 
the  advantage  of  the  assistance  and  advice  of 
all  the  Governments  of  the  Empire,  of  every 
technical  and  scientific  society  devoted  directly 
or  indirectly  to  the  consideration  of  problems 
relating  to  metals  and  minerals,  and  of  a  great 
manyof  the  bigminingand  manufacturing  com- 
panies. The  multitudinous  consultative  com- 
mittees are  composed  of  acknowledged  experts 
on  their  own  particular  subjects.  The  list  of 
Government  representatives  and  representa- 
tives of  societies,  together  with  the  list  of  mem- 


bers of  individual  committees,  should  give  con- 
fidence in  the  work  of  the  Bureau  and  its  fu- 
ture. We  would  wish,  however,  to  see  the 
services  of  the  permanent  staff  acknowledged 
in  the  report  in  greater  detail.  As  it  is,  the 
only  men  giving  all  or  a  large  share  of  their 
time  to  the  service  of  the  Bureau  that  are  men- 
tioned in  the  report  are  Sir  Richard  Redmayne, 
the  Chairman  of  the  Governors,  and  Major 
Henderson  Scott,  the  general  secretary.  There 
are  surely  others  who  deserve  public  recogni- 
tion. 

As  regards  the  publications  issued  by  the 
Bureau,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  the  variousreports 
commencewiththeyear  1913,  and  the  first  issue 
of  each  series  covers  the  years  1913  to  1919. 
Subsequently  the  issues  will  be  made  yearly. 
The  subjects  covered  by  the  reports  already 
published  are :  Arsenic,  Bismuth,  Felspar, 
Borates,  Fuller's  Earth,  Magnesite,  Chrome 
Ore  and  Chromium,  Nitrates,  Monazite,  As- 
bestos, and  Zinc.  Reports  on  Cobalt  and  Alu- 
minium may  be  expected  any  day,  and  others 
nearly  ready  for  publication  deal  with  Man- 
ganese, Copper,  Coal,  Lead,  Phosphates,  Fluor- 
spar, Talc  and  Mica,  Vanadium,  and  Barium. 
Those  in  course  of  preparation  deal  with  Tung- 
sten, Gold,  Titanium,  Platinum,  Tin,  Silver, 
and  Nickel.  The  collection  of  statistics  and 
records  is  always  a  difficult  matter,  even  under 
the  most  favourable  auspices,  but  the  period 
1913  to  1919  gives  particular  trouble  owing  to 
the  incidence  of  the  war.  Hence  the  delay  in 
publication  and  the  incompleteness  of  some  of 
the  statistics.  To  give  an  idea  of  the  range  and 
scope  of  these  reports,  it  is  convenient  to  ex- 
amine that  on  Zinc,  the  most  recently  published. 
This  report  was  prepared  by  the  staff  of  the 
Bureau  and  passed  by  Messrs.  J.  C.  Moulden, 
H.  M.  Ridge,  and  H.  Livingstone  Sulman,  the 
Bureau's  technical  committee  on  zinc.  It  con- 
sistsof  1 12  pages.  The  first  chapter  deals  with 
the  ores  and  methods  of  extraction,  the  uses  of 
zinc  as  a  metal,  in  alloys,  and  in  compounds. 
Then  a  general  review  is  given  of  the  world's 
production,  with  tables  of  yearly  production  of 
zinc  and  ores  in  each  country.  The  countries 
are  then  taken  seriatim,  firstly  the  constituents 
in  the  British  Empire  and  afterward  foreign 
states.  Full  statistical  information  is  given, 
and  the  principal  producing  centres  are  briefly 
outlined.  Afterward  comes  a  bibliography  of 
books,  articles,  and  papers  on  zinc,  atruly  valu- 
able feature  of  the  report.  Finally  there  is  a 
review  of  the  metallurgical  industry  in  connec- 
tion with  zinc  as  at  the  end  of  1919,  written  by 
Mr.  Gilbert  Rigg,  of  the  Broken  Hill  Associ- 
ated Smelters. 


196 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Tlie  Bureau  has  in  hand  a  special  and  com- 
prehensive work  on  the  Iron  Ore  Resources  of 
the  World.the  preparation  of  which  was  under- 
taken at  the  suggestion  of  the  National  I''edera- 
tion  of  Iron  and  Steel  Manufacturers.  The 
sections  devoted  to  Spain,  Portugal,  Norway, 
Swedenare  underthe  general  editorship  of  Pro- 
fessor Henry  Louis.  Mr.  K.  O.  l'"orster  Brown 
is  supervising  the  sections  dealing  with  P'rance 
and  North  Africa,  and  Dr.  P.  H.  Hatch  the 
section  on  the  ores  of  the  United  Kingdom. 

As  regards  the  future  of  the  Bureau,  it  is 
legitimate  to  express  a  hope  that  the  energies 
now  displayed  without  adequate  supervision 
by  the  Imperial  Institute  m  the  publication  of 
general  reviews  of  subjects  connected  with 
metals  and  minerals  should  not  be  continued 
independently  of  the  Bureau.  Before  the 
Bureau  was  founded,  some  doubts  existed  in 
many  quarters  as  to  the  advisability  of  the  step 
being  taken,  the  view  being  that  the  organiza 
tion  already  existed  at  the  Imperial  Institute. 
Under  the  conditions  now  existing,  such  critics 
are  inclined  to  advise  the  Imperial  Institute  to 
hand  over  this  department  of  its  work  to  the 
Bureau,  .\nother  point  to  which  referencemay 
be  made  is  the  establishment  of  records  of  com- 
mercial reports  made  on  mining  districts  and 
individual  properties.  This  M.AGAZINE  at- 
tempted to  establish  a  register  of  this  sort  some 
years  ago,  but  engineers  generally  felt  that  the 
enterprise  should  not  be  in  the  hands  of  a  pri- 
vately owned  company.  Such  a  register  would 
be  of  great  value  to  people  contemplating  the 
development  of  mineral  deposits,  and  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  Bureau  could  undertake  itsforma- 
tion.  We  make  the  suggestion  for  what  it  is 
worth. 

Mining  at  Great  Depths. 

The  discussion  on  Mr.  E.  H.  Clifford's  paper 
on  the  new  shaft  at  City  Deep,  read  in  Febru- 
ary before  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy, was  continued  at  the  March  meeting,  on 
which  occasion  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  gave  a  help- 
ful and  illuminating  address  on  various  points 
connected  with  the  physiological  aspects  of  the 
problem.  Indeed,  the  whole  discussion  at  both 
meetings  has  turned  on  the  consideration  of  this 
sideof  the  question  rather  than  on  the  mechani- 
cal features  involved  in  the  design  of  the  shaft 
andplant.  Asmentioned  lastmonth.  Dr.  Leon- 
ard Hill  is  a  physician  who  has  made  a  special 
study  of  ventilation,  heating,  and  cooling  in  re- 
lation to  their  influence  on  human  comfort  and 
capacity  for  work,  and  it  was  a  happy  thought 
on  the  part  of  the  Council  of  the  Institution  to 
invite  him  to  take  part  in  the  discussion.    They 


have  also  invited  him  to  write  a  paper  for  the 
Transactions,  which  will  in  all  probability  be 
read  at  the  meeting  in  October.  We  can  see 
in  the  future  Dr.  Hill  giving  valuable  advice 
to  the  exploiters  of  deep  metal  mines,  when  the 
physiological  factor  becomes  increasingly  pre- 
dominant. 

One  or  two  points  in  connection  with  the 
physiology  of  mining  other  than  the  reduction 
of   heat  and  moisture  were  discussed  at  the 
meeting  and  deserve  attention.      In  the  first 
place  Mr.  Bernard  Holman,  of  the  Koyal  School 
of  Mines,  mentioned  the  ill  effects  caused  by 
the  absorption  of  nitrogen  from  the  air  into  the 
blood  while  working  under  considerable  air- 
pressure.     This  nitrogen  is  apt  to  be  liberated 
from  the  blood  with  fatal  effect  if  the  pressure 
IS  reduced  too  rapidly,  and  thus  there  may  be 
danger  in  bringing  the  men  to  the  surface  at 
the  usual  speed  of  a  winding  engine.     This 
nitrogen  danger  is  well  known  in  diving  opera- 
tions, though  the  average  man  in  the  street  is, 
of  course,  not  aware  of  its  existence.      In  the 
operations  for  the  salving  of  the  gold  on  board 
the  Laurentic,  which  sunk  in  Lough  Swilly 
during  the  war  as  a  result  of  torpedo  attack,  the 
divers  can  reach  the  bottom  at  JO  fathoms  in 
half  a  minute  without  discomfort,  but  fully  half 
an  hour  must  be  allowed  for  bringing  them  to 
the  surface  again.     The  same  precaution  is 
necessary    in    connection  with  caisson  work, 
where  intermediate  chambers  are  provided  for 
gradually  reducing  the  pressure  so  that  the  ex- 
cess nitrogen  shall  be  liberated  without  harm- 
ful effects  to  the  worker.     This  question  of  re- 
lative absorption  of  the  constituents  of  the  air 
by  liquids  arises  also  in  the  system  of  compres- 
sing air  by  falling  water,  and  transmitting  to 
the  point  required  for  its  use  while  absorbed  in 
the  water.      When  this  method  of  compressing 
was  adopted  at  mines  in  Canada  ten  years  ago 
it  was  found  that  the  air  discharged  from  rock- 
drills   would  not  support    combustion  of  the 
lamps  or  candles  and  that  this  form  of  com- 
pressed air  was  therefore    not    ideal   for  the 
worker.     It   was  discovered  on  examination 
that  less  of  the  dissolved  oxygen  was  liberated 
than  of  the  nitrogen,  with  the  result  that  the  re- 
leased air  was  deficient  in  oxygen.     Reverting 
once  more  to  the  effect  of  the  compressed  at- 
mosphere in  deep  mines;  it  must  be  remembered 
that  the  surface  of  the  Rand  is  5,000  ft.  above 
sea-level,  so  that  at  the  bottom  of  City  Deep 
shaft  the  workings  will  only  be  2,000  ft.  below 
the  sea.     Thus  the  air-pressure  in  the  bottom 
workings  will  not  be  anything  out  of  the  way, 
and  the  nitrogen  effect  need  not  be  considered. 
Dr.  Hill,  indeed,  expressed  his  opinion  that  the 


APRIL,    1921 


197 


nitrogen  effect  will  not  arise  at  any  depth  to 
which  a  mine  is  likely  to  be  sunk.  Neverthe- 
less depth  in  its  relation  to  rapidity  of  hoisting 
cannot  be  eliminated  entirely  when  considering 
these  questions. 

In  the  discussion,  Dr.  Hill  also  referred  to 
the  investigations  at  present  being  made  into 
the  causes  of  silicosis  in  the  mines  of  the  Rand. 
Ihis  disease  of  the  lungs  is  attributed  to  the 
ilfect  of  minute  sharp  particles  of  silica,  which 
settle  on  the  surfaces  in  the  lungs,  and  which 
cannot  be  removed  in  the  ordinary  course  by 
the  action  of  the  lungs.  The  difficulty  arising 
out  of  this  interpretation  is  that  the  saine  effect 
IS  notnoticedinother  metal  mines  where  quartz 
ores  are  worked.  The  present  tentative  ex- 
planation is  that  it  is  only  when  the  quartz 
particlesareunaccompanied  by  thedustof  other 
minerals  that  silicosis  starts  ;  that  is  to  say,  the 
other  minerals  which  are  more  easily  removed 
carry  the  quartz  spicules  with  them.  Thus 
schists,  shales,  and  igneous  rocks  of  the  wall- 
rocks  at  other  mines  act  as  preventatives  of 
silicosis,  but  where  foot  and  hanging  walls  are 
qtiartzite  there  is  no  constituent  of  the  dust  to 
counteract  the  effect  of  the  silica  of  the  ore.  It 
has  been  suggested  that  a  cure  may  be  obtained 
by  introducing  shale  or  coal  dust  into  the  air  of 
the  Rand  mines  in  order  to  render  the  silicious 
dust  innocuous.  It  might  also  be  possible  to 
make  use  in  some  way  of  the  rock  of  the  diorite 
dykes  for  this  purpose.  The  study  of  these 
phenomena  is  now  in  hand,  and  some  definite 
results  should  be  forthcoming  before  long.  We 
are  looking  forward  also  with  interest  to  Dr. 
Mill's  paper  to  be  read  in  October  ne.xt.  By 
that  time  he  will  have  had  the  opportunity  of 
applying  his  principles  and  methods  to  the  par- 
ticular problems  of  mining,  and  no  doubt  many 
valuable  hints  and  suggestions  will  result. 


Iron  Ore  and  Greenstone. 

During  the  last  few  months  a  number  of 
articles  and  letters  have  appeared  in  our  pages 
by  Mr.  J.  D.  Kendall  and  others,  and  in  these 
communications  much  has  been  said  relative 
to  the  origin  of  the  iron  ores  of  Cumberland 
and  elsewhere.  Mr.  Kendall's  evidence  is  help- 
ful, for  facts  known  many  yearsago,  but  not  now 
available  owing  to  the  exhaustion  of  the  par- 
ticular mines,  have  been  put  on  record,  and  in- 
terpreted in  the  light  of  modern  theories  of  ore 
deposits.  Geologists  therefore  have  reason  to 
thank  Mr.  Kendall  for  his  articles.  In  the  pres- 
ent issue  Mr.  J.  H.  Goodchild  comes  forward 
with  a  suggestion  with  regard  to  the  origin  of 
these  iron  ores  which  involves  an  entirely  new 
conception  with  regard  to  the  building  of  the 
•»— 3 


earth.  Mr.  Goodchild's  ideas  call  for  a  new 
method  of  examining  geological  and  minera- 
logical  occurrences, and  a  new  interpretation  of 
both  the  old  and  new  facts.  It  is  not  easy  to 
follow  his  statements  and  arguments.  Like 
Einstein's  theory,  they  are  in  the  nature  of  an 
endeavour  to  grasp  and  enunciate  some  better 
explanation  of  various  phenomena  than  has 
been  available  hitherto,  and  the  resources  of 
language  wherewith  to  express  the  ideas  are 
limited.  They  are  as  subversive  of  the  current 
dogmas  of  the  stratigraphist  as  these  dogmas 
were  of  Genesis.  Instead  of  expanding  on  his 
views  from  a  general  standpoint,  we  may  raise 
the  specific  case  of  the  greenstones  occurring 
in  association  with  hematite.  It  is  usually  sup- 
posed that  greenstones  are  igneous  rocks  which 
have  been  extruded  from  below  while  molten. 
In  years  gone  by  the  Cumberland  hematite  was 
also  reckoned  by  many  to  be  of  igneous  origin, 
but  nowadays  the  solution  theory  is  universally 
held.  It  usually  happens  in  these  occurrences 
that  the  contact  between  the  greenstone  and 
the  country  rock  and  hematite  shows  no  sign 
of  metamorphism,  so  the  questionarises  whether 
the  greenstone  really  had  an  igneous  origin. 
This  doubt  once  raised,  it  becomes  necessary  to 
re-apply  from  adifferent  point  of  view  the  theory 
of  Van  Hise  and  Leith,  according  to  which  the 
Lake  Superior  hematites  have  been  formed 
by  the  decomposition  of  iron  silicates  such 
asgreenalite.  Is  it  not  feasible,  asks  Mr. Good- 
child,  that  during  this  decomposition  a  concur- 
rent formation  of  greenstone  should  take  place  ? 
This  question  opens  up  a  new  line  of  thought, 
and  should  not  be  too  hastily  answered.  To 
carry  Mr.  Goodchild's  views  a  little  further,  it 
may  be  said  that  he  questions  the  so-called  ig- 
neous origin  of  many  rocks,  and  that  he  doubts 
the  separate  creation  of  certain  rocks  and  their 
enclosures,  holding  that  in  many  cases  both 
rock  and  enclosures  have  been  formed  at  the 
same  time.  There  are  many  other  phases  of 
rock  and  ore  formation  that  tnight  be  discussed 
from  the  new  point  of  view,  but  we  leave 
readers  to  study  Mr.  Goodchild's  letter.  In  his 
concluding  paragraph  he  asks  permission  to  re- 
turn to  this  subject  later.  We  give  him  not 
only  permission  but  every  encouragement  to 
do  so. 

Adventures  in  the  Desert. 

The  parched  lands  of  Australia  were  never 
the  ideal  hunting  ground  for  theprospector,and 
the  records  of  travellers  and  explorers  show  an 
unbroken  story  of  privation,  thirst,  or  fire. 
Though  the  country  is  now  better  known,  and 
improved  means  of  communication  exist,  un- 


198 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


toward  events  are  still  happening  from  time  to 
time.  It  was  hoped  by  many  that  the  advent 
of  the  motor  car  would  entirely  eliminate  the 
dangers,  but  motor  cars  occasionally  go  wrong, 
and  misinformation  and  miscalculation  may 
put  even  a  Rolls- Koyce  out  of  action.  We  are 
reminded  once  more  of  the  perils  of  the  desert 
by  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  friends  in  West 
Australia,  who  have  sent  us  an  account  of  their 
terrible  experience  due  both  toscarcity  of  water 
and  to  bush  fires.  The  writers  of  the  letter,  like 
average  Englishmen,  do  not  shout  of  their 
troubles  from  the  house  tops,  so  in  recounting 
their  experience  we  shall  refer  to  them  anony- 
mously. Suffice  it  to  say,  then,  that  early  in 
January  a  party,  consisting  of  three  engineers 
and  the  young  son  of  one  of  them,  left  Perth 
for  Ravensthorpe,  a  distance  of  nearly  300 
miles  in  a  south- easterly  direction,  travelling 
across  the  country  by  motor  car.  The  journey 
out  was  successful,  and  after  the  business  in 
hand  was  completed,  the  return  trip  was  com- 
menced. For  the  sake  of  variety  they  decided 
to  travel  by  a  newly-cut  track,  which  was  de- 
scribed as  bumpy  but  safe.  The  road  proved 
to  consist  for  most  of  the  way  of  heavy  drift 
sand,  and  it  was  necessary  to  go  at  low  gear. 
This  had  the  eflect  of  consuming  much  water 
in  the  radiator  per  mile,  but  as  there  are  well- 
holes  at  intervals  along  the  track  the  travellers 
were  not  worried.  However,  when  the  first 
well-hole, at  40  miles,  was  reached,  it  was  found 
to  be  dry,  but  this  fact  caused  little  uneasiness, 
for  it  was  expected  that  the  remaining  six  gal- 
lons of  water  would  be  sufficient  until  the  next 
well-hole,  40  miles  further,  was  reached.  After 
proceeding  some  miles  from  the  first  well-hole 
the  catastrophe  happened.  In  negotiating  a  bit 
of  heavy  sand,  the  car  wheeled  right  on  to  a 
stump  covered  with  bushes  and  a  front  axle 
went.  There  was  no  traffic  on  the  road  to  fur- 
nish help,  and  the  only  thing  to  do  was  for  the 
most  active  members  of  the  party  to  tramp 
back  the  best  part  of  fifty  miles  to  borrow  a 
spare  axle  and  bring  out  a  fresh  supply  of 
water,  or  to  obtain  some  other  form  of  relief. 
Two  of  the  engineers  undertook  this  journey, 
leaving  the  other  engineer  and  the  boy  with 
the  car.  To  tramp  fifty  miles  through  heavy 
sand  with  the  temperature  at  110°  was  no  small 
undertaking.  The  position  of  the  two  left  be- 
hind was  not  much  better,  for  the  short  scrub 
afforded  scanty  shade,  and  there  was  only  a  gal- 
lon of  water  on  which  to  subsist  until  relief  ar- 
rived. But  this  was  nothing  to  what  followed. 
Before  long  smoke  was  smelt  by  the  watchers 
at  the  car,  and  in  an  hour's  time  the  clouds  of 
smoke  were  thick.    On  walking  to  the  nearest 


hillock  they  could  see  that  the  whole  countiy 
was  on  fire,  in  a  continuous  blaze  for  nules. 
The  smoke  and  heat  gradually  became  more 
intense.  The  only  resource  was  to  seek  the 
most  open  spot  and  to  clear  as  much  scrub  as 
possible,  then  to  trust  to  luck  that  the  fire  would 
pass  round  them  and  leavethemstillalive.  The 
water-supply  was  severely  rationed,  the  boy 
taking  a  table-spoonful  every  hour  and  the  en- 
gineer one  every  two  hours,  though  both  of 
them  felt  like  drinking  the  whole  lot  in  one 
gulp.  After  several  hours  of  this  anxious  wait- 
ing the  wind  changed,  as  it  often  does  in  Aus- 
tralia about  sundown,  and  the  further  advance 
of  the  fire  was  stayed.  The  watchers  were 
therefore  able  to  lie  down  and  sleep.  In  the 
meantime  the  other  two  engineers  had  plodded 
on  their  weary  way,  often  only  able  to  walk  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  and  then  rest  for  a  few  min- 
utes. This  they  did  continuously  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  covering  during  this  time  46  miles, 
mostly  in  heavy  sand.  Then  theyespiedafarm- 
house  in  the  distance,  so  they  drank  up  their  re- 
maining water  and  lay  down  to  sleep  for  an 
hour.  On  awaking  they  dragged  themselves 
to  the  house,  where  they  received  food  and 
drink,  and  help  to  cover  the  remaining  distance 
into  Ravensthorpe.  Here  no  time  was  lost  in 
obtaining  a  spare  axle  and  a  supply  of  water 
and  other  necessaries,  and  the  two  were  again 
driven  over  the  track  to  meet  their  watching 
companions  once  more.  They  arrived  40  hours 
after  starting  on  the  long  tramp,  and  never  was 
anybody  more  gladly  welcomed.  After  repair- 
ing the  car,  the  party  resumed  their  journey  to 
Perth,  and  were  able  to  pass  the  fire  belt  in 
safety  owing  to  the  fire  having  been  reduced  to 
mere  smoulderings  after  thechange  in  the  wind. 
On  thinking  over  their  adventure,  the  travellers 
were  constrained  to  feel  thankful  that  the  car 
broke  down  when  it  did,  for  otherwise  the  party 
would  have  gone  into  the  fire  zone  some  twenty 
miles  further  on  their  journey.  If  they  had 
done  so,  they  would  certainly  have  perished, 
for  they  could  not  have  got  back  to  water  nor 
could  they  have  penetrated  the  fire  zone.  Thus 
the  breakage  of  the  axle  was  a  blessing  in  dis- 
guise. It  is  difficult  to  know  whom  to  admire 
the  most,  the  men  who  tramped  fifty  miles  over 
the  burning  sands,  or  the  boy  who  bravely  en- 
dured his  great  trial  without  complaint.  We 
cannot  name  them,  nor  do  we  refer  to  them 
pseudonymously  as  Boldrewood  did  with  Star- 
light and  Marston  (though  perhaps  the  analogy 
is  not  altogether  a  happy  one)  ;  but  they  can 
cut  this  page  out  and  frame  it,  and  know  that 
it  contains  an  expression  of  the  high  regard  in 
which  they  are  held  by  a  fellow  man. 


REVIEW  OF  MINING 


Introduction. — We  are  in  the  midst  of  an- 
other calamitous  strike  among  the  coal-miners 
of  Great  Britain,  brought  about  by  the  men  re- 
fusing to  accept  the  reductions  in  wages  pro- 
posed by  the  masters,  following  on  the  decon- 
trolof  theindustry.  A  monthago  thereseemed 
high  hopes  of  a  return  of  mining  and  engineer- 
ing activity,  owing  to  costs  of  labour,  food,  and 
clothing  coming  down.  The  new  era  of  pros- 
perity is  once  more  postponed.  In  metallifer- 
ous mining  circles  the  low  price  and  lack  of 
demand  for  metals  have  made  it  necessary  for 
many  minesthroughout  the  world  toclosedown. 
The  big  American  copper  producers  are  idle, 
and  many  of  the  Nigerian  tin  mines  are  either 
closed  or  working  on  restricted  lines. 

Transvaal. — In  his  speech  at  the  annual 
ineetmg  of  the  Transvaal  Chamber  of  Mines, 
the  president,  Mr.  H.  O.  Buckle,  had  a  good 
deal  to  say  about  the  failure  of  certain  of  the 
labour  unions  to  adhere  to  their  agreements 
with  the  Chamber,  and  appealed  to  the  workers 
to  maintain  better  disciplineamong  themselves. 
He  pointed  out  that  Rand  gold-mining  is  a  de- 
clining industry,  and  that  the  success  of  a  large 
part  of  the  operations  depends  solely  on  the 
artificial  conditions  caused  by  the  gold  premium. 
Under  these  circumstances  any  prosperity  en- 
joyed by  the  mines  is  really  fictitious,  and  a 
sound  position  can  only  be  secured  by  harder 
work  and  lower  costs.  Sir  Lionel  Phillips 
spoke  in  support  of  Mr.  Buckle's  e.xpression  of 
views,  and  appealed  to  the  men  to  drop  the 
frivolous  frame  of  mind  at  present  observable 
in  the  doings  of  the  unions. 

The  Government  of  the  Union  of  South 
Africa  is  cutting  down  public  expenditure  al- 
lowed to  the  Councils  of  the  Provinces  and  is 
abating  taxation  somewhat.  For  instance,  the 
Provincial  tax  on  the  gold  mines  is  abolished. 
This  tax  is  not  in  itself  of  great  amount,  but  its 
withdrawal  may  be  taken  as  a  sign  of  the  times. 

In  spite  of  the  many  well-known  adverse 
conditions.  East  Rand  Proprietary  Mines  has 
been  able  to  keep  going  during  1920.  The 
amount  of  ore  milled  was  much  the  sam.e  as 
in  the  two  previous  years,  at  1,460,000  tons, 
which  compares  with  about  2,000,000  tons  in 
earlieryears.  The  yield  of  gold  was400,496oz., 
selling  for  ^2,209,536,  of  which  about  one 
([uarter,  or  /'527,000,  came  from  premium,  and 
the  working  profit  was  £"192,994.  A  large  pro- 
portion of  this  profit  went  in  debenture  interest 
and  redemption  of  debentures.  Mr.  E.  H. 
Clifford  gives  a  comprehensive  report  on  de- 


velopments. He  shows  that  in  the  bottom 
levels  of  the  western  section  some  fairly  good 
results  have  been  obtained,  and  that  work  in  the 
Cason- Cinderella  is  promising.  On  the  other 
hand,  only  20%  of  the  ore  developed  in  the  Her- 
culesis  payable.  While  the  individual  develop- 
ments here  recorded  might  be  satisfactory  for 
smaller  properties,  they  are  not  considered  good 
enough  for  a  big  concern  like  the  present  com- 
pany,and  the  outlook  accordingly  continues  un- 
certain. The  reserve  is  estimated  at  2,410,850 
tons  averaging  6T  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared 
with  2,634,350  tons  averaging  6"3  dwt.  the  year 
before. 

No.  1  shaft  at  West  Springs  has  cut  the 
reef  at  a  depth  of  3,890  ft.  The  samples  taken 
of  the  reef  averaged  2'04  dwt.  over  100  inches. 
No.  2  shaft  is  expected  to  reach  the  reef  in  a 
few  months'  time.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  development  of  this  property  was  com- 
menced by  means  of  drifts  from  Springs,  so 
that  work  could  be  done  on  the  reef  without 
waiting  for  the  completion  of  the  shafts,  but 
little  information  has  been  published  relating 
to  the  results  obtained. 

The  south-west  shaft  at  Modderfontein  B  in- 
tersected the  reef  at  a  depth  of  1,488  ft.  The 
assays  gave  an  average  of  29' 1  dwt.  over  a 
width  of  13'9  inches. 

Last  month  it  was  announced  that  the  Dag- 
gafontein  company  had  come  to  the  end  of  its 
financial  resources  without  having  proved  any 
great  amount  of  ore.  An  official  statement 
made  since  then  says  that  owing  to  the  present 
unsatisfactory  condition  of  the  money  market 
it  is  impossible  to  raise  further  funds,  so  that 
it  is  necessary  to  suspend  all  mining  operations. 
Since  the  reconstruction  in  1916,  the  Con- 
solidated Mines  Selection  group  has  provided 
;^1,000,000  for  shaft-sinking  and  development. 
When  a  favourable  opportunity  arises,  addi- 
tional capital  will  be  raised  wherewith  to  re- 
commence development. 

Adverse  financial  conditions  have  made  it 
impossible  for  Modderfontein  East  to  com- 
plete its  scheme  for  erecting  the  treatment 
plant  recently  bought  from  the  Simmer  Deep 
and  Jupitercompanies.  Alargesum  was  neces- 
sary for  erection  of  this  plant,  and  money  was 
also  wanted  for  the  redemption  of  debentures, 
and  for  an  extended  campaign  of  development. 
As  it  was  found  impossible  to  obtain  sufficient 
money  on  reasonable  terms,  it  has  been  decided 
to  postpone  the  erection  of  the  plant, and  to  con- 
tinue to  send  the  ore  to  the  Apex  mill.  To  pro- 
199 


200 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


vide  for  paying  ofl  the  debentures  and  for  de- 
velopment requirements,  the  Central  Mining 
&  Investment  Corporation  has  advanced 
£^400, 000  at  8%  on  mortgage  of  the  property  for 
a  period  of  eighteen  months.  This,  of  course, 
is  only  a  temporary  protective  measure. 

Proposals  have  been  made  by  directors  con- 
nected with  the  financial  house  associated  with 
Luipaard's  Vlei  to  the  efTect  that  the  gold  pro- 
duced, or  that  part  produced  by  low-grade 
mines,  should  not  be  sold  on  the  market  in  the 
usual  way  but  should  be  held  in  the  country 
and  financed  by  the  Treasury.  Mr.  J.  A.Cohen 
e.\pressed  the  opinion  that  if  all  the  mines 
could  deposit  their  gold  for  two  years  with  the 
Treasury  against  gold  certificates  the  market 
price  of  gold  could  be  forced  up  to  1 20s.  per  oz. 
Mr.  F.  H.  Hamilton's  proposal  is  that  low- 
grade  mines  should  deposit  their  gold  with  the 
Treasury  during  the  months  January  to  August, 
while  the  gold  premium  is  low,  the  Treasury 
financing  them  during  this  time,  and  that  the 
gold  should  be  realized  during  the  end  months 
of  the  year,  when  the  premium  is  high.  Mr. 
Cohen's  proposal  ignores  the  facts  that  the 
high  price  now  obtained  for  gold  arises  solely 
from  the  position  of  exchange  banking,  and 
that  governments  do  not  pay  more  than  stan- 
dard price  for  gold.  Mr.  Hamilton's  proposal 
might  pass  if  applied  privately  on  a  small  scale, 
but  in  any  case  the  charges  for  such  banking 
facilities  would  be  considerable.  Moreover, 
the  value  of  the  certificates  issued  by  the 
Treasury  against  the  gold  deposited  would  be 
influenced  by  the  ordinary  laws  of  exchange. 

There  is  to  be  no  appeal  to  the  Privy  Coun- 
cil by  Sir  J.B.  Robinson  against  the  judgments 
given  against  him  in  favour  of  Randfontein 
Estates  by  two  courts  in  South  Africa.  He  has 
paid  the  amount  due  from  him,  ;^39I,000,  so 
the  incident  is  now  at  an  end. 

The  Royal  Dutch  oil  company  is  making  an 
investigation  into  the  oil-shale  deposits  belong- 
ing to  the  African  Oil  Corporation  in  the  Wak- 
kerstroom  district  of  the  Eastern  Transvaal. 
Particulars  of  these  deposits  were  given  in  the 
Magazine  for  February,  1918,  and  Novem- 
ber, 1920.  It  is  confidently  believed  in  Africa 
that  the  Royal  Dutch  will  exercise  the  option 
and  spend  £"500,000  on  development. 

Rhodesia.  —  The  output  of  gold  during 
February  was  40,816  oz.  valued  at  ^288,225, 
as  against  43,428  oz.  valued  at  ^293,794  in 
January.  The  official  figures  still  contain  no 
explanation  of  this  high  valuation  of  the  gold. 
Other  outputs  in  Southern  Rhodesia  were  : 
Silver  10,517  oz.,  coal  41,409  tons,  chrome  ore 
9,325  tons,  copper  232  tons, asbestos 2,227  tons, 


arsenic  17  tons,  mica6tons,diamonds23carats. 

The  strike  to  which  reference  was  made  last 
month  has  been  settled  in  the  way  expected, 
that  is  to  say,  the  men  went  back  on  the  mas- 
ters' terms,  but  there  is  still  some  little  friction 
and  there  are  questions  outstanding  for  settle- 
ment. 

The  future  of  the  government  of  Rhodesia  still 
occupies  the  attention  of  the  local  and  imperial 
authorities.  A  committee  has  been  appointed 
by  the  Imperial  Government  toconsideranum- 
berofqueslionsin  this  connection.  Lord  Hux- 
ton  is  the  chairman  of  this  committee,  and  as 
he  has  only  just  returned  from  South  Africa, 
where  he  was  Governor  General  of  the  Union, 
he  ought  to  be  able  to  give  some  sound  advice. 

The  Cam  &  Motor  company  has  issued  a  re- 
port of  the  first  month's  run  of  the  reorganized 
treatment  plant.  Duringthismonth  (February) 
8,200  tons  of  ore,  averaging  44s.  per  ton,  was 
crushed  in  ball-mills.  Tableconcentrationgave 
989  tons  of  concentrate  averaging  ^10.  9s.  6d. 
per  ton.  Of  the  concentrate,  751  tons  was 
treated,  yielding  1,495  oz.  gold,  worth  ;^6,462 
at  par.  The  trial  run  of  the  flotation  plant 
commenced  on  March  7,  and  the  results  ob- 
tained are  very  satisfactory. 

Nigeria. — Owing  presumably  tothe  present 
financial  stringency  and  the  decline  in  African 
trade,  the  purchase  by  Lever  Brothers  of  the 
control  of  the  African  and  Eastern  Corporation 
is  not  to  be  completed.  Reference  was  made 
to  this  deal  last  October,  and  the  consent  of 
shareholders  was  subsequently  recorded.  The 
scheme,  however,  required  the  consent  of  the 
Court,andasamatter  of  fact  the  case  wasdown 
for  hearing  just  as  the  announcement  of  the 
abandonment  of  the  plan  was  made.  It  was 
the  intention  of  Lever  Brothers  to  bring  this 
corporation  under  the  control  or  management 
of  the  Niger  Company.  The  financial  strin- 
gency was  thecausealsoof  Lever  Brothers  hav- 
ing to  issue  debentures  last  month.  This  issue 
did  not  prove  acceptable  to  investors,  and  a 
large  proportion  was  left  in  the  hands  of  the 
underwriters. 

The  first  bulletin  of  the  new  Nigerian  Geo- 
logical Survey,  prepared  by  Dr.  J .  D.  Falconer, 
has  been  issued.  It  deals  with  the  general  geo- 
logy of  the  central  part  of  the  Plateau  tinfields. 
We  hope  to  give  extracts  in  an  early  issue. 

Australia. — Like  all  copper  companies. 
Mount  Lyell  is  unable  to  make  a  profit.  Last 
month  the  directors  had  long  conferences  with 
the  various  Unions  with  a  view  of  arranging 
for  a  reduction  in  wages  and  other  alterations 
in  the  conditions  of  work  so  that  the  costs  could 
be  cut  down.     The  men,  however,  refused  to 


APRIL,    1921 


201 


entertain  any  proposals  for  a  reduction.  The 
Mount  Morgan  mine  continues  to  be  run  at  a 
loss,  and  the  directors  closed-down  operations 
for  a  long  Easter  holiday.  Conferences  are 
now  being  held  with  the  Unions  with  a  view  to 
finding  some  way  of  bringing  prosperity  back, 
but  the  prospect  is  not  bright. 

The  position  at  Broken  Hill  is  critical,  and 
it  is  unlikely  that  the  restricted  scheme  of  work 
outlined  last  month  will  be  continued  for  long. 
Wages,  coal,  and  transport  are  all  too  high,  and 
the  prices  of  metals  too  low.  It  looks  as  if  the 
mines  would  be  shut  down.  It  is  probable, 
however,  that  the  treatment  of  the  old  zinc 
dumps  will  be  continued,  for  the  purchasing 
contract  made  with  the  Imperial  Government 
still  holds  good.  As  regards  the  fire  at  the  Port 
Pirie  smelting  works,  rebuilding  has  been  post- 
poned for  the  present.  An  account  of  this  fire 
has  been  received  by  mail.  1 1  appears  that  the 
disaster  originated  at  one  of  the  burners  of  the 
"A"  section  of  the  Dwight  and  Lloyd  sinter- 
ing plant.  A  strong  wind  was  blowing,  and  a 
burstof  flame  from  the  burner  ignited  the  wood- 
work. The  flames  spread  with  extraordinary 
rapidity  throughout  the  building,  so  quickly  that 
the  men  on  the  floor  had  the  greatest  difficulty 
in  escaping.  The  whole  building  was  ablaze 
within  a  few  minutes.  Every  effort  was  made 
to  get  the  fire  hoses  to  work  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible, but  the  wind  was  so  strong  that  absolutely 
no  check  could  be  given  to  the  flames  in  the 
main  building.  Work  was  therefore  concen- 
trated on  the  detached  buildings  surrounding 
the  Dwight  and  Lloyd  buildings,  to  prevent  the 
spread  of  the  fire  to  the  power-house.  So  in- 
tense was  the  heat  that  the  roof  of  the  power- 
house was  ignited  several  times,  and  gangs  of 
men  were  employed  with  buckets  and  fire  ex- 
tinguishers in  keeping  down  these  outbreaks. 
The  damage  may  be  summarized  as  follows : 
Dwight  and  Lloyd  plant  completely  gutted, 
storage  bins  badly  damaged,  conveyors  badly 
damaged,  Huntington-Heberlein  section  dam- 
aged but  not  destroyed,  Ropp  roaster  section 
damaged  but  not  destroyed,  ironstone  crusher 
badly  damaged. 

The  political  and  economic  position  in  Aus- 
tralia is  gradually  altering  and  the  stringent 
legislation  engendered  by  war  conditions  is  al- 
ready being  relaxed.  For  instance,  ores  and 
minerals  may  now  be  freely  exported,  and  ma- 
chinery for  dealing  with  Victorian  brown  coal 
is  to  be  bought  in  Germany. 

India. — Owing  to  the  better  terms  obtained 
in  the  realization  of  gold,  and  also  owing  to  the 
fall  in  the  rupee,  the  Mysore  Gold  Mining  Com- 
pany was  able  to  make  a  larger  profit  during 


1920than  in  1919,inspite  of  the  smalleramount 
of  ore  mined  and  gold  produced.  The  233,502 
tons  of  ore  milled  compared  with  270,425  tons 
the  year  before,  and  the  total  output  of  gold 
was  155,800  oz.  as  compared  with  163,719  oz. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  amount  realized  by  the 
sale  of  the  gold  was  ^804,182,  as  against 
^694,317,  and  the  amount  distributed  was 
iri46,175  as  compared  with  ^61,000.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  the  capital  was  doubled  a 
year  ago  so  as  to  provide  funds  for  exploration 
at  depth,  and  that  this  new  capital  ranked  for 
the  dividend  for  the  second  half  of  1920,  so  that 
the  total  return  for  1920  was  25%  as  against 
20%  in  1919.  As  regards  exploration  work,  no 
important  amount  of  ore  has  been  found,  but 
the  developments  in  the  bottom  of  Ribbles- 
dale's  and  McTaggart's  sections  are  distinctly 
promising.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at 
841,000  tons,  a  fall  of  only  29,000  tons  on  the 
year.  This  maintenance  of  the  figure  is  ex- 
plained partly  by  the  fact  that,  with  a  higher 
price  being  obtained  for  the  gold,  much  ore  that 
was  previously  unprofitable  can  now  be  worked 
to  advantage. 

Burma.  —  The  position  of  the  Mawchi 
Mines,  Ltd.,  reflects  the  present  condition  of 
the  wolfram  industry.  The  company's  stock 
of  mixed  tin-wolfram  concentrate  in  this  coun- 
try has  been  accumulating,  until  in  January  the 
amount  was  939  tons.  In  addition,  there  are 
123  tons  of  separated  tin  concentrate  and  18 
tonsof  tungsten  powder  waiting  realization  here. 
Also  473  tons  of  mixed  concentrate  is  in  Burma 
awaiting  shipment.  It  was  thought  best  under 
these  circumstances  to  suspend  output,  and  in- 
structions were  given  accordingly  on  January 
27.  The  company  has  borrowed  ^108,000  on 
the  above-mentioned  products  from  the  bank- 
ers and  others.  In  order  to  satisfy  the  bankers 
and  to  put  finances  in  a  better  condition,  the 
directors  offered  ^60,000  prior  lien  debentures 
last  November,  and  of  these ^25,500  havebeen 
taken  up.  They  arenowoffering  the  remainder 
among  debenture-holders  and  shareholders. 
Mr.  C.  M.  Euan-Smith  has  recently  made  an 
examination,  and  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  John 
D.  Hoffmann  has  submitted  a  report  on  the 
property.  These  engineers  write  hopefully  of 
the  future,  provided  market  conditionsimprove, 
and  are  against  the  abandonment  of  the  pro- 
perties. The  company  also  has  a  controlling 
interest  in  the  Kassa  Mining  Co.,  which  was 
recently  formed  to  acquire  properties  from  the 
Niger  Company,  and  there  is  still  a  liability  for 
calls.  The  Kassa  properties  have  been  de- 
veloped on  a  small  scale,  but  it  is  considered  best 
to  suspend  active  operations  for  the  present. 


202 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Cornwall. — The  gloomy  position  with  re- 
R.ird  to  mining  continues  without  much  hope 
for  an  improvement.  At  the  meetings  of  East 
Pool  and  South  Crofty  there  was  considerable 
discussion  as  to  pumping  policies,  fears  being 
expressed  that  South  Crofty  would  suffer  if 
East  Pool  sealed  oiT  the  old  mine  and  concen- 
trated its  attention  to  Agar  and  Tolgus.  The 
matter  is  now  before  the  Minister  of  Mines, 
and  a  suitable  working  arrangement  for  con- 
trolling the  underground  water  in  the  district  is 
being  sought. 

Canada. — TheGovernment  is  doing  every- 
thing to  discourage  a  rush  tothenew  Mackenzie 
River  oilfield,  so  as  to  prevent  a  repetition  of 
the  distressing  events  of  the  Klondyke  rush. 
Particulars  of  the  regulations  for  granting 
claims  are  given  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 

The  Mond  Nickel  Company  has  issued 
/"l, 300, 000  new  debenture  stock,  carrying  8% 
interest,  for  the  purpose  of  redeeming  the  exist- 
ing ^"500, 000  6%  debentures,  for  providing  fur- 
ther working  capital  for  the  development  of  the 
company's  business,  for  paying  off  loans  from 
banks,  and  for  the  completion  of  the  purchase 
of  the  share  capital  of  Henry  Wiggin  &  Co., 
Ltd.,  Birmingham. 

United  States. — The  copper  position  has 
become  so  serious  that  many  leading  mines 
have  been  closed  down  entirely  for  a  time. 
Though  the  output  had  been  restricted,  the 
stocks  of  unsold  copper  continued  to  accumu- 
late, and  drastic  action  became  necessary.  At 
present  Anaconda,  Utah  Consolidated,  Ray, 
Chino,  Nevada  Consolidated,  and  Calumet  & 
Hecla  are  idle. 

It  is  announced  that  Minerals  Separation 
has  commenced  an  action  for  breach  of  patent 
rights  against  the  Jackling  porphyry  group  of 
copper-mining  companies,  including  the  Utah 
Consolidated  and  Nevada  Consolidated,  and 
other  companies  using  the  Callow  method  of 
concentration  by  flotation. 

Mexico.  —  Considerable  disturbance  in 
London  oil  circles  was  caused  by  the  publica- 
tion of  a  statement  by  Mr.  Ralph  Arnold  in  the 
monthly  paper  issued  by  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers  to 
the  effect  that  the  Mexican  oil  reserves  would 
be  exhausted  in  a  year's  time  and  that  many 
wells  were  being  ruined  by  the  inroads  of  brine. 
The  houses  interested  in  Mexican  oil  have  pub- 
lished denials  of  Mr.  Arnold's  gloomy  forebod- 
ings. Mr.  Arnold's  motives  in  making  the 
statement  in  question  were  probably  two-fold. 
In  the  first  place  it  was  intended  as  a  practical 
reason  for  a  protest  against  the  policy  of  the 
chief  producers  in  America  in  making  such 


severe  cuts  in  the  prices ;  and  secondly,  there 
was  a  hope  that  some  such  statement  would 
deter  the  Mexican  Government  from  imposing 
a  big  tax  on  oil. 

Hungary. — Toward  the  end  of  last  year  it 
was  announced  that  the  Anglo- Persian  Oil  Co. 
was  negotiating  with  the  Hungarian  Govern- 
ment for  oil  concessions  in  that  country.  A 
company  has  now  been  formed  called  the  Hun- 
garian Oil  Syndicate,  as  a  subsidiary  of  the 
Anglo- Persian,  with  a  capital  of  ^130,000,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  the  necessary  prelimin- 
ary investigations. 

Spain. — For  the  first  time  for  more  than  a 
generation  the  Rio  Tinto  Company  is  not  pay- 
ing a  dividend  on  its  ordinary  shares.  The  pro- 
longed strike,  and  the  depression  in  the  copper 
and  pyrites  markets,  have  combined  to  bring 
about  this  result.  The  company  is,  however, 
able  to  pay  the  preference  dividend  and  to 
carry  forward  a  substantial  amount. 

Persia. — The  Anglo- Persian  Oil  Company 
has  made  an  issue  of  ^3,500,000  9%  cumula- 
tive second  preference  shares,  and,  unlikesome 
recent  industrial  issues  in  other  departments  of 
commerce,  the  shares  were  eagerly  absorbed  by 
investors.  The  money  is  required  for  several 
purposes.  The  number  of  pipe-lines  from  the 
oilfields  to  the  coast  is  being  considerably  in- 
creased, and  many  new  steamers  have  been 
bought  or  are  in  course  of  construction.  Then 
the  company  is  preparing  to  take  into  its  own 
hands  the  work  of  selling  its  benzine  and  kero- 
sene production  after  the  present  sale  contract 
expires  at  the  end  of  1922.  The  building  of 
the  refinery  near  Swansea  has  also  been  under- 
taken in  view  of  this  approaching  reversion  of 
control  of  the  refined  products. 

Spitsbergen. — The  yearly  report  of  the 
Northern  Exploration  Company  for  the  year 
ended  June  30  last,  and  the  proceedings  at  the 
shareholders'  meeting  at  which  the  report  was 
discussed,  naturally  reflected  the  disappoint- 
ment felt  by  all  parties  that  the  many  activities 
of  the  company  have  led  to  no  practical  com- 
mercial results.  The  much-advertised  mag- 
netite deposit  has  retired  to  the  background 
since  Mr.  Selkirk  reported  so  adversely  on  it. 
The  company,  however,  still  owns  coal  lands, 
and  marble,  copper,  and  zinc  deposits  of  more 
or  less  value,  and  it  is  said  that  there  are  indica- 
tions of  oil.  The  central  figure  in  the  enter- 
prise, Mr.  Salisbury-Jones,  has  retired  from 
theboard.  The  Honourable  E.  C.  Pery,  D.S.O., 
is  now  managing  director,  and  we  can  only  ex- 
press the  hope  that  his  efforts  to  bring  the  com- 
pany into  a  more  prosperous  condition  will 
meet  with  success. 


THE  OIL  RESOURCES  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


By  HENRY  B.  MILNER,  M.A.,  F.G.S.,  A.M.I.P.T., 

Oil  Technology  Department,  Royal  School  of  Mines. 


Introduction. — The  great  and  ever-in- 
creasing demand  for  petroleum  products 
throughout  the  world  has  at  last  impressed  on 
both  producer  and  user  of  oil-fuel  the  vital  ne- 
cessity of  taking  stock  of  existing  oil  resources. 
Statistical  evidence  available  from  the  United 
States  and  other  oil-producing  countries  proves 
conclusively  that  if  the  demand  continues  to 
e-xceed  the  supply  at  the  present  abnormal  rate, 
the  exhaustion  of  several  of  the  most  produc- 
tive wells  extant  may  be  expected  within  the 
next  two  decades,  assuming  that  no  drastic 
scheme  of  oil  conservation  be  universallyadop- 
ted  in  the  meantime.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
United  States  Government  is  fast  waking  up 
to  the  need  for  economy  in  this  direction,  and 
as  producer  of  nearly  80%  of  the  world's  crude 
oil,  any  steps  taken  as  a  precautionary  measure 
in  limiting  her  oil  exports  must  result  in  serious 
consequences  for  those  countries  who,  like  our- 
selves, are  mainly  dependent  on  her  for  their 
industrial  requirements. 

In  a  recent  review  of  British  and  Colonial 
oil  resources,*  the  writer  has  uttered  a  warning 
of  what  may  be  quite  reasonably  anticipated 
in  the  near  future  with  regard  to  our  home  oil 
industries,  and  while  disclaiming  all  idea  of  oil 
famine  (as  several  press  enthusiasts  would 
have  us  believe),  he  has  advocated  not  only 
rigid  economy  with  existing  supplies,  but  the 
full  utilization  of  oil-shale  and  organic  sub- 
stances as  sources  of  oil  and,  above  all,  renew- 
ed and  unstinted  enterprise  in  the  discovery  of 
new  fields  in  those  countries  in  which  geologi- 
cal conditions  are  known  to  be  satisfactory.  It 
is  with  this  latter  phase  of  the  problem  that  we 
are  here  chiefly  concerned,  and  it  is  the  present 
intention  to  indicate  the  great  economic  pro- 
babilities awaiting  extensive  development  of 
the  oilfields  of  South  America,  a  continent  as 
yet  only  in  its  infancy  with  regard  to  oil  pro- 
duction. 

It  has  of  late  years  been  quite  customary 
among  oil  technologists  to  make  merely  pass- 
ing reference  to  South  America  as  an  oil-pro- 
ducing continent,  opinions  being  usually  of  a 
doubtful  character  and  tempered  with  no  little 
pessimism  concerning  climatic  and  political 
conditions  prevalent  there.  That  there  are  in- 
herent difficulties  attending  operations  in  some 
of  the  most  promising  regions  is  not  to  be  de- 

'  Discovery,  August,  lOJO-    John  Murray,  London. 


nied,  but  they  are  as  nothing  compared  with 
those  which  confront  unskilled  prospecting  in 
that  country  and  which  have  done  quite  as 
much,  if  not  more,  to  retard  development  in  the 
past,  as  adverse  conditions  of  environment. 
This  brings  us  at  the  outset  to  the  statement, 
applicable  not  only  to  South  America  but  to  all 
countries,  that  the  future  discovery  of  produc- 
tive fields  depends  entirely  on  the  exercise  of 
technical  skill  in  unravelling  complex  geologi- 
cal structures,  and  that  it  is  to  the  stratigraphi- 
cal  geologist,  trained  in  oilfield  technology,  that 
we  must  look  for  all  ultimate  developments 
worthy  of  the  name;  theday  of  chance  as  prime 
factor  in  oil-finding  has  passed,  and  necessity 
compels  us  to  recognize  the  indisputableclaims 
of  science  as  its  successor.  It  follows  therefore 
that  a  brief  survey  of  the  main  geological  fea- 
tures involved  must  be  prefatory  to  any  con- 
sideration of  the  economic  potentialities  of  the 
continent. 

Geo -Tectonics  and  Geologic  Fea- 
tures.— South  America  presents  to  us  three 
striking  tectonic  features  which  govern  the  dis- 
position of  the  rocks  composing  the  continental 
mass;  these  are  (1)  the  Western  Cordilleras 
or  Andes,  essentially  the  backbone  of  the  con- 
tinent, (2)  the  broad  Archaean  shield  forming 
the  Brazilian  platform,  and  (3)  the  Northern 
Highland  fault  blocks  constituting  the  Guiana 
mountain  system.  These  three  dominant  struc- 
tures are  responsible  for  the  initiation  of  the 
Amazon,  La  Plata,  and  Orinoco  river  systems, 
spreading  respectively  over  vast  plains  known 
as  the  Selvas,  Pampa,  and  Llanos.  These  lat- 
ter unite  to  form  one  great  central  plain  which 
is  bounded  by  the  main  orographical  lines  de- 
termining the  present  configuration  of  the  con- 
tinent. 

The  Andes  stretch  for  nearly  5,000  miles 
from  Cape  Horn  to  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  are 
made  up  of  a  roughly  parallel  series  of  moun- 
tain chains  of  varying  trend.  In  the  extreme 
south  the  range  strikes  N.W.-S.E.,  curving 
round  to  a  N.-S.  strike  north  of  the  Magellan 
Straits,  a  direction  persistent  to  the  Bolivian 
Andes.  In  southern  Peru  the  line  is  again 
N.W.-S.E.,  which  trend  it  follows  to  the  Peru- 
Ecuador  boundary,  whence  it  partakes  of  a 
N.N.E.-S.S.W.  direction  throughout  to  the 
Venezuelan  coast-line.  The  most  easterly  chain 
consists  of  short  discontinuous  masses  of  Ar- 

203 


204 


Till':    MINING    MAGAZINE 


cha;an  rocVs  typified  by  those  of  Cordoba  and 
the  Sierras  to  the  east  of  the  Cordillera  Real  of 
Bolivia.  These  masses  are  flanked  on  the  west 
by  a  continuous  belt  of  mountains  stretching 
from  Central  Peru  to  Meiidoza,  principally 
composed  of  Silurian  sediments.  Further  west 
still  and  constituting  the  Central  Cordillera  of 
the  Coastal  System  is  the  main  Jurassic  zone 
of  stratified  sediments  antl  intrusive  igneous 
rocks,  overlain  in  many  places  by  extrusive 
lavas  of  recent  volcanoes.  This  vast  chain, 
which  includes  many  of  the  highest  peaks  of 
the  Andes,  lies  adjacent  to  the  Coastal  Cordil- 
lera, consisting  of  a  mass  of  ancient  gneisses, 
schists,  and  sediments  of  Archasan  age  ;  this 
most  westerly  belt  is  particularly  conspicuous 
as  defining  the  general  trend  of  the  Pacific 
coast-line,  especially  throughout  the  southern 
part  of  Chile  and  Tierra  del  Fuego. 

The  elevation  of  the  Andes  as  a  whole  has 
been  due  to  earth  movements  operating  along 
lines  having  an  approximate  N.-S.  trend  ;  but 
the  curious  deflection  of  strike  both  in  Peru 
and  further  south  in  Chile  is  due  to  the  exis- 
tence of  an  older  mountain  system  whose  domi- 
nant structure  lines  have  not  beenentirelyoblit- 
erated  by  subsequent  orogenic  movement.  The 
influence  of  this  older  system  is  recognizable  in 
the  Archaean  chains  such  as  the  Sierra  de  Tan- 
dil, striking  W.N.W.-E.S.E., across  the  Atlan- 
tic margin  of  the  Patagonian  plain,  and  also  in 
several  of  the  minor  flexures  of  the  Bolivian 
Andes. 

The  Brazilian  platform  affords  a  marked 
structural  contrast  to  the  Cordillera  just  de- 
scribed. It  is  composed  essentially  of  a  great 
plateau  of  Archaean  metamorphic  rocks  upon 
which  rest  thick  horizontal  masses  of  Palaeo- 
zoic strata,  with  an  upper  covering  of  sandstone 
of  undetermined  geological  age  (though  prob- 
ably Mesozoic).  The  average  height  of  this 
platform  is  about  3,500  ft.,  but  in  many  places 
it  is  deeply  incised  by  fluviatile  action,  mainly 
by  the  tributaries  of  the  Amazon.  We  may 
regard  the  Guiana  Highlands  block  as  part  of 
this  Brazilian  shield,  only  presenting  a  modi- 
fied structure  as  itslopes  underneath  the  Llanos 
of  the  Orinoco  basin.  The  southern  boundary 
of  this  basin  marks  not  only  the  northern  ter- 
mination of  this  shield  but  also  the  line  of  di- 
vision between  the  uniform  structure  of  the 
latter  and  the  more  involved  tectonics  of  the 
Orinoco  basin  and  the  Venezuelan  Cordillera, 
which  belong  essentially  to  those  of  the  ancient 
Antillean  continent.  This  finds  ample  expres- 
sion in  the  dominant  strike  of  tne  rocks  of  Vene- 
zuela, which  is  in  general  E.  15  N.-W.  15  S., 
and  is  exemplified  by  the  Venezuelan  Cordillera 


especially  ;  to  this  direction  also  the  Tertiary 
rocks  of  Trinidad  conform.  West  of  meridian 
64"  the  tectonic  lines  tend  to  swing  round  to  a 
uniform  N.E.-S.W.  strike,  which  gently  de- 
flects to  the  main  N.N.E.-S.S.W.  trend  of  the 
Andes  in  this  region  near  the  Lake  of  Mara- 
caibo.  The  Tertiary  deposits  bordering  the 
lake  also  conform  to  this  direction. 

The  E.-W.  lines  of  folding  exhibited  by  the 
Venezuelan  rocks  are  referable  to  the  main 
structures  of  the  now  sunken  area  occupied  by 
the  Caribbean  Sea,  and  the  several  islands  con- 
stituting the  West  Indies  and  separating  that 
sea  from  the  Atlantic  are  but  the  isolated  sum- 
mits of  a  mountain  chain  of  the  submerged  land 
mass.  A  glance  at  a  map  of  the  West  Indies 
shows  immediately  the  parabolic  form  of  the 
main  structut^e  lines  affecting  the  disposition  of 
the  islands  and  of  that  part  of  the  South  Ameri- 
can continent  influenced  thereby  ;  they  clearly 
consist  of  three  main  concave  zones,  with  con- 
cavity facing  west,  named  by  Suess  the  Inner 
or  Lesser  Antilles  zone,  the  Median  or  Greater 
Antilles  zone,  and  the  Outer  Zone  comprising 
the  Tertiary  deposits  of  such  islands  as  Bar- 
buda, the  Bahamas,  and  Barbadoes.  The 
flattening  out  of  the  curve  as  it  passes  through 
Trinidad,  across  the  Gulf  of  Paria,  and  through 
Venezuela,  effects,  by  its  E.W.  trend,  the  char- 
acteristic north-coast  structures  to  which  we 
have  referred. 

Thus  the  natural  division  of  South  America 
into  '  tectonic  provinces,"  as  determined  by 
the  three  main  orographical  features  with  their 
intervening  lowland  topography,  is  a  direct  re- 
sult of  the  differential  earth  movements  which 
have  affected  the  whole  continental  mass.  We 
recognize  in  the  Andean  Cordillera  a  continua- 
tion of  the  great  North  American  coastal  ranges 
bordering  the  eastern  margin  of  the  Pacific 
basin  ;  and  to  the  main  tectonics  of  that  basin 
we  can  refer  the  present  structural  disposition 
of  the  Cordillera  as  a  whole.  With  the  Brazilian 
shield,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are  considering  an 
eastern  remnant  of  what  has  been  termed  the 
Brazilio- Ethiopian  continent,  now  submerged 
beneath  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  The  Archasan 
platform  of  western  and  central  Africa  prob- 
ably represents  a  portion  of  this  ancient  land, 
as  both  structurally  and  geologically  the  two 
areas  present  many  features  in  common.  Be- 
tween the  Brazilian  shield  and  the  Andes  is 
the  wide  belt  of  lowland  country  of  the  savanna 
type  which  has  undergone  submergence  during 
past  geological  epochs.  In  the  Amazon  and  La 
Plata  basins,  for  example,  we  have  extensive 
developments  of  discontinuous  marine  and  es- 
tuarine  deposits  laid  down  in  an  arm  of  the  an- 


APRIL,    1921 


205 


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206 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINK 


cient  sea  separating  the  Pacific  from  the  Bra- 
zilioEtliiopian  continents.  The  land  to  the 
north  of  the  Orinoco  is,  as  we  have  shown, 
structurally  referable  to  the  tectonics  of  Central 
America  and  the  West  Indies. 

With  this  brief  survey  of  the  geotectonics 
of  the  South  American  continent  before  us,  it 
is  possible  to  appreciate  to  advantage  the  pres- 
ent stratigraphical  appearance  of  its  rocks,  in 
particular  the  sedimentary  facies  which  here 
specially  concern  us.  It  is  perhaps  superfluous 
to  add  that  the  location  of  petroliferous  areas  is 
in  strict  conformity  with  these  main  structural 
features,  a  fact  not  always  valued  at  its  full 
significance  by  many  engaged  in  the  task  of 
oil-finding.  We  proceed  to  a  consideration  of 
the  main  oil-producing  regions  of  the  continent 
with  reference  to  the  several  States  concerned. 
These  may  be  grouped  as  follows:  The.\ndean 
States  of  Colombia,  Ecuador,  Peru,  Bolivia, 
and  Chile;  the  Atlantic  States  of  Argentine, 
Uruguay,  Paraguay,  Brazil,  and  Guiana  ;  and 
the  Caribbean  State  of  Venezuela. 

Colombia. — In  a  broad  tract  of  country 
bordering  the  coast  from  Sta.  Marta  to  the  gulf 
of  Darien  and  lying  between  the  rivers  Magda- 
,lena  and  Atrato  are  rocks  of  Tertiary  age  which 
include  some  valuable  petroliferous  deposits. 
A  good  deal  of  intermittent  work  has  been  car- 
ried out  in  the  past  in  connection  with  drilling 
operations,  but  the  results  have  hardly  proved 
as  satisfactory  as  the  geological  data  would 
seem  to  indicate.  Recently  much  more  favour- 
able reports  concerning  the  extent  and  high 
quality  of  the  oil  of  this  region  have  come  to 
hand,  and  development  is  now  proceeding 
rapidly.  The  basin  of  the  Sinu  River  is  a 
specially  favourable  locality  and  the  wells  yield 
an  oil  with  paraffin  base  and  specific  gravity 
of  0'858.  Cartagena  is  the  principal  refining 
centre  for  the  district  and  is  also  the  port  of 
shipment. 

The  Tertiary  deposits  of  this  area  are  folded 
in  a  N.N.E.-S.S.W.  direction, conforming  with 
the  strike  of  the  Western  Cordillera.  Surface 
indications  of  petroleum  are  very  numerous 
throughout  thearea,  but  more  especially  around 
the  Gulf  of  Urabia  ;  their  distribution  and  gen- 
eral disposition  point  to  geological  conditions 
of  some  complexity,  particularly  where  tne  in- 
folding of  the  Tertiary  and  Cretaceous  rocks  is 
intense. 

Other  areas  have  been  prospected  higher  up 
the  Magdalena,  near  Guamo  and  La  Plata; 
these  are  situated  in  the  plain  between  the  Eas- 
tern and  Central  Cordillera,  which  consists 
geologically  of  sharply  folded  Tertiary  and 
Cretaceous  rocks  flanked  on  either  side  by  nar- 


row ridges  of  Arci):i  an  gneiss.  On  tiie  eastern 
slopes  of  the  Andes,  about  60  miles  N.E.  of 
Bogota,  is  located  the  Upia  field  in  the  basin 
of  the  Upia  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Meta. 
Few  details  are  available  concerning  this  field 
save  that  the  oil  is  very  pure,  free  from  water, 
and  has  a  specific  gravity  of  0'y26. 

In  addition  to  the  occurrences  of  petroleum 
noted  above,  there  are  large  deposits  of  glance 
pitch  or  "  manjak  "  mined  at  Chaparral  on  the 
Saldaho  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Magdalena. 
About  2,000  tons  is  exported  annually  from 
Barranquilla,for  the  purpose  of  manufacturing 
varnish.  Glance  pitch,  a  variety  of  asphaltite, 
is  a  natural  desiccated  petroleum  product  which, 
when  free  from  mineral  matter,  is  known  as 
"manjak."  The  product  from  the  Chaparral 
mines  contains  only  3%  of  mineralconstituents. 

The  various  fields  situated  in  the  State  of 
Zulia  (Venezuela),  some  of  which  extend  into 
Colombian  territory,  will  be  considered  in  con- 
junction with  others  in  that  country. 

P2CUADOR. —  The  centre  of  the  petroleum  in- 
dustry in  this  state  is  undoubtedly  Santa  Elena, 
situated  on  the  north  coast  of  the  Gulf  of  Guay- 
aquil and  some  60  miles  west  of  the  port  of 
that  name.  Here  the  oil  is  again  associated 
with  Tertiary  strata  composed  of  limestone, 
sandstone,  and  shale  deposits,  striking  practi- 
cally N.-S.,  parallel  with  the  trend  of  the  Wes- 
tern Cordillera  in  this  region.  There  are  abun- 
dant surface  indications  within  a  land  radius  of 
thirty  miles  of  Sta.  Elena,  and  development  is 
progressing  favourably.  The  oil  has  a  specific 
gravity  of  0985,  and  is  obtained  chiefly  by  ex- 
cavating the  shallow  trenches  in  the  actual  out- 
crops of  the  oil-bearing  sand  or  by  sinking 
wells  about  ten  or  twelvefeet  deep.  Localcon- 
ditions  and  crude  methods  of  production  have 
probably  retarded  progress  in  this  country,  but 
the  possibilities  of  increased  output  following 
on  careful  geological  survey  of  the  fields  are 
extremely  favourable. 

The  Tertiary  deposits  of  this  region  form  a 
northern  continuation  of  those  of  Peru,  and 
have  been  assigned  to  Miocene  and  early  Plio- 
cene age.  They  are  again  found  on  the  Island 
of  Puna,  midway  in  the  Gulf  of  Guayaquil, 
where  traces  of  oil  occur. 

In  the  neighbourhood  of  San  Raimondo  on 
the  coast,  natural  asphaltic  deposits  are  met 
with, also  on  Cojitambo  Hill, a  little  to  the  N.E. 
of  Cuenca.  More  recently  oil  indications  have 
been  reported  from  the  Pastazza  River  district, 
some  130  miles  N.E.  of  Guayaquil.  Reports 
of  oil  springs  from  the  Quito  area  should  be 
taken  with  reserve ;  theconditionsare unfavour- 

*  Redwood    "Treatise  on  Petroleum."  vol.  i..  p.  103.     (1913.1 


APRIL,    1921 


207 


able  to  the  preservation  of  oil-pools. 

Peru. — There  are  several  important  petro- 
liferous areas  in  Peru,  of  which  the  oldest  and 
best  known  is  that  occurring  as  a  coastal  belt 
extending  from  the  Gulf  of  Guayaquil  (Mal- 
pelo  Point)  southwards  for  about  250  miles  to 
Point  .\guja.  This  tract  of  country  stretches 
inland  to  the  western  slopes  of  the  Cordillera, 
and  embraces  the  well  known  fields  of  Negri- 
tos, Lobitos,  and  Zorritos.  Its  rocks  are  of 
Tertiary  age,  consisting  of  productive  Lower 
Miocene  shales  and  sands  capped  by  clays, 
sands,  and  conglomerates  of  Upper  Miocene 
and  Pliocene  age.  The  strike  of  the  beds  is 
N.S.,  curving  round  to  N.E.-S.W.,  to  the  north 
of  lat.  5°  S.,  in  conformity  with  the  change  of 
trend  of  the  main  Andean  structure  line  at  this 
point. 

Of  the  three  fields  mentioned  above,  that  of 
Negritos  is  probably  the  most  important ;  it  is 
certainly  the  oldest  known,  as  the  ruins  of  the 
ancient  shallow  workings  from  which  the  Incas 
used  to  collect  the  oil  are  still  to  be  seen.  The 
Lobitos  field  is  a  later  development  and  com- 
prises an  area  in  which  a  number  of  highly 
productive  wells  have  been  sunk.  These  fields, 
together  with  that  of  Zorritos,  are  being  rapidly 
expanded  ;  in  1917  the  estimated  production  of 
the  joint  undertakings  amounted  to  approxi- 
mately 2,500,000  barrels,  a  production  which  is 
steadily  on  the  increase.  The  port  of  shipment 
is  at  Talara  where  there  is  also  a  large  refinery. 

Several  other  areas  in  this  country  are 
petroliferous,  and  mention  may  be  made  of 
such  promising  localities  as  Mito  (Province  of 
Jauja),  La  Brey  in  the  Chumpi  district  (Prov- 
ince of  Parinacochas),  while  a  later  develop- 
ment near  Pusi,  N.E.  of  Lake  Titicaca,  in  the 
Province  of  Huancane,  has  shown  the  occur- 
rence of  paraffin  oil  of  high  quality.  Asphal- 
tic  rocks  are  also  widely  distributed,  especially 
in  the  Provinces  of  Luya  and  Tarma. 

Altogether  Peru  seems  to  offer  exceptional 
opportunities  for  future  development,  both 
economically  and  politically.  As  a  further 
asset  climatic  conditions  are  particularly  good, 
and  in  this  latter  connection  we  may  quote 
Beeby  Thompson,  who  writes  as  follows : 
"  Favoured  by  a  healthy  climate,  the  tropical 
heat  tempered  by  perennial  cool  southern 
breezes,  the  absence  of  rain  and  desert-like 
surroundings  impose  no  hardships,  and  enable 
work  to  proceed  in  a  way  unknown  in  any 
other  oil  country.  Drilling  is  easy  and  rapid, 
no  water  difficulties  occur,  and  the  light  density 
oils  are  much  sought  after  for  the  extraction 
of  petrol.'"'''      Reports  all  tend  to  confirm  this 

"  Beeby  Thompson  :  Oil&etd  Development.  1916.  p.  HO. 


view,  and  while  they  often  make  mention  of 
certain  geological  difficulties  encountered  in 
the  course  of  prospecting  for  new  oil-pools, 
such  difficulties  are  of  a  purely  technical  char- 
acter and  should  not  prove  insurmountable  as 
the  course  of  geological  survey  proceeds. 

Bolivia.  —  The  oil  propensities  of  this 
country  are  as  yet  comparatively  unknown, 
though  from  time  to  time  reports  of  the  dis- 
covery of  oil  seepages  from  the  eastern  foot- 
hills of  the  Andes  are  received.  The  dominant 
geological  structures  in  this  particular  region 
are  determined  by  the  ancient  N.W.-S.E.  lines 
of  folding  which,  where  intersected  by  the  later 
Andean  movements,  result  in  complex  quaqua- 
versal  structures  as  yet  imperfectly  understood. 

The  most  favourable  area  is  around  Santa 
Cruz  and  to  the  south,  extending  beyond  the 
Bolivia  -  Argentine  boundary.  Many  of  the 
petroliferous  indications  have  been  located  in 
association  with  Lower  Cretaceous  strata,  and 
in  this  respect  indicate  that  development  should 
be  cautiously  prosecuted  until  a  thorough  geo- 
logical examination  has  been  made.  Generally 
speaking  this  stratigraphical  horizon  is  not 
commercially  productive,  though  where  inti- 
mately folded  with  later  sediments,  it  may 
yield  results  of  the  greatest  possible  import- 
ance. Future  geological  reconnaissance  will 
probably  reveal  the  presence  of  Tertiary  in- 
foldings,  a  feature  of  the  country  farther  south, 
and  conditions  may  thus  be  extremely  favour- 
able to  the  preservation  of  oil-pools.  Inade- 
quate geological  knowledge,  coupled  with  the 
facts  that  the  region  is  somewhat  inaccessible 
and  that  labour  difficulties  are  very  real,  have 
undoubtedly  impeded  exploration  in  the  past, 
though  with  the  ultimate  development  of  con- 
tiguous areas  in  Northern  Argentine  (q.v.), 
much  light  should  be  thrown  on  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  region. 

Chile. — The  oil  resources  of  Chile  are  at 
present  unknown,  and  our  knowledge  of  the 
country  in  this  respect  is  largely  limited  to  sur- 
face indications  in  the  north,  in  the  Province 
of  Tarapaca,  while  in  the  MaulHn  River  basin 
and  in  the  Tertiary  region  to  the  south,  natural 
gas  is  being  constantly  located.  Some  authori- 
ties speak  very  highly  of  the  oil  prospects  of 
this  region,  and  while  to  a  certain  extent  this 
may  be  justified,  geological  conditions,  at  all 
events  on  the  west  coastal  belt,  are  hardly 
satisfactory.  Redwood  mentions  indications 
of  oil  in  the  Puerto  Porvenir  and  .'^gua  Fresca 
areas  (Magallanes  Territory),  but  we  have  lit- 
tle information  concerning  this  occurrence  be- 
yond the  mere  statement.* 

Redwood  ;  Treatise  on  Petroleum,  vol.  1.  p.  195 


208 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


Argentine.  —  The  Argentine  Republic 
offers  many  favourable  prospects  for  the  loca- 
tion of  productive  fields,  especially  on  the 
eastern  slopes  of  the  Cordillera.  Large  areas 
of  petroliferous  rocks  are  known  from  the 
Provinces  of  Salta  and  Jujuy,  consisting  of 
(?)  Mesozoic  dolomites,  sandstones,  and  con- 
glomerates in  which  wells  have  been  sunk  with 
promising  results.  .\t  many  horizons  these 
rocks  are  asphaltic,  particularly  in  the  north, 
near  the  Bolivian  border.  Oil  shales  of 
Rhaetic  age  have  been  located  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Mendoza,  and  to  the  west  and 
south  of  San  Raphael,  while  further  south  in 
the  Val  de  Chilian  similar  deposits  have  yielded 
shale  oil  on  distillation. 

Another  oil  bearing  region  of  some  import- 
ance is  that  situate  on  the  east  coast  near 
Comodoro  Rivadavia  in  the  Chubut  Territory  ; 
this  occurrence  was  accidentally  located  when 
sinking  an  artesian  well  in  1903,  and  since  that 
time  considerable  progress  has  been  made  in 
prospecting. 

The  mode  of  occurrence  of  petroleum  and 
its  derivatives  in  this  country  is  noteworthy  ; 
usually  the  oil  occurs  either  in  the  form  of  as- 
phalt or  in  the  fluid  state  impregnating  lime- 
stones and  sandstones,  presumably  of  Meso- 
zoic age.  The  production  is  by  no  means 
uniform  and  a  great  deal  of  technical  work  still 
remains  to  be  carried  out.  One  of  the  most 
promising  districts  for  future  exploration  is 
undoubtedly  that  of  the  eastern  border  of  the 
Andes  m  the  Province  of  Mendoza,  where 
numerous  seepages  have  been  reported  and  ex- 
amined. In  some  cases  these  have  been  lo- 
cated in  Tertiary  deposits,  and  the  opinion  has 
been  expressed  that  the  oil  is  not  indigenous, 
but  due  to  migration  from  underlymg  Mesozoic 
rocks.  This  is  a  doubtful  point  and  one  that 
requires  further  investigation.  As  already 
mentioned,  the  sedimentaries  are  much  dis- 
turbed in  this  region  and  folding  has  been  of 
a  very  comprehensive  nature,  involving  both 
Lower  Tertiary  and  the  Mesozoic  strata.  The 
latest  information  shows  that  there  are  ex- 
ceedingly favourable  possibilities  of  oil  pro- 
duction from  this  zone,  and  exploration  will 
doubtless  be  watched  with  considerable  in- 
terest. 

Uruguay. — The  northern  part  of  this  coun- 
try belongs  tectonically  to  the  Brazilian  High- 
land mass,  and  as  such  presents  conditions 
entirely  unfavourable  to  the  accumulation  of 
petroleum.  To  the  south  and  bordering  the 
estuary  of  the  Rio  De  La  Plata,  the  country  is 
essentially  part  of  the  Great  Central  Plain 
system,  and  may  be  expected  to  offer  similar 


oil  possibilities  to  those  of  the  eastern  Argen- 
tine, though  no  information  of  oil  occurrences 
is  generally  available. 

Paraguay. — Geologically   this  country  is 
mainly  a  northward  extension  of  the  conditions 
obtaining  in  Uruguay.     On  its  eastern  borders 
it   is  structurally    referable  to    the   Brazilian 
plateau,  though  apparently  a  further  eleinen 
is   introduced  by  the  existence  of  a  reinnan 
of  the  ancient  mountain  system  which  can  be 
traced  particularly  in  the  Parana  basin.    West 
wards  the  savanna  type  of  country  is  preva 
lent,  and  prospecting  for  oil  has  been  of  a  very 
minor  character,  and  devoid  of  commercial  re 
suits. 

Brazil. — The  petroleum  resources  of  Bra 
zil  must,  in  view  of  the  geological  and  tec 
tonic  conditions,  be  extremely  limited,  and 
although  there  may  be  latent  possibilities  in 
the  .'\mazon  basin  toward  the  interior  of  the 
continent,  the  country  as  a  whole  is  entirely 
unsuited  to  oil  production  save  for  that  of  shale 
oil  which  has  received  a  certain  amount  of 
attention  in  the  past.  In  this  respect,  the 
bituminous  deposits  of  the  Camamu  basin  in 
the  Province  of  Bahia  have  often  been  des- 
cribed and  several  attempts  have  been  made  to 
work  them  on  a  commercial  scale,  but  so  far 
without  a  great  deal  of  success  ;  the  material 
is  known  as  "  turfa,"  and  it  occurs  in  several 
areas  throughout  Brazil,  but  more  particularly 
along  the  coastal  belt.  A  long  tract  of  bitu- 
minous shale  extends  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Amazon  southward  to  Porto  Alegre,  with  which 
this  occurrence  in  the  Camamu  basin  is  associ- 
ated, but  it  is  very  impure  and  of  doubtful 
economic  value. 

In  a  recent  newspaper  article  from  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  the  oil  resources  of  Brazil  were  painted 
in  extremely  glowing  colours,  particularly  in 
connection  with  shale  oil  from  "  valuable  de- 
posits in  the  interior  "  ;  these  shale  deposits 
were  reported  to  contain  a  high  percentage  of 
volatile  matter,  and  projects  on  a  large  scale 
were  being  made  to  develop  them.  Dr.  Alder- 
son,  in  his  book  on  the  Oil  Shale  Industry 
(1920),  mentions  the  Brazilian  shale  deposits 
as  having  yielded  44'73  gallons  of  oil  and  19'55 
gallons  of  ammonia  water  to  the  ton,  but  states 
that  they  have  not  been  worked  commercially. 
With  practically  no  market  for  the  by-products 
itis  very  doubtful  whether  these  deposits  would 
ever  constitute  a  business  proposition. 

Guiana. — The  Highlands  of  Guiana  are, 
as  we  have  seen,  tectonically  a  part  of  the  Bra- 
zilian plateau,  only  separated  from  that  vast 
mass  by  the  basin  of  the  Amazon.  Toward 
the  north,  in  British  Guiana,  where  the  land 


APRIL,    1921 


209 


slopes  down  to  the  Orinoco  basin,  a  tract  of 
Tertiary  strata  makes  its  appearance,  and  as- 
phalt has  been  found  at  several  horizons  with- 
in this  tract,  especially  near  the  coast.  This 
knowledge  has  led  to  a  certain  amount  of  pros- 
pecting for  oil,  and  although  no  important  re- 
sults have  as  yet  been  forthcoming,  conditions 
are  by  no  means  unattractive,  particularly  in 
the  region  of  the  Orinoco  delta  and  immedi- 
ately to  the  south.  The  main  objection  to  the 
area  is  that  of  climate  ;  field-work  and  explora- 
tion generally  are  hampered  to  a  great  e.xtent 
by  the  exceedingly  humid  conditions  preval- 
ent, and  in  the  two  wet  seasons  by  heavy  tor- 
rential rainfall. 

Venezuela. — This  country,  both  from  the 
geological  and  economic  standpoints,  is  by  far 
the  most  interesting  in  South  America,  though 
partly  on  political  grounds  and  partly  from 
climatic  reasons  it  has  received  comparatively 
little  attention  until  recent  years.  Owing  to 
the  very  wide  interest  now  being  shown  in  oil 
development  in  this  republic,  we  will  deal  with 
it  in  somewhat  greater  detail. 

We  havealready  seen  that  tectonically  Vene- 
zuela, at  all  events  in  the  north,  belongs  to 
the  ancient  Antillean  continent,  now  sub- 
merged beneath  the  waters  of  the  Caribbean 
Sea.  Along  its  southern  borders  its  mainstruc- 
tures  are  referable  to  the  Guiana  Highland 
land  massif,  while  westwards  the  Andean  Cor- 
dilleras constitute  the  main  lines  of  upheaval 
and  folding  which,  in  their  modified  N.N.E. 
trend  in  the  Maracaibo  region,  become  involved 
inthemain  Caribbean  tectonics.  These  funda- 
mental features  determine  the  natural  division 
of  Venezuela  into  four  geographic  elements,  two 
upland  and  two  lowland  tracts  ;  the  former  the 
Cordilleran  and  Caribbean  Mountain  ranges, 
the  latter  the  Orinoco  Plain  and  the  Mara- 
caibo Basin.  The  geological  significance  of 
these  tectonic  elements  is  necessarily  very  great, 
and  has  an  important  bearing  on  the  location 
of  petroliferous  regions  in  the  country. 

In  the  south,  a  vast  areaof  Archaeangranites, 
gneisses,  and  schists,  constituting  the  basal 
complex  of  the  Guiana  Highlands,  extends 
well  into  the  heart  of  Venezuela  ;  the  Orinoco 
Plain  separating  this  area  from  the  Caribbean 
Hills  is  chiefly  occupied  by  the  Llanos,  and  is 
in  places  densely  forested,  as  along  the  edge  of 
the  Highland  block.  The  Caribbean  Hills 
are  composed  of  gneisses  and  schists  and  vari- 
ous metamorphics  (The  Caribbean  Series),  of 
doubtful  age,  overlain  by  Cretaceous  and  Ter- 
tiary sediments  in  many  cases  in  intimate  as- 
sociation. Westwards  the  Cordillera  divide 
into  two  main  ranges  of  mountains  enclosing  a 


great  synclinal  area  constituting  the  Maracaibo 
Basin  and  the  coastal  plains  of  Coro ;  here 
again  the  geology  is  largely  Cretaceous  and 
Tertiary  formations,  though  around  the  Lake 
of  Maracaibo  itself  and  especially  along  the 
coastal  plains  to  the  east,  the  Pleistocene  and 
Recent  deposits  are  widely  developed. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  oil  occurrence  in 
Venezuela,  we  can  recognize  two  main  regions, 
that  of  the  Maracaibo  Basin  and  its  tectonic 
extension  to  the  east,  and  that  lying  directly  to 
the  south  of  the  coastal  Caribbean  range,  form- 
ing a  long  tract  of  country  stretching  from  the 
Orinoco  delta  westwards  through  the  State  of 
Bermudez.  In  the  Maracaibo  region  there  are 
at  least  four  well-known  petroleum  districts; 
the  first  isintheneighbourhood  of  Mara,  Limon 
River  basin,  S.W.  of  the  Gulf  of  Maracaibo. 
Here  the  oil  is  found  seeping  from  the  rocks 
near  the  Limon  River  asphalt  lake ;  the  asphalt 
itself  is  worked  on  a  large  scale,  though  by 
crude  pick  and  shovel  methods,  and  transported 
by  barges  down  the  Limon  River  to  the  Gulf 
for  shipment.  The  second  district  is  that  of 
Bella  Vista,  near  Maracaibo  itself,  and  is  one 
which  shows  evidence  of  important  accumula- 
tions of  oil.  The  third  is  at  Sardinate,  on  the 
Sardinate  River  in  Colombia,  but  extending 
across  the  Venezuelan  frontier,  while  the  fourth 
important  area  is  at  Colon,  south  of  Lake 
Maracaibo,  in  the  State  of  Zulia.  Other  ex- 
ceedingly promising  areas  are  known  on  both 
east  and  west  shores  of  the  Lake,  and  also  in 
the  State  of  Falcon  near  the  coast.  In  all  these 
cases  the  oil  is  associated  with  Cretaceous- 
Tertiary  rocks,  though  in  certain  fields  petro- 
liferous Miocene  deposits  have  been  definitely 
located.  In  several  of  the  islands  bordering  the 
north  coast  such  as  Cubagua,  Margarita,  oil  in- 
dications are  being  constantly  found,  but  no 
fields  have  as  yet  been  conclusively  proved. 

The  other  petroliferous  region  in  Venezuela, 
that  flanking  the  southern  slopes  of  the  Carib- 
bean Hills,  is  undoubtedly  of  great  potential 
importance,  if  only  the  very  disagreeable  cli- 
matic conditions  can  be  faced,  and  the  risk  of 
yellow  fever  be  minimized.  Geologically  and 
tectonically  the  area  is  connected  with  the 
southern  part  of  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  and 
evidences  of  oil  accumulation  are  by  no  means 
wanting.  In  the  Orinoco  delta  itself  and  in 
several  places  to  the  north,  mud- volcanoes, 
asphalt  deposits,  and  surface  oil  seeps  are 
known.  At  the  mouth  of  the  Guanaco  river 
there  is  situated  the  well  known  Bermudez 
Pitch  Lake  (La  Felicidad),  having  an  area  of 
over  900  acres,  with  an  average  depth  of  four 
feet ;    it  consists  principally  of  very  pure  as- 


210 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


phalt,  hardened  at  the  surface,  but  pierced  in 
many  places  by  soft  asphaltic  and  gas  exuda- 
tions :  it  is  being  worked  on  a  small  scale  at 
the  present  time  by  pick  and  shovel  method, 
the  material  bemg  transported  by  trucks  to  the 
river  for  shipment.  Not  far  from  this  occur- 
rence is  a  similar  deposit  in  the  Island  of  Fader- 
nales,  Orinoco  Delta,  with  an  area  of  about 
70,000  sq.  yd.,  locally  known  as  '  La  Brea." 
Other  deposits  of  this  nature  are  found  in  the 
islands  of  Paquero  and  Del  Plata. 

Further  in  the  interior  very  little  oil  explora- 
tion has  been  carried  out,  though  indications 
have  been  reported  by  numerous  travellers  and 
mining  engineers.  The  country  is  densely  for- 
ested in  many  places  and  the  geology  hidden 
under  a  thick  capping  of  Quaternary  (Llanos) 
deposits  which,  in  the  face  of  the  exceedingly 
trying  climatic  conditions,  do  not  invite  pro- 
longed investigation. 

.An  excellent  small  scale  geological  map  of 
Venezuela  is  shown  in  the  French  edition  of 
Suess  ("  La  Face  de  la  Terre  "),  1913,  vol.  iii., 
pt.  3,  p.  1295,  taken  from  the  work  of  Sievers. 

Conclusion. — From  the  foregoing  sketch 
of  the  Oil  Resources  of  South  America,  it  is 
evident  that  a  great  deal  of  work  remains  to  be 
done  in  prospecting  for  oil  in  likely  regions, 
and  in  further  developing  fields  which  have 
alreadyproved  productive.  At  the  present  time 
the  oilfields  of  Peru  are  obviously  the  most  im- 
portant in  thecontinent  and  probablyconstitute 
on  all  considerations  the  most  favourable  region 
for  future  development.  The  republics  of  the 
Argentine,  Ecuador,  Colombia,  and  Venezuela 
all  offer  substantial  opportunities  for  profitable 
investigation,  since  they  include  areas  in  which 
both  geologic  and  structural  conditions  aresuit- 
able  to  oil  accumulation.  The  resources  of  the 
remaining  countries  are  in  the  author's  opinion 
more  doubtful.  The  existence  of  the  Pre-Cam- 
brian  shield  as  the  dominant  geological  factor  in 
Brazil,  Guiana,  Uruguay,  and  Paraguay,  rules 
out  at  once  the  chances  of  finding  oil  in  com- 
mercial quantity  in  those  countries, as  the  over- 
lying sedimentswhere  presentare,onthewhole, 
extremely  thin  and  discontinuous.  In  Bolivia, 
the  structures,  as  far  as  we  know  anything  of 
them  at  present,  are  exceedingly  complex,  and 
comparatively  little  is  known  of  the  economic 
wealth  of  the  country  in  so  far  as  oil  production 
is  concerned.  Finally,  in  Chile,  where  the  geo- 
logy is  mainly  that  of  igneous  manifestation  in 
someform  or  other, andwherethesedimentaries 
that  do  occur  are  nearly  always  associated  with 
volcanic  material,  the  prospects  do  not  seem 
to  be  particularly  encouraging,  excepting  pos- 
sibly in  the  north. 


World's  Production  of   Petroleum. — 

The  world's  production  of  petroleum  in  1920 
is  estimated  at  688,474,251  barrels,  against 
554,505,048  barrels  in  19 19, according  to  figures 
collected  by  the  American  Petroleum  Institute. 
This  represents  an  increase  of  1 33,969,203,  or 
24'2%.  The  estimated  production  in  barrels  by 
countries  was  as  follows  : 


1919 

1920 

I'nited  Stales 

...      377.719.000 

44  3.102,000 

Mexico  •■. 

S7.072.954 

159,800.000 

Russia    ... 

...        34.284.000 

30,000.000 

Duicli  East  Indies    ■.. 

15,780.000 

16.000.000 

India 

8.453.000 

8.500.000 

Kouinania 

6.517.748 

7.406.318 

Persia    ... 

6,289.812 

6,00.1.734 

Gaticia  ... 

6.255.000 

6.000.000 

Peru       ... 

2,561.000 

J, 790.000 

Japan  and  Formosa... 

2.120.500 

2,213,083 

Trinidad 

2.780.000 

1.628.637 

.\reentina 

1.504,300 

1,366.926 

Ecypt    ... 

1.662.184 

1.089,213 

France  ... 

— 

700,000 

Venezuela 

321.396 

500.000 

Canada  ... 

2J0.100 

2?0,0C0 

Germany 

925.000 

215,340 

Italy       ... 

38,254 

38,000 

Total     ... 

...      554.505,048 

688.474,251 

Of  the  total  production  in  1920  the  United 
States  supplied  443,402,000  barrels,  or 
64'4%  of  the  world's  output.  Mexico  supplied 
159,800,000  barrels,  or  232%  of  the  world's 
output.  The  Alsatian  oilfield's  production 
appears  under  Germany  in  1919  and  under 
France  in  1920. 


Canadian  Oil   Regulations. — The  new 

regulations  relating  to  the  disposal  of  oil  and 
natural  gaslands  in  the  North-West  Territories 
of  Canada  have  been  published.  They  super- 
sede all  previousregulations  and  are  retroactive 
in  eflfect.  Permits  may  be  issued  to  prospect 
for  oil  and  gas  over  a  maximum  area  of  2,560 
acres  for  a  period  of  four  years.  This  area  may 
be  staked  in  not  more  thanfiveblocks,forwhich 
five  separate  permits  may  be  issued,  requiring 
thi  installation  of  individual  drilling  outfits  on 
eachlocation.  In  the  event  of  discovery, a  lease 
of  one-quarter  of  the  area  covered  by  the  pro- 
specting permit  will  be  issued,  at  a  rental  of 
50c.  per  acre  for  the  first  year,  and  $  1  per  acre 
for  the  second  and  third  years.  The  royalty  on 
the  output  is  fixed  at  5%  for  the  first  five  years 
and  10%  thereafter.  The  minimum  area  of  a 
location  is  fixed  at  eighty  acres,  the  remainder 
of  the  ground  covered  by  the  prospecting  permit 
remaining  the  property  of  the  Crown.  An  ade- 
quate drilling  outfit  must  be  installed  on  a  loca- 
tion within  two  years  of  the  date  of  the  permit ; 
drilling  to  a  depth  of  500  ft.  must  be  conducted 
during  the  third  year  and  to  an  aggregate  depth 
of  at  least  2,000  ft.  during  the  fourth  year. 
Where  these  requirements  are  not  fulfilled,  the 
permit  immediately  lapses  without  the  declara 
tion  of  a  forfeiture  by  the  Crown. 


THE  APATITE-MAGNETITE   DEPOSITS 

OF  DHALBHUM,  INDIA. 

By  E.    F.   O.    MURRAY.  Assoc.lnst.M.M. 

The  author  gives  particulars  of  phosphate  deposits  in  India,  which  might  form  the  basis 
of  an  extensive  fertilizer  industry. 


THE  pergannah  of  Dhalbhum  is  the  most 
easterly  of  the  sub-divisions  of  the  Singh- 
bhum  District  and  part  of  the  Chota 
Nagpur  Division  of  the  Province  of  Bihar  and 
Orissa.  It  has  an  area  of  about  1,100  square 
miles,  which  is  divided  about  equally  into 
cultivated  lands  and  jungle.  The  northern 
and  southern  boundaries  of  the  pergannah  run 
along  two  irregular  chains  of  hills,  while  the 
central  portion,  drained  by  the  Subarnarekha 
River,  is  traversed  by  the  main  line  of  the 
Bengal- Nagpur  Railway.  Few  of  the  hills  rise 
to  a  height  of  more  than  2,000  ft.,  but  those 
between  1,400  ft.  and  1,800  ft.  are  fairly  nu- 
merous. They  are  generally  covered  by  sal 
forest  of  varying  growth  and  scrub  jungle, 
while  in  some  parts  progress  is  liable  to  be 
both  slow  and  painful  owing  to  the  quantity  of 
thorn  bushes  of  various  sorts  that  occur. 

The  inhabitants  of  the  district  belong  chief- 
ly to  Dravidian  stock,  but  while  Santals  and 
Bhurnijes  predominate,  numerous  other  castes 
are  also  to  be  found.  Judged  by  the  average 
Indian  standard  they  become  fairly  efficient 
I  workmen,  but  suffer  in  common  with  the  rest 
i  of  the  country  in  the  time  lost  in  the  observ- 
ance of  numerous  feasts,  festivals,  and  cere- 
monies. 

The  chief  ores  known  to  exist  in  the  pergan- 
nah are  chalcopyrite,  apatite,  magnetite,  hema- 
tite, auriferous  quartz, and  wolfram.  Other  al- 
lied products  of  economic  value  include  white 
quartz,  potstones,  a  loose  grained  quartzite 
used  as  a  building  stone,  kankar  and  tufa, 
lime,  diabase,  and  granite. 

The  first  geological  mention  of  the  district 
would  appear  to  have  been  made  by  Voysey 
in  1823,  but  long  before  this  considerable 
mining  had  been  done  by  the  ancients  in  search 
of  gold  and  copper.  Numerous  small  iron 
furnaces  were  in  operation  until  recent  times, 
and  even  now  the  village  blacksmith  in  remo- 
ter parts  often  falls  back  on  the  indigenous 
ores  to  supplement  his  stock  of  metal.  Little 
information  as  to  the  ancient  workers  is  to  be 
obtained  from  the  present  inhabitants,  but  it 
seems  probable  that  operations  were  com- 
menced by  the  Seraks,  or  lay  Jains,  and  ceased 
with  their  expulsion.  The  only  traces  at  pres- 
ent existing  of  a  former  civilization  are  to  be 


found  in  occasional  ruined  wayside  shrines 
built  of  dovetailed  blocks  of  laterite,  and  some 
carvings  in  either  laterite  or  soapstone  ;  also 
agate  and  jasper  beads  either  round  or  barrel- 
shaped  are  sometimes  washed  out  of  the  soil 
after  heavy  rains. 

The  first  attempt  at  mining  on  a  modern 
scale  was  undertaken  by  the  Singhbhum  Cop- 
per Co.  in  1856,  but  this  and  the  subsequent 
Hindostan  Copper  Co.  and  Rajdoha  Mining 
Co.  all  failed,  though  not  before  some  develop- 
ment work  and  smelting  had  been  undertaken. 
From  such  evidence  as  is  now  obtainable  it 
would  appear  that  too  much  money  was  spent 
on  surface  and  not  sufficient  underground 
while  such  underground  work  as  was  under- 
taken was  disseminated  over  a  lateral  extent 
of  16  miles  and  little  attempt  was  made  to 
prove  the  values  of  the  ore-bodies  in  depth. 
Of  recent  years  the  Cape  Copper  Co.  has  ac- 
quired some  of  the  interests  of  the  last  named, 
and  is  now  at  Rakha  Mines  engaged  in  prov- 
ing the  value  of  the  deposits  when  worked  by 
proper  methods. 

The  geology  of  the  district  varies  consider- 
ably in  different  parts,  but  the  greater  portion 
of  the  area  under  review  is  occupied  by  the 
sub-metamorphic  (or  Dharwar)  series  of  sedi- 
mentaries  of  Archaean  age,  which  are  here 
represented  chiefly  by  talc  and  mica  schists, 
quartzites,  phyllites,  and  argillaceous  slates. 
Magnesian  and  hornblende  schists  also  exist, 
but  as  in  many  cases  these  can  be  found  grad- 
ing into  diabase  sills  and  laccoliths  they  be- 
long to  the  epoch  following  the  deposition  of 
the  sedimentaries,  though  also  of  Pre- Cam- 
brian age.  This  series  of  basic  intrusives  has 
its  chief  development  just  over  the  northern 
border  in  the  district  of  Manbhum,  where  it 
culminates  in  the  mountain  known  as  Dolma, 
3,060  ft.  above  sea  level,  and  continues  far  to 
the  west,  forming  some  of  the  highest  hills 
along  the  Ranchi  boundary.  The  early  dia- 
base irruptions  generally  occurred  parallel  to 
the  foliation  of  the  schists,  which  strike  rough- 
ly north-west  and  southeast,  and  usually  dip 
toward  the  north.  Both  strike  and  dip,  how- 
ever, are  subject  to  very  considerable  local 
variations  :  but  in  only  one  small  area  toward 
the  north  is  the  latter  found  to  be  southerly. 
211 


212 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


A  noticeable  feature  is  that  where  any  large 
diabase  irruption  has  occurred  the  surround- 
ing schists  are  invariably  found  dipping  to- 
wards it,  thus  pointing  to  their  present  posi- 
tion being  the  result  of  a  subsequent  uplift. 
The  cause  of  this  movement  is  to  be  found  in 
the  wide  stretches  of  gneiss  that  exist  both  to 
the  north  and  south  of  the  schist  belt,  and 
though  the  former  is  outside  the  borders  of  the 
pergannah  the  portion  of  the  southern  batho- 
lith  included  therein  covers  an  area  of  ap- 
proximately 140  square  miles.  This  gneiss 
would  appear  to  have  been  subsequently  in- 
truded by  granite  dykes  and  laccoliths,  but 
exposures  of  these  are  infrequent  and  incon- 
spicuous when  compared  to  the  basic  erup- 
tions of  a  doleritic  nature  that  later  occurred. 
These  last,  which  are  almost  entirely  destitute 
of  vegetation,  vary  greatly  in  size  and  strike, 
and  are  chiefiy  noticeable  for  the  manner  in 
which  they  protrude  through  the  gneiss, 
weathering  into  blocks  and  skulls "  of  all 
sizes. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  two  basic  and 
probably  two  acid  irruptions  have  occurred, 
any  of  which  might  have  been  wholly  or  part- 
ly responsible  for  the  mineralization  of  the 
district.  In  the  present  case  we  are  only  con- 
cerned with  the  apatite-magnetite  deposits, 
and  the  most  likely  period  for  their  genesis 
would  appear  to  be  the  early  stages  of  the  acid 
irruptions.  Apatite  and  magnetite  are  both 
high-temperature  minerals.  If  further  proof 
were  required  as  to  the  conditions  attaining  at 
that  time  it  is  furnished  by  a  garnet  schist 
band  in  the  foot-wall  and  the  association  with 
the  deposit  of  varying  quantities  of  phlogo- 
pite  mica,  tourmaline,  ilmenite,  rutile,  and 
hornblende. 

Erosion  has  been  very  severe,  as  the  high- 
est hill  of  the  district,  Dolma,  was  itself  once 
a  deep-seated  irruption,  and  in  all  cases  known 
primary  ore  is  found  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
surface.  It  seems  probable,  therefore,  that 
practically  all  the  deposits  existing  at  the  pres- 
ent day  were  deep  seated  and  that  it  is  only 
subsequent  erosion  that  has  brought  them  to 
light.  In  mining,  this  theory  cuts  both  ways, 
for  against  the  possibility  of  only  the  lower 
and  leaner  portions  of  some  of  the  veins  being 
left  can  be  set  the  chance  of  blmd  lodes  being 
yet  discovered  by  exploration  underground  in 
the  less  easily  eroded  portions.  In  fact,  one 
vein  of  the  latter  class  has  been  responsible 
for  practically  all  the  gold,  some  5,000  oz., 
hitherto  produced  by  mining  in  Dhalbhum, 
while  the  quantity  of  lean  quartz  and  preva- 
lence of  alluvial  gold  even  on  the  lower  hill- 


tops would  point  to  the  preponderance  of  the 
former  type  where  gold  is  concerned. 

The  first  notice  of  the  presence  of  apatite 
appeared  in  1907  (Records  Geological  Survey 
of  India,  vol.  xxxvi.),  when  attention  was  drawn 
to  its  occurrence  with  some  iron  ore  being 
quarried  by  the  Bengal  Iron  Co.  near  Pathol- 
gora.  Little  notice  was,  however,  paid  to 
this  at  the  time,  and  it  was  not  until  1915  that 
the  deposits  were  recognized  to  be  of  economic 
value.  The  reasons  for  this  were  the  incon- 
spicuous nature  of  the  deposits,  and  the  un- 
usual colour  of  the  mineral,  which  was  whitish 
or  cream-coloured  and  had  the  appearance  of 
felspar.  The  discovery  that  this  material  was 
apatite  would  appear  to  have  been  more  or 
less  fortuitous,  and  was  probably  due  to  in- 


^ha 

Scale  of  Miles 

tsila                     "      '       '      -^      t      f 

"^S*  ■'' 

PalholqoraX 

/\                                            i 

Mosaboiti         \ 

**> 

JA   Norsingarh 

^             ( 

nN.  '-/"■            *s- 

Badia       \ 

\\%.     '^^^^'-^'^aicutta.  m<n 

Bhallii      N\' 

1        '''>'"''     S^niK-^ 

\     Kedjuroan            \\ 

vestigation  as  to  the  origin  of  the  high  phos- 
phorus content  of  some  of  the  pig  iron  made 
from  this  ore  and  utilized  chiefly  in  castings. 
In  any  case  work  that  had  languished  for  some 
years  and  eventually  ceased  was  suddenly  re- 
sumed with  unwonted  vigour.  This  activity 
led  to  investigations,  and  on  the  cause  being 
discovered  prospecting  for  further  depositswas 
undertaken.  This  and  subsequent  prospect- 
ing proved  that  the  ore  could  be  traced  from 
Patholgora  through  Badia  and  the  valley  of 
the  Sonk  river  to  Bagjanta,  a  distance  of  about 
7  miles,  where  the  sequence  was  interrupted 
by  a  quartzite  ridge  striking  almost  due  north. 
The  probability  of  a  fault  existing  here  was 
further  demonstrated  by  the  discovery  of  ore 
about  2  miles  north,  near  the  village  of  Gaura 
or  Goala,  where  the  kyanite  rock,  which  had 
been  a  conspicuous  feature  at  Badia,  was 
found  to  be  equally  prominent  and  to  occupy 
the  same  position  in  the  hanging  wall  of  the 


APRIL,    1921 


213 


deposit.  From  Gaura  the  ore  was  traced  with 
sundry  breaks  through  Kanyaluka  and  Bhalki 
to  Sungi,  and  thence  eastwards  in  lessening 
quantity  to  Kedjurdari,  which,  as  far  as  pres- 
ent knowledge  goes,  marks  the  eastern  extrem- 
ity of  the  deposits. 

This  run  from  Gaura  to  Kedjurdari  is  of 
the  same  length  as  the  former,  and  though 
this  14  miles  is  only  a  portion  of  the  lateral 
extent  of  the  ore  it  would  seem  to  contain  all 
the  deposits  of  economic  value.  The  most 
westerly  existence  that  has  yet  been  found  lies 
in  the  state  of  Kharsawan,  5+  miles  from  Pa- 
tholgora,  so  that  it  has  a  present  known  range 
of  68  miles  ;  and  it  is  possible  that  deposits  of 
value  may  yet  be  found  in  the  portion  travers- 
ing Seraikela  State,  where  the  outcrop  is  great- 
ly obscured  by  alluvium.  Parallel  to  the  phos- 
phate belt  and  at  varying  distances  from  it  runs 
the  Singhbhum  copper  belt,  which,  starting  in 
the  hills  of  Porahat,  can  be  traced  for  a  dis- 
tance of  over  80  miles  until  it  is  lost  beneath 
laterite  and  the  alluvium  of  the  Gangetic  plain. 

The  most  important  deposit  of  apatite  would 
appear  to  be  at  Sungi,  and  as  this  is  fairly 
typical  of  the  others  a  description  of  this  will 
suffice.  The  ore  is  found  in  a  schist  band  be- 
tween two  beds  of  quartzite,  which  together 
form  a  ridge  about  2,000  yards  in  length,  fall- 
ing away  at  either  end  where  it  is  traversed 
by  nallahs.  The  main  ore-shoot  is  confined 
to  the  central  portion  of  the  ridge,  where  it 
can  be  traced  almost  continuously  on  the  sur- 
face for  a  distance  of  3,000  ft.,  but  trenching 
has  also  exposed  ore  in  the  nallahs  on  either 
side.  No  definite  foot-walls  or  hanging  walls 
exist,  the  ore  being  found  as  blebs  and  lenses 
of  varying  size  in  a  biotite  schist  belt  some 
30  to  50  ft.  wide.  The  largest  lens  so  far  en- 
countered had  a  length  of  120  ft.  with  an  aver- 
age width  of  12  ft.,  but  owing  to  the  irregular- 
ity of  the  deposit  it  seems  doubtful  whether 
the  mean  width  of  the  entire  ore-shoot  would 
exceed  three  feet. 

The  original  apatite -magnetite  ore  has  in 
places  been  subjected  to  subsequent  hydro- 
thermal  action,  which  has  resulted  in  the  origi- 
nal matrix  being  partly  replaced  by  quartz  and 
chalcopyrite.  Small  quantities  of  a  greenish 
yellow  uranium  mineral,  probably  autunite.are 
also  found  locally  along  fissures  in  the  ore,  but 
this  is  of  secondary  deposition  and  the  original 
uranium  mineral  has  yet  to  be  discovered. 
.  The  order  of  genesis  of  the  minerals  is  dis- 
tinct and  divisible  into  4  stages  as  follow : 

1  (a)  Apatite, 
(6)  Magnetite, 

2  Quartz, 

4—4 


3  Chalcopyrite, 

4  Secondary  Uranium  and  Copper 

Minerals. 

Until  the  primary  uranium  mineral  is  found, 
its  position  in  the  sequence  must  remain  uncer- 
tain,but  it  can  probably  be  allocated  toGroup  1. 
Other  secondary  minerals  include  small  quan- 
tities of  malachite,  azurite,  cuprite,  native  cop- 
per, and  bornite,  but  where  found  their  horizon 
is  limited  to  within  about  30  ft.  from  surface. 

The  proportions  of  apatite  to  magnetite  vary 
greatly,  almost  pure  specimens  of  each  being 
obtainable,  but  from  samples  taken  the  average 
iron  content  would  appear  to  be  about  20  to  25%, 
equivalent  to  almost  equal  quantities  of  apatite 
and  magnetite  by  weight.  When  cleared  of 
magnetite  the  apatite  is  of  high  grade,  running 
over  80%  tricalcic  phosphate,  with  about  2% 
fluorine  and  10  to  12%  insoluble,  but  no  com- 
plete analysis  of  the  ore  has  yet  been  made. 

Some  trenching  was  carried  out  on  the  pro- 
perty during  1916-1917,  but  real  work  only 
commenced  in  1918  after  the  flotation  in  Cal- 
cutta of  the  Great  India  Phosphate  Co.  with  a 
capital  of  30  lakhs  of  fupees.  From  rumours 
current  about  that  time,  hills  containing  millions 
of  tons  of  phosphate  that  only  required  quarry- 
ing were  supposed  to  exist,  and  India  not  being 
equal  to  absorbing  the  output,  the  company 
would  run  its  own  steamers  to  other  markets, 
soshares  went  strong.  Samplesweresenthome, 
a  mill  was  ordered,  and  then  steps  were  taken 
to  develop  the  property.  Surprises  now  came 
quickly  ;  the  supposed  quarrying  proposition 
turned  out  to  be  really  a  mining  one  if  the  pro- 
posed output  was  to  be  obtained,  and  develop- 
ment had  to  be  undertaken  to  assure  a  constant 
supply  of  ore.  The  mill  sent  out  was  designed 
for  a  lower  proportion  of  magnetite  than  actually 
existed,  and  no  allowance  had  been  made  for 
the  treatment  of  run-ofmine  fines,  which  had 
now  to  be  taken  into  account.  Eventually  the 
company  decided  to  liquidate,  as  the  larger 
proportion  of  the  called-up  capital  was  still  in 
hand. 

Development  work  done  at  Sungi  during  this 
period  consisted  of  several  prospecting  shafts 
on  the  lode,  2  intermediate  drives  east  and  west 
from  one  of  these,  and  2  adits.  These  last  ran 
into  harder  ground  than  could  be  managed  by 
the  local  hand  labour  and  had  to  be  suspended 
until  a  compressor  and  drills  could  be  secured  ; 
but  before  the  former  had  been  erected  work 
was  shut  down  and  neither  reached  ore.  Though 
the  backs  above  these  adits  would  only  have 
averaged  150  ft.  the  lateral  extent  of  the  ore- 
shoot  made  it  possible  to  win  at  least  100,000 
tons, assuming  that  the  width  held,  by  back  sto- 


214 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


ping  and  without  pumping  or  hoisting  charges  ; 
moreover,  as  the  exit  for  ore  was  down  the 
valley  it  was  desirable  that  this  should  be  deliv- 
ered at  as  low  a  level  as  possible. 

In  the  prospecting  shafts  considerable  trouble 
was  experienced  in  following  ore,  owing  to  the 
manner  in  which  lenses  would  suddenly  cut  out, 
and  all  working  faces  had  consequently  to  be 
closely  watched.  Al  times  the  only  method  was 
to  continue  on  the  average  dip  of  45",  and  to 
trust  to  one  of  the  50  sq.  ft.  of  shaft  hitting  the 
next  lens  ;  but  at  others  a  quartz  stringer  or 
connecting  vein  of  apatite  served  as  a  guide. 

At  present  the  apatite  deposits,  barring  those 
at  Patholgora,  lie  unworked.  In  view  of  the 
urgent  need  of  India  for  phosphatic  manures 
and  the  high  cost  of  imported  fertilizers,  this 
idleness  can  be  but  a  phase.   Themagnetiteand 


apatite  are  not  chemically  combined,  so  that 
the  only  requisite  is  grinding  to  a  suflicient 
degree  of  fuieness  to  admit  of  efficient  separa- 
tion. Probably  half  the  magnetite  could  be 
eliminated  by  hand  picking  after  preliminary 
crushing  (and  a  ready  market  exists  for  this 
product),  thus  leaving  only  some  10  to  12%  of 
iron  for  removal  magnetically.  Even  suppos- 
ing complete  separation  to  be  unattainable, 
various  methods  of  utilizing  the  phosphoric 
acid  contents  of  the  ore  are  available,  but  India 
as  usual  lags  behind  the  rest  of  the  world  and 
seems  to  know  little  of  anything  but  basic  slag 
and  acid  phosphate,  and  for  the  latter  no  cheap 
source  of  acid  is  yet  at  hand.  This  will  be 
remedied,  however,  when  the  Burma  Corpora- 
tion starts  treating  zinc  concentrates  at  Jam- 
shedpur. 


IRON   ORE   DEPOSITS  OF   QUEENSLAND. 

The  Author  of  this  article,  who  has  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  Mineral  Resources  of 
Queensland,  gives  herewith  a  description  of  the  principal  iron  ore  deposits  in  that  State, 
which  are  to  be  used  in  the  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  about  to  be  established  by  the  Gov- 
ernment of  Queensland. 


Introductory. — The  State  of  Queensland 
has  an  area  of  670,500  square  miles,  of  which 
over  80,000  square  miles  is  contained  in  pro- 
claimedgoldandmineralfields.  Scattered  over 
this  extensive  mineral  area  are  quite  a  number 
of  iron  ore  deposits.  The  most  important  of 
these  have  been  geologically  examined  and 
tested  in  connection  with  the  proposed  State 
iron  and  steel  works,  while  others  have  been 
only  cursorily  inspected  and  turned  down  for 
the  present  as  being  either  too  small,  too  inac- 
cessible, or  too  low  in  quality  to  justify  con- 
sideration as  a  source  of  supply  for  these  works. 
It  is  advisable  to  give  some  details  of  this  State 
scheme  and  of  the  ore  deposits,  as  many  people 
haveobtainedtheerroneous  idea  that  the  scheme 
is  based  on  the  Yampi  Sound  deposits  off  the 
coast  of  West  Australia.  Another  reason  for 
writing  this  account  is  that  in  the  article  in  the 
Magazine  for  March,  1919,  on  Australian  iron 
ore  resources  no  mention  was  made  of  Queens-, 
land  deposits. 

A  Parliamentary  Commission  sat  in  1917  to 
inquire  into  and  report  upon  the  advisability 
of  establishing  State  iron  and  steel  works  in 
Queensland.  As,  however,  little  attention  up 
to  that  time  had  been  officially  given  to  iron  de- 
posits, the  evidence  taken  before  that  commis- 
sion was  inconclusive,  and  that  body  confined 
its  conclusions  to  recommendations  for  the  im- 
mediate erection  of  a  furnace  with  a  capacity 
of  156  tons  of  ore  for  the  production  of  pig  iron, 
and   of    extensive  by-product    recovery  coke 


ovens  and  mine  equipment,  to  cost  ^150,000, 
and  for  the  appointment  of  a  highly  qualified 
general  manager  to  supervise  the  erection  of 
this  plant  and  to  report  generally  on  the  advisa- 
bility of  erecting  iron  and  steel  manufacturing 
works.  After  the  issue  of  that  report,  further 
investigations  were  made  by  the  Mines  De- 
partment, a  general  manager  was  appointed 
who  arrived  in  Brisbane  in  January,  1919,  and 
in  February  of  1920  a  site  was  determined  up- 
on for  the  iron  and  steel  works,  it  being  under- 
stood that  the  first  portion  to  be  proceeded  with 
in  connection  with  those  works  would  be  the 
erection  of  a  furnace  to  smelt  pig  iron  and  of 
by-product  coke  ovens. 

Practically,  the  decision  to  go  on  with  these 
works  and  to  fix  the  site  at  the  port  of  Bowen 
seems  to  have  been  based,  as  far  as  Queens- 
land is  concerned, on  the  supplies  to  be  obtained 
from  the  Cloncurry  district  (Mount  Philpand 
Mount  Leviathan),  some  700  miles  inland  from 
Bowen,  and  from  Mount  Biggenden,  in  the 
Wide  Bay  district,  about  500  miles  south  of 
Bowen.  The  deposit  on  Iron  Island,  off  the 
coast  near  Rockhampton,  with  an  estimated 
deposit  of  over  2,000,000  tons,  is  larger  than 
what  is  expected  from  Biggenden  (about 
500,000  tons),  but  is  probably  not  taken  into 
account  because  it  is  leased  to  the  Mount  Mor- 
gan Company,  which  obtains  its  ironstone  flux 
fromthere.  Itisprobable, of  course,  thatmany 
more  iron  ore  deposits  will  be  found  in  Queens- 
land, but  the  Government  no  doubt  thinks  there 


APRIL,    1921 


215 


are  already  enough  to  go  on  with.  The  present 
requirements  of  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary's 
iron  and  steel  works  at  Newcastle,  New  South 
Wales,  are  about  260,000  tons  per  annum,  and 
the  general  managerof  that  company  hasstated 
that  as  he  can  see  about  a  hundred  years'  sup- 
ply of  ore  at  the  Iron  Knob,  in  South  Australia, 
whence  his  works  obtain  it,  he  is  not  worrying 
about  anything  after  that.  On  the  same  basis, 
the  22,000,000  tons  estimated  to  be  available 
in  the  Cloncurry  district,  Queensland,  would 


654  miles  by  railroad  to  Bowen.  The  Mount 
is  a  range  of  hills  and  peaks,  consisting  of  enor- 
mous outcrops  of  ironstone,  the  adjacent  rocks 
being  alteredsandstones,  quartzites, calcareous 
andferruginous  slates  and  schists,  with  crystal- 
line limestones  and  dolomites.  It  has  been  ex- 
amined by  Mr.  B.  Dunstan,  the  Chief  Govern- 
ment Geologist,  and  is  described  by  him  in  a 
bulletinon  North-West  Queensland,  issuedlast 
year.  Parallel  with  and  about  a  mile  to  the 
west  of  Mount  Philp  is  a  precipitous  elevation 


keep  the  proposed  Queensland  works  going  for 
85  years,  while  another  13,000,000  tons  at 
Cockatoo  Island,  in  Yampi  Sound,  West  Aus- 
tralia (see  the  Magazine  for  October,  1920), 
which  theQueensland  Government  has  bought, 
to  blend  with  the  Cloncurry  ores,  will  add  an- 
other 50  years'  supply,  or  135  years  in  all ;  and 
it  is  reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  Queensland 
Government,  like  the  manager  of  the  Newcastle 
works,  is  not  troubling  about  the  "  thereafter." 
If  they  are,  thereis  another  possible  20,000,000 
in  Mount  Philp  that  may  afford  a  further  lease 
of  e.xistence  of  over  70  years. 

Mount  Philp.  —  The  largest  iron  ore  de- 
posit in  the  Cloncurry  district,  and  indeed  in 
Queensland,  is  that  known  as  Mount  Philp, 
a  comparatively  recent  discovery  lying  from 
two  and  a  half  to  five  miles  south-westerly  from 
Ballara,  a  railway  station  sixty-three  miles  in 
a  south-westerly  direction  from  Cloncurry,  and 


Mount  Philp  Iron  District. 

called  the  Fountain  Range,  consisting  of  a  nar- 
row belt  of  indurated  sandstone  rising  promi- 
nently between  other  soft  and  more  easily 
weathered  rocks.  The  attached  sketch  plan, 
as  prepared  by  Mr.  Dunstan,  shows  the  posi- 
tion of  Mount  Philp  and  the  Fountain  Range, 
together  with  some  of  their  geological  features. 
The  country  on  the  western  side  of  the  range 
is  said  to  offer  natural  facilities  for  the  conser- 
vation of  water. 

Mr.  Dunstan  reports  that  the  mountain  is 
chiefly  hematite  ;  magnetite  is  occasionally 
present,  and  there  are  impurities  consisting 
mostly  of  free  silica.  No  place  was  seen  in 
which  the  percentage  of  silica  was  not  high, 
but  that  of  other  impurities  in  every  part  of  the 


216 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


lode  tested  was  distinctly  low.  The  following 
table  gives  characteristic  analyses  : 

Analyses  of  Mount  Philp  Ore. 

No.  1.  No.  2. 
%  % 

Iron 562  52  8 

Moisture  tat  15°C.) 0  2                      0  1 

Loss  on  ignition stif^ht  )4ain               2'3 

Silica  19  5  23  0 

Alumina 0'7                      Oi 

Lime  trace  trace 

Magnesia  trace  trace 

Manganese  oxide   less  than  0  3  trace 

Phosphorus 0023  003 

Sulphur 001  0  01 

Titanic  oxide  nil                      nil 

It  should  be  explained  that  analysis  No.  1  is 
the  average  result  from  16  samples  taken  from 
all  parts  of  the  outcrop  by  the  Government 
Assayer  at  Cloncurry,  while  No.  2  was  taken 
by  the  Chief  Government  Geologist,  and  was 
made  up  by  sampling  all  the  places  from  which 
the  16  samples  came.  Assay  samples  taken 
some  years  before  for  the  purpose  of  utilizing 
some  of  the  ironstoneas  a  flux  for  copper  smelt- 
ing are  said  to  have  shown  17%  of  silica.  The 
proportion  of  this  impurity  would  appear  to 
average  about  20  per  cent. 

There  is,  judgmg  from  appearances,  a  great 
uniformity  in  the  composition  of  the  ironstone, 
and  the  very  minute  transparent  silica  grains 
present  could  be  seen  in  every  specimen  ex- 
amined. It  had  been  suggested  that  the  high 
percentage  of  silica  might  be  due  to  the  leach- 
ing out  by  rain  of  the  iron  from  the  surface  out- 
crops, and  leaving  behind  on  the  exposures  an 
excess  of  silica  ;  but  Mr.  Dunstan  says  there  is 
an  absence  of  porosity  and  that  leaching  effects 
werenot  apparent,  a  feature  due  nodoubt  to  the 
iron  oxide  being  in  a  ferric  condition,  the  most 
stable  form  in  which  it  occurs  in  nature,  and 
apparently  to  the  silica  being  in  a  free  state, 
instead  of  incombination  with  basic  substances. 

In  arriving  at  a  rough  estimate  of  the  quanti- 
ties of  hematite  in  the  Mount  Philp  lode,  it  is 
explained  that  the  outcrop  of  that  lode  can  be 
observed  for  miles  from  the  top  of  one  of  the 
pinnacles,  but  that  a  length  of  two  miles  along 
the  main  portion  contains  all  the  measurable 
quantities  of  ore,  outside  of  which,  doubtless, 
there  are  other  large  quantities  more  or  less 
obscured.  Within  this  limit  of  two  miles  the 
lode  varies  from  50  to  150  ft.,  the  approximate 
average  being  100  ft.,  while  the  height  varies 
from  50  to  500  ft.  above  the  level  of  Fountain 
Creek,  which  cuts  through  the  range  at  the 
north  end,  150  ft.  being  taken  as  the  average 
in  this  direction.  Within  these  dimensions, 
Mr.  Dunstan  says  that  there  must  be  at  least 
10,000,000  tons  more  or  less  under  cover,  mak- 
ing altogether  an  actual  tonnage  of  about 
20,000,000  tons. 


As  the  lode  has  been  worn  down  to  the  level 
of  the  surrounding  country  where  Fountain 
Creek  crosses  it,  and  a  splendid  working  face 
quite  free  from  overburden  has  been  naturally 
exposed  at  this  spot,  the  facilities  for  working 
the  lode  can  be  made  remarkably  easy.  To 
this  face  a  short  railway  from  Hallara  can  be 
very  easily  constructed.  Farther  north  and 
south  other  precipitous  faces  are  exposed  at 
high  positions,  and  at  these  places  the  ironstone 
can  be  quarried  very  cheaply  and  conveyed  by 
means  of  shoots  and  other  mechanical  devices 
to  trucks  below. 


f     Ctia 


Mount  Leviathan  Iron  District. 

Mount  Leviathan.—  Mount  Leviathan 
was  first  brought  into  notice  as  far  back  as 
1898,  when  the  then  Queensland  Government 
Geologist  described  it  as  "  a  mass,  say  200  ft. 
high  and  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  diameter  at  its 
base,  of  the  purest  possible  iron  ore."  That  it 
was  not  "  the  purest  possible  iron  ore  "  was  dis- 
covered many  years  afterward  by  the  general 
managerof  the  Mount  Elliott  Copper  Company 
when  looking  for  a  flux  for  use  in  copper  smelt- 
ing, and,  as  will  be  seen,  its  size  is  almost  in- 
significant beside  Mount  Philp,  which  pro- 
bably nobody  except  aborigines  had  seen  in 
1898.  Mount  Leviathan  was  examined  at  the 
same  time  as  Mount  Philp  by  Mr.  Dunstan, 


APRIL,    1921 


217 


who  gave  a  brief  description  of  its  geology  and 
analyses  of  its  ores. 

The  Mount  is  a  prominent  landmark  just  out- 
side the  town  of  Cloncurry,  600  miles  by  rail 
from  Bowen.  It  forms  an  elevation  about 
270  ft.  above  the  surrounding  plains,  and  is  a 
large  mass  of  ironstone  associated  with  quart- 
/;ites,  schists,  breccias,  and  limestones,  belong- 
ing to  the  Cloncurry  (?  Silurian)  Series.  In 
outline  it  is  an  irregular, lens-shaped  lode,  lying 
at  an  angle  across  the  upturned  edges  of  the 
sedimentary  rocks,  while  the  strike  of  the  lode 
is  north-east  andsouth-west  with  the  sediments 
trending  north  and  south.  A  small  portion  of 
the  hematite  is  very  pure  and  coarsely  crystal- 
line, but  the  main  mass  contains  a  high  per- 
centage of  silica  and  is  frequently  traversed  by 
veinlets  of  quartz.  Magnetite  does  not  appear 
to  be  present  in  the  lode,  although  magnetic 
polarity  is  to  be  observed  in  several  places. 

As  showing  the  composition  of  the  ore,  three 
analyses  are  given  in  the  accompanying  table. 
The  first,  which  is  lowest  in  silica,  is  typical  of 
the  portion  of  the  lode  that  is  smallest  in  quan- 
tity, while  Nos.  2  and  3  represent  what  may 
be  expected  to  be  the  composition  of  bulk 
quantities. 

MocNT  Leviathan  Hematite  Analysis. 

No.  1.  No.  2.  No.  3- 

%  %  % 

Iron    62'0  565  57'1 

Moisture  O'l  O'll              0-4 

Loss  on  ignition    1*8  1*2  f 

Silica 8'9  170  175 

Alumina    20  14               2'5 

Lime trace  0'2  trace 

Matinesia trace  trace  trace 

Mantianese  oxide  trace  trace  trace 

Phosphorus Oil  0  OS  0  06 

Sulphur O'Ot  005  0  006 

Titanic  oxide  nil  nil               nil 

In  forming  an  estimate  of  the  quantity  of  ore 
in  the  lode,  a  cursory  examination  by  Mr.  Dun- 
stan  showed  that  the  deposit  could  be  divided 
into  three  sections,  of  which  the  southern  part 
probably  contains  a  maximum  of  1,500,000 
tons, and  the  central  and  southern  portionabout 
500,000  tons,  making  a  total  of  2,000,000  tons. 

Mount  Biggenden. — Mount  Biggenden 
was  worked  many  years  ago  for  gold  and  bis- 
muth, and  in  the  operation  of  the  mine  consider- 
able quantities  of  iron  ore  were  proved.  The 
Mount  is  4|  miles  from  the  Biggenden  railway 
station,  which  is  54  miles  from  the  port  of 
Maryborough.  The  main  deposit  consists  of 
magnetite  with  patches  of  calcite  and  dissemi- 
nated bismuth  ores.  A  belt  of  slate,  10  ft.  thick, 
on  the  west  separates  the  main  magnetite  out- 
crop from  the  smaller  ones,  while  another  patch 
has  been  exposed  east  of  that  in  an  open-cut. 

One  of  the  Queensland  Government  geolo- 
gists (Mr.  E.  C.  St.  Smith),  who  was  deputed 


to  make  an  examination  of  iron  depositsin  view 
of  the  establishment  of  iron  and  steel  works, 
in  1918  made  an  exhaustive  inspection  of  the 
magnetic  iron  lodes  of  Mount  Biggenden,  and 
took  a  complete  set  of  carefully  averaged  sam- 
ples of  the  iron  ore  there.  These  gave  the  fol- 
lowing results  : 

(a)  Average  sample  of  the  whole  of  the  ore 
at  the  main  shaft  dump  (at  least  4,000  tons) 
analysed:  metallic  iron,  59'0% ;  lime  (CaO), 
0'6%. 

(6)  The  average  samples  obtained  from  dif- 
ferent portions  of  the  deposit  ranged  from  55'5 
up  to  64'9%  of  metallic  iron  and  from  a  trace 
up  to  2'8%  of  lime  (CaO). 

A  general  average  of  the  medium-grade  ore 
from  the  whole  deposit  showed  the  appended 
analysis  : 

% 

Water  at  red  heat 0"3 

Silica    7  7 

Metallic  iron 577 

Alumina  5'1 

Lime  (CaO)    38 

Magnesia 0'6 

Phosphorus    004 

Sulphur   0'13 

Bismuth  005 

ManRanese 0'24 

It  is  estimated  that  at  least  500,000  tons  of 
good  ore  can  safely  be  relied  upon  as  being 
available  on  this  property,  '  with  the  extreme 
probability  of  a  much  greater  tonnage  being 
ultimately  developed  by  exploitation." 

Some  of  the  Biggenden  ore  has  been  reduced 
to  pig  iron  at  the  Ipswich  railway  workshops. 
The  experiments  were  made  in  an  unsuitable 
furnace  and  under  very  crude  conditions,  but 
the  result  was  sufficient  to  show  that  the  physi- 
cal character  of  the  ore,  containing  as  it  does 
calcite  finely  disseminated  throughout,  renders 
it  an  ideal  smelting  proposition  as  regards  fusi- 
bility. 


Scottish  Water- Power. —  The  British 
Aluminium  Co.  is  reviving  its  scheme  for  pro- 
ducing hydroelectric  power  from  the  waters  of 
Lochs  Trieg  and  Laggan  and  of  several  rivers 
in  the  same  neighbourhood.  The  company  is 
to  be  called  the  Lochaber  Power  Co.,  and  the 
funds  will  be  raised  by  the  issue  of  3,000,000 
shares  of  £l  each  and  of  iri,500,000  deben- 
tures. The  proposal  is  now  before  the  Secre- 
tary of  Scotland.  Another  Scottish  hydro- elec- 
tric venture  is  the  Grampian  Electricity  Supply 
Co.,  which  provides  for  the  erection  of  five 
generating  stations  and  the  damming  of  five 
rivers  and  five  lochs  in  northern  Perthshire  and 
the  eastern  part  of  Inverness.  Two  of  the  sta- 
tions will  be  at  Blair  Athol  and  Kingussie 
respectively. 


218 


tml;   mining   magazine 


LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

Cumberland  Iron  Ore. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — The  discussion  as  to  the  growth  of 
hematite  in  Cumberland  follows  conventional 
lines.  The  question  put  is:  What  is  the  origin 
of  the  ore  or  what  is  the  source  of  the  iron  ? 
Doubtless  very  much  more  is  passing  in  the 
minds  of  theparticipants  thanappearsonpaper, 
and  therefore,  feeling  sure  that  this  is  so,  I 
would  suggest  that  the  same  subject  matter 
may  be  treated  with  a  different  end  in  view. 
Granted  that  we  have  some  fair  working  hy- 
potheses as  to  the  origin  or  history  of  these 
deposits,  it  may  be  asked  what  is  the  meaning, 
or  what  might  be  the  meaning,  for  the  world 
to-day  of  all  the  impressions  gained  during  their 
working  and  study  iii  the  past  fifty  years. 

Is  it  possible  or  desirable  to  continue  the 
quest  of  origins  any  further  without  turning 
round  on  all  the  forms  of  thought  and  expres- 
sion which  have  served  for  the  working  out  of 
the  hypotheses  so  far  put  forward  ?  Are  not 
accepted  theories  and  criteria  capable  of  im- 
provement through  the  very  facts  of  iron  ore 
occurrence  in  particular  ?  Knowledge  of  these 
facts  isspread  through  the  community  ;  cannot 
it  be  unified  for  purely  inductive  purposes? 

Ttie  criteria  which  Mr.  Kendall  uses  with  so 
much  acumen  have  most  certainly  lost  their 
hold.  They  derive  mostly  from  the  observa- 
tion of  external  processes,  such  as  sedimenta- 
tion, erosion,  etc.  They  miss, forthe  most  part, 
the  possibilities  of  internal  change,  and  natur- 
ally so,  for  at  the  time  when  they  were  evolved 
such  observations  of  internal  change  as  those 
of  Mr.  Kendall  himself  had  not  been  made. 

There  is  no  chance  for  rational  discussion  of 
chemistry  or  dynamics  so  long  as  we  speak  in 
terms  of  "  crust."  A  crust  in  which  iron  ore 
is  replacing  limestone  is  ipso  facto  no  crust. 
Of  course,  while  we  are  occupied  with  one 
pocket  of  hematite,  it  is  convenient  to  regard 
all  the  rest  of  the  world  as  being  at  a  standstill, 
and  at  every  step  of  our  observations  our  in- 
stincts andlogical  methodinclineour  judgments 
in  this  direction. 

But  is  the  rest  of  the  world  at  a  standstill  ? 
The  creep  of  the  iron  in  its  field  of  action,  "  the 
limestone,"  is  but  an  example  of  simultaneous 
creeps  the  world  over.  Surely  this  world-wide 
field  of  internal  change  should  ever  be  before 
our  minds  when  discussing  the  chemistry  and 
physics  even  of  one  pocket  of  hematite.  As  it 
is,  we  are  obliged  for  the  present  to  use  terms 
borrowed  from  stratigraphy  whose  ideals  are 
quite  different.     The  piecing  together  of  the 


"  record  of  the  rocks,"  the  piling  up  of  a  solid 
crust  is  the  stratigraphic  ideal.  Those  parts 
of  the  structure  which  in  the  piling  were  least 
likely  to  change  give  the  stratigrapher  hisclear- 
est  data ;  those  parts  which  in  the  piling  were 
most  likely  to  change  and  obliterate  the  evi- 
dence of  their  origin,  have  changed  or  disap- 
peared altogether.  Hence,  through  the  survi- 
val of  stable  rocks  or  stable  configurations  we 
are  liable  to  take  these  as  "  normal."  As  it 
were,  all  the  "  crust  "  ought  to  be  composed  of 
fossiliferous  strata,  if  untoward  accidents  did 
not  happen  (see  Huxley's  lectures). 

But  if  we  have  neglected  the  less  stable  por- 
tions, or  thefactors  of  instability  normally  pres- 
ent in  the  piling  up  of  the  so-called  crust,  the 
efTects  of  their  changes  incline  us  to  infer 
cataclysmic  processes.  An  ideal  of  a  non- 
dynamic solid  crust  logically  requires  or  leads 
to  the  inference  of  special  disturbing  forces. 
Fossiliferous  strata  being,  as  it  were,  the  nor- 
mal, then  "  igneous  "  action,  "  metamorphic  " 
action, arediscovered  to  bedue  to  somethingab- 
normal  to  the  ordered  life  of  the  land  and  sea. 
The  question  at  issue  in  Cumberland  is  one 
of  internal  change  between  chemical  substances 
brought  within  range  of  one  another  at  various 
epochs  as  stratigraphy  indicates.  The  infiltra- 
tionists,  I  understand,  take  this  view  and  pro- 
bably most  of  them  have  much  more  in  mind 
than  the  mere  trickling  downwards  of  ferrugin- 
ous waters.  Mr.  Kendall's  remarks  about  the 
breccia  and  the  included  pieces  of  hematite  are 
not  very  convincing  on  paper,  though  in  the 
field  they  might  haveagooddealof  forceagainst 
simple  infiltration.  "  Angular  "pieces  may  be 
replacements,  and  experience  suggests  that  a 
"breccia  "  might  well  contain  sporadic  replace- 
ments, so  sensitive  do  the  processes  involved 
seem  to  be.  In  any  case  the  larger  question 
of  interaction  betweenthecomponents  of  sedi- 
ments "remains  the  same.  Mr.  Kendall,  how- 
ever, connects  the  ore  with  the  greenstones, 
the  "  volcanic  "  rocks,  and,  as  is  well  known, 
hematite  and  greenstone  do  occur  together  al- 
mostuniversally.  Supposethen  that  thegreen- 
stone  is  also  a  product  of  internal  change,  and 
does  not  come  from  inside  the  crust ;  "  what 
then  ?  Suppose  normal  inclusions  of  salt,  etc., 
unstable  elements  in  crust-biiilding,  led  to  the 
growth  of  greenstones  ? 

Returning  to  the  opening  sentences  of  this 
letter,  I  suggest  that  the  two  hypotheses  pre- 
ferred by  Mr.  Atkinson  and  Mr.  Kendall  are, 
if  treated  broadly,  not  mutually  exclusive.  On 
the  contrary,  if  the  data  found  to  support  either 
be  clearly  and  firmly  held,  they  might  both  be 
put  to  the  highest  possible  uses.     Many  hema- 


APRIL,    1921 


219 


tite  deposits  in  Spain  occur  in  close  association 
with  the  Trias  in  all  sorts  of  positions,  and  with 
"  igneous  "  rocks.  Would  it  be  worth  while  to 
compare  them  very  carefully  with  Cumberland  ? 
Cynicism  suggests  that  iron  being  such  a  ubi- 
quitous element,  and  iron  ore  being  indefinable 
through  its  many  varieties,  the  tracing  of  such 
connections  may  be  futile.  If,  however,  a 
sufficient  numberof  instances beconsidered and 
a  sufficiently  broad  outlook  be  maintained,  the 
universality  of  iron,  the  glory  of  its  many  col- 
ours, forms,  reactions,  and  associations  may 
provide  just  that  illumination  for  which  the 
world  waits  to-day  on  the  subject  of  the  con- 
tinuity of  development  of  rock  species. 

Let  the  data  from  Cumberland  be  collected 
and  compared  with  similar  data,  from,  say, 
Bilbao,  Almeria,  Lake  Superior,  India,  and 
Brazil,  and  I  am  sure  that  we  should  be  well  on 
the  way  towards  taking  a  more  credible  view 
of  the  '  igneous  "  rocks  than  is  at  present  cur- 
rent among  the  mass  of  men.  The  great  work- 
done  by  Van  Hise  and  his  collaborators  at 
Lake  Superior  requires  revision.  The  ques- 
tion of  the  greenalite  "  could,  I  imagine,  be 
illuminatedbycomparison  with  certain  features 
of  the  Bilbao  district. 

The  most  striking  suggestions,  however, 
come  from  the  tropics.  In  this  letter  I  cannot 
enter  upon  this  subject,  but  merely  state  my 
belief  that,  by  way  of  iron  ore,  the  new  know- 
ledge and  new  suggestions  from  the  tropics 
could  be  brought  into  touch  with  the  older  order 
of  thought  which  grew  up  in  Europe,  and  the 
result  would  be  to  the  delight  of  all  concerned 
if  they  will  have  the  faith  to  try  it. 

In  the  meantime  in  Cumberland  let  the  in- 
filtrationists  be  bold  but  not  neglect  Mr.  Ken- 
dall's greenstones.  It  must  already  have  been 
suggested  that  the  source  of  the  alkalies  in  the 
igneous  rocks  of  the  region  may  be  sought  in 
sodium  and  potash  deposits  of  the  Trias  or  at 
least  in  the  seas  which  have  swept  over  Cum- 
berland from  time  to  time.  Yetsuchahypothe- 
sis  can  hardly  be  discussed  in  terms  derived 
from  the  "  crust  "  view  of  the  earth.  If,  how- 
ever, we  suppose  thatalkalinesilicatescan  grow 
in  a  field  now  partially  and  imperfectly  repre- 
sented by  the  "stratified  rocks,"  sometimes 
with  high  temperature  and  consequent  com- 
plications, sometimes  without,  a  comparative 
study  of  iron  ore  regions  might  help  towards  a 
different  view. 

Perhaps  you.  Sir,  may  allow  me  to  return  to 
the  subject  in  a  later  issue. 

J.    H.    GOODCHILD. 

London,  March  25. 


Cementation  Process  and  Vein-Filling. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — The  lecture  on  the  cementation  pro- 
cess delivered  by  Major  Standish  Ball  at  the 
Mining  and  Metallurgical  Club  last  month  was 
extremely  interesting  from  several  practical 
points  of  view.  The  building  of  an  underground 
dam  and  the  cementing  of  diamond-drill  holes 
are  within  my  own  experience,  but  the  cement- 
ing of  drill-holes,  in  my  case,  was  undertaken 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  solidifying  broken 
ground  which  was  subsequently  drilled.  I  have 
had  no  experience  of  filling  underground  fis- 
sures or  cavities  with  cement  in  order  to  keep 
out  water  (though  if  such  water  carried  "  silt  " 
of  any  kind  the  matter  might  require  to  be 
dealt  with  by  lining  or  cementing),  and  until 
the  above  lecture  I  had  not  seen  specimens  of 
fissured  rock  which  had  been  subjected  to  the 
cementation  process. 

A  cursory  examination  of  one  of  the  speci- 
mens exhibited  at  the  lecture  suggests  that  con- 
siderable valuable  information  as  to  vein-fill- 
ing might  be  obtained  by  an  examination  of 
many  specimens  mined  from  rock  which  has 
undergone  the  treatment.  If  those  in  charge 
of  cementation  work  are  made  aware  of  the 
great  interest  which  attaches  to  information  on 
the  circulation  of  cement  and  other  liquids  or 
semi-liquids  in  fissured  rock,  1  am  inclined  to 
the  belief  that  much  valuable  information  would 
be  collected  by  them,  information  too  which 
might  be  of  considerable  economic  value  and 
might  be  a  means  of  practically  demonstrating 
matters  about  which  hitherto  we  have  only  been 
able  to  speculate. 

Further  use  for  cementation,  it  occurs  to  me, 
is  in  connection  with  wells  and  bore  holes  used 
for  water  supplies.  Some  thirty  years  ago  I 
carried  out  a  lot  of  tests  in  connection  with  the 
sinking  of  a  large  well  with  a  deep  bore-hole, 
and  also  made  many  tests  of  older  wells  which 
had  become  brackish  by  infiltration  of  sea- 
water.  From  the  results  then  obtained,  I  be- 
lieve that  there  should  be  considerable  scope 
for  increased  use  of  the  cementation  process 
for  the  purpose  of  shutting  out  surface  drain- 
age, or  underground  feeders  of  exceptionally 
hard  or  brackish  water  from  well  waters  inten- 
ded either  for  domestic  or  technical  purposes. 
Stephen  J.  Lett. 

London,  March  17. 

[Mr.  Lett's  suggestion  that  engineers  should 
study  the  process  of  '  vein-filling"  in  cemen- 
tation is  a  good  one,  and  they  are  encouraged 
to  send  the  results  of  their  investigations. — 
Editor.] 


220 


THK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


BOOK  REVIEWS 

Economic  Mineralogy.  Hy  Thomas 
CuooK.  CU)tb,  octavo,  492  pages,  illustra- 
ted. Price  25s.  London  and  New  York  : 
Longmans,  Green  &  Co. 
The  author  states  in  the  preface  that  the 
book  is  intended  for  those  who  wish  to  restrict 
their  attention  to  the  utihtarian  side  of  the  sub- 
ject, and  this  aim  is  kept  in  view  throughout 
the  book.  After  a  brief  introductory  chapter, 
the  crystal  forms  of  minerals  are  summarized 
in  Chapter  2,  it  being  stated  that  this  is  inten- 
ded more  as  an  introduction  to  crystal  optics 
than  as  crystallography.  The  next  chapter 
deals  somewhat  briefly  with  the  physical  char- 
acters of  minerals,  and  includes  clear  descrip- 
tions of  the  construction  and  use  of  the  Jolly 
balance  and  of  the  Westphal  balance  so  far  as 
the  determination  of  the  densities  of  liquids  is 
concerned,  but  the  use  of  the  instrument  for 
the  determination  of  the  densities  of  solids  is 
not  described, nor  is  thehydrometer  mentioned. 
Chapter  4  deals  with  the  elements  of  crystal 
optics,  and  the  author  is  to  be  congratulated  on 
having  dealt  with  a  subject  which  gives  some 
difficulty  to  the  beginner  in  an  extremely  lucid 
manner.  Then  follows  a  chapter  on  the  chemi- 
cal examination  of  minerals,  and  one  on  the 
physical  analysis  of  crushed  rocks  and  alluvials 
which  is  thoroughly  good.  Onenotes, however, 
that  the  vanning  shovel  is  not  mentioned  though 
the  principle  of  vanning  is  suggested.  The 
notes  on  heavy  liquid,  magnetic,  and  electro- 
static separation  are  all  that  the  student  should 
require. 

Chapter  7  deals  with  the  geology  of  mineral 
deposits,  and  is  necessarily  brief  and  somewhat 
superficial.  1 1  includes  a  good  classification  of 
the  deposits  and  a  summary  of  the  deposits  in 
relation  to  thechief  periods  of  igneous  intrusion 
and  orogenic  movement. 

The  next  three  chapters  deal  with  the  de- 
scriptive mineralogy  of  the  minerals  arranged 
in  groups  as  ore-minerals,  gem-minerals,  and 
miscellaneous  economic  minerals.  The  min- 
erals arearranged  according  to  the  metals,  which 
is  justified  by  the  list  of  occurrences  and  as- 
sociations of  the  ores  of  each  metal  at  the  end 
of  thedescription  of  its  minerals.  Forinstance, 
the  description  of  the  lead  minerals  is  followed 
by  four  pages  dealing  with  thechief  occurrences 
of  lead  ores  and  their  associated  rocks  and  min- 
erals, 

A  series  of  determinative  tables  concludes 
the  volume.  In  the  first  the  minerals  with 
metallic  or  sub-metallic  lustre  are  tabulated 
with  their  physical  characters,  while  the  min- 


erals with  non-metallic  lustre  have  columns  for 
refractive  inde.\  and  birefringence  instead  of 
colour  and  streak.  This  is  a  decidedly  useful 
innovation.  A  table  grouped  according  to  spe- 
cific gravity  follows,  and  finally  a  table  of  some 
minerals  grouped  according  to  colour.  It  is 
doubtful  if  this  last  is  of  much  assistance  to  the 
student,  who  is  scarcely  likely  to  call  molyb- 
denite black,  or  covellite  either  in  many  speci- 
mens. 

The  book  is  well  printed  and  arranged,  and 
the  illustrations  are  good. 

The  present  writer  sympathizes  with  the 
author  in  his  plea  for  the  microscope  as  an  aid 
to  the  quick  identification  of  minerals,  and 
would  suggest  that  a  description  of  the  use  of 
the  eye-piece  micrometer  might  be  usefully 
added  in  a  future  edition. 

The  book  can  be  strongly  recommended  to 
the  miningengineer  and  theeconomicgeologist. 

E.  H.  Davison. 

Manganese  :  Uses,  Preparation,  Mining 
Costs,  and  Production  of  Ferro  Alloys. 

By  C.  M.  Weld  and  Others.    Bulletin  pub- 
lished by  the  UnitedStates  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Before  the  war  the  world's  output  of  man- 
ganese ore  was  furnished  by  the  Caucasus, 
India, and  Brazil.  The  Caucasian  outputceased 
in  1914,  and  the  demands  of  the  European 
Allies  were  met  from  Indian  sources,  leaving 
the  Brazilian  supply  for  the  United  States. 
Although  production  in  Brazil  was  largely  in- 
creased during  the  war,  the  quantity  sent  to 
North  America  was  insufficient,  more  especi- 
ally as  submarine  activity  reduced  in  quantity 
British  supplies  of  ferro-manganese  reaching 
the  United  States.  A  comprehensive  survey  of 
the  domestic  deposits  was  undertaken  by  the 
American  Bureau  of  Mines,  and  their  inten- 
sive development  followed ;  while  the  Ferro 
Alloys  Committee  of  the  American  Iron  and 
Steel  Institute  endeavoured  to  modify  the  prac- 
tice at  steel  works,  so  that  lower-grade  ferro 
alloys, made  from  American  ores, could  be  used 
in  place  of  the  higher-grade  material  preferied 
and  hitherto  used.  In  the  pre-war  period,  the 
output  of  manganese  ore  in  the  United  States 
was  negligible,  but  had  the  Armistice  not  inter- 
vened, it  would  have  reached  300,000  tons  of 
manganese  ore  containing  not  less  than  35% 
manganese.  This,  together  with  the  Brazilian 
and  Central  American  supply,  as  well  as  the 
modifications  in  steel-works  practice,  enabled 
a  stock  of  one  year's  consumption  of  ore  to  be 
accumulated  in  1918. 

With  a  view  to  assisting  producers  of  man- 
ganese ores,  the  Bureau  of   Mines  published 


APRIL,    1921 


221 


mimeographed  bulletins  dealing  with  the  in- 
dustry from  time  to  time,  and  these  reports  are 
now  published  in  a  more  permanent  form  as 
Bulletin  173. 

This  work  is  a  valuable  production,  and  re- 
flects credit  on  all  concerned  m  its  preparation. 
While  primarily  prepared  for  American  use  it 
contains  so  much  material  not  hitherto  avail- 
able, that  it  cannot  fail  to  be  of  value  to  all  in- 
terested in  the  utilization  of  manganese  ore.  It 
is  evident  that  much  information,  which  in  nor- 
mal times  might  be  coasidered  confidential, has 
been  freely  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  com- 
pilers of  this  bulletin,  although  two  firms  are 
mentioned  as  having  refused  their  co-operation 
in  the  investigation.  The  bulletin  contains 
eleven  chapters,  each  constituting  a  separate 
report  on  a  definite  subject  by  different  obser- 
vers,and  consequently  there  is  acertainamount 
of  overlappmg,  which  is  recognized. 

Chapter  1  deals  with  the  uses  of  manganese, 
prices,  and  statistics.  It  is  acknowledged  that 
the  Price  Schedule  of  May  28,  1918,  which  re- 
fers to  95%  of  the  manganese  consumed  in  the 
United  States  in  steel  production,  is  mainly 
historical,  for  although  following  the  Armistice 
prices  remained  high,  the  recent  heavy  fall  in 
ocean  freights  has  brought  about  a  66%  reduc- 
tion in  the  figures  given.  It  is  probable  also 
that  the  penalties  for  silica,  phosphorus,  etc., 
relaxed  during  the  war  period,  will  be  re-im- 
posed as  supplies  become  more  plentiful. 

Chapter  2  discusses  the  uses  of  manganese 
other  than  in  steel  making,  which  are  respon- 
sible for  increasing  consumption.  The  detail- 
ed information  regarding  the  physical  and 
chemical  requirements  of  the  manganese  di- 
o.xide  ore  for  dry  cells,  glass  making,  and  for 
paints  is  most  useful.  The  penalty  for  iron, not 
imposed  during  hostilities  owing  to  the  cessa- 
tion of  supplies  from  the  Caucasus,  will  prob- 
ably not  be  re-introduced,  as  only  copper,  nick- 
el, and  cobalt  minerals  are  now  considered  pre- 
judicial in  ore  used  for  dry  cells.  Mention  is 
made  that  manganese  ore  is  no  longer  used  for 
making  chlorine  gas,  as  the  latter  is  an  abun- 
dant product  in  the  manufacture  of  causticsoda 
and  potash. 

The  use  of  manganese  ore  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  manganese  bronze  which  replaces  steel 
effectively,  when  subject  to  the  corrosive  in- 
fluence of  sea  water,  is  also  dealt  with,  and  it  is 
pointed  out  that  only  0'05%  of  manganese  is 
usual  in  the  high-grade  alloy,  its  function  being 
as  a  carrier  for  the  iron  necessary  to  ensure  the 
required  strength  and  elastic  limit. 

Chapter  3  deals  with  the  problems  involved 
in  the  concentration  and  utilization  of  domestic 


low-grade  manganese  ore.  The  American  min- 
eral is  mostly  the  result  of  secondary  concen- 
tration, and  often  occurs  as  shallow  deposits  of 
nodules,  or  irregular  masses  disseminated  in 
clays.  The  effect  of  associated  impurities  is 
discussed,  and  reference  is  made  to  calcination 
of  the  carbonate,  which,  however,  would  only 
be  effective  with  low  silica  contents,  owing  to 
the  tendency  to  form  silicate  of  manganese. 

A  list  of  concentration  processes  is  given, 
and  cost  data  which  show  the  beneficial  effect 
of  treating  mineral  which  would  otherwise  be 
unsuitable  for  ferro-alloy  manufacture.  The 
figures  refer  to  cherty  California  ores  low  in 
iron,  and  would  require  serious  modification 
for  other  types  of  mineral.  The  plant  used  is 
not  described,  but  the  ratio  of  concentration  is 
2  or  3  to  1,  and  the  war-time  cost  appears  low, 
at  75  cents  per  ton  of  finished  product. 

Mention  is  made  that  the  separation  of  silica, 
when  chemically  combined,  cannot  be  carried 
out  by  wet  or  gravity  processes,  and  this  fact 
prevents  the  utilization  of  large  deposits  of 
manganese  silicate  ores  in  the  United  States, 
and  also  the  successful  beneficiation  of  the 
waste  material  at  some  Brazilian  and  Indian 
mines. 

Chapter  4  deals  with  the  preparation  of  man- 
ganese ore.  The  picking  and  screening  of  man- 
ganese ore  without  the  assistance  of  water,  re- 
ferred to  as  dry  mining,  is  mentioned  as  a  tem- 
porary expedient  before  the  erection  of  a  wash- 
ing plant,  but  to  be  effectual  it  requires  a  mini- 
mum of  10%  of  ore,  and  even  this  would  be  in- 
sufficient in  normal  times.  It  is  asserted  that 
log  washers  have  treated  successfully  very  lean 
material,  but  a  ratio  of  ore  to  gangue  of  10% 
is  considered  a  fair  average.  Associated  iron 
having  a  similar  specific  gravity  requires  to  be 
hand-picked.  Flow-sheets  of  several  concen- 
tration plants  are  given  for  mineral  associated 
with  clay,  followed  by  a  description  of  a  stan- 
dard arrangement  consisting  of  grizzlies  2  to  4 
inches  between  bars,  log  washers,  revolving 
screens,  picking  belts,  jigs,  and  shaking  tables. 
Dry  concentration  is  referred  to  as  applicable 
where  water  is  scarce,  and  a  plant  is  described 
which,  however,  had  not  been  operated  on  a 
commercial  scale  when  the  report  was  written. 
It  consisted  of  a  revolving  drum  where  the 
material  would  be  dried  before  passing  on  to  a 
revolving  screen,  from  which  the  coarse  ma- 
terial would  discharge  on  to  a  picking  belt,  the 
smallersizesof  material beingdealt  with  in  jigs. 

It  may  be  noted  here  that  the  installation  of 
washing  plants,  some  years  ago,  enabled  the 
large  waste  heaps,  accumulated  around  the 
Caucasian  deposits  since  the  mines  were  first 


222 


THE     MINING    MAGAZINE 


operated,  to  be  successfully  beneficiated  at  a 
low  cost.  Washing  plants  were  also  operated 
prior  to  1914  on  the  detrital  ore  of  the  famous 
Morro  da  Mina  deposit  in  Brazil,  and  in  the 
Bukowina. 

Chapters  5  and  6  deal  with  the  leaching  of 
manganese  ore  by  sulphur  dioxide,  and  the 
Jones  direct-reduction  process  for  the  produc- 
tion of  a  silico-manganese  alloy.  Both  these 
processes  were  only  investigated  as  a  war  mea- 
sure, but  it  is  suggested  that  the  leaching  pro- 
cess might  be  applicable  to  mineral  containing 
copper,  lead,  or  zinc  ;  while  the  Jones  system 
might  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  a  manga- 
nese alloy  from  ores  in  which  iron  is  so  inti- 
mately associated  that  ordinary  methods  of 
gravity  or  magnetic  separation  are  impractic- 
able. If  the  Jones  process  could  be  made  eco- 
nomically sound,  it  would  have  a  wide  field  of 
usefulness,  for  manganiferous  iron  ores  are 
widely  distributed.  The  process  is  in  two  stages; 
in  the  first,  iron  and  slag  containing  most  of 
the  manganese  is  produced  ;  and  in  the  second 
stage  this  latter  is  smelted  to  produce  a  manga- 
nese alloy. 

Chapter  7,  on  the  cost  of  producing  ferro- 
grade  manganese  ores,  deals  with  a  difficult 
matter,  inasmuch  as  the  principal  factors  have 
varied  so  greatly  during  the  war  and  since. 
The  manganese  ore  output  of  the  United  States 
during  the  war  consisted  of  20%  carbonate  ores 
and  80%  oxide  mmeral.  The  former  was  got 
by  mining  underground  and  required  no  con- 
centration, but  the  latter  was  associated  with 
clay,  chert,  etc.,  and  required  treatment.  Many 
of  these  deposits  are  erratic  and  others  give 
place  to  silicates  in  depth. 

Much  of  the  domestic  mineral  was  hand- 
cleaned,  but  where  it  was  mined  and  sent  for 
treatment,  the  average  cost  was  !j)7'50  and  treat- 
ment $6'50,  or  say  $14'00  in  all.  The  milling 
costs  differ  widely  from  those  already  referred 
to,  and  the  presumption  is  that  the  ratio  of 
concentration  and  quantity  handled  varies  in 
the  two  cases.  The  total  cost  at  furnace  of  the 
domestic  mineral  during  the  war  is  put  at  §0'65 
per  unit  of  40%  ore,  although  it  is  calculated 
that  this  could  be  reduced  about  15%  in  normal 
times.  Of  the  foreign  ores  only  those  of  Cuba 
and  Brazil  are  considered  ;  the  first  is  of  simi- 
lar grade  to  the  domestic  mineral,  but  the  sec- 
ond normally  contains  50%  manganese. 

The  Brazilian  costs  are  in  dollars,  but  in 
view  of  economic  changes,  it  would  have  been 
preferable  also  to  give  the  native  currency  costs 
and  rate  of  exchange  at  the  time  of  making  the 
estimate.  The  average  costs  into  ship  of  Bra- 
zilian ore  at  Rio  is  put  at  S15'00  in  1918,  and 


this  together  with  $15'00  ocean  freight  is  equal 
to  67  cents  per  unit  for  45%  ore,  at  American 
ports.  The  authors  endeavour  to  estimate 
future  prices  and  suggest  that  if  ocean  freight 
falls  to  pre-war  figures,  it  would  be  possible  to 
place  Brazilian  ore  in  the  United  States  at  40 
cents  per  unit.  These  conditions  have  been 
reached,  for  the  Brazilian  exchange  has  fallen 
to  lOd.  and  ocean  freights  to  a  little  over  a  third 
of  those  of  1918.  It  is  therefore  doubtful  if, 
under  normal  conditions,  American  ores  can  be 
produced  in  competition  with  foreign  supplies, 
unless  assisted  by  a  high  protective  tariff,  which 
is  at  present  under  discussion  by  the  Govern- 
ment. The  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Mines  has 
shown,  however,  that  a  good  supply  of  manga- 
nese ore  can  be  produced  in  the  United  States, 
and  if  some  economically  successful  method 
could  be  evolved  for  beneficiating  the  manga- 
nese silicate  ores,  it  is  probable  that  the  coun- 
try might,  in  time  of  national  stress,  be  self- 
supporting. 

Chapter  8  deals  with  the  production  of  man- 
ganese alloys  in  the  blast-furnace.  Particulars 
are  given  of  the  operation  of  a  number  of  fur- 
naces producing  ferro-manganese  and  spiegel- 
eisen,  the  observations  extending  over  10-day 
periods.  The  working  of  a  blast-furnace  mak- 
ing ferro  is  more  regular  than  when  producing 
pig  iron,  but  the  problem  of  getting  the  manga- 
nese into  the  alloy,  instead  of  into  the  slag,  is 
not  easy.  In  order  to  account  for  the  greater 
amount  of  fuel  required,  it  is  pointed  out  that 
the  manganese  is  reduced  from  its  oxide  by 
solid  carbon  near  the  tuyeres,  and,  as  the  CO.2 
resulting  is  again  reduced  by  solid  carbon,  there 
is  a  loss  of  heat.  The  balance  of  heat  units  is 
used  in  heating  ascendinggases,whichare  three 
times  greater  than  in  pig  iron  furnaces  per  lb.  of 
ferro  produced. 

An  elaborate  analysis  of  the  operation  of  the 
furnaces  is  made,  and  both  the  slag  and  stack 
losses  are  found  to  vary  within  wide  limits  and 
average  14'7  and  12"8%.  An  investigation  was 
made  into  the  effect  on  these  losses  of  [a]  quan- 
tity of  fuel,  (b)  basicity  of  slag,  and  (c)  rates  of 
driving,  and  it  was  found  that  the  percentage 
of  manganese  in  the  slag  was  reduced  by  rais- 
ing blast  temperature,  increasing  basicity  of 
slag,  and  charging  more  coke  ;  while  it  was  in- 
creased by  fast  driving  and  carrying  a  greater 
slag  volume.  The  volatilization  or  stack  loss 
did  not  appear  to  have  any  relation  to  these 
factors. 

Theauthorsstate  that  by  making  fivechanges 
in  practice,  the  eleven  furnaces  considered 
could  have  raised  their  recovery  to  79%,  and 
using  the  same  ore,  could  have  increased  their 


APRIL,    1921 


223 


tonnage  59%  and  also  increased  their  profit  ap- 
preciably. The  changes  suggested  are  :  Using 
a  better  quality  of  coke,  using  a  better  grade  of 
limestone,  using  less  fuel,  running  with  a  more 
basic  slag,  and  driving  faster. 

In  dealing  with  the  manufacture  of  spiegel- 
eisen,  it  is  pointed  out  that  to  obtain  manga- 
nese, the  smelting  of  manganiferous  iron  ore 
takes  78% more  carbon  than  when  making  ferro- 
manganese,  although  this  may  in  part  be  due 
to  the  high  ratio  of  silica  to  manganese  in  these 
ores,  as  compared  with  manganese  ores  proper. 
While  efforts  were  made  to  increase  spiegel- 
eisen  consumption  during  the  war,  owing  to  it 
being  possible  to  manufacture  this  alloy  from 
domestic  ores,  it  is  probable  that  the  tendency 
to  utilize  only  high-grade  ferro  alloys  will  now 
reassert  itself,  especially  for  the  manufacture 
of  mild  steel,  as  spiegeleisen  introduces  too 
much  carbon.  The  average  recovery  of  manga- 
nese in  making  spiegeleisen  is  only  60?^,  as 
compared  with  70  to  75%  when  making  ferro- 
manganese.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  l/6th 
of  the  loss  goes  to  the  stack  and  5/6ths  to  the 
slag  in  spiegeleisen  manufacture,  while  the 
losses  are  equally  divided  in  making  80%  ferro- 
nianganese. 

Chapter9  deals  with  the  national  importance 
of  allocating  low-ash  coke  to  manganese  alloy 
furnaces,  and  points  out  that  silica  in  fuel  em- 
ployed in  making  ferroalloys  producesagreater 
loss  than  when  smelting  pig  iron,  as  in  reducing 
manganese  ores  the  slag  loss  is  in  proportion 
to  its  volume.  The  review  of  the  situation 
makes  it  clear  that  if  the  purer  coke  were  al- 
located to  furnaces  manufacturing  ferro  alloys 
a  great  saving  of  manganese  would  be  effected. 

Chapter  10  discusses  the  electric  smelting  of 
domestic  manganese  ores.  In  order  to  deter- 
inme  experimentally  if  the  low-grade  domestic 
silicious,  phosphoric,  and  ferruginous  manga- 
nese ores,  not  amenable  to  ordinary  methods  of 
k'ravity  concentration,  could  be  used  for  ferro- 
alloy manufacture,  a  number  of  charges  were 
worked  in  a  small  65  kw.  furnace. 

In  dealing  with  mineral  containing  morethan 
25  o  silica,  it  was  found  that  an  acid  slag  con- 
aned  less  manganese  than  a  basic  one.  De- 
l-..osphorization  was  carried  out  as  in  the  Jones 
pi  ocess  by  concentrating  most  of  the  phosphorus 
in  an  alloy,  and  the  manganese  in  slag,  which 
was  subsequently  reduced  with  the  production 
of  a  ferro  alloy  reasonably  low  in  phosphorus, 
and  with  a  60%  manganese  recovery.  Experi- 
ments on  the  ferruginous  Guyana  ores  by  this 
process  are  also  said  to  have  been  satisfactory. 
These  results  are  not,  however,  of  immediate 
interest,  asonly  very  exceptional  circumstances 


would  justify  the  electric  smelting  of  such  low- 
grade  ores. 

A  number  of  electric  furnaces  producing 
ferro-manganese  were  operated  in  the  United 
States  during  the  war  on  a  commercial  scale, 
and  others  were  in  construction  when  the  fall 
in  prices,  following  the  Armistice,  brought 
about  a  suspension  of  operations.  Particulars 
are  given  of  the  furnaces  operated  which,  using 
the  domestic  manganese  ores  containing  15  to 
25%  of  silica,  produced  an  85%  ferro-manga- 
nese, with  a  recovery  of  70  to  80%,  which  com- 
pares favourably  with  that  of  the  blast-furnace. 
The  power  consumption  was  5,000  kw.  hours, 
and  the  coke  used  ranged  from  1 ,400  to  1 ,200  lb. 
per  ton  of  alloy  in  a  3,000  kw.  furnace. 

There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  regard- 
ing the  most  useful  size  of  furnace.  One  oper- 
ator maintains  that  a  furnace  with  1,150  kw. 
capacity  has  a  recovery  of  90%  when  producing 
six  tons  per  day  of  80%  ferro-manganese;  while 
for  a  2,250  kw.  furnace  the  recovery  is  only  70% 
with  a  production  of  8  to  10  tons  of  alloy  per 
day.  It  is  found  that  the  manganese  stack-loss 
in  the  electric  furnace  is  lower,  and  the  slag 
loss  about  the  same  as  when  reducing  manga- 
nese ore  in  the  blast-furnace. 

Figures  are  given,  based  on  commercial  prac- 
tice and  experimental  work,  of  the  estimated 
cost  of  producing  80%  alloy  in  the  electric  fur- 
nace. Using  domestic  mineral  containing  40 
to  42%  manganese  and  13  to  20%  silica,  there 
should  be  a  recovery  of  72  to  75%  of  manga- 
nese with  a  12%  loss  in  the  slag.  In  a  3,000  kw. 
furnace  the  power  consumption  would  be  5,000 
to  5,500  kw.  hours;  153  lb.  of  electrodes  and 
1,800  to  1,900  lb.  of  coke  would  be  used,  with 
a  production  of  10  to  1  r7  tons  of  80%  alloy  per 
day.  Better  results  would  no  doubt  be  obtain- 
ed with  mineral  of  higher  grade  from  foreign 
sources. 

The  conclusion  arrived  at  is  that,  while  in 
normal  times  it  would  not  be  profitable  to  smelt 
manganese  ore  electrically  in  the  United  States, 
it  might  be  done  during  a  period  of  industrial 
activity  or  national  stress.  If  it  were  possible 
to  obtain  water  power  at  a  very  low  rate,  say 
0"25d.  per  unit,  in  the  vicinity  of  some  of  the 
foreign  high-grade  deposits,  it  is  probable  that 
electric  smelting  would  be  successful,  and  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  the  Brazilian  Govern- 
ment has  recently  decided  to  reduce  the  export 
taxes  on  manganese  ore  to  any  operator  who 
undertakes  to  smelt  electrically  in  Brazil  10% 
of  his  output  of  ore. 

Chapter  11  is  the  report  on  the  use  of  man- 
ganese alloy  in  open-hearth  steel  practice,  and 
it  is  pointed  out  that  manganese  is  not  an  ex- 


224 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


pedient,  but  a  basic  requirement  of  successful 
practice  in  making  steel.  The  principal  func- 
tion of  manganese  is  to  reduce  ferrous  oxide  in 
the  bath,  and  for  this  0'35%  manganese  might 
be  required.  Manganese  also  eliminates  sul- 
phur and  improves  the  rolling  properties  of  the 
steel,  as  well  as  retards  coalescence  of  grain 
growth,  which  would  require  0'35%.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  produce  certain  physical  and 
mechanical  properties  of  steel,  so  that  the  total 
consumption  may  be  put  at  about  1  to  liVo  per 
ton  of  steel  produced.  Other  deo.xidizers,  as 
silicon  and  aluminium, have  atendency  tocause 
inclusions  in  steel,  and  they  also  encourage 
grain  growth  and  leave  the  metal  in  poor  con- 
dition for  rolling  and  forging. 

In  order  to  reduce  the  consumption  of  man- 
ganese, the  following  recommendations  to  steel 
manufacturers  were  made  :  (a)  Use  of  molten 
Spiegel  mixture;  (b)  high  residual  manganese 
in  the  bath  ;  (c)  use  of  silico-manganese  alloy 
in  place  of  the  80%  material.  All  of  these  ex- 
pedients are  in  use  both  in  Europe  and  the 
States,  in  a  limited  degree.  It  is  pointed  out 
that  the  first  cannot  become  general  owing  to 
the  introduction  of  too  much  carbon  for  mild 
steel.  The  high  residual  manganese  in  the 
bath  does  not  reduce  consumption,  except  as  it 
enables  low-grade  manganese  ores  to  be  used 
in  making  the  pig  iron.  The  use  of  manganese- 
silicon  alloys  is  governed  by  the  amount  of  sili- 
con that  can  be  tolerated  in  the  steel, as  it  is  pre- 
judicial in  material  which  must  be  welded,  as 
well  as  for  sheets  and  plates.  In  acidsteel  prac- 
tice figures  are  given  which  show  the  consump- 
tion of  manganese  and  silicon  to  be  smaller, 
when  introduced  as  silico-manganese,  than 
.  when  used  as  ferro- manganese  and  ferro-sili- 
con  ;  while  for  basic  open  hearth  practice  re- 
sults obtained  suggest  that  the  use  of  silico- 
manganese  protects  manganese  in  oxidized  " 
heats.  It  is  probable  that  the  use  of  this  alloy 
will  become  more  general. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  stated  that  while  the 
extreme  shortage,  and  high  price, of  manganese 
ore  during  the  war  was  a  powerful  incentive  in 
the  search  for  new  supplies  of  high-grade  ore, 
none  appears  to  have  been  found,  as  the  West 
.\frican  and  Sinai  deposits,  now  regular  pro- 
ducers, were  pre-war  discoveries. 

Further,  efforts  were  made  during  the  war, 
more  especially  by  steel  manufacturers  of  the 
Central  Powers,  to  find  some  equally  efficient 
substitute  for  manganese,  without  success.  It 
is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  future  of  the 
already  known  deposits,  and  the  manufacture 
of  ferro- manganese,  are  assured.  American 
makers  of  ferro  alloys  are  endeavouring  to  ob- 


tain tariff  protection  against  the  British  pro- 
duct, and  if  successful,  it  is  probable  that 
future  exports  of  ferro-manganese  from  this 
country  to  the  United  States  will  be  smaller 
than  in  the  pre-war  period. 

Ukkbekt  K.  Scott. 

NEWS   LETTERS. 

TORONTO. 

March  10. 

MineralProduction  OF  Canada. — The 
preliminary  report  on  the  mineral  production 
of  Canada  during  the  calendaryear  1920,  issued 
by  the  Department  of  Mines,  gives  the  total 
value  as  §217, 775, 080, which  establishes  a  new 
high  record.  Compared  with  the  production  in 
1919,  valued  at  §176,686,390,  an  increase  of 
23'3%isshown.  Themetallicoutput  was  valued 
at  $77,236,370,  the  quantities  and  values  of 
the  principal  items  being  as  follow :  Gold, 
766,912  oz.,  $15,853,478;  silver,  12,793.541 
oz.,  $12,908,683;  copper,  81,155,360  lb., 
$14,166,479;  nickel,  61,136,493  lb., 
$24,454,597  ;  lead,  33,985,974  lb.,$3,038,346; 
zinc,  40,166,200  lb.,  $3,081,149  ;  cobalt, 
593,920  lb.,  $1,484,800;  and  pig  iron  from 
Canadian  ore,  75,869  tons,  $2,066,997.  There 
was  a  noteworthy  increase  in  the  production  of 
coal,  which  amounted  to  16,623,598  tons  valued 
at  $77,326,853,  being  21'5%  in  quantity  and 
42%  in  value  in  excess  of  the  output  of  1919. 

Porcupine. — There  has  been  a  further 
curtailment  in  the  allotment  of  electric  power 
to  the  producing  companies.  The  Hollinger 
Consolidated  is  now  only  getting  1,500  kilo- 
watts, as  compared  with  its  full  requirements 
of  approximately  10,000.  By  the  use  of  its 
steam  auxiliary  equipment  it  is  able  to  con- 
tinue work  at  about  one-third  capacity,  treating 
about  1,300  tons  of  ore  per  day  at  an  extra 
cost  of  about  $900  daily.  The  company  has 
entered  an  action  for  damages  against  the 
Northern  Canada  Power  Co.,  Ltd.,  on  account 
of  losses  sustained  by  reason  of  power  shortage, 
the  outcome  of  which  will  be  of  much  interest 
to  mining  operators  whose  business  has  suf- 
fered from  the  same  cause.  The  annual  state- 
ment of  the  Hollinger  Consolidated  for  1920  in- 
dicates that,  despite  all  drawbacks,  the  com- 
pany has  had  a  prosperous  year.  Its  total  reve- 
nue was  §7,162,611,  as  compared  with* 
$7,063,099  in  1919,  and  the  net  profit  was 
$2,675,274,  as  against  $2,321,290.  The  sum 
of  $461,274  was  added  to  the  surplus,  bringing 
the  total  up  to  $6,462,918.  The  net  yield  of 
ore  treated  per  ton  was  $9'56,  as  compared 
with  $9'40,  and  the  value  of  the  ore  reserves 


APRIL,    1921 


225 


was  estimated  at  $36,596,059,  as  compared 
with  .f;39, 928,430.  During  1920  the  Dome 
Mines  treated  295,220  tons  of  ore,  the  yield 
from  which  amounted  to  $2,005,640,  an  aver- 
age extraction  of  $6'80  per  ton.  In  addition 
the  company  received  about  $200,000  exchange 
premium,  which  would  bring  the  average  yield 
up  to  about  $7'50  per  ton.  The  Mclntyre  has 
been  encouraged  by  the  development  of  a  large 
ore-body,  believed  to  come  in  from  the  Hollin- 
ger,  on  the  1,000  ft.  level,  to  plan  an  increase  in 
its  milling  equipment,  augmenting  its  present 
capacity  of  600  tons  to  about  900  tons,  which, 
according  to  an  estimate  based  on  last  year's 
tigures,  would  give  an  annual  production  of 
.~-;3,000,000.  Theadditionalcrushingand grind- 
ing machinery  has  been  ordered  and  will  be  in- 
stalled as  early  as  possible.  The  Mclntyre  has 
secured  power  rights  at  Sturgeon  Falls  on  the 
Mattagami  River,  30  miles  from  the  mine, 
capable  of  generating  9,000  h.p.  Unless  the 
pijwer company  can  increase  thesupply  of  elec- 
tric energy  sufficiently  to  prevent  a  repetition 
of  the  shortage  now  experienced,  the  Mclntyre 
will  generate  its  own  supply.  The  coming 
season  promises  to  be  a  very  active  one.  La- 
bour is  plentiful  and  efficient,  and  as  soon  as 
thespring  has  fairly  set  in  work  will  be  resumed 
on  many  prospects  and  new  enterprises  will  be 
undertaken. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  annual  statement 
of  the  Lake  Shore  for  the  year  ended  Novem- 
ber 30,  1920,  showed  an  income  of  §528,028, 
the  net  amount  carried  forward  after  all  deduc- 
tions being  $104,992.  During  January  thepro- 
duction  was  valued  at  $37,375  from  the  treat- 
ment of  1,674  tons  of  ore,  the  extraction  aver- 
af^ing  $22'34  per  ton,  the  mill  running  82?<i  of 
the  possible  time.  A  station  has  been  cut  at 
the  600  ft.  level,  at  which  lateral  work  is  in  pro- 
gress. At  the  Wright-Hargreaves  the  new  mill 
of  180  tons  capacity  is  ready  for  operation,  but 
It  will  not  be  started  until  May  1,  by  which 
date  a  full  supply  of  power  is  assured.  A  4  ft. 
vein  of  high-grade  ore  has  been  encountered 
on  the  700  ft.  level  of  the  Kirkland  Lake  mine. 
Cobalt.  —  The  silver-mining  industry  is 
much  depressed  owing  to  the  low  price  of  sil- 
ver, coupled  with  power  shortage,  and  it  is 
somewhat  doubtful  whether  many  of  the  mines 
which  closed  down  over  the  winter  will  be  re- 
opened until  market  conditions  show  improve- 
ment. The  Mining  Corporation  of  Canada 
has  closed  down  its  mines  and  mills  indefinite- 
ly, and  will  make  extensive  alterations  in  its 
concentrating  and  cyanide  plants  so  as  to  be 
in  a  position  to  handle  an  increased  tonnage 
at  lower  cost  when  work  is  resumed.     The 


company  is  the  second  largest  silver-producer 
in  Canada,  its  output  last  year  being  1,806,274 
oz.  of  silver.  The  Moore  Filter  Co.,  of  New 
York,  has  brought  an  action  against  the  Nip- 
issing  Mining  Co.,  claiming  $600,000  dam- 
ages for  the  infringement  of  their  patent  rights 
in  the  filter  used  for  the  filtration  of  metal-bear- 
ing slimes.  The  Oxford  Cobalt  will  shortly 
resume  operations.  The  shaft  will  be  put  down 
from  180  to  350  ft.,  at  which  level  a  cross-cut 
will  be  run  to  tap  the  vein.  The  Chambers- 
Ferland  has  opened  up  at  the  410  ft.  level  a 
rich  vein  2  in.  wide  coming  in  from  the  Nipis- 
sing,  which  in  some  places  yields  ore  carrying 
5,000  oz.  to  the  ton. 

SUDBURV. — The  mine  and  smelters  of  the 
British  American  Nickel  Corporation  have 
been  closed  down  owing  to  unfavourable  mar- 
ket conditions,  throwing  600  or  800  men  out 
of  employment.  Only  a  small  nucleus  of  the 
force  has  been  retained,  so  that  when  a  change 
for  the  better  occurs  production  can  beresumed 
at  short  notice.  The  refinery  of  the  company 
at  Deschenes, Quebec, employing  400  men, will 
also  close  shortly.  The  company  was  a  war 
enterprise,  started  in  1916,  in  which  the  British 
Government  was  heavily  interested.  TheMond 
Nickel  Co.  has  reduced  the  wages  of  their  em- 
ployees 40  cents  per  day. 

VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

March  1. 
Sheep  Creek. — With  the  gradual  decrease 
in  the  cost  of  labour  and  supplies,  and  with  the 
general  slump  in  base-metal  mining  in  this 
Province, mining  men  seem  to  be  turning  their 
attention,  once  again,  toward  gold-mining.  An 
important  deal  that  has  taken  place  within  the 
lastfewweeks  is  thebondingof  theQueenmine, 
at  Sheep  Creek,  near  Nelson,  to  C.  H.  Cassill, 
of  Spokane.  The  people  of  Spokane,  it  may  be 
said  in  passing,  take  a  far  more  active  interest 
in  and  derive  a  greater  benefit  from  the  mining 
industry  of  British  Columbia  than  the  people 
of  any  city  in  the  Province.  Some  of  the  big- 
gest and  best  paying  mining  enterprises  in  the 
Province  were  started  in  Spokane.  The  Queen 
mine  was  located  towards  the  close  of  last  cen- 
tury, and  mining  operations  were  carried  on 
busily  until  1915, when  a  cave  in  themainwinze 
caused  the  closing  of  the  mine.  Up  to  this 
point  the  mine  had  produced  more  than  one 
and  a  half  million  dollars  in  gold.  The  mine 
remained  closed  until  the  end  of  the  war.  In 
1919  it  was  bonded  to  A.W.McCune,  the  well- 
known  Butte  operator,  and  a  long  tunnel  was 
driven.  The  result  of  the  work,  however,  was 
inconclusive  ;  gold-mining  generally  was  very 


226 


THE    MINING    MACA/INE 


much  in  the  dolclruins  at  the  time,  so  the  work 
was  abandoned.  In  the  meantime,  C.  II.  Cas- 
sill  had  bonded  the  Ore  Hill  group,  which  ad- 
joins the  Queen,  and  on  it  had  developed  astrong 
vein  over  a  distance  of  more  than  2,000  ft.  This 
veinhasall  the  characteristicsof  the  Oueen  vein, 
and  the  trend  of  the  strike  is  in  a  direction  that 
led  Mr.  Cassill  to  suppose  it  was  the  same 
vein.  He,  therefore,  obtained  a  short  option 
on  the  Oueen,  had  it  examined  by  J.  C.  Haas, 
of  Spokane,  and  the  present  bond  and  lease, 
which  will  expire  on  July  1,  1923,  has  resulted. 
On  the  bottom,  or  700  ft.  level,  the  vein  is  ex- 
posed over  a  distance  of  800  ft.,  is  from  8  to 
33  ft.  wide,  and  is  said  to  have  an  average  value 
of  S9  per  ton  in  gold.  There  is  a  20-stamp 
mill  on  the  property,  and  ample  water  rights 
on  Sheep  and  Wolf  creeks  go  with  it.  The 
rtume  and  the  mill,  after  a  period  of  six  years' 
idleness,  will  necessarily  need  considerable  re- 
pair. Mr.  Cassill  proposes  to  combine  the  two 
properties,  the  Queen  and  the  Ore  Hill,  and 
float  a  company  to  be  known  as  the  Queen-Ore 
Hill  Mines,  Ltd.,  with  a  capital  of  $250,000, 
which  is  the  actual  price  he  is  paying  for  the 
two  properties. 

Granby  Consolidated. — The  Granby 
Consolidated  Mining  Smelting  &  Power  Com- 
pany got  all  the  best  of  its  two  appeals  against 
the  Esquimalt  and  Nanaimo  Railway  for  title 
tothe  Cassidy  Colliery  coal  areas,  on  Vancouver 
Island.  The  Granby  was  given  full  title  to  the 
Dunlop  property,  and  the  Court  found  that 
title  to  the  Ganner  property  was  vested  in  the 
Granby  Company,  but  in  case  of  assessment 
for  damages  in  respect  to  the  coal-rights  these 
were  to  be  considered  as  "  coal  in  nature." 
The  outside  price  at  this  rate  is  stated  to  be 
§150  per  acre  for  the  200  acres  involved,  so 
the  utmost  that  the  Granby  can  be  called  upon 
to  pay  is  $30,000.  When  it  is  remembered 
that  the  Granby  has  expended  more  than 
.$2,600,000  in  the  purchase  of  the  property, 
purchase  of  timber  rights  in  connection  with 
it,  and  in  the  equipment  of  the  colliery  and 
building  of  the  town,  to  which  must  be  added 
another  §2,000,000  for  the  building  of  the  by- 
product coke  ovens,  at  Anyox,  to  carbonize  the 
coal,thepresentliabilityiscomparatively  small. 
The  counsel  for  the  E.  &  N.  Ry.  gave  notice 
of  appeal  to  the  Privy  Council,  and,  pending 
the  result  of  this  appeal,  the  Granby  has  been 
given  the  right  to  continue  mining  coal  from 
the  property.  E.  E.  Campbell,  assistant  mana- 
ger, and  for  many  years  in  the  employ  of  the 
Granby,  has  retired  to  become  general  super- 
intendent for  the  United  Verde  Extension  Min- 
ing Co.,  at  Jerome,  Arizona,  and  J.  A.  Ban- 


croft, professor  of  geology  at  McGill  Univer- 
sity, has  been  appointed  in  his  place.  Prof. 
Bancroft  will  take  up  his  new  duties  at  the 
close  of  the  present  university  term.  Granby 
is  doing  some  excellent  work  ;  it  is  producing 
more  copper  and  at  a  cheaper  rate  than  at  any 
time  since  the  armistice  :  in  fact,  it  is  claimed 
that,  but  for  the  interest  on  its  bonded  indebted- 
ness, Ciranby  would  be  producing  more  cheaply 
than  any  concern  on  the  continent.  With  the 
exception  of  an  insignificant  amount  from  the 
Rossland  mines,  and  a  small  amount  from  the 
Belmont-Surf  Inlet  mine,  Granby  is  the  only 
concern  producing  copper  in  the  Province. 

Miscellaneous  Mining  News.  —  The 
Consolidated  Mining  &  Smelting  Company  is 
maintaining  an  excellent  production  from  its 
own  mines,  principally  the  Sullivan.  The  first 
six  weeks'  ore  receipts  at  the  Trail  smelter 
amounted  to  nearly  50,000  tons,  which  is  about 
8,000  tons  more  than  the  quantity  received 
over  the  same  period  of  last  year.  With  the 
exception  of  a  little  more  than  1,000  tons,  this 
has  all  come  from  the  company's  own  mines. 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  company  during  the 
slump  in  the  prices  of  lead  and  zinc  is  paying 
only  in  warehouse  receipts,  few  concerns  are 
financially  able  to  ship  ore  to  Trail.  In  fact, 
the  mines  in  those  districts  that  have  been  rely- 
ing on  the  Consolidated  company  to  treat  their 
ores  are  nearly  all  closed.  The  Florence  Silver 
Mining  Co.  is  proposing  to  put  a  steamer  and 
barges  on  Kootenay  lake,  thus  enabling  it  to 
ship  concentrate  to  Five  Points,  and  thence  by 
the  Great  Northern  to  either  Northport  or  Kel- 
logg, in  the  United  States.  This  would  render 
it  independentof  theCanadian  Pacific  Railway, 
for  which  company  few  of  the  mine-owners 
have  a  good  word  to  say.  It  is  likely  that  the 
Bluebell  Mining  Co.  will  follow  the  same  course. 
The  Slocan  and  Slocan  City  mines  are  not  so 
fortunately  situated  geographically. 

The  Belmont-Surf  Inlet  Mines,  Ltd.,  a  sub- 
sidiary of  the  Tonopah-Belmont  Development 
Co.,  continues  to  give  a  good  account  of  itself. 
The  net  earnings  for  the  quarter  ended  Sep- 
tember 30  was  §68,640,  and  was  the  principal 
source  of  income  to  the  parent  company.  The 
gold,  which  is  the  principal  product,  is  collected 
with  the  silver  and  copper  in  the  form  of  a  con- 
centrate that  is  shipped  to  the  Tacoma  smelter. 

Since  the  closing  of  the  Nickel  Plate  mine, 
at  Hedley,  last  fall,  T.  Griffin  has  been  explor- 
ing his  property  near  the  N  ickel  Plate,  and  has 
developed  a  lode  some  100  ft.  in  width,  the 
whole  of  which  is  said  to  be  shipping  ore.  A 
trial  shipment  is  being  prepared,  but,  owing  to 
the  position  of  the  property,  high  up  on  the   ' 


APRIL,    1921 


227 


mountain  side,  considerable  trail  building  will 
be  necessary  before  ore  can  be  taken  from  the 
property. 

The  discovery  of  a  deposit  containing  stron- 
tianite  and  celestite  is  reported  from  Prince- 
ton, and  at  the  present  time  is  being  explored 
with  a  view  to  recovery  of  the  minerals  on  a 
commercial  scale. 

Oil. — The  Imperial  Oil  Company  has  ship- 
ped an  extra  heavy  drilling  outfit,  capable  of 
boring  4,000  ft.,  to  Pounce  Coupe,  which  is 
situated  in  the  Peace  River  Block,  a  national 
forest  reserve,  the  oil-rights  of  which  are  vested 
in  the  Dominion  Government,  although  it  is 
situated  within  the  boundary  of  British  Colum- 
bia. Oil  seepages  have  been  noted  along  the 
banks  of  the  Pounce  Coupe  river,  a  tributary 
of  the  Peace  river. 

C.  M.  Rolston,  local  manager  for  the  Im- 
perial Oil  Company,  has  announced  that  ar- 
rangements have  been  made  with  California 
producers  for  the  delivery  of  600,000  barrels  of 
oil  during  the  present  year  ;  consequently,  it  is 
likely  that  the  company's  refinery, at  loco,  near 
Vancouver,  which  was  closed  last  fall,  owing 
to  inability  to  get  crude  oil,  will  be  reopened 
shortly.  It  wasexpected  that  therefinery  would 
be  closed  until  June,  when  arrangements  had 
been  made  for  a  supply  of  crude  oil  from 
Mexico. 

KALGOORLIE,    W.A. 

February  21 . 

Mining  Conditions  in  West  Aus- 
tralia.— In  manycountry  cemeteries  one  sees 
recorded  on  a  tombstone  a  verse  which  relates 
that  the  deceased  was  troubled  sorely  with 
affliction  for  a  very  long  time,  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  of  his  physicians.  For  over  thirty  years 
the  mining  industry  in  this  State  has  suffered 
many  afflictions,  of  which  the  greatest  has  been 
the  promotion  of  wildcat  companies,  due  to  the 
inherent  desire  of  mankind  for  a  gamble.  Un- 
fortunately too  often  "  the  cards  have  been 
stacked,"  so  that  people  in  all  good  faith  put 
money  into  companies,  accepting  the  opinion 
of  men  who  had  not  the  training  nor  experience 
necessary  to  size  up  the  possibilities  (if  any)  of 
the  property  on  which  they  were  paid  to  report. 
The  trail  of  the  feline,  which  started  at  the 
Coolgardie  boom,  followed  at  intervals  at  Kal- 
goorlie,  Bullfinch,  and  quite  recently  at  Hamp- 
ton Plains  and  Mt.  Monger,  has  drawn  atten- 
tion to  the  worst  aspect  of  mining  and  detrac- 
ted from  the  good  work  done  on  the  producing 
mines. 

The  most  recent  affliction  and  one  that 
threatens  to  kill  the  industry  is  the  award  of 


the  Arbitration  Court  given  at  Kalgoorlie. 
The  miners  themselves  never  expected  to  re- 
ceive a  minimum  wage  of  16s.  per  day.  The 
other  penalties  on  the  industry,  including  the 
fortnight's  holiday  each  year  on  full  pay  and 
overtime  rates,  amount  to  so  much  that  the 
border-line  between  profit  and  loss  has  now 
been  crossed  by  several  of  the  mines  on  their 
previous  ore- reserve  average.  The  result  is 
that  the  grade  has  to  be  increased,  where  pos- 
sible, which  means  the  earlier  demise  of  the 
mine,  or  where  it  is  not  possible  to  do  this 
operations  must  cease. 

A  statement  frequently  made  by  trades 
unionists,  even  by  Presidents  of  Arbitration 
Courts  throughout  Australia,  is  that  if  an  indus- 
try or  a  mine  cannot  afford  to  pay  a  living  wage 
(a  term  which  is  too  variable  to  define)  it  is 
better  for  that  industry  or  mine  to  shut  down. 
That  at  first  sight  seems  sound,  but  the  point 
is  that  the  employers  realize  the  economy  of 
paying  a  good  man  a  high  rate  of  wage,  if  he 
will  produce  a  profit  on  that  wage  by  work 
done, and  the  more  men  he  employs  on  contract 
who  can  and  do  earn  above  the  current  wage, 
the  cheaper  are  his  costs,  up  to  a  limit.  How- 
ever, what  he  does  object  to  is  the  payment  of 
men  who  will  not,  or  cannot,  produce  the  value 
of  the  minimum  rate  of  wages  which  they  de- 
mand, and  by  the  award  of  the  Arbitration 
Court  must  now  be  paid.  In  a  small  mine,  men 
can  be  picked  and  those  who  will  not  do  their 
bit  are  weeded  out,  but  when  it  comes  to  em- 
ploying a  large  number  there  is  an  increased 
proportion  of  those  whosework  results  inadead 
loss  to  the  employer.  During  the  war  the  pick 
of  the  mine  employees  enlisted ;  the  older 
miners  could  not  maintain  the  average,  while 
those  who  did  not  enlist  were,  as  a  general  rule, 
the  least  willing  workers.  This  has  meant  a 
general  decrease  in  efficiency  per  man  and  con- 
sequent increase  in  the  cost  per  ton.  Since  the 
Lancefield  and  Sons  of  Gwalia  have  ceased 
operations  (to  which  reference  will  be  made 
later  on)  a  great  many  good  men  from  these 
fields  have  moved  into  Kalgoorlie  to  look  for 
work.  The  managers  there  can  now  replace 
the  red  raggers  who  will  not  work  for  these 
men  who  are  anxious  to  make  good  money  on 
contract.  For  some  years  past,  on  some  of  the 
big  mines,  the  supply  of  ore  in  the  bins  on 
Saturday  night  has  been  hardly  sufficient  to 
keep  the  mills  going  until  Monday  morning. 
The  advent  of  a  more  plentiful  supply  of  men 
from  the  above  mines  has  relieved  the  position 
considerably  in  this  respect.  Thus  the  mines 
which  can  survive  the  transition  period  will  no 
doubt  last  for  some  time  longer,  at  the  sacrifice 


228 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


of  others  whose  reserves  are  too  low  in  grade 
to  pay  the  high  wages,  together  with  post-war 
prices  for  stores  and  machinery  spares. 

Lancei-ield. — The  Lancefield  mine, which 
has  been  ably  handled  by  a  small  company, 
whose  shareholders  are  themselves  mining  en- 
gineers, has  had  to  shut  down,  because  the 
margin  of  profit  has  been  cut  out  by  the  award. 
Before  doing  so,  Mr.  Kidgeway,  managing  di- 
rector, called  a  meeting  of  the  employees,  and 
made  them  an  exceptionally  generous  offer  to 
take  over  the  mine  and  mill,  on  a  nominal  trib- 
ute of  Is.  per  ton  crushed,  on  condition  that  the 
manager  was  nominated  by  the  company.  The 
latter  offered  to  finance  tlie  scheme  until  re- 
turns were  available.  On  the  advice  of  the 
Labour  Union  representatives,  the  offer  was 
turned  down,  almost  without  discussion.  This 
is  an  answer  to  the  labour  leaders  who  in  times 
of  stress  suggest  taking  over  the  mines,  to  show 
how  they  could  be  run  by  miners.  They  evi- 
dently realize  that  the  mine-owners'  profits  are 
not  so  great  as  they  would  believe,  or  are  fright- 
ened to  take  the  risk  which  they  expect  the 
company  to  do  of  making  it  pay.  There  is  no 
question  as  to  the  amount  of  ore  available,  so 
it  is  not  a  matter  of  having  to  develop  it  before 
they  can  mine  it. 

Sons  of  Gwalia. — The  Sons  of  Gwalia, 
after  a  career  of  many  years  as  the  biggest 
gold  producer  outside  of  Kalgoorlie,  has  had 
the  misfortune  to  have  its  power  and  crushing 
plants  destroyed  by  fire.  It  is  now  a  question 
for  the  directors  to  decide  upon  the  size  of  a 
new  plant  which  is  warranted,  and  also  how 
long  it  will  be  before  it  can  be  erected.  Mean- 
time hundreds  of  men  are  out  of  work,  and  the 
whole  town  of  Leonora  is  indirectly  affected. 
The  Minister  for  Mines  is  endeavouring  to  ar- 
range some  scheme  whereby  a  number  of  these 
men  can  reopen  abandoned  mines  in  the  dis- 
trict, possibly  with  theactivehelp  of  the  Gwalia 
Company,  and  crush  the  ore  at  the  State  Bat- 
tery under  a  board  of  supervisors.  It  is  an  ex- 
periment which  will  be  watched  with  interest, 
and  its  success  will  depend  upon  the  amount  of 
co-operative  effort  put  into  it  by  the  workers, 
rather  than  on  any  artificial  spoon-feeding  by 
the  Government. 

State  Aid  for  Prospectors. — The 
Minister  for  Mines  has  made  a  proposal  to 
subsidize  prospectors  to  the  extent  of  70s.  per 
week  per  man,  but  as  it  has  been  pointed  out 
by  those  who  have  taken  an  interest  in  this 
work,  all  the  easily  found  lodes  and  deposits  in 
West  Australia  have  been  discovered,  and  if 
any  subsidized  prospecting  is  to  be  a  success,  it 
must  be  under  the  supervision   of  a  mining 


geologist.  1 1  is  not  only  a  question  of  systema- 
tized information,  which  the  geologist  has  to 
blend  with  the  practical  knowledge  of  the  pro- 
spector. It  is  the  economic  reason  that,  if  the 
State  pays  the  prospector  wages,  it  must  see 
that  his  work  is  carried  out  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. 

Hampton  Plains. — At  Hampton  Plains 
work  is  now  mainly  confined  to  the  develop- 
ment of  those  mines  on  which  payable  ore  has 
been  found.  On  the  Celebration,  after  some 
delay  in  the  supply  and  erection  of  the  winding 
and  compressing  plants,  the  main  shaft  is  now 
210  ft.  down  in  very  hard  country.  The  spon- 
sors of  this  property  are  still  sanguine  that, 
while  the  lode  was  poor  at  the  193  ft.  level,  the 
value  of  the  ore  will  improve  when  it  is  cut  in 
settled  country.  It  will  not  be  long  before  the 
shaft  reaches  a  depth  of  300  ft.,  when  the 
question  will  be  settled. 

On  Lease  81,  which  is  on  ground  reserved 
by  the  Hampton  Properties  Company,  the 
Celebration  lode  has  been  found  carrying  good 
prospects,  and  a  shaft  is  being  sunk  to  test  it  at 
depth.  Thesamecompany  is  sinkingtwoshafts 
on  a  lode  on  Block  45,  which  lies  several  miles 
to  the  east  of  the  Celebration.  At  a  depth  of  50 
ft.  the  lode  in  one  shaft  averages  1  oz.  per  ton 
over  6  ft.,  and  in  another  75  ft.  along  the  line  of 
lode  averages  15dwt.  per  ton  over  8ft.  in  width. 
Although  this  belt  of  country  is  typical  of  the 
Golden  Ridge  series  of  lodes,  it  appeals  more 
to  a  mining  man  than  the  more  porp^yritic 
country  on  Block  50.  The  Boulder  No.  1 
Company  had  an  option  on  an  adjoining  lease, 
but  the  lode  they  prospected,  and  considered 
not  good  enough,  was  on  a  different  line  from 
that  described  above.  On  Block  48,  the  Gol- 
den Hope  winding  and  pumping  plant  is  now 
being  erected, and  as  the  railway  line  has  reach- 
ed this  property,  the  company  expects  that  it 
will  shortly  be  able  to  send  in  regular  consign- 
ments of  ore  to  Kalgoorlie  to  be  treated. 

On  the  White  Hope  mine,  the  lode  consists 
of  hard  sulphideore.and  the  developmentwork, 
which  is  necessarily  slow,  has  so  far  not  reveal- 
ed any  long  shoots. 

The  Hampton  Areas  Company  is  having  a 
geological  survey  of  its  blocks  made  by  its 
resident  manager,  and  as  a  result  of  his  work  it 
is  quite  possible  that  some  new  lodes  may  be 
found  to  be  worth  development.  By  referring 
to  the  map  published  in  the  Magazine  in 
October,  1919,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Hamp- 
ton Propertiesand  Areascompanieshold  blocks 
of  land  spread  over  a  width  of  30  miles,  in  which 
there  is  a  lot  of  greenstone  country,  which  has 
not  yet  been  systematically  prospected. 


APRIL,    1921 


229 


Mount  Monger.  —  Out  of  the  dozens  of 
companies  floated  and  hundreds  of  mining 
leases  taken  up  at  Mount  Monger  during  the 
recent  boom,  there  have  only  been  a  few 
small  crushings  of  rich  patches  of  ore.  One 
from  the  Prospector's  (McCahon's)  Mine  of 
38  tons  was  treated  at  Kalgoorlie  last  week 
for  a  return  of  886  oz.  of  gold,  and  the  tailing 
is  expected  to  add  another  200  oz.,  which  will 
mean  an  average  return  of  about  £^150  per 
ton.  This  ore  was  picked  from  a  dump  of 
200  tons  the  balance  of  which  is  estimated  to 
be  worth  1  oz.  to  the  ton. 

The  Monger  Proprietary  is  the  next  mine 
to  this,  and  has  the  surface  portion  of  this  pipe 
of  rich  ore  now  being  developed.  The  Lass 
O'Gowrie  lease,  which  was  the  cause  of  the 
rush  to  the  field,  and  on  which  an  option  was 
taken  at  a  very  big  price,  has  been  dropped  by 
the  option-holders,  and  the  company  has  gone 
into  liquidation.  With  a  well-known  mining 
engineer,  I  made  an  inspection  of  this  field  a 
year  ago,  and  while  the  prospector  (McCahon) 
invited  us  to  sample  and  see  his  workings,  the 
owner  of  the  Lass  O'Gowrie  refused  us  per- 
mission to  make  even  a  cursory  inspection  of 
his  show.  It  has  been  my  experience,  in 
this  State  at  any  rate,  that  if  a  prospector  has 
anything  good  he  is  willing  to  let  a  mining 
engineer  inspect  it ;  on  the  other  hand,  a  re- 
fusal makes  one  doubtful  of  the  value  of  the 
find. 

Ravensthorpe. — At  Ravensthorpe,  min- 
ing is  also  at  a  low  ebb.  Not  that  there  are  no 
mines  worth  operating,  but  no  improvement 
can  be  expected  until  some  better  means  are 
devised  for  concentrating  the  lower-grade  cop- 
per ore,  so  that  the  Government  smelting 
works  will  not  have  to  rely  on  high-grade  ore 
alone,  as  at  present.  The  supplies  of  the  lat- 
ter are  not  sufficient  to  keep  the  furnace  going. 
Consequently  the  costs  are  higher  than  the  in- 
dustry can  stand,  with  the  present  low  price 
of  copper.  It  is  possible  that  if  the  Govern- 
ment were  to  put  up  a  mechanical  concentra- 
tor for  the  roughs,  and  a  flotation  unit  to  treat 
the  finer  sulphides,  to  be  run  in  connection 
with  the  smelter,  the  whole  of  the  ore,  which 
is  at  present  picked,  could  be  mined  and  treat- 
ed at  a  profit. 

Oil. — During  the  stay  of  the  Agent  General 
in  the  State,  several  speculators,  who  believe 
that  oil  may  be  found  near  the  south  coast  of 
West  Australia,  have  met  and  given  him  their 
views  on  the  matter,  so  that  when  he  returns 
to  England,  almost  immediately,  he  will  be 
able  to  discuss  the  question  with  some  firms 
who  are  anxious  to  prospect  for  oil.  The 
4—5 


Government  Geologist,  on  the  other  hand, 
does  not  class  any  of  that  country  as  likely  to 
be  oil-bearing. 

MELBOURNE. 

February  1 . 

Hydro-Electric  Power  in  Tasmania. 
— The  sixth  annual  report  of  the  Tasmanian 
Government  Hydro  Electric  Department  gives 
a  large  amount  of  interesting  information  re- 
lating to  the  progress  of  the  work  undertaken 
by  this  public  enterprise.  An  active  policy  of 
development  is  being  carried  out,  although 
operations  have  been  severely  retarded  owing 
to  the  conditions  created  by  the  war,  and  by 
industrial  unrest.  The  shortage  of  cement  in 
particular  has  seriously  delayed  the  progress 
of  the  work  of  constructing  the  Great  Lake 
dam,  while  the  date  of  erecting  pipe-lines  and 
other  equipment  will  be  fixed  by  the  time  when 
cement  supplies  become  available.  Five  new 
turbines  and  alternators,  together  with  switch- 
gear  and  apparatus,  are  on  order,  but  the  work 
of  completing  the  power  station  is  being  done 
in  stages  owing  to  the  shortage  of  labour  and 
cement.  The  excavations  for  the  whole  ex- 
tensions are  well  in  hand,  and  concreting  has 
been  commenced  on  that  portion  of  the  exten- 
sion required  to  accommodate  one  unit. 

The  position  of  a  new  transmission  line, 
running  south,  has  been  fixed,  and  most  of  the 
necessary  towers  have  been  ordered.  This 
line  will  continue  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
River  Derwent  to  Risdon,  instead  of  crossing 
at  Bridgewater,  as  it  was  not  found  practicable 
to  effect  another  crossing  at  this  point.  It  is 
probable  that  as  soon  as  the  new  transmission 
line  is  in  service  the  existing  line  between 
Bridgewater  and  Hobart  substations  will  be 
dismantled  and  re-erected  along  the  same  route 
on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Derwent,  thus  con- 
siderably reducing  maintenance  costs.  The 
completed  transmission  line  will  include  four 
district  circuits,  one  of  which  may  be  shut 
down  from  time  to  time  for  inspection  and  re- 
pair. The  Launceston  transmission  line  has 
been  located,  and  a  good  start  has  been  made 
towards  clearing  the  route.  The  surveys  did 
not  disclose  as  good  conditions  from  a  wood- 
pole  point  of  view  as  were  hoped  for,  and  the 
increasing  cost  of  labour  and  insulators  made 
it  desirable  to  carefully  investigate  the  ques- 
tion of  whether  a  steel  tower  line  would  not,  in 
the  end,  be  more  economical.  Tenders  have 
been  called  for  the  construction  of  towers,  and 
when  offers  are  received  a  decision  will  be 
arrived  at  as  to  whether  wood  or  steel  is  most 
suitable  material  for  the  construction.     It  is 


230 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


anticipated  that  the  Launceston  service  can  be 
given  in  about  18  months'  time. 

The  necessary  machinery  for  the  Risdon 
substation  is  on  order.  At  this  substation  the 
whole  of  the  high-tension  apparatus  will  he 
out  of  doors,  only  the  low- tension  switchin;,', 
measuring,  and  repairing  apparatus  being  un- 
der cover.  The  necessity  for  the  Risdon  sub 
station  being  established  to  supply  the  P21ec 
trolytic  Zinc  Co.,  has  made  it  desirable,  m 
the  interests  of  economy  of  operation,  to  make 
this  the  substation  to  supply  Hobart,  instead 
of  the  substation  at  present  at  New  Town. 
This  will  be  arranged  for  by  taking  up  the  sup- 
ply of  the  first  block  of  power  to  the  Zinc  Co. 
at  Risdon,  as  soon  as  it  is  completed,  then  re 
moving  the  outdoor  portion  of  the  present 
Hobart  substation  to  Risdon,  and  taking  up 
the  Hobart  supply  with  that ;  leaving  the 
present  indoor  portion  of  the  Hobart  sub- 
station available  for  other  use.  It  is  intended 
to  dismantle  and  re-erect  this  portion  at  Laun- 
ceston in  time  to  take  up  the  supply  of  power 
to  that  city  when  required.  .Vrrangements 
have  been  made  to  carry  a  high-tension  line 
from  Risdon  substation  to  the  present  Ho- 
bart substation  site  to  connect  on  to  the 
Electrona  transmission  line  extension,  and 
this  new  interconnector  will  be  used  in  the 
first  instance  to  feed  the  F<isdon  substation. 
The  machinery  required  for  duplicating  the 
Electrona  substation  has  arrived,  and  will  be 
erected  at  an  early  date.  This  will  bring  the 
capacity  of  this  substation  up  to  8,000  k.v.a. 
Great  difficulties  were  encountered  in  finding 
a  suitable  site  for  the  new  Arthur's  Lakes  dam. 
Tests  pits  that  were  sunk  revealed  porous 
country,  but  a  suitable  site  has  now  been 
found,  and  tenders  are  being  called  for  the 
construction  of  an  earth-filled  dam,  which  it 
is  hoped  can  be  completed  during  the  coming 
summer.  The  steadily  increasing  cost  of  la- 
bour, without  a  corresponding  improvement  in 
the  output  per  man  on  hand-work,  is  still  a 
source  of  considerable  anxiety.  The  basic 
wage  at  the  Great  Lake,  at  Liawenee,  is  14s. 
per  day,  and  13s.  4d.  per  day  at  Waddamana, 
as  compared  with  the  average  basic  wage  of 
8s.  6d.  per  day  when  the  work  was  first  start- 
ed. The  high  rate  of  exchange  with  America 
and  the  Customs  duties  on  imported  plant  are 
also  influences  that  have  a  severe  effect  on 
increasing  construction  costs. 

The  officers  of  the  department  are  engaged 
in  water-power  surveys  in  various  parts  of 
Southern  Tasmania,  and  the  report  shows 
what  has  been  done  on  the  Shannon,  Little 
Pine,  Ouse,  Derwent,  Styx,  and  Huon  rivers 


and  the  Rolliston  scheme.  Surveys  have  been 
completed  for  the  proposed  scheme  of  the 
Huon  river,  and  plans  and  estimates  are  being 
prepared.  The  proposed  works  include  a  dam 
150  fi.  high,  flooding  about  nine  square  miles 
of  land  surface,  and  the  power  a\ailable  will 
be  about  20,000  b.h.p.  The  larger  tributaries 
of  the  Huon  are  now  being  investigated.  The 
surveys  of  the  Rolliston  scheme  have  also 
been  completed,  and  this  entails  linlcing  up 
several  small  catchments  by  means  of  races 
and  a  tunnel  giving  a  total  catchment  of  about 
27  square  miles.  Four  storage  reservoirs  will 
be  provided  'oy  constructing  dams  across  the 
Anthony  river,  Newton  Falls.and  Julia  Creeks. 
The  pipe-lines  will  consist  of  a  6  ft.  diameter 
wood  pipe,  12,000  ft.  long,  feedmg  two  48  in. 
steel  pipes.  The  head  available  is  1,130  static, 
which  gives  about  22,000  b.h.p.  catchment 
available  at  turbine  shaft.  The  Styx  river 
has  long  been  regarded  as  the  source  from 
which  Hobart's  water  supply  must  in  the  near 
future  be  augmented,  but  a  further  investiga- 
tion has  proved  conclusively  by  exploration 
that  no  storage  approaching  suitable  size  ex- 
ists here,  and  therefore  any  scheme  must  be 
based  on  minimum  flow  and  auxiliary  plant. 
The  minimum  flow  is  about  25  cu.  ft.  per  sec- 
ond. A  fall  of  about  500  ft.  can  be  obtained 
by  a  diversion  of  the  river  into  Park  Rivulet, 
but  the  output  for  minimum  flow  would  only 
be  1,000  b.h.p.  The  feasibility  of  diverting 
the  Styx  river  into  the  Plenty  catchment  is 
now  being  investigated,  and  it  has  been  dis- 
covered that  a  basin  suitable  for  storage  pur- 
poses exists  at  about  700  ft.  above  sea  level. 
Some  large  storage  is  essential  in  order  to 
equalize  the  flow,  and  unless  this  can  be  made 
available  economically  there  is  no  future  for 
the  Styx  catchment  as  regards  power. 


NORTH   OF   ENGLAND. 

We  are  now  well  into  1921,  and  there  has 
been  no  indication  of  any  improvement  in  the 
metal  position.  Lead  and  zinc  have  reached  a 
level  that  roughly  corresponds  with  that  of 
1914,  but  the  value  of  concentrates  is  of  course 
relatively  lower.  Galena  of  80%  Pb  is  worth 
about  £"8,  while  lead  is  /"19,  but  blende  is 
really  unsaleable.  I  saw  one  formula  offered 
recently  which  gave  a  minus  value  of  23s.  6d. 
perton  for  50%  ore,  with  spelter  at  £25.  In  this 
case  the  formula  gave  a  considerable  improve- 
ment with  spelter  at,  say,  .^40,  and  at  that  level 
most  mines  would  be  able  to  produce.  The 
smelters  do  not  think  that  lead  can  remain  at 
anything  like  the  present  low  price  and  there 
is  a  certainty  of  an  appreciation.     It  is,  how- 


APRIL,    1921 


231 


ever,  impossible  to  anticipate  when  this  will 
occur, and  minemanagers  tell  me  that  theycan- 
not  work  with  lead  at  under /"SS.  This  of  course 
implies  the  existing  ratio  of  cost.  A  permanent 
recovery  depends  largely  on  coal.  A  substan- 
tially lower  price  for  coal  would  affect  the  mines 
immediately  in  twodirections.that  is.theactual 
cost  of  fuel, and  the  lower  returnmg  charge  pay- 
able to  the  smelters.  The  first  reduces  the  cost 
of  production;  the  second  raises  the  valueof  the 
concentrates.  But  with  the  present  coal  strike 
It  is  im.possible  to  look  far  ahead  at  present. 
The  principal  factor  is,  however,labour,and  re- 
cently there  has  been  a  more  striking  alteration 
m  the  attitude  of  the  Union  leaders.  Up  to  re- 
cently the  men  have  been  under  the  impression 
that  the  owners  had  some  mexhaustible  reserve 
from  which  to  draw,  and  that  wages  could  be 
paid  whatever  the  price  of  concentrates.  They 
now  see  the  results  of  their  demands,  in  the  vir- 
tual suspension  of  the  lead  industry,  and  they 
realize  that  their  members  are  out  of  employ- 
ment, with  but  little  hope  of  re-engagement.  I 
suppose  that  the  whole  situation  has  been  care- 
fully considered,  as  the  owners  are  now,  for  the 
first  time,  receiving  the  active  co-operation  of 
the  Union  in  the  reinstatement  of  the  industry. 
It  is  realized  that  wages  must  come  down,  and 
that  no  longer  can  the  men  be  transferred  to 
more  lucrative  employment,  that  half  a  loaf  is 
better  than  no  bread,  and  that  it  is  now  a  case 
of  saving  the  ship.  Several  instances  have 
come  to  my  notice  that  confirm  this,  where  the 
Union  officials  have  unhesitatingly  accepted 
the  principle  of  lower  wages,  on  the  grounds 
that  wages  can  only  be  payable  out  of  produc- 
tion, and  that  the  "cost  of  living,  with  an  im- 
provement in  the  standard  of  life  "  basis,  must 
be  abandoned  for  the  moment. 

The  officials  of  one  of  the  largest  unions 
connected  with  our  industry  came  down  to  a 
local  mine,  and,  quite  frankly,  advised  the  men 
to  accept  a  large  reduction  in  wages,  and  in- 
deed to  accept  the  principle  of  a  minimum 
wage  on  a  really  low  basis,  if  the  company 
would  devise  some  system  by  which  an  auto- 
matic rise  in  wages  would  take  effect  when 
prices  improved  and  the  cost  of  production  be- 
came lower.  He  pointed  out  to  the  men  the 
importance  of  reducing  costs  in  every  direction, 
by  better  work,  and  stated  that  the  "  ca'  canny  " 
idea  was  suicidal.  The  management  was  much 
impressed  by  this  new  attitude,  and  agreed  to 
consider  a  scheme  of  the  nature  indicated. 

Managers  must  not  altogether  found  their 
hopes  on  a  rise  in  prices;  they  must  concen- 
trate on  reducing  the  cost  of  production.  Too 
often   this  is    confined  to  the  idea  of    better 


mechanical  methods,  involving  heavy  capital 
expenditure,  but  I  venture  to  submit  that  it  is 
far  more  important  to  reorganize  the  system  of 
employment,  and  to  get  the  men  really  inter- 
ested in  their  work.  The  potential  savings  in 
thisdirection  are  enormous.  As  an  illustration 
which  shows  the  margin  of  saving,  1  may  in- 
stance what  occurred  recently  in  a  large  mine. 
The  contracts  were  cut  20%,  and  in  the  nextsuc- 
ceedingpay,the  average  daily  wage  was  ashigh 
as  the  previous  month.  Labour  conditionsand 
labour  ideals  must  now  be  studied  as  an  essen- 
tial part  of  mine  management,  and  I  believe  that 
with  these  satisfied,  the  cost  of  production  can 
be  enormously  reduced. 

The  Mine  Owners'  Association  met  in  Lon- 
don recently,  and  there  was  naturally  a  feeling 
of  intense  depression,  some  members  even 
going  as  far  as  to  suggest  that  the  Association 
should  be  disbanded,  but  this  was  promptly 
overruled.  This  year  will  undoubtedly  be  the 
worst  that  has  ever  been  experienced,  and  it  is 
more  than  ever  important  to  stick  together. 
Many  of  the  members  feel  that  there  should  be 
co-operative  selling  of  concentrates,  and  at  the 
meeting  in  June  a  scheme  may  be  brought  for- 
ward. A  large  buyer  of  blende  told  me  that  he 
would  not  entertain  buying  small  parcels,  and 
pressed  upon  me  the  importance  of  offering  a 
continued  output.  The  Swansea  smelters  have 
always  stated  that  if  they  had  asubstantial  sup- 
ply of  blende,  they  would  gladly  give  a  higher 
price.  They  want  security  for  raw  material, 
and  little  odd  lots  are  obviously  no  good  to 
them.  The  same  rule  applies  to  galena,  and  if 
evena  proportionof  the  minescombine,  it  would 
be  to  the  advantage  of  both  the  owners  and  the 
smelters.  A  meeting  of  the  Industrial  Council 
was  held  the  same  afternoon,  and  the  Union 
members  showed  a  spirit  of  cooperation  that 
certainly  was  an  immense  encouragement  to 
the  owners.  It  was  the  best  meeting  that  we 
have  held,  and  will  lead  to  great  things  if  we 
can  continue  to  look  upon  the  industry  as  a 
joint  interest  of  men  and  owners.  The  names 
of  Mr.  Anthony  Wilson  and  Mr.  J.  L.  Francis 
were  suggested  to  act  as  owners'  representa- 
tives on  the  Board  of  Trade  Consultative  Com- 
mittee for  Non- Ferrous  Mines.  I  hear  that 
Mr.  Bridgeman  has  asked  Mr.  Wilson  to  un- 
dertake this  duty,  and  that  Mr.  James  Wig- 
nail,  M.P.,  has  been  appointed  to  the  Com- 
mittee to  represent  the  labour  side. 

As  to  the  mines  themselves,  they  are  practi 
cally  all  stopped  or  stopping.     At  Thornth- 
waite  the  mine  is  being  kept  clear  of  water,  and 
two  ends  are  being  driven,  the  directors  having 
decided  to  continue  this  small  programme  in  the 


232 


Till'     MINING     MAGAZINE 


hope  of  better  prices,  failinR  which  the  mine 
will  be  dismantled.  Threlkeld  mine  is  now 
stopped  as  a  producer,  and  all  the  men  have 
been  dismissed,  except  10,  wiio  are  engaged  in 
carrying  tiirough  a  ventilation  level.  There  are 
happily  no  pumping  charges,  and  the  mine  will 
restart  directly  prices  improve.  There  has 
been  a  general  reduction  of  12s.  per  week  at 
both  these  mines,  and  the  men  have  expressed 
a  general  desire  to  start  work  directly  there  is 
any  substantial  improvement  in  the  value  of 
concentrates.  At  Greenside  mine  the  liquida- 
tion continues,  and  the  lower  rate  of  wages  has 
been  accepted,  but  unfortunately  the  drawing 
and  dressing  of  the  crude  ore  in  stock  has  been 
suspended  for  the  present.  A  higher  price  for 
galena  will  enable  the  work  to  be  resumed,  as 
there  is  still  a  large  tonnage  of  broken  ore  to 
treat.  I  am  afraid  that  the  Vieille  Montague 
Zinc  Co.  have  decided  to  permanently  close 
down  the  mines  in  the  Alston  district.  This  is 
a  great  blow  to  the  industry,  their  production 
of  blende  bemg  by  far  the  largest  in  the  coun- 
try. A  small  programme  of  development  is 
being  pursued,  for  thisyear,atNentsbury  mine, 
in  the  hope  of  finding  new  deposits;  if  success- 
ful it  might  affect  the  situation. 

The  position  at  Wanlockhead  and  Leadhills 
is  critical.  Despite  all  conciliatory  influences, 
including,  strange  to  say,  a  visit  from  Mr. 
Smillie,  the  men  refuse  to  accept  a  reduction 
in  wages.  The  cost  of  pumping  at  these  two 
mines  is  approximately  ;^3,000  per  month, 
and  unless  the  men  agree  promptly  to  a  sub- 
stantial reduction  in  wages,  the  mines  will  be 
flooded,  which  would  mean  the  extinction  of 
the  industry  in  that  area.  I  sincerely  hope 
that  the  men  will  not  persist  in  their  unreason- 
able attitude,  as  a  temporary  period  of  low 
wages  might  carry  the  mines  through  the  cri- 
sis, and  they  would  then  have  the  opportunity 
of  participating  in  better  times,  if  these  come. 

In  the  Weardale  area,  Boltsburn  and  Sed- 
ling  mines  are  both  working,  but  at  a  very  large 
reduction  in  wages.  I  am  glad  to  learn  that 
the  men  accepted  the  necessary  change  in  a 
most  friendly  spirit,  and  at  lower  wages  they 
are  putting  increased  energy  into  their  work. 
The  quarries  in  this  valley  are  practically 
closed  down  for  the  present,  as  the  products, 
ganister  and  limestone,  are  principally  requir- 
ed for  the  iron  and  steel  works  in  the  Durham 
area.  Lord  Allendale's  mines  are  still  at  work, 
and  I  understand  look  well.  I  hear  that  Mill 
Close  mine  in  Derbyshire  is  still  producing, 
and  that  the  workings  look  very  well,  but  I 
have  no  direct  knowledge. 

There  are  no  mines  producing  in  Wales. 


East  Ilalkyn  is  closed  down,  and  at  the  fa- 
mous Halkyn  mine  I  believe  that  one  level  is 
being  driven.  Continual  negotiations  are  tak- 
ing place  ovisr  !he  tunnel  scheme,  but  there 
seems  no  immediate  probability  of  a  settlement 
being  reached.  It  is  more  than  ever  difficult  to 
understand  why  all  parties  cannot  sink  differ- 
ences and  come  to  a  working  arrangement. 
The  Shropshire  mines  are  practically  closed 
down  for  the  present,  but  this  is  merely  tempo- 
rary, the  demand  for  barytes  being  very  poor 
just  now. 

1  hear  that  the  Swansea  zinc  smelters  have 
by  no  means  given  up  hope  of  a  revival  of  this 
industry,  and  that  some  of  the  works  are  now 
engaged  in  repairs  and  improvements  to  the 
plant.  The  hope  is  that  by  the  end  of  the  year 
there  will  be  much  higher  prices, and  that  lower 
costs  will  enable  them  to  resume  work.  A 
small  cargo  of  Australian  zinc  concentrates  has 
been  delivered  at  Antwerp  at  a  freight  charge 
of  45s.;  with  the  original  cost  of  £i.  10s.  at 
Port  Pirie,  the  cost,  as  far  as  these  charges, 
would  be  £6.  15s.  for  47%  ore.  I  cannot  learn 
that  the  Board  of  Trade  has  fixed  any  basis  for 
the  sale  of  their  huge  stocks  of  ore  which  still 
hang  over  the  market. 


PERSONAL. 

The  firm  of  Philip  Argall  &  Sons,  of  Denver,  has 
been  dissolved. 

Ralph  Arnold  has  been  on  a  short  visit  to  London 
from  the  United  States. 

W.  Baragwanath  has  been  appointed  Director  of 
the  Geological  Survey  of  Victoria. 

George  Bargate,  late  of  Dolcoaih,  has  been  ap- 
pointed superintendent  for  the  Central  European  Mines, 
Ltd.,  Jugo-Slavia,  for  which  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co. 
are  the  general  managers. 

James  P.  Best  is  returning  from  Nigeria. 

Edgar  Bonds  is  expected  from  West  Africa. 

Professor  J.  S.  S.  Brame  has  been  elected  presi- 
dent of  the  Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists. 

A.  R.  Canning  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

W.  A.  Carlyle  has  returned  to  London  from  Can- 
ada. 

E.  H.  Clifford  has  resigned  as  consulting  engineer 
to  the  Central  Mining  and  Investment  Corporation. 

].  A.  Dunn,  of  the  Bendigo  Amalgamated  Gold  fields, 
has  been  elected  to  a  Frecheville  Research  Scholarship 
at  the  Royal  School  of  Mines.  He  is  making  a  petro- 
logical  study  of  the  rocks  at  Mount  Bischoff  before  com- 
ing to  England. 

J.  C.  Farrant.  London  manager  for  the  Hardinge 
Company,  was  married  to  Alice  Christine  Gaskell  on 
April  7. 

Dr.  ].  S.  Flett  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
Geological  Section  of  the  British  Association  meeting 
to  be  held  in  September, 

W.  F.  Garland  has  retired  from  the  secretaryship 
of  the  Mysore  Gold  Mining  Company  after  serving  in 
that  capacity  for  twenty  years,  and  has  been  elected  a 
member  of  the  board. 

W.  H.  GOODCHILD  has  gone  to  Spain. 


APRIL,    1921 


233 


S.  V.  Griffith  has  joined  the  staff  of  the  Corocoro 
United  Copper  Mines,  Ltd.,  Bolivia. 

A.  A.  Harris  is  back  from  Nigeria. 

Dr.  F.  H.  Hatch  has  been  appointed  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  Mines  to  be  technical  adviser  to  the  department 
on  questions  relating  to  the  metalliferous  mining  in- 
dustry. 

Hyman  Herman,  engineer  for  briquetting  for  the 
Victorian  Electricity  Commission,  is  going  to  Germany 
to  purchase  briquetting  plant  for  use  at  the  Morwell 
brown  coal  deposits. 

H  R.  Hill  has  been  appointed  president  of  the 
Transvaal  Mine  Managers'  Association. 

Ross  B.  Hoffmann  has  returned  to  the  United 
States. 

J.  VoLNEY  Lewis,  head  of  the  department  of  geol- 
ogy at  Rutgers  College,  New  Jersey,  has  been  ap- 
pointed first  secretary  to  the  Society  of  Economic 
Geologists,  recently  formed  in  America. 

Edwin  Ludlow  is  the  new  president  of  the  Ameri- 
can Insiitute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers. 

Harold  D.  Martin  has  returned  from  India. 

E.  P.  Mathewson  is  here  from  the  United  States. 

Captain  A.  H.  Moreing  is  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Commons  Select  Committee  on  Telephones. 

H.  L.  Morton  has  left  for  India  to  take  up  an  ap- 
pointment with  the  Bengal  Iron  Company. 

Edgar  Pam  has  been  appointed  manager  of  the 
Modderfontein  East. 

G.  S.  Paterson  has  returned  from  Peru,  and  has 
gone  to  South  Africa. 

W.  Pellew  Harvey  has  left  for  Australia. 

J.  S.  Penberthy  has  joined  the  staff  of  La  Com- 
pania  Estanifera  de  Llallagua.  Bolivia. 

A.  R.  Pengilly  is  now  at  Tampico,  Mexico. 

John  Roberts  has  gone  to  Mysore 

E.  G.  RoBSON  has  gone  to  Venezuela. 

Hugh  Rose  is  expected  from  Mexico. 

R.  A.  Rusha  is  expected  from  Nigeria. 

HjALMAR  E.  Skougor  is  here  from  New  York. 

Dr.  G.  F.  Herbert  Smith  has  been  appointed 
.issistant  secretary  at  the  Natural  History  Museum, 
South  Kensington. 

Dr.  O.  J.  Stannard  has  left  on  a  short  visit  to  the 
United  States. 

Arthur  E.  Taylor  is  on  his  way  home  from  India. 

J.  B.  Tvrrell  is  visiting  the  gas  and  oil  regions  of 
-Mberta. 

G.  A.Watermever,  a. R.S.M.,  has  been  appointed 
professor  of  mining  in  University  College,  Johannes- 
burg. 

Sir  Trevredvn  Wynne  has  returned  from  Burma. 

H.  H.  YuiLL  is  back  from  West  Africa. 


W.  E.  Thomas  died  last  month  from  pneumonia. 

S.  R.  Bastard,  director  of  several  Nigerian  tin  com- 
panies, died  last  month. 

D.  T.  Williams,  a  well  known  London  analyst, 
previously  connected  with  the  South  Wales  metal  in- 
dustry, died  last  month. 

Henry  Battens,  lately  manager  of  the  Grenville 
mine,  died  last  month.  He  was  a  Cornishman  by  birth 
and  training.  He  spent  many  years  in  New  Zealand, 
where  he  became  manager  of  the  Hauraki  gold  mine. 

Sir  Robert  Taylor,  head  of  the  firm  of  John  Taylor 
&  Sons,  died  early  ihis  month.  He  was  knighted  last 
vear  in  recognition  of  the  firm's  great  services  in  con- 
nection with  Indian  mining. 

The  Mining  VF'oWii  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary 
this  month.  We  wish  Mr.  W.  Chisholm.  the  pro- 
prietor and  editor,  many  more  years  of  prosperity. 


TRADE   PARAGRAPHS 

The  Globe  Pneumatic  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.. 
of  1,  Victoria  Street,  London,  S.W  1,  and  Luton,  send 
us  their  new  catalogue  of  pneumatic  tools,  including 
hand  hammer-drills  and  rivetters 

Metropolitan  VicKERS  Electrical  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  Manchester  and  Westminster,  send  us  leaflets  relat- 
ing to  three-phase  transformers  for  rotary  converters 
and  transformers  for  use  in  collieries. 

Edgar  Allen  &  Co..  Ltd  ,  Imperial  Steel  Works, 
Sheffield,  send  us  their  Edgar  Allen  News  for  March. 
This  contains  notes  on  the  application  of  magnetite  for 
iron  and  steel  making  and  the  prevention  of  fitchenng 
of  drill  steels. 

The  General  Electric  Company,  Ltd.,  an- 
nounce their  approaching  removal  to  a  new  building 
erected  for  them  in  Kingsway,  London,  W  C.2,  and 
named  Magnet  House.  The  showrooms  will  remain 
at  Queen  Victoria  Street.  They  also  send  us  their  cir- 
cular OS.  2465  relating  to  their  Osram  miners'  hand 
lamp. 

ViCKERS  Petters,  LTD.,  of  Ipswich,  send  us  an 
elaborate  catalogue  relating  to  their  Semi-Diesel  Crude 
Oil  Stationary  and  Marine  Engines.  Among  the  novel 
features  may  be  mentioned  the  new  electrical  starting 
apparatus.  The  London  offices  of  this  company  are 
being  moved  from  Great  Portland  Street  to  75b,  Queen 
Victoria  Street. 

The  Mond  Nickel  Co.,  Ltd.,  have  been  giving 
cinematograph  shows  at  their  offices,  39.  Victoria  Street, 
Westminster,  illustrating  the  operations  at  their  Sud- 
bury mines  and  at  the  Coniston  smelters  Mr.  Robert 
Mond,  Chairman  of  the  company,  kindly  gave  most  in- 
teresting descriptions  of  the  work  done  and  of  the  busi- 
ness of  the  company  when  a  special  show  was  given  to 
representatives  of  the  press. 


METAL   MARKETS 

Copper. — Although  early  in  March  the  market  was 
easy,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  month  things  took  rather 
a  firmer  turn,  this  remark  applying  to  both  standard 
and  refined  metal  Some  purchases  of  standard  were 
entered  into  some  time  ago  on  American  account,  and 
because  there  were  fears  that  the  warrants  might  be 
taken  up  when  suet  contracts  matured,  and  as  there  is 
comparatively  little  rough  copper  in  store,  bears  be- 
came rather  anxious  to  cover  their  open  positions  and 
a  good  demand  ensued  for  intermediate  dates  The 
result  has  been  that  standard  copper  values  came  very 
close  to  those  of  refined.  Latterly  a  more  hopeful  feel- 
ing was  engendered  in  the  general  situation  by  the  re- 
ports of  further  curtailment  in  America.  It  is  under- 
stood that  not  less  than  ten  producing  companies  are 
ceasing  production,  including  Anaconda.  Utah.  Ray 
Consolidated.  Chino,  and  Nevada  Consolidated.  It  is 
not  surprising  that  producers  have  got  tired  of  turning 
out  their  copper  at  a  loss,  and  this  rather  drastic  cut  in 
production  should  eventually  improve  the  situation. 
Meantime  there  are  still  the  very  large  accumulations 
on  hand  to  be  disposed  of.  It  seems  that  in  spite  of  re- 
cent curtailments  production  continued  in  excess  of 
consumption,  and  that  the  accumulated  stocks  have  in- 
creased considerably  since  the  end  of  the  year.  Con- 
sumption everywhere  is  unsatisfactory. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  March  1921 . 
£67.  Ms.  id  ■.  February  1921,  ^71  Os.Od.;  March  1920, 
£109.  lis.  lOd.  ;   February  1920,  ;fl20.  6s.  2d. 

Tin  — The  general  position  of  this  metal  shows  no 
material  alteration.    The  price-pegging  policy  has  been 


234 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Metal  1'kichs:   Official  Closing 
Copper.  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  Loni! 


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0  to 

69 

10  0 

16 

67  0  0  to 

67 

5 

0 

66  10 

0  lo 

66 

15 

0 

70 

10 

0  lo 

71 

10 

0 

70 

10 

0  to 

71 

10 

0 

67 

10 

0  to 

69 

10  0 

17 

67  0  0  10 

67 

5 

0 

66  10 

0  to 

66 

15 

0 

70 

10 

0  lo 

71 

10 

0 

70 

10 

0  lo 

71 

10 

0 

67 

10 

0  lo 

69 

10  0 

18 

68  0  C  to 

68 

5 

0 

66  15 

0  10 

67 

0 

0 

70 

10 

0  to 

71 

10 

0 

70 

10 

0  lo 

71 

10 

0 

67 

10 

Oto 

09 

10  0 

21 

67  15  0  to 

68 

0 

0 

66  15 

0  lo 

67 

0 

0 

70 

10 

0  10 

71 

10 

0 

70 

10 

0  10 

71 

10 

0 

67 

10 

0  to 

69 

10  0 

22 

68  0  0  to 

6S 

5 

0 

66  15 

0  10 

67 

0 

0 

70 

15 

0  to 

71 

15 

0 

70 

15 

0  10 

71 

15 

0 

67 

10 

0  10 

69 

10  0 

23 

69  0  0  to 

69 

2 

(1 

68  0 

0  to 

68 

5 

0 

71 

5 

0  to 

72 

5 

0 

71 

5 

0  10 

72 

5 

0 

67 

10 

0  10 

69 

10  0 

24 

69  7  6  to 

69 

10 

0 

68  10 

0  lo 

68 

12 

6 

71 

10 

0  lo 

73 

0 

0 

71 

10 

0  to 

73 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0  to 

71 

0  0 

29 

69  12  6  to 

69 

15 

0 

69  1 

6  lo 

69 

5 

0 

71 

10 

0  lo 

73 

0 

0 

71 

10 

0  lo 

73 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0  to 

71 

0  0 

30 

70  12  6  to 

70 

15 

0 

70  0 

0  lo 

70 

5 

0 

72 

10 

0  10 

74 

0 

0 

72 

10 

0  to 

74 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0  lo 

71 

0  0 

31 

April 

1 

70  0  0  to 

70 

5 

0 

69  10 

0  lo 

69 

12 

6 

7J, 

10 

0  to 

74 

0 

0 

72 

10 

0  lo 

74 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0  10 

71 

0  0 

69  0  0  to 

69 

5 

0 

68  10 

0  10 

68 

12 

6 

72 

10 

0  lo 

73 

10 

0 

72 

10 

Oto 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

0  10 

72 

0  0 

4 

68  0  0  to 

68 

5 

0 

67  10 

Oto 

07 

15 

0 

72 

10 

0  10 

73 

10 

0 

7J 

10 

0  lo 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

Oto 

72 

0  0 

5 

68  7  6  to 

68 

10 

0 

68  0 

0  to 

68 

2 

6 

71 

10 

0  lo 

73 

10 

0 

72 

10 

0  to 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

0  lo 

72 

0  u 

6 

68  15  0  to 

68 

J7 

6 

6K  10 

0  to 

68 

12 

6 

71 

10 

0  lo 

73 

10 

0 

"1 

10 

0  lo 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

0  lo 

72 

0  0 

7 

69  0  0  to 

69 

5 

0 

68  15 

0  lo 

69 

0 

0 

72 

10 

0  lo 

n 

10 

0 

72 

10 

0  to 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

Oto 

72 

0  0 

8 

68  17  6  to 

69 

0 

0 

_ 

68  15 

0  to 

69 

0 

0 

72 

10 

0  10 

73 

10 

0 

72 

10 

0  to 

73 

10 

0 

70 

0 

0  10 

72 

0  0 

abandoned  in  the  Straits,  but  the  fact  remains  that  a 
considerable  accumulation  of  tin  exists  in  the  hands  of 
the  Federated  Malay  States  Government.  In  regard  to 
this  it  is  understood  that  the  authorities  in  the  Straits 
have  come  to  an  agreement  with  those  in  the  Dutch 
East  Indies  that  their  respective  stocks  shall  not  be 
thrown  on  the  market,  this  understanding  to  remain  m 
operation  to  the  end  of  May,  when  presumably  matters 
will  be  reconsidered.  This  announcement  did  not  have 
any  particular  efiect  upon  the  market,  for  the  reason 
that  it  had  for  some  time  been  understood  that  the 
F.M.S.  Government  had  not  intended  sacrificing  their 
stocks  at  a  loss,  and  in  any  case  the  agreement  does  not 
refer  to  current  production.  In  the  meantime,  business 
has  been  initiated  once  more  in  the  Straits  and  also  with 
Batavia,  although  no  great  quantities  appear  to  have 
changed  hands  in  either  quarter.  So  far  as  demand  is 
concerned  this  has  been  very  unsatisfactory.  Only  a 
very  small  business  has  been  doing  with  home  con- 
sumers, as  is  understandable  in  view  of  the  slackness  of 
the  tinplate  trade  America  has  done  a  little  business 
now  and  then,  but  nothing  to  speak  of,  while  Conti- 
nental demand  has  also  been  restricted.  A  factor 
which  should  not  be  lost  sight  of  is  the  possibility  of  a 
10%  ad  valorem  duty  being  imposed  on  imports  of  tin 
into  the  United  Stales.  If  this  tariff  were  definitely  de- 
cided upon  it  might  create  some  demand  for  metal  now 
in  this  country  to  be  shipped  over  there  in  order  to  get 
in  before  the  dutv  is  put  on.  In  the  meanwhile,  how- 
ever, world  supplies  are  ample,  and  consumption  poor, 
and  for  that  reason  it  is  difficult  to  see  any  big  price  ad- 
vance in  sight.  At  the  same  time,  at  the  current  com- 
paratively low  level  of  values  operators  are  cautious  in 
selling  short.  During  the  month  of  March  the  prices 
fluctuated  without  any  very  definite  tendency. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin:  March  1921, 
i\56.  4s.  7d.  :  February  1921,  /166  9s.  Id.  ;  March 
1920,  /369.  14s.  5d.  ;   February  1920,  £i')5.  I6s.  6d. 

Lead. — Values  of  this  commodity  recovered  some- 
what during  the  month  of  March  from  the  compara- 
tively low  level  touched  towards  the  end  of  the  pre- 
vious month.  It  is  difficult  to  give  any  very  definite 
reason  for  the  improvement,  except  that  the  low  level 
referred  to  appeared  to  attract  dealers,  and  also  to  some 
extent  consumers,  with  the  result  that  prices  improved. 


Speaking  generally,  however,  the  quantities  going  into 
consumption  remain  exceedingly  restricted,  while  sup- 
plies of  metal  are  steadily  coming  forward.  A  certain 
amount  of  speculative  interest  has  been  seen  in  the  mar- 
ket, possibly  based  upon  the  hope  that  the  reduction  in 
the  bank  rate  which  is  expected  will  be  the  means  of 
stimulating  trade  and  giving  a  greater  outlet  for  the 
metal.  In  regard  to  stocks  abroad,  there  is  no  definite 
news  as  to  how  much  is  held  in  Spain,  but  a  good  quan- 
tity is  believed  to  be  there.  The  new  reparation  pro- 
posals in  regard  to  Germany  might  be  the  means  of 
retarding  further  supplies  from  there,  but  these  were 
not,  after  all,  an  important  factor  in  the  situation.  A 
feature  recently  has  been  further  arrivals  from  Belgium. 
Australia  virtually  remains  out  of  the  picture  so  far  as 
lead  supplies  are  concerned.  The  .\merican  market 
has  shown  a  fluctuating  tendency.  It  is  believed  in 
some  quarters  that  the  duty  on  imports  into  the  United 
States  might  be  raised,  in  which  case  some  shipments 
from  here  might  take  place  with  the  object  of  getting 
the  metal  into  America  before  the  increase  takes  place. 
It  is  possible  that  some  of  the  firmness  seen  in  the 
market  here  was  due  to  such  anticipations. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  March  1921,  ;f  19.  2s. 
9d.  ;  February  1921,  /21  ;  March  1920,  I'M.  Is.  9d  ; 
February  1920,  ./50.  12s.  9d 

Spelter. — Business  in  this  article  with  theconsum- 
inglradeswasalittlebriskerduringlhemonth  of  March, 
but  thetakingsof  consumers  still  remain  very  restricted. 
At  one  time  some  anxiety  was  felt  in  regard  to  supplies 
from  Germany.  It  was  feared  that  the  new  reparation 
proposals,  whereby  50"o  of  the  value  of  such  imports 
have  to  be  paid  to  our  Government,  would  be  the  means 
of  stopping  supplies,  and  as  a  consequence  the  market 
showed  considerable  firmness.  However,  fears  in  re- 
gard to  the  immediate  future  were  dispelled  by  the  an- 
nouncement that  purchases  made  prior  to  March  .S  and 
arriving  before  April  15  would  be  exempt,  and  with  cer- 
tain quantities  coming  forward  from  Germany,  values 
eased  off.  So  far  as  future  offers  from  Germany  are 
concerned  it  is  difiicult  to  see  exactly  how  matters  will 
shape  themselves.  In  the  meanwhile  little  has  been 
offering  from  that  quarter,  but  some  business  has  been 
done  both  with  Scandinavia  and  Belgium.  Only  limited 
quantities  appear  to  be  procurable  from  the  latter  coun- 


APRIL,    1921 


235 


Prices  on  the  London  Metal  Exchange. 

Tons  :  Silver  per  Standard  Ounce ;    Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 
Spelter) 

_ 

GoL 

Soft  Foreign 

English 

( 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

D 

£   s. 

d.  £   s. 

d. 



£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

s. 

d 

Mar. 

19  0 

0  to  19  10 

0 

20 

10 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  26 

5 

0 

149 

10 

Oto  150 

0 

0 

153 

0 

oto  153 

10 

0 

311 

3o; 

105 

7 

10 

18  10 

0  to  19  2 

6 

20 

0 

0 

26 

5 

0  to  26 

10 

0 

155 

10 

Oto  156 

0 

0 

159 

0 

Oto  159 

10 

0 

3li 

31 

105 

3 

11 

19  0 

0  to  19  7 

6 

20 

10 

0 

26 

7 

6  to  2b 

12 

6 

159 

10 

0  to  160 

0 

0 

163 

10 

0  to  164 

0 

0 

334 

324 

105 

2 

14 

19  0 

0  to  19  7 

6 

20 

10 

0 

26 

0 

0  to  26 

7 

6 

157 

0 

0  to  157 

10 

0 

160 

0 

Oto  160 

10 

0 

334 

21j 

105 

6 

15 

18  17 

6  to  19  2 

6 

20 

10 

0 

25 

10 

Oto  26 

2 

6 

153 

0 

Oto  153 

5 

0 

156 

0 

Oto  156 

10 

0 

324 

3li 

105 

1 

16 

18  15 

0  to  19  0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

24 

17 

6  to  25 

10 

0 

156 

0 

0  to  156 

5 

0 

159 

5 

Oto  159 

10 

0 

32i 

3l5 

105 

4 

17 

18  15 

0  to  19  0 

0 

20 

0 

0 

25 

0 

0  to  25 

17 

6 

151 

15 

Oto  155 

0 

0 

157 

15 

Oto  158 

0 

0 

32S 

32S 

105 

0 

18 

19  0 

0  to  19  5 

0 

20 

0 

0 

25 

0 

Oto  26 

0 

0 

156 

0 

0  to  156 

10 

0 

159 

10 

Oto  160 

0 

0 

33g 

33 

104 

10 

21 

19  0 

0  to  19  7 

6 

20 

5 

0 

25 

2 

6  to  26 

2 

6 

157 

0 

Oto  157 

5 

0 

160 

10 

0  to  160 

15 

0 

34* 

333 
32i 

105 

0 

22 

19  7 

u  to  19  15 

0 

20 

10 

0 

25 

10 

0  to  26 

10 

0 

160 

5 

Oto  160 

10 

0 

164 

0 

Oto  164 

5 

0 

33S 

105 

0 

23 

20  5 

0  to  20  15 

0 

21 

10 

0 

25 

10 

0  to  26 

12 

6 

165 

10 

Oto  165 

15 

0 

163 

0 

Oto  168 

10 

0 

33i 
33i 

3.i 

104 

11 

24 

20  2 

6  to  20  12 

n 

21 

10 

0 

25 

5 

0  to  26 

10 

0 

161 

10 

0  to  161 

12 

6 

165 

0 

Oto  165 

5 

0 

33 

104 

11 

29 

20  0 

0  to  20  10 

0 

21 

10 

0 

24 

5 

Oto  26 

0 

0 

159 

10 

0  to  159 

15 

0 

162 

15 

Oto  163 

0 

0 

33 

104 

6 

30 

20  0 

0  to  20  7 

6 

21 

5 

0 

24 

5 

0  to  25 

15 

0 

158 

10 

Oto  159 

0 

0 

162 

0 

Oto  162 

10 

0 

33J 

32i 

104 

9 

31 
April 

19  15 

0  to  20  2 

6 

21 

5 

0 

24 

5 

Oto  25 

15 

0 

157 

5 

Oto  157 

10 

0 

160 

15 

Oto  161 

0 

0 

324 

32| 

104 

10 

1 

19  7 

fi  to  19  15 

0 

;o 

15 

0 

24 

0 

Oto  25 

10 

0 

154 

0 

0  to  154 

5 

0 

157 

0 

Oto  157 

10 

0 

33i 

32j 

105 

0 

4 

19  10 

0  to  19  17 

6 

21 

0 

0 

24 

5 

0  to  25 

15 

0 

152 

10 

Oto  152 

15 

0 

156 

5 

Oto  156 

10 

0 

33 

32| 
32l 

105 

5 

5 

20  0 

0  to  20  7 

6 

21 

10 

0 

24 

15 

Oto  26 

0 

0 

154 

10 

Oto  155 

0 

0 

157 

15 

Otol5S 

0 

0 

33i 

104 

11 

6 

20  5 

0  to  20  12 

6 

21 

15 

0 

25 

0 

Oto  26 

10 

0 

158 

10 

Olo  158 

15 

0 

lei 

10 

Oto  162 

0 

0 

334 

325 

104 

7 

7 

20  10 

0  to  20  17 

6 

22 

0 

0 

25 

7 

6  to  26 

7 

6 

159 

10 

Oto  159 

15 

0 

163 

0 

0  to  163 

5 

0 

33g 

33 

104 

11 

S 

try.  as  they  are  by  no  means  pressing  sales.  So  far  as 
America  is  concerned  that  country  has  not  been  a  factor 
in  this  market  one  way  or  another.  The  future  of  the 
market  here  is  very  obscure.  This  country  has  been 
relying  largely  for  some  time  past  on  German  supplies, 
and  the  market  here  has  been  practically  based  on  the 
price  at  which  Germany  offered.  It  would  be  natural 
to  suppose  that  the  new  50%  regulation,  already  re- 
ferreti  to,  would  be  the  means,  if  anything,  of  restrict- 
ing offers  from  Germany,  or  at  least  of  making  their 
prices  higher,  but  whether  such  apprehensions  are 
felt  or  not  the  market  so  far  has  not  reflected  them 
materially. 

Average  price  of  spelter  :  March  1921,  ;f  25.  10s.  5d.  ; 
February  1921,  /25.  5s.  5d. ;  March  1920,  £5-i.  16s.  7d. ; 
February  1920,  ;f62.  3s.  6d. 

Zinc  Dust. — The  market  is  quiet  and  prices  are 
easier.  High-grade  Australian  stands  at  about  ;f  55  per 
ton  upwards,  American  at  ;f57.  10s.  to  £62.  10s.,  and 
English  at  {60  per  ton. 

Antimony. — The  price  of  English  regulus  remains 
at  £■37  lo(W  for  ordinary  brands  and  /38.  5s.  to  £42 
for  special  brands.  Foreign  regulus  on  spot  is  quoted 
at  ;^23.  10s.  to  £25  per  ton  in  warehouse. 

Arsenic. — The  market  is  stagnant,  Cornish  white 
being  nominal  around  £4S  to  £50  per  ton  delivered. 

Bismuth. — The  chief  interest  continues  to  quote 
7s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — The  market  is  quiet,  with  the  quotation 
6s.  to  6s.  3d.  per  !b. 

Aluminium. — The  price  has  kept  steady  of  late  at 
£150  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export. 

Nickel. — £200  per  ton  is  quoted  for  both  home  and 
e.xport  business. 

Cobalt  Metal. — Business  is  quiet,  and  the  present 
price  is  19s.  per  lb 

Cobalt  Oxide. — Black  oxide  is  quoted  at  lbs.  and 
grey  at  17s.  6d. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Manufactured  metal 
(sheets  and  wire)  is  quoted  at  £l9per  oz..  but  raw  plati- 
num in  substantial  parcels  is  obtainable  around  £17 
per  oz,.  and  palladium  at  £l5. 

Quicksilver. — The  market  is  quiet  and  without  any 
special  feature.  The  price  has  kept  steady  at  £l2.  10s. 
to  £12.  15s.  per  bottle. 


Selenium. — Business  is  quiet,  with  10s.  6d.  to  13s. 
per  lb.  quoted  by  sellers. 

Tellurium. — There  is  no  change  in  the  quotation, 
which  continues  at  90s.  to  95s.  per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper — The  tendency  recently  has 
been  weaker,  the  present  price  being  about  £34  per  ton. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  market  is  quiet  and  weak, 
the  latest  quotation  for  Indian  grades  being  Is.  4d.  to 
Is.  5d.  per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Tungsten  Ores. — There  is  practically  no  business 
passing  in  the  market,  and  sellers  are  reluctant  to  sell 
at  less  than  lis.  6d.  to  14s.,  although  buyers'  ideas  are 
below  these  figures. 

Molybdenite. — 85%  is  quoted  at  55s.  to  65s.  per 
unit  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Chrome  Ores. — The  quotation  for  48%  is  £5.  10s. 
to  £6  per  ton  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Silver. — Spot  standard  bars  opened  the  month  at 
32id.,  declined  to  30§d.  on  March  5,  and  then  recovered 
till  34  Jd.  was  reached  on  the  22nd.  The  quotation  later 
receded,  however,  and  the  price  on  March  31  was  33Jd. 

Graphite. — The  price  of  Madagascar  80  to  90%  is 
£20  to  £25  per  ton. 

Iron  and  Steel. — At  the  beginning  of  March  the 
Cleveland  ironmasters  brought  their  selling  price  down 
by  about  45s.  per  ton.  making  No.  3  Cleveland  150s. 
for  home  and  155s.  for  export.  This  reduction  was 
followed  by  othermakers.  but  did  not  domuch  to  stimu- 
late consumption,  and  production  has  had  to  be  drasti- 
cally curtailed.  In  the  finished  iron  and  steel  branches, 
the  amount  of  new  business  which  has  been  passing 
during  the  last  month  has  been  very  small,  and  works 
have  been  only  able  to  carry  on  to  a  restricted  extent. 
The  Continental  works  too  are  badly  oft  lor  orders  and 
have  been  forced  to  make  severe  cuts  in  their  prices  in 
order  to  secure  what  business  was  about.  In  this 
country,  certain  price  reductions  have  been  made,  but 
prices  are  still  far  too  high  to  permit  of  a  revival  of  good 
trade.  The  coal  position  looks  like  dealing  a  further 
disastrous  blow  to  the  iron  and  steel  trades,  the  extent 
of  which  it  is  impossible  to  estimate  at  the  time  of  writ- 
ing. In  spite  of  it,  however,  Cleveland  ironmasters, 
early  in  April,  made  a  further  cut  in  their  prices  of  305. 
per  ton,  thus  bringing  the  price  of  No.  3  to  120s.  per 
ton  for  the  home  trade. 


236 


IHK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


STATISTICS. 


Prodiictiow  or  Gold  in  thk  Transvaal 
Total 


Year  1919 

January.  1920 

February  

March    

April  

May    

June 

July   

August  

Septeuiber  ... 

October    

November   ... 
December 
Tolal.  1920 
January.  1921 
February 


Rand 


Oi. 


653.295 

607  918 
689,615 
667.926 
681.551 
6'9.199 
718.521 
683.604 
665.486 
645.819 
618.525 
61'  519 


Else- 
where 


Oi. 


218.820 


17.208 
17.412 
17  391 
19,053 
17.490 
16.758 
17.578 
18,479 
16,61<7 
16,653 
15,212 
14.666 


Ot. 
8.330.091 


670.503 
625.130 
707  036 
686.979 
699.041 
715.957 
736.099 
702.083 
6B2.)73 
662.472 
633.737 
632.215 


Price  of 


Gold  peroz. 
s.    d. 


107 

110 
105 
102 
105 
102 
105 
112 
115 
117 
117 
115 


201.587 
14.168 
14.370 


651.593 

588,137 


105     C 
103     9 


Nativks  Emplovbd  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


January  3 1 ,  1920 

February  29  

March  31 

April  30 

May  31 

June  30 

July  31 

Ausust31 

September  30 

October  31      

November  30 

December  31 


January3i.  1921 
February  28  


Gold 
mines 


176.390 
185.185 
188.564 
189.446 
184.722 
179.827 
174.187 
169.263 
163.132 
159.426 
158.773 
1 '9.671 


165.287 
171.518 


Coal 


12.766 
12.708 
12,788 
12.951 
12.897 
13.036 
13.005 
13.535 
13.716 
13  858 
14.245 
14. '63 


Diamond 


4.796 
5.217 
5.232 
5.057 
4.793 
4.596 
4.521 
4.244 
4.323 
4.214 
3.504 
3  34(1 


14.541 
14.697 


3.319 
1.612 


Total 


193.952 
203.110 
206584 
207.454 
202.412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181.171 
177.498 
176.522 
177.274 


Transvaal  Gold  Outputs. 


181.147 
1.S7.827 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand 

Compiled  from  oflicial  statistics  published  by  the  Transvaal 

Chamber  of  Mines.    The  profit  available  for  dividends  is  about 

65%  of  the  working  profit.     Figures  for  yield  and  profit  for  1919 

based  on  par  valueof  gold  ;  subsequently  gold  premium  included 


Tons 
milled 

Yield 
per  ton 

Work'f 

cost 
per  ton 

s,    d 
22  11 

Work'g 

profit 

per  ton 

Total 

working 

profit 

Year  1919  

24.043.636 

s.    d 

28     7 

34  4 

35  1 
31     8 
31     5 
31     9 
31   10 
33    6 

36  11 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 

s.  d, 
5     6 

6.605,509 

January.  1920--- 
February 

2.038  092 
1. 869. 180 
2,188.104 
2.065.446 
2.117.725 
2.146.890 
2.194.050 
2.057.560 
1.950.410 
1.871.140 
1.79U.710 
1.79'.9"0 

24  2 
28     3' 

25  2 

26  3 
25   11 
25     2 

24  6 

25  0 

25  6 

26  1 
26    3 
"fi    8 

10  2 
6  10* 
6    6 
5     2 

5  10 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13     5 
13    8 
13     1 
13     3 

1.036.859 
644.571* 
716.610 
533.940 
618.147 
692.510 
985.058 

1,226  906 

April    

May 

September     -■- 

1,276.369 
1,278.385 
1.255.749 
1.19i  672 

November 

rtecember 

January.  1921,. 

1.895.235 

35    0 

26    3 

8    9 

829.436 

*  Results  affected  by  the  backpay  disbursed   in  accordance 
with  new  wages  agreement. 

Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 

1920 

1921 

JaDuary  

February 

March    

April  

May            -    •■ 

£ 
211,917 
220.885 
225.808 
213,160 
218.057 
214.215 
214.919 
207  339 
223.719 
204.184 
186.462 
153.835 

oz. 

43,42» 
44.237 
45  779 
47.000 
46.266 
45.0'.4 
46.208 
4('.740 
45.471 
47.343 
46.782 
46,190 

oz. 

46,956 
40,816 

July    

— 

September  .. 

October 

November   ... 
December    -- 

- 

Tmal 

2.499,498 

552,498 

93,772 

February 
Treated      Yield 


Aurora  West  

brakpan    

City  Deep 

Cons.  Langlaagte 

Cons.  Mail]  Reef  

Crown  Mines 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  P.M 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld  

Geldenhuis  Deep  

Glynn's  Lydenburg 

Goch  

Government  G.M.  Areas 

Kleinfoiitein    

Knight  Central  

Langlaagte  Estate 

Luipaard's  Vlei 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  

Modderfontein  B  

Moddeifontein  Deep  

Modderfontein  East 

New  Unified   

Nourse  

Primrose  

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson    

Robinson  Deep 

Koodepoort  United  

Rose  Deep    

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates-- 

Van  Ryn   

'  Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep  

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witwalersrand  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  — 
Wolhuter 


March 


Tons 

7.080 
48.500 
52. SCO 
14,300 
33.000 

124.00C 
24.550 

112.000 
22,500 
40.000 
39.760 
5.560 
12,00( 

111,500 
43,800 
21.300 
27.100 
14.360 
9,700 
83,000 
50,000 
39,4C0 
25,000 
9.300 
35.600 
20.300 

100.500 
26,700 
39,200 
22.00f 
47.500 
53.200 
29.500 
9.500 
14.835 
28.100 
46.800 
43.300 
30.100 
28,500 
32.C60 
23.600 


Treated 


Oz. 

£l0.030t 

19.937 

22.260 

£27,987t 

11,515 

42„328 

7,719 

29,099 

7,457 

14,058 

10,804 

£5.5f0t 

fl3,t98t 

£231,4001 

11,723 

5.469 

f 45. 283 1 

£10.9051 

£31.5401 

39.580 

25,324 

21.656 

9.883 

£10.762) 

11.678 

£22.328+! 

£162.6051 

5.769 

12.208 

£22,22tl 

10,748 

12.657 

12.843 

5.C66 

£26.129! 

£44.519t 

£127.8771 

13.475 

£45.7691 

£43.0411 

£49,205) 

5,928 


Tons 
10.000 
52.000 
85.000 
42  000 
47.800 

187.00( 
26,500 

131.500 
52.000 
45.000 
46.95( 
3,277 
16,600 

136.000 
48.00( 

25  KOO 
40,000 

14.300 
92,000 
37,000 
42,700 

26  000 
10.900 
42.000 
21.700 

120,000 
39.800 
60.100 
23.000 
53.300 
61.100 
42.000 
9.900 
13.945 
31,100 
50.600 
48.700 
32.300 
32.000 
• 

32.200 


1^ 
tio. 


Yield 

Oz. 

£14.595) 
22.319 
36.584 
£62.419) 
16,759 
51.218 
8.778 
34,270 
10,290 
15.359 
12.781 
,;4.990)- 
v20.284) 
£283.290) 
13.297 
6,178 

£62,290) 

« 

£45.361) 
43.114 
29.200 
22.809 
10.430 

£l3,219t 
13,253 

£24,397) 

£187,469) 

7,814 

17.279 

£22.209) 
12.871 
13.540 
18.776 
5.557 

£22,4151 

£47.453t 

£138.977) 

14.643 

£48.892) 

£47.940) 

8,291 


*  Returns  not  yet  received.     )  £5.  3s.  9d.  per  oz.     t  £5.  2s.  9d. 
per  oz 

West  African  Goto  Outputs. 


Abbontiakoon     

Abosso  

Akoko  

Asbanti  Goldfields 

Obbuassi  

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


January 


Treated      Value 


Tons 

6.330 
5,CO0 

4,691 

680 

7.898 

2  755 


£9.304* 
1.989 


February 


Treated      Value 


Tons 
6.057 
4.240 


5.375  4.603 

£2.252)  662 

£14,534'  6,923 

1,620  I  2,500 


Oz. 

£9.543* 
1,696 

5.059 

£2.414) 

£12.914* 

1.627 


*  At  par.    I  Including  premium. 
Rhodestan  Gold  Outputs, 


Cam  &  Motor 

Falcon  

Gaika 

Globe  Sc  Phoenix 

Jumbo   

London  &  Rhodesian  - 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-Arcturus    

Rezende    

Rhodesia,  Ltd 

Rhodesia  G-M.  &  I 

Sbamva     

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian  . 


January 


15.301 
2.813 
5,949 


5,350 
5.750 
5,436 

661 

50.700 

1.550 


2.803' 
1,383 
7,206 


5,219 
2,535 
2.536 

253 
£40-4505 
£5.440+ 


February 


Treated 


Tons 

8.200 
15.103 
3.211 
5.364 
790 
2.213 
4.900 
5.470 
5.100 

509 
25.500 
1.450 


Oz. 


*  Also  241  tons  copper.    §  Gold  at  110s.  per  oz.    f  At  par. 
I  Gold  at  £5  per  oz.    I:  Also  251  tons  copper. 


1.495 
2.S94N 
1,356 
6,319 
343 
£2,799 
4.776 
2,612 
2,466 

194 
£17,795! 
£5,116) 


APRIL,    1921 


237 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics.— Par  Values, 


Reported 
forExpon 


lanuacy.  1920  . 

February  

March    

April  

May    

[una    

Inly    

Aiitjust  

September  .... 

October 

November  .... 
nccember  ..■■ 
l.iriuary.  1921  • 

February  

March    


836 
1.928 

835 
227 
502 

167 
141 
174 
128 
321 
523 
684 
10 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

oz. 


25.670 
49.453 
54.020 
56.256 
50.976 
56.679 
48,341 
54.258 
54,940 
53,801 
54,729 
53,595 
50,934 
26.872 
47.875 


Total 


26.506 

112.590 

51.381 

218.251 

54.020 

229.461 

57.091 

242.506 

51.203 

217.495 

57.181 

242.638 

48.341 

205.340 

54.425 

231.185 

55.081 

233,963 

53.975 

229  275 

54.857 

233.017 

53.916 

229.057 

51.457 

218.574 

27.556 

117,050 

47.885 

203,401 

Total 
value  £ 


Australian 

Gold  Returns. 

Victoria. 

Queensland. 

Wales 

1919 

1920 

1919 

1920 

1920 
£ 

1921 

£ 

Oz. 

£ 

Oz. 

£ 

January  ■■■ 

36,238 

7.105 

37,100 

4.724 

28.000 

20,463 

February 

46.955 

8,677 

43,330 

7.200 

15.000 

21,575 

March 

40.267 

24.126 

48,000 

6.973 

22.000  1       — 

April    

63,818 

6.368 

61,200 

8.368 

12.000 

— 

May     

37  456 

13  ''63 

38  200 

8  432 

13  80O 

44,600 
42.060 

8,700 
17,410 



July  

37.395 

12.782 

9.596 

— 

Aueust    ... 

51.564 

12.S09 

49.700 

9.973 

17,168 

— 

September 

76.340 

13,973 

37.120 

11.789 

13,872 

— 

October  .. 

39.018 

13.432 

36.100 

9,300 

24,752 

— 

November 

40.735 

9.245 

32.720 

10,200 

16,907 

— 

December 

63.311 

15,305 

44.500 

12.874 

18.137 

— 

Total   ... 

575.260 

152.792 

514.630 

114.181 

207,746  _ 

42,038 

Australasian  Gold 

Outputs. 

January. 

February 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.).. 
Blackwater  (N  Z  ) 

Tons 
2,677 
2,129 
5.350 
3,528 
3,544 
4,987 

1,360 
5,672 

7.087  J 

J 
( 
1,320 

£ 

2.90711 
3.47111 
5.52S 
1.772: 
10.62311 
2.193; 

2.289 
1.760; 

1.787 
23,654 

4,123* 

Tons 
5,355 
2.710 
4.550 
9.0S4 
8,080 

13,705 
4.703 
7.344 
1.360 
5.751 
2.063 

8.830 
12.830  1 

♦*  10.710  1 
1,063 

£ 
7,60111 
4,73211 

Golden  Horseshoe  (W.A.) 
Great  Boulder  Pro.(W.A.) 
Ivanhoe  (W.A.I  

•<.6f9; 

25.04811 
5.029: 

Lake  View  , Si  Star  (W.A). 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.) 

Mount  Boppy(N.S.W  )   .. 
Orova  Links  (W  A  ) 

9.969 f 

2.604 

1.393; 

1 1  660+ 

Sons  of  Gwalia(W.A) 

South  KalgurlKW.A.) 

WaihKN.Z.)    

Waihi  Grand  ]unc'n(N.Z.) 

17.83011 
3.472 

20,971 
3,119 

13,690 

3,423* 

f  Including  royalties  ;    X  Oz.  gold 
*  Including  premium. 

Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs 


§Oz  silver; 
**  7  weeks. 


At  par ; 


January 

February 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Brit.  Plat   &  Gold(C'lbia) 
El  Oro  (Mexico) 

Tons 

29,500 

2.020 
12.050 

— 

6.300 
9.000 

37.588 

75** 
15.000 

221§ 

200.000f 
1.249:t 
5,558 

163.240) 
39.729* 
75.5C0I 
2,0821' 
11,435 
35.000 
10.104: 

71.000t 

Tons 

28.250 

2.680 
9.425 

6.300 
8.100 

32.407 

60*' 
14.000 

i 

229§ 
201  OOOt 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 
Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico)... 
Minine  Corp.  of  Canada  • 
Oriental  Cons.  (Korea) 

8.268 
158.980* 

92.500+ 

2,07611 

10.374 

38.300 

1.233; 

Ply  mouthCons.  (Calif 'rnia! 
St.  John  del  Rev  (Brazil) 
Sanla  Gerlrudis  (Mexico) 

Tomboy  (Colorado) 

56.000+ 

I  U.S.  Dollars      1  Profit,  eold  and  silver     II  Oz.  sold.    *  Oz.  silver. 

8  Oz   ti'atinum  and  field.    **  Production  of  silverore. 
Pato  (Colombia):   17  days  to  March  4.  $24,184  gold  from  57.110 

cu    yd   ;   U  days  to  16  March.  $20,237  from  41. grecu   yd. 
Nechi  (Colombia)  :  28  days  to  March  1 .  $57,529  gold  from  202.097 

cu.  yd. :  13  days  to  March  14,  $28,416  from  101,045  cu.  vd. 


Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


1       1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

January 

February  ... 
March    

oz. 

44.718 
42.566 
44.617 
43.726 
42,901 
42.924 
42  273 
42  591 
4J.207 
43.041 
42.915 
44,883 

520,362 

oz. 

41.420  . 

40.787 

41.719 

41.504 

40.889 

41.264 

40.229 

40.496 

40.088 

39.472 

36.984 

40.149 

485.236 

oz. 

38.184 
36.834 
38.317 
38.248 
38.608 
38.359 
38.549 
37.850 
36.813 
37.138 
39.628 
42.643 

4'il.l71 

oz. 

39,073 
38.872 
38.760 
37.307 
38.191 
37.864 
37.129 
37.375 
35.497 
35.023 
34.522 
34.9  9 

444.532 

oz. 
34.028 
32,529 
32.576 

May    



July    



Aueust  

September 

October 

November 
December 

Total  ... 

99,133 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balagbat   

Champion  Reef.... 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur  . 

Nundydroog  

Ooregum 


February. 


Tons         Fine 
Treated     Ounces 


3.000 

10.831 

15.950 

700 

8.324 
12.500 


2.220 
4.561 
11.563 
917 
4.901 
8.367 


March. 


Tons         Fine 
Treated   Ounces 


3.250 

11.710 

15.573 

700 

8.952 
12.900 


2.324 
4.407 
11.285 
908 
5.204 
8.448 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper 

I  Tons  lead  cone 

British  Broken  Hill  ...  \  Tons  zinc  cone 

(Tons  carbonate  ore. 

D     ,        u-n  r,  I  Tons  lead  cone. 

Broken  Hill  Prop  1  Tons  zinc  cone 

Broken  Hill  South    Tons  lead  cone, 

Tons  re6ned  lead  ... 


Burma  Corp. 


I  Oz.  refined  silver  . 


Freinantle  Trading  ...Long  tons  lead 
Hampden  Cloncurry..  { 1°^''^f",.. 


Kafue  Copper. •■.■ Short  tons  copper 

f  Tons  copper 

Mount  Lyell -j  Oz   silver  

(Oz.gold 

M°-t  Morgan \^^r^^^. .::::::::. 

North  Broken  Hill  ■■■\^^::::::::::;:, 

Pilbara  Copper Tons  ore 

Poderosa Tons  copper  ore 

Rhodesian  Broken  Hill---Tons  lead     ;  ..■ 
S'th  American  Copper  Tons  cop.  ore  ship'd.. 

c.    ,   ,-,     -  .-        I  Tons  lead  cone. 

Sulphide  Corporation  ,  .j.^^^  ^.^^   ^^^^ 

Tanganyika Long  tons  copper 

-,.      r-  J  Tons  zinc  cone 

^■"""^"■•P iTonsleadconc 

•  Dec.  16  to  Feb.  9.     +  8  weeks  to 

Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc..  into  U 


Jan. 


1.150 

1.320 

1.190 

40 

845 

2.4fO 

1.693 

2.548 

234.487 

473 


672 

24.277* 

72V 

340 

4.485 


170 

150 

1.442 

1.585 
2.580 
1.290 
4.015 
287 


2,770 

2,601 

231,664 

370 


406 
12,816 
409 
975 1 
13,025  + 


203 

420 

1,215 

1,811 
2,990 
1.4f7 
7,650 
552 


March  20. 
nited  Kingdom. 


Iron  Ore Tons  ... 

Manganese  Ore  Tons  ■• 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites Tons  ... 

Copper  Ore.  Matte,  and 

Precipitate Tons  ... 

Copper  Metal    Tons  ... 

Tin  Concentrate  Tons  ... 

Tin  Metal   Tons  ... 

Lead.  Pig  and  Sheet  Tons  -. 

Zinc(Spelter)    Tons  ... 

Quicksilver Lb.    ... 

Zinc  Oxide    Tons   .. 

White  Lead  Cwt.   .- 

Barytes.  ground  Cwt. 

Phosphate  Tons 

S6lphur   Tons  .. 

Borax   Cwt.   .. 

Other  Boron  Compounds    Tons  . 

Nitrate  of  Soda    Cwt.    .. 

Nitrate  of  Potash   Cwt.    ... 

Petroleum  ■ 

Crude  Gallons 

Lamp  Oil Galk>nv 

Motor  Spirit  Gallons 

Lubricating  Oil    Gallons 

Gas  Oil    Gallons 

Fuel  Oil  Gallons 

Total  Petroleum Gallons 


Feb..  1921 


283.839 
35.193 
40.719 

3.555 
7.186 
2.546 
1.581 

14.6'*4 
4,319 

16.982 

23') 

5.939 

22.646 

37,465 

960 

1.4 -'8 

133.664 

7.525 

920.111 
14.621,851 
n  77S41fi 
3,392.702 
3.193.753 
33.515.259 
69.420,821 


Mar.,  1921, 


257,324 
20.987 
38.166 

932 

12,483 

2.255 

576 

12.560 

5.803 

378.750 

342 

4.889 

18  588 

25  726 

6.435 

l.C'59 

3.448 

58,079 

12.716 


11.603.953 
23.056.818 
3,84 ',085 
4.282,603 
41.148.617 
83.938.899 


238 


THK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


OfTPUTS  0¥  Tin  Mining  Companies. 
In  Tons  of  Concentrate. 


PKonyCTioN  OK  Tin  in  Fkdkratku  Malav  Statks. 

EsitoiVdd  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters. 
^    \  Long  Tons. 


Nigeria : 

Associated  Ninerian 

Bisichi 

Bonfiwelli  

Champion  (Nigeria) 

Dua  

Es- Lands  

Filani  

Gold  Coast  Consolidated 

Gurum  River 

Jantar 

Jos    

Kaduna  

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano 

Lower  Bisichi 

Lucky  Chance ■ 

Minna 

Monnu 

Naraguta    

Naraguta  Extended  

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  Bauchi 

Offin  River 

Hayfield 

Ropp    

Rukuba 

South  Bukeru  

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Varde  Kerri  

Federated  Malay  States: 

Cheiideriang 

GopenR 

Idris  Hydraulic   

Ipoh 

Kamunting    

Kinta   

Lahat  

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang    

Ranibutan 

Sungei  Besi  

Tekka 

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Cornwall  ■ 

East  Pool  

Geevor    

South  Crofiy     

Other  Countries  : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia) 

Berenguela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania) 

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam) 

Leeuwpoort  iTransvaal) 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooiberg  Minerals  (Transvaal).- 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)    

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal) 


Dec. 

Jan. 

Feb 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

20 

7 

- 

10 

.:5 

25 

5j 

5 

- 

11 

_ 

- 

.jfl 

14 

35 

30 

20 

5i 

■1 

34 

3 

12 

11 

12 

20 

- 

- 

26i 

_ 

15, 

'l\ 

14 
6 

143 

s4 

54 

4 

n  - 

9i 

a 

li 

\ 

i4 

50 

51 

60 

42 

.55 

- 

17 

10 

10 

23 

17 

24 

50 

40 

10 

9i 

- 

37 

45 

30 

126 

86 

82 

44 

4 

15 

18 

- 

44 

1 

4 

4 

4 

5 

54 

/ 

103* 

_ 

- 

66 

72 

66 

173 

21 

194 

19j 

154 

120' 

_ 

- 

353 

31} 

2,Si 

60i 

68i 

564 

834 

804 

80* 

166 

166 

136 

15 

164 

15 

30 

33 

35 

30 

254 

29 

27 

?1 

15 

■<a 

36 

19 

891  ( 

95  ^ 

- 

62t 

551 

- 

154 

157 

130 

18 

24 

26 

13 

11 

8 

304 

20 

16 

247* 

- 

- 

19* 

_ 

- 

89^ 

90 

314 

- 

45 

45 

ni 

83 

50 

73 

67 

33 

27 

21 

13 

*  Three  months,    t  Tin  and  wolfram. 


Nigerian  Tin  Production. 

In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspeci6ed  content. 
Koie      These  figures  are  taken  from  the  tnonthly  returns 
made  by  individual  companies  reporting  in  London,  and 
Probably  represent  85%  of  the  actual  outputs. 


1916 

1917          1918          1919          1920 

1921 

Tons 
January  531 

February    ...        528 

March 547 

April    486 

May  536 

June     510 

July  506 

August  498 

September           535 

Ociober  584 

November  ...        679 
December  ..-       654 

Tons 
667 
646 
655 
555 
509 
473 
479 
551 
538 
578 
621 
655 

Tons 
678 
668 
707 
534 
525 
492 
545 
571 
520 
491 
472 
518 

Tons       Tons 
613           547 
623           477 
606           505 
546           467 
4S3            383 
484           435 
481            484 
616           447 
561            528 
625           628 
536           544 
511            577 

Tons 

438 
370 

Total        ,   6.594 

6.927 

6.771 

6.685        6.022 

SOS 

1917 

1918 

Tons 
3.030 
3.197 
2.609 
3.308 
3.332 
3.070 
3.373 
3,259 
3.157 
2.870 
3.132 
3.022 

1919 

1920 

Tons 

4.263 
3.014 
2.770 
2.606 
2.741 
2.940 
2.824 
2.786 
2.734 
2.837 
2.573 
2.838 

1921 

Tons 
January     -■.       3.558 
February  ...      2.755 

March    3.286 

April  ,     3.251 

May    '    3.413 

Tons 
3,765 
2.734 
2,819 
2.858 
3.407 
2.877 
3.756 
2.956 
3.161 
3.221 
2.972 
2.409 

Tons 

3.298 
3.111 

July    3.253 

AuRusI  3.413 

September.      3.154 

October 3.436 

November  .      3.300 
December  .      3.525 

- 

1  39.833 

37.370 

36.935 

34.928 

6,409 

Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  

Ditto.  Landing  and  in  Transit... 

Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Land- 
ing   

Straits.  Afloat 

Austral ian,  Afloat 

Banca,  in  Holland 

Uitlo.  Afloat    

Billiion,  Spot  

Billiton.  Afloat    

Straits.  Spot  in  Holland  and 
Hamburg 

Ditto.  Afloat  to  Continent 

Total  Afloat  for  United  States... 

Stock  in  America 


Jan.  31 


2,701 
40 


Feb.  28   (    Mar-  31 


2.128 

to 


1,738 

80 


Total . 


4,960 

5  365 

5.456 

345 

40 

385 

264 

295 

200 

3.341 

3.187 

2.974 

356 

209 

— 

755 

755 

579 

141 

~ 

60 

z 

95 

2.595 

1.385 

781 

2.546 

3.546 

3.476 

18.104 

16.900 

15.764 

Shipments.  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  tons. 


Shipments  from : 

Straits  to  UK.  

Straits  to  America    

Straits  to  Continent 

Straits  to  Other  Places  

Australia  to  U.K. 

U.K.  to  America   

Imports  of  Bolivian  Tin  into 
Europe 

Supply: 

Straits  

Australian    

Billiton 

Banca    

Standard  

Total 

Consumption  : 

U  K.  Deliveries 

Dutch         

American  ..        

Straits.  Banca  &  Billiton.  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc.    

Total 


■       Jan. 

Feb. 

Mar 

35 

20 

395 

960 

220 

395 

60 

— 

125 

106 

33 

289 

350 

100 

50 

985 

715 

100 

341 

800 

366 

f        1,055 

240 

915 

350 

100 

50 

4,98 



79 

1.290 

1.561 

1,290 

3.193 

1.961 

2.334 

1.254 

I.32I 

1.359 

269 

164 

389 

1.555 

1.585 

1  683 

490 

35 

39 

3.568 

3.568 

3.470 

APRIL,    1921 


239 


Outputs  Reported  by  Oil-Producing  Companies. 


Anylo- Egyptian Tons  ... 

Anglo- United Barrels 

Apex  Trinidad    Barrels 

British  Burniah Barrels 

Caliex    Barrels 

DaciaRomana Tons 

Kern  River  Barrels 

Lobitos Tons  ... 

Roumanian  Consol. Tons  ■■• 

Santa  Maria Tons  ■■- 

Steaua  Roniana Tons  ... 

Trinidad  Leaseholds    ---Tons  ... 
United  of  Trinidad  Tons  ■■■ 


18.130 
6,951 

61.540 

111.880 

258 

110.635 

8.'144 

1,520 

1.286 

18,610 

12.750 

4.258 


16.991 
9.219 

56.023  j 
78,962  I 

95.010 
7,659 
1.282 
1.000 
14,991  I 
11.400  I 
3,767  I 


March 


13.627 

8,900 

43.525 


13.400 


Quotations  of  Oil  Companies'  Shares. 
Denomination  of  Shares  £^1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo-American 

Anglo-Egyptian  B 

Anglo-Persian  Pref 

Anglo  United.  Wyoming    ■■■■ 

Apex  Trinidad    « 

British  Biirmah  (Ss.)    

Burniah  Oil 

Caltex  iSli     

Dacia  Rocnano    

Kern  River,  Cal   (10s.) 

Lobitos,  Ecuador 

Mexican  Eagle.  Ord.  (^JlO--. 
„    Pref.  ($10)    . 

North  Caucasian  llOs.)    

Phcenix.  Roumania  

Roumanian  Consolidated  .... 
Royal  Dutch  UOO  gulden)  .... 

Scottish  American    

Shell  Transport.  Ord 

Pref.  (£lQ)  . 

Steaua  Rotnana 

Trinidad  Central    

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

l!nited  British  of  Trinidad    . 

Ural  Caspian  

Uroz  Oilfields  (lOs.) 


March  8, 

April  7. 

1921 

1921 

£    s. 

d. 

f. 

s.   d. 

4  10 

n 

4 

7    6 

1  17 

ft 

1 

17    6 

1     1 

0 

1 

2    0 

12 

6 

10    0 

2     7 

6 

2 

10     0 

17 

6 

17    6 

6  17 

6 

(i 

17    6 

a 

0 

7     6 

1     0 

0 

17     6 

1     1 

0 

1 

2    0 

4     1 

3 

i 

17    6 

5  10 

0 

5 

7    6 

5     5 

n 

5 

5     0 

12 

6 

12    6 

12 

0 

12    0 

14 

0 

12    6 

48    0 

0 

44 

0    0 

16 

5 

15    0 

5     6 

3 

5 

0    0 

8    0 

0 

fi 

0    0 

15 

0 

14     3 

3  10 

n 

3 

5    0 

2    7 

6 

2 

5    0 

17 

6 

17    fi 

12 

(i 

13    9 

8 

9 

8    9 

Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


Company 


March    26 Balaghat 

Ai>ril        H Borax  Consolidated 

March     17 British  Aluminium-. 

March    16 City  &  Suburban 


Match  30 Ferreira  Deep  

March  14 Glencairn    

March  30 Globe  and  Phoenix 

April  -5 Globe  and  Phoenix 

March  24 Gopeng  Consolidated 

March  30 Ivanhoe  . 

March  10 Jupiter  Gold 

March  22 Kern  River  Oilfields 

March  10 Knights  Deep    

March  19 Kramat  Pulai    

March  17 i  Marbella  Iron  Ore  .. 

March  24 ,  .Mason  &  Barry 

March  50 |  Nechi  Mines 

March  24 Nundydroofi 

April  8 Ooregum  Gold  

April  6 Pahang  Corporation 

March  24 j  Shamva  Mines. 

March  31 Tharsis   Sulphur  & 

I        Copper 


Par 
Value  of 

Shares 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


10s. 
Prf.  Ord. 

£5. 
Ord.  £l 

£l. 


£\. 

£1. 
5s. 
5s. 

& 

£\. 
lOs. 

£\. 

£\. 

£3. 

£i 
Pref  !0s. 

10s. 
Ord.  lOs. 
£l  Pref 

£l. 


£2. 


Is.  Hd.  less  tax 

a  /o 

6%  less  tax 

1  City  Deep  share 

for  every 

10  shares  held 

7h% 

2s.* 

2s.  tax  paid 

Is.  tax  paid 

9d.  less  tax 

2s. less  tax 

2s.  9d.^ 

7i%  less  tax 

12s.* 

Is.  less  tax 

6s.  less  tax 

25%  less  tax 

Is.  3d.  less  tax 

Is.  less  tax 
Is.  6d. less  tax 
3i%  less  tax 
7h%  less  tax 

15%  less  tax 


'  First  distribution  on  liquidation. 


PRICES  OF  CHEMICALS.    Apnl  9. 

These  quotations  are  not  absolute  ;  they  vary  accordin 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

£ 

Acetic  Acid,  40%  percwt.     1 

80%  „  2 

M              Glacial „  2 

Alum per  ton  18 

Alumina,  Sulphate  of  ,.  16 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb. 

0880  solution    per  ton  46 

Carbonate per  lb. 

.,          Chloride  of,  grey per  ton  50 

"  ..         ..  pure  percwt.     4 

»          Nitrate  of  per  ton  50 

„          Phosphate  of    „  95 

Sulphate  of    „  34 

Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb. 

„        Sulphide,  Golden ., 

Arsenic,  White  per  ton  50 

Barium  Carbonate ,,  H 

.,    Chlorate   per  ib. 

n    Chloride  per  ton  20 

.1    Sulphate  10 

Benzol.  90%    per  gal. 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton  55 

Bleaching  Powder.  35%  CI 19 

..         Liquor,  7%    M  7 

Borax 38 

Boric  Acid,  crystals ,  74 

Calcium  Chloride „  10 

Carbolic  .'Vcid,  crude  60%  per  gal. 

1.  crystallized,  40^   per  lb. 

(3 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn)   per  ton  ■ 

u 

Citric  Acid  per  lb. 

Copper.  Sulphate  of     per  ton  33 

Cyanide  of  Sodium.  100% per  lb. 

Hydrofluoric  Acid „ 

Iodine    ..- per  oz. 

Iron.  Nitrate  of per  ton  8 

1  Sulphate  of    ,,  4 

Lead,  Acetate  of.  white „  50 

,.  Nitrate  of    ,  51 

„  Oxide  of.  Litharge „  38 

..  White   40 

Lime.  Acetate,  brown „  10 

grey  80% 14 

Magnesite,  Calcined „  2I 

Magnesium.  Chloride „  12 

Sulphate  ..  10 

Methylated  Spirit  64°  Industrial per  gal. 

Nitric  Acid.  80''  Tw. per  ton  32 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb. 

Phosphoric  Acid    per  ton  50 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb. 

Carbonate85% per  ton  45 

Chlorate per  lb. 

Chloride  80%    per  ton  24 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% ,  48 

Nitrate    ..  55 

..  Permanganate per  lb. 

Prussiate,  Yellow    ,. 

Red 

Sulphate,  90%  per  ton  25 

Sodium  Metal per  lb. 

Acetate    per  ton  30 

Arsenate  45%    „  45 

Bicarbonate  „  9 

Bichromate per  lb. 

.,      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton  15 

(Crystals) 7 

Chlorate per  Ib. 

Hydrate.  76%    per  ton  27 

Hyposulphite   .,  20 

.,       Nitrate.  95% „  22 

Phosphate „  26 

11      Prussiate    per  lb. 

H      Silicate    ... per  ton  11 

„      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)  ,,  9 

..           ..          (Glauber's  Salts) 7 

.,      Sulphide „  30 

.      Sulphite 13 

Sulphur.  Roll „  13 

,,       Flowers „  13 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65'^ 24 

free  from  Arsenic,  144° ,.  6 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30%    „  8 

Tartaric  Acid per  lb. 

Turpentine per  cwt.  2 

Tin  Crystals   per  Ib. 

Titanous  Chloride „ 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton  25 

Zinc  Sulphate ,  19 


4 

0 

,s 

0 

16 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

6 

n 

n 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

n 

2 

7 

1 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

1 

» 

7 

10 

0 

to 

10 

0 

2 

3 

0 

0 

1 

0 

74 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

•0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

0 

11 

0 

1) 

0 

11 

0 

0 

0 

6 

0 

0 

0 

n 

0 

0 

2 

0 

1 

4 

2 

3 

0 

n 

1 

3 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

K 

0 

0 

0 

0 

44 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

s 

0 

0 

0 

n 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

n 

5 

0 

10 

0 

1 

9 

15 

0 

1 

7 

1 

0 

0 

n 

0 

0 

240 


THK     MINING     MAGAZINI': 


SHARE  QUOTATIONS 

Shares  are  £\  par  value  exoept  where  otherwise  noted. 


West  Australia  ■ 

Associated  Gold  Mines   

Associated  Northern  Blocks--. 

Bullfinch  

Golden  Horse-Shoe  [£5) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary(2s.) 

Great  Finsall  (lOsI 

Hampton  Properties   

Ivanboe  (£5)    

Kalgurli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.) 

Son<;  of  Gwalia  

South  Kalsurii  (10s.) 


GOLD.    SILVER, 
DIAMONDS: 

Rand  : 

Brakpan 

Central  Minini!  (£8)    

City  &  Suburban  (f4) 

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  I.anf;laa(;le 

Consolidated  Main  Reef I 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.) 

Crown  Mines  (10s  ) 

Dat!Uafnntein 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  l^eep 

(jov't  Gold  Mining;  Areas 

Heriot 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Jupiter  

Kleinfonlein 

Knielit  Central 

Knights  Deep  

Langlaagte  Estate 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  (10s.)  

Modderfontein  B  (53.)  

Modderfontein  I>eep(5s.)  

Modderfontein  East    

New  State  Areas  

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.) 

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (^5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.) 

Rose  Deeii 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Simmer  Deep 

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.)    

Van  Ryn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep  

Village  Main  Reef 

West  Springs 

Wilwatersraiid  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep  

Wolh  liter 

Other  Transvaal  Gold  Mines: 

Glynn's  Lydenbiirg  ..  

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates.... 
DiAMONits  IN  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (f2  lOs.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.)  - 

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shainva 

Willoughby's  (10s.) 

West  Africa  ■ 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso  

Ashanti  C4s.) 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taqnah 


April  7, 

1920 
£    s.  d. 


3  10 

9  15 

6 

2  15 
1  15 
1     5 

13 

1  11 

3  6 
18 

9 
U 
13 

2  10 
12 

4  12 
10 

1  12 

6 
13 
4 

10 

16 

4  15 

3  18 
7    0 

2  10 
1  6 
I     7 

13 

3  12 

4  10 
19 
12 

I     2 

1  0 
5 
2 

2  12 
17 

1     1 

1     1 

4   13 

14 

7 

1     0 

18 

10 

6 


11 
17 
II 
14 
14 

2  16 

3  7 
2    0 

5 


1 


9 
2 

1  11 

2  0 
15 
17 

7 
6 


13  9 

13  9 

26  15  0 

5  17  6 

U   10  0 


4  0 

13  9 

I     0  3 

4  3 

16  3 


0  0 
0 
6 


April  7. 

1921 
£    s.  d. 


2  8 
5  15 
I  18 
6 
16 
11 
9 
13 

1  15 

2 
2 
4 
9 

2  5 
5 

3  15 


10 

1  0 
6 

2  2 

3  10 


11 
11 
2 

1  11 

U 

15 

10 

3  12 

7 


12  6 

12  6 

7  0 

4  0 

6  6 

8  0 

5  0 
5  0 

5  0 


19 

1  17 

2  5 
1     8 


Gold.  S.i     i  i    .  <.ti/. 

OxHItKS  IN  Aim  t  a.  ,      ■  ^ 

Blackwater,  Ncv\  /r.ilaiid 

Consolidated  G.F- of  New  Zealand 

Mount  Boppv.  NS.W.  (10s  ) 

Progress.  New  Zealand 

Talisman,  New  Zealand 

Waihi.  New  Zealand   

Waihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'Ind 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird.  Colorado 

El  Oro.  Mexico  

Esperanza,  Mexico  

Frontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (^5), British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  l-'l  Oro,  Mexico.. 

Nechi  (Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredging,  Colombia  

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California 

St.  John  del  Rey.  Brazil  

Santa  Gertrndis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  ' 

Lena  Goldtields 

Orsk  Priority  

India  : 

Balaghat  (IDs.)    

Champion  Reef  (2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  (lOs.)  

North  Anantapiir  

Nundvdroog  (IDs.) 

Ooregum  (l(}s.)    - 

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.).  Arizona I 

Cape  Copper  (£2).  Cape  and  India. 

Esperanza.  Spain 

Hampden  Clonctirry,  Queensland 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal  

Messina  (5s  ).  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (f5).  Queensland  .. 

Mount  Lyell.  Tasmania  

Mount  NIorgan.  Queensland 

Mount  O.iide.  Queensland     

Namagiia  (£21.  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tiiito  (£5),  Spain  

Russo-Asiatic  Consd..  Russia 

Sissert.  Russia    

Spassky.  Russia 

Tanganyika.  Congo  and  Rhodesia 

LEAD-ZINC: 

Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc    

British  Broken  Hill  

Broken  Hill  Proprietary    

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (I5s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (lOs.) 

Asia  ; 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees)    ... 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  ; 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (53.)    


April  7, 

1920 
£   s.  d. 


TIN: 

Aramayo  Francke,  Bolivia 

Bisichi,  Nigeria 

Briseis.  Tasmania 

Dolcoath.  Cornwall  

East  Pool  (5s. I  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria  ... 

Geevor  (10s  )  Cornwall  

Gopeng,  Malav  

Ipoh  Dredging.  Malay      

Kamunling.  Malay    

Kinta.  Malay   

Malayan  Tm  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (10s. 1,  Nigeria  

Naraguta.  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi.  Nigeria  (10s.)    

Pahang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay. 

Rayfield,  Nigeria    

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (4s.'.  Nigeria  

Siamese  Tin.  Siam 

South  Crofty(5s  ),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Cornwall  

Tekka.  Malay   

Tekka-Taiping   Malay    

Tronoh.  Malay   

'  lO-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


12 
17 
14 
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13 
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1  7 
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6 
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2  10 

6 

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10 

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1  2 

2  6 


April  7, 

1921 
£    s.    d. 


1  5 

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19 
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6 

THE   MINING  DIGEST 

A    RECORD     OF     PROGRESS     IN     MINING.   METALLURGY.    AND    GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists  of  patents  on  mining  and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


The  February  Bulletin  of  the  Canadian  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a  paper  by  R.  C. 
Wallace,  Commissioner  of  Northern  Manitoba,  on  the 
Flin-Flon  copper  ore-body,  which  is  now  being  de- 
veloped. This  mine  is  situated  north  of  Le  I^as,  Mani- 
toba. A  number  of  references  have  been  made  in  these 
columns  to  this  enterprise,  the  mostrecent  being  by  Mr. 
Wallace  in  the  December  issue  and  by  E.  L.  Bruce  in 
October  last. 

Plin  Flon  Lake  is  distant  by  air  line  68  miles  north- 
north-west  from  The  Pas.  through  which  town  the 
Canadian  National  Railway  passes  en  route  lor  Hud- 
son's Bay-  The  Pas  is  the  distributing  centre  on  the 
Saskatchewan  river  for  the  mineral  field  and  for  settle- 
ments on  the  Hudson's  Bay  railway.  The  summer 
route  from  The  Pas  is  by  way  of  the  Saskatchewan  river 
to  Sturgeon  Landing,  which  is  the  head  of  the  naviga- 
tion for  steamboat  traffic,  and  thence  by  canoe  to  Flin- 
Flon  Lake.  The  total  distance  is  130  miles  by  steam- 
boat and  60  miles  by  canoe,  a  total  of  190  miles  from 
railway  communication.  The  canoe  route  can  be 
shortened  by  using  the  summer  road  built  by  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  from  Sturgeon  Landing  to  Lake 
Athapapuskow.  With  light  loads,  however,  the  longer 
route  is  usually  taken.     The  winter  sleigh-road  from 


THE   FLIN-FLON   ORE-BODY. 

The  Pas  is  approximately  90  miles  long.  The  property 
is  near  the  well-established  and  historical  canoe  route 
from  Cumberland  House  northwards  through  Lake 
Athapapuskow  and  the  Pine  Root  River  to  the  Churchill 
River  at  Pukatawagan.  The  camp  lies  nine  miles  west 
of  this  route  in  a  territory  which  was  hitherto  not  fre- 
quently travelled  between  the  Pine  Root  River  valley 
and  the  Beaver  Lake  country. 

The  ore-body  lies  in  amygdaloidal  greenstones  which 
are  to  be  referred  to  the  earliest  volcanic  flows  in  this 
district.  They  have  been  named  by  E.  L.  Bruce,  of 
the  Geological  Survey,  the  Amisk  volcanics.  owing  to 
their  prevalence  in  the  vicinity  of  Amisk  (Beaver)  lake. 
Associated  with  the  greenstones,  and  probably  some- 
what later  in  age,  although  earlier  than  the  granite  in- 
trusions, are  quartz-porphyries  which  are  parallel  in 
strike  to  the  greenstones  and  which  do  not  here  display 
clear-cut  intrusive  relationships  into  the  greenstones. 
There  are  also  lamprophyric  dykes  which  are  appar- 
ently earlier  than  the  intrusions  of  granite,  probably 
earlier  than  the  quartz  porphyry  flows,  though  later 
than  the  amygdaloidal  greenstones.  The  later  granite, 
which  is  found  one  mile  south-west  of  the  Flin-Flon 
ore-body,  and  to  which  may  be  referred  the  granite- 
porphyry  intrusion  immediately  north  of  the  ore-body, 


Map  of  the  Le  Pas  District,  showing  position  of  Flin-Flon  Lake. 

241 


242 


THE     M IN' INC.     MAGAZINE 


lias  been  named  by  Hnice  the  Kaminis  (jraniie.  Tliis 
granite  is  inlrusi\e.  not  only  into  the  volcamcs  referred 
to.  but  also  into  sediments  that  overlie  the  volcanics. 
but  which  are  not  exposeil  in  the  immediate  vicinity  ol 
the  Flin  Flon  property.  The  I'Min  Flon  and  otht-r  siil 
phide  deposits  of  this  district,  as  well  as  the  gold  de- 
posits in  the  quartz  veins,  are  to  be  referred  to  this 
granite  as  ore  deposits  representing  deposition  at  lower 
and  higher  temperatures  respecti\el\- 

During  the  process  of  shearing,  which  probably  oc- 
curred in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  eruption  of  the  Kam- 
inis granite,  the  quartz  porphyry  offered  greater  resis 
tance  to  the  shearing  forces  than  did  the  amygdaloidal 
greenstone  In  the  greenstone  itself  there  are  appar- 
ently units  of  greater  resistance  than  others.  In  all 
probability  the  zones  that  suffered  intensive  shearing 
represent  a  volcanic  tufT  interbanded  with  the  more 
massive  lava  flows.  In  the  process  of  replacement  by 
sulphides  the  more  sheared  zones  have  suffered  much 
greater  change  than  have  the  more  massive  members. 

The  ore-body,  which  skirts  the  south-east  shore  of 
the  lake,  strikes  with  the  country  rock  and  dips  approxi- 
mately 70"  east  From  the  records  of  diamond-drill 
holes  at  the  south  end  of  the  deposit,  it  would  also  ap- 
pear that  the  ore  body  pitches  at  a  low  angle  to  the 
south.  Horses  of  unmineralized  greenstone  separate 
the  ore-body  into  more  or  less  independent  lenses.  At 
the  south  end  of  the  ore  body  a  massive  greenstone  has 
been  less  affected  by  weathering  than  the  sulphides,  and 
stands  out  as  a  prominent  topographical  feature  on  the 
property  It  would  seem,  from  the.  as  vet.  incomplete 
driUing  at  the  south  end  of  the  deposit,  that  this  horse 
forms  part  of  a  crescent- shaped  mass  of  greenstone  open 
toward  the  south.  The  deposit  has  a  known  length  of 
2.593  ft  .  and  has  been  proved  to  a  depth  of  900  ft.  over 
a  length  of  1.000  ft.  Its  greatest  width  transverse  to 
the  dip  is  400  ft.  This  figure  includes  some  narrow 
horses  of  greenstone  Its  greatest  transverse  width  at 
the  900  ft.  level  is  35  ft.  From  the  results  of  diamond- 
drilling  and  underground  development  work,  the  total 
tonnage  has  been  calculated  to  be  sixteen  million,  ex- 
clusive of  the  horses  of  greenstone  in  the  ore  body 
This  estimate  makes  no  allowance  for  possible  ore  un- 
der the  900  ft  level  or  possible  ore  at  depth  in  the  line 
of  pitch  at  the  south  end  of  the  ore- body.  On  the  whole, 
the  ore-body  is  most  compact  at  the  north  end  and 
show.;  a  tendency  to  intermingle  with  inclusions  of  con- 
siderable widths  of  country  rock  towards  the  south  end 
at  depth. 

The  minerals  of  the  ore-body  are.  in  order  of  im- 
portance, pyrite,  zinc  blende,  and  chalcopyrite.  Gold 
and  silver  are  apparently  associated  mainly  with  pyrite. 
the  silver  in  all  probability  in  the  form  of  a  mixed  silver 
sulphide.  Galena  has  been  found  in  vugs  in  the  other- 
wise unmineralized  rock,  but  does  not  occur  in  quantity 
in  the  ore-body.  Native  copper  is  found  in  leaf  form 
as  a  secondary  product  in  the  upper  sulphide  zone 
For  practical  purposes  the  ore  is  divided  into  two  types  : 
first,  solid  sulphides  :  second,  disseminated  ore  The 
solid  sulphides  occur  in  the  centre  and  toward  the  hang- 
ing wall  of  the  ore-body,  and  are  in  places  in  direct  con- 
tact with  the  hanging  wall.  As  a  rule,  however,  a  sel- 
vage of  disseminated  ore  separates  the  solid  sulphides 
from  the  hanging  wall  :  while  on  the  foot-wall  there  is 
found  invariably  a  considerable  width  of  disseminated 
ore.  The  hanging  wall  disseminated  ore  is  found  to 
carry  smaller  percentages  of  copper  and  a  greater  pro- 
portion of  gold  and  silver  than  the  disseminated  ore  on 
the  foot- wall ,  in  other  words  the  deposition  of  pyrite  is 
more  extensive  on  the  hanging  wall  side  of  theore-body, 
and  the  deposition  of  chalcopyrite  is  more  extensive  on 
the  foot-wall  side.      As  far  as  has  yet  been  ascertained 


the  saiuo  holds  true  (though  to  a  lesser  degree)  with  the 
solid  su'phide.  which  gi\cs  the  higher  \'alues  in  copper 
on  the  fi'"i  \  ill  'mIc.  The  solid  sulphides  are  broken 
by  m.is-.i-  'I  I.  .  iiirrali/.ed  rock  and  the  contact  be- 
tween solui  ou-  and  rock  is.  generally  s[)eaking.  sharp  ; 
as  a  rule.  also,  contact  between  disseminated  ore  and 
sulphide  istlislinct,  though  in  the  underground  work- 
ings a  distinct  gradation  may  be  noted  in  places.  The 
richest  copper  ore  in  the  deposit  is  founcJ  in  the  dis- 
seminated foot-wall  ore  which  gives  values  of  from  3"., 
to  5";,  copper,  the  copper  values  for  the  whole  ore- 
body,  exclusive  of  horses,  being  approximately  19% 
A  thin  selvage  of  blende  separates  the  solid  sulphide 
from  the  disseminated  ore  on  the  hanging  wall  side. 
Zinc,  which  averages  approximately  3  )S"o  for  the  whole 
ore-body,  is  more  abundant  on  the  hanging  wall  side 


Claims  at  Flin-Flon  Lakf. 

than  elsewhere.  While  it  might  be  expected  that  the 
gold  would  increase  and  the  copper  and  zinc  would  de- 
crease in  depth,  no  indication  of  any  such  variation  has 
been  noted  to  the  depth  at  which  diamond-drilling  has 
explored  the  property. 

The  ore-body  has  been  formed  by  replacement  of  the 
rock  which  had  already  undergone  intense  mineralogi- 
cal  alteration  during  the  shearing  process.  Whererock 
still  remains  (as  in  the  disseminated  ore  areas),  its  min- 
eralogical  composition  would  indicate  that,  in  the  main, 
the  replaced  rock  was  basic  in  character.  The  richest 
disseminated  ore  exposed  by  underground  operations 
occurs  in  a  typical  chlorite  schist.  Bodies  of  quartz- 
porphyry  occur,  however,  in  close  proximity  to,  and 
apparently  within,  the  ore-body.  At  the  end  of  the 
cross-cut  of  the  No.  2  workings,  quartz-porphyry  forms 
the  hanging  wall  in  contact  with  the  disseminated  ore, 
the  contact  being  practically  vertical,  while  the  dip  of 
the  rock  in  the  ore-body  is  from  70  to  75 '.  In  the  dis- 
seminated ore  immediately  west  of  the  solid  sulphides 
in  the  east  end  of  the  same  cross-cut.  highly  silicious 
bands,  which  represent  either  a  silicious  rock  of 


APRIL,    1921 


243 


quartz-porphyry  type  or  a  subsequent  infiltration  of 
silica  during  the  process  of  mineralization,  are  found. 
That  silica  has,  to  some  extent  at  least,  been  associated 
with  the  replacement,  is  indicated  by  the  character  of 
the  rock  that  has  been  exposed  by  surface  workings  im- 
mediately east  of  the  horse.  Here  the  sulphides  have 
disappeared  through  weathering,  and  there  is  left  a 
highly  porous  pumiceous  silica  rock  which  would  ap- 
pear to  represent  the  result  of  silicious  infiltration  and 
replacement  into  a  rock  that  was  probably  of  an  acid 
type  originally.  The  bands  of  silicious  rock  in  the  dis- 
seminated ore  in  the  cross  cut  are  of  a  similar  character. 
The  extent  of  shattering  that  the  rock  has  undergone 
on  shearing  has  been  a  factor  of  greater  importance  in 


emanated  Throughout  the  district,  sulphide  bodies 
frequently  occur  in  close  association  with  quartz  veins 
carrying  gold  ;  elsewhere,  however,  the  sulphides  are 
pyrite,  with  relatively  small  percentages  of  pyrrhotite 
and  only  occasional  chalcopyrite.  It  would  appear 
that  during  the  later  stages  of  plutonic  activity  now 
represented  by  the  granite,  the  deposition  of  sulphides 
was  closely  connected  with  the  precipitation  of  a  gold- 
carrying  quartz. 

In  the  summer  of  1915,  the  Mosher-Creighton  party, 
which  had  been  working  north-east  of  Amisk  Lake,  was 
guided,  by  information,  to  the  Flin-Flon  Lake  district 
and  the  Fiin-Flon  ore  body  was  discovered.  Some  sur- 
face trenching  was  done  in  order  to  obtain  an  idea  of 


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Section  near  N'o.  .:  Shait  as  dkteuminkd  by  Diamond- 
Drilling. 


Section  ne.ak  No.  I  Shaft  as  determinep  by  Diamond- 
Drilling. 


facilitating  replacement  than  has  the  actual  chemical 
character  of  the  rock  itself. 

Replacement  has  taken  place  at  a  fairly  high  tempera- 
ture and  by  hydrothermic  processes  ;  on  the  foot-wall 
particularly,  the  rock  has  been  highly  sericilized.  In 
the  chlorite  schist,  and  in  the  sericite  schist  as  well, 
irregular  masses  of  talc  are  encountered  in  the  under- 
ground workings.  While  such  mineralogical  changes 
indicate  hydrothermal  deposition,  it  is  a  remarkable 
feature  in  connection  with  the  ore-body  that  the  contact 
between  solid  sulphide  and  unmineralized,  unchanged 
greenstone  is  so  distinct,  as  is  actually  shown  in  the 
cross-cuts.  While  both  quartz-porphyry  and  lampro- 
phyre  are  rather  closely  associated  with  the  deposit, 
there  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  either  volcanic  phase 
is  connected  with  the  deposition  of  sulphides.  The 
Kaminis  granite  and  its  offshoots  seem  to  be  the  parent 
body  from  which  the  hot  solutions  and  the  vapours 


the  size  of  the  ore-body,  and  late  in  the  summer  the 
claims  were  recorded.  The  news  of  the  discovery  and 
the  importance  of  the  ore  body  were  appreciated  by 
other  prospectors,  and  in  a  very  short  time  the  whole 
country  in  the  vicinity  of  the  deposit  was  staked. 

During  the  winter  of  1915-16,  work  was  confined  to 
surface  sampling  and  cross-trenching.  In  March.  1916, 
two  drills  were  at  work,  and  by  July  of  the  same  year 
6,000  ft.  of  drilling  had  been  done  by  New  York  and 
Boston  interests,  who,  however,  failed  to  reach  an  agree- 
ment with  the  owners.  In  the  spring  of  1917  certain 
Toronto  interests  entered  into  an  agreement  and  dia- 
mond-drilling was  continued  throughout  the  year  and 
until  July,  1918.  In  all.  44  holes  were  drilled,  repre- 
senting a  total  linear  footage  of  25,664  ft.  In  March, 
1920,  an  option  on  the  property  was  taken  by  New  York 
and  Canadian  interests,  and  sirlce  that  date  two  shafts 
have  been  sunk  over  500  ft.  apart  at  the  south  and  north 


-'44 


THE     MINING 


ends  of  the  main  horse.  The  first  shaft  has  reached  a 
depth  of  200  ft  and  at  that  depth  there  is  210  ft.  of 
cross-cuttinnandappro.\imatelv  lOOfl.  ofdriving  south- 
ward. It  was  expected  that  the  shaft  would  be  entirely 
in  tlie  foot-wall,  but  at  a  depth  of  135  ft.  disseminated 
ore  was  encountered,  and  llie  shaft  was  continued  in 
this  ore  to  the  200  ft  level.  When  the  cross  cultuig  is 
complete  it  will  expose  appro.\inialely  100  ft.  of  solid 
sulphides.  No.  2  shaft  was  sunk  to  the  100  ft.  level, 
and  a  cross-cut  approximately  165  ft.  long  was  made  at 
this  level.  Sinking  is  now  being  continued  to  the  300ft. 
level.  (These  figures  refer  to  the  situation  as  on  Sep- 
tember 10,  1920). 

In  operating  the  Flin-Flon  property,  a  very  large 
low-grade  ore-body,  far  removed  at  present  from  trans- 
port facilities  and  industrial  centres,  there  are  many 
problems  of  major  importance  to  be  solved  :  these  refer 
in  particular  to  water-power  facilities,  metallurgical 
processes,  availability  of  fluxing  material,  fuel,  and 
transport. 

In  order  to  develop  water-power  in  sufficiently  large 
quantity  for  operating  a  mine  and  smelter  of  2,000  tons 
capacity  at  the  Flin-Flon  property,  two  sources  of  power 
are  available.  One  of  these  is  on  the  Churchill  River 
at  Island  Falls,  and  is  distant  some  60  miles.  A  mini- 
mum production  of  80,200  h.p.  has  been  estimated  for 
this  fall.  A  nearer  source  of  power,  which  will  in  all 
probability  be  adopted,  is  Birch  Rapid  son  the  Sturgeon- 
Weir  River,  distant  35  miles  from  the  property  in  a 
w-esterly  direction.  The  minimum  under  present  con- 
ditions is  3,270  h.p.,  but  this  may  be  increased  at  will 
by  tapping  the  Churchill  River  at  Frog  portage  at  the 
headwaters  of  the  Sturgeon-Weir  water  system.  At 
periods  of  high  water  there  is  at  the  present  time  a 
natural  flow  of  surplus  water  from  the  Churchill  River 
into  the  Sturgeon-Weir  system  and  thence  into  the 
Saskatchewan  River.  It  is  estimated  that  theavailable 
power  can  be  increased  to  20,000  h.p.  by  thus  utilizing 
part  of  the  flow  in  the  Churchill  basin. 

The  disseminated  ore  will  offer  no  special  difficulties 
in  treatment.     Generally  speaking,  it  will  concentrate 


MAGAZf^ 

fairly  readily  ancVwill  be  smelted  in  the  reverberatory 
furnace.  The  soiid  sulphide  (mixed  pvrite-chalcopy- 
rite-blende)  ore  will  present  greater  tlillicultics  to  the 
metallurgist.  Fxperimental  work  may  discover  a 
method  of  concentration  whereby  il  may  he  possible  to 
recover  all  or  the  major  part  of  the  zinr.  If  this  is  not 
feasible,  it  will  doubtless  be  treated  in  the  blast  furnace 
by  pyritic  smelting  and  only  a  limited  proportion  of  the 
zinc  recovered.  There  is  a  great  field  for  experimental 
work  on  this  ore  in  order  to  devise  the  most  suitable  and 
economical  method  of  handling  and  smelting  the  solid 
sulphides.  It  will  be  necessary  to  add  silica  in  con- 
siderable proportions  and  limestone  in  small  amounts 
to  the  ore  before  smelting.  Ouartz  veins  that  carry 
gold  are  more  numerous  on  the  west  end  of  the  mineral 
belt  (Beaver  Lake)  and  at  its  east  end  (Herb  Lake)  than 
elsewhere  throughout  the  bell  The  eastern  district  in 
parlicularissomewhat remotefrom  theproperty.  Apart 
from  the  gold  bearing  veins  there  are  silicious  bodies  of 
other  types  in  the  mineral  belt  ;  in  particular,  quartz- 
porphyry  flows,  felsitic  intrusions  into  the  earlier  vol- 
canirs,  and  sediments  with  a  high  silica  content.  In 
all  probability  quartz  flux  will  be  obtained  in  part  from 
the  lean  bodies  of  greater  extent  and  closer  proximity 
to  the  deposit.  Magnesian  limestones  of  Ordovician 
age  occur  in  quantity  within  ten  miles  of  the  ore-body. 
Pure  limestones  of  Upper  Devonian  age  are  exposed  at 
the  north-west  end  of  lake  Winnipegosis.  The  use  of 
this  would  necessitate  a  rail  haul  of  250  miles  to  the 
property. 

Owing  to  the  great  distance  from  the  eastern  areas. 
Western  coal  will  doubtless  be  utilized  as  fuel  for  the 
smeller  The  success  which  has  attended  the  use  of 
pulverized  coal  in  the  experiments  already  carried  out 
by  various  copper-smelting  companies  would  indicate 
that  powdered  coal  might  be  the  cheapest  and  most 
available  type  of  fuel  for  the  smelter.  It  is  not  improb- 
able, as  well,  that  satisfactory  electrical  processes  may 
be  devised  for  an  ore  of  this  type  many  years  before  the 
deposit  is  exhausted.  But  at  the  present  time  develop- 
ment is  more  important  than  treatment. 


RECLAIMING  THE   KALAHARI    DESERT. 


Though  the  question  of  reclaiming  the  Kalahari  Des 
ert  is  not  a  mining  problem,  it  is  one  of  great  direct  in- 
terest to  mining  engineers,  for  if  this  and  similar  dis- 
tricts in  Southern  Africa  were  capable  of  supporting 
life  a  large  accession  would  be  made  to  the  territories 
worth  prospecting  and  development.  Readers  will 
probably  be  aware  that  Professor  E.  H.  L.  Schwarz 
has  during  the  last  year  or  two  brought  forward  sug- 
gestions for  the  reclamation  of  these  regions  by  bring- 
ing water  into  them  so  as  to  restore  the  old  lakes.  His 
scheme  has  already  been  discussed  in  the  pages  of  the 
South  A  fricati  Mining  Journal,  The  Times,  andelse 
where.  He  has  also  published  a  book  on  the  subject 
in  Capetown.  The  Department  of  Mines  and  Indus- 
tries of  the  Union  of  South  Africa  has  taken  an  interest 
in  the  subject,  and  the  South  African  Journal  of  In- 
dustries, published  by  this  Department,  has  published 
an  article  by  H.  J.  Choles  in  the  January  issue.  We 
quote  from  this  article  herewith. 

The  question  as  to  whether  South  Africa  is  drying  up 
has  often  been  asked  and  discussed.  Whenever  a 
drought  occurs  it  invariably  arises  ;  people  refer  to  the 
reports  of  Le  VaiUant.  Lichtenstein.  and  other  famous 
explorers  of  a  century  ago  They  talk  of  the  hippopo- 
tamus that  infested  the  Karroo  rivers,  the  rhinoceros, 
eland,  and  hartebeest  that  ranged  through  the  forests 
along  the  banks,  forests  that  have  since  given  place  to 
the  prickly  pear  and  Karroo  bush  ;   and.  pointing  to  the 


various  circumstances  that  seem  to  indicate  that  South 
Africa  is  drier  than  it  was  a  hundred  years  ago,  they 
take  sides  in  argument  and  endeavour  to  explain  what 
is  happening  to  the  climate. 

Two  schools  of  opinion  have  thus  evolved.  Accord- 
ing to  the  students  of  the  one  school.  South  Africa  is, 
like  other  parts  of  the  world,  subject  to  cycles  of  dry 
and  wet  spells  The  people  who  hold  this  view  point 
to  the  literature  of  South  Africa  in  the  second  quarter 
of  the  last  century — roughly  from  1827  to  1850 — from 
which  it  appears  that  the  conditions  now  prevailing  are 
similar  to  those  that  prevailed  at  thai  time.  They  had 
then  the  same  droughts,  the  same  floods  in  the  rivers, 
bringing  down  masses  of  mud  instead  of  water,  thesame 
failure  of  harvests.  So,  it  is  argued,  a  spell  of  good 
years  will  come  in  due  course,  in  accordance  with  the 
cycle  of  climatic  changes. 

The  other  school  thinks  differently.  It  maintains 
that,  whether  or  no  there  be  cycles  in  the  weather. 
South  Africa  is  actually  drying  up  ;  that  gradually  the 
sub-continent  will  become  uninhabitable,  the  desert 
conditions  begun  in  the  Kalahari  and  in  course  of  evo- 
lution in  the  Karroo,  spreading  eventually  over  the 
whole  of  South  Africa,  and  driving  the  population  to 
the  relatively  moist  coastal  belt,  which  on  the  south 
and  east  will  offer  the  only  areas  fit  for  human  habita- 
tion. Of  this  school  of  thought  Professor  E.  H.  L. 
Schwarz,  of  the  Rhodes  University  College,  Grahams- 


APRIL,    1921 


245 


WaUishBa 


Luderifzbuchf 


Cape  Town 


Map  explaining  Professor  Schwarz's  Proposals  for  Reclaiming  the  Kalahari  Desert. 


town,  is  one  of  the  most  able  exponents,  but  his  pessi- 
mism is  relieved  by  the  enunciation  of  a  remedial  scheme 
which,  he  claims,  will  not  only  stabilize  the  rainfall, 
thus  rendering  it  of  real  value  at  all  times  to  farming 
operations,  but  will  increase  it,  and  will  also  turn  the 
Kalahari  and  the  Karroo  mto  rich  regions  capable  of 
supporting  a  large  farming  population. 

Schwarz's  scheme  is  based  on  the  fact  that  rainfall 
cannot  occur  without  prior  evaporation.  The  precipi- 
tation of  moisture  does  not  necessarily  occur  just  at  the 
spot  where  the  moisture  was  taken  up  into  the  atmos- 
phere, that  is  to  say,  over  the  sea  or  over  a  lake.  It 
may  occur  a  long  distance  away.  Precipitation,  or 
rainfall,  depends  upon  the  mountains  or  the  changes 
in  atmospheric  temperature  which  are  encountered  by 
the  current  of  moisture-laden  air.  Nowadays  in  South 
Africa  rains  come  almost  entirely  from  the  evaporation 
that  takes  place  over  the  sea.  Unfortunately,  however, 
as  soon  as  the  moisture-laden  winds  from  the  ocean 
reach  theland,  they  encounter  high  mountains  all  along 
the  coast ;  the  moisture  is  precipitated  as  rain,  and 
when  the  winds  pass  over  the  mountains  they  are  al- 


most dry  ;  there  is  little  rain  for  the  interior.  The 
ocean  currents  along  the  coasts,  too,  have  an  important 
influence  upon  the  rainfall.  It  happens  that  the  cur- 
rent along  the  east  and  southeast  coast  is  warm,  while 
that  along  the  west  coast  is  cold.  The  consequence  is 
that  the  air  which  blows  off  the  sea  on  to  the  'and  on 
the  east  arrives  warmer  than  the  land,  and  therefore, 
becoming  suddenly  chilled,  lets  its  moisture  fall ;  while 
the  air  blowing  on  to  the  land  on  the  west  comes  colder 
than  the  land,  it  warms  up,  and  is  not  only  able  to  hold 
its  moisture,  but  craves  additional  moisture  to  satisfy 
its  increased  power  of  absorbing  water- vapour,  in  other 
words,  it  tends  to  dry  up  the  land  instead  of  supplying 
it  with  rain.  The  consequences  are  that,  on  the  east 
coast,  the  coastal  belt  ol  Natal  and  Zululand,  for  in- 
stance, there  is  a  good  rainfall  and  a  perennially  moist 
atmosphere  ;  while  on  the  west  coast  there  are  hopeless 
deserts. 

Evidence  of  the  reason  for  thinking  that  these  con- 
ditions are  not  stable,  and  that  things  are  changing  for 
the  worseisfoundonstudying  theancient  lakes  of  South 
Africa.     These  are  now  almost  dry  ;   at  best  they  are 


4—6 


246 


THE    MINING    MAGA:V.\NE 


swamps.  And  il  appears  that  a  proportion  of  the  rain- 
fall is  due  to  the  evaporation  that  is  still  going  on  from 
the  remains  of  these  lakes.  Soon  the  last  of  these 
swamps  will  disappear,  the  desert  will  advance  over  the 
beds  of  these  ancient  lakes,  and  South  Africa  will  be 
thrown  back  upon  the  sea  as  the  sole  source  of  its  rain- 
fall. Ages  ago,  and  until  quite  recently.  South  Africa 
possessed  three  great  lakes,  covering  some  50,000  square 
miles,  an  area  equal  to  that  of  the  Orange  Free  State, 
or  to  the  three  largest  existing  lakes  in  the  Continent 
of  Africa,  or  again  to  more  than  half  the  area  of  the  five 
great  lakes  of  North  America  combined  (93,000  square 
miles).  These  three  lakes  are  :  Greater  Ngami,  cover- 
ing 30.000  square  miles;  Makarikari,  covering  15,000 
square  miles  ;  and  Etosha  Pan,  covering  5,000  square 
miles.  These  lakes  have  disappeared.  The  huge  de- 
pressions which  in  a  former  age  the  waters  occupied 
can  still  be  traced  ;  a  few  reedy,  swampy  "pans"  are 
all  that  is  left  of  these  former  inland  seas. 

In  those  days,  as  in  Central  Africa  now.  South  Africa 
was  independent  of  the  seas  for  its  rainfall  ;  the  lakes, 
with  their  great  evaporative  surfaces,  provided  the 
country  with  its  own  circulatory  system,  and  South 
Africa,  from  the  Zambesi  and  Kunene  even  down  to 
Capetown,  was  like  British  East  Africa  in  the  luxuri- 
ance of  its  vegetation,  its  rich  fauna,  its  ample  rainfall, 
which  with  the  hot  sun  sustained  and  encouraged  all 
forms  of  tropical  life.  Then  it  was  a  country  of  great 
rivers,  whereas  now,  the  big  rivers,  on  which  the  fer- 
tility of  half  the  Continent  of  Africa  depends,  are  in 
danger  of  extinction.  The  reason  why  the  rivers  are 
disappearing  and  the  lakes  have  vanished  is  given  by 
Professor  Schwarz  as  beadstream  erosion,  otherwise, 
the  means  by  which  the  short,  rapid  coast  streams  eat 
back  through  the  heart  of  the  coastal  mountains  and 
tap  the  waters  of  the  inland  system,  whose  waters  are 
more  sluggish.  Headstream  erosion,  again,  has  tapped 
the  Zambesi  basin,  from  the  east,  and  has  diverted  its 
waters,  which  once  flowed  south-west,  through  the 
Kalahari,  and  has  turned  it  into  a  desert.  In  theTrans- 
vaal,  the  Koraati  River  is  stealing  into  the  territory  of 
the  Vaal  River,  the  Olifants  River  draining  inland  as 
far  as  Pretoria,  and  the  Limpopo  reaching  back  even 
to  the  outskirts  of  the  Kalahari.  Further  north,  the 
Sabi  River  has  pierced  the  Melsetter  barrier-range  and 
drains  the  whole  country  from  Bulawayo  to  Salisbury  ; 
finally,  the  Zambesi  sends  back  its  tentacles  almost  to 
the  west  coast.  Everyoneof  these  rivers  started  origin- 
ally at  the  coastal  rampart  and  has  eaten  back  by  head- 
stream  erosion.  The  waters  inside  the  barrier-ranges 
once  flowed  toward  central  South  Africa,  and  made  the 
central  depression  a  land  of  running  rivers  and  of  great 
fertility. 

The  continent  is  almost  entirely  girdled  by  mountains 
or  tablelands  that  begin  to  rise  sometimes  actually  at 
the  coast,  in  other  places  at  but  a  short  distance  from 
the  seaboard .  Professor  Schwarz  shows  how  thecourses 
of  these  rivers  have  been  changed  ;  how  the  Congo 
River,  which  now  empties  itself  into  the  Atlantic  Ocean 
on  the  west  coast,  in  ages  past  flowed  steadily  north- 
ward, through  luxuriant  country  which  is  now  the  Sa- 
hara Desert,  into  the  Mediterranean. 

South  of  the  Zambesi,  the  greatest  South  African 
river  of  the  present  time  is  the  Orange.  It  rises  in 
Basutoland  and,  after  taking  a  north-westerly  course, 
it  turns,  and  for  the  last  500  or  600  miles  its  general 
direction  is  westward.  Taking  a  line  northward  to  the 
Zambesi,  to  the  Victoria  Falls,  and  then  a  line  across 
the  continent  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kunene  River,  cross- 
ing on  the  way  the  Chobeand  Okavango  Rivers,  it  will 
be  seen  that  there  is  an  area  of  roughly  600,000  square 
miles  without  a  river  worthy  of  the  name,  a  land  of  suc- 


cessive deserts,  Mie  true  "  Thirsiland  of  South  Africa." 
It  is  this  area  thai  Professor  Schwarz's  scheme  is  ex- 
pected first  to  redeem  by  irrigation. 

Just  as  Egypt  has  still  its  Nile  and  the  Sahara  once 
had  its  Congo,  so  in  times  past  South  Africa  had  a  great 
central  river,  which  Professor  Schwarz  calls  the  I'roto- 
Orange.  This  river  rose  in  the  highlands  about  Tan- 
ganyika, and  is  now  called  the  I.oangv.e  River.  This 
flows  south-west  and  joins  the  Zambesi  near  Zumbo  ; 
thence  it  originally  flowed  up  the  channel  of  the  Zam 
besi  to  Wankie,  then  across  to  the  Soa  Pan  or  Makari- 
kari, to  the  Molopo  River  and  out  to  sea  by  the  Orange 
River.  The  Proto-Orange  fed  and  drained  the  Central 
South  .-Vfrican  lakes,  Ngami  and  Makarikari.  It  failed 
as  a  river  south  of  these  lakes  owing  to  the  capture  of 
its  headwaters  by  the  headstream  erosion  process  to 
which  reference  has  been  made. 

Livingstone's  idea  of  how  the  waters  were  turned 
north  ward  was  that  a  "  cataclysm  of  nature  "  had  opened 
the  rent  of  the  Victoria  Fallsand  drained  all  the  waters 
into  the  cleft.  R.S.  Fairbridgestates  that  what  caused 
the  diversion  was  a  shallow  bar  in  the  river  formed  by 
a  storm-carried  drift  of  reeds  and  brush. 

The  watershed  between  the  Zambesi  and  the  Orange 
Rivers  is  so  flat,  west  of  the  Bulawayo — Johannesburg 
railway,  that  when  there  are  heavy  rains  lo  the  north, 
the  surplus  water  drains  south  into  the  Kalahari,  and 
when  there  are  heavy  rains  to  the  south,  the  surplus 
runsnorth  into  the  Zambesi.  Thelong,  wide,  shallow, 
reedy  depression  in  which  this  takes  place  is  called  the 
Tamalukan  River,  and  about  three  generations  ago  a 
very  wet  season  in  the  north  washed  a  great  bank  of 
reeds  and  rubbish  into  the  southern  part  of  the  Tama 
lukan,  where  it  stuck,  and  thus  prevented  any  more 
water  draining  south  toward  the  Orange  River.  This 
explanation  corresponds  with  evidence  gleaned  from 
Bushmen,  from  which  it  appears  that  prior  to  about 
1820  the  Soa  Pan  (a  remnant  of  the  old  Makarikari 
Lake)  always  contained  water,  in  which  hippopotamus, 
crocodiles,  and  fish  abounded .  But  suddenly ,  they  say, 
the  waters  from  Ngami  ceased  to  flow  ,  the  lake  dried 
up,  and  the  dead  fish  and  animals  were  devoured  by 
vultures.  Professor  Schwarz  points  out  that  these 
statements  correspond  with  thedescriptionsof  thecoun- 
try  before  and  after  1820.  Before  that  year  Le  Vail- 
lant.  Van  Reenen,  and  others  described  the  country 
as  being  like  British  East  Africa  ;  directly  after  1820 
Thompson  described  terrible  droughts,  and  thereafter 
all  travellers  tell  the  same  tale  with  increasing  empha- 
sis on  the  droughts. 

Professor  Schwarz  proceeds  to  consider  the  western 
side  of  the  continent,  in  particular  the  Etosha  Pan — 
the  remnant  of  a  permanent  lake — and  the  Kunene  and 
Okavango  Rivers.  These  rivers,  together  with  the 
Zambesi  and  several  of  the  headstreams  of  the  Congo, 
rise  in  the  Angola  High lanos.  To  the  south  liesOvam- 
boland,  a  plain  some  70,000  square  miles  in  extent.  In 
former  times  this  plain  used  to  be  flooded  annually  from 
the  Kunene  and  Okavango  Rivers.  Nowadays  not  half 
of  this  area  is  flooded,  and  the  portion  receiving  the 
flood-waters  is  becoming  smaller  every  year.  To  the 
south  again  of  Ovamboland  lies  the  Etosha  Pan,  which 
used  to  be  a  permanent  sheet  of  water  fed  by  the  Ku- 
neneRiver,  which,  instead  of  turning  westward  anddis- 
charging  itself  into  the  Atlantic,  as  it  now  does,  con- 
tinued on  itssoutherly  course  and  flowed  into  the  Etosha 
Lake,  which  then  drained  off  eastward  into  the  Oka- 
vango. Here,  again,  the  headstream  erosion  of  a  coastal 
river  has  beheaded  the  Kunene,  drawingits  waters  west- 
wards. Professor  Schwarz  points  out  that,  in  thetimes 
when  the  whole  of  Ovamboland  was  periodically  flood- 
ed, the  huge  evaporative  surface  thus  produced  added 


APRIL,    1921 


247 


very  considerably  to  the  rainfall  of  Angola,  which  must, 
therefore,  be  becoming  steadily  drier,  with  effects  upon 
the  Kunene,  the  Okavango,  the  Zambesi,  and  to  some 
extent  the  Congo.  His  scheme,  he  claims,  will  restore 
the  rainfalls  of  Angola  and  so  maintain  and  perhaps 
enhance  the  flow  of  these  rivers. 

As  already  stated.  Professor  Schwarz  ascribes  the 
aridity  and  semi-aridity  that  characterizes  parts  of  South 
Africa  to  the  non-e.\istence  of  a  rainfall  circulatory  sys- 
tem independent  of  the  ocean,  confined  wiihin  the 
coastal  rampart  of  mountains  and  high  land,  and  hav- 
ing as  its  source  large  sheets  of  water  in  Central  South 
Africatoserveasevaporativesurfaces.  Inother  words, 
he  says  the  disappearance  of  the  50,000  square  miles  of 
lakes  which  formerly  constituted  the  main  source  of 
South  Africa's  rainfall  system  has  led  to  the  present 
state  of  aridity.  His  proposal  therefore  is  to  take  steps 
to  restore  the  three  great  lakes.  To  do  this  two  weirs 
arenecessary  ;  oneon  the  Kunene  River, ataspot  which 
will  result  in  its  being  diverted  into  its  old  flood  chan- 
nels ;  the  other  at  the  Nduala  Rapids,  on  the  Chobe 
River,  which  will  then  tend  to  flow  south  instead  of 
north.  Professor  Schwarz  does  not  in  either  case  sug- 
gest that  masonry  weirs  be  built  to  begin  with.  He 
thinks  all  that  is  needful  at  present  is  a  weir  built  of 
piles  and  filled  in  with  rubble  and  branches.  Weirs  of 
this  description  will  create  the  necessary  diversion,  and 
later  it  can  be  ascertamed  what  permanent  works  are 
necessary  really  to  perpetuate  the  diversion.  Professor 
Schwarz  is  convinced  that  the  diverted  waters  of  the 
two  rivers  will  find  their  ancient  courses,  clearing  them 
out  wherever  sand  has  drifted  into  them  and  has  filled 
them  up. 

It  remains  to  describe  the  effects  which  the  damming 
of  the  Kunene  and  Chobe  Rivers  would  have  upon  Sou  th 
Africa.  Given  the  soutbsvard  di%'ersion  of  the  waters 
of  the  Kunene  and  Chobe  into  their  ancient  beds,  the 
first  results  would  be  the  filling  of  the  old  lake  beds — 
the  Etosha,  the  Ngami,  and  the  Makarikari — not  to 
their  ancient  limits,  but  to  an  extent  sufficient  to  create 


large  evaporation  surfaces  for  the  improvement  of  the 
South  African  rainfall.  From  the  Etosha  the  water 
would  pass  eastward  along  ancient  water-courses  until 
it  poured  into  the  Okavango.  The  Chobe  weir  would 
throw  the  waters  of  these  two  rivers  southwards,  re- 
sulting in  there  establishment  of  the  Ngami  Lake,  from 
which  again  the  Makarikari  would  fill.  When  these 
lakes  are  full,  the  probability  is  that  the  overflow  water 
would  reach  the  Molopo,  and  its  course  to  the  Orange 
and  the  sea  would  then  be  assured.  This  conclusion 
cannot,  however,  said  to  be  certain,  as  survey  data  are 
not  available. 

Professor  Schwarz  says  that  the  water-vapour  from 
thelakes  will  permeate  the  wholeof  South  Africawithin 
the  ledge  of  the  coastal  mountains.  The  inland  slopes 
of  these  mountains  will  give  as  copious  springs  as  the 
seaward  slopes;  these  will  gather  into  rivers  and  fiow 
into  the  Karroo,  as  they  did  till  quite  recently.  By  re- 
storing the  moisture  in  the  air  to  the  amount  that  ex- 
isted in  it  before  1820,  it  is  claimed  that  South  Africa 
will  reap  the  following  benefits  among  others:  (1) 
steady  rains  instead  of  sudden  outbursts  ;  (2)  clearer 
water;  (3)  no  veld  erosion  ;  (4)  protection  of  surface 
by  continuous  vegetation  ;  (5)  no  brak  ;  (6)  no  need  to 
irrigate,  except  for  special  crops.  The  climate  over  the 
whole  of  South  Africa  will  be  rendered  cooler  by  day 
and  warmer  by  night,  the  rainfall  will  increase,  even 
over  the  Kalahari  Desert,  which  will  be  converted  in- 
to a  reasonably  habitable  country,  droughts  and  delu- 
ges will  disappear,  rivers  now  dry  for  the  greater  part 
of  the  year  will  develop  a  perennial  flow,  springs  will 
not  fail,  forests  will  spring  up,  and  the  whole  country 
will  become  again  like  British  East  Africa  is  to-day, 
though  possibly  with  a  lower  temperature.  The  res- 
toration of  the  lakes  will  increase  the  fertility  of  the 
land  through  which  the  re-established  river  or  rivers 
will  fiow,  and  large  blocks  of  land,  capable  of  support- 
ing thousands  of  settlers,  will  become  available  for  irri- 
gation. The  Kalahari  soils  are  rich  and  they  only  need 
water  to  render  them  highly  productive. 


PETROLEUM   PRODUCTION   IN  VENEZUELA. 


In  the  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for  Feb- 
ruary 19  and  26,  A.  H.  Redfield,  of  the  United  States 
(jeological  Survey,  writes  on  the  present  petroleum  ac- 
tivities in  Venezuela  and  of  the  prospectsof  the  industry. 

There  are  two  oil-bearing  districts  in  Venezuela. 
One  includes  the  basin  of  the  arm  of  the  sea  known  as 
Lake  Maracaibo,  and  the  second  comprises  the  shores 
of  the  Gulf  of  Paria  from  the  northern  part  of  the  Ori- 
noco delta  to  the  promontory  of  Paria.  The  total  area 
of  the  Maracaibo  district  is  27,500  square  miles  ;  that 
of  the  Paria  region  is  J,  100  square  miles.  Only  a  small 
part  of  the  oilfields  about  Lake  Maracaibo  has  been 
proved  by  drilling.  The  Paria  district  has  been  cele- 
brated for  years  for  the  production  of  asphalt,  but  no  oil 
in  commercial  quantities  has  yet  been  extracted  there. 

The  geology  of  the  Maracaibo  oil  region,  as  far  as  it 
is  known,  presents  similarities  of  stratigraphy  and  struc- 
ture to  the  Colombian  oilfields,  particularly  those  of 
the  Magdalena-Santander  district,  to  which  it  is  geo- 
graphically contiguous.  The  mountains  of  the  Mara- 
caibo district  are  apparently  a  topographic  and  a  geo- 
logic continuation  of  the  Colombian  Andes.  As  in 
Colombia,  the  manifestations  of  oil  are  most  abundant 
in  the  Cretaceous  sandstones  and  limestones  and  in  the 
Tertiary,  especially  in  a  "coal  series,"  the  Cerro  de  Oro 
terrane,  ascribed  to  the  Miocene,  though  its  Colombian 
counterpart  has  been  considered  Oligocene.  An  equally 
striking  similarity  of  stratigraphy  can  be  traced  between 
the  formation  of  the  Maracaibo  and  Paria  districts  of 


Venezuela,  and  also  between  the  formations  of  the  Paria 
district  of  Venezuela  and  those  of  Trinidad.  A  conti- 
nuity of  structure  is  apparent  throughout  the  three 
regions.  The  minor  anticline  folds  with  which  the  geo- 
synclinal  basin  of  Lake  Maracaibo  is  wrinkled  bear 
about  N.  61°  E.  In  the  Paria  region  the  prevailing 
structure  is  one  of  minor  folds  and  faults  with  a  general 
bearing  of  N.  75'  E. 

The  Venezuelan  oil  is  prevailingly  asphaltic.  Dis- 
coveries of  paraffin-base  oils  have  been  reported,  but 
the  petroleum  obtained  from  the  wells  so  far  drilled  has 
revealed  on  analysis  an  asphalt  base.  So  too,  though 
reports  of  light-gravity  oils  have  been  published,  the 
oils  actually  extracted  in  recent  years  have  ranged  from 
0928  to  1  02  specific  gravity.  Not  more  than  3%  of 
petrol  or  7%  of  kerosene  has  been  obtained  from  Vene- 
zuelan petroleum  in  refinery  practice. 

The  commercial  production  of  petroleum  in  Vene- 
zuela began  in  1917.  The  accompanying  table  gives 
the  production,  the  amount  refined,  and  the  exports  of 
crude  oil. 

Refined  at  Exports  to 

Production  San  Lorenzo  Cura9ao 

Metric         Bar-         Metric        Bar-         Metric         Bar- 
Tons  rels  Tons  rels  Tons  rels 

1917  ..   18.255        119.734  8.871  58,185  9,383  61.541 

1918  .  .  50.710        332,607        24,648        161.666        25,298        172.489 

1919  .  •  64,628        423.895        54.000        354,000        10,600         60,522 

No  phenomenal  yields  of  petroleum  have  been  ob- 
tained from  any  of  the  seven  wells  that  were  in  active 


-'48 


THE     MINING     MAC.AZ 


production  in  I'JIO.  The  highest  known  output  of  the 
Zumbador  well,  in  the  Mene  Grande  field,  was  22986 
barrels  per  day  Commercial  production  in  Venezuela 
has  been  attained  only  by  the  Caribbean  Petroleum  Co. 
A  Venezuelan  company,  under  a  title  granted  Sept.  3. 
IS7S,  produced  and  sold  locally  for  many  years  small 
quantities  of  kerosene  refined  by  crude  methods  from 
oil  won  in  shallow  wells  in  the  municipality  of  Kubio, 
District  of  Junin.  State  of  T.ichira.  but  little  is  known 
of  its  activities,  which  have  been  conducted  on  a  small 
scale.  Its  production  from  1905  to  1907  averaged  50 
metric  tons  a  year.  No  later  statistics  of  its  output  are 
at  hand. 


■(iri  *  bea  ,^c<. 


Map  of  Venezuela. 


The  production  of  asphalt  in  Venezuela  by  com- 
panies in  recent  years  is  as  follows  : 


New  York  &  BermudezCo. 

Soutli  American  Company 

Cia.   Anonima    Minerales 

Petrollferos  Riopauji 


1917 

Metric 

Tons 

Guanoco        52.991 

State  of  Zulia       72 

State  of  Tru- 

jillo  1.009 


1918 
Metric 

Tons 

46.-t53 

50 


1919 
Metric 

Tons 
45.932 


Totals 


54.072      46.503      45.932 


after  detailed  geologic  examinations.  On  this  basis  the 
estimated  reserves  of  available  petroleum  may  have  to 
be  reduced  to  -tO. 000.000  or  60.000.000  metric  tons 
Altogether.  Venezuela  has  not  lived  up  toe.\pcctations 

No  estimates  are  available  as  to  reserves  of  asphalt. 
The  deposits  of  Hermudez  Lake  give  evidence  of  con 
slant  renewal,  and  other  asphalt  lakes  exist  also,  both 
in  the  east  and  in  the  west,  wliicli,  liowever,  have  nol 
been  commercially  developed. 

The  only  active  producer  of  petroleum  in  Venezuela 
previous  to  1919  was  the  Caribbean  Petroleum  Co.,  of 
Camden,  New  Jersey.  The  company,  after  a  thorough 
exploration  by  a  party  of  thirty-five  Keolo(4ists,  headed 
by  Ralph  .Xrnold.  selected  in  1913.  for  preliminary 
work  of  development.  1.028  areas  of  500  hectares  each, 
situated  on  both  sides  of  Lake  Maracaibo.  The  princi- 
pal holdings  of  the  Caribbean  Petroleum  Co.  are  in  the 
Mene  Grande  field,  seventy  miles  east  of  Maracaibo  and 
sixteen  miles  inland  from  San  Lorenzo  ;  in  the  Miranda 
district,  east  of  Lake  Maracaibo  ;  at  I'eriji.  fifty  miles 
west  of  the  city  of  Maracaibo  ;  and  in  tlie  Santa  Cruz 
de  Mara  district.  Drilling  in  the  Mene  Grande  field 
began  in  January.  1914.  The  first  well  drilled  struck 
oil  at  a  depth  of  390  ft.  and  produced  about  10  barrels  a 
day.  In  the  next  two  years,  five  other  wells  were  sunk 
ranging  from  600  to  1.700  ft  in  depth.  Oil  was  found 
in  all;  most  of  the  wells  had  to  be  capped.  The  follow 
ing  statement  shows  the  condition  of  the  productive 
wells  in  the  Mene  Grande  field  in  the  fall  of  1920  : 

Initial 
Produc- 
tion 
Metric 
Tons 
40 


At  first  the  larger  part  of  the  Venezuelan  crude  oil 
was  shipped  in  barges  to  the  Royal  Dutch  refinery  on 
the  Island  of  Curasao,  but  in  1919  the  plant  at  San 
Lorenzo  took  over  four-fifths  of  the  output  of  the  Mene 
Grande  wells.  The  San  Lorenzo  refinery  is  designed 
to  supply  only  the  Venezuelan  trade.  Exports  to  the 
foreign  markets  are  made  from  Curasao  refinery. 

Various  estimates  have  been  made  of  the  reserves  of 
petroleum  in  Venezuela.  These  range  from  150.000.000 
to  250,000,000  metric  tons,  based  on  estimates  of  the 
probable  oil-bearing  territory  and  the  richness  of  the 
oil  sands.  These  estimates  will  undoubtedly  have  to 
be  reduced  in  the  light  of  the  experiences  of  the  pro- 
ducing companies.  Of  the  1 .028  areas  of  500  hectares 
each,  selected  by  the  Caribbean  Petroleum  Co.  in  1913 
for  exploration  and  possible  development.  767  areas 
had  been  renounced  to  the  Venezuelan  government  by 
December  31,  1919,  after  examination  or  drilling.  It 
was  expected  that  more  would  be  renounced  in  1920 


Well 
Zuinacaya 

No.  1      ... 
Zuraatiue 

No.  1      ... 
Zumaya 

No.  1      ... 
Zumba 

No.  1      ... 
Zumbador 

No.  1      .. 
Zumbel 

No,  1 
Zo.  No.  1  . 

Zumaque 

No.  2      .. 


Drld.    Ft      Tons  Present  Conditions 

1915      533       40      Capped 


1914  390  40  Capped 

1914  1.667  400  Producing 

1915  882  250  Choked  with  sand 
1915  869  300  Producini: 

1915  552  400  Choked  with  sand 

1918  797      40      Dammed  with  cement  to  exclude 

water 

1919  903     ICO      Dammed  with  clay  and  cement  to 

exclude  water 


The  output  by  wells  in  this  field  has  been  as  follows  : 


1917 
Metric 
Tons 
10.240 

8.015 


1918 
Metric 
Tons 
26,103 
11.548 


Jan. -June. 
1920 
Metric 
Tons 
23.102 
4.522 
652 
15 
76 
842 
76 


Zumbador  No.  1 
Zumba  No.  1 
Zumbel  No   1 
Zumaque  No.  2 
Zumacaya  No.  1 
Zumaya  No.  1 
Zo.  No.  1 

Totals     ...     18.255  50.710  64.628  29.285 

Work  was  started  by  this  company  in  1917  in  the 
Santa  Isabel  field  in  the  district  of  Miranda.  State  of 
Zulia,  and  drilling  was  continued  throughout  1920.  In 
the  Perija  field  the  first  well  of  the  Caribbean  Pe- 
troleum Co..  drilled  in  1915,  showed  oil  in  considerable 
quantities  at  1,227  ft.,  and  was  shut  in.  Two  more 
wells  started  in  1916  were  completed  in  1917  and  1918 
respectively,  without  satisfactory  results.  In  1919  one 
well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  2,235  ft.  without  success. 
This  final  failure  induced  the  company  to  renounce 
many  of  its  holdings  in  the  Perija  field.  Development 
of  the  Mara  fields  was  begun  in  1917.  Three  wells  were 
drilled  in  1917  near  Iniciarte,  to  depths  respectively  of 
900  ft.,  811  ft.,  and  2.018  ft.  Shows  of  oil  were  obtain- 
ed, but  not  in  commercial  quantity.   When  a  well  begun 


APRIL,    1921 


249 


in  May.  1918,  was  carried  to  1,980  ft.  without  a  com- 
mercial yield  of  oil,  the  company  renounced  its  conces- 
sion to  a  number  of  areas  in  this  6eld.  Three  wells  in 
the  Cachiri  field  were  drilled  in  1917  down  to  basalt,  to 
depths  of  1,950  ft.,  430  ft.,  and  736  ft.  respectively. 
No  commercial  quantities  of  oil  were  found.  A  well 
drilled  in  1918  encountered  igneous  rock  at  745  ft.,  and 
was  abandoned.  In  the  La  Sierrita  field,  in  the  district 
of  Mara,  a  well  was  started  in  October,  1919.  Despite 
delay  occasioned  by  a  lack  of  water,  requiring  the  lay- 
ing of  a  pipe-line  to  the  Ci^negade  Sioamaica,  twelve 
miles  distant,  the  well  had  been  carried  by  the  end  of 
the  year  to  1,146  ft.  through  clay,  shale,  and  sand. 
Drilling  was  continued  during  1920. 

The  Venezuelan  Oil  Concessions,  Ltd.,  of  London, 
holds  a  concession  covering  8,128  acres  in  the  district 
of  Maracaibo,  on  the  west  side  of  the  lake,  and  in  the 
district  of  Bolivar,  on  the  east  side  of  the  lake.  Develop- 
ment of  the  Bolivar  area  began  late  in  1913,  with  the 
drilling  of  wells  at  La  Rosa  and  Santa  Rita.  The  Santa 
Rita  well  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1,600  ft.  without 
striking  oil,  and  was  then  abandoned.  In  the  La  Roca 
well,  oil  sand  was  met  at  a  depth  of  800  ft.  ;  and  at  a 
depth  of  1,500  ft.  a  sand  giving  oil  of  30°  B.  was  struck. 
A  great  quantity  was  given  at  first ;  but  after  ten  days 
the  output  had  decreased  to  10  barrels  a  day.  No  at- 
tempt was  made  to  pump  the  well,  which  was  aban- 
doned. The  company  fought  a  losing  fight  with  the 
mosquitos,  which  decimated  its  workers  with  malarial 
diseases.  The  drilling  system  originally  adopted  prov- 
ed unsatisfactory,  and  new  equipment  was  ordered  in 
the  United  States.  The  outbreak  of  the  War  prevented 
the  delivery  of  this  equipment.  Nevertheless  in  the 
next  three  years  five  more  wells  were  drilled,  ranging 
in  depth  from  600  ft.  to  1,800  ft.,  and  spread  over  a 
wide  area.  Oil  is  said  to  have  been  found  in  five  of  the 
seven  wells,  of  which  those  near  Santa  Barbara  are  be- 
lieved to  be  of  commercial  value.  Drilling  in  the  Bar- 
roso  field  was  started  in  June,  1918  ;  but  the  well  was 
discontinued  after  an  accident  to  the  casing.  A  second 
well  begun  in  the  latter  half  of  that  year  was  abandoned 
at  536  ft.  In  the  spring  of  1920  there  was  practically 
no  activity  in  the  Bolivar  holdings  of  the  Venezuelan 
Oil  Concessions,  Ltd. 

The  principal  holdings  of  the  Colon  Development 
Co.,  of  London,  are  in  the  Colon  district.  State  of  Zulia, 
especiallyin  the  vicinityof  ElCubo,  neartheColombian 
border,  100  miles  south-west  of  Encontrados,  and  are 
contiguous  to  the  Barco  concession  in  the  State  of  San- 
tander  del  Norte,  Colombia.  The  geologic  exploration 
and  the  subsequent  development  of  the  Colon  field 
were  considerably  hindered  by  the  depredations  of  the 
Motilones  Indians,  necessitating  an  armed  guard  about 
the  field  camps  and  drilling  machinery  day  and  night. 
Drilling  began  early  in  1914.  The  first  well  was  aban- 
doned at  a  depth  of  700  ft.  The  second  well,  on  the 
Rio  Oro,  reached  over  1,000  ft.,  giving  an  initial  out- 
put of  200  barrels  a  day  of  light-gravity  oil .  Three  wells 
were  drilled  along  the  Rio  Tarra,  the  deepest  to  2,362  ft. 
A  sixth  well  was  carried  to  328  ft.  during  1919.  The 
Colon  Development  Co.  had  drilled  up  to  May  1 ,  1920, 
six  wells,  as  described.  Three  of  these  were  found  pro- 
ductive and  capped. 

The  British  Controlled  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  is  operating 
the  Buchivacoa  concession  of  3,000  square  miles  in  the 
State  of  Falcon,  acquired  from  the  Venezuelan- Falcon 
Oil  Syndicate,  Ltd.  The  property  is  said  to  contain  a 
sharp,  narrow  anticline  traceable  for  fifty  miles  from 
north-east  to  south-west.  Toward  the  west,  the  anti- 
cline pitches  south-west  and  shows  recurring  dome 
structures.  Seepages  of  a  light  oil  are  numerous.  De- 
velopment is  taking  place  in  two  main  divisions.     In 


the  western  division,  of  which  the  field  headquarters 
are  at  Altagracia,  two  wells  have  been  drilled.  Both 
the  rotary  and  the  cable  systems  of  drilling  have  been 
used.  The  first  well  gave  a  small  quantity  of  oil  at  a 
depth  of  1,800  ft.  ;  the  second  showed  oil  at  a  depth  of 
1,000  ft.  Oil,  when  met  in  commercial  quantities,  will 
be  transported  by  a  pipe-line  to  be  built  to  Altagracia 
or  to  the  Caribbean  coast,  fifty  miles  to  the  north .  The 
field  headquarters  of  the  eastern  division  are  at  Daba- 
juro,  eight  miles  south  of  the  Caribbean  coast  ;  and  the 
drilling  camp  is  twenty-four  miles  to  the  south-east. 
Three  standard  drill  rigs  were  under  construction  at  the 
end  of  August,  1920. 

The  following  American  companies  are  developing 
in  the  Maracaibo  district :  The  Maracaibo  Oil  Explora- 
tion Co.,of  New  York, organized  in  1919  ;  the  Sun  Co., 
of  Philadelphia;  the  Venezuelan  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  organ- 
ized under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Delaware.  One 
English  company,  the  North  Venezuelan  Petroleum 
Co.,  Ltd.,  began  exploration  in  September,  1920,  the 
principal  deposits  lying  in  the  vicinity  of  Piritu. 

The  petroleum  activities  described  in  the  foregoing 
paragraphs  are  all  in  the  Maracaibo  basin.  It  remains 
to  mention  the  work  done  in  the  Paria  district.  This 
district  comprises  the  coastal  belt  of  the  Gulf  of  Paria 
from  the  northern  part  of  the  Orinoco  delta  to  the  pen- 
insula of  Paria,  an  area  roughly  seventy  miles  long 
and  thirty  miles  wide.  To  this  may  be  added  the  coastal 
belt  and  outlying  islands  from  the  peninsula  of  Paria 
as  far  west  as  Barcelona,  where  oil  seepages  occur  in 
local  areas.  The  oldest  rocks  exposed  in  the  Paria  dis- 
trict are  the  pre  Cambrian  gneisses  and  schists  which 
form  the  backbone  of  the  peninsula  of  Paria.  In  the 
metamorphosed  sediments  which  accompany  these  a 
few  Ordovician  fossils  have  been  found  ;  but  in  general 
the  oldest  determinable  rocks  of  this  district  are  Creta- 
ceous. 

The  most  striking  evidence  of  the  occurrence  of  pet- 
roliferous formations  in  eastern  Venezuela  is  the  famous 
Bermudez  asphalt  lake,  situated  near  the  town  of  Gua- 
noco,  three  miles  above  (he  confluence  of  the  Guanoco 
and  San  Juan  rivers.  The  lake  is  twenty-five  miles  from 
the  Gulf  of  Paria  and  105  miles  due  west  of  the  equally 
renowned  Pitch  Lake  on  the  island  of  Trinidad.  The 
Bermudez  Lake  is  formed  by  the  overflow  of  several 
oil  springs  on  a  swamp.  It  is  about  1,110  acres  in  ex- 
tent, and  varies  from  1  9  ft.  in  thinner  parts  to  20  ft.  in 
thickness  near  the  seeps.  The  lake  is  believed  'o  consist 
of  the  residues  of  an  asphalt-base  petroleum,  the  lighter 
oils  having  been  distilled  away.  The  flows  are  com- 
posed of  alternate  layers  of  asphalt  and  fine  sand. 
Crusts  of  slag  and  burned  asphalt  point  to  fires  caused 
by  Indians  or  by  the  natural  ignition  of  gases  emanating 
from  the  lake.  The  lake  is  overgrown  by  jungle  and 
covered  with  water.  Blowholes  of  gas  occasionally  oc- 
cur. Water  accompanies  them,  frequently  rather  warm 
and  highly  impregnated  with  sulphuric  acid.  The  as- 
phalt of  thelakeshows  uponanalysis64'39%  of  bitumen 
soluble  in  carbon  disulphide,  30%  of  water,  208%  of 
inorganic  matter,  and  353%  of  organic  matter.  After 
extracting  the  water  the  remainder  gives  96%  of  bitu- 
men and  2  to  5%  of  earthy  matter,  with  a  loss  of  2%. 
The  lake  is  owned  and  exploited  by  the  New  York 
&  Bermudez  Co.,  a  subsidiary  of  the  General  Asphalt 
Co.  of  Philadelphia,  which  is  also  owner  of  the  Pitch 
Lake  of  Trinidad.  In  extracting  the  asphalt,  a  dam  of 
slag  and  waste  is  built  to  exclude  water,  and  the  water 
within  the  enclosed  area  pumped  out.  The  asphalt  is 
dug  out  by  hand  and  loaded  into  cars.  These  are  haul- 
ed by  cable  to  the  light  railroad,  which  conveys  it  eight 
miles  to  Guanoco.  A  refinery  with  a  capacity  of  fifty 
metric  tons  a  day  expels  the  water.     The  refined  pro- 


250 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


duct  is  then  ready  to  be  exported.  The  United  States 
takes  practically  all  of  the  shipnienls  of  Hermudez  as- 
phalt, except  occasional  small  exports  to  Trinidad. 

A  second  pitch  lake  occurs  in  the  Federnales  Geld,  at 
La  Brea.on  the  north -west  coast  of  the  island  of  Capurt. 
The  lake  is  half  a  mile  in  length  and  100  to  200  yards 
across.  It  is  fed  by  several  active  oil  springs  and  one 
asphalt  cone.  About  three-fourths  of  a  mile  south  of 
the  main  deposit  are  two  small  cones  ;  additional  de- 
posits occur  two  miles  to  the  north  east.  Asphalt  de- 
posits are  also  found  on  the  island  of  Plata.  The  Feder- 
nales asphalt  deposits  were  exploited  by  a  German  firm 
for  a  short  time  in  1902.  The  ruins  of  the  German  re- 
finery are  still  visible  one  mile  from  I'edernales.  Mud 
volcanoes  are  reported  near  Bermudez  Lake  and  the 
neighbourhood  of  Maturin. 

The  New  York  &  Bermudez  Co.  began  drilling  for 
oil  in  1913.  Wells  had  been  drilled  on  all  areas  by  June 
of  that  year.  The  lands  on  the  peninsula  of  Paria  were 
soon  decided  to  be  not  commercially  valuable,  and 
were  abandoned.  Seven  wells,  ranging  from  200  to 
1,100  ft.  in  depth,  were  drilled  on  Federnales  Island. 
Difficulties  with  heaving  sands,  soft  mad.  and  gas  pres- 

The  Petroleums  of  Borneo. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on  March 
15.  James  Kewley  read  a  paper  describing  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  petroleums  obtained  in  Borneo. 

The  petroleum  industry  of  the  East  Indies  is  of  com- 
paratively recent  growth,  dating  back  in  the  case  of 
Borneo  to  not  earlier  than  1897.  The  production  of 
the  Koetei  fields,  which  were  first  developed,  hassteadily 
increased  and  has  been  supplemented  by  that  of  areas 
developed  at  laterdates.  Indications  of  petroleum  had 
long  been  known  in  Borneo  and  the  other  islands  of  the 
East  Indian  archipelago.  As  far  back  as  1853  Motley 
noticed  oil  occurrences  in  the  island  of  Labuan.  In 
1863  Menten  found  also  seepages  in  the  island  of  Tara- 
kan,  on  the  east  coast.  In  1866  a  shallow  well  was 
drilled  in  Labuan  which  gaveasmall  flow  of  oil  forthir- 
teen  years  at  least.  Collingwood.  in  1868.  described  a 
petroleum  spring  in  British  North  Borneo,  and  stated 
that  others  were  known.  About  1887  three  wells  were 
in  existence  on  the  Klias  peninsula  on  the  north  of  Brunei 
Bay.  and  thesegave  oil  in  very  small  quantities.  Menten. 
in  1888.  obtained  oil  and  coal  concessions  near  the  mouth 
of  the  Mahakam  River,  which  concessions  give  to  day 
themost  important  output.  In  1891  heobtained  further 
concessions  near  Balik  Papan.  then  a  tiny  fishing  village, 
now  a  thriving  refinery  centre.  Further  indications  are 
found  in  the  Bolongan  area  in  West  Borneo,  Sarawak, 
and  elsewhere.  In  1897  the  first  well  was  put  down  at 
Sanga  Sanga,  and  oil  was  found  at  58  metres  In  Au- 
gust, 1898,  the  Nederlandsch  Indische  Industrie  en 
Handel  Maatschappij.  and  about  the  same  period 
several  other  companies,  for  instance,  the  Bombay- 
Burmah  Trading  Co.  in  British  Borneo,  and  the  Koetei 
Exploration  Co.  in  East  Borneo,  began  operations.  In 
1901  the  Royal  Dutch  began  to  drill  in  Koetei.  and  the 
East  Borneo  Co,  a  little  later.  The  production  of  these 
fields  rapidly  increased,  and  had  already  reached  a 
figure  of  nearly  60.000  tons  in  1900.  At  the  present 
day  the  production  of  Borneo  is  about  4.000  tons  per 
dav. 

There  are  at  present  three  important  producing  areas 
in  Borneo  :  (1)  the  Koetei  area,  extending  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Mahakam  River  southwards  toward  Bahk 
Papan  Bay  ;  (2)  the  Tarakan  field,  siiuated  on  the  is- 
land of  Tarakan  on  the  east  coast,  aboui  80  miles  south 
of  the  British  North  Borneo  frontier  ;  (3)  the  Miri  area, 
on  the  west  coast  in  Sarawak,  about  150  miles  south  of 
Brunei  Bay.      These  three  areas  differ  to  some  extent 


sure  necessitated  several  changes  in  the  method  of  drill- 
ing. Traces  of  oil  were  found,  but  none  in  commercial 
quantity.  Several  wells  were  sunk  in  theGuanocoarea. 
near  Bermudez  Lake,  ranging  in  depth  from  200  to 
4,200  ft.  In  some  a  heavy  oil  of  1  020  specific  gravity, 
almost  an  asplialt.  was  found.  Such  an  oil  would  have 
to  be  heated  in  order  to  be  pumped.  No  oil  of  commer- 
cial value  was  obtained.  Much  geological  investiga- 
tion has  been  done  to  find  the  oil.  which  is  believed  to 
exist  here  in  large  quantities. 

The  Caribbean  Petroleum  Co.,  of  Philadelphia,  has 
been  drilling  in  the  Chapapolal  field,  fourteen  miles 
north-west  of  Maturin,  in  the  State  of  Monagas,  near 
Chaguaramal.and  in  the  Guanipafield.  The  fieldhead- 
quarters  of  the  company  are  at  Guanoco.  Two  wells 
were  drilled  in  1918  in  the  Chapapotal  field.  The  first 
was  abandoned  at  a  depth  of  208  ft.  after  an  accident. 
The  second  was  carried  to  a  depth  of  3,231  ft.  Asphalt 
was  encountered  but  no  fluid  oil  in  commercial  quantity. 
The  exploration  work  was  nearly  completed  at  the  end 
of  1919,  with  results  that  do  not  appear  to  indicate  a 
commercial  value  for  the  deposits.  Further  explora- 
tion work  will  probably  be  undertaken. 

geologically,  and  considerably  in  respect  to  the  types 
of  oil  they  yield 

The  oil-bearing  rocks  of  the  Koetei  area  are  of  Plio- 
cene and  Miocene  age.  They  consist  of  Pliocene  sands, 
gravels,  and  clays  laid  down  under  delta  conditions, 
the  sands  being  dominant  and  the  clays  subordinate. 
Lignites  containing  a  high  water  content  (25%)  are  of 
frequent  occurrence,  as  is  the  case  in  the  Tarakan  area 
also.  Boulders  of  coal  of  lower  water  content  from  the 
lower  Koetei  formation  also  occur.  Thisseries  lies  un- 
conformably  on  the  Miocene,  which  is  made  up  of  in- 
terbedded  clays  and  sands,  with  frequent  coal  beds 
lenticular  in  form,  all  laid  down  under  delta  conditions. 
Below  these  strata  is  found  the  greensand  formation, 
which  consists  of  glauconite  sands  with  interbedded 
foraminifera  limestones,  the  age  of  which  has  not  yet 
been  definitely  determined,  but  which  are  probably  early 
Miocene.  Below  these,  again,  a  marl  which  isprobably 
of  Eocene  age,  similar  to  that  found  in  North  Borneo. 
The  Miocene  and  Pliocene  were  laid  down  under  delta 
conditions,  the  material  having  been  brought  down  by 
largeriverssuch  as  the  existing  Mahakam,  which  flowed 
down  from  the  central  massif  of  Borneo.  This  massif, 
which  isexposed  in  the  south-west  of  Borneo,  and  which 
almost  certainly  extends  under  the  surface  strata  through 
the  centre  of  the  island,  is  of  igneous  rock.  On  its 
flanks  the  Miocene  and  Pliocene  deposits  were  laid  down. 
Subsequent  lateral  pressure  in  a  north-west  to  south- 
east direction  gave  rise  to  a  series  of  folds  in  this  area 
running  north  east  to  south-west,  roughly  parallel  to 
the  Macassar  Straits.  These  folds  appear  as  the  well- 
marked  anticlines  of  Sanga  Sanga  and  Palarang.  The 
general  folding  process  must  have  begun  before  the 
Pliocene  rocks  with  lignites  were  completely  laid  down, 
so  that  the  tops  of  the  folds  evidently  appeared  as  is- 
lands in  the  Pliocene  sea,  and  on  being  denuded  sup- 
plied in  part  the  material  which  was  deposited  in  the 
tectonic  troughs.  The  sinking  of  these  troughs  and  the 
filling  in  of  the  same  must  have  taken  place  at  about 
the  same  rate,  as  indicated  by  the  uniformity  of  the 
strata  traversed  by  the  wells  in  the  Tarakan  field.  A 
further  subsidiary  folding  was  caused  by  laieral  pres- 
sure in  a  north-east  and  south-west  direction,  which, 
however,  was  not  so  marked,  so  that  the  anticlines  ap- 
pear as  very  elongated  domes.  On  these  elongated 
domes  the  oilfields  were  developed. 

In  the  Koetei  fields  three  distinct  types  of  crude  oil 
are  found,  namely,  heavy  asphalt  oils  in  the  upper  strata. 


APRIL,    1921 


251 


light  asphalt  oils  at  greater  depths,  and  paraffin  wax  oils 
at  still  greater  depths. 

The  structure  of  the  Tarakan  held  is  that  of  a  system 
of  two  domes  with  a  depression  in  between,  the  major 
axes  of  which  run  in  a  north-south  direction.  In  this 
area,  which  isalso  of  delta  formation.  Pliocene  sand  pre- 
dominates. The  field  is  developed  in  part  of  the  delta 
which  was  nearer  the  coast  and  where  consequently 
sands  predominate,  the  interlying  clays  being  not  so  well 
marked.  Pliocene  coals,  or  rather  lignites,  often  con- 
taining boulders  of  older  coal  from  the  late  Miocene 
formation,  are  frequent.  The  oil  from  this  field  is 
markedly  uniform  in  composition. 

The  Miri  field  lies  on  the  west  coast  of  Borneo.  The 
geological  structure  here  is  not  yet  so  well  known  as 
that  of  the  two  fields  described  above.  There  is  a  well- 
marked  anticline,  the  eastern  wing  being  very  much  the 
steeper.  The  oil  is  drawn  from  the  western  wing.  The 
strata  here  are  also  of  Miocene  age,  and  coals  are  absent. 
The  oils  of  the  Miri  field  are  fairly  uniform  in  charac- 
ter, but  differ  fundamentally  from  those  of  the  Koetei 
and  Tarakan  fields. 

The  crude  oils  of  Koetei  fall  into  three  main  classes  : 
{a)  heavy  asphalt-base  crude  oils;  (6)  light  asphalt- 
base  crude  oils  ;  (c)  light  paraffin-base  crude  oils.  The 
oils  have  one  character  which  sharply  differentiates 
them  from  practically  all  other  crudes  so  far  known. 
The  specific  gravities  of  the  distillates  are  much  higher 
than  those  of  corresponding  distillates  from  most  other 
crudes.  The  same  applies  to  the  refractive  indices. 
These  characters,  and  the  inability  of  kerosenes  pro- 
duced from  these  crudes  to  burn  in  any  ordinary  lamp 
without  arrangements  for  an  extra  supply  of  air,  were 
naturally  soon  discovered  (Ragosin,  Pet.  Rev.,  vol.  8, 
1903,  p.  59).  The  reason  for  tnisis  the  presence  of  un- 
usually large  proportions  of  aromatic  hydrocarbons  in 
these  oils.  The  occurrence  of  aromatic  hydrocarbons 
in  crude  oils  has  long  been  known.  In  fact,  aromatic 
hydrocarbons  have  been  found  in  small  quantities  in 
most  crude  oils,  but  seldom  to  an  extent  greater  than 
15%,  usually  to  a  much  less  extent.  Examinations  of 
Koetei  oils  have  shown  that  they  contain  extraordinary 
quantities  of  aromatic  hydrocarbons,  amounting  to  as 
much  as  40%  consisting  chiefly  of  benzine,  toluene,  and 
meta-xylene. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  high  aromatic  con- 
tent of  Koetei^ils,  which  some  years  ago  rendered  them 
of  comparatively  low  value,  eventually  rendered  these 
oils  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  British  Empire  as 
a  source  of  toluene. 

The  consideration  of  a  few  generalizations  drawn 
from  a  study  of  the  occurrence  and  characters  of  the 
crude  oils  of  Borneo,  particularly  of  the  Koetei  field, 
may  be  found  to  throw  a  little  light  on  the  origin  of 
petroleum.  The  crude  oils  of  the  Koetei  field  were 
eitherdeveloped  in  situ  or  else  they  migrated  from  some 
mother  rock  into  their  present  reservoirs  If  these  oils 
were  found  insitu.  then  they  must  be  of  vegetable 
origin,  as  there  is  no  indication  in  the  sands  and  coals 
of  sufficient  animal  matter  to  have  yielded  such  quanti- 
ties of  oil.  Further,  had  they  developed  in  situ,  they 
must  have  arisen  either  from  the  coal  or  from  the  veget- 
able matter  which  formed  the  coal.  Experience  does 
not  lead  one  to  expect  that  they  have  been  formed  from 
the  coal,  and  the  change  of  vegetation,  partly  into  coal, 
partly  into  oil,  is  equally  contrary  to  experience.  The 
other  view,  that  the  oils  migrated  into  their  present 
position,  is  much  more  probable,  and  is  supported  by 
certain  evidence  afforded  by  the  differences  in  compo'.i- 
lion  of  the  crude  oil  from  different  horizons.  Condi- 
tions advantageous  to  migration  exist  in  the  Koetei  and 
Tarakan  fields.     In  the  former,  clays  and  sands  alter- 


nate, but  the  layers  are  discontinuous  owing  to  their 
formation  underdeltaconditions,  so  that  a  zigzag  course 
is  open  to  the  oil  migrating  upwards,  there  being,  how- 
ever, many  opportunities  for  retaining  portions  of  the 
oil  under  impervious  clays  en  route.  A  possiblesource 
of  the  oil  is  to  be  found  in  the  foraminifera  limestone 
(which  is  a  shallow  water  deposit  accumulated  quickly) 
of  the  early  Miocene,  or  possibly  in  the  marl  formation 
of  the  underlying  Eocene.  It  is  possible  that  as  the  oil 
migrated  upwards,  coming  into  contact  with  or  passing 
through  the  coal  beds,  some  chemical  interaction  be- 
tween the  oil  and  the  coal  may  have  taken  place.  One 
might  expect,  therefore,  differences  in  composition  of 
theoils  which  have  been  arrested  in  their  upward  course 
by  local  obstacles  at  different  horizons.  This  is,  indeed, 
undoubtedly  the  case.  The  oil  found  at  the  greatest 
depths  so  far  drilled  is  rich  in  paraffin  wax.  The  oils 
found  at  higher  levels  are  poorer  in  paraffin  and  richer 
in  aromatic  and  asphaltic  constituents.  The  early  Mio- 
cene greensand  formation,  which  underlies  the  Koetei 
petroliferous  formations,  has  not  yet  been  penetrated 
by  borings,  but  it  is  found  outcropping  in  the  Palarang 
anticline,  which  runs  parallel  to  that  of  Sanga  Sanga, 
some  miles  further  inland.  The  nature  of  the  oil  found 
there  in  these  lower  strata  is  in  accordance  with  the  view 
put  forward.  This  oil  had  the  relatively  low  specific 
gravity  of  0831,  yielded  40%  of  a  kerosene  of  specific 
gravity  0809,  which  burnt  well  in  a  Hinks  lamp,  and 
which  was  of  very  low  aromatic  content.  The  crude 
was,  moreover,  rich  in  paraffin  wax.  This  oil  comes 
from  a  level  below  thecoalbearing  strata.  Thesefacts 
suggest  the  possibility  of  the  paraffin-rich  and  aromatic- 
poor  oil  having  undergone  some  chemical  interaction 
with  the  coal  in  its  passage  upwards,  which  resulted  in 
a  diminution  of  the  wax  content  and  increase  in  the  aro- 
matic and  asphaltic  constituents.  It  is  difficult  to  un- 
derstand in  what  way  such  a  change  could  have  come 
about.  The  facts,  however,  exist  and  need  some  such 
explanation .  In  the  Miri  fields,  where  coals  are  absent, 
the  oil  is  low  in  aromatic  and  asphaltic  content  ;  the 
oils  of  Perlak.  in  Sumatra,  where  coals  are  absent,  are 
lower  in  aromatic  and  asphaltic  content  than  those  of 
Moera  Enim,  in  which  field  coals  are  present.  The 
fact  also  that  the  difference  in  character  with  increase 
of  depth  is  so  very  much  less  marked  in  the  Tarakan 
field,  where  the  geological  conditions  are  much  more 
favourableforeasymigration,  lendssupportto  thisidea. 

FlotationofCassiterite.— Patent  No  28,999  o'  1919 
(159,025)  granted  to  M.  T.  Taylor  and  J.  W.  Parting- 
ton describes  the  process  for  concentration  of  tin  ores 
by  flotation  as  developed  at  East  Pool  mine,  Cornwall. 
Herewith  is  given  the  specification. 

The  present  invention  is  based  upon  the  observation 
that  sulphonated  fatty  or  resin  acids  have  a  favourable 
effect  in  promoting  the  separation  of  certain  metal  com- 
pounds, for  instance,  the  compounds  of  tin  and  tung- 
sten such  as  the  oxides  of  the  metals  referred  to  and 
scheelite  occurring  in  ores.  In  accordance  with  the  in- 
vention, productsobtained  by  treating  fatty  or  resin  acids 
with  sulphuric  acid  are  employed.  The  fatty  acids 
whose  sulphonated  derivatives  are  employed  in  accor- 
dance with  the  invention  are  the  higher  fatty  acids  such 
as  are  present  in  oils  and  fats,  and  the  resin  acids  are 
ordinarily  those  derived  from  colophony.  The  fatty 
acids  obtained  for  instance  by  treating  soaporasolution 
of  soap  with  a  weak  acid  medium  to  effect  the  separa- 
tion of  the  fatty  acids,  orsoap  itself  may  be  treated  with 
strong  sulphuric  acid,  during  which  treatment  it  will 
be  found  that  sulphur  dioxide  is  liberated  The  waxy 
product  obtained,  which  is  usually  of  a  blackish  or  dark 
colour,  separated  from  the  aqueous  layer  formed  in  the 
treatment,  and   optionally  also  from   any  crystalline 


252 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


matter  separating  {rom  the  aqueous  layer,  may  be  cm- 
ployed  in  tlie  flotation  process. 

In  tlie  treatment  of  soap  with  strong  sulphuric  acid 
inthemannerindicated,  itwouldappear  that  derivatives 
as,  for  instance,  sulphonated  products  or  derivatives  of 
certain  fatty  and/or  resin  acids  contained  in  the  soap 
are  formed.  The  sulphonated  fatty  or  resin  acids  may 
be  employed  in  the  form  of  a  solution  in,  or  otherwise 
in  association  with,  agents  which  in  themselves  may 
act  in  the  direction  of  facilitating  the  separation  of  the 
metallic  values  in  consequence  of  their  selective  action 
for  certain  minerals  or  of  their  emulsifying  or  froth- 
forming  properties.  Thus  the  sulphonated  fattyor  resin 
acids  may  be  dissolved  in  or  employed  in  association 
with  esters  of  fatty  acids  as,  for  instance,  propyl,  butyl, 
or  amyl  acetates,  and/or  with  cyclic  compounds  con- 
taining nitrogen  in  the  ring  as,  for  instance,  pyridine  or 
like  compounds,  or  commercial  products  containing 
these  bodies,  and  the  solution  thus  produced  may  be 
associated  with  phenolic  bodies  such  as  phenol  itself  or 
eucalyptus  oil  or  other  oily  bodies  hitherto  employed 
in  flotation  processes. 

The  flotation  of  tin,  tin  o.xide,  wolfram,  and  scheelite 
can  be  effected  by  the  employment  of  flotation  agents 
in  accordance  with  the  invention,  and  it  has  been  found 
by  the  inventor  that  by  the  employment  of  equal  parts 
by  weight  of  the  fatty  acids  of  palm  oil  and  strong  sul- 
phuric acid  m  forming  a  sulphonated  product,  which  is 
employed  together  with  pyridine  and  amyl  acetate  in 
the  manner  above  indicated,  particularly  good  results 
may  be  obtained  in  the  separation  of  these  minerals 
from  the  gangue  and  other  matters  with  which  they  are 
normally  associated  in  the  form  of  ores  or  concentrates. 

The  following  particulars  are  given,  by  way  of  ex- 
ample, for  the  purpose  of  illustrating  a  suitable  manner 
of  carrying  the  invention  into  effect :  Soap  or  the  fatty 
acids  set  tree  by  the  treatment  of  soap  with  weak  acids 
as,  for  instance,  sulphuric  acid  of  10%  strength,  or  by 
means  of  acetic  acid,  are  treated  with  strong  sulphuric 
acid  of,  for  instance,  95%  strength,  and  the  product 
which  floats  on  the  aqueous  layer  is  further  treated  with, 
for  instance,  pyridine  or  amyl  acetate,  or  both  pyri- 
dine and  amyl  acetate,  after  separation  from  or  while 
in  contact  with  said  layer,  so  that  the  product  is 
dissolved  by  the  pyridine  or  amyl  acetate,  or  forms 
compounds  therewith.  From  what  has  been  stated 
above  it  will  be  understood  that  instead  of  pyridine 
other  cyclic  compounds  containing  nitrogen  in  the  ring 
may  be  employed,  and  that  instead  of  amyl  acetate  other 
fatty  acid  esters  may  be  used.  The  fatty  acids  of  palm 
oil  are  treated  with  an  equal  weight  of  concentrated  sul- 
phuric acid  with  or  without  the  aid  of  heat.  Sulphur 
dioxide  is  evolved  and  the  resulting  product  is  usually 
dark  in  colour.  When  the  reaction  has  ceased,  the  pro- 
duct floating  upon  the  aqueous  layer  is  separated  either 
by  decantation  or  by  allowing  the  reaction  mixture  to 
cool  and  separating  the  solid  reaction  product.  The 
reaction  product,  which  is  more  or  less  solid  at  ordinary 
temperatures,  is  then  masticated  or  kneaded  or  boiled 
with  water  to  remove  the  free  mineral  acid  with  which 
it  may  be  associated. 

The  product  thus  obtained  may  be  added  in  the  solid 
state  to  the  material  as.  for  instance,  by  introducing  it 
into  the  flotation  apparatus  in  which  it  will  be  converted 
into  an  emulsion  with  the  water,  or  it  may  be  previously 
emulsified  with  water  or  dissolved  in  any  suitable  sol- 
vent as,  for  instance,  pyridine  or  like  nitrogen-contain- 
ing cyclic  compounds,  or  propyl ,  butyl,  or  amyl  acetate. 
or  the  corresponding  alcohols,  and  the  emulsion  or 
solution  may  be  then  added  to  the  material  to  be  sub- 
jected to  the  flotation  treatment.  The  ore  or  mineral- 
bearing  material  is  crushed  to  pulp  of  a  suitable  degree 


of  fineness  either  by  wet  or  dry  crushing,  and  is  then 
conveyed  to  a  flotation  apparatus  where  the  said  pulp 
is  agitated  with  water,  and  m  the  course  of  this  agitation 
a  small  portion  of  the  flotation  agent  according  to  the 
invention  is  added  to  it.  This  flotation  agent  attaches 
itself  preferentially  to  the  mineral  particles  in  the  ore 
and  leaves  the  gangue  or  waste  substantially  unallec- 
led.  Air  in  minute  subdivision  is  Introduced  into  the 
aqueous  pulp  and  attaches  itself  to  the  reagent-coated 
mineral  particles,  thus  carrying  them  to  the  surface  in 
the  form  of  a  froth  or  scum,  which  is  collected,  and  the 
mineral  separated  therefrom  by  settling  or  other  suit- 
able means. 

Arizona  Copper  Company's  Metallurgy. — In  the 
HngiiiccnriL^  ami  Mining  Journal  for  I'cbruary  5,  J. 
O.  Ambler  writes  on  the  method  of  saving  gold  and  sil- 
ver at  the  Arizona  Copper  Company's  smelting  plant. 
The  average  gold  content  of  the  blister  copper  per  ton 
is  3  dwt  ,  and  the  silver  content  averages  5  oz.  per  ton. 
This  precious  metal  could  not  be  recovered  profitably 
by  electrolytic  refining,  so  experiments  were  made  in  the 
converter  with  the  object  of  reproducing  the  old  Welsh 
method  of  collecting  gold  and  silver  in  the  bottoms. 
The  results  were  sufficiently  encouraging,  and  the  author 
gives  a  description  of  the  practice  eventually  adopted. 
A  charge  consisting  of  about  fifty  tons  of  matte  and  the 
necessary  silicious  ore  and  cleanings  is  blown  in  12  ft. 
Great  Falls-type  converters  to  the  white-metal  stage  as 
usual.  The  white  metal  is  then  blown  until  part  of  it  is 
converted  into  copper,  this  blowing  time  being  depen- 
dent on  the  amount  of  white  metal  in  the  charge,  the 
percentage  of  enriched  product  desired,  and  the  other 
operating  factors.  The  converter  is  then  turned  down, 
and  the  overlying  white  metal  is  poured  off  into  a  ladle. 
The  copper  remaining  in  the  converter,  which  still  con- 
tains a  small  amount  of  white  metal  and  is  enriched  in 
gold  and  silver,  is  finished  and  poured  as  usual,  this 
operation  taking  from  three  to  five  minutes,  depending 
on  how  clean  a  separation  has  been  made.  The  white 
metal  which  was  poured  off  into  the  ladle  is  then  pour- 
ed into  the  same  converter  and  finished,  the  copper  pro- 
duced being  impoverished  in  gold  and  silver.  The  prin- 
cipal difficulties  encountered  in  operation  are  to  control 
the  percentage  of  copper  produced  as  "  enriched,"  and 
to  obtain  a  clean  separation  when  skimming  the  white 
metal  from  the  enriched  product.  As  a  result  of  experi- 
ence, the  operators  at  the  plant  can  now  Estimate  the 
percentage  of  enriched  product  with  a  fair  degree  of 
accuracy,  but  the  results  obtained  are  still  entirely  em- 
pirical. With  a  charge  containing  about  fourteen  tons 
of  copper,  the  blowing  time  to  produce  55%  of  enriched 
product  from  the  white-metal  stage  averages  from  fifty 
to  fifty-five  minutes  under  the  conditions  prevailing  in 
this  plant,  but  this  varies  with  the  size  of  the  charge, 
cleannessof  the  skim,  temperature  of  the  charge,  amount 
of  cold  scrap  fed,  temperature  of  the  blast,  and  other 
conditions,  and  is  still  largely  a  matter  of  good  judg- 
ment based  on  experience.  The  foremen  in  charge  have 
developed  a  scheme  for  separating  thecopper  and  white 
metal,  by  observation  of  the  appearance  of  the  molten 
stream  on  a  rabble  blade,  which  is  entirely  satisfactory 


SHORT   NOTICES. 

Subsidences  and  their  Prevention.— At  the  March 
meeting  of  the  South  Wales  Institute  of  Engineers,  R. 
C .  Morgan  read  a  paper  on  the  causes  of  subsidences  in 
coal  mines  and  the  best  safeguards  for  their  prevention . 

Compressed  Air  in  Mines. — TheColliery  Guardian 
for  March  4  contains  a  report  of  a  discussion  at  Wigan 
Mining  College  on  the  relative  suitabilitieb  of  com- 
pressed-air power  and  electric  power  in  mines. 


APRIL,    1921 


253 


Flotation  of  Coal. — A  paper  by  E.  Bury.  W,  Broad- 
bridge,  and  A.  Hutchinson  on  the  application  of  froth 
flotation  to  the  purification  of  coal  is  published  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers. 

Monel  Metal. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  February  16.  Paul  D.  Merica  writes 
onthe  physical  characteristics  of  monel  metal,  the  alloy 
of  copper  and  nickel. 

Nickel  Alloys. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  March  2,  Paul  D.  Merica.  of  the  re- 
search department  of  the  International  Nickel  Co., 
writes  on  nickel  steels  and  iron  alloys  high  in  nickel. 

Chloridizing-Roasting  of  Copper  Ores, — In  the  En- 
gineering and  Mining  Journal  oi  March  5,  N.Ostman 
describes  the  RamenBeskow  furnaces  used  in  extract- 
ing copper  from  burnt  pyrites  by  roasting  with  salt  and 
subsequent  leaching.  These  furnaces  and  the  chemical 
considerations  connected  therewith  were  described  in 
the  Mag.^zine  for  December,  1918. 

Electric  Iron  Smelting. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  March  9,  Gerard  de  Geer 
writes  on  electric  smelting  of  pig  iron  at  Domnarfvet, 
Sweden. 

Cobalt  Brasses.  —  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  March  9  publishes  a  translation  of  a 
paper  by  Leon  Guillet,  which  appeared  in  a  recent 
issue  of  Revue  de  Metallurgie.  on  cobalt  brasses. 

Copper  Assay. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  March  19,  G.  J.  Hough  describes  a  modifi- 
cation of  the  Fleitmann  method  of  copper  assay. 

Mount  Quatnby,  Queensland. — The  Queensland 
Government  Mining  Journal  for  January  contains  a 
paper  by  Lionel  C.  Ball  on  the  Mount  Quamby  gold 
deposits  between  Cloncurry  and  Mount  Cuthbert. 

Cobalt  in  Queensland. — The  Queensland  Govern- 
ment Mining  Journal  for  January  publishes  a  paper 
by  J.  H.  Reid  on  the  deposit  of  cobalt  near  Selwyn,  in 
ihe  Cloncurry  district.  Note  of  this  deposit  was  made 
in  the  Magazine  for  November  last. 

Gold  and  Platinum  in  Chile. — In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  ioT  March  19,  F.  Mella  describes 
alluvial  deposits  containing  gold  and  platinum  on  the 
island  of  Chiloe  off  the  coast  of  southern  Chile. 

Spanish  Pyrites. — In  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  January  22,  Courtenay  De  Kalb  writes  on  the 
pyrites  industry  of  South  Spain.  In  theissue  of  Febru- 
ary 5  he  describes  the  methods  of  extracting  the  copper. 
Pyrites  in  Coal. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Manchester 
Geological  and  Mining  Society  held  on  March  8,  James 
Lomax  read  a  paper  on  the  various  forms  of  pyrites  in 
coal,  their  probable  origin,  and  their  effects  on  being 
exposed  to  atmospheric  influences. 

Nevada  Consolidated. — In  the  Mining  and  Scien- 
tific Press  for  March  5,  A.  B.  Parsons  commences  an 
article  giving  a  historical  account  of  the  Nevada  Con- 
solidated Copper  Company. 

Gold  Mining  in  Nicaragua. — In  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  March  12,  Robert  Hawxhurst,  Jr., 
describes  the  Piz  Piz  goldmininp  district,  Nicaragua. 
British  Aluminium  Water  Power. — The  Engineer 
for  March  4  contains  an  illustrated  article  describing 
the  new  scheme  for  providing  additional  electric  current 
for  the  British  Aluminium  Company's  smelting  works 
near  Fort  William,  Scotland,  by  utilizing  the  waters  of 
Lochs  Trieg  and  Laggan  and  of  adjoining  rivers. 

Borneo  Petroleum. — In  the  Engineering  and  Min- 
ing Journal  for  March  5.  W,  H.  Emmons  and  J.  W. 
Gruner  write  on  the  Sanga  Sanga  oilfield  in  the  Koetei 
district,  Borneo. 

Mexican  Oil. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  lor  March  19,  A.  H.  Redfield  discusses  the  oil 


resources  of  the  states  on  the  isthmus  in  Mexico,  Vera 
Cruz,  Oaxaca,  and  Chiapas. 

Conditionsin China. — Minmgajid Metallurgy  {New 
York)  for  March  contains  a  paper  by  H.  Foster  Bain 
entitled  :  "  Problems  Fundamental  to  Mining  Enter- 
prise in  the  Far  East." 


RECENT  PATENTS  PUBLISHED. 

*^J  cot>y  of  the  specification  of  any  of  the  patents  men- 
tioned in  this  column  can  be  obtained  by  sending  Is.  to 
the  Patent  Office.  Southampton  Buildings,  Chancery 
Lane.  London.  W  C.2..witha  note  of  the  number  and  year 
of  the  patent. 

19,027  of  1919  (158,288).  J.  G.  Macleod,  Lon- 
don, and  W.  J.  Browning,  Rio  Tinto.  Obtaining 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  from  sulphurous  gases  obtained 
by  the  roasting  of  sulphides,  by  passing  these  gases  con- 
tinuously through  a  carbonaceous  zone  maintained  in- 
candescent by  its  own  combustion. 

21,220  of  1919  (158,293).  A.  Matheson,  Lon- 
don. Method  of  producing  soluble  phosphate  from 
alunite. 

22,056  of  1919(158,294).  S.  E.  MuNoz,  Lor- 
enzo Marquez,  and  S  Seruya,  Johannesburg.  Cush- 
ioning devices  for  hand  hammer-drills. 

23,318of  1919(158,926).  A  J. and  H.D. Evans, 
London.  Improved  method  of  recovering  tin  from  tin- 
pot  skimmings. 

24,766  of  1919  (159,244).  C.  M.  CoNDER  and 
G.  T.  TwYNAM,  Camborne.  Improved  crusher  of  the 
roller  and  ring  type. 

25,056  of  1919  (158,937).  W.  Gallagher,  Jo- 
hannesburg.    Instrument  for  surveying  bore-holes 

26,470of  1919(134,536).  Masumi  Chikashige 
and  Denzo  Uno.  Kyoto,  Japan.  Extracting  selenium 
and  other  metals  from  the  slimes  of  electrolytic  refining 
plant. 

27,951  of  1919  (158,708).  A.  H.  Jones.  Tono- 
pah,  Nevada.     Flotation  machine. 

28,355  of  1919  (158,992).  A.  A.  Kelly  and  B. 
D.Jones,  London.  Methodof  preparing  alkali  penta- 
borates  from  boronatrocalcite  or  other  boron  minerals 

28.546  of  1919  (159,008).  J.  E.  Hurst,  Mans- 
field, and  E.  B.  Ball,  Troon.  Aluminium  alloy  suit- 
able for  internal  combustion  engines  containing  05  to 
6%  of  chromium. 

28.763  of  1919  (159,280).  W.  B.  Ballantyne, 
London.  Method  of  introducing  chromium  c  other 
refractory  metal  into  steel. 

28,832 of  1919(159,285).  E.Edser,H.L.  Sul- 
MAN,  and  F.  B.  Jones,  London.  Improvements  in 
process  for  floating  coal,  based  on  W.  Russell's  process 
described  in  Patent  No.  122,454. 

29,031  of  1919  (158,740).  W.  P.  Heskett, 
Wanganui,  New  Zealand.  Method  of  producing  fine 
metallic  powders. 

29,283  of  1919(159,314).  W.  W.Richardson, 
London.  Improvements  in  the  inventor's  revolving 
classifier  and  concentrator. 

29,303  of  1919  (147,530).  New  Jersey  Zinc 
Co.,  New  York.  Improvements  in  the  Wetherill  pro- 
cess for  making  zinc,  lead,  and  other  oxides. 

29,359  of  1919  (159,318).  R.  H.  Bicknell. 
London.     Tunnelling  machine. 

30,340of  1919(159,342).  D.  Whitaker,  Leices- 
ter.     Tunnelling  machine. 

30,951  of  1919  (159,071).  J.J.  Collins,  Wins- 
ford,  Cheshire.  Method  of  extracting  tin  from  ores  by 
treatment  with  dry  chlorine  gas.  This  process  was  de- 
scribed in  the  Magazine  for  November,  1920. 

31,814  of  1919  (159.380).  R  Storen,  Kongs- 
berg,  and  R.  Johanson,  Odda,  Norway.     In  magnetic 


254 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


separation,  a  method  of  rendering  pyrrliolite  perman- 
ently non  magnetic  so  that  weakly  magnetic  iron  oxides 
can  be  separated  from  it. 

1  712of  1920(159,086).  S.  E.Siitt  kin,  Hoganas, 
Sweden  Method  o(  producing  al  iimina  from  aluminium 
chloride  formed  by  treating  aluminium  ores  in  hydro- 
chloric acid.  _  „  . 

5,510of  1920(154,167).     F.  Courtoy,  Brussels. 

Coal  washer.  _  „^ 

6,092  of  1920(139,523).  Siemens-Schuckert- 
WFUKE,  Berlin.      Kolary  rock-drill. 

6  912  of  1920  (140,069).  ScHiELE  &  Bruck- 
sal'fr  Hornberg,  Baden.  Increasing  the  resistance 
of  aluminium  to  acid  and  alkaline  liquids. 

8  213  of  1920  (159,102).  General  IlI-ECTRIc 
Co  ',  Schenectady.  New  York.  Producing  acoating  of 
chromium-iron  alloy  on  surfaces  of  iron  and  steel. 

11  326  of  1920  (142,129).  J.  Chofpinet,  G. 
Gil.LON.  and  V.  Dki-aVS,  Brussels.  An  apparatus 
for  determining  the  deviations  of  bore-holes,  compris- 
ing a  rocking  beam  suspended  above  a  disc  having 
uniform  rotary  motion,  which  moves  laterally  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  deviations  of  the  bore-hole,  the 
rocking  beam  carrying  devices  arranged  in  the  apices 
of  a  regular  polygon  that  is  concentric  to  the  rocking 
beam  said  devices  being  arranged  to  come  into  con- 
tact with  a  radius  of  the  rotating  disc  at  intervals  of 
time  varying  with  the  relative  positionsof  the  disc  and 

he  rocking  beam,  and  the  recording  of  which  al  ows 
of  determining  the  distances  between  the  centre  of  the 
disc  and  the  axis  of  the  rocking  beam,  that  is  to  say, 
the  displacement  of  the  disc  and  consequently  the  de- 
viation^  of  the  bore-hole  and  the  horizontal  direction 

of  said  deviations.  . 

12,941  of  1920(143,218).    WENDEL&ClE.Paris. 

Blast'ing  cartridges  using  liquid  air. 

12  959  of  1920(152,300).   Fuller-lehigh  Co. 
andA  G  KiNYON.  Fullerton,  Pennsylvama.    Toassist 
the  conveying  of  coal  dust  by  pressure,  the  introduction 
of  small  amounts  of  air  into  the  bottom  of  the  condmts, 
thus  making  the  dust  fluent. 

NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS.  Etc. 

imTr,n,ei  of  the  books  etc  .  menlioned  bslow  can  be  obtained 

Th^Tg'C. hi  Technical  Bookshop  of  TkeAHn.ng  Maiaz.ne. 

724.  Salisbury  House.  London  Wall,  iL.K^.i 


7^4,  :DailSDUrv   nuusc.   i^w..^^"    ■■ — -  -  ^    „„        vt 

American  Petroleum  Register.  Price  «10  00.  New 
York:  Oil  Trade  Journal.  120.  Broadway. 

The  Recovery   of  Nitrate  from  Chilean  Caliche. 

By  A.  W.  ALLEN.  Cloth,  octavo,  SOpages.  /'"ce63. 
net  The  author  6rst  describes  the  standard  Shanks 
process  for  e.xtracting  nitrate,  and  then  proceeds  to  deal 
with  his  own  process,  for  which  patents  are  pending. 

Year-Book  of  the  Scientific  and  Learned  Societies. 
Cloth,  octavo.  360  pages.  London:  Charles  Griffin 
&  Co  Ltd  This  is  the  37th  annual  issue  of  a  most 
useful'handbook  giving  details  of  the  various  scientihc 
and  technical  societies,  with  records  of  the  papers  and 
transactions  during  the  year.  CcuMrF 

Phosphate  in  Canada.  By  HUGH  S  SpencE. 
Published  by  the  Canadian  D^P^^'f «"' °f  ,'^'""p.. 

Geology  of  the  Plateau  Tin  Fields.  By  J  D.  Fal- 
coner.    Published  by  the  Geological  Survey  of  Ni- 

^Tead  Ores.  By  T.  C.  F.  Hall.  Paper  covers  135 
pages.  Price  6s.  net.  Published  for  the  Imperial  In- 
stitute bv  lohn  Murray. 

Handbook  of  Metallurgy,  Vol.  1.  By  Carl  Schn  a^ 
BEL.translatedby  HENRY  LOUIS.  Cloth  octavo,  1.180 
pages,  illustrated.  Price  40s  net.  London  .  Macmi- 
lan  &  Co  Ltd.  This  is  the  third  edition  of  this  well 
known  book.     A  detailed  review  will  follow  later. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

East  Pool  &  Agar.— As  reported  last  month,  this  tin- 
woUram-arsenic  mine  near  Camborne,  was  shut  down  in 
February  owing  to  the  low  price  of  metals  and  the  high 
cost  of  wages  and  coal,  though  pumping  is  being  con- 
tinued in  order  that  the  property  may  be  kept  m  Rood 
order      The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that  74,433 
tons  of  ore  was  rai.^ed  and  sent  to  the  mill,  47,524  tons 
coming  from  the  famous  Rogers  lode.    The  yields  were 
874  tons  of  tin  concentrate,  46  8  tons  of  wolfram,  and 
500  tons  of  crude  arsenic.     The  yield  of  lin  concentrate 
per  ton  was  26-3;'.  lb.,  and  the  calculated  recovery  in 
chemical  assay  was  68-8%  •     The  amounts  realized  on 
the  sale  of  the  several  products  were  £  152,015,  i\-^jZ' 
and  /"  728  respectively,  making  a  total  of  £175,767. 
or47s  3d  per  ton  of  ore  milled.  Otherrevenuebrought 
the  receipts  to  /180,310.      The  total  expenses  were 
/''OS  31S    or  55s    lid.  per  ton,  so  that  there  was  a  net 
loss  for  the  year  of  £28.007.     During  the  year   a  large 
amount  of  development  was  done,  with  gratifying  re- 
sults, which  are  described  in  the  extracts  from  Bewick, 
Moreing  &  Co. 's  report  given  herewith. 

On  the  190-fathom  level,  the  main  east  drive,  on  the 
Rogers  Lode,  was  continued  beyond  the  elvan.  and  for 
the  248  ft.  driven  disclosed  ore  averaging  48  5  lb   black 
tin  and  wolfram  per  ton  over  a  width  of  6  ft.     A  wmze 
at  5'0  ft    east,  was  started  from  the  above  drive  and 
sunk  24  ft.  in  ore  averaging  34  lb.  black  tin  and  wolfram 
oer  ton  for  a  width  of  5  ft.     A  rise,  at  636  ft.  east   was 
klso  started  from  the  main  drive,  and  extended  83  tt.  in 
ore  averaging  81  lb    black  tin  and  wolfram  per  ton  for 
a  width  of  6  ft.     On  the  212  fathom  level,  the  main 
west  drive  was  advanced  161  ft.,  to  a  total  of  948  ft 
the  ore  disclosed  averaging  345  lb.  black  tin  and  wol- 
fram per  ton  for  an  exposed   width  of  6  ft.     The  main 
east  drive  was  advanced  129  ft .  through  the  elvan  course, 
but  has  not  yet  reached  the  downward  extension  of  the 
high-grade  ore  opened  up  beyond  the  elvan  at  the  190- 
f afhom  level .     On  the  240-fathom  level,  the  main  west 
drive  was  advanced  119  ft.  to  a  total  distance  of  506  ft., 
the  ore  disclosed  averaging  34  lb.  black  tin  and  wolfram 
pertonforanexposedwidthofeft.    An  east  branch  drive 
(8^6  ft  north,  150  ft.  west),  off  thenorthsideof  the  main 
eastdrive,  wasstarled  and  advanced  58  ft.  in  ore  averag^ 
ing  27  5  lb.  black  tin  and  wolf  ram  per  ton  over  an  exposed 
width  of  5-5  ft.     On  the  252-fathom  level,  a  mam  north 
cross-cut.  for  opening  up  the  Rogers  Lode  at  this  leve 
was  started  and  extended  735  ft.  from  East  Pool  shaft 
and  intersected  the  following  :  At  80  ft.  north,  the  Red 
Lode  averaging  70  lb.  black  tin  per  ton  for  a  w'dth  of 
5  ft   ■   at  336  ft.  north,  Branweirs  Lode  averaging  45  lb. 
black  tin  per  ton  for  a  width  of  5  ft.     (Where  met  rn 
higher  levels  these  lodes  usually  have  been  unprofit- 
able, but  the  values  above  stated  indicate  that  probably 
an  improvement  is  taking  place  in  depth  as  has  been 
experienced, n  adjoining  mines)  ;  at  430  ft.  north,  a  lode 
averaging  37  lb.  black  tin  per  ton  for  a  width  of  8  tt.  . 
at  537  ft.  north,  a  lode  averaging  821b.  black  tin  per 
ton  for  a  width  of  5  ft.  ,    j      „„ 

On  the  255  fathom  level,  the  Tolgus  tunnel,  driven 
east  from  the  most  easterly  workings  in  the  Agar  sec- 
tion encountered  what  is  believed  to  be  the  Great  Lode 
at  a  distance  of  860  ft  ,  and  for  the  11  ft,  driven  on  the 
lode  the  ore  averaged  84  lb  black  tin  and  wolfram  per 
ton  over  an  exposed  width  of  8^  ft.  The  full  width  of 
the  lode  was  subsequently  exposed  by  a  south  cross- 
cut from  the  tunnel,  and  averaged  158  lb.  black  tin  and 
wolfram  per  ton  lor  13  ft.  wide.  The  Great  Lode  has 
been  extensively  mined  in  b  nh  East  Pool  and  Agar 
sections  for  a  length  of  2.700  ft.,  and  for  many  years 
was  the  most  productive  lode  worked  on  the  property. 


APRIL,    1921 


255 


The  distance  from  the  most  easterly  workings  in  the  old 
part  of  the  mine  to  the  eastern  boundary  is  2,000  ft., 
and  the  values  disclosed  in  the  tunnel  give  reason  to 
believe  that  the  Great  Lode  in  this  section  also  will 
produce  large  tonnages  of  profitable  ore. 

Tehidy  Minerals. — This  company  was  formed  in 
February.  1919,  to  acquire  the  mineral  rights  of  the  Te- 
hidy (or  Basset)  estate,  near  Camborne,  other  than  the 
mining  rights  belonging  to  the  Dolcoath  and  East  Pool 
companies  :  in  the  August  following  the  mineral  rights 
of  the  Lanhydrock  (or  Clifden)  estate  were  acquired. 
Particulars  of  the  Tehidy  estate  were  given  in  the  Maga- 
zine for  July,  1919,  and  of  the  Lanhydrock  estate  in 
April,  1920,  in  each  case  accompanied  by  an  explora- 
tory map.  The  report  now  issued  covers  the  period 
from  the  registration  of  the  company  to  the  end  of  1920. 
The  delay  in  issuing  the  report  is  due  to  difficulties  in 
connection  with  the  transfer  of  the  Tehidy  rights.  The 
accounts  show  an  income  of  /12.892  from  Tehidy  dues 
and  rents,  and  /14.588  from  Lanhydrock  dues  and 
rents.  The  admmistration  expenses  were  /10,744, 
and  income  tax  absorbed  £8,429.  The  net  balance  of 
profit  was  /9,621,  which  was  carried  forward.  The 
company  has  taken  a  substantial  interest  in  the  Cornish 
Kaolin,  Ltd.,  whose  worksaresituated  at  Bodmin  Road, 
and  has  sold  to  them  a  portion  of  its  clay  areas.  Cor- 
nish Kaolin's  pipe  line  and  rail  way  sidings  afford  an  out- 
let for  the  working  of  the  company's  extensive  china- 
clay  deposits  on  Bodmin  Moor  and  form  the  founda- 
tion from  which  this  development  will  proceed.  The 
company  has  purchased,  since  the  end  of  1920,  from 
H.  D.  Pochin  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  their  well-known  works  situ- 
ated at  Burngullow,  and  the  Halviggan  clay  pits  which 
areon  the  company's  property,  and  which  areconnected 
with  the  Burngullow  works  by  a  pipe-line.  The  ac- 
quisition gives  an  outlet  to  sidings  on  the  railway  for 
working  the  company  s  clay  deposits  at  Halviggan  and 
district.  Both  these  works  are  situated  on  the  Great 
Western  main  line  and  are  near  the  china-clay  port  of 
Fowey. 

South  Crofty. — As  recorded  last  month,  the  mine  and 
mill  of  this  tin-mining  company  at  Camborne  were 
closed  on  February  12  owing  to  the  high  cost  of  wages 
and  materials  and  the  low  price  of  tin.  The  report  now 
issued  covers  the  year  1920.  During  this  period  69,960 
tons  of  ore  was  raised  and  treated,  from  which  were  ex- 
tracted 589  tons  of  tin  concentrate.  38  tons  of  wolfram, 
and  645  tons  of  arsenic.  The  value  of  these  products 
was  /145.913,  or  41s.  8d.  per  ton  of  ore  milled.  The 
rofit  and  loss  account  shows  total  credits  of  ;f  153,420, 

.J  a  net  profit  of  £^3,056  The  costs  at  the  mine  were 
35s.  8d.  per  ton.  The  yields  per  ton  were  18'8  lb.  tin 
concentrate,  122  lb.  wolfram,  and  20  68  1b.  arsenic. 
As  regards  development,  the  results  have  continued  to 
be  satisfactory.  In  the  deepest  levels  at  260  fm.  and 
290  fm  in  Robinson  ssection,  comparatively  high  assay- 
values  have  been  obtained  over  portions  of  the  ground, 
while  two  new  lodes  of  some  promise  have  been  dis- 
covered. Now  that  all  the  mines  in  the  district  are 
closed,  the  question  of  individual  or  collective  pumping 
has  arisen.  At  South  Crofty  there  is  a  likelihood  of  a 
considerable  increase  in  the  amount  of  water  coming  in 
if  complete  stoppage  or  certain  alterations  in  methods 
were  adopted  at  adjacent  mines  Hence  the  necessity 
for  collective  action. 

Robinson  Gold. — This  company  was  formed  in  1887 
to  work  an  outcrop  mine  in  the  central  Rand,  and  for 
many  years  the  returns  were  large  and  the  mine  was 
the  greatest  gold  mine  of  the  world.  J.  B.  Robinson 
was  the  first  chairman,  but  the  control  soon  passed  to 
the  Ecksteins  and  later  to  the  Rand  Mines  group.  The 
mine  is  near  exhaustion,  and  for  some  years  operations 


have  subsisted  on  the  treatment  of  low-grade  ore.  The 
report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that  475,400  tons,  aver- 
aging 4'7  dwt.  per  ton,  was  raised  and  sent  to  the  mil 
without  sorting.  The  yield  by  amalgamation  was 
63,397  oz..  and  by  cyaniding  40,229  oz.,  making  a  total 
of  103,626  oz.,  or  436  dwt.  per  ton.  The  revenue  was 
£573,570,  of  which  £l43,103  accrued  from  the  gold 
premium.  The  revenue  per  ton  was  24s.  2d.,  of  which 
6s.  Id.  was  premium.  The  working  cost  was  £487.367, 
or  20s.  6d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  £86,202, 
or  3s.  8d.  per  ton.  It  is  clear,  therefore,  that  the  mine 
exists  on  the  gold  premium .  The  shareholders  receiv- 
ed £82,500,  the  dividend  being  at  the  rate  of  3%.  The 
reserve  in  the  Main  Reef  Leader  and  South  Reef  is  es- 
timated at  115.200  tons,  not  valued.  There  is  a  large 
amount  of  ore  remaining  in  the  Main  Reef,  but  only 
small  portions  of  it  are  of  sufficiently  high  grade  to 
warrant  extraction.  Ore  is  still  being  extracted  from 
the  old  workings  and  by  the  reclamation  of  pillars,  but 
the  resources  in  this  direction  cannot  be  estimated. 
Thus  the  remaining  life  of  the  mine  is  difficult  to 
forecast. 

Rose  Deep. — This  company  was  formed  in  1894  to 
acquire  claims  on  the  dip  of  the  reef  below  New  Prim- 
rose in  the  near  east  Rand.  In  1909  the  adjoining  Glen 
Deep  was  absorbed.  The  control  is  with  Rand  Mines, 
Ltd.  The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that  713,431 
tons  of  ore  was  raised,  and,  after  the  remo%'al  of  9%  as 
waste,  643,600  tons  of  ore,  averaging  54  dwt.  per  ton, 
was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgama- 
tion was  101,142  oz..  and  by  cyaniding  62,644  oz.,  mak- 
ing a  total  of  163,786  oz.,  or  5  09  dwt.  per  ton  milled. 
The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £900.917.  or28s. 
per  ton  milled.  The  working  cost  was  £679.898.  or  21s. 
2d.  per  ton.  leaving  a  working  profit  of /221.018.  or  6s. 
lOd.  per  ton.  The  proportion  of  the  revenue  accruing 
from  the  premium  on  gold  is  not  specifically  given,  but 
it  is  stated  that  but  for  this  premium  the  margin  between 
revenue  and  expenditure  would  have  been  extremely 
small.  The  shareholders  received  £192,500,  the  divi- 
dend being  at  the  rate  of  21\%.  Thedevelopmentwork 
has  continued  to  give  satisfactory  results,  and  the  re- 
serve is  estimated  at  3,060,040  tons  averaging  51  dwt. 
per  ton,  as  compared  with  3,031,280  tons  averaging  5'2 
dwt.  the  year  before. 

Consolidated  Diamond  Mines  of  South  •  West 
Africa. —  This  company  was  formed  in  February,  1920, 
by  the  Consolidated  Mines  Selection  group,  to  acquire 
the  properties  of  the  principal  German  diamond-min- 
ing companies  operating  in  South-West  Africa.  The 
first  annual  report,  now  issued,  covers  the  period  from 
October  1.  1919.  to  December  31.  1920.  Of  the  Ger- 
man companies,  the  Pomona.  Koloniale,  and  Deutsche 
were  the  biggest  producers.  Operations  were  con- 
tinued by  the  German  companies  until  March,  1920, 
after  which  date  the  present  company  took  control  and 
rearranged  the  work  accordingly.  The  accounts  show 
an  estimated  profit  of  £128,365  for  the  period  from 
October  1,  1919.  to  February  16,  1920.  From  Febru- 
ary 16  to  the  end  of  the  year  the  sales  of  diamonds 
brought  an  income  of  £1.455.143.  and  on  December 
31  the  stock  of  346.675  carats  was  valued  at  £416.208, 
being  the  cost  of  production.  The  mining  expenses 
were  £501.997.  administration  expenses  £27.720.  al- 
lowance for  depreciation  £123.996,  interest  on  deben- 
tures £131,821,  allocation  to  sinking  fund  for  redemp- 
tion of  debentures  £138,742,  and  payment  to  the  Gov- 
ernment £404.237.  The  balance  of  profit  for  Febru- 
ary 16  to  December  31  was  £249.973.  Owing  to  the 
uncertainty  of  the  diamond  market  no  dividend  has 
been  declared.  The  engineer  gives  the  figures  for  the 
output  of  diamonds  during  1920  as  545.027  carats,  ob- 


256 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


tained  by  treating  1.106,7J9  cubic  metres  of  ground. 

AMOciated  Northern  Blocks. — This  company  was 
formed  in  1S99,  as  a  subsidiary  of  the  Associated  Gold 
Mines  of  West  Australia,  to  work  the  Iron  Duke  and 
other  properties  at  KalKOorlie,  West  Australia.  I'or 
many  years  satisfactory  profits  were  earned.  Later  the 
property  was  let  on  tribute.  In  1910  the  Victorious 
mine  at  Ora  Banda  was  accjuired.  This  property  has 
also  been  let  to  tributers.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
September  JO  last  shows  that  17,316  tons  was  raised  by 
thetributersat  the  Victorious,  which  yielded  gold  worth 
Li'ljil  at  par,  and  that  14,981  tons  was  raised  by  tri- 
butorsat  the  Iron  Duke,  yielding  gold  worth  I'lifiZZ  at 
par.  After  the  receipt  of  the  premium  on  gold,  /1 1,7 17, 
the  profit  accruing  to  the  company  was  ;f  13,756.  out  of 
which  /3,419  was  written  off  for  development  and  de- 
preciation. The  balance  brought  forward  from  the 
previous  year  was  ;f21,997,  so  that  the  disposable  bal- 
ance of  profit  at  the  end  of  1920  was  ;£32,334.  Out  of 
this,  ;f  17,500  was  distributed  on  March  31,  1920,  the 
dividend  being  at  the  rate  of  Is.  per  share,  tax  paid.  In 
1910  the  company  purchased  the  El  Refugio  mine  in 
Zacatecas,  Mexico.  This  was  subsequently  let  on  lease, 
and  the  report  now  states  that  the  lessee  has  com- 
menced the  erection  of  a  milling  plant. 

Globe  &  Phoenix. — The  report  of  this  celebrated 
gold-mining  company  operating  in  Rhodesia,  covering 
the  year  1920,  gives  no  details  of  the  ore  mined  and 
treated.  The  profit  and  loss  account  shows  an  income 
of  ;£379,8S0  from  the  sale  of  bullion  at  par  value,  to 
which  is  added  ;f  153,457  received  as  premium  on  the 
sale  ol  the  gold.  Theprofitfor  the  year  was;£'344.042, 
of  which  ^78,945  was  paid  out  for  income  tax  and  cor- 
poration tax,  /lOO.OOO  was  placed  to  development  re- 
serve, while  ;f240,000  was  distributed  as  dividend,  be- 
ing at  the  rate  of  120% .  The  ore  reserve  is  calculated 
at  93.852  tons  averaging  31  dwt.  per  ton.  The  last 
previous  report  as  regards  ore  reserves  was  published 
in  October.  1919,  when  the  figures  were  143,333  tons 
averaging  30  dwt.  At  the  end  of  1918.  the  figures  were 
159,913  tons  averaging  294  dwt.,  and  at  the  end  of  1917, 
184,053  tons  averaging  289  dwt.  It  is  clear  that  min- 
ing operations  have  depended  on  the  ore  reserve  for 
some  time.  The  present  report  on  development  work 
received  from  D.  P.  McDonald  indicates  improvements 
in  the  results  at  various  points,  but  he  confesses  that 
more  good  luck  is  desirable. 

Jos  Tin  Area  (Nigeria). — This  company  was  formed 
in  1910  to  work  a  number  of  tin-mining  leases  in  Ni- 
geria. The  report  for  the  year  ended  July  31,  1920, 
shows  that  143  tons  of  tin  concentrate  was  won,  as  com- 
pared with  233  tons  the  year  before,  the  fall  being 
mainly  due  to  shortage  of  labour.  For  the  six  months 
ended  January  31,  1921,  the  output  was  131^  tons.  Ow- 
ing to  the  present  low  price  of  tin,  the  rate  of  output  has 
been  reduced  and  the  staff  has  been  cut  down  consider- 
ably. The  profit  for  the  year  under  review  was  £1,214, 
which  was  carried  forward.  In  writing  of  this  com- 
pany last  October,  we  referred  to  a  report  for  the  year 
ended  July  31  ;  this  report  was  for  the  year  ended  July 
31,  1919.  not  July  31.  1920. 

HoUinger  Consolidated  Gold  Mines. — The  tenth  an- 
nual report  of  the  leading  gold-mining  company  oper- 
ating at  Porcupine,  Ontario,  for  the  year  1920,  shows 
that  650,205  tons  of  ore  was  sent  to  the  mill,  averaging 
S9'93  per  ton.  The  gold  produced  was  valued  at 
$6,219,664,  or  8956  per  ton.  The  receipts  during  the 
year  including  the  premium  on  gold  were  $6,939,628, 
and  8222,982  was  received  as  dividends  and  interest. 
The  working  cost  was  83,144.328,  or  84'83  per  ton  of 
ore  treated.  Taxes  absorbed  8225,940,  8445.985  was 
written  oft  for  depreciation  of  plant,  8408,250  was  writ- 


ten off  development  .iccouni,  and  8260,872  was  written 
olf  investments.  The  net  profit  was  82,675,274,  of 
which  82.214,000  was  distributed  as  dividends.  The 
ore  reserve  was  estimated  at  3,294,00.')  tons,  averaging 
11  dwt.  per  ton.  Two  years  earlier  the  reserve  was 
estimated  at  4,275,570  tons  averaging  8900  per  ton. 
In  the  later  estimate  all  ore  lower  than  86  00  has  been 
eliminated.  Virtually  tlie  whole  of  the  calculated  re 
serve  is  above  the  800  ft.  level.  The  lodes  have  been 
proved  below  this,  and  down  to  1,350  ft.,  but  no  esti- 
mate of  their  contents  has  yet  been  made. 

Mexico  Mines  of  El  Ore.  -This  company  has  worked 
agold  mineat  El  Oro,  Mexico,  since  1904.  As  themine 
is  fully  developed,  a  subsidiary  exploration  company 
was  formed  a  year  or  two  ago  and  the  control  of  other 
properties  has  been  acquired,  but  owing  to  adverse 
conditions  in  metals  the  new  ventures  are  in  abeyance 
at  present.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30  last 
shows  that  138,710  tons  of  ore  was  milled,  averaging 
81136  in  gold  and  8  39oz.  silver  per  ton.  The  yield 
of  gold  was81,435,3Sl  and  of  silver  972,934  oz.,  being 
recoveries  of  91%  and  835%  respectively.  The  ac- 
counts show  an  income  of  /533,808  from  the  sale  of 
the  gold  and  silver,  and  a  net  profit  of  /196,579.  out  of 
which  £189, 000  has  been  distributed  as  dividends,  be- 
ing at  the  rate  of  90%  tax  paid.  Developments  con- 
tinue to  disclose  ore,  and  during  the  past  year  blocks 
of  ore  higher  in  silver  than  gold  have  been  found  on 
the  3rd,  4th,  and  9th  levels.  The  reserve  is  estimated 
at  350,100  tons,  averaging  810  92  gold  and  882  oz. 
silver  per  ton,  a  decrease  of  29. 100  tons  in  tonnage  and 
80  68  in  gold  content,  and  an  increase  of  022  oz.  silver, 
as  compared  with  the  figures  a  year  before. 

San  Francisco  Mines  of  Mexico. — This  company 
was  formed  in  1913  to  acquire  silver-lead-zinc  mines 
near  Parral,  Chihuahua,  Mexico,  previously  worked  by 
the  San  Francisco  del  Oro  company.  The  report  for 
the  year  ended  September  30  last  shows  that  the  con- 
centrator, enlarged  to  adailycapacily  of  100  tons  toward 
the  end  of  1919,  was  at  work  as  continuously  as  Mexican 
conditions  allowed.  During  the  period  under  review 
25,087  tons  of  ore  was  treated  in  the  concentrator,  aver- 
aging 94%  lead,  202%  zinc,  08%  copper,  128  dwt. 
gold,  and  20  oz.  silver.  The  yield  of  lead  concentrate 
was5,901  tons, averaging 30  4%  lead, 21  4%  zinc,  3 dwt. 
gold,  and  41  oz.  silver.  The  recovery  of  the  lead  was 
77%  and  of  silver  47%.  Theoutput  of  shipping  ore  was 
8,064  tons,  averaging  876%  lead,  IS'45%  zinc,  r75 
dwt.  gold,  and  33  oz.  silver,  together  with  644  tons  of 
oxidized  ore  averaging  656%  lead,  1^  dwt.  gold,  and  19 
oz.  silver.  The  total  received  for  the  concentrate  and 
shipping  ores  was  1,657,074  pesos.  The  profit  made  by 
the  company  was  /^33,149,  as  compared  with  a  loss  of 
/40,900  the  year  before.  Plans  are  in  hand  for  the  ex- 
tension of  the  concentrator  to  a  capacity  of  250  tons  per 
day.  The  finances  of  the  company  are  to  be  rearranged 
so  that  payment  of  interest  on  debentures  may  be  sus- 
pended for  three  years,  and  funds  arising  from  profits 
thus  released  for  the  requirements  of  the  mine. 

British  Aluminium. — This  company  operates  four 
hydro-electric  aluminium  smelting  works,  two  of  them 
being  in  Scotland,  and  two  in  Norway,  and  it  also  owns 
rolling  mills  in  Stafford  and  Lancashire.  The  report 
for  the  year  1920  shows  a  net  profit  of  /137,611,  of 
which  £^118, 077  has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being 
6%  on  the  preference  and  10%  on  the  ordinary  shares. 
The  company  does  not  give  particulars  of  the  output  of 
aluminium.  The  works  have  been  considerably  ex- 
tended during  the  year,  and  were  fully  employed.  Since 
the  close  of  the  year,  however,  the  fall  in  consumption 
has  been  such  that  it  has  been  necessary  to  curtail  seri- 
ously the  output  at  the  various  works. 


>-1 


The  Mining  Magazine 

W.  F.  White.  Managing  Director.  EDWARD  Walker,  M.Sc.  F.G.S.,  Editor. 

Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Minin^  Publications,  Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House.  London  Wall.  London,  E.C.2. 

Telephone:  London  Wall  8938.    Teleeraphic  Address :  Oligoclase.     Codes:  McNeti^  both  Editions. 


Branch  Offices  : 


1420.  Market  Street.  San  Francisco. 
i  600.  Fisher  Bdg..  Chicago. 


Subscription 


[  16s.  per  annum  (Single  Copy  Is.  6d  )  inclu- 
\       ding  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXIV.   No.  5. 


LONDON.   MAY.    1921 


Price   Is.  6d. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Editorial 
Notes 258 

Llandarcy  ;  "  Johannesville"  ;  Lectures  on  Zinc  at 
Sir  John  Cass  Technical  Institute  :  Journal  of  In- 
dian Industries  and  Labour  ;  Burma  Corporation 
and  British  Lead  Manufacturers  ;  Prospectinti 
for  Platinum  at  the  iLizard  ;  British  Petrographic 
Nomenclature. 

Gold  Stealing  259 

Instances  are  given  of  recent  convictions  Id  West 
Australia  of  stealers  and  receivers  of  gold. 

The  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy    260 

The  Institution  is  about  to  remove  to  other  premises 
and  to  arranf^e  closer  working  with  the  Institu- 
tion of  Mining  Engineers. 

Rand  Mining  Results 261 

The  outputs  during  1920  are  discussed,  and  also  the 
factors  on  which  the  future  prosperity  depends. 

Review  of  Mining  263 

Articles 

Notes  on  Open-Cut  Mining    

R.S.  Botsfoni  267 

The  Author  discusses  some  recent  advances  in 
practice  in  open-cut  mining. 

The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 
J,  D.  Kendall  272 

The  Author  contributes  to  the  discussion  on  Dr.  J. 
Morrow  Caaipbell's  recent  paper  on  this  subject. 

British  Petrographic  Nomenclature...   278 

A  summary  is  here  given  of  the  Report  of  the  Joint 
Committee  of  the  Geological  and  Mineralogical 
Societies  on  the  standardization  of  petrological 
terms. 

Letters  to  the  Editor 

The  Greenside  Mine  Win.  H.  Borlase  281 

Wave-Transmission  Kock- Drill     

R.  de  H.  St.  Stephens  282 

Book  Reviews 

Curie's  "  This  World  of  Ours  "   

V:  F.  Stanley  Low     283 

Prochaska's  "  Coal  Washing  "...Henry  Louis     285 

Spurr's  "  Political  and  Commercial  Geology  " 
S.J.  Truscott     286 

Evans'  "Lubricating  and  Allied  Oils"   

H.  B.  Milner     287 

Hamorand  Padgett's"  The  Technical  E.xamina- 
tion  of  Crude  Petroleum.  Petroleum  Pro- 
ducts, and  Natural  Gas" H.  B    Milner     287 


Book  Reviews  {continued) 

Pirsson's  "  Text-Book  of  Geology  "    

E.  H.  Davison     288 

News  Letters 

Melbourne    289 

The  Coal  Output;  Victorian  Mining. 

Vancouver,  B.C 291 

Fire  at  Britannia  Mill ;  Premier;  Yukon  Lead  ;  Oil 
Investigations. 

Toronto    292 

Porcupine  ;    Kirkland   Lake  ;    Cobalt ;     Sudbury  ; 
Flin-Flon  ;   Mackenzie  River  Oilfield. 

Personal 294 

Trade  Paragraphs    294 

Metal  Markets  295 

Statistics  of  Production 298 

Prices  of  Chemicals  301 

Share  Quotations 302 

The  Mining  Digest 

Anaconda  Electrolytic  Zinc   Frederick  Laist  303 
Heat  Treatment  in  Sharpening  Drill  Steels... 

J.  A.  Noyes  and  F.  M.  Lee  306 

Globe  &  Phoenix  Metallurgy  V.  E.  Robinson  308 

Calcium P.  H.  Brace  309 

Fire-Damp  in  Gold  Mines    T.  N.  Dewar  310 

Trevorite 312 

The  Mackenzie  Oilfield    Dr.  T   O    Bosworth  312 

Andean  Geology J.  A.  Douglas  313 

Short  Notices  314 

Recent  Patents  Published 314 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  Etc 315 

Company  Reports  315 

Brakpan  Mines ;  Camp  Bird :  Chendai  Consolidated  ;  City 
Deep;  ConsoHdated  Langlaagte  Mines ;  Crown  Mines;  Durban 
Roodepoort  Deep ;  Geduld  Proprietary  Mines  ;  Geldenhuis  Deep ; 
Gopene  ConsoHdated  ;  Government  Gold  Mining  Areas  (Modder- 
fontein) ;  Knifiht  Central ;  Langlaaf4tc  Estates  &  Gold  ;  Mason  & 
Barry;  Mexican  Corporation;  Meyer  &  Charlton  ;  Modderfontein 
B  ;  Modderfontein  Deep  Levels  :  New  Kleinfontein  ;  Ooregum 
Goltl :  Pengkalen  ;  Plymouth  Consolidated  Gold  Mines  ;  Rambu- 
tan  :  Randfontein  Central ;  Santa  Gertrudis  ;  Sons  of  Gwalia  ; 
Springs  Mines;  Tekka-Taiping  ;  TharsisSulphur&  Copper ;  Van 
Ryn  Deep  ;  Village  Deep  ;  Witwatersrand  Deep  ;  Witwatersrand 
Gold. 


EDITORIAL 


THE  new  village  built  by  the  Anglo- 
Persian  Oil  Company  at  Skewen,  near 
Swansea,  has  been  christened  "  Llandarcy,"  in 
memory  of  the  late  Mr.  W.  K.  D'Arcy.  This 
village  is  intended  for  the  accommodation  of 
employees  at  the  company's  great  oil  refinery. 

IT  isoftencomplamed  that,  though  the. •\meri- 
can  economic  geologists  have  contributed 
in  no  small  degree  to  the  elucidation  of  many 
problems  connected  with  ore  deposits,  their 
knowledge  of  the  world  outside  their  own 
country  is  restricted.  An  example  of  this  con- 
tention is  provided  by  the  fact  that  the  title 
page  of  Eco)iotiiic  Geology  mentions  as  one  of 
the  associate  editors  of  that  magazine  Dr.  E.T. 
Mellor,  of  "  Johannesville." 


WE  take  pleasure  in  announcing  that  a 
series  of  special  lectures  on  the  zinc  m- 
dustry  are  to  be  given  at  the  Sir  John  Cass 
Technical  Institute,  Jewry  Street,  Aldgate,  by 
Messrs.  J.  C.  Moulden  and  E.  A.  Smith.  Mr. 
Moulden  will  give  two  lectures  on  "  Modern 
Developments  in  the  Zinc  Industry,"  on  May 
25  and  June  l.and  Mr.  Smith  will  deliver  three 
on  "  Industrial  Applications  of  Zinc,"  on  June 
8,  15,  and  22.  The  lectures  will  each  last  for 
an  hour,  from  5.30  to  6.30  p.m.,  and  the  en- 
trance fee  for  the  course  is  10s.  Od.  The  Insti- 
tute is  to  be  congratulated  on  having  secured, 
during  the  last  few  years,  the  ser\ices  of  many 
eminent  authorities  willing  to  help  the  cause  of 
education  by  giving  freely  from  their  store  of 
experience.  The  Institute  is  doing  excellent 
work  in  providing  facilities  for  evening  study, 
and  these  facilities  deserve  to  be  more  widely 
known  in  mining  and  metallurgical  circles. 


ONE  of  the  outward  and  visible  signs  of 
the  new  spirit  in  India  is  the  publication 
of  the  Journal  of  Indian  Industries  and  La- 
bour, a  quarterly  magazine  issued  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Indian  Government.  The  ob- 
ject of  this  magazine  is  to  disseminate  trade 
and  technical  information  between  the  various 
provinces  of  India,  which  under  the  new 
regime  are  largely  independent  of  each  other 
in  policy  and  administration.  In  addition,  it 
is  intended  to  issue  separate  Bulletins  on 
special  subjects.  The  first  number  contains 
articles  on  the  possibilities  of  industrial  de- 
velopment in  the  Central  Provinces  and  Berar, 
welfare  work  in  Bombay  cotton  mills,  re- 
searches in  tanning,  the  gilt  wire  and  tinsel 


industry  at  lUirhanpur,  trade  disputes  in  Ben- 
gal, industrial  education  in  Madras  Presidency, 
and  the  commercial  aspects  of  bauxite.  The 
last  named  is  written  by  Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown, 
a  member  of  the  Indian  Geological  Survey 
who  has,  during  the  last  year  or  so,  done  ex- 
cellent work  in  London  in  bringing  Indian 
mineral  resources  to  the  notice  of  the  com- 
mercial community.  Sir  Thomas  Holland 
supplies  a  foreword  to  this  first  number,  re- 
counting the  circumstances  under  which  the 
Journal  has  been  founded.  We  take  this  op- 
portunity of  recording  our  appreciation  of  the 
services  rendered  by  Sir  Thomas  and  his  asso- 
ciates in  piloting  India  through  a  difficult 
transitional  period. 

TH  E  board  of  directors  of  the  Burma  Cor- 
poration have  made  arrangements  to  pur- 
chase the  control  of  a  number  of  English  lead 
smelters.  This  control  was  secured  recently 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Mr.  R.  Tilden 
Smith,  who  formed  a  company  called  the  As- 
sociated Lead  Manufacturers,  Ltd.,  for  the 
purpose.  Mr.  Tilden  Smith,  it  will  be  remem- 
bered, has  a  very  large  interest  in  the  Burma 
Corporation.  The  lead  firms  controlled  by  the 
.Associated  company  are  :  H.  J.  Enthoven  & 
Sons  ;  Walkers,  Parker,  &  Co. ;  Locke  Lan- 
caster &  W.  W.  lV  R.  Johnson  &  Sons  ;  Foster, 
Blackett,  &  Wilson  ;  and  Alex.  Fergusson  & 
Co.  This  list  includes  all  the  chief  English 
lead  firms  except  Cooksons  and  Locke,  Black- 
ett &  Co.  The  object  of  the  Burma  Corpora- 
tion in  acquiring  the  control  is  to  provide  an 
outlet  for  its  lead  concentrates  and  the  market- 
ing of  products  such  as  pig,  sheet,  and  pipe  lead 
and  the  various  lead  pigments.  The  policy  is 
to  smelt  some  of  the  concentrates  locally  and 
to  dispose  of  the  products  in  the  East ;  and  to 
ship  the  remainder  to  England  for  treatment 
by  the  firms  named.  The  purchase  price  of 
the  control  is  ^400,000  in  Burma  Corporation 
debentures  and  ^100,000  in  cash,  the  latter  be- 
ing devoted  to  the  purchase  of  Associated  shares 
at  par.  It  is  believed  that  this  policy  will  be 
cheaper  and  less  disturbing  to  the  lead  trade 
than  an  enlargement  of  the  Corporation's  smel- 
ter and  treatment  works,  while  a  firm  of  ac- 
countants show,  by  a  ten  years'  record  of  the 
financial  results  obtained  by  the  individual  lead 
firms,  that  the  investment  in  the  shares  of  the 
Associated  company  should  be  lucrative.  For 
some  reason,  which  we  shall  not  attempt  to  ex- 
plain, this  proposal  was  placed  before  an  in- 


25S 


MAY,    1921 


259 


formal  meeting  of  shareholders  without  any 
indication  of  its  nature  having  been  given  in 
the  convening  circular.  Moreover,  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  press  were  rigidly  excluded. 
The  attending  shareholders  were  taken  by  sur- 
prise, and  were  further  mystified  by  Mr.  F.  A. 
Govett's  speech,  in  which  he  began  by  stating 
his  objections  to  the  scheme  and  ending  by 
recommending  shareholders  to  adopt  it.  Dur- 
ingsubsequent  days  Sir  Trevredyn  Wynne,  the 
chairman,  received  many  protests  and  deputa- 
tions, finally  promising  to  provide  further  in- 
formation before  completing  the  deal. 


IN  his  paper  on  ore  deposits  of  igneous  origin 
read  last  month  before  the  Cornish  Insti- 
tute of  Engineers,  Dr.  R.  H.  Rastall  drew  at- 
tention to  the  question  of  searching  for  platinum 
in  the  serpentinesof  the  Lizard  district.  Recent 
publications  by  Du  Pare  and  Orueta  have  pro- 
vided definite  proof  that  the  original  home  of 
the  platinum  group  of  metals  in  the  Ural 
Mountains  and  in  Spain  is  in  the  serpentin- 
ized  ultrabasic  rocks,  and  the  alluvial  plati- 
num of  Colombia  is  associated  with  boulders 
of  serpentine.  The  possibility  of  platinum  be- 
ing found  at  the  Lizard  once  more  arises.  Here 
there  are  large  areas  of  serpentine,  but  no  re- 
corded assay  shows  any  platinum  content.  The 
amount  of  platinum  in  the  rocks  is  so  small  that 
failure  to  find  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at.  Dr. 
Rastall  suggests  that  a  systematic  search  for 
alluvial  deposits  that  have  undergone  natural 
concentration  should  be  made,  to  be  followed 
by  extensive  panning  tests  and  assays.  There 
are  not  many  streams  draining  the  Lizard  ser- 
pentines, but  it  would  be  worth  while  to  test  the 
bedrock  of  such  as  there  are. 


IN  another  part  of  this  issue  we  reprint  the 
report  of  a  committee  of  the  Geological 
and  Mineralogical  Societies  on  the  standard- 
ization of  British  petrographic  nomenclature. 
Most  geologists  and  mining  engineers  will  ac- 
cept the  recommendations,  though  perhaps 
some  will  query  the  wisdom  of  abandoning 
the  term  '  diabase."  We  understand,  how- 
ever, that  its  disuse  was  advised  owing  to  its 
ambiguity.  In  early  days  the  word  was  ap- 
plied to  somewhat  decomposed  basalts  of  Pre- 
Tertiary  age,  and  in  this  sense  the  word  was 
used  largely  in  Germany.  Later,  Harker 
used  it  to  denote  basic  intrusives  of  hypabys- 
sal  type,  but  afterward  he  replaced  it  by  "do- 
lerite."  At  the  present  time,  when  used  by 
most  of  the  scientific  petrologists,  it  implies 
the  idea  of  more  or  less  decomposition,  and 
thus  a  "  diabase  "  may  often  be  a  "  rotten  do- 
5—3 


lerite."  On  the  whole,  therefore,  the  com- 
mittee advised  the  retention  of  "dolerite"  and 
the  disuse  of  "diabase."  There  is  one  point 
in  connection  with  the  report  that  is  distinctly 
comforting  :  no  new  terms  are  recommended. 
Perhaps  in  the  not  distant  future  it  will  be 
possible  for  the  committee  to  get  into  contact 
with  American  petrographers.  Attempts  in  this 
direction  have  proved  fruitless  hitherto,  but  as 
it  is  obviously  desirable  that  there  should  not 
be  two  nomenclatures,  one  English  and  the 
other  American,  perseverance  in  this  matter 
is  essential. 


Gold   Stealing. 

A  little  over  two  years  ago  we  referred  in 
these  pages  to  the  public  scandal  of  gold  steal- 
ing, which  continuously  takes  place  at  the  Kal- 
goorlie  mines.  It  is  an  undoubted  fact,  and 
well  known  to  the  managers  and  metallurgists, 
that  these  mines  have  been  losing  at  least 
^100,000  of  gold  annually  owing  to  this  pilfer- 
ing of  rich  ore  and  crude  gold.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary here  to  recapitulate  the  case  of  the  mine- 
owners,  or  to  show  how  the  Government  of 
West  Australia  has  steadily  refused  to  adopt 
the  recommendations  of  the  Commission  on 
Gold  Stealing  appointed  over  fourteen  years 
ago,  and  has  objected  to  taking  any  strenuous 
action  calculated  to  abate  the  nuisance.  Our 
article  in  1918  was  written  with  the  avowed 
object  of  stirring  the  Government,  and  of  as- 
sisting the  West  Australian  Chamber  of  Mines 
and  the  mine-owners  in  their  campaign  of  self- 
protection.  But  still  nothing  is  done,  and  the 
malpractices  flourish  as  ever.  The  goldfields 
police,  on  the  other  hand,  continue  to  act  as 
alertly  as  the  law  allows  them,  and  they  have 
been  successful  in  scotching  two  offenders. 
The  first  case  occurred  toward  the  end  of  1919, 
when  a  man  operating  at  the  sand-treatment 
plant  on  Burbank's  Birthday  Gift  mine  was 
convicted  of  buying  stolen  gold  and  rich  ore. 
This  man  had  been  suspected  for  some  time  of 
conducting  a  shady  business  of  this  sort,  for 
the  output  of  gold  from  the  plant  was  obviously 
much  in  excess  of  any  possible  gold  content  of 
the  material  treated ;  but  it  took  the  police  a 
long  time  to  obtain  evidence  of  a  character  that 
would  satisfy  the  local  courts.  If  there  had 
been  a  law  permitting  the  police  to  sample  and 
assay  the  material  fed  to  the  plant  there  would 
belittledifficulty  in  detecting  fraudsof  this  char- 
acter. It  is  one  of  the  contentions  of  the  mine- 
owners  that  all  treatment  plants  of  this  descrip- 
tion should  be  open  to  official  inspection  at  any 
time.  Undoubtedly  such  a  condition  would  act 
powerfully  in  suppressing  bogus  custom  plants. 


260 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


Another  of  the  rare  instances  of  conviction 
occurred  in  October  last,  when  an  employee  of 
the  Golden  HorseShoe  company  was  caught 
in  the  act  of  stealing  2*  lb.  of  gold  slime.  On 
being  searched,  his  clothing  was  found  to  con- 
tain a  number  of  unusual  pockets  evidently 
specially  designed  for  receiving  small  and  large 
amounts  of  purloined  material.  At  his  home 
were  discovered  a  number  of  bags  which  bore 
the  appearance  of  having  contained  gold  slime 
This  man  had  been  in  the  service  of  the  Golden 
Horse-Shoe  for  ten  years,  and  had  previously 
been  employed  at  the  Ivanhoe  for  fourteen 
years.  During  the  whole  of  that  period  his 
character  had  always  been  apparently  above 
suspicion,  yet  the  circumstances  under  which 
he  was  detected  pointed  to  a  systematic  and 
carefully  designed  plan  of  campaign.  It  might 
be  supposed  that  here  was  the  opportunity  for 
an  exemplary  punishment  that  would  act  re- 
pressively.  But  no  !  the  magistrate  referred 
feelingly  to  the  fact  that  the  culprit  had  a  wife 
and  children,  and  let  him  ofif  with  two  months' 
imprisonment. 

These  thefts,  as  we  have  said,  have  been  go- 
ing on  throughout  the  Kalgoorlie  goldfield  ever 
since  the  deposits  were  first  exploited.  The 
ownership  of  the  mines  is  largely  in  the  hands 
of  English  investors.  In  many  quarters,  not 
only  in  .Australia,  but  elsewhere,  there  is  a 
popular  prejudice  against  investors,  who  it  is 
ignorantly  alleged  neither  put  the  gold  into  the 
rocks  nor  contributed  toward  getting  it  out. 
When  the  shareholders  are  over  the  seas  this 
prejudice  becomes  more  marked, andthemeans 
for  combating  it  correspondingly  diminishes. 
Apparently  the  authorities  in  West  Australia 
are  not  sympathetic  with  English  investors,  or 
at  any  rate  do  not  care  to  take  any  public  step 
to  show  it.  So  the  scandal  remains,  and  pre- 
sumably will  never  be  checked.  At  the  present 
time,  however,  when  increased  wages  and  costs 
are  narrowing,  if  not  annihilating,  the  margin 
of  profit,  it  seems  a  pity  that  nothing  can  be 
done  to  stop  this  illegitimate  reduction  of  in- 
come, even  if  only  the  interests  of  the  wage 
earners  are  considered. 


The  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy. 

At  the  thirtieth  annual  meeting  of  the  In- 
stitution of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  held  on  the 
21st  of  last  month,  two  important  announce- 
ments were  made  with  regard  to  the  future  of 
the  society.  In  the  first  place,  the  home  is 
to  be  moved  from  Finsbury  Circus  to  City 
Road;  and  second,  a  close  relationship  has 
been  arranged  with  the  Institution  of  Mining 


Engineers,  the  society  in  Victoria  Street. 

As  regards  the  approaching  removal  from 
Finsbury  Circus,  it  will  be  remembered  that 
this  house  and  the  land  on  which  it  stands  was 
bought  seven  years  ago,  after  the  Institution 
had  had  ordinary  offices,  first  at  Broad  Street 
I  louse,  and  later  in  Salisbury  House.     At  the 
time  the  house  was  purchased,  the  hope  was 
that    the    home  would  be  a   permanent  one, 
though  the  Council  were  not  unaware  of  the 
fact  that  the  property  was  old,  and  that  it  is 
situated  in  a  position  suitable  for  a  modern 
ofKice  building.     Finsbury  Circus  used  to  be 
composed   almost  entirely  of  houses  such  as 
thatwhich  the  Institution  occupies.   Gradually 
these  have  disappeared,  to  be  replaced  by  Salis- 
bury House,  London  Wall  Buildings,  Broad 
Street  Place,  River  Plate  House,  and  No.  16, 
usually  known  as  Shell-Mex.     The  remaining 
block  of  old  property,  together  with  similar 
property  round  the  corner  in  West  Street  and 
Finsbury  Pavement,  has  now  been  bought  by 
the  Eastern  Telegraph  Company,  which  is  in- 
tending to  erect  a  modern  building  similar  to 
Electra  House  on  the  opposite  corner  of  West 
Street  and  Finsbury  Pavement,  a  house  which 
it  built  about  twenty  years  ago.      In  order  to 
secure  the  Institution's  premises  and  the  land 
on  which  it  stands,  the  company  had  to  ofter 
sufficiently    attractive    terms    to    induce    the 
Council  toagree  to  aremoval.     Here,however, 
a  serious  difficulty  arose,  for  owing  to  the  pres- 
ent congested  state  of  office  accommodation  in 
the  City  no  suitable  alternative  home  could  be 
obtained.      Finally,  in  default  of    any  better 
proposal,  the  Council  agreed  to  accept  the  com- 
pany's off'er  of  Cleveland  House,  a  building  in 
City  Road.     Thus  the  Institution  obtains  the 
free  occupation  of  this  building  for  the  remain- 
der of  the  lease,  38  years,  at  a  nominal  ground 
rent,  together  with  a  sum  of  ^"20,000  in  cash, 
and  the  expenses  of  removal  and  redecoration. 
The  building  is  large  and  commodious,  and  the 
floor  space  is  more  than  twice  that  at  Finsbury 
Circus.     The  Council  are,  of  course,  justified 
in  congratulating  themselves  on  a  satisfactory 
financial  deal  and  on  obtaining  increased  ac- 
commodation, but,  on  the  other  hand,  they  have 
to  admit  that  the  neighbourhood  to  which  they 
aremigratingis  both  inconvenientand  unpleas- 
ant.    The  new  home  is  nearly  a  mile  from  the 
old  one,  and  is  situated  half  way  toward  the 
Angel  at  Islington.    It  was  originally  built  as 
the  Vestry  Hall  of  St.  Luke's  parish.    Behind 
it  is  St.  Luke's  Workhouse,  in  Shepherdess 
Walk,  and  beside  it  is  the  Police  Station,  and 
also  the  Eagle,  of  which  the  jingle  says  :  "  Up 
and  down  the  City  Road,  in  and  out  the  Eagle, 


MAY,    1921 


261 


that's  the  way  the  money  goes,  Pop  goes  the 
weasel."  It  is  also  near  Sir  Thomas  Lipton's 
cheap  restaurant,  known  as  the  Alexandra 
Trust  Dining  Rooms  ;  and  not  far  away  is  St. 
Luke's  Hospital  for  Lunatics.  We  do  not  ex- 
actly know  why,  but  there  seems  to  be  some- 
thing humorous  in  connection  with  what  the 
Scotsman  would  call  the  amenities.  There  is 
no  gainsaying  the  fact  that  the  hearts  of  most 
members  of  the  Institution  fell  into  their  boots 
when  the  news  of  the  removal  was  broken  to 
them.  But  it  is  no  use  blaming  the  Council, 
for  they  have  equally  suffered  this  anatomical 
rearrangement.  Criticism  is  worse  than  use- 
less, for  it  is  not  likely  that  anyone  would  have 
been  able  to  discover  a  more  acceptable  solu- 
tion of  thedifficulty.  Perhapsit  wouldbemore 
heroictoviewtheposition  with  a  certam  amount 
of  pride,  comparing  the  Institution  to  the 
People's  Palace,  Toynbee  Hall,  or  the  Oxford 
Settlement,  shedding  the  light  of  culture  and 
learning  among  the  less-favoured  classes  of  the 
population.  In  any  case,  it  is  more  than  prob- 
able that  the  new  home  will  prove  to  be  only 
a  temporary  makeshift. 

The  other  matter  to  which  reference  was 
made  at  the  meeting  is  the  closer  co-operation 
between  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy and  the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers. 
The  latter  society  deals  chiefly  with  the  mining 
of  coal  and  iron  in  this  country,  while  the  for- 
mer is  devoted  to  metals  and  minerals  other 
than  iron  and  coal.  According  to  the  view 
taken  by  each  individual,  the  two  societies  may 
be  supposed  best  entirely  independent,  or, 
owing  to  the  complementary  nature  of  the  sub- 
jects, best  amalgamated  or  at  any  rate  drawn 
into  closer  cooperation.  The  Institution  of 
Mining  Engineers  is  in  the  nature  of  a  federa- 
tion of  a  number  of  local  societies  in  this 
country,  of  which  the  North  of  England  Insti- 
tute has  taken  the  most  prominent  part.  It  was 
originally  hoped  by  the  North  of  England  In- 
stitute that  the  Institution  of  Miningand  Metal- 
lurgy would  join  the  federation,  but  the  Insti- 
tution considered  that  its  aim  and  scope  were 
sodififerent  from  those  of  the  provincial  societies 
as  to  make  such  a  step  inadvisable.  It  may  be 
said  here  that  all  thesequestions  depend  largely 
on  the  temperament  of  those  who  direct  the 
fortunes  of  the  societies.  Thus  it  is  probably  a 
pity  that  the  personal  element  prevented  fusion 
or  co-operation  in  those  days.  The  matter  was 
revived  recently  bycertain  engineers  interested 
in  both  societies,  of  whom  it  is  allowable  to 
mention  Sir  John  Cadman,  and  the  Institution 
of  Mining  Engineers  once  more  approached 
the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  this 


time,  however,  in  more  deferential  spirit.  The 
course  of  negotiations  need  not  be  described 
here  ;  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  two  institutions 
have  agreed  to  act  together,  without  losing 
their  identities,  or  interfering  with  their  Royal 
Charters.  Thelnstitutionof  MiningEngineers 
is  to  move  from  Westminster  and  share  the 
new  home  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy,  and  Mr.  C.  McDermid,  the  secre- 
tary of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy, is  to  be  also  secretary  of  the  Institution 
of  Mining  Engineers.  Having  thus  effected 
this  important  preliminary  step,  both  institu- 
tions will  require  time  to  get  their  breath,  but 
it  is  obvious  that  before  long  a  further  settle- 
ment will  have  to  be  effected.  The  Institution 
of  Mining  Engineers  is  an  unwieldy  body,  and 
has  rather  lost  grip  of  affairs  in  recent  years 
since  the  death  of  Mr.  Walton  Brown.  Some- 
thing ought  to  be  done  to  abolish  the  local 
societies  as  such,  and,  if  necessary,  transform 
them  into  local  sections  of  the  mother  society. 
Then  it  is  desirable  that  the  South  Wales  In- 
stitute of  Engineers  should  be  drawn  into  the 
circle.  It  is  also  to  be  recommended  that 
the  Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists 
should  be  associated  in  some  way  with  the 
other  two  institutions.  Afterwards  the  Na- 
tional Association  of  Colliery  Managers  and 
the  Association  of  Mining  Electrical  Engi- 
neers should  be  approached,  with  a  view  to 
their  ultimate  extinction  and  the  absorp- 
tion of  their  chief  activities.  As  for  co- 
operation with  societies  in  other  parts  of  the 
Empire,  this  is  foreshadowed  in  the  report  of 
the  Council  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy.  There  are  other  possible  steps 
toward  unification  of  interests  connected  with 
the  mineral  industries  of  the  Empire,  but  the 
time  for  these  ha5  not  yet  arrived.  In  the 
meantime,  it  is  the  plain  duty  of  all  members 
of  the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers  and  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  to  see 
that  the  co-operation  of  the  societies  achieves 
the  end  desired,  namely,  the  strengthening  of 
the  status  of  the  mining  engineer. 

Rand  Mining  Results. 

At  this  time  of  the  year  most  of  the  com- 
panies operating  on  the  Rand  issue  their  annual 
reports.  Our  Mining  Digest  for  this  month 
and  last  contains  abstracts  giving  the  main 
features  of  the  results  obtained.  These  ab- 
stracts may  be  conveniently  supplemented  by 
a  brief  summary  of  the  impressions  gained  by 
reading  these  reports.  Two  facts  stand  out 
prominently.  In  the  first  place,  cost  of  produc- 
tion has  continued  to  go  up  during  1920,  and 


262 


THK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


many  of  the  reports  indicate  the  likelihood  of 
further  advances.  On  the  other  hand,  some  en 
gineers  are  inclined  to  believe  that  a  maximum 
has  been  reached,  and  that  there  are  hopes  for 
reductions  before  long.  Judgment  on  this 
point  is  naturally  influenced  by  the  fact  that 
there  are  enormous  holdings  of  enemy  shares 
hanging  over  the  market,  shares  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  British  and  Llnion  Governments, 
who  are  trying  their  best  to  induce  the  finan- 
cial houses  to  absorb  them.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances it  is  only  business  on  the  part  of 
the  financial  houses  to  lay  stress  on  the  condi- 
tions most  deterrent  to  a  rise  in  share  quota- 
tions. The  other  fact  to  which  we  refer  is  that 
two-thirds  of  the  producers  are  e.xisting  largely 
if  not  entirely  on  the  premium  received  for 
their  gold. 

In  earlier  years,  when  writing  of  Rand  re- 
sults, we  made  a  practice  of  comparing  the  out- 
puts and  profits  of  the  three  great  consolida- 
tions, Crown  Mines,  Randfontein  Central,  and 
East  Rand  Proprietary.  The  last  occasion  on 
which  we  reviewed  the  results  of  these  com- 
panies' operations  was  in  May,  1916,  when  the 
figures  for  1915  were  analysed  and  compared. 
In  that  year  the  outputs  of  gold  were  763,063 
oz.,  680,697  oz.,  and  614,030  oz.  respectively. 
For  1920  the  figures  were  672,738  oz.,  409,669 
oz.,  and  400,495  oz.  During  the  interval, 
Crown  Mines  has  been  working  steadily  on  its 
original  development  scheme, but  the  increased 
costs  and  comparatively  low  grade  of  the  ore 
have  prevented  the  full  benefit  being  obtamed 
from  theexcellentminingorganization  adopted. 
Randfontein  Central  has  changed  hands,  and, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  new  controllers,  the 
method  of  attacking  the  ore  has  been  radically 
changed.  The  advantages  to  be  obtamed  by 
this  rearrangement  of  methods  are  now  becom- 
ing obvious, and  the  large  reserves  of  fair-grade 
ore  point  to  increased  outputs  and  profits.  At 
East  Rand  Proprietary,  the  ore  position  has 
gradually  become  worse  during  the  last  few 
years,  and  profits  have  not  been  made;  in  fact, 
the  very  existence  of  the  mine  has  been  in  con- 
stant jeopardy. 

In  1915  the  individual  outputs  of  these  three 
big  consolidations  were  more  than  twice  as 
great  as  that  of  any  other  mine  on  the  Rand. 
In  1920,  we  find  Crown  Mines  still  the  largest 
producer  of  gold  with  672,738  oz.,  but  the  other 
two  mines  have  been  outstripped  in  the  race  by 
Government  Areas  with  600,154  oz.,  and  New 
Modderfontein  with  53 1,304  oz.  Of  other  not- 
able results  in  1920,  there  may  be  mentioned 
City  Deep  with  351,363  oz,,  Modderfontein  B 
with  312,218  oz.,  Van  Ryn  Deep  with  306,614 


o/..,  Modderfontein  Deep  with  267,873  oz.,  and 
Brakpan  with  253,664  oz.  Of  the  above-men- 
tioned mines,  all  but  East  Rand  Proprietary 
have  excellent  prospects.  Otlier  mines  doing 
wel  1  are  MeyerArCharl ton,  Geduld, and  Springs, 
though  the  first-named  is  fully  developed,  and 
has  no  speculative  prospects.  Of  new  mines, 
Modderfontein  East  is  producing  and  its  pros- 
pects are  fair.  New  State  Areas  and  West 
Springs  are  in  course  of  development,  but  work 
has  not  got  much  further  than  shaft-sinking. 
At  Daggafontein,  the  results  of  development 
have  not  been  very  satisfactory  so  far,  and 
operations  are  suspended  for  the  present  until 
further  capital  is  forthcoming. 

A  number  of  mines  have  ceased  production 
during  the  year, namely,  Jupiter, Simmer  Deep, 
Knights  Deep,  Village  Main  Reef,  Princess 
Estate, City  &  Suburban, and  New  Ileriot.  Of 
producing  mines  not  mentioned  already,  only 
the  gold  premium  has  made  the  financial  posi- 
tion sound  ;  in  some  cases  the  premium  has 
made  dividends  possible,  while  in  other  cases 
the  premium  has  barely  kept  the  mines  alive. 
Langlaagte  Estate,  Consolidated  Main  Reef, 
Kleinfontein,  Robinson  Deep,  Rose  Deep,  and 
Village  Deep  appear  to  have  plenty  of  life  left 
in  them,  provided  conditions  are  favourable, 
but  Aurora,  Consolidated  Langlaagte,  Dur- 
ban Deep,  Ferreira  Deep,  Geldenhuis  Deep, 
Knight  Central,  Luipaard's  VIei,  New  Goch, 
New  Primrose,  New  Unified,  Nourse,  Robin- 
son, Roodepoort  United,  Simmer  &  Jack,  Van 
Ryn,  West  Rand  Consolidated,  Witwaters- 
rand  ( Knights),  Witwatersrand  Deep, and  Wol- 
huter  are  either  near  the  end  of  their  reserves 
or  are  in  too  poor  ground  to  pay  dividends. 
But  old  mines  die  hard,  and  plenty  of  pluck  is 
exhibited  in  keeping  them  going  on  the  Rand. 

The  foregoing  remarks  may  impart  some 
idea  as  to  the  prospects  of  most  of  the  mines  on 
the  Rand.  There  are  many  factors  making  for 
success  or  otherwise,  but  it  must  be  remem- 
bered that  comparative  richness  of  the  ore 
worked  has  now,  as  always,  more  influence  on 
profits  than  large-scale  working.  The  biggest 
profits  on  the  Rand  during  1920  have  been 
made  by  the  mines  working  rich  ore,  such  as 
Meyer  &  Charlton,  Van  Ryn  Deep,  Modder- 
fontein Deep,  New  Modderfontein,  and  Mod- 
derfontein B.  To  these  and  to  Government 
Areas,  City  Deep  and  Crown  Mines,  Geduld, 
Brakpan,  and  Springs,  large  mines  but  of  not 
quite  the  same  grade,  must  be  looked  for  pro- 
fits during  the  next  year  or  two,  with  hopes  for 
Randfontein  Central,  New  State  Areas,  and 
West  Springs  coming  forward  in  the  near 
future. 


REVIEW  OF  MINING 


Introduction. — The  coal  strike  still  con- 
tinues and  the  manufacturing  industries  of  the 
kingdom  are  at  a  standstill.  The  settlement 
can  hardly  come  by  any  other  way  than  a  sub- 
stantial reduction  of  wages,  and  the  employees 
in  all  departments  of  trade  are  fully  aware  that 
they  also  must  submit  to  reductions.  It  is  a 
good  augury  that  wages  are  being  cut  down 
drastically  in  the  United  States.  In  the  mean- 
time base-metal  mining  has  shrunk  to  small 
dimensions,  but  a  buoyant  hope  pervades  the 
profession  and  the  markets  that  things  will  be 
ail  right  again  soon. 

Transvaal. — Precis  of  the  reports  of  a 
large  number  of  Rand  gold-mining  companies 
are  given  elsewhere  in  this  issue,  and  also  a 
general  review  of  the  results  of  output.  There 
are  one  or  two  points  of  interest  in  these  reports 
to  which  attention  may  be  drawn.  The  deep- 
est working  on  the  Rand  at  present  is  in  Village 
Deep,  where  the  shaft  is  now  6,059  ft.  vertically 
below  outcrop.  At  City  Deep,  the  mill  was 
worked  to  full  capacity  for  the  first  time,  this 
having  been  made  possible  by  the  absorption 
of  the  underground  staff,  white  and  native, from 
the  City  &  Suburban.  In  the  Far  East  Rand, 
perhaps  the  most  recent  development  of  im- 
portance is  in  Geduld  ;  here  a  large  amount  of 
high-gradeore  has  been  discovered  inthesouth- 
western  part  of  the  property  adjoining  New 
State  Areas,  and  the  prospects  for  finding  fur- 
ther ore  of  the  same  quality  are  excellent. 

The  Union  Government  has  held  a  statutory 
inquiry  into  the  closing  down  of  Daggafontein, 
when  Mr.  Carl  Davis,  the  consulting  engineer, 
gave  a  full  account  of  the  mining  difficulties 
that  had  supervened.  All  sorts  of  suggestions 
have  been  made  by  outsiders  for  raising  further 
working  capital,  including  a  proposal  that  the 
Governmentshould  lendsomeof  its  huge  profits 
accruing  from  Government  Areas,  and  another 
that  the  Government  should  issue  premium 
bonds. 

Rhodesia. — The  gold  returns  for  March  re- 
flect the  result  of  the  strike,  the  figures  being 
31,995  oz.,  as  compared  with  40,816  oz.  in  Feb- 
ruary, and  45,779  oz.  in  March,  1920.  The 
other  returns  were  as  follow  :  Silver  10,085 oz., 
copper  248  tons,  arsenic  21  tons,  coal  33,084 
tons,  chrome  ore  11,767  tons,  asbestos  1,990 
tons,  mica  8  tons,  and  diamonds  21  carats. 

The  depression  in  the  copper  market  has  had 
a  serious  effect  on  the  financial  position  of  Fal- 
con Mmes,  which  was  never  very  strong.  At 
the  meeting  held  early  this  month,  it  was  an- 


nounced that  ^50,000  was  required  to  pay  in- 
come tax,  debenture  interest,  and  other  liabili- 
ties, while  over  ^70,000  would  have  to  be  pro- 
vided next  year  for  the  redemption  of  the  bal- 
ance of  the  debentures.  Unless  the  price  of 
copper  improves  before  long  there  will  be  no 
alternative  but  to  stop  work  at  the  mine.  The 
report  now  issued  covers  the  year  ended  June 
30,  1920,  and  shows  that  168,675  tons  of  ore 
was  treated  for  a  yield  of  2,706  tons  copper, 
30,942  oz.  gold,  and  61,812  oz.  silver,  realizing 
i:452,298.  The  working  cost  was  ^350,599. 
After  taxes,  debenture  and  other  interest,  and 
other  items  were  deducted,  the  profit  for  the 
year  was  ^66,759,  out  of  which  £"30,000  was 
devoted  to  debenture  redemption.  During  the 
sixmonths  Julyto  December, 92, ISStonsof  ore 
yielded  1,556  tons  of  copper,  17,604  oz.  gold, 
and  35,445  oz.  silver.  The  ore  reserve  at  June 
30, 1920,  was  estimated  at  609,000  tons  averag- 
ing 4'85  dwt.  gold  and  2'07%  copper.  The 
bottom  levels  are  in  disturbed  ground,  and  a 
good  deal  of  development  will  have  to  be  done 
to  prove  them  in  depth.  On  the  1 1th  level  the 
ore-body  is  estimated  to  be  220  ft.  long  and  40  ft. 
wide,  averaging  5  dwt.  gold  and  V9%  copper, 
together  with  a  western  shoot  70  ft.  long  and 
averaging  6'6dwt.  gold  and  r9%  copper  over 
57  inches.  On  the  12th  level,  180  ft.  of  ore 
33  ft.  wide  and  averaging  3'7  dwt.  gold  and 
2'45%  copper  has  been  proved,  but  this  is  not 
the  full  extent. 

In  February  we  briefly  recorded  that  de- 
velopments in  depth  at  the  Lonely  Reef  gold 
mine  continue  good.  The  report  for  1920, now 
to  hand,  shows,  however,  that  though  som-^  very 
rich  ore  was  discovered  during  the  year  in  the 
upper  levels,  the  ore  disclosed  in  the  bottom 
levels  is  of  considerably  lower  grade  than  that 
developed  during  the  previous  year.  Conse- 
quently the  reserve,  while  being  maintained  as 
to  tonnage,  is  lower  in  gold  content,  the  actual 
figures  being  202,845  tons  averaging  20'8  dwt. 
per  ton,  as  compared  with  199,739  tons  averag- 
ing 23'54  dwt.  Another  point  of  interest  in 
connection  with  the  bottom  workings  is  that  the 
dip  is  gradually  decreasing,  and  consequently 
the  cross-cuts  from  the  incline  shaft  which 
follows  the  pitch  from  the  9th  level  become 
longer  at  each  succeeding  level.  It  is  intended 
therefore  to  sink  a  new  incline  under  the  lode 
at  the  24th  level.  The  consulting  engineer  also 
mentions  that  the  supply  of  firewood  suitable 
for  boiler  furnaces  is  exhausted,  but  that  there 
is  abundance  of  wood  suitable  for  the  produc- 


263 


264 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


tion  of  gas.  It  has  therefore  been  decided  to 
substitute  steam  power  by  gas  engines. 

West  Africa. — The  report  of  the  Fanti 
Consolidated  Mmes,  Ltd.,  for  1920  makes  ref- 
erence to  the  progress  made  in  developing  the 
manganese  property  at  Dagwin.  This  pro- 
perty was  to  have  been  floated  as  a  subsidiary, 
but  the  attitude  of  the  Inland  Revenue  authori- 
ties with  regard  to  Excess  Profit  Duty  made 
it  inadvisable  to  pursue  this  policy.  It  was 
therefore  decided  that  Fanti  Consolidated 
should  do  the  development  and  equipment  it- 
self. Additional  shares  were  issued  for  this 
purpose,  and  an  output  of  200,000  tons  per  year 
has  been  arranged.  The  company  has  a  con- 
tract for  the  delivery  of  100,000  tons  per  year 
for  five  years  at  a  guaranteed  minimum  profit 
of  7s.  6d.  per  ton,  and  this  contract  is  renew- 
able for  two  further  periods  of  five  years  each. 
The  total  amount  of  ore  shipped  during  1920 
was  41,546  tons. 

Nigeria. — TheNigerian  Chamber  of  Mines 
has  been  in  communication  with  the  Nigerian 
Government  with  a  view  of  securing  some 
measure  of  assistance  or  protection  during  the 
present  times  of  stress.  As  a  result,  certain 
temporary  concessions  as  regards  rents,  royal- 
ties, and  working  conditions  have  been  granted 
by  the  Government :  (1)  Minmg  lessees  to  be 
released  temporarily  from  labour  obligations ; 
three  months'  notice  to  be  gi  ven  by  the  Govern- 
ment before  these  obligations  are  again  in- 
forced.  (2)  Until  further  notice  mining  rentals 
on  land  not  worked  to  be  reduced  to  2i%  of  ex- 
isting rentals,  and  mining  rentals  on  land  work- 
ed to  50%  of  existmg  rentals.  (3)  A  new  and 
more  favourable  scale  of  royalties  to  be  adop- 
ted which  will  afford  appreciable  relief  during 
the  time  that  the  present  low  price  of  tin  con- 
tinues. Efforts  to  obtain  a  reduction  of  rail- 
way rates  on  the  transport  of  tin  concentrates 
were  not  successful. 

The  Mongu  company  announces  that  opera- 
tionsare  now  confined  to  thebucket-dredge,and 
that  sluicing  and  calabashing  have  been  sus- 
pended during  the  depression  in  the  tin  market. 
Prospecting  also  has  been  stopped,  as  the  com- 
pany has  extensive  proved  areas.  A  small 
amount  of  tributing  is  being  continued.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  350  tons  of  concen- 
trate was  won  by  sluicing  and  calabashing  and 
140  tons  by  dredging.  The  sales  of  concen- 
trate brought  an  income  of  ^98,925,  and  the 
profit  was  ir39,263,  out  of  which  £^9,000  has 
been  allocated  for  taxation,  and  £^1 1,607  has 
been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate 
of  12i%.  Under  present  conditions  the  direc- 
tors are  wisely  keeping  a  large  balance  in  hand. 


Australia. — The  output  of  gold  throughout 
.•\ustralia  for  the  year  1920  is  given  m  the  ac- 
companying table,  together  with  the  figures  for 
1919.  It  will  be  seen  that  all  the  states  show  a 
diminution  except  Victoria.  In  the  latter  state 
the  revival  of  activity  at  Bendigo  has  been  the 
chief  factor  in  an  advance. 


Victoria 

New  South  Wales 
Queensland 
West  Australia... 
South  Australia 
Northern  Territory 
Tasmania 


191B. 

1920. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

135.428 

152.792 

65.839 

48.907 

120,  S85 

114.181 

734.067 

617,842 

3.224 

3.000 

829 

800 

11.000 

6.170 

1.071.272 


The  Kalgurli  ore  is  now  exhausted,  and  the 
directors  have  given  instruction  that  the  mine 
shall  be  closed  and  the  assets  realized.  This 
mine  was  smaller  than  some  of  its  neighbours 
at  Kalgoorlie,  but  it  was  highly  profitable,  hav- 
ing returned  excellent  dividends  from  1903  to 
1916.  It  is  a  grateful  duty  to  record  that  the 
direction  and  the  management  were  always  of 
the  best. 

The  Ivanhoe  treated  154,920  tons  of  ore  dur- 
ing 1920,  for  a  yield  of  57,471  oz.  of  gold,  figures 
not  greatly  different  from  those  of  the  previous 
year.  The  gold  premium,  however,  brought  a 
larger  income,  ;^34G,293  being  received,  of 
which  ;^102,000  was  premium,  as  compared 
with /■291, 2 19,of  which  ^4 1,220  was  premium; 
while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  working  cost  was 
3s.  7d.  per  ton  higher.  The  net  profit  was 
£65,125,  out  of  which  ^^65,000  has  been  dis- 
tributed as  dividend,  making  6s.  6d.  per  £5 
share.  It  will  be  seen  that,  but  for  the  pre- 
mium on  gold,  there  would  have  been  a  loss  on 
the  year's  working.  As  regards  development, 
ore  is  still  being  found  in  the  operating  levels, 
but  in  the  workings  below  2,420  ft.  prospecting 
still givesnegative  results.  The  reserve isesti- 
mated  at  861,786  tons  averaging  34s.  4d.  per 
ton,  par  value,  as  compared  with  972,387  tons 
averaging  33s.  9d.  per  ton  the  year  before.  It 
is  clear  that,  with  the  labour  position  as  it  is, 
the  future  of  the  mine  depends  entirely  on  the 
gold  premium. 

Another  dispute  has  occurred  at  Kalgoorlie 
with  the  firewood  cutters,  so  some  of  the  mines, 
including  the  Ivanhoe  and  Golden  Horse-Shoe, 
were  shut  down  for  a  short  time. 

The  Fremantle  Trading  Company,  which 
works  silver-lead  mines  in  the  Northampton 
district  and  also  a  custom  smelter,  has  been 
obliged  to  cease  smelting  owing  to  the  closing- 
down  of  the  outside  mines.  The  company's 
own  mines  are  also  necessarily  closed,  but  are 
being  kept  in  good  condition. 

The  output  of  metals  and  minerals  in  Tas- 


MAY,    1921 


265 


mania  during  the  year  1920,  together  with 
their  market  value,  are  given  in  the  following 
table : 


Output. 

Value  £ 

Gold 

oz. 

..     6,246 

29,796 

Silver 

oz. 

..  623.3=9 

166,797 

Osmiridiuni 

oz 

..      2,009 

77,114 

Lead 

tons 

..      3,855 

I42,26S 

Copper 

tons 

..      4.791 

528,237 

Tin 

tons 

..      1,310 

369,362 

Coal 

tons 

..    75,429 

64.005 

Wolfram    ... 

tons 

71 

13,626 

Scheelite    ... 

tons 

105 

17,905 

Bismuth     ... 

cwt. 

2 

9 

Shale 

tons 

140 

172 

Iron  Pyrites 

tons 

..       4.440 

7,346 

Barytes 

tons 

..      1,048 

4,136 

India. — A  new  agreement  has  been  made 
between  the  gold  mines  and  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment with  regard  to  the  disposal  of  the  gold 
produced.  This  is  the  third  arrangement  made 
during  the  last  two  years.  It  is  gratifying  to 
know  that  the  mines  will  by  its  means  reap  full 
benefit  from  the  premium,  and  be  no  longer 
hampered  by  regulations  which  were  in  the 
nature  of  halting  concessions. 

The  Ooregum  is  the  deepest  of  the  Indian 
gold  mines.  In  Taylor's  section  a  winze  is  be- 
ing sunk  on  the  62nd  level,  which  is  3,700  ft. 
vertically  below  outcrop.  In  Oakley's  section 
work  is  being  done  on  the  64th  level,  6,000  ft. 
vertically  below  outcrop.  In  both  cases  fairly 
good  results  are  being  obtained.  In  Bullen's 
section thelodecontainsmuch  pegmatite,  which 
is  barren,  but  the  quartz  ore  gives  good  assays. 

.'X.t  the  Nundydroog,  102,431  tons  of  ore  was 
treated  during  1920,  and  71,531  oz.  of  gold  was 
extracted,  realizing  ^£"365, 568.  The  working 
profit  was  ;^I09,78I,of  which  £"35,962  was 
written  ofiffor  plant  and  shaft-sinking,  ,^31,000 
was  paid  as  income  and  corporation  tax,  and 
;^14,150  was  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at 
the  rate  of  6d.  per  10s.  share.  As  will  be  re- 
membered, the  company  was  reconstructed  in 
November  last  in  order  to  provide  the  capital 
required  for  deeper  sinking. 

The  Cordoba  Copper  Company  disposed  of 
its  mines  in  Spain  over  a  year  ago  and  took  op- 
tions on  copper  properties  in  Chota  Nagpur, 
India.  The  report  now  issued  shows  that  a 
large  amount  of  prospecting  has  already  been 
done.  At  the  Surda  properties  two  shafts  are 
being  sunk  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  old 
workings.  At  Mosaboni  two  old  shafts  are 
being  continued  and  two  new  ones  are  being 
sunk  also  ;  one  of  these  has  already  intersected 
a  lode  at  100  ft.  showing  copper  sulphides.  At 
Dhobani  three  shafts  are  being  sunk,  and  one 
of  them  is  in  a  lode  containing  oxidized  copper 
ores.  It  will  be  remembered  that  these  pro- 
perties formed  part  of  the  original  options  ac- 
•quired  by  the  Cape  Copper  Co.,  whose  Rakha 
Hills  mine  is  to  the  north-west.     The  apatite 


deposits  described  by  Mr,  Murray  in  the  April 
issue  are  to  the  south-east,  and  the  village  of 
Mosaboni  is  marked  on  the  map  accompanying 
his  article, 

Borneo. — The  British- Borneo  Petroleum 
Syndicate  is  issuing  260,000  new  shares  of 
10s.  each,  thereby  increasing  the  capital  from 
,^120,000  to  i"250,000.  The  object  of  thenew 
issue  is  to  enable  the  company  to  take  advan- 
tage of  many  opportunities  for  profitable  busi- 
ness. The  syndicate  has  concessions  in  Brit- 
ish North  Borneo,  Brunei,  and  the  Klias  Pen- 
insula. The  D'Arcy  Exploration  Co,,  a  sub- 
sidiary of  the  Anglo- Persian  Oil  Co,,  had  an 
option  on  these  properties,  except  part  of  the 
British  North  Borneo  concessions  ;  recently  it 
has  announced  its  intention  of  exercising  its 
rights  in  British  North  Borneo  and  of  making 
full  geological  examination,  but  it  has  renounced 
its  rights  on  the  Brunei  and  Klias  Peninsula 
concessions.  The  latter  properties  are  not 
sufficiently  extensive  for  the  Anglo- Persian, 
but  they  are  now  being  considered  by  other 
parties.  The  part  of  British  North  Borneo 
not  covered  by  the  D'Arcy  Exploration  Co.  is 
leased  to  the  Kuhara  Mining  Company,  of 
Japan,  which  is  conducting  extensive  explora- 
tion. The  syndicate  has  interests  in  the  .'\pex 
(Trinidad)  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  and  in  the  London 
&  Midland  Oil  Company,  which  is  operating 
properties  in  Roumania.  The  syndicate  also 
has  interests  in  Tuxpam,  Mexico,  and  in  South 
America. 

Cornwall. — The  passing  of  Tincroft  is  an 
event  to  be  recorded  with  mixed  feelings.  It 
is  difficult  to  say  when  this  mine  was  originally 
opened,  but  records  show  that  on  re-starting  in 
1833  the  depth  was  136  fathoms.  It  was  amal- 
gamated with  Carn  Brea  in  1896,  but  the  year's 
balance  of  the  joint  working  was  seldom  on  the 
right  side,  owing  to  the  low  grade  of  the  ore. 
On  two  occasions  the  high  prices  of  metals 
brought  profits,  on  the  latter  occasion  arsenic 
helping  notably.  Perhaps  if  re-arrangements 
of  underground  methods  had  been  instituted  in 
early  days,  better  results  might  have  been  ob- 
tained, but  the  prospects  were  never  sufficiently 
promising  to  attract  the  necessary  large  sup- 
plies of  capital.  High  costsand  low  metal  prices 
have  lately  combined  to  create  a  serious  ad- 
verse balance.  So  the  mine  is  shut  down  and 
the  lease  is  to  be  surrendered  on  June  30,  At 
the  meeting  of  shareholders  held  on  April  26, 
Mr.  James  Wickett,  the  chairman,  said  Tin- 
croft was  the  only  mine  with  which  he  was  con- 
nected that  had  given  him  worry,  but  he  was 
grateful  for  the  profits  that  had  been  earned 
many  decades  ago,  for  they  had  contributed 


266 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


largely  to  his  father's  income  and  had  brought 
many  substantial  and  enduring  advantages  to 
the  family.  The  chapter  on  Tmcroft  should 
not  be  finally  closed  without  recognition  of  the 
services  of  theownerof  the  royalties,  LordClif- 
den, and  his  agent,  Mr.  John  Gilbert,  in  helping 
to  keep  the  mine  alive  durmg  recent  years. 

Canada.--It  is  reported  that  the  \V.  B. 
Thompson  group  have  abandoned  their  option 
on  the  Flin-Flon  copper  mine,  near  The  Pas, 
Manitoba.  Previously  Messrs.  Hayden,  Stone 
&  Co., of  Boston,  had  dropped  their  option  after 
full  examination.  It  is  now  stated  that  the 
Mining  Corporation  of  Canada,  which  was  as- 
sociated with  the  W.  B.  Thompson  option,  is 
negotiating  for  an  option  on  its  own  account. 
As  readers  of  the  report  contained  in  last 
month's  Magazine  are  aware,  the  ore-body 
though  large  is  of  low  grade,  and  the  metallur- 
gical problem  is  not  of  the  simplest. 

United  States. — The  quarrel  between  Mr. 
Karl  Eilers  and  the  Guggenheims  over  the 
control  of  the  American  Smelting  &  Refining 
Company  has  ended  in  a  victory  for  the  Gug- 
genheims,who, however, have  thought  it  politic 
to  elect  to  the  board  several  representatives  of 
outside  financial  interests,  instead  of  confining 
the  directorate  to  their  own  immediate  en- 
tourage. Among  the  directors  elected  in  this 
way  are  representatives  of  the  Guaranty  Trust, 
the  Royal  Bank  of  Canada,  and  the  Irving  Na- 
tional Bank.  The  Guggenheims  held  682,223 
proxies,  and  Mr.  Eilers  202,479.  Mr.  Eilers 
is  the  son  of  the  late  Mr.  Anton  Eilers,  and  like 
his  father  was  concerned  in  the  metallurgical 
management ;  but  he  has  also  a  large  financial 
interest.  During  thelast  year  ortwo  he  has  pro- 
tested against  some  points  in  the  Guggenheim 
methods,  and  has  sought  to  force  their  hands. 
A  year  ago  the  Guggenheims  were  able  to  veto 
his  re-election  to  the  board,  and  his  connection 
with  the  company  then  ceased.  His  grievance, 
toputit  briefly, is  that  theGuggenheims, though 
they  hold  the  control,  have  parted  with  most  of 
their  shares,  and  that  they  have  used  the  "  A. 
S.  &  R."  for  their  own  purposes  in  the  stock 
market.  Thus  it  is  alleged  that  the  company 
has  been  left  with  unprofitable  smelting  con- 
tracts, while  the  Guggenheims  have  benefited 
by  the  rise  in  the  shares  of  the  companies  with 
whom  the  contracts  were  made.  At  this  dis- 
tance it  is  impossible  to  examine  into  the  in- 
tricacies of  what  is,  after  all,  only  a  personal 
dispute. 

The  output  of  quicksilver  in  the  United 
States  during  1920  is  estimated  at  13,070flasks 
of  75  lb.  each,  compared  with  21,348  flasks  in 
1919.     The  chief  producing  states  were  Cali- 


fornia with  9,366  flasks,  and  Te.xas  with  3,601 
flasks.  The  decline  in  prices  was  even  more 
marked,  the  figure  falling  from  the  maximum, 
$102  per  flask,  in  April  to  $49  in  December. 

Ecuador.  —  The  Anglo- Ecuadorian  Oil- 
fields, Ivtd.,  was  formed  two  years  ago  to  ac- 
quire the  whole  of  the  Ecuadorian  property  of 
Lobitos  Oilfields,  which  itself  operates  in  Peru. 
News  was  received  last  month  that  oil  had  been 
struck  in  the  first  well  at  adepth  of  2,543  ft.  The 
flow  and  oil  are  reported  to  have  much  the  same 
characteristics  as  those  of  the  wells  operated  by 
the  Lobitos  company. 

Roumania.  -The  Roumanian  Consolida- 
ted Oilfields,  Ltd.,  is  issuing  ^'100,000  deben- 
tures to  provide  funds  chiefly  for  the  comple- 
tion of  the  new  refinery.  The  share  capital  of 
the  company  is  being  concurrently  increased 
so  that  conversion  rights  may  be  given  to  de- 
benture-holders. It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  Appeal  Court  dismissed  the  claim  of  the 
company  for  compensation  for  the  destruction 
of  the  oil-wells  and  plant  during  the  German 
advance,  holding  that  the  claim  should  be 
lodged  with  the  Roumanian  Government.  The 
British  and  French  Governments  have  since 
agreed  to  pay  ^300,000  as  their  contribution, 
and  they  may  increase  this  amount  under  the 
guarantee  to  the  Roumanian  Government. 
The  total  bill  for  damage  is  now  estimated  at 
about  ^1,000,000.  The  company  has  issued  a 
circular  giving  an  account  of  the  present  posi- 
tion. Since  the  armistice  all  the  surface  works 
have  been  re-erected,  20,000  tons  of  tank  capa- 
city has  been  constructed,  and  130  kilometres 
of  pipe-line  has  been  relaid.  The  new  refinery 
has  double  the  capacity  of  that  destroyed. 
There  are  now  seventeen  producing  wells  and 
twelve  wells  in  course  of  drilling.  The  output 
since  the  resumption  of  operations  has  been 
40,000  tons.  It  is  hoped  that  the  pre-war  rate 
of  output  will  be  reached  by  the  end  of  the  year, 
and  that  by  means  of  the  new  drilling  campaign 
this  rate  will  be  doubled  in  the  near  future. 

The  production  of  oil  in  Roumania  during 
1920  was  l,031,030tons,an  increase  of  200,000 
tons  over  1919,  and  comparing  with  1,700,000 
tons  before  the  war. 

Spitsbergen. — The  Northern  Exploration 
Company  has  offered  ^150,000  Secured  Notes 
to  shareholders,  with  the  object  of  keeping  this 
organization  alive, and  in  particular  of  develop- 
ing certain  coal  deposits  on  the  east  coast. 
These  notes  carry  8%  interest,  and  are  redeem- 
able at  25%  premium  at  the  end  of  three  years. 
The  directors  will  not  go  to  allotment  unless 
^50,000  is  subscribed.  At  the  time  of  writing 
the  result  of  this  offer  is  not  known. 


NOTES  ON  OPEN-CUT  MINING. 

By  R.  S.  BOTSFORD,  A.R.S.M.,  M.lnst.M.M. 

The  Author  discusses  some  recent  advances  in  practice  in  open-cut  mining. 


OWING  to  the  high  cost  of  labour  the 
close  study  of  the  economics  of  open-cut 
mining  by  means  of  steam  shovel  has 
become  a  necessity.  Some  points  are  consid- 
ered in  this  paper,  and  particulars  are  given  of 
certain  experience  and  methods  of  working, 
particularly  in  connection  with  stripping  over- 
burden and  mining  iron  ore  and  coal. 

Open-Cut  Iron  Mining. 

When  the  dipper  of  the  largest  stripping 
shovel  is  pulling  up  through  the  bank,  there  is 
a  pull  of  over  40  tons  concentrated  in  the  cut- 
ting edges  of  the  teeth,  and  there  are  few 
moderately  hard  materials  that  can  withstand 
it.  With  hard  clays  and  shales,  it  is  a  ques- 
tion of  calculation  whether  the  added  cost 
of  explosive  and  drilling  as  a  preliminary 
preparation  to  loosen  the  ground  is  worth 
the  increased  capacity  thereby  attained  as 
against  greater  wear  on  the  machine.  For  ex- 
ample, stripping  heavy  clay  in  the  Mesabi  Iron 
Range  in  Minnesota  cost,  without  blasting, 
30  cents  per  yard,  and  was  very  hard  on  the 
shovel.  However,  explosives  cost  39  cents 
per  pound,  of  which  i  lb.  per  yard  would  be 
necessary,  so  that  it  was  better  to  change  the 
teeth  of  the  dipper  every  day  to  have  them 
sharpened  and  to  avoid  blasting.  When  blast- 
ing is  required  it  is  not  necessary  to  break  the 
rock  up  anything  like  so  small  as  is  required 
for  hand  labour.  It  is  very  difficult  always  to 
have  empty  wagons  at  the  shovel  ready  to  be 
loaded.  Most  delays  are  caused  by  waiting 
for  empty  wagons.  Equally  important  with 
the  actual  stripping  operation  is  the  manage- 
ment of  the  dump,  for  time  can  be  lost  there 
just  as  well  as  in  the  open-cut,  and  without 
wagons  the  operations  cease,  although  costs 
and  overhead  charges  continue. 

During  the  summer  of  1919,  A.  Guthrie  & 
Co.,  working  on  a  stripping  contract  close  to 
Coleraine  in  the  Iron  Range,  at  the  Danube 
pit,  got  a  record  of  231,000  yards  in  the  month 
for  their  Model  300  shovel  and  a  record  of  357 
cars  per  10-hour  shift  using  16-yard  air-dump 
cars.  On  account  of  the  greater  capacity  ob- 
tained with  their  equipment  it  cost  them  about 
20  cents  per  yard  instead  of  30  cents  per  yard. 
Moreover,  they  averaged  317  cars  in  the  day 
shift  and  318  at  night,  and  the  cars  averaged 
171  yards  bank  measurement.    From  observa- 


tion I  attribute  their  record  to  good  manage- 
ment and  attention  to  essential  details.  From 
experience  they  endeavour  to  standardize  their 
operations,  and  have  comedown  to  the  16-yard 
Columbus  car  (air-dump)  because  they  find 
that  there  is  only  25%  of  the  upkeep  or  repair 
in  comparison  with  the  larger  20-yard  car. 
The  locomotive  they  favour,  after  3  or  4  years' 
experiment,  is  the  Baldwin  "  Switcher  type," 
which  weighs  78  tons. 

The  use  of  the  large  revolving  stripping 
shovel  has  permitted  the  development  of  a 
specialkindof  cut  of  which  they  take  advantage, 
materially  modifying  the  working  conditions. 
(See  Fig.  1). 

Arrangements  are  made  for  loading  on  both 
sides  of  the  cut,  with  track  on  either  side  com- 
municating with  the  dump,  so  that  loading  goes 
on  continuously,  and  at  35  to  40  ft.  above  the 
working  floor.  The  cut  is  over  100  ft.  wide  at 
the  working  floor  and  exceeds  160  ft.  wide  at 
the  top  at  the  level  of  the  tracks.  While  the 
shovel  will  deliver  on  tracks  200  ft.  apart,  it  is 
well  to  have  about  10  ft.  excess  reach  in  case 
of  any  spill  on  the  track  which  the  dipper  can 
push  off,  or  in  case  a  car  gets  derailed,  when 
assistance  can  be  given  to  the  train  crew. 

The  next  cut  is  taken  alongside  the  first,  but 
leaving  the  loading  track  in  position  between 
the  two  cuts,  and  the  new  cut  has  two  loading 
tracks,  one  each  side  as  before. 

When  descending  to  the  next  horizon,  35  ft. 
lower,  the  shovel  digs  right  under  one  of  the 
loading  tracks,  as  it  is  preparing  to  do  m  the 
photograph,  with  a  new  loading  track  on  either 
side,  on  the  floors  of  the  earlier  cuts,  and  now 
takes  in  the  ground  including  that  supporting 
the  track  right  up  to  the  surface,  and  loading 
on  to  the  tracks  35  ft.  from  the  surface,  whence 
it  is  hauled  out  on  a  2i%  slope  (see  Fig.  2). 
This  is  done  from  a  depth  of  approximately 
70  ft.  The  section  of  the  working  cut  is  so 
large  that  it  is  only  necessary  to  move  up  about 
once  a  day.  One  of  the  great  advantages  is 
that  the  trains  are  hauled  out  on  the  level  un- 
til the  70  ft.  horizon  is  started,  and  then  only 
from  a  depth  of  35  ft.  The  substitution  of  one 
large  stripping  shovel  in  place  of  standard 
railroad  shovels  reduced  the  pay-roll  by  150 
men,  mostly  in  train  crews  and  labour  mov- 
ing tracks  as  well  as  locomotives.  The  2i% 
slope  is  important  and  must  not  be  exceed- 


267 


268 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


Fig.  1.     The  Danube  Iron-Ore  Pit.  Coleraine,  Minnesota. 


ed  even  for  a  short  distance,  or  fewer  cars 
can  be  carried  in  the  train.  If  less  than  22%, 
then  a  longer  approach  is  required.  Much  less 
train  equipment  is  required  by  this  method  in 
comparison    with    the   standard   railroad-type 


shovel  loading  on  a  track  alongside,  for  a  given 
depth.  The  number  of  cuts  and  consequent 
shifting  of  tracks  and  operations  is  a  mere  frac- 
tion of  the  ordinary  method  with  the  standard 
shovel,  and  a  great  deal  of  money  is  saved. 


Fig.  2.     Large  Stripimng  Shovel  about  to  start  a  New  Cut  at  a  Lower  Horizon. 


MAY,    1921 


269 


FiG^  3.     Spreader  in  Operation  on  the  Dump. 


Onthedump.the  operations  consist  indunip- 
ing  the  train  of  automatic  airdump  cars,  oper- 
ated from  the  locomotive,  which  may  occupy  a 
minute  or  more.  Occasionally  the  spreader 
(Fig.  3)  is  run  over  the  track  to  push  the  ground 
over  the  edge  of  the  dump  when  necessary. 
Ultimately  the  track  must  be  shifted,  which  is 
done  in  the  daytime,  by  means  of  the  track- 
shifter  (Fig.  5).  This  moves  the  track  out  about 
4  ft.,  and  the  operation  goeson  at  about  two  iniies 
an  hour.    Fifteen  men  during  the  day  and  three 


at  night  will  look  after  the  dump,  whereas  with- 
out the  track-shifter  more  than  three  times  the 
number  would  be  required  during  the  day. 
Thus  the  three  machines  or  contrivances,  (l) 
automatic  air-dumping,  (2)  spreader,  (3)  track- 
shifter,  do  all  the  heavy  work  on  the  dump. 

In  the  pit  the  most  desirable  conditions  are 
established  with  a  permanent  approach  down 
the  centre  and  a  run  around  at  the  further  end 
when  this  can  be  arranged.  Where  the  pit  is 
long  and  narrow  it  is  necessary  to  use  a  zig-zag 


Fig.  4.     Large  Shovel  Stripping  Overburden,  and  a  Smaller  Shovkl  following 
removing  the  coal  underneath. 


270 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


to  descend  to  the  working  level.  If  this  is  on 
a  bank  which  is  a  receding  working  face,  there 
is  a  constant  shifting  of  the  main  track  as  the 
face  recedes,  which  closes  down  the  work  when 
moving  the  main  track  and  is  to  he  avoided  at 
all  costs. 

In  mining  the  comparatively  soft  hematite, 
it  is  firstloosened  with  explosiveandthenloaded 
into  50ton  cars  with  bottom  discharge.  Here 
conditions  are  diflerent,  as  a  regular  grade  of 
ore  must  be  maintained  for  shipment,  and  dif- 
ferent parts  are  worked  according  to  the  grade 
called  for.  For  this  reason  the  smaller  but 
equally  powerful  railroad-type  shovel  is  used, 
as  it  can  be  easily  moved  around  on  the  stan- 
dard gauge  track.  Further,  thereis  not  so  much 
capital  tied  up  when  one  is  laid  off  for  two  or 
three  weeks. 

There  are  approximately  200  steam  shovels 
working  in  the  Iron  Range,  the  greatest  iron- 
field  in  the  world. 

The  Hull  Rust  pit  is  about  185  ft.  deep,  one 
mile  across,  and  one  and  a  half  miles  long.  It 
is  the  biggest  artificial  hole  in  the  world,  and 
usually  too  full  of  smoke  toobtain  a  good  photo- 
graph. It  is  more  than  probable  that  the  big- 
ger operations  here  will  be  carried  on  with  elec- 
tric power,  as  great  economy  would  result.  For 
this  reason  due  consideration  should  be  given 
in  laying  out  a  new  property  to  the  desirability 
or  otherwise  of  using  electric  power  in  the  first 
instance.  At  the  Hull  Rust  pit  the  overburden 
is  about  100  ft.  thick,  and  w^here  there  is  a  pro- 
portion of  3  of  ore  to  1  of  overburden  the  ground 
is  reserved  for  steam-shovel  mining,  and  there- 
fore unavailable  for  dumps,  instead  of  under- 
ground mining  which  is  also  being  carried  on. 
A  slope  of  about  1  to  1  is  arranged  for  from 
the  side  lines  of  the  property,  and  a  berm  or 
bare  space  above  the  ore  of  20  or  more  feet  in 
width  to  avoid  having  the  downwash  from  rain 
carrying  overburden  on  to  the  ore. 

Stripping  Coal  by  Overcasting. 

Much  of  the  expense  connected  with  steam- 
shovel  mining  may  be  eliminated  where  condi- 
tions are  similartothose encountered  by  Robert 
Holmes,  at  Danville,  Illinois.  Over  a  large 
part  of  the  state  there  is  a  bed  of  coal  too  close 
to  the  surface  to  be  mined  by  underground 
methods,  and  until  he  developed  the  present 
method,  stripping  was  too  expensive.  The 
nearly  horizontal  layer  of  coal  is  covered  with 
approximately  30  ft.  of  overburden  which  can 
be  excavated  with  a  shovel  (Fig.  4).  Briefly 
he  develops  a  long  working  face  along  which 
the  large  revolving  stripping  shovel  operates, 
digging  the  overburden  and  casting  it  back  to 


the  extreme  reach  of  the  shovel,  uncovering 
the  coal  and  disposing  of  the  overburden  in 
one  operation.  As  the  shovel  advances  along 
the  trench  it  is  followed  by  a  smaller  shovel 
which  digs  up  the  coal.  The  coal  is  removed 
along  the  trench  on  a  narrow  gauge  track,  so 
that  when  the  large  stripping  shovel  returns 
digging  along  the  cut  there  is  a  fresh  strip 
from  which  the  coal  has  been  removed  for  the 
disposal  of  the  overburden. 

Under  the  conditions  of  labour  at  Danville, 
it  would  be  impossible  to  dig  out  this  overbur- 
den and  remove  it  in  cars  for  less  than  20  cents 
per  yard.  Digging  and  casting  back  to  the 
final  resting  place  is  accomplished  for  9  cents 
per  yard.  There  is,  for  example,  no  expense 
for  trains  and  dump,  nor  diminished  capacity 
due  to  delays  for  empty  cars.  The  only  delay 
is  at  the  end  of  the  cut,  at  long  intervals,  re- 
quired for  the  removal  of  the  coal  right  up  to 
the  shovel  before  returning.  This  may  amount 
to  four  days  more  or  less,  depending  on  how 
near  the  coal-removing  operations  have  kept 
up  to  the  shovel.  Other  conditions  being  satis- 
factory, it  would  be  all  right  to  mine  two  lay- 
ers of  coal  or  other  material,  with  a  few  feet 
of  dirt  between,  casting  back  the  layer  of  value- 
less material  between  the  two  layers  of  coal 
before  the  large  stripping  shovel  returned. 

With  a  fixed  price  of  $3'75  per  ton  of  coal 
delivered  in  the  railroad  cars  at  Danville 
workings,  a  satisfactory  ratio  of  1  of  coal  to  6 
of  overburden  could  be  mined  with  big  profits 
when  many  underground  mines  were  clos- 
ing down,  for  the  cost  was  about  fl'OO  per 
ton  of  coal.  The  cost  of  mining  is  absurdly 
small  in  comparison  with  underground  min- 
ing or  removing  the  material  to  a  dump, 
and  the  profits  proportionately  large.  It 
would  not  be  worth  while  stripping  such  a  low- 
priced  product  as  coal,  less  than  approximately 
4  ft.  thick.  The  limit  of  overburden  at  the  rate 
of  not  more  than  6  to  1  at  Danville  depends  on 
the  limit  of  the  machine,  which  has  a  90  ft. 
boom.  Plans  are  ready  for  one  with  a  125  ft. 
boom.  Naturally  the  thickness  of  bed  of  valu- 
able material  (coal  in  this  instance)  affects  the 
height  of  material  cast  back,  as  a  thicker  bed 
on  which  the  stripping  shovel  runs,  after  re- 
moval, leaves  more  room  for  disposal  of  the 
overburden,  without  the  latter  getting  too 
high  for  the  stripping  shovel.  With  8  ft. 
of  coal,  about  45  ft.  of  overburden  would 
be  the  limit  with  a  Model  300,  which  is 
the  largest  machine.  It  can  propel  itself  over 
the  surface  of  the  coal  on  its  tracks  to  a  limit 
of  about  20°  slope,  which  is  approached  in  the 
undulations  of  the  coal  bed.     Many  engineers 


MAY,    1921 


271 


will  recollect  within  their  experience  places 
where  such  stripping  methods  are  applicable, 
in  iron  ore  for  example.  Four  thousand  five 
hundred  yards  in  a  10-hour  shift  as  an  average 
would  be  a  reasonably  moderate  output  to  ex- 
pect from  such  a  large  stripping  shovel  with  an 
8-yard  dipper,  and  it  is  easily  exceeded  to  the 
extent  of  50%  or  more  depending  on  the  oper- 
ator.   Not  being  dependent  on  cars,  or  strikes, 


not  much  to  choose  between  electric  shovels 
and  steam  shovels.  Both  are  used.  Where 
there  is  no  electric  power  plant  or  power  avail- 
able, then  the  advantage  is  with  the  coal  which 
is  at  hand  for  firing. 

In  cold  weather,  special  precautions  must 
be  taken  to  keep  the  feed-water  pipe-line  from 
freezing,  fires  being  built  around  it  at  intervals. 
A  less  number  of  men  are  required  on  the  elec- 


FiG.  5.     Track-Shifter  in  Operation. 


a  good  output  can  be  maintained.  The  only 
difficulty  they  had  at  any  time  was  to  get  rail- 
road cars  to  take  their  product  away,  their  out- 
put being  considerable  with  several  stripping 
shovels.  The  expense  of  operation  depends, 
in  stripping,  on  the  cost  of  power  and  labour 
and  conditions  in  the  particular  part  of  the 
world  where  the  operations  would  be  carried 
out,  and  almost  anywhere  would  be  less  than 
those  indicated,  in  some  places  a  mere  fraction. 
In  these  coal-stripping  operations  there  is 


trie  shovel,  there  is  no  attendant  or  expense 
of  banked  fires  when  shutdown  at  night,  and 
there  are  no  ashes  or  water  dropped  from  the 
electric  shovel  as  from  the  steam  shovel,  which 
must  be  cleaned  up  before  mining  the  coal. 
The  water.of  course,  forms  ice  in  winter  which 
must  be  dug  up  and  removed. 

Coal  stripping  by  overcasting  is  a  live  pro- 
position, and  is  taken  up  wherever  suitable 
properties  and  equipment  can  be  brought  to- 
gether under  favourable  conditions. 


THE  ORIGIN   OF  PRIMARY  ORE    DEPOSITS. 


Bv   J.    D.    KENDALL. 

The  Autlior  contributes  to  the  discussion  on  Dr.  J.  Morrow  Campbell's  recent  paper  on 

this  subject. 


IN  the  November  issue  of  the  Ma(".a;^ini-. 
there  appeared  an  abstract  of  a  paper  with 
the  above  title,  read  before  the  Institution  of 
Miningand  Metallurgy  by  Dr.  J.  Morrow  Camp 
bell,  which  interested  me  so  much  that  I  ob- 
tained a  copy  of  the  paper,  and  having  read  it 
ask  to  be  allowed  to  submit  a  few  observations 
thereon. 

The  paper  contains  so  much  that  invites 
criticism  that  it  would  require  more  space  than 
the  original  paper  to  deal  with  it  fully.  I  shall 
therefore  confine  my  remarks  to  such  parts  of 
it  as  seem  to  embody  the  author's  ideas  on  the 
formation  of  ore-bodies. 

Taking  the  paper  as  a  whole  I  was  perhaps 
most  struck  by  the  absence  of  drawings.  The 
English  language  has  great  power,  but  it  can- 
not describe  with  precision  many  of  the  features 
which  must  be  accurately  realized  in  investiga- 
tions as  to  genesis.  This  can  be  much  better 
done  by  accurate  drawings  which  limit  the  ex- 
ercise of  the  reader's  imagination,  and  gener- 
ally present  the  facts  of  form  and  position  much 
more  concisely. 

A  further  surprise  is  the  little  that  is  said  by 
way  of  showing  how  the  suggestions  oflfered 
succeed  in  explainmg  the  well  known  features 
of  the  different  classes  of  ore-bodies. 

The  first  item  to  which  I  should  like  to  re- 
fer is  concerned  with  crust-forming.  Although 
not  directly  connected  with  ore- formation,  yet 
the  writer  of  the  paper  arrives  at  certain  con- 
clusions in  connection  therewith  that  form  the 
kernel  of  his  views  as  to  ore  deposition.  On 
the  second  page  we  read  :  "  It  has  been  the  cus- 
tom of  geologists  to  assume  the  existence  of 
twotypes  of  primary  magma,  thegraniticabove 
and  the  basaltic  below.  Others  believe  that 
the  initial  crust  of  the  earth  was  basaltic  and 
that  a  granitic  magma  developed  beneath  it. 
The  truth  is  probably  reached  by  assuming  the 
existence  of  only  one  primeval  magma  of  in- 
termediate composition — dioritic  orandesitic — 
which  on  differentiation  yielded  both  the  typi- 
cal granitic  and  basaltic  magmas." 

That  the  primeval  magma  had  an  intermedi- 
ate chemical  composition,  when  considered  in 
connection  with  granite  and  the  basic  plutonics, 
is  probably  true.  But  it  seems  clear  from  a 
consideration  of  the  chemical  constitution  of 
the  plutonic  rocks  and  of  that  of  the  minerals 


composing  them  that,  as  the  latter  formed,  dif- 
ferentiation would  begin,  and  therefore  it  is  not 
possible  that  the  minerals  in  diorite  could  pro- 
duce granite.  This  is  evident  when  we  look 
at  the  mineral  composition  of  either  the  plu- 
tonic or  volcanic  rocks.  Granite  contains  a 
large  percentage  of  free  silica;  diorite  contains 
much  less,  and  then  only  in  the  variety  called 
quartz-diorite.  The  same  sort  of  argument 
leads  to  the  conclusion  that  the  basic  rocks  did 
not  come  from  a  substance  having  the  mineral 
constitution  of  diorite.  If  the  free  silica  of 
granite  was  primarily  combined,  what  has  be- 
come of  the  bases  with  which  it  was  united  ? 
They  are  not  found  in  the  more  basic  rocks. 

Differentiation  of  such  a  magma  as  that  re- 
ferred to  above  was  probably  due,  in  large 
measureif  not  entirely,  to  differences  of  specific 
gravity  of  the  variousminerals  formed  from  the 
syntectic,  combined  with  the  effect  of  falling 
temperature.  Those  minerals  having  a  less 
specific  gravity  than  the  average  would  rise ; 
those  that  were  heavier  would  fall.  As  a  con- 
sequence of  these  opposite  movements,  and  the 
interference  arising  from  them,  some  portions 
of  the  minerals  might  and  probably  would  be 
locked  up  in  positions  higher  or  lower  than  those 
due  to  their  specific  gravities.  The  falling 
minerals  would  be  absorbed  in  the  hotter  syn- 
tectic below,  to  be  again  crystallized  and  separ- 
ated from  the  more  acid  minerals.  This  pro- 
cess would  be  repeated  again  and  again  as  zone 
after  zone,  downwards,  cooled  to  the  necessary 
temperature.  The  fusibility  of  the  felspathic 
minerals  is — with  the  exception  of  anorthite — 
inversely  as  their  specific  gravities. 

On  the  second  page,  also,  we  are  told  that 
"solidification  commenced  at  the  surface  by 
radiation  of  heat  as  ice  does  on  water,  but  the 
result  differed  in  that  the  solid  was  heavier  than 
the  liquid,  therefore  upon  being  broken  up  by 
tidal  and  storm  movements  it  sank  and  was  re- 
melted.  This  cycle  of  crust  formation,  foun- 
dering, and  refusion,  proceeded  until  the  tem- 
perature of  the  silicate  sea  to  a  depth  of  prob- 
ably several  miles  was  considerably  lowered." 
In  writing  this  passage  the  author  of  the  paper 
seems  to  have  lost  sight  of  the  operation  of  dif- 
ferentiation, which  must  result  in  increasing 
basicity  and  specific  gravity  downwards,  and 
prevent    the    comparatively    light    acid  layer 


272 


MAY,    1921 


273 


formed  on  the  surface  from  sinking  as  suggested. 
But  apart  from  this  theoretical  difficulty  it  has 
been  ascertained  by  Barns  (United  States  Geo- 
logical Survey,  Bulletin  103)  that  the  broken 
crust  formed  on  molten  diabase  would  not  sink 
although  heavier  than  the  hot  liquid  below  it. 
There  is  also  the  further  objection  that  the  sug- 
gested foundering  and  re-fusion,  if  the  former 
were  possible,  by  producing  circulation  would 
prevent  the  differentiation  which  the  writer  of 
the  paper  admits  to  have  occurred. 

At  the  foot  of  the  third  page  of  the  paper  is 
a  paragraph  more  than  usually  laden  with  as- 
sumptions. Some  of  these  assumptions  are 
admitted;  others  are  put  forward  as  if  acknow- 
ledged facts.  We  there  read  "  that  granitic 
magmas  on  solidification  give  off  an  aqueous 
mother-liquor.  The  primary  crust  was  largely 
granitic,  so  we  have  to  assume  that  it  gave  off 
a  similar  liquid.  Such  acid  liquors  invariably 
carry  the  bulk  of  the  ore-minerals  originally 
present  in  the  granitic  magma,  so  we  must  as- 
sume that  large  quantities  of  ores  were  ejected 
at  the  surface  of  the  primary  crust.  These 
would  be  mostly  tin,  tungsten,  gold,  copper, 
zinc,  and  lead.  Probably  none  of  these  ore  de- 
posits have  survived.  They  must  have  been 
denuded  and  dispersed  in  sediments  and  in 
aqueous  solutions." 

The  paper  does  not  give  the  evidence  which 
induces  the  writer  of  it  to  say  that  granitic 
magmas  give  off  an  aqueous  mother- liquor. 
But  I  assume  he  refers  to  such  occurrences  as 
that  at  Clifton,  Arizona,  where  the  limestone 
for  several  hundred  feet  from  the  contact  with 
granitic  and  dioritic  porphyry  has  been  re- 
placed by  garnet,  etc.  There  is  not,  however, 
any  conclusiveevidence  that  changes  like  that — 
from  calcareous  to  silicaterocks — wereeffected 
by  solutions  which  came  from  the  newly  erup- 
ted magma.  When  the  igneous  intrusions  oc- 
curred the  limestone  would  be  severely  rup- 
tured in  many  directions  and  to  some  distance 
from  the  heated  rock.  Moreover,  contraction 
of  the  igneous  rock  in  cooling  would  produce 
numerous  other  openings  and  fractures.  Va- 
dose  waters  charged  with  the  necessary  com- 
pounds could  circulate  through  the  passages  so 
produced  and  might,  in  time,  effect  the  altera- 
tion that  has  occurred  at  the  several  points. 
The  circulating  waters  in  their  devious  courses 
through  the  rocks  might  rise  in  part  through 
the  cooled  magma  and  take  up  from  them  some 
of,  or  all,  the  silicates  necessary  to  the  meta- 
morphism. 

The  great  difficulty  in  the  way  of  ascribing 
these  non-metallic  replacements  to  the  action 
of  magmatic  waters  is  their  interrupted  oc- 


currence along  the  contacts.  In  the  Marble 
Bay  copper  mine,  on  Texada  Island,  British 
Columbia,'"  there  is  an  interesting  example  of 
these  so-called  metamorphisms  by  magmatic 
waters.  The  mine  is  in  limestone  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  three  small  outbursts  of  diorite- 
porphyry.  The  ore-body  is  about  200  ft.  long, 
and  occurs  alongside  a  fault  which  is  nearly  at 
right  angles  to  the  perimeter  of  the  largest 
mass  of  igneousrock.  The  mine  has  beenopen- 
ed  to  a  depth  of  nearly  1,200  ft.  by  13  levels 
mostly  100  ft.  apart.  A  small  dyke  intersects 
the  workings  at  a  depth  of  260  ft.,  also  at  460, 
560,  and  660  ft.  In  the  760,  860,  and  960  ft. 
levels  there  are  several  small  dykes,  and  in  the 
workings  at  1,060  and  1,160  ft.  there  is  a  much 
larger  intrusion,  about  30  ft.  wide.  These 
dykes  most  probably  are  all  branches  from  the 
main  body  of  igneous  rock,  of  which,  however, 
there  is  no  indication  in  the  deepest  working. 
The  ore- body  at  the  surface  is  only  about  200 
ft.  from  the  near  edge  of  the  largest  boss,  and 
it  goes  down  nearly  plumb,  so  that  the  igneous 
rock  must  be  very  steep  on  that  side.  The  ore 
is  chalcopyrite  and  bornite,  and  occurs  more  or 
less  interruptedly  in  a  gangue  of  andradite, 
diopside,  tremolite,  actinolite,  epidote,  calcite, 
and  a  little  quartz.  Fig.  1  shows  the  mode  in 
which  the  different  minerals  occur  in  some 
parts  of  the  deposit.  Fig.  2  is  a  section  expos- 
ed at  the  surface,  showing  the  manner  in  which 
the  ore  occurs  m  the  andradite  over  a  larger 
space  than  Fig.  1. 

These  gangue  minerals  traverse  the  lime- 
stone in  a  very  irregular  manner,  but  there  is 
no  indication  of  an  increase  in  the  extent  of 
them  toward  the  main  igneous  mass.  Between 
the  dykes  seen  in  the  workings  and  the  lime- 
stone through  which  they  have  been  forced 
there  is  frequently  no  indication  of  secondary 
silicate  rocks.  The  formation  of  the  gangue 
minerals  has  taken  place  at  different  times,  as 
shown  by  Fig.  1  ;  that  of  the  chalcopyrite  and 
bornite  followed  the  andradite,  etc. 

If  it  be  supposed  that  the  solution  or  solu- 
tions which  give  rise  to  the  replacement  of  the 
limestone  exuded  from  the  dionte-porphyry, 
that  would  not  justify  us  in  assuming  that  simi- 
lar or  other  solutions  were  given  off  by  the 
primeval  acid  crust, as  suggested  by  Mr.  Camp- 
bell, for  the  conditions  in  the  two  cases  would 
be  entirely  different.  In  that  of  the  igneous 
outbursts  at  Clifton  and  Marble  Bay  the  frac- 
tures in  the  limestone  would  form  very  small 
means  of  escape  for  the  previously  confined 


*  "  The  Auriferous  and  Argentiferous  Copper  Ores  of  Southern 
British  Columbia."  by  J.  D.  Kendall,  Minim; Journal.  1900:  also 
"  Texada  Island,  B.C  ."  Memoir  5S.  Canadian  Geological  Survey. 


274 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


■■&: 


Fig  2.  A  =Andradite 
B. 'Limestone 
-^  Chalcopyrite 
81,  Bornire 


Fig. I.   A.-Andradite 

B.-Caicite 

C.-Actinolite 
•'^' =•  Chalcopyrite 
♦  -Bornite 


Fig. 3.  A- Granite.       B,  =  Apl 


Fig.  4. 


Fig.  6.  A-Ore-body.    B=Wall-rock. 


5-  »J 


Fiq.5. 


MAY,    1921 


275 


magmatic  waters  and  gases,  unless  these  frac- 
tures extended  to  the  surface.  If  they  did  so, 
the  outward  rush  of  the  imprisoned  waters  and 
gases  would  be  so  rapid  that  there  would  not  be 
sufficient  time  to  effect  the  replacement  of  much 
of  the  li  mestone  before  the  escaping  waters  were 
exhausted.  With  the  primitive  crust  it  would 
be  different.  The  enormous  pressure  of  about 
3,000  lb.  per  square  inch,  due  to  the  overlying 
hydrosphere,  would  prevent  any  escape  of  oc- 
cluded water  with  its  supposed  load  of  metallic 
and  non-metallic  minerals. 

If,  however,  such  an  aqueous,  silicious  effu- 
sion as  is  suggested  by  the  paper  were  to  be 
admitted,  we  should  still  be  confronted  by  the 
difficulty  of  explaining  why,  according  to  the 
supposition,  some  of  the  metals,  which  form  an 
important  part  of  the  earth's  crust,  were  sub- 
jected tomagmaticdiff'erentiation,  while  others, 
more  likely  to  so  act,  behaved  in  an  entirely  op- 
posite manner.  Mr.  Campbell  seems  to  have 
assumed  what,  in  justice  to  his  own  ideas,  re- 
quires complete  demonstration. 

If  the  exudation  of  magmatic  waters  be  con- 
sidered probable  from  both  the  primeval  crust 
and  the  much  more  recent  rocks  referred  to  at 
Clifton  and  elsewhere,  there  is  not  any  evidence 
that  they  were  laden  with  metallic  minerals 
and  that  the  deposition  of  those  minerals,  from 
the  latter,  formed  the  respective  ore-bodies.  In 
each  case,  so  far  as  my  experience  goes,  the 
deposition  of  minerals  was  a  later  event. 

Under  the  heading  "  Primary  Ores  "  the 
following  occurs  in  I\Ir.  Campbell's  paper: 
"  Primary  ores  may  be  defined  as  those  which 
are  derived  directly  from  rock  magmas  or  mag- 
matic liquids."  Seeing  that  the  formation  of 
ore-bodies  by  magmatic  liquids  is  a  very  de- 
batable subject,  it  is  surely  a  poor  foundation 
on  which  to  build  an  important  definition. 
Moreover,  it  is  likely  to  lead  to  confusion,  the 
word  "  primary  "  having  already  been  applied 
to  syngenetic  ores,  a  definition  which  is  as  un- 
satisfactory as  Mr.  Campbell's,  because  it  is 
very  doubtful  whether  any  workable  ore-bodies 
are  syngenetic  if  we  except  the  few  and  unim- 
portant magmatic  concentrations  described  by 
Vogt  at  Taberg,  etc.  The  diflference  between 
primary  and  secondary  ores  is  well  understood 
in  practice,  the  latter  having  been  derived  from 
the  former.  Such  being  the  case  it  seems  to 
me  sufficient  to  say  that  '  a  primary  ore  is  an 
ore  which  has  not  been  derived  from  any  other 
ore."  In  saying  that,  there  is  not  any  doubt- 
ful genetic  assertion  or  implication. 

Under  the  heading  "  Base  Metals  "  Mr. 
Campbell  writes  :  "  With  primary  ores  of  cop- 
per, zinc,  lead,  and  antimony,  we  are  faced  with 
5—4 


the  same  fact  that  in  the  veins  along  with  them 
quartz  is  almost  always  present.  There  is  good 
reason  for  believing  that  the  sulphides  of  these 
metals  came  up  from  magmas  in  silicic-acid 
solutions."  It  would  have  been  much  more 
satisfactory  if  that  reason  had  been  given.  As 
regards  the  assertion  that  quartz  is  almost 
always  present  with  deposits  of  base-metal 
minerals,  it  seems  to  me  that  such  an  indefinite 
statement  has  no  ascertained  bearing  on  the 
genesis  of  such  ore-bodies.  Bearing  in  mind 
that  oxygen  and  silicon  are  the  two  most  abun- 
dant elements  known  in  the  earth's  crust,  it  is 
to  be  expected  that  quartz  would  have  a  wide 
distribution.  My  experience  has  been  that  in 
ore-bodies  occurring  insilicaterocks  itisalmost 
invariably  the  most  abundant  gangue  mineral, 
but  in  those  contained  in  calcareous  rocks  its 
proportion  is  usually  small  and  often  almost 
nil.  Why  on  Mr.  Campbell's  supposition 
should  there  be  this  difference? 

It  would  have  been  useful  and  interesting  if 
Mr.  Campbell  had  shown  how  the  silicic  acid 
solution  produced  the  many  replacement  de- 
posits that  occur  in  different  parts  of  the  world. 
I  need  only  mention  a  few  to  emphasize  the 
importance  and  necessity  of  such  a  demonstra- 
tion. Justnow  I  am  thinking  of  the  silver-lead 
deposits  at  Leadville  in  Colorado,  and  of 
Eureka  in  Nevada,  and  also  of  the  copper  de- 
posits of  Clifton  and  Bisbee  in  Arizona.  To 
me  it  seems  an  utter  impossibility  that  those 
deposits  and  scores  of  others  like  them  could 
have  been  formed  in  the  way  suggested  in  the 
paper.  There  could  not  have  been  any  caver- 
nous spaces  into  which  the  silicic  acid  solution 
could  have  dropped  its  load  of  metallic  minerals 
as  I  have  shown  elsewhere. "  Nor  could  the 
order  in  which  the  different  minerals  were  de- 
posited be  accounted  for. 

As  regards  the  upward  succession  of  ore- 
minerals,  on  this  part  of  the  subject  we  read 
that  it  is  intended  to  "  deal  only  with  ore- 
minerals  occurring  in  veins  deposited  therein 
directly  by  magmatic  solutions,  and  we  may 
assume  them  to  be  carried  in  silicic  acid.  We 
also  assume  that  an  open  fissure  exists,  up 
which  solutions  pass.  After  the  first  inrush 
the  flow  of  ore-bearing  liquid  in  the  fissure  is 
probably  slow  and  at  all  parts  its  temperature 
is  a  little  higher  than  that  of  the  walls,  heat 
being  transferred  from  the  former  to  the  latter. 
. . .  Theliquidonleavingthebatholithcarriessay 
tin  oxide  and  chalcopyrite  in  solution,  it?  tem- 
perature falls  as  it  passes  upwards,  and  at  a 
certain  point  cassiterite  commences  to  deposit 

'  The  Formation  of  Ore-bodies.    Transactions  Canadian  Min- 
ing Institute  Vol.  xsi.,  1918. 


276 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


and  continues  to  do  so  upward  until  all  the  tin 
in  solution  is  exhausted.  This  will  take  place 
when  the  liquid  has  fallen  tea  temperature  at 

which  it  can  no  longer  hold  tin  in  solution The 

same  liquid  carries  chalcopyrite  and  iron  bisul- 
phide as  well. . . .  No  chalcopyrite  wasdeposited 
with  cassiterite  below,  but  near  its  upper  limit 
chalcopyrite  commences  to  develop  and  con- 


by  llenwoodi  at  the  Botallack  mine  in  West 
Cornwall,  where  a  vein  passes  three  times  from 
granite  to  slate  and  in  each  case  contains  tin 
ore  only  in  the  former  and  copper  ore  only  in 
the  latter.  Nor  does  it  satisfy  our  desire  to 
know  why  in  the  lead  veins  of  .Mston,  Allen- 
dale, and  Weardale  the  galena  has  been  de 
posited  principally  in  the  calcareous  beds  of 


/-/.'::.:.u-.-.-^:.r^:.v./ 

Fig. 8.    A'Gramre.       B^TmVein 


.A'Serpenhne,    B?Oiabase     CQuarhz. 


A..=  A^gilll^e 
B'Quarrz  (combed  ) 
B,=  Quartz  (  granular} 
C  -BihferSpar 

•;■.'.'■  Blende 

^Galena 


tinuesuntilapointisreached  where  the  tempera- 
tureof  theliquidno  longerpermitsit  tohold  cop- 
per in  solution.  Here  again  we  have  a  range  of 
temperature  within  which  chalcopyrite  de- 
posits; thehotterlimitis nearly  coincident  with 
the  cooler  limit  for  tin,  the  two  may  overlap 
slightly."  This  process,  I  submit,  does  not  ex- 
plain the  cases  in  Cornwall  where  tin  is  found 
in  granite  and  copper  in  slate,  and  it  fails  most 
strikingly  in  that  remarkable  case  mentioned 


the  Yoredales.  Nor  why  the  copper  veins  of 
Butte,  Montana,  are  ore-bearing  chiefly  in  the 
granite  and  almost  barren  in  the  aplite  asshown 
in  Fig.  3. 

The  gold  veins  of  California,  like  the  Beck- 
man  and  Canada  Hill  veins;  cannot  possibly 
be  filled  fissures.  The  former  has  a  dip  of  only 
74  degrees  from  horizontal  and  the  latter  only 
20  degrees.     It  is  to  me  quite  inconceivable 

t  Metalliferous  Deposits  of  Cornwall  and  Devon,  1843. 


MAY,    1921 


277 


that  the  hanging- wall  rock  of  either  of  these 
veins  could  have  been  lifted  in  such  a  way,  and 
for  sufficient  time,  as  to  allow  the  opening  to 
be  filled  with  a  body  of  quartz.  The  Canada 
Hill  vein  is  in  places  15  and  18  inches  wide,  al- 
though at  other  parts  it  is  only  avery  thinseam. 
Many  other  such  cases  might  be  mentioned. 

The  filled- fissure  suggestion  fails  also  to  show 
why  the  pitch  of  ore-shoots,  in  veins,  is  so  often 
parallel  to  the  strata  of  the  adjoining  rocks.  In- 
deed it  fails  to  explain  all  the  more  important 
features  bearing  on  genesis,  as  I  will  endeavour 
to  show. 


space  now  occupied  by  the  ore-body  was  not 
producedby  the  drawing  apart  of  the  rocksafter 
being  fractured. 

At  Wheal  Alfred,  near  Gwinear,  Cornwall," 
the  tin  vein  shown  in  Fig.  7  was  6  to  9  ft.  wide 
in  the  slate  above  the  elvan,  increasing  in  the 
latter  to  25  ft.,  but  decreasing  in  the  slate  be- 
low to  10  ft.  The  elvan  is  about  300  ft.  thick. 
A  similar  widening  occurred  on  the  tin  vein,  at 
the  lOOfathom  level,  of  the  Huel  Lovell  mine,! 
in  the  parish  of  Wendron,  Cornwall,  as  shown 
in  Fig.  8. 

The  occurrence  of  horses  in  veins,  like  that 


/7y  /5. 


A«  Skiddaw  Slale         B-Quarb. 


A-Ouartz     B-Ash  rock    ^•Chalcopynle 


The  assumption  of  fractures  opening  wide 
inough  to  be  immediately  filled  by  either  silici- 
i  uis  or  other  solutions  has  soon  to  be  abandoned 
when  we  look  at  the  cross-sections  of  any  well- 
liefined  veins.  Whether  an  earth-fracture  be 
'-traight  or  crooked  the  two  sides,  when  drawn 
apart,  will  in  nearly  every  case  be  either  paral- 
lel or  slightly  converging  when  seen  in  vertical 
section,  as  shown  by  a,  h,  c.  Fig.  4.  Experi- 
ence of  veins  soon  shows  us  that  they  do  not 
'  '■  cur  in  these  simple  forms,  in  which  the  walls 
,11  e  parallel  or  nearly  so,  but  that  they  vary  in 
width  very  irregularly,  as  shown  by  the  cross- 
sections  d,  e, /,  in  Fig.  5.  It  is  quite  impos- 
sible for  fractures,  either  simple  or  compound, 
to  produce  openings  in  rocks  having  forms  like 
those  in  Fig.  5.  This  difficulty  is  very  clearly 
realized  when  we  look  at  a  cross-section  like 
thatof  the  upper  part  of  the  Broken  Hill  silver- 
lead  deposit,  as  shown  in  Fig.  6.  It  does  not 
require  much  thought  to  satisfy  one  that  the 


shown  in  Fig.  9,  cannot  result  from  any  kind 
of  fracture,  the  total  width  of  the  veins  on 
the  two  sides  of  the  horse  being  greater  than 
the  width  either  immediately  above  or  below, 
that  is,  at  a,  b. 

The  lead-bearing  veins  in  the  Yoredales  of 
Cumberland,  Durham,  and  Northumberland 
are  much  wider  in  the  limestones  than  in  any 
of  the  shales  or  sandstones  alternating  with  the 
limestones.  An  extreme  case  of  that  kind  is 
provided  by  the  "flats"  which  are  found  in 
connection  with  the  Great  and  otherlimestones 
at  Alston  Moor.  A  section  of  one  of  these  flats 
projecting  from  a  vein  is  shown  in  Fig.  10. 
It  is  inconceivable  that  the  filling  of  any  kind 
of  fracture  could  have  produced  the  ore-body 
shown  in  this  section. 

Hundreds  of  such  examples  of  the/orwi  of 
veins  might  be  added  in  opposition  to  the  filled- 

*  Geology  of  Cornwall  and  Devon.  1839.  Sir  H.  de  la  Beche. 
f  Trans.  Roy.  Geol.  Soc.  of  Cornwall,  vol.  ix.,  p.  167. 


278 


TlIK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


fissure  idea,  but  I  will  now  refer  to  a  few  sec- 
tions exhibitinR  the  inner  nature  of  veins  of 
dilTerenl  kinds.  Fip.  11  is  a  cross-section,  in 
the  900  ft.  level,  of  the  Pitlslnirgh  gold  vein, 
in  Nevada  City  district,  California.  The  rock 
in  which  it  occurs  is  diabase.  The  various 
bodies  of  quartz  forming  the  vein  cannot  be 
filledfissures.  Particularly  can  this  be  said  of 
a,  b,  and  c. 

Other  crosssectionsof  veinaregi  ven  in  I'igs. 
12,  13,  and  14.  Fig.  12  is  a  cross-section  of 
the  Maryland  vein.  Grass  Valley,  California. 
Fig.  13  is  a  horizontal  section  of  part  of  the 
Poorman  gold  vein,  near  Nelson,  liritish  Col- 
umbia. Fig.  14  isacross-section  of  the  /Mamo 
silver-lead  vein,  in  the  Slocan,  Hriiish  Colum- 
bia. All  these  sections  are  quite  irreconcilable 
with  Mr.  Campbell's  ideas,  and  such  sections 


might  be  multiplied  to  any  extent. 

I  will  conclude  these  observations  by  refer- 
ence to  two  most  interesting  sections  of  vein- 
rock  .  Fig.  15  is  from  the  Yewlhwaite  lead 
mine  near  Keswick,  Cumberland,  and  Fig.  1() 
from  the  Honsor  vein  of  the  Coniston  mine, 
Lancashire.  The  complicated  mixture  of 
quartz  and  country  rock  in  these  sections  shuts 
out,  at  once,  any  suggestion  of  filledfissures, 
while  the  gradation  from  silicate  rock  to  pure 
quartz  which  occurs  in  many  places  is  sugges- 
tive of  the  quartz  having  originated  in  a  man- 
ner (juite  different  from  that  advocated  by  Mr. 
Campbell's  paper,  and  which  is  dealt  with  in 
the  "Formation  of  Ore-bodies"  by  the  present 
writer. 


*  Mineral  Veins  of  the  Lake  District,  by  J.  D.  Kendall.  Trana' 

action^,  M;»nchf^tf'r  f>ntn,;ical  Society.  1884. 


BRITISH    PETROGRAPHIC   NOMENCLATURE. 

A  summiiry  is  here  ^iven  of  tlie  Report  of  ifu-  Joint  Committee  of  ttic  Geological  and 
Mincralogical  Societies  on  the  standardization  of  petrojogical  terms. 


In  February,  1920,  the  Geological  Society 
and  the  Mineralogical  Society  appointed  a  joint 
coinmittee  whose  functions  were  to  consider 
whether  any  standardization  of  British  petro- 
graphic  nomenclature  is  possible  and  desirable, 
and  if  so  to  make  recommendations  with  that 
end  in  view.  The  chairman  of  the  committee 
is  Professor  W.  W.  Watts,  and  the  other  mem- 
bers are  Dr.  J.  V.  Elsden,  Dr.  J.  S.  Flett,  Sir 
Jethro  Teall,  Dr.  H.  H.  Thomas,  Mr.  G.  \V. 
Tyrrell,  appointed  by  the  Geological  Society  ; 
and  Dr.  J.  \V.  Evans,  Dr.  F.  H.  Hatch,  Dr. 
Arthur  Holmes,  Dr.  G.  T.  Prior,  Dr.  K.  H. 
Rastall,and  Mr.  W.  Cainpbell  Smith  (Honor- 
ary Secretary), appointed  by  the  Mineralogical 
Society. 

The  repoit  of  this  committee  has  now  been 
issued,  and  we  give  herewith  a  general  sum- 
mary of  the  recommendations.  It  is  to  be  noted 
that  no  names  have  been  dealt  with  by  the  com- 
mittee that  have  general  undisputed  definitions, 
and  that  only  British  nomenclature  has  come 
within  the  scope  of  the  committee.  .\  sutn- 
mary  of  the  report  is  given  herewith,  and  read- 
ers who  wish  for  the  complete  report  should 
apply  for  copies  thereof  from  the  secretary  of 
thecommittee  or  from  the  secretary  of  the  Geo- 
logical or  Mineralogical  Society. 

Definitions  Recommended. 

AMi'iiiiiOLi  I'M  is  retained  for  unfoliated  or 
slightly  foliated metamorphic  rocksof  doubtful, 
or  other  than  igneous,  origin.      It  is  composed 


essentially  of  hornblende  and  felspar,  oftencon- 
taining  various  accessories,  such  as  epidote  and 
garnet.  EPIDIOUI  t'E  isretained  for  unfoliated 
metamorphosed  igneous  rocks  of  doleritic  or 
basaltic  composition  in  which  augite  has  been 
replaced  by  hornblende.  It  usually  occurs  as 
dykes  and  sills.  HoKNBLKNDli-SCHlST  is  dis- 
tinguished from  amphibolite  and  epidiorite  by 
the  possession  of  foliated  texture. 

ANOKTiiOSlTii  is  retained  in  the  sense  of 
rocks  similarin  texture  to  the  gabbros  andcom 
posed  almost  entirely  of  basic  plagioclase  and 
almost  free  from  ferromagnesian  materials. 

Aplite  and  Pegmatite,  when  used  alone 
as  rock-names,  should  be  used  in  the  sense  de- 
fined in  Marker's  Petrology  for  Students,  1919, 
pp.  3>S  and  39,  as  follows  :  AI'LITE  "  occurs  as 
veinsin  granite.  .  .  .  It  isafinetexturedrock 
with  paiiidiomorphic  to  granulitic  structure.  j 
and  is  somewhat  more  acid  than  the  associated 
granite.  .\  characteristic  type  occurs  in  con- 
nection with  the  muscovite-granites  near  Dub- 
lin. It  consists  of  microcline,  with  someoligo- 
rlase,  (juartz,  muscovite,  and  red  garnet." 
I 'EG  MATlTEs"  consist  essentially  of  microcline 
or  orthoclase  and  quartz,  often  with  white  mica 
and  sometimes  red  garnet.  The  texture  is  often 
extremely  coarse,  and  there  is  a  freijiient  ten- 
dency to  the  graphic  structure."  The  posses- 
sion of  graphic  structure  by  a  pegmatite  is  not 
essential.  These  terms  (Ai'LiTE  and  Pegma- 
tite) may  be  extended  to  rocks  bearing  the 
same  relation  to  syenite,  diorite,  lStc,  as  aplite 


MAY,    1921 


279 


and  pegmatite  bear  to  granite,  but,  if  so  used, 
some  indication  of  their  inineraiogical  composi- 
tion should  be  given. 

Basalt.  The  term  used  alone  should  not 
imply  the  presence  of  olivine.  Basalts  con- 
tainingolivineasan  essential  constituentshould 
be  described  as  Olivine-Basalts.  No  defi- 
nite line  is  drawn  between  basalt  and  dolerite. 
The  distinction  depends  on  coarseness  of  tex- 
ture. 

Charnockite.  The  committee  recom- 
mends that  when  reference  is  made  to  the 
"  charnockite  series  "  the  word  "  series  "  be 
neveromitted.  Reference  to  thisseriesof  rocks 
as  the  charnockites  "  is  to  be  avoided.  It  is 
further  recommended  that  charnockite  as  a 
rock-name  berestricted  to  thegranuliticvariety 
of  hypersthene-granite  of  the  type  locality  as 
defined  by  Holland  in  1893,  and  to  rocks  prac- 
tically identical  with  this. 

DiORITE  should  be  limited  to  plutonic  rocks 
of  intermediate  composition,  the  dominant  fel- 
spar being  an  acid  plagioclase.  More  basic 
rocks  consisting  of  hornblende  and  basic  plagio- 
clase should  be  classed  with  the  gabbros. 

Dolerite  is  retained  in  the  sense  of  a 
coarse-grained  rock  of  basaltic  composition, 
usually,  but  not  always,  hypabyssal.  No  de- 
finite line  is  drawn  between  basalt  and  dolerite. 
The  distinction  depends  on  coarseness  of  tex- 
ture. 

EssEXiTE  is  retained  for  rocks  practically 
identical  with,  or  which  show  but  slight  diver- 
gence from,  the  original  type  of  Salem  Neck, 
Essex  Co.,  Massachusetts. 

Felsite  is  retained  for  those  acid  and  in- 
termediate intrusives  which  carry  no  porphy- 
ritic  constituent  and  in  which  the  texture  is 
felsitic. 

Felsitic  maybe  used  to  designate  thecryp- 
tocrystalline  texture  of  felsites  and  similar 
rocks.  The  term  "  microfelsitic,"  used  by  cer- 
tain authors,  is  unnecessary. 

Gabhro  includes  plutonic  rocks  of  basic 
composition  consisting  essentially  of  a  basic 
plagioclase  with  one  or  more  ferromagnesiaii 
constituents,  usually  a  pyroxene  but  sometimes 
hornblende,  and  with  or  without  olivine. 

Gneiss  is  a  medium  or  coarse-grained  cry- 
stalline rock  possessing  some  form  of  parallel 
structure  due  either  to  the  uniform  orientation 
of  certain  tabular  or  prismatic  minerals,  or  to 
the  presence  of  wavy  discontinuous  surfaces  in- 
dicating a  lenticular  or  phacoidal  structure,  or 
of  bands  of  varying  inineraiogical  composition 
which  retain  their  continuity  and  parallelism 
throughout  aconsiderablemass  of  rock  (banded 
gneisses).     Gneisses  may  be  of  igneous,  sedi- 


mentary, or  doubtful  origin.  Those  of  igneous 
origin  (ortho  gneisses)  may  have  acquired  their 
characteristic  structure  before,  during,  or  sub- 
sequent to  consolidation,  and  only  in  the  last- 
mentioned  class  can  they  be  said  to  be  ineta- 
morphic  rocks.  Those  of  sedimentary  origin 
(para-gneisses)  are  invariably  metamorphic 
rocks  owing  to  the  development  in  them  of  new 
minerals  ;  their  parallel  structure  may  in  some 
cases  follow  planes  due  to  deposition,  in  others 
due  to  deformation.  The  term  '  gneiss,"  when 
used  without  qualification,  should  imply  a  rock 
of  granitic  composition  but  not  necessarily  of 
igneous  origin. 

Schist  (crystalline  schists)  differs  from 
gneiss  in  being  of  finer  grain,  and  in  possessing 
a  well-marked  tendency  tosplit  into  thin  layers, 
except  when  puckered  or  folded  by  movement 
subsequent  to  the  development  of  schistosity. 
The  term  carries  with  it  no  inineraiogical  con- 
notation. 

Gkanodiorite  is  to  be  retained  for  rocks 
intermediate  between  quartz-diorite  and  gran- 
ite in  which  orthoclase,  while  present  as  a 
notable  constituent,  is  always  subordinate  in 
amount  to  the  plagioclase. 

Granophyre  is  retained  in  the  sense  in 
which  the  term  is  used  by  Rosenbusch  (1872), 
and  by  Harker. 

Granulite  is  not  to  be  used  in  the  sense  of 
Michael  Levy,  for  muscovite-granite.  When 
used  as  a  rock-name  it  should  be  used  only  for 
rocks  with  granulitic  texture,  and  should  be 
qualified  by  prefixing  the  name  of  the  mineral, 
or  minerals,  which  characterize  the  rock. 

Granulitic  texture  may  be  used  for  that 
texture  of  rocks  characterized  by  even-sized 
and  closely-fitting  grains.  It  is  applicable  to 
metamorphosed  sedimentary  and  metamor- 
phosed igneous  rocks,  and,  to  a  more  limited 
extent,  to  igneous  rocks  in  which  the  texture 
has  been  produced  directly.  The  texture  shown 
in  PI.  46,  fig.  1,  of  Mem.  Geol.  Surv.  Gt.  Brit., 
1907,  N.W.  Highlands  of  Scotland,  is  granu- 
litic. The  term  granulitic  should  not  be  used 
to  describe  those  textures  of  dolerites  so  de- 
scribed by  Judd  (Q.J.G.S.,  1886,  vol.  '12,  pp. 
68,  76  and  pi.  5).  For  such  textures  granulitic 
should  be  replaced  by  intergranular  (Evans). 

Kenvte  is  retained  for  rocks  practically 
identical  with  the  kenytes  of  Mt.  Kenya  de- 
scribed by  Gregory,  1900. 

Lamprophyre  is  to  be  retained  in  its  pres- 
entgenerallyaccepted  sense  tocoverthe"  Lam- 
prophyrische  Ganggesteine  "  of  Rosenbusch, 
19 10,  the  sense  employed  by  Harker,  Petrology 
for  Students,  1919. 

Leucite-phonolite  is  to  be  used  in  the 


280 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


sense  adopted  by  Zirkel  (1893)  for  a  phonolite 
containing  leucite  in  addition  to  nepheline  and 
alkali  felspar. 

LiiUClTK-TRACHYTE  IS  to  be  used  in  the 
sense  of  voni  Rath  (1867),  as  adopted  by  Zir- 
kel (1893)  and  by  Washington  (1897) ;  that  is, 
a  volcanic  rock  containing  leucite  in  addition 
to  the  constituents  of  trachyte,  and  consisting, 
therefore,  essentially  of  alkali-felspar  and  leu- 
cite, with  relatively  small  amounts  of  ferro- 
magnesian  minerals,  nepheline  being  absent  or 
present  as  a  minor  accessory. 

Leuco-  should  not  be  used  as  a  prefix  in- 
dicating the  presence  of  leucite,  for  instance,  m 
leucotephrite. 

MiiTA-,  if  used  as  a  prefix,  is  understood  to 
imply  alteration  of  the  original  rock-type  to  the 
name  of  which  it  is  prefixed. 

Mica-syenite  is  retained  in  the  sense  of  a 
syenite  with  dominant  mica. 

MlNETTE  is  retained  in  use  for  the  igneous 
rocks  at  present  so  named. 

MONZONITE  should  be  restricted  to  rocks  of 
the  type  occurring  in  the  Monzoni  district, 
Tyrol,  typically  augitebearing  and  containing 
a  noteworthy  amount  of  basic  plagioclase  in 
addition  to  orthoclase.  The  term  "  monzonite 
series "  may  be  used  to  comprehend  related 
rocks  whether  more  basic  or  more  acid  than 
monzonite  itself. 

Nephelinite,  Leucitite,  and  Teph- 
RITE  are  to  be  retained  in  use  in  the  sense  at 
present  adopted  by  British  authors.  They  do 
not  contain  olivine  as  an  essential  constituent, 
but  may  contain  it  as  an  accessory.  The  names 
Nepheline-basalt,  Leucite-basalt,  and 
BASANlTE,are  used  so  frequently  that  thecom- 
mittee  does  not  feel  able  to  recommend  their 
disuse,  but  it  would  prefer  to  see  these  terms 
replaced  by  olivine-nephelinite,"  olivine- 
leucitite,"  and  "  olivinetephrite." 

Obsidian.  Glassy  volcanic  rocks  of  acid 
or  intermediate  composition,  to  be  distinguish- 
ed when  evidence  of  composition  is  available, 
as  rhyolite-obsidian,  trachyte-obsidian,  phono- 
lite -obsidian,  dacite- obsidian,  andesite-ob- 
sidian. 

Ortho-.  The  use  of  this  prefix  as  an  ab- 
breviation for  orthoclase  or  to  signify  that  a 
rock  is  rich  in  that  mineral  is  not  recommended. 
It  is  retained  as  a  prefix  to  the  name  of  a  meta- 
morphic  rock  to  indicate  igneous  origin. 

Panteleerite  is  allowable  for  rocks  prac- 
tically identical  with  those  of  the  type  locality, 
but  preferably  should  be  replaced  by  soda-rhyo- 
lite  [or  soda-trachyte]  (Pantellaria  type). 

Para-  is  retained  as  a  prefix  to  the  name  of 
a  metamorphic  rock  to  indicate  sedimentary 


origin.  The  significations  given  to  this  prefix 
by  Loewinson-Lessing  (1905),  and  by  Lacroix 
(1920),  are  not  adopted. 

Pekidotite.  Holocrystalline  igneous 
rocks  of  ultrabasic  composition,  rich  in  olivine, 
and  free  from  felspar  or  containing  it  only  as 
an  accessory  constituent.  Certain  olivine-rich 
rocks  which  have  been  described  as  '  horn- 
blende-picrites  "  should  be  included.  Varieties 
should  be  described  by  prefixing  the  name  of 
the  mineral  characterizing  them.  The  names 
"  dunite  "  and  "  Iherzolite,"  being  well  estab- 
lished and  clearly  understood,  may  be  retained. 

PiCKiTE  should  be  restricted  to  rocks  of  the 
type  locality  of  Sbhie,  Moravia,  as  described 
by  Tschermak  (1866),  and  to  those  closely 
similar  rocks  associated  with  teschenites  and 
theralites  in  other  regions. 

Pitch  STONE.  Glassy  rocksof  similar  range 
in  composition  to  obsidian,  but  characterized 
externally  by  pitchy  lustre,  splintery  or  hackly 
fracture,  and  a  relatively  high  content  of  water. 
They  are  usually  hypabyssal. 

PoRPHYRiTic  Texture.  The  definition 
given  by  Teall  in  1888  (British  Petrography, 
p.  51)  is  adopted,  namely  :  "When  .  .  .  certain 
constituents  occur  as  large  or  more  or  less  per- 
fect crystals  in  a  matrix  of  finer  grain,  the  rock 
is  said  to  be  porphyritic." 

Porphyry  and  Porphyrite.  Hypabyssal 
rocks  of  acid  or  intermediate  composition  with 
one  or  more  porphyritic  constituents  in  a  cry- 
stalline (mcluding  cryptocrystalline)  ground- 
mass.  Such  rocks  with  dominant  alkali-felspar 
are  termed  "  porphyry,"  as  distinct  from  those 
with  dominant  soda-lime-felspar,  which  are 
termed  "  porphyrite."  These  terms  should  be 
qualified  by  prefixing  the  name  of  the  mineral 
or  minerals  which  occur  as  porphyritic  con- 
stituents. The  name  "  granite-porphyry  "  is 
ambiguous,  and  should  not  be  used. 

Pyroxenite.  Those  members  of  the  perk- 
nite  group  with  dominant  pyroxene ;  that  is, 
in  the  original  sense  of  Coquand,  and  the  sense 
in  which  it  is  employed  by  Harker  and  Hatch. 
Perknite,  introduced  by  Turner  (1901),  and 
adopted  by  Hatch  (Igneous  Rocks,  1914),  may 
be  usefully  employed  as  a  group  name  for  holo- 
crystalline igneous  rocks  composed  of  various 
combinations  of  hornblende,  augite,  and  rhom- 
bic pyroxenes,  together  with  accessory  biotite, 
olivine  and  iron -ores.  They  occur  as  deep- 
seated  masses  or  as  dykes. 

Shonkinite  is  retained  in  the  sense  of  the 
original  definition  of  Weed  and  Pirsson  (1895), 
and  the  more  detailed  definition  of  Pirsson 
(1900).  The  rock  of  Square  Butte,  Highwood 
Mountains,  Montana,  described  by  Weed  and 


MAY,    1921 


281 


Pirsson  and  analysed  by  the  latter,  is  an  olivine- 
bearing  shonkinite  with  accessory  nepheline, 
sodalite,  etc.,  in  small  quantities.  If,  in  certain 
varieties  of  shonkinite,  leucite  or  nepheline 
become  notable  constituents,  such  rocks  should 
be   distinguished   as     '  leucite-shonkinite "   or 

nephelene- shonkinite." 

Ther.'VLITE  is  retained  for  nephelene-gab- 
bros,  the  rock  adopted  as  the  type  being  the 
theralite  of  Duppau,  Bohemia,  and  not  the  rock 
originally  described  as  theralite  from  Gordon's 
Butte,  Crazy  Mountains,  Montana. 

TONALITE  should  be  replaced  by  quartz- 
diorite  (Tonale  type). 

Trachybasalt  is  adopted  to  replace  the 
term  "  trachydolerite  "  as  used  by  Washington 
in  1897,  that  is,  for  intermediate  potash-rich 
rocks  containing  basic  plagioclase  together 
with  orthcclase.  The  use  of  the  term  trachy- 
basalt in  the  sense  of  Boricky  (1873)  having 
been  long  discontinued,  no  confusion  should 
arise  from  its  re-introduction  in  a  new  and  self- 
e.xplanatory  sense. 

Trachyte.  Tyrrell's  proposal  to  use  "  tra- 
chyte," "  bostonite,"  and  "  keratophyre,"  with 
textural  significations  for  rocks  which  have 
essentially  the  same  chemical  and  mineral  com- 
positions, regardless  of  whether  they  are  of  ex- 
trusive or  intrusive  origin,  is  not  adopted. 

Obsolete  Words. 

The  following  terms  have  been  used  in  more 
than  one  sense,  and  are  either  obsolete  or  un- 
necessary, so  it  is  recommended  that  their  fur- 
ther use  as  petrological  termsshould  be  avoided : 
Adamellite,  Anamesite,  Aphanite,  Bauxitite, 
Binary  granite,  Cipolin,Cornubianite,  Diabase, 
Diallagite,  Domite,  Dunstone,  Euphotide,  Eu- 
rite, Felspar-rock, Granitite,  Hyperite,  Hyper- 
sthenite,  Leptynolite,  Leucitophyre,  Leuco- 
tephrite,  Melaphyre,  Nephelinedolerite,  Oligo- 
clasite,Palasopicrite,Syenitite, Trachydolerite, 
Wehrlite. 

Synonyms. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  synonyms,  with 
the  term  printed  in  small  capitals  which  is  re- 
commended in  preference  to  the  alternative 
term,  or  terms,  which  are  printed  in  ordinary 
type. 

Accidental  Inclusion  (Harker,  1900): 
exogenous  enclosure. 

Acid:   persilicic. 

Allotriomorphic  (Rosenbusch,  1897) : 
xenomorphic  ;  anhedral. 

Arenaceous:  psammitic. 

Argillaceous:  pelitic ;  lutaceous. 

Basic  :  subsilicic. 


Cognate  Inclusion  (Harker,  1900):  auto- 
lith  ;  endogenous  enclosure. 

Contact  Metamorphism:  exomorphism. 

Corona:  Reaction  Rim;  kelyphitic  rim. 
If  the  corona  can  be  shown  to  be  due  to  altera- 
tion or  modification  of  the  nucleus  the  term 
reaction  rim  "  is  preferred. 

Glassy  :  Hyalo- ;  vitro-. 

Hemicrystalline  :  merocrystalline  ; 
semicrystalline. 

Hypidiomorphic  :  hypautomorphic  ;  sub- 
hedral. 

Idiomorphic:  automorphic  ;  euhedral. 

Inclusion  (in  rock) :  enclosure;  included 
nodule. 

Intermediate  (silica  content) :  medio- 
silicic. 

MuLLiON  Structure  (Kinahan,  1891): 
rodding  structure. 

Orbicular  Structure  (Delesse,  1849)  : 
spheroidal  structure. 

PillowStructure:  ellipsoidal  structure. 

PsEPHiTic:  rudaceous. 


LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

The  Greenside  Mine. 

The  Editor : 

Sir — I  am  afraid  your  correspondent  "in- 
terested "  is  not  so  conversant  with  the  finan- 
ciallpart  of  Greenside  mine  as  he  would  appear 
to  be.  A  profit  of  14%  per  annum  is  a  good 
thing,  but  I  am  sure  if  it  v.'as  realized  here,  it 
was  prior  to  the  last  60  years. 

I  am  puzzled  to  know  what  paid-up  capital 
"interested"  based  his  calculations  on,  and 
how  obtained,  as  the  conversion  of  the  partner- 
ship company  to  limited  liabilityonly  to^kplace 
in  1890.  Possibly  it  was  over-capitalized  then, 
but  as  there  was  no  public  issue  this  mattered 
little  to  those  interested. 

From  1890  to  1919  the  mine  was  under  my 
management,  and  during  those  years  we  had 
good  and  bad  times,  and  made  profits  with  pig 
lead  at  a  very  low  figure.  But  unfortunately 
during  the  whole  of  these  29  years,  royalties, 
rates,  and  taxes  practically  absorbed  one  half 
of  the  gross  profits.  Greenside  has  been  a 
wonderful  mine,  although  a  low-grade  proposi- 
tion. By  adopting  up-to-date  appliances  (for 
instance,  it  was  the  first  metalliferous  mine  in 
this  country  to  adopt  electricity),  it  managed  to 
exist  with  pig  lead  at  £9.  6s.  per  ton,  and  silver 
at  Is.  lOd.  peroz.  Therearestillchancesof  suc- 
cess in  this  old  mine  with  fair  and  reasonable 
royalties.  The  owners  are  now  prepared  to 
modify  their  terms,  but,  unfortunately,  not  be- 


282 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


fore  the  company  decided  on  \oluiit;ii  y  liiiuida- 
tion. 

W'M.   II.   HoKi.ASi;, 
Liquidator  and  late  Manager. 
Greenside,  Cumberland,   March  24. 

Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drill. 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — I  have  read  the  articles  in  your  issues 
of  Februaryand  March  on  Wave- Power  Trans- 
mission. I  disagree  altogether  with  Mr.  Ris- 
don's  opinion  aS  to  the  suitability  of  this  sys- 
tem of  power-transmission  for  rock-drilling,  as 
I  hold  it  to  be  hopelessly  inefficient  when  judged 
from  the  power  expended  on  the  surface,  and 
the  number  of  feet  actually  bored  per  unit  of 
time  in  the  rock  face. 

Much  has  been  written  and  published  in  re- 
cent periodicals  and  daily  papers  as  to  the  sup- 
posed advantages  to  be  gained  by  the  substitu- 
tion of  wave-power  for  compressed  air,  but  I 
hold  that  the  comparisons  have  been  most  un- 
fair to  the  compressed  airsystem.  In  all  cases 
that  I  have  noticed  it  seems  to  be  assumed  that 
electric  power  is  to  be  used  for  driving  both  the 
w^ave  generator  and  the  compressor,  and  we  are 
then  informed  that  greater  drilling  speeds  can 
be  obtained  per  horse- power  expended  by  the 
adoption  of  the  wave- power  system.  I  dis- 
agree with  this  representation  of  the  case  in  all 
particulars. 

If  the  two  systems  are  to  be  compared  on  a 
fair  basis,  we  ought  to  assume  that  one  system 
or  the  other  is  to  be  installed  on  a  mine  which 
is  about  to  be  equipped,  and  due  regard  should 
be  paid  to  the  conditions  which  will  exist  when 
the  mining  operations  are  being  carried  on  at  a 
moderate  depth  ;  for  the  sake  of  argument  let 
us  say  1,000  ft.,  and,  as  I  will  show  later  on, 
the  balance  will  turn  more  and  more  decidedly 
in  favour  of  the  compressed-air  machines  as 
greater  depths  are  reached. 

In  the  compressed-air  system,  boilers  and 
steam-driven  air-compressors  will  have  to  be 
erected,  the  compressed  air  being  led  directly 
to  the  air-drills  at  the  working  faces.  If  the 
wave- power  transmission  is  to  be  installed,  the 
steam  will  have  to  be  taken  to  suitable  high- 
speed engines  coupled  to  dynamos,  the  high- 
voltage  current  conducted  down  the  shaft  to 
the  chamber  or  chambers  which  have  been  pro- 
vided for  the  reception  of  the  wave  generators 
and  the  requisite  electric  switch-gear,  trans- 
formers, and  motoror  motors.  The  power  pipe- 
line will  start  in  these  chambers  and  be  led  to 
the  various  rock-drills. 

Obviously  the  compressed-air  system  is  by 
far  the  simpler,  being  merely  boilers,  steam- 


driven  air-compressor,  pipe- liiu-,  and  rock-drills. 
In  the  case  of  tiie  wave-power  system  we  have  : 
boilers,  highspeed  steamengine, dynamo,  elec- 
tric cables,  step-down  transformers,  electric 
motors,  wave  generators,  pipe  line,  rock-drills. 

In  both  cases  the  transformation  of  energy 
and  its  transmission  will  entail  unavoidable 
losses.  Letus  see  what  they  amount  to  ineach 
case,  assuming  that  1,000  i.h.p.  is  being  gener- 
ated on  the  surface.  As  to  the  compressed-air 
system,  any  good  manufacturer  of  air-compres- 
sors will  be  quite  prepared  to  guarantee  5'8 
cubic  feet  of  free  air  compressed  to  80  lb.  gauge 
pressure  per  minute  per  i.h.p.  in  the  steam 
engine.  With  a  suitable  sized  air  pipe- line,  the 
loss  of  pressure  at  a  distance  of  1,000  ft.  will 
certainly  not  amount  to  more  than  2  lb.  per 
square  inch,  and  even  this  amount  of  energy  is 
not  entirely  wasted,  as  the  volume  of  the  air  is 
increased  proportionately  with  the  loss  of  pres- 
sure. For  the  moment,  however,  we  may  as- 
sume that  the  lossis  a  complete  loss  as  itsimpli- 
fies  the  comparisons,  and  that  we  now  have 
5,800  cubic  feet  (measured  as  free  air)  at  78  lb. 
per  sq.  in.  available  for  operating  the  rock- 
drills. 

The  wave-power  drill  manufacturers  seem 
to  have  adopted  for  purposes  of  comparisons 
with  their  own  machines  a  cradle  type  of  air- 
driven  rock-drill  of  a  well-known  make,  and 
for  the  sake  of  our  example  we  will  also  take 
a  machine  of  this  type,  though  we  should  note 
in  passing  that  there  are  other  and  more  effici- 
ent types  of  rock-drills  available.  The  cradle 
type  of  air  rock-drill  mentioned  above  requires 
not  more  than  100  cubic  feet  of  free  air  per 
minute  (measured  as  free  air),  and  many  rock- 
drill  manufacturers  will  be  very  pleased  to 
guarantee  a  considerably  smaller  consumption. 
This  machine  will  easily  bore,  in  granite,  at  the 
rate  of  not  less  than  8  in.  per  minute  with  a  bit 
of  It  in.  diameter,  so  that  with  5,800  cubic  feet 
(measured  as  free  air)  available,  we  have  a  bor- 
ing capacity  of  58  x  8  =  464  inches  per  minute. 

Turning  now  to  the  wave-power  transmis- 
sion plant,  with  a  1,000  i.h.p.  in  the  cylinders 
of  the  steam  engine  we  shall  have  a  brake  h.p. 
available  of  about  900  ;  this  will  give  us  at  the 
terminals  of  the  dynamo,  assuming  an  effici- 
ency of  93%,  which  is  quite  good,  the  equiva- 
lent of  837  h.p.  The  cables  down  the  shaft 
will  entail  a  further  loss  of  5%,  and  the  step- 
down  transformers  will  account  for  yet  another 
2%  of  the  balance,  leaving  the  equivalent  of 
779'25  h.p.  available  at  the  terminals  of  the 
electric  motors  which  are  coupled  to  the  wave- 
generators. 

When  I  saw  the  wave-power  drill  at  work> 


MAY,    1921 


283 


I  noted  that  the  wave  generator  required  12  h.p. 
in  the  motor  to  operate  one  drill,  and  I  was  in- 
formed that  the  drill  was  capable  of  boring  in 
granite  with  a  It  in.  diameter  bit  at  the  rate  of 
5  m.  per  minute.  My  own  observations  do  not 
bear  out  the  latter  statement,  and  I  am  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  actual  boring  speed  would 
not  exceed  one  half  of  the  amount  given  above. 
But  assuming  for  the  sake  of  argument  that  the 
figures  are  correct  as  stated,  and  that  12  h.p. 
delivered  to  the  terminals  of  the  electric  motor 
is  equivalenttoa  drilling  speed  of  5  in.  per  minute 
with  a  bit  of  the  size  taken,  we  have  a  total  drill- 
ing capacity  for  1,000  i.h.p.  on  the  surface  of 
7792  multiplied  by  5  divided  by  12  =  324'6  in. 
per  minute. 

Stated  in  another  way,  the  drilling  capacities 
of  the  two  systems  per  minute  per  i.h.p.  on  the 
surface  are  :  compressed-air  system,  464  in.  ; 
wave-power  drill,  324  in. 

From  the  above  considerations  I  hold  that 
the  wave- power  system  is  not  a  serious  com- 
petitor to  the  pneumatic,  even  if  no  other  ad- 
vantages accrued  from  the  use  of  compressed 
airas  a  meansof  operatingrock-drills,  and  when 
Mr.  Risdon  states,  as  he  does  toward  the  end 
of  his  article  in  the  March  issue,  that  manufac- 
turers of  compressed-air  plant  are  living  in 
anxious  times  from  the  fear  of  the  proposed 
new  system  of  running  rock-drills,  he  is  very 
farfromthe  truth.  I  can  assure  him  thatmanu- 
facturers  of  compressed-air  rock-drills  are  very 
anxious  indeed  to  cut  out  the  talk  and  get  down 
to  actualities,  and  that  the  sooner  a  reasonable- 
sized  installation  of  wave-power  rock-dnlls  is 
in  actual  use  for  serious  mining  work  the  better 
they  will  bepleased,  as  they  are  quite  convinced 
that  its  replacement  by  the  much  more  effici- 
entand  simple  pneumatic  system  isonly  aques- 
tion  of  a  very  short  time  indeed. 

With  the  wave-power  rock-drill  some  system 
of  ventilation  of  the  working  faces,  especially 
in  development  work  where  the  ends  may  be 
far  from  the  main  ventilation  currents,  will  be 
imperative,  and  will  add  much  to  the  overall 
cost  of  breaking  the  ground  ;  with  pneumatic 
drills,  on  the  other  hand,  this  is  provided  for  by 
the  exhaust,  and  the  energy  Vv-hich  was  counted 
as  lost  in  the  air-compressor  at  the  surface,  due 
to  the  heat  of  compression  absorbing  power, 
now  appears  as  refrigeration  in  the  working 
places,  and  how  importantthis  is  will  be  readily 
admittedbyallactually  engagedin  underground 
drilling. 

To  sum  up,  I  consider  the  main  advantages 
of  the  pneumatic  system  can  be  placed  under 
the  following  heads  :  Simpler  installation  ; 
faster  boring  speeds  per  i.h.p.  at  the  surface  ; 


more  flexible  system  ;  ventilation  of  the  work- 
ing places  ;  refrigeration  of  the  workingplaces; 
helps  to  dry  the  air  in  the  working  places  ;  dry 
drilling  can  be  done  when  required. 

I  assume  that  dry  drilling  is  quite  impossible 
with  the  wave-motion  drill,  and  it  is  well  known 
that  certain  deep  and  hot  mines  will  not  con- 
sider wet  drilling  for  a  single  moment,  as  the 
humidity  of  the  atmosphere  in  the  working 
places  is  even  now  almost  intolerable. 

There  are  many  other  advantages  to  be  ob- 
tained from  the  installation  of  the  pneumatic 
system,  but  as  they  are  well  known  to  mining 
engineers  it  is  needless  to  occupy  any  more  of 
your  \aluable  space,  on  which  I  fear  I  have  al- 
ready unduly  encroached. 

R.  DE  H.  St.  Stephens. 

Camborne,  April  10. 


BOOK   REVIEWS 

This  World  of  Ours.     By  ].  H.  Curle. 

Cloth,  octavo,  315  pages.    Price  7s.  6d.  net. 

London  :   Methuen  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

I  have  twice  read  most  of  "  This  World  of 
Ours,"  and  many  parts  I  have  even  again  re- 
read, for  I  have  been  greatly  interested.  Those 
who  imagine  the  opening  sentence,  so  reminis- 
cent of  the  old  admonition,  "  Cheer  up  !  You'll 
be  a  long  time  dead  !  "  to  be  the  forerunner  of 
a  volume  of  sombre  colour  will  be  agreeably 
disappointed,  for  many  bright  pictures  will  be 
found  thereafter. 

My  initial  attempt  at  reading  the.  book  was 
not  a  success,  for  I  soon  became  entangled  in 
its  peculiarities  of  punctuation  ;  and  my  pre- 
conceived notions  of  good  writing  were  upset 
by  sentences  and  phrases  terminated  by  prepo- 
sitions. These,  coming  from  the  pen  of  an  ex- 
perienced writer  like  Mr.  Curie,  caused  me  to 
seek  for  some  studied  effect ;  and  I  struggled 
manfully  on,  often  losing  the  gist  of  the  narra- 
tive in  attempting  to  find  the  hidden  rhythm  or 
other  intention  of  the  author.  I  progressed  for 
several  pages,  stumbling  over  such  difficulties 
as  the  following  sentence :  "  For  eight  hours 
each  day,  or,  every  third  week,  each  night,  I 
had  the  amalgam  plates  in  trust ;  .  .  .",  and 
finally  coming  to  grief  at  the  bottom  of  page  22 
in  the  full  belief  that  four  horses  had  been  sit- 
ting beside  Mr.  Curie  in  a  Cape  cart  and  that 
Johann  Rissik  held  the  reins  and  H.  B.  Mar- 
shall. 1  laidthehook  aside, notknowingwhether 
I  had  been  listening  to  a  story  told  by  a  man 
with  an  impediment  in  his  speech,  or  whether, 
sitting  in  one  of  a  string  of  L.C.C.  tramcars 
during  the  congested  hours  of  traffic,  I  had  been 
reading  and  the  sentences  had  been  punctuated 


284 


TllK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


for  me  by  frequent  and  sudden  applications  of 
the  brake.  Having  fully  convinced  myself 
that  the  subtlety  of  the  sentence-maker  was 
beyond  my  ken,  I  retraced  my  steps,  started 
again  at  the  beginning  and,  mentally  supplying 
an  occasional  semicolon  and  leaving  out  most 
of  the  commas,  I  soon  became  enmeshed  m  an 
interest  of  travel  that  seldom  llagged. 

Perhaps  the  parts  of  Mr.  Curie's  book  which 
least  appeal  to  one  are  those  in  which  he  attacks 
the  Christian  church  ;  and  it  is  to  be  feared 
that  much  will  be  found  in  this  direction  which 
will  greatly  detract  from  the  pleasure  of  those 
readers  who  are  sensitive  regarding  such  mat- 
ters. Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  see  why,  because 
crab  eats  crab,  and  unhygienic  savages  at 
Nyanza  die  of  sleeping  sickness,  Mr.  Curie 
should  revile  curates  and  clergy,  any  more  than 
one  should  feel  moved  to  do  so  because  at 
Verespatak  the  life  of  a  lamb  was  sacrificed  in 
order  that  Mr.  Curie  might  fill  himself  to  reple- 
tion and,  in  an  ecstasy  of  surfeit  and  emotion, 
endeavour  to  embrace  a  fat  old  Hungarian  girl. 
And  oh  !  the  conceit  of  the  Scot  who  says  that, 
he  being  an  agnostic,  all  thinkers  must  also 
become  agnostics ! 

The  first  chapter  of  the  book  touches  lightly 
on  the  youthful  days  of  the  author,  his  first  trip 
to  .Australia,  his  return  via  Colombo,  a  visit  to 
Africa,  and  his  subsequent  University  life. 
The  next  chapter  sees  him  returned  to  Africa 
and  eventually  becoming  managing  director  of 
an  East  Rand  coal  mine.  During  the  6i  years 
spent  on  the  Rand  the  author  visits  Rhodesia, 
Kimberley,  and  other  places.  We  should  have 
liked  from  him,  as  a  sordid  setting  for  the  dia- 
mond, one  of  his  pen  pictures  of  Kimberley,  de- 
picting its  hot,  dusty,  depressing,  and  crooked 
streets  and  uninteresting  surroundings.  In- 
stead, we  have  to  be  content  with  the  usual 
banal  remarks  about  the  vanity  of  woman  and 
the  vice  of  man,  and  with  the  oft-repeated  ref- 
erence to  buckets  of  diamonds  which  nearly 
every  writer  on  Kimberley  seems  compelled  to 
make. 

Chapter  three  sees  the  author  standing  in 
reverie  near  the  old  fish-market  of  Cape  Town 
on  the  eve  of  his  departure  from  Africa;  and 
it  is  in  this  chapter  that  the  true  writing  of  the 
book  begins.  In  it  we  get  a  fine  retrospect,  a 
fine  description  of  men,  beasts,  and  places,  and, 
by  the  way,  some  very  good  tips  for  intending 
sportsmen.  Standing  there  in  the  still  twilight 
in  sleepy,  pretty  little  Cape  Town — so  often 
swept  by  blusterous  gales — the  author  puts 
into  w-ords  what  many  a  traveller  must  have 
felt:  the  vastness  of  the  African  continent.  It 
is  strange  that  this  immensity  of  Africa  should 


be  felt  at  Cape  Town  more  than  at  Durban, 
East  London, or  Port  Elizabeth,  which  are  also 
its  portals.  I  have  fell  the  imiiiensily  of  the 
Asian  continent  more  when  standing  under  the 
shadow  of  the  peaks  of  Hong  Kong  than  in 
either  Shanghai,  Saigon,  or  Singapore.  Is  it 
that  the  nearby  mountains  or  hills  lend  them- 
selves to  such  reveries?  If  so,  we  have  to 
thank  Table  Mountain  for  a  fine  descriptive 
chajiter  from  Mr.  Curie. 

The  author  next  takes  us  to  India,  Australia, 
South  America,  Siberia,  the  Gold  Coast,  Wes- 
tern North-America, and  Klondyke,avery  long 
distance  to  travel  in  20  pages.  Nevertheless, 
he  finds  space  to  give  us  a  stirring  description 
of  an  accident  which  befell  his  sleigh  on  the 
false  ice  of  the  Amur  at  20°  F.  below  zerq. 
The  staccato  system  of  punctuation  here  suits 
the  situation  ;  the  story  has  atmosphere  ;  we 
are  actually  with  the  men  and  horses  in  their 
struggles;  and  we  feel  greatly  relieved  when 
all  ends  well. 

Pleasure  travels  in  Spain  and  the  north  of 
Africa  give  history  as  well  as  happy  descrip- 
tions of  the  places  visited  ;  and  so  mild  has  be- 
come the  language  of  this  vigorous  writer  that 
he  calls  the  odours  of  Harar  nothing  stronger 
than  a  "  shocking  stench." 

To  attempt  to  follow  the  writer  through  all 
his  travels  would  be  futile;  but  we  are  com- 
mercially interested  in  his  Lake  Guatavita,two 
days'  ride  from  Bogota  in  South  America,  be- 
cause we  have  heard  recently  of  a  resuscitated 
project  to  remove  the  mud  from  this  lake  and 
obtain  the  legendary  jewels. 

During  his  peregrinations  round  the  Carib- 
bean Sea,  the  author  tells  an  amusing  story 
against  himself  which  threatened  to  become 
serious,  while  attempting  to  land  at  Aux  Cayes. 
He  later  gives  us  a  graphic  description  of  a 
bull-fight  in  Barcelona  which,  like  the  story  of 
the  sleigh  accident,  is  much  assisted  by  the 
staccato  effect  of  the  punctuation.  From  jour- 
neys up  and  down  Europe  theitinerarychanges 
to  the  country  between  Archangel  and  Astra- 
chan.  Among  other  places,  Nizhni  was  visited 
and  the  fair  found  to  have  been  destroyed,  so 
people  said,  by  the  advent  of  the  Siberian  rail- 
way ;  but,  as  far  as  my  recollection  goes,  his- 
tory relates  that  the  real  splendour  of  Nizhni 
fair  departed,  and  never  returned,  after  the 
slaughter  of  the  populace  by  Ivan  the  Terrible. 

Astrachan,  the  great  centre  for  caviare — the 
roe  of  the  sturgeon — isvisited  ;  and  theauthor's 
remarks  thereon  remind  one  of  the  days  before 
the  war,  when  caviare  was  displayed  for  sale 
in  large  tubs  placed  outside  the  fish  shops  in 
large  Russian  cities  at  ridiculously  low  prices. 


MAY,    1921 


285 


One  gets  a  general  impression  from  Mr. 
Curie's  book  that  he  considers  the  women  of 
niostcountries  much  superior  tothemen.  Page 
209  gives  such  an  example.  Here  we  have  a 
song  in  favour  of  the  Slav  woman,  to  which  it 
is  doubtful  whether  all  who  have  dwelt  in 
Russia  will  subscribe;  but,  no  doubt,  all  will 
heartily  agree  with  the  sentiments  with  which 
the  twelfth  chapter  is  concluded. 

The  descriptions  of  the  Holy  Land  and  of 
the  dwellers  therein  are  full  of  interest;  and 
one  cannot  but  be  impressed  by  the  author's 
oft-e.xpressed  high  opinion  of  the  Jewof  to-day. 
An  interesting  interlude  is  a  thumb-nail  sketch 
of  American  tourists  in  the  Church  of  the  Na- 
tivity. The  sketch  is  so  thoroughly  typical  that 
one  feels  it  to  be  true  to  the  life. 

The  traveller  then  takes  us  through  India 
and  the  Far  East ;  but  were  he  to  revisit  the 
latter,  he  would  find  matters  in  Singapore  far 
different  from  those  depicted  on  page  269.  The 
local  D.O.R.A.  has  cleared  out  all  the  white 
prostitutes  from  Malay  Street ;  and  the  glory 
of  Cossack  Street  has  departed.  The  Japanese 
higherclasses  have  also  formed  astrong  society, 
backed  by  much  money  and  with  widely  dis- 
tributed branches,  for  inducing  their  frailer 
women-folk  to  depart  from  foreign  shores  and 
compete  with  their  sisters  in  the  overcrowded 
land  of  their  nativity.  All  British  dwellers  in 
the  Far  East  will  heartily  endorse  the  author's 
praise  of  the  Chmese  and  his  criticism  of  the 
Japanese.  The  latter,  taking  advantage  of  our 
war  preoccupation,  stepped  into  the  Malay 
Peninsula  and  bought  houses  and  rubber  lands 
to  such  an  extent  that  it  became  necessary 
to  pass  an  enactment  practically  preventing 
the  sale  of  real  estate.  So  far,  fortunately, 
he  has  been  unable  to  obtain  a  footing  in 
Colombo. 

All  will  not  agree  with  the  comparison  be- 
tween Javanese  and  Malay  women.  Generally 
speaking,  a  loose  woman  of  either  race  is  very, 
very  loose  ;  and,  not  taking  much  account  of 
venereal  disease,  is  most  often  a  being  best 
fitted  for  the  lazarette. 

The  journey  next  continues  to  the  South 
Seas,  the  author  taking  his  final  leave  of  us  at 
a  Presbyterian  mission  station  in  the  New 
Hebrides  ;  those  of  us  who  have  done  our  mo- 
dicum of  world's  travel  envy  him  his  excellent 
memory  and  his  facile  pen. 

So  ends  "This  World  of  Ours."  A  little 
boastful,  perhaps  ;  perhaps  at  times  a  little  ar- 
rogant; but  greatly  interesting  as  a  book  of 
travel,  and  useful  to  many  as  a  book  of  refer- 
ence. 

V.  F.  Stanley  Low. 


Coal  Washing.  By  ERNST  Prochaska, 
M.E.  Cloth,  octavo,  382  pages,  illustrated. 
Price  24s.  net.  New  York  and  London  : 
The  McGraw-Hill  Book  Company. 
The  number  of  books  devoted  entirely  to  the 
cleaning  of  coal  is  so  limited  that  the  publica- 
tion of  a  new  work  on  the  subject  is  of  distinct 
importance,  especially  when  it  is,  upon  the 
whole,  well  done.  Needless  to  say,  it  is  written 
by  an  American,  and  is  restricted  to  .'\merican 
practice,  but  it  is  idle  to  deny  that  it  would 
have  been  better  had  its  Americanism  not  been 
so  pronounced.  The  author  appears  to  have 
very  little  knowledge  either  of  British  litera- 
ture or  of  British  practice  in  his  subject,  and  it 
is  somewhat  amusing  to  find  him  writing  of 
appliances  as  used  "  in  Europe,"  without  any 
appreciation  of  the  very  wide  difference  that 
exists  between  British  and  Continental  coal- 
washing  methods.  On  the  other  hand  there  is 
much  that  we  on  this  side  can  learn  from 
American  practice  as  described  by  Mr.  Pro- 
chaska, and  attention  may  be  directed  particu- 
larly to  his  insistence  upon  the  use  of  auto- 
matic feeding  devices  for  regulating  the  supply 
of  coal  to  the  washers,  and  of  automatic  samp- 
ling appliances  for  taking  regular  samples  of 
the  various  products,  two  items  in  which  we 
are  decidedly  deficient  in  this  country. 

The  book  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first 
dealing  with  the  history  and  development  of 
coal  washing,  and  the  second  with  details  of  the 
various  methods  and  appliances  as  they  are 
used  to-day.  In  the  former  his  imperfect 
knowledge  of  the  British  literature  of  the  sub- 
ject is  a  drawback ;  for  example,  he  does  not 
seem  to  know  that  the  first  jig  with  fixed  sieve 
was  devised  by  a  Cornishman,  Captain  Pether- 
ick,  about  the  year  1830.  Again,  his  statement 
that  the  jig  "has  finally  attained  its  present 
position  as  the  only  successful  apparatus  for 
washing  coal  "  is  far  too  sweeping  ;  in  this 
country  we  have  numbers  of  other  appliances 
doing  quite  satisfactory  work.  The  author  en- 
tirely Ignores  the  shaking  table  as  used  for 
washing  nut  coal,  such  as  the  Campbell  and 
Craig  tables,  and  more  recently  the  Notanos 
washer  of  Messrs.  Head,  Wrightson  &  Co., 
Ltd.,  all  of  which  are  well  known  in  this  coun- 
try ;  on  the  other  hand  we  have  much  to  learn 
in  the  use  of  tables  of  Wilfley  type,  which  are 
being  used  in  America  for  washing  fine  coal, 
and  to  which  the  author  devotes  a  very  instruc- 
tive chapter. 

There  are  also  valuable  chapters  dealing 
with  the  economic  aspect  of  the  question,  and 
these  demonstrate  that  the  author  really  knows 
better  than  his  opening  chapter  would  lead  one 


286 


THK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


tosuppose.as  hecoiicliuies  thiswitha" maxim" 
to  the  effect  that  the  object  of  the  preparation 
of  coal  is  to  secure  a  niaxiimiiii  price  per  ton 
of  output."  Needless  to  say,  this  is  quite  false; 
the  real  object  is  to  secure  the  maximum  profit 
per  ton  of  mine  output,  antl  no  one  knows  this 
better  than  the  author  himself. 

IIl•:^■|^■^■  Louis. 

Political  and  Commercial  Geology,    l^di 
ted   by   J.   E.  SrUKK.     Cloth,  octavo,  570 
pages,  illustrated.     Price  30s.     New  York 
and  London:   McGraw-Hill  Company. 
This  book  deals  with  the  raw  materials  of 
the  metal  industry  and  commerce,  principally, 
if  not  wholly,  with  those  which  during  the  war 
came  under  Government  control ;   it  concerns 
itself  with  their  sources,  their  markets,  and 
their  places  of  consumption. 

Each  raw  material  is  handled  separately  by 
a  specialist,  such  specialist  being  generally  the 
one  into  whose  hands,  under  the  Bureau  of 
Mines  in  the  United  States,  watch  over  the 
particular  material  was  entrusted  for  war  pur- 
poses. The  whole  series  is  shortly  introduced 
by  J.  E.  Spurr — now  editor  of  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  of  New  York,  but  during 
the  war  Chief  of  the  Mineral  Boards — who  at 
the  end  more  comprehensively  summarizes  the 
position  disclosed. 

The  attention  each  material  receives  begins 
with  Its  uses,  and  then  proceeds  with  the  prac- 
tice by  which  it  is  made  marketable ;  the  chances 
and  effects  of  possible  changes  in  practice  ;  the 
part,  essential  or  luxurious,  replaceable  or  irre- 
placeable, the  particular  material  plays;  the  re- 
spective geographical  and  geological  distribu- 
tions; theterritorial  productions  ;  and  the  parts 
taken  by  the  several  nations  in  the  final  control. 
All  these  aspects  are  under  separate  headings, 
the  salient  features  being  assembled  in  a  use- 
ful summary. 

Thus  are  treated  in  succession  :  petroleum  ; 
coal ;  iron  ;  manganese  ;  chromium  ;  nickel ; 
tungsten;  vanadium;  antimony;  molybdenum; 
radium  and  uranium  ;  zirconium,  monazite, 
thorium,  and  mesothorium;  copper;  lead; 
zinc;  tin;  mercury;  bauxite  and  aluminium  ; 
emery  and  corundum  ;  magnesite  ;  graphite  ; 
asbestos  ;  phosphate  ;  potash  ;  nitrogen  ;  py- 
rite  and  sulphur  ;  gold;  silver;  and  platinum. 
.\ssembling  these  under  a  broad  classification, 
fuels  occupy  about  50  pages  ;  iron  and  steel  40 
pages;  the  ferro-alloy  metals  90  pages;  the 
rare  metals  and  earths  30  pages ;  the  major 
base  metals  110  pages;  the  minor  metals  60 
pages  ;  and  the  precious  metals  60  pages.  To 
these,  in  conclusion,  are  added  about  25  pages 


wherein  the  editor  puts  and  answers  the  ques- 
tion "  Who  owns  the  earth  ?  " 

The  declared  purpose  of  this  series  is  to  shed 
light  upon  the  vast  political  significance  of 
commercial  control  of  mineral  wealth.  Itabnn- 
ilantly  succeeds.  The  actual  fact  of  this  im- 
|50rtance  was  painfully  realized  during  the  war, 
but  the  forces  at  work,  unfelt  though  compel- 
ling, were  not  so  apparent.  They  are  here 
traced  and  recorded.  In  some  commodities, 
coal  and  iron  for  instance,  territorial  or  national 
control  is  adequate;  thematerial  generally  need 
not  be  taken  away  to  be  made  marketable.  In 
others,  zinc  and  nickel  for  instance,  control  is 
eflected  largely  through  smelters  and  refineries 
and  through  selling  contracts,  the  materials 
being  of  sufficient  value  to  bear  the  burden  of 
freights.  Control  with  these  is  possible  with- 
out mine-ownership,  and  may  become  foreign, 
the  raw  materials  passing  to  other  countries  to 
be  converted. 

War  showed  Germany  largely  controlling 
the  metal  industries,  and  the  Allies  in  conse- 
quence with  an  incomplete  equipment  for  the 
test  of  war.  It  showed,  moreover,  that  though 
a  foreign  interest  could  by  war  be  eliminated, 
it  left  the  national  industry  with  much  to  im- 
provise. In  laying  these  things  bare,  the  book 
pictures  the  movements  of  ores  to  works,  and 
of  metals  to  and  from  their  markets,  a  broad 
and  interesting  view.  It  casts  glimpses  into 
the  future,  as  when  it  envisages  the  ultimate 
transference  of  the  balance  of  power  to  the 
Pacific  by  reason  of  the  immense  coal  resources 
of  China.  These  aspects  are  of  particular  im- 
portance to  the  political  economist,  but  at  the 
same  time  they  cannot  fail  to  interest  the  min- 
ing engineer.  In  addition,  for  the  latter  the 
details  of  occurrence,  use,  practice,  etc.,  will  be 
found  neatly  yet  comprehensively  summarized. 

With  many  contributors  styles  differ,  but  the 
writing  is  often  excellent,  clear,  informative, 
and  precise.  Sometimes  it  is  a  little  biased, 
as  when  it  imputes  an  aggressive  nationalistic 
policy  to  Britain  ;  while  throughout  it  shows 
concern  for  the  still  stronger  nationalism  of 
Japan  ;  Germany  it  regards  as  punished  for 
pressing  nationalism  too  far.  The  whole  book 
must,  however,  be  regarded  as  a  very  valuable 
contribution  to  industrial  literature,and  one  de- 
serving of  wide  circulation.  The  net  proceeds 
of  its  sale  will  be  used  to  further  the  purpose 
to  which  it  is  itself  devoted. 

The  United  States  and  the  British  Empire 
cannot  but  feel  flattered  by  the  place  they  take 
in  theworld's  mineral  industry, these twoStates 
largely  owning  that  industry. 

S.  J.  Truscott. 


J 


MAY,    1921 


287 


Lubricating  and  Allied  Oils.  By  Elliott 
A.  Evans,  F.C.S.,  A.M.I.P.T.     Cloth,  oc- 
tavo, 144  pages,  illustrated.      Price  9s.  5d. 
net.     London:  Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd.,  11, 
Henrietta  Street,  W.C.2. 
The  "  Directly- Useful   Technical    Series" 
of  books  published  by  Messrs.   Chapman  & 
Hall,  Ltd.,  has  recently  been  added  to  by  the 
production  of  the  present  little  volume  on  lu- 
bricants, which  should  prove  of  some  practi- 
cal use  to  oil  technologists  in  the  course  of  their 
chemical  work  in  the  laboratory,  and  to  engi- 
neers and  others  who  may  constantly  have  to 
investigate  the  properties  of  oils  suitable  to 
their  several  requirements.     The  book,  how- 
ever, is  remarkable  for  the  unfortunate  admix- 
ture of  relevant  and  irrelevant  matter  (the  "di- 
rectly useful  and  the  indirectly  useful"),  and 
in  view  of  its  essentially  practical  purport,  we 
are  frankly  surprised  at  some  of  the  chapters 
and  paragraphs  which  the  author  has  seen  fit 
to  include  in  the  text. 

The  direct  utility  of  the  volume,  in  our 
opinion,  centres  chiefly  in  Chapters  4,  5,  and 
6,  which  discuss  the  physical  and  chemical 
tests  usually  applied  to  lubricating  and  allied 
oils;  this  section  is  undoubtedly  good  because, 
although  largely  descriptive  of  well-known 
standard  methods,  the  author  has  supplemen- 
ted these  with  many  pertinent  hints  on  their 
manipulation,  drawn  from  his  own  practical 
e.xperience.  In  this  connection  we  would 
mention  particularly  his  remarks  on  flash- 
point determination,  in  which  he  summarizes 
the  commoner  sources  of  error  possible  under 
varying  conditions  of  operation,  and  he  addu- 
ces some  most  interesting  results  of  experi- 
ments made  personally  showing,  among  other 
things,  how  the  flash-point  varies  with  the  rate 
of  heating  and  with  the  time  intervals  taken 
for  inserting  the  flame.  \'iscosity  also  re- 
ceives excellent  treatment,  and  the  Redwood, 
Engler,  and  Saybolt  viscometers  are  fully  dis- 
cussed, while  the  conversion  tables  included 
for  these  types  are  most  useful  as  a  means  of 
rapid  comparison  between  the  conventional 
expressions  used  in  each  case.  The  chemical 
tests  are  lucidly  described  and  include  all  those 
determinations  usually  made  for  ordinary  pur- 
poses ;  in  the  paragraphs  dealing  with  sulphur 
estimation  no  mention  is  made  of  Jackson  and 
Richardson's  modified  form  of  apparatus  for 
the  lamp  method,  described  in  a  paper  read 
before  the  Institution  of  Petroleum  Technolo- 
gists in  November  last,  which  would  seem  to 
offer  decided  advantages  over  the  better  known 
Esling  apparatus.  (See  Journal  of  Inst.  Pet. 
Tech.,  January,  1921,  p.  26.)     It  may  possibly 


have  been  too  late  to  include  this  in  the  pres- 
ent volume,  but  Mr.  Evans  will  doubtless  dis- 
cuss this  modification  in  the  next  edition  of  his 
book,  and  the  possibilities  of  its  use  with  lubri- 
cants suitably  diluted. 

The  other  chapters  are  of  much  less  merit, 
mainly  on  account  of  their  extreme  brevity  or 
doubtful  relevance ;  they  include  paragraphs 
on  the  oxidation  of  petroleum  as  productive  of 
asphalt,  on  oleography,  on  oil  refining,  and  on 
selection  of  lubricants  for  specific  purposes. 
We  should  have  much  preferred  expansion 
under  these  headings  at  the  expense  of  the 
chapters  on  the  history  of  petroleum  (entirely 
out  of  place  in  a  work  of  this  description),  on 
the  occurrence  of  falty  oils  (too  short  to  be  of 
any  great  \alue),  and  on  oils  employed,  the 
last  a  most  unfortunate  inclusion  in  its  pres- 
ent form,  since  it  savours  strongly  of  adver- 
tisement, which  we  deplore  in  any  technical 
or  scientific  work.  While  venturing  to  make 
the  above  suggestions,  in  compliance  with  the 
author's  request  expressed  at  the  close  of  his 
preface,  we  most  strongly  urge  the  deletion  of 
pages  112,  113,  and  114,  together  with  the 
fourth  paragraph  on  page  115,  in  future  edi- 
tions of  the  book. 

H.    B.    MiLNER. 

The  Technical  Examination  of  Crude 
Petroleum,  Petroleum  Products,  and 
Natural  Gas.  By  W.  A.  Hamor,  M.A., 
and  F.  W.  Padgett,  M.S.  Cloth,  octavo, 
600  pages,  illustrated.  Price  36s.  net.  New 
York  and  London:  McGraw-Hill  Book 
Company. 

The  well-known  text- book  on  the  American 
Petroleum  Industry  by  Messrs.  Bacon  and 
Hamor,  finds  a  valuable  and  practical  supple- 
ment in  the  present  work  by  Messrs.  Pi  amor 
and  Padgett,  in  which  chapters  4,  11,  12,  and 
17  of  the  former  volume  are  here  elaborated 
into  eight,  with  two  additional  sections  and  an 
appendix  of  272  pages,  the  latter  itself  consti- 
tuting an  oil  chemist's  vade  meciiin  of  excep- 
tional practical  value. 

This  book  deals  principally  with  the  tech- 
nical examination  of  crude  petroleum,  petro- 
leum naphtha  products,  illuminating  and  lubri- 
cating oils,  greases,  bituminous  road  material, 
natural  gas,  and  the  distillation  of  oilshale, 
while  in  view  of  the  ever-increasingimportance 
of  benzol  as  a  motor  fuel,  a  chapter  on  benzol- 
recovery  plant  operation  has  been  contributed 
by  Mr.  F.  W.  Sperrs,  Jr.,  of  the  Mellon  Insti- 
tuteof  Industrial  Research,  University  of  Pitts- 
burgh. Great  care  has  been  taken  in  describ- 
ing the  various  standard  methods  adopted  in 


288 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


each  case,  and  in  many  instances  alternative 
methods  are  discussed,  the  outcome  of  recent 
research,  thus  enhancing  the  value  of  the  work 
and  bringing  it  entirely  up  to  date. 

The  sections  of  particular  merit  are  undoubt- 
edly those  treating  of  the  examination  of  bi- 
tuminous road  materials  and  the  examination 
of  natural  gas.  In  the  former  case  the  several 
physical  and  chemical  tests  applied  to  bitumi- 
nous materials  are  described  in  systematic  de- 
tail, and  the  methods  employed  are  essentially 
those  which  have  been  thoroughly  worked  out 
in  the  laboratories  of  the  Office  of  Public 
Roads,  United  States  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture. The  examination  of  natural  gas  com- 
prises sampling, determination  of  density, heat- 
ing value,  analysis,  estimation  of  amount  of 
gasoline  content,  evaluation  of  carbon  black, 
and  measurement  of  gas  (calibration  of  meters, 
etc.).  In  this  country  there  is  comparatively 
little  opportunity  for  conducting  investigations 
of  this  character,  and  consequently  our  know- 
ledge of  the  latest  methods  is  usually  restricted, 
except  in  special  circumstances;  we  therefore 
'not  only  welcome  thiscomprehensive  summary 
of  natural  gas  examination,  but  we  are  strongly 
tempted  toobtain  gas  samples  from  Heathfield, 
Sussex,  if  only  to  test  the  efficiency  of  the 
method  and  apparatus  for  analysis  described 
and  figured  on  page  257,  the  outcome  of  some 
excellent  work  by  Burrell  and  others  at  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Mines.  (See  also 
Bureau  of  Mines  Technical  Paper  87). 

Possibly  a  mild  criticism  of  the  book  may 
be  levelled  at  the  totally  inadequate  treatment 
of  oil-shale  evaluation,  which  had  far  better 
have  been  omitted  as  inapposite  to  the  volume 
than  included  in  its  present  form.  The  whole 
question  of  retorting  oil-shale  is  so  controver- 
sial andourknowledge  of  commerciallyefificient 
methods  so  ramified,  that  the  barest  outline  of 
the  subject  is  more  misleading  than  useful,  par- 
ticularly in  the  absence  of  any  generally  recog- 
nized standard  method  of  distillation  ;  we  wel- 
come in  this  connection,  however,  the  descrip- 
tion of  Mr.  C.  L.  Jones'  method  and  apparatus, 
devised  at  the  Mellon  Institute,  which  certainly 
seems  to  obviate  some  of  the  more  usual  diffi- 
culties encountered  in  laboratory  shale  retort- 
ing, such  as  variations  of  temperature,  uniform 
heating,  and  the  prevention  of  condensation  of 
volatile  matter  within  the  retort. 

We  certainly  do  not  ever  remember  having 
read  an  appendix  to  a  technical  treatise  of  such 
great  length  and  utility  as  that  incorporated  in 
the  present  volume ;  printed  in  smaller  type 
and  crowded  with  tables  of  constants,  viscosity 
curves,  additional  methods  of  examination  of 


oils  and  bituminous  material,  diagrams  and  il- 
lustrations of  further  apparatus,  it  constitutes 
the  recjuisite  amount  of  elasticity  of  treatment 
of  the  subject  matter  commensurate  with  the 
scope  of  the  work.  Asa  matter  of  convenience, 
we  would  suggest  the  inclusion  in  futureeditions 
of  a  contents  page  prefatory  to  this  section,  in 
view  of  its  magnitude  and  importahce. 

The  authors  challenge  us  to  critical  analysis 
of  their  index  by  the  following  quotation  from 
Horace  Binney,  printed  at  the  head  of  page 
573,  and  to  which  we  venture  to  draw  the  atten- 
tion of  many  scientific  writers  of  to-day:  The 
best  book  in  the  world  would  owe  the  most  to 
a  good  index,  and  the  worst  book,  if  it  had  but 
a  single  good  thought  in  it,  might  be  kept  alive 
by  it."  We  congratulate  the  authors  not  only 
on  the  excellence  of  their  index,  but  also  on  the 
production  of  a  work  of  exceptional  merit  and 
utility,  a  most  valuable  addition  to  existing 
literature  on  theteclinical  analysis  of  petroleum 
and  petroleum  products. 

H.  B.  MiLNER. 

AText-Book  of  Geology.    Parti.    Physi- 
cal   Geology.       By    Louis    V.    Pirsson. 
Second  edition,  revised.     Cloth,  octavo,  970 
pages,  with  maps  and  illustrations.     Price 
17s.  6d.      New  York  :  John  Wiley  &  Sons  ; 
London  :  Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd. 
The  appearance  of  a  revised  edition  of  this 
well  known  textbook  within  five  years  of  the 
first  issue  speaks  well  both  for  the  popularity 
of  the  work  and  for  the  intention  of  the  author 
to  keep  his  text-book  up  to  date.     The  author 
deals  with  his  subject  in  the  usual  order,  dis- 
cussing first  the  action  of  the  various  destruc- 
tive and  constructive  agents.     He  is  careful  to 
impress  on  the  student  that  the  chemical  action 
of  air  is  dependent  on  the  presence  of  water, 
which  is  important,  as  dry  air  has  practically 
no  chemical  action  on  the  rocks.     The  chapter 
on  the  geological  work  of  organic  life  gives  a 
treatment  of  the  subject  which  is  much  more 
detailed  than  in  many  of  the  geological  text- 
books.    It  would  perhaps  have  been  more  logi- 
cal to  deal  withearth  movement  before  discuss- 
ing vulcanicity,  but  this  is  a  point  of  minor  im- 
portance. 

Section  2  deals  with  structural  geology,  in- 
cluding the  structure  of  the  earth,  composition 
and  tec  tonics  of  sedimentary,  igneous,  and  me  ta- 
morphic  rocks,  fractures  and  faults,  mountain 
building,  and  ore  deposits.  The  plan  of  deal- 
ing with  tectonics  under  the  various  rock  types 
has  much  to  be  said  in  its  favour,  but  the  clas- 
sification of  the  igneous  rocks  includes  the  term 
"  felsite  "  which  has  too  many  applications  to 


MAY,    1921 


289 


be  satisfactory,  and  syenites  are  described  at 
one  place  as  being  devoid  of  quartz  and  at  an- 
other as  containing  quartz  in  small  proportions. 
The  chapters  on  faults  and  mountain  building 
are  excellent. 

The  growing  importance  of  geology  as  an 
economic  science  is  indicated  by  the  presence 
of  a  chapter  on  ore  deposits.  One  could  wish 
that  the  author  had  referred  to  economic  de- 
posits other  than  those  of  the  metals,  and  the 
statement  on  page  411  that  "  metallic  copper 
and  silver  may  be  also  produced  by  the  oxida- 
tion and  alteration  "  needs  revision. 

There  is  an  appendix  dealing  with  the  physi- 
cal and  chemical  properties  of  the  more  impor- 
tant rock-forming  minerals,  and  a  selection  of 
some  ore-minerals,  which  does  not,  however, 
include  any  minerals  of  tin  or  tungsten. 

The  book  is  well  illustrated  by  photographs 
and  diagrams,  and  it  is  of  interest  to  note  that 
the  photographs  are  by  no  means  restricted  to 
.American  examples,  as  is  often  the  case  in 
American  publications.  The  print  is  excellent 
and  the  index  appears  to  be  full  and  complete. 
At  the  end  of  the  book  is  a  geological  map  of 
North  America  of  sufficiently  large  scale  to  be 
really  useful.  The  text- book  can  be  thoroughly 
recommended  to  the  geological  student. 

E.  H.  Davison. 

■^"Copies  of  the  books,  etc..  mentioned  under  the  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  The  Mining  Magazine,  724.  Salisbury  House,  Lon- 
don Wall.  London.  E.C.2. 


NEWS   LETTERS. 

MELBOURNE. 

The  Coal  Output. — The  decrease  in  the 
coal  output  of  Australia  is  causing  much 
anxiety.  In  1913,  12,500,000  tons  were  pro- 
duced, and  although  figures  are  not  yet  avail- 
able for  the  year  just  closed,  it  is  not  expected 
that  the  total  output  will  reach  9,000,000  tons. 
In  the  same  period  the  number  of  men  en- 
gaged in  the  industry  has  increased  by  1,267. 
In  1913  the  production  of  coal  per  man  was 
553  tons,  in  1919  it  was  540  tons,  and  for  1920 
it  is  expected  to  be  about  490  tons.  Mine- 
owners  generally  are  alarmed  at  the  continued 
reduction  of  output,  and  there  is  a  feeling  that 
matters  are  rapidly  approaching  a  crisis.  Al- 
though at  present  the  strike  of  the  marme 
stewards  and  the  consequent  hold-up  of  inter- 
state shipping  have  slightly  eased  the  position 
in  regard  to  local  supplies,  there  is  still  a  seri- 
ous shortage  of  coal,  and  at  Newcastle  the  de- 
lay to  vessels  awaiting  shipment  is  as  bad  as 
ever. 

This  great  fall  in  output,  owners  believe,  is 


due  to  the  deliberate  policy  of  .a  section  of  the 
miners.  Within  the  years  covered  by  the 
figures  quoted,  the  eight -hour  bank-to-bank 
system  came  into  force,  but  any  reduction  in 
the  output  through  this  shortening  of  hours 
should,  they  contend,  be  more  than  made  up 
by  the  increased  number  of  men  employed  in 
the  industry,  and  the  greater  efficiency  of  the 
modern  mine  equipment  which  has  since  that 
time  been  installed.  The  proprietors  believe 
that  the  extremists  among  the  members  of  the 
Colliery  Employees'  Federation  are  out  to 
make  private  ownership  of  coal  mines  an  im- 
possibility, and  that  one  of  the  methods  they 
have  adopted  to  achieve  this  end  is  the  go- 
slow  policy,  with  its  consequent  reduction  of 
production.  At  present  the  miners  are  work- 
ing the  eight-hour  bank-to-bank  system,  which 
includes  the  time  taken  in  descending  the  pit 
and  arriving  at  the  coal  face,  the  return  to  the 
surface,  and  the  dinner  hour.  This  means 
that  actually  the  miner  works  much  less  than 
eight  hours  per  day.  In  some  pits  the  work- 
ing hours  are  a  little  more,  but  generally  the 
owners  state  that  the  period  of  labour  averages 
six  hours.  The  Australian  output  to-day  is 
about  six  million  tons  a  year  below  present 
market  requirements,  and  about  one  million 
tons  below  what  is  required  for  Australasian 
consumption.  The  miners,  since  1913,  in  ad- 
dition to  their  claims  for  eight  hours  bank  to 
bank,  have  had  granted  to  them  increases  in 
wages  averaging  8s.  6d.  per  day.  They  are, 
however,  dissatisfied  with  their  conditions.and 
are  now  claiming,  among  other  concessions,  a 
six-hour  day  and  a  five-day  week,  the  aboli- 
tion of  the  contract  system,  and  a  minimum 
weekly  wage.  Of  these  claims  the  most  im- 
portant is  that  for  the  reduction  of  hours  to 
six  per  day.  As  has  already  been  stated,  the 
coal  production  of  Australia  is  below  require- 
ments and  a  further  reduction  equal  to  25%, 
which  is  believed  to  be  certain  to  follow  the 
granting  of  a  shorter  working  day,  must  in- 
evitably afTect  the  whole  of  the  industrial  life 
of  Australia. 

Production, as  far  as  efficiency  of  machinery 
and  general  handling  methods  are  concerned, 
has  reached  its  greatest  point,  while  the  em- 
ployment of  additional  men  has  already  been 
under  consideration  and  found  impracticable. 
The  demands  for  a  six-hour  day  and  a  five-day 
week  are  put  forward  by  the  miners  for  health 
reasons.  Coal  mining  they  say  is  an  unhealthy 
occupation,  dangerous  and  arduous.  In  reply 
to  this  contention  owners  declare  that  the  oc- 
cupation is  no  longer  an  unhealthy  one,  and 
that  the  average  coal  miner  is  just  as  healthy 


290 


THE    MININC.     MAGAZINE 


a  person  as  any  other  in  the  coniniiinity.  The 
mines  are  well  ventilated,  the  temperature  even, 
and  there  is  little  dust.  In  New  South  Wales, 
they  point  out,  the  conditions  are  altogether 
different  from  those  existing  in  other  parts  of 
the  w^orld.  Here  the  thickness  of  the  coal 
seam  reaches  to  over  thirty  feet,  and  the  mines 
are  large  and  roomy.  In  England  the  miner 
has  to  work  on  a  seam  as  thin  as  eighteen 
inches,  and  averaging  about  five  feet  thick. 
Again,  in  the  local  mines  there  is  practically 
no  dampness,  while  the  dangers  below  are  no 
greater  than  on  the  surface. 

Victorian  Mining. — A  review  of  the  op- 
erations of  the  \'ictorian  Mines  Department 
during  1920,  made  by  the  Minister  of  Mines, 
shows  that  the  Ministerial  view  of  the  pros- 
pects of  mining  during  the  current  year  is 
quite  hopeful.  The  outlook  for  gold-mining  is 
considered  brighter  for  the  new  year.  On  the 
Hendigo  field  the  results  of  recent  surveys  give 
further  insight  into  the  features  of  gold  deposi- 
tion, and  an  extensive  memorandum,  accom- 
panied by  a  complete  topographical  and  geo- 
logical plan  of  an  area  of  over  30  square  miles, 
is  being  printed.  This  memorandum  will  serve 
as  a  guide  to  future  prospecting.  At  Blakeville 
a  survey  of  this  one  time  goldfield  has  been 
carried  on,  and  it  has  reached  the  limits  of  the 
Blackwood  field,  where  detail  work  will  be  con- 
tinued in  the  new  year.  To  prove  the  existence 
of  a  deep  lead  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Spring- 
dallah  a  drill  was  engaged  for  a  time,  and  it 
located  a  narrow  vein  of  wash.  The  Harriet- 
ville  field  is  again  attracting  attention,  and  sev- 
eral good  mines  are  in  operation.  At  Dayles- 
ford  the  Ajax  North  mine  is  opening  up  large 
bodies  of  ore  in  new  ground,  and  the  prospects 
of  adjacent  mines  are  brighter.  In  the  Wood's 
Point  district  surveys  of  several  mines  show 
improved  prospects.  The  Rose  of  Denmark 
has  found  a  new  shoot  of  gold  ore  625  ft.  south 
of  the  shaft  at  a  depth  of  500  ft.  below  the  adit 
level,  with  prospects  of  650  ft.  of  backs  on  this 
formation.  The  Al,  in  addition  to  operating 
on  ore  of  average  value  for  the  past  ten  years, 
is  now  developing  lodes  below  the  worked  for- 
mations, and  these  are  opening  up  satisfactorily 
in  untried  ground.  The  Morning  Star,  after 
five  years'  work,  has  discovered  payable  values 
at  the  500  ft.  and  600  ft.  levels.  This  work 
was  carried  out  chiefly  by  the  guidance  of  the 
Geological  Survey  officers,  and  assisted  finan- 
cially by  the  Mining  Development  Act.  The 
company  is  now  resuming  sinking  operations 
to  test  the  dyke  at  greater  depth.  The  New 
Loch  Fyne,  at  Matlock,  operated  on  ore  aver- 
aging over  an  ounce  to  the  ton  at  a  depth  of 


100  ft.  below  the  adit  level.  This  work  was 
also  carried  out  with  the  collaboration  of  the 
Survey  and  the  company.  Shortage  of  labour 
has  handicapped  the  further  development  of 
this  promising  mine. 

Dealing  with  the  prospects  of  coal,  tlie  re- 
port says  that  plans  of  an  area  of  about  10,000 
ft.  square  at  Morwell  have  been  completed. 
Surveys  in  the  vicinity  of  Traralgon,  in  co-op- 
eration with  boring,  liave  extended  the  brown 
coal-bearing  areas,  proving  a  maximum  thick- 
ness in  one  bed  of  650  ft.  Two  drills  are  now 
engaged  in  this  locality.  Plans  embracing  an 
area  of  400  square  miles  have  been  completed. 
At  Lai  Lai  boring  is  proceeding.  On  the  Tyers 
river  area  boring  is  in  progress  to  delimit  the 
north-eastern  extension  of  the  Morwell  open- 
cut  area.  At  Heme's  Oak,  south  of  the  power- 
house site,  drilling  is  in  progress  for  brown 
coal.  The  brown  coal  deposits  in  the  vicinity 
of  Corner  Inlet  are  being  tested,  a  drill  being 
worked  at  present  near  Gelliondale.  Hand- 
boring  is  in  progress  at  Wonwron,whereaseam 
1+0  ft.  in  thickness  with  8  ft.  of  overburden 
was  proved.  Near  Winchelsea,  a  deposit  of 
brown  coal  was  brought  under  notice,  and  fur- 
ther testing  of  this  deposit  is  now  in  hand.  At 
Yaloak  \^ale,  south-east  of  Ballan,  a  bed  of 
brown  coal  averaging  4  ft.  in  thickness  was 
opened, and  tests  of  this  deposit  are  in  progress. 
On  the  eastern  side  of  the  Koo- wee-rupSwamp 
boring  has  been  commenced,  with  a  view  to 
finding  brown  coal  in  this  vicinity.  In  the 
South  Gippsland  fields  an  area  of  600  miles  was 
surveyed.  This  now  completes  the  topography 
and  geology  of  the  country  from  a  line  south 
of  Warragul  eastwards  to  F-fosedale,  and  from 
the  Melbourne-Sale  railway  line  to  the  Mel- 
bourne-Port Albert  line.  Boring  has  been  con- 
tinued in  the  vicinity  of  Korumburra  for  black 
coal,  and  while  the  results  have  so  far  proved 
only  small  seams  the  increasing  demand  for 
black  coal  for  locomotive  use  and  gas  purposes 
warrants  still  further  search  in  this  area,  where 
a  drill  is  now  at  work.  Subsidized  boring  for  t 
the  Jumbunna  Co.  has  led  to  the  extension  of  * 
the  known  area  of  coal  within  their  lease.  A 
detail  survey  of  the  parish  of  Tanjil  East  has 
just  been  completed,  and  the  result  was  availed 
of  by  the  electricity  commissioners  in  connec- 
tion with  their  work. 

In  the  Narracan  district  farther  outcrops  of 
bauxite  have  been  discovered,  and  with  the  ad- 
vent of  cheap  power  from  the  Morwell  scheme 
the  production  of  aluminium  may  be  possible 
in  the  near  future.  At  Nowa  Nowa  an  ex- 
amination of  the  iron  deposits  was  made  and 
data  collected,  which  led  to  new  interest  being 


MAY,    1921 


291 


directed  to  the  locality.  Sands  for  the  manu- 
facture of  superior  qualities  of  glass  were  ex- 
amined in  the  Otway  Ranges,  and  their  suit- 
ability demonstrated  by  laboratory  tests.  In 
the  north-east  of  the  State  surveys  are  being 
continued.  Plans  of  the  parishes  of  Walwa, 
Thologolong,  Burrowye,  and  Koetong  were  is- 
sued recently.  The  geology  of  this  area  is  of 
interest,  as  forming  a  correlation  of  the  Vic- 
torian and  New  South  Wales  mineral  belts. 
On  the  plans  the  outcrop  of  lodes  containing 
molybdenite,  wolfram,  scheelite,  tin, and  fluor- 
spar are  shown.  The  fluor-spar  lodes  are  now 
attracting  attention,  as  are  also  the  scheelite 
and  wolfram  veins. 


VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

Fire  at  Britannia  Mill. — On  the  night 
of  March  19  the  Britannia  Mining  &  Smelting 
Company's  2,500-ton  concentrating  plant  was 
completely  destroyed  by  fire.  The  loss  is  esti- 
mated at  one  and  a  half  million  dollars,  only 
part  of  which  is  covered  by  insurance.  The 
mill,  which  was  the  largest  and  most  complete 
in  the  Province,  consisting  of  jigs,  tables,  and 
flotation  cells,  took  more  than  a  year  to  build, 
and  was  finished  only  in  1916.  The  Britannia 
is  a  subsidiary  of  the  Howe  Sound  Mining  & 
Smelting  Company,  and  is  the  most  financially 
solid  copper  concern  in  the  Province.  The  mill 
was  closed  on  November  30,  on  account  of  the 
low  price  of  copper,  but  between  two  and  three 
hundred  men  have  been  steadily  employed 
throughout  the  winter  on  development  work. 
The  fire  is  supposed  to  have  been  due  to  a 
short-circuit, astheelectric  lamps  gave  a  flicker 
before  the  fire  broke  out.  The  fact  of  the  mill 
being  closed  at  the  time  and  the  fire-fighting 
appliances  being  inside,  delayed  access  to  this 
apparatus,  and  undoubtedly  was  the  cause  of 
the  total  destruction  of  the  mill.  The  fire  is 
supposed  to  have  been  accelerated,  too,  by  the 
fact  that  it  broke  out  near  to  where  the  flota- 
tion-oil was  stored,  and  it  is  thought  that  this 
oil  added  considerably  to  the  speed  with  which 
the  fire  spread,  as  the  whole  building  seemed 
to  be  in  flames  within  a  few  minutes  after  the 
outbreak.  Fortunately,  the  men  were  able  to 
confine  the  fire  to  the  mill,  so  no  men  will  be 
thrown  out  of  work  by  the  conflagration.  It 
had  been  the  intention  of  the  company  to  re- 
start the  mill  this  spring.  The  president  of  the 
company,  E.  B.  Schley,  is  in  Europe,  and  until 
he  has  been  consulted  plans  for  rebuilding  can- 
not be  made.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  but 
that  the  mill  will  be  rebuilt.  The  Britannia 
has  an  actual  ore-reserve  of  more  than  nine 
million  tons  that  will  average  2%  copper  and 


a  small  gold  and  silver  content.  Last  year  the 
company  turned  out  18  million  pounds  of 
copper.  The  concentrate  made  at  Britannia 
Beach,  in  Howe  Sound,  is  smelted  in  Tacoma, 
in  the  State  of  Washington. 

Premier. — After  a  short  spell  of  mild 
weather,  which  caused  a  temporary  cessation 
in  the  transport  of  ore  from  the  Premier  mine 
to  Stewart,  cold  weather  has  set  in  again,  and 
shipping  has  been  resumed.  The  Prince  Al- 
bert, which  sailed  from  Stewart  on  Match  20, 
brought  700  tons  of  ore,  valued  at  about 
$300,000,  from  the  Premier  to  the  Tacoma 
smelter.  The  contract  for  the  aerial  tramway 
has  been  let  to  the  Riblet  Tramway  Company, 
of  Spokane,  Washington.  The  tramway  will 
be  between  11  and  12  miles  long,  and  there  is 
a  fall  of  1,400  ft.  between  the  mine  and  tide- 
water. Ore-bunkers,  with  an  automatic  un- 
loading device,  are  to  be  erected  near  the  wharf 
at  Stewart.  The  tramway  will  cost  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars. 
It  is  hoped  that  the  heavy  machinery  may  be 
hauled  to  the  mine  before  the  present  hard 
crust  of  ice  breaks,  as  this  would  considerably 
hasten  the  speed  of  construction. 

Yukon  Lead. — The  Dominion  Govern- 
ment has  granted  incorporation  to  the  Mayo 
Valley  Railway,  Ltd., for  the  purpose  of  build- 
ing a  line  50  miles  in  length  along  the  Mayo 
and  Stewart  rivers  to  open  up  the  new  silver- 
lead  mining  district  in  the  Yukon  Territory. 
Considerable  work  has  been  done  during  the 
winter  at  this  camp,  and  the  Yukon  Gold  Min- 
ing Co.,  the  biggest  operator,  already  has  more 
than  2,000  tons  of  ore  at  Mayo  Landing.  This 
ore  is  said  to  average  200  oz.  silver  per  ton 
and  65%  lead.  It  is  expected  that  another  1,000 
tons  will  be  delivered  at  the  Mayo  Landing  be- 
fore navigation  opens. 

Oil  Investigations. — There  has  just  been 
published  from  the  Provincial  Department  of 
Lands  a  pamphlet,  entitled  "  Report  of  the  Oil 
Surveys  of  the  Peace  River  District,"  by  John 
A.  Dresser  and  Edmund  M.  Spieker.  Pro- 
fessors Dresser  and  Spieker  were  employed  by 
the  Department  of  Lands  to  complete  the  work 
started  by  the  late  J.  C.  Gwillim  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1919,  and  they  spent  July,  August,  and 
part  of  September  m  the  district  last  year. 
Professor  Dresser  and  his  assistants  made  a 
survey  of  the  ground  immediately  west  of  the 
Peace  River  Block,  which  is  a  Dominion 
Government  forest-reserve,  while  Professor 
Spieker  surveyed  a  strip  of  land  some  10  miles 
wide  and  40  miles  long  trending  in  a  south-east 
direction  immediately  south  of  the  Peace  River 
Block.    Neither  geologist  found  indications  of 


292 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


oil,  but  both  found  geological  formations  suit- 
able for  its  retention  and  similar  to  that  in 
which  oil  occurs  in  other  parts  of  western 
Canada.  Professor  Dresser  sums  up  as  fol- 
lows :  "  The  character  of  the  St.  John  shales 
strongly  suggests  that  they  are  oil-bearing,  but 
accumulations  of  commercial  value  can  only  be 
expected  in  the  porous  sandstone  beds  within 
the  shales  or  in  the  upper  part  of  the  Bullhead 
sandstones  immediately  beneath  them.  Such 
accumulations  are  most  likely  to  occur  in  the 
folds  of  the  rocks,  principally  >"  anticlinal  or 
upward  folds.  Along  the  Peace  River  one 
such  fold  appears  near  Hudson  Hope  and  an- 
other at  the  "Gates"  of  the  Peace,  7  miles 
lower  down  the  river.  Other  folds,  probably 
related  to  these,  were  also  found  on  the  Red 
River,  near  the  trail  of  the  South-west  Half- 
way ;  on  Lynx  Creek,  near  to  the  trail  leading 
to  the  forks  of  the  Halfway  ;  and  on  the 
South-west  Halfway,  near  the  trail  leading  to 
Hudson  Hope.  These  are  the  most  promising 
localities  for  the  discovery  of  oil  yet  found  in 
the  area.  In  view  of  the  unlikelihood  of  find- 
ing better  structures  and  of  the  limited  amount 
of  other  information  likely  to  be  obtained  in 
the  area  by  further  field  examination  alone,  it 
seems  advisable  that  the  next  step  in  search  of 
oil  should  be  made  by  exploratory  drilling." 

Professor  Spieker,  with  regard  to  the  land 
he  surveyed,  sums  up  :  "  A  conclusion  regard- 
ing the  advisability  of  exploration  with  the  drill 
must  naturally  be  based  on  the  balancing 
against  one  another  of  the  favourable  and  un- 
favourable facts  (not  opinions)  which  have 
been  gathered.  Without  attempting  at  the 
differentiation  of  geologic  and  economic  data, 
these  facts  may  be  summed  up  as  follows  : 
Unfavourable  factors:  (1)  Absence  of  evi- 
dence through  seepage  or  other  appearance  of 
petroleum  in  the  rocks  ;  (2)  the  great  cost  of 
transporting  drilling  equipment  to  any  of  the 
advisable  locations  ;  (3)  in  corollary  of  the 
preceding,  the  expense  attached  to  the  disposal 
of  such  petroleum  as  might  be  found.  Favour- 
able factors  :  (1)  The  presence  of  a  number  of 
locations  in  which  oil  could  occur  ;  (2)  the 
presence  of  anticlines  which  dispose  the  possi- 
bility of  oil-bearing  strata  favourably  to  the  re- 
tention of  petroleum  ;  (3)  the  comparatively 
reasonable  depth  within  which  the  beds  to  be 
tested  may  be  reached.  As  a  whole  the  region 
may  be  classed  on  the  basis  of  geologic  evi- 
dence as  a  fair  prospect." 

Some  two  years  ago,  the  D'Arcy  Develop- 
ment Company,  a  subsidiary  of  the  Anglo- 
Persian  Oil  Company,  sought  from  the  Pro- 
vincial Government  the  sole  right  to  explore 


over  an  area  70  miles  square  in  this  district, 
agreeing  within  5  years  to  select  an  area  10 
miles  siiuare,  and  surrendering  the  balance  to 
the  Province.  The  company  further  agreed 
that,  in  the  event  of  the  discovery  of  petroleum 
in  commercial  quantities,  it  would  construct 
pipe-lines  or  provide  other  means  to  make  it 
available  and  would  pay  a  royalty  of  12  cents 
per  barrel  at  the  casing  head.  The  majority 
of  the  mining  engineers  in  the  Province  are 
agreed  that  the  Government  made  a  mistake 
in  not  accepting  this  oder.  The  Government, 
however,  claims  that  it  is  preserving  the  oil 
lands  of  the  Province  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Empire.  Exactly  what  value  to  the  Empire 
the  oil  areas  of  the  Peace  River  district  could 
ever  be  in  their  present  undeveloped  state  none 
but  the  Government  can  fathom. 


TORONTO. 

April   12. 
Porcupine. — The  power  situation,  which 
has  latterly  been  improving,  is  now  completely 
satisfactory,  and  the  mining  companies  are  re- 
ceiving their  fuUrequirements.     Production  at 
the  Hollinger  Consolidated,  Dome  Mines,  and 
Mclntyreis  now  being  speededup,  with  theout- 
put  closely  approaching  the  normal  volume. 
Labour  is  plentiful  and  efficient.  Many  miners, 
released  from  the  silver  and  nickel  camps,  are 
flocking  into  Porcupine.     The  Hollinger  and 
the  Mclntyre  are  making  every  effort  to  tind 
accommodation  for  the  new-comers,  and  are 
erecting  a  number  of  additional  houses  for  their 
employees.     The  drawbacks  of  power  shortage 
and  labour  scarcity  having  ceased  to  hamper 
production,  a  period  of  great  activity  is  antici- 
pated.    The  Hollinger  has  ordered  30  addi- 
tional machines  for  underground  work  so  as  to 
take  on  additional  forces.     .Atthe  Dome  Mines 
two  large  ore-bodies  have  been  encountered  at 
the  1,050  ft.  level,  the  ore  showing  considerably 
higher  gold  content  than  the  average.     The  ore 
sent  to  the  mill  is  now  50%  higher  in  gold  con- 
tent than  the  pre-war  grade.  The  North  Crown 
has  struck  rich  ore  in  a  drift  at  the  500  ft.  level, 
the  gold  content  running  as  high  as  §20  per  ton 
across  the  face  of  the  drift.     The  Porcupine 
Keora  has  arranged  to  sell  two  of  its  claims  to 
anewcompanytobeorganizedwithacapitaliza- 
tion  of  §3,000,000,  two-thirds  of  the  shares  to 
be  retained  by  the  Keora.     The  company  will 
still  have  three  claims  with  an  area  of  1 20acres. 
The  Allied  Porcupine  Gold  Mines  has  been 
organized  with  $5,000,000  capital  to  take  over 
the  La  Palm  and  Three  Nations  properties  and 
possibly  other  holdings.     Peter  Kirkgaarde,  of 
Toronto,  has  been  placed  in  charge  of  opera- 


I 


1 


MAY,    1921 


293 


tions.  Operations  have  been  resumed  at  the 
Premier  Paymaster,  south-west  of  the  Dome. 
Diamond- drilling  is  bemg  undertaken  to  deter- 
minethe  extension  eastward  of  a  large  ore-body 
opened  up  on  the  200  ft.  level.  The  Porcupme 
Miracle,  which  is  preparing  for  active  develop- 
ment, has  increased  its  capitalization  from 
!gl,000,000  to  §2,000,000. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  season  has  opened 
actively  in  this  camp  with  quite  a  number  of 
new  enterprises  entering  the  field,  especially  in 
Label  Township.  The  Lake  Shore  during 
February  produced  |)24,068from  the  treatment 
of  1,458  tons  of  ore,  being  an  average  e.xtrac- 
tion  of  $16'44  per  ton,  the  mill  running  83%  of 
possible  time.  The  Kirkland  Lake  has  en- 
countered a  new  ore-shoot  on  the  700  ft.  level, 
which  has  been  opened  up  for  100  ft.  The 
drift  on  the  600  ft.  level  has  entered  the  same 
body.  Development  work  is  being  carried  on 
at  five  levels.  At  the  King  Kirkland  the  shaft 
is  down  100  ft.  on  a  vein  the  full  width  of  the 
shaft  with  highly  satisfactory  results.  Assays 
of  channel-sampleslaken  atintervals  dovi^n  give 
varying  results,  with  an  average  of  $1 1'GO  per 
ton.  A  new  company,  the  Queen  Lebel,  has 
been  formed  to  take  over  three  mining  claims 
lying  south  of  the  east  end  of  Gull  Lake,  on 
which  a  number  of  promising  veins  have  been 
found.  The  shaft  of  the  Lebel-Oro  has  reached 
a  depth  of  50  ft.  on  a  vein  carrying  commercial 
gold  content.  The  Kirk  Gold  Mines  is  mak- 
ing arrangements  to  operate  three  claims  ad- 
joining the  King  Kirkland  on  the  west  in  the 
line  of  the  strike  of  the  ore-bodies  found  in  the 
producing  area.  The  Teck  Hughes  mill  is 
working  to  capacity,  treating  about  125  tons  of 
ore  per  day.  The  company  is  planning  to  in- 
crease its  milling  equipment.  The  Bidgood 
will  undertake  a  large  amount  of  underground 
work,  including  the  deepening  of  the  mainshaft 
from  300  to  500  ft.  D.  H.  Angus,  of  Cobalt, 
has  been  placed  in  charge. 

Cobalt. — The  silver-mining  industry  con- 
tinues much  depressed.  It  is  hoped,  however, 
that  the  new  wageschedule,  under  whichwages 
are  cut  75c.  per  day,  which  went  into  effect  on 
April  1 ,  may  result  in  some  revival  of  activity. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  lower  wage  means  a  re- 
duction of  from  3  to  5c.  per  oz.  in  mining  costs, 
which  may  give  some  mines  now  idle  an  oppor- 
tunity for  profitableoperation.  The  Nipissing 
during  February  produced  silver  to  the  value 
of  .^111,931  and  cobalt  valued  at  .§12,460,  and 
shippedbuUion  from  Nipissing  and  customores 
of  an  estimated  net  value  of  $235,374.  The 
annua!  report  of  the  La  Rose  for  1920  showed 
thatproductionamountedto  410,445oz.,  valued 


at  $313,995,  compared  with  289,317  oz.  of  the 
value  of  $356,124  in  1919.  The  profit  on  pro- 
duction was  $13,279.  While  there  are  several 
sections  of  the  parent  property  which  will  war- 
rant further  investigation,  G.  C.  Bateman,  the 
general  manager,  does  not  consider  that  the 
work  would  be  justified  at  present  owing  to  the 
low  price  of  silver.  A  quantity  of  exception- 
ally rich  ore  is  being  taken  from  the  University 
property  of  the  La  Rose.  The  Mining  Cor- 
poration of  Canada  is  making  extensive  altera- 
tionsinitsmill, designed  to  increase thecapacity 
from  200  to  300  tons  daily.  It  will  require  at 
least  a  month  longer  to  complete  this  work,  and 
in  the  meantime  productiveactivity  willremain 
suspended.  The  Kerr  Lake  has  exercised  its 
option  on  the  Hargraves  property  adjoining, 
which  it  is  operating  from  its  own  underground 
workings.  The  Northern  Customs  Concen- 
trators, Ltd.,  has  gone  into  liquidation. 

Sudbury. — The  first  mortgage  bond-hold- 
ers and  debenture  stock-holders  of  the  British 
American  Nickel  Corporation  have  approved  a 
scheme  for  the  financial  reorganization  of  the 
company  by  theissue  of  $24,500,000  in  income 
bonds  of  three  classes,  a  portion  of  which  will 
be  hypothecated  for  debts,  $2,000,000  retained 
in  the  treasury,  and  the  remainder  exchanged 
for  first  mortgage  bonds  and  debenture  stock. 
Minority  interests  are  taking  legal  proceedings 
to  prevent  the  arrangement  being  carried  out. 

Flin-Flon. — The  New  York  syndicate, 
headed  by  Col.  W.  B.  Thompson,  which  held 
an  option  on  the  Flin-Flon  copper  deposit  in 
Northern  Manitoba  which  expired  March  31, 
allowed  it  to  lapse  after  having  expended  over 
$200,000  in  development  work.  The  low  price' 
of  copper  and  the  tightness  of  the  money  mar- 
ket are  the  reasons  assigned  for  failing  to  take 
over  the  property.  The  ore-body  is  estimated 
at  about  24,000,000  tons,  but  its  operation,  in- 
cluding the  construction  of  a  railway,  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  new  mining  town,  and  the  de- 
velopment of  power,  might  involve  a  total  ex- 
penditure of  $20,000,000.  Negotiations  are 
now  under  way  for  the  purchase  of  the  mine 
by  anew  syndicate,  headed  by  the  Mining  Cor- 
poration of  Canada,  which  held  a  fourth  inter- 
est in  the  New  York  syndicate. 

Mackenzie  River  Oilfield.  —  Interest 
in  the  oil  discoveries  near  the  Arctic  Circle  con- 
tinues active,  though  prospectors  have  been 
somewhat  discouraged  by  the  provision  in  the 
new  regulations  under  which  when  a  discovery 
is  made  three-fourths  of  the  area  included  in 
the  prospector's  licence  reverts  to  the  Crown. 
A  number  of  oil  issues,  some  of  them  of  doubt- 
ful character,  are  being  placed  on  the  market. 


■  I 


294 


Till".     MIN'INT.     MAGAZINE 


Representatives  of  several  British  companies 
are  in  Northern  Alberta  looking  after  their  in- 
terests, and  the  coming  season  will  witness 
much  activity  in  exploration.  A  bill  in  the  in- 
terests of  the  Imperial  Oil  Co.,  authorizing  the 
construction  of  a  pipeline  from  the  Mackenzie 
River  oilfield, is  before  the. \lberta  Legislature. 
It  is  meeting  with  strong  opposition  from  other 
interests,  who  contend  that  any  pipe  line 
authoriz.ed  to  be  built  should  be  constituted  a 
common  carrier,  available  for  the  product  of  all 
operators,  and  not  a  monopoly. 

PERSONAL. 

Clyde  Allen  is  expecied  from  Nigeria. 

Dr  Charles  ANonRSON  has  been  appointed  Direc- 
tor of  the  Austrahan  Museum.  Sydney. 

Professor  C.  O.  Bannister,  of  Liverpool  Uni- 
versity, istherecipient  of  an  Andrew  Carnegie  Research 
Award  of  ;f  100. 

F.  O'D.  BouRKE  is  here  from  Nigeria. 

W.  E.  Cameron  has  been  appointed  Mining  Geo- 
logist to  the  Federated  Malay  States  Government. 

A.  D.  Combe  has  been  appointed  Assistant  Gos'ern- 
ment  Geologist  in  Uganda. 

W.  H.  Corbol'LD  is  expected  from  Mount  Elliott, 
Queensland. 

Paul  S.  Couldrey  has  left  British  Columbia  to  take 
an  appointment  in  Spain. 

Clement  Dixon  is  visiting  Central  Europe. 

W.  R.  Feldtmann  is  back  from  West  Africa. 

B.  L.  Gardner  has  left  for  Selangor  to  take  up  an 
appointment  as  Inspector  of  Mines. 

Philip  Grimlev  is  home  from  Nigeria. 

Dr.  J.  A.  L.  Henderson  is  back  from  Canada. 

Harley  E  Hooper  has  returned  to  Adelaide  from 
Burma,  where  he  was  for  some  years  on  the  stafl  of  the 
Kanbank  Burma  Wolfram  Mines  company. 

J.  M.  ILES  is  here  from  Nigeria. 

A.  F.  Keene  is  here  from  New  York. 

Eldred  a.  Knapp  has  gone  to  Venezuela. 

H.  W.  Laws  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

Arthur  E.  Lewis  has  gone  to  Ipoh,  Perak. 

Edward  P.  Mathers  has  gone  to  South  Africa. 

E.  P.  Mathewson  will  be  leaving  shortly  on  his  re- 
turn to  New  York. 

L.  H.  McLaggan  has  returned  from  West  Africa. 

A.  H.  P.  Moline  has  been  here  from  Australia,  and 
is  returning  by  way  of  South  Africa. 

C.  Algernon  Moreing  has  had  conferred  on  him 
by  the  President  of  the  French  Republic  the  Order  of 
the  Legion  of  Honour, 

R.  J.  Morgan  has  returned  to  Sydney  from  Siberia. 

Clifford  W.  Nash  has  opened  an  office  in  Mel- 
bourne, where  he  will  practice  as  a  consulting  metal- 
lurgist. 

J.  .\   T.  Robertson  has  left  Missouri  for  Y'unnan. 

W.  R.  RuMBOLD  is  back  from  Portugal. 

William  Selkirk  has  returned  from  India. 

R.  C.  Sharp  has  returned  from  South  America. 

Ralph  S.  G.  Stokes,  assistant  general  manager  in 
the  mining  department  of  the  De  Beers  Consolidated 
Mines,  is  visiting  England  on  long  leave. 

Dr.  O.  ].  STANNARDisback  from  the  United  States. 

H.  PlayfordTuck  has  joined  the  staff  of  the  Elec- 
trolytic Zinc  Co.  of  Australasia  in  Tasmania. 

Paul  M.  Tyler  is  here  from  the  United  States. 


F.  c;.  Wii-SON  has  been  appointed  manager  for  the 
Austral  Siamese  Tin  Company. 

Ykatman  I'v:  Hkhrv  have  moved  their  office  from 
111.  Broadway,  to  Room  1,604,  165,  Broadway,  New 
York. 


T.  K.  C. ATEHOUSE,  for  forty  years  editor  of  the 
Hlcctrical  Review,  died  on  March  U.  He  w.is  an 
editor  of  discrimination  and  high  honour,  and  he  was 
also  endeared  among  the  electrical  profession  by  being 
a  musician  and  violinist  of  no  mean  order. 

Beu TKAM  Blount  died  last  month  in  his  54tli  year, 
after  a  long  illness  which  supervened  on  strenuous  war 
work.  He  was  known  in  many  departments  of  chemi- 
cal engineering,  and  wrote  books  on  cement,  electro- 
chemistry, and  chemistry  for  engineers.  His  paper  and 
investigations  on  the  accuracy  of  chemical  balances 
aroused  much  attention  among  metallurgists  ;  this 
matter  was  referred  to  in  our  pages  early  in  1918. 

A.  ]  C.  MOLYNEi'X,  a  member  of  the  Rhodesian 
Geological  Survey,  died  last  December,  lie  origin- 
ally went  to  Rhodesia  in  1S93  with  Major  Alan  Wil- 
son's force  which  occupied  Matabeleland.  After  the 
country  was  settled,  he  made  many  geological  expedi- 
tions. His  most  important  work  was  the  discovery  of 
several  of  the  coalfields  in  Rhodesia,  and  his  correla- 
tion of  these  deposits  with  the  Karroo  Coal  Measures. 
He  was  the  founder  and  first  secretary  of  the  Rhodesia 
Scientific  Association,  and  one  of  the  first  trustees  of 
the  Rhodesia  Museum.  He  joined  the  Geological 
Survey  in  1917. 

Richard  A.  Varden  died  last  month.  He  was  a 
graduate  of  Clauslhal.  and  his  first  appointment  was  at 
the  Wohlfart  mines  in  (Germany.  Subsequently  he 
went  to  the  United  Stales  and  Mexico.  In  1895  he  went 
to  West  Australia  as  manager  of  Hannan's  Brownhill 
mine.  In  1897  he  joined  Bainbridge,  Seymour  &  Co. 
as  Australian  partner,  and  later  became  a  London  part- 
ner of  the  firm.  In  1910  he  became  Australian  partner 
of  Hooper,  Speak  &  Co.,  and  continued  in  tliat  capacity 
until  1918.  when  he  retired  from  active  practice.  While 
in  Australia  for  Hooper,  Speak  &  Co  ,  he  was  chiefly 
concerned  in  the  management  of  Great  Boulder  Perse- 
verance and  Ida  H.  He  was  a  man  of  singular  charm 
and  high  character.  That  he  lived  so  much  abroad  was 
always  regretted  by  his  confreres  in  England. 

TRADE   PARAGRAPHS 

The  Henry  Wells  Oil  Co..  of  11.  Haymarket, 
London.  S.W.l.  send  us  a  pamphlet  describing  the 
'•  Germ  Process"  lubricating  oils. 

The  Swainson  Pump  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Newcastle-on- 
Tyne,  have  put  on  the  market  anew  hand-pumpsuitable 
for  use  in  mines. 

BULLIVANT  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  72,  Mark  Lane,  Lon- 
don, EC. 3,  and  MiUwall,  send  us  a  copy  of  their  re- 
vised catalogue  of  steel  wire  ropes  and  accessories. 
The  catalogue  contains  illustrated  descriptions  of  a 
great  variety  of  applications  of  the  firm's  ropes. 

The  Edgar  Allen  News  for  May,  published  by 
Edgar  Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Imperial  Steel  Works, 
Sheffield,  contains  articles  on  the  design  of  furnaces  for 
heat  treatment  by  S.  N.  Brayshaw,  and  on  the  impor- 
tance of  shape  in  rock-drill  bits. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  International 
Co.,  of  165,  Broadway,  New  York,  publish  a  monthlv 
magazine  called  the  "  Westinghouse  International." 
The  April  issue  deals  with  several  of  the  firm'sspecialties 
and  also  with  the  outlook  throughout  the  world  for  elec- 
trical business. 

Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co.,  Ltd., 


MAY,    1921 


295 


of  Manchester,  and  4 ,  Central  Buildings.  Westminster, 
send  us  leaflets  describing  high-tension  contactor 
panels  and  Star- Delta  contactor  starters ;  also  a  pamph- 
let relating  to  the  installation  and  operation  of  the  firm's 
power  transformers.  They  also  send  us  their  pamph- 
lets relating  to  iheir  turbo  alternators  and  electric  arc 
welding. 

The  English  Electric  Co  ,  Ltd.,  of  Queen's 
House,  Kingsway.  London,  W.C.2,sendusanew  publi- 
cation relating  to  steam  turbines.  This  firm  is  a  recent 
consolidation  of  Dick,  Kerr  &  Co.,  of  Preston,  the 
Siemens  Dynamo,  of  Staftbrd.  WillansS  Robinson,  of 
Rugby,  the  Phoenix  works.  Bradford,  and  the  Ordnance 
works,  Coventry.  The  steam  turbines  o(  this  firm  are 
specially  adapted  to  the  driving  of  great  alternating- 
current  dynamos. 

Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong.  Whitworth  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
(civil  engineering  and  contracting  department,  8  & 
10,  Great  George  Street,  Westminster),  have  obtained 
the  contract  from  the  Crown  Agents  for  the  Colonies 
for  the  Ebute  Metta  workshops,  which  are  to  be  erected 
near  Lagos  for  the  Nigerian  Government  Railways. 
The  contract  calls  for  the  supply,  erection,  and  equip- 
ment of  new  locomotive  shops,  carriage  and  wagon 
shops,  an  electric  power  station,  saw-mills,  etc. 

StTBMERSiBLE  MOTORS.  LTD.,  of  Soulhall.  near 
London,  have  issued  particulars  of  their  electrically- 
driven  pumps  for  mines.  The  vertical  type  of  sub- 
mersible motor-pump  is  adapted  for  use  in  sinking 
operations.  The  construction  is  such  that  the  appara- 
tus takes  up  very  little  room  in  the  shaft ;  there  are  no 
awkward  or  projecting  corners  and  angles  ;  the  pump 
can  be  very  quickly  slung  in  chains  or  on  ropes  ;  and 
it  IS  immaterial  as  to  what  angle  the  pump  is  suspended. 
The  advantage  of  being  able  to  lower  the  pump  and 
motor  into  water  until  the  apparatus  is  either  wholly  or 
partly  submerged  without  it  losing  in  reliability  orefSci- 
ency  is  incalculable.  Sinkers  frequently  use  these 
pumps  as  a  standing,  when  drilling  their  sumping  and 
side  holes.  The  horizontal  type  is  adaptable  for  practi- 
cally any  emergency  in  mines,  and  can  be  installed  at 
a  shaft  bottom  or  any  part  of  mine  workings  with  com- 
pleteconfidence  and  safety.  In  cases  of  accumulations 
of  water,  in  dip  or  deep  workings,  a  submersible  motor 
pump  is  of  peculiar  advantage.  In  these  cases  the  ap- 
paratus can  be  securely  fastened  to  a  skid  or  low  trolley 
and  lowered  completely  into  the  water.  No  undula- 
tions of  the  floor,  in  whatever  direction,  have  any  ad- 
verse effect  on  the  pumps.  The  reliability  of  these 
pumps  can  be  exemplified  by  the  installation  at  Pengam 
Colliery  in  Monmouthshire.  Here  a  6  in.  single-stage 
pump  was  started  on  May  6.  1920,  and  has  been  con- 
linuously  at  work  for  over  nine  months,  for  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  running  24  hours  per  dav  for  weeks  to- 
gether. During  the  whole  period  the  motor-pump  was 
working  entirely  submerged,  and  has  only  been  raised 
twice  for  examination,  when  everything  was  found  to 
be  in  excellent  condition. 

THE  BUILDING  TRADES  EXHIBITION. 
OLYMPIA. 

The  Building  Trades  Exhibition  at  Olympia  was 
open  for  two  weeks,  from  April  12  to  26,  and  attracted 
a  large  number  of  visitors.  To  mining  engineers  coii- 
cerned  in  the  housing  of  their  employeesit  oftered  many 
pointsof  interest,  particularly  inregard  to  the  materials 
of  which  houses  may  be  built  nowadays.  There  were 
many  exhibits  by  firms  known  among  mining  men,  of 
which  brief  notes  are  given  in  the  following  paragraphs. 

G.  A.  Harvey  &  Co.  (London),  Ltd.,  of  5.  Lau- 
rence Pountney  Hill.  London,  E.C.4,  and  Woolwich 
Road,   E.14,  showed  galvanized  iron  tanks  and  also 


screens  of  perforated  metal  and  woven  wire. 

TheMolerFire-Proof  Brick  &  Partition  Co., 
Ltd.,  one  of  the  Vickers  group  of  companies  housed 
at  Vickers  House.  Broadway,  Westminster,  with  works 
at  Colchester,  had  an  exhibit  of  fire-proof  and  sound- 
proof bricks,  and  bricks  suitable  as  insulating  boiler 
coverings.  The  material  used  is  diatomaceous  earth 
obtained  from  Denmark.  The  deposit  was  described 
by  E.  A.  Manners  in  the  Magazine  for  March,  1916. 

Ferodo,  Ltd.,  of  Chapel-en-leFrith.  showed  their 
fibre  stair  treads.  Ferodo  is  known  among  engineers 
as  a  surface  material  for  brakes  and  clutches. 

The  Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  147, 
Queen  Victoria  Street,  London,  E.C.I,  confined  their 
exhibit  to  ventilating  fans  and  vacuum  cleaners. 

The  WiLFLEV  Company.  Ltd.,  of  Salisbury  House, 
London,  E.C.2,  showed  their  Marbolilh  jointless floor- 
ing. 

John  &  Edwin  Wright,  Ltd.,  of  the  Universe 
Rope  Works,  Birmingham,  and  Salisbury  House.  Lon- 
don. EC. 2,  had  an  excellent  display  of  their  hemp  and 
steel  wire  ropes. 

MiLLARsTiMBER  &  Trading  Co.,  Ltd..  of  Pinners 
Hall,  London,  E.C.2.  had  an  exhibit  of  rock  crushers 
and  air-compressors,  and  illustrations  and  models  of 
steam  shovels,  cranes,  and  other  machinery. 

S.  Thornley  Mott  &  Vines.  Ltd..  of  11,  Old 
Queen  Street.  Westminster,  showed  "  ironite  "  cement 
and  flooring,  hollow  concrete  blocks  for  building  pur- 
poses, Watson  bottom-dumping  wagons,  and  concrete 
mixers.  They  also  showed  photographs  of  the  Marion 
steam-shovel,  for  which  they  are  agents  in  thiscountry. 

We  also  observed  applications  of  the  Dorr  plant  to 
sewage  treatment  and  NissF.N  huts  ;  these  were  shown 
by  users  and  not  by  the  manufacturing  firms. 

Ready  access  to  the  galleries  was  provided  by  a 
special  exhibit  of  lifts  made  by  Waygood-Otis,  Ltd., 
of  54  and  55,  Fetter  Lane,  London,  E.C.4. 


METAL  MARKETS 

Copper. — Remarkable  steadiness  characterized  the 
London  standard  copper  market  during  April,  and 
price  fluctuations  have  been  very  small,  despite  the  coal 
stoppage  and  the  threat,  happily  unfulfilled,  of  a  general 
strike.  The  fact  that  demand  from  consumers  is  still 
poor  and  likely  to  diminish  further  under  present  in- 
dustrial conditions  seems  to  have  had  little  influence 
on  values,  and  there  is  quite  an  optimistic  undet  tone  in 
the  market.  In  the  United  States,  the  price  has  kept 
steady  around  12j  cents  per  lb.,  and  business  there  is 
also  quiet.  During  the  first  quarter  of  the  year,  stocks 
in  that  country  increased,  but  in  view  of  the  recent 
closing  of  a  dozen  or  so  important  mines,  production 
will  show  a  falling  off  in  the  near  future,  and  a  decrease 
in  the  huge  American  stocks  is  to  be  expected.  It  is 
understood,  by  the  way,  that  it  will  be  possible  to  re- 
start the  mines  there  at  very  short  notice  when  condi- 
tions are  favourable  to  such  a  policy.  The  Kennecott 
Copper  Corporation  hascutdown  production,  and  may 
later  close  down  completely.  The  Braden  concern  has 
reduced  output  to  some  1.000  tons.  Neither  the  Chile 
nor  Braden  companies  is  expected  to  shut  down,  how- 
ever. The  Quincy  Mining  Co.  at  Calumet  has  reduced 
wages  by  10%.  Chilean  mines,  it  is  understood,  are  to 
restrict  production,  but  the  Union  Miniere  du  Haut 
Katanga  is  undertaking  fresh  development  schemes  and 
has  no  apparent  intention  of  adopting  a  similar  policy. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  April  1921, 
;f69  Ss.  Ud.  ;  March  1921,  ^67  13s.  3d.  ;  April  1920, 
;fl03.  23.  lid.  ;   March  1920,  )(^109.  lis.  lOd. 

Tin.— The  standard  tin  market  in  London  was  domi- 


296 


TlIK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Metal  Prices:   Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  Lonii 


COPPKK 

Standard  Cash 

Standard  (! 

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nated  at  the  beginning  of  the  month  by  the  coal  crisis, 
and  quotations  were  accordingly  depressed.  Later, 
values  fluctuated  upon  every  fresh  development  in  the 
industrial  situation,  optimism  6nally  gaining  the  upper 
hand,  with  the  consequence  that  prices  at  the  end  of 
the  month  showed  a  moderate  rise.  There  had  been  a 
general  feeling  that  the  bottom  had  been  reached,  and 
the  upsvard  reaction  was  therefore  not  altogether  un- 
expected. Consuming  demand,  however,  still  continues 
unsatisfactory,  and  purchases  by  the  Continent  have 
rather  tended  to  fall  off  of  late.  Stocks,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  well  held  both  here  and  in  the  East.  Of 
course,  the  Federated  Malay  States  Government  holds 
a  considerable  quantity  of  metal,  acquired  at  compara- 
tively high  prices,  but  the  intention  is  to  wait  for  amore 
remunerative  level  of  quotations  before  liquidating.  It 
had  been  expected  that  the  Straits  mines  and  smelters 
would  commence  curtailing  output,  but  up  to  the  pres- 
ent no  definite  news  is  to  hand  as  to  what  has  been  done 
in  this  direction,  although  the  Nigerian  and  Bolivian 
mines  have  found  themselves  forced  to  adopt  such  a 
policy.  Apropos  the  general  impression  that  profitable 
tin  production  in  the  Straits  is  difficult  at  current  mar- 
ket values,  it  is  interesting  to  observe  that  the  Gopeng 
company's  cost  of  producing  black  tin  last  year  was 
;f59.  2s.  3d.  (average  profit  /122.  14s.  4d.),  the  Rambu- 
tan's  cost  ^'73.  7s.  3d.  (average  profit  /'116.  17s.  6d.), 
and  Tekka-Taiping's  cost  ;^69.  3s.  4d.  (average  profit 
/108.2s.  8d.).  The  Nigerian  companies  appear  to  have 
been  harder  hit  by  the  fall  in  tin,  and  have  successfully 
applied  for  concessions  from  the  Government  in  regard 
to  rents  and  royalties  in  order  to  give  them  some  relief. 
The  Straits  have  been  shipping  only  moderately  of  late, 
the  figure  for  April  being  1,800  tons,  of  which  715  tons 
came  to  the  United  Kingdom,  925  tons  were  taken  by 
the  United  States,  and  100  were  despatched  to  the 
Continent. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin:  April  1921,  ;f  164 
Os.  lid.;  March  1921,  £^156.  4s.  7d.  :  April  1920, /345. 
13s.  Id.  ;   March  1920,  /369.  14s.  5d. 

Lead. — The  London  lead  market  has  kept  fairly 
steady  during  the  past  month,  the  tendency  being 
slightly  upwards.  Undoubtedly,  the  feature  has  been 
the  purchases  of  Spanish  lead  direct  by  America,  which 
has  had  the  effect  of  somewhat  reducing  the  arrivals  in 


thiscountry.  The  American  buying  has  been  influenced 
by  the  apprehension  of  increased  import  tariffs  in  the 
near  future.  Practically  the  only  supplier  of  lead  to  the 
London  market  has  been  Spain.  America  is  above  our 
parity,  liurma  sells  to  the  East,  the  situation  in  Aus- 
tralia does  not  permit  of  supplies  from  there,  while 
IJelgium  and  Germany  send  nothing.  It  was  believed 
that  the  stocks  in  Spain  were  considerable,  but  owing 
to  the  lack  of  information  on  the  position  there  it  is  not 
known  whether  further  heavy  shipments  are  likely.  It 
is  possible,  of  course,  that  the  United  States  may  later 
re-export  some  of  the  metal  recently  purchased.  News 
from  the  producing  countries  tells  invariably  of  curtail- 
ed output.  At  Fremantle,  the  smelter  of  the  Fremantle 
Trading  Co.  has  been  shut  down  owing  to  the  ceasing 
of  supplies  from  the  neighbouring  mines.  The  Chihua- 
hua and  Monterey  smelters  in  Mexico  have  closed  in- 
definitely, while  Spanish  advices  state  that  the  Penar- 
roya  Co  has  stopped  work  at  the  Santa  Isabella  mines. 
As  regards  the  United  States  production,  this  appears 
to  be  generally  curtailed  except  in  some  cases  where 
the  ore  is  mined  for  its  silver.  Stocks  in  the  United 
States  are  reported  to  be  large.  The  March  production 
of  lead  of  the  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  was  1,630  tons. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  April  1921,  /20.  16s. 
lOd.  ;  March  1921.  £\9.  2s.  9d.  ;  April  1920,  /40.  4s. ; 
March  1920,  £^7.  Is.  9d. 

Spelter  . — The  London  spelter  market  during  April 
had  a  firm  tendency,  prices  rising  very  gradually  but 
steadily.  The  chief  reason  for  this  was  no  doubt  the 
absence  of  offers  of  German  metal,  owing  to  the  deaden- 
ing influence  of  the  Reparations  Act,  and  the  better 
sentiment  thereby  engendered.  As  long  as  the  Act  re- 
mains in  force,  it  is  difficult  to  see  how  Germany,  which 
is  believed  to  be  the  only  producer  to  whom  the  present 
London  price  is  profitable,  can  continue  to  export ; 
while  the  other  producers  are  naturally  averse  from 
doing  so  because  prices  are  too  low.  Both  Belgium  and 
Norway  appear  to  be  looking  for  higher  levels  before 
entering  the  market  on  a  large  scale,  and  America  also 
is  not  likely  to  ship  anything  to  this  side.  Under  these 
circumstances,  despite  the  fact  that  consuming  demand 
is  generally  poor  owing  to  the  unsatisfactory  condition 
of  the  galvanizing  industry,  the  tendency  certainly  ap- 
pears to  be  toward  higher  prices.  The  Belgian  produc- 


MAY,    1921 


297 


Prices  on  the  London  Metal  Exchange. 
Tons ;  Silver  per  Standard  Ounce ;    Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Zinc 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

GOL 

D 

Soft  ForeiS" 

English 

(Spelter) 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

£   s. 

d.  £   s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d.  £s. 

d. 

s. 

d 

April 

20  15 

0  to  21  5 

0 

22 

5 

0 

25 

15 

0to27 

0 

0  163 

0 

0  to  163 

5 

0 

165 

15 

0  to  166  0 

0 

34i 

34J 

104 

10 

11 

20  17 

6  to  21  10 

0 

22 

5 

0 

25 

12 

6  to  26 

17 

&•  161 

10 

Oto  162 

0 

0 

165 

0 

0  to  165  5 

0 

364 

36 

104 

10 

12 

20  15 

0  to  21  7 

6 

22 

5 

0 

25 

10 

0  to  26 

10 

0  157 

0 

0  to  157 

10 

0 

161 

0 

Oto  161  5 

0 

342 

34! 

105 

13 

20  10 

0  to  21  2 

6 

22 

0 

0 

25 

5 

0to26 

5 

0  159 

0 

0  to  159 

5 

0 

162 

5 

Oto  162  10 

0 

3^J 

33i 

105 

4 

14 

20  10 

0  to  21  2 

6 

22 

0 

0 

25 

10 

Oto26 

10 

01  160 

15 

Oto  161 

0 

0 

164 

5 

Oto  164  10 

0 

333 

334 

104 

11 

15 

20  12 

6  to  21  5 

0 

22 

5 

0 

25 

17 

6  to  27 

0 

O:  169 

0 

0  to  169 

5 

0 

171 

5 

Oto  171  10 

0 

35i 

3"! 

104 

8 

IB 

20  12 

6  to  21  7 

6 

22 

5 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

0 

O:  163 

0 

0  to  168 

5 

0 

169 

15 

Oto  170  0 

0 

34j 

34i 

104 

8 

19 

21  0 

0  to  21  12 

6 

22 

10 

0 

26 

0 

0to26 

17 

6  166 

15 

0  to  167 

0 

0 

169 

0 

Oto  169  5 

0 

35 

344 

104 

8 

20 

21  5 

0  to  21  15 

U 

22 

15 

0 

26 

10 

Oto  27 

5 

Ol  168 

15 

0  to  169 

0 

0 

171 

5 

Oto  171  10 

0 

344 

34i 

104 

8 

21 

21  2 

6  to  21  12 

6 

22 

15 

0 

26 

5 

Oto  27 

0 

0  168 

15 

0  to  169 

0 

0 

171 

10 

Oto  171  15 

0 

34§ 

34J 
34t 

104 

10 

22 

20  15 

0  to  21  5 

0 

22 

5 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

0 

0  174 

0 

Oto  174 

5 

0 

176 

15 

Oto  177  0 

0 

34i 

104 

3 

25 

20  i; 

6  to  21  7 

6 

22 

5 

0 

25 

5 

Oto  26 

17 

6;  173 

15 

0  to  174 

0 

0 

176 

5 

Oto  176  10 

0 

34S 

34i 

104 

2 

26 

20  17 

6  to  21  7 

6 

22 

5 

0 

25 

15 

Oto  27 

0 

0  172 

0 

Oto  172 

5 

0 

174 

10 

Oto  174  15 

0 

34S 

34i 

104 

2 

27 

21  2 

6  to  21  12 

6 

22 

10 

0 

26 

5 

Oto  27 

0 

0  172 

0 

0  to  172 

5 

0 

174 

15 

Oto  175  0 

0 

34S 

34| 

104 

3 

28 

21  7 

6  to  21  15 

0 

22 

15 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

0 

Oj  171 

! 

10 

0  to  171 

15 

0 

174 

0 

0  to  174  5 

0 

34i 

34i 

104 

1 

29 
May 

21  10 

0  to  21  15 

0 

22 

15 

0 

25 

15 

Oto  27 

0 

0:  169 

10 

0  to  170 

0 

0 

171 

10 

Oto  172  0 

0 

34? 

344 

103 

8 

2 

21  17 

6  to  21  17 

5 

23 

0 

0 

25 

7 

6  to  26 

12 

6!  168 

0 

0  to  168 

5 

0 

170 

10 

Oto  170  15 

0 

34i 

344 

103 

8 

3 

22  5 

0  to  22  5 

0 

23 

10 

0 

25 

10 

Oto  26 

15 

0  169 

10 

0  to  169 

15 

0 

172 

0 

0  to  172  5 

0 

35 

34i 

103 

3 

4 

22  10 

0  to  22  10 

0 

23 

10 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

5 

O!  176 

0 

0  to  176 

10 

0 

178 

10 

Oto  178  15 

0 

35i 
341 

34j 

103 

4 

S 

22  15 

0  to  22  12 

6 

23 

15 

0 

26 

0 

Oto  27 

5 

0  177 

10 

0  to  177 

15 

0 

179 

15 

Oto  180  0 

0 

34j 

103 

4 

6 

tion  during  March  showed  a  reduction  on  the  month  of 
1,890  tons,  being  only  4.640  tons.  The  German  output 
is  estimated  at  around  4,000  tons  monthly,  but  present 
conditions  may  force  curtailment  there  also,  Belgium 
is  apparently  finding  a  ready  market  in  France  and  else- 
where for  her  zinc  sheets,  so  it  is  more  than  probable 
that  her  stocks  will  find  an  outlet  in  that  direction  rather 
than  be  unloaded  on  the  Lotidon  market.  As  regards 
the  .American  position,  the  present  output  there  has 
been  estimated  at  about  one-third  of  what  it  was  a  year 
ago,  while  stocks  are  believed  to  be  double.  The  Ameri- 
can quotation  has  been  5rmer  during  the  month. 

Average  price  of  spelter:  April  1921,  £2(i.  Is.  5d.  ; 
March  1921,  £25.  10s.  5d.  ;  April  1920,  ^48.  9s.  4d.  : 
March  1920,  /54.  16s.  7d. 

ZiN'C  Dl'ST. — Business  has  been  quiet,  and  prices  are 
practically  unaltered  on  the  month,  as  follow  :  High- 
grade  Australian  about  £55,  high-grade  American  ;^55 
to  /62.  10s.,  and  best  English  about  /60  per  ton.  Con- 
tinental material  appears  to  be  offering  at  lower  figures. 

Antimony. — English  regulus  has  kept  steady  at  /37 
to  ,f40  for  ordinary  brands  and  at  /38.  5s.  to  £A2  for 
special  brands.  Foreign  regulus  on  spot  is  quoted 
around  £25  to  ;^28  per  ton  in  warehouse. 

Arsenic. — The  market  is  stagnant,  and  Cornish 
white  is  nominally  quoted  at  ;f46  to  £'\i  per  ton  de- 
livered. 

Bismuth. — The  leading  interests  quote  7s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — There  is  only  a  small  demand,  but  the 
price  is  steady  at  6s.  to  6s.  3d.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — Producers  are  nominally  quoting 
/150  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export,  but  this  price 
would  possibly  be  shaded,  especially  as  there  have  re- 
cently been  offers  of  cheap  Continental  metal. 

Nickel. — The  chief  interests  made  two  reductions 
of  £5  in  the  price  during  .April,  and  the  present  quota- 
tion is  ^190  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export. 

Cobalt  Metal. — Demand  is  quiet,  the  price  being 
ISs.  to  20s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — Black  oxide  continues  at  16s.  and 
grey  at  17s.  6d. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Thereislittlechange 
to  report.  The  leading  sellers  of  manufactured  metal 
(sheets  and  wire)  have  increased  their  price  to  /20  per 
oz.     Raw  platinum,   however,  is  still  reported  to  be 


changing  hands  around  /17  per  oz.  and  raw  palladium 
at  about  /15. 

Quicksilver.  — The  market  has  been  easy  and 
quiet.  The  present  quotation  is  ,^11.  5s.  to  £li.  10s. 
per  bottle. 

Selenium. — The  market  is  quiet,  the  quotation  be- 
ing 10s.  6d.  to  13s.  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — Sellers  continue  toquote90s.  to  95s. 
per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  tendency  is  still  down- 
ward, and  the  present  quotation  is  about  £28  to  /30. 

Manganese  Ore.  —  The  market  is  rather  quiet, 
with  Indian  grades  steady  at  Is.  4d.  to  Is.  5d.  per  unit 
c.i.f.  U.K. 

Tungsten  Ores.  —  This  market  continues  a  very 
difficult  one.  The  current  price  is  about  12s.  6d,  per 
unit,  c  i.f..  for  65%  WO.,,  but  buyers  are  waiting  for 
lower  figures,  while  sellers  are  inclined  to  hold  out  for 
higher  prices.     Business  is  consequently  restricted. 

Molybdenite. — Business isdull,  with  85%  nomin- 
ally quoted  at  52s.  6d.  to  60s.  per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Chrome  Ores. — The  price  of  Indian  and  African 
grades  is  steady  at  £5.  10s.  to  £6  per  ton  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Silver. — The  quotation  for  spot  bars  at  the  begin- 
ning of  April  was  32jd.,  the  price  rising  till  36id,  was 
attained  on  the  12th.  Subsequently  the  price  fell  to 
33|d.  on  the  15th,  recovered  to  35id.  on  the  18th,  and 
later  kept  fairly  steady,  closing  the  month  at  34|d. 

Graphite. — Madagascar,  80  to  90%,  continues  to 
be  quoted  at  £20  to  /25  per  ton. 

Iron  and  Steel. — .A  further  cut  in  the  price  of 
Cleveland  pig  iron  was  made  at  the  beginning  of  April, 
but  any  hopes  that  were  anticipated  of  a  revival  in 
trade  were  dashed  to  the  ground  by  the  coal  strike, 
and  the  close  of  the  month  found  production  of  iron 
and  steel  in  this  country  virtually  at  a  standstill.  The 
price  of  No.  3  Cleveland  pig  iron  is  £6  per  ton  for 
both  home  and  export,  but  Belgian  foundry  iron  can 
be  obtained  at  £5.  5s.  c.i.f.  It  is  the  same  story  in 
the  finished  iron  and  steel  trades.  Most  works  are 
closed,  and  few  makers  are  showing  inclination  to 
book  for  forward  delivery,  as  the  whole  question  de- 
pends upon  the  new  basis  price  of  fuel.  In  the  mean- 
time what  little  business  is  about  is  being  secured  by 
Continental  makers. 


298 


THE     MINING     MA(i.\/lNE 


STATISTICS. 


P M o RUCTION  oy  Gold  in  thk  Transvaal. 

R"""    «h";    T0..1 


Year  1919  

January.  1920  ■ 

February  

March   

April  

May    

June  

July   

August  

September  .... 

October    

November  — 
December    — 


Oz. 


S.I  1 1. 271 


653.295 
607.918 
689.615 
667.926 
681.551 
659.199 
718.521 
683,604 
665,486 
645,819 
618,525 
617.549 


Total,  1920 


January,  1921  ■ 

February 

March  


7,949.038 


637,425 
543,767 
656,572 


Oz, 


218,820 


17.208 
17.412 
17.391 
19.053 
17,490 
16,758 
17,578 
18,479 
16,687 
16,653 
15,212 
14.666 


Oz. 


204,587 


14,168 
14,370 
14,551 


651,593 
588.137 
671,123 


Price  of 


Gol(]  pecoz. 


107    6 

110 

■OS 

102 

105 

102 

105 

112 

115 

117 

117 

115 


105  0 
103  9 
103    9 


Natives  Employed  in  the  Transvaal  Minks. 


March  31 . 

April  30 

May  31 

June  30 

July  31 

Aueust31 

September  30-. 

October  31  

November  30-- 
December  31  ■■ 


Gold 
mines 

January  31,  1920  176.390 

February  29   185.185 

188.564 
189.446 
184.722 
179.827 
174,187 
169,263 
163.132 
159.426 
158.773 
159.671 


January  31.  1921 

February    28 

March  31 


165.287 
171.518 
174.364 


Coal 
mines 
12766 
12.708 
12,788 
12.951 
12,897 
13,036 
13,005 
13,535 
13.716 
13  858 
14.245 
14.263 


14.541 
14,697 
14.906 


Total 


4,796 
5,217 
5,232 
5.057 
4.793 
4.596 
4,521 
4.244 
4,323 
4.214 
3.504 
3.340 


3.319 
1.612 
1.364 


193.952 
203.110 
206  584 
207.454 
202.412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181.171 
177.498 
176.522 
177.274 


183.147 
187.827 
190,634 


Tons 
milled 

Yield 
per  ton 

Work'e 

cost 
per  ton 

VVork'g 

profit 

per  ton 

Total 

working 

proBt 

Year  1919  

24.043,638 

s.    d. 
28    7 

s.    d 
22  11 

s.  d. 

5    6 

i 
6.605,509 

January.  1920— 

February  

March 

2.038.092 
1.869.180 
Z.188,104 
2.065.446 
2.117.725 
2.146.890 
2,194,050 
2,057,560 
1.950.410 
1.871.140 
1.799.710 
1.797.970 

34  4 

35  1 
31     8 
31     5 
31     9 
31  10 
33    6 

36  11 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 

24  2 
28     3* 

25  2 

26  3 
25  11 
25     2 

24  6 

25  0 

25  6 

26  1 
26    3 
26    8 

10  2 
6  10* 
6    6 
5     2 

5  10 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13     5 
13    8 
13     1 
13     3 

1,036.859 
644.571* 
716  610 

533.940 
618  147 

May       

692.510 
985  058 

July    

1 ,226  906 

September    ... 

1,276.369 
1.278,385 
1,255.749 
1.193.672 

November 

December 

January,  1921... 
February    

1.895.235 
1.575.320 

35     0 
35     6 

26    3 
28    6 

8    9 
7    0 

829,436 
550.974 

1919 

1920 

1921 

January  

February 

March    

£ 
211,917 
220,885 
225,808 
213,160 
218.057 
214.215 
214.919 
207.339 
223.719 
204,184 
186.462 
158.835 

oz. 

43,428 
44,237 
45.779 
47.000 
46.266 
45.054 
46.208 
48.740 
45.471 
47.343 
46.782 
46.190 

oz. 

46.956 
40.816 
31.995 

May    

— 

July      

August  

September  ... 

October 

November   ... 
December    ... 

- 

Total 

2.499.498 

552.498 

125,767 

Tkansvaal  Gold  Outputs. 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled  from  oflicial  statistics  published  by  the  Transvaal 

Chamber  of  Mines.    Thepro6t  available  for  dividends  is  aboui 

65%  of  the  working  profit.     Figures  for  yield  and  profit  for  1919 

based  on  par  value  of  gold;  subsequently  gold  premium  included. 


*  Results  affected  by  the  back-pay   disbursed   in  accordance 
with  new  wages  agreement. 

Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


February. 
Treated  ^  YieTd 


Aurora  West   

Urakpan    

City  Deep 

Cons.  [.anMtaagte 

Cons.  Main  Reef  

Crown  Mines 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  P.M 

Ferroira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep  

Glynn's  LydenburK 

Goch  

Government  G.M.  Areas 

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central  

Langlaagte  Estate 

Luipaard's  Vlei 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Moddeifontein  

Modderfontein  B  

Moddeifontein  Deep  

Modderfontein  East 

New  Unified  

Nourse  

Primrose  

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United  

Rose  Deep   

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates-. 

Van  Ryn   

Van  Ryn  Deep  

Village  Deep  

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witwatersrand  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  — 
Wolhuter 


Tons 

7.OS0 
48,500 
52. SCO 
14,300 
33.000 

124,000 
24,550 

112.000 
22.500 
40.000 
39.760 
5.560 
12.000 

111.500 
43.S00 
21.300 
27.100 
14.360 
9,700 
83.000 
50.000 
39.4C0 
25.000 
9.300 
35.600 
20.300 

100.500 
26.700 
39,200 
22.000 
47.500 
53,200 
29.500 
9.500 
14.835 
28.100 
46.800 
43.300 
30.100 
28.500 
32.C60 
23.600 


March 


Treated 


Oz. 

flO.030 

19.937 

22.266 

£27.9871 

11.515 

42,328 

7.719 

29.099 

7.457 

14.058 

10.804 

i'5.5eo! 

£13.8981 

1C23I.4OOI 

11,723 

5.469 

£45.2831 

j(;ifi.905( 

£31.5401 

39.580 

25.324 

21.656 

9.883 

£l0.762l 

11.678 

£22.32S| 

£l62.605l 

5.769 

12.208 

£22,224+ 

10,748 

12.657 

12.843 

5.CC6 

£26.1291 

£44.5191 

£l27.877t 

13.475 

£45.7891 

£43.04  It 

£49,205) 

5.928 


Tons 

10.000 
52.000 
85.000 
42,000 
47.800 
187.000 
26,500 

131. ;oo 

32.000 
45.000 
46.950 
3.277 
16.600 

136.000 
48.O0C 
25.8C0 
40,000 
16.000 
14.300 
92.000 
57.000 
42.700 
26.000 
10.900 
42.000 
21.700 

120,000 
39.8C0 
60.100 
23.000 
53.300 
61.100 
42.000 
9.900 
13.945 
31,100 
50.600 
48.700 
32.300 
32.000 

,37.665 
32,200 


1^ 
£20 


Yield 

Oz. 

£l4,595f 

22.339 

36,584 

£62.4191' 

16,759 

51,218 

8,778 

34,270 

10,290 

15.359 

12.781 

£4.9901 

_20.284t 

£283.2901 

13,297 

6,178 

£62,290+ 

£l8,456t 

£45.361 1 

43.114 

29.200 

22.809 

10.430 

£13. 2191 

13,253 

£21.397  + 

£187.4691 

7.814 

17.279 

£22.209  + 

12.871 

13.540 

L8.776 

5.557 

£22.415! 

£47.4531 

£138,977+ 

14.643 

£48.892+ 

£47.940+ 

£54.669  + 

8.291 


*  Returns  not  yet  received.     +  £5.  3s.  9d.  per  oz. 
per  oz- 

West  African  Gold  Outputs. 


:  £5.  2s.  9d. 


Abbontiakoon     

Abosso  

Akoko   

Ashanti  Goldfields    ... 

OlDbuassi  

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 

*  At  par.    +  Including  premium. 
Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


February 


Treated     Value 


6.057 
4.240 

4.603 

662 

6.923 

2.500 


Oz. 


£9.543" 
1,696 


5.059 

£2,414+ 

£12.914* 

1.627 


March 


Treated      Value 


6,709 
5,000 

4,837- 

818 

6.705 

2.300 


i  11.497' 
1.996 

4.720' 

£2.480+ 

£16.094! 

1,222 


Tons 

Cam  &  Motor 8.200 

Falcon  15,103 

Gaika 3.211 

Globe  &  Phoenix 5,364 

Jumbo  790 

London  &  Rhodesian  2.213 

Lonely  Reef 4.900 

Planet-Arcturus    5.470 

Rezende    5.100 

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  1 509 

Shamva     -..|  25.500 

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian  ---I  1.450 


February 


Treated 


Oz. 


1,495 

2.89411 

1,356 

6.319 

343 

£2,799 

4.776 

2,662 

2,466 

194 

£17,795: 

£5,116+ 


March 


Treated 


Tons 
10.052 
15.105 
1,204 

1.450 
2,308 
1,690 
1,950 
2,400 
597 
16,150 
1,700 


O2. 


2.666* 

2.937 

608 

441 

£2.792 

1.669 

1,065 

1.635 

215 

£l4.695t 

£5,028+ 


•  Also  250  tons  copper,    t  At  par.     I  Gold  at  £5  per  oz. 
li  Also  251  tons  copper. 


MAY,    1921 


299 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Reported 
for  Export 


January, 1920  ■ 

February  

March   

April  

May    

June  

July    

August 

September  .... 

October 

November  ..■■ 
December  ..,. 
January.  1921  . 

February  

March   

April  


836 
1.928 

835 
227 
502 

167 
141 
174 
128 
321 
523 
684 
10 
607 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

oz. 


25.670 
49.453 
54,020 
56,256 
50,976 
56,679 
48,341 
54.258 
54,910 
53.801 
54,729 
53.595 
50,934 
26,872 
47,875 
46,602 


Total 
oz. 


26.506 
51.381 
54.020 
57.091 
51.203 
57.181 
48.341 
54,425 
55.081 
53.975 
54.857 
53.916 
51.457 
27.556 
47.885 
47.209 


Total 
value  i 


112.590 
218.251 
229.461 
242.506 
217.495 
242.638 
205.340 
231.185 
233.963 
229.275 
233.017 
229.057 
218.574 
117.050 
203,401 
2C0.635 


Australian 

Gold  Returns. 

Victoria. 

Queensland. 

Wales 

1920 

1921 

1919 

1920 

1920 

1921 

Oz. 

Oz. 

i 

Oz. 

£ 

January  .-- 

7.105 

4,587 

37.100 

4.724 

28.000 

20.463 

February 

8.677 

— 

43,330 

7.200 

15.000 

21.575 

March 

24.126 

— 

48.000 

6.973 

22.000 

24.344 

April 

6.368 

— 

61.200 

8.368 

12.000 

— 

May  

13  ''63 

38  200 

8.432 

13  800 

13.725 

8,700 

July  

12.782 

— 

42.060 

9.596 

17,410 

— 

August    ..- 

12..S09 

— 

49.700 

9.973 

17.168 

— 

September 

13,973 

— 

37.120 

11,789 

13,872 

— 

October  -.- 

13.432 

— 

36.100 

9,300 

24.752 

— 

November 

9.245 

— 

32.720 

10.200 

16,907 

— 

December 

15.305 

— 

44.500 

12,874 

18,137 

— 

Total   .. 

152.792 

4,587 

514.630 

114.181 

207.746 

66.382 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

Blackwater(N.Z.) 

Bullfinch  (W.A.)    

Golden  Horseshoe  (W.A.) 
Great  Boulder  Pro. (W.A.) 

Ivanhoe  IW.A.)  

Kalgurli  (W.A  ) 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A  ). 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.) 

Mount  Boppy(N,S.W  )   .. 

Oroya  Links  (W.A  ) 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

Sonsof  Gwaha(W.A) 

South  Kalgurli(W.A.) 

Waihi  (N.Z.)    

Waihi  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z 
Yuanmi  (W.A.)  


February 


Treated 


Tons 
5,355 
2.710 
4.550 
9.084 
8,080 

13,705 
4.703 
7.344 
1.360 
5.751 
2,063 


8.830 
12.830  { 

'*  10.710  I 
1.063 


Value 


£ 

7.60111 
4,73211 
5.377 
4.669t 

25.0481! 
5.029: 
7.26111 
9.969 f 
2.604' 
1.393: 

11.660+ 


17,83011 
3,472; 

20,971 
3.119; 

13.690§ 
3.423* 


Tons 
5.977 
2.956 

9.936 
8.585 
14.973 
4.280 
7.067 
1.350 
5.590 
1,490 


7,216 
12,204  ■ 

5.780  ■ 
1.200 


£ 

7.964  !l 
5.742* 

5,183: 
24.6001! 
6.230: 
9.691!! 
14.521+ 
2.415" 
1.089: 
8.4091 


12.188!! 
3.056: 

23.304S 
2,039: 
8.354§ 

£4.342" 


+  Including  royalties  :    ;  Oz.  gold. 
*  Including  premium. 


§Oz  silver; 
*  7  weeks. 


I  At  par  ; 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and 

Silver  Outputs. 

February 

March 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Brit.  Plat   &  Gold  (C'lbia) 

Tons 

28.250 

2.680 
9,425 

6,300 
8.100 

32.407 

60" 
14.000 

£ 

229§ 

201.000+ 

5,133++ 

8.268 

158.980+ 

60.070' 

92.500+ 

2,07611 

10.374 

38.300 

1.233; 

56.000+ 

Tons 

29,500 

2,450 
11.340 

7.200 
10.000 

37.754 

55" 
15.600 

£ 

166§ 
202.000+ 

308+ ; 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 
Mexico  EI  Oro  (Mexico)... 
Mininf?  Corp.  of  Canada... 
Oriental  Cons.  (Korea) 

7,624 
186,960+ 

108.500+ 

2.27211 

PlymouthCons. (Calif 'rnia) 
St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil) 
Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico) 

11.345 
38.000 
9.098: 

Tomboy  (Colorado) 

59.000+ 

+  U.S.  Dollars.     ;  Profit,  gold  and  silver.    II  Oz.  gold.    'Oz.  silver. 
§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.    **  Production  of  silverore.    +t  Dollars, 

loss. 

Pato  (Colombia)  :   17  days  to  April  2.  $30,045  from  53.829  cu.  yd. 

16  days  to  April  18.  $36,295. 


Production  op  Gold  in  India. 

1917 

1918       1       1919 

1920 

1921 

January 

February  ... 

March    

April 

oz. 

44.718 
42.566 
44.617 
43.726 
42.901 
42.924 

oz,               oz. 
41,420          38,184 
40,787          36.834 
41.719     \     38.317 
41.504     1      38.248 
40.869     1      38.608 
41,264          38.359 
40.229          38.549 
40.496          37.850 
40.085          36.813 
39.472          37.138 
36.984     ,      39.628 
40.149          42.643 

oz. 

39.073 
38.872 
38.760 
37.307 
38.191 
37.864 
37.129 
37.375 
35.497 
35.023 
34.522 
34.919 

oz. 
34,028 
32.529 
32.576 

August  

September 

October 

November 
December 

Total ... 

42  591 
43.207 
43.041 
42.915 
44,883 

— 

520,362 

485.236        461.171 

444.532 

99,133 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balagbat   

Champion  Reef  ■•■• 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur  . 

Nundydroog    

Ooregum 


February. 


Tons 
Treated 


3.000 

10.831 

15.950 

700 

8.324 
12.500 


Fine 
Ounces 


2.220 
4,561 
11,563 
917 
4.901 
8.367 


Tons 

Fine 

"reated 

Ounces 

3.250 

2.324 

11,710 

4.407 

15.573 

11,285 

700 

908 

8.952 

5,204 

12.900 

8,448 

Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper 

j  Tons  lead  cone 

British  Broken  Hill  ...  \  Tons  zinc  cone 

(  Tons  carbonate  ore. 

ri     ,        II  n  rt  J  Tons  lead  cone. 

Broken  Hill  Prop  {  ^^^^  ^j„^  ^^„^ 


Broken  Hill  South    Tons  lead  conc. 

■o            r-  J  Tons  refined  lead  ... 

Burma  Corp \  ^^  ^^g^^^  ^.^^^^ 

Fremantle  Trading  ..-Long  tons  lead    

,,  J       ^,  J  Tons  copper    

Hampden  Cloncurry..  -j  q^    gold  

Kafue  Copper Short  tons  copper 

(  Tons  copper 

Mount  I, yell    -I  Oz  silver  

lOz.gold 

J  Tons  copper  

lOz.  gold    

North  Broken  Hill  ■■  [^T^:::::::::::::. 

Pilbara  Copper Tons  ore 

Poderosa Tons  copper  ore 

Rhodesian  Broken  Hill. ..Tons  lead     ._  ... 

S'th  American  Copper  Ton  scop,  oreship'd.. 

£.   ,  ,.,    ^  ,.       1  Tons  lead  cone 

Sulphide  Corporation  -,  .j.^^^  ^.„^  ^„„^ 

Tanganyika Long  tons  copper  

„.       -,  J  Tons  zinc  cone 

Z'OoCorp iTonsleadconc 


Mount  Morgan 


Feb. 


2 
231, 


406 

!.816 

409 

975  + 

i.025  + 


203 
420 

1.215 

!,811 
!.990 
1.467 
'.650 
552 


Mar. 


697 
3,020 
245.962 
418 


512 

15,413 

389 


300 
1.630 


1.868 
2.850 


8.740 
71 


+  8  weeks  to  March  20. 
Imports  of  Ores.  Metals,  etc  .  into  LTnitedJ 


Iron  Ore Tons  .. 

Manganese  Ore  Tons  .. 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites Tons  .. 

Copper  Ore.  Matte,  and 

Precipitate Tons  .. 

Copper  Metal    Tons  •. 

Tin  Concentrate  Tons  ■. 

Tin  Metal   Tons  .. 

Lead.  Pig  and  Sheet Tons  ■■ 

ZinclSpelter)    Tons  .. 

Quicksilver Lb.    ■■ 

Zinc  Oxide    Tons  ., 

White  Lead  Cwt.  .. 

Barytes.  ground  Cwt.  .. 

Phosphate  Tons  .. 

Sulphur   Tons  .. 

Borax   Cwt.   ■■ 

Other  Boron  Compounds    Tons  .. 

Nitrate  of  Soda    Cwt.    .. 

Nitrate  of  Potash   Cwt. 

Petroleum : 

Crude  Galloni 

Lamp  Oil    Gallons 

Motor  Spirit Gallons 

Lubricating  Oil    Gallons 

Gas  Oil    Gallons 

Fuel  Oil  Gallons! 

Total  Petroleum Gallons 


Feb..  1921 


283.839 
35.193 
40.719 

3.555 
7.186 
2.546 
1.581 

14.684 
4,319 

16.982 

239 

5.939 

22.646 

37.465 

960 

1.428 

133.664 

7,525 

920,111 
14.621.854 
13.775.416 
3.392.702 
3.193.753 
33.515.259 
69.420.821 


Mar.,  1921. 

257,324 
20.987 
38,166 

932 

12,483 

2.255 

576 

12.560 

5.803 

378.750 

342 

4,889 

18.588 

25.726 

6.435 

1.059 

3.448 

58,079 

12.716 


11.603.953 
23.056.848 
3,844,085 
4.282.603 
41,148.617 
83,938,899 


300 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Outputs  oi'  Tin  Mining  Companiks. 
In  Tons  of  Concentrate. 


NiKeria : 

Associated  Nigerian 

Bisicbi 

BonKwelli  

Champion  (Nigeria) 

Dua  

Ex- Lands  

Filani  

Gold  Coast  Consolidated 

Guruui  River 

Jantar  

Jos    

Kadiina 

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano  

Lower  Bisicbi  

Lucky  Cliance 

Mintia 

Monnu 

Naranuta    

NaraRiita  Extended   

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  Baiichi 

Oflin  River 

Rayfield 

Ropp    

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru  

Sybu    

Tin  Fields , 

■\'arde  Kerri  

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang 

Gopeng   

Idris  Hydraulic    

Ipoh 

Kamunting    

Kinta  

Labat 

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang    

Rambutan 

Sungei  Besi  

Tekka 

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Cornwall : 

East  Pool  

Geevor    

South  Crofty     

Other  Countries  : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia) 

Bereneuela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania) 

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam) 

Leeuwpoort  ITransvaa)) 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooiberg  Minerals  (Transvaal) -■• 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)    

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal) 


Jan. 
Tons 

7 
2S 

i 

a 

30 

4 

3 
11 


14 
6 
Si 
9i 

1 
51 
35 
10 
17 
40 

45 
86 


Feb. 

Tons 

7 

26 

ii 

20 

3i 

2 
12 

15 
145 
8« 
4 
5j 

Ti 

60 

10 
24 
40 

30 
82 


18 

- 

1 

i 

4 

4 

5» 

7 

72 

66 

21 

19i 

154 

3li 

28i 

6Si 

564 

804 

804 

166 

136 

164 

15 

33 

35 

254 

29 

21 

15 

36 

19 

95  f 
55t 

157 
24 
11 
20 


90 
45 
83 
67 
21 


130 

26 

8 

16 


314 

45 

50 

33 

13 


Mar. 
Tons 


i 

20 


3 
13 


14 
3 

6i 

3 

53 
•70 
8 
20 
45 

28 
97 
4* 


6 

13 

81* 

72 

21 

174 
122* 

30 

57 

95i 
213 

13 

42 

30 

13i 

20 


200 
31 
8 
304 
99 
19 
21 
50 
57 
37 


•  Three  months,    t  Tin  and  wolfram 

Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspeciBed  content 
Soie      These  figures  are  taken  from  the  monthly  returns 
made  by  individual  companies  reporting  in  London .  and 
probably  represent  S5%  of  the  actual  outputs. 


1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

January  

February    ■■■ 
March 

Tons 
531 
528 
547 

Tons 
667 
646 
655 
555 
509 
473 
479 
551 
538 
578 
621 
655 

Tons 

678 
668 
707 
584 
525 
492 
545 
571 
520 
491 
472 
518 

Tons 
613 
623 

606 
546 
483 
484 
481 
616 
561 
625 
536 
511 

Tons 

547 
477 
505 
467 
383 
435 
484 
447 
528 
628 
544 
577 

Tons 
438 
370 
443 

April    

486 
S36 

lune 

310 
506 
498 

— 

July  

— 

— 

September 

October  

November  ... 
December  ... 

Total    ... 

535 
584 
679 
654 

- 

6.594 

6.927 

6.771 

6.685 

6,022 

1.253 

PaoDUCTtON  Of  Tin  in  Fkdhratkd  Malay  Status. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters. 
Long  Tons. 


1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

January  ••• 
February  •■■ 
March    

Tons 
3.558 
2.755 
3.286 
3.251 
3,413 
3,489 
3,253 
3.413 
3.154 
3.436 
3.300 
3.525 

Tons 

3.030 
3,197 
2,609 
3,308 
3,332 
3,070 
3.373 
3.259 
3,157 
2.870 
3.132 
3.022 

Tons 
3.765 
2.734 
2.819 
2.858 
3.407 
2,877 
3.756 
2.956 
3.161 
3,221 
2,972 
2,409 

Tons 
4.265 
3.014 
2.770 
2.606 
2.741 
2.940 
2.824 
2.786 
2.734 
2.837 
2.573 
2.838 

Tons 
3.298 
3.111 
2.190 

— 

— 

l,,Iv           

— 

August  

September . 

October 

November  . 
December  . 

— 

39.833 

37.370 

36.933 

34.928 

8.599 

Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  Ic  Co.     Lone  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  

Ditto.  Landing  and  in  Transit... 

Other  Standard.  Spot  and  Land- 
ing   

Straits.  Afloat 

Australian,  Afloat 

Banca.  in  Holland 

Ditto.  Afloat    

Billiton.  Spot 

Billiton.  Afloat    

Straits.  Spot  in  Holland  and 
Hamburg 

Ditto.  Afloat  to  Continent 

Total  Afloat  for  United  States- 
Stock  in  America 

Total 


Feb. 28 


16.900 


Mar.  31 


2.128 

1.738 

1.357 

10 

80 

183 

5.365 

5.456 

5.081 

40 

333 

775 

295 

200 

150 

3.187 

2.974 

2.867 

209 

— 

200 

755 

579 

534 

- 

95 

100 

1,385 

781 

1.441 

3.546 

3.476 

2.441 

15.764 


April  30 


Shipments.  Imports.  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  tons. 

April 


Shipments  from : 

Straits  to  U.K 

Straits  to  America    

Straits  to  Continent 

Straits  to  Other  Places  

Australia  to  U.K 

U.K.  to  America   

Imports  of  Bolivian  Tin  into 
Europe 


Supply: 

Straits  

Australian 

Billiton 

Banca    

Standard  .• 


Total- 


Consumption  : 

U.K.  Deliveries 

Dutch         

American   ..        

Straits.  Banca  &  Billiton.  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc.    


Total.. 


Feb. 


20 
220 

33 
100 
715 

800 


240 
100 


1.561 


1.961 


1.321 

164 

1.585 


Mar. 


395 
395 
125 
289 
50 
100 


915 
50 


79 
1.290 


2.334 


1.359 

389 

1.683 


3.568 


775 
925 
100 
825 

295 
811 


1.800 


70' 
865 


1,531 

152 

1.590 

95 

3.368 


'To  March  31  only. 


MAY,    1921 


301 


Outputs  Reported  bv  Oil-Producing  Companies. 


Anglo-Egyptian Tons  .•■ 

Anglo- United Barrels 

Apes  Trinidad   Barrels 

British  Burmah Barrels 

Caltex    Barrels 

DaciaRotnana Tons  ... 

Kern  River  Barrels 

Lobitos Tons  ... 

Roumanian  Consol Tons  ... 

Santa  Maria Tons  ... 

Sleaua  Romana Tons  ... 

Trinidad  Leaseholds  ...Tons  ... 

United  of  Trinidad  Tons  ... 


Feb. 


March 


16.991 

13.627 

9,219 

8.900 

— 

43,525 

56,023 

65.768 

78,962 

92,820 

251 

— 

95,010 

105,220 

7,659 

8.389 

1,282 

1,375 

1.000 

1,300 

14,991 

17.910 

11,400 

13,400 

3.767 

3,698 

Quotations  of  Oil  Companies'  Shares. 
Denomination  of  Shares  £\  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo-American 

Anglo-Egyptian  B. 

Anglo-Persian  1st  Pref 

Anglo-United.  Wyoming    ... 

Apes  Trinidad    

British  Borneo  (10s.)  

British  Burmah  (Ss.)    

Burmah  Oil 

Caltex  ($1)  /. 

Dacia  Romano  

Kern  River,  Cal.  (10s.) 

Lobitos.  Peru 

Mexican  Eagle.  Ord.  (©lO)— 
M    Pref.  ($10) 

North  Caucasian  (10s.)    

Phoenix.  Roumania  

Roumanian  Consolidated  ... 
Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden)  ... 

Scottish  American    

Shell  Transport.  Ord 

Pref.  (£lO) 

Steaua  Romana 

Trinidad  Central   

Trinidad  Leaseholds  

United  British  of  Trinidad 

Ural  Caspian  

Uroz  Oilfields  (IDs.) 


April  7. 

May  5, 

1921 

1921 

£  s. 

d. 

£    s.   d. 

4    7 

6 

5     0    0 

1  17 

6 

2    0    0 

1     2 

0 

1     2    6 

10 

0 

10    0 

2  10 

0 

2  10    0 

15 

0 

17    6 

17 

6 

1     1     3 

6  17 

6 

7  15    0 

7 

6 

6    6 

17 

6 

1     0    0 

1     2 

0 

1     2    6 

3  17 

6 

4     5     0 

5     7 

6 

6  12    6 

5     5 

0 

6     7    6 

12 

6 

17    5 

12 

0 

12    6 

12 

fi 

14    3 

44    0 

0 

52    0    0 

15 

0 

12    6 

5    0 

0 

6    2     6 

8    0 

0 

8     5     0 

14 

3 

16    3 

3     5 

0 

4  12    6 

2    5 

0 

2  12    6 

17 

6 

1     2    6 

13 

9 

1     0    0 

8 

9 

8    9 

Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


April 

April 
April 

May 

April 

May 

May 
April 
May 
April 


18 

16 

16, 

7. 

21. 
7. 

2. 
23. 

7. 
21. 


Broken  Hill  Proprie- 
tary   

Gold  Coast  Amal.  -. 

Gold  Fields  Rhodes- 
ian    

Lake  View  Invest- 
ment  

Premier  Diamond  ... 

Scottish  Australian 
Mining    

Tekka-Taiping 

Waihi  Gold  

Wankie  Colliery .. 

Wolhuter  


Par 

Value  of 
Shares 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


£i. 

£\. 


lOs. 
Pref.  5s. 

l\. 

£l. 
10s. 
10s. 

£1. 


9d.  less  tax 
2s.  less  tax 

6d.  less  tax 

5%  less  tax 
125%  less  tax 

74%  less  tax 
3d.  less  tax 
6d.  tax  paid 
5%  less  tax 
9d.  less  tax 


PRICES  OF  CHEMICALS.    May  9. 

These  quotations  are  not  absolute ;  they  vary  according  to 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

£    s.  d. 

Acetic  Acid.  40%  per  cwt-     13    0 

80%  2    6    0 

Glacial ..  2  16    0 

Alum per  ton     18    0    0 

Alumina.  Sulphate  of  ..  16    0    0 

Ammonia.  Anhydrous per  lb.  2    6 

..         0  880  solution    per  ton    45    0    0 

Carbonate per  lb.  4 

Chloride  of.  grey per  ton     45    0    0 

M  pure  per  cwt.     3  15    0 

Nitrate  of  per  ton     50    0    0 

II  Phosphate  of    „  75    0    0 

Sulphate  of    „  24    0    0 

Antimony.  Tartar  Emetic per  lb.  2    7 

Sulphide.  Golden „  l    6 

Arsenic.  White  per  ton     50    0    0 

Barium  Carbonate 11    0    0 

,1    Chlorate  per  lb.  I    0 

.,    Chloride    per  ton      19     0    0 

.,     Sulphate  „  10    0    0 

Benzol.  90%    per  gal.  3    0 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton     55    0    0 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI ,,  18    0    0 

Liquor.  7%    7    0    0 

Borax    „  34    0    0 

Boric  Acid,  crystals „  69    0    0 

Calcium  Chloride 10    0    0 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60%  per  gal.  1     8 

crystallized.  40°    per  lb.  7 

(3  10    0 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn)   per  ton    \       to 

1 4  10    0 

Citric  Acid  per  lb.  2     3 

Copper.  Sulphate  of    per  ton     30    0    0 

Cyanide  of  Sodium.  100% per  lb.  l    0 

Hydrofluoric  Acid „  yh 

Iodine   per  oz.  1    0 

Iron.  Nitrate  of per  ton       8    0    0 

..  Sulphate  of    4    0    0 

Lead.  Acetate  of.  white ,1  48    0    0 

..  Nitrate  of    .: 48    0    0 

„  Oside  of,  Litharge „  38    0    0 

„  White    40    0    0 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown 1,  9    0    0 

grey  80% 13    0    0 

Magnesite,  Calcined „  21    0    0 

Magnesium.  Chloride „  12    0    0 

Sulphate  „  10    0    0 

Methylated  Spirit  64°  Industrial per  gal.  6    9 

Nitric  Acid,  80°  Tw. per  ton     32    0    0 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb.  0  11 

Phosphoric  Acid    per  ton     50    0    0 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb.  11 

Carbonate85% per  ton     45     0    0 

.,  Chlorate per  lb.  0    6 

Chloride  80%    per  ton     21    0    0 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% ,  47    0    0 

Nitrate    55     0    0 

,.  Permanganate per  lb.  1    9 

Prussiate,  Yellow   „  1    4 

Red „  2     3 

Sulphate.  90%  per  ton     20    0    0 

Sodium  Metal per  lb.  1    3 

„      Acetate   per  ton     26    0    0 

Arsenate  45%    45    0    0 

M      Bicarbonate  ,.  12    0    0 

.,      Bichromate per  lb.  8 

Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton     15    0    0 

(Crystals) 7    0    0 

.,      Chlorate per  lb.  4j 

„      Hydrate,  76%    pec  ton     27    0    0 

M      Hyposulphite   n  20    0    0 

II       Nitrate,  95% 1,  21     0    0 

Phosphate „  25    0    0 

,,      Prussiate    per  lb.  8 

<,      Silicate    per  ton     11    0    0 

„      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)  8    0    0 

(Glauber's  Salts)   7    0    0 

..      Sulphide 25    0    0 

.,      Sulphite „  13    0    0 

Sulphur,  Roll 12  10    0 

,,       Flowers „  13  10    0 

Sulphuric  Acid.  Fuming,  65° 1,  24    0    0 

free  from  Arsenic,  144° 6    5    Q 

Superphosphate  of  Lime.  30%    8  10    0 

Tartaric  Acid per  lb.  I     7 

Turpentine per  cwt.     3    S    6 

Tin  Crystals    per  lb.  1     7 

Titanous  Chloride    1.  1    0 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton     23    0    0 

Zinc  Sulphate 19    0    0 


30J 


rill".     MINING     MAC.A/INK 


SHARt  QUOTATIONS 

Shares  are  tl  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende.. 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.) 

West  Africa  ■ 

Abbontiakoon  (lOs.) 

Abosso 

Asbanii  (4s.)    

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 

West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines  

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch  

Golden  Horse-Shoe  (f  5) 

Great  Boulder  ProprietaryC2s.).. 

Great  Fineall  (10s) 

Hampton  Properties  

Ivanhoe  (t5)    

Kalgurli 

Lake  View  Investment  (IDs.)    .. 

Sons  of  Gwalia  

South  Kalgurli  (10s.) 


GOI.n.    SILVER. 
DIAMONDS: 
Ramd  : 

Brakpan 

Central  Mininit  (£8)    

Cily  &  Subtirban  (£*) 

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  Lan»:laaRte 

ConsolidiUfd  Main  Reef 

Consolidated  MinesSetectiondOs.)  ' 

Crown  Mines  (10s  ) | 

Dacuafontein | 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep j 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Gov't  Gold  Mininc  Areas 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

lupiter  

KleinfoiUein 

Kniclit  Central 

Kninhts  Deep  

LHn»:laat{te  Estate 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  'AOs.) 

Modderfontein  B  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  Deep(5s.)  

Modderfontein  East    

New  State  Areas  

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.) 

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central •••. 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  DeeD  A  (Is.) 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  St  Jack 

Springs 

Sub- Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.l    ..■■ 

Van  Ryn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep 

Wolhuter 

Other  Transvaal  Gold  Minrs  : 

Glynn's  Lydenburg 

Sheba  (5s.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates.- 

Diamonds  IS  South  Africa: 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.) 


May! 

, 

May  J. 

19M 

921 

£    s. 

d. 

£ 

8.  d. 

2  i? 

6 

2 

12  6 

8  15 

0 

6 

5  0 

S 

3 

3  0 

2  11 

3 

2 

5  0 

1  12 

0 

18  9 

1  1 

3 

10  0 

11 

9 

10  6 

1  9 

9 

15  0 

2  17 

6 

2 

0  0 

IS 

6 

3  9 

7 

6 

4  0 

8 

0 

4  6 

11 

6 

9  6 

2  3 

9 

2 

7  6 

8 

0 

5  0 

4  7 

6 

4 

0  0 

I  9 

6 

1 

4  0 

4 

(> 

4  0 

9 

0 

5  6 

3 

9 

4  3 

7 

A 

15  0 

15 

6 

11  3 

4  10 

0 

4 

2  6 

3  10 

0 

3 

5  0 

6  10 

0 

1 

3  9 

2  7 

6 

2 

5  0 

1  5 

0 

11  3 

1  8 

9 

I 

3  9 

10 

6 

6  9 

2  IS 

9 

2 

5  0 

3  18 

9 

2 

17  6 

16 

0 

9  6 

9 

0 

9  6 

1  0 

0 

11  3 

16 

3 

12  3 

5 

0 

2  6 

2  6 

3 

1 

15  0 

15 

0 

12  6 

1  1 

fi 

16  9 

17 

6 

11  0 

4  7 

fi 

3 

12  6 

11 

0 

7  6 

18 

9 

12  6 

16 

3 

13  9 

9 

0 

6  6 

5 

9 

4  6 

13 

6  6 

1 

1  6 

13 

7  0 

24  15 

0 

11 

10  0 

4  17 

6 

2 

5  0 

11  5 

0 

4 

10  0 

11 

0 

8  6 

18 

6 

12  0 

10 

6 

4  6 

12 

6 

8  3 

14 

6 

17  6 

3  0 

0 

2 

0  0 

3  0 

0 

■ 

0  0 

1  15 

0 

1 

10  0 

5 

6 

4  9 

3 

3 

2  0 

11 

0 

8  0 

19 

0 

13  6 

3 

3 

2  0 

15 

0 

8  0 

3 

fi 

2  3 

3 

0 

2  6 

6 

0 

1  0 

18 

9 

10  0 

8 

fi 

5  0 

2 

fi 

1  6 

1  5 

0 

6  3 

1  10 

0 

17  6 

12 

6 

10  3 

17 

0 

10  0 

6 

9 

5  0 

5 

3 

6  6 

GOLO.  SlLVKK.  cont. 
OtHKRS  in   AtlSTKAt.ASIA  t 

ninckwAliT.  Nfw  Zt'tiland • 

ConsoluliitcdG.I'.of  New  /eululid 

Mount  Hoiipv.  N'.S.W.  (10s) ] 

Pronrc'ss.  Nt-w  /euland 

Waihi.  New  Zealand    j 

Watlii  Grand  Junclion,  New  Z'Ind 
Amkrica  : 

Btiena  Ticrra.  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

K\  Oro,  Mexico 

Esperaiiza.  Mexico  

Frontino  &  Kotivia,  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (£5). British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  Kl  Oro.  Mexico.. 

Nechi  (Pref.  10s.).  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredtiin«.  Colombia  

^    Plymouth  Consolidated.  California 

Si.  John  del  Key.  Brazil  

Santa  Gerirudis.  Mexico 

Tomboy.  Colorado 

Russia  ■ 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balaiihat  (10s.)    

Chaminon  Keef  '2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  (10s.)  

North  Anantapur  

Nundvdroo*!  (lOs.) 

Ooreunm  (10s.)    

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copiier  (5s.).  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India. 

Esperanza.  Spain 

Hami)den  Cloncurry.  Queensland 

Mason  &  Barry.  Portugal  

Messina  (5s  ).  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (£5).  Queensland  ... 

Mount  i.yell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Nlor^an.  Queensland ' 

Nama<]ua  (£2).  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  i£5).  Spain  

Russo-.Asiatic  Consd..  Russia 

Sissert.  Russia   

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika.  Congo  and  Rhodesia 

LEAD-ZINC: 
Broken  Hii.i. : 

Amalf^amated  Zinc    

British  Broken  Hill  

Broken  Hill  Proprietary    

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (lOs.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees)    ■• 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)    


M.iv  5. 

1920 
£    ».   d. 


May  J, 

1921 
£   s,    d 


TIN: 

Aramayo  Francke.  Bolivia 

Bisichi.  Nigeria 

Briseis.  Tasmania 

Doicoath.  Cornwall  

East  Pool  (5s.)  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.).  Nigeria  ... 

Geevor  (lOs.)  Cornwall  

Gopeng.  Malay  

Ipoh  Dredging.  Malay     

Kamunting.  Malay    

Kinta,  Malay  

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (10s.).  Nigeria  

Naraguta.  Nigeria 

N.  N.Bauchi.  Nigeria (10s.)   

Pahang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay. 

Raytield.  Nigeria   

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (4s.).  Nigeria  

Siamese  Tin.  Siam 

South  Crofty  (5s  ),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall  

Tekka.  Malay   

Tekka-Taiping   Malay    

Tronoh,  Malay  


10 
6  10 

10 
1     3 

18 

Ifi 
1     3 

12 


12  6 

13  0 
12  6 

11  6 

12  6 


2   12     6 

1  7     C> 
5     9 

15     0 

2  10    0 

5    6 

2  10 

1     5 

1     2 

1   10 

35     0 

12 

12 

1  0 

2  1 


1  7 

2  0 

3  0 

1  6 

2  13 
2  15 

16 
1     0 


4  12 
14 
5 
5 
11 
3 

16 
2     2 

1  0 

2  10 
2  16 
2    5 

1  2 
15 

6 
12 
11 

2  5 
11 

4  7 
13 

1     3 

5  10 

1  8 

2  3 


10     0    0 
11     3 


1 
3 

1  10 
10 

1     7 


11     3 
10    0 


1  5 
15 
5 
5 
1  15 
4 

10 
13  0 
10  0 
15  0 
30  0  0 
8  6 
7  3 
10  0 
1     3    9 


15 
16 

1  15 
10 

1  2 
•1     5 


10    0 
8    9 


7    61 
7    6 


10    0 
15    0 


2 
6 
5 

1  7 
6 

2  2 
6 
8 

18 
1  0 
1     5 


i  10-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE   MINING  DIGEST 

A    RECORD    OF     PROGRESS     IN     MINING,   METALLURGY,    AND    GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  ive  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  .records  of  other  articles  and  papers  ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists  of  patents  on  mining  and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


ANACONDA   ELECTROLYTIC  ZINC. 


A  paper  by  Frederick  Laist  and  others  was  presented 
at  the  February  meeting  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers  describing  the 
electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Anaconda  Copper  Mining 
Company,  Montana.  The  zinc  ores  at  this  company's 
group  of  mines  are  complex  sulphides,  and  the  con- 
centrates average  only  35%  zinc  and  are  high  in  iron 
and  lead.  After  trying  the  Horwood  preferential  flo- 
tation process  for  the  improvement  of  these  concen- 
trates with  discouraging  results  it  was  decided  to  try 
roasting,  leaching  with  sulphuric  acid,  and  electrolysis 
of  sulphate  solutions.  The  paper  is  of  considerable 
length  and  contains  many  graphs,  plans,  and  photos  ; 
we  are  able  only  to  give  an  outline  of  the  main  points 
of  the  process. 

Experiments. — The  authors,  in  the  first  section  of 
the  paper,  give  an  account  of  the  facts  as  ascertained 
in  laboratory  examination  of  the  proposed  method. 
They  soon  found,  as  had  other  investigators,  that  the 
only  way  to  obtain  a  good  zinc  deposit  is  to  have  the 
electrolyte  free  from  all  metals  more  electro  negative 
than  zinc,  such  as  copper,  cadmium,  lead,  arsenic,  anti- 
mony, etc.  Arsenic  and  antimony  are  particularly  in- 
jurious, causing  very  poor  current  efficiency  and  small 
yield  per  horse-power  when  present  even  in  amounts 
so  small  as  almost  to  defy  detection,  1  ma.  or  less  per 
litre.  A  pure  zinc  is  soluble  only  with  difficulty  in  sul- 
phuric acid  ;  an  impure  zinc  dissolves  verv  readily. 
Electrolytic  zinc  deposited  from  pure  solutions  is,  of 
course,  extremely  pure  and  dissolves  only  about  one- 
fiftieth  as  rapidly  as  ordinary  zinc.  The  dissolving  of 
pure  zinc  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid  can  be  greatly  acceler- 
ated by  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  a  solution  con- 
taining copper  or  arsenic.  The  presence  of  these  metals 
in  thesolutiongoingtothe  electrolytic  cells  would  have 
the  same  effect  on  the  zinc  deposit  at  the  cathodes,  so 
that  re-solution  would  set  in  and  might  proceed  at  a 
rate  that  would  entirely  offset  the  depositing  power  of 
the  current.  In  such  a  case  no  zinc  would  result  from 
the  passage  of  the  current,  and  nothing  but  hydrogen 
would  be  made  at  the  cathode  and  oxygen  at  the  anode. 
Smaller  amounts  of  impurities  would  result  in  the  zinc 
being  redissolved,  but  more  slowly  than  it  is  deposited, 
producing  cathodes  lull  of  holes  of  various  sizes,  while 
the  yield  per  horse-power-day  would  be  proportionally 
decreased.  H.  W.  Gepp,  in  experimenting  at  Bully 
Hill,  California,  found  that  one  of  the  most  injurious 
impurities  present  in  those  ores  was  cobalt.  Accord- 
ing to  him  fifteen  parts  of  cobalt  per  million  parts  of 
solution  is  fatal  to  electrolysis.  The  cell  work  is  seri- 
ously impaired  with  only  ten  parts  per  million.  The 
cobalt  may  be  precipitated  with  manganese  by  the  ad- 
dition of  permanganate  or  it  may  be  thrown  down  in 
the  presence  of  manganese  by  the  addition  of  beta- 
naphthol  and  sodium  nitrite,  also  by  zinc  dust  from  the 
neutral  solution  in  the  presence  of  ferric  iron,  copper, 
and  arsenic.  It  was  not  found  difficult  to  maintain  an 
extremely  high  degree  of  purity  in  the  zinc  solution  go- 
ing to  the  cells  if  the  iron  in  the  solution  was  thoroughly 
oxidized,  before  being  precipitated,  by  means  of  lime- 


stone or  excess  calcine,  and  if  sufficient  zinc  dust  was 
added  to  satisfy  fully  the  copper,  cadmium,  and  what- 
ever small  amount  of  lead  might  be  present.  If  the  ore 
contains  very  little  iron,  in  proportion  to  its  arsenic  con- 
tent, it  might  be  necessary  to  add  iron  in  the  form  of 
ferric  salt  in  order  to  ensure  the  complete  precipitation 
of  all  arsenic  as  ferric  arsenate.  It  was  found  that  the 
best  way  to  make  sure  of  the  oxidation  of  the  iron  was 
to  maintain  a  small  amount  of  manganese  in  solution. 
Manganese  becomes  oxidized  in  passing  through  the 
cells,  forming  permanganic  acid,  manganic  sulphate, 
and  manganese  dioxide.  The  ores  contain  sufficient 
manganese  for  this  purpose,  so  that  it  is  seldom  neces- 
sary to  provide  outside  manganese.  It  is  possible  to 
ensure  oxidation  of  the  iron  by  other  means,  notably 
continued  air  agitation  in  the  presence  of  milk  of  lime. 
An  aluminium  plate  made  the  most  suitable  cathode  and 
a  lead  plate  the  most  suitable  anode.  The  latter  quickly 
becomes  coated  with  a  brown  layer  of  manganese  di- 
oxide and  lead  peroxide,  and  if  the  zinc  solution  is 
entirely  free  from  chlorides  the  lead  is  not  attacked. 
Some  of  the  lead  anodes  have  been  used  for  three  years 
and  seem  to  be  just  as  good  as  when  put  in.  In  the 
beginning  it  was  the  intention  to  use  aluminium  plates 
only  for  building  up  starting  sheets  of  suitable  weight. 
This,  however,  proved  unsatisfactory,  as  the  starting 
sheets  tended  to  warp  and  cause  short  circuits.  Alu- 
minium cathodes  are  therefore  used  in  all  of  the  cells, 
and  the  zinc  is  allowed  to  deposit  until  a  sheet  of  suffici- 
ent weight  is  built  up  to  go  directly  to  the  casting  fur- 
nace. Generally  4S-hr.  sheets,  which  weigh  about  20 
lb.,  are  made,  so  that  about  401b.  of  zinc  is  stripped 
each  time  the  cathode  is  withdrawn.  In  order  to  avoid 
re-solution,  good  contact  must  be  maintained  between 
the  zinc  and  the  aluminium  plate.  The  plate,  there- 
fore, must  be  roughened  sufficiently  to  ensure  adher- 
ence as  the  zinc  sheet  becomes  heavier.  This  limits 
the  weight  of  zinc  sheets  it  is  possible  to  buila  up,  and 
this,  together  with  the  tendency  toward  sprouting,  limits 
practice  to  48-hr.  deposits.  Seventy-two  hour  sheets 
have  been  successfully  made,  but  on  the  average  the 
48-hr.  plates  give  the  best  results.  The  better  current 
efficiency  with  the  younger  deposits  more  than  offsets 
the  labour  required  for  more  frequent  stripping.  The 
experimental  work  was  done  with  current  densities  vary- 
ing from  10  to  100  amperes  per  square  fool.  In  prac- 
tice, the  most  satisfactory  density  is  from  22  to  25 
amperes.  It  is  not  necessary  to  circulate  rapidly  as, 
with  the  current  density  used,  the  evolution  of  gas  at 
the  anode  is  sufficient  to  provide  the  necessary  agita- 
tion. 

Roasting. — The  authors  proceed  to  detail  the  steps 
whereby  the  process  was  gradually  de\"eloped.  and  then 
describe  the  process  as  established  at  Great  Falls.  The 
plant  as  finally  completed  has  an  output  of  150  tons  of 
electrolytic  zinc  per  day.  Roasting  of  the  concentrates 
is  done  partly  at  Anaconda,  where  McDougal  furnaces 
are  used,  anti  partly  in  Wedge  furnaces  at  Great  Falls. 
The  following  is  an  average  analysis  of  the  concentrate 
and  of  the  resulting  roasted  material  : 


303 


304 


Til 


MINING     MAGAZINE 


Koa^tfld 

Conceniraie  Material 

%  ?o 

Zn 305  330 

Cu 18  10 

Pb 9'5  103 

Ak 1«'5  17S 

Au 006  007 

Insoluble   6'3  7'4 

FeO 200  323 

S   345  45 

It  was  recognized  at  the  beginning  that  the  concen- 
trates must  be  finely  ground  to  get  ihe  maximum  solu- 
bility ;  screen analysesofthecrushedconcentratesshow 
thai  67'\,  goes  through  minus  200  mesli.  A  low  initial 
temperature  of  the  roast  gives  better  solubililies  on  con- 
centrates containing  appreciable  amounts  of  lead  and 
iron  sulphides.  Lead,  if  5%  or  more  is  present,  tends 
to  cause  the  roasting  concentrate  to  sinter  and  ball  up 
at  the  higher  temperatures  ;  as  these  agglomerated 
masses  will  be  insufficiently  roasted,  poor  solubility  re- 
sults, and  a  larger  amount  of  classifier  sand  is  produced 
in  the  leaching  plant.  The  aim  is  lo  prevent  simultane- 
ous oxidation  of  the  iron  and  zinc,  as  far  as  possible,  by 
keeping  the  temperature  of  the  two  top  roasting  hearths 
below  the  active  break-up  temperature  of  zinc  sulphide 
and  yet  high  enough  to  permit  FeS,,  and  KeS  to  oxi- 
dize in  the  time  allowed.  Unfortunately,  zinc  sulphide 
begins  to  oxidize  at  the  low  temperature  of  the  upper 
hearths  but  to  a  less  degree  than  the  iron  sulphide,  and 
therefore  a  small  amount  of  ferrate  will  be  formed.  If 
the  dross  containing  a  large  amount  of  metallics  is  fed 
in  with  the  concentrates,  even  at  the  low  temperature  of 
the  top  floors,  the  formation  of  ferrates  is  greatly  in- 
creased. If  the  dross  is  charged  to  the  lower  floors, 
where  there  is  little  or  no  iron  sulphide,  there  is  very 
little  formation  of  ferrates. 

The  amount  of  sulphate  formed  is  dependent  on  a  low- 
initial  temperature,  so  that  apparently  the  amount  of 
sulphate  formed  is  largely  influenced  by  the  amount  of 
FejOa  present  and  the  reactions  that  take  place  in  sul- 
phate-roasting are  those  of  the  contact  acid  process, 
where  freshly  prepared  ferric  oxide  is  used  as  a  cataly- 
ser.  The  iron  sulphide  is  oxidized  to  ferric  o.xide  in  the 
top  hearths  and  acts  as  a  catalyser  changing  the  sul- 
phur dioxide  from  the  roasting  zinc  sulphide  to  sulphur 
trioxide  which,  in  turn,  combines  with  thefreshly  form- 
ing zinc  oxide  to  form  zinc  sulphate.  In  proof  of  this, 
if  the  temperature  at  6rst  is  high,  practically  all  of  the 
iron  will  be  combined  with  the  zinc  to  form  ferrates,  in 
which  case  very  little  sulphate  will  be  formed,  although 
temperatures  and  sulphur  elimination  are  the  same  in 
the  lower  part  of  the  furnace  as  when  sulphating.  The 
amount  of  sulphate  remaining  in  the  finished  calcine  is 
dependent  on  the  end  temperature.  To  decrease  the 
percentage  of  sulphate  and  sulphur,  it  is  only  neces- 
sary to  raise  the  end  temperature  and  break  up  or  pre- 
vent the  formation  of  sulphates.  While  the  solubility 
falls  when  the  sulphates  are  broken  up,  it  w-ill  be  better 
than  when  ferrates  are  formed  on  the  top  hearths  in- 
stead of  Fe.^Oa- 

Leaching. — The  leaching  is  continuous  and  is  car- 
ried out  in  two  steps  :  (1)  A  neutral  leach  where  all  the 
calcine  and  approximately  one-half  of  the  total  acid  is 
added  ;  (2)  an  acid  leach  where  no  calcine  and  the  re- 
mainder of  the  acid  is  added.  Thesolution  forthefirst, 
or  neutral,  leach  is  made  up  with  one-half  of  the  cell 
acid(lli%  sulphuric  acid  and  24%  zinc)  and  the  partly 
spent  leach  liquor  (06%  sulphuric  acid  and  10%  zinc 
from  the  acid  leach).  This  mixture  is  run  into  the  first 
of  a  series  of  seven  continuous-leaching  Pachuca  tanks. 
Sufficient  iron  must  be  present  and  oxidized  to  account 
for  all  the  arsenic  and  antimony,  otherwise  they  will 


not  be  removed  and  poor  tank-room  efficiency  will  re 
suit.  Calcine  is  run  Into  the  three  succeeding  I'achuca 
tanks  in  such  a  manner  that  there  is  an  average  drop 
of  2A%  acid  in  each  tank.  Nothing  is  added  to  the 
fifth  lank,  as  it  is  used  as  an  indicator,  or  control,  tank 
in  which  I  lie  acid  should  be  nearly,  or  completely,  spent. 
One-sixth  of  the  total  amount  of  calcine  is  added  lo  the 
sixth  I'acluica  tank,  togetherwith  asmall  amounlof  pul- 
verized limestone.  The  excess  base  contained  in  the  cal- 
cine and  lime  rock  completely  precipitates  I  he  ferric  iron, 
granulates  the  gelatinous  silica,  and  partly  precipitates 
the  copper  These  chemical  precipitates,  together  with 
Ihe  insoluble  residue,  carry  down  the  freshly  formed 
insoluble  compounds  ofarsenic  and  antimony,  and  com- 
pletely free  the  solution  from  them.  For  instance,  the 
arsenic  may  be  as  high  as  2  grams  per  litre  in  the  liquor 
of  the  third  Pachuca  tank  and  less  than  1  mg.  in  the 
seventh  Pachuca,  which  is  also  a  control  tank,  but 
its  lunction  is  mostly  physical.  After  the  base  is 
added  it  takes  several  minutes  for  the  leach  to  coagu- 
late. If  this  step  is  carried  out  too  rapidly,  poor  settle- 
ment results,  and  in  ashort  time  the  rest  of  the  plant  will 
be  blocked  with  mud.  When  this  step  is  properly  car- 
ried out.  each  granular  particle  of  solid  appears  to  be 
enclosed  in  a  Hake  of  freshly  precipitated  iron,  lime,  or 
gelatinous  silica  ;  that  is,  each  solid  particle  becomes 
a  nucleus  about  which  the  chemical  precipitate  collects 
and  provides  the  necessary  weight  to  carry  down  these 
flaky  particles.  The  capacity  of  the  settling  equipment 
is  dependent  on  the  proper  handling  of  the  seventh 
Pachuca.  It  is  easy  to  control,  but  requires  closeatten- 
tion.  The  discharge  of  the  last  Pachuca  goes  to  the 
neutral  classifiers.  These  take  out  the  sands,  which 
are  re-groiind  and  returned  to  the  system  for  further 
treatment.  The  overflow  from  the  classifier  flows  to 
Dorr  settlers,  which  discharge  a  clear  overflow  for  the 
purification  tanks,  and  a  spigot  product,  containing  50% 
solids,  which  forms  the  feed  to  the  acid  leach. 

In  this  neutral  leach,  all  the  calcine  enters  the  pro- 
cess and  approximately  three-fourths  of  the  soluble  zinc 
is  taken  into  solution  ;  the  iron  is  oxidized  and  precipi- 
tated ;  gelatinous  silica  is  coagulated  by  excess  base  and 
rendered  granular  ;  the  arsenic  and  antimony  are  com- 
pletely precipitated  ;  80%  of  the  copper  is  precipitated 
as  hydroxide  by  the  excess  base,  this  making  possible 
the  cheap  removal  of  most  of  the  copper  and  supplying 
the  iron  for  the  removal  of  arsenic  and  antimony  in  the 
acid  leach  ;  a  large  percentage  of  the  zinc  is  separated 
from  the  residues  and  is  contained  in  a  clear  settler 
overflow  along  with  20%  of  the  soluble  copper  and  all 
the  soluble  cadmium  which  goes  to  the  purification 
plant,  W'hile  the  settler  spigot  product  containing  three 
parts  of  solids  and  two  parts  of  solution  is  elevated  to 
the  acid  leach. 

The  ground  neutral  classifier  sand  and  the  neutral 
settler  spigot  product  are  leached  in  three  10  by  20  ft. 
continuous  leaching  Pachuca  tanks  with  the  remainder 
of  the  cell  acid  and  sent  to  the  acid  settlers.  This 
operation  is  simple  ;  it  is  necessary  only  to  see  that  the 
overflow  from  the  Pachucas  is  maintained  at  approxi- 
mately i%  acid.  Variationsof  1%  over  a  considerable 
time  do  not  materially  affect  results,  but  too  high  an 
acid  for  a  long  period  increases  the  volume  of  solution, 
hindering  settlement,  and  causes  the  iron  to  circulate, 
which  interferes  with  the  settlement  of  the  neutral  side. 
Too  low  an  acid  for  a  long  period  results  in  low  re- 
covery due  to  undissolved  ZnO  and  to  high  moisture 
in  the  filter-cake  caused  by  precipitating  ferric  hydrox- 
ide, gelatinous  silica,  and  alumina  without  granulating. 
Poor  settling  of  the  acid  settlers  also  results  for  the  same 
reasons. 

The  spigot  product  of  the  acid  settlers,  containing 


MAY,    1921 


305 


60%  solid  and  40%  moisture,  goes  by  gravity  to  blan- 
ket-covered filters  of  the  Oliver  type.  The  cake  from 
these  filters  is  re-pulped  with  hot  water  or  hot  water 
and  acid,  in  case  there  is  enough  acid-soluble  zinc  left 
in  the  first  cake  to  justify  it,  and  then  re-filtered  on  a 
second  set  of  blanket-covered  Olivers  to  recover  more 
of  the  soluble  zinc.  Hot  wash  water  is  used  on  each 
set  of  filters.  If  this  double  filtering  operation  is  properly 
carried  out,  less  than  20%  of  the  zinc  contained  in  the 
residues  will  be  soluble  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid.  In 
other  words,  if  90%  of  the  zinc  in  the  calcine  was  solu- 
ble. 10%  of  the  total  zinc  in  the  calcine  would  be  in  the 
final  residue  as  insoluble  zinc  and  would  be  80%  of  the 
total  zinc  in  the  residue.  That  is.  the  recovery  would 
be  87J%.  This  is  considered  good  practice  and  easily 
obtainable  on  45%  zinc  calcine.  The  filtrate  from  the 
acid  filters  is  combined  with  the  acid  settler  overflow 
and  goes  to  the  copper  roughing  tanks,  where  scrap  zinc 
from  the  tank  room  and  scrap  iron  are  added  to  rough 
out  the  copper.  It  is  then  pumped  to  the  first  of  the 
neutral  leach  Pachucas  and  forms  a  part  of  the  neutral 
leach  acid. 

The  results  of  the  acid  leaching  system  are  :  (1)  Solu- 
tion of  the  remainder  of  the  acid-soluble  zinc  and  the 
copper  ;  (2)  final  separation  of  the  solids  from  the  zinc 
and  copper  solutions  :  (3)  roughing  out  of  the  copper 
and  chlorine  ;  (4)  solution  of  sufficient  iron  to  guaran- 
tee the  removal  of  arsenic  and  antimony  in  the  neutral 
leach  step  ;  (5)  elimination  of  the  arsenic  and  antimony 
which  are  only  partly  redissolved  in  dilute  acid.  About 
10%  of  the  arsenic  and  antimony  circulate  in  the  acid 
Dorr  overflow. 

Purification  of  Solutions. — The  failure  of  early  ex- 
perimenters to  recognize  the  harmful  effects  of  minute 
quantities  of  certam  impurities  is  the  principal  reason 
for  their  disappointment.  It  is  not  safe  to  say  that  a 
definite  amount  of  any  impurity  such  as  copper,  arsenic, 
antimony,  cobalt,  cadmium,  tellurium,  or  selenium  can 
be  tolerated  because  the  evil  eftects  of  most  of  these 
appear  to  be  cumulative.  For  instance,  when  a  small 
amount  of  copper  is  present  (10  mg.  per  litre),  the  harm- 
ful effect  of  a  httle  arsenic  or  antimony  is  greatly  multi- 
plied ;  therefore  the  only  safe  thing  is  to  eliminate  all 
to  the  greatest  possible  degree.  If  the  neutral  leach  is 
properly  carried  out.  the  neutral  Dorr  overflow  will 
contain,  in  addition  to  zinc  sulphate,  all  the  soluble 
cadmium  and  a  certain  percentage  of  the  copper  ;  but 
the  arsenic,  antimony,  ferric  iron,  and  part  of  the  cop- 
per will  have  been  precipitated .  Final  purification  with 
zinc  dust  will  take  care  of  the  copper  and  cadmium  and 
willprecipitate  a  certain  amount  of  any  arsenic  and  anti- 
mony that  has  passed  the  neutral  leach  ;  but  it  is  not  safe 
to  depend  on  zinc  dust  for  arsenic  and  antimony  removal. 
The  Great  Falls  purification  plan  is  based  on  the  fact 
that  a  large  excess  of  zinc  dust  will  completely  precipi- 
tate the  last  traces  of  cadmium  and  copper  ;  therefore, 
to  get  a  reasonable  efficiency  from  the  zinc  dust,  a  re- 
covery system  was  installed  and  later  supplemented  by 
a  purification  slime- treatment  plant.  Copper  is  rapidly 
removed  by  the  zinc  dust,  but  cadmium  is  removed 
slowly  and  svith  difficulty  unless  a  large  excess  of  zinc 
dust  is  used.  Ascadmium  must  be  reduced  to  less  than 
20  mg.  per  litre  in  the  purified  solution,  to  make  grade 
"A"  zinc  in  the  tank  room,  and  as  no  rapid  test  of 
which  the  authors  are  aware  is  sufficiently  delicate  to 
indicate  that  small  amount  of  cadmium,  it  has  been 
necessary  to  develop  the  present  practice. 

The  overflow  from  the  neutral  settlers  is  pumped  to 
twelve  10  by  20  ft.  air-agitated  Pachuca  tanks,  where 
it  is  treated  ;  first,  with  recovered  zinc  sludge  from  the 
purification  classifiers,  to  rough  out  the  copper,  then 
with  zinc  dust,  added  carefully  until  copper  cannot  be 


detected  with  the  hydrogen-sulphide  test.  A  definite 
excess  of  zinc  dust  is  then  added  to  ensure  that  all  cad- 
mium is  precipitated.  The  amount  of  excess  dust  ad- 
ded is  determined  by  practice  and  is  varied  from  day  to 
day  by  the  zinc-plant  superintendent  after  he  has  re- 
ceived the  analyses  of  the  neutral  Dorr  overflow  and 
the  purified  solution  for  the  previous  day.  It  is  a  cut- 
and-dry  method,  but  is  not  difficult  to  control.  Like  the 
rest  of  the  process  it  must  be  carefully  watched  because 
an  error  here  results  in  poor  tank-room  efficiency  for 
several  days.  The  best  method  is  to  avoid  trouble  by 
using  plenty  of  dust.  On  the  other  hand,  the  use  of 
too  much  dust  is  expensive,  but  so  long  as  there  is  in- 
sufficient zinc  sludge  coming  back  from  the  classifiers 
to  rough  out  the  copper  too  much  zinc  dust  is  not  be- 
ing used. 

After  the  addition  of  the  excess  zinc  dust,  the  tank  is 
agitated  for  15  minutes  and  then  discharged  through  a 
drag-line  classifier  to  two  10  by  50  ft.  Dorr  settlers  in 
parallel,  which  are  in  series  with  six  25  by  65  ft.  con- 
crete settling  ponds.  The  ponds  are  arranged  in  paral- 
lel, so  that  any  one  can  be  cut  out  for  cleaning  without 
interfering  with  the  others,  and  are  7  ft.  deep  at  the  feed 
end  and  2J  ft.  at  the  discharge;  the  sloping  bottom 
facilitates  cleaning.  During  normal  operations  one 
pond  is  sluiced  out  per  shift ;  if  the  sludge  is  allowed  to 
remain  in  the  bottom  of  the  pond  too  long,  the  cadmium 
oxidizes  and  goes  into  solution.  Traces  of  acid  or  ferric 
sulphate  hasten  the  re-solution  of  the  cadmium.  The 
pond  overflow  launder  leads  to  a  concrete  sump,  which 
supplies  the  feed  to  eight  Shriver  clarifying  presses. 
The  purified  solution,  after  passing  the  presses,  is  as 
clear  as  crystal.  If  the  overflow  from  the  ponds  is  clear, 
the  presses  are  probably  superfluous,  but  they  act  as  a 
safeguard,  and  all  the  solution  has  been  forced  through 
them.  The  clarified  solution  is  pumped  to  two  12  by 
50ft.  storage  tanks  and  forms  the  feed  to  the  tank  room. 
The  sludge  from  the  purification  Dorrs  and  the  ponds 
is  pumped  to  a  scavenger  Dorr,  which  receives  all  the 
spill  and  washings  from  the  presses  and  the  purification 
settling  system  and  acts  as  a  combination  settler  and 
slime  storage  tank  for  the  purification  slime  treatment 
plant.  The  overflow  of  the  scavenger  settler  ispumped 
back  to  the  purification  tanks.  The  spigot  product  of 
the  scavenger  settler  is  the  feed  to  the  purification  slime 
treatment  plant. 

The  scavenger  spigot  product  is  pumped  to  two  10  by 
17  ft.  leaching  Pachuca  tanks  until  they  are  about  one- 
third  full,  then  cell  acid  (10%  sulphuric  acid)  is  run  in 
slowly  while  the  tanks  are  agitated  until  copper  tjegins 
to  go  into  solution.  At  this  point,  the  zinc  and  cad- 
mium are  in  solution  while  the  copper  is  still  in  the  solid 
state.  These  leaches  are  now  pumped  to  the  copper 
settler,  where  the  copper  is  collected  in  a  rich  slime, 
30%  copper  in  the  spigot  product,  and  is  filtered  on  a 
12  by  12  ft.  Oliver  filter  and  sent  to  the  copper  smelter. 
Theoverflowof  the  copper  settler  contains  the  cadmium 
and  zinc  and  is  run  to  two  10  by  17  ft.  Pachuca  puri- 
fying tanks,  to  which  fine  zinc  dust  is  added  in  suffici- 
ent quantity  to  reduce  the  cadmium  content  of  the  solu- 
tion to  that  of  the  neutral  Dorr  overflow.  After  the 
cadmium  is  precipitated,  these  tanks  are  discharged  to 
a  10  by  30  ft.  cadmium  settler,  the  overflow  of  which 
goes  back  with  the  scavenger  settler  overflow  for  purifi- 
cation. The  spigot  product  of  the  cadmium  settler 
contains  12%  cadmium  and  is  to  be  treated  for  the  re- 
covery of  metallic  cadmium.  Approximately  500  lb. 
of  cadmium  per  day  is  contained  in  this  product.  The 
process  for  the  recovery  of  cadmium  has  been  worked 
out  and  the  plant  will,  most  probably,  be  installed  when 
the  demand  for  cadmium  justifies  it. 
(To  be  continued). 


306 


THE    MINMNG     MAGAZINE 


IlKAT  TREATMENT   IN   SHARPENING   DRILL  STEELS. 


In  the  .MiHi-  mtil  (Jiiiirry  for  April,  J.  A.  iNoycs  ami 
K.  M.  Lee  discuss  the  scienlilic  principles  uiiilerlyinn 
the  healing  of  drill  steels  prior  to  sharpening,  it  is 
becoming  generally  recognized  that  the  rule  of  thumb 
methods  usually  followed  in  the  mine-drill  sharpening 
shop  must  be  supplanted  by  a  systematic  yet  practical 
application  of  known  facts  about  the  physical  proper- 
ties of  high-carbon  steel.  This  article  makes  a  few 
practical  suggestions  regarding  the  proper  heating, 
forging,  and  tempering  of  high-carbon  drill  steel. 

In  the  discussion  of  the  proper  forging  and  temper- 
ing temperatures,  it  is  first  necessary  to  understand 
what  is  meant  by  the  critical  point  of  the  sieel.  The 
critical  range  can  be  ascertained  by  watching  the  slow 
heating  of  a  piece  of  steel  in  the  furnace.  The  steel 
brightens  in  colour  with  the  rising  heat  of  the  furnace 
until  a  point  is  reached  where  the  steel  apparently  be 
comes  a  trifle  darker  and  cooler  than  the  furnace.  If 
the  heating  continues,  the  steel  again  increases  in 
brightness,  once  more  assuming  the  same  brilliancy  and 
temperature  as  the  furnace.  The  darkening  is  due  to 
the  absorption  of  heat  and  the  temperature  at  which 
this  absorption  takes  place  is  known  as  the  decalescent 
or  critical  point.  At  this  point  the  ferrite  and  pearlite 
are  converted  into  austenite.  If  the  furnace  is  now  al- 
lowed to  cool  slowly,  a  point  will  be  reached  where  the 
steel  remains  visibly  brighter  than  the  furnace,  but  in 
a  few  seconds  it  again  assumes  the  colour  of  the  fur- 
nace and  darkens  with  it.  This  brightening  of  colour 
is  due  to  the  throwing-ofi  of  heat  and  is  the  recalescent 
point,  where  the  austenite  changes  back  to  ferrite  and 
pearlite.  The  decalescent  point  on  the  rising  heat  is 
at  a  higher  temperature  than  the  recalescent  point  of 
cooling.  For  practical  purposes,  the  critical  point  is 
the  decalescent  point,  and  the  critical  range  includes 
the  temperatures  just  above  the  critical  point.  The 
critical  point  of  steel  is  different  for  steels  of  different 
carbon  contents  For  drill  steel  averaging  060%  to 
090%  carbon,  the  critical  range  is  from  1,420'  to 
1,350"F.  By  coincidence  this  steel  becomes  non- 
magnetic at  a  temperature  which  for  all  practical  pur- 
poses is  the  same  as  the  critical  temperature  of  the 
steel.  This  fact  therefore  affords  a  simple,  easy  me- 
thod of  determining  the  critical  point  of  any  drill  steel 
regardless  of  its  carbon  content.  By  bringing  the 
heated  drill  bit  up  close  to  an  ordinary  horse-shoe 
magnet,  it  can  be  determined  whether  or  not  the  tem- 
perature of  the  bit  is  above  the  critical  range  of  the 
steel  by  merely  noting  whether  or  not  the  magnet  is 
attracted  by  the  hot  steel.  If  the  magnet  is  attracted, 
the  temperature  is  below  the  critical  point.  If  it  is  not 
attracted  by  the  steel,  the  critical  temperature  has  been 
passed 

The  structure  and  physical  properties  of  the  drill  bit 
depend  on  the  temperatures  used  for  heating  the  steel 
preceding  both  forging  and  quenching,  as  well  as  on 
the  care  exercised  in  the  mechanical  working  or  forg- 
ing of  the  bit.  The  finest  grain  size  obtainable  exists 
just  as  the  steel  passes  through  the  critical  range  on 
the  rising  heat.  Further  heating  above  the  critical 
temperature  coarsens  the  grain,  and  this  coarse  struc- 
ture remains  in  the  steel  if  it  is  allowed  to  cool  undis- 
turbed. If,  instead  of  allowing  the  steel  to  cool  un- 
disturbed, it  is  vigorously  hammered,  the  coarse  cry- 
stalline structure  can  be  broken  up  and  the  grain 
refined.  If,  however,  the  hammering  is  stopped  above 
the  critical  range,  the  coarse  crystallization  sets  in 
again,  and  the  higher  the  temperature  above  the  critical 
range  at  which  the  forging  stops,  the  coarser  the  struc- 
ture will  be.     The  finishing  temperature  for  the  forg- 


ing operation  of  the  drill  steel  bit  should  therefore  be 
at  or  slightly  above  the  critical  temperature,  and  the 
forging  should  be  by  rapid,  vigorous  hammering  and 
not  by  "  bull-dozing  "  or  sipiee/ing  It  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  hammered  forgings  command  a  much  higher 
price  than  drop  forgings,  where  the  metal  is  literally 
pressed  into  shape  at  high  temperatures.  The  forging 
operation  should  not  continue  below  the  critical  range, 
because  cold  working  below  this  heat  causes  distortions 
and  internal  strains,  which  result  in  briltleness  and  in 
steel  breakage. 

Heating  in  a  coal  forge  is  unsatisfactory,  as  the 
abundance  of  oxygen  retjuired  for  the  combustion  of 
the  coal  gives  a  heavy  oxidizing  flame,  causing  exces- 
sive scaling  of  the  steel.  Coke  is  only  slightly  better 
as  a  fuel.  With  both  coal  and  coke  furnaces,  it  is  al- 
most impossible  to  get  a  close  regulation  of  tempera- 
ture. In  heating  steel,  it  expands,  except  in  passing 
through  the  critical  range,  at  which  point  it  contracts. 
Therefore,  if  a  piece  of  cold  steel  is  thrust  into  a  rag- 
ing hot  fire,  the  outer  surfaces  are  passing  through  the 
critical  range  and  are  contracting,  whereas  the  centre 
of  the  bit  is  still  expanding,  having  not  yet  reached  the 
critical  temperature.  This  causes  cracking  and  check- 
ing of  the  steel.  In  the  same  way,  even  if  the  steel  is 
not  thrust  directly  into  a  raging  open  fire,  but  is  only 
inserted  directly  into  the  combustion  chamber  of  a  fur- 
nace, where  the  extreme  high  temperature  flames  are 
allowed  to  impinge  directly  against  the  drill  bits,  this 
same  condition  will  result,  and  either  cracking  or  check- 
ing of  the  bits  takes  place.  It  is  a  well-known  fact 
that  if  the  higher  carbon  steels  are  allowed  to  remain 
in  a  hot  furnace  for  any  great  length  of  time  the  car- 
bon is  precipitated  in  the  form  of  graphite,  and  when 
this  occurs,  the  steel  is  greatly  reduced  in  efficiency, 
even  if  not  entirely  ruined.  It  is  common  practice  in 
drill-sharpening  shops  for  the  smith  to  allow  the  drill 
steel  to  remain  in  the  furnace  wliile  making  adjust- 
ments on  the  drill-sharpening  machine,  changing  dol- 
lies, or  making  minor  repairs,  and  this  is  sure  to  prove 
costly  in  the  end,  as  the  outer  surface  of  the  steel  be- 
comes decarbonized  and  will  not  respond  to  the  same 
heat  treatment  that  is  effective  before  the  soaking  takes 
place.  This  soaking  also  increases  the  coarseness  of 
tructure,  as  coarseness  of  structure  not  only  increases 
wiih  high  temperatures,  but  also  with  the  length  of 
time  for  which  the  steel  is  held  at  the  higli  tempera- 
ture. The  maximum  temperature  for  forging  drill  steel 
should  not  exceed  1,650°  to  1,750^"F.  Temperatures 
higher  than  this  coarsen  the  structure  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  even  the  thorough,  hammering  during  the 
forging  operation  cannot  again  refine  the  grain.  The 
result  of  too  high  a  forging  heat  is  checked,  cracked, 
and  brittle  bits,  irrespectue  of  what  the  subsequent 
tempering  treatment  may  be. 

In  tempering  all  drill  bits,  quenching  should  take 
place  at  the  critical  temperature  or  at  about  50°F. 
above  this  point  and  on  a  rising  heat.  When  quench- 
ing takes  place  at  this  temperature,  maximum  density 
and  toughness,  with  maximum  hardness,  are  secured. 
The  heating  preceding  the  quenching  should  be  slow, 
uniform,  and  thorough,  and  at  the  lowest  possible  tem- 
perature that  will  secure  the  desired  results.  The  fur- 
nace temperature  should  be  slightly  above  the  critical 
point  of  the  steel  to  compensate  for  some  loss  of  heat 
while  transferring  the  steel  from  the  furnace  to  the 
quenching  bath.  Heating  for  quenching  cannot  be 
done  satisfactorily  in  a  coal  or  coke  furnace,  where 
close  regulation  of  temperature  is  impossible.  Over- 
heating is  the  cause  of  90%   of  the  bad  results  from 


MAY,    1921 


307 


drill  steel.  Unfortunately  many  practical  smiths  still 
believe  in  the  efficiency  of  high  temperatures  for 
greater  hardening  effect.  While  to  a  very  limited  e.t- 
tent  it  may  hold  true  that  the  liigher  the  temperature 
the  harder  the  steel,  the  questionable  gain  in  hardness 
is  more  than  offset  by  increased  coarseness  in  the  grain 
of  the  steel,  and  by  internal  strains,  both  resulting  in 
faster  wear  on  the  bits,  and  more  breakage.  Heating 
for  hardening  requires  great  care.  The  rapid  quench- 
ing of  hot  steel  is  the  most  severe  test  that  steel  can  be 
put  to.  If  the  heating  is  not  uniform,  it  naturally  fol- 
lows that  the  bit  after  quenching  will  be  subjected  to 
severe  internal  strains.  Hardening  cracks  are  there- 
fore more  often  a  result  of  improper  heating  than  of 
any  defect  in  the  steel. 

To  emphasize  the  importance  of  quenching  steel 
at  the  lowest  possible  temperature  and  still  be  above 
the  critical  point,  the  authors  cite  a  test  that  was  made 
on  two  gears  that  were  machined  from  the  same  bar  of 
steel,  and  given  identically  the  same  heat  treatment, 
with  the  single  exception  that  gear  Bwas  quenched  at 
a  temperature  50"  higher  than  gear  A.  Both  gears 
showed  the  same  degree  of  hardness.  While  it  required 
48  blows  of  a  10  lb.  hammer  dropping  30  in.  to  break 
a  tooth  out  of  gear  B,  it  required  200  blows  of  the  same 
hammer  falling  the  same  distance  before  a  tooth  could 
be  broken  out  of  gear  A.  This  difference  of  only  50" 
lower  quenching  temperature  resulted  in  400%  in- 
crease in  toughness.  This  example  clearly  illustrates 
that  in  order  to  get  the  maximum  wear-resisting  quali- 
ties in  a  drill  bit,  the  quenching  should  be  at  the  tem- 
perature at  which  the  magnetism  leaves  the  steel,  and 
thus  theory  and  practice  both  support  the  old  rule  that 
the  lowest  temperature  that  gives  the  desired  results  is 
the  best  temperature. 

One  of  the  conditions  that  works  a  hardship  on  the 
drill  smith  in  the  average  drill  shop  is  having  to  handle 
steel  which  contains  varying  percentages  of  carbon. 
Steel  containing  090%  carbon  does  not  require  as  high 
a  temperature  for  hardening  as  a  piece  which  contains 
050%  carbon.  If  both  steels  were  quenched  at  a  tem- 
perature suitable  for  the  higher  carbon  steel,  the  other 
steel  having  a  lower  percentage  of  carbon  would  be 
too  soft.  If  the  quenching  temperature  is  raised  high 
enough  to  secure  the  proper  hardness  of  the  0  50% 
carbon  steel,  and  if  the  steel  with  the  higher  carhon 
content  is  quenched  at  this  higher  temperature,  break- 
age and  chipping  of  the  bit  is  practically  certain.  This 
may  cause  the  blacksmith  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  as  in 
one  section  of  the  mine  there  may  be  a  complaint  about 
the  steel  being  too  soft,  while  other  sections  of  the 
same  mine  will  report  the  steel  as  being  too  hard. 

The  authors  describe  an  inexpensive  electrical  indi- 
cator for  determining  when  the  steel  has  reached   the 
decalescent  point.  This  is  an  ordinary  horse-shoe  mag- 
net hung  from  a  fibre  or  other  non  conducting  support. 
At  the  upper  end  of  the  support  is  a  copper  contact  for 
closing   an   ordinary  light  circuit.     This  indicator  is 
more  serviceable  in  the  shop  than  an  ordinary  horse- 
shoe magnet  hung  from  a  cord.    When  the  heated  bit 
is  pressed  against  the  copper  plate  the  light  will  flash 
if  the  steel  is  at  too  low  a  temperature  for  quenching. 
The  correct  heat  for  quenching  is  when  the  magnetism 
leaves  the  steel.     This  indicator  gives  one  of  the  two 
necessary  facts  about  the  temperature  of  the  steel  for 
quenching.     It  is  the  fact  that  the  steel  is  hot  enough, 
having  passed  the  critical  temperature.     The  second 
1  fact  that  must  be  known  is  that  the  temperature  is  not 
1  too  high.     This  can  be  assured  by  using  an  oil  or  gas 
■  furnace,  the  maximum  temperature  of  which  is  indi- 
;  cated  by  a  pyrometer.     If  the  maximum  temperature 
of  the  furnace  is  maintained  at  a  predetermined  point, 

5-6 


there  will  be  no  danger  of  overheating  the  steel,  irre- 
spective of  the  time  the  steel  remains  in  the  furnace, 
within  reasonable  limits.  In  the  past  it  has  been  the 
general  practice  to  insert  the  drill  bits  into  a  raging  hot 
furnace  and  depend  on  the  watchfulness  and  skill  of 
the  operator  to  judge  when  the  proper  temperature  has 
been  reached.  Naturally  the  results  have  varied  with 
different  men,  different  light  conditions,  and  with  the 
conglomeration  of  steel  of  several  makes,  and  various 
chemical  compositions. 

When  the  proper  temperature  is  secured,  quenching 
should  be  rapid.  The  object  of  quenching  is  to  retain 
the  characteristics  which  the  proper  heating  has  deve- 
loped. The  most  satisfactory  quenching  medium  for 
drill  steel  is  circulating  cold  water,  For  uniform  re- 
sults the  temperature  of  the  water  should  be  kept  fairly 
constant.  The  effectiveness  of  water  as  a  quenching 
medium  falls  off  rapidly  above  lOO'F.  Brine  solution 
is  a  faster  quenching  medium  than  water,  but  its  effec- 
tiveness decreases  with  increased  temperature,  particu- 
larly where  large  quantities  of  steel  are  handled.  Oil 
is  used  as  a  quenching  medium  where  a  high  degree  of 
hardness  is  not  necessary. 

The  design  of  a  safe,  efficient  drill-steel  furnace  is  an 
engineering  problem,  and  it  must  be  treated  as  such. 
A  drill-steel  furnace  must  operate  at  different  tempera- 
tures, as  the  degree  of  heat  required  for  hardening  is 
different  from  that  required  for  forging.  The  tempera- 
ture control  must  be  accurate  at  different  heats.  Con- 
sideration must  be  given  to  the  time  required  for  heat- 
ing. The  part  of  the  steel  to  be  heated  must  be  con- 
sidered :  for  example,  a  short  heat  at  the  end  of  the 
steel  when  tempering  bits  or  a  forging  heat  at  a  point 
five  inches  from  the  end  when  forming  lugged  shanks. 
Fuel  consumption  cannot  be  treated  by  itself.  It  in- 
volves proper  and  complete  combustion  of  the  fuel  as 
well  as  the  results  desired.  The  heat  developed  must 
be  used  and  not  wasted.  The  authors  proceed  to  give 
details  of  the  Sullivan  drill-steel  furnace.  This  is  a  low- 
pressure  oil  or  gas  furnace  of  the  underfed  type.  The 
combustion  chamber  is  located  below  the  adjustable 
hearths.  The  slot  width  between  the  hearths  can  be 
varied  from  i  in.  to  nearly  the  full  width  of  the  com- 
bustion chamber  This  permits  heating  the  bar  of  steel 
with  any  length  of  heat  and  at  any  point  along  the  bar. 
This  is  a  particularly  valuable  and  serviceable  feature 
in  forming  collared  or  lugged  shanks.  At  the  hot  end 
of  the  furnace  is  a  thermo-couple  which  registers  the 
temperature  in  connection  with  a  pyrometer  indicating 
apparatus.  The  temperature  at  the  point  where  the 
drill  bits  are  withdrawn  from  the  furnace  can,  there- 
fore, be  kept  at  any  predetermined  point  by  regulating 
the  fuel  supply,  thus  maintaining  the  desired  heat  as 
indicated  by  the  pyrometer.  For  example,  in  heating 
the  steel  for  quenching,  the  pointer  on  the  instrument 
may  be  set  at  1,450°F.  When  the  temperature  in  the 
furnace  at  the  point  of  withdrawal  of  the  steel,  which 
is  where  the  hot  end  of  the  thermo-couple  is  located, 
is  at  1,450°F.,  a  white  electric  light  will  burn.  If  the 
temperature  increases  25°  the  white  light  goes  out  and 
a  red  light  comes  on.  If  the  temperature  drops  25^  be- 
low the  figure  at  which  the  pointer  is  set,  a  green  light 
burns.  In  heating  for  forging  the  pointer  on  the  instru- 
ment can  be  set  at  a  higher  temperature,  for  example, 
at  1.650°F.,  and  the  three  coloured  electric  lights  again 
operate  to  indicate  correct,  high  and  low  temperatures. 
In  this  furnace  the  combustion  of  the  fuel  takes  place 
below  the  hearths  in  the  combustion  chamber.  When 
the  furnace  is  up  to  heat,  the  combustion  chamber, 
hearth  pieces,  and  the  adjustable  brick  stop  become  in- 
candescent and  the  drill  bits  are  healed  by  an  indirect 
or  reflected  heat.     Oxidizing  or  scaling  of  the  surface 


308 


TTTK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


of  the  bits  is  thus  prevented.  The  steel  cannot  be  in- 
serted directly  in  the  combustion  chamber.  The  steel 
cannot  be  overheated,  as  the  maximum  temperature  at 
the  hot  end  of  the  furnace  is  a  safe  heat  and  is  checked 
with  the  pyrometer.  The  lenjjlh  of  heat  on  the  slccl 
can  be  kept  short  by  narrowinj;  the  width  of  ilic  slot 
between  the  hearths.  In  the  normal  operation  of  tins 
furnace,  it  is  kept  well  filled  with  steel,  practically 
closing  the  slot  opening  from  the  combustion  chamber, 
resulting  in  increased  fuel  economy.  The  cold  steel  is 
put  in  at  the  burner  end,  which  is  the  cold  end  of  the 


furnace.  As  the  heated  steels  are  withdrawn  at  the 
other  end,  the  others  are  rolled  along  toward  the  hot 
end,  so  the  heating  is  progressive,  slow,  uniform,  and 
thorough  Overhealing  of  the  steel  is  impossible.  Al- 
though the  construction  of  this  furn,ace  is  compara- 
tively simple,,  the  exact  proporlioning  of  the  combus- 
lion  chamber,  the  location  and  height  of  the  liearlh 
and  hood  pieces,  the  type  and  position  of  the  burner, 
the  details  of  the  adjustable  drill  rest,  have  all  been 
arrived  at  by  a  development  process  under  actual  work- 
ing conditions. 


Globe  &  Phoenix  Metallurgy. — The  January/oMma/ 

of  the  Chemical,  Metallurgical,  and  Mining  Society  of 
South  .-Vfrica  contains  a  paper  bv  V.  E.  Robinson  on 
the  present  method  of  treatment  of  the  oreat  the  Globe 
&  Phcvnix  gold  mines.  Southern  Khodesia.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  an  article  by  H.  T.  Brett  was  pub- 
lished in  the  Magazine  lor  July,  1911,  but  the  methods 
there  described  have  been  largely  superseded. 

An  analysis  of  the  ore  given  by  Mr.  Brett  is  as  fol- 
lows ;  SiOa  and  insoluble.  76-32"o  ;  Sb,  0  73%  ;  Fe, 
2-58?i  ;  S,  096%  ;  Cat),  r21%  ;  MgO,  f,-44%  :  As, 
trace  :  Cu,  trace.  The  amount  of  antimony,  however, 
variesconsiderably.  Screen  samples,  taken  overaperiod 
of  three  weeks,  havecontained  asmuch  as2'39%  Sband 
0'26%  As,  while  themassivestibnite  removed  by  sorting 
contains  up  to  80%  Sb.^S;,.  Muchof  thegoldpresentin 
theore  isfree,  and  easilycaughtonamalgamatedplates; 
some  of  it  is  coated,  but  can  be  amalgamated  in  grinding 
pans  ;  and  some  escapes  the  pans  but  can  be  retained  on 
canvas  strakes.  Owing  to  the  stibnile  present,  and  also 
possibly  to  ferrous  iron,  the  tailing  cannot  be  treated 
directly  by  cyanide,  but  if  it  be  allowed  to  partly  oxi- 
dize by  weathering,  it  becomes  amenable  to  cyaniding. 
After  breaking  and  sorting,  the  ore  is  wet-crushed  by 
stamps  and  passes  over  amalgamated  plates  to  grinding 
pans.  It  then  flows  over  canvas  strakes  to  a  classifier, 
which  separates  sand  from  slime.  The  sand  is  dis- 
charged to  the  dump,  and  the  slime  to  dams.  Both 
products  are  allowed  to  oxidize  by  weathering,  after 
which  the  sand  is  ground  in  tube-mills  in  cyanide  solu- 
tion, and  treated  by  counter-current  continuous  decan- 
tation,  while  the  slime  is  treated  by  the  ordinary  decan- 
tation  method. 

The  author  proceeds  to  give  details  of  the  processes. 
The  ore  is  trammed  from  the  shaft  bin,  and  dumped  on 
steel  grizzlies,  with  li  in.  openings  and  set  at  an  angle 
of  50°.  The  oversize  is  fed  to  two  15  in.  by  9  in.  Blake- 
Marsden  breakers,  svhence  it  is  conveyed  by  belt  to  a 
screening  and  washing  trommel.  Fines  go  direct  to  the 
mill  bin  ;  the  remainder,  before  entering  the  bin,  is  fed 
on  to  a  sorting  belt,  where  waste  rock  and  stibnite  are 
removed,  and  discharged  to  their  respective  dumps. 
About  half  a  ton  of  massive  stibnite  is  sorted  out  per 
day.  The  greater  portion  of  the  stibnite  remaining  in 
the  ore  is  present  in  the  fines. 

The  mill  is  equipped  with  -10  stamps  of  1,2501b. 
weight,  using  200  mesh  screens  (200  holes  per  sq,  in.), 
with  a  drop  of  8J  in.,  and  making  108  drops  to  the  min- 
ute, the  stamp  duty  being  5  75  tons  per  day.  From  the 
mortar-boxes  the  pulp  flows  over  eight  amalgamated 
copper  plates,  12  ft.  in  length,  of  which  the  lower  4  ft. 
is  covered  with  blanket.  From  the  plates  the  pulp 
passes  to  twelve  5  ft.  grinding  pans,  to  which  mercury 
is  added.  These  pans  run  at  48  r.p.m.  Their  shoes 
and  dies  are  made  on  the  mine,  a  set  lasting  on  an  aver- 
age 60  days.  The  pan  discharge  passes  o\-er  canvas 
strakes,  then  through  three  mercury  traps  to  a  large 
launder  designed  as  an  auxiliary  mercury  trap,  thence 
to  the  tailing  pump.  This  auxiliary  mercury  trap  con- 
sists of  a  wide  launder  having  several  layers  of  heavy 


screening  (J  in.  aperture)  fastened  to  the  bottom.  The 
strakes  cover  a  rectangle  19  ft.  long  by  53  ft.  broad,  and 
are  stepped  m  the  centre.  The  strake  product  is  recon- 
centrated  over  a  small  strake,  the  discharge  of  which 
passes  back  into  the  grinding  pans.  This  concentrate 
is  very  fine,  so  that  during  barrel  treatment  it  is  mixed 
with  coarse  river  sand,  and  a  few  tube  mill  pebbles. 
To  promote  efficient  amalgamation  a  little  sodium  cya- 
nide is  added,  which  acts  as  a  desulphurizing  agent, 
keeping  the  mercury  clean.  It  dissolves  no  gold.  From 
65",,  to  70"o  of  the  gold  content  of  the  ore  is  recovered 
by  amalgamation,  of  which  50%  comes  from  the  plates, 
13%  from  the  blankets  at  bottom  of  plates,  19%  from 
the  pans,  and  8%  from  the  canvas  strakes.  The  width 
of  the  slrakes  is  of  more  importance  than  their  length, 
and  if,  through  insufficient  space,  their  width  must  be 
curtailed,  it  will  be  found  advantageous  to  install  step 
tables,  with  a  drop  every  6  ft.  The  fall  should  be  1^  in. 
per  foot,  and  a  convenient  size  for  each  strake  is  30  in. 
wide.  The  blankets  should  not  be  more  than  36  in. 
long,  this  length  being  handled  easily.  Canvas  is  su- 
perior to  blanket  in  saving  fine  gold.  When  first  dis- 
charged both  sand  and  slime  have  a  dull  bluish-grey 
appearance,  but  as  oxidation  proceeds  this  changes  to 
a  yellowish  colour. 

The  capacity  of  the  sand  plant  is  300  to  320  tons  per 
24  hours,  and  an  extraction  of  75%  to  80%  of  the  gold 
content  is  obtained.  Grading  analysis  of  dump  sand 
before  regrinding  shows  : 

Mesh  % 

5 


I 


4-30 


24 
25 
18 
28 


-  30  +  60 

-  60-f  90 

-  90  +  150 

-  150 

Different  sections  of  the  sand  dump,  however,  vary  a 
great  deal,  and  the  sand  now  being  discharged  from  the 
mill  contains  only  25°,,  of  +90  mesh  after  regrinding, 
the  residue  grading  showing  about  15  to  20%  of  +  150 
mesh.  The  tube-mill  pebbles  used  are  obtained  from 
adjacent  river  beds.  Waste  rock  has  been  used,  but  is 
inferior  to  these  pebbles.  The  cyanide  strength  is  kept 
at  about  003%  KCN  in  the  tube-mill  circuit  and  agi- 
tators :  11  lb.  cyanide  and  0  2  lb.  lead  nitrate  are  con- 
sumed per  ton.  The  sand  is  conveyed  from  the  dump 
to  the  treatment  plant  by  mechanical  haulage. 

The  dams  for  accumulating  the  current  slime  occupy 
an  area  of  about  5  acres,  divided  into  three  separate 
portions,  each  being  6  ft.  deep,  so  that,  while  one  is  be- 
ing filled,  another  is  full  awaiting  treatment,  and  the 
third  is  under  treatment.  When  a  dam  is  full, it  is  al- 
lowed to  dry  sufficiently  to  hold  the  weight  of  the  oxen 
and  plough.  The  whole  surface  is  then  ploughed  over 
several  times,  at  intervals  of  live  to  six  weeks.  When 
treatment  is  commenced  on  a  dam,  half  the  ploughed 
area  is  removed  to  a  depth  of  14  in.,  and  taken  to  the 
treatment  plant.  The  rails  are  then  shifted  to  the  other 
half  of  the  ploughed  area,  which  in  its  turn  is  treated, 
and  while  treatment  of  this  second  half  is  proceeding. 


! 


MAY,    1921 


309 


the  first  half  is  reploughed  several  times.  This  pro- 
cedure is  continued  until  the  dam  is  exhausted.  The 
ploughed  and  oxidized  slime  is  trammed  by  oxen  to  a 
vortex  mixer.  The  cyanide  treatment  is  carried  out  in 
circulation  and  decantation  tanks,  circulation  and  trans- 
fer being  effected  by  pumps.  The  cyanide  consump- 
tion is  about  16  lb.  per  ton  treated.  An  extraction  of 
close  on  80%  of  the  gold  content  is  obtained. 

Precipitation  on  the  whole  is  good,  although  the  zinc 
is  apt  to  become  plated  with  gold.  The  solution  from 
the  sand  treatment  plant  gives  far  less  trouble  than  that 
from  the  slime  plant,  and  the  prodjctsof  the  two  plants 
are  kept  separate  throughout  clean-up  and  smelting. 
In  the  slime  boxes,  a  varying  amount  of  copper  is  pre- 
cipitated in  the  lower  compartments.  The  smelting 
equipment  consists  of  a  paraffin  oil-fired  tilting  furnace, 
taking  a  No.  400  crucible  ;  three  coke  furnaces  ;  one 
two-tray  calcining  furnace,  and  a  retort.  Slags  and 
other  by-products  are  treated  in  a  Taverner  furnace. 
The  retort  is  of  the  usual  design.  A  small  amount  of 
antimony  present  in  the  amalgam  causes  objectionable 
fuming  when  taking  sponge  from  retort,  and  also  makes 
the  gold  very  brittle  After  the  precipitate  from  the 
sand  plant  is  smelted,  it  is  refined  by  re-melting  with 
an  oxidizing  flux  in  clay-lined  pots,  skimmed,  and  a 
blast  of  dry  compressed  air  alio  .ved  to  play  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  mollen  metal  for  from  one  to  two  hours. 
The  iron  pipe,  J  in.  diameter,  delivering  the  air.  is  kept 
about  4  in.  from  thesurfaceof  the  metal,  and  just  suffici- 
ent air  is  turned  on  to  give  a  faint  ripple  over  the  sur- 
face; antimony,  and  other  easily  volatilized  metalscome 
off  in  dense  fumes  until  completion  of  the  operation. 
The  bars  are  cast  under  a  borax  cover,  and  assay  over 
800  fine.  The  slime  bullion  requires  different  treat- 
ment owing  to  the  large  amount  of  copper  often  present. 
It  isgranulated,  mixed  with  sulphur,  and  heated  slowly 
in  a  graphite  pot.  Most  of  the  co.pper  and  other  base 
metals,  as  well  as  part  of  the  silver,  enter  the  matte, 
but  antimony  is  not  entirely  removed.  After  the  charge 
has  been  fused,  poured,  and  the  matte  removed,  the 
bullion  obtained  is  re-melted  in  a  clay-lined  pot  with  an 
oxidizing  flux,  then  skimmed  and  toughened  by  com- 
pressed air.  The  matte  is  crushed  fine,  mixed  with  an 
equal  weight  of  borax,  and  quarter  its  weight  of  crushed 
cyanide,  and  heated  in  a  graphite  pot  until  all  action 
ceases.  The  matte  is  nowdecomposed,  and  practically 
all  the  gold  and  silver  are  recovered  as  fairly  good  bul- 
lion, which  is  further  refined  by  oxidation,  and  is  then 
included  \vith  the  bullion  obtained  from  the  sulphur 
treatment. 

A  considerable  amount  of  experimental  work  has 
clearly  demonstrated  the  desirability  of  weathering  be- 
fore treatment.  Tests  quoted  by  the  author  show  a 
recovery  of  84  2%  and  a  consumption  of  15  lb.  cyanide 
per  ton  with  weathered  sand,  and  60  5%  and  2  8  lb. 
with  current  sand.  The  period  required  for  oxidation 
varies  according  to  conditions.  The  slime  might  remain 
in  the  dams  for  years,  without  any  visible  change  tak- 
ing place,  but  as  soon  as  it  is  ploughed,  and  thus  ex- 
posed to  the  air,  the  change  lo  a  yellowish  colour  com- 
mences. Under  the  best  conditions,  slime  will  oxidize 
sufficiently  for  treatment  in  about  20  days.  Under 
working  conditions  each  half  of  a  dam  will  receive  two 
ploughmgs  in  approximately  six  weeks.  As  a  general 
rule,  the  sand  will  be  on  the  dump  over  six  months  be- 
fore it  is  treated,  though  under  favourable  conditions, 
such  as  small  bulk,  it  would  be  ready  for  treatment  in 
a  much  shorter  period.  Occasionally,  when  the  anti- 
mony contents  are  low,  a  fairly  good  extraction  may 
be  obtained  without  preliminary  oxidation  by  weather- 
ing. The  use  of  a  certain  amount  of  lime  in  treating 
the  oxidized  material  is  desirable,  as  it  decreases  the 


cyanide  consumption,  but  too  much  is  fatal  to  a  good 
extraction. 

Calcium. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Institute  of  Metals 
held  in  March,  P.  H.  Brace  presented  a  paper  on  cal- 
cium, its  history,  properties,  and  manufacture.  We 
give  here  a  brief  abstract. 

Sir  Humphry  Davy  appears  to  have  been  the  first  to 
isolate  traces  of  calcium  by  the  electrolysis  of  moist 
lime;  though  while  Davy's  work  was  in  progress  he 
received  a  letter  from  Berzelius  and  Pontin  which  de- 
scribed the  results  of  their  experiments  on  the  electroly- 
sis of  the  alkaline  earths  with  mercury  cathodes.  Davy 
repeated  these  experiments  and  secured  amalgams  of 
calcium  and  the  other  alkaline  earths,  confirming  the 
conclusions  of  Berzelius  and  Pontin.  In  1854  Bunsen 
prepared  small  quantities  of  calcium  by  electrolysing 
an  aqueous  solution  of  the  chloride  with  a  mercury 
cathode  and  subsequently  distilling  off  the  mercury. 
Matthiesen,  in  1856.  prepared  small  quantities  of  im- 
pure metallic  calcium  by  the  electrolysis  of  a  fused  mix- 
ture of  strontium  chloride  and  calcium  chloride.  Com- 
paratively little  interest  was  shown  in  the  subject  until 
Moissan.  in  1898,  published  his  results  which  showed 
that  nearly  pure  calcium  could  be  prepared  by  the  re- 
duction of  calcium  iodide  by  means  of  sodium.  In  the 
same  paper  Moissan  mentions  the  electrolytic  prepara- 
tion of  calcium  from  the  fused  iodide.  In  the  same 
year  he  published  an  extensive  list  of  the  properties  of 
the  calcium  prepared  by  the  sodium  reduction  method. 
In  1898  Bela  von  Lengyel  gave  an  account  of  the  pro- 
perties of  calcium  prepared  in  a  cell  with  a  porous  dia- 
phragm. Borchers  and  Stockem  described  a  calcium 
cell  in  which  the  metal  was  deposited  in  the  form  of  a 
sponge  on  a  water-cooled  cathode  projecting  upward 
from  the  bottom  of  the  cell  submerged  in  the  electrolyte 
of  fused  calcium  chloride.  A  similar  cell  was  used  in 
1903  by  Goodwin,  but  he  operated  at  a  higher  current 
density  and  temperature,  and  so  caused  the  calcium  to 
collect  in  the  molten  state  and  rise  to  the  top  of  the 
bath,  whence  it  was  removed  by  means  of  a  ladle. 
Shortly  after  this,  in  1904,  Rathenau  made  the  next 
noteworthy  advance  when  he  used  a  cathode  which  just 
touched  the  surface  of  the  molten  electrolyte,  and  oper- 
ated it  at  such  a  current  density  that  the  surface  of  the 
calcium  in  contact  with  theelectrolyte  was  kept  molten. 
The  cathode  was  gradually  elevated  as  the  metal  ac- 
cumulated, and  an  irregular  rod  was  thus  built  up. 
This  method  was  commercially  successful.  Goodwin, 
in  1904,  published  the  results  of  extensive  experiments 
with  an  apparatus  of  the  Rathenau  type,  and  gave  an 
account  of  the  physical  properties  of  the  calcium  he  had 
prepared.  In  1905  Wohler  reported  on  his  experiments 
in  which  an  electrolyte  containing  100  parts  of  CaCl^ 
and  17  parts  of  CaF.^  was  used.  He  believed  that  the 
low  melting  point  of  the  above  mixture  was  an  advan- 
tage, but  the  experience  of  others  has  since  indicated 
that  there  are  disadvantages  which  more  than  outweigh 
the  convenience  of  the  low  melting  point.  Arndt  de- 
scribed the  preparation  of  calcium  aluminium  alloys 
by  the  electrolysis  of  calcium  chloride  with  an  alu- 
minium cathode.  Alloys  containing  between  approxi- 
mately 20  and  80%  of  calcium  are  described,  but  no 
particularly  useful  properties  are  mentioned.  In  1909 
Frary  and  Badger  published  a  comprehensive  biblio- 
graphy of  calcium  metallurgy,  followed  by  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  results  of  their  work  with  the  Rathenau 
form  of  cell,  and  in  the  following  year,  Frary,  Bicknell, 
and  Tronson  discussed  the  efficiency  of  the  apparatus 
just  mentioned,  and  concluded  that  practically  100% 
current  efficiency  could  be  obtained  by  proper  manipu- 
lation. They  were  of  the  opinion  that  pure  calcium 
chloride  made  a  more  satisfactory  electrolyte  than  the 


310 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


calcium  fluoride-cilciiim  chloride  mixture  of  Wohler. 
At  the  same  time  Johnson  puhlislied  an  account  of  a 
series  of  experiments  with  the  submerged  cathode  cell  of 
Borchers  and  Stockem,  and  the  Kathenan  cell,  and  de- 
scribed thedevelopment  and  operation  of  a  novel  appara- 
tus in  which  the  metal  was  deposited  on  a  perpendicular, 
vertically  moving  iron  ribbon  cathode  which  closed  the 
narrow  end  of  a  V-shaped  enclosure  containing  theelec- 
trolyte.  The  wall  of  the  enclosure  opposite  the  ribbon 
was  of  graphite,  and  formed  the  anode.  The  cathode 
current  density  was  kept  considerably  lower  than  in  the 
case  of  the  Kathenau  cell,  and  it  appears  that  the  cal- 
cium was  deposited  in  the  solid  state,  producing  a  thick 
plate  on  the  iron  ribbon  in  much  the  same  way  as  metals 
are  ordinarily  deposited  from  aqueous  solutions.  In 
1909  Cowper-Coles  patented  a  process  for  the  electro- 
lytic preparation  of  calcium  and  similar  metals,  the 
principal  feature  of  which  was  the  use  of  a  cathode  in 
the  form  of  a  disc  whose  edge  just  touched  the  surface 
of  the  electrolyte,  and  which  was  rotated  as  the  deposit 
collected.  In  1911  a  refining  process  was  described  in 
a  French  patent,  which  had  in  view  the  elimination  of 
the  included  chloride  and  other  mechanically  held  im- 
purities from  calcium  produced  by  the  Rathenau  and 
similar  methods.  In  this  process  the  calcium  was 
melted  under  calcium  chloride  and  collected  under  an 
inverted  conical  iron  bell  submerged  in  the  molten 
chloride.  The  idea  was  that  the  calcium  would  separ- 
ate completely  from  the  chloride  and  other  impurities 
by  virtue  of  the  differences  in  their  densities.  Molden- 
hauer  and  Anderson,  in  1913,  described  experiments 
with  mixed  fused  electrolytes  in  which  calcium  alloys 
with  zinc  and  some  other  metals  were  produced.  In 
1920  the  writer  (Mr.  Brace)  published  a  short  account 
of  some  experiments  on  the  electrolytic  production  of 
calcium,  and  described  a  new  type  of  cell. 

Of  the  properties  of  calcium,  the  most  important  are 
its  low  specific  gravity,  1  548,  and  the  fact  that  it  de- 
composes water.  The  list  of  calcium  alloys  that  have 
been  prepared  and  investigated  is  large.  The  outstand- 
ing general  properties  seem  to  be  brittleness  and  the 
tendency  to  the  formation  of  intermetallic  compounds. 
Very  few  of  the  calcium  allovs  appear  to  have  any  use- 
fulness as  structural  materials.  Aluminium-rich  alloys 
may  find  application  because  of  their  slight  advantage 
in  weight  over  pure  aluminium.  Lead  alloys  contain- 
ing calcium  and  other  alkaline  earth  metals  are  finding 
application  as  bearing  metals  for  service  such  as  the 
usual  white  metals  are  put  to  Barr  has  published  the 
results  of  an  extensive  investigation  of  the  properties  of 
a  number  of  calcium  alloys  by  the  method  of  thermal 
analysis.  Calcium  was  alloyed  with  thallium,  lead, 
copper,  and  silver,  and  in  every  case  definite  evidence 
of  the  occurrence  of  intermetallic  compounds  was  se- 
cured. Moldenhauer  and  Anderson  investigated  the 
direct  production  of  calcium  alloys  from  fused  mixed 
electrolytes.  Zinc,  aluminium,  and  potassium  alloys 
were  prepared.  Cooper  has  patented  alloys  of  calcium 
with  aluminium,  in  which  the  calcium  content  may  be 
as  high  as  8%.  The  claims  make  a  feature  of  light- 
ness, ductility,  and  ease  of  machining.  Kroll  has  pa- 
tented the  use  of  calcium  and  its  light  alloys  as  a  filling 
for  hollow  steel  structural  members.  He  has  claimed 
that,  as  compared  with  nickel-chromium  steel,  struc- 
tures made  according  to  his  patent  have  the  same 
strength  with  but  4156%  of  their  weight.  Hirsch  and 
Aston  experimented  with  the  production  of  iron  alloys, 
and  state  that  up  to  6%  of  calcium  may  be  alloyed  with 
iron  by  reducing  Fe.^O;,  in  gas-tight  iron  cylinders. 
They  state  that  calcium  destroys  the  welding  property 
of  iron.  Watts  and  Breckenridge  used  the  brittle  al- 
lovs of  calcium  with  aluminium,  silicon,  and  mangan- 


ese as  reducing  agents  in  the  course  of  experiments  on 
the  preparation  of  some  of  the  more  ditlicullly  reducible 
metals.  The  brittleness  of  the  alloys  was  found  a  great 
convenience,  as  it  enabled  them  to  be  pulverized  and 
brought  into  an  intimate  mixture  with  the  substances  to 
be  reduced.  Stockem  slated  that  calcium  dissolved  in 
cast  iron  with  the  evolution  of  considerable  heat,  and 
that  if  considerable  amounts  of  calcium  were  added  a 
scum  of  calcium  carbide  collected  on  the  surface  of  the 
molten  metal.  He  also  stated  that  calcium  alloys  with 
copper  in  all  proportions,  and  that  some  of  these  alloys 
are  useful  as  deoxidizers  and  scavengers  in  non-ferrous 
alloys.  Watts  found  that  calcium  acted  as  a  powerful 
desulphurizer  of  molten  low-carbon  iron,  but  that  the 
effect  on  the  phosphorus  content  was  relatively  small. 
Hackspill  prepared  lead  alloys  by  the  reduction  of  lead 
chloride  with  an  excess  of  calcium.  The  alloys  were 
harder  and  less  brittle  than  lead  and  tarnished  in  the 
air.  They  wereslowly  attacked  by  cold  water,  and  more 
rapidly  by  hot  water.  A  crystalline  alloy,  Fb;,Ca,_,, 
was  isolated  by  distillation  in  vacuo.  A  summary 
of  the  more  important  uses  of  metallic  calcium  is  as 
follows  :  (1)  As  a  reducing  agent  in  the  preparation  of 
metals  and  alloys  from  their  oxygen  and  halogen  com- 
pounds. (2)  As  a  reagent  in  the  purification  of  the  in- 
ert gases.  (3)  As  a  scavenger  in  non-ferrous  metals  and 
alloys.  (4)  As  a  scavenger,  decarburizer,  and  desul- 
phurizer of  ferrousalloys.  (51  As  a  dehydrating  agent, 
as  in  the  treatment  of  oils  and  alcohols,  for  example. 
(6)  As  a  means  of  fixing  atmospheric  nitrogen.  (7)  As 
a  source  of  pure  calcium  carbide  by  direct  reaction  with 
purecarbon.  (8)  Asastiffening  filling  for  hollow  metal 
structural  members.  (9)  As  a  constituent  of  a  light 
aluminium  alloy  having  useful  properties.  (10)  .\s  a 
hardening  component  in  certain  lead-base  anti-friction 
alloys. 

There  are  three  general  methods  for  the  preparation 
of  calcium,  as  follow  :  (1)  By  the  reduction  of  calcium 
compounds  by  metals  of  the  alkali  group,  (2)  By  the 
electrolysis  of  concentrated  aqueous  solutions  with  a 
mercury  cathode.  (3)  The  electrolysis  of  fused  halogen 
compounds  of  calcium  Of  these  three  methods  the 
last  is  by  far  the  simplest  and  most  direct. 

Fire-Damp  in  Gold  Mines. — During  the  last  few 
years  there  have  been  a  number  of  fire-damp  explosions 
in  gold  mines  in  the  Far  East  Rand,  notably  at  Brak- 
pan,  Government  Areas,  and  Daggafoniein,  The 
general  supposition  is  that  the  fire-damp  has  its  origin 
in  the  Coal  Measures  several  thousand  feet  above 
the  reef.  A  paper  on  this  subject  was  read  by  T.  N. 
Desvarat  the  February  meeting  of  the  Chemical,  Metal- 
lurgical, &  Mining  Society  of  South  Africa.  We  quote 
from  this  paper  two  instances  of  accidents  that  have 
occurred  at  Brakpan. 

In  the  Brakpan,  the  first  accident  happened  in  No.  2 
shaft  section,  on  March  19,  1913.  The  No.  8  West 
winze  dipped  at  an  angle  of  15°  to  20°  for  270  ft.,  and 
then  rose  gently  for  130  ft.  Two  small  dykes  were 
passed  through,  one  on  the  slope  and  the  other  up  the 
rise.  A  fissure  was  encountered  at  the  face  from  which 
a  large  quantity  of  water  issued,  and  the  winze  became 
partly  flooded.  .\  pump  was  installed  to  handle  the 
water,  .-^s  the  water-level  fell  suddenly  a  pumpman 
went  down  to  ascertain  the  cause  and  found  the  water 
had  fallen  about  4  in.  from  the  hanging  in  the  hollow. 
On  holding  his  lamp  up  to  make  the  inspection,  an  ex- 
plosion occurred  and  he  sustained  fatal  injuries.  Later 
on  it  was  ascertained  by  tests  that  the  gas  issuing  from 
the  fissure  was  fire-damp.  The  gas  had  accumulated 
behind  the  water  in  the  hollow  and  was  released  by  the 
lowering  of  the  water-level  to  the  pump.  The  depth 
from  the  surface  to  the  face  of  the  winze  was  about 


MAY,    1921 


311 


3,470  ft.  On  August  26,  1915.  the  6re-damp  was  met 
with  in  a  different  part  of  the  same  mine.  In  going 
through  with  a  cross-cut  in  the  17  East- level  an  upthrow 
fault  with  a  70  ft.  throw  was  encountered.  It  was  in- 
tended to  put  up  a  boxhole  from  the  17th  to  the  16th 
levels,  so  a  rise  9  (t.  by  7  ft.  was  started  at  a  slope  of 
30° and  struck  the  fault  at  about  30  ft.  up.  Continuing 
through  the  foot-wall  shales  at  an  angle  of  60°  the  rise 
reached  a  length  of  about  120  ft.  A  slight  trace  of  fire- 
damp had  been  met  with  on  July  13,  1915.  and  a  native 
was  burnt,  so  ventilation  had  been  provided  for  by  6  in. 
galvanized  iron  piping  and  a  fan.  Despite  this,  more 
gas  came  off  and  an  accident  happened  on  August  26, 
whereby  the  trammer  and  anative  were  seriously  burnt, 
the  latter  succumbing  to  his  injuries.  Apart  from  the 
fault  ihere  was  no  Assuring  in  the  shales  and  the  place 
was  dry.  The  depth  from  the  surface  to  the  scene  of 
the  accident  was  a  little  over  4,000  ft. 

The  author  proceeds  to  give  an  explanation  of  the 
presence  of  the  fire-damp.  Looking  at  the  geology  of 
the  country  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  mines  men- 
tioned, it  is  found  that  basms  of  coal-bearmg  Karroo 
rocks  overlie  the  dolomites,  which  in  turn  overlie  the 
Witwatersrand  series.  In  several  of  the  shafts  the 
dreaded  "  Green  Dyke  "  is  found,  a  dolente  sheet  which 
weathers  and  gives  great  trouble  with  pressure  on  the 
limbers.  It  occurs  in  the  No.  1  and  No.  3  shafts, 
Springs  Mines,  No.  1  and  No.  2  shafts.  Daggafontein, 
and  attains  its  greatest  thickness  of  95  ft.  in  the  South 
shaft  of  the  New  State  Areas.  A  syenite  sheet  split 
up  into  several  sections  appears  in  most  of  the  shafts  in 
the  south  and  east  of  the  Far  East  Rand.  At  No.  2 shaft. 
Springs  Mines,  it  totals  220  ft.  in  two  sections.  Inter- 
bedded  in  places  with  the  syenite  sheet  is  the  dolomite, 
which  attains  its  greatest  development  in  four  sections 
at  Daggafontein  No.  1  shaft,  where  it  has  a  thickness 
of  436  ft.  The  Coal  Measures  are  in  the  form  of  basins 
of  very  varying  thickness.  Taking  an  averageof  eleven 
shafts  situated  in  Brakpan.  Government  Gold  Mining 
Areas,  New  Stale  Areas.  Springs,  and  Daggafontein, 
the  average  thickness  to  the  base  of  the  Dwyka  con- 
glomerate is  148  ft.  In  this  area  the  coal  seams  aver- 
age 19  ft.  in  thickness,  and  attain  their  greatest  develop- 
ment in  aline  running  south  and  east  of  the  gold  mines. 
The  seams  have  been  or  are  being  worked  at  Apex, 
Brakpan,  Rand  Colliery,  Schapenrust.  and  De  Riet- 
fontein,  a  belt  of  13.000  yards  long.  Brakpan  colliery 
was  worked  over  the  present  Brakpan  mines,  but  the 
other  collieries  have  no  gold  mining  going  on  at  present 
underneath  them.  .\l  De  Rietfontein  colliery,  when  it 
was  working,  bubbles  of  fire-damp  were  sometimes 
found  issuing  from  the  foot-wall.  Though  the  Coal 
Measures  are  well  developed  in  the  three  shafts  of  the 
Springs  mines,  no  fire  damp  has  been  found  in  that 
mine,  which  will  probably  in  time  work  under  theaban- 
doned  De  Rietfontein  colliery.  Taking  the  threemines 
particularly  concerned  in  this  paper,  the  Brakpan  No.  2 
shaft  has  a  14  ft.  seam  of  coal  in  the  144  ft.  of  Karroo 
rocks.  The  Government  Gold  Mining  Areas,  thesouth- 
east  shaft,  has  no  coal  in  90  ft.  of  sandstones.  The  Dag- 
gafontein No.  1  shaft  showed  no  coal  in  72  ft  of  sand- 
stones, but  the  No.  2  shaft,  2,000  yards  to  the  west,  had 
50  ft.  of  inferior  coal  in  175  It.  of  Measures.  The  sur- 
face elevations  show  that  the  coal  has  been  denuded 
at  No.  1  shaft  near  the  Blesbok  Spruit.  At  the  Largo 
colliery,  where  a  little  fire-damp  was  found  recently, 
the  development  of  the  Coal  Measures  is  typical.  There 
are  three  seams  of  coal,  totalling  34  ft.  in  a  thickness  of 
193  ft.  Gas  has  only  been  met  with  in  the  lower  seam, 
which  has  a  thickness  of  about  10  ft.  It  is  overlain  by 
a  dense  close-grained  shale  of  about  8  ft.  All  the  strata 
above  this  dense  shale  are  porous,  and  no  gas  is  found 


in  the  two  upper  seams.  The  lower  seam  referred  to 
overlies  3  ft.  of  Dwyka  shales  which  rest  on  the  Dwyka 
conglomerate. 

It  is  noticeable  from  the  occurrences  described  that 
the  fire-dampin  themines  of  the  Far  East  Rand  is  found 
principally  in  the  presence  of  upthrow  faults  which  bring 
the  foot-wall  shales  into  position  for  driving  through. 
In  the  majority  of  cases,  faulting  and  water  seem  neces- 
sary for  the  presence  of  gas  In  some  cases  sulphur- 
etted hydrogen  accompanies  the  fire-damp,  but  not  al- 
ways. It  is  assumed  by  many  people  that  the  gas  travels 
with  the  water  down  fault  planes  from  the  Coal  Meas- 
ures. The  great  problem  is  to  account  for  the  vertical 
movement  of  the  gas  of  nearly  4,000  ft.  In  the  Apex  old 
colliery  a  little  fault  came  through  on  the  east  side  of 
the  shaft.  This  was  about  1896.  and  a  good  supply  of 
water  came  off  the  fault.  A  sump  was  made  and  an 
electric  pump  installed  to  raise  the  water  to  the  surface 
for  boiler  and  domestic  use.  The  workings  of  the  col- 
liery steadily  progressed  away  from  that  area,  and  the 
supply  remained  undiminished.  Some  water  over- 
flowed into  the  abandoned  workings  near  the  shaft  and 
remained  there  for  years.  About  1906  the  Brakpan 
mines  began  to  develop  from  the  No.  2  shaft.  1,500  yards 
distant.  As  the  drives  came  forward  toward  the  Apex, 
the  spring  suddenly  disappeared,  and  the  water  in  the 
workings  followed  suit.  It  would,  therefore,  appear 
that  in  places  there  is  a  definite  connection  through 
faulting  from  the  Coal  Measures  to  the  gold  zone.  The 
dolomites  form  a  very  convenient  waterchannel  allover 
the  area.  They  are  jointed  and  large  quantities  of 
water  lie  in  the  crevices.  For  instance,  during  cemen- 
tation work  at  Brakpan  No.  3  shaft,  small  plates  of 
cement  were  found  in  sinking  through  the  dolomite  in 
the  south  shaft  of  the  New  State  Areas  3,300  yards 
away. 

The  difficulty  is  just  why  fire-damp  should  not  take 
the  line  of  least  resistance  and  escape  up  the  faults  to 
the  surface,  instead  of  travelling  down  them.  The  fact 
remainsthatfire-dampisgenerallyfoundin  mines  where 
the  Coal  Measures  are  developed  above  or  where  a  con- 
nection with  them  is  available  through  the  dolomites 
lor  gas  to  travel.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  to  be  noticed 
that  the  gas  is  usually  found  actually  in  or  about  the 
foot-wall  shales  which  are  very  jointed.  Carbon  is  al- 
so found  occasionally  on  the  contact  of  the  reef  and  the 
shale  where,  especiallyif  associated  with  pyrites,  agreat 
enrichment  of  values  takes  place.  Perhaps  under  heat 
and  pressure  some  reaction  may  take  place  betv.'een  the 
pyrites,  water,  and  carbon  in  or  under  the  shales  to  pro- 
cJuce  something  in  the  shape  of  fire-damp. 

Redmayne,  in  the"  Ventilation  of  Mines,"  states  that 
a  blower  of  fire-damp  has  occurred  from  time  to  time 
in  the  Van  lead  mine,  near  Llanidloes,  in  Montgomery- 
shire, the  vein  of  which  traverses  rocks  of  the  Lower 
Silurian  age.  It  is  difficult  to  account  for  the  presence 
of  fire-damp  at  this  mine  as  there  are  no  Carboniferous 
rocks  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  decaying  timber  could 
not  account  for  the  existence  of  a  blower  of  gas.  Pos- 
sibly it  owes  its  origin  to  the  decay  of  plant  or  animal 
life  of  the  Silurian  period,  and  has  been  pent  up  through 
the  succeeding  ages,  or  it  may  be  due  to  the  chemical 
action  of  acidulated  waters  or  mineral  substances.  It 
is  a  peculiar  feature  of  the  emissions  at  this  mine  that 
they  are  accompanied  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

The  difficulty  in  connection  with  occurrences  of  fire- 
damp in  metalliferous  mines  is  the  fact  that  very  few  of 
the  men  working  there  have  any  knowledge  of  fire-damp. 
It  constitutes  a  danger  when  it  comes  in  contact  with 
people  who  have  not  even  heard  of  it.  Its  presence  is 
often  first  announced  by  fatal  burning  accidents.  In 
these  deep  mines  the  temperature  of  the  workings  is 


312 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


generallv  fairly  liifih,  about  75°  to  85°.  European  and 
natives  alike  work  with  a  minimum  of  clothing;,  and 
when  an  accident  happens,  the  burning  is  severe  owing 
to  the  amount  of  skin  exposed. 

Trevorite. — In  our  issue  of  August,  1920,  brief  inen 
tion  was  made  of  a  new  discovery  of  nickel  in  South 
Africa,  the  mineral  being  apparently  a  new  one.  At 
theFelruary  meeting  of  theChemical,  Metallurgical,  & 
Mining  Society  of  South  Africa,  Andrew  K.  Crosse  ex- 
hibited the  mineral,  which  assays  as  follows: 

% 

Nickel  Oxide <0  30 

Iron  Oxide 40  30 

Ptiosphorus    0'13 

Calcium  Oxide 020 

Silica 6  50 

Loss  on  iRnition,  chiefly  water 2*15 

The  metallic  nickel  content  is29'6%,  and  metallic  iron 
content  357%  ;  platinum  was  present  in  the  sample  to 
the  extent  of  0  2dwt.  per  ton.  Mr.  Crosse  also  ex- 
hibited an  alloy  of  iron,  containing  52%  nickel,  made 
by  smelting  this  ore.  There  is  no  arsenic  or  sulphur 
in  the  mineral,  and  the  crude  ore  can  be  concentrated 
on  tables  or  magnetically.  Mr.  Crosse  proposes  to 
name  the  mineral  "  trevorite,"  after  T.  G.  Trevor,  Min- 
ing Inspector  for  the  Pretoria  and  Uarberton  districts. 
Mr.  Trevor  proceeded  to  give  some  account  of  the  oc 
currence.  The  deposit  is  found  on  the  Lily  line  in  the 
Jamestown  Series,  just  opposite  Sheba  Bridge,  Bar- 
berton  district.  Particulars  were  given  in  the  short 
article  in  August  last,  as  already  mentioned. 

The  Mackenzie  Oilfield— At  the  meeting  of  the  In- 
stitution of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on  April  27, 
Dr.  T.  O.  Bosworth  read  a  paper  on  the  recently  dis- 
covered oilfield  near  Fort  Norman  on  the  Mackenzie 
River,  in  the  North-West  Territories  of  Canada.  Dr. 
Bosworth  was  engaged  a  few  years  ago  m  geological  in- 
vestigations in  connection  with  oil  in  this  part  of  the 
world.  The  new  oilfield  is  the  most  northerly  of  the 
prospective  fields  then  examined,  and  the  flowing  well 
recently  brought  in  is  No.  1  test- well  located  during  his 
expedition  seven  years  ago. 

Within  the  region  discussed  by  Dr.  Bosworth  in  the 
present  paper  petroleum  appears  to  have  been  first  re- 
corded about  a  century  ago  by  Sir  John  Franklin,  who 
saw,  near  Bear  Mountain,  "sulphurous  springs  and 
streams  of  mineral  pitch."    Also,  for  the  past  fifty  years 
or  more,  a  "  tar  spring,"  far  inland  from  the  river,  has 
been  known  to  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  men  at  Fort 
Good  Hope,  who  have  utilized  this  seepage  oil  for  tar- 
ring their  canoes.     In  18S7  an  exploration  of  the  Mac- 
kenzie Basin  was  made  by  K.  G-  McConnel,  who  re- 
ported in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Geological  Survey 
of  Canada,  1888-9,  the  occurrences  of  bituminous  or 
petroliferous  rocks  throughout  the  valley.    From  that 
date  onward  no  further  geological  study  of  the  region 
was  made  until  the  investigation  by  Dr.  Bosworth,  in 
1914.     It  was  not  until  1919  that  a  drilling  outfit  was 
conveyed  into  the  North-West  Territory,  the  oil  claims 
having  been  acquired  by  the  Imperial  Oil  Company, 
who   were  conducting   an   exhaustive   search   for  oil 
throughout  Canada.    The  location  of  this  first  test  well 
was  chosen  in  1914,  as  a  site  where  a  hole  of  moderate 
depth  could  not  fail  to  penetrate  the  several  petrolifer- 
ous formations  which  had  been  found.     The  well  is  on 
the  river  bank  about  half-way  down  the  Long  Reach, 
near  the  mouth  of  Camp  Creek,  where  there  are  copi- 
ous seepages  of  oil     Geologically  speaking,  the  location 
is  upon  the  outcrop  of  the  lower  measures  of  the  Camp 
Creek  Series,  low  down  on  the  south-west  flank  of  the 
Wolverine  Anticline,  about  eight  miles  from  the  axis  of 
the  fold.    It  was  clear  that  the  oil  rocks  would  lie  rather 
shallow  here,  but  by  refraining  from  going  further  down 


the  dip  there  was  less  risk  of  finding  the  beds  occupied 
by  water,  and  also  there  was  less  cliance  of  failure  to 
reach  the  desired  horizons  occasioned  by  engineering 
dilhculties  in  such  a  remote  country.  The  well  was 
drilled  during  the  summer  of  1920.  Almost  from  the 
started  was  coming  into  the  hole  :  and  before  a  depth 
of  100  ft.  was  reached,  a  yield  of  five  or  ten  barrels  a  day 
could  be  obtained.  After  passing  from  the  Camp  Creek 
Series  into  the  dark  Fort  (treek  shales,  the  oil  showings 
still  continued,  until  at  a  depth  of  783  ft.  a  strong  flow  of 
oil  was  encountered  which  spouted  to  a  height  of  70  ft. 
After  about  ten  minutes  the  well  was  capped.  Some 
hundreds  of  barrels  of  oil  issued  from  the  well  before 
it  was  finally  shut  in,  but  no  dependable  estimate  of  its 
capacity  can  yet  be  made.  It  is  thought  that  the  initial 
output  will  be  at  least  500  barrels  a  day.  Whether  or 
not  this  first  well  will  settle  down  as  a  steady,  large  pro- 
ducer yet  remains  to  be  seen.  And,  in  any  case,  many 
more  wells  must  be  drilled  before  the  importance  of 
the'field  is  fully  proved. 

Dr.  Bosworth  proceeded  to  give  an  outline  of  the 
geology  of  the  region.  The  strata  exposed  in  the  Mac- 
kenzie oilfield  district  include : 

Tertiary    Shales,  sandstones,  and  lif^nites. 

Cretaceous         •••  Clay-shales  and  sandstones. 

Devonian  -..  Limestones,  shales,  and  sandstones. 

Silurian    Limestones,  etc. 

It  is  in  the  Devonian  only  that  the  oil  and  gas  have 
been  found.  In  the  region  containing  the  lower  part  of 
the  Mackenzie  I?iver.  from  Fort  Norman  northward, 
the  Devonian  is  divided  provisionally  by  Dr.  Bosworth 
into  the  following  main  groups: 


Thickness 

in  ft. 

Camp  Creek 

Clay-shalesand  sandstones.    Green- 

2.000+ 

Series. 

ish  and  vari-coloured.        Marine 
shells  and  plant  particles. 

Fort  Creek 

Biiuniinous  shales  with  thin  seams 

500-1.000 

Series. 

of  sandy  limestone.     Black,  but  in 
places  burnt  brick-red.  Plants  and 
marine  shells. 

Beavertail 

Bituminous  limestone  beds.     Black 
or    dark.      Corallites    and    other 
marine  fossils 

350 

Rampart 

Massive  grey  limestone.     Many  fos- 

100-200 

Limestone. 

sils,  marine. 

Hare  River 

Calcareous  clay-shale.    Grey-sreen. 

300 

Shales. 

Few  fossils,  marine. 

Barren  Series 

• 
Brecciated  dolomite  and  white,  grey, 
and     buff     limestones,     without 
fossils. 

2.000  (?) 

After  passing  Fort  Norman,  the  river  comes  in  con- 
tact with  a  mountain  system,  referred  to  as  the  Limestone 
Mountains.  These  mountains,  which  consist  of  anti- 
clinal folds  of  Devonian  rocks,  are  encountered  by  the 
river  for  a  distance  of  a  hundred  miles.  It  is  in  this 
territory  that  the  favourable  indications  and  structural 
conditions  were  found,  which  have  led  to  the  recent 
strikeofoil.  This  is  thesiteof  the  new  oilfield.  A  few 
miles  beyond  FortNorman,  theMackenzieturnssharply 
to  north-westward,  so  as  to  flow  along  the  S.W.  flank 
of  the  Limestone  Mountain  range.  This  straigh  t  course, 
known  as  the  Long  Reach,  is  maintained  for  75  miles, 
parallel  with  the  range,  and  a  few  miles  from  it.  The 
river  then  turns  northward,  and  in  a  distance  of  25  miles 
it  cuts  across  the  trend  of  the  inountains,  at  their  west- 
ern end.  The  Devonian  strata  of  the  Limestone  Moun- 
tain district  have  been  thrown  into  a  series  of  bold  asym- 
metrical folds,  whose  axes  plunge  up  and  down,  steeply 
and  frequently.     In  thesynclines,  the  soft  Camp  Creek 


MAY,    1921 


313 


series  and  Fort  Creek  shales  give  rise  to  low  ground. 
But  wherever  the  upward  pi  tchings  of  the  anticlinal  axes 
bring  the  arches  of  the  Beavertail  limestone  up  above 
the  general  level  of  the  land,  the  denudation  has  de- 
veloped out  the  arches,  as  conspicuous  anticlinal  hills. 
Four  main  anticlines  are  thus  revealed  where  the  Mac- 
kenzie River  crosses  the  folds.  At  this  place  all  of  them 
are  pitching  down  toward  the  west.  In  order  from  south 
to  north,  they  have  been  named  by  the  author  :  Wol- 
verme,  East  Mountain.  Bat  Hills,  and  Beavertail. 
.Anticlinal  structure  in  the  region  was  first  observed  at 
Bear  Mountain  by  R.  G.  McConnel,  but  the  main  folds 
were  found  and  mapped  by  the  author  in  1914.  The 
four  axes  lie  roughly  parallel,  at  intervals  of  about  seven 
miles.  Their  direction,  where  the  river  crosses  them, 
isslightly  north  of  east ;  but  on  the  east  side  of  the  river 
they  bend  round  to  a  E.S.E.  course,  which  is  perhaps 
their  more  important  direction.  These  four  main  anti- 
clines are  very  much  alike,  each  forming  a  line  of  more 
or  less  discontinuous  limestone  hills,  exceeding  1,000ft. 
in  height.  In  each  of  these  anticlinal  ranges  a  core  of 
the  grey  barren  limestones,  or  the  Fort  Norman  lime- 
stones, is  laid  bare  in  the  parts  where  the  axis  rises  to 
its  maximum  height.  On  each  of  them  the  bituminous 
Beavertail  limestone  forms  steep  dip-slopes  ;  and  gener- 
ally it  is  also  seen  forming  conspicuous  arches  on  some 
parts  of  the  crests.  Low  down  on  the  flanks,  the  Fort 
Creekshalesarefound,  followed  by  thesoftCampCreek 
beds.  Near  the  axes,  the  strata  at  the  core  are  very 
steeply  inclined  ;  but  a  mile  or  two  away,  on  the  flanks 
of  the  anticlines,  the  dip  is  15^  to  i5'". 

It  was  the  remarkable  character  of  the  Fort  Creek 
Shales  and  Beavertail  Limestone,  rather  than  the  oil 
seepages,  which  led  to  a  favourable  view  of  the  pros- 
pects in  this  field.  For  here,  extending  over  a  large 
region,  there  are  1,000  to  1,500  ft.  of  highly  bituminous 
rocks,  which  obviously  are  a  potential  source  for  the 
generation  of  a  great  quantity  of  petroleum.  These 
limestones  and  shales  are  black  with  bituminous  ma- 
terial, which  appears  to  be  present,  not  as  a  migratory, 
but  as  a  fixed  constituent.  In  some  places  where  these 
beds  are  much  exposed,  the  bituminous  odour  is  so 
strong  that  it  may  be  noticedat  a  distance  of  half  a  mile. 
The  bituminous  shales  are  undergoing  slow  combustion 
at  their  outcrop,  and  often  they  are  burnt  to  a  bright 
brick-red  colour,  or  even  to  a  grey  colour,  becoming  so 
hard  that  they  clink  when  struck  In  several  localities 
there  are  conspicuous  cliffs  of  these  bright  red  rocks, 
over  a  hundred  feet  high.  Fluid  oil  is  not  visible  in  the 
bituminous  rocks,  though  where  they  pass  under  water 
some  liberation  of  gas  is  seen.  But  oil  might  reason- 
ably be  expected  in  the  porous  beds  of  the  overlying 
thick seriesof  clay  shales  and  sandstones,  and  also  there 
was  a  good  chance  that  at  depth,  and  under  favourable 
structure,  accumulations  of  petroleum  might  occur 
within  the  black  shales  and  limestones  themselves. 
After  study  of  the  bituminous  beds,  the  sands  of  the 
overlying  Camp  Creek  Series  were  searched  for  oil.  At 
each  place  examined,  either  seepages  were  found,  or 
the  presence  of  oil  was  detected  on  crushing  the  rock 
under  water.  The  principal  seepages  occur  on  the 
shores  of  the  Long  Reach,  where  the  river  flows  for 
seventy-five  miles  along  the  outcrop  of  the  Camp  Creek 
Series.  Near  the  mouth  of  Camp  Creek  (which  at  first 
was  called  Oil  Creek)  the  seepages  are  conspicuous  for 
a  distance  of  two  and  a  half  miles.  On  digging  in  the 
river  gravel,  the  outcrops  of  the  green  oil-sands  are  ex- 
posed, and  the  oil  could  be  collected  in  considerable 
amount.  Further  out  in  the  river  much  oil  rises  up  to 
the  surface  of  the  water,  and  in  winter  it  collects,  form- 
ing pools  on  the  ice. 

The  oil  has  a  paraffin  base  and  is  of  high  quality. 


The  seepage  oil,  obtained  on  digging  in  the  outcrop  of 
the  Camp  Creek  beds,  has  a  greenish  black  colour,  and 
a  strong  paraffin  smell.  The  specific  gravity  is  0905. 
The  crude  oil  from  the  well  is  of  light  colour,  low 
specific  gravity,  highgasolinecontent,  and  low  cold  test. 

Dr.  I3osworth's  paper  contains  also  a  large  amount 
of  information  as  to  the  general  stratigraphy,  means  of 
access  and  transport,  the  structure  of  the  individual 
anticlines,  and  analyses  of  the  oil. 

Andean  Geology, — .\t  the  meeting  of  the  Geological 
Society  of  London  held  on  April  29,  J .  A.  Douglas  read 
a  paper  entitled  :  "  Geological  Sections  through  the 
Andes  of  Peru  and  Bolivia,  III,  from  Callao  to  the 
River  Perene."  This  paper  is  the  third  of  a  series  by 
the  writer  dealing  svith  the  geological  structure  of  the 
Andes  of  Peru.  The  ancient  rocks  of  the  coastal  Cor- 
dillera of  the  south  are  no  longer  met  with  in  Central 
Peru,  and  the  zone  of  Mesozoic  rocks  extends  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  which  is  here  formed  of  shallow-water  de- 
posits of  Lower  Cretaceous  age.  The  granodioritic 
batholith  which  forms  the  core  of  the  Andes  is  encoun- 
tered in  the  neighbourhood  of  Lima,  and  again  almost 
at  the  summit  of  the  range.  The  western  flanks  of  the 
Cordillera  are  characterized  by  a  great  development  of 
Cretaceous  porphyritic  agglomerate  ;  while  the  normal 
calcareous  facies  is  the  dominant  feature  of  the  high- 
level  regions.  The  intensity  of  the  Tertiary  folding  has 
obscured  the  effects  of  the  post-Jurassic  uplift,  previ- 
ously shown  to  occur  in  the  south,  and  it  is  only  on 
palaeontological  evidence  that  a  break  in  the  sequence 
of  Mesozoic  deposits  can  be  determined.  Intrusions  of 
andesite  and  dacite  in  the  form  of  volcanic  necks  are  of 
common  occurrence  ;  but  there  is  no  trace  of  recent 
volcanic  activity  in  this  area.  The  fossiliferous  De- 
vonian and  Permo-Carboniferous  deposits  of  the  Titi- 
caca  district  are  not  continued  into  the  region  here  de- 
scribed. The  rocks  of  Palaeozoic  aspect  which  form 
the  eastern  flanks  of  the  Cordillera  are.  for  the  greater 
part,  unfossiliferous,  and  have  largely  been  converted 
into  phyllites  and  mica-schists,  penetrated  by  granite, 
which  has  also  shared  in  the  metamorphism.  On  the 
Rio  Perene  another  and  much  bigger  mass  of  red  granite 
is  met  with.  This  is  essentially  a  rock  of  alkaline 
character,  as  distinct  from  the  calcite  granodioriles 
of  the  Cordillera.  It  is  suggested  that  its  origin,  like 
that  of  a  similar  rock  in  the  coastal  Cordillera  of  the 
south,  dates  from  a  very  early  period,  antecedent  to  the 
uplift  of  the  mountain-ranges. 

In  the  discussion  following  the  reading  of  the  paper, 
Dr.  J.  W.  Evans  said  that  the  comparison  between  the 
geology  of  this  section  across  the  Andes  with  those 
previously  described  was  full  of  interest.  He  suggested 
that  the  change  of  strike  from  roughly  north-west  to- 
wards north-north-west  was  not  without  significance. 
Ultimately,  still  farther  north,  the  strike  became  north 
and  south.  In  a  paper  on  the  rocks  of  the  Madeira  Falls 
he,  the  speaker,  had  contended  that  the  lines  of  folding 
in  South  America  with  a  north-west  and  south  east  di- 
rection were  older  than  those  striking  north  and  south, 
and  this  view  was  consistent  wiih  the  facts  adduced  by 
the  author  of  the  paper  just  read. 

Prolessor  W.J.  Sollas  said  the  author  had  wisely  ab- 
stained from  entering  upon  hypothesis,  but  it  would  be 
interesting  if  hecould  inform  them  as  to  what  he  thought 
about  the  mechanism  of  mountain  building.  In  such 
a  lofty  range  one  might  well  have  expected  mighty  over- 
thrusts,  some  plains  of  Piedmont  overriding  the  high 
.A.lps.  but  they  were  told  of  nothing  worse  than  strata 
vertically  upreared  on  end  and  some  overfolds.  The 
igneous  intrusions  were,  however,  on  a  grand  scale,  and 
it  looked  as  though  it  might  be  necessary  to  make  a 
partial  return  to  hypotheses  now  out  of  date.     Possibly 


314 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


batholitlis  may  have  played  a  more  important  part  than 
the  opinions  at  present  fashionable  would  concede. 

The  author,  in  reply  to  the  discussion,  said  he  fully 
agreed  with  Dr.  Evans  that  mucli  of  the  evidence  tended 
to  show  that  the  foldniu  was  not  contemporaneous 
throuKhout  the  lenytli  of  the  chain.  In  the  Jurassic 
rocks,  for  example,  deposition  appeared  to  have  ceased 
with  the  Lower  Lias  in  the  district  now  described  ; 
farther  south  it  was  continued  into  Bajocian  time«, 
while  in  the  north  of  Chile  beds  of  Oxfordian  age  were 
found.  The  transition  of  the  fossiliferous.  Cretaceous 
limestones  of  the  north  mto  the  gypsiferous  red  sand 
stones  of  the  south  was  also  a  sinnificant  feature.  In 
reply  to  Professor  Sollas.  he  said  tb.at  the  (acts  now  re- 
corded were  in  no  way  opposed  to  the  views  that  he  had 
previously  expressed  as  to  the  nature  of  the  processes 
which  gave  rise  to  the  uplift  of  the  Andes.  The  ureal 
granite  mass  of  the  Perene  formed,  with  the  nepheline- 
syenites  of  the  Inambari  district,  one  of  the  jaws  of  the 
vice  that  had  compressed  the  transgressive  deposits  of 
the  geosyncline.  Fragments  of  the  other  jaw  were  to 
be  found  in  the  similar  granite  of  thecoastal  Cordillera 

SHORT    NOTICES. 
Drilling  for  Oil. — At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution 
of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on  April  19,  .Man  VV, 
Davson  read  a  paper  on  the  education  and  training  of 
a  driller. 

Mine  Atmospheres. — The  March  Journal  of  the 
South  African  Institution  of  Engineers  contains  a  paper 
by  A  J.  Orenstein  and  H  J.  Ireland  on  the  effect  of 
heat  and  moisture  on  workers  in  mines. 

Roof  Supports  in  Mines. — The/)-o«  &Coal  Trades 
Review  for  April  1  publishes  an  illustrated  paper  by 
Alfred  Terrell  on  the  best  methods  of  supporting  the 
roof  and  sides  of  roadways  and  working  places  in  coal 
mines. 

Ventilating  Currents. — At  the  April  meeting  of  the 
Mining  Institute  of  Scotland,  David  Penman  describ- 
ed a  new  method  of  measuring  ventilating  resistances, 
with  special  reference  to  the  operation  of  mine  fans  in 
combination. 

Shaft-Sinking. — .\t  the  April  meeting  of  the  Man- 
chester Geological  and  Mining  Society,  Charles  Walker 
read  a  paper  describing  his  system  of  sinking  shafts 
through  wet  ground,  being  a  modification  of  the 
cementation  process. 

Mining  Costs. — At  the  March  meeting  of  the  Insti- 
tution of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  \  E.  Pettit  presen- 
ted a  paper  on  "  Notes  and  Records  of  Mining  Costs." 
Gunite. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining  Journal 
for  March  26,  G.  J.  Young  writes  on  the  application 
underground  of  gunite,  that  is  to  say,  cement  mixture 
put  in  place  by  an  air-blast  machine. 

Cyaniding  in  Ecuador. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  April  2,  P.  C.  Schraps  describes 
the  cyanide  plant  at  the  Zaruma  gold  mine,  Ecuador. 
Electrolytic  Zinc. — At  the  April  meeting  of  the  Far- 
aday Society,  Samuel  Field  read  a  paper  on  electro- 
lytic zinc,  recounting  the  work  done  by  him  at  Swansea. 
We  gave  a  notice  of  a  previous  paper  by  him  in  the  issue 
of  October  last.  Comment  is  made  on  this  subject  in 
Engineering  for  April  1. 

Nickel-Copper  Alloys. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  March  30,  P.  D.  Merica 
discusses  alloys  of  nickel  and  copper,  particularly  in 
connection  with  coinage  alloys 

Copper  in  Steel.— In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineer/ng  for  March  30,  E.A.andL.  T.  Richardson 
continue  the  discussion  of  the  influence  of  copper  on 
the  physical  properties  of  iron  and  steel. 

Colorado    Oil-Shale«. — In    Chemical   and  Metal- 


lurgical Engineering  for  March  30,  A.  J.  Franks  dis- 
cusses disiillaiion  problems  in  connection  with  Colo- 
rado oilshales. 

Potash  Alum  and  Sulphur.  —  In  Chemical  and 
Metallurgical  Engineering  for  March  23,  L.  Duncan 
describes  tlie  recovery  of  potash  alum  and  sulphur,  oc- 
curring in  rhyolitic  lulls  at  Tonopah.  Nevada. 

Feld's  Ammonium  Sulphate  Process. — The  Chemi- 
cal Trade  Journal  for  ,\pril  16  conlains  notes  on  the 
Feld  direct  process  for  producing  ammonium  sulphate 
at  gas  works.  Reference  to  ihis  process  was  made  in 
the  M.\<',a/im;  for  August,  1912. 

Hober  Ammonia  Process. —  In  ihe  Journal  oi  the 
Society  of  Chemical  Industry  for  March  31,  J.  R.  Par- 
tington describes  the  operation  of  the  I  labtr  syntheiic 
ammonia  process  as  operated  by  the  Hadische  Anilin 
&  Soda  Kabrik  at  Oppau. 

Jarosite  in  Victoria. — Chemical  Engineering  and 
Mining  Reviexv  (Melbourne)  describes  a  deposit  of 
jarosite,  the  basicsulphate  of  aluminium  and  potassium, 
near  .\nglesea,  Victoria. 

Gold  in  Victoria. — Economic  Geology  for  March 
contains  an  article  by  N  R.  Jiinner  on  the  geology  of 
tlie  gold  occurrences  in  N'lctoria 

Oil  Geology. — In  Economic  Geology  for  March,  R. 
A,  Mills  discusses  the  relation  of  texture  and  bedding 
to  the  movements  of  oil  and  water  through  sands. 

Phosphates  in  Pacific  Islands. — The  Journal  of 
the  Society  of  Chemical  Industry  for  March  31  con- 
tains a  report  of  a  paper  read  by  T.  Steel  before  the 
Sydney  section  on  the  phosphate  deposits  of  Nauru 
and  Ocean  Islands,  in  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

The  Pas.  Manitoba. — The  Bulletin  of  the  Canadian 
Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a  paper  on 
the  occurrence  of  gold  at  Herb  Lake,  The  Pas  district, 
Manitoba. 

Peat  Power  in  Germany. — The  Engineer  for  April 
22  describes  the  scheme  for  supplying  electric  power 
throughout  Germany  from  seven  generating  stations 
where  steam  power  is  obtained  by  the  combustion  of 
peat 

Conditions  in  Silesia. — In  the  Colliery  Guardian 
for  April  1,  Edgar  P.  Rathbone  gives  his  experiences 
during  a  recent  visit  to  Upper  Silesia. 


RECENT    PATENTS  PUBLISHED. 

(^^^■.-1  Co^j'  of  the  specification  of  any  o<  the  f'ltents  men- 
tioned inthis  column  can  be  obtutucd  by  sending  Js.  to 
the  Patent  Otjice,  Southampton  Buildings.  Chancery 
Lane,  London, W  .C.2.. with  a  note  of  the  number  and  year 
of  the  patent 

14,794of  1920(144,276).  W.  Tyrrell,  Seattle, 
U.S.A.  Binder  for  bnquetiing  ores  consisting  of  dia- 
tomaceous  earth,  sulphate  of  soda,  concentrated  lye, 
and  magnesium  carbonate. 

15,878  of  1920  (144,725).  ].  E.  Kennedy,  New 
York.     Combined  ball  and  tube  mill. 

19,013  of  1920  (160,708).  F.  Milliken.  New- 
York  An  alloy  consisting  of  copper,  nickel,  zinc,  and 
iron,  capable  of  resisting  acids  at  high  temperatures. 

20,763  of  1919  (159,525).  C.J  Grace,  Truro. 
Machine  for  drying  china-clav  or  other  plastic  material. 

21,812  of  1919  (160,477).  R.  L.  Lloyd,  New 
York.  Improvements  in  the  Dwight-Lloyd  sintering 
plant. 

24,721  of  1919(159,530).  BritishOxygenCo., 
London.  Improved  furnace  for  reducing  metals  from 
oxides  by  the  action  of  hydrogen. 

26.136  of  1919  (159,537).  Armstrong,  Whit- 
worth  &  Co.,  Newcastle-on-Tyne.  An  alloy  which 
is  non-corrosive  and  has  a  high  resistance  to  the  action 
of  steam,  consisting  of  82j%  copper,  9^%  aluminium, 
5%  manganese,  and  3%  iron. 


MAY,    1921 


315 


27.561  of  1919  (135,179).  A  Knobi.och  and 
O.  Mandl.  Teplitz,  Czecho-Slovakia.  Boring  ma- 
chine for  driving  tunnels  and  levels. 

28,228  of  1919  (159,942).  H.  J.  Thackeray, 
Chesterfield.     Combined  metal  and  wood  pit-prop. 

29,216  of  1919  (159,568).  W.  B.  Ballantine, 
London.  Making  a  pure  ferro-chrome  by  removing 
carbon  from  crude  ferro  chrome  by  means  of  an  oxidiz- 
ing blast,  and  then  adding  a  thermo  reduction  mixture 
containing  a  chromium  compound  so  as  to  adjust  the 
desired  chrommm  content. 

29,293  of  1919  (137,513)  and  29,539  of  1919 
(149,927).  New  Jersey  Zinc  Co..  New  York.  Im- 
provement in  the  method  of  producing  zinc  oxide  by 
the  Wetherill  intermittent  process. 

29,965  of  1919(159,950).  Traylor  Engineer- 
ing &  Manufacturing  Co..  Allentown,  Pennsyl- 
vania     Impro\'ed  construction  of  gyratory  crushers. 

30,8 16  of  1919(160,231).  F.  S.  Newall,  New- 
castle-on-Tyne.  Improved  electric  furnace  for  calcin- 
ing magnesite. 

30,884of  1919(159,659).  J.  R.  Broadley,  J.  M. 
Lee.  and  L.  Stevens  Burt.  London  Centrifugal 
pump,  illustrated  as  theWilfleypump  in  the  Magazine 
for  February. 

30,950  of  1919  (159,659).  ].  J.  Collins,  Wins- 
ford,  Cheshire.  Purification  of  tin  and  the  production 
of  tin  salts  from  crude  tin. 

31,359  of  1919  (160,254).  ].  M.  and  A.  T.  HoL- 
MAN.  Camborne,  Machine  for  sharpening  rock-drill 
steels. 

32,132of  1919(160,554).  S.  O.  Cowper  Coles, 
London.  Method  of  stripping  electrically  deposited 
sheets  of  metal. 

32,243  of  1919  (133,459).  J  Delecourt.  St. 
Ghislain,  Belgium.  Improved  method  of  drilling  by 
percussion. 

32,416  of  1919  (160,293).  J.  L.  Mennell  and 
Chas.  Butters  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  London.  .Apparatus 
for  giving  a  continuous  indication  of  the  density  of  a 
liquid  as  it  flows  through  a  tank  and  for  delivering  the 
liquid  as  it  leaves  the  tank  to  one  of  a  number  of  laun- 
ders according  to  its  density. 

2,077  of  1920  (159,737).  Osmosis  Co.,  W.  R 
Ormandy,  and  D.  Northall  -  Laurie.  London. 
Method  of  vitrifying  china-clay  deposited  by  osmosis. 

4,976  of  1920  (139,195).  V.  Gerber,  Zurich. 
Method  of  producing  aluminium  nitride. 

10,756  of  1920  (160,373).  General  Electric 
Co.,  Schenectady,  New  York.  Method  of  making  fila- 
ment for  electric  lamps  containing  95%  tungsten  and 
5%  silicon. 

17.388of  1920(145,709).  Fried.  Krupp,  Essen, 
Germany.  Making  low-carbon  ferro-chrome  by  blow- 
ing high-carbon  ferro-chrome  in  a  converter. 

18,079of  1920(160,395).  E.  \V.  Dahl,  London. 
Plant  for  manufacture  of  white  lead. 

19,202  of  1920  (160,114).  T,  H.  Oswald  and 
A.  D.  D,  Brown,  London.  Plant  for  distilling  oil 
from  sandstone,  shale,  etc. 

19,675  of  1920  (147.689).  R.  E.  Bea,  Paris. 
Electrolytic  vat  for  producing  sulphate  of  copper  from 
copper  waste  and  scrap. 

20,078  of  1920  (148,168).  H.  Schranz,  Frei- 
berg. Germany.  Making  concentrating  surfaces  of 
porous  material  through  which  air  or  water  may  pass 
upward. 

26,523  of  1920  (156,472).  J.  Rheinberg.  Lon- 
don. Improved  method  of  producing  metallic  surfaces 
on  glass,  consisting  of  platinum  or  metals  of  the  plati- 
num group,  intended  for  use  as  mirrors. 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

.  ir*  Copies  of  tile  books,  etc.,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtaiDed 
lhrou;^h  Ihe  Technical  Booltshop  of  The  Mining  Magazitte. 
724.  Salisbury  House    London  Wall.  E.C.2. 

Weil-Boring  for    Water,  Brine,    and  Oil.      By   C. 

ISLER.  New  Edition.  Cloth,  octavo,  212  pages,  illus- 
trated.   Pricel6s.net.   London:    E.  &  F.  N.  Spon,  Ltd. 

Storage  of  Petroleum  Spirit  and  Calcium  Carbide. 
By  Major  .A.  Cooper-Key.  Cloth,  small  octavo,  135 
pages.   Price5s.net.  London  :CharlesGriffin&Co.,Ld. 

Recent  Practice  in  theUse  of  Self-contained  Breath- 
ing Apparatus.  By  Re.\  C-  Smart.  Cloth,  octavo, 
250  pages,  illustrated.  Price  15s.  net.  London  ■ 
Charles  Griffin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

Elementary  Text-Book  on  Mechanical  Drawing. 
By  John  E.  Jagger.  Cloth,  quarto.  250  pages,  illus- 
trated. Price  15s.  net.  London:  Charles  Griffin  & 
Co.,  Ltd. 

Catalogue  of  the  Collections  in  the  Science  Mu- 
seum, South  Kensington.  Pricels.net.  This  section 
of  the  catalogue  describes  the  exhibits  relating  to  min- 
ing and  ore-dressing. 

Geology  of  the  British  Empire.  By  F.  R.  C.  Reed. 
Cloth,  octavo.  480  pages,  illustrated.  Price  40s.  net. 
London  :    Edward  Arnold. 

West  Australian  Geological  Survey,  Bulletin  83. 
Geology  and  mineral  resources  of  the  north-west,  cen- 
tral, and  eastern  divisions.  By  H.  W.  B.  Talbot  and 
R.  A.  Farquharson. 

Aluminium  and  Bauxite.  Published  by  the  Im- 
perial Mineral  Resources  Bureau.     Price  9s.  net. 

Bismuth  1913  to  1919.  Pamphlet  published  by 
the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau.     Price  6d 

Thorium.  Zirconium,  and  Rare-Earth  Minerals, 
1919.  By  W.  T.  ScHALLER.  Published  by  the 
United  States  Geological  Survey. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Tharsis  Sulphur  &  Copper. — This  company  has 
worked  pyrites  mines  in  the  south  of  Spain  since  1866. 
The  headquarters  are  in  Glasgow,  and  it  has  several 
works  in  this  country  where  burnt  pyrites  is  treated  for 
the  recovery  of  copper.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
251,620  tons  of  ore  was  raised  from  the  Calanas  mine, 
and  62,298  tons  from  the  Tharsis,  making  a  total  of 
313,918  tons,  as  compared  with  260,801  tons  ir.  1919. 
The  new  Sierra  Bullones  open-cut  at  Tharsis  is  now 
yielding  a  steady  supply  of  ore,  and  the  North  Lode 
will  shortly  be  drawn  upon  for  shipping  ore.  The 
metal  works  have  been  fully  employed  during  the  year, 
and  the  amount  of  material  treated  has  been  exceeded 
only  twice  in  the  history  of  the  company.  The  net  pro- 
fit was  jfl34,949,  out  of  which  ^131,250  has  been  dis- 
tributed as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  15%.  The 
total  dividends  since  the  beginning  have  been 
^;i0,999,057,  and  /2, 729, 109  has  been  written  off  pro- 
perty and  plant  account. 

Mason  &  Barry. — This  compatiy  has  worked  the 
San  Domingos  cupriferous  pyrites  mines  at  Mertola, 
Portugal,  since  1853,  and  has  made  large  profits.  Dur- 
ing the  war  the  restriction  of  trade  and  shipping  facili- 
ties seriously  interfered  with  the  business  of  the  com- 
pany. The  report  for  1920  shows  that  conditions  have 
improved  again.  The  amount  of  ore  raised  was  93,812 
tons,  as  against  60.522  tons  in  1919.  The  shipments, 
inclusive  of  washed  pyrites,  amounted  to  226,739  tons, 
as  against  41,827  tons  in  1919.  The  profit  was  ^67,685, 
out  of  which  ;f46.293  was  paid  as  dividend,  being  at  the 
rate  of  25%.     The  sum  of  /5.C00  was  placed  to  the 


316 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


account  of  the  statT  pension  fund. 

Sons  of  Gwalia. — This  company  was  formed  in  1898 
to  work  a  jjold  mine  near  Mount  Leonora.  West  Aus-- 
traha.  Bewick,  Moreinj;  A  Co.  are  the  managers.  The 
report  for  19J0  shows  tliat  135,230  tons  of  ore  was 
treated  for  a  yield  of  41,690  oz.,  reahzing  /;255,234,  of 
which  ^77,353  represented  premium.  The  working 
profit  was  ^'60,257,  from  which  has  to  be  deducted 
/If), 310  for  taxes  and  ;fS.2SS  for  depreciation.  The 
dividend  absorbed  ;f  16,250,  being  at  the  rate  of  5%.  As 
already  reported,  a  lire  destroyed  most  of  the  mill  and 
treatment  plant  in  January,  and  the  stoppage  of  produc- 
tive operations  followed.  The  directors  intend  to  re- 
build the  plant,  and  have  placed  /20.000  out  of  the 
year's  profit  to  the  account  for  continuing  development 
and  providing  new  plant.  Satisfactory  settlement  has 
been  made  with  the  insurance  companies. 

Ooregum  Gold. — This  company  belongs  to  the  John 
Tavlor  group,  and  operates  a  gold  mine  in  the  Kolar 
district.  Mysore  State,  South  India.  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  153.350  tons  of  ore  was  treated,  yield- 
ing 96,268  oz.  of  gold.  The  amount  of  ore  treated  was 
about  the  same  as  the  year  before,  but  the  yield  of  gold 
was  5,834  oz.  greater.  This  rise  is  accounted  for  by 
the  policy  adopted  of  working  richer  ore  so  as  to  pro- 
vide funds  for  sinking  the  new  shaft  and  for  supplying 
new  plant  necessary  for  continuing  work  at  depth  The 
gold  realized  jf 499. 756,  and  the  working  profit  was 
^226, 017.  The  shareholders  received  ;^93,173,  the 
dividend  rates  being  32i  "o  on  the  preference  shares  and 
22i°o  on  the  ordmary  shares.  There  was  written  off 
for  depreciation  ^IS.OOO.  and  /33.182  for  expenditure 
on  the  new  circular  shaft  ;  while  .^50,000  has  been  al 
located  to  mine  equipment  account.  The  ore  reserve 
is  estimated  at  422.656  tons,  a  fall  of  5.310  tons  on  the 
year.  In  the  lowest  levels  of  the  mine,  namely,  the 
61st  and  62nd  in  Oaklev's  section,  and  the  59th  to  62nd 
levels  in  BuUen's  section,  the  lengths  of  ore  are  not  so 
great  as  in  the  levels  above,  owing  to  intrusions  of  peg- 
matite, but  the  ore  is  of  good  quality 

Gopeng  Consolidated. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1912  as  a  consolidation  of  the  Gopeng  and  New  Go- 
peng, which  had  been  operating  alluvial  tin  properties 
in  Perak.  Federated  Malay  States,  since  1892  and  1903 
respectively.  The  object  of  the  consolidation  was  to 
facilitate  the  financing  of  a  scheme,  undertaken  con- 
jointly with  KintaTin  Mines,  Ltd.,  for  bringing  a  new 
supply  of  water  at  higher  pressure  for  use  in  hydraulick- 
ing  from  the  Kampar  river.  The  control  of  the  com- 
pany is  in  Redruth.  James  Wickett  is  chairman,  and 
Osborne  &  Chappel  are  the  engineers.  The  report  for 
the  year  ended  September  30  last  shows  that,  owing  to 
an  unusual  drought,  less  tin  ground  could  be  treated, 
the  figure  being  1,115.196  cu.  yd  .  as  compared  v\ith 
1.423. 283  cu.  yd.  during  the  previous  year.  The  out- 
put of  tin  concentrate  was  733^  tons,  as  compared  with 
836  tons  the  year  before,  and  the  yield  per  yard  was 
r48  lb.  as  compared  with  1  32  lb.  The  income  from 
the  sale  of  concentrate  was  £133. 745.  and  the  working 
cost  was  ;f43.736.  Dividends  and  interest  brought  an 
income  of  /5.931.  The  total  profit  was  ^97,399.  out 
of  which  /^59.365  was  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at 
the  rate  of  15  per  cent. 

Tekka-Taiping. — This  company  was  formed  in  1913 
as  a  subsidiary  of  the  Tekka  for  the  purpose  of  acquir- 
ing an  alluvial  tin  property  at  Taiping  in  the  Larut  dis- 
trict of  Perak,  Federated  Malay  States.  James  Wickett 
is  chairman,  and  Osborne  &  Chappel  are  the  engineers. 
Operations  were  started  with  a  pump-dredge,  but  a 
bucket-dredge  was  substituted  later.  A  second  bucket- 
dredgf  is  on  order.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  Oc- 
tober 31  last  shows  that  892,020  cu.  yd.  of  ground  was 


treated,  for  a  yield  of  3949  tons  of  tin  concentrate, 
being  at  the  rateof  0  99  lb.  per  yard.  The  income  was 
j[70,0Zi.  and  the  working  profit  was  £M,S02.  out  of 
which  /.17,433  was  paid  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate 
of  5%.  The  allowance  tor  depreciation  of  plant  w.is 
/5,000,  and  a  large  balance  was  kept  in  hand  pending 
settlement  of  liability  for  taxation.  The  yield  from  the 
ground  treated  was  much  higher  than  the  calculated 
contents,  the  bore-hole  figures  calling  for  only  0  63  lb. 
per  yard. 

Rambutan.  -This  company  belongs  to  the  Wickett 
group,  of  Kedruth,  and  was  formed  in  1905  to  work  al- 
luvial tin  ground  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Kinta  dis- 
trict, I'erak,  Federated  Malay  States  A  pump-dredge 
was  used  at  first,  but  hydraulic  elevating  was  adopted 
afterwards.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30, 
1920,  shows  that  212  tons  of  tin  concentrate  was  ex- 
tracted from  504,752  cu.  yd.  of  ground,  being  a  yield  of 
0  95  lb.  per  yard.  The  income  from  the  sale  of  concen- 
trate was  .^40,355,  and  the  working  profit  was  ;f  25,403, 
out  of  which  /1 5,000  was  distributed  as  dividend,  being 
at  the  rate  of  15  per  cent. 

Pengkalen. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Wickett 
group,  of  Redruth,  and  was  formed  in  1907  to  work  al- 
luvial tin  ground  at  Lahat,  in  the  state  of  Perak,  Feder- 
ated Malay  States.  At  first  an  electrically-driven  pump- 
dredge  was  installed,  but  it  did  not  give  good  results. 
A  bucket-dredge  is  on  order,  and  in  the  meantime  the 
property  has  been  let  on  tribute.  A  substantial  income 
is  at  present  realized  by  the  sale  of  electric  power  to 
other  mining  companies,  and  this  electric  plant  is  being 
extended.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  September  30 
last  shows  that  the  income  from  tribute  was  ;f  6, 473,  and 
from  the  sale  of  power  /27,926,  while  /1, 450  was  re- 
ceived as  dividends  from  investments.  The  costs  at  the 
mine  and  power  plant  were  /19,789,  and  the  working 
profit  was  ;f  15,412,  out  of  which  /5,000  was  written  off 
for  depreciation  of  plant,  while  /7,088  was  distributed 
as  dividend,  being  15°n  on  the  preference  shares  and 
5';'o  on  the  ordinary  shares. 

Chendai  Consolidated. — This  company  belongs  to 
the  Wickett  group,  of  Redruth,  and  was  formed  in  1914 
as  a  consolidation  of  the  Redhills,  Sungei  Chendai.  and 
the  Chendai  Lodes  companies,  operating  in  the  Kinta 
district  of  Perak,  Federated  Malay  States.  The  report 
for  the  year  ended  .\pril  30,  1920,  shows  that  the  lode 
property  was  not  worked  owing  to  deficiency  of  avail- 
able ore,  and  that  the  ore  in  the  bottom  level  could  not 
be  mined  owing  to  water  in  the  stopes.  A  small  amount 
of  development  work  was  done.  The  alluvial  proper- 
ties were  let  to  tributers,  who  won  37  tons  of  tin  concen- 
trate, selling  for  ;f5,782,  of  which  ;^780  accrued  to  the 
company  as  tribute.  The  company's  accounts  for  the 
year  show  a  loss  of  ;f823. 

Plymouth  Consolidated  Gold  Mines. — This  com- 
pany was  formed  in  1914  by  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co. 
to  acquire  a  gold  mine,  reported  on  by  W.  J.  Loring, 
in  Amador  County,  California.  Dividends  were  paid 
regularly  from  1915  to  1919.  Thereport  for  1920  shows 
that  owing  to  unavoidable  curtailment  of  development 
during  preceding  years,  the  tonnage  of  ore  treated 
showed  a  decrease,  being  91,350  tons  as  compared 
with  119,200  tons  during  1919.  The  yield  of  gold  was 
/■121.799  as  compared  with  ;^148.666;  and  the  yield  per 
ton  26s.  Sd.  as  compared  with  24s.  Ud.  per  ton.  As 
the  mine  is  in  the  United  States,  no  premium  is  received 
on  the  sale  of  gold.  The  working  cost  was  .^110.614, 
and  after  allowance  for  depreciation  and  .American 
taxes,  the  total  cost  was  ;f  122,382,  leaving  a  balance  of 
profit  of  ^2,358.  The  working  cost  per  ton  was  24s. 
2d.,  as  compared  with  18s.  9d.  in  1919,  and  16s.  in  1918. 
The  advance  in  cost  was  due  to  increased  wages  and 


MAY,    1921 


317 


prices  of  materials.  The  development  done  during  the 
year  has  given  satisfactory  results.  The  No.  2  South 
ore-shoot  was  developed  at  the  1,500  and  1.600  ft.  levels 
where,  although  theshoot  was  narrow,  high  values  were 
disclosed,  and  the  main  and  north  foot-wall  ore  shoots 
were  opened  up  with  good  results  at  the  2,600  and 
2,750  ft.  levels  respectively.  At  the  2,900  ft.  level  high- 
grade  ore  was  developed,  which  it  is  believed  forms  the 
apex  of  a  new  shoot  subsequently  opened  up  at  the 
J. 050  ft.  level  where,  for  a  length  of  204  ft.,  it  averaged 
57s.  per  ton  over  a  width  of  SO  in,  A  winze  from  the  lat- 
ter level  was  sunk  50  ft.  in  oreaveraging  54s.  6d.  per  ton 
overan  exposed  width  of  y2  in.  Theshoot  was  also  inter- 
sected by  a  cross- cut  from  the  shaft  at  the  3, 120 ft.  level, 
and  averaged  33s.  6d,  per  ton  over  a  width  of  108  in. 
To  expedite  the  opening  up  of  this  new  ore-body  the 
winze  mentioned  is  being  continued  concurrently  with 
shaft-sinking,  and  it  is  expected  that  when  work  has  ad- 
vanced sufficiently  to  enable  the  concentration  of  min- 
ing operations  on  this  section,  an  improvement  will  re- 
sult, not  only  in  the  output,  but  also  in  working  costs. 

Santa  Gertrudis. — Thereportof  this  company,  which 
works  silver  mines  at  Pachuca,  Mexico,  shows  that  dur- 
ing the  year  ended  June  30,  1920,  356.753  tons  of  ore 
from  the  Santa  Gertrudis  and  120,322  tons  from  the  El 
Bordogroup  weretreated.  for  an  extraction  of  4.430.433 
oz.  of  silver  and  23,070  oz.  of  gold.  The  net  profit  was 
£237,384.  of  which  /65,000  was  allocated  to  income 
tax,  while  £  150,000  was  distributed  as  dividend,  being 
at  the  rate  of  10%  Developments  at  the  Santa  Ger- 
trudis mine  continue  to  give  littleresult.and  thereserve 
is  estimated  at  476,678  tons  with  recoverable  contents 
of  4.309,556  oz.  of  silver  and  24,382  oz  of  gold.  At  the 
El  Bordo  group,  developments  at  the  El  Bordo  pro- 
perty have  given  good  results  and  the  reserve  has  been 
substantially  increased,  standing  now  at  1,064.180  tons, 
the  recoverable  content  being  estimated  at  11,000,000 
oz.  of  silver  and  48,400  oz.  gold.  At  the  Malinche  mine 
development  has  been  continued,  but  more  work  will 
have  to  be  done  before  the  value  of  the  deposit  can  be 
ascertained.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at  102,810  tons, 
containing  832,190  oz.  silver  and  3.670  oz.  gold  recover- 
able. Transport  connection  has  been  made  with  the  El 
Christo  mine,  and  shipments  have  commenced.  There- 
serve  is  estimated  at  147.750  tons,  containing  1,188,300 
oz.  silver  and  5,225  oz.  gold  recoverable.  The  com- 
pany owns  250,000  i\  shares  and  /70, 000  seven-year 
notes  in  the  Mexican  Corporation  ;  also49,996£'l  shares 
in  the  Mexican  Chemical  &  Metallurgical  Corporation, 
which  was  formed  in  January,  1920. 

Camp  Bird. —  The  report  of  this  company  for  the 
year  ended  June  30,  1920,  shows  that  the  exploration 
conducted  upward  by  means  of  the  long  tunnel  has 
been  continued,  but  that  no  important  runs  of  gold  ore 
have  been  discovered.  The  company  received  ;^58,917 
as  dividend  on  its  holding  in  Santa  Gertrudis,  and  made 
a  profit  of  /50, 320  by  realization  of  certain  investments. 
The  accounts  show  a  profit  of  ;^29,451.  Dividends  on 
the  preference  shares  declared  for  the  year  absorbed 
;f45,473.  The  company  has  subscribed  for  100,000  £\ 
shares  in  the  National  Mining  Corporation,  and  for 
250,000  /I  shares  and  ;f  70,000  seven-year  notes  in  the 
Mexican  Corporation  ;  also  for  24,998  £\  shares  in  the 
American  Chemical  &  Metallurgical  Corporation, 
which  was  registered  in  January,  1920. 

Mexican  Corporation, — This  company  belongs  to 
the  Camp  Bird  group,  and  was  formed  in  July,  1919, 
to  work  the  Fresnillo  silver  mine  in  Zacatecas,  and  the 
Teziutlan  copper  mine  in  Puebla.  The  company's  in- 
terest in  these  mines  is  that  it  is  supplying  money  for 
reorganizing  and  extending  the  scale  of  operations  in 
return  for  40%  and  37^%  respectively  of  the  net  profits. 


The  company  has  also  invested  funds  in  the  National 
Mining  Corporation,  and  the  Burma  Corporation  ;  it 
has  a  share  in  the  Union  en  Cuale  option  obtained  by 
the  Esperanza  company  ;  and  it  holds  an  interest  in  the 
British  Equatorial  Oil  Company.  The  report  now 
issued  covers  the  period  from  the  formation  of  the  com- 
pany to  the  end  of  June,  1920.  It  is  here  staled  that 
/999,396  had  been  dispatched  to  Mexico  for  capital 
purposes  by  December  31,  1920.  Particulars  are  also 
given  of  the  development  work.  At  the  Fresnillo  mine 
there  are  two  separate  workings,  one  in  an  oxidized  sur- 
face ore-body,  and  the  other  a  system  of  deeper  work- 
ings containing  complex  sulphide  ore.  The  surface 
ore-body  is  estimated  to  contain  4,000,000  tons  of  ore 
which  is  easily  treated  by  cyanide.  The  sulphide  ore 
will  probably  have  to  be  submitted  to  some  concentra- 
tion process  before  treatment.  During  the  period  No- 
vember 1,  1919,  to  June  30.  1920,  there  was  treated 
100.901  tons  from  the  surface  ore-body,  from  which 
390, 744  oz.  silver  and  531  oz.  gold  were  extracted.  Also 
96,225  tonsofold  tailing  wastreated,  yielding  180. 141  oz. 
silverand  428  oz.  gold.  At  theTeziutlan  property  con- 
centration plant  has  been  erected,  having  for  its  chief 
object  the  removal  of  the  zinc  from  the  copper  ore. 
During  the  period  above-named,  35,256  tons  of  ore  and 
concentrate  was  smelted,  and  the  blister  copper  pro- 
duced contained  2, 199,692  lb.  copper,  829  oz.  gold,  and 
58.451  oz.  silver, 

Randfontein  Central. — This  company  owns  pro- 
perty in  the  farthest  west  Rand.  The  control  passed  a 
few  years  ago  from  J .  B.  Robinson  to  the  Barnato  group, 
under  whose  auspices  the  underground  work  was  en- 
tirely reorganized.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
1,561.330  tons  of  ore.  averaging  5'62  dwt.  per  ton,  was 
raised  and  sent  direct  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by 
amalgamation  was  240,099  oz..  and  by  cyanide  170.714 
oz.,  making  a  total  of  410,813  oz,  equal  to  5 '26  dwt.  per 
ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  ;£2, 300, 695, 
of  which  about  ^550.000  came  from  premium.  The 
working  cost  was /^2, 142. 595.  leaving  a  working  profit  of 
/15S.100.  Against  this  profit  was  charged  ^138.580  for 
debenture  interest,  and  /34,769  for  interest  on  the  loan 
advanced  by  the  controlling  house.  The  revenue  per 
ton  was  29s  5d.,  and  the  working  cost  27s.  5d.  The  ore 
reserve  is  estimated  at  3,593,410  tons,  averaging  6'2 
dwt.  per  ton.  Of  the  two  new  main  vertical  shafts,  the 
northern  is  already  in  commission,  and  the  southern 
will  be  ready  in  July  or  August.  The  new  development 
work  has  disclosed  ore,  in  addition  to  the  proved  re- 
serves, which  is  likely  to  last  for  many  years. 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep. — This  company  belongs 
to  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  and  was 
formed  to  work  a  deep-level  property  in  the  middle 
west  Rand  in  1895.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
308,713  tons  was  raised,  and  after  the  rejection  of  10% 
waste,  277,200  tons  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of 
gold  by  amalgamation  was  62,337  oz..and  by  cyanide 
26,533  oz.,  making  a  total  of  88.870  oz.,  or  6  4  dwt.  per 
ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  ;f  490,620, 
of  which  ;f  112,900  represented  premium.  The  work- 
ing cost  was  £476,937,  leaving  a  working  profit  of 
£l3,6S2.  The  revenue  per  ton  was  35s.  5d.,  and  the 
working  cost  34s.  5d.  The  development  during  the 
year  was  restricted  owing  to  the  shortage  of  labour,  but 
the  results  obtained  were  good,  196,200  tons  averaging 
71  dwt.  per  ton  being  proved.  The  reserve  is  estima- 
ted at  1.094,900  tons  averaging  6  6dwt.  per  ton.  Dur- 
ing the  first  half  of  the  year,  when  the  gold  premium 
was  low.  operations  were  being  carried  on  at  a  loss,  and 
the  directors  deemed  it  advisable  to  stop  the  sinking  of 
the  new  vertical  shaft,  which  had  reached  a  depth  of 
2.272  ft.     This  shaft  is  necessary  if  working  costs  are 


318 


THK    MININC.    MAGAZINE 


to  be  reduced,  and  the  directors  are  now  considering 
the  advisabihty  of  resuming;  sinking 

Langlaagte  Estates  &  Gold. — This  company  belongs 
to  the  Hsrn;ilo  f;roiip  and  works  an  oiucrop  properly 
in  the  western  portLon  of  the  central  Hand.  The  re- 
port (or  1920  shows  that  465.J00  tons  averagin^e  2  dwt. 
per  ton  was  mined  and  sent  direct  to  the  mill.  The 
vield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  83,181  oz  .  and  by 
cyanide   55.592  oz.   being    a  total    of   138,773  oz.,  or 

5  96dwt.  per  ton  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold 
was  ^774.031 .  of  which  /lS4,000represented  premium, 
and  the  working  profit  was  ^153, 352  The  revenue  per 
ton  was  33s   3d.  and  the  working  profit  6s    Td.     The 

.  shareholders  received  ^'88.650,  the  dividends  (Nos,  59 
and  60)  totalling  10%.  Development  has  continued  to 
give  satisfactory  results.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimated 
at  1 ,01f>, 800  tons  averaging  (V't  dwt.  per  ton. 

Consolidated  Langlaagte  Mines.  —This  company  he- 
longs  to  the  Barnato  group,  and  operates  a  deep-level 
mine  in  the  western  part  of  the  central  Rand.  The  re- 
port for  1920  shows  that  484,247  tons  of  ore  was  raised 
and  sent  direct  to  the  mill,  together  with  19,653  tons 
taken  from  the  dumps.  The  average  assay-value  of 
the  ore  treated  was  6  1  dwt.  per  ton.  The  yield  of  gold 
by  amalgamation  was  104,716  oz,  and  by  cyanide 
39,853  oz.,  making  a  total  of  144,569  oz.,  or  5  74  dwt. 
per  ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was 
£806,076,  of  which  about  £190,000  represented  pre- 
mium Theworking  profitwas  £185.109.  Therevenue 
per  ton  was  31s.  lid  ,  and  the  working  profit  7s  4d. 
The  shareholders  received  £118,750,  the  dividends 
(Nos.  13  and  14)  being  together  12i%.  Developments 
in  the  bottom  levels  were  very  discouraging.  The 
ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  1,339,000  tons,  averaging 

6  2  dwt.,  as  compared  with  2,090,300  tons  of  the  same 
tenour  last  year.  The  fall  in  the  reserve  is  due  not  only 
to  poor  developments,  but  also  to  some  of  the  ore  in 
the  Leader  proving  of  lower  grade  than  originally  esti- 
mated. 

Village  Deep. — This  companv  belongs  to  the  Cen- 
tral .VIining-Rand  Mines  group  and  works  a  deep-level 
property  in  the  central  Rand  to  the  west  of  City  Deep. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  604,686  tons  of  ore  was 
raised,  and  after  the  removal  of  8%  waste,  555,800 
tons  averaging  6  63  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill 
The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  113,039oz.,and 
by  cyanide  60,187  oz..  making  a  total  of  173,226  oz., 
or  623  dwt.  per  ton.  The  gold  was  sold  for  £956,921, 
of  which  about  £220,000  represented  premium.  The 
working  cost  was  £828,339,  leaving  a  working  profit  of 
£128,581.  The  revenue  per  ton  was  34s.  5d.,  the  cost 
29s.  lOd.,  and  the  profit  4s.  7d.  The  shareholders  re- 
ceived £106,067,  thedividendsbeing  at  the  rate  of  10%. 
The  development  during  the  year  gave  fairly  good  re- 
sults, and  533,700  tons  a%'eraging  6'3  dwt.  per  ton  was 
proved.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at  2,381,200  tons 
averaging  6  1  dwt.  per  ton  :  of  this  amount,  508,900 
tons  averaging  59  dwt.  is  in  pillars.  The  main  incline 
shaft  has  been  sunk  to  the  32nd  level,  and  is  now  6, 059  ft 
vertically  below  the  outcrop. 

City  beep. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Central 
Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  and  works  a  deep-level 
property  in  the  central  Rand.  The  report  for  the  year 
1920  shows  that  follosving  on  the  absorption  of  the  City 
&  Suburban  it  was  possible  to  increase  the  native  la- 
bour supply.  Consequently  a  much  larger  amount  of 
ore  was  milled.  In  fact,  for  the  first  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  mine,  it  was  possible  to  work  the  mill  at  full 
capacity.  The  amount  milled  was  862,500  tons,  com- 
pared with  617,800  tons  in  1919and  670,000  tons  in  1918. 
The  assay-value  of  the  ore  milled  was8'45  dwt.  per  ton. 
The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  252,828  oz.. 


and  by  cyanide  98,533  oz  ,  making  a  total  of  351,361  oz  , 
or  8  14  dwt.  per  ton  milled  The  income  from  the  sale 
of  gold  was  £1,951,330,  of  which  about  £458,000  was 
line  to  premiiiin,  the  average  price  obtaineti  for  tlie  gold 
being  ills,  per  oz.  The  revenue  per  ton  was  45s,  3d. 
The  working  cost  was  £1,301,981,  or  30s.  2d.  per  ton. 
leaving  a  working  profit  of  £649,348,  or  15s.  Id  per  ton. 
Dividends  absorbing  £415,250  were  distributed,  being 
at  the  rate  of  32A%.  The  profit  was  £191,601  higher 
than  that  for  1919.  The  cost  per  ton  has  continued,  to 
increase,  and  compares  with  27s  9d.  in  1919  and  24s. 
Sd.  in  1918  The  developments  have  not  been  (juite  as 
good  as  they  were  during  the  previous  few  years  ;  never- 
theless 598,500  tons  averaging  8  9  dwt.  was  proved 
The  reserve  is  estimated  at  3,099,200  tons  averaging 
9  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with  3, 418, 452  tonsaverag 
ing  9'4  tons  the  year  before.  The  sinking  of  the  new 
shaft  near  the  southern  boundary,  which  will  be  7,000  ft. 
deep,  has  been  described  in  a  paper  by  E£  II.  Clifford, 
(|uoted  m  our  March  issue.' 

Crown  Mines. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Cen- 
tral Mining  Hand  Mines  group,  and  works  deep-level 
ground  in  the  central  Rand.  The  report  for  1920  shows 
ihat  2.254,583  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  of  which 
1,342,676  tons  came  from  the  Main  Reef  Leader, 
919,731  tons  from  the  South  Reef,  and  150.965  tons 
from  the  Main  Reef.  After  the  removal  of  10%  waste, 
2,201,000  tons,  averaging  6  35  dwt.  per  ton,  was  sent 
to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was 
496,589  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  175,016  oz.,  making  a  total 
of  671.605  oz  ,  equal  to  6  1  dwt.  per  ton.  The  par  value 
of  the  gold  was  £2.872,542,  equal  to  26s  Id.  per  ton. 
To  this  must  be  added  £926,062  accruing  from  pre- 
mium, equal  to  8s,  5d.  per  ton.  The  total  revenue  was 
thus  £3,704,273,  equal  to  33s.  8d.  per  ton.  The  work- 
ing cost  was  £2,611,137,  or  23s.  9d.  per  ton,  leaving  a 
working  profit  of  £1,093,335.  or  9s.  lid.  per  ton.  The 
shareholders  received  £728,582,  the  dividend  being  at 
the  rate  of  77i%.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at  S,131,7CO 
tons,  averaging  6  4  dwt.  per  ton,  of  which  4,972,800 
tons,  averaging  69  dwt.,  is  in  the  Main  Reef  Leader, 
and  3,158,900  tons,  averaging  5  4  dwt  ,  is  in  the  South 
Reef.  Of  this  total,  1,289,000  tons,  averaging  7  3 dwt.. 
IS  in  pillars  and  is  not  immediately  available  for  stop- 
ing.  The  development  of  the  large  area  below  the  19th 
level  is  being  actively  conducted.  No.  5A  shaft  has 
been  sunk  1,573  ft.  vertically  below  the  19th  level  main 
haulage  east,  and  is  now  in  readiness  for  the  develop- 
ment of  the  area  north-east  of  the  South  Rand  dyke. 
Preparations  are  in  hand  for  the  sinking  of  No.  14A 
shaft  below  No.  14  vertical  shaft,  situated  2,000ft.  south 
of  No.  5\  shaft.  This  shaft  is  intended  for  the  exploita- 
tion of  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  company's  ground. 
The  sinking  of  No.  15  shaft  in  the  western  section  has 
been  completed  to  the  requisite  depth,  and  the  sub- 
shaft  No.  15A  is  now  in  hand.  The  two  shafts  Nos.  14 
and  15,  with  their  continuations  in  depth,  Nos.  14Aand 
15A,  will  be  used  in  developing  the  extensive  ground  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  property. 

Meyer  &  Charlton, — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Albu  group  and  works  an  outcrop  gold  mine  in  the  cen- 
tral Rand.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  the  remark- 
able prosperity  of  this  comparatively  small  mine  has 
continued,  and  owing  to  the  premium  has  made  a  big- 
ger profit  than  ever.  The  reserve  of  rich  ore  is,  how- 
ever, limited.  During  the  year,  160,150  tons  of  ore 
averaging  13  16  dwt.  per  ton  was  mined  and  sent  to  the 
mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  39, 649  oz., 
and  by  cyanide  45,010  oz.  ;  in  addition  17,503  oz.  was 
extracted  from  concentrates.  The  total  yield  was 
102,163  oz.,  equal  to  1277  dwt.  per  ton.  The  revenue 
from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £566,563,  of  which  about 


MAY,    1921 


319 


/l  J3,000  came  from  premium.  The  workmg  cost  was 
/2^1.469.  and  the  working  profit  ^345,093.  The 
revenue  per  ton  was  70s.  9d.,  the  working  cost  27s.  7d.. 
and  the  working  profit  43s.  Id.  The  shareholders  re- 
ceived ;f240,000,  the  div'idends  (Nos.  61  and  62)  total- 
ling 120%.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  450,050 
tons  averaging  Hldwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with 
516.489  tonsaveraging  15  5  dwt.  These  figures  do  not 
include  ore  in  pillars  ami  hanging  and  foot-wall  reefs  ; 
54.555  tons  was  drawn  from  these  sources  during  the 
past  year 

GeldenhuisDeep.—Thiscompany  has  worked  a  deep- 
level  properly  in  the  near  east  Rand  since  1893,  and  in 
laier  years  absorbed  the  Geldenhuis  outcrop  mine.  The 
control  is  with  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  598,435  tons  was  raised, 
and  alter  the  rejection  of  waste,  557,500  tons  averaging 
5'93  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of 
gold  by  amalgamation  was  104,101  oz.,  and  by  cyanide 
52,093  oz  ,  making  a  total  of  156. 194  oz  ,  or  56  dwt.  per 
ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  ^861,944, 
of  which  /189,000  was  premium.  The  working  cost 
was  ^777,053,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  ^84.891.  The 
revenue  per  ton  was  30s,  lid.,  the  working  cost  27s. 
lid.,  and  the  working  profit  3s.  The  shareholders  re- 
ceived ;f87,862,  the  dividends  being  at  the  rate  of  15%. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  1,467.100  tons  averag- 
ing 61  dwt.  per  ton.  Ore  continues  to  be  exposed  in 
the  western  section  of  the  mine,  though  of  limited  ex- 
lent.  In  the  eastern  section  many  falls  have  taken 
place,  and  it  is  a  question  how  long  ore  can  be  extracted 
safely.  The  life  of  the  mine  depends  also  on  the  gold 
premium. 

Knight  Central. — This  company  has  worked  a  deep- 
level  property  in  the  middle  east  Rand  since  1903,  but 
little  profit  has  ever  been  made.  The  control  passed 
from  Neumann's  to  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines 
group  three  years  or  so  ago.  During  the  last  two  years 
the  mine  has  been  on  the  point  of  ceasing  work  on  more 
than  one  occasion,  but  the  gold  premium  together  with 
new  discoveries  of  limited  extent  have  postponed  the 
evil  day.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  295,100  tons 
of  ore  averaging6T6dwt.  per  ton  was  mined  and  sent 
direct  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation 
was  49, 635  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  36, 385  oz..  making  a  total 
of  86.020 oz.  or  5  83  dwt.  per  ton.  The  gold  realized 
/470.,697,  of  which  about  ^^108,000  represented  pre- 
mium. The  working  cost  was  £402,097,  leaving  a 
working  profit  of  ;f68,600.  The  revenue  per  ton  was 
31s.  lid.,  the  working  cost  26s.  lOd.,  and  the  working 
profit  4s-8d.  The  shareholders  received  ;f67.500.  being 
at  the  rate  of  7.J%.  This  is  only  the  second  dividend 
ever  paid.  During  the  year,  120,000  tons  of  ore  averag- 
ing 5  9  dwt.  per  ton  was  exposed,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
year  the  reserve  was  estimated  at  150.700  tons  averag- 
ing 6  1  dwt.  The  development  of  the  area  south  of  the 
Simmer  dyke  between  No.  4  and  No.  5  incline  shafts 
has  given  uniformly  poor  results.  As  regards  the  eas- 
tern part  of  the  mine,  further  development  would  in- 
volve a  large  expenditure  on  a  new  incline  shaft,  and 
this  expenditure  is  not  considered  to  be  warranted. 
The  exploration  of  the  large  area  on  the  dip  could  only 
be  done  by  means  of  a  new  vertical  shaft,  which  would 
cost  far  more  than  the  funds  at  the  company's  disposal, 
and  it  would  not  be  warranted  by  the  prospects.  It  is 
not  likely  that  the  mine  will  survive  the  current  year. 

Witwater»randGold. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Barnato  group  and  works  the  Knight's  mine  in  the  mid- 
dle east  Rand.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  463.055 
tons  of  ore  was  delivered  to  the  sorting  station,  and  after 
the  removal  of  10%  waste.  416,200  tons,  averaging 
5  8  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.     The  yield  by 


amalgamation  was  87, 61 5  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  29, 01  loz,, 
making  a  total  of  116,626  oz..  or  5  6  dwt.  per  ton.  The 
revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  .f  650, 133.  of  which 
/145.000  represented  premium,  and  the  working  profit 
was  /133,757.  The  revenue  per  ton  was  31s.  3d.,  and 
the  working  profit  6s.  5d.  The  shareholders  received 
£9i.9l5.  the  dividends  (Nos.  32  and  33)  totalling  20%. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  774,500  tons  averaging 
6  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with  1,142.500  tonsaverag- 
ing 5 '9  dwt.  the  year  before.  The  sinking  of  the  south- 
ern incline  shaft  has  been  stopped  at  a  depth  of  3.353  ft. 
as  the  prospects  in  the  bottom  of  the  mine  are  not 
promising.  Toward  the  end  of  the  year  47  claims  were 
acquired  from  Knights  Deep.  It  is  hoped  to  obtain 
from  these  claims  a  substantial  tonnage  of  ore  which 
will  help  to  keep  the  battery  more  fully  employed  than 
it  otherwise  would  be.  • 

Witwatersrand  Deep. — This  company  used  to  be- 
long to  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  but  two 
years  ago  local  shareholders  obtained  control.  There- 
port  for  1920  shows  that  369,597  tons  of  ore  was  raised, 
and  this,  together  with  20. 208  tons  of  low-grade  ore  from 
the  dumps,  was  sent  to  the  sorting  station,  where  5.885 
tons  of  waste  was  removed.  The  ore  milled  was383, 800 
tons  averaging  5  53  dwt.  of  gold  per  ton.  The  yield  of 
gold  by  amalgamation  was  72,190  oz.,  and  by  cyanide 
29,599  oz.,  making  a  total  of  101.789  oz.  The  revenue 
from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £557,104,  of  which  £l36.404 
came  from  premium.  The  working  cost  was  £492,267, 
leaving  a  working  profit  of  £64.837.  The  revenue  per 
ton  was  29s.,  the  cost  25s.  8d.,  and  the  profit  3s.  4d.  No 
dividend  is  paid,  as  funds  are  required  for  development 
and  improvement  in  underground  facilities.  During 
the  year  the  reserve  has  been  increased  from  922.639 
tons  averaging  6  4  dwt.  to  1,018,390  tons  averaging  63 
dwt.  The  results  obtained  on  the  24th  level  were  on 
the  whole  disappointing,  but  conditions  on  the  25th 
level  are  better. 

New  Kleinfontein. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Anglo-  French  Exploration  group  and  works  a  group  of 
outcrop  mines  in  the  Far  East  Rand  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  667,392  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  of  which 
93,070  came  from  the  Benoni  section.  16,652  tons  from 
the  .'\pex,  and  the  remainder  from  the  Kleinfontein. 
After  the  removal  of  15%  waste,  561,820  tons,  averag- 
ing 6  OS  dwt.  per  ton.  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield 
of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  104,212  oz. ,  and  by  cya- 
nide 57,665  oz.,  making  a  total  of  161,877  oz..  equal  to 
5  76  dwt.  per  ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold 
was  £875,490,  or  31s.  2d.  per  ton,  of  which  ibout 
£187,500  represented  premium.  The  working  cost  was 
£798,991,  or  28s.  5d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  working  profit 
of  £76,498,  or  2s.  9d  per  ton  The  shareholders  re- 
ceived £57.577.  the  dividend  being  at  the  rate  of  5%. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  1.623.574  tons,  averag- 
ing 5'32  dwt  per  ton,  as  compared  with  1,923,474  tons, 
averaging  5  61  dwt.  the  year  before.  In  the  Apex  sec- 
tion, which  is  now  closed,  the  reserve  is  estimated  at 
374,997  tons,  averaging  498  dwt.  The  Apex  mill  is 
leased  to  Modderfontein  East. 

Modderfontein  B. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group  and  operates  a  gold 
mine  in  the  Far  East  Rand.  The  report  for  the  year 
1920  shows  that  614,736  tons  was  raised,  and  with 
15,545  tons  from  the  dumps,  was  sent  to  the  sorting 
station.  After  the  removal  of  14%  waste,  627.700  tons 
averaging  10'2  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The 
extraction  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  179.343  oz., 
and  by  cyanide  132. 874  oz.,  making  a  total  of  312, 217oz., 
or9'95dwt.  per  ton  milled.  The  revenue  from  the  sale 
of  gold  was  £1,736,750,  of  which  £438.304  came  from 
premium.     The  working  cost  was  £818,326,  leaving  a 


320 


THE     MININC.     MAC.AZINI 


working  profit  of  ^9IS,423.  The  revenue  per  ton  was 
55s.  -td..  of  whicli  1-ts.  represented  premium,  ilie  cost 
^6s.  Id.,  and  the  profit  29s.  Jd.  The  sliareholders  re- 
ceived /  577.500,  the  dividends  (Nos.  16  and  17)  beinj; 
at  the  rate  of  82i%,  while  /l4-t,S14  was  allocated  to 
capital  expenditure,  chiefly  on  the  two  new  southern 
shafts.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  3,006.600  tons 
averaging  S'6dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with  3.215,100 
tons  averaging  9  dwt.  the  year  before.  Development 
work  has  proved  that  mnch  of  the  ground  in  the  north- 
east area  is  disturbed  by  faults  and  dykes  and  unpay- 
able. Most  of  the  profitable  ore  exposed  during  the 
year  was  in  the  south-west  area.  The  new  south-east 
shaft  was  sunk  to  the  reef,  which  is  much  disturbed 
here.  Connection  will  be  made  with  the  rise  put  in 
from  the  Geduld  in  the  south  east  corner,  where  the 
ground  is  also  disturbed,  though  a  promising  ore-body 
has  been  found.  The  south-west  shaft  is  in  course  of 
sinking. 

Governmenl  Gold  Mining  Areas  (Modderfonlein). 
— This  company  belongs  to  the  Barnato  group  and 
works  a  gold  mine  in  the  Far  East  Rand.  The  report 
for  1920  shows  that  1,763,913  tons  of  ore  was  raised, 
and  after  the  rejection  of  14%  waste,  1,515,000  tons 
averaging  S'3  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The 
yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  335,563  oz.,  and  by 
cyanide  267,676  oz,,  making  a  total  of  603,239  oz.,  or 
7  96  dwt.  per  ton.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold 
was  ^^3.314,749,  of  which  about  ^750, 000  represented 
premium  The  working  profit  for  the  year  was 
£1,708.163  The  revenue  per  ton  was  44s.  9d.,  and  the 
working  profit  22s  6d.  The  Government's  share  of  the 
profits  was  £^882, 975,  and  £^700, 000  was  distributed 
among  shareholders,  the  dividends  (Nos.  6  and  7)  be- 
ing 50%  for  the  year.  Development  during  the  year 
has  given  excellent  results.  The  reserve  is  estimated 
at  10.291,000  tonsaveraging  8  2  dwt  per  ton.  Arrange- 
ments are  in  hand  for  making  the  south  east  shaft  an 
upcast  so  as  to  improve  the  ventilation.  Eventually  it 
is  expected  that  another  shaft  will  have  to  be  sunk  for 
ventilation  purposes  only. 

Van  Ryn  Deep. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Bar- 
nato group,  and  works  a  gold  mine  in  the  Far  East 
Rand.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  750.606  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  and  after  the  removal  of  22%  waste. 
583,950  tons  averaging  10  58  dwt  per  ton  was  sent  to 
the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was 
198.387  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  107,441  oz.,  making  a  total 
of  305,824  oz.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was 
£1,677,474,  of  which  about  iili  000  represented  pre- 
rnium.  The  working  profit  was  £964,883.  The  revenue 
per  ton  was  54s.  6d.,  and  the  profit  33s.  The  share- 
holders received  £777,979,  the  dividends  (Nos  14  and 
15)  amounting  to  65%.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimalea 
at  3.260,000  tons,  averaging9  7  dwt.  per  ton.  Develop- 
ment has  recently  been  pushed  in  the  western  section 
of  the  mine,  which  has  hitherto  been  neglected  owing 
to  the  prospects  being  considered  unpromising.  The 
results  have  been  encouraging,  for  though  the  ore  is 
not  of  high  assay  value,  still  it  is  payable,  and  the  reef 
widths  are  considerable. 

Modderfonlein  Deep  Levels. — This  company  be- 
longs to  the  Union  Corporation  (formerly  Goerz)  group, 
and  operates  a  gold  mine  in  the  Far  East  Rand.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  635,414  tons  of  ore  was 
mined ,  and  after  the  removal  of  20%  waste  partly  below 
ground  and  partly  on  the  surface,  507.700  tons  averag- 
ing 10  82  dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield 
bvamalgamation  was  171.524oz  ,andbycyanide96.348 
oz.,makingatotalof  267.872  oz..  or  10  55  dwt.  per  ton. 
The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £1,466,594,  of 
which  £327,634  represented  premium.     The  working 


cost  was  £575,287,  and  the  working  profit  £891,307. 
The  revenue  per  ton  was  57s.  9d.,  the  working  cost  22s. 
Sd  ,  and  the  working  profit  35s.  Id,  The  shareholders 
received  £725,000,  the  dividends  being  at  the  rate  of 
145?i.  As  compared  with  the  previous  year,  the  rev- 
enue was  9s.  6d.  per  ton  higher,  the  costs  4s.  3d.  higher, 
and  the  profit  5s,  3d.  higher.  The  reserve  is  estimated 
at  4, 100, 000  tons  averaging  94  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compar- 
ed with  3,775,000  tons  averaging  91  the  year  before. 
.•\  larger  proportion  of  waste  is  now  sorted  out  than 
formui  Iv, 

Geduld  Proprietary  Mines. — This  company  belongs 
to  the  flnion  Corporation  (formerly  Goerz)  group,  and 
works  a  gold  mine  in  the  Far  East  Rand.  The  report 
for  1920  shows  that  637,276  tons  of  ore  was  mined,  and 
after  the  rejection  of  15%  waste,  527. SOO  tons,  averag- 
ing 7'63  dwt.  per  ton,  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield 
by  amalgamation  was  83,937  oz. .  and  by  cyanide  102,993 
oz.,  making  a  total  of  186,930  oz,  or  7  1  dwt.  per  ton. 
The  income  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £1.023,953,  and 
the  working  cost  £635,283,  leaving  a  working  profit 
of  £388,673.  The  premium  on  gold  accounted  for 
£229,259.  The  yield  per  ton  was 38s  lOd.,  the  working 
cost  24s.  Id.,  and  the  working  profit  14s  9d  The 
shareholders  received  £205,296.  the  dividends  being  at 
therateof  17*%.  The  developments  have  given  good 
results,  especially  in  No,  7  level  east  from  No.  3  shaft 
toward  No.  7  shaft,  where  a  large  amount  of  very  high 
grade  ore  has  been  found.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at 
3,220,000  tons,  averaging  8  dwt.,  as  compared  with 
2,580,000  tons,  averaging  7  4  dwt..  the  year  before. 

Brakpan  Mines. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Con- 
solidated Mines  Selection  group,  and  has  worked  a  gold 
mine  in  the  Far  East  Rand  since  1903.  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  699,019  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  and  after 
the  removal  of  14j%  waste.  597,100  tons  averaging 
8'85dwt.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of 
gold  by  amalgamation  was  174,446  oz,,  and  by  cyanide 
79.219  oz.,  making  a  total  of  253.665  oz..  equal  to  8'5 
dwt,  per  ton.  The  par  value  of  the  gold  was  £1.087,614, 
or  365,  5d.  per  ton,  and  the  premium  brought  an  addi- 
tional income  of  £336,164,  or  6s.  lid.  per  ton.  The 
working  cost  was  £881.393.  or  29s,  6d,  per  ton,  leaving 
a  working  profit  of  £542,385.  or  18s,  2d  per  ton.  Share- 
holders received  £380,190.  the  dividends  (Nos  17  and 
18)  totalling  45%  ;  £25,000  was  placed  to  reserve  for 
reorganization  of  plant  and  equipment,  and  /125,000 
was  allocated  to  expenditure  on  the  new  leased  area. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  2,526,517  tons  averag- 
ing 8  SSdwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with  2,484,000  tons 
averaging  S  74  dwt.  the  year  before. 

Springs  Mines. — This  company  belongs  to  the  Con- 
solidated Mines  Selection  group,  and  was  formed  in 
1909  to  work  gold  mining  property  in  the  Far  East 
r<and.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  569,963  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  and  after  the  removal  of  18j%  waste, 
465,800  tons avei aging  9  58  dwt,  per  ton  was  sent  to  the 
mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was97, 293  oz., 
and  by  cyanide  110,843oz  ,  making  a  total  of  208, 136oz. 
The  par  value  of  the  gold  was  £881,421.  or  37s.  lOd. 
per  ton.  and  the  premium  realized  £271,503.  or  lis.  8d. 
per  ton.  The  working  cost  was  £714.436.  or  30s.  8d. 
per  ton,  and  the  working  profit  was  £438.487,  or  18s. 
lOd,  per  ton.  Theshareholdersreceived  £251.372.  the 
dividends  (Nos.  3  and  4)  totalling  20%.  The  ore  re- 
serve is  estimated  at  2.726,178  tonsaveraging  876  dwt. 
per  ton,  as  compared  with  2,417,298  tons  averaging 
874  dwt.  the  year  before.  The  increase  is  due  chiefly 
to  the  further  excellent  development  of  the  large  ore- 
shoot  in  the  east  haulage  area  in  the  South  Shaft  dis- 
trict, but  is  also  due  to  good  results  in  the  area  con- 
tiguous to  the  north-west  haulage. 


.-!--" 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


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C  O  N  T  I<:  N  r  S 


r.A.GE 

Editorial 

Notes    322 

Oil  for  Power  Purposes ;  The  Camborne  War 
Memorial :  Greenland ;  Cultured  Pearls ;  In- 
stitution of  Electrical  Engineers ;  Charters 
Towers  School  of  Mines ;  Annual  Dinner  of  the 
Royal  School  of  Mines. 

Dr.  J.  D.  Falconer  on  Nigeria 323 

The  Editor  draws  attention  to  Bulletin  No.  1  of  the 
Nigerian  Geological  Survey. 

Dust  and  Gases  in  Mines 324 

Mention  is  made  of  deleterious  gases  in  mines,  such 
as  carbonic  o-xide,  and  of  the  prevention  of  the 
effect  of  fine  silica  on  the  lungs. 

Central  Mining  and  Investment 324 

Mr.  H.  F,  Marriott's  figures  for  the  results  during  1920 
are  based  on  the  par  value  of  gold,  thus  showing 
the  real  economic  state  of  the  industry. 

The  Porphyry  Coppers 325 

Figures  for  output,  cost,  and  profit  are  quoted  from 
Hayden,  Stone  &  Co.'s  circular. 

Review  of  Mining 327 

.Articles 

Nigerian  Geology.  .Dr.  J.  D.  Falconer  331 

A  study  of  the  rocks  and  surface  deposits  in  the  central 
tin-producing  district  of  the  Bauchi  Plateau. 

The  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India 
Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown  339 

Book  Reviews 

Smart's  "  Recent  Practice  in  the  Use  of  Self- 
contained  Breathing  Apparatus  " 

Stanley  Nettleton   348 

Penzer's  "Tin  Resources  of  the  British 
Empire  " Henry  Brelick  349 

Cox,  Dake,  and  Muilenburg's  "Field  Methods 
in  Petroleum  Geology  " H.  B.  Milner  351 

Cooper-Key's  "Primer  on  the  Storage  of 
Petroleum  Spirit  and  Carbide  of  Calcium  " 
H.  B.  Milner    352 


PAGE 

News  Letters 

Brisbane 353 

Roma  Oil  Geology. 

Vancouver   355 

Mining  in  the  Yukon  ;  Consolidated  Mining  and 
Smelting ;  Premier  Mine  ;  Oil  Drilling ;  Granby  Con- 
solidated ;  .\lluvial  Gold  ;  Platinum  ;  Fluor-spar. 

Toronto 357 

Porcupine  ;  Kirkland  Lake  ;  Cobalt  ;  Gowganda  ; 
Boston  Creek. 

Letters  to  the  Editor 

Wave-transmission  Rock-drill 

Charles  R.  Love  358 

Camborne  War  Memorial 

H.  If.  Hutchin 

Stanley  B.  White  359 

Personal    359 

Trade  Paragraphs    360 

Metal  Markets    360 

St.atistics  of  Production  363 

Prices  of  Chemicals 367 

Sh.\re  Ouot.ations 368 

The  Mining  Digest 

Search  for  Oil  in  Western  Canada  John  Ness  369 
Diamondiferous  Breccias  in  Brazil 

David  Draper    372 

British  American  Nickel  Corporation 

W.A.Carlyle    375 

Herb  Lake  Gold  Deposit,  Manitoba 

F.  J.  Alcock    376 

Anaconda  Electrolytic  Zinc 

Frederick  Laist  and  others    378 

Short  Notices    380 

Recent  Patents  Published 381 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 382 

Company  Reports    382 

Apex  (Trmidad)  Oilfields  ;  Aurora  West  United  j  Balaghat 
Gold  Mines  ;  Dundee  Coal  ;  GlencM  (.Natal)  Collieries  |  Golden 
Horse-Shoe  Estates  ;  New  Brunswick  Gas  and  Oilfields  1  New 
Goch  ;  New  Primrose  ;  New  Unified  .Main  Reef  t  Rezende  Mines  ; 
Rhodesia  Gold  Mining  and  Investment  ;  Roodepoort  United  Main 
Reef  ;    Waihi  Gold  ;    West  Rand  Consolidated  Mines. 


EDITORIAL 


THE  coal  strike  has  caiisod  the  power 
engineers  to  turn  their  attention  to  oil 
once  more,  and  some  of  the  railways  and 
electric  stations  are  thereby  enabled  to  carry 
on.  The  Government  has  announcixl  that  ail 
new  ships  built  for  the  Navv  are  to  use  oil- 
fuel.  ^ 

WE  would  draw  attention  to  a  com- 
munication, printed  elsewhere  in  this 
issue,  in  which  Messrs.  H.  \V.  Hut  chin  and 
StanlcyB.Whitcappeal  forsubscriptions  tothe 
Camborne  Memorial  to  old  students  who  fell 
in  the  war.  Some  particulars  of  the  Memorial 
were  given  in  our  issue  of  January  last. 

AFTER  having  served  its  purpose  well 
for  twenty  years,  the  Charters  Towers 
School  of  IMines  is  to  be  dissolved.  Owing 
chiefly  to  the  decay  of  the  local  goldfield,  but 
partly  also  to  the  general  depression  of 
mining  operations  in  Queensland,  there  is 
little  demand  now  for  facilities  in  connexion 
with  mining  education.  In  future,  such 
instruction  will  be  given  at  the  Charters 
Towers  Technical  College.  During  its  com- 
paratively short  existence,  the  influence  of 
the  school  has  been  felt  throughout  .'\ustralia, 
and  it.s  graduates  have  made  good  in  many 
important  positions. 

PUBLISHERS  of  and  subscribers  to 
technical  journals  and  proceedings  of 
scientific  societies  were  naturally  alarmed 
at  the  proposal  of  the  bureaucratic  dead- 
heads of  St.  Martin's  Le  Grand  to  double 
the  postage  on  printed  matter  sent  abroad. 
Fortunately  the  Government  defeat  in  the 
Westminster  election  supervened,  and  the 
obno.xious  decree  has  been  withdrawn. 
The  Postmaster-General,  seeing  the  signs  of 
the  times,  has  appointed  a  committee  of 
active  business  men  of  acknowledged  stand- 
ing, with  whom  he  will  confer  before  pro- 
posing any  more  modifications  of  the  postal 
service.  This  is  a  distinct  improvement  in 
public  policy. 

A  MILD  sensation  was  caused  last  month 
b}'  the  announcement  in  the  daily 
press  that  a  Hatton  Garden  pearl  merchant 
had  been  deceived  by  artificial  pearls 
grown  in  Japan.  The  fact  is  that  this 
"  culture "  has  been  known  to  scientists 
and  to  the  market  for  some  years.  Mr.  K. 
Mikimoto,  the  pioneer  of  this  work,  published 
a  description  and  diagram  of  the  process  in 


Ins  catalogue,  and  Dr.  I.yster  Jameson 
described  it  at  the  meeting  of  the  British 
.\ssociation  held  in  Dundee  in  1912.  Briefly 
described,  the  ])rocess  consists  of  inserting 
a  head  of  motlier-of-pearl  in  the  oyster  in 
a  particular  way  and  allowing  the  oyster  to 
do  the  rest.  V\'e  are  not  sufiiciently  versed 
in  the  art  of  casuistry  to  care  to  argue 
whether  these  pearls  are  really  "  pearls " 
or  not. 


ATTENTION  is  once  more  being  drawn 
to  Greenland  and  its  possible  resources 
by  the  celebration  of  the  two  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  foundation  of  a  Danish 
colony  there  by  Pastor  Egede.  The  presence 
of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Denmark  at 
Godthaab,  Egedc"s  little  settlement,  will 
serve  to  renew  interest  in  the  northerly 
outposts  of  civilization.  Much  is  heard  of 
Spitsbergen,  and  the  coal  deposits  in  Iceland 
have  been  the  subject  of  discussion  recently. 
The  only  mineral  at  present  worked  in 
Greenland  is  cryolite,  which  is  required  as 
a  solvent  for  alumina  in  the  electric  produc- 
tion of  aluminium.  But  most  of  Greenland  is 
covered  with  the  glacial  cap  and  only  a  small 
coastal  fringe  is  available  for  prospecting. 


IT  is  surprising  to  hear  that  the  Institution 
of  Electrical  Engineers  is  not  yet  in 
possession  of  a  Royal  Charter.  In  these  days 
it  is  hardly  possible  for  the  casual  observer 
to  believe  that  electricity  is  a  new  thing, 
any  more  than  a  mining  engineer  can 
realize  without  reflection  that  Johannesburg 
had  no  railway  communications  until  1892. 
The  Institution  was  formed  originally  as 
the  Society  of  Telegraph  Engineers,  and  in 
those  days  it  applied  for  a  charter.  This 
application  was,  of  course,  opposed  by  the 
Institution  of  Civil  Engineers,  'as  all  such 
proposals  are.  It  seems  strange  that  another 
application  has  been  postponed  so  long,  but 
presumably  there  will  be  no  valid  objection 
this  time.  Indeed,  there  seems  to  be  some 
disposition  on  the  part  of  the  Council  to 
truckle  to  theCivils,  for  the  proposal  is  made 
that  members  shall  be  entitled  to  the 
exclusive  use  of  the  designation  "  Chartered 
Electrical  Engineer,"  just  as  the  Civils  are 
now  trj'ing  to  establish  a  "  Chartered  Civil 
Engineer."  This  word  "  Chartered  "  does 
not  seem  to  convey  much  distinction  ;  it  is 
too  reminiscent  of  the  proverbial  "  chartered 
libertine."     If  we  have  any  grumble  to  make 


322 


JUNE,     1921 


323 


against  the  Electricals,  it  is  tliat  they  admit 
stockbrokers  who  may  happen  to  be  on  the 
board  of  electrical  companies  to  full  member- 
ship of  their  Institution. 

ELSEWHERE  in  this  issue  we  print 
extracts  from  Dr.  J.  D.  Falconer's 
Bulletin  on  the  geology  of  the  tinfields  of  the 
Bauchi  P'ateau  in  Nigeria.  This  is  No.  1 
of  a  series  of  bulletins  in  course  of  preparation 
by  the  Geological  Survey  of  Nigeria,  which 
was  established  in  1919,  with  Dr.  Falconer 
as  director  and  Captain  R.  C.  Wilson  as 
assistant  director.  The  scientific  staff  was 
augmented  in  1920  bj'  the  appointment  as 
geologists  of  Messrs.  C.  Raeburn,  F.  Y. 
Henderson,  and  A.  D.  N.  Bain.  Dr. 
Falconer,  together  with  Messrs.  Raeburn 
and  Henderson,  have  been  chiefly  engaged 
in  mapping  the  tinfields,  and  Captain  Wilson 
and  Mr.  Bain  in  exploring  the  railway  belt. 
The  e.xtracts  which  we  give  comprise  only 
a  small  portion  of  the  bulletin,  but  they 
suffice  to  indicate  the  general  geology  of  the 
plateau  as  now  interpreted.  Specific 
references  to  the  rocks  and  alluvial  deposits 
are  omitted,  and  it  has  been  impossible  to 
reproduce  the  geological  map.  We  have, 
however,  drawn  an  outline  topographical 
map,  which  will  help  in  the  reading  of  the 
article.  As  regards  the  merits  of  the  bulletin, 
mining  engineers  will  have  no  two  opinions, 
for  it  is  obvious  that  the  information  and 
the  reasoning  will  be  vastly  helpful  and 
encouraging  to  the  manager  and  prospector. 
Dr.  Falconer's  book  on  the  Geology  and 
Geography  of  Northern  Nigeria,  published 
in  1911,  written  as  a  result  of  investigations 
made  for  the  Colonial  Office,  was  useful 
to  the  pioneer,  though,  as  the  author  said, 
the  ground  covered  was  large  and  there  was 
no  great  concentration  on  any  particular 
line  of  investigation.  The  man  in  search 
of  ore,  wrongly  impatient  of  geological 
studies  of  no  immediate  financial  aid  to  him, 
did  not  appreciate  that  book  in  the  way  he 
should.  However,  he  ought  to  be  satisfied 
now,  for  the  bulletin  gives  him  just  the 
information  he  desires.  Dr.  Falconer  has 
substantially  modified  some  of  his  views, 
after  prolonged  acquaintance  with  the  tin- 
field,  and  after  studjdng  the  evidence  brought 
to  light  during  the  mining  operations  of  the 
last  few  years.  In  this  way  he  has  been 
able  to  amplify  the  explanation  of  the 
geological  history  of  the  district,  and  to 
unravel  the  complicated  succes.sion  of  igneous 
and     volcanic     actions     and     intermediate 

-6—3 


erosions.  Thus,  he  can  give  hopes  for  the 
discovery  of  many  buried  alluvial  deposits 
hkely  to  be  rich  in  tinstone.  Several  mining 
engineers  have  already  expressed  views  to  this 
effect,  and  it  is  consequently  gratifying  to 
all  interested  in  Nigeria  that  Dr.  Falconer 
should  accept  this  interpretation  of  Bauchi 
geology.  As  we  have  already  said,  it  is 
impossible  to  quote  Dr.  Falconer  in  full  in 
our  pages.  Engineers  should  read  the  com- 
plete bulletin  in  order  to  understand  the 
matter  fully.  The  bulletin  is  published  by 
the  Nigerian  Government,  but  is  obtainable 
at  the  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining 
Magazine,  at  the  price  of  ten  shillings, 


THE  forty-fourth  annual  dinner  of  the 
old  students  of  the  Royal  School  of 
Mines  was  held  on  May  27  at  Gatti's 
restaurant  in  the  Strand,  and,  as  usual, 
proved  a  highly  successful  function.  The 
toast  of  the  evening  was  proposed  by  Sir 
Edgar  Walton,  High  Commissioner  for  South 
Africa.  In  reply,  the  President,  Professor 
S.  J.  Truscott,  called  attention  to  the  presence 
at  the  dinner  of  many  official  representatives 
of  the  Overseas  Dominions,  and  took  the 
opportunity  of  pointing  out  the  strong  and 
increasing  interest  taken  by  leaders  of 
thought  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire  in  the 
scientific  treatment  of  mining  problems,  and 
in  the  provision  of  modern  educational 
facilities  for  training  the  rising  generation 
in  a  manner  adequate  for  the  tackling  of 
the  ever-increasing  difficult  problems  with 
which  a  mining  engineer  is  faced.  Mr.  R.  C. 
Griffith  subsequently  proposed  the  toast 
of  the  Guests,  to  which  Sir  James  Allen, 
High  Commissioner  for  New  Zealand,  and 
Mr.  C.  McDermid,  Secretary  of  the  Institution 
of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  responded.  Mr. 
McDermid  arrested  the  attention  of  his 
hearers  by  giving  some  inside  history  of  the 
saving  of  the  Royal  School  of  Mines  and  the 
creation  of  the  Imperial  College  of  Science 
and  Technology.  Let  us  say  that  the  Council 
of  the  Institution  collectively  and 
Mr.  McDermid  individually  have  taken  no 
small  part  in  overcoming  the  inertia  and 
indifference  of  the  Government  educational 
authorities  and  in  bringing  the  Imperial 
College  to  a  high  level  of  efficiency  and 
influence.  While  on  this  subject  of  the 
Institution's  services  to  education,  we  would 
express  the  hope  that  the  Council  will  before 
long  take  another  step  in  assisting  the 
educational  cause  by  reinstating  the  post- 
graduate scholarships  which  were  suspended 


:?2i 


THE     MIXINi.     MAi.A/INI 


during  the  war.  Willi  mining  in  such  a 
depressed  condition,  it  may  liardlj'  seem  to  be 
an  appropriate  time  for  reviving  this  scheme, 
but  it  must  be  said  that  its  abeyance  partakes 
to  some  extent  of  the  nature  of  a  damper. 

Rn\TEWIXG  ]-ieutenant  Smart's  new 
book  on  breathing  ajiparatus  used 
in  mine  rescue  work,  Mr.  Stanley  Nettleton 
draws  attention  to  the  records  in  this  book 
of  noxious  gases  given  off  by  explosives. 
Lieutenant  Smart's  experience  was  partly 
obtained  at  tlie  Front,  and  partly  in  the 
mines,  and  he  draws  on  much  of  his  war 
experience  for  the  benefit  of  the  mining 
engineer.  Of  all  tlKMioxious  gases  mentioned 
by  him,  carbon  monoxide  is  by  far  the  most 
insidious  and  dangerous.  It  is  deadly,  and 
at  the  same  time  undetectable  by  the  five 
senses.  If  it  had  not  been  lighter  than  air, 
it  would  have  been  the  poison  gas  par 
excellence  in  warfare.  And  there  is  no 
antidote  to  carbonic-oxide  poisoning,  for  its 
effect  is  to  change  the  character  of  the  blood 
in  a  vital  manner  without  any  hope  of  a 
reversal  of  the  process.  Lieutenant  Smart 
mentions  the  opinion  of  certain  authorities 
that  the  effect  of  the  presence  of  this  gas  in 
the  resultant  fumes  of  explosive  action  in 
mines  is  to  induce  tuberculosis  in  the  lungs. 
At  the  present  time  quartz  spicules  are 
bearing  the  blame  for  miners'  phthisis,  and 
the  effect  of  poisonous  gases  is  in  the  back- 
ground. While  writing  of  the  deleterious 
effects  of  carbonic  oxide,  it  is  appropriate 
to  mention  that  the  towns'  .supplies  of  so- 
called  illuminating  gas  now  contains  20% 
of  this  poisonous  gas.  The  gas  delivered  to 
our  homes  for  lighting,  heating,  and  cooking 
purposes  is  the  rankest  of  poisons,  and  woe 
be  to  those  who  by  inadvertence  or  careless- 
ness permit  its  escape  in  unconsumed  form. 
The  source  of  danger  is  not  by  any  means 
confined  to  the  want  of  care  on  the  part  of 
the  members  of  the  household,  for  many 
stoves  supplied  by  the  gas  companies  arc 
badly  made  and  do  not  burn  all  the  gas 
emitted,  while  there  is  always  the  danger  of 
accidental  leaks  in  pipes  and  fittings,  and 
we  are  well  aw-are  of  the  deficient  intellect 
of  the  ordinary  plumber.  No  doubt  those 
who  read  the  reports  of  the  coroner's  courts 
know  something  of  the  alaiming  increase  in 
gas  poisoning  recently.  Reverting  again  to 
the  quartz  spicules,  it  v.ill  be  remembered 
that  various  authorities  have  said  that  the 
ill  effects  of  these  .spicules  can  be  obviated  by 
adding  other  dust  to  the  air  breathed  into 


tile  lungs.  .\t  a  recent  nuiling  of  the 
American  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgical  Engineers,  Dr.  H.  M.  Landis 
gave  evidence  which  goes  to  raise  doubts 
on  this  .subject.  In  speaking  of  the 
jiotter's  phthisis,  he  said  that  the  potter 
inhales  clay  dust  in  which  there  is  a 
small  amount  of  silica,  and  that  in  the  course 
of  years  the  potter's  lungs  get  into  the  un- 
satisfactory state  associated  with  silicosis. 
The  conclusion  is  that  silica  is  always  the 
cause  of  the  trouble,  and  that  admixture  with 
clay  and  similar  harmless  minerals  tends  to 
postpone  the  evil  day.  Thus  the  addition 
of  other  mineral  dust  to  the  mine  air  is  only 
a  palliative  and  not  a  certain  prophylactic. 

Central    Mining   and    Investment 

In  the  last  issue  a  brief  survey  was  made 
of  the  results  of  mining  on  the  Rand,  and  of 
the  present  out'ook  there.  Since  then  the 
report  of  the  Central  Mining  and  Investment 
Corporation  has  been  published,  containin,;,' 
a  review  by  the  Company's  consulting 
engineer,  Mr.  Hugh  F.  Marriott,  of  the 
performances  of  the  mines  under  the  control 
of  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group 
Mr.  Marriott's  yearly  reports  are  already 
well  known  for  their  directness  and  clearness 
of  statement,  and  for  their  freedom  from 
suppression  or  meretricious  glozing  of  the 
less  favourable  circumstances.  In  the  present 
report  Mr.  Marriott  makes  his  primary- 
calculations  on  the  basis  of  the  par  value 
of  gold,  so  that  it  is  possible  to  see  at  a 
glance  the  influence  of  the  premium  on  the 
current  fortunes  of  the  mines.  He  also  gives 
full  particulars  of  working  costs,  with  com- 
parative figures  for  the  previous  year.  We 
extract  from  his  report  a  few  of  the  many 
interesting  points. 

The  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group 
controls  no  fewer  than  twenty  mines 
operating  on  the  Rand.  Among  these  are 
found  mines  of  all  sorts  of  conditions  and 
age.  First  in  point  of  importance  is  New 
Modderfontein,  w^hich  shares  with  Govern- 
ment Areas,  of  the  Barnato  group,  the 
honour  of  being  the  greatest  gold  mine  of  the- 
world.  Its  neighbour,  Modderfontein  B,  is 
also  a  big  producer,  and  another  neighbour, 
Modderfontein  East,  is  typical  of  the  new 
work  now  being  done  in  the  Far  East  Rand 
under  the  adverse  conditions  of  financial 
stringency.  Crown  Mines,  City  Deep,  and 
Village  Deep  are  celebrated  large  deep- 
level  properties.  Robinson  is  an  ex-greatest 
gold   mine   of   the  world,   just   about   at   its. 


JUNE,     1921 


325 


end  ;  East  Rand  Proprietary  is  one  of  the 
great  low-grade  consolidations,  and  it  is 
struggling  for  its  existence.  Ferreira  Deep 
and  Wolhuter  are  old  mines  approaching 
exhaustion.  Rose  Deep,  Geldenhuis  Deep, 
Knight  Central,  Durban  Roodepoort  Deep, 
Consolidated  Main  Reef,  and  Nourse  Deep 
Jive  by  the  grace  of  the  gold  premium,  at  the 
present  level  of  costs.  Bantjes  has  given 
poor  development  results,  and  is  closed. 
City  and  Suburban,  New  Heriot,  and  Village 
Main  Reef  are  mines  with  excellent  records, 
but  are  now  entirely  exhausted. 

The  gold  output  of  this  group  during  1920 
was  worth  £15,879,251,  par  value,  or  nearly 
one  half  (to  be  exact  47-|%)  of  the  Rand  out- 
put, which  was  £33,2,31,257.  The  whole 
output  of  the  world  during  1920  was 
estimated  at  70  milhon  pounds,  so  it  will  be 
seen  that  Central  Mining  controls  28%  of 
the  world's  production  of  gold.  The 
aggregate  working  expenditure  at  this  group 
of  mines  was  £14,911,835,  so  that  without 
the  premium  the  working  profit  would  have 
been  only  £967,416.  The  premium  brought 
an  additional  revenue  of  £4,913,764,  making 
the  total  profit  £5,881,r80,  out  of  which 
£4,280,336  was  distributed  as  dividends. 
The  mines  showing  a  working  profit,  exclusive 
of  premium,  were  the  following  : — 

/ 

Xew  Modderfontein 1 ,03l7l85 

Moddprfontein  B    492,984 

Crown  Minfis 209,603 

City  Deep    173,734 

Modderfontein  East 24,72,5 

Ferreira  Deep    32,287 

Eose  Deep 8,002 

Total 1,972,520 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  figures  quoted  here 
that  the  aggregate  losses  at  par  value  were 
about  one  million  pounds  ;  of  the  individual 
items,  the  largest  were  :  East  Rand  Pro- 
prietary, £334,459  ;  and  Durban  Roodepoort 
Deep,  Geldenhuis  Deep,  Nourse  Mines,  and 
Village  Deep,  approximately  £100,000  each. 

Mr.  Marriott  analyses  the  figures  for 
revenue,  costs,  and  profits  per  ton  milled, 
and  shows  that  at  the  mines  belonging  to  the 
group  the  average  yield  at  par  was  2Ss.  per 
ton,  average  additional  revenue  accruing 
from  premium  8s.  8d.,  total  revenue  36s.  8d., 
working  cost  26s.  9d.,  working  profit  at  par 
Is.  3d.,  working  profit,  including  premium, 
9s.  lOd.  There  is  also  the  item  of 
taxation,  over  and  above  working  cost,  of 
Is.  5d.  per  ton,  so  that  taking  gold  at  par 
there  would  have  been  a  net  loss  of  a  few 


pence  per  ton.  Mr.  Marriott  sees  the  chance 
of  the  cost  of  materials  coming  down,  but 
does  not  hold  out  much  hope  for  a  reduction 
in  white  labour  costs  unless  some  drastic 
changes  in  conditions  are  introduced,  and 
modifications  made  in  certain  obsolete  mining 
regulations,  which  unduly  restrict  the  hours 
of  work  of  native  labour  and  prevent  the 
natives  undertaking  higher  classes  of  work. 


The  Porphyry  Coppers 

Some  elaborate  tables  have  been  published 
by  Messrs.  Hayden,  Stone  &  Co.,  of  Boston, 
giving  particulars  of  the  outputs,  reserves, 
profits,  and  financial  positions  of  the 
Jackling  group  of  copper  mines  usually  known 
as  the  "  porphyries  ",  or  "  disseminated 
coppers  ",  namely,  the  Utah  Consolidated, 
Nevada  Consolidated,  Chino,  and  Ray.  These, 
with  the  Miami,  Inspiration,  and  Arizona,  con- 
stitute a  class  of  copper  mine  by  themselves, 
which  depend  for  their  success  on  the  cheap 
mining  of  immense  low-grade  ore-bodies,  in 
which  the  important  copper  mineral  is 
chalcocite.  Utah  Consolidated  has  been 
producing  since  1905,  Nevada  Consolidated 
since  1907,  Ray  since  1910,  and  Chino 
since  1911.  They  had  a  set-back  at  the 
outbreak  of  war,  owing  to  foreign  trade 
being  dislocated,  but  afterwards  the  big 
war  demand  brought  unwonted  prosperity 
during  1917  and  1918.  Subsequently 
the  output  had  to  be  curtailed,  and  the 
figures  for  1919  and  1920  are  about  half 
those  of  1917  and  1918,  and  correspond 
virtually  to  those  of  1912  or  1913.  The 
costs  have  gone  up  during  the  past  two  years, 
and  the  price  of  copper  has  fallen,  so  that 
during  1920  the  margin  of  profit  became  very 
narrow.  Since  the  end  of  1920  the  position 
became  worse,  and,  as  already  recorded  in 
these  columns,  operations  have  been 
suspended  at  all  the  Jackling  coppers. 

It  is  quite  impossible  to  reproduce  the 
tables  here  owing  to  the  exigencies  of  space. 
All  we  can  do  is  to  quote  some  of  the  items 
of  interest,  and  recommend  readers  to  apply 
for  copies  of  the  originals.  At  the  Utah  Con- 
solidated the  ore  milled  during  1920  was 
5,556,800  short  tons,  averaging  1'16%  copper, 
from  which  101,897,758  1b.  of  metal  was 
extracted,  the  recovery  being  8138%.  At 
the  Nevada  Consolidated,  2,568,588  tons, 
averaging  145%,  yielded  48,311,895  1b.,  the 
recovery  being'  70-2%.  At  Chino,  1,838,148 
tons,  averaging  1-76%,  gave  44,051,849  lb., 
the  recovery  being  70-67%.  At  Ray, 
1,706,928     tons,     averaging     172%,     gave 


326 


Till';     MINING     MAGAZINE 


47.062,0;{0  II).,  the  recovery  being  82%.  I'he 
percentage  of  recovery  has  improved  con- 
siderably during  the  past  two  years  at  Utah 
and  Ray,  tlic  81  and  82^ „  comparing  with 
about  65%  six  years  ago.  The  improvement 
is  due  to  the  introduction  of  notation  plant, 
and  it  is  of  interest  to  remark  that  the  validity 
of  the  process  used  is  still  the  subject  of 
litigation.  .\pi')arently  this  system  of  con- 
centration is  not  used  at  Nevada  Consolidated 
or  Chino,  for  the  recover}'  figures  do  not  .show 
much  variation.  The  improvement  at  Utah 
has  been  so  substantial  that  it  has  been 
possible  to  maintain  the  output  of  copper, 
though  the  ore  treated  contained  only  1'16% 
metal,  as  compared  with  l-'S'y%,  the  average 
of  the  reserve. 

A  study  of  the  statistics  relating  to  cost 
and  price  of  copper  per  pound  indicate  the 
irregular  nature  of  these  items  in  base-metal 
mining.  At  Utah  Consolidated  the  cost  per 
pound  shows  a  steady  fall  from  the  beginning 
of  operations  intil  1915,  when  the  figure  was 
as  low  as  66  cents.  Subsequently  it  rose 
once  more,  advancing  to  695  cents  in  1916, 
11  cents  in  1917,  125  cents  in  1918,  and  13  1 
cents  in  1920.  During  the  years  1916  and 
1917  the  prices  obtained  for  the  copper  were 
26- 11  cents  and  24-18  cents,  figures  far 
higher  than  any  other  recorded.  It  is  not 
surprising  therefore  to  find  that  the  disbur.se- 
ments  to  shareholders  for  those  years  were 
19^  million  and  23J  million  dollars 
respectively.  During  1919  and  1920,  the 
average  was  17- 7  cents  in  each  case,  so  that 
the  margin  of  profit  was  not  great.  At 
Nevada  Consolidated  the  cost  per  pound  in 
1920  was  1728  cents  and  the  price  realized 
17-7  cents  ;  at  Chino,  144  cents  and  17' 4 
cents  ;  and  at  Ray,  155  cents  and  175  cents 
respectively. 

The  reserves  of  ore  at  the  four  mines  are 
best  given  in  the  form  of  a  table  : — 


Utah  Consolidated  .  .  . 
Nevada  ConsoUdatr-d 

Chino    

Ray 


Tons. 
364,130,800 

63,845.631 
105,689,247 

83,004,043 


7o 
1-35 
1-58 
1-53 
2-06 


The  reserves  are  not  quite  so  high  at  Utah  as 
they  were  four  years  ago,  the  new  ore  added 
being  about  half  the  amount  of  ore  mined  ; 
the  same  may  be  said  of  Nevada  Consolidated. 
For  the  last  five  years  no  new  ore  appears  to 
have  been  brought  in  at  Ray  ;  on  the  other 
hand,  considerable  additions  have  been  made 
to  the  reserve  at  Chino. 

As  a  companion  table  to  that  dealing  with 
ore   reserves,   we  give   herewith   figures   for 


the  tonnage  treated  and  the  co]iper  jjroduced 
from  the  beginning  of  operations  at  each 
mine.  The  dates  of  conmtencement  have 
already  been  given. 

Ore.  Copper. 

Tons.  Short  I'ons. 

Utah  Consolidated 89,340,223      773.076 

Nevada  Consolidated  .        35,180,801       379,810 

Chino    21 ,490,4 1 5      255, 1 56 

Kay 23,522.127      279,766 

The  disbursements  to  shareholders  since 
the  beginning,  together  with  the  surplus  at 
the  end  of  1920,  are  given  in  the  following 
table  :— 

Total  Surplus  at 

Disbursements,  end  of  1920. 

$  $ 

I.'tah  Consolidated 1!1„509,662  44,177,422 

Nevada  Consolidated   .          46,768,616  6,537,602 

Chino    29,991,709  13,889.908 

Kay 25,4 12,620  14,264,228 

Messrs.  Hayden,  Stone  &  Co.'s  circular  also 
contains  some  general  figures  relating  to  the 
copper  position  in  the  United  States.  The 
unsold  stock  of  copper  in  the  United  States 
is  estimated  as  at  April  15  at  362,500  short 
tons ;  the  figures  given  for  the  output, 
domestic  consumption,  and  export  for  1913, 
1918,  and  1920  are  as  follows  :— 

Short  Tons.  Short  Tons.  Short  Tons. 

1913.  1918.  1920. 

Output 810,000  1,177,500  832,500 

Domestic 

Consumption     382,500  740,000  622,500 

Exports    437,500  377,500  242,500 

These  indicate  at  a  glance  the  inability  of 
foreign  customers  to  buy  American  copper, 
and  the  fact  that  the  United  States  has  been 
able  to  consume  much  more  copper  in  1920 
than  in  1913.  It  would  appear  that  the  slump 
in  1921  has  been  caused,  not  so  much  by  any 
further  fall  in  exports,  but  by  a  slackening 
of  domestic  demand. 

As  regards  cost  of  production  throughout 
the  United  States,  the  figure  for  1920  is 
given  at  15'5  cents  per  pound,  ioc  1918, 
15-47  cents,  and  for  1913,  105  cenis.  The 
estimated  average  prices  for  the  same  years 
were  1746  cents,  2463  cents,  and  1527  cents 
respectively.  The  price  at  April  1 5,  1921,  was 
12-75  cents,  a  price  below  the  average  cost 
of  production,  and  one  which  indicates  a 
serious  fall  in  demand.  That  so  many  mines 
should  have  closed,  and  no  improvement 
since  have  occurred  in  the  price,  shows  how 
dead  the  market  is  and  to  what  a  low  level 
consumption  has  fallen.  The  cut  in  wages  in 
the  manufacturing  industries  in  America 
may  revive  the  demand,  but  the  producers 
are  still  looking  in  vain  for  an  improvement 
in  foreign  business. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introduction. — The  general  situation  re- 
mains much  the  same  as  last  month.  The 
coal  strike  continues,  and  efforts  are  still 
J  being  made  to  find  a  way  out  of  the  difficulty. 
In  the  meantime  other  industries  have  been 
brought  to  a  standstill.  In  the  Lancashire 
cotton  trade  the  position  is  almost  identical 
with  that  in  coal  mining,  the  employees 
objecting  to  the  big  cut  in  wages  proposed 
by  the  mill-owners.  As  regards  metal  mining, 
the  chief  item  of  importance  is  another 
sudden  drop  in  New  York  exchange,  the 
effect  of  which  has  been  to  send  the  gold 
premium  up  again. 

Transvaal. — The  cost  of  mining  has  pro- 
vided the  subject  for  many  addresses  by 
cliairmen  of  mining  companies  during  the 
last  month.  Mr.  Walter  McDcrmott,  in  his 
speech  at  the  meeting  of  shareholders  of  the 
Consolidated  Mines  Selection,  held  in  London, 
went  bald-headed  for  the  agitators  who 
apparently  want  the  business  of  the  world  to 
come  to  a  standstill.  In  the  case  of  this 
company,  orders  for  necessary  new  machinery 
cannot  be  filled  in  this  countr}',  owing  to  the 
coal  strike  and  the  concomitant  paralj'sis  of 
the  steel  industry,  and,  in  default  of  any  other 
resources,  the  machincr\'  has  been  obtained 
from  German^^  One  of  the  shareholders 
expressed  a  doubt  as  to  the  advisability  of 
Mr.  McDermott  making  this  attack  on 
labour,  but  the  sen.se  of  the  meeting  was 
soon  seen  when  another  shareholder  ex- 
postulated in  no  uncertain  words  with  the 
first  shareholder  for  his  timidity  and  his 
disinclination  to  meet  the  labour  agitators 
face  to  face.  The  result  was  that  Mr. 
McDermott  was  thanked  by  the  whole 
meeting  for  his  courageous  stand. 

Another  speech  of  importance  in  this  con- 
nexion was  made  by  Mr.  Samuel  Evans,  in 
his  capacity  as  chairman  of  the  Crown  Mines, 
at  the  meeting  held  in  Johannesburg.  He 
expressed  his  opinion  that  prices  of  materials 
and  labour  would  fall  to  such  an  extent  during 
the  next  few  years  that  the  costs  of  all 
operations,  including  mining,  would  soon 
reach  a  low  level.  He  was  sufficiently 
optimistic  to  believe  that  before  long  it  might 
pay  Crown  Mines  to  start  from  the  outcrop  of 
the  Main  Reef  once  more  and  work  3  dwt. 
ore. 

Elsewhere  in  this  issue  we  quote  Mr.  H.  F. 
Marriott's  analysis  of  the  results  for  1 920,  and 
his  views  as  to  the  future  of  Rand  mining 
contained  in  his  report  to  the  Central  Mining 


and  Investment  Corporation.  We  also  print 
in  full  Sir  Lionel  Phillips's  speech  to  share- 
holders of  Central  Mining. 

The  crank-shaft  of  the  hoisting  engine 
in  the  Driefontein  section  of  the  East  Rand 
Proprietary  Mines  broke  on  June  1.  If  a 
suitable  shaft  can  be  obtained  locally,  the 
period  of  idleness  will  not  be  more  than  a 
fortnight. 

The  report  of  the  Transvaal  Consolidated 
Land  and  Exploration  Co.  contains  some 
particulars  of  the  company's  tin  operations 
in  the  Northern  Transvaal.  The  Grocn- 
fontcin  mine  made  a  profit  of  £13,208  during 
1920,  but  it  is  now  closed  temporarily  owing 
to  the  low  price  of  tin.  The  Mutue  Fides 
mine  is  exhausted,  after  having  yielded 
satisfactory  profits  on  a  small  scale.  At 
Witfontein  the  early  promise  did  not  endure, 
and  prospecting  work  has  been  discontinued. 
The  \\'elgelegen  prospect  is  giving  en- 
couraging results,  and  so  is  Allemansdrift. 

Cape  Province, — A  scare  was  started  last 
month  in  the  daily  press  to  the  effect  that 
De  Beers  Consolidated  was  about  to  make 
a  new  issue  of  debentures,  and  the  public 
consequently  feared  that  the  diamond  position 
was  unexpectedly  serious.  When  the  official 
announcement  was  made,  the  proposed  is.sue 
was  found  to  be  in  connexion  with  the  Cape 
Explosives  Works,  Ltd.,  which  operates  the 
explosives  factory  near  Cape  Town,  founded 
by  De  Beers,  and  subsequently  becoming 
famous  owing  to  the  distinguished  technical 
management  of  Mr.  W.  R.  Ouinan  and  Mr. 
Kenneth  Ouinan.  These  works  have  been 
considerably  extended  recently,  the  funds 
being  advanced  by  the  De  Beers  Company. 
The  issue  of  the  debentures  of  the  Cape 
Explosives  Works,  Ltd.,  was  made  for  the 
purpose  of  repaying  De  Beers  for  the  loans. 
It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  extension  of 
the  works  was  in  connexion  with  the  manu- 
facture of  other  articles  than  explosives. 
Superphosphate  of  lime  and  a  number  of 
other  fertilizers  are  now  being  made,  as  well 
as  many  other  chemicals  used  in  agriculture 
and  cattle  raising.  The  debentures  were 
eagerly  subscribed  by  the  public. 

Work  at  the  Namaqua  Company's  copper 
mines  continues  to  be  confined  to  exploration 
and  development  owing  to  the  conditions 
not  favouring  a  resumption  of  smelting.  The 
results  have  been  gratifying,  and  the  reserves 
have  been  substantially  increased,  par- 
ticularl}'    at    the    Homeep    property.      The 


327 


;V28 


THE    MINING     MACAZINI-: 


total  rt'siTvcs  ;it  tlio  various  iiiiius  is 
estimated  at  0;{,200  tons,  averaging  7°; 
copper.  Of  recent  years  the  company  used 
to  iirodiice  a  matte  and  ship  it  for  treatment 
elsewliere.  Present  economic  conditions 
would  not  admit  of  this  course,  so  the 
directors  contemplate  the  erection  of  a  con- 
verter plant. 

West  Africa. — In  a  recent  issue  it  was 
recorded  that  the  AshantiGokirulds  Corpora- 
tion is  changing  over  from  dry  to  wet 
crushing,  on  account  of  the  great  scarcity  of 
fuel  required  for  roasting  the  ore,  the  new 
plan  consisting  of  wet  crushing,  concentra- 
tion, and  the  roasting  and  cyaniding  of 
concentrate.  A  report  issued  by  the  com- 
pany last  month  states  that  Mr.  W.  R. 
Feldtmann,  the  consulting  engineer,  has 
visited  the  mines,  and  has  made  the  necessary 
arrangements  for  the  alteration  in  practice. 
The  new  plant  is  now  in  course  of  erection. 
In  regard  to  the  fuel  question,  the  company 
was  fortunate  in  being  able  to  secure  2,000 
tons  of  Welsh  steam  coal  and  ship  it  just 
before  the  strike.  It  is  believed  that  this 
coal  will  so  supplement  the  present  local 
wood  supplies  as  to  keep  things  going  until 
the  wet  crushing  and  concentration  plant  is 
ready. 

Nigeria.— The  Keffi  Consolidated  Tin  Co. 
is  to  absorb  the  .Associated  Nigerian  Tin 
Mines.  These  two  consolidations  were  formed 
last  year  and  in  1919  respectively,  and 
particulars  were  given  in  this  column  at  the 
time.  The  expanded  company  owns  ex- 
tensive properties  on  the  Bauchi  Plateau. 
The  director^  intimate  that  they  are  con- 
cerned in  the  financing  of  a  hydro-electric 
power  scheme.  We  take  this  to  mean  that 
thev  are  coming  to  the  rescue  of  the  Northern 
Nigeria  (Bauchi)  installation,  the  completion 
of  which  was  prevented  by  inability  to  raise 
the  necessary  additional  capital. 

The  Naraguta  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines,  Ltd., 
has  issued  a  circular  containing  a  report  by 
the  general  manager,  Mr.  F.  O'D.  Bourke, 
covering  a  report  bv  Mr.  Clyde  Allan,  which 
gives  some  particulars  of  prospecting  and 
development  operations  on  the  gold  lodes 
of  I-Jirnin  Gwari.  It  was  assumed  by  the 
market  that  this  report  referred  to  absolutely 
new  discoveries.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the 
occurrences  have  been  known  for  many  years. 
Dr.  Falconer,  in  his  book  published  in  1911, 
refers  to  quartz  veins  and  alluvial  gold  in 
this  district,  and  he  gives  many  suggestions 
as  to  opportunities  for  prospecting  for  gold- 
bearing  lodes.    He  also  refers  to  alluvial  gold 


being  found  in  association  with  tin  on  the 
Bauchi  Plateau,  a  subject  which  has  been 
revived  in  the  mining  market  since  the 
Naraguta  circular  was  issued.  Mr.  Clyde 
.Allan's  report  deals  with  the  tracing  of  lodes 
below  the  alluvium,  and  some  of  his  results 
may  be  considered  to  be  quite  promising. 

The  report  of  the  Nigerian  Tin  Corporation 
for  the  21  months  ended  December  31  last 
reflects  the  imsatisfactory  position  of  the 
tin  industry  in  Nigeria.  The  com])any 
is  not  a  large  producer  of  tin,  its  activities 
being  more  on  the  fmancial  side.  The  outjnil 
yielded  ;fl3,<SiS."),  against  an  expenditure  in 
Nigeria  of  09,338.  Tin  mining  has  since 
been  suspended.  Dividends,  commission, 
interest,  and  profits  on  realization  of  invest- 
ments brought  an  income  of  £15,153,  and 
after  the  payment  of  London  expenses,  a 
net  profit  of  £4,617  remained.  The  company 
is  controlled  by  Mr.  Oliver  Wethered,  and  it 
has  large  interests  in  many  Nigerian,  Cornish, 
and  Malayan  tin  companies. 

Australia. — The  attempts  of  various  com- 
panies to  induce  their  men  to  accept  lower 
wages  and  speed  up  the  work  all  appear  to 
be  doomed  to  failure.  The  men  may  be 
agreeable,  knowing  the  circumstances,  but 
all  their  negotiations  have  to  be  conducted 
by  the  unions,  who  care  little  for  either  master 
or  men.  Thus  at  Mount  Lyell  the  board's 
proposals  for  reduced  wages  have  been 
rejected,  so  that  all  operations  are  to  be 
suspended  on  June  16. 

The  directors  of  the  Bullfinch  Proprietary 
have  placed  the  management  of  the  mine  in 
the  hands  of  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.,  who  will 
inaugurate  a  limited  scheme  of  development 
for  the  purpose  of  finding  payable  ore. 

A  report  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Lewis  has  been 
issued  on  the  Federation  Tin  Company's 
properties  at  Mount  Hecmskirk,  on  the  west 
side  of  Tasmania.  As  there  is  a  movement 
on  foot  for  raising  further  working  capital 
in  England,  some  particulars  of  the  property 
will  be  of  interest.  The  granite  is  intersected 
by  many  lodes  of  varying  mineralogical 
composition,  all  characteristic  of  the  usual 
intrusions  of  residual  matter  following  the 
granite  flow.  Twenty  lodes  from  2  ft.  to 
30  ft.  in  width  have  been  sampled,  and  have 
been  proved  to  contain  J%  and  upwards  of 
tin.  Sufficient  work  has  been  done  on  eight 
of  the  lodes  to  warrant  an  estimate  of  the 
reserves.  Mr.  Lewis  gives  the  figure  at 
57,700  tons,  averaging  over  1%,  with  the 
probable  ore  at  450,000  tons.  The  district 
was  originally  discovered  in  1875,  and  work 


JUNE,     1921 


329 


was  done  intermittently  in  1880,  1893,  and 
1903,  but  owin£j  to  the  small  scale  of 
operations  the  financial  results  were  not 
satisfactory.  There  is  now  a  battery  of 
•forty  stamps  on  the  spot.  A  dam  has  been 
built  across  the  valley,  and  a  hydro-electric 
station  is  to  be  erected.  It  is  believed  that 
under  these  conditions  excellent  profits  w^ill 
be  made  when  tin  recovers. 

India. — The  Gersoppa  falls,  in  Mysore 
State,  are  to  be  utilized  for  the  production 
of  hydro-electric  power,  the  Government  of 
the  State  having  the  matter  in  hand.  The 
falls  are  830  ft.  high,  and  the  power-house 
is  to  be  150  ft.  below  the  bottom,  so  that  a 
head  of  over  1,000  ft.  will  be  obtained.  A 
dam  is  to  be  built  above  the  falls.  This  will 
be  120  ft.  high,  and  the  reservoir  so  formed 
will  have  a  capacity  of  42,000,000,000 
gallons.  It  is  estimated  that  100,000  h.p. 
will  be  generated. 

Burma. — The  Burmah  Oil  Company  is 
about  to  issue  £3,000,000  8%  preference 
shares,  which  are  part  of  £5,000,000  new 
preference  shares  authorized  at  a  meeting 
held  in  Glasgow  on  June  1.  The  directors 
also  proposed  that  the  two  existing  series 
of  preference  shares  should  be  consolidated, 
and  the  rate  of  interest  raised  to  6|%,  but 
the  votes  in  favour  did  not  give  the  necessary 
three-quarters  majority.  Why  so  many 
shareholders  failed  to  send  their  proxies 
is  not  quite  clear. 

Malaya. — The  Idris  Hydraulic  Tin  Com- 
pany reports  a  yield  of  263  tons  of  tin  con- 
centrate during  1920.  This  and  tributers' 
ore  brought  an  income  of  /46,979,  and  the 
profit  admitted  of  the  payment  of  £18,000 
as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  15%.  As 
is  tlic  case  with  most  other  Malay  tin  mines, 
little  or  no  curtailment  of  output  has  been 
made  since  the  serious  fall  occurred  in  the 
price  of  the  metai. 

Cornwall.- — A  serious  accident  at  East 
Pool  occurred  last  month,  resulting  in  the 
choking  of  the  main  hoisting  shaft  at  about 
the  130  fathom  level.  At  this  point  the 
shaft  runs  through  an  old  stope,  and  it  was 
the  collapse  of  this  stope  that  caused  the 
blockage.  It  is  too  early  to  estimate  the 
actual  amount  of  damage  done. 

The  only  Cornish  tin  mines  which  have  so 
far  weathered  the  gale  of  adverse  circum- 
stances and  kept  running  are  the  Giew  mine 
of  the  St.  Ives  Consolidated  Mines,  and  the 
small  privately  owned  Magdalen  mine  at 
Ponsanooth.     As  neither  of  these  can  boast 


of  anything  remarkable  in  the  way  of  mineral 
riches,  their  continuance  in  active  operation 
is  surprising,  and  creditable  to  those  in 
control. 

At  the  Kings.down  mine,  near  St.  Austell, 
the  new  main  shaft  has  been  sunk  and 
timbered  to  220  ft.,  and  the  erection  of  the 
pumping  and  hoisting  plant  is  in  hand. 
Development  below  water  level  will  be 
commenced  forthwith.  The  lease  of  the 
adjoining  Ventonwyn  property  has  been 
secured. 

Particulars  of  Cornish  Kaolin,  Ltd.,  have 
been  published  during  the  past  month. 
As  has  already  been  mentioned  in  these 
columns,  the  company  was  formed  in  1912 
to  work  china-clay  deposits  on  Bodmin 
Moor,  on  lease  from  Lord  Clifden's  estate. 
This  estate  now  belongs  to  Tehidy  Minerals, 
Ltd.,  and  the  mineral  rights  were  acquired  by 
the  company  when  the  control  was  purchased 
recently  from  the  original  operators.  Messrs. 
Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.  are  the  general 
managers,  and  the  necessary  working  capital 
has  been  subscribed  by  the  Sons  of  Gwalia, 
Ltd.,  East  Pool  &  .\gar,  Ltd.,  and  Tehidy 
Minerals,  Ltd.  The  previous  operators  had 
developed  the  Glynn  Valley  property,  and 
had  built  a  pipe-line  to  Bodmin  Road  Station, 
where  a  dry  was  erected.  Since  the  change 
in  control,  further  deposits  of  clay  have  been 
proved,  and  arrangements  have  been  made 
for  increasing  the  rate  of  output. 

United  States. — Further  curtailment  of 
copper  output  has  taken  place,  among  the 
mines  closing  recently  being  the  Copper 
Queen  and  the  mines  of  the  Arizona  Copper 
Compan\^ 

The  Anaconda  Copper  Mining  Co. 
mined  2,152,760  tons  of  ore  during  1920, 
a  figure  considerably  below  normal,  but 
an  increased  amount  of  exploratory  and 
development  work  was  done,  with  very 
satisfactory  results.  At  the  copper  smelters 
2,319,336  tons  of  ore  and  precipitate  was 
treated,  of  which  1,828,379  tons  came  from 
the  company's  mines,  458,339  tons  was 
purchased  or  custom  ore,  and  the  remainder 
precipitate  and  cleanings.  The  total  copper 
produced  was  155,339,575  lb.,  the  silver 
7,113,659  07..,  and  the  gold  32,530  (5z.  The 
leaching  plant  treated  484,352  tons  of 
tailing  and  43,271  tons  of  purchased  ore, 
and  the  yield  of  copper  precipitate  was 
5,037  tons.  The  zinc  plants  treated  310,572 
tons  of  the  company's  ore  and  133,010  tons 
of  purchased  material.  The  yield  was 
101,332  lb.  of  electrolytic  zinc,  together  with 


330 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


.'i,2r);'),ir)2  lb.  of  zinc  in  dross,  and  rosidiu' 
from  which  were  produced  12,5:H6,ti88  lb.  of 
lead,  2,173,080  lb.  of  copper,  2,073,318  oz. 
of  silver,  and  CloOoz.  of  gold.  The  net 
profit  for  the  year  was  §2,691,660,  and 
the  dividends,  partly  jiaid  out  of  surplus, 
absorbed    $6,993,750; 

Canada. — The  following;  table  gives  the 
outjuit  lit  metals  ami  minerals  in  Canada 
during  1920  :— 

MftaUu. 
Cobalt,  metallic  and  contained  in 

oxide,  etc Lb.  593,920 

Copper  Lb.       81,1,S.S,360 

Gold   Oz.  766.912 

Iron,  pig,  from  Canadian  ore  .  .  .  .Tons  75,869 

Iron  ore,  sold  for  export Tons  7,85.S 

Lead     Lb.       33,985.974 

Nickel    Lb.       61,136,493 

Platinum  from  alluvial  sands  . .  .  .Oz.  17 

Platinum,    palladium,    etc.,    from 

Sudburv  matte Oz.  1 ,922 

Silver ." Oz.        12.793.541 

Zinc    Lb.       40,166,2(10 

Non-Metallic. 

Actinolite    Tons  100 

Arsenic,  White,  and  in  Ore Tons  2,408 

Asbestos    Tons  167,731 

Asbestic Tons  20,956 

Chromite Tons  10,500 

Coal    Tons     16,623,598 

Felspar Tons  36,856 

Fluor-spar Tons  11.229 

Graphite    Tons  2,227 

Grindstones Tons  2,319 

Gypsum Tons  429,144 

Magnesite    Tons  18,373 

Magnesium  Sulphate Tons  1,855 

Mica       Tons  2,150 

Natural  Gas M.  Cu.  Ft.     16,961,284 

Oxides    Tons  18,768 

Peat Tons  3,900 

Petroleum,  Crude     Barrels      196,937 

Pyrites Tons  174,744 

Quartz Tons  127.995 

Salt Tons  210,21 1 

Sodium  Sulphate    Tons  813 

Tripolite    Tons  260 

Dr.  Mackintosh  Bell,  manager  of  the 
Keeley  silver  mines,  situated  near  Cobalt, 
cables  to  the  effect  that  on  No.  9  vein  the  ore 
averages  150  oz.  silver  per  ton  over  3  ft.  for 
a  distance  of  65  ft.  Toward  the  end  of  this 
development  the  .silver  is  contained  in  two 
separate  veins  which  average  300  to  3,000  oz. 
per  ton  over  2  to  10  in.  This  is  the  best 
report  yet  received  from  the  mine. 

Mexrco. — The  official  estimate  of  the  out- 
put of  gold  and  silver  during  1920  gives  the 
gold  figure  at  750,000  oz.  and  that  of  silver 
at  63,750,000  oz. 

Colombia.— During  the  latter  half  of  1920 
the  Frontino  and  Bolivia  company  treated 
15,320  tons  of  ore,  yielding  10.665  oz.  of 
gold,    the    extraction   being    1392  dwt.    per 


ton.  The  develojiment  has  given  dis- 
ajipointing  results  at  several  places  and  the 
reserves,  at  58,200  tons,  show  a  decrease 
of  7,500  tons.  .\i  the  Marmajito,  which  is 
being  reopened  by  a  subsidiary  company, 
the  pumps  and  other  machinery  have  been 
delivered,  and  it  is  expected  that  pimiping 
will  coHuiience  in  July. 

Trinidad. — The  General  I'etnjlcum  Com- 
pany of  Trinidad,  Ltd.,  is  absorbing  the 
Amalgamated  Oilfields  of  Trinidad,  Ltd., 
the  Anglo-Trinidad  Oil  Co.,  Ltd.,  and  the 
San  Francique  Oil  Co.,  Ltd.  These  companies 
are  all  under  the  same  control.  Sir  Clifford 
Cory  and  Mr.  Herbert  Guedalla  arc  joining 
the  board  of  the  expanded  company,  and 
Messrs.  Cory  Brothers  and  Co.,  Ltd.,  the 
South  Wales  shipping  and  coal  firm,  have  the 
contract  for  the  marketing  of  the  oil.  The 
drilling  campaign  was  started  recently,  and 
the  first  well  yielded  oil  on  May  12,  at  a 
depth  of  900  ft.,  the  flow  being  over  150 
barrels  per  day. 

Venezuela. — The  British  Controlled  Oil- 
fields, of  which  Mr.  D.  Elliott  Alvcs  is 
president,  and  Sir  E.  Mackay  Edgar  vice- 
president,  has  issued  an  interim  report. 
In  the  western  division  of  the  Buchivacoa 
section  drilling  is  being  done  over  -10  miles, 
six  wells  having  been  drilled  or  being  in 
course  of  drilling.  One  of  these  has  been 
flowing  intermittently  for  fifteen  months. 
No.  2  well  has  reached  the  upper  oil  sands 
at  630  ft.  In  the  eastern  division  two  wells 
are  being  drilled  and  another  is  to  be  com- 
menced. No  very  definite  results  appear  to 
have  been  obtained  so  far  in  any  part  of 
Venezuela  by  the  company's  engineers. 
Ri.ghts  over  a  number  of  islands  in  the 
Orinoco  delta  have  been  acquired,  and 
Mr.  G.  B.  Reynolds  has  examined  part  of  the 
property,  indicating  suitable  places  for 
drilling.  F)ricf  particulars  are  also  given 
of  work  in  Trinidad  and  Ecuador.  Geological 
examinations  arc  being  made  in  Colombia 
and  Costa  Rica.  The  company  also  has  con- 
cessions in  other  parts  of  Central  America, 
where  Mr.  B.  F.  N.  Macrorie  is  to  make 
investigations. 

Spitsbergen. — The  Scottish  Spitsbergen 
Syndicate  announces  that  arrangem.ents  are 
in  hand  for  forming  a  subsidiary  company 
to  develop  its  proved  coalfields  in  the  Klaas 
Billen  Bay  area.  It  has  been  decided  to 
continue  the  investigation  of  other  coal- 
bearing  districts,  and  for  this  object  a  small 
expedition  has  been  sent  to  the  islands  this 
spring. 


NIGERIAN    GEOLOGY 


A  STUDY  OF  THE  ROCKS  AND  SURFACE  DEPOSITS  IN  THE  CENTRAL  TIN-PRODUCING 

DISTRICT    OF    THE    BAUCHl    PLATEAU 

By  J.  D.  FALCONER,  M.A.,  D.Sc, 

Director  of  the  Nigerian  Geological  Survey 


We  present  herewith,  by  permission,  a  brief  resume 

Introduction. — The  area  over  which  the 
tinstone  is  distributed  in  Northern  Nigeria 
hes  at  an  average  elevation  of  2,000  ft. 
above  the  sea.  It  includes,  however,  the 
plateau  of  western  Bauchi,  which  rises  to 
an  elevation  of  over  4,000  ft.,  is  bounded  on 
the  north,  west,  and  south  by  a  more  or 
less  dissected  escarpment,  but  on  the  east 
slopes  gently  downward  to  the  plains  of 
the  Gongila.  The  richest  deposits  of  tin- 
stone have  so  far  been  found  on  and  around 
the  Bauchi  plateau,  and  the  tinfields  as  a 
whole  may  be  subdivided  into  three  sections  : 

(1)  The  Plateau  Tinfields  of  Bauchi 
Province. 

(2)  The  Northern  Tinfields  of  Bauchi, 
Kano,  and  Zaria  Provinces. 

(3)  The  South  Western  Tinfields  of 
Nassarawa  Province. 

The  present  Bulletin  deals  with  an  area 
of  about  1,800  square  miles,  extending  from 
the  Delime  valley  in  the  north  to  the  margin 
of  the  closed  country  in  the  south,  and 
including  the  northern  front  of  the  plateau 
and  the  whole  of  that  portion  of  the  plateau 
over  which  tinstone  is  now  being  won.  No 
account  is  given  of  the  extreme  southern 
portion  of  the  plateau,  which  is  also  tin- 
bearing,  but  which  is  at  present  closed  to 
prospectors  for  political  reasons. 

General  Geology. — An  ancient  crustal 
complex  of  gneisses,  schists,  and  gneissose 
granites  has  been  invaded  by  a  younger 
granite  batholith,  the  higher  portions  fo 
which  have  been,  in  course  of  denudation, 
exposed  at  the  surface  and  now  appear  as 
a  series  of  detached  stocks,  bosses,  and  dyke- 
like masses  separated  from  each  other  by 
more  or  less  extensive  areas  of  older  rocks. 
Upon  the  plateau  itself  seven  main  outcrops 
of  younger  granite  have  been  recognized. 
These  may  be  termed  :  (1)  Bukuru-Shere  ; 
(2)  Rukuba-Buji  ;  (3)  Vom-Ganawari  ;  (4) 
Jarawa-Fusa  ;  (.5)  Forum  ;  (6)  Ropp-Dress  ; 
(7)  Sha.  The  Bukuru-Shere  and  Jarawa- 
Fusa  outcrops  are  connected  at  the  surface 
by  a  number  of  narrow  necks  or  bars  of 
granite  porphyry.  Otherwise  the  various 
outcrops  are  entirely  separated  from  each 
other. 


of  Bulletin  No.  I  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Nigeria. 

The  younger  or  "  plateau  granite "  is 
typically  a  medium-grained  biotite  granite, 
pink,  red,  white,  or  yellow  in  colour  from 
the  prevailing  tint  of  the  felspars.  It 
varies  somewhat  in  texture,  becoming  in 
places  finer  grained  or  coarser  grained  than 
normal.  It  varies  also  in  the  amount  of 
biotite  it  contains,  while  in  some  places 
ricbeckite  or  soda  hornblende  replaces  biotite. 
Marginally  the  granite  tends  to  pass  into 
a  granite  porphyry  with  felspar  and  quartz 
crystals  set  in  a  matrix  of  fine-grained 
granite  rich  in  biotite.  At  its  junction  with 
the  older  rocks  the  granite  usually  becomes 
fine  grained  and  microgranitic,  occasionally 
micrographic  or  felsitic,  with  scattered 
porphyritic  crystals  and  knots  of  quartz 
and  pegmatite. 

Associated  with  the  granites  and  markmg 
one  of  the  later  stages  of  igneous  activity 
is  a  series  of  basic  and  acid  dyke  rocks. 
The  basic  types  are  mainly  fine-grained 
basalts  and  dolerites,  which,  while  most 
abundant  outside  of  and  on  the  margins  of 
the  granites,  are  also  found  in  the  interiors 
of  the  outcrops.  The  acid  types  include  many 
varieties  of   felsite   and   quartz-porphyry. 

After  consolidation  the  younger  granite 
was  much  broken  and  fissured.  Along  some 
of  the  fissure  lines  movement  took  place  and 
gave  rise  to  definite  crush  structures.  More 
generally,  however,  the  fissures  formed  lines 
of  egress  for  vapours  and  solutions  from  the 
igneous  focus,  with  the  result  that  in  places 
the  granite  suffered  considerable  alteration 
and  mineralization  along  and  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  fissure  lines.  The  alteration 
was  mainly  in  the  direction  of  greisenization 
and  silicification  with  addition  of  topaz 
and  tinstone. 

The  older  rocks  which  the  younger  granite 
invaded  are  of  many  and  varied  types. 
There  would  appear  to  have  been  originally 
occupying  the  site  of  the  plateau  a  series 
of  mctamorphic  rocks  of  mixed  sedimentary 
and  igneous  origin  into  which  two  types 
of  gneissose  granite  were  injected.  No 
mineralization  accompanied  these  earlier 
intrusions,  and  no  metamorphism  of  the 
older  rocks  took  place  as  the  result  of  the 


331 


r!rt2 


Till'     MININC.     MAC.A/INI': 


injection  into  thoni  of  the  younger  granite. 
In  places,  however,  the  older  rocks  were 
altered  by  pneumatolytic  action  in  the  same 
way  as  the  younger  granite. 

After  the  close  of  igneous  acti\-ily  long  ages 
of  denudation  supervened,  during  which  the 
older  rocks  were  attacked  and  worn  away 
and  the  upper  surface  of  tlie  younger  granite 
batholitli  gradually  exposed.  The  covering 
of  older  rocks  has  not  yet  been  entirely 
removed,  with  the  result  that  considerable 
stretches  of  the  older  series  still  separate 
the  various  granite  outcrops,  while  in  places 
detached  masses  of  older  rock  can  be  seen 
still  adhering  to  the  surface  of  the  granite. 
The  upper  surface  of  the  batholitli  was 
probably  highly  irregular  and  the  major 
irregularities  on  the  surface  of  the  plateau 
prol')ably  represent  much  reduced  fangs 
of  the  younger  granite  which  originally 
projected  upward  from  the  general  surface 
of  the  batholith  into  the  overlying  rocks. 

\Miere  the  covering  of  older  rocks  has  been 
completely  removed,  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  superficial  layer  of  the  granite  outcrops 
has  also  disappeared.  It  is  believed  that  this 
upper  layer  of  granite  and,  doubtless,  also 
the  older  rocks  immediately  overlying  were 
in  places  highly  mineralized,  indication  of 
such  mineralization  being  still  apparent  in 
the  granites.  In  the  course  of  denudation, 
and  before  the  elevation  of  the  plateau, 
the  tinstone  from  the  minerahzed  areas 
became  gradually  concentrated  in  stream 
channels  on  and  around  the  granite  outcrops, 
and  possibly  as  the  result  of  crustal  warping 
and  consequent  drainage  changes,  became 
buried  beneath  a  scries  of  alluvial,  eluvial, 
and  volcanic  accumulation,  for  which  the 
name  of  Fluvio- Volcanic  Series  is  suggested, 
as  descriptive  of  their  most  typical  develop- 
ment. With  the  elevation  of  the  plateau, 
probably  in  Mio-Pliocene  times,  the  whole 
surface  was  subjected  to  renewed  erosion. 
New  drainage  lines  were  established  on  the 
plateau  and  the  older  superficial  deposits 
in  great  part  removed,  while  their  tinstone 
content  was  rearranged  along  the  floors  of 
the  present  valleys.  There  still  remain, 
however,  considerable  areas  of  the  older 
Fluvio-Volcanic  Series,  mainly  along  certain 
primary  and  secondary  watersheds,  forming 
narrow  stretches  of  high  plateau  or 
picturesque  groups  of  flat-topped  hills. 

At  some  time  during  the  recent  period  of 
erosion  volcanic  activity  again  broke  out, 
with  the  result  that  large  areas  of  the  plateau 
were  flooded  with  basaltic  lava,  which  not 


only  liiled  the  valleys  and  covered  up  the 
tin-bearing  di'posits  on  their  floors,  but 
doubtless  also  obscured  many  ])artially 
eroded  portions  of  the  earlier  Fluvio- 
Volcanic  Series. 

Origin  of  thk  Tin  stone. — Throughout  the 
areas  surveyed,  tinstone  has  nowhere  been 
fovmd  disseminated  through  the  plateau 
granite  as  a  ])rimary  constituent.  That  it 
may  occur  locally  as  such  is,  however, 
probable  from  the  fact  that  at  Forum  River 
tinstone  occurs  in  the  (piartz  knots  of  a 
marginal  granophyre.  This  implies  that 
small  quantities  of  tin  were  present  in  the 
original  magma,  and  that  during  the  con- 
solidation of  the  outer  layer  it  was  segregated 
along  with  the  residual  silica  into  miarolitic 
or  crystallization  cavities  in  the  marginal 
granite.  Incomplete  segregation  would  result 
in  the  dissemination  of  small  crystals  of 
tinstone  through  the  granite.  A  similar 
process  may  have  been  operative  during  the 
consolidation  of  the  interior  of  the  batholith. 

So  far  as  can  be  judged,  however,  from  the 
area  surveyed,  this  would  appear  to  have 
been  only  a  minor  source  of  the  tinstone  of 
the  plateau  tinficlds.  There  is  little  doubt 
that  the  greater  part  of  the  tinstone  is  of 
pneumatolytic  origin,  and  was  originally 
contained  in  lodes  and  veins  and  in 
mineralized  streaks  and  patches  in  the 
outer  shell  of  the  batholith  and  in  the  older 
rocks  immediately  overlying.  There  is  some 
evidence  for  the  assumption  that  a  highly 
mineralized  belt  4  or  5  miles  in  width 
formerly  extended  from  north  to  south  across 
the  Bukuru-Shere  massif  from  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Jos  to  the  vicinity  of  Kuru. 
Throughout  this  belt  there  are  abundant 
quartz  leaders  and  veins,  and  streaks  and 
patches  of  altered  granite  frequently  carrying 
tinstone.  Loose  sub-angular  fragments  of 
lode  tin  of  considerable  size  and  weight 
are  frequently  found  in  the  surface  wash, 
while  the  richest  alluvial  deposits  of  the 
Bukuru-Shere  massif  occur  on  cither  side 
of  this  belt,  which  appears  to  have  shed 
tinstone  both  to  the  east  and  to  the  west. 
Throughout  the  belt  alteration  and 
mineralization  appear  to  have  followed 
indifferently  joints,  fissures,  and  other  hues 
of  weakness  running  north  and  south,  east 
and  west,  and  in  intermediate  directions. 
A  somewhat  similar,  but  less  extensive 
mineralized  belt  runs  north  and  south 
through  the  Ropp  massif  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  Dome.  Veins  and  stringers 
of  cassiterite  quartz  occur  in  the  older  rocks 


JUNE,     1921 


333 


Sha  Hills 


•^    Hill 


BAUCHI  PLATEAU  TINFIELDS 


Motor  Poa  d  3 


Railway 


2       3*56 


Scale  of  ^'les 


33i 


1111.     .MINIM.     M.U,.\/.1M': 


must  liiquiiuly  ill  the  lU'ii^lihouihood  of  thc 
granitc  maif^ins,  Init  sonutiims  at  a  con- 
siikialilo  distaiur  from  tlii'iii.  On  the 
liypotlusis  that  the  yourifjtr  graniti'  may 
evirvwhi'io  iindoilio  tlio  oldi  r  sorics,  wluic 
only  the  latter  appears  at  the  surface,  there 
is  ever}'  probability  that  the  gneisses  and 
schists  may  in  places  be  highly  mineralized. 
The  attempts  which  have  hitherto  been 
made  to  open  up  known  occurrences  of 
tinstone  in  the  granites  and  gneisses  have 
proved  unsuccessful,  but  careful  prospecting 
may  j'ct  reveal  workable  lodes,  pipes,  or 
stockworks  within  the  rocks  of  the  plateau. 

The  minerals  which  have  been  founil  in 
place  in  existing  veins  and  altered  rock 
include,  besides  tinstone,  topaz  and 
spccularitc,  which  are  widely  distrihutid, 
wolframite  around  Bukuru,  near  the  Dome 
in  the  Ropp  group,  and  on  the  Gwini  River 
in  Rukuba,  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite  near 
Jos,  galena  near  Jos  and  at  South  Ropp, 
arsenopyritc  on  the  Jarawa  River,  and 
molvbdenite  near  Jos  and  in  the  Jarawa  Hills. 
Fluor-spar  occurs  very  sparingly  in  two 
localities  near  Jos,  but'  it  is  an  almost 
constant  accessory  mineral  of  the  granite 
in  microscopic  crystals.  The  large  crystals 
of  tinstone  and  topaz  with  one  perfect 
termination,  which  are  frequently  found  in 
the  surface  wash,  have  probably  been  dis- 
integrated from  vughs  in  veins  and  lodes 
which  have  now  been  removed  by 
denudation.  Topaz  and  mica  are  the  only 
minerals  which  have  been  formed  by 
pneumatolytic  action.  The  complete  absence 
of  tourmaline  from  the  younger  granite  and 
its  pneumatolytic  products  points  to  a 
general  deficiency  of  boron  in  the  original 
magma,  its  place  having  been  taken  by 
fluorine,  which  gave  origin  to  the  fluo- 
silicate,  topaz,  in  place  of  the  boro-silicatc, 
tourmaline.  Tourmaline  pegmatites,  how- 
ever, are  commonly  associated  with  the  older 
rocks,  but  on  the  plateau  they  have  not  yet 
been  found  to  be  stanniferous. 

Fluvio- Volcanic  Series. — From  the  date 
of  the  granite  intrusion  to  late  Tertiary 
times  there  is  no  evidence  of  recrudescence 
of  activity  in  the  igneous  focus.  As  the 
result,  however,  of  long  ages  of  denudation, 
the  cover  of  older  rocks  was  largely  removed 
and  the  underlying  granite  partially  exposed. 
The  earlier  stages  in  this  process  of  denuda- 
tion can  no  longer  be  traced.  It  is  probable 
that  there  were  in  the  past  repeated  oscilla- 
tions of  the  crustal  surface,  repeated  variations 
in   the  rapidity   of  denudation,   and   many 


alternations  of  pi  i  io  Is  of  erosion  and  periods 
of  accimiuhitidii.  During  the  periods  of 
erosion  the  tinsione  ilisintegrated  from  the 
granites  and  gneisses  was  accumulated  in  the 
liver  beds  and  stream  channels,  while  during 
till'  periods  of  accumulation  the  valleys  were 
inlilled  with  gritty  and  earthy  wash  to  such 
an  extent  that  on  the  renewal  of  erosion 
the  rivers  frequently  formed  for  themselves 
new  channels  over  the  surface  of  the  land. 
Owing  to  the  recent  elevation  of  the  plateau 
the  present  is  naturally  a  period  of  erosion, 
but  traces  of  one  of  the  more  recent  periods 
of  accumulation  still  remain  in  the  h'hu'io- 
X'olcanic  Series  of  the  plateau. 

It  is  presumed  that  during  the  period  of 
crustal  instability  which  preceded  the 
elevation  of  the  plateau,  the  transporting 
power  of  the  rivers  was  reduced,  probably 
through  surface  warping,  and  conditions 
became  favourable  for  the  accumulation 
of  detritus  over  the  site  of  the  plateau.  The 
ancient  valleys  with  tinstone  along  the  stream 
lines  were  inlilled  with  river  and  rain-wash 
and  volcanic  material,  and  the  minor 
irregularities  of  the  surface  obliterated  by 
a  mantle,  of  debris  (the  Fluvio-Volcanic 
Series),  which  may  have  reached  in  places 
a  thickness  of  200  ft. 

The  constitution  of  the  mantle  is  very 
variable.  Its  predominant  constituent  is 
a  red  gritty  earth,  varying  much  in  the 
proportions  of  angular  quartz  and  earthy 
material.  It  may  be  white,  yellow,  purple, 
en-  brown  in  colour,  and  streaked,  banded, 
or  mottled  according  to  the  amount  and 
distribution  of  the  iron  oxide.  As  a  rule 
the  colouring  becomes  more  intense  towards 
the  summit  of  the  scries.  Concretionary 
knots  and  bands  and  lenticles  of  clay  iron- 
stone are  common,  and  the  more  gritty  bands 
are  often  compacted  with  a  ferruginous 
cement.  These  gritty  earths  probably  repre- 
sent decomposed  granitic  and  gneissic  wash, 
possibly  mixed  with  some  volcanic  material; 
their  content  in  iron  being  due  in  part  to  the 
decomposition  of  ferruginous  and  ferro- 
magnesian  minerals  originally  enclosed  in  the 
wash,  and  in  part  to  the  precipitation  of 
iron  oxide  from  ferruginous  solutions  cir- 
culating at  a  later  date  through  the  wash 
under  conditions  somewhat  different  from 
those  existing  during  the  period  of 
accumulation. 

Associated  with  these  gritty  earths  are 
beds  of  fine  grained,  compact,  kaolin  clays, 
white,  pink,  or  lilac  in  colour,  breaking  with 
a     conchoidal     fracture,      and      containing 


JUNE,     1921 


335 


occasional  knots  of  quartz.  These  probably 
represent  original  accumulations  of  fels- 
pathic  mud  in  pools  of  standing  water  in 
areas  of  uncertain  drainage. 

Also  associated  with  these  gritty  earths 
are  beds  of  soft  yellow,  blue,  red,  purple,  or 
mottled  earths  of  a  peculiar  fariniform 
texture,  homogeneous  throughout,  entirely 
free  from  quartz,  breaking  v/ith  an  even 
fracture  and  occasionally  showing  traces  of 
a  spheroidal  structure.  Sometimes,  as  in 
Kwi  Hill  they  present  a  vesicular  character 
with  the  vesicles  arranged  irregularly  or  in 
parallel  series.  Microscopic  investigation 
has  shown  that  these  represent  thin  beds 
of  entirely  decomposed  basaltic  or  doleritic 
lava,  which  flowed  over  water-logged  plains 
during  the  period  of  uncertain  drainage, 
and  were  covered  up  by  further 
accumulations  of  rain  and  stream  wash 
and  rapidly  decomposed.  The  alkalis,  lime, 
magnesia,  and  iron  appear  to  have  been 
largely  leached  out  of  these  earlier  basalts, 
leaving  pseudomorphs  of  felspar  in 
amorphous  hydrated  silicate  of  alumina. 
Small  quantities  of  gibbsite  or  hydrated  oxide 
of  alumina  are  occasionally  present,  especially 
in  the  vesicles,  and  Dr.  Morrow  Campbell  has 
figured  a  decomposed  dolerite  from  Monguna, 
in  which  the  replacing  material  is  mainly 
gibbsite. 

With  the  basaltic  earths  are  associated 
reddish  earths  of  similar  texture,  but  showing 
traces  of  a  brecciated  structure  and  con- 
taining a  small  amount  of  angular  quartz. 
These  are  probably  beds  of  much  decomposed 
volcanic  ash,  the  quartz  having  been  an 
original  constituent  torn  from  the  walls 
of  the  volcanic  pipes.  The  foci  from  which 
this  material  and  the  associated  lavas  were 
emitted  are  naturally  difficult  to  locate,  but  it 
is  possible  that  some  of  the  isolated  pipes 
or  plugs  of  basalt  which  are  found  throughout 
the  western  gneissic  area  may  represent 
these  older  vents. 

In  this  connexion  it  is  interesting  to  note 
the  occurrence  and  contents  of  what  appears 
to  have  been  an  ancient  volcanic  pipe, 
discovered  in  the  course  of  drilling  operations 
on  the  Lower  Gona.  All  traces  of  the 
pipe  and  of  its  accompanying  volcanic 
accumulation  liave  been  removed  from  the 
surface,  which  is  now  covered  to  a  depth  of 
90  to  130  ft.  with  recent  alluvial  deposits. 
In  the  pipe  itself  the  uppermost  320  ft. 
consist  of  the  usual  sands  and  clays,  but  from 
320  to  350  ft.,  the  limit  of  the  bore-hole,  the 
pipe  is  filled  with  fragments  of  both  vesicular 


and  compact  basaltic  lava  in  a  matrix  of 
basaltic  debris  mingled  with  angular  quartz 
grains  and  fragments  of  granite  and  gneiss. 
If  material  of  this  kind  had  been  originally 
spread  out  on  the  surface  and  then  weathered 
and  decomposed,  the  result  would  have  been 
a  gritty  brecciated  earth  very  similar  to  that 
described  above. 

This  mantle  of  gritty  earths,  clays,  and 
volcanic  material  would  naturally  cover  up 
the  earlier  stream-beds  with  their 
accumulations  of  tin-bearing  wash,  as  well 
as  the  earlier  detrital  deposits  on  the  slopes 
of  the  buried  valleys.  The  general  aspect 
of  the  country  at  the  close  of  the  period  of 
accumulation  would  be  very  similar  to  that 
of  the  plains  of  Zaria  at  the  present  day, 
with  occasional  knobs,  hummocks,  kopjes, 
and  groups  of  hills  projecting  from  the 
general  level,  while  the  solid  rocks  below 
their  mantle  of  water-logged  debris  would 
themselves  be  decomposed  and  whitened 
or  kaolinized  to  irregular  depths.  On  the 
higher  portions  of  the  surface,  and  wherever 
free  oxygen  could  penetrate,  iron  oxide  would 
be  precipitated  above  the  ground  water 
level. 

There  followed  the  elevation  of  the  plateau 
and  the  consequent  renewal  of  erosion.  New 
drainage  lines  were  established  and  the 
mantle  of  debris  rapidly  removed  from  large 
areas  of  the  underlying  irregular  surface. 
Remnants  of  the  Fluvio- Volcanic  Series 
now  occur  mainly  along  primary  and 
secondary  watersheds  as  narrow  scarped 
plateaus  or  rows  and  groups  of  flat-topped 
and  pyramidal  hills. 

One  result  of  the  elevation  of  the  plateau 
and  of  the  renewal  of  erosion  was  the  freer 
circulation  of  the  oxygenated  waters  through 
the  earthy  mantle  and  the  consequent 
abundant  precipitation  of  iron  oxide  as  the 
level  of  the  ground  water  gradually  fell. 
With  this  is  to  be  correlated  the  deeper 
staining  and  the  greater  coritent  in  iron 
of  the  upper  portion  of  those  relics  of  the 
Fluvio-Volcanic  Series  which  still  survive. 
The  caps  of  lateritic  ironstone,  which  are 
characteristic  of  the  residual  hills,  and  which 
have  been  largely  instrumental  in  their 
preservation,  represent  certain  portions  of 
the  original  surface  of  elevation  or  of  a  later 
degradation  level  which  were  marked  by 
the  excessive  deposition  of  iron  in  the  subsoil. 
To  this  result  many  causes  may  have  con- 
tributed, such  as  the  local  enrichment  in 
iron  of  the  ground  water,  the  influence  of 
bacteria  in  the  soil,  and  of  capillarity  and 


336 


THE    MINIXC.     MAGAZIXIC 


evaporation  (Uirinjj;  thr  dry  season,  as  will 
as  the  local  issue  of  ferruginous  springs  on 
gentle  slopes  and  valley  floors.  To  the 
last  is  probably  due  the  formation  of  the 
laminated  clay  ironstone,  which  sometinu'S 
occurs  on  the"  summits  of  the  hills,  and  in 
which  impressions  of  leaves  arc  occasionally 
found.  Often  the  ferruginous  cap  is  simply 
brecciated  ironstone,  composed  of  the  re- 
cemented  detritus  of  some  earlier  ferruginous 
deposit  which  formerly  existed  in  the  vicinity. 
Those  ironstone  caps  which  exhibit  a  porous 
vesicular-,  and  sometimes  pisolitic  haljit 
arc  the  enriched  and  hardened  detrital 
surfaces  of  the  red  and  white  mottled  grits 
and    volcanic    earths    which    so    frt(|uintly 


which  had  foinurh-  aicuinuiate<l  along  tiie 
ri\-er  liTies  and  on  the  valley  slopes.  I  It 
follows  that  underneath  the  existing  remnants 
of  the  Muvio-Voleanic  Series  there  may  occur 
buried  river  channels  or  detrital  deposits 
rich  in  ore.  As  an  example  may  be  cited  the 
occurrence  of  tin-bearing  wash  in  Kwi  Hill, 
a  flat-topped  pyramidal  hill  situated  to  the 
south  of  Kuru.  The  hill  is  composed  of  a 
thick  (100  ft.)  bed  of  volcanic  earth  or  clay, 
representing  a  decomposed  basaltic  lava, 
set  on  a  basement  of  gneissose  granite  with 
large  parallel  porphyritic  felspars.  The 
clay  is  white,  yellow,  or  purple  in  colour, 
often  striated  at  various  angles,  becoming 
\-esicular  towards  the  top,  and  covered  with 


^^■^v 


Kwi  Hill 


A    RELIC    OF  THE    FlUVIO-VOICANIC    SeRIES    ON    A 
BASENrENT   OF   OLDER   GRANITE. 


form  the  subsoil.  The  original  motthng  is 
due  in  part  to  the  irregular  deposition  of 
iron,  in  part  to  the  reducing  action  of 
decaying  rootlets  in  the  subsoil.  On  exposure 
the  uncemented  material  is  w'ashed  out,  and 
the  iron  rearranged  and  compacted  by  local 
solution  and  redeposition  and  enriched  by 
further  capillary  activity  to  form  the 
characteristic  scoriaceous  cap.  WTiere  the 
deposition  of  iron  is  accompanied  by  that  of 
alumina,  the  resulting  cap  may  approach 
a  true  secondary  laterite  in  composition. 

The  main  economic  interest  of  the  Fluvio- 
Volcanic  Series  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  com- 
ponent grits,  earths,  and  clays  have  covered 
up  an  old  land  surface,  and  with  it  the 
alluvial  and  the  detrital  tin-bearing  deposits 


Head  of  a  recbkt  tribiiary  creek  of   the    Werran    River. 
WITH  a  relic  of  the  FhvioVolcasic  Series  on   the  water- 
shed IN  the  background. 

a  gritty  ferruginous  cap,  underneath  which 
the  clay  is  veined,  streaked,  and  knotted 
with  iron  ore.  Beneath  the  volcanic  earth 
is  a  gritty  kaolin  clay,  which  on  the  northern 
front  overlies  a  deposit  of  tin-bearing  wash 
much  cemented  with  iron.  This  deposit 
had  an  extension  of  about  80  ft.  into  the 
hill,  beyond  which  it  became  unpayable. 

The  Fluvio-Volcanic  Series  is  thus  w-orthy 
of  careful  prospecting  for  buried  alluvial 
and  detrital  deposits.  Its  remnants  can 
frequently  be  recognized  as  flat-topped  hills 
or  narrow  plateaus,  provided  with  caps 
of  gritty  lateritic  ironstone.  Where,  however, 
the  removal  of  the  Series  has  been  almost 
completed,  relics  of  the  same  may  be  found 


JUNE,     1921 


337 


on  secondary  watersheds  where  no  flat-topped 
hills  occur  to  mark  the  spot.  In  their  place 
may  be  simply  rounded  ridges  or  gentle 
slopes  on  which  the  base  of  the  Fluvio- 
Volcanic  Scries  is  represented  by  a  thin 
cover  of  sandy  wash  and  broken  ironstone. 
Recent  Volcanic  Rocks. — During  the 
period  of  erosion  which  followed  the  elevation 
of  the  plateau  the  ancient  surface  was  largely 
destroyed  and  the  present  topography 
gradually  evolved.  The  drainage  system  was 
rearranged,  the  present  river  valleys 
developed,  and  the  tinstone  content  of  the 
earlier  superficial  accumulations  recon- 
centrated  along  the  existing  stream  lines. 
This   period   of   erosion   was   not,    however, 


and  adhering  to  the  scarped  slopes  over  which 
it  flowed.  It  follows  that  underneath  the 
recent  basalts  there  are  buried  river  valleys 
and  sti'cam  channels  of  varying  age,  doubt- 
less in  some  cases  carrying  rich  deposits 
of  tin-bearing  wash. 

Many  foci,  large  and  small,  appear  to  have 
existed  on  the  plateau,  the  smaller  ones  being 
of  the  nature  of  plugs  from  which  little  or 
no  lava  was  emitted.  The  flows  are  always 
witliout  porphyritic  crystals  of  augite  and 
olivine.  Of  the  larger  foci  in  the  southern 
section  of  the  areas  mapped,  one  forms 
a  prominent  elevation  on  the  principal  water- 
shed of  the  plateau  to  the  south  of  the  Ropp 
HiUs.     The  lava  of  the  focus  is  in  places 


Columnar  B.\sai.t  in  the  Dum  River. 


entirely  continuous,  one  of  the  most 
important  interruptions  being  caused  by  the 
renewed  outbreak  of  volcanic  activity  on 
the  surface  of  the  plateau,  with  the  result 
that  large  areas  were  flooded  with  basaltic 
lava.  The  lava  not  only  covered  up  con- 
siderable tracts  of  country,  from  which  the 
Fluvio-Volcanic  Series  had  been  entirely 
removed,  diverting  the  rivers  and  streams 
from  their  established  channels  and  burying 
the  recent  irregular  surface  of  erosion,  but 
it  also  mantled  considerable  areas  from  which 
the  Fluvio-Volcanic  Series  had  been  only 
partially  removed,  with  the  result  that  it  is 
now  found  in  places  wrapping  round  the 
bases  of  residual  flat-topped  and  rounded 
hills,  and  in  others  capping  the  relic  plateaus 


very  vesicular  and  encloses  numerous 
fragments  of  granite  and  gneiss.  The 
adjoining  flow  has  not  only  covered  up  and 
protected  a  considerable  area  of  the  Fluvio- 
Volcanic  Series  on  the  watershed,  but  has 
also  descended  over  the  northern  escarp- 
ment into  the  valley  of  the  South  Ropp  River. 
Another  important  foci  is  that  of  Kassa 
on  the  Ropp  road,  about  half-way  between 
Bukuru  and  Ropp.  The  focus  itself  consists 
of  a  small  group  of  rounded  hills,  but  the 
lava  from  it  flooded  the  whole  country 
between  the  Kassa  River  and  Kwi  Hill,  and 
sent  a  long  tongue  eastward  towards  Lafon, 
and  another  westward  into  the  valley  of  the 
Kuru  River,  where,  owing  to  recent  erosion, 
only  scattered  patches  of  basalt  now  remain. 


338 


IW.     MlXIXn     MAGAZINE 


The  economic  interest  of  tin-  niont 
volcanic  scries  lies  in  the  fact  Ihal  Ihw  lavas 
have  covered  up  an  ancient  land  surface  with 
its  river  valleys  and  stream  channels,  and 
its  renmants  of  earlier  superficial 
accumulations,  all  of  which  may  at  times 
carry  ancient  leads  of  tin-bearing  wash. 
Prospecting  for  such  deposits  is,  however, 
naturally  costly  and  difficult,  and  little 
progress  can  yet  be  recorded. 

Alluvi.\l  Deposits. — The  progressive 
degradation  of  the  surface  consequent  upon 
the  elevation  of  the  plateau  can  be  clearly 
traced  in  the  varied  alluvial  deposits  of  the 
existing  valleys  in  those  regions  where 
recent  volcanic  accumulations  are  absent. 
During  the  early  stages  in  the  dissection  of 
the  plateau  edge  many  creeks  and  gorges 
must  have  existed,  from  which,  for  various 
reasons,  the  streams  were  diverted  at  a  later 
date. 

Where  quartz  leaders  or  mineralized  rock- 
carrying  tinstone  outcrop  at  the  surface, 
sharp  angular  tinstone  is  found  everywhere 
in  the  surface  wash.  On  the  other  hand, 
when  through  the  progress  of  denudation 
ancient  terraces  have  been  entirely  removed 
from  the  slopes  of  a  valley  or  when  older 
alluvial  deposits  on  watersheds  have  again 
come  within  the  cycle  of  erosion,  the  surface 
wash  of  the  valley  slopes  may  carry  rounded 
tinstone  in  greater  or  less  abundance.  Ou 
the  northern  front  of  the  plateau  well  worn 
particles  of  tinstone  may  be  found  on 
bare  disintegrating  granite  surfaces,  and  in 
the  angular  wash  at  their  base.  With  the 
tinstone  are  associated  occasional  water- 
worn  pebbles  of  topaz  and  white  quartz,  all 
of  which  are  relics  of  ancient  alluvial  deposits. 

With  the  exception  of  the  sharp  angular 
tinstone,  which  is  still  being  shed  from  local 
sources  at  the  present  day,  the  greater  part 
of  the  tinstone  of  the  plateau  tintields  would 
appear  to  have  been  detached  and  dis- 
integrated from  the  original  veins  and  lodes 
and  mineralized  streaks  in  the  granite  and 
the  older  rocks  at  a  very  early  period  and  to 
have  had  a  long  and  complicated  alluvial 
history,  of  which  only  some  of  the  -atest 
stages  can  be  traced  to-day.  In  the  oldest 
recognizable  deposits  of  the  Fluvio-Volcanic 
Series,  which  are  generally  also  the  highest, 
the  tinstone  is  already  well  rolled  and  water- 
worn,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  these 
ancient  high-level  deposits  have  been  the 
proximate  source  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
tinstone  now  distributed  throughout  the 
lower    alluvial    accumulations. 


The  bulk  of  the  tinstone  of  the  plateau 
tintields  is  black  in  colour,  but  ruby  and  grey 
tin  arc  both  common,  the  latter  being  some- 
times almost  white.  Small  quantitiis  of 
wood  tin  are  found  in  places.  A  semi- 
translucent  resin  tin  occurs  at  Forum  River, 
and  a  somewhat  similar  variety  at  Rutin 
Sainyi  on  the  Ngel  River.  Ulack  tinstone 
with  a  black  streak,  and  in  small  particles 
attracted  by  the  electromagnet,  occurs  neai 
Amo.  When  in  well-formed  crystals  the 
tinstone  occurs  mainly  in  short  square 
prismatic  forms,  frequently  showing  the 
characteristic  twinning.  No  pseudomorphs 
in  tinstone  after  felspar  or  quartz  have  been 
detinitely  recognized.  The  minerals  most 
commonly  associated  with  the  tinstone  in 
the  alluvial  deposits  are  topaz,  ilmenite, 
magnetite,  rutile,  zircon,  monazite,  garnet,  I 
and  more  rarely  columbite,  wolframite,  I 
corundum,  and  gold. 

The  alluvial  deposits  of  the  plateau  tin- 
tields, all  of  which  in  places  carry  tinstone, 
may  be  classified  as  follows  : — 

(1)  Deposits  unrelated  to  the  present 
drainage  system. 

(a)  Deposits  of  the  Fluvio  -  Volcanic 
Series. 

{b)  Deposits  preserved  underneath  recent 
lavas. 

(2)  Deposits  related  to  the  present 
drainage  system. 

(a)  Low  terrace  deposits  with  bedrock 
on  the  same  level  as  the  present  stream 
bed. 

(b)  High  terrace  deposits  with  bedrock 
above  flood  level  of  the  present  stream. 

(c)  Valley  flat  deposits  with  bedrock 
below  the  level  of  the  present  stream. 

(d)  Stream  bed  deposits  in  hollows  and 
pockets  of  rocky  channels. 

{e)  Eluvial  or  detrital  deposits. 

So  varied  are  the  types  of  stanniferous 
deposits  upon  the  plateau,  and  so  complex 
has  been  the  history  of  the  present  surface, 
that  almost  every  square  yard  deserves 
prospecting  to  bedrock.  Rich  alluvial 
deposits  may  occur  not  only  in  the  present 
stream  beds  and  banks,  but  also  on  the  water- 
sheds, on  the  valley  slopes,  in  buried  channels, 
and  in  ancient  river  beds,  to  which  the  present 
topography  may  afford  no  clue,  while  surfaces 
of  bare  rock  may  exhibit  areas  of  primary 
alteration  and  mineralization,  which,  if 
unremunerative  in  themselves,  may  yet 
indicate  the  presence  of  valuable  secondary 
deposits  in  the  vicinity. 


THE    IRON    AND    STEEL   INDUSTRY    OF    INDIA 

By  J.  COGGIN  BROWN,  O.B.E.,  D.Sc,  M.Inst.M.M.,  F.G.S., 

Officiating  Superintendent,  Geological  Survey  of  India. 
This  article  is  written  with  the  permission  of  the  Director,  Geological  Survey  of  India. 


Introduction. — In  this  article  an  attempt 
is  made  to  give  a  connected  account  of  the 
development  of  the  iron  and  steel  industry  in 
India.  The  first  part  is  mainly  historical  and 
deals  with  indigenous  methods.  It  is 
followed  by  brief  notices  of  the  early  attempts 
to  introduce  modern  methods  which  have 
culminated  in  the  successful  enterprises  of 
the  present  day  ;  and  then  by  a  summary  of 
our  present  knowledge  regarding  the  iron  ore 
resources  of  India  and  their  relations  to  its 
coal  reserves.  A  very  extensive  literature  has 
grown  around  the  subject,  and  the  following 
notes  are  a  compilation  from  the  more 
important  papers,  published  under  official 
auspices  and  by  private  workers.  It  is  hoped 
that  such  a  review  will  help  towards  a  better 
appreciation  of  the  promising  outlook  for  the 
future  of  the  Indian  iron  and  steel  industry. 
The  writer  is  indebted  to  the  authors  he  has 
quoted,  especially  to  those  whose  papers 
appear  in  the  Records  of  the  Geological 
Survey  of  India,  and  also  to  the  Tata  Iron 
&  Steel  Co.,  Ltd.,  and  the  Bengal  Iron  Co., 
Ltd.,  who  have  kindly  revised  the  portions 
dealin?  with  their  works. 

The  appro.ximate  date  of  the  introduction 
of  iron  into  India,  or  of  its  first  manufacture 
in  the  country,  is  not  known.  At  the  time  of 
Alexander's  invasion  (326  B.C.)  the  armed 
nations  of  Northcria  India  were  as  familiar 
with  the  use  of  iron  and  steel  as  the  Greeks 
themselves.  Quintus  Curtius  mentions  that 
the  chiefs  of  the  Punjab  presented  Alexander 
with  100  talents  of  steel.  Archaeologists  who 
have  studied  the  prehistoric  remains  of 
Northern  India  believe  that  the  Iron  Age  may 
well  go  back  to  1500  or  even  2000  B.C.  there. 
The  antiquity  of  the  knowledge  of  iron 
metallurgy  in  India  may  be  judged  from  the 
rusted  implements  found  in  the  urn  burials  of 
an  early  period  ;  from  the  famous  pillar  at 
the  Kutab  near  Delhi ;  from  the  forged  iron 
bars  of  the  temples  of  Orissa ;  from  the 
hammered  door  panels  of  ancient  shrines  and 
tombs  ;  and  from  the  superb  collections  of 
arms  preserved  by  the  princes  and  nobles. 
Burma  is  noted  for  the  iron  ornaments  and 
balustrades  of  its  pagodas,  while  the  engrav- 
ing and  carving  of  iron  and  steel  in  such 

6—1  339 


articles  as  armour,  weapons,  shields,  and 
caskets  has  been  carried  on  from  time 
immemorial.  The  pillar  at  Delhi  weighs  over 
6  tons,  is  of  solid  wrought  iron  of  an  excellent 
type,  23  ft.  8  in.  in  height,  16|  in.  in  diameter 
at  its  base,  and  12  in.  just  below  the  capital. 
It  is  sunk  into  the  ground  for  20  in.,  and  there 
expands  into  a  bulbous  form,  2  ft.  4  in.  in 
diameter,  resting  on  a  grid  of  iron  bars 
fastened  with  lead  into  a  stone  pavement. 
Incised  on  the  pillar  is  a  Sanscrit  poem,  con- 
stituting the  epitaph  of  the  Gupta  king 
Chandragupta  II,  composed  in  or  about 
A.D.  415.  This  iron  pillar  is  not  unique. 
There  is  another,  in  fragments,  which  was 
apparently  nearly  twice  the  height  of  the  one 
just  described,  at  Dhar  in  Central  India. 
But  while  the  Dhar  column  bears  a  Persian 
inscription  of  Akbar,  incised  in  a.d.  1591-2, 
there  is  no  original  record  on  it,  placed  there 
when  it  was  set  up. 

The  manufacture  of  "  wootz  ",  or  Indian 
steel,  anticipated  the  cementation  process  by 
many  centuries,  and  some  authorities  believe 
that  it  was  exported  to  the  west  long  before 
the  Christian  era.  There  seems  little  doubt 
that  it  was  from  Indian  crucible-steel  that 
the  celebrated  Damascus  sword-blades  were 
made,  and  these  had  long  enjoyed  their 
reputation  for  flexibility,  strength,  and 
beauty  before  it  was  recognized  that  the  alloy 
from  which  they  were  fashioned  was  pro- 
duced in  obscure  Indian  villages,  whence  it 
was  obtained  by  Persian  traders. 

Further  information  on  this  subject  will  be 
found  in  the  Imperial  Gazetteer  of  India, 
vol.  ii,  pp.  25  and  98  ;  and  in  The  Com- 
mercial Products  of  India,  by  Sir  George 
Watt,  p.  692. 

The  Indigenous  Industry. — For  in- 
formation under  this  heading  reference  may 
be  made  to  the  following  publications  : — 

(1)  V.  Ball,  Geology  of  India,  pt.  iii,  1881,  pp. 
335-416. 

(2)  Sir  G.  Watt,  Dictionarv  of  the  Economic 
Products  of  India,  vol.  iv,  1890;  pp.  499-520. 

(3)  Sir  T.  H.  Holland,  Iron  Industries  of  the 
Southern  Districts,  Madras  Presidency,  1893, 
pp.    1-24. 

(4)  Sir  T.  H.  Holland  and  L.  L.  Fermor, 
Quinquennial  Reviews  of  Mineral  Production  in 
India. 


340 


Till.     MIXIXC,     MACAZIN'K 


(5)  T.  H.  P.  La  Touchc,  Aniiotali-il  Iiultx  of  liiJiun 
Minerals  of  Economic    Value.  1918,  pp.  231  81. 

(6)  Numerous  papers  in  the  Journal  of  Ihe  Iron 
and  Slecl  Inslilute,  etc. 

Until  it  almost  succumbed  in  com- 
paratively recent  times  under  the  competition 
of  imported  metal,  the  indigenous  Indian 
iron  industr\'  was  both  widespread  and 
prosperous,  capable  of  meeting  all  the 
internal  demands  of  tlic  country.  There  is 
hardly  a  single  district  in  India  from  the 
extreme  south  to  the  Himalayas,  or  from 
Baluchistan  to  the  Shan  States  of  Burma, 
with  the  exception  of  the  great  alluvial  plains 
of  the  Indus,  Ganges,  Brahmaputra,  and 
Irrawaddy,  where  heaps  of  old  iron  slags  have 
not  been  found.  Iron  ores  of  high  enough 
grade  and  in  large  enough  quantities  to  meet 
the  small  requirements  of  the  primitive 
smelter  occur  in  most  of  the  geological  groups, 
though  it  by  no  means  follows  that  all  of 
them  are  worth  consideration  from  the 
modern  point  of  view. 

Quartz  schists  carrying  magnetite  and 
hematite  are  verj'  prevalent  among  the 
crystalline  rocks  of  peninsular  India.  In  the 
\'indh\"an .  formations  iron  compounds  arc 
disseminated  through  immense  thicknesses  of 
beds  giving  rise  to  the  red  and  brown  tints 
characterizing  these  rocks. 

The  ironstone  shales  of  the  Gondwana 
system,  in  the  Damuda  Valley,  take  their 
name  from  the  limonitic  and  sideritic  ores 
they  contain.  Other  divisions  of  the  same 
system  elsewhere  carry  segregations  and  thin 
bands  of  iron  ore,  utilized  in  the  past  by  the 
native  smelters.  The  nodules  of  ironstone 
wliich  occur  in  the  Cretaceous  rocks  of  the 
Trichinopoly  district  were  at  one  time 
collected  and  smelted  by  the  local  in- 
habitants. The  rivers  draining  the  Dcccan 
Trap  not  infrequently  deposit  magnetite 
sands  derived  from  these  basic  rocks. 
Ferruginous  laterites  are  exceedingly  common 
and  their  basal  la^'ers  often  form  easily 
worked  brown  hematites.  Such  ores  have 
been  reduced  on  a  small  scale  over  the  whole 
of  India.  The  Indian  smelters  in  the 
Himalayan  region  found  their  ores  in  both  the 
Tertiary  and  the  crystalline  rocks.  On  the 
Shan  plateau  of  Upper  Burma  residual  iron 
ores  occur  in  the  red  earth  which  forms  a 
mantle  over  a  great  part  of  the  country,  and 
as  gossans  to  certain  veins.  But  the  only 
deposits  which  have  proved  large  enough  for 
the  requirements  of  the  modern  blast-furnace 
are  those  of  the  peninsular  Dharwar  rocks, 
though  the  concretions  from  the  ironstone 


shales  of  the  Raniganj  coalfuld  wwv  usid  for 
some  years  befori'  being  fmally  abaniloned. 
The  ancestral  Indian  iron-maker,  however, 
drew  his  supplies  from  any  of  the  formations 
mentioned,  breaking  up  the  quartz-iron  ore 
schists  and  concentrating  his  product  by 
winnowing  it  in  the  wind,  or  washing  it  in 
a  stream  ;  ]5icking  out  the  richer  bits  from 
the  ferruginous  laterites,  or  the  rusty  cement 
from  the  ancient  sandstones  ;  or  panning  tiic 
sands  of  the  river  beds.  The  Khasias,  a  hill 
tribe  in  Assam,  used  to  obtain  their  iron  ore 
by  the  sj'stematic  ground  sluicing  of  decom- 
posed granite  and  gneiss. 

In  spite  of  the  competition  of  imported  iron 
goods  and  of  the  gradual  diminution  of  the 
available  charcoal  fuel,  the  manufacture  of 
iron  by  the  old,  small-scale  method  still 
persists  in  i.solatcd  parts  of  India.  In  I'.H.'J 
there  were  furnaces  working  in  a  few  districts 
of  Bihar  and  Orissa,  the  Santal  I'arganas, 
Monghyr  and  Sambalpur  ;  in  the  Kumaun 
Himalayas  ;  in  Mysore  ;  in  the  districts  of 
Malabar,  Salem,  and  Trichinopoly  of  Madras  ; 
in  H\'dcrabad  ;  and  in  some  of  the  States  of 
Central  India.  The  industry  shows  signs  of 
greater  activity  in  the  Central  Provinces  than 
elsewhere,  but  even  there  signs  of  an 
approaching  end  are  apparent.  In  1909  there 
were  510  small  Indian  blast-furnaces  in 
operation,  but  by  1919  the  number  had  fallen 
to  159.  The  average  annual  production  of 
iron  for  the  five  years  ending  1909  was  557 
tons  for  the  whole  of  the  Central  Provinces, 
but  no  returns  are  available  for  later  periods. 

The  principles  of  iron  smelting  as  carried 
out  by  the  natives  of  India  are  practically  the 
same  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  though  the 
dimensions  of  the  furnace  and  the  construc- 
tion of  the  blast-producing  apparatus  vary 
from  place  to  place.  Descriptions  of  the 
furnaces  have  been  given  by  many  writers,, 
including  Dr.  Percy  in  his  Metallurgy  of  Iron 
and  Steel  (1864).  A  useful  bibliography  has 
been  compiled  by  Sir  Robert  Hadfield  which 
brings  the  list  of  references  to  comparatively 
recent  times  (see  Joiirn.  Iron  and  Steel  Inst.. 
vol.  Lxxv,  1912,  pp.  170-2).  The  latest  paper 
on  the  subject  is  one  by  Dr.  A.  McWilliam, 
who  gives  an  account  of  aboriginal  methods 
which  are  still  being  carried  on  almost  under 
the  shadow  of  the  Tata  Iron  &  Steel  Works 
(see  Joiirn.  Iron  and  Steel  Inst.,  vol.  cii,  1920, 
pp.  160-70). 

In  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century 
the  industry  attained  a  comparative!}'  high 
stage  of  development  in  the  western  parts  of 
the  Birbhum  district  of  Bengal.    The  furnaces. 


JUNE,     li)2l 


341 


ivTAP   of     i:ndi^ 

Showina    ApproKimate     Posibons    or     CerLam     Mineral   Deanna    Areas 


are  stated  by  contemporary  writers  to  have 
been  capable  of  turning  out  about  35  tons  of 
iron  per  annum  each,  which,  contrary  to  the 
usual  practice,  was  tapped  in  a  molten  con- 
dition and  then  refined  by  a  second  process 
resembling  puddling.  In  Malabar,  too,  at 
a  later  period,  furnaces  up  to  10  ft.  in  height 
were  common.  Built  from  a  mixture  of  red 
clay  and  sand,  and  held  together  in  a  stout 
wooden  frame,  they  were  fitted  with  two 
platforms  in  front  to  support  the  four  goat- 
skin bellows  arranged  in  pairs,  and  at  the 
back  with  a  pit  into  which  the  molten  slag 
trickled  from  a  slag-hole.  In  this  type  a 
bloom  of  iron  weighing  about  5  cwt.  was 
produced  in  from  48  to  60  hours. 

As  a  general  rule,  however,  the  furnaces  are 
much  smaller  than  these,  heights  of  3  or  4  ft. 


being  common.  They  are  built  of  clay  or  of 
sun-dried  bricks,  and  are  conical  in  form.  In 
front,  near  the  bottom,  there  is  an  opening 
which  is  stopped  with  clay  while  the  blast  is 
on,  and  through  which  the  bloom  is  removed 
at  the  end  of  the  operation.  Clay  tuyeres  are 
inserted  near  the  base  and  convey  the  blast 
from  two  skin  or  leather  bellows,  worked 
alternately  to  keep  up  a  continuous  stream  of 
air.  A  few  variations  from  this  gcnera:l  type 
may  be  briefly  mentioned.  Thus  the  furnace 
of  the  Narsinghpur  district  of  the  Central 
Provinces  was  built  across  the  centre  of  an 
oblong  pit  dug  in  the  ground.  Its  hearth  was 
made  of  stone  work,  and  the  blast,  from 
bellows  of  concertina  form,  was  conducted 
through  iron  pipes.  It  is  recorded  that  a 
suspension  bridge  was  built  in  1830  across  the 


312 


nil-.     MIM.NU     MAcAZlNi: 


Bias  River,  from  iron  whidi  IkuI  been  jiro- 
diiccii    in    furnaces   at    'fendiiklietla   in    tins 
district.      Tlu'    Maiiipur   furnaces   liaii    their 
tuyeres  inserted  at  tlie  ixiclc,  while  in  front, 
and  opposite  to    them,  was  a  semicircular 
opening  some  9  in.  across  through  which  the 
products  of  combustion  passed.     The  upper 
part  of  the  furnace  was  only  used  for  feeding 
in  the  ore.     Remains  of  furnaces  have  been 
found   in   Upper   Burma   in   banks   of   firm 
alluvial  clay.    They  appear  to  have  been  used 
in  making  iron  without  the  aid  of  an  artificial 
blast.     In  Kathiawar  the  furnaces  were  of  a 
very    unusual    shape,    being    rectangular    in 
section  and  constructed  of  brickwork  lined 
with  clay.    A  chimney  was  built  into  one  end, 
and  close  to  the  opposite  extremity  were  two 
holes.      Through    one    of    these    the    blast 
entered,    and   bj'   the   other    the    slag  was 
removed.    A  few  workers  still  remain  in  the 
isolated  parts  of  the  Himalaya  Mountains, 
but  their  "  bloomeries  "  arc  much  the  same  as 
those  of   the  plains.     The  bellows  differed 
vastly  in  size  and  shape  in  various  parts  of 
the  country,  but  were  nearly  always  made  of 
goat  or  bullock  skins,  worked  either  by  the 
hands  or  by  the  feet.     Indians  do  not  seem 
to  have  evolved  a  mechanical  blower  such  as 
that  used  by  the  ancestral  Chinese  in  their 
metallurgical  operations. 

As  a  rule,  only  the  softer  varieties  of  ore 
are  smelted,  and  it  is  the  custom  to  clean  and 
concentrate  them  before  they  go  to  the 
furnace.  The  fuel  employed  is  charcoal,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Waziris  who  utilized 
nummulitic  limestone  for  the  purpose,  no  flux 
is  used.  When  the  furnace  has  been  brought 
to  a  sufficiently  high  temperature  the  ore  is 
sprinkled  in  at  the  top,  in  small  quantities  at 
frequent  intervals,  and  alternately  with 
sufficient  charcoal  to  keep  the  furnace  nearly 
full.  From  time  to  time  during  the  blast, 
which  lasts  several  hours,  the  slag  is  removed 
through  a  hole  which  is  then  plugged  up 
again.  At  the  end  of  the  operation  the  blast 
is  stopped,  the  front  orifice  opened,  and  the 
bloom  removed.  It  is  refined  by  re-heating 
and  hammering,  often  repeated  more  than 
once,  as  the  temperature  is  seldom  high 
enough  to  cause  the  liquefaction  of  the  charge. 
Sometimes  the  refining  is  done  by  the  smelters, 
but  more  usually  they  cut  the  bloom  almost 
in  two  halves,  to  display  the  quality  of  the 
metal  to  the  buyer,  and  sell  it  in  that  state, 
when  the  further  purification  is  carried  out  by 
others.  The  consumption  of  charcoal  in  the 
Indian  process  is  very  high  in  proportion  to 
the  amount  of  iron  obtained,  but  the  metal, 


by  reason  of  its  purity  and  malliabilit\',  has 
always  been  held  in  great  esteem  by  Indian 
blacksinilhs.  who  use  it  for  the  manufacture 
of  all  kintls  of  agricultural  and  domestic 
implements  such  as  spades,  hoes,  jilougli- 
shares,  sickles,  hooks,  axes,  spoons,  and  pans, 
l-'or  these  purposes  it  is  preferred  to  foreign- 
made  iron,  when  it  can  be  obtained  readily. 
At  some  localities  in  the  Jubhulpore  <listrict 
of  the  Central  Provinces  a  manganiferous 
hematite  is  smelted  and  a  steely  iron  known 
as  "  klieri  "  made.  This  is  in  demand  in  the 
surrounding  regions,  and  is  welded  by  the 
blacksmiths  on  to  the  ordinary  country-made 
soft  iron  to  form  the  edges  of  knives,  scythes, 
and  ploughshares,  the  striking  faces  of 
hammers,  and  the  heads  of  anvils. 

The  "  lobar  "  or  "  agaria  ",  as  the  native 
smelter  is  called,  belongs  to  the  lowest  ranks 
of  the  proletariat,  and  although  the  metal 
which  he  makes  is  sold  at  a  comparatively 
high  price,  the  bulk  of  the  profit  is  said  to  go 
to  the  traders  through  whose  hands  it  passes. 
On  the  whole  his  processess  are  very  in- 
efficient, and  the  iron  turned  out  bears  but 
a  poor  relation  to  the  material,  labour,  and 
time  expended.  The  "  lobar "  flourishes 
longest  in  the  most  inaccessible  parts  of  the 
country,  where  there  is  an  abundance  of 
timber  and  an  absence  of  restrictions  against 
its  destruction,  and  where  there  are  difficulties 
in  the  way  of  distributing  European  iron  and 
steel.  Yet  the  readiness  with  which  foreign 
articles  are  obtainable  even  in  the  remotest 
bazaars,  and  the  tempting  wages  which  may 
be  earned  elsewhere,  owing  to  the  general 
industrial  progress  of  the  country,  combine  to 
encourage  the  iron-makers  to  desert  their 
hereditary  occupation. 

Indi.w  Crucible  Steel. — Steel  is  made 
by  the  inhabitants  of  South  India  either 
by  the  carburization  of  wrought  iron  in 
crucibles,  or  by  the  decarburization  of  cast 
iron.  The  former  product  alone  is  the  true 
"  wootz  ".  The  following  descriptions  of  the 
two  processes  have  been  given  by  Sir  T.  H. 
Holland.  In  the  Trichinopoly  district  the 
crucibles  are  made  of  a  mi.xture  of  ferruginous 
clay  with  charred  rice-husk  and  are  about 
6  in.  in  height  and  3  in.  in  diameter.  They 
are  charged  with  pieces  of  wrought  iron, 
together  with  4  or  5%  of  its  weight  of  wood  of 
the  "  .\varam  "  tree  (a  species  of  Cassia),  and 
with  leaves  of  certain  shrubs,  and  then  tightly 
sealed  with  clay.  Twenty-five  crucibles  are 
built  up  into  an  arch  in  a  furnace  fitted  with 
a  tuyere  connected  to  a  bellows.  After  about 
two  hours  continuous  blast  the  twelve  central 


JUNE,     1921 


343 


crucibles  are  removed,  having  been  subjected 
to  a  greater  heat  than  those  around  the  sides. 
By  this  time  the  iron  is  well  fused  and 
carburized.  The  crucibles  which  are  taken 
out  are  replaced  by  fresh  ones,  previously 
raised  to  a  high  temperature  by  having  been 
placed  on  the  surface  of  the  arch  during  the 
blast,  and  the  process  is  continued.  The 
charcoal  fuel  is  fed  in  from  below.  The 
finished  ingot  retains  the  shape  of  the  bottom 
of  the  crucible. 

In  the  Salem  district,  during  the  manu- 
facture of  wrought  iron,  certain  easily  fusible 
beads  of  iron  are  produced  and  melted  oft'  as 
shot.  These  are  in  reality  highly  carburized 
particles,  or  cast  iron,  and  it  is  from  them  that 
the  steel  is  made.  A  hole  is  dug  in  the  ground 
about  one  foot  deep  and  one  foot  in  diameter. 
At  one  side  a  semicircular  groove  is  cut  from 
the  surface  to  the  bottom  of  the  pit.  This  is 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  excavation  by 
a  clay  partition.  The  bottom  of  the  small 
chamber  is  covered  with  a  layer  of  quartz. 
On  this  an  ignited  coal  is  placed  and  the 
chamber  filled  with  charcoal.  A  tuyere, 
built  in  with  the  partition,  points  downwards 
and  receives  the  blast  from  two  bellows.  The 
cleaned  shot  are  thrown  upon  the  charcoal 
and  the  blast  continued  for  about  half  an 
hour,  when  the  process  of  decarburization  is 
complete,  and  the  tuyere  and  clay  partition 
are  broken  down  for  the  removal  of  the  steel 
cake,  which  is  cooled  by  sprinkling  water  on  to 
it  and  hammered  to  remove  its  casing  of  slag. 

Early  European  Methods. — Failure 
attended  every  early  attempt  to  graft 
European  methods  on  to  the  native  processes 
and  to  manufacture  iron  on  a  large  scale  in 
India.  About  the  year  1825  Mr.  J.  M.  Heath, 
formerly  of  the  Madras  Civil  Service,  obtained 
from  the  directors  of  the  East  India  Company 
an  exclusive  right  to  manufacture  iron  on  a 
large  scale  in  that  Presidency.  In  1830  works 
were  established  at  Porto  Novo  in  the  South 
Arcot  district,  with  the  aid  of  advances  from 
the  Government,  and  in  1833  the  business  was 
taken  over  by  a  Company,  the  works  were 
enlarged,  and  a  new  plant  established  at 
Beypore  on  the  Malabar  Coast.  Free  mining 
leases  and  fuel  cutting  rights  were  granted, 
but  in  spite  of  these  privileges  the  under- 
taking failed.  Pig  iron  made  at  these  works 
was  sent  to  England  and  commanded  a  good 
price  for  conversion  into  steel.  A  large 
quantity  of  it  is  said  to  have  been  used  in  the 
construction  of  the  Britannia  tubular  and 
Menai  suspension  bridges.  In  1853  a  new 
association,  the  East  India  Iron  Company,  was 


started.  It  also  held  exclusive  mining  rights 
over  several  districts  in  Madras  and  erected 
blast-furnaces  at  Trinomalai  in  South  Arcot 
and  at  Pulampatti  in  the  Coimbatore  district. 
Operations  ceased  at  Porto  Novo  in  1866,  and 
at  Beypore  and  Trinomalai  in  1867. 

The  history  of  the  attempts  made  to 
manufacture  iron  on  a  large  scale  in  Bengal  is 
a  long  one,  dating  back  to  the  year  1777,  when 
Messrs.  Motte  &  Farquhar  applied  for  the 
exclusive  privilege  of  smelting  iron,  and  of 
selling  the  metal  free  of  duty  over  a  large 
portion  of  the  province.  On  their  part  they 
contracted  to  supply  shot, and  shell  to  the 
East  India  Company  at  Fort  William,  at 
four-fifths  of  the  average  cost  of  the  same 
when  landed  from  Europe.  In  1779  Mr. 
Farquhar  obtained  an  advance  from  the 
Government  to  enable  him  to  complete  his 
furnaces,  but  by  1789  he  had  relinquished 
the  speculation. 

In  1852  Dr.  Thomas  Oldham,  the  first 
Director  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India, 
reported  on  the  iron  ores  of  Birbhum  and  the 
Damuda  valley.  The  court  of  directors  of  the 
East  India  Company  had  especially  directed 
his  attention  to  the  question  of  iron  manu- 
facture in  connexion  with  the  introduction  of 
railways  into  India.  At  this  time  about 
seventy  native  furnaces  were  at  work  in 
Birbhum  alone.  About  the  year  1855 
Messrs.  Mackey  &  Co.,  of  Calcutta,  erected 
iron  furnaces  at  Mahomed  Bazaar  in  Birbhum 
and  made  small  quantities  of  pig  iron  of 
superior  quality  for  a  number  of  years  before 
closing  down.  A  final  experiment  started  by 
Messrs.  Burn  &  Co.  in  1875  was  soon 
abandoned.  The  Kumaun  iron  works  at 
Kaladhungi  in  the  foothills  of  the  Himalayas, 
in  the  United  Provinces,  commenced  opera- 
tions in  1857,  and,  after  many  vicissitudes, 
failed  like  all  the  earlier  ventures.  Another 
attempt  was  made  about  1862  at  Barwai  in 
Indore,  a  State  of  Central  India.  A  Swedish 
specialist  was  engaged  by  Government,  a 
blast-furnace,  rolling  mill,  and  charcoal  ovens 
were  nearly  erected,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
ore  proved,  when  Government  abandoned 
the  enterprise.  The  Raja  of  Sirmur.  a  State 
in  the  Punjab  Himalayas,  had  a  blast- 
furnace and  a  foundry  built  in  1867,  designed 
for  an  out-turn  of  75  tons  per  week.  History 
is  silent  regarding  the  progress  of  the  under- 
taking, but  some  time  later  the  foundry  was 
converted  into  a  sugar-cane  mill  ! 

For  all  these  schemes  charcoal  was  the  fuel 
used,  or  proposed  to  be  used,  and  it  was  not 
until  1875  that  advantage  was  taken  of  the 


:tii 


TllIC     M1NI\(.     MM.A/IM 


iMi'oKTs  or    Imon   asu  Stebl  into   Inmha, 

UIU-1-'.  11113-U. 

Tons.  V'jiliic. 

(. 

Pig  Irnn lr>,as7  fiO.lKlS 

IroiMMaiuil.iclunsI) 33,HS7  28,s.r)(ki 

Iron  and  Sti-rl  (Mnnuluclurwl)    . . .  4115,1103  r>,41l'J,.'i7ll 

Steel  (Manufactured) I(i0.722  l,i«>".2U" 

Total    Tliri.DS!)  •    (V.HI'.l.ai?  l.llll.mj  in.'.W.iM'i 


Tons. 

l.-.,.'-..17 

S.'i.LI'-.' 

7as,4(M 

a.V).(!m 


Tons. 

i;.nii 

ll.Tllfi 

a:ii.«'.Ki 

115,317 

u.-)..iia 


l!1l9-20. 


Valui-. 

£ 

Kt.JIll! 

•J117.IM7 

H,lW!l.!t71 

i!.Oil),2M2 

ll.y'lMiXli 


Indian  coal  supplies.  In  that  year  two  large- 
scale  e.xperiments  were  made  at  Warora,  in 
the  Central  Provinces,  in  smelting  rich  ore 
from  the  Chanda  district  with  the  local  coal. 
(In  IS.ii)  Messrs.  Jessop  &  Co.,  of  Calcutta, 
had  attempted  to  smelt  Burdwan  ore  with 
coke  on  a  very  small  scale,  but  the  results 
were  inconclusive  ;  see  V.  Ball,  p.  390.)  The 
results  may  be  described  in  an  observer's 
words  :  "  The  hearth  quickly  filled  with 
spongy  iron  which  would  not  liquefy.  The 
blast  was  intensified  and  more  blank  charges 
of  coal  added.  The  temperature  in  the  hearth 
increased,  and  the  fire-bricks,  the  tymp  plate, 
and  even  the  bottom  of  the  hearth,  were 
fusi'd  ;  still  the  iron  that  had  settled  down 
was  so  mixed  with  the  ashes  of  the  coal  that 
it  would  not  liquefy,  and  only  kept 
accumulating  till  the  iron  reached  the  top  of 
the  tuyeres,  and  then  a  stop  was  put  to  all 
further  proceedings  till  the  mass  was  dug  out, 
which  was  over  a  ton  in  weight."  So  ended 
the  first  attempt  to  smelt  Indian  iron  ore  with 
Indian  coal. 

The  Barakar  Iron  Works  Co.  was  formed  in 
1874.  Two  furnaces  were  erected  at  Kulti 
near  Barakar,  each  capable  of  producing 
20  tons  of  pig  iron  per  day.  The  ores  were 
clay  ironstones  obtained  fron  the  surface  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  works.  The  lime- 
stone flux  was  quarried  from  crystalline  rocks 
a  short  distance  away,  and  the  principal  fuel 
used  was  coke  made  from  coal  either  from  the 
Karharbari  field  or  from  mines  of  the 
Raniganj  field  within  a  few  miles  radius  of  the 
works.  The  company  came  to  an  end  in  1870 
after  producing  some  13,000  tons  of  pig  iron. 
The  chief  reason  for  its  failure  is  believed  to 
have  been  insufficiency  of  capital.  In  1882 
the  concern  was  taken  over  by  the  Govern- 
Tnent,  and  the  first  blast-fiirnace  was  re- 
started in  1884.  In  1889  the  works  were 
resold  by  the  Government  to  the  Bengal 
Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  who  entirely  remodelled  and 
gradually  developed  them,  until,  with  four 
blast-furnaces,  they  have  to-day  a  potential 
output  of  10,000  tons  of  pig  iron  and  1,.")00 
tons  of  ferro-manganese  per  month.  The 
Bengal  Iron  &  Steel  Co.  completed  the 
erection  of  a  steel  plant  at  Kulti  in  1903. 


The  SieiiU'iis  -  Martin  basic  oi)eii- health 
furnaces  had  a  capacity  of  20,000  tons  of 
steel  per  annum.  The  experiment,  however, 
was  not  successful,  and  the  plant  was  closed 
down  Ix'fore  190.').  In  1919  the  company  was 
reconstituted  as  the  Bengal  Iron  Co.,  Ltd. 

The  successful  o|)erations  of  the  Bengal 
Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  Ltd.,  in  the  later  stages  of 
its  career  under  that  constitution,  mark  thi' 
establishment  of  modern  iron  metallurgy  in 
the  Indian  Empire  on  permanent  foundations, 
and  the  next  step  in  building  up  the  industrj' 
was  the  inauguration  of  the  Tata  Iron  & 
Steel  Co.,  Ltd. 

Indi.\n  Iro.n  .\n'I)  Steel  Trade. — Before 
considering  its  rise  and  development  it  is 
advisal)Ie  to  glance  for  a  moment  at  the  iron 
and  steel  trade  in  India  generally.  In  1912, 
the  year  in  which  the  blast-furnaces  of  the 
Tata  Company  were  completed,  India's 
domestic  production  of  iron  amounted  to 
about  .50,000  tons  per  annum,  while  her 
requirements  of  iron  and  steel  may  be  gauged 
from  the  imports  in  the  same  year,  which 
totalled  upwards  of  700,000  tons  covering 
a  great  diversity  of  products.  In  the  last 
twenty  years  there  has  been  a  very  remark- 
able increase  in  the  consumption  of  iron  and 
steel  in  India,  though  the  import  trade 
suffered  a  general  set-back  during  the  war. 
The  above  table  gives  the  quantity  and 
value  of  the  heavy  iron  and  steel  imports 
for  the  fiscal  years  ending  March  31  in  1912, 
1914,  and  1920. 

In  this  table  manufactured  iron  includes 
angles,  rods,  bars,  channels,  and  bolts.  The 
steel  manufactures  include  similar  products, 
together  with  ingots,  blooms,  billets,  and 
cast  steel  in  addition.  The  undifferentiated 
iron  and  steel  articles  comprise  beams,  pillars, 
girders,  hoops,  strips,  rails,  chairs,  sheets, 
plates,  wire,  nails,  rivets,  etc.  A  con- 
sideration of  similar  statistics  for  the  quin- 
quennial period  1913-18,  in  which  allowances 
are  made  for  the  domestic  production,  for 
exports  and  re-exports,  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  India's  consumption,  during  a 
series  of  years  in  which  her  industrial 
development  was  retarded  by  the  war,  was 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  one  million  tons  per 


JUNE,     1921 


345 


annum.  There  is  every  reason  to^believe  that 
this  figure  will  show  a  rapid  rate  of  increase 
in  the  future. 

Yet  the  articles  which  have  just  been 
enumerated  by  no  means  represent  India's 
total  imports  of  iron  and  steel  goods,  and 
to  gain  a  more  accurate  appreciation  of  the 
true  position,  the  more  highly  finished  articles 
such  as  machinery,  railway  plant  and  rolling 
stock,  hardware  and  cutlerj",  have  to  be  taken 
into  account.  Adding  the  values  of  these  to 
the  values  of  the  heavy  goods  of  the  above 
table,  the  totals  become  as  follows  : — 


Total  Value  of  Iron 

years. 

and  Steel  Materials. 

Approximately. 

1912 

£lli,LKXl.l>IH) 

1914 

£27,000.U(I0 

1920 

£25,000,000 

The  manufacture  and  rolling  of  Indian  steel 
was  successfully  established  about  the  end  of 
1913,  after  the  usual  preliminary  difficulties, 
always  met  with  in  the  introduction  of 
complex  metallurgical  processes  into  new 
countries,  had  been  overcome.  Before  the 
war  Indian  pig  iron  had  been  shipped  to 
Burma,  the  Straits  Settlements,  Ceylon,  Java, 
Manchuria,  China,  Japan,  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  the  United  States,  and  South 
America.  During  the  war  export  was  pro- 
hibited, and  the  whole  output  of  Indian  rails 
from  the  Tata  works  was  taken  by  Govern- 
ment for  military  purposes  in  Mesopotamia, 
East  Africa,  and  Palestine,  a  portion  being 
even  shipped  as  far  as  Salonica.  Shell  steel 
was  supplied  to  the  Indian  munition  works, 
and  both  the  Tata  works  and  the  Bengal 
Iron  Co.  made  ferro-manganese  on  a  large 
scale. 

The  Tata  Iro\  &  Steel  Co.,  Ltd. — 
Jamsetji  Nusservanji  Tata,  a  member  of 
the  priestly  caste  of  the  Parsees,  who  was 
born  in  the  State  of  Baroda  in  1839,  was  the 
first  Indian  to  realize  the  possibilities  of 
an  extensive  iron  and  steel  industry  in  his 
native  land,  and  he  also  possessed  the  fore- 
sight to  visualize  the  potential  develop- 
ments which  have  since  come  to  pass.  The 
operations  of  the  Bengal  Iron  &  Steel  Co., 
Ltd.,  had  already  proved  beyond  question 
that  pig  iron  could  be  made  profitably  in 
India,  and  it  remained  for  Mr.  Tata  to 
institute  the  second  iron-manufacturing 
concern  and  to  introduce  modern  steel 
works  and  rolling  mills. 

The  Tata  Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  Ltd.,  was 
formed  in  1907  with  a  capital  of 
Rs.  2,31,75,000  (£1,545,000).  To-day  it  has 
an    authorized    capital    of    Rs.  10,52,12,500 


(£7,014,166),  of  which  Rs.  3,98,04,570  are 
issued.  After  preliminary  investigations  in 
India,  Europe,  and  x\merica,  Mr.  Tata 
engaged  Mr.  C.  P.  Perin,  of  New  York,  as 
his  consulting  engineer.  The  lattcr's 
associate,  Mr.  C.  M.  Weld,  arrived  in  India 
in  1902,  and  for  some  years  examined  various 
iron  ore  deposits,  many  of  which  had  been 
discovered  in  the  first  instance  by  the  officers 
of  the  Geological  Survey  of  India.  The 
earlier  work  was  carried  out  in  the  Central 
Provinces,  and  large  reserves  of  excellent 
ore  were  proved,  but  the  forest  resources 
of  that  region  did  not  prove  big  enough 
to  warrant  the  establishment  of  a  charcoal 
iron  works  there.  The  surveys  were  then 
continued  further  on  towards  the  east,  in 
order  to  approach  the  coalfields  of  Bengal 
more  closely,  and  finally  the  deposits  of 
Gurumaishini  in  Mayurbhanj  were  chosen 
as  the  source  of  the  iron  ores. 

The  works  are  situated  at  Jamshedpur 
(formerly  known  as  Sakchi),  adjoining 
Kalimati  station  on  the  Bengal-Nagpur 
Railway.  This  place  is  154  miles  west  of 
Calcutta,  about  115  miles  from  the  Jherria 
coal  mines,  100  miles  from  the  Hmestone 
quarries,  and  45  miles  from  the  Gurumaishini 
iron  ore  mines.  The  following  description 
of  the  Tata  works  is  compiled  from  papers 
bv  Messrs.  Perin,  Tutwiler,  and  Surtees 
Tuckwell.  The  writer  is  especially  indebted 
to  the  last-named  for  his  kind  assistance. 
Construction  commenced  in  1908,  and  the 
Sakchi  jungle  was  rapidly  transformed  into 
a  town,  which  now  promises  to  become  the 
centre  of  one  of  the  leading  industrial  regions 
of  Asia. 

The  two  original  blast-furnaces  of  the 
company,  each  77  ft.  high  and  19  ft.  in 
diameter,  with  a  capacity  of  200  tons  of 
pig  iron  per  day,  were  blown-in  in  November, 
1911,  and  September,  1912,  respectively. 
Each  furnace  is  equipped  with  up-to-date 
charging  apparatus  and  four  Cooper-Kennedy 
stoves.  These  two  furnaces  have  since  been 
enlarged  to  turn  out  280  tons  per  day  each. 
The  shortage  of  ferro-manganese  in  India 
during  the  war  led  to  the  rapid  erection  of 
a  third  furnace  of  a  somewhat  smaller  type 
in  1919.  At  the  present  time  two  of  the 
most  modern  skip-filled  furnaces,  with  a 
capacity  of  600  tons  per  day  each,  are 
nearing  completion. 

The  original  coke-oven  plant  consisted  of 
180  Coppee  non-recovery  ovens.  To  these 
have  been  added  a  battery  of  fifty  Koppers 
by-product     ovens    and     a    Simon    Carves 


316 


Till':     MIXING     MAGA7INK 


sulphuric  acid  plant,  which  supplies  the  acitl 
necessary  for  the  production  of  sulphate  of 
ammonia.  Three  batteries  of  Wilputte 
design,  each  containing  fifty  ovens,  are  being 
added,  together  with  extensions  to  the  coal 
tar,  annnoniuni  sulphate,  and  lunzol 
recovery  plants.  All  the  silica  shapes 
requisite  for  the  construction  of  these  new 
ovens  have  been  made  in  India  by  the 
Kuniardhubi    Hrick   Co. 

The  steel  works  plant  consists  of  one 
300  ton  mixer,  which  receives  the  molten 
pig  iron  from  the  blast-furnaces  before  it 
is  charged  into  the  open-hearth  furnaces. 
There  are  seven  of  the  latter,  four  of  which 
have  a  capacity  of  about  55  tons  per  heat 
and  three  of  75  tons  capacity.  These  enable 
an  output  of  27,000  tons  a  month  to  be  main- 
tained. The  new  steel  plant  includes  two 
25  ton  Bessemer  converters,  two  100  ton 
tilting  open-hearth  furnaces,  and  one 
1,300  ton  mixer.  The  converters  will 
remove  all  the  silicon  and  as  much  carbon 
as  is  desired  from  the  iron,  leaving  the  tilting 
furnace  the  duty  of  removing  the 
phosphorus  and  sulphur  and  bringing  the 
iron  to  the  required  percentage  of  carbon. 
The  elimination  of  these  elements  is  said  to 
reduce  the  time  necessary  for  the  finishing 
of  a  heat  in  the  tilting  furnace  by  about 
75%.  The  large  mixer  is  being  erected  to 
store  the  hot  metal  from  the  blast-furnaces 
over  the  week-ends,  when  the  open-hearth 
plant  is  not  working.  The  present  300  ton 
mixer  is  to  be  used  as  an  additional  open- 
hearth  furnace  after  the  new  mixer  is  built. 
Provision  has  also  been  made  for  the 
installation  of  a  250  ton  recarburizing  mixer, 
a  third  converter  if  necessary,  a  third 
duplex  tilting  open-hearth  furnace,  and  three 
Heroult  electric  furnaces  for  the  manufacture 
of  special  steels  or  ferro-alloys. 

There  are  four  soaking  pits  in  the  steel 
works,  equipped  with  mechanically  operated 
lids,  and  an  electric  overhead  charging  and 
drawing  crane.  The  ingots  are  made  21  in. 
by  19  in.,  and  weigh  between  2  and  3  tons 
each.  They  are  removed  by  a  self-tipping 
electric  trolley  to  the  mill  tables. 

The  blooming  mill  consists  of  a  40  in. 
mill,  operated  by  a  Galloway  engine  of 
11,000  h.p.  In  this  mill  the  ingots  from  the 
soaking  pits  are  made  into  blooms  and 
billets.  Another  40  in.  reversing  motor- 
driven  blooming  mill  with  hydraulic 
manipulator  and  followed  by  hydraulic 
shears  is  being  added. 

The  present  28  in.  finishing  mill  has  three 


sets  of  rolls,  and  is  worked  by  a  12,000  h.]). 
engine.  It  is  capable  of  turning  out  rails 
from  lot)  lb.  to  30  lb.  ;  beams  from  15  in. 
by  ()  in.  down  to  5  in.  by  3  in.  ;  angles  from 
(>  in.  by  <>  in.  to  3  in.  by  3  in.  ;  and  channels 
from  12  in.  bv  I  in.  to  G  in.  by  3  in.  The 
blooms  from  the  blooming  mill  are  reheated 
before  they  are  rolled,  and  the  sections  of 
rails  or  structural  materials,  afti'r  being  rolled 
to  the  recjuircd  dimensions,  are  cut  by  circular 
saws  into  the  necessary  lengths,  and  are 
conveyed  mechanically  by  rollers  to  a  cooling 
bed  of  the  moving  type.  From  the  cooling 
bed  all  the  bars  and  rails  are  passed  through 
straightening  machines  in  the  finishing 
department,  which  also  contains  the  usual 
]ilaning  and  drilling  devices.  The  products 
are  handled  by  an  overhead  electric  crane. 
The  motor-driven  blooming  null  will  serve 
a  new  28  in.  to  30  in.  combination  rail  and 
structural  mill. 

There  is  one  IG  in.  bar  mill  making  light 
rails  weighing  30  lb.  to  14  lb.  to  the  yard  ; 
angles  of  all  sizes  from  3  in.  to  Ijin.  ; 
channels  from  4  in.  to  1|  in.  ;  beams  of 
4  in.  by  If  in.  ;  and  fish-plates  for  rails. 
There  arc  also  two  10  in.  mills  devoted  to  the 
production  of  lighter  sizes  of  flats,  squares, 
and  rounds.  The  new  bar  mill  is  of  the 
latest  continuous  type,  and  will  take  billets 
from  the  sheet,  bar,  and  billet  mill  at  present 
under  erection.  Independent  motor-driven 
rolls  are  being  added  for  the  production  of 
wire  rods. 

The  plate  mill  is  now  nearly  completed 
in  a  separate  building  over  1,000  ft.  long 
and  about  100  ft.  wide.  The  mill  will  produce 
plates  from  Jin.  to  l^in.  thick  in  various 
widths  up  to  96  in.  and  various  lengths  up 
to  50  ft.  It  is  to  be  driven  by  a  2,000  h.p. 
motor  taking  alternating  current  at 
3,000  volts,  and  is  provided  with  four 
bottom-type  reheating  furnaces.  The 
building  also  contains  the  straightening 
and  shearing  machines  for  the  plates. 

The  sheet,  bar,  and  billet  mill  is  in  direct 
line  with  the  new  blooming  mill,  and  will  roll 
billets  from  If  in.  square  to  6^  in.  square 
for  the  bar  mills.  It  will  also  roll  sheet 
bars  up  to  8  in.  wide  for  the  sheet  mOl.  It 
is  proposed  to  finish  steel  sleeper  sections 
up  to  16  in.  wide  on  this  mill. 

The  sheet  bars  will  be  delivered  from  the 
mill  just  described  to  the  sheet  mill  proper, 
where  six  special  furnaces  will  reheat 
them.  The  rolling  equipment  consists  of 
two  jump  rolls,  two  balanced  rolls,  six 
finishing  mills,   and  two  cold  roUing  mills. 


JUNE,     1921 


317 


all  driven  by  a  4,000  h.p.  motor  taking 
alternating  current  at  3,000  volts.  This  mill 
will  produce  sheets  to  any  width  up  to  38  in., 
and  of  any  thickness  desired  from  |-  in.  down 
to  001  in. 

The  present  scheme  of  extensions  also, 
contemplates  a  wire  mill  capable  of 
producing  20  tons  of  miscellaneous  sizes 
of  wire  per  day  of  24  working  hours,  to  be 
used  for  fencing,  wire-netting,  nails,  etc.  ; 
a  bolt  and  nut  shop  with  a  sufficient  number 
of  machines  to  produce  50  tons  per  week  ; 
a  steel  sleeper  press ;  a  cast-iron  pipe 
foundry  ;  and  a  new  roll-turning  shop.  A 
large  new  machine-shop  is  under  erection, 
in  which  the  housings,  castings,  and  the 
bulk  of  the  heavy  components  for  the  new 
rolling  mills,  etc.,  are  now  being  made.  In 
addition  there  are  shops  for  pattern-makers, 
carpenters,  blacksmiths,  locomotive  repairs, 
electrical  repairs,  and  structural  shops  for 
bridges,  roofs,  and  buildings. 

The  power-house  contains  three  turbo- 
blowers, which  supply  32,000  cubic  feet  per 
minute  to  the  blast-furnaces  under  a  pressure 
of  15-5  lb.  per  square  inch.  The  plant 
consists  of  two  1,000  kilowatt  and  one 
1,.")00  kilowatt,  3,000  volt  turbo-alternators, 
running  at  a  speed  of  3,000  revolutions 
per  minute,  and  three  transformers  of 
1,2.50  K.V.A.,  3,000  to  440  volts,  and  two 
motor  generator  sets  of  500  kilowatts  each. 

To  supply  the  power  for  the  new 
extensions,  the  whole  of  which  will  come  into 
operation  progressively  within  the  next  two 
years,  large  additions  to  the  former  power- 
plant  have  been  neccssar3^  These  include 
a  large  range  of  new  boilers,  fired  with  blast- 
furnace gas,  three  5,000  kilowatt  turbo- 
generators, one  4,200  kilowatt  turbo- 
generator, one  2,000  kilowatt  generator,  one 
2,000  kilowatt  mixed  pressure  turbine,  the 
steam  for  which  is  principally  obtained  from 
the  existing  rolling  mill  engines,  and  the 
necessary  transforming  equipment  to  step 
down  from  high  to  low  tension.  Corre- 
sponding increases  have  been  arranged  in 
the  water  system,  pumping  plant,  the 
transporting  department,  laboratory,  offices, 
etc.,  to  say  nothing  of  the  essential 
augmented  reserves  of  raw  material. 

When  the  present  extensions  are  com- 
pleted, the  Tata  iron  and  steel  works  will  have 
a  potential  output  of  700,000  tons  of  pig 
iron  and  580,000  tons  of  steel  ingots  per 
annum.  Of  the  latter,  it  is  proposed  to 
convert  some  426,000  tons  into  finished 
and  semi-finished  products,  and  the  whole 


of  the  new  plant  has  been  so  laid  out  that 
future  extensions  may  be  added  with  the 
least  inconvenience. 

The  company  owns  its  own  collieries, 
iron  ore  mines,  manganese  ore  mines, 
wolfram  mines,  and  limestone  and  magnesite 
quarries.  It  also  holds  a  large  interest  in  the 
Kumardhubi  Silica  &  Fire  Brick  Co.,  Ltd., 
which  makes  silica  bricks  from  the  gannister 
deposits  of  the  Gaya  region,  magnesia 
products  from  Mysore  magnesite,  and  other 
refractories  from  fire-clay,  chromite,  etc. 
The  Tata  Company  to-day  finds  employ- 
ment for  25,000  men  and  women,  and,  as  it 
is  still  the  custom  of  the  ignorant  to  under- 
estimate the  capability  of  the  Indian  work- 
man, it  may  be  pointed  out  that  the  manage- 
ment has  gradually  been  able  to  reduce  the 
number  of  European  and  American 
employees  and  to  substitute  Indian  labour. 
For  example,  in  the  bar  mill,  three  eight- 
hour  shifts,  which  would  necessitate  the 
employment  of  twenty-seven  Europeans, 
are  manned  by  a  crew  of  twenty-five  Indians, 
who  run  the  plant  economically  with  only 
two  European  superintendents.  In  other 
departments  similar  reductions  have  been 
made.  Out  of  137  covenanted  Europeans 
and  Americans,  75  are  employed  as 
supervisors  at  the  steel  furnaces  and  rolling 
mills,  which  between  them  find  employment 
for  4,200  men.  At  the  blast-furnaces  there 
are  only  8  Europeans  to  1,600  Indians  ;  in 
the  mechanical  department  6  to  3,000  ; 
and  in  the  traffic  department  only  1  to 
1,500.  The  chemical  laboratory  originally 
employed  five  European  chemists.  Now  the 
chief  and  the  assistant  are  Europeans,  the 
remainder  of  the .  staff  being  twenty-one 
Indians.  According  to  Mr.  H.  Surtees 
Tuckwell,  "  in  very  many  instances  Indian 
workmen  have  shown  themselves  possessed 
of  extraordinary  skill  and  manual  dexterity, 
and  the  electrical  department  is  under  the 
superintendence  of  an  Indian  gentleman, 
a  graduate  of  an  Indian  University,  assisted 
by  a  staff  of  Indian  wiremen  and 
electricians."  The  coke-oven  department  is 
also  under  the  sole  charge  of  an  Indian. 
Social  welfare  work  among  the  employees  is 
actively  undertaken  at  Jamshedpur,  which  is 
a  well-laid-out  town  possessing  a  modern 
water  supply  and  sanitation  system, 
hospitals,  schools,  and  recreation  grounds. 

(To  be  concluded.) 


;ii,s 


Tin-    MixiX(,    M\c,\/iNi-: 


BOOK    RFA'IKWS 

Recent     Practice    in    the    Use    of    Self- 
contained  Breathing  Apparatus.     IW 

l.iiiitciiant  l\i£X  C.  Smakt.    Cloth,  octavo, 

;U0    pagi's,    illustratt'il,      I'lici'    l.'is.    net. 

London  :    Charles  Ciiiffin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

The  title  does  not  fully  indicate  the 
ciiaiaetei"  of  this  vahiabk'  work,  for  the  book 
goes  far  towards  being  a  textbook  on  mine 
rescue  organization  and  the  training  of  men 
in  the  use  of  breathing  apparatus.  As 
officer  in  charge  of  the  First  Army  Mine 
Rescue  Station,  B.E.F.,  the  author  had 
exceptional  opportimities  for  the  study  of 
mine  riscue  work  under  the  severe  conditions 
of  military  warfare.  His  record  of 
experiences  in  the  employment  of  breathing 
apparatus  should  be  of  general  interest  to 
mining  engineers  and  of  considerable  value 
to  those  connected  with  rescue  stations. 
The  subject  is  treated  from  a  military 
standpoint,  but  though  there  are  such 
references  as  "  Pails  Mark  I  and  II  ",  "  as 
per  A.F.  W.  3419  ",  and  "  the  Q.  i  C.  School  ", 
the  book  generally  is  free  from  military 
jargon,  and  civilian  readers  will  ha\'e  no 
difficulty  in  following  the  text. 

It  was  essential  that  appliances  on  any 
portion  of  the  army  front  should  be 
standardized  as  far  as  possible.  The  author 
gives  brief  notes  on  leading  types  of  rescue 
appliances,  but  the  only  appliances  dealt 
with  in  detail  in  this  work  are  of  the  Proto, 
Salvos,  and  Novita  designs. 

The  account  given  of  the  course  of  training 
for  tunnellers  of  the  Royal  Engineers  at 
the  Mines  Rescue  School  in  1916-17  suggests 
that  the  holder  of  a  certificate  of  competency 
from  that  training  centre  would  be  able  to 
do  work  equal  to  that  of  the  most  efficient 
members  of  English  colliery  brigades  at  the 
present  time.  Lieutenant  Smart  gives  full 
details  of  the  tests  for  proficiency  and  the 
examinations  at  the  schools,  and  the 
questions  may  be  studied  with  advantage 
bj-  any  member  of  a  mine  rescue  team.  As 
illustrating  the  searching  character  of  the 
examination,  we  may  say  that  there  are  given 
16  questions  on  the  rubber  bag  and  its 
contents  in  dealing  with  the  Proto  apparatus, 
and  under  the  heading  of  pressure  gauge 
valve  21  questions  might  be  submitted  to 
a  candidate. 

Points  to  be  observed  in  adjusting  the 
apparatus  and  notes  on  repairs  form  a 
valuable  feature  of  the  publication,  and  the 

Jes  of  statistics  relating  to  stocks  and  parts 


of  apjiaratus  repaired,  as  illustrations  of 
elficiency  in  organization,  should  be  of  service 
to  those  who  have  to  arrange  the  office 
routine  of  a  rescue  station  on  a  large  scale. 

The  section  on  the  charging  and  testing 
of  ap])aratus  is  well  written,  but  the 
illustrations  of  oxygen  cylinders  arc  not  so 
clear  as  is  desirable.  A  system  of  air  and 
water  circulation  is  generally  better  shown 
b\'  pl.iin  line  diagrams,  such  as  the  author 
employs  lor  illustrating  the  design  of  valves, 
than  by  reproductions  of  photographs  of 
assembled  fittings. 

Physiological  considerations  connected 
with  the  use  of  respiratory  a])paratus  arc 
dealt  with  in  an  able  manner,  but  in  several 
instances  expressions  might  be  modified  to 
the  advantage  of  the  general  reader  who 
would  ].)robably  umlerstand  references  to 
heart-failure  and  difficulty  in  breathing 
more  quickly  than  he  grasps  the  purport 
of  the  statement  that  "  nun  may  suffer 
from  oxygen  deficiency  syncope  without 
dyspniea    symptoms  ". 

Considerable  attention  is  given  to  the 
phenomena  of  gas  explosions.  The  effects 
of  explosions  in  collieries  are  generally  com- 
plicated by  the  presence  of  finely  divided 
coal.  There  was  no  possibility  of  inflammable 
dust  being  present  in  the  galleries  on  the 
army  front,  where  gas  explosions  occurred, 
and  data  on  effects  of  force  and  other 
features  are  worthy  of  record  for  comparative 
purposes  in  the  study  of  explosions  under- 
ground. 

Methane  or  firedamp  (CH,)  may  be  one  of 
the  products  of  the  detonation  of  nitro- 
cellulose, but  the  most  dangerous  gas 
derived  from  gun-cotton,  ammonal,  and  other 
explosives  used  in  military  mining  was 
carbon  monoxide.  After  the  explosion  of  a 
charge,  which  frequently  amounted  to  many 
tons  of  explosive,  the  enclosing  strata  were 
likely  to  be  saturated  with  noxious  gases. 
The  effect  was  particularly  noticeable  with 
"  camouflets ",  that  is,  where  the  charge 
of  explosive  was  not  sufficient  to  break 
through  to  the  surface  of  the  ground,  no 
mine  crater  being  formed.  The  gases 
occluded  in  the  rocks  discharged  themselves 
into  the  galleries,  which  stood  open  after 
the  mine  was  fired,  and  secondary  explosions 
resulted  in  many  instances  from  the  ignition 
of  gases  by  candles.  Plans  are  given  showing 
areas  of  workings  affected  by  explosions 
of  this  type.  They  appear  to  be  very  local 
in  character,  although  in  some  cases  con- 
siderable force  was  developed.     The  author 


JUNE,     1921 


349 


notes  occasions  where  a  succession  of 
explosions  occurred  at  regular  intervals  of 
two  or  three  minutes  duration. 

In  dealing  with  the  features  of  carbon 
monoxide  poisoning  it  is  stated  on  the 
authority  of  Marshall,  p.  577,  that  miners' 
phthisis  was  due  principally  to  carbon 
monoxide  poisoning  in  the  South  African 
gold  mines.  This  is  not  in  accordance  with 
the  views  of  leading  authorities  on  miners' 
phthisis,  a  matter  which  has  received 
considerable  attention  from  those  connected 
with  the  gold-mining  industry.  Inhalation 
of  noxious  gases  may  have  influence  on  the 
resistant  power  of  the  lungs,  but  the  presence 
of  fine  silicious  dust  in  the  atrriosphere  is 
almost  universally  regarded  as  the  primary 
if  not  the  sole  cause  of  miners'  phthisis 
on  the  Rand. 

As  the  equipment  of  a  mine  rescue  station 
is  not  complete  without  a  supply  of  small 
creatures  for  testing  the  purity  of  air, 
Lieutenant  Smart  gives  notes  on  the  care 
of  mice  and  canaries  in  the  concluding 
section  of  his  work.  We  learn  that  oxymel 
of  squills  may  be  given  with  advantage  to 
birds  suffering  from  bronchitis,  and  what  is 
a  good  design  of  cage  for  the  housing  of 
mice.  As  a  sidelight  on  the  thorough  nature 
of  military  organization,  we  learn  from 
another  portion  of  the  book  that  mice  may 
be  regarded  as  units  on  the  strength  of  a 
company,  for  the  stores  drawn  from  ration 
dump  include:  Bread  (for  mice),  one  loaf 
per  day  for  25  mice  ;  milk  (for  mice),  one 
tin  per  day  for  25  mice. 

Although  military  organization  as 
described  by  Lieutenant  Smart  may  not  be 
necessary  for  civilian  work,  we  would  call 
attention  to  the  remarks  made  by  Professor 
Sir  John  Cadman  in  a  foreword, to  the  book 
under  review.  He  says  :  "  It  is  clear  that 
rescue  work  in  collieries  would  be  conducted 
more  efficiently  and  with  less  danger  by  the 
application  of  some,  at  least,  of  the  rules  and 
regulations  and  by  the  adoption  of  the 
standardized  system  of  training  which  were 
employed  by  the  military  authorities  in 
connexion  with  the  rescue  operations  con- 
ducted by  the  Tunnelling  Companies  of  the 
Royal  Engineers  during  the  war." 

Wherever  noxious  or  irrespirable  gases 
may  be  met  with,  rescue  apparatus  is  a 
necessity,  and  in  dealing  with  warehouse 
fires,  gas  undertakings,  coke-ovens,  and 
chemical  works  trained  men  equipped  with 
self  -  contained  breathing  apparatus  may 
be     able     to     save     life     and     property. 


Lieutenant  Smart  has  written  a  book  which 
will  go  far  towards  supplying  the  needs  of 
those  who  desire  to  study  self-breath'ng 
apparatus  and  the  organization  of  mine 
rescue  work.  In  these  times  of  trade 
depression  it  is  gratifying  to  note  that 
Messrs.  Charles  Grifhn  &  Co.  have  added  so 
valuable  and  original  a  volume  to  their 
well-known  series  of  textbooks  for  mining 
engineers. 

Stanley  Nettleton. 

The  Tin  Resources  of  the  British 
Empire.  By  Norman  M.  Penzer,  M.A., 
F.G.S.  Cloth,  octavo,  350  pages.  Price 
15s.  net.  London  :  William  Rider  &  Sons, 
Ltd. 

This  book  is  a  compilation  of  extracts  from 
articles  and  bulletins  by  some  of  the  leading 
geological  and  mining  authorities  on  tin, 
and  gives  in  a  concise  and  attractive  style  all 
the  known  localities  within  the  British 
Empire  where  tin  occurs.  While  the  author 
acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to  these 
various  authorities,  the  work  would  carry 
greater  weight  if  quotations  and  extracts  were 
more  clearly  defined  instead  of  leaving  the 
reader  in  doubt  as  to  which  parts,  if  any,  are 
written  from  the  author's  own  experience. 

The  book  opens  with  an  introduction  giving 
a  brief  historical  sketch  of  the  etymology 
of  the  word  "  tin  ",  and  its  early  sources  and 
uses,  together  with  a  list  of  the  ores  containing 
tin.  Chapter  II  deals  with  the  geology  and 
occurrence  of  tin  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
with  special  reference  to  the  principal  mines 
in  Cornwall  and  Devon,  now  unfortunately 
closed  down  owing  to  the  depressed  state 
of  industry.  Of  geological  interest  is  the 
occurrence  of  tin  in  Scotland  and  Ireland, 
but  in  neither  case  are  they  of  economic 
importance. 

A  large  part  of  the  book  is  taken  up  by 
Chapter  III,  relating  to  the  tin-producing 
British  possessions  in  Asia,  one  of  which 
alone,  Malaya,  has  by  far  the  largest  output 
in  the  world.  The  author  deals  thoroughly 
with  this  important  section  under  different 
headings,  but  one  cannot  leave  unnoticed 
some  few  inaccuracies  that  appear.  On 
p.  56  it  is  stated  that  "  malaria  is  not 
common  ",  whereas  it  is  very  common,  but 
fevers  of  the  malignant  type  are  rare,  and 
consequently  the  mortality  is  low  compared 
with  other  tropical  countries.  Under 
"  Methods  of  Mining  "  the  word  "  lampan  "  is 
bracketed  with  "  dredging  ",  from  which  one 
would  naturally  infer  that  "  lampan  "  is  the 


350 


Tin:     MINING     M\(.\/IXK 


equivalent  of  "  dredging  ",  whereas  it  means 
"  ground  sluieing  ".  ^luddy  water  does  not 
assist  concentration,  as  the  author  states  on 
p.  73,  but  rather  impedes  it,  wliile  the 
statement  on  p.  77  tliat  wolfram  is  removed 
from  tin-tungsten  concentrates  by  means  of 
a  horse-shoe  magnet  is  an  error  which  should 
not  have  been  allowed  to  creep  in.  Dredge 
buckets,  too,  arc  usually  seven  to  twelve 
rather  than  ten  to  twelve  cubic  feet  capacity. 

Several  interesting  photographs  illustrating 
the  methods  of  working  are  given  and  the 
section  ends  with  a  number  of  tables  of 
output,  chairts  of  production  and  export  of 
tin  over  a  period  of  thirty  years,  and  a 
glossary  of  a  few^  Malay-Chinese  words  used 
in  mining. 

Of  the  Indian  Empire  the  Burma  deposits 
are,  as  the  author  points  out,  the  most 
important,  while,  apart  from  geological 
interest,  the  tin  occurring  in  Bengal  and 
Bombay  is  negligible.  Interesting  historical 
and  geological  data  are  given  of  the  Mergui 
and  Tavoy  districts,  development  of  which 
has  been  slow  owing  to  the  lack  of  means  of 
communication,  but  according  to  the  table  on 
pp.  146  and  151  a  pronounced  increase  in  the 
output  is  noticeable  in  recent  years. 

The  African  colonies  and  the  newly 
acquired  "  German  South-West  Africa " 
are  dealt  with  in  Chapter  IV,  with  Nigeria 
as  the  most  important  producer.  Here  the 
deposits  are  in  many  respects  similar  to 
those  of  Malaya,  though  by  no  means  so  rich 
or  so  extensive,  and  their  development  was 
retarded  by  labour  and  climatic  conditions. 
In  the  historical  sketch  the  author  states 
that  it  was  in  1884  that  tin  was  first  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  Governor  of  Northern 
Nigeria,  though  from  the  table  showing 
the  output  it  was  only  in  1907  that  tin  was 
mined  in  any  quantity.  He  attributes  this 
delay  to  the  public  being  slow  in  taking 
advantage  of  the  situation  (p.  161),  but  he 
might  have  also  added  to  a  great  extent  to 
the  lack  of  sympathy  shown  to  the  industry 
by  the  Government,  who  failed  to  realize 
that  the  miner  is  one  of  the  forerunners  of 
civilization.  Since  this  book  was  written, 
representations  made  to  the  Government  to 
help  the  industry  have  received  favourable 
consideration,  and  the  promised  construction 
of  additional  railway  lines  will  greatly 
assist  the  development  of  deposits  now  too 
far  distant  for  profitable  exploitation. 

In  Chapter  V  Canada  is  mentioned  on  the 
meagre  evidence  that  tin  has  been  found 
there,  but  this  chapter  could  well  have  been 


omitted  from  liie  l)ook.  Tin  has  doubtless 
been  found  in  other  British  colonies,  but 
this  would  hardly  justify  their  inclusion  in 
the  liook  as  bi'ing  important  to  the  resomces 
of  till'  Hritish  lim])ire. 

Ciiapter  \T  deals  with  .\ustralasia.  The 
\'arious  tin-producing  countries  are  well 
described,  and  the  accurate  maps  are  helpful 
in  following  the  description  of  the  fields. 
The  latest  statistics  of  the  Commonwealth 
are  not  complete,  but  there  is  a  distinct 
falling  off  in  the  outjiut. 

Chapters  VII  and  VIII  describe  the 
industrial  application  of  tin  and  prices  of  the 
metal,  ending  with  a  table  of  the  world's 
outi)ut,  which  might  have  been  brought  up 
to  a  more  recent  date  than  1917.  The  heading 
of  the  table  "  Tin  Ore  (Tin  Content)  "  on 
p.  294  is  misleading,  as  the  figures  relate  to 
either  the  quantity  of  metal  produced  or  to 
its  equivalent  in  the  ore,  and  not  to  tin  ore. 

The  unprecedented  demand  for  tin,  created 
by  the  war,  caused  its  price  to  rise  to  a 
fabulous  figure,  which  acted  as  an  incentive 
to  increased  production,  more  especially  in 
those  countries  unaffected  by  the  high 
taxation  to  which  companies  operating  in 
the  British  Empire  were  penalized.  The 
result  was  a  large  increase  in  the  production 
of  tin  in  foreign  countries,  which  reaped  all 
the  benefits  of  the  high  prices.  Thus,  while 
in  1914  the  production  in  the  British  Empire 
amounted  to  o~%,  in  1918  when  the  price 
had  risen  to  close  on  ;f400  per  ton,  the  pro- 
duction had  fallen  to  44%  of  the  world's 
total  output.  This  high-water  mark  in  the 
price  of  tin  was  reached  in  the  early  part  of 
1920,  when  the  metal  sold  for  /419  per  ton, 
and  the  subsequent  decline  to  the  present 
level,  far  below  the  cost  of  production,  has 
caused  a  falling  off  of  the  output  which  is 
bound  to  be  reflected  in  an  advance  in  the 
price  £0  soon  as  the  industrial  world  returns 
to  more  normal  conditions.  The  statistical 
evidence  presented  shows  this  gradual  decline 
in  the  production  of  tin  in  the  British  Empire, 
and  therefore  great  efforts  will  be  needed  to 
retain  the  supremacy  in  the  world's  supply 
which  we  have  held  in  the  past. 

An  excellent  bibliography  completes  an 
interesting  and  instructive  book,  which 
should  prove  helpful  both  to  the  general 
public  and  to  the  student  in  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  tin  resources  of  the  British 
Empire.  A  somewhat  similar  work  on  the 
Tin  Resources  of  Foreign  Countries,  as  fore- 
shadowed in  the  general  introduction,  would 
fill  a  much-felt  want.        Henry  Brei.ick. 


\ 


JUNE,     1921 


351 


Field    Methods   in  Petroleum  Geology. 

By  G.  H.  Cox,  C.  L.  Dake,  and  G.  A. 
MuiLENBURG.  Cloth,  octavo,  310  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  24s.  net.  New  York 
and  London  :  McGraw-Hill  Book  Com- 
pany. 

The  progress  of  modern  methods  in  field 
geology  as  applied  to  oil-finding  has  been 
extremely     rapid     of    latter     years,     more 
particularly    since    the    value    of    scientific 
investigation     of     petroliferous     areas     has 
become  generally  recognized.    The  tendency 
has  undoubtedly  been  towards  the  creation 
of    a    highly    specialized     field     technique, 
involving  an  intimate  knowledge  of  accurate 
geological     mapping,     a     knowledge     only 
attained  after  extensive  personal  experience. 
The   opening   up   of   several   new   areas   all 
over  the  world  has  further  necessitated  the 
initial   construction   of   topographical   maps 
as   preliminary  to  geological  work,   and  in 
many  cases  the  geologist  has  had  to  act  as 
his  own  surveyor,  usually  a  matter  of  regret, 
though    not    without    obvious    advantages 
in  many  cases.     It  follows,  therefore,   that 
the  training  of  an  oil-geologist  must  at  least 
include    instruction    in    the    first    principles 
of  surveying,   in  order  that,  if  need  arise, 
he    may    be    able     to    use    the    ordinary 
instruments  necessary  to  the  production  of 
a  topographical  map  on  which  to  base  his 
future  work.    We  are  thus  able  to  appreciate 
the  reason  of  the  two  distinct  sections  into 
which   the  present   volume   is   divided,    the 
first  dealing  with  instruments  and  instrument 
methods,  and  the  second  with  the  structural 
geology  of  petroleum,  including  identification 
of  structures  and  general  field  operations. 

The  chapters  on  surveying  are,  if  anything, 
more  lucid  and  comprehensive  than  those 
devoted  to  actual  geological  field  work ; 
from  the  antithetical  nature  of  the  two 
sciences  this  was  rather  to  be  expected, 
since  any  discussion  of  field  methods,  unless 
extensive,  is  bound  to  lend  itself  to  much 
adverse  criticism  from  the  very  nature  and 
magnitude  of  the  subject.  The  proof  of 
this  lies  in  the  fact  that  no  really  exhaustive 
treatise  on  structural  geology  has  ever 
been  written,  and  if  it  were  it  is  doubtful 
whether  it  could  adequately  replace  even 
a  part  of  that  training  which  actual  field 
experience  gives,  and  from  which  ability 
and  competence  can  alone  be  won.  The 
authors  have  attempted  a  very  ambitious 
task  in  the  production  of  this  book,  and 
although  it  certainly  fills  a  gap  in  technical 
literature  as  intended,  it  hardly  comprises 


a  "satisfactory  systematic  discussion  of  the 
minutiai  of  field  procedure  "  (to  quote  the 
preface),  even  applied  to  oil  geology.  Such 
a  discussion,  if  at  all  feasible,  would  fill  a 
book  many  times  the  size  of  this  little  volume. 
In  the  chapter  on  instruments,  compasses, 
levels,  barometers,  alidades,  levelling  and 
stadia  rods,  and  the  plane  table  all  receive 
careful  treatment,  and,  as  concise  descriptive 
matter,  this  is  a  very  commendable  part  of 
the  book.  The  succeeding  chapter  is  devoted 
to  the  various  methods  of  usage  of  such 
apparatus  in  actual  practice,  and  contains 
ample  information  for  those  unaccustomed 
to  the  handling  of  instruments  of  this 
description.  The  important  initial  deter- 
minations in  oilfield  work  are  those  of 
direction,  distance,  and  elevation,  and  the 
methods  discussed  rightly  eliminate  all  details 
having  no  direct  bearing  on  these  points. 

Preceding  to  the  geological  section  of  the 
book,  we  are  at  once  struck  by  the  narrow- 
ness of  view  taken  by  the  authors   in    their 
treatment    of    the    subject  ;     for    example, 
a  statement  appearing  on  the  opening  page 
(129)  of  this  section  reads  as  follows  :    "  The 
field-work  of  a  petroleum  geologist  is  confined 
largely,    and   in   wild-cat    territory,    almost 
wholly,    to    the   working    out    of   structural 
conditions  of  folding  and  faulting  ;    in  other 
words  it  is  made  up  largely  of  a  search  for 
anticlines  and  terraces,  and  of  the  mapping 
of   such   areas."      Such   a  statement,    more 
especially    the    latter    part,    is    not    only 
elementary,  but  it  shows  a  decided  lack  of 
imagination,  to  say  the  very  least.     When 
geologists  confine  their  attention  solely  to 
the  location  of  anticlines  or  terraces,   then    ■ 
they    may    as    well    retire    from    the    field 
altogether ;     if   the   experience   of   the   last 
decade    gained    from    many    parts    of    the 
world    is    simply    bounded    by    the    word 
"  anticline  ",  it  is  not  only  a  poor  outlook 
for  future  oil  exploration,  but  is  at  the  same 
time  a  doubtful  reflection  on  the  standard 
of  work  carried  out.     To   be  of  real   and 
universal  value   any  discussion  of  suitable 
oilfield    structures    and    their    identification 
should   be,    if  not   actually   comprehensive, 
at    least    broad    and    constructive,    and    to 
narrow  the  possibihties  down  is  simply  to 
evade  the  wider  questions. 

Under  the  heading  of  field  operations  is 
included  a  great  deal  of  miscellaneous 
information  of  value  to  a  field  party,  as 
contributing  both  to  the  success  of  the  work 
and  to  the  welfare  of  the  individual. 

The  volume  contains  a  glossary  of  technical 


352 


111.    minim;    ma( .a/ink 


terms,  and  also  an  apiuiulix  inchulini; 
tables  of  natural  functions,  stadia  tables, 
temperature  corrections  for  altitude  scale, 
etc.  In  addition,  there  is  an  introductii)n 
which,  in  eleven  pages,  disposes  of  the  origin 
of  oil  and  gas,  reservoirs,  migration, 
and  structural  conditions  favouring 
accunuilation  ;  the  iliagrams  illustrating 
these  features,  showing  inclined  water,  oil, 
and  gas  zones  in  some  cases  arc  indeed 
difficult  to  follow. 

11.   i;.   Mii,m:k. 

Primer  on  the  Storage  of  Petroleum 
Spirit  and  Carbide  of  Calcium.  J^\' 
]\Iajor  A.  CouPEK-Key,  CLi.  Second 
Edition  revised.  Cloth,  octavo,  1-10  pages. 
Price  OS.  net.  London  :  Charles  GiilTin  & 
Co.,  Ltd. 

The  general  utility  and  public  appreciation 
of  this  little  handbook  on  the  storage  of 
petroleum  are  proved  by  the  issue  of  this 
second  edition,  in  which  the  author  has 
revised  certain  parts  of  the  text,  bringing 
it  both  legally  and  technically  up  to  date. 
The  success  of  a  publication  of  this 
description  is  not  at  all  surprising,  since  it 
seems  to  be  a  curious  feature  of  English  law 
that,  although  framed  for  the  protection  and 
well-being  of  the  community  at  large,  a 
species  of  popular  edition  of  any  particular 
Act  or  Order  has  to  be  written  before  the 
tenets  thereof  can  be  grasped  by  the  public 
directly  affected.  UsuaUy  the  niceties  of 
legal  terminology  and  the  quaint  com- 
plexities of  phrasing  leave  the  layman  in 
a  perfect  maze  of  doubt  and  incom- 
prehensibility on  perusal  of  the  official 
documents,  and  it  is  not  until  his  favourite 
newspaper  gives  an  intelligible  account,  or 
a  readable  annotated  version  of  its  purport 
is  published,  that  he  really  knows  exactly 
what  to  do  and  what  not  to  do.  Thus,  on 
matters  pertaining  to  the  conveyance  and 
storage  of  petroleum,  petroleum  products, 
benzol,  and  similar  inflammables  (including 
acetylene  and  calcium  carbide  also  dis- 
cussed here),  there  must  obviously  be  no 
misapprehension,  since  the  risk  of  fire  or 
explosion,  particularly  in  densely  populated 
districts,  and  the  possible  disasters  attendant 
on  carelessness  of  keeping  or  handling  such 
materials,  are  too  great  to  allow  of  any 
evasion  of  regulations  through  lack  of  under- 
standing. 

The  great  fillip  accorded  to  the  motor 
industry  as  a  result  of  the  war  has  tended 
to  an  enormous  increase  in  the  number  of 


jKisons  using  jnUoliuni  products  both  in 
commercial  and  private  interests ;  con- 
sequently a  great  deal  more  motor-spirit 
is  ]irivatelj'  stored  than  was  the  case  a  few 
years  ago.  The  Act  allows  the  ordinary 
consumer  to  keep  sixty  gallons  in  a  suitable 
store-house,  subject  to  the  regulations  made 
by  the  Secretary  of  State  imdir  Section  5 
of  the  Locomotives  f)n  Ili};liways  Act, 
1896,  full  details  of  whicli  will  he  found  in 
.Vjipendix  V  in  the  present  volume.  The 
majority  of  people,  we  are  sure,  are 
conscientious  in  the  matter  of  carrying  out 
the  necessary  regulations,  but  there  is 
always  that  casual  minority,  who  either 
through  ignorance  or  selfish  disregard  for  the 
safety  of  others,  declines  to  worry  about  such 
"  trifles  "  as  regulations,  and  in  this  case 
the  allowance  is  just  sixty  gallons  too  much. 
The  truth  of  the  old  adage  that  "  familiarity 
breeds  contempt  "  never  received  more 
cogent  proof  than  from  the  long  record  of 
accidents  resulting  from  careless  handling 
of  oil  ;  chauffeurs  as  a  class  are  particularly 
remiss  in  this  respect,  and  we  welcoinc  the 
author's  eight  "Dont's"  for  their  guidance. 
Such  a  practice  as  smoking  while  replenishing 
petrol  tanks,  for  example,  is  of  common 
occurrence  ;  in  nine  times  out  of  ten  nothing 
untoward  happens,  but  there  is  always  the 
tenth  chance. 

In  this  book  the  preliminary  chapter 
deals  with  oil  and  flash  point  determinations 
in  so  far  as  these  affect  the  legislative  control 
of  oil.  There  follows  a  chapter  on  the  storage 
of  oil  without  licence,  in  essence  a  lucid 
explanation  of  the  existing  regulations.  The 
author  also  deals  with  the  various  aspects 
of  bulk  storage  and  of  the  licences  issued  for 
this  purpose  by  the  local  authority  ;  the 
treatment  of  these  questions  is  very  excellent, 
because  some  valuable  personal  suggestions 
are  embodied  in  the  text,  making  it  com- 
paratively easy  for  petroleum  inspectors  and 
others  to  carry  out  their  duties  in  the  best 
interests  of  all  concerned.  Such  features  as 
site,  construction,  mode  of  storage,  quantity 
permissible  under  particular  circumstances, 
conveyance,  and  garage  supplies  are  all 
adequately  discussed,  together  with  the 
sound  modern  plan  of  underground  storage, 
a  method  finding  favour  with  many  large 
commercial  firms  at  the  present  time.  In 
the  last  chapter  on  future  legislation,  a  variety 
of  matters  are  discussed  in  which  criticism 
and  suggestion  play  an  important  part  ; 
the  paragraph  on  tank-ships  ("  tankers  ") 
might   well   have   been   extended   from   the 


JUNE,     1921 


353 


point  of  view  of  general  information  ;  it  is 
surprising  how  few  people  have  any  idea 
whatever  of  the  nature  of  the  vessel  con- 
veying oil  from  one  country  to  another. 

Finally,  the  inclusion  of  a  chapter  on 
acetylene  and  calcium  carbide,  their  pro- 
perties, storage,  uses,  and  dangers,  and  also 
the  paragraphs  dealing  with  existing 
'  legislation  in  regard  to  these  matters,  are 
'  entirely  relevant  to  a  book  of  this  description. 
The  probability  is  that  at  least  70%  of 
motorists  use  acetylene  lighting  at  the 
present  time,  despite  the  many  obvious 
advantages  of  electricity  ;  under  these 
circumstances  the  use  and  storage  of  calcium 
carbide  are,  with  the  acetylene  to  which  it 
gives  rise,  subjects  just  as  worthy  of  careful 
consideration  and  regulation  as  petroleum. 

H.    B.    MiLNER. 

^J^'Copies  of  the  books,  etc..  mentioned  under  tlie  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  The  Minitig  Magaziiu-,  724,  Sahsbury  House,  London 
Wall,  London,  E.C.2. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

BRISBANE 

March  30. 

Roma  Oil  Geology. — For  the  last  year  or 
so  Dr.  H.  I.  Jensen  has  been  studying  the 
geology  of  the  Roma  district  in  South  Queens- 
land, 300  miles  west  of  Brisbane.  This  is  the 
locale  of  the  much-discussed  and  celebrated 
Roma  bore,  which  is  being  sunk  by  the  State 
authorities.  A  report  by  Dr.  Jensen  has  this 
month  been  published  by  the  Queensland 
Department  of  Mines.  He  has,  since  May, 
1920,  been  investigating  the  geology  of  a 
considerable  area  of  country  north  of  the 
\\'estern  Railway  between  Roma  and 
Mitchell.  So  far,  the  examination  of  the 
country  has  been  carried  north  to  the 
Carnarvon  Range,  where  the  tributaries  of  the 
Comet  River  rise,  and  to  Crystalbrook  and 
Eddystone  Vale  stations,  roughly  100  miles 
north  of  the  Western  Railway.  The  work  has 
been  beset  with  difficulties  owing  to  the 
scarcity  of  rock  outcrops  over  considerable 
areas  ;  nevertheless,  the  main  features  of  the 
structure  of  the  region  have  now  been  dis- 
closed. A  full  account  of  the  country  with 
geological  details  is  being  prepared  for 
publication  as  a  Bulletin  of  the  Geological 
Survey.  A  brief  resume  of  the  principal 
results  of  the  investigation  are  given  herewith. 

The  geological  formations  embraced  in  the 
area  examined  are  :  (1)  the  Ipswich  series  of 
the  Jura-Trias,  consisting  of  sandstones, 
shales,  calcareous  shales,  limestone  (impure). 


and  calcareous  tuff  occupj'ing  a  fringe  along 
the  extreme  north  of  the  area,  and  dipping 
south-west  under  (2)  the  Bundamba  series 
(also  Jura-Trias),  consisting  principally  of 
sandstones,  mostly  of  a  siliceous  t5'pe,  con- 
glomerate and  some  intercalated  shale  ;  this 
latter  series  spreads  over  the  greater  part  of 
Pony  Hills,  Westgrove,  Merivale,  Crystal- 
brook,  and  Eddystone  Vale  stations,  and  dips 
southerly  and  south-westerly  under  (3)  the 
Walloon  (also  Jura-Trias)  series,  which 
extends  from  Forest  Vale,  Toolumbilla, 
Mount  Hutton,  Myall  Downs,  and  Durham 
Downs  stations  on  the  north  almost  to  the 
railway  line  between  Roma  and  Wallumbilla, 
and  to  within  12  miles  north  of  the  railroad 
between  Amby  and  Mitchell.  South  of  the 
Walloon  there  is  (4)  the  Cretaceous  Marine. 
Areas  of  rock  which  has  been  assumed  to  be 
(5)  Upper  Cretaceous,  on  the  ground  of  litho- 
logical  character  and  stratigraphical  position, 
but  destitute  of  fossil  evidence,  have  also  been 
determined  north  of  Mitchell  ;  and  (6)  the 
basalts  of  Mount  Hutton  and  the  Dividing 
Range  have  been  mapped  more  accurately 
than  hitherto. 

In  BuUetin  247,  p.  17,  Mr.  W.  E.  Cameron 
estimates  the  dip  of  the  Trias-Jura  beds  under 
the  Roma  region  at  between  1.^0  ft.  and 
200  ft.  in  the  mile  towards  the  south.  In  the 
present  investigation  the  average  southerly 
dip  in  large  areas  of  massive  sandstone  on 
the  Dividing  Range  north  of  Orallo  was  found 
to  be  somewhere  between  1  in  4.5  and  1  in  50, 
that  is,  between  105  ft.  and  120  ft.  in  the  mile. 
Observations  in  the  field  on  Crystalbrook  and 
Eddystone  Vale  stations  gave  the  southerly 
factor  of  dip  as  60  ft.  in  the  mile  for  this 
region. 

In  a  section  prepared  an  average  dip  of 
1  in  50,  or  about  100  ft.  to  the  mile,  to  the 
south  was  assumed.  It  was  noticed  that 
this  brings  the  gas  zone  at  the  bottom  of  the 
Roma  bores  into  the  heart  of  the  Injune 
Creek  coal  area  or  Lower  (calcareous) 
Walloon  division.  In  fact,  the  Roma  gas 
zone  seems  to  coincide  with  that  of  the  "  bore- 
hole coals "  passed  through  between  the 
surface  and  400  ft.  in  depth  in  Nos.  3  and  3.\ 
water  bores  on  ;\Iount  Hutton  subdivision, 
about  8  miles  west  of  the  51  mile  on  the 
Injune  Railway.  A  comparison  of  the  strata 
passed  through  in  these  bores  and  those  of 
the  Roma  bores  shows  that  both  consist  of 
a  rapid  alternation  of  shale,  carbonaceous 
shale,  sandstone,  and  limestone,  with  occa- 
sional hard  streaks,  cements,  etc.,  with  this 
difference,    that    the    Injune   sections    show 


354 


THK     M1MN(,     M.\(,.\ZINI-: 


fivqiunt  intiicalations  of  coal  as  will.  TIk' 
rapidly  thaiijjinf;  natuii.'  of  thi'  deposits 
indicates  formation  undor  istuarinc  and 
deltaic  conditions,  therefore  favourable  for 
the  production  of  ( il.  The  two  Injune  Creek 
bores  referred  to  also  yielded  gas,  which, 
however,  on  analysis,  proved  to  be  coal  gas. 

Inasmuch  as  Cunningham  Craig  has  shmvn 
in  the  case  of  the  Trinidad  field,  and  other 
geologists  for  other  fields,  that  a  coal  series 
may  within  a  few  miles  change  into  an  oil 
scries,  there  is  no  objection  to  the  correlation 
of  the  Injune  Creek  coal  beds  with  the  Roma 
gas  zone.  In  fact,  all  the  geological  evidence 
collected  points  to  the  identity  of  the  two 
zones.  Thus,  the  rocks  actuaJh-  met  w-ith 
in  the  field  passing  north  from  Roma,  and 
plotted  on  a  section  assuming  the  average 
dip  of  about  100  ft.  to  the  mile,  give  almost 
the  same  thickness  of  each  horizon  passed 
through  as  in  the  Roma  bores.  In  reality 
the  dip  is  not  as  regular  as  assumed  above. 
Field  work  shows  that  the  entire  region  is 
folded  into  gentle  anticlines  and  synclincs 
on  approximately  north-south  axes,  and  that 
there  are  a  series  of  monoclines  and 
fiattenings,  or  terraces  passing  from  south  to 
north  which  have  developed  on  east-west 
a.xes. 

To  deal  first  with  the  rolls  on  north-south 
axes,  it  may  be  mentioned  that  there  are 
indications  of  a  sjTicline  of  a  very  gentle 
nature  between  Roma  and  Wallumbilla. 
Roma  is  near  the  axis  of  a  gentle  anticline, 
but  would  appear  to  be  slightly  (perhaps 
3  to  4  miles)  east  of  the  actual  centre.  A 
broad  sjTicline  has  its  centre  near  MuckadiUa, 
as  shown  both  by  the  curvature  of  th' 
Cretaceous  Walloon  border  north  of  Mucka- 
diUa, and  by  the  section  of  the  MuckadiUa 
bore.  Another  antichne  has  its  axis  a  few- 
miles  west  of  Amby,  but  there  are  indications 
of  a  severe  north-south  fault,  with  down  throw- 
to  the  west,  between  Amby  and  the  sharp 
bend  in  the  Dividing  Range.  This  down- 
throw moves  the  boundary  between  the 
Cretaceous  and  Walloon  many  miles  north 
of  where  it  otherwise  would  be. 

As  regards  the  monoclines  or  terraces,  there 
is  a  very  decided  flattening  of  dip  at  Orallo 
and  Cornwall  about  30  miles  north  of  the 
Western  Railway.  There  is  a  slight  increase 
in  dip  from  the  35  mile  to  the  .50  mile,  and  a 
great  flattening  between  the  50  mile  and  the 
62  mile  on  the  Orallo  line.  The  dip  steepens 
again  north  of  Injune  Creek,  and  noticeable 
dips  are  frequent  as  far  as  Baftie  Creek  and 
Westgrove,  but  the  beds  lie  almost  horizontal 


in  the  Dawson  River  near  Boxvale  and  north 
ol  I^oxvak'  to  the  Carnarvon  Range.  In 
this  range  they  steepen  very  considerably,  the 
southerly  component  often  exceeding  G 
degrees. 

Of  all  the  formations  met  wiih  through 
the  entire  region,  those  outcropping  in  the 
Injune  Creek  basin  show  most  freely  the 
characters  of  an  oil  series,  as  regards  nature 
of  si'diments  anil  mode  of  deposition,  as  well 
as  in  the  saline  nature  of  this  belt  as  compared 
with  the  other  belts.  It  was  stated  by  many 
cattle  men  that  cattle  do  not  require  salt  on 
the  Mount  Hutton  (Injune  Creek)  runs, 
whereas  both  south  and  north  of  this  belt 
salt  is  necessary.  There  were,  however,  no 
signs  noticed  either  of  oil  exudations,  or  of 
asphalt,  bitumen,  earthwax,  or  any  other 
result  of  the  evaporation  of  the  liquid 
fractions  of  oil,  on  which  one  can  definitely 
assert  this  area  to  be  an  oilfield.  In  the 
records  of  the  water  bores  put  down  by  the 
I'ublic  Estates  Improvement  Branch,  which 
kindly  supplied  all  the  particulars  they 
could,  there  is  frequent  reference  to  "  oily 
shale  "  having  been  passed  through.  Some 
of  the  muds  out  of  bore  3a,  which  were  seen 
by  Dr.  Jensen,  were  of  a  greasy  nature,  and 
floated  as  a  dark  dirty  scum  on  top  of  the 
water  ;  but  as  drilling  was  not  in  progress 
at  the  time  to  enable  him  to  get  an  uncon- 
taminated  sample  no  analysis  of  these  scums 
has  yet  been  made.  They  are  probably 
only  carbonaceous  muds.  Several  drillers 
consider  that  they  noted  a  smell  of  kerosene 
in  boring  in  various  parts  of  the  district,  but 
such  evidence  is  of  little  or  no  value.  It 
would  be  much  better  if  the  drillers  would 
make  a  practice  of  taking  a  sample  of  the 
drillings  and  forward  them  to  the  Mines 
Department  for  analysis,  when  they  think 
they  see  indications  of  oil. 

The  apparent  absence  of  earthwax, 
ozokerite,  sohd  paraffin,  etc.,  may  be  due  to 
the  Injune  Creek  beds  being  coal  measures 
only  in  this  region,  but  it  is  also  quite  possible 
that  such  substances  will  yet  be  found. 
Much  of  the  country  is  covered  with  dense 
brigalow  and  belar  scrubs.  Brigalow  is 
a  timber  which  grows  on  heavy  clays  such 
as  are  found  in  association  with  coal  seams. 
It  probably  covers  most  of  the  outcrops  of 
coal  seams,  and  if  there  were  any  oil  or 
paraffin  exudations  in  the  district  the  odds 
are  greatly  in  favour  of  their  being  hidden 
in  brigalow  scrubs.  Discoveries  may  yet  be 
made  by  the  new  settlers  who  are  clearing 
and  exploring  their  holdings. 


JUNE.     1921 


355 


If  the  ncgativ'c  evidence  of  the  water  bores 
on  the  Mount  Hiitton  settlement  be  not 
considered  to  rule  out  the  probability  of 
oil  in  this  district,  boring  for  oil  should  be 
located  east  of  the  49  mile  in  the  Dividing 
Range  near  the  head  of  Eurombah  Creek,  this 
being,  as  far  as  can  be  gauged,  the  axis  of  the 
meridianal  anticline.  But  this  is  8  miles  or 
more  from  the  railway  line.  Orallo  seems  to 
be  a  very  favourable  place  for  oil  drilling  on 
the  railway  line,  since  not  only  is  it  on  a 
terrace  of  the  east-west  folding,  but  the  dips 
around  Orallo  and  Cornwall  show  a  tendency 
to  a  local  dome  near  Orallo. 

However,  preliminary  diamond  drilling, 
to  determine  the  exact  locus  of  the  anticlinal 
axes,  where  much  oil  drilling  is  intended, 
would  be  highly  advisable  to  ensure  the  oil 
bores  being  placed  on  the  best  sites.  This 
is,  in  fact,  what  Mr.  Cameron  recommended 
in  Publication  247.  These  bores  need  not 
be  deep — only  deep  enough  to  cut  some  easily 
recognized  horizon.  It  is  quite  impossible 
to  determine  the  exact  locus  of  anticlines  by 
field  observations  owing  to  the  paucity  of 
outcrops. 

There  are  three  important  horizons  for 
coal  in  the  Walloon.  The  first  is  met  with 
in  the  Upper  Walloon  division,  outcrops  in 
Bungeworgorai  Creek  near  Nareeten,  and  is 
met  with  in  the  Roma  bore  at  a  depth  of 
700  ft.  to  800  ft.  The  coal  is  inferior,  and 
very  high  in  ash,  occurs  in  thin  bands,  and  the 
country  rocks  are  exceedingly  friable,  making 
very  bad  standing  ground.  The  next  coals 
occur  in  a  considerable  thickness  of  rocks  met 
with  at  depths  of  from  1,800  ft.  to  2,400  ft. 
beneath  Roma.  They  are  Middle  Walloon, 
and  outcrop  at  Orallo,  Cornwall,  and  Alcurah. 
The  coals  are  high  in  ash,  contain  frequent 
bands,  and  occur  in  rocks  which  crumble  so 
much  on  exposure  to  air  that  they  are  the 
worst  of  standing  ground.  Moreover,  the 
coal  bands  are  very  variable  in  thickness  at 
comparatively  short  distances. 

The  next  coal  series  is  that  of  Injune  Creek, 
which  appears  to  be  represented  by  the  gas 
and  possible  oil  series  under  Roma.  It  is 
Lower  Walloon,  and  contains  scores  of  small 
seams  (met  with  in  the  Injune  Creek  bores) 
and  some  large  seams.  They  appear  to  thin 
out  and  thicken  in  comparatively  short 
distances  as  is  usual  with  estuarine  sediments. 
The  quality  of  the  coal  is  very  good  in  some 
of  the  seams,  and  the  country  rock  in  this 
■division  forms  far  better  standing  ground 
than  in  the  higher  measures. 

The  most  easily  accessible,  and  apparently 

6—5 


also  the  best,  seam  so  far  located  is  one 
occurring  in  Boyd's  and  Ferguson's  wells  west 
of  the  railway  line  between  the  56  and  59  mile 
and  in  other  wells  and  water  bores  east  of  the 
railway,  which  seem  to  indicate  an  extent  of 
at  least  3  miles  by  3  miles.  There  is, 
according  to  Mr.  Boyd,  3  ft.  of  clean  coal  in 
his  well  underlain  by  6  in.  shale  and  between 
6  in.  and  1  ft.  of  coal  below.  The  analysis 
of  this  coal  from  Ferguson's  well  yielded 
moisture  5%,  volatile  matter  40-5%,  fixed 
carbon  49-7%,  and  ash  4-8%.  The  depth  of 
the  coal  ranges  from  40  ft.  to  100  ft.  below 
the  surface  in  the  area  mentioned,  and  the 
thickness  is  generally  mentioned  as  about  4  ft. 

The  Walloon  area  appears  to  contain 
numerous  seams  of  kerosene  shale,  little 
specimens  of  which  are  often  said  to  have 
been  found  in  the  creeks.  Dr.  Jack  mentions 
kerosene  shale  as  occurring  somewhere  on 
Injune  Creek.  Dr.  Jensen  did  not  obtain  any 
specimens  there,  but  in  Bungeworgorai  Creek, 
near  the  junction  with  Stewart  Creek, 
occurred  a  bed  of  oil  shale,  which  was  pro- 
bably 2  ft.  in  thickness,  but  only  1  ft.  of  the 
thickness  was  clearly  exposed  above  the  muds 
and  talus  under  the  bank.  This  shale, 
analysed  by  the  Government  analyst,  yielded 
44-8  gallons  of  oil  to  the  ton. 

It  is  obvious,  therefore,  that  there  are  both 
good  oil  and  coal  possibilities  in  the  Walloon 
measures,  but  development  is  retarded 
through  the  fact  that  outcrops  are  so  rare. 
Diamond-drilling  alone  can  absolutely  deter- 
mine the  best  way  to  exploit  the  mineral 
resources  of  this  region. 

VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

April  27. 

Mining  in  the  Yukon. — The  Yulcon  Gold 
Company  has  developed  a  9  ft.  vein  in  its 
No.  9  tunnel,  at  Keno  Hill,  in  the  Mayo 
district.  Two  feet  in  the  centre  of  the  vein 
is  solid  galena,  running  upwards  of  200  oz. 
per  ton  in  silver,  while  the  ore  on  either  side 
is  carbonate,  also  rich  in  silver.  A  winze 
has  been  sunk  75  ft.,  and  a  rise  put  up  to  the 
surface,  also  75  ft.,  without  any  appreciable 
alteration  in  either  the  character  or  tenor  of 
the  vein.  The  company  has  more  than 
2,500  tons  of  ore  sacked  and  delivered  at 
Mayo  Landing,  awaiting  the  opening  of 
navigation.  The  ore  wiU  average  200  oz.  per 
ton  in  silver  and  between  60  and  70°  o  in  lead.* 

A  wealthy  United  States  syndicate,  headed\ 
by  F.   W.   Bradley,   of  the  Bunker  HiU  &  \ 
Sullivan,  has  bonded  a  number  of  claims  in 
the  Mayo  district.    A  number  of  claims  have 


356 


in:     MINING     MACAZINIi: 


been  bonded,  too,  by  other  United  States 
syndicates.  There  will  be  much  activity  in 
the  district  during  the  coming  smnnier. 

A  start  is  being  made  in  placer-gold  mining, 
and  the  operations  will  be  more  extensive  this 
year  than  for  any  year  since  the  eommence- 
inent  of  the  war.  The  Yukon  (Sold  Conijxiny 
will  open  its  70  mile  ditch,  and  by  the  aid  of 
syphons  and  flumes  will  carry  water  to  its 
Gold  Hill  diggings,  above  the  town  of  Grand 
Forks,  on  Itonanza  Creek,  where  extensive 
hvdraulicking  will  be  done.  The  company, 
too,  will  operate  a  dredge  on  Gold  Run  Creek. 
The  Canadian  Klondike  Company  will  have 
three  large  dredges  in  operation,  and  the 
North- West  Corporation  two  smaller  dredges. 
These  two  companies  will  be  under  one 
management. 

Consolidated  Mining  and  Smelting. — 
The  annual  report  of  the  Consolidated 
Mining  &  Smelting  Company  of  Canada, 
Ltd.,  shows  the  mines  and  plant  of  the 
compan}'  to  be  in  excellent  physical  con- 
dition, though,  of  course,  like  practically  all 
other  concerns  of  a  similar  nature,  the  com- 
pany has  an  enormous  supply  of  metals  on 
hand.  The  report  shows  tliat  during  the 
year  ended  December  31,  1920,  the  quantity 
of  ore  treated  amounted  to  592,762  tons,  and 
the  following  quantities  of  metals  were 
produced  :  42,636  oz.  of  gold,  1,097,930  oz.  of 
silver,  23,474,652  lb.  of  lead,  4,501,594  lb.  of 
copper,  and  36,995,394  lb.  of  zinc.  Con- 
siderable improvements  were  made  in  the 
method  of  dressing  the  Sullivan  mine  ore, 
resulting  in  more  easily  treatable  lead  and 
zinc  concentrates,  and,  consequently,  in 
increased  recovery  of  metals  and  in  reduction 
of  cost  of  extraction.  Owing  to  labour 
troubles  the  Rossland  mines  were  closed  for 
part  of  the  year,  and  consequently  the  gold 
and  copper  output  was  less  than  it  otherwise 
would  have  been.  The  copper  smelter  and 
refinery  was  worked  intermittently,  and,  as 
a  result,  the  costs  in  that  department  were 
greater  than  usual.  Most  of  the  tonnage  for 
the  lead  plant  was  provided  by  the  Sullivan 
mine  in  the  form  of  crude  ore,  co'ncentrate, 
and  lead  sulphate  residue  from  the  zinc  plant. 
Considerable  improvement  was  made  in  t^e 
electrolytic  zinc  plant,  with  the  result  that  in 
the  month  of  December  the  output  was 
brought  up  to  5,000,000  lb.  for  the  month,  by 
far  the  greatest  monthly  output  that  the 
plant  has  ever  made. 

Some  important  new  discoveries  were  made 
by  development  work  at  the  Sullivan  mine. 
An  extension  of  the  workings  on  the  No.  11 


level  has  opened  up  a  large  body  of  ore 
running  high  in  zinc  with  a  fair  average  lead 
content.  Diamond-drilling  from  the  bottom 
level  has  pro\-cd  the  continuity  of  the  rich  ore 
that  was  so  prolitable  in  tlu' upper  workings. 
During  the  year  the  mine  jiroduceil  242,291 
tons  of  zinc-lead  ore,  13,214  tons  of  lead  ore 
that  was  sent  direct  to  the  lead  furnace  with- 
out preliminary  treatment,  and  suflicient  iron 
pyrites  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  sulphuric 
acid  plant.  The  Rossland  mines  produce  1 
50,841  tons  of  smelting  ore  and  3,683  tons  of 
concentrate.  A  2,500  ton  concentrator  had 
been  designed  for  the  treatment  of  the  low- 
grade  ore  from  these  mines,  and  it  had  been 
the  intention  to  erect  the  plant  during  the 
year,  but  laboiu'  troubles  at  the  mines  made  it 
advisable  not  to  go  on  with  the  work. 

During  the  first  three  months  of  the 
present  year  101,898  tons  of  ore  has  been 
received  at  the  Trail  smelter,  compared  with 
73,236  tons  for  the  corresponding  period  of 
last  year.  There  is  this  difference,  however, 
that  while  a  large  proportion  of  the  receipts 
for  the  first  quarter  of  last  year  was  from 
indejiendent  mines,  98%  of  the  receipts 
during  the  first  three  months  of  the  present 
year  was  from  the  company's  own  mines. 
The  Consolidated  is  still  carrying  a  large 
surplus  of  metals,  but  it  is  said  to  be  finding 
an  outlet  for  its  zinc  in  the  Orient.  The 
company  has  a  considerable  advantage  in  this 
trade,  as  the  C.P.R.  boats  ply  between 
Vancouver  and  the  Orient,  and  consequently 
the  freight  charges  are  all  in  the  family,  so  to 
speak. 

Granby  Consolidated. — After  an  inspec- 
tion of  the  Granby  Consolidated  Mining;, 
Smelting,  &  Power  Company's  propertic>, 
H.  S.  Munro,  general  manager,  announced 
that  the  Grand  Forks  property  has  bevii 
completely  closed,  and  all  detachable 
machinery  had  been  removed  to  the 
company's  other  properties  or  had  been  sold 
The  Hidden  Creek  mines  and  Anyox  smelte: 
are  being  operated  nearer  to  capacity  than  any 
other  copper  concern  in  North  America.  .\ 
large  Dorr  thick-  ner  is  being  installed  at  thefl 
coal-washing  plant  at  the  Cassidy  coUiery,™ 
and  a  powerful  fan  is  being  added  to  the 
colliery  equipment.  Mr.  Munro  stated  that 
the  colliery  investment  was  not  paying  5% 
and  the  company  would  gladly  lease  or  sell 
it  at  a  reasonable  figure.  The  coal  does  not 
produce  a  satisfactory  metallurgical  coke. 

Other  Mines  in  Kootenav. — Outside  of 
the  Consohdated  Company's  mines,  there  is 
little  activity  in  the  Kootenay  district  ;    as 


i 


JUNE,     1921 


357 


soon  as  one  mine  starts  operations,  another 
one  seems  to  close.  The  difficulty  of  having 
no  outlet  for  the  ores  is  too  heavy  a  burden 
for  the  majority  of  operators.  The  Silver- 
smith mine,  which  ceased  production  last  fall, 
but  which  has  kept  about  forty  men  at 
development  work  throughout  the  winter, 
closed  at  the  beginning  of  April.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Standard,  at  Silverton, 
recently  sent  two  cars,  and  the  Wliitewater, 
at  Retallack,  one  car  of  ore  to  the  Bunker 
Hill  &  Sullivan  smelter  at  Kellogg.  In  both 
instances  the  ore  was  shipped  by  lessees. 
Lessees  at  the  Florence  mine,  at  Ainsworth, 
have  some  700  tons  of  ore  on  the  stock  piles, 
awaiting  the  time  when  the  Trail  smelter  is 
again  in  the  market  for  custom  ore.  It  is 
not  of  high  grade,  and  will  not  stand  freight 
charges  to  Kellogg  unless  the  owners  of  the 
Florence  carry  out  their  idea  of  putting  a 
steamer  and  barges  on  the  lakes  for  the 
purpose.  The  Rambler-Cariboo  Mines,  Ltd., 
issued  its  annual  report  recently,  which 
showed  a  balance  of  $10,157,  after  paying 
$25,000  for  the  Jennie  claim,  acquired  last 
year.  Labour  troubles  and  water  shortage 
prevented  the  mine  being  worked  for  more 
than  half  of  the  year.  Some  4,000  tons  of 
ore  was  milled,  and  250  tons  of  zinc  and  220 
tons  of  lead  concentrate  produced. 

Premier  Mine. — Mild  weather  has  again 
spoiled  the  sledding  between  the  Premier 
mine  and  Stewart,  in  the  Portland  Canal 
division.  It  is  doubtful,  at  this  time  of  the 
year,  whether  there  will  be  sufficient  frost  to 
put  the  road  in  condition  again  this  season. 
Taken  as  a  whole,  the  season  has  bct  n  a  fair 
one,  but  the  weather  uncertainties  have 
clearly  demonstrated  the  impossibility  of  a 
big  mine  relying  on  snow  and  frost  in  north- 
west British  Columbia  as  the  only  means  by 
which  its  ore  can  be  sent  to  the  market.  By 
the  time  what  is  now  at  the  wharf  is  shipped 
close  to  3,000  tons  of  ore  will  have  been  sent 
to  the  Tacoma  smelter  this  winter.  The  value 
of  the  ore  shipped  runs  between  three  and  four 
hundred  dollars  per  ton.  Good  progress  is 
being  made  in  clearing  the  right-of-way  for 
the  aerial  tramway.  It  is  expected  that  the 
concentrator  and  C3'anide  plant  will  be  in 
operation  by  midsummer.  The  Algunican 
Development  Company,  a  Belgian  concern, 
which  next  to  the  Premier  Gold  Mining 
Company  was  the  biggest  employer  of  labour 
in  the  district  last  year,  seems  to  be  in 
financial  difficulties.  The  men  it  left  to 
develop  the  Spider  group,  which  it  held  under 
option,aresuingfor back  wagestotahing  $4000. 


Alluvi.^l  Gold. — With  cost  of  labour  and 
supplies  reduced,  it  is  probable  that  there  will 
be  a  revival  of  gold  mining  in  the  Province 
this  year;  in  fact,  the  returns  for  the  first 
three  months  of  the  year  at  the  Government 
assay  office,  in  Vancouver,  which  are  55% 
greater  than  for  the  same  period  of  last  year, 
show  that  even  as  early  as  this  in  the  season 
there  is  considerable  activity.  The  fact  is, 
of  course,  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  un- 
employment and  no  immediate  likelihood  of 
the  coppper  mines  that  have  been  closed  re- 
opening ;  consequently  many  miners,  rather 
than  remain  idle,  have  gone  to  the  gold 
diggings,  and  already  some  interesting  fresh 
discoveries  have  been  made,  which  goes  to 
show  that  there  is  money  to  be  made  from 
the  old  Cariboo  gravels  yet.  Two  men  won 
$400  worth  of  nuggets  in  a  few  days  near 
Spence's  Bridle,  on  the  North  Thompson 
River,  and  then  sold  the  claims  for  $12,000. 
The  heaviest  nugget  weighed  more  than  an 
ounce.  The  fact  that  a  number  of  claims  and 
mines  have  been  bonded  and  substantial 
deposits  paid,  seems  to  augur  activity  in 
lode-gold  mining  also.  The  Independent  and 
the  Pioneer,  both  in  Lillooet  division,  have 
changed  hands  recently,  and  the  Nugget,  at 
Sheep  Creek,  is  being  re-opened. 

Platinum. — George  Clothier,  resident  min- 
ing engineer  for  the  No.  1  district,  reports 
the  discovery  of  platinum  associated  with 
bornite  and  chalcopyrite  in  veinlets  in  diorite 
at  Morsby  Island,  one  of  the  Queen  Charlotte 
group.  Whether  the  discovery  is  of  more 
than  scientific  interest  is  not  yet  known. 

Fluor-spar. — The  Consolidated  M.  &  S. 
Co.  has  closed  its  Rock  Candy  fluor-spar  mine, 
the  demand  for  the  concentrate  produced 
having  ceased.  Most  of  the  product  of 
the  mine  was  sold  to  steel  companies  at 
Garry,  Indiana.  The  company  also  used  the 
fluor-spar  for  making  hydrofluosUicic  acid. 

Oil-drilling. — The  Hon.  T.  D.  Pataullo, 
Minister  of  Lands,  has  announced  that  the 
Government  has  let  a  contract  for  a  2,000  ft. 
bore-hole  at  the  south  fork  of  the  Red  River, 
20  miles  north-west  of  Hudson  Hope,  in  the 
Peace  River  region,  to  Lynch  Brothers,  of 
Seattle.  The  bore  is  to  be  sunk  at  the 
suggestion  of  Professor  John  A.  Dresser,  of 
Montreal,  who  made  a  reconnaissance  survey 
of  the  oil  possibilities  of  the  district  last 
summer  for  the  Provincial  Government.  Oil 
seepages  have  been  reported  from  Burns  Lake 
on  the- Grand  Trunk  Pacific,  and  arrange- 
ments have  been  made  to  explore  the  dis 
coverv  with  a  drill. 


358 


THE    M1\1N(^,    MAGAZINE 


TORONTO 

PoRCl'PiNF.. — With  labour  and  electric 
power  sufficient  for  all  requirements  the 
spiring  has  witnessed  a  great  increase  in 
mining  activity.  The  Hollinger  Consolidated 
is  working  to  full  capacity,  treating  about 
3,300  tons  of  ore  every  '21  hours,  with  a  force 
of  1,450  men.  Underground  development 
is  proceeding  at  the  rate  of  about  a  mile 
per  month,  and  the  output  for  the  current 
year  is  likely  to  approximate  $10,000,000. 
in  order  to  provide  against  shortage  of  power 
in  the  future,  the  Company  has  applied  to  the 
Ontario  Government  for  the  privilege  of 
developing  electric  power  at  Kettle  Falls, 
on  Abitibi  River,  some  60  miles  from  the 
mine,  which  is  capable  of  generating  3!i,000 
h.p.  The  application  is  likely  to  be  granted, 
subject  to  a  reservation  of  10,000  h.p. 
should  it  be  needed  for  public  utilities. 

At  the  Dome  Mines  the  new  ore-body 
encountered  on  the  eighth  and  tenth  levels 
has  been  driven  on  for  '100  ft.,  and  proved 
to  be  from  18  to  20  ft.  in  width,  carrying  an 
average  gold  content  of  $25  to  the  ton.  The 
extent  and  richness  of  this  deposit  has 
changed  the  character  of  the  mine,  which 
has  hitherto  been  regarded  as  a  low-grade 
proposition.  The  mill  was  designed  for  the 
treatment  of  low-grade  ore,  and  the  treat- 
ment of  the  high-grade  ore  now  being 
developed  will  involve  some  alterations  in 
the  milling  equipment  and  practice. 

The  Mclntyre  has  placed  orders  for  the 
machinery  required  to  double  the  present 
capacity  of  its  mill,  which  is  600  tons  per 
day.  It  is  to  be  delivered  and  installed  before 
December  1.  Diamond-drilling  has  indicated 
the  extension  of  the  vein  system  of  the 
Hollinger  on  the  Mclntyre  property  below  the 
1,000  ft.  level. 

The  Bewick-Moreing  holdings  in  a  central 
position  have  been  taken  over  by  the  Goldale 
Mining  Co.  The  Tommy  Burns,  some  ten 
miles  south-east  of  the  producing  area, 
has  been  placed  under  option,  and  will  be 
explored  by  diamond-drilhng.  The  Ankerite 
Extension,  not  far  from  the'  Dome,  has 
changed  hands,  and  will  be  subjected  to 
exploration.  The  Northern  Canada  Power 
Co.,  in  order  to  prevent  a  power  shortage 
in  the  winter  season,  is  constructing  a  con- 
servation dam  at  Kemoganissee  Lake,  on 
the  Mattagami  River,  which,  it  is  estimated, 
will  give  a  minimum  extra  supply  of 
1,500  h.p. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — Work  is  being  speeded 
up  in  the  gold  mines  of  this  camp.     The 


sujiply  of  power  has  been  increased  from 
2,000  to  AJ)00  h.p.,  and  the  demand  is 
increasing  so  rapidly  that  further  additions 
to  the  equipment  are  likely  to  be  needed 
shortly.  The  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary 
(1019),  in  which  British  capital  is  largely 
interested,  which  is  a  merger  of  the  Tough- 
Oakes,  Sylvanite.  and  Burnside  in  the 
Kirkland  Lake  field  and  the  Aladdin  Cobalt, 
has  resumed  work  on  the  Tough-Oakcs  and 
Burnside,  which  are  being  imwatercd  pre- 
paratory to  an  examination  by  S.  C. 
Thomson,  of  New  York,  who  has  been 
appointed  consulting  engineer.  The  new 
mill  of  the  Wright-Hargreaves,  witii  a 
capacity  of  about  160  tons,  has  been  put  in 
operation,  and  is  treating  about  125  tons 
daily.  A  force  of  85  men  has  been  engaged. 
The  mill  of  the  Lake  Shore  during  March 
treated  1910  tons  of  ore  with  a  yield  of 
$21,675.  Important  results  have  followed 
development  on  the  600  ft.  level.  No.  1 
vein  was  cut  having  a  width  of  12  ft.,  the 
ore  showing  higher  mineralization  than  on 
the  upper  levels.  More  recently  vein  No.  2 
was  cut  on  the  same  level,  carrying  ore  stated 
to  be  very  rich.  A  slope  opened  up  on  the 
400  ft.  level  contains  18,702  tons  of  ore, 
averaging  upwards  of  $28  to  the  ton.  The 
Kirkland  Lake  is  carrying  on  diamond- 
drilling  from  the  900  ft.  level  to  determine 
the  geology  at  depth.  An  important  feature 
in  connexion  with  recent  development  is 
that  the  ore-bodies  at  the  lower  levels  are 
found  to  extend  to  greater  lengths  than  in 
the  upper  workings.  New  York  interests 
have  secured  control  of  the  Minaker- 
Kirldand,  adjoining  the  Lake  Shore.  Some 
200  ft.  of  driving  has  been  done  at  the 
165  ft.  level,  with  encouraging  results.  The 
Ontario-Kirkland  is  excavating  a  site  for 
its  mill,  which  will  have  a  capacity  of  100  tons 
per  dav.  A  substantial  quantity  of  ore 
running'  from  $15  to  $20  gold  to'  the  ton 
has  been  blocked  out. 

Cobalt. — Silver  production  is  gradually 
increasing,  though  the  low  price  of  silver  has 
a  discouraging  effect  and  many  properties 
remain  closed.  The  Nipissing  during  April 
mined  ore  of  an  estimated  value  of  $142,610, 
and  shipped  bullion  valued  at  $177,762. 
The  annual  report  for  1920  showed  net 
profits  of  $1,279,091,  which  was  only  about 
half  of  those  of  the  two  preceding  years. 
The  surplus  was  $3,817,043.  The  production 
of  silver  was  3,332,303  oz.,  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction being  374  cents  per  oz.  The  ore 
reserves  had  decreased  from  6,354,000  oz.  to 


JUNE,     1921 


359 


3,568,000.  President  E.  P.  Earle  stated  that 
explorations  had  been  lacking  in  results,  and 
that  shareholders  must  realize  that  they  had 
run  into  lean  years.  The  Mining  Corporation 
of  Canada  has  remodelled  its  reduction 
plant,  giving  it  a  capacity  of  300  tons  of  ore 
daily,  as  compared  with  the  former  rate  of 
200  tons.  A  small  force  of  men  has  been  put 
to  work  on  the  Buffalo  property,  and  pre- 
parations are  being  made  for  a  general 
resumption  of  activity.  Active  develop- 
ment has  been  started  at  the  Silver  Leaf, 
adjoining  the  Crown  Reserve.  At  the  Bailey 
a  promising  vein  has  been  encountered  in  a 
rise  from  the  fifth  level,  the  silver  content 
being  stated  to  run  1,200  oz.  to  the  ton. 

GowGANDA. — There  is  some  revival  of 
activity  in  this  area,  where  very  little  work 
was  done  during  the  winter.  The  main 
shaft  on  the  Castle  property  of  the 
Trethewey,  now  down  180  ft.,  will  be  sunk 
to  the  300  ft.  level,  as  the  high-grade  veins 
on  the  165  ft.  level  are  continuing  down- 
wards. The  Miller-Lake  O'Brien,  which  was 
forced  to  curtail  production  owing  to  power 
shortage,  is  now  in  full  operation,  working 
three  shifts.  Several  properties  have  been 
re-opened,  including  the  Saunderson,  Gow- 
ganda  Enterprise,  McAlpine,  and  Powerful, 
and  others  are  preparing  to  resume  activity. 

Boston  Creek. — Mining  is  practically 
at  a  standstill  in  this  area.  The  Miller 
Independence,  the  only  important  company 
in  operation,  closed  down  last  month  for 
want  of  funds,  after  carrying  on  energetic 
work  for  months  endeavouring  to  locate  the 
downward  extension  of  a  rich  vein  on  the 
500  ft.  level.  The  dii'ectors  have  authorized 
an  issue  of  bonds  to  the  amount  of  $50,000 
to  finance  further  development. 


LETTERS  TO  the   EDITOR 

The    Camborne    War    Memorial 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — We  venture  to  encroach  on  your 
colum.ns  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  a  good 
cause,  namely,  the  establishment  of  a  War 
McmiOrial  to  fallen  Camborne  Students. 
Old  students  are  scattered  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth,  and  are  difficult  to  reach  for  that 
reason.  By  the  medium  of  the  Magazine  we 
hope  to  be  able  to  get  into  contact  with  tliem. 

The  Committee  desire  to  raise  at  least 
£1,000,  towards  which  about  £200  has  been 
subscribed  to  date.  It  is  proposed  to 
purchase  the  old  ground  on  which  so  many 
of  these  men  played  in  days  gone  by,  and  to 


equip  it  in  a  manner  fitting  to  their  memory  ; 
in  addition  some  form  of  memorial  tablet  is 
to  be  erected  in  a  suitable  place. 

An  early  response  is  desirable,  as  a  chance 
of  securing  the  ground  has  presented  itself 
which  may  not  occur  again. 

The  cause  is  a  good  one,  and  our  appeal 
is  not  only  to  all  old  students  but  to  the  many 
other  good  friends  of  Camborne  Mining 
School. 

h.  w.  hutchin. 
Stanley  B.  White. 
Honorary  Secretaries. 
The  Mining  School, 
Camborne,  May  25. 

Wave-transmission  Rock-drill 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — Reading  the  letter  of  Mr.  R.  de  H. 
St.  Stephens  in  your  issue  of  May,  an 
impartial  observer  trying  to  arrive  at  a 
correct  conclusion  as  to  the  respective 
advantages  of  the  old  and  new  methods  is 
struck  by  the  unfair  obstacles  raised  by 
Mr.  St.  Stephens  against  the  wave-trans- 
mission system.  He  assumes  certain  definite 
conditions  common  to  both  systems  and 
emunerates  the  necessary  plant  in  each  case. 
May  I  point  out  that  a  mine  about  to  be 
equipped  would  not  generate  current  at  a 
voltage  greater  than  that  permissible  for  use 
at  the  motors,  as  the  expense  of  high-tension 
switchgear  at  surface  and  underground,  and 
transformer  underground,  could  not  possibly 
be  justified  except  where  the  current  was 
generated  at  a  central  station  and  distributed 
over  large  areas. 

Then,  in  calculating  the  overall  efficiency 
of  the  wave-power,  while  Mr.  St.  Stephens 
is  extremely  generous  in  allowing  93% 
efficiency  for  the  generator,  he  deducts  5% 
for  line  drop  in  shaft  cables.  This  is  quite 
impossible,  as  a  conductor  in  which  5%  drop 
occurred  in  1,000  ft.  could  not  carry  the 
current  without  overheating.  1^%  would  be 
the  most  economical  figure. 

As  I  hav.e  shown  above,  the  2%  trans- 
former loss  is  ehminated  and  the  5%  cable 
loss  is  now  reduced  to  li%.  The  figure 
779-25  h.p.  available  at  motor  terminals  now 
becomes  825,  and  drilling  capacity  becomes 
343  ft.  per  minute.  On  Mr.  St.  Stephens' 
figures  this  still  leaves  an  advantage  with 
compressed  air  of  464  to  343. 

But  in  a  practical  application  of  wave- 
power  to  a  mine  it  is  inconceivable  that 
a  separate  motor  and  generator  would  be 
used    for    each    drill,    and    with    increasing 


3li() 


Till-;     M1N1N(,     MAi.A/.IXK 


capacity    oi    wave    gcm-ialors    il    naluially 
follows  that  the  ofliciency  will  increase. 

The  most  bigoted  advocate  of  compressed 
air  would  hardly  maintain  that  a  12  h.p. 
air-compressor  would  supply  5  8  cubic  feet  of 
air  compressed  to  80  lb.  per  sq.  in.  per  horse- 
power. In  effect  Jlr.  St.  Stephens  is  com- 
jiaring  a  compressed-air  jilant  of  1,000  i.h.p. 
with  a  wave-power  plant  of  12  h.p.  This  to 
the  mind  of  one  who  has  no  axe  to  grind,  but 
who,  in  common  with  a  vast  body  of  mining 
men,  is  anxious  to  determine  the  true  facts 
of  the  case,  is  manifestly  unfair. 

A  practical  demonstration  of  the  two 
methods  on  the  same  rock  face,  with  care- 
fully recorded  figures  by  independent 
observers,  appears  to  be  the  only  true 
comparison. 

Would  either  part}*  undertake  the  ordeal  ? 
Chas.  K.  Love. 

Lanncr,  Redruth,  May  18. 


PERSONAL 

R.  F.  Allen  has  returned  from  Senegal. 

C.  V.  Anthony  has  been  elected  a  director  of 
Henry  Bath  &  Son,  Ltd. 

G.  W.  C.MnrioN  is  here  from  West  Africa. 

Thomas  P.  C.vrr  has  been  appointed  manager 
for  the  Compania  Minera  Anglo-Hispana  Matallana, 
Leon,  Spain. 

E.  H.  Clifford,  one  of  the  consulting  engineers 
of  the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  is 
in   London. 

W.  A.  DoM.4N  has  been  appointed  with  W.  Lang 
joint  editor  of  the  Financial  News.  Mr.  Doman 
is  well-known  among  mining  men  as  a  sound  and 
conscientious  journalist. 

C.  J.  Emery  is  here  from  Broken  HiU. 

J.  \V.  Finch  has  been  visiting  the  Rand  and  the 
Congo,  and  is  back  again  in  New  York. 

Colin  G.  Fink,  lately  director  of  the  research 
laboratory  oi  the  Chile  Fvploration  Co.,  has  opened 
an  office  at  South  Yonkers,  New  York,  as  consulting 
metallurgical  engineer. 

A.  W.  HooKE  has  completed  his  engagement  with 
the  Bisichi  and  Forum  companies,  Nigeria,  and  is 
now  staying  at  Tunbridge  Wells. 

C.  J.  Inder,  of  Inder,  Henderson,  &  Dixon,  has 
left  for  Colombia. 

J.  W.  KiRKi.AND  is  acting  as  president  of  the 
South  .African  Institute  of  Engineers,  in  the  absence 
of  James  Whitehouse. 

Douglas  Lay  has  been  appointed  manager  of 
the  Le  Roi  No.  2  Mine,  Rossland,  B.C. 

Waldemar  Lindgren,  professor  of  mining 
geology  in  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology,  is  visiting  Bolivia. 

E.  P.  IIathewson  left  on  liis  return  to  the  United 
States  on  May  25. 

A.  \V.  Newberry  has  returned  to  New  York 
from    Nicaragua. 

J.  M.  Niall,  chairman  of  the  Mount  Morgan  Gold 
Mining  Co.,  is  here  from  Australia. 

Dr.  Ernest  Fox  Nicholls  has  been  appointed 
president  of  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of 
Technology. 


Walter  K.  Skinner,  the  editor  of  the  Miuiiig 
Manual,  celebrated  his  seventieth  birthday  last 
month. 

.\CHESON  Smith  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
.'\merican  l'"lectro-Chcmical  Society. 

Dr.  A.  W.  Stickney  is  back  from  Spain  and 
.Mgeria,  and  has  gone  to  the  United  States  on  a 
short  visit. 

W.  E.  Thorne  has  returned  from  the  United 
States. 

L.  Vaugiian  has  opened  an  olTicc  at  Kroh,  Upper 
Pcrak,  and  is  in  control  of  the  work  at  the  Betong 
group  of  mines  in  Lower  Siam. 

A.  J.  Walton,  manager  of  Crown  Mines,  is  here 
from  Johannesburg. 

James  Whitehouse  is  here  from  the  Rand. 

W.  B.  WoRTHiNGTON  has  been  elected  president 
of  the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers. 

Charles  Will  Wright  passed  through  London 
last  month  on  his  way  from  Italy  to  the  United 
States. 

The  following  have  been  appointed  by  the 
Secretary  for  Mines  to  serve  on  the  Advisory 
Committee  for  the  Metalliferous  Mining  Industry. 
Mining  Engineers:  Thomas  Falcon,  F.  H.  Hatch, 
Frank  Merricks.  Metallurgist :  F.  W.  Harbord. 
Economic  Geologists  :  T.  C.  F.  Hall,  Henry  Louis, 
Malcolm  Maclaren.  Representatives  of  Tin 
Mines:  R.  Arthur  Thomas,  Josei'h  Harris. 
Representatives  of  Lead  and  Zinc  Mines  :  Anthony 
Wilson,  James  Wignall. 


George  Blake  Walker,  a  well-known  Yorkshire 
mining  engineer,  died  on  June  i.  He  was  at  one 
time  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Bainbridge,  Seymour 
&  Co.  A  year  or  two  ago  he  served  as  President  of 
the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers. 

.•\mbrose  Monell,  who  was  for  fifteen  years  i 
president  of  the  International  Nickel  Company,  l 
died  on  May  2.  He  graduated  from  Columbia 
University  in  1896,  and  his  first  appointment  was 
with  the  Carnegie  Steel  Company.  His  name  is 
associated  with  the  natural  copper-nickel  alloy  now 
in  commercial  use  under  the  name  of  monel  metal. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

MiiTROPOLITAN-YlCKERS    ELECTRICAL    CO.,    LtD., 

of  Manchester,  send  us  their  pamphlet  No.  7875/2 
describing  electro-motors  suitable  for  driving 
looms  used  in  textile  mills. 

The  Denver  Rock  Drill  Manufacturing 
Co.,  of  Denver,  Colorado,  send  us  a  pamphlet 
describing  the  "  Waughoist ",  a  portable  hoist 
driven  by  compressed  air,  particularly  adrpted  for 
use  in  development  operations  underground. 

The  Westingiiouse  Electric  International 
CoMP.\NY,  of  New  York,  send  us  their  monthly 
magazine  for  May.  This  gives  interesting 
information  relating  to  trade  in  Japan,  Buenos 
Aires,  and  Chile,  and  publishes  articles  on  electric 
fans  and  on  electric  substations  in  France. 

The  British  Ropeway  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  34,  Fenchurch  Street,  London,  E.C  3,  have 
obtained  an  interim  injunction  against  Stavers  & 
Partners,  wherebj-  the  latter  undertake  not  to  carry 
on  the  business  of  erecting  or  supplying  crane  cables 
and  ropeways  and  aerial  transporters,  and  not  to  use 
in  connexion  with  their  business  the  name  of 
''Bleichert"  or  "Bleichert's  System"  or  in  any  way 
to  represent  that  they  are  carrying  on  the  business 
former!}'  carried  on  by  Bleichert  &  Company. 


JUNE,     1921 


361 


^^itV'ttSWF^'-' 


The  Palnut  Safety  Lock  Washer. 


The  Palnut  in  place. 


The  Sullivan  Machinery  Company,  of  Chigaco, 
and  Salisbury  House,  London,  E.C.  2,  send  us  three 
new  pamphlets.  No.  77a  describes  the  firm's 
portable  mine-car  electrically  driven  air-com- 
pressor?. No.  77b  gives  particulars  of  the  angle- 
compound  power-driven  air-compressors  ;  belted 
\VJ  3,  WI  3,  \VJ  4,  direct-connected  WN  3,  WN  4. 
No.  ,'2e  describes  the  company's  drill-sharpeners 
for  hammer-forging  drill-bits  and  shanks. 

The  Palnut  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  6  Great  St.  Helens, 
London,  E.C.  3,  are  putting  on  the  market  a  new 
safety  lock  washer,  called  the  "  Palnut  ".  This 
washer  is  placed  on  top  of  the  nut,  not  under  it. 
Pressures  can  thus  be  varied  at  will,  and  the  washer 
is  easily  detached  when  desired.  The  flanges  are 
cut  to  fit  in  the  base  of  the  pitch  of  the  thread. 
Being  in  contact  with  the  core,  they  resist  pressure 
from  the  nut  face,  with  the  result  that  the  whole 
hexagon  tends  to  flatten  out,  thus  preventing  tl;e 
nut  becoming  unseated  or  lost.  The  thread  of  the 
belt  is  in  no  may  stripped  or  burred,  and  two  threads 
of  the  bolt  suffice  for  the  action  of  the  washer. 
The  washer  is  particularly  adapted  to  mining 
machinery,  where  there  is  much  vibration.  The 
accompanying  illustrations  show  the  washer  and 
its  position  on  the  bolt.  The  price  is  low  ;  for 
instance,  the  washer  for  an  inch  bolt  is  sold  at 
thirty-seven  shillings  per  gross. 

The  Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  170,  Piccadilly,  London,  W.  1,  have  opened  a 
branch  office  at  8,  Clive  Street,  Calcutta,  under  the 
management  of  Captain  E.  Grigg,  where  a  stock  of 
air  compressors,  oil  engines,  and  portable  tools, 
both  pneumatic  and  electric,  together  with  all 
necessary  spare  parts  and  accessories,  are  kept  to 
enable  customers'  requirements  to  be  immediately 
filled.  Full  particulars  as  to  the  erection  and 
operation  of  this  company's  well-known  Giant 
Semi-Diesel  Oil  Engines  can  also  be  obtained  from 
Captain  Grigg.  G.  &  A.  Angus,  of  Rangoon,  and 
the  United  Engineers  Ltd.,  of  Singapore,  have  been 
appointed  agents  for  Burma  and  the  East  Indies 
respectively,  and  they  will  carry  stocks  of  the 
labour-saving  appliances  manufactured  by  the 
Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd.,  so  that 
inquiries  and  orders  in  these  areas  will  receive 
immediate  and  prompt  attention. 

The  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.,  London  office,  165, 
Queen  Victoria  Street,  London,  E.C.  4,  send  us  the 
following  information  relating  to  a  record  made  by 
No.  18  Ingersoll-Leyner  drills  :  Some  time  ago 
a  remarkable  record  was  made  by  a  miner  by  the 


name  of  ElUtson,  at  the  Geduld  mine,  with  No.  18 
Ingersoll-Leyner  drills.  The  Union  Corporation 
now  announce  that  this  same  miner  broke  his 
previous  world's  record  with  the  same  three 
machines  in  the  same  grade  of  rock  and  the  same 
stoping  width.  The  record  which  he  has  just  made 
during  the  month  of  April  is  as  follows  :  Type  of 
drill.  No.  18  Ingersoll-Levner  drills  ;  number  of 
drills,  3  ;  total  machine  shifts,  78  ;  total  fathoms 
broken,  221  ;  fathoms  per  machine  shift,  2-83  ; 
tons  broken  per  machine  shift,  45  :  stoping  width, 
63  inches.  As  Mr.  Ellitson  has  used  these  same 
drills  for  a  considerable  length  of  time  and  made 
remarkable  fathomage  in  four  consecutive  months 
last  year,  that  is,  August,  September,  October, 
and  November,  he  deserves  a  great  deal  of  credit 
for  making  special  efforts  to  break  his  own  record 
with  these  same  machines.  Ordinarily  a  man  asks 
for  new  machines  whenever  he  wishes  to  make  a 
special  record.  This  figure  of  2-83  fathoms  per 
machine  shift  is  an  excellent  performance,  and  is 
believed  to  stand  unequalled  in  the  world  to-day 
under  the  same  conditions,  and  not  using  more  than 
three  drills. 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
during  May  exhibited  a  steadily  rising  tendency 
til!  towards  the  end  of  the  month,  when  a  rather 
easier  tone  manifested  itself.  At  the  beginning  of 
May  an  attempt  was  apparently  made  by  certain 
American  interests  to  squeeze  the  standard  market, 
and  heavy  purchases  of  near  metal  caused  the 
market  to  assume  a  rather  artificial  aspect,  and  a 
backwardation  made  its  appearance.  About 
the  middle  of  the  month,  however,  the  squeeze 
was  abandoned,  although  some  American  influence 
was  still  manifestly  at  work  supporting  values, 
and  later  on  the  backwardation  (premium  com- 
manded by  cash  over  three  months)  dwindled 
considerably.  In  the  meantime  the  .'Vmerican 
market  began  to  firm  up,  and  from  12|  cents  the 
price  rose  to  13J  cents  per  lb.  The  rise  in  the 
United  States  was  attributed  to  a  healthier  export 
demand,  chiefly  from  Germany  and  Japan,  but 
domestic  consumption  in  the  United  States  was 
disappointing.  The  artificial  condition  of  the 
standard  market  during  the  month  was  well 
illustrated  by  the  fact  that  not  only  was  electrolytic 
at  one  time  practically  saleable  as  standard,  but 


302 


TllK     MINING     MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Mf.tal  Prices:    Official  Closinc; 
(.(•pptT.  I.c.ul.  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  Long  Ton; 


Sland.ir.l  i..i:^li 

1  ,  ■  —   ; 

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best  select  was  nominally  quoted  below  standard. 
The  April  imports  into  the  United  Kingdom 
were  11,413  tons  against  9,889  tons  in  April  last 
year. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  Mav, 
1921,  p3  5s.  lOd.  ;  April,  1921,  £69  8s.  lld^; 
May,  1920,  £96  18s.  Id.  ;   April,  1920,  £103  23.  lid 

Tin. — The  standard  tin  market  in  London 
fluctuated  to  some  extent  during  the  past  month, 
but  on  the  whole  the  tendency  was  firmer.  Qjuite 
a  feature  was  the  freer  market  in  the  Straits, 
where  fair  quantities  have  been  sold  at  prices  not 
greatly  above  the  London  parity.  With  the  coal 
strike  in  progress,  domestic  consumption  was  even 
less  than  had  previously  been  the  case,  and  it  can 
only  be  concluded  that  most  of  the  interest  taken 
recently  in  the  metal  on  'Change  has  been  of  a 
professional  character.  In  the  East  fair  quantities 
were  sold  almost  daily,  and  shipments  from  the 
Straits  during  May  showed  a  fair  increase  over  the 
April  figures.  The  premium  commanded  by  Straits 
metal  on  the  London  market  has  diminished  con- 
siderably. It  is  understood  that  the  F.M.S.  Govern- 
ment has  renewed  its  agreement  with  the  Dutch 
holders  in  Batavia  to  hold  the  accumulated  .stocks 
for  a  further  three  months.  In  America  the  price 
has  been  firm  during  the  month.  Owing  to  the  coal 
strike,  production  was  practically  suspended  at  the 
English  tin  smelters  during  the  month.  The  United 
Kingdom  imports  of  tin  in  April  were  317  tons, 
against  1,440  tons  last  year.  America  has  only 
bought  spasmodically,  and  apparently  consumers 
there  are  not  doing  much.  The  Continent  shows  a 
fair  amount  of  buying  interest.  Generally  speaking, 
consuming  interest  is  small  and  supplies  ample,, 
but  the  stocks  are  all  well  held. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  Mav,  1921, 
/177  10s.  8d.  ;  April,  1921,  /164  Os.  Ud.';  May, 
1920,  /295  3s.  7d.  ;    April,  1920,  /345  135.  Id. 

Lead. — The  London  lead  market  during  May  was 
fairly  firm,  and  values  rose  appreciably  till  towards 
the  end  of  the  month,  when  an  easier  feeling  set 
in.  The  firmness  was  caused  to  some  extent  by 
the  small  arrivals  of  metal  owing  to  vessels  holding 
off    from    English    ports    on    account    of    coaling 


difficulties.  The  rise  in  values  caused  some  con- 
sumers to  buy  small  quantities,  but  others,  finding 
their  operations  curtailed  by  the  coal  stoppage, 
actually  featured  as  sellers.  Consuming  demand, 
on  the  whole,  was,  in  the  circumstances,  fair.  Spain 
continued  to  be  the  sole  supplier  of  virgin  Icail, 
the  United  States,  Mexico,  Australia,  and  Burma 
sending  nothing.  As  regards  America,  that  country 
herself  has  been  buying  heavily  from  Spain, 
apparently  in  anticipation  of  the  increased  import 
tax  which  it  is  expected  may  be  imposed  shortly. 
The  position  in  Spain  is  still  obscure,  and  the  extent 
of  the  stocks  there  is  unknown.  It  appears  quite 
possible  that  the  higher  price  which  is  now 
obtainable  may  stimulate  production  once  more, 
and  in  this  connexion  it  is  interesting  to  observe 
that  the  Mexican  lead-producing  industry  is  showing 
signs  of  greater  animation. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  Mav,  1921, 
/23  7s.  3d.  ;  April,  1921,  /20  16s.  lOd.'  ;  May, 
1920,  £39  3s.  2d.  ;    April,  1920,  £40  4s. 

Spelter. — The  month  of  May  saw  considerable 
firmness  in  the  London  spelter  market,  and  prices 
rose  somewhat.  This,  of  course,  was  chiefly  due 
to  the  paucity  of  new  supplies,  which  more  than 
counterbalanced  the  extreme  poorness  of  demand. 
With  the  galvanizing  trade  in  a.  very  depres.sed 
condition,  which  was  further  accentuated  by  the 
coal  stoppage,  very  little  consuming  buying  could 
be  expected,  but,  nevertheless,  a  steady,  though 
small,  consuming  inquiry  trickled  in.  As  regards 
supplies,  Germany  was  unable  to  send  anything 
owing  to  the  prohibitive  50°o  import  duty  imposed 
by  the  Allies,  and  furthermore  the  insurrection  in 
Upper  Silesia  would  have  in  any  case  hindered  the 
output  of  the  zinc  industry  there.  Belgium  has 
been  offering  a  little  metal  rather  above  the  London 
price,  and  her  production  is  still  decreasing,  being 
only  4,320  tons  in  April,  against  4,640  tons  in 
March.  Norway  is  also  willing  to  sell,  but  at  higher 
prices  than  rule  here.  In  its  annual  report  the 
Vieille  Montagne  Co.  makes  the  remark  that 
Europe  is  now  only  producing  l.SO,000  tons  of 
spelter  yearly,  instead  of  650,000  tons.  The  output 
in  the  United  States  during  April  was  approximately 


1 


JUNE,     1921 


363 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 

Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  ;  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Zinc 

(Spelter) 

Standard  Tim 

Silver 

Gold 

Soft  Foreign 

English 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

£    s.   d.        £    s. 

ti-  !    £    s- 

d. 

£ 

«. 

d.         £    s. 

d. 

C     s- 

d.           £      s. 

d. 

I.      s. 

d.         £     s.  d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

May 

24    0    0to24    0 

0  ;25    0 

0 

26 

0 

0to27     5 

0 

176    0 

0  to  176    5 

0 

178    0 

0  to  178    0   0 

35i 

•34} 

103    3 

9 

24    0    0  to  24    0 

0   2,=;   0 

0 

26 

0 

0to27    5 

0 

173  10 

0  to  173  15 

0 

175  15 

0  to  176    0    0 

35 

34 

103    2 

10 

24    7    6  to  24    0 

0     25    5 

0 

26 

5 

0to27    5 

0 

178  10 

n  to  17S  15 

0 

180    5 

0  to  180  10   0 

34} 

33J 

102  11 

11 

24    7    6  to  23  17 

0     25    5 

0    2fi 

7 

6  to  27    7 

6 

179    0 

0  to  179  10 

0 

181     0 

0  to  181    6    0 

34 

34 

103    0 

12 

23    5    Oto23    5 

0  ;  24  10 

0,  26  10 

0  to  27  10 

0 

178  10 

0  to  178  15 

0 

180    7 

6  to  180  10    0 

34 

33i 

102  11 

13 

23  12    6  to  23  10 

0  :  24  15 

0    27 

0 

0  to  27  17 

6 

181     0 

0  to  181     5 

0 

182  15 

0  to  183    0    0 

33i 

33} 

102  11 

17 

23  17    6  to  23  17 

6  '  25    0 

0    27 

17 

6  to  28  17 

6 

180  15 

0  to  181     0 

0 

182    0 

0  to  1S2  10    0 

33t 

33} 

102    9 

IS 

24  12    G  to  24  10 

0  1  25  15 

0    23 

0 

0  to  28  15 

0 

181     5 

0  to  181  10 

0 

182     5 

0  to  182  10    0 

33 

32J 

102    8 

19 

24  10    0  to  24  10 

0    25  15 

0    28 

5 

0  to  28  15 

0 

183     5 

0  to  183  10 

0 

183  15 

0  10  184    0    0 

33 

32S 

102    8 

20 

24    7    6  to  24    7 

0    25  10 

0    28 

0 

0  to  23  10 

0 

184    0 

0  to  184     5 

0 

181  10 

0  to  184  15    0 

33 

331 

103    0 

23 

24    0    0  to  23  17 

6    25    5 

C  1  27  15 

0  to  23    0 

0 

ISl    0 

0  to  181     5 

0 

1«1  10 

0  to  181  15    0 

33 

33 

104    1 

24 

24    2    6  to  23  17 

6  125    5 

0.  28 

0 

0to2S    7 

6 

182    0 

0  to  182     5 

0 

182    5 

0  to  182  10    0 

33 

33 

103    4 

25 

23  12    6  to  23  12 

0  1  25    0 

0'2S 

0 

0  to  28    7 

6 

180  15 

0  to  181    n 

0 

181  12 

6  to  181  15    0 

33} 

38} 

104    8 

26 

23    0    0  to  23    0 

0  !  24  10 

0    28 

0 

0to28    5 

0 

177  15 

0  to  178    0 

0 

178  10 

0  to  178  15    0 

33i 

33t 

105    1 

27 

22  10    0  to  22  10 

0  :24    0 

0'  27 

10 

0  to  27  15 

0 

173  10 

0  to  173  15 

0 

174    5 

0  to  174  10    0 

34i 

33} 

106    1 

30 

22    5    0  to  22    5 

0 

23  15 

0    27 

5 

0  to  27  10 

0 

174    0 

0  to  174    5 

0 

175    0 

0  to  175     5    9 

33i 

33} 

106    4 

31 

June 

1 

22  15    0  to  22  10 

0 

24    0 

0    27 

0 

0  to  27  15 

0 

173    0 

0  to  173    5 

0 

173  15 

0  to  174    0    0 

33} 

33} 

105   0 

22    5    0  to  22    2 

6 

23  15 

0    27 

0 

0  to  27  15 

0 

172  10 

0  to  172  15 

0 

173  15 

0  to  174    0    0 

33} 

33} 

105    5 

2 

22    2    6  to  22    0 

0 

23  10 

0  1  20 

12 

6  to  27  12 

6 

170    5 

0  to  170  10 

0 

171  10 

0  to  171  15    0 

33} 

33  S 

106    0 

3 

22    5    Oto22    2 

0    23  10 

0    20 

0 

0to27     0 

0 

168    5 

0  to  168  10 

0 

169  15 

0  to  170    0    0 

34 

333 

107    7 

6 

22  12    6  to  22  10 

0  1  23  15 

0'  26 

5 

0  to  27  10 

0 

165  15 

0  to  166    5 

0 

167    0 

0  to  167     5    0 

34| 

341 

109    3 

7 

22  17    6  to  22  12 

6  1  24    0 

0  1  26  10 

0  to  27  15 

0 

107  10 

0  to  167  15 

0 

169    0 

0  to  169    5   0 

341 

10711 

8 

16,500  tons,  against  4.S,000  tons  in  April  last  year. 
Stocks  in  America  are  estimated  at  something  like 
80,000  tons.  The  Anaconda  Copper  Mining  Co. 
has  reopened  a  portion  of  the  Washoe  smelting 
workings  to  treat  silver-zinc  ores,  and  a  production 
of  2,000,000  lb.  of  zinc  monthly  is  planned. 

Average  price  o!  spelter  :  May,  1921,  /27  6s.  7d.  ; 
April,  1921,  /26  Is.  5d.  ;  May,  1920,  £46  Os.  9d.  ; 
April,  1920,  ^48  9s.  4d. 

Zinc  Dust.  —  The  market  is  very  quiet,  and 
present  prices  are  about :  American,  ;^55  per  ton  ; 
English,  £55  ;    and  Australian,  /55. 

Antimony. — Prices  asked  by  first  hands  for 
English  have  kept  steady,  ordinary  brands  being 
quoted  at  £37  to  £40  and  special  brands  at 
;£38  5s.  to  £42.  Foreign  material  seems  easier,  there 
being  sellers  at  £24  lOs.  ex  warehouse. 

Arsenic. — There  is  practically  no  demand  at 
the  moment,  and  Cornish  white  is  quite  nominal 
at  £46  to  £48  per  ton,  delivered. 

Bismuth.  —  The  quotation  is  steady  at  7s.  6d. 
per  lb. 

Cadmium. — Business  is  dull,  with  sellers  quoting 
6s.  to  6s.  3d.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — British  interests  are  nominally 
quoting  £150  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export, 
but  Continental  metal  has  been  offering  during  the 
month  at  around  £110,  f.o.b.  Continental  ports. 

Nickel. — The  leading  producers  quote  £185 
delivered  for  home  business,  and  £185,  f.o.b.,  for 
export  orders. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  price  has  been  weak,  and 
metal  is  obtainable  at  15s.  to  16s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — A  reduction  of  4s.  per  lb.  has 
been  made  in  quotations,  black  oxide  being  quoted 
at  12s,  and  grey  at  13s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Pfices  keep  steady. 
Manufactured  platinum  and  palladium  are  priced 
at  £20  per  oz.  Raw  platinum  is  stated  "to  be 
obtainable  at  £17,  and  raw  palladium  around  £15. 

Quicksilver.— The  tendency  of  late  has  been 
slightly  easier,  and  the  current  quotation  is  £1 1  to 
£1 1  5s.  per  bottle. 

Selenium. — The  quotation  continues  at  10s.  6d. 
to    13s.   per   lb. 


Tellurium. — Sellers  quote  90s.   to  95s.   per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  present  quotation 
is  about  £30  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export 
business. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  tendency  has  been  rather 
easier,  and  Indian  grades  are  quoted  at  Is.  2}d. 
to  Is.  3d.  per  unit,  c.i.f.,  U.K. 

Tungsten  Ores. — Some  slight  signs  of  a  recovery 
have  been  visible  in  this  market  recently,  but  the 
present  price  of  65%  WO,  is  quoted  at  about 
12s.  6d.  to  I3s.  per  unit,  c.i.f. 

Molybdenite. — Business  is  dull,  and  the  price 
has  had  a  downward  tendency.  We  call  the 
quotation  47s.  6d.  to  57s.  6d.  per  unit,  nominal. 

Chrome  Ores. — African  and  Indian  grades  are 
steady  at  £5  10s.  to  £6  per  ton,  c.i.f.,  U.K. 

Silver. — The  silver  market  in  London  during 
May  was  chiefly  dependent  for  support  on  India, 
which  country  bought  moderately.  There  was 
some  liquidation  by  China,  however,  which  caused 
weakness  about  the  middle  of  the  month  Spot 
bars  opened  on  Mav  2  at  34|d.,  rose  to  cS\d.  on 
May  7,  fell  to  33id.  on  the  20th,  subsequently 
recovered  to  34  Jd.  on  the  30th,  and  closed  on  the 
31st  at33|d. 

Graphite. — Madagascar,  80  to  90%,  is  steady  at 
£20  to  £25  per  ton. 

Iron  and  Steel. — Business  in  the  iron  and  steel 
trades  during  the  past  month  has  been  virtually 
at  a  standstill  owing  to  the  prolongation  of  the  coal 
strike.  .As  regards  Clevel.and  pig  iron,  no  alteration 
was  made  in  the  official  minimum  quotations, 
but  with  stocks  of  No.  3  foundry  iron  being  gradually 
diminished,  owing  to  the  cessation  of  production, 
those  who  had  anything  to  sell  were  asking  a 
premium  of  10s.  for  home  trade  and  15s.  for  export. 
Thus  the  official  quotation  remains  at  £6,  which 
price  was  fi.xed  at  the  beginning  of  April.  In  the 
finished  iron  and  steel  trades,  there  has  really  been 
no  alteration,  either  in  the  position  or  in  home 
trade  quotations,  but  with  the  Continent — mainly 
Belgium  and  latterly  Germany — securing  good 
export  orders,  British  makers  have  started  to  cut 
quot;iticns  for  shipment.  They  still  h-ive  a  long 
way  to  go,  however. 


:5Ci 


THK    JIIXING     MAGAZINI': 


STATISTICS 


Transv\al  Gold  Otitpi'ts. 
March 


Pkoduciion  of  Gold  in  niK  Tbansvaai.. 

Rand 

ElSf-      i 

where          Total 

Price  o( 

Or.       1       Or.       j       Or. 

Gold  pet  OR. 

April,  1920 667,926 

Mny    681,551 

Iiinc '  699,199 

July   718,521 

August C83,6(M 

September 605,486 

October   645,819 

November  618,525 

December 617,549 


s. 

d. 

19,058 

686.979 

102 

0 

17,490 

699,041 

105 

0 

16,759 

715,957 

102 

0 

17,578 

736,099 

105 

(1 

18,479 

702,083 

112 

I! 

16,687 

682,173 

115 

0 

16,653 

662,472 

117 

i; 

15,212 

633,737 

117 

(> 

14,606 

632,215 

115 

0 

Total,  1920    

7,949,038    1   204,587     i8,153,625    ! 

- 

January-,  1921  . . . 
I-'ebruarj-  

637,425 
543,767 
656.572 
665,309 

14.168 
14,370 
14.551 
16.073 

651,593 
588,137 
671,123 
681,382 

105    0 
103    9 
103    9 

April 

103    9 

Natives 

Kmpi.ovf.d  in  the  Transvaal  Mimes. 

Gold 

niincs 

Coal       '  Diamond 
mines           mines 

j    Total 

April  30,  1920 1  180,446  12,951 

May  31 184,722  j     12,897 

June  30   179,827  i     13,036 

July  31 174,187  13,005 

August  31    169,263  ,     13,535 

September  30    163,132  13,716 

October  31 159,426  13,858 

November  30 158,773  14,245 

December  31  159,671  14,263 


January  31,  1921 

February'  28    

March  31    

April  30  


165,287 
171,518 
174,364 
172,826 


14,541 
14,697 
14,906 
14,908 


5,057 
4,793 
4,596 
4,521 
4,244 
4,323 
4,214 
3,504 
3,340 


3,319 
1,612 
1,364 
1,316 


207,454 
202,412 
197,4!-,9 
191,713 
187,042 
181,171 
177,408 
176,522 
177,274 


183,147 

187,827 

190.634 

■    189.050 


April 


Treated      Yield        Treated        Yield 


.\itrora  West 

Brakpan  

City  Deep    

Cons.  LancJaa^te   . . 
Cons.  Main  Reef  . . . 

Crown  Mines | 

D'rb'nRoodepoortDcep 

I-.-ist  Rand  P.M 

Fcrrcira  Deep   

GcduM 

Gcldcnhuis  Deep 

Glynn's  I.ydcnburg    ... 

Gorh  

Govcrnmi'nt  G.M.  Areas' 

Klcinfontein    [ 

Knight  Central i 

Langlaa^te  listatc   .... 

I.nipaard's  Vlci 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

MoHdcrfontein 

Moddcrfontcin  B    

Modderfontein  Deep  . . 
Modderfontcin  East. . . , 

New  Unified    

Novirse  

Primrose    

Randfontein  Central    . , 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Koodcpnort  United    . . , 

Rose  Deep  

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs    

.Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  R^Ti    

Van  Ryn  Deep  

Village  Deep    

West  Rand  Consolidated! 
Witw'tersr'nd  (Knights)! 
Witwatersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhuter 


Tons 

10,0110 

52,000 

85,IKXI 

42,iXX) 

47,800 

187,000 
20,500 

131,500 
32,000 
45,000 
40,950 
3,277 
16.600 

136,000 
48,000 
25,800 
40,000 
16,000 
14,300 
92,000 
.57,000 
42,700 
26,000 
10.900 
42,000 
31,700 

120,000 
39,800 
60,100 
23,000 
53,300 
61,100 
42,000 
9.900 
13,945 
31,100 
50,600 
48,700 
32,300 
32,000 
37,665 
32,200 


Or. 

Tons 

£14,595t 

10,800 

22,339 

55,000 

36,584 

80,(XI0 

iC62,419t 

43,000 

10.759 

48,000 

51,218 

102,000 

8,778 

26,550 

84,270 

135,000 

10,290 

31,800 

15,359 

44.000 

12,781 

49.765 

i'4,990t 

3.533 

£20,2&4t 

17.000 

£2S3,290t 

136.000 

13,297 

47.100 

6,178 

28.800 

£62,290t 

38,400 

£18,4501 

20,380 

£45,361 1 

14,000 

43,114 

96,000 

29,200 

58,000 

22,809 

42,000 

10,430 

25,700 

£13,219t 

11,300 

13,253 

46.000 

£24,397t 

21.500 

£187.460t 

128.5C0 

7,814 

39.000 

17,279 

61.3C0 

£22,209t 

23,800 

12,871 

54,500 

13,540 

60,600 

18,776 

42,000 

5,557 

9,900 

£22,415{ 

15,030 

£47,453t 

31,520 

£138,977t 

.50,400 

14,643 

48,600 

.£48,S92t 

32,220 

£47,940t 

36,000 

£54,669t 

35,000 

8,291 

31,700 

Or. 

£14,596t 

22,470 

£182,518» 

£65,123t 

£85,563  ■• 

£280,545* 

£45,fi03« 

£180,518' 

£55,717* 

15,150 

£67,418* 

£6,086: 

£10,937t 

£2S7,860t 

13,114 

£37,150* 

£fi2,270t 

£21,946t 

£41,4G7t 

£224,885* 

£158,308* 

22,910 

£51,285* 

£14,082t 

£73,959* 

£23,759t 

£183,309t 

£40,446* 

13,114 

£23,180+ 

£68,043* 

14,460 

18,631 

6,043 

£2.'i,583J 

£49,C(33t 

£140,608t 

£76,730' 

Z47,947t 

£49,820t 

14,491 

£41,704* 


*  Gold  at  £5  3s.  3d.  per  oz.     f  £5  3s.  Od.  per  oz.     t  £5  2s.  9d.  per  oz. 


Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled    from    official   statistics    pnbhshed    by    the    Transvaal 
Chamber  of  Mines. 


Tons 
milled 


April,  1920  . . ,  2,065, 

May I  2,117, 

June I  2,146, 

July 2,194, 

August    !  2,0.57, 

September  . . .  1,950, 

October  1,871, 

November  . . .  1,799, 

December  . . .  1,797, 


I  Work'g 
Yield         cost 
per  ton  '  per  ton 


Work'g 
profit 
per  ton 


446 
725 
890 
,050 
,500 
,410 
,140 
,710 
970 


s.  d. 
31  5 
31  9 
31  10 
33  6 
36  11 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 


s.  d. 
26    3 

23  11 
25    2 

24  6 

25  0 


25 
26 
26 
26 


s. 

d. 

5 

2 

5 

1(1 

0 

8 

9 

0 

11  11 

13 

n 

13 

S 

13 

1 

13 

3 

lanuarj'.  1921  1.89.5,235  35  0  26  3  8  9 
February  ....  1,.575,320  35  6  !  28  6  70 
March   j  1,958,730  I    34    5  I    26    1         8    4 


Production  op  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1920 


January  . . 
February  . 
March  . . . 
April    . . . . 

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . 
September 
October  . . 
November 
December 


Total 


£ 
211,917 
220,885 
225,808 
213,160 
218,057 
214,215 
214,919 
207,339 
223,710 
204,184 
186,462 
158,835 


oz. 
43,423 
44,237 
45,779 
47,000 
40,266 
45.054 
46,208 
48.740 
45,471 
47,343 
46,782 
46,190 


2,499,498 


5.52,498 


Total 

working 

profit 


£ 

533,940 

618,147 

692,510 

985,058 

1,226,906 

1,276.369 

1,278.385 

1.255.749 

1,193,672 


829,436 
550.974 
813,636 


1921 


oz. 
46,9.50 
40,810 
31.993 
47,858 


173.625 


Rhodesiak  Gold  Outputs. 


Cam  &  Motor    

Falcon    

Gaika  

Globe  &  Phnenix 

Jumbo   

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-Arcturus   

Rezende  

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva   

Transvaal  f^  Rhodesian 


Tons 


10,052 

15.406 

1.204 

1,450 
2,308 
1,600 
1,950 
2,400 
.597 
16,150 
1,700 


2,666 

2,937* 

60S 

441 

£2,792 

1,669 

1,065 

1,635 

215 

£14,695t 

£5.028t 


April 


Ton.s 


11.100 

15.293 

3,503 

0,083 

1,399 

5,320 
5,450 
5,700 
259 
52.330 
1.700 


Oz. 


£U.500t 

3.08611 

1,254 

4,744 

464 

£2,592 

5,299 

2,592 

2,601 

234 

£39,8231 

£5,184+ 


•  Also  250  tons  copper.       t  At  par.       %  Gold  at  £5  per  oz, 
II  Also  272  tons  copper. 


West  Aprican 

Gold  Out 

purs. 

March 

.\pra 

Treated   ;     Value 

Treated       Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Tons 
6,709 
5,000 

4,^7 
818 

Oz. 

£11.497* 
1.996 

4.720 

£2.480t 

£16,094t 

1,222 

Tons      '        O.' 
6,60'4      £ln,0'.;' 
5,012          1,952 

Ashanti  Goldfields   

5,760          5,323 
760        £2,838+ 
5,445     '    £0,993* 
2,200          1,303 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah  

6,705 
2,300 

*  At  par.         t  Including  premium. 


JUNE,     1921 


365 


AUSTHALIAH   Goi.D   OUTPUTS. 


West 
Australia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

£    , 

January  . 

51,458 

4,587 

4,582 

20,403 

"February. 

27.557 

10,940 

9,046 

21,575 

March  . . . 

47,886 

12,383 

6.690 

24,344 

April  .... 

— 

— 

— 

34,101 

May    

— 

— 

— 

— 

June 

— 

— 

— 

■  ■' 

July 

— 

— 

— 

— 

August. . . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

September 

— 

— 

— 

— 

October    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

November 

— 

— 

— 

— 

December 

— 

— 

— 

Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


126,901 


27,910 


20,318 


100,483 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Reported 

for  Export 

Oz. 


April,  1920 1 

May    I 

Julie 

July   

.A.ugtist 

September 

October    

N'ovember    

December 

J.inuary,  1921  . . 

February   

March 

April 

May 


835 

227 

502 

16? 
141 
174 
128 
321 
523 
684 
10 
607 
474 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

Oz. 


56.256 
50,970 
56,679 
48,341 
54,258 
54,940 
.53,801 
54,729 
53,595 
50,934 
26,872 
47,875 
46,602 
47,638 


Total 
Oz. 


57,091 
51,203 
57,181 
48,3  U 
54,425 
55,081 
53,975 
54,857 
.53,916 
51,457 
27,556 
47,885 
47,209 
51,503 


Total 
Value  £ 


242,506 
217,495 
242,638 
205,340 
231,185 
233,963 
229,275 
233,017 
229,057 
218,574 
117,050 
203,'101 
200,635 
217,495 


Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


Associated  G.M.  (W.A.)  |  5,977 

Blackwater  (N.Z.)    i  2,956 

Bullfincb  (W.A.) — 

Gold'n  Horseslioe  (W.A)'  9,936 

Grt  Boulder  Pro.  (W..\.)  8,585 

Ivanboe  (W.A.) 14,973 

K.il£curU  (W.A.)    4,280 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.)  7,067 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.)    .  .  1,350 

Mount  floppy  (N.S.W.)  5,590 

Oroya  Links  (W..\,)  . . .  1,490 

Progress  (N.Z.) — 

Sons  of  Gwalia  (W.A.)  .  — 

South  KalgurU  IW.A.)  .  7,216 


Waihi  (N.Z.) '    13,204 

,,  Grand  Junc'a  (N.Z.) 
Yuanmi  (W.A.) 


5,780  j       g' 
1,200 


7,96411 
5,742' 

5,183t 
24,800!! 
6,230; 
0,691!! 
14,521t 
2,145» 
1,0891 
8,409t 


12,188:i 
3,056t 

23,304§ 
2,039t 
^,354§ 
4,342* 


April 


Tons     I  Value  £ 


5,977 
2,888 

9,024 
9,033 
12,217 

6,656 
1.760 
3,696 
1,442 


7,081 
10,907  I 

5,260  -] 
1,512 


6,89011 
5,110* 

4,747t 

27,0991! 

5,773t 

14,717t 
2,928* 
1,0451 
9,23ot 


12,40211 
2,997t 

31,134§ 
1,7371 
5,947§ 
5,407* 


•  Including     premium  ;      t  Including     royalties  ;      {  Oz.     gold  ; 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   11  At  par. 


Miscellaneous 

Gold  and  Silver 

Outputs. 

March 

.AprU 

Ton3_  1  Value.  £ 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 

166§ 

— 

3265 

El  Oro  (Mexico)    

29,500 

202,000t 

31,500 

2O6,0O0t 

Esperanza  (Mexico)    

— 

308tt 



2,31S+: 

Frcntino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 

2,450 

7,624 

2.270 

7,997 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico). . 

11,340 

186,960t 

11,200 

182,780t 

Mining  Corp.  of  Canada    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Oriental  Cons.  (Korea)  . .. 

17,235 

109,644t 

— 

97,000t 

Ouro  Preto  (BrazU)    'i      7,200 

2,2721! 

7,100 

2,22211 

Plym'th   Cons.    (CaUf'rnia    10,000 

11,345 

9,600 

10,663 

St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil) .  |         — 

33,000 

— 

40,000 

Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico)    37,754 

9,09St 

35,053 

13,421t 

Tolima  (Colombia)  1        53** 

— 

90** 

— 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    

15,600 

59,000t 

16,000 

48,500t 

*  Oz.  silver,    f  U.S.  Dollars.    }  Profit,  gold  and  silver.    ||  Oz.  gold. 

§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.    **  Production  of  silver  ore. 
Pato  (Colombia)  :  10  days  to  .Vpril  28,  S25,030  from  36,055  cu.  yd.; 

12  days  to  May  10,  $29,677  from  35,410  cu.  yd. 
Nechi  (Colombia)  :     43  days  to  April  26,   $31,732  from  124,292 

cu.  yd. ;  10  days  to  May  12,  52.'J,357  from  120,000  cu.  yd. 


January  . . 
February  . 
March  . . . 
April   . . . . 

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . 
September 
October  . . 
November 
December 


1917 


Oz. 
44,713 
42,560 
44,617 
43,726 
42,901 
42,924 
42,273 
42,591 
43,207 
43,041 
42.915 
44,883 


Total  ..1520,362 


1918 


Oz. 

41,420 
40,797 
41,719 
41,504 
40,889 
41,264 
40,229 
40,493 
40,088 
39,472 
36,984 
40,149 


1919 


Oz. 

38,184 
36,384 
38,317 
.38,248 
38,603 
38,359 
38,549 
37,850 
36,813 
37,138 
39,628 
42,643 


1920 


Oz. 

Oz. 

39,073 

34,023 

38,872 

32,529 

38,760 

32,576 

37,307 

32,363 

38,191 

— 

37,864 

— 

37,129 

— 

37,375 

— 

35,497 

— 

35,023 

— 

34,.522 

— 

34,919 

— 

485,236    I  461,171      444,532    I  131,496 


India.v  Gold  Outputs. 


Balaghat    

Champion  Reef  . . 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur 

Nundydroog   

Ooregum    


.March. 


Tons  Fine 

Treated      Ounces 


3,2.50 

11,710 

15,573 

700 

8,952 
12,000 


2,324 
4,407 
11,285 
908 
5,204 
8,448 


April. 


Tons 
Treated 


3,200 

11,610 

15,690 

700 

8,456 
12,500 


Fine 
Ounces 


2,328 
4,492 
11,027 
901 
5,189 
8,426 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper    . . 

j  Tons  lead  cone.    . . 
British  Broken  Hill    ...  J  Tons  zinc  cone. 

{ Tons  carbonate  ore 

Ti    1       TjMi  Ti_  „              t  Tons  lead  cone.    . . 
Broken  HOI  Prop ,  ^^^^  ^i„^  ^^^^ 


Broken  Hill  South Tons  lead  cone.    ... 

„           ^  ( Tons  refined  lead 

Burma  Corp -^  q^  refined  silver 

,,  .  ^,  '  Tons  copper  . . . . 
Hampden  Cloncurry    •  ■  ^,  qz  t^o'd 

t  Tons  copper  . . . . 
Mount  Lyell      J  Oz.  silver   

I  Oz.  gold   

^  .,  '  Tons  Copper 

Mount  Morgan    -  qz.  gold    

North  Broken  Hill |  q°  ^jiypj.   '/,'/',''. 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill     Tons  lead 

.,,,.,    ^  .■  •  I  Tons  lead  cone     . 

Sulphide  Corporation  . .  -^  j^^^  ^j„^  ^^^^    _ 

Tanganyika Tons  copper  

^            ^.  ( Tons  zinc  cone. .. . 

Zinc  Corporation   j  j^^  ^^^^  ^^^^^ 


1,000 


April 


1,000 


697         2,673 
3,020         2,369 
245,962      231,934 


512 

15,413 

389 


1,630 
1,868 
2,850 
2.4SS 
8,740 
71 


439 

11,073 

292 


1,812 
1,806 
2,726 
2,189 
8,520 
617 


Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kingdom. 


March 


Iron  Ore  Tons 

Manganese  Ore    Tons 

Copper  and  Iron  P>Tites    Tons 

Copper  Ore,  Matte,  and  Prec Tons 

Copper  Metal     Tons 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons 

Tin  Metal. .    Tons 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet Tons 

Zinc  (Spelter) Tons 

Quicksilver Lb. 

Zinc  Oxide Tons 

White  Lead     Cwt. 

Bary tes,  ground    Cwt. 

Phosphate      Tons 

Sulphur Tons 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt. 

Petroleum 

Crude    Gallons 

Lamp  Oil     Gallons 

Motor  Spirit Gallons 

Lubricating  Oil   Gallons 

Gas  Oil   Gallons 

Fuel  Oil    : GaUons 

Total  Petroleum Gallons' 


April 


257,324 

123,583 

20,987 

7,694 

3S,166 

14,662 

932 

7,744 

12,483 

11,840 

2,255 

1,953 

576 

317 

12,560 

7,951 

5,803 

11,401 

378,7,50 

411,316 

342 

328 

4,889 

4,770 

18,588 

21,133 

25,726 

28,210 

0,435 

5 

58,079 

114,249 



7,520,101 

11,603,9,53 

«,992,77S 

23,056,848 

26,191,.535 

3,814,083 

3,374,996 

4,282,603 

3,067,510 

41,148,617 

46,-538,689 

83,933,899 

96,738,546 

366 


TH1-:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


OuTpVTb  OP  Tin  Mining  Coupaniks. 
In  Ton?  of  Concentrate 


Nifierin  : 

Associated  Nigerian    

Bisichi 

Bongwelli 

Charopinn  (Xigeria)  ...   . , 

Dua   

Ex-Lands   

rilani 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated    . 

Gunim  River  , 

Jantor 

Jos 

Kadiina 

Kadiina  Prospectors  

Kano 

Lower  Bisichi ' 

Lucky  Chance    ! 

Minnsi    , 

Mon^ I 

NarafTuta I 

Naraguta  Extended    I 

Nigerian  Consolidated I 

N.N.  Bauchi 

Offin  River I 

Rayfield    .    

Ropp 

Rukuba \ 

South  Eukeru 

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri  i 

Federated  Malay  States  :  | 

Chenderiang j 

Gopeng I 

Idris  Hydraulic I 

Ipoh j 

Kamunting 

Kinla 

Labat I 

Malayan  Tin I 

Pahang     I 

Rambutan    I 

Sungei  Besi    

Tekka    

Tekka-Taipin? 

Tronoh    

Cornwall : 

East  Pool   

Geevor 

South  Crofty    j 

Other  Countries :  I 

Aramayo  Francke  ^Bolivia)  . 

Berenguela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania)    

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam)  . . 
LeeuwpGort  (Transvaal)  .... 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rnoiberg  Minerals{  Transvaal) 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam) 

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)  . . . 
_Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)  


Feb. 


Tons 

7 

2G 


2S* 
3i 
2 

13 

15 
141 

8i 

4 

_5! 

U 
60 

10 
24 

40 

30 
82 


21 
15* 

281 
S6Jt 

soi 

136 
15 

35 
29 
15 
19 


130 

26 

S 

IG 


31  i 

45 

50 

.33 

13 


March 


Tons 


20 

3 
13 

16 

14 

3 

_0i 

3 

53 
70 

S 
20 
45 

2S 
97 

4} 
12 
i 

6 
13 

81* 
72 
21 
171 

122* 
30 
57 
95J 

213 
15 
42 
30 
131 
20 


200 
31 


30i 


21 
50 
57 
37 


April 


Tons 
27 


20 


c, 
1(1 
11 


4J 


3G 
45 

8 

8 

41t 

30 
05 

5 
20 

II 

4 
13 


77i 
21 


51 
77 
230 
15i 
34 
31 
11 
22 


27 

8 

28 


72 
50 
76 
43 


1916   I    1917    ,    1918   1    1919       1920   1    1921 


January  . . 
Februar\-  . 
March  .'. .  . 

Afril 

May 

June  

July    

August  . . , 
September 
October  . . 
November 
December  . 

Total  . . . 


Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

531 

667 

678 

613 

547 

528 

646 

COS 

623 

477 

547 

655 

707 

6fJ6 

505 

486 

.555 

584 

546 

467 

536 

509 

525 

483 

383 

510 

473 

492 

484 

435 

506 

479 

545 

481 

484 

408 

551 

571 

610 

447 

535 

538 

520 

561 

528 

584 

578 

491 

625 

628 

670 

621 

472 

536 

544 

654 

655 

518 

511 

577 

6.594 

6.927 

0,771 

6,085 

6,022 

l^KODUcnoN  OP  Tin  in  rEDERATEi*  Malay  States. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters 
LoHR  Tons. 


I     1917 


1018 


1919 


Three  months. 


Nigerian  Tis  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 
NoU. —  Thes^  fizurt:?  are  taken  Jrom  the  monthly  returns  made  by 
individual  companies  reporting  m  London,  and  probably  rcbresent 
85";,  o/  the  actual  outputs. 


Tons 
4.38 
370 
445 
394 


.    January  

Febniary  .... 

March   '. 

April   

May 

June 

1  July 

August 

September  . . . 

October 

November  . . . 

December. . . . 


Tons 

3,55? 
2,755 
3,286 
3,251 
3,113 
3,489 
3.253 
3,413 
3,154 
3,436 
3,300 
3,.525 


I  39,a33 


Tons 
3,030 
8,197 
2,609 
3,308 
3,332 
3,070 
8,373 
3,259 
3,157 
2,870 
3,132 
3,022 


37,370 


Tons 
3,765 
2,734 
2,819 
2,858 
3,407 
2,877 
3,750 
2,9.56 
3,101 
3,221 
2,972 
2,409 


36,935 


1920 


1921 


Tons 
4,265 
3,014 
2,770 
2,606 
2,741 
2,940 
2,824 
2,786 
2,734 
2,837 
2,573 
2,838 


34,028      11,2S1 


Tons 
3,298 
3,111 
2.190 
2,092 


SiOCKS  OP  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co. 


1-ong  Tons, 


Mar.  31     April  30 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  .... 
Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit  . 
Other  Stan  lard,  Spot  and  Jw.inding 

Straits,  Afl.nt    

Australian,  Afloat   

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto,  Afloat 

Bilhton,  St>ot  

Billiton,  Afloat 

Straits,     Spot     in     Holland     and 

1-Iamburg    

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     . . . 
Total  Afloat  for  United  States 
Stock  in  America 


1,738 
80 

.5,456 
385 
200 

2,074 

579 


1,357 
185 

5,')81 
775 
150 

2,867 
200 
534 


95  100 

781     i     1,441 

3,470     I     2,441 


May  31 


1,430 

585 
4,457 
1,505 

150 
3,405 

445 

644 
SO 


475 
2,595 
2,040 


Total  I    15,764    I   15,131     I   17.767 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Ti.v. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  tons. . 


1,647 


Mar. 

April 

May 

Shiomeiits  from  : 

395 
395 
125 
289 
50 
100 

366 

775 
925 
100 
825 

295 

811 

1,425 

1,735 

507 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

200 
490 

Imports    of     Bohvian    Tin     into 

353 

Supply : 

915 
50 

79 
1,290 

1,800 

70 
865 

3,6C7 

150 

1,180 

Standard 

394 

2,334 

2,735 

5,391 

Consumption  : 

1,359 

389 

1,683 

39 

1,531 

152 

1,590 

95 

■1,000 

Dutch           

398 

1,225 

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc 

132 

Total   

3,470 

3,368 

2,755 

JUNE,     1921 


367 


Outputs  Reported  by  Oil-producing  Companies. 


Tons. . 

March 

April 

Aoglo-Egyptian   

13,627 

8,900 

43,525 

G3,70S 

92,820 

236 

105,220 

S,3S9 

1,275 

1,286 

17,910 

13,400 

S,698 

12,478 
10,101 

Apex  Tnnidad      

39  241 

Barrels 

6U,200 

CaltBX    

.     .  .BarreU 

2^8 

Lobitos 

.     Tons 

RIGO 

1  849 

S^nta  Maria      

Tons  . 

1  400 

20,095 
lOflOO 

Trinidad  Leaseholds    

United  ot  Trinidad    

Tons.. 

2,813 

Quotations  of  Oil  Companies'  Shares. 
Denomination  of  Shares  £1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


nii^ 

June  6 
1921 

2    0 

1  2 
10 

2  10 
17 

1    1 

7  15 

6 
1    0 

1  2 
4    5 

8  12 
a   7 

17 

12 

14 

52    0 

12 

6    2 

8    5 

4  12 

2  12 
1    2 
1    0 

s 

d. 
0 
0 
fi 
0 
0 
6 

a 

0 
6 
0 
6 
0 
6 
6 
6 
6 
3 

u 

6 
6 
0 
6 
fi 
6 
0 
9 

£  s. 
4  15 
1  17 

1  2 
8 

2  5 
16 

1     0 

6  13 

6 

1    0 

1  1 

4  0 
6  10 
6    0 

18 
10 
13 
47    0 
10 

5  11 
8  10 
4    5 

2  12 
1    2 
1    0 

9 

d. 

Anglo-Egyptian  E    

fj 

Anglo-United,  Wyoming 

0 

0 

liritish  Borneo  (lOs.) 

■^ 

British  Burrnah  (Ss.)    

n 

Caltes  ($1) 

■^ 

Dacia  Romano    

0 

Kern  River,  Cal.  (10s.) 

n 

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ($5)    

Pref.  (15)    

North  Caucasian  (lOs.) , . 

Phxaix,  Roumania    

0 
0 
9 

Roumaian  Consolidated 

Royal  Dutch  (laO  gulden)    

6 

n 

Shell  Transport,  Ord 

.,       Pref.  (£10) ... 

0 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

United  British  of  Trinidad   

Uroz  Oim^d*  (lOs.l 

0 

Dividends  Declared  bv  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


May  25 
May  24 
May  26 

May  13 

June  4 
May  24 
May  U 
May  11 

May  30 

May  25 

May  30 

May  18 
J  uue  4   . 
May  26 
June  4   . 


Company 


Burraah  Oil  

Cassel  Cyauide         

Central  Mining  and  Invest 
ment 
Chinese  Engineering  & 

Mining 

Cock's  Pioneer    

Cireat  Boulder 

Lake  View  Investment  Trust 
Lonely  Reef  Gold 

Mexican  Petroleum   .... 

.\ew  Heriot 


Pan-American  Petroleum  ] 

Rambutan 

Royal  Dutch 

St.  John  del  Rey   _ 

Shell  Transport  &  i  rading .  , 


Par 

Value  of 

Shares 


a 


£8 

£1 
£1 
2s. 
10s. 

Pr.  SlOlJ 
Or.  SKJII 

tl 
Or.A  &  B 
$50 
£1 

£1 
Or.  /I 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


4i.  tax  paid. 
4d.  less  tax. 

6s.  tax  paid. 

10%  tax  paid. 
Is.  less  tax. 
6d.  less  tax. 
5%  less  tax. 
15%  less  tax. 
'  2% 
i3% 
5s.* 

f    3% 

8d.  less  tax. 

40% 

Is.  3d. less  tax. 

25%  tax  paid. 


•  First  distribution  on  liquidation. 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.    June  9. 

These   quotations    .are    not    absolute  [     they   vary    according    to 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

Acetic  Add,  40% per  cwt.  1  4  o' 

80% 2  8  0 

„           C.lacial per  ton  63    0  0 

Alum    17  q  0 

Alumina,  Sulphate 15  10  0 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb.  2  6 

„         0'880  solution    per  ton  32  10  0 

,,  Carbonate per  lb.  4 

,,          Chloride,  grey   per  ton  44  10  0 

r,                ,,       pure    per  cwt.  3  15  0 

Nitrate   per  ton  48  0  0 

,,          Phosphate    , 75  0  0 

Sulphate    21  10  0 

.Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb.  2  7 

,,          Sulphide,  Golden ,,  1  5 

Arsenic,  White  per  ton  .50  0  0 

Barium  Carbonate 11  0  0 

,,       Chlorate per  lb.  11 

Chloride per  ton  IS  0  0 

Sulphate   „  10  0  0 

Benzol,  00% per  gal.  3  0 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton  56  0  0 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI „  IS  0  0 

Liquor,  7%    ,  7  0  0 

Thorax 34  q  q 

Boric  Acid  Crystals  ,,  69  1 1  0 

Calcium  Chloride   9  Q  Q 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  00% per  gal  1  9 

,,  ,,    crystallized,  40    per  lb.  61 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  ton  4  0  0 

Citric  Acid per  lb.  2  6 

Copper,  Sulphate   per  ton  31  0  0 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100%    per  lb.  1  0 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    ,  7J 

Iodine per  oz.  1  0 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton  9  0  0 

,,     Sulphate    4  10  0 

Lead,  .Acetate,  white 4ri  0  0 

„      Nitrate    ,  48  0  0 

,,     Oxide,  Litharge ,  S4  0  0 

.,      White    44  0  0 

Lime,  .■Acetate,  brown   ,,  S  10  0 

,,      grev80%   „  12  10  0 

Magnesite,  Calcined 21  0  0 

Magnesium,  Chloride  ,,  16  0  0 

Sulphate    „  10  0  0 

Methylated  Spirit  61   Industrial  per  gal.  6  0 

Nitric  Acid,  80°  Tw.      per  ton  31  0  0 

Oxalic  Ac.d  per  lb.  10} 

Phosphoric  .Acid per  ton  50  0  0 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb.  10* 

,,         Carbonate per  ton  45  0  0 

,,  Chlorate   per  lb.  5 

Chloride  80% per  ton  20  0  0 

„          Hydrate  (Caustic)  90%   „  36  0  0 

,,         Nitrate   ,,  55  0  0 

,,          Permanganate per  lb.  1  9 

,,          PrU5siate,  Yellow   ,  1  3 

Red „  2  3 

Sulphate,  90% per  ton  2C  0  0 

Sodium  Metal per  lb.  1  4 

,,       Acetate    per  ton  26  0  0 

„       -Arsenate  ■lo'"c ,  44  0  0 

,,       Bicarbonate    12  0  0 

,,      Bichromate     per  lb.  7i 

,,       Carbonate  (Soda  Ash^  per  ton  15  0  0 

(Crystals)   7  0  0 

,,       Chlorate per  lb.  4.V 

„       Hydrate,  76°i per  ton  27  0  O' 

,,       Hypoculphite    ,  17  0  0 

„       Nitrate,  95%    ,  19  0  0 

Phosphate 24  0  0 

„       Prussiate per  lb.  7 

,,       Silicate per  ton  1115  0 

Siilphate  (Salt-cake)    „  7  10  0 

(Glauber's  Salts)    6  10  0 

Sulphide    ,  28  10  0 

„      Sulphite 12  10  0 

Sulphur,  Roll    14  10  0 

Flowers   ,,  15  0  0 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  Go- 24  0  0 

,,              ,,       free  from  Arsenic,  144 6  5  0 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  'dO% ,  8  10  0 

Tartaric  Acid    per  lb.  1  7 

Turpentine    per  cwt.  4  15  0 

Tin  Crystals per  lb.  1  5 

Titanous  Chloride 1  0 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton  22  10  0 

Zinc  Sulphate ly  0  0 


368 


nil 


M1N1.\(.     M\(,\/IN1". 


bilAKL    QUOTATIONS 

Shares  arc  fl  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOLD,    SILVER. 

DlAMtlNOS: 

Rand  ; 

Br;ikpan 

Central  Miiung  (f8) 

City  &  Suburban  (f-l)  

City  Iteep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  Lnnglaagtc 

Consolidatixl  Main  Reef 

Consolidated  Mines  Scleetion  (lOs.) 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) 

Daggafontcin 

Durban  Koodopoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Gcldcnhuis  Deep 

Government  Gold  Mining  Areas    . . 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagtc  Instate   

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  (lOs.)  

Modderfontein  B  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  Deep  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  liast 

New  State  Areas 

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.) 

Van  Ryn 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersraud  Deep 

Wolhuter 


Other  Tr.\nsvaal  Gold  Mines  : 

Glvnn's  I  -vdeaburg 

Sheba  (5s.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates 

DuMO.N'DS  IN  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (f  2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  (id.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phcenix  (3s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

WiUoughby's  (lOs.)  

West  Africa  : 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso 

Ashanti  (4s.) 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks  . . . . 

Bullfinch 

Golden  Horse-Shoe  (£5) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary  (2s.)  . 

Great  Fingall  (10s.) 

Hampton  Properties 

Ivanhoe  {;£5) 

Kalgurli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)  . . 

Sons  of  Gwalia    

South  KalgurU  (10s.) 


June  5, 

1!)20 

f,    s.  d. 

2  11  3 

S  17  l> 

li  3 

2    7  0 

1  10  0 

17  B 

11  0 

1  4  0 

2  8 


12    0 


8  B 

2  0  0 

5  0 
4    8  9 

16  0 
7  0 
3  0 

6  0 

14  6 
4  12  0 

3  12  0 
6  7  6 
2  10  0 

1  3  9 

17  6 

7  6 

2  14  0 
2  15  0 

12  6 

8  0 

18  9 

15  6 

3  9 
2    3  9 

15  6 

19  3 
10  3 

4  8  9 
10  6 
15  6 

15  0 

8  6 

4  9 

10  0 

1  6 

10  0 

22  10  0 

4  10  0 

12    5  0 

9  0 

16  6 
9  'J 

12  6 


14 
3    3 


2  15    0 


1  16 


3  0 

12  3 

17  3 

3  0 

15  C 


June  6, 
1921 

r    s.  d. 

2  10    0 

6    7    6 

3    0 

2    2    6 

17    0 

10    0 

10    0 

13 

2    0 

3 

3 

4 

7 


3 
0 
6 
8 
6 
6 
2  113 


6 
0 

3  0 
5    0 

4  0 
16    0 


11 

(i 

4  (1 

(1 

3  5 

0 

!  6 

2  5 

0 

11 

3 

1  2 

6 

7 

0 

2  r. 

0 

2  15 

0 

S 

K 

9 

0 

10 

(1 

13 

0 

2 

i; 

1  16 

3 

12 

6 

15 

« 

10 

0 

3  15 

0 

7 

6 

12 

6 

13 

H 

ti 

0 

4 

b 

0 

6 

1 

6 

7 

6 

10    5  0 

2    5  0 

4  15  0 

10  0 

12  0 


5 

8  0 

16  0 

2  2  6 

3  0  0 
1  10  0 

4  6 


2  9 

8  0 

12  0 

1  6 

8  0 


3 

6 

3 

0 

3 

(1 

2 

6 

3 

fi 

1 

0 

l.-^ 

•  !> 

11 

3 

H 

3 

5 

(i 

2 

0 

.  1 

6 

1  0 

0 

5 

0 

1  7 

6 

15 

0 

12 

f! 

11 

3 

17 

0 

11 

0 

6 

6 

5 

0 

4 

0 

6 

y 

Gold,  Silvek,  cont, 

Othbrs  in  Austratasia  : 

HlackwiUrr,  Nt*w  ^^iMlaiid 

( <mv)lidatc(!  (i.K.  o\  Ni-w  Zealand... 

Mount  Hoppy,  N.S.W.  (10s.) 

Prt>t;r< '.■i,  Niw  Zcil.md 

W.uhi.  Niw  Zc.il.iml 

Wiiihi  (iraiul  Junction,  New  Z'lnd. . 
America  : 

Bitcna  Ticrra,  Mexico 

Cump  Bird,  Colorado 

V\  Oro,  Mexico 

I'*spcranza,  Mexico 

I'roiitino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Lc  Koi  No.  2  (CO),  liritish  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  o(  LI  Oro,  Mexico  — 

Ncchi  [Vvci.  10s.),  Colombia 

Oroville  DredBinc,  Colombia      .... 

Plymouth  Consolidated.  California. 

St.  John  del  Key,  Brazil    

Santa  Gcrtnidis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goklfields 

Orsk  l^iority 

India  : 

Balaghat  (10s.) 

Champion  Keef  (2f.  (id.) 

Mysore  (10s.) 

North  Anantapur 

Kundydroog  (10s.) 

Ooregijm  (10s.) 

COPPER : 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India.. 

Esperanza,  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  . . 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal 

Messina  (us.),  Transvaal 

Mount  EUiott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tiiito  (£5),  Spain 

Kusso-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  . . 

LEAD-ZINC: 

Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (OO) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia: 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees) . . . 

Russian  Mining 

I    Rhodesia  : 

I        Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.) 

I  TIN: 

Aramayo  Francke,  BoUvia 

Bisichi  (10s.),  Nigeria  

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath,  Cornwall 

East  Pool  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria  . . 

Geevor  (10s.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging,  Malay   

Kamunting,  Malay 

Kinta,  Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay  . . . 

Mongu  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Naraguta,  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi.  Nigeria  (lOs.) 

Pahang  ConsoHdated  (5s.),  Malay. 

Rayfield,  Nigeria 

Renong  Dredging,  Siani 

Ropp  (4s.),  Nigeria 

Siamese  Tin,  Siam 

South  Crofty  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Cornwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taiping,  Malay 

Tronoh,  Malay 


June  .'i, 
1020 

I   ».  d. 

8  0 

8  0 

4  0 

1  9 

1  18  9 

11  3 


10  0 

16  0 
12  0 
12  8 
12  0 
10  0 

6    7  0 

8  9 

1    3  0 

18  9 

17  0 
1    0  0 

10  9 


1    0    0 
10    0 


8    9 
0 


16 

4 

13 

14 


2    6  3 

1    2  0 

5  9 

15  0 

1  10  0 

5  6 

2  5  0 
14  3 
113 
1  10  0 

S3  10  0 

10  6 

11  3 
10  0 
1  10  3, 


1  6 

2  0 

3  3 
1 


2  12  6 

2  13  n 

17  6 

18  0 

9    0  0 

10  0 

11  9 


June  0, 
1921 

£    s.  d. 

2  6 

2  « 

1  0 
1 


1   10  0 

8  li 

2  li 

4  I) 
10  0 
17  0 
10  I) 

2  6 

4  15  0 

0  8 

1    2  6 

12  6 

15  0 

5  0 
5  0 

10  0 

10  0 


7 
1 

12 
2 
5 

11 


1   2  e 

15  0 

6  3 
5  0 

1  15  0 

4  0 

12  6 

12  6 
11  3 
15  0 

31     0  0 

11  6 

7  6 

13  9 
1     5  0 


10  3 

17  R 

1  17  6 

10  0 

1     5  0 

1     5  0 

10  0 

8  9 


7     0+ 
7     6 


3  15 

0 

2 

5 

0 

12 

0 

4 

6 

4 

9 

£i 

6 

3 

(' 

1 

f\ 

10 

0 

3 

6 

3 

0 

1 

6 

11 

3 

2 

6 

1  18 

9 

1 

11 

3 

1(i 

3 

11 

3 

2  10 

0 

1 

V 

ti 

2  10 

0 

1 

10 

0 

2  0 

0 

1 

K 

9 

17 

(1 

12 

6 

11 

3 

18 

S) 

5 

0 

3 

0 

10 

0 

6 

6 

9 

3 

4 

0 

2  2 

6 

1 

12 

0 

9 

9i 

6 

6 

3  10 

0 

2 

2 

0 

12 

0 

6 

« 

17 

6 

8 

9 

5  5 

(1 

17 

6« 

1  0 

3 

1 

0 

0 

2  1 

3 

1 

5 

0 

•  New  Shares.        t  10-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING.  METALLURGY.  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents   on   milting   and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


THE    SEARCH     FOR    OIL     IN     WESTERN     CANADA 


The  Bulletin  of  the  Canadian  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgy  for  April  contains  two  papers  on 
the  search  for  oil  in  Western  Canada,  presented  at 
the  March  meeting  of  the  Institute,  one  by  John 
Ness,  geologist  for  Imperial  Oil,  Ltd..  and  the 
other  by  E.  M.  Kindle,  a  member  of  the  Canadian 
Geological  Survey.  It  should  be  mentioned  that 
Imperial  Oil,  Ltd.,  is  a  subsidiary  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company,  and  its  chief  business  is  oil-refining 
at  Vancouver,  Regina,  Sarnia,  Halifax,  and 
Montreal.  We  quote  that  part  of  Mr.  Ness's  paper 
deahng  with  Alberta  and  Great  Slave  Lake.  As 
we  quoted  Dr.  Bosworth  on  the  Mackenzie  oil  find 
last  month  it  is  not  necessary  to  refer  in  detail  to 
the  part  of  Mr.  Ness's  paper  on  this  subject,  or 
to  XIr.    Kindle's  paper. 

The  area  which  the  Imperial  Oil  Company  is 
testing  extends  from  the  plains  of  Saskatchewan 
on  the  east  to  the  foot-hills  of  the  Rockies  on  the 
west,  and  from  the  international  boundary  on  the 
south  to  within  the  Arctic  circle.  This  vast  extent 
of  territory  may  be  conveniently  divided  into  three 
groups,  in  which  the  geological  features  are  so  dis- 
similar that  each  carries  its  own  particular  problem. 
First,  there  are  the  Cretaceous  rocks  of  eastern 
Alberta  and  Saskatchewan,  practically  undisturbed 
and  heavily  covered  by  glacial  material.  Secondly, 
the  folded  and  faulted  Cretaceous  of  the  foot-hills 
belt,  the  outer  folds  of  which  give  a  certain  amount 
of  promise  structurally.  Thirdly,  the  Devonian 
of  the  Mackenzie  \'alley  in  which  oil  has  recently 
been  struck. 

.\s  regards  the  geology  of  the  plains  of  eastern 
Alberta  and  western  Saskatchewan  the  structure  is 
monoclinal,  although  there  are  certain  local  irregu- 
larities and  undulations,  and  evidence  of  two  general 
lines  of  folding.  The  first  of  these,  which  is  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  structure  found  in  the  Sweet  Grass 
Hills  of  Montana,  probably  extends  north  to  Bow 
River.  The  second  crosses  the  Alberta-Saskatchewan 
boundary  south  of  Macklin  and  trends  north-west. 
The  efforts  of  the  Imperial  Oil  geologists  have 
centred  upon  these  known,  or  assumed,  lines  of 
folding  or  faulting  which  previous  investigation  has 
indicated  as  likely  to  repay  attention  ;  but  a  general 
survey — of  necessity,  hurried  and  incomplete — has 
been  made  of  the  whole  region  as  far  north  as  Lac 
la  Biche,  south  to  the  international  boundary,  east  to 
Battleford,  and  west  as  far  as  the  Cretaceous  rocks 
are  exposed.  Most  of  the  exposures  in  tliis  vast  area 
were  visited  and  examined,  a  task  entailing,  in  many 
places,  more  travelling  than  actual  geological  work, 
owing  to  the  dearth  of  rock  sections.  Hundreds 
of  square  miles  have  been  traversed  without 
a  single  outcrop  of  bedrock  being  seen,  the  streams 
having  simply  cut  their  courses  in  the  extremely 
tfiick  glacial  deposits.  Nothing  revolutionary 
was  discovered  during  these  surveys,  the  previous 
work  in  the  area  leaving  little  to  the  imagination. 
Attention  was  devoted  principally  to  the  selection 


of  suitable  locations  for  testing  the  oil  possibilities, 
those  areas  where  the  minor  folding  and  crumpling 
would  conceivably  create  conditions  suitable  for  the 
accumulation  of  oil,  and  the  supposed  crests  of  the 
broad  arches  which  bring  the  sands  of  the  Dakota 
nearest  to  the  surface  being  studied  in  detail. 
Previous  development  in  this  area  has  resulted  in  the 
hope  that  oil  will  be  found  in  commercial  quantities 
provided  the  drilling  is  carried  to  a  sufficient 
depth.  Various  gas  horizons  have  been  successfully 
tapped  and  shows  of  oil  have  been  encountered, 
and  it  is  only  b\-  exploring  the  lowest  beds  of  the 
Cretaceous  and,  if  necessary,  the  Devonian,  that 
these  hopes  will  be  either  realized  or  dissipated. 
The  drilling  now  in  progress,  or  under  considera- 
tion, should  prove  to  be  a  fairly  conclusive  test. 
Work  is  being  carried  on  at  the  following  places  : 
In  Saskatchewan,  near  the  international  boundary, 
south  of  Cypress  Hills  ;  on  the  Saskatchewan  River, 
north  of  Swift  Current ;  at  Muddy  Lake,  south-west 
of  Unity  ;  in  Alberta,  south  of  Monitor  in  the 
Misty  Hills,  and  near  Czar  at  Tit  Hills.  Apart 
altogether  from  the  commercial  aspect,  the  drilling 
of  these  wells  will  be  of  immense  interest  to 
geologists.  Starting  in  the  Bearpaw  (Pierre)  or  the 
uppermost  beds  of  the  Belly  River,  they  should,  if 
carried  to  completion,  give  a  reliable  and  unique 
record  of  the  Cretaceous  sediments  below  these 
horizons  and  furnish  interesting  information 
regarding  the  attitude  and  character  of  the  under- 
lying Devonian. 

As  regards  the  second  division  of  territory, 
although  e.xploration  in  the  foot-hills  belt  was  also 
confined  largely  to  rocks  of  Cretaceous  age,  the 
problems  arising  differed  greatly  from  thos^  of  the 
plains.  At  the  same  time,  the  two  areas  have  much 
in  common,  principally  in  the  amount  of  attention 
that  has  been  devoted  to  them  by  geologists,  and 
the  abundance  of  literature  that  has  been  given  to 
the  public.  Many  prominent  geologists  have  dealt 
with  the  various  aspects  of  this  area,  and  one  need 
only  turn  to  their  reports  to  obtain  an  edifying 
account  of  their  researches. 

The  geologists  of  the  Imperial  Oil  Company  set 
out  on  their  mission  well  grounded  in  the  general 
features  of  the  territory.  They  knew  that  the 
Cretaceous  rocks  had  been  intensely  folded  and 
faulted  in  proximity  to  the  Rockies,  and  that,  as 
one  travelled  eastward,  the  effects  of  the  great 
upheavals,  complementary  to  mountain  building, 
gradually  diminished  until  the  sedimentary  rocks 
were  eventually  found  in  such  an  attitude  as  to 
give  favourable  structure  for  the  accumulation  of 
oil.  Not  only  so,  but  rocks,  recognized  elsewhere 
as  bituminous,  were  known  to  underlie  the  area 
within  convenient  reach  of  the  drill.  Starting 
from  the  international  boundary,  they  followed 
and  mapped  these  outer  folds  into  the  Peace 
River  district,  and  traversed  that  river  from  above 
Hudson's    Hope    to    30    miles    below    Peace    River 


369 


310 


THK     MIXING     MA(,.\/1\1': 


Landing,  the  ilovolopnient  aroinul  tin-  latli-r  place 
giving  this  a  special  interest.  As  in  eastern  Alberta, 
the  activities  of  the  geologists  were  directeil  inainl>- 
to  those  points  which  previous  research,  either  by 
the  scientist  or  by  the  driller,  had  brought  into 
prominence.  The  Calgary  boom  of  1914  was 
marked  by  a  great  deal  of  rash  speculation  ami 
misdirected  "  wild-catting  ".  There  were  certain 
redeeming  features,  however,  notably  the  develo]i- 
nient  of  Western  Canada's  first  producing  oilfield  in 
Turner  Valley,  west  of  Okotoks.  The  vast  amount  of 
drilling  that  was  undertaken  by  the  various  mush- 
room companies  at  this  time  neither  proved  nor 
condemned  south-western  Alberta  as  an  oil-producer. 
Most  of  the  wells  were  located  at  the  whim  of  the 
driller  and  without  any  regard  to  geological  con- 
ditions, while  those  which  might  have  given  a  fair 
test  were  abandoned,  owing  either  to  drilling 
troubles  or  to  lack  of  funds.  The  bursting  of  the 
bubble  left  the  field  discredited  to  a  certain  extent 
in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  but  still  interesting  to 
the  well-informed  oil-man.  That  Imperial  Oil 
still  have  faith  in  the  future  of  the  area  may  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  that  they  have  acquired 
scattered  leases  over  a  large  area  on  representative 
structure,  and  are  drilling,  or  preparing  to  drill, 
a  series  of  wells  that  should  prove  an  ample  test 
of  the  foot-hills  belt.  On  a  structure  designated 
the  Twin  Buttes  anticline,  two  wells  are  being 
drilled,  one  within  a  few  miles  of  the  international 
boundary  and  the  other  slightly  to  the  north. 
On  the  Willow  Creek  antichne,  west  of  Nanton, 
a  third  well  is  being  drilled,  while  aa  endeavour  will 
be  made  to  deepen  a  well,  taken  over  from  another 
company,  in  the  same  territory.  All  these  wells 
started  in  Benton  shale  and  production  would  be 
looked  for  in  the  Dakota,  although  sandy  places 
of  the  Benton  might  give  shows  of  oil. 

Thanks  to  the  enlightened  policy  of  the  govern- 
ment in  throwing  open  the  forest  reserves  to  oil 
investigation,  other  promising  areas  have  been  made 
available  and  will  probably  be  tested  in  the  vicinity 
of  Coalspur.  Here  the  structure  exposes  Belly  River 
strata  with  very  steep  dips,  and  gas  seepages  have 
been  noted.  Deep  drilling  will  probably  be 
necessary,  but  the  chances  of  obtaining  production 
from  the  Benton,  or  even  from  the  lower  beds  of 
the  Belly  River,  are  not  to  be  overlooked.  Favour- 
able indications  for  oil  are  found  near  Pouce 
Coupe,  the  rocks  at  the  surface  being  probably 
equivalent  to  the  Lower  Pierre  of  eastern  Alberta. 
A  test  will,  in  all  probability,  be  made  there. 
Regarding  the  present  field  of  activity  at  Peace 
River,  success,  if  it  does  come,  will  probably  be 
attained  in  the  Devonian,  the  Cretaceous  rocks 
having  been  drilled  into,  and  through,  without 
exceptional  results.  There  are  other  structures 
in  the  vast  area  under  review  that  offer  possibilities 
of  oil  and  gas  production.  It  is  hoped  that  other 
companies  will  be  sufficiently  impressed  with  their 
possibilities  to  test  them  so  that  in  the  near  future 
it  may  become  known  whether  this  area  is  destined 
to  become  a  producer  of  oil  or  not. 

The  author  proceeds  to  deal  with  the  Mackenzie 
River  Basin.  Exploration  of  the  basin  of  the 
Mackenzie  dates  back  to  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  since  which  time  periodic 
attempts,  more  or  less  successful,  have  been  made 
to  collect  information  regarding  its  extent,  physical 
features,  and  mineral  wealth.  The  full  story  of  these 
adventures  is  written  in  the  pages  of  Canadian 
history,  and  the   illustrious   names    of   those   early 


voyagfiirs  are  perpetuateil  in  memorials  not  made 
by  hands.  The  geologist  was  well  in  evidence  in 
the  story  of  these  adventures,  and  such  names  as 
Dawson.  McConnell,  Bell,  Tyrrell,  Dowling,  Camsell, 
and  Kindle,  to  mention  only  a  few,  are  closely 
connected  with  the  activities  of  the  pioneers.  The 
first  investigation  of  the  area  on  behalf  of  the 
petroleum  ludustrv.  however,  was  not  undertaken 
until  1914.  when  Dr.  T.  O.  Hosworth,  latterly  chief 
geologist  of  Imperial  Oil,  Ltd.,  covered  the  whole 
district  from  the  cities  of  .\lberta  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean.  Dr.  Bosworth's  pajjer  before  the  Institu- 
tion of  Petroleum  Technologists  was  quoted  in  last 
month's  M.\c..\zine. 

.\lthough  the  war  intervened  to  hold  up  develop- 
ment, the  project  was  naturally  not  lost  sight  of.  and 
in  1919  two  rigs  were  shipped  into  the  country  to 
locations  previously  made  by  Dr.  Bosworth,  one  at 
Windy  Point  on  Great  Slave  Lake  and  the  other, 
destined  to  become  famous,  at  a  point  40  miles  down 
stream  from  Fort  Norman  on  the  Mackenzie.  Along 
with  the  drilling  crews  were  two  parties  of  geologists 
who  devoted  the  short  season  at  their  disposal  to  a 
more  careful  study  of  the  rocks  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  drilling  operations.  Both  drilling  and  survey 
work  were  continued  during  1920,  the  former 
coming  to  a  promising  conclusion  in  August,  and 
the  geologists  finding  themselves  merely  on  the  verge 
of  great  areas  demanding  careful  study  and  pains- 
taking work  before  their  geological  history  can  be 
written. 

In  travelling  northward  on  the  great  waterways 
the  Devonian  formation  is  first  found  at  Crooked 
Rapids  on  th_'  Athabasca.  .Associated  with  these 
limestones  are  "  tar  sands  ".  The  natural  oil 
indications  along  the  Athabasca  Ixiver  are  probably 
the  most  extensive  and  conspicuous  in  the  whole 
world.  For  a  distance  of  100  miles  a  bed  of  tar 
sand  from  150  to  220  ft.  in  thickness  is  almost 
continuously  e.xposed  along  the  sides  of  a  gorge- 
like valley,  and  in  many  parts  cliffs  of  the  tar 
rock  rise  steeply  from  the  water's  edge  to  a  height  of 
200  ft.  From  the  exposures  on  the  Athabasca  and 
its  tributaries,  and  by  deduction,  the  existence  of 
the  tar  sands  may  be  reasonably  assumed  over  an 
area  of  10,000  square  miles,  probably  the  largest 
deposit  of  asphaltum  in  the  world.  The  tar 
sand  is  a  sandstone  formation  saturated  with 
a  dark  viscous  oil.  Originally  the  rock  must  have 
been  an  ordinary  bed  of  current-bedded  sandstone, 
with  some  shaly  courses,  and  plant-bearing  in 
places.  Courses  of  finer  sandstone  or  sandy-clay 
rock,  seams  of  lignite,  and  thin  lenticular  seams  of 
concretionary  limestone  are  occasionally  found, 
while,  at  the  base,  there  are  sometimes  ferruginous 
pebbly  beds  \vit:i  little  oil.  As  seen  at  the  outcrops, 
it  is  a  black  or  dark-brown  rock  containing  from 
10  to  30%  (by  volume)  of  heavy  oil  ;  it  is  soft  and  ' 
somewhat  plastic  and,  in  some  instances,  oil  can 
be  squeezed  out  by  hand.  In  places,  heavy,  tarry 
oil  issues  slowly  from  the  clifts  and  accumulates  in 
holes  dug  in  the  outcrop.  Chemical  analyses  show 
this  oil  to  be  of  fairly  good  grade,  the  chief  trouble 
at  present  being  that  it  is  so  viscous  that  it  cannot 
be  pumped  from  the  wells.  It  has  been  supposed 
that  the  asphaltic  material  seen  at  the  outcrops  of 
the  tar  sand  is  the  residue  from  a  vast  body  of  oil 
from  which  the  light  constituents  have  evaporated. 
This  assumption  has  led  to  the  drilling  of  a  number 
of  wells  back  from  the  outcrop  of  the  sand,  with  the 
hope  of  finding  a  lighter  grade  of  oil.  These  hopes 
have  not  been  realized,  however,  as  the  oi'  found  was 


JUNE,     1921 


371 


almost  as  viscous  as  at  the  outcrop  of  the  sand. 
It  seems  possible  that,  eventually,  an  oil  industry 
may  be  established  in  the  Athabasca  tar  sand  region, 
but  whether  this  will  be  the  result  of  totally  unique 
methods  of  extracting  the  oil  from  the  wells  to 
circumvent  its  high  viscosity,  or  whether  the  chemist 
will  devise  a  means  of  extracting  the  oil  from  the 
sands  by  retorting,  will  only  be  demonstrated  by  the 
march  of  events. 


stone  fragments  which  have  been  derived  from  out- 
crops under  the  water  near  at  hand.  Crossing  the 
bay  Brule  Point  is  reached,  where  the  land  stands  at 
a  higher  level.  A  raised  beach,  or  really  a  succession 
of  raised  beaches,  of  hmestone  debris  occurs  at  this 
place  and  is  traceable  eastward  for  some  miles.  At 
Brule  Point  the  waves  of  the  present  lake  have  cut 
into  the  older  shore-line,  forming  a  cliff  about  18  ft. 
high,  capped  by  loose  stones.     The  lower  part  of 


Map  or  Western  Can'ad.a  to  illustrate  the  Oil  Develoi'MENts. 


TSTothing  need  be  said  of  the  geology  along  the 
"waterways  until  Slave  Lake  is  reached.  Travelling 
eastward  from  Fort  Providence  along  the  shores  of 
that  lake,  no  solid  rock  is  found  until  after  passing 
Slave  Point.  On  the  east  side  of  this  is  a  deep  bay 
about  5  miles  wide,  having  a  beach  formed  of  lime- 

.6—6 


the  cliff  is  composed  of  fine  grey  limestone,  fissile  in 
parts,  smelling  strongly  of  petroleum  and  containing 
ill-preserved  corals,  alveolites,  brachiopods,  and 
gasteropods.  The  same  rocks  are  exposed  beneath 
the  water.  At  Windy  Point  there  are  heavy  beaches, 
old  and  new,  consisting  of  limestone  fragments  (all 


372 


TIUZ     MINING     MACAZINIC 


more  or  less  pctroli(ero\is).  but  the  solitl  rock  is  not 
exposed.  About  li  mill's  from  Windy  I'oint,  how- 
ever, the  solid  limestone  is  ayain  seen  beneath  the 
water  and  then  for  2  miles  further  the  only  evidence 
is  in  the  beaches.  A  jiortion  of  the  shore  is  now 
reached  where  for  li  miles  the  solid  rocks  arc  con- 
spicuous, forming  a  ragged  coast-line  with  scars  of 
limestone  reaching  far  out  into  the  water.  The  beds 
are  .still  dipping  in  the  same  direction,  but  the  rock 
consists  of  a  rough  bedded  dolomite-linu-stone  of 
crystalline  structure  and  porous  texture,  saturated 
with  Huid  petroleum  wliich  is  seeping  into  the  waters 
of  the  lake,  giving  rise  to  a  distinct  tilm  of  oil  on  the 
surface  at  most  parts  of  the  shore  for  several  miles. 
Where  met  with  inland,  for  a  distance  of  half 
a   mile,   the   rock   exposures   contain   small   pools 


of  asphalt  and  oil.  Gas  seepages  have  been  noticed 
on  the  shore  and  small  sulphur  sjirings  exist. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  structures,  and  the  thick- 
ness of  the  beds  is  unknown.  They  have  been 
referred  to  the  Middle  Devonian  and  denominated 
"  Slave  I'oint  limestone"  and  "  l'res(iu'ile  ilolomile" 
respectively,  and  would  probably  correlate  with  the 
Heavertail  and  Kamparts  limestone  of  the 
Mackenzie.  In  the  valley  of  the  Hay  Kiver, 
Cretaceous  beds,  approximately  of  the  same  age  as 
the  Loon  Kiver  shales,  are  found,  and  also  members 
of  the  Tjiper  Devonian  correlated  with  the  Chemung 
and  Portage.  The  well  now  being  drilled  at  Windy 
Point  should  give  some  interesting  data  regarding 
the  thickness  and  character  of  the  underlying 
strata. 


DIAMONDIFEROUS     BRECCIAS     IN     BRAZIL 


The  Transactions  of  the  Geological  Society  of 
South  Africa  for  1920  contains  a  paper  by 
David  Draper,  the  doyen  of  diamond  geologists, 
on  the  high-level  diamond-bearing  breccias  at 
Diamantina.  Brazil. 

The  gravel  beds  of  the  Jequitinhonha  river,  which 
takes  its  rise  in  the  Serra  do  Espinhaco,  a  few  miles 
south  of  the  town  of  Diamantina,  were,  for  over  ' 
a  century,  the  chief  source  whence  diamonds  were 
obtained.  During  the  slave-holding  period  many 
thousands  of  labourers  were  employed  in  washing 
the  diamond-yielding  gravels,  thereby  producing 
wealth  to  their  owners,  as  well  as  enriching  the 
impoverished  treasury  of  the  Portuguese  Govern- 
ment. The  discovery  of  diamonds  in  the 
Jequitinhonha  dates  from  the  year  1729,  and  the 
yield  of  wealth  from  this  source  has  not  ceased, 
though  greatly  diminished,  up  to  the  present  day. 
Though  the  recent  river  gravels,  as  well  as  the 
ancient  terraces,  contained  a  rich  crop  of  diamonds, 
no  one  endeavoured  to  trace  the  source  whence 
these  gems  were  derived,  until  an  accidental 
discovery,  made  by  a  slave  woman,  of  diamonds 
in  a  blue  clay  on  the  summit  of  the  watershed 
that  divides  the  Jequitinhonha  and  the  Sao 
Francisco  rivers,  drew  attention  to  the  brecciated 
beds  which  were  situated  on  the  higher  ridges 
flanking  the  Jequitinhonha.  The  first  of  these 
discoveries,  named  the  St.  Joao  do  Chapada,  was 
exceedingly  rich  in  parts,  and  subsequently  many 
similar  areas  were  investigated  with  encouraging 
results  ;  but  owing  to  the  want  of  water  on  these 
high-lying  areas,  they  have  all  been  neglected  for 
many  years  ;  yet  the  future  of  the  diamond  industry 
in  Brazil  is  intimately  connected  with  their 
development. 

The  Serra  do  Espinhaco,  rising  to  a  general 
altitude  of  about  1,400  metres,  with  occasional 
peaks  reaching  to  nearly  2,000  metres,  lies  about 
200  miles  inland,  w-ith  its  greatest  length,  over 
1,000  kilometres,  roughly  parallel  with  the  Atlantic 
Coast,  and  its  greatest  width  about  90  kilometres. 
On  the  west  the  Serra  do  Espinhaco  is  flanked  by 
the  valley  of  the  Sao  Francisco  river. 

The  Serra  is  composed  of  alternating  beds  of 
quartzite  and  shale  of  about  equal  thickness  ; 
owing  to  the  severe  tilting  to  which  the  whole 
series  has  been  subjected,  these  beds  dip  at  a  general 
angle  of  about  45°  to  the  eastward,  and  in  con- 
sequence the  tilted  outcrops  of  the  softer  slate 
beds  have  been  lowered  by  the  forces  of  atmospheric 
erosion,  and  now  form  flat-bottomed  valleys, 
Ijing  between  ridges  of  quartzite  several  hundreds 


of  feet  high.  These  valleys  continue  for  .short 
distances  in  straight  lines,  but  have  been  forced 
out  of  line  by  numerous  cross  faultings  ;  crumpling 
in  a  most  intricate  form  is  occasionally  seen,  both 
in  the  quartzite  and  in  the  slates.  The  quartzite 
is  generally  very  fine  grained,  and  made  up  almost 
entirely  of  small  grains  of  white  quartz  ;  where 
unwcathered  it  is  extremely  hard,  but  decomposes 
into  a  soft  friable  sandstone.  The  slate  beds  are 
generally  yellow  in  colour,  distinctly  laminated 
and  soft.  Those  situated  near  the  town  of 
Diamantina  are  red  in  colour,  and  somewhat 
resemble  the  Hospital  Hill  slates  of  Johannesburg 
in  mineral  composition.  Conglomerate  beds, 
formed  of  rounded  quartz  pebbles  in  a  siliceous 
cement,  are  occasionally  met  with  in  the  quartzite. 
They  closely  resemble  the  conglomerate  of  the 
Witwatersrand  in  appearance,  but  do  not  contain 
gold. 

The  general  aspect  of  the  Serra  do  Espinhaco  is 
that  of  a  rugged  rocky  plateau,  scored  by  narrow 
ravines,  of  great  depth,  with  precipitous  sides.  In- 
numerable ridges  of  low  altitude  run  parallel  with 
the  strike  of  the  formation,  and  these  consist  of 
quartzite,  weathered  into  most  fantastic  outlines 
and  deeply  scored  and  fissured.  A  scant  vegetation 
covers  the  flanks  of  these  ridges,  and  the  valley 
bottoms  ;  but  in  general  only  rock  is  visible  in  the 
higher  elevations  of  the  landscape  ;  where  slate  beds 
predominate,  the  valleys  are  covered  with  coarse 
grass  and  serai-aquatic  vegetation.  Land  suitable 
for  agriculture  occurs  in  small  areas  in  the  valleys, 
but  these  are  few  and  far  between.  In  such  a  rugged 
and  desolate  country  means  of  communication  are 
bad  ;  beyond  the  railway  station  at  Diamantina 
the  traveller  has  only  mule  transport  to  depend  on 
for  the  conveyance  of  his  baggage  and  himself. 

When  the  earlier  diamond  seekers  discovered  that 
the  small  tributaries  of  the  Jequitinhonha  yielded 
diamonds,  they  continued  their  operations  until 
they  extended  beyond  the  level  of  the  water  supply. 
The  crude  methods  then,  and  still  in  use,  prevented 
any  higher  workings  ;  hence  the  summits  of  the 
diamond-bearing  mounds  remained  intact,  except 
in  the  most  favourable  localities.  By  this  method 
many  high-level  diamond-bearing  areas  were 
discovered.  The  best  known  of  these  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Diamantina  are  St.  Joao  do 
Chapada,  Sopa,  Boa  Vista,  Serrinha,  Datas,  and  a 
few  other  of  minor  importance. 

St.  Joao  do  Chapada  has  been  inspected  by  most 
of  the  leading  geologists  who  have  visited  or  been 
residents   of   Brazil.      Dr.    Orville   A.    Derby,   late 


JUNE,     1921 


373 


State  Geologist  to  the  Federal  Government  of 
Brazil,  in  a  pamphlet  published  in  1898,  deals  fully 
with  the  aspect  of  the  great  cutting  (500  metres  in 
length  by  40  in  depth)  and  the  occurrence  of  the 
diamonds  in  three  distinct  veins,  one  of  which  was 
of  pegmatitic  origin,  and  the  occurrence  of  kaolin. 
Unfortunately  Dr.  Derby  did  not  analyse  this 
mineral.  Hausser  and  Claralz  declared  the  mineral 
to  be  hornblende,  but  Rose  failed  to  find  this  mineral 
in  the  sample  examined  by  him.  Later  on  Harder 
and  Chamberlin,  in  1914,  described  the  cutting, 
but  they  also  refer  to  the  mineral,  both  at  St.  Joao 
do  Chapada,  as  kaolin.  Unfortunately  they  were 
not  able  to  inspect  the  mine  as  the  cutting  had 
fallen  in,  and  had  been  abandoned  for  the  past 
12  years.  Von  Eschwege,  Von  Helmreichen, 
Gorciex,  and  many  other  noted  geologists,  inspected 
the  high  -  level  diamond  -  bearing  breccias  of 
Diamantina,»but  none  of  them  recorded  the  chief 
characteristics  which  point  so  conspicuously  to  their 
being  a  unique  formation,  agreeing  in  many 
respects  with  the  kimberlite  pipes  of  South  Africa, 
yet  possessing  problems  which  are  quite  out  of  the 
common,  and  which,  until  these  mines  are  further 
developed,  will  remain  in  doubt. 

Boa  Vista  is  the  most  extensive   of   these  high- 
level    breccias,    and    as   the   writer   has   now   been- 
resident  on  the  property  for  over  a  year,  and  has 
neglected     no     opportunity     to     disentangle     the 
geological    puzzle    which    it    presents,    it    will    be 
described  in  fuller  details.     The    Boa  Vista    mine 
is    situated    about    12    miles   east    of    Diamantina. 
Encircled    by    the    quartzite    ranges    of    the    Serra 
do   Espinhaco  and   bounded   on  the  north   by.  the 
Rio  Bon   Successo,   and  on  the  south  by  the  Rio 
Fundao,    lies   a    mound    about    250    ft.    above   the 
fianking  valleys,  and  covered  with  a  scrubby  brush 
vegetation.        Though     the     surrounding     country 
consists  of  naked  quartzite  rocks,  forming  ranges 
over  1,000  ft.  in  height,  there  is  no  vestige  of  any 
mineral    matter,    other    than    broken    quartz,    and 
nodules  of  limonite  in  the  red,  grey,  or  yellow  soil 
lying  on  the  surface  of  the  mound,  which  is  over 
three  miles  in  length  and  one  mile  in  width.     Many 
small  streams  flow  from  the  flanks  of  this  mound, 
and   in   these   diamonds   have   been   found   for  the 
past  half-century.      On   the   northern  slope  of  the 
mound  there  are  very  extensive  workings,  occupying 
over  one  mile  m  length,  and  about  100  yards  in 
width,  and  in  the  deepest  part  over  70  ft.  in  depth. 
In   these  workings  very  interesting  sections  of  the 
deposit  are  obtainable,  and  they  give  the  following 
succession    of   beds  :     (1)    Surface    soil    varying   in 
depth  from  a  couple  of  feet  to  over  25  ft.  ;     (2) 
brecciated  sandstone  cemented  together  by  a  soft 
cement  ;    (3)  highly  decomposed  Espinhaco  quartz 
much    disturbed,    but    generally    dipping    at    low 
angles  in  various  directions.     On  the  northern  slope 
several  dykes  intersect  both  the  underlying  quartzite 
and   the   brecciated   bed,   and   where   these   occur 
the  floor  has  been  faulted,  in  places  for  over  two 
feet.     The  mineral  contained  in  these  dykes  is  so 
highly  decomposed  that  it  is  impossible  to  determine 
its    original    composition  ;     as    seen    at    present    it 
resembled   a   soft   soapstone,   foliated,   and   scaly, 
unctuous  to  the  touch,  colour  grey,  greenish,  or 
yellowish.     The  disturbance  of  both  the  floor  and 
the  brecciated  beds  indicates  that  these  veins  are 
of  later  origin  than  the  brecciated  bed  above  referred 
to.    The  brecciated  bed,  being  the  diamond-bearer, 
is  of  the  greatest  economic  importance. 

A  view  of  any  of  the  worked  faces  of  the  great 


excavation  presents  the  following  aspect  :  angular 
and  sub-angular,  rarely  round  boulders  of  soft 
sandstone,  differing  in  bulk  from  pieces  about 
six  inches  in  diameter  to  masses  over  18  inches  in 
diameter,  scattered  without  regard  to  size,  through- 
out the  mass,  but  occasionally  in  layers  separated 
from  each  other  by  beds  of  finely  granular  talc. 
When  the  boulders  have  unequal  diameters  their 
longest  section  is  generally  vertical  or  steeply 
inclined.  The  boulders  of  sandstone  are  of  many 
different  colours,  some  black  and  sparkling  with 
small  bright  crystals  of  magnetite  ;  others  chocolate 
coloured,  red,  yellow,  or  grey,  but  the  light  colours 
predominating.  None  is  hard,  but  all  can  be  crumbled 
to  pieces  by  the  pressure  of  the  lingers.  Rarely 
do  the  boulders  touch  each  other  in  the  mass  ;  they 
are  almost  invariably  separated  by  a  grey  or  greenish 
grey  cementing  mineral,  soft  and  unctuous, 
differing  completely  in  mineral  composition  from 
the  boulders.  In  the  cement  there  are  a  few  egg- 
shaped  pebbles  of  white  or  grey  quartz,  very  much 
fractured  and  generally  falling  to  pieces  on  exposure. 


Map  of  the  Diamantina  District. 


The  cement  also  contains  magnetite,  martite, 
ilmenite,  perofskite,  small  books,  with  rounded 
edges,  of  phlogopite,  a  few  crystals  of  black 
tourmaline,  very  few  garnets,  and  diamonds. 
From  surface  to  floor  the  whole  mass  is  quite  soft, 
though  immediately  on  the  sandstone  bed  it  is 
generally  somewhat  harder  than  higher  up.  In 
these  places  an  olive  green  mineral  is  distinctly 
in  evidence,  giving  a  characteristic  colour  to  the 
mineral  filling  the  interstices  between  the  boulders. 
The  cement  also  is  harder  than  the  boulders.  Thin 
quartz  veins  are  also  in  evidence  passing  from  the 
sandstone  floor  for  a  few  feet  upward  into  the  mass. 
Like  the  dykes,  these  are  also  of  later  origin  than 
the  brecciated  beds. 

A  description  of  Boa  Vista  is,  generally  speaking, 
applicable  to  all  of  the  high  -  level  diamond- 
bearing  deposit  of  Diamantina.  The  soft,  soapy, 
talcose  mineral  is  characteristic  of  them  all,  but 
Boa  Vista  is,  owing  to  its  vast  size  and  the  great 
area  of  old  workings,  the  only  one  that  can  be 
e.xamined  to  any  extent.  Workings  on  all  the  slopes 
of  the  mound,  as  well  as  hundreds  of  prospecting 


:{7i 


I II 


MININi.     MACAZINI'; 


pits,  give  evidence  of  the  coiitiimation  of  tlic  breccia 
with  its  talcose  cement,  and  the  yield  of  diamonds 
has  proved  it  to  he  an  area  of  great  economic  vaUie. 
To  this  may  he  ailded  that  in  the  neijjhbourinf; 
rivers  many  falls  exist  where  an  ample  supply  of 
power  can  be  generated  :  that  there  is  no  lack  of 
water  near  the  mine  for  hydraulicking  purposes  ; 
and  finally  that  the  entire  mass  of  mineral  is  soft. 
yielding  less  than  1  per  cent  of  hard  nodules.  Under 
these  conditions  working  expenses  are  very  low, 
and  as  the  diamonds  are  of  the  finest  quality,  and 
inferior  stones  very  rare,  this  great  mine,  when 
handled  by  men  of  experience,  will  take  its  place 
as  one  of  the  great  diamond-producers  of  the 
world. 

Previous  writers  have  all  held  that  these  beds  are 
of  flnviatilc  origin,  and  they  have  been  called 
conglomerates.  Only  Gorciex  suggested  that 
there  is  no  reason  why  the  diamond  may  not  have 
been  formed  iii  veins  in  the  same  manner  as  topaz 
and  other  minerals.  This  was  with  reference  to 
the  St.  Joao  do  Chapada  mine.  Harder  and 
Chanibcrlin  distinctly  state  that  these  occurrences 
have  been  formed  by  a  flowing  river,  and  suggest 
that  by  mapping  the  actual  course  of  this  ancient 
river  could  be  defined.  The  late  Dr.  Orville  .\. 
Derby  informed  the  writer  that  he  was  of  opinion 
that  they  were  the  remains  of  a  great  trans- 
gressional  bed  of  conglomerate  that  covered  large 
portions  of  middle  Brazil,  though  he  admitted  that 
the  Sao  Francisco  valley  was  a  decided  obstacle 
to  this  theory.  No  observer,  who  is  acquainted 
with  the  nature  of  conglomerates,  when  examining 
the  faces  of  Boa  Vista  mine,  would  for  a  minute 
consider  them  to  be  conglomerates,  formed  by 
fluviatile  or  glacial  means.  In  true  conglomerates 
the  boulders  would  have  been  more  rounded  or 
egg-shaped.  They  would  have  been  superimposed 
on  each  other,  or  at  any  rate  more  closely  crowded 
together  than  they  are  in  this  bed.  Then,  again, 
the  fact  that  the  cementing  mineral  is  of  a  totally 
different  composition  from  that  of  the  boulders 
is  of  very  great  importance,  as  well  as  the  origin 
of  the  boulders  from  the  beds  surrounding  the 
mine.  Though  quartzite  of  a  very  durable  nature 
exists  on  the  hills  surrounding  the  mine,  the 
boulders  of  similar  rock  have  been  reduced,  most 
hkely  by  chemical  action,  to  incoherent  sandstones. 
The  fact  that  the  boulders  are  composed  of  only 
one  class  of  rock  must  also  be  taken  into  con- 
sideration as  opposed  to  the  fluviatile  origin  of  the 
Boa  Vista  and  other  high-level  diamond-bearing 
deposits.  But  last,  and  by  no  means  least,  there 
remains  the  indisputable  fact  that  the  diamonds 
from  each  individual  high-level  deposit  possess 
characteristics  so  distinct  from  each  other  that  there 
is  no  difficulty  in  determining  their  origin.  Those 
who  favour  the  fluviatile  origin  of  high-level  breccias 
will  have  to  explain  away  the  foregoing  difficulties. 
.\  river  that  could  not  only  sort  out  the  class  of 
boulders,  provide  them  with  a  cementing  matter 
quite  distinct,  and  at  the  same  time  provide  each 
area  with  diamonds  of  a  different  character,  would 
indeed  be  a  great  curiosity.  Though  it  is  not 
difficult  to  bring  evidence  to  controvert  the  fluviatile 
theory,  it  is  quite  a  different  matter  to  provide  one 
that  does  justice  to  these  unique  occurrences. 

The  kimbcrlite  pipes  of  South  .\frica  can  be  so 
distinctly  proved  to  be  of  volcanic  origin  that 
no  one  dispute  5  the  point  at  the  present  time. 
Kimberlite  is  largely  made  up  of  olivine.  Though 
fresh   specimens   are    unobtainable   at   any   of   the 


Diamanlina  occurrences,  an  analysis  of  the  freshest 
mineral  gave  a  high  percentage  of  magnesia  ;  some 
crystals  extracted  from  a  groundmass  of  the 
cement  showed  all  the  characteristics  of  olivine  ; 
on  the  other  hand,  there  are  no  signs  of  felspar 
or  its  decomposition  product,  kaolin.  Talc,  how- 
ever, is  abundant  in  the  ilecomposed  cement.  The 
present  diamond- bearing  rivers  of  this  part  of  Minas 
all  rise  in  the  great  quart/.ite  range  known  as  the 
Serra  do  Kspinhaco.  The  Jequitinhonha  and  the 
Arrasonahy,  both  rivers  of  about  equal  size,  join 
about  100  kilometres  north  of  Diamantina,  yet, 
though  the  former  was  probably  the  richest 
diamond-bearing  river  ever  discovered,  the  latter 
is  not  known  to  contain  diamonds.  St.  Joao  do 
Cha])ada  Mine  is  over  130  ft.  deep,  and  the 
diamond-bearing  mineral  continues  still  deeper. 
In  places  Boa  Vista  has  been  worked  to  a  depth  of 
over  70  ft.,  yet  there  is  absolutely  no  alteration  in 
the  nature  or  construction  of  the  breccia.  There  is 
nothing  to  indicate  that  there  are  any  talc  beds  in 
the  country  that  could  have  produced  the  cementing 
matter  ;  all  the  kiiown  igneous  dykes  which  are 
now  reduced  to  a  talcose  mineral,  are  of  later  origin 
than  the  breccia,  and  consequently  they  could  not 
have  produced  the  cement.  It  is  therefore  essential 
that  some  other  source  of  origin  should  be 
considered,  and  after  a  lengthy  study  of  the  subject 
the  writer  has  come  to  the  conclusion  that  certain 
areas  in  the  Serra  do  Espinhaco,  notably  those  in 
the  vicinity  of  Diamantina,  were  subjected  to 
severe  dynamic  forces,  which  resulted  in  ,  the 
opening  of  fissures,  these  forming  channels  whereby 
the  diamond-bearing  mineral,  probably  kimberlite 
or  some  allied  rock,  in  a  highly  decomposed  con- 
dition, could  reach  the  surface  and  where  a  weakness 
in  the  superincumbent  strata  existed,  large  masses 
were  formed  in  the  adjacent  rock.  These,  breaking 
naturally  into  rectangular  fragments,  became 
entangled  in  the  plastic  mass,  and  owing  to  the 
higher  specific  gravity  of  the  cement  the  masses 
of  lighter  sandstone  remained  in  suspension,  and 
were  prevented  from  touching  each  other,  or  in 
many  cases  from  reaching  the  bottom.  A  complete 
intersection  of  one  of  those  occurrences  will  in  all 
probability  uncover  the  fissure  from  where  the 
diamond-bearing  mineral  has  reached  its  present 
position. 

With  the  e.xception  of  St.  Joao  do  Chapada, 
to  which  no  bottom  has  been  discovered  at  a  depth 
of  130  ft.,  all  the  other  occurrences  are  only  being 
operated  on  along  the  flanks,  where  a  disturbed 
floor  occurs.  On  the  south-western  slope  of  Boa 
Vista,  the  Espinhaco  quartzite  forms  a  distinct 
wall  over  60  ft.  high,  bounding  the  brecciated  bed, 
and  on  the  northern  side  a  vertical  wall  of  talcose 
rock  can  be  seen  to  a  depth  of  over  70  ft.  ;  borings 
have  shown  the  depth  of  the  deposit  at  this  spot 
to  be  over  100  ft.,  where  no  bottom  rock  was 
encountered. 

Though  the  high  level  diamond-bearing  breccias 
of  Diamantina  cannot  actually  be  called  "  pipes  ", 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they  are  of  local  origin,  each 
one  representing  a  distinct  occurrence  of  diamond- 
bearing  rock,  consisting  of  a  talcose  mineral  forming 
the  cementing  matter,  in  which  the  brecciated 
masses  of  quartzite  became  entangled,  while  the 
mass  was  in  a  plastic  condition,  and  finally  as  there 
is  no  evidence  regarding  the  cement  having  been 
deposited  by  the  action  of  surface  waters,  it  must 
be  assumed  for  the  present  that  it  emanated  from 
deep-seated  regions  and  was  brought  to  the  surface 


JUNE,     1921 


375 


through  channels,  cither  fissures  or  circular  vents. 
The  Agua  Suja  diamond  mine,  situated  about 
300  miles  westward  of  Diamantina.  in  many  respects 
resembles  the  brecciated  deposits  of  Diamantina. 
When  this  mine  was  inspected  by  the  writer  about 
ten  years  ago  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
diamond-bearing  bed  was  of  local  origin,  that  is 
to  say,  that  it  was  formed  by  the  breaking  up  of  a 
mass  of  igneous  rocks  which  existed  in  its  immediate 
vicinity,  and  as  the  large  boulders  were  of  local 
origin,  the  smaller  minerals,  including  the  diamond, 
could  not  have  been  brought  from  distant  sources, 


but  were  also  of  local  origin.  Since  that  visit  the 
writer  has  explored  the  head  waters  of  the  Rio 
Sao  Francisco  and  the  Paranahyba,  where  he 
discovered  a  small  kimberlite  pipe  near  the  town  of 
Patos,  and  last  year  specimens  of  kimberlite  were 
brought  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Coromandcl. 
These  discoveries  point  to  the  fact  that  true 
kimberlite  exists  in  Brazil,  and  confirm  the  author's 
contention  that  the  Brazilian  diamond-bearing 
rivers  have  derived  their  diamond  contents  from  the 
disintegration  of  volcanic  vents  similar  in  many 
respects  to  the  South  African  occurrences. 


THE    BRITISH    AMERICAN     NICKEL    CORPORATION 


In  the  Canadian  Mining  Journal  for  March  18, 
W.  A.  Carlyle,  the  managing  director,  gives  an 
account  of  the  operations  of  the  British  American 
Kickel  Corporation.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
this  company  has  developed  the  Murray  mine  near 
Sudbury,  Ontario,  and  has  erected  a  smelter 
near  by,  together  with  a  refinery  near  Ottawa, 
where  the  Swedish  Hybinette  process  is  employed. 
The  Corporation  was  financed  by  the  British 
Government  as  a  war  measure.  Owing  to  the 
present  fall  in  the  prices  and  demand  for  metals, 
the  mine  and  works  were  closed  shortly  after  the 
beginning  of  this  year.  We  give  herewith 
Mr.   Carlyle's  description. 

The  mining  lands  owned  by  the  company  com- 
prise 17,590  acres  in  the  nickel  district  at  Sudbury, 
of  which  12,590  acres  are  located  in  the  mineral- 
bearing  zone.  Most  of  the  diamond-drilling  cam- 
paign was  confined  to  the  Murray  mine,  where  a 
very  large  body  of  ore  w-as  thus  disclosed,  to  which 
all  recent  mining  operations  are  confined.  This 
ore-body,  as  determined  by  vertical  drill-holes, 
200  ft.  apart,  outcrops  at  the  surface,  and  with  a 
very  uniform  dip  of  3S°  from  the  horizontal  has 
been  shown  to  extend  3,600  ft.  downward  on  the 
(lip  with  a  thickness  varying  from  40  to  140  ft.  of 
smelting  ore.  Within  the  area  drilled  lie  16,000.000 
tons  of  ore,  averaging  3°'a  of  nickel  and  copper, 
sufficient  to  keep  the  present  plants  running  for 
30  years,  and  the  ore-body  undoubtedly  extends 
much  farther  beyond  the  holes,  the  deeper  of  which 
discloses  a  great  tonnage  of  higher-grade  ore, 
containing  4°o  nickel  and  copper.  The  ore  typical 
of  the  district  occurs  in  the  norite  rocks  with  a 
foot-Avall  of  greenstone,  and  in  places,  granite  ; 
and  consists  of  pyrrhotite  with  some  chalcopyrite. 
It  also  contains  a  small  but  valuable  amount  of  the 
rare  metals  of  the  platinum  group,  all  of  which  will 
be  recovered  and  separated  in  the  refining  process. 

At  the  Murray  mine  a  three-compartment 
inclined  shaft  in  the  foot-wall  is  now  down  about 
1,200  ft.  with  eight  levels  opened  up,  each  half 
in  the  foot-wall  and  half  in  the  ore.  A  unique 
method  of  mining  the  ore  has  been  chosen  that  will 
permit  the  cheap  extraction  of  at  least  90 "j,  of 
the  whole  ore  mass.  On  each  of  the  five  levels 
is  a  5  ton  Canadian  Westinghouse  locomotive, 
with  Edison  storage-batteries,  running  on  24  in. 
tracks  laid  with  36  lb.  rails,  and  hauling  four 
4  ton  ore-cars  of  the  Granby  type.  On  each  level 
is  a  motor-generator  set  for  charging  the  batteries 
on  the  third  shift.  All  of  this  plant  is  giving  great 
satisfaction.  The  drilling  is  done  with  Waugh 
No.  21  turbo-hammer  drills  using  90  to  100  lb. 
air  and  hollow  steel  for  water  feed.  There  is  a  large 
ore-pocket,  with  finger-gates  below  every  second 
level,    which    loads    the   8    ton    skips  in  two    com- 


partments of  the  shaft.  On  the  surface  all  the 
buildings  are  substantial  and  well  built.  As 
enough  electric  power  for  the  time  being  could  not 
be  obtained,  it  was  decided  to  instal  steam  plants 
at  the  mine  and  smelter,  but  so  arranged  that  every 
machine  could  later  on  be  electrically  driven.  In 
the  mine  power  house  are  three  1,000  h.p.  Babcock 
&  Wilcox  boilers,  160  lb.  pressure,  equipped  with 
Weir  feed-pumps  and  large  steel  coal-hoppers  with 
endless  pan-conveyors,  feeding  the  chain  grates 
with  slack  coal.  There  is  a  powerful  Allis-Chalmers 
steam-hoist  of  the  latest  design,  hoisting  at  the  rate 
of  1,500  ft.  per  minute,  and  two  Belliss-Morcom 
air-compressors,  each  yielding,  at  250  r.  p.  m., 
2,500  cu.  ft.  of  free  air  per  minute  at  105  lb.  There 
are  also  two  other  small  compressors,  one  steam, 
the  other  electrically  driven,  and  6,500  to  7,000  cu.  ft. 
air  is  altogether  available.  In  the  shaft-house  the 
ore  from  the  skips,  after  passing  over  grizzlies, 
goes  through  a  46  by  48  in.  Buchanan-Blake-type 
rock-crusher  into  a  flat-bottomed  bin,  which  feeds 
the  36  in.  belt,  300  ft.  long,  to  the  top  of  the  rock- 
house,  where  the  rock,  after  passing  over  a  2  in. 
screen,  is  distributed  by  a  belt  along  a  storage 
bin,  which  in  turn  supplies  the  seven  picking-belts. 
The  mine  can  easily  supply  1,200  to  1,400  tons  of 
mi.xed  ore  per  day.  and  2,400  tons  have  been  hoisted 
in  two  shifts.  From  20  to  25  "Jo  of  the  material 
hoisted  is  picked  out  and  sent  to  the  waste  dump. 
The  smelting  ore,  coarse  and  fine,  is  taken  in  35  ton 
ore  cars  1^  miles  to  the  smelter  ore-bins. 

At  the  smelter  the  power-house  boiler-room 
contains  six  1,000  h.p.  Babcock  &  Wilcox  boilers, 
working  at  180  lb.  pressure,  supplied  with  super- 
heaters" and  chain  grates,  also  fed  from  steel  bins 
filled  by  the  endless  bucket-conveyor.  Weir 
pumps  supply  the  boiler  feed  from  a  Cochrane 
preheater.  In  the  blower-room  are  four  turbo- 
blowers, 3,600  r.  p.  m.,  each  direct  connected  to 
a  steam  turbine,  blowers  and  turbines  being  the 
Rateau-Battu-Smoot  design.  Two  of  the  blowers 
each  deliver  30,000  cu.  ft.  free  air  each  at  36  oz. 
for  the  blast-furnaces  and  two  36,000  cu.  ft.  each 
at  12  1b.  pressure  to  the  converters,  the  steam 
turbine  for  each  of  these  being  2,200  h.p.  Each 
turbine  has  its  surface  condenser  complete  in  every 
detail  with  centrifugal  pumps  for  returning  the  hot 
condensing-water  to  a  cooling  pond.  One  unit 
comprises  a  1,100  h.p.  turbine,  driving  one  of  the 
blast-furnace  blowers,  and  a  550  k.w.  generator, 
used  when  the  Wahnapitae  power  fails,  which  can 
be  used  as  a  motor  to  direct-drive  one  or  both 
blast-furnace  blowers.  On  account  of  the  highly 
superheated  steam,  590  to  610°,  it  was  found 
necessary  to  fit  the  steam  governors  of  all  the 
turbines  with  monel-metal  parts,  which  has  proved 
very  satisfactory. 


37f) 


Till.     .MlXlNi;     MAC.A/IXE 


111  the  smcltor  building  arc  two  blast-furnaces, 
50  by  '^60  in.  at  the  tuyeres,  anil  a.  third  is  on  the 
sround.  On  a  strongly  constructed  crucible, 
24  in.  high,  stands  the  single  row  of  steel  water- 
jackets,  14  ft.  long,  30  in.  wide,  inner  plate  Jin., 
outer  H  in.,  with  a  water  space  of  5  in.  There  are 
two  41  in.  tuyeres  in  each  jacket,  or  24  on  each 
side  of  the  furn,ice.  The  furnace  is  tapped  at  either 
end.  using  a  water-cooled  cast-iron  spout  for 
discharging  into  a  settler  20  ft.  by  30  ft.  by  5  ft., 
lineil  with  chrome  and  magnesite  bricks,  there  being 
three  settlers  in  all.  The  four  matte  tap-holes  at 
first  gave  much  trouble,  but  a  syphon  tap,  invented 
by  J.  H.  Gillis.  solved  this  difficulty.  On  the 
charging  floor  standard  gauge  tracks  on  each  side 
of  tlie  furnaces  lead  to  the  supply-bins,  and  a 
specially  designed  type  of  charge-car  drawn  by 
electric  trolley  locomotives  gives  great  satisfaction. 
Kach  car  is  divided  into  four  4  ton  compartments, 
discharging  one  side  into  the  four  feed  openings  of 
the  furnace,  while  in  the  centre  of  the  other  side  is 
a  multibeam  weighing  device,  with  which  the  proper 
weights  of  coke,  ore,  and  flux  can  be  weighed  into 
each  section  through  the  valve-gates  in  the  bottom 
of  the  supply-bins.  In  the  converter  aisle  are  two 
60  ft.  span,  40  ton  electric  travelling  cranes  serving 
the  three  Peirce-Smith  basic-lines  converters 
13  by  30  ft.,  each  with  forty-four  I|in.  tuyeres 
and  electrically  rotated.  Steel  ladles  holding 
20  tons  of  matte,  or  12  tons  of  converter  slag,  are 
used.  The  holes  soon  made  in  these  by  the  corrosive 
matte  are  now  very  successfully  repaired  by  fitting 
in  pieces  of  steel  plate  by  thermit  welding. 

The  smelting  practice  has  many  features  different 
from  that  followed  by  the  other  smelters  in  the 
Sudbury  district.  The  ore  averaging  SiO.,  24 °o, 
Fe  35%,  CaO  3-7%,  MgO  4-3%,  Al.,Os  6%,  S  19°a, 
is  smelted  without  any  preliminary  roasting,  and 
the  only  flux  used  is  converter  slag  containing 
SiO-i  ISOq.  Fe  52%,  CaO  3-50o.  Al-Ai  3-5%,  the 
charge  consisting  of  70  to  75%  ore,  the  balance 
fiux,  with  10-5%  coke  on  the  charge.  The  resulting 
slags  contain  SiC,  35-5°o-  Fe  SOOq,  CaO  5-5°o, 
A1.,0,  13°o,  and  0-24  to  0-34  "o  nickel  plus  copper 
plus  cobalt.  The  low-grade  matte  from  this  furnace, 
containing  11  to  13%  nickel  and  copper  is  poured 
into  the  converters,  and  blown  up  to  the  usual 
matte  containing  80  to  82%  copper  and  nickel 
and  a  trace  of  iron,  which  is  transferred  to  an  oil- 
fired  furnace,  and  in  running  from  thence  through 
a  strong  stream  of  water  is  very  successfully 
granulated,  then  wheeled  into  box  cars  and  shipped 
to  the  refinery.  In  the  converter  method  the  flux 
mainly  used  is  ore  fines  with  some  silicious  gravel 


or  sand.  One  aim  is  to  keep  llie  silica  in  the  con- 
verter slag  as  low  as  possible,  it  often  averaging 
for  days  under  13"^,  which  eventually  will  become 
the  regular  practice.  This  slag  is  poured  in  part 
into  large  20  ton  cars,  poured  outside  the  building 
on  to  shallow  bods  lined  with  ore  fines,  broken  up 
and  lifted  by  locomotive  cranes,  using  clam-shell 
buckets,  and  sent  to  the  smelter  bins.  Part  of  the 
slag  is  poured  into  the  settlers.  The  capacity 
of  the  blast-furnaces  is  proving  much  greater  than 
anticipated,  as  for  the  past  three  months  one  furnace 
has  averaged  over  800  tons  of  ore  per  day,  and 
1,015  tons  of  ore  have  been  smelted  in  one  day, 
counting  in  the  ore  used  as  flux  in  the  converters. 
In  the  future  greater  results  will  be  achieved, 
especially  if  the  ore  fines  under  1  k  in.  now  going 
to  the  furnaces  are  sintered,  a  problem  now  being 
studied.  The  amount  of  flue-dust  is  small,  being 
caught  in  the  dust  flues  and  chamljcrs.  The  smelter 
stack  is  300  ft.  high  and  25  ft.  inside  diameter. 

The  refinery  is  situated  at  Ucschene,  Quebec,  near 
Ottawa,  where  cheap  electric  power  was  available, 
and  other  advantageous  factors  existed,  such  as  an 
excellent  site,  water,  and  sullicent  labour.  This 
plant  has  a  capacity  of  15,000,000  II5.  of  nickel 
per  annum,  and  at  a  comparatively  small  expense 
can  be  increased  to  from  20  to  24  million  pounds. 
This  metal  is  deposited  electrolytically  by  the 
Hybinettc  process,  and  a  very  high-grade  product 
is  being  produced,  containing  practically  no 
impurities  but  a  little  iron  and  copper  and  some  ,■ 
liydrogen.  The  matte  from  the  smelter  passes  * 
through  two  Wedge  roasters,  each  with  eight 
hearths,  and  thence  to  the  leaching  department, 
where  the  copper  in  part  is  dissolved  with  H.jSOj 
and  plated  out  in  the  electrolytic  tanks,  the  cathodes 
being  melted  down  and  cast  into  81  lb.  ingots  ; 
about  55  tons  of  copper  is  produced  per  100  tons 
of  nickel.  The  leached  matte  with  flu.xes  is  then 
smelted  in  especially  designed  electric  furnaces 
using  24  in.  circular  carbon  electrodes,  and  nickel- 
copper  anodes,  weighing  200  lb.,  are  cast  in  steel 
moulds.  These  furnaces,  which  are  proving  a 
signal  success,  were  designed  by  Ivar  Hole,  a 
Norwegian  metallurgical  engineer.  These  anodes 
then  go  to  the  nickel-depositing  building,  which 
covers  three  acres,  and  not  only  is  the  nickel  plated 
out,  but  a  large  amount  of  nickel-sulphate  and  also 
nickel-ammonium  salt  is  produced  for  sale  to  the 
nickel-plating  industries.  The  slimes  remaining 
after  the  nickel  anodes  are  dissolved  are  collected 
and  concentrated,  and  will  be  refined  in  the  precious- 
metals  department  to  yield  platinum,  palladium, 
iridium,  rhodium,  and  some  gold  and  silver. 


HERB    LAKE    GOLD     DEPOSIT,    MANITOBA 


The  March  Bulletin  of  the  Canadian  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a  paper  by  F.  J. 
Alcock,  a  member  of  the  Ontario  Geological  Survey, 
on  the  geology  and  ore  deposits  at  Herb  Lake,  at 
the  eastern  end  of  The  Pas  mineral  belt,  Manitoba. 
Herb  Lake  is  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  belt  to 
Fhn-Flon  Lake,  particulars  of  the  geology  of  which 
were  given  in  the  April  issue.  The  first  real  interest 
in  the  Herb  Lake  region  was  aroused  in  the  summer 
of  1914,  when  gold-bearing  quartz  was  found  on  the 
east  shore  of  Herb  Lake,  on  what  is  now  known  as 
the  I-Ciski  claim.  Other  finds  were  soon  made  close 
to  the  original  discover^',  and  active  prospecting  has 
continued  from  that  time  to  the  present.  A  con- 
siderable amount  of  development  work  has  been 


carried  out  on  a  number  of  claims,  and  on  one 
property,  the  Rex,  a  mill  has  been  erected  and 
active  mining  operations  carried  on. 

The  rocks  of  the  Herb  Lake  district  belong  to  two 
geological  eras.  The  greater  part  of  the  region  is 
underlain  by  rocks  of  pre-Cambrian  age,  but  a  belt 
of  PaleBozoic  rocks  e.xtends  across  the  southern 
margin  of  the  region.  Since,  however,  the  ores  were 
deposited  before  the  deposition  of  the  Palaeozoic 
rocks,  the  latter  are  of  no  consequence  in  this 
connexion.  The  pre-Cambrian  rocks  in  turn  fall 
into  two  main  divisions  :  first,  granite  and  its 
differentiates  ;  and  secondly,  an  older  complex 
consisting  of  sediments  and  igneous  rocks  highly 
folded,   and   intruded   and   metamorphosed  by  the 


JUNE,     1921 


377 


granite  stocks  and  batholiths.  The  igneous  members 
of  the  pre-granite  complex  are,  to  a  large  extent, 
of  volcanic  origin  and  consist  of  flows,  tuffs,  and 
breccias  ;  intrusive  rocks,  however,  of  the  com- 
position of  diorites,  and  dykes  of  lamprophyre  and 
porphyry  are  also  found.  In  composition  there  is 
a  wide  range  from  light-coloured,  acid  rhyolites  to 
dark-coloured  greenstone  rocks  of  the  composition 
of  basalts.  In  places,  some  of  the  acid  types  appear 
to  intrude  the  more  basic  rocks,  but  they  are  all 
probably  related  to  the  same  period  of  igneous 
activity.  Many  of  the  rocks  have  been  altered  into 
schists  through  regional  and  contact  metamorphism. 
From  basic  types,  chlorite  schist  is  a  common 
product,  and  from  the  acid  types,  sericite  schist. 
Along  the  borders  of  the  granite  intrusions  the 
common  alteration  product  of  the  greenstone  rocks 
is  hornblende  schist. 

The  sedimentary  rocks  of  the  pre-granite  complex 
consist  of  quartzite  and  paragneiss  with  con- 
glomeratic bands,  garnet-gneisses  and  staurolitfe- 
bearing  and  cyanite-bearing  schists.  These  rocks 
are  interbanded  with  at  least  part  of  the  volcanic 
rocks,  and  the  whole  is  considered  to  be  a  thick 
series  of  interbedded  flows  and  clastic  sediments 
folded  and  metamorphosed  by  granite  intrusions. 
A  great  erosional  unconformity  separates  all  these 
rocks  from  the  flat-lying  Ordovician  dolomite  along 
the  southern  shore  of  Herb  Lake.  A  mantle  of  clay, 
laid  down  in  post-glacial  Lake  Agassiz,  covers  much 
of  the  area  and  renders  prospecting  locally  difficult. 
The  areas  of  muskeg  are  equally  disadvantageous  in 
this  regard. 

The  gold  deposits  are  in  the  form  of  veins  which 
are  found  traversing  all  the  pre-Cambrian  rocks  of 
the  area.  They  are  considered  to  be  genetically 
related  to  the  granite  intrusions.  The  evidence 
leading  to  this  conclusion  may  be  briefly  cited. 
The  granite  with  its  ditferentiatesforms  the  youngest 
intrusive  of  the  region  ;  since  quartz  veins  are 
found  traversing  even  the  granite,  they  have  either 
been  derived  from  it  or  from  some  other  intrusive 
that  is  not  exposed  at  the  surface.  Again,  many  of 
the  quartz  veins  contain  felspar,  and  a  number  of 
gradational  types  between  true  quartz  veins  and 
pegmatite  dykes  were  found  ;  since  the  pegmatites 
were  clearly  derived  from  granite  intrusions,  it  is 
necessary  to  postulate  a  similar  origin  for  the  quartz 
veins.  The  mineralogy  of  the  veins  is  also 
significant.  Tourmaline,  which  is  a  common 
pneumatolytic  mineral  associated  with  granites  and 
pegmatites,  is  present  in  nearly  all  the  veins. 
Arsenopyrite  is  also  very  common  in  the  quartz  and 
is  locally  found  disseminated  in  the  granite  as  an 
original  constituent.  The  geographic  distribution 
of  the  main  veins  at  Herb  Lake  is  likewise  suggestive. 
The  main  veins  lie  near  the  border  of  a  granite 
stock  which  is  situated  between  the  Grass  River 
and  Little  Herb  Bay.  This  stock  has  produced 
extensive  contact  metamorphism  with  the  develop- 
ment of  garnetiferous  and  staurolite-bearing  schist 
in  the  zone  surrounding  it,  and  has  almost  certainly 
been  responsible  for  the  formation  of  the  veins. 
This  suggests  that  the  most  favourable  places  for 
prospecting  should  be  along  the  borders  of  similar 
stocks. 

Most  of  the  deposits  are  fissure  veins  with  sharply 
defined  walls.  Along  some  of  the  veins,  however, 
the  country  rock  has  been  extensively  altered, 
giving  rise  to  a  border  zone  of  sulphides  and 
carbonate  rock,  a  zone  that  in  places  carries  gold. 
The  deposits  are  for  the  most  part  lenticular,  with 


pinches  and  swells.  Many  of  them  follow  the  rock 
structure,  either  bedding  or  schistosity,  and  as  a 
rule  small  stringers  are  parallel.  The  veins  lie  in 
various  types  of  country  rock  ;  several  of  the 
important  veins  of  the  area  occur  in  a  rhyolite- 
porphyry,  a  possible  reason  for  this  being  that  its 
hard,  massive  character  is  more  favourable  for  the 
preservation  of  fissures  than  the  softer,  more 
schistose  rocks. 

The  quartz  of  the  veins  varies  to  a  considerable 
extent.  Many  of  the  barren  veins  consist  of  white 
quartz  with  practically  no  mineralization.  In  the 
gold-bearing  veins,  the  quartz  varies  from  white  to 
brownish  in  colour,  and  from  granular  to  coarse 
vitreous  in  te.xture.  The  variety  that,  as  a  rule, 
carries  the  best  value  in  gold  is  a  fine,  granular  type 
traversed  by  dark  streaks.  These  streaks,  for  the 
most  part,  are  short  and  irregular,  and  along  them 
is  concentrated  most  of  the  mineralization,  con- 
sisting of  black  tourmaline,  sulphides,  and  the 
greater  part  of  the  gold.  In  places,  however, 
needles  of  tourmaline,  specks  of  sulphides,  and  gold 
in  visible  quantities  are  found  in  the  quartz  away 
from  any  of  these  dark  streaks.  Of  the  sulphides, 
arsenopyrite  is  the  most  abundant,  but  pyrite, 
chalcopyrite,  galena,  and  blende  are  also  found. 
Felspar  crystals  are  sometimes  found  in  the  veins, 
and  on  the  Moosehorn  claim  a  telluride,  probably 
petzite,  was  found  associated  with  some  of  the  gold 
particles.  The  absence  of  any  well-banded  structure 
in  the  quartz,  and  the  association  of  the  gold  with 
the  sulphides,  and  more  particularly  with  the  tour- 
mahne,  is  evidence  that  the  ore  was  deposited  under 
conditions  of  high  temperature.  In  a  number  of 
specimens  collected,  gold  in  visible  quantities  was 
found  completely  enclosed  in  masses  of  tourmaline, 
showing  that  the  same  origin  must  be  assigned  to 
both  minerals. 

To  summarize,  therefore,  it  is  believed  that  the 
gold-bearmg  veins  of  the  region  are  high  temperature 
deposits  genetically  related  to  intrusions  of  granite. 
These  intrusions  were  accompanied  by  deformation 
which  produced  fractures,  shear  planes,  anticlinal 
openings,  and  other  lines  of  weakness.  .\s  the 
intrusive  mass  cooled  and  commenced  to  solidify, 
the  volatile  constituents  became  progressively  more 
and  more  concentrated  in  the  remaining  liquid  part 
of  the  magma,  and  during  the  late  stages  of  the 
intrusion,  were  finally  given  off  forming  pegmatite 
dykes  and  quartz  veins.  The  formation  of  the  veins 
was  a  process  which  proceeded  slowly  and  in  places 
the  primary  quartz  was  crushed,  and  minerals, 
including  gold,  were  deposited  in  the  fractured 
areas  :  but  the  whole  was  essentially  one  process 
related  to  the  granite  intrusion.  Fractures  would 
naturally  be  more  abundant  in  the  roof  of  the 
batholith,  and  it  would  be  along  these  lines  that 
the  ascending  solutions  would  escape  ;  veins  would 
therefore  be  more  numerous  along  the  upper  parts 
of  the  intrusion.  In  the  long  period  separating  the 
time  of  the  intrusion  and  the  deposition  of  the 
Ordovician  dolomite,  the  region  suffered  extensive 
denudation,  with  the  result  that  the  roofs  of  the 
batholiths  were  nearly  everywhere  stripped  off  and 
the  upper  parts  of  the  batholiths  themselves 
removed.  This  erosion  meant  the  destruction  of 
many  valuable  ore  deposits.  In  other  places,  how- 
ever, where  the  intrusions  did  not  come  so  near 
the  surface,  erosion  has  uncovered  only  the  irregular 
upper  parts  of  the  batholiths,  parts  which  would 
appear  on  a  surface  map  as  small  stocks.  These 
consequently     are     more     favourable     places     for 


:?7s 


Tin:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


I'rospccting  tliaii  where  wide  areas  of  granite  arc 
now  fimiKl.  It  must  bo  reniomberod,  however,  that 
any  area  where  rooks  of  the  |ire-granite  conijilex 
are  exposed  may  be  underlain  at  no  great  depth  by 
intrusive  masses  and  hence  be  minerahzed. 
Sohitions  also  may  travel  considerable  distances 
from  their  parent  magma.  The  Rex  vein  lies  at  a 
ilistance  of  over  a  mile  from  the  nearest  surface 
exposure  of  granite,  and  the  Kiski  veins  at  a  distance 
of  nearh'  3  miles.  The  Twin  Lakes  property  shows 
that,  even  in  the  borders  of  the  granite  stocks, 
ileposits  of  ore  may  be  found. 

The  only  property  on  which  active  mining  and 
milling  operations  have  been  performed  is  the  Rex. 
During  1918,  work  was  carried  on  from  May  until 
December,  when  the  plant  was  closed.  Work  was 
resumed  in  the  spring  of  1920.  The  vein  lies 
approximately  200  ft.  from  the  shore  of  Wekusko 
lake.  It  strikes  20°  east  of  north  and  has  been 
traced  for  a  distance  of  1.700  ft.  It  maintains  a 
width  of  from  2  to  5  ft.  for  most  of  its  length,  but 
at  two  places  it  swells  to  a  width  of  over  15  ft.,  and 
at  others  it  pinches  to  less  than  I  ft.  The  vein 
follows  closely  a  contact  between  a  rhyolite- 
porphyry  and  a  conglomeratic  sediment.  As  far  as 
work  has  progressed,  the  gold  persists  in  depth  ; 
an  interesting  feature  in  connexion  with  the  ore- 
shoot  that  is  being  mined  at  present  is  the  fact  that, 
so  far  as  its  outlines  have  been  determined  by 
sampling  on  the  surface  and  underground,  it  seems 
to  have  vertical  boundaries. 

The  Northern  Manitoba  group  is  a  property  con- 
sisting of  tw-o  claims,  the  Moosehorn  and  the  Ballast, 
on  which  is  exposed  a  vein  approximately  300  ft. 
long  and  varying  in  width  from  6  in.  to  over  2  ft. 
A  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  100  ft.,  and  50  ft. 
of  driving  has  been  done.  One  carload  of  ore 
amounting  to  57,000  lb.  was  shipped  to  Trail, 
B.C.,  the  returns  on  which  amounted  to  $2,323,  an 
average  of  $81 '53  in  gold  per  ton. 


On  the  Kiski-Wekusko,  the  original  discovery  in 
the  area,  three  main  veins  .are  exposed.  No.  1  has 
been  slripjied  for  over  700  ft.  ;ind  has  an  average 
width  of  3.J  ft.,  at  one  point  swelling  to  a  width  of 
12  ft.  No."  2  has  been  stripped  for  500  ft.  and 
traced  much  farther  ;  it  has  an  average  width  of 
3  ft.  and  at  one  place  is  12  ft.  wide.  \  vertical 
shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  53  ft.  on  this  vein. 
No.  3  vein  has  been  traceil  for  about  100  ft.  It 
carries  gold  in  visible  (pianlities.  Other  veins  and 
exposures  of  quartz  have  been  proved  to  occur  on 
the  property. 

On  the  IClizabeth-Dauphin  claims,  the  Elizabeth 
vein  lies  IJ  miles  north-east  of  the  Rex.  It  has  an 
exposed  length  of  over  800  ft.  and  a  width  of  from 
2  to  6  ft.  A  shaft  has  been  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  50  ft. 

On  the  Bingo,  several  small  veins  ha%'e  been 
uncovered.  The  largest  varies  from  7  in.  to  over 
a  foot  in  width.  Gold  is  present  in  visible 
amounts. 

The  .McCafferty  vein  has  been  traced  by  stripping 
and  trenching  for  over  1,600  ft.  Its  width  varies 
to  over  8  ft. 

The  discovery  on  the  .^pex  group  is  a  mineralized 
zone  in  red  granite.  The  rock  which  carries  the 
ore  is  much  like  the  regional  red  granite,  but 
is  lighter  in  colour  and  may  best  be  described  as  a 
fine-grained  pegmatite.  It  is  more  quartzose  than 
the  granite,  and  grades,  by  loss  of  felspar,  into 
typical  quartz-vein  material.  The  contact  between 
the  pegmatite  and  the  granite  is  locally  distinct,  but, 
in  places,  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the  two  types. 
In  such  places  the  lode  is  recognized  by  the  presence 
of  sulphides  of  which  arsenopyrite  is  the  most 
abundant.  The  mineralized  zone  is  irregular  ;  at 
one  place  it  has  a  width  of  40  ft.  In  places  the 
granite  is  shattered  and  small  quartz  stringers  form 
a  stockwork.  The  irregular  character  of  the  deposits 
makes  it  difficult  to  estimate  its  value. 


ANACONDA    ELECTROLYTIC    ZINC 


In  the  May  issue  we  gave  some  quotations  from 
the  paper  by  Frederick  Laist  and  others  presented 
to  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineers.  We  continue  this  abstract 
herewith. 

Electrolytic  Practice. — The  tank  house  contains 
864  cells  divided  into  six  units.  The  cells  are 
10  ft.  3  in.  long,  2  ft.  10  in.  wide,  by  5  ft.  deep. 
They  are  made  of  wood  with  a  lead  lining.  Each 
cell  contains  28  anodes  and  27  cathodes.  The 
anodes  are  made  of  chemical  lead,  and  the  cathodes 
of  aluminium. 

The  authors  give  particulars  relating  to  the  effect 
of  impurities  in  the  solution. 

In  minute  amounts,  10  mg.  per  litre  of  solution 
or  less,  copper  does  not  appear  to  have  much  effect 
on  the  zinc  deposit.  In  larger  amounts,  holes  are 
eaten  through  the  cathodes,  leaving  a  black  deposit 
on  the  aluminium  surface ;  at  times  a  bright 
deposit  of  copper  is  obtained.  A  second  deposition 
of  zinc  will  not  take  place  until  the  aluminium  sheet 
is  thoroughly  cleaned  of  the  black  deposit.  If 
copper  is  the  only  injurious  impurity  present,  the 
zinc  deposit  where  not  corroded  will  be  firm  and 
bright.  High  acids  are  conducive  to  active  corrosion 
of  the  impure  copper-zinc  deposit.  Copper  attacks 
the  surface  of  the  aluminium  sheet,  which  becomes 
so  smooth  that  zinc  will  not  adhere  until  it  has  been 
resurfaced. 


Antimony  is  the  worst  impurity.  The  presence  of 
any  amount  that  can  be  determined  (one  part  per 
1,000,000)  will  give  a  very  low  current  efficiency 
and  a  badly  sprouted  deposit,  which  results  in  low- 
melting  recovery.  The  deposit,  when  held  to  the 
light,  shows  a  network  resembling  a  lace  curtain, 
and  is  lifeless,  retaining  any  form  into  which  it  is 
bent  without  even  partly  recovering  its  original 
form.  The  presence  of  antimony  in  the  zinc  deposit 
has  not  been  detected  although  present  in  the 
electrolyte  in  appreciable  quantities. 

The  presence  of  1  mg.  of  arsenic  per  litre  in  the 
electrolyte  will  make  itself  known  at  the  end  of 
30  or  40  hours  in  a  type  of  cathode  corrosion 
peculiar  to  arsenic.  The  surface  of  the  deposit 
becomes  rough  in  appearance  and  loses  its  lustre. 
As  this  condition  proceeds  corrugations  develop. 
Larger  amounts  of  arsenic  give  a  badly  sprouted 
deposit  similar  in  appearance  to  that  caused  by 
antimony.  After  completely  re-dissolving  the  zinc 
deposit  from  a  portion  of  the  aluminium  surface, 
a  second  period  of  deposition  will  begin,  and  as  many 
as  four  depositions  have  been  noticed  for  a  single 
48  hour  period. 

The  presence  of  iron  in  the  electrolj'te  in  moderate 
amounts  does  not  injure  the  current  efficiency, 
although  when  oxidized  it  causes  the  aluminium 
cathode  sheets  to  deteriorate  rapidly  and,  therefore, 
it  should  be  oxidized  and  precipitated  in  the  neutral 


JUNE,     1021 


379 


leach  and  not  allowed  to  overflow  the  neutral 
settlers.  During  the  month  of  February,  1917. 
from  25  to  30  tons  of  chamber  acid  were  added  to 
the  plant  solution.  The  acid  contained  approxi- 
mately 500  mg.  of  arsenic  per  litre  ;  it  was  necessary 
to  add  scrap  iron  to  ensure  arsenic  removal.  The 
iron  in  the  purified  solution  at  times  was  over  0-2  gm. 
per  litre  ;  it  averaged  0-13  gm.  per  litre  for  the 
month.  Sufficient  iron  was  oxidized  in  passing 
through  the  cells  to  provide  the  necessary  ferric 
iron  for  arsenic  removal.  The  electrolyte  was  of 
a  greenish  colour  throughout  the  cell  system,  and 
apiJarently  no  permanganic  acid  or  manganese 
dioxide  was  formed,  as  only  about  one-half  of  the 
iron  was  oxidized.  After  a  month's  trial,  it  was 
decided  that,  due  to  the  deleterious  effect  of  the 
iron  on  the  aluminium  cathodes,  the  continuous  use 
of  the  high  iron  was  not  justified,  although  the  plant 
averaged  89-3%  current  efficiency  and  yielded 
12-3  lb.  per  horse-power-day  for  the  month.  The 
aluminium  cathodes  showed  marked  corrosion  at  the 
solution  line  and  along  the  edges. 

Manganese,  in  the  absence  of  other  impurities, 
has  little,  if  any,  effect  on  the  zinc  deposit.  In  the 
higher  states  of  oxidation,  as  it  exists  in  the  cell,  it 
aids  re-solution  of  the  deposit  when  started  by  other 
impurities.  Pure  zinc  will  dissolve  more  rapidly 
in  cell  solution  than  in  pure  dilute  sulphuric  acid, 
owing  to  the  oxidizing  effect  of  the  manganese. 
Where  cobalt  is  present  in  solution,  it  is  claimed  by 
other  experimenters  that  at  least  a  portion  of  the 
cobalt  is  precipitated  by  the  manganese  dioxide  in 
the  cell.  It  is  also  claimed  that  manganese  protects 
the  lead  anodes  from  corrosion  and  that  the  deposit 
of  manganese  dioxide  is  beneficial.  The  authors 
insist  that  this  manganese  dioxide  deposit  must  be 
removed  at  least  once  every  six  weeks. 

The  presence  of  0-6  gm.  per  litre  of  cadmium  in 
the  electrolyte  does  not  injure  current  efficiency  or 
the  character  of  the  zinc  deposit.  To  make  grade 
"A"  zinc,  the  cadmium  must  be  under  20  mg.  per 
litre  in  the  purified  solution. 

Chlorine,  in  some  forms,  attacks  the  anode  very 
violently  when  present  in  amounts  of  50  mg.  per 
litre  or  more.  The  cathode  deposit  does  not  appear 
to  be  affected  by  it. 

Nitrates  are  undesirable  as  regards  anode 
corrosion,  especially  in  the  presence  of  chlorine. 
The  cumulative  effect  of  the  two  is  worse  than 
either  one  alone. 

Cobalt,  nickel,  tellurium,  and  selenium  have  not 
been  investigated  sufficiently  to  warrant  definite 
statements.  Sodium  and  potassium  have  no 
deleterious  effect  in  moderate  amounts  when  present 
as  sulphates. 

The  corrosive  effect  of  impurities  increases  greatly 
with  the  temperature.  Since  any  re-.solution  causes 
an  increase  in  temperature,  and  an  increased 
temperature  hastens  re-solution,  it  is  sometimes 
hard  to  tell  which  is  the  cause  and  which  the  effect. 
With  slightly  impure  solution,  it  is  possible  to  main- 
tain a  fair  current  eificiency  if  the  temperature  can  be 
kept  down  ;  this  suggests  the  use  of  more  cooling 
coils.  With  pure  solution,  a  moderate  rise  in 
temperature,  say  from  35°  to  70°  C,  does  not 
cause  a  falling  off  in  efficiency  or  change  the 
character  of  the  deposit  ;  more  effort  should  be 
spent  in  purifying  the  solution  instead  of  providing 
e.xtra  cooling. 

If  a  solid  in  suspension  is  a  conductor,  such  as 
manganese  dioxide  or  carbon,  it  will  cause  sprouting 
of  the  cathode  metal.     The  electrolyte  should  be 


clarified  before  going  to  the  cells  and  all  foreign 
matter  should  be  kept  out  of  the  electrolyte.  When 
the  cells  become  foul  with  manganese  dioxide,  so 
that  it  is  in  suspension,  sprouting  is  more  prevalent 
than  at  other  times.  The  sprouting  is  always  more 
intense  on  the  bottom  of  the  cathodes,  where  there 
is  a  higher  concentration  of  the  suspended  particles. 
It  has  long  been  the  practice  in  electrolytic 
copper  refining  to  add  moderate  amounts  of  glue  at 
regular  intervals.  At  the  suggestion  of  Willis  T. 
Burns,  glue  was  tried  and  found  to  be  beneficial. 
Too  much  glue  causes  brittle  metal,  starts  re- 
solution of  the  zinc  deposit,  and  may  prevent  the 
deposition  of  any  zinc  ;  the  addition  of  moderate 
amounts  will  greatly  retard  sprouting  and  give 
better  current  cfliciency,  especially  when  small 
amounts  of  ar  enic  and  antimony  are  present. 
After  the  add  t  on  of  glue  there  is  a  slight  voltage 
rise  and  the  gas  bubbles  from  the  cathode  deposit 
Freatly  increase  in  size,  probably  due  to  a  change  in 
the  character  of  the  surface  film  of  the  electrolyte. 
Glue  appears  to  make  this  film  tougher  so  that  the 
bubbles  of  gas  hang  on  to  the  sprouts  and  raised 
spots  for  a  longer  period,  partly  insulating  them. 
The  low  places  in  the  deposit  appear  to  build  up 
faster,  giving  a  much  denser  deposit  with  glue  than 
without  it.  The  effect  of  the  glue  on  the  electrolyte 
only  lasts  for  a  short  period.  Evidently  the  glue 
is  decomposed,  because  during  periods  of  re-solution 
when  an  excessive  amount  of  gas  is  coming  off  it 
must  be  added  more  often.  With  pure  electrolyte, 
the  addition  of  the  glue  is  not  necessary.  But  the 
effort  should  be  made  to  purify  the  electrolyte, 
instead  of  doping  it.  Sugar,  wood  juice,  starch,  and 
a  number  of  other  agents  give  approximately  the 
same  results,  but  glue  is  the  most  trustworthy  and 
cheapest. 

Casting  Practice. — The  zinc-casting  plant  contains 
two  coal-fired  reverberatories  with  a  capacity  of 
from  100  to  125  tons  per  furnace  and  one  electric 
furnace  with  a  daily  rated  capacity  of  200  tons. 
After  a  six-months'  trial  the  use  of  the  electric 
furnace  was  discontinued  for  the  following  reasons  : 
(1)  When  melting  zinc  cathodes,  the  dross  formed 
coats  over  the  surface  of  the  metal,  preventing  the 
transfer  of  heat  to  the  bath.  (2)  It  is  impossible  to 
get  nearly  the  full  production  without  volatilizing 
considerable  metal  ;  with  a  production  of  170  tons 
per  day,  over  3A%  of  the  zinc  charged  is  volatilized. 
(3)  The  metal  bath  cools  during  charging  so  that  heat 
is  required  in  the  muffles  to  keep  the  metal  hot 
enough  for  casting.  (4)  At  70  tons  capacity  the 
furnace  compares  very  favourably  with  the  coal- 
fired  furnaces,  but  when  the  investment  is  considered 
the  furnace  is  a  failure  for  zinc-cathode  melting. 
(5)  The  heat  in  the  resistor  troughs  is  so  intense, 
when  melting  100  tons  per  day,  that  the  trough 
construction  will  not  stand  up,  causing  frequent 
long  delays  for  repairs.  The  work  of  this  furnace 
confirmed  the  laboratory  experiments,  that  when 
zinc  cathodes  are  melted  they  will  produce  a  definite 
amount  of  dross.  To  get  a  good  melting  recovery 
the  dross  must  be  worked  to  separate  the  metal 
from  the  oxide. 

Zinc  cathode  sheets  are  apt  to  be  porous  to 
a  certain  extent  and  one  side  is  covered  with 
sprouts  or  raised  spots.  There  is  also  a  coating  of 
zinc  sulphate.  Even  when  melted  in  a  covered 
crucible,  from  4  to  5%  of  dross  is  formed.  This  dross 
contains  metallics  and  may  be  reduced  40  or  50% 
in  weight  if  worked  hot  with  ammonium  chloride. 
The  best  recovery   of  the   metal   over  a   month's 


380 


Till'     MTXTNT,     MA(,A7IX1". 


operation  was  9(iJ",',':  ^ 3J"^  of  tl\e  metal  uiiU  to 
form  dross,  which  assaycil  ^31%  zinc. 

The  zinc-niclting  rcvorberatories  arc  made  of 
common  brick  below  the  metal  line  and  of  lirebrick 
above.  To  avoid  metal  leakaije  the  whole  furnace  is 
set  in  a  sheet-metal  pan.  which  is  supported  by 
1  beams  set  on  concrete  piers.  This  construction 
permits  air  cooling  of  the  bottom.  The  main 
chamber  of  the  revcrberatories  is  built  rather  high 
so  that  there  is  a  deep  bath  of  metal  and  a  big 
stack  of  cathodes  at  all  times  ;  this  gives  a  large 
surface  of  metal  exposed  to  the  heat.  The  melting 
zinc  running  down  the  surface  of  the  stack  carries 
away  the  dross  and  always  presents  a  new  surface  of 
bright  metal  to  the  hot  gases  from  the  firebox,  which 
is  large  and  deep.  It  is  operated  as  a  partial  gas 
producer  so  that  the  resulting  gases  will  be  reducing, 
to  avoid  oxidation  of  the  metal.  The  dross  from 
the  molting  cathodes  is  carried  down  with  the  molten 
zinc  and  floats  on  the  top  of  the  bath,  gradually 
slowing  up  the  furnace.  .\t  intervals  this  dross  is 
rabbled  with  ammonium  chloride,  which  causes  the 
particles  of  molten  zinc  to  combine  and  sink  into 
the  bath.  Once  every  24  hours  the  dry  dross  is 
completely  removed  from  the  furnace  and  further 
worked,  while  hot,  in  a  revolving  cement  mixer,  to 
which  oil  and  ammonium  chloride  are  added.  The 
addition  of  a  small  amount  of  oil  and  sawdust  to 
the  <lross  helps  to  keep  up  the  temperature. 
Appro.ximately  50%  of  the  zinc  contained  in  the 
furnace  dross  is  recovered  as  metal  in  this  way. 
This  metal  collects  in  the  bottom  of  the  cement 
mixer  and  is  tapped  out  through  a  hole  into  moulds. 

The  loaded  cathode  cars  are  brought  to  the 
charging  stand  over  which  there  is  a  one-ton 
electric  hoist,  which  places  4  or  5  tons  of  the  cathodes 
upon  a  roller  coaster.  This  conveys  the  metal  to  the 
charging  doors  in  the  top  of  the  furnace  ;  when  the 
charging  door  is  swung  open  and  the  brake  on  the 
roller  coaster  released  the  bundle  of  cathodes  slides 
into  the  furnace.  It  is  only  necessary  for  the  furnace 
to  be  open  a  few  seconds  while  charging.  Every 
precaution  is  taken  to  exclude  the  air  from  the 
furnace  while  melting ;  all  openings  are  sealed  except 


during  the  dross-skimming  period.  The  furnace  is 
allowed  to  cool  down  about  150"  (".  before  opening 
it  to  skim  the  dross. 

The  molten  metal  is  dippcil  from  metal  sealed 
dip|iing  mullles  and  jKiured  into  50  lb.  slab  moulils  of 
which  there  are  40  in  line  with  each  inul'lle.  The 
dipping  ladles  hold  over  '.200  lb.  of  molten  zinc  ami 
are  carried  from  an  overhead  crawl.  ICach  is 
operated  by  one  ladleman  who  has  a  helper  to  mark 
and  stack  back  the  slabs  from  the  moulds.  A 
sample  of  metal  is  taken  from  every  twentieth  ladle 
and  cast  in  pencils  in  a  split  graphite  mould  ;  these 
pencils  arc  broken  up  and  combined  to  form  the 
sample  representing  each  day's  production. 

Zii!C-I)iist  Plant.  —Approximately  8%  of  the  zinc 
produced  in  the  tank  room  is  required  to  precipitate 
copper  and  cadmium.  The  zinc  atomizing  ])lant 
is  made  in  two  units,  and  either  may  be  shut  down 
without  interfering  with  the  other.  Each  unit 
consists  of  an  oil-fired  Rockwell  furnace,  two  blowing 
nozzles,  and  a  settling  chamber,  with  a  superimposed 
bag  house.  The  Rockwell  furnace  receives  the 
molten  zinc  from  the  melting  furnace  by  means  of  an 
electric  hoist  ladle  and  crawl  system.  The  carbon 
crucible  of  the  Rockwell  furnace  is  provided  with 
two  carbon  rods  in  the  bottom,  tapped  with  \  in. 
holes  through  which  the  molten  zinc  Hows  to  the 
atomizing  nozzles.  Air  from  the  nozzles  strikes  the 
hot  zinc  at  right  angles  and  blows  it  into  the  settling 
chamber.  This  chamber  has  bags  above  through 
which  the  air  is  filtered,  leaving  the  dust  to  drop 
back  into  the  hoppers  which  are  provided  in  the 
bottom  of  the  chamber  to  draw  the  dust  into  cars. 
There  are  three  factors  to  be  considered  :  (1)  The 
metal  must  be  hot ;  (2)  the  air  pressure  should  be  at 
least  85  lb.  at  the  nozzle  ;  (3)  the  stream  of  metal 
should  be  small,  not  over  j'',.  in.  in  diameter.  If 
the  air  pressure  at  the  nozzle  is  300  lb.  less  attention 
must  be  paid  to  the  other  two  factors. 

The  authors  also  give  an  account  of  the  treatment 
of  residues  for  the  extraction  of  copper  and  lead, 
and  they  discuss  in  detail  a  great  many  theoretical 
and  practical  points  connected  with  the  various 
stages  of  the  process  and  plant. 


SHORT    NOTICES 

Open-cut  Mining. — In  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  April  16,  .\.  B.  Parsons  describes  open-cut 
mining  by  steam-shovel  as  practised  at  the  Nevada 
Consolidated's  copper  mines. 

Winding  Engine  at  Quincy.-  -The  Engineer  for 
May  20  describes  a  large  new  winding  engine  at  the 
Quincy  copper  mine,  Lake  Superior.  It  is  a  4- 
cylinder,  cross-compound  condensing  engine,  with 
a  30  ft.  drum,  and  is  capable  of  raising  ten-ton  loads 
with  a  rope  speed  of  3,200  ft.  per  minute  from 
depths  of  6,600  ft.  to  8,600  ft.  on  the  inchne. 

Mining  at  Fresnillo. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  May  7.  D.  B.  McAllister  describes 
the  new  mining  methods  at  the  Fresnillo  silver 
mines.  Mexico. 

Rehabilitation  of  French  Mines. — Engineering 
for  May  20  commences  an  article  on  the  rehabilita- 
tion of  French  coal  mines  destroyed  by  the  Germans 
during  the  war. 

Concrete  Shafts. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  April  23.  J.  H.  Stovel  describes 
the  concreting  of  trwo  vertical  shafts  in  iron  minse 
in  Alabama. 


Concrete  Shaft-Lining. — In  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  April  30,  A.  B.  Parsons  describes 
the  concrete  shaft  of  the  Cliief  Consolidated  Mining 
Co.,  at  Eureka,  Utah. 

Drill-steel. — The  American  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgical  Engineers  has  published  a  paper 
by  B.  Tillson  on  the  breakage  and  heat  treatment 
of  rock-drill  steel. 

Slope  Survey. — In  a  paper  presented  at  the  May 
meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy, 
F.  P.  Caddy  described  the  method  of  stope 
measuring  at  the  Passagem  mine,  Brazil. 

Surveying  Instruments — The  Camborne  School 
of  Mines  Magazine  for  May  contains  a  paper  by 
W.  H.  Connell,  of  T.  Cooke  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  on  the 
renaissance  of  British  instrument  making. 

Electrical  Prospecting. — The  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  May  7  and  14  contains  an 
abbreviated  translation  of  a  paper  by  C. 
Schlumberger  on  underground  prospecting  by 
electric  current. 

Valuation  of  Mineral  Properties. — The  Iron  and 
Coal  Trades  Tfeview  lor  May  13  quotes  from  a  paper 
by  T.  \.  O'Donahue  on  the  valuation  of  mineral 
properties,  with  .special  reference  to  post-war 
conditions. 


JUNE,     1921 


381 


Cleaning  Blast-Furnace  Gas.— A  paper  was  read 
by  S.  H.  Fou-les  at  the  May  meeting  of  the  Iron  and 
Steel  Institute  on  the  cleaning:  of  blast-furnace  gas, 
dealing  particularly  with  the  Halberg-Beth  plant. 

Electrostatic  Precipitation. — The  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  April  9  contains  a  description  of 
the  Cottrell  electrostatic  fume-precipitation  pro- 
cess. Attached  to  it  is  a  useful  bibliography  on  the 
subject. 

Electrolytic  Zinc. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  April  20,  H.  R.  Hanley 
writes  on  the  removal  of  arsenic  from  zinc  electrolyte 
by  means  of  sulphuretted  hydrogen. 

Copper  in  Molybdenum  Ore's. — In  Chemical  and 
Metallurgical  Engineering  for  May  11,  J.  P.  Bonardi 
and  M.  Shapiro  describe  methods  for  removing 
all  copper  from  molybdenum  ores  before  smelting 
for  ferro-molybdenum,  and  also  point  out  precau- 
tions necessary  in  the  analysis  for  copper  in  the 
presence  of  molybdenum. 

Nickel  Alloys. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  .April  13,  P.  D.  Merica  describes 
a  great  number  of  nickel  alloys  used  where  resistance 
to  acid  and  high-temperature  steam  is  desired,  and 
also  alloys  for  electrical  purposes. 

Aluminium  in  Engineering. — In  the  Engineer  for 
May  6,  J.  G.  A.  Rhodin  commences  a  series  of 
articles  on  aluminium  and  its  alloys  in  engineering. 

Tin  in  New  Mexico. — In  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  April  23,  F.  S.  Naething  describes  the 
Black  Range  tin  district.  New  Mexico. 

Quicksilver  in  Spain. — ^In  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  .\pril  23.  H.  W.  Gould  describes 
the  quicksilver  mining  and  metallurgy  at  Almaden, 
Spain. 

The  Earth's  Crust. — The  Geographical  Journal 
for  May  contains  the  report  of  a  lecture  by  Colonel 
E.  A.  Tandy,  giving  some  novel  views  following  the 
theory  of  isostasy. 

Mackenzie  River  Oilfields. — The  Canadian  Mining 
Journal  for  May  6  contains  a  paper  by  E.  M 
Kindle  containing  general  suggestions  to  oil  pro- 
spectors in  the  Mackenzie  River  oiltields. 

Origin  of  Petroleum. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on 
May  10,  P.  Carmody  read  a  paper  recommending 
that  a  special  study  as  to  the  origin  of  petroleum 
should  be  made  at  Trinidad,  where  a  greater 
variety  of  oils,  gas,  bitumen,  and  pitch  are  found 
than  anywhere  else  in  the  world. 

Alsatian  Potash. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering,  H.  Vigneron  describes  the 
Alsatian  potash  industry. 

Californian  Potash. — In  Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  .\pril  20,  L.  W.  Chapman 
describes  the  refining  plants  at  Owens  and  Searles 
Lakes,  used  in  separating  carbonate  of  soda, 
common  salt,  sodium  borate,  and  potassium 
chloride  from  the  natural  deposits. 

Borate  Deposits. — In  Economic  Geology  for 
May,  N.  F.  Foshag  discusses  the  origin  of  colemanite, 
the  borate  of  lime,  found  in  California. 

Vanadiferous  Asphaltiles. — In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  for  May  7,  J.  G.  Baragwanath 
describes  the  asphaltites  occurring  in  Peru  ;  these 
contain  vanadium,  but  not  in  sufficient  quantities 
to  make  extraction  profitable. 

Salt  Deposits  in  Nigeria. —  The  Bulletin  of 
the  Imperial  Institute,  No.  4,  1920,  just  published, 
contains  a  report  on  samples  of  sodium,  potassium, 
and  magnesium  salts  found  in  Nigeria. 


Trevithick  in  Peru. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  April  16,  W.  B.  Paley  gives 
an  account  of  the  steam  engines  built  by  Trevithick 
at  Cerro  de  Pasco  and  elsewhere  in  Peru. 

".'Alignment  Charts. — In  a  paper  presented  at  the 
May  meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy,  J.  A.  P.  Gibb  drew  attention  to  the 
advantages  of  alignment  charts  over  intercept  and 
correlation  charts  and  gave  a  number  of  applications 
of  this  system  of  calculation. 

Scottish  Water-power. — Engineering  for  May  20 
contains  further  details  of  the  new  hydro-electric 
power  scheme  of  the  British  Aluminium  Company. 


RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED 

.^1^  ..1  copiy  of  the  specification  of  any  of  the  patents  mentioned  in 
this  column  can  he  obtained  by  seniing  Is.  to  the  Patent  Office, 
Sontktmt)ton  Buildings,  Chmccry  Lane.  London.  W.C.  2,  with 
a  note  of  the  number  and  year  of  the  patent. 

9.155  of  1919  (140,039).  Societe  Belge 
d'Outillage  Pneumatique  (Ateliers  Rorive), 
Brussels.  Improved  construction  of  hand  hammer- 
drills. 

31,791  of  1919  (162,026).  F.  E.  Elmore, 
London.  In  the  treatment  of  argentiferous  zinc-lead 
sulphides,  mixing  with  an  excess  of  common  salt  or 
other  chloride  a,nd'heating  to  a  temperature  of  450° 
to  500°  C.  At  this  temperature  the  silver  and  lead 
are  chloridized  but  not  volatilized,  while  the  zinc 
sulphide  is  unaltered. 

31,936  of  1919(162,030).  S.  Field  and  Metals 
Extraction  Corporation,  London.  In  removing 
impurities  from  zinc  sulphate  solutions  before 
electrolysing  the  addition  of  mercuric  sulphate  and 
zinc  dust  or  aluminium  or  an  aluminium-zinc  alloy. 

32.539  of  1919  (137,288).  J.  A.  Thibault, 
Paris.  Method  of  producing  litharge  and  red  lead 
from  m?tallic  lead. 

821  of  1920  (161,654).  P.  \.  Mackay,  London. 
For  recovering  tin  from  scrap  tinjjlate  by  dipping 
the  scrap  in  oleum,  that  is,  sulphuric  acid  con- 
taining free  SO3. 

822  of  1920  (161,655).  P.  .\.  Mackay,  London. 
For  the  purpose  of  making  strontium  and  barium 
sulphates  opaque,  placing  them  after  fine  grinding 
in  oleum,  or  strong  sulphuric  acid. 

823  of  1920(161,656).  P.  A.  Mack.\y,  London. 
Method  of  obtaining  copper  sulphate  direct  from 
metallic  copper. 

1,231  of  1920  (161,310).  H.  G.  Wildman, 
Westmount,  Quebec.  Making  alumina  from 
common  clay  by  boiling  it  in  an  alkaline  solution, 
then  treating  with  sulphurous  acid,  which  makes 
aluminium  sulphite,  the  latter  being  readily 
split  into  alumina  and  sulphurous  acid. 

1,240  of  1920  (162,038).  C.  Ellis,  New  York. 
Method  of  producing  finely  divided  metals  or 
suboxides. 

2,245  of  1920(162,082).  C.  M.  Conder  and  G.  T. 
Vivian,  Camborne.  .\  stamp-mill  in  which  the 
tappet  head  and  shoe  are  mountel  to  a  beam  at 
right  angles,  the  other  end  of  which  is  pivoted, 
the  raising  cam  actuating  the  beani  at  the  end  near 
the  tappet  head. 

3,640  of  1920  (161,761).  G.  H.  T.  Rayner  and 
P.  Rayner,  Sheffield.  Improvemjncs  in  the  valve 
arrangement  of  the  inventors'  patent  138,304. 

3.692  of  1920  (161,375).  E.  C.  Vigeon  and  J. 
McCoNWAY,  Hebburn-on-Tyne.  An  apparatus  for 
evenly  moistening  roasted  ore  before  being  sent  to 
leaching  tanks,  the  object  being  to  avoid  dust  and 
the  formation  of  lumps.  •      -- 


382 


111:     MININC,     MAdA/IXK 


NEW  BOOKS.  PAMPHLETS.  Etc. 

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Copper  Refining.  Py  Lawrence  Addicks. 
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Geological  Survev  of  South  Africa. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Waihi  Gold. — This  company  has  been  operating 
a  gold  mine  in  New  Zealand  since  1887.  Regular 
production  began  in  1892,  and  the  first  dividend 
was  paid  for  the  year  1893.  The  output  and  profits 
gradually  increased,  and  were  on  a  large  scale  from 
1901  to  1910.  Afterwards  the  operations  contracted 
owing  to  the  impoverishment  of  the  ore  in  depth. 
The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that  159,308  tons 
of  ore  was  raised,  of  which  42,066  tons  came  from 
the  Martha  lode.  34,241  tons  from  the  Royal, 
19,839  tons  from  the  Edward,  14,599  tons  from  the 
Empire,  and  the  remainder  from  sixteen  other 
places.  The  average  assay  of  the  ore  was  6-6  dwt. 
gold  and  2i^  oz.  silver  per  ton.  The  yield  of  bullion, 
taking  gold  at  84s.  per  oz.  and  silver  at  2s.  per  oz., 
was  estimated  to  be  worth  /242,264.  The  actual 
amount  received  was  /34 1,432.  The  working  profit 
was  £146,811,  out  of  which  /99,181  was  distributed 
as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  20°^  tax  paid, 
■while  £47,629  was  paid  as  income  tax  and  £14,907 
was  written  off  for  depreciation.  The  ore  reserve 
is   estimated   at   778,565   tons,   averaging   33s.    9d. 


per  ton  with  golil  at  ]i,ir  and  silver  at  2s.  per  oz.  ; 
of  this  amount  254,737  tons  is  not  inimediatelv 
.iv.ul.ilile  for  extraction.  Development  disclosed 
116,521  tons  of  ore  during  the  year.  Additional 
electric  pumping  plant  has  arrived  at  the  mine, 
so  that  it  is  now  jiossible  to  sink  deeper,  A 
thirteenth  level  is  being  opened  from  No.  4  shad. 
Since  the  beginning  of  operations  the  income  from 
the  .sale  of  gold  has  been  £12.987,603,  out  of  which 
/5, 172,808  has  been  distributed  as  dividends,  tax 
paid. 

Golden  Horse-Shoe  Estates. — This  company  was 
formed  in  1899  to  acipiire  property  at  Kalgoorlie, 
West  Australia.  Very  large  profits  were  made  from 
1900  to  1909,  but  since  tli.-n  the  output  and 
diviflends  have  been  much  lower.  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  125,340  long  tons  of  ore  yielded 
54,574  oz.  of  gold,  which  realized  /.t24,460,  .if  which 
£87,223  represented  premium.  The  net  profit  was 
£65,489,  while  /75,000  was  distributed  as  dividend, 
Deing  at  the  rate  of  5%.  The  development  was 
restricted  owing  to  labour  shortage,  as  was  the  case 
the  year  before.  J.  W.  Sutherland,  the  manager, 
estimates  the  reserve  at  637,330  tons,  averaging 
8-75  dwt,  per  ton,  as  compared  with  678,296  tons 
averaging  9  dwt.  the  year  before.  The  working  cost 
was  37s.  pel  ton,  as  compared  with  32s  6d.  in  1919 
and  22s.  in  1914.  The  total  output  of  ore  since  the 
beginning  has  been  4,253,635  tons,  and  the  total 
yield  of  gold  2,688,840  oz.,  while  £;v3,517,500  has 
been  distributed  in  <lividends. 

Balaghat  Gold  Mines. — This  company  operates 
a  gold  mine  in  the  Kolar  district,  Mysore  State, 
South  India,  belonging  to  the  John  Taylor  &  Sons 
group.  It  has  not  been  so  important  a  producer 
as  the  other  members  of  the  group,  Mysore, 
Champion  Reef,  Nundydroog,  and  Ooregum. 
Eighteen  months  ago  it  was  reconstructed  so  as  to 
provide  additional  funds  for  a  resumption  of  develop- 
ment. The  report  now  issued  covers  the  fourteen 
months  ended  December  31  last.  During  this 
period  45,050  tons  of  ore  was  milled,  yielding 
25,833  oz,  of  gold,  and  76,250  tons  of  tailing  was 
cvanided,  yielding  6,629  oz.,  making  a  total  yield 
of  32.462  oz.,  w^hich  sold  for  £'163,715-  The  working 
cost  was  /123,454,  and  after  the  pavment  of 
royalty  the'profit  was  £'33,296,  out  of  which  £23.318 
has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  2s.  4Jd. 
on  the  10°o  preference  shares,  and  Is.  IJd.  on  the 
ordinary  shares,  both  of  10s.  each.  During  the  year 
driving  on  the  rich  ore-shoot  on  the  2,600  ft.  level 
was  continued,  and  its  total  length  was  found  to  be 
842  ft.,  averaging  33J  dwt.  per  ton  over  a  width 
of  40  in.  At  the  deeper  levels  nothing  further  was 
discovered,  though  the  drive  on  the  4,000  ft.  level 
is  giving  promising  results.  The  reserve  was 
estimated  on  December  31  at  91,755  tons,  an 
increase  of  16,725  tons  during  the  year.  There  is 
also  177,000  tons  of  accumulated  tailing  awaiting 
treatment.  .\  new  sand  plant,  with  a  capacity  of 
4,000  tons  per  month,  is  in  course  of  erection.  This 
will  replace  the  old  plant,  which  is  now  out  of  date. 
The  .slime  plant  is  being  duplicated  ;  on  com- 
pletion its  capacity  will  be  250  tons  per  day. 

Rhodesia  Gold  Mining  and  Investment. — This 
company  belongs  to  the  Lewis  &  Marks  group 
and  was  formed  in  1910  to  develop  and  finance 
gold-mining  properties  in  Rhodesia.  It  has  large 
holdings  in  Lon-ily  Reef  and  Cam  <!!:  Motor,  works 
the  Huntsman  mine,  and  lets  the  Bernheim  on 
tribute.  It  also  controlled  the  Sabi  com.pany,  but 
owing  to  the  failure  of  the  property  the  company 


JUNE,     1921 


383 


went  into  liquidation  last  year.  The  report  for  the 
year  1920  shows  that  at  the  Huntsman  mine 
7,279  tons  of  orp.  averaging  i3-8clwt.  per  ton,  was 
treated  for  a  yield  of  4,043  oz.  of  gold,  the  net  profit 
realized  being  ;£  1,029.  The  mine  continues  to 
develop  well  on  a  small  scale.  At  the  Bernheim 
mine  the  tributers  treated  4,991  tons  for  a  yield  of 
2,539  oz.,  and  the  royalty  accruing  to  the  company 
was  /,1,784.  Owing  to  an  accident  to  the  plant 
the  tributers  have  recently  been  obliged  to  cease 
work,  but  the  company  is  granting  them  financial 
assistance,  and  work  will  be  resumed  shortly.  For 
the  five  months  January  to  May,  1920,  during  which 
the  Sabi  was  in  operation  5,70'0  tons  of  ore  yielded 
1 .067  oz.  The  accounts  for  the  year  show  receipts 
/1 9,981  from  dividends,  chiefly  Lonely  Reef. 
Owing  to  the  failure  of  the  Sabi  Company  a  loss  oi 
investments  of  /1 48.709  was  incurred,  and  the 
.-id verse  balance  for  the  year  was  £130,529.  There 
have  been  other  small  losses  on  unsuccessful 
properties,  so  it  has  been  decided  to  reduce  the 
capital  of  the  company  from  £300,000  to  £150,000 
by  cancelling  10s.  of  each  £1  share. 

Rezende  Mines. — This  company  operates  gold 
mines  in  Rhodesia,  and  has  had  a  long  history  of 
varying  fortunes,  as  recorded  already  in  these 
columns.  Sir  Abe  Bailey  secured  control  a  few 
years  ago,  and  undertook  an  active  development 
campaign.  Satisfartorv  dividends  have  been 
paid  for  the  years  1918  to  1920.  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  66,500  tons  of  ore  was  treated  for 
a  yield  of  29,506  oz.  of  gold.  The  income,  in-^luding 
premium  on  gold,  was  £164.604,  and  the  cost, 
including  taxes  and  depreciation,  was  £122.908. 
The  profit  was  /41,696,  and  the  dividends  amounted 
to  £48,000,  being  at  the  rate  of  40%.  The 
ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  140.268  tons,  averaging 
10  dwt.  per  ton.  All  of  this  is  in  the  eastern  section, 
the  central  section  having  been  exhausted.  The 
development  work  on  the  new  seventh  level  in  the 
eastern  section  appe.ars  to  be  giving  fairly  good 
results. 

West  Rand  Consolidated  Mines. — This  company 
belongs  to  the  .Albu  group,  and  was  formed  in  1903 
to  acquire  a  number  of  gold-mining  properties 
in  the  far  west  Rand.  Other  adjoining  properties 
have  been  acquired  since.  There  are  two  workings 
on  the  Main  Reef,  and  three  on  the  Battery  Reef 
farther  south.  The  operations  have  not  been 
profitable  on  the  whole,  the  only  dividend  having 
been  one  of  3J°o  paid  for  1909.  The  share  capital 
is  /2,004,424,  and  there  are  /325,000  debentures. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  396,268  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  of  which  232,688  tons  came  from 
the  Main  Reef  and  163,580  tons  from  the  Battery 
Reef.  After  sorting,  378,100  tons,  averaging 
6-27  dwt.  per  ton,  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield 
of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  64,297  oz.,  and  by 
cyanide  40,878  oz.,  making  a  total  of  105,175  oz. 
The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  £572,847,  of 
which  about  £125,000  represented  premium.  The 
working  cost  was  £518,170,  leaving  a  working 
profit  of  £54,676,  of  which  £19,749  was  paid  as 
debenture  interest.  The  revenue  per  ton  of  ore 
milled  was  30s.  3d.,  and  the  cost  per  ton  27s.  5d. 
The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  1,205.199  tons, 
averaging  6-5  dwt.  per  ton.  It  will  be  seen  that  the 
continuance  of  working  depends  on  the  relative 
movements  of  gold  premium  and  costs.  A  new 
central  pumping  plant  is  being  installed,  and  it 
will  be  possible  soon  to  recommence  shaft-sinking 
on  the  Main  Reef. 


Roodepoort  United  Main  Reef. — This  com- 
pany belongs  to  the  Albu  group,  and  was  formed  in 
1887  to  work  gold-mining  property  in  the  middle 
west  Rand.  Roodepoort  Deep  was  absorbed  in 
1898.  and  Roodepoort  Cxold  in  1909.  Dividends 
were  paid  from  1894  to  1910,  but  none  since.  There 
is  at  present  an  accumulated  loan  of  £365,782 
owing  to  the  parent  company,  the  General  Mining 
and  Finance  Corporation.  Operations  during  1920 
could  only  be  continued  by  adopting  a  policy  of 
selective  mining,  and  stopping  development  and 
shaft-sinking.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
275,016  tons  of  ore  was  mined,  and  274,200  tons, 
averagin,g  4'5  dwt.  per  ton,  was  sent  to  the  mill. 
The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  43,030  oz., 
and  by  cyanide  14,861  oz.,  making  a  total  of 
57,891  oz.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was 
£315,863,  of  which  about  £69,000  represented 
premium.  The  working  cost  was  £311,770,  leaving 
a  working  profit  of  £4.092.  The  revenue  per  ton 
of  ore  milled  was  23s.,  and  the  cost  per  ton  22s.  9d. 
The  reserve  is  estimated  at  249.108  tons,  averaging 
5-8  dwt.  over  a  width  of  41  in.  The  present  position 
at  the  mine  is  critical. 

Aurora  West  United. — This  company  belongs 
to  the  Albu  group,  and  was  formed  in  1891  to  work 
gold-mining  property  in  the  middle  west  Rand.  The 
property  of  the  Aurora  company  was  absorbed  in 
1897.  The  mine  was  never  a  financial  success,  and 
during  the  last  year  or  two  has  only  been  kept 
going  by  means  of  a  pohcy  of  selective  mining. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  146,192  tons  of  ore 
was  raised,  and  after  the  removal  of  10%  waste, 
131,840  tons,  averaging  5-63  dwt.  per  ton.  was  sent 
to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation 
was  22,819  oz,,  and  by  cyanide  11,120  oz.,  making 
a  total  of  33-939  oz.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of 
gold  was  £184,770,  of  which  about  £38,000  repre- 
sented premium.  The  working  cost  was  £181,184, 
leaving  a  working  profit  of  £3,586.  The  revenue 
per  ton  milled  was  28s.,  and  the  working  cost 
27s.  6d.  The  reserve  of  payable  ore  was  estimated 
on  December  31  at  32,050  tons,  averaging  7-3  dwt. 
over  42  in.,  but  if  gold  rose  to  110s.  per  oz.,  a 
further  80  570  tons  could  be  worked.  The  outlook 
for  the  mine  at  the  present  time  is  serious. 

New  Unified  Main  Reef.  —  This  company 
belongs  to  the  Barnato  group,  and  was  formed  in 
1891  to  take  over  the  properties  of  the  Eagle  and 
National  gold-mining  companies  operating  i.i  the 
western  part  of  the  Rand.  Other  properties 
adjoining  have  since  been  acquired.  Dividends 
have  been  paid  since  1908.  The  report  for  1920 
shows  that  128,500  tons  of  ore,  averaging  5-32  dwt. 
gold  per  ton,  was  raised  and  sent  to  the  mill.  The 
yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  20,720  oz., 
and  by  cyanide  1 1,960  oz.,  making  a  total  of 
32.680  oz.  The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was 
£182,766,  of  which  about  £43,000  represented 
premium.  The  working  cost  was  £141.729,  leaving 
a  working  profit  of  £41,036.  The  revenue  per  ton 
milled  was  28s  6d.,  the  working  cost  22s.  Id., 
and  the  working  profit  6s.  5d.  The  shareholders 
received  £37,500,  the  dividends  (Nos.  24  and  25) 
being  at  the  rate  of  5%  and  10°o  respectively. 
The  ore  reserve  at  December  31  was  calculated  at 
83,000  tons,  averaging  6-2  dwt.  over  46  in.  There 
is  also  some  reclamation  ore  of  uncertain  quantity 
to  be  mined.  It  is  difficult  to  say  how  much  longer 
the  mine  can  be  operated  without  loss . 

New  Goch. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Albu  group,  and  was  formed,  as  the  George  Goch, 


38-1 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


in  1S87  to  work  gold-mining  property  in  the  central 
Hand.  Subsequently  other  adjoinin}-  properties 
were  absorbed.  I'roiits  ha\'e  not  been  great,  and 
the  dividends  have  totalled  onlv  (iS°„,  being 
distributed  for  the  years  1909  to  1911.  and  191,S  to 
1917.  During  the  past  year  or  two  the  low  assays 
of  the  ore.  combined  with  the  increasing  costs,  have 
made  the  continuance  of  operations  difticult,  and 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  gold  premium  the  mine 
woidd  have  been  closed.  The  report  for  1920  shows 
that  191,030  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  and  after  the 
removal  of  waste,  184.450  tons,  averaging  4-S(S  dwt. 
per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by 
amalgamation  was  25,934  oz.,  and  by  cyanide 
11,116  oz..  making  a  total  of  38,050  oz.  In  addition 
2.704  oz.  was  recovered  from  accumulated  slime. 
The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  gold  was  /222,626,  of 
which  about  /49,000  accrued  from  premium. 
The  working  cost  was  £220,208.  The  revenue 
per  ton  was  24s.  2d.,  and  the  cost  per  ton  23s.  lOd. 
The  ore  reserve  at  December  31  was  calculated  at 
48,717  tons,  averaging  6-9  dwt.  over  46  in.  If 
gold  sold  at  1 10s.  per  oz.,  an  additional  56,915  tons, 
averaging  5  dwt.  over  50  in.,  might  be  treated. 
There  exists  in  the  mine  also  much  ore  in  pillars, 
and  in  Main  Reef  in  the  Leader  stopes,  but  the 
amount  and  value  of  this  cannot  be  estimiated. 

New  Primrose. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Bamato  group,  and  was  formed  in  1887  to  acquire 
claims  on  the  outcrop  six  miles  east  of  Johannesburg. 
Excellent  dividends  were  paid  until  the  approaching 
exhaustion  of  the  mine  three  or  four  years  ago. 
Since  then  part  of  the  adjoining  May  mine  was 
acquired,  and,  later,  part  of  Glencairn  was  acquired, 
in  both  cases  the  properties  being  the  remnants 
left  by  companies  in  liquidation.  The  report  for 
1920  shows  that  225,874  tons  of  ore  was  raised, 
and  232,100  tons,  averaging  4-44  dwt.  per  ton, 
was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amal- 
gamation was  32,101  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  15,383  oz., 
making  a  total  of  47,484  oz.  The  revenue  from  the 
sale  of  gold  was  /268,104,  of  which  about  £'66,000 
represented  premium.  The  working  cost  was 
£236,388,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  £31,715.  The 
revenue  per  ton  was  23s.  Id.,  the  working  cost 
20s.  4d.,  and  the  working  profit  2s.  9d.  The  share- 
holders received  £16,250,  the  dividend  (Ko.  51) 
being  at  the  rate  of  5%.  The  actual  proved  ore 
reserv-e  in  the  Primrose  is  very  small,  being 
estimated  on  December  31  at  26,500  tons,  averaging 
7-6  dwt.  over  54  in.  Much  ore  remains,  however, 
in  various  parts  of  the  mine,  and  also  in  the  May  and 
Glencairn,  and  it  is  possible  that  operations  will 
continue  for  another  year  or  two,  provided  economic 
conditions  allow. 

Dundee  Coal.  • —  This  company  has  operated 
coal  deposits  in  the  northern  part  of  Katal  for 
nearlj'  thirty  years.  The  report  for  1 920  shows  that 
the  output  of  the  Burnside  collieries  was 
212,795  tons,  and  of  the  St.  George's  colliery 
104.480  tons,  making  a  total  of  317,275  tons,  an 
increase  of  14,599  tons  as  compared  with  the 
previous  year.  The  receipts  from  the  sale  of  coal 
and  coke  were  £590,885,  and  the  net  profit  was 
£33,835,  out  of  which  £33,577  was  distributed  in 
dividends  (Nos.  40  and  41).  The  company  has  some 
excellent  export  contracts. 

Glencoe  (Natal)  Collieries.  —  This  company 
has  worked  coal  deposits  in  the  Dundee  district. 
Natal,  since  1902.  Two  years  ago  there  was  a  set- 
back owing  to  floods  and  influenza  epidemic. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  a  recovery  has  been 


made  in  <>nt|iu(.  and  that  profits  are  once  more 
being  earned.  But  for  the  shortage  of  railway 
trucks  the  output  would  have  increased  further. 
The  amount  of  coal  iirod\iced  was  104,031  tons,  as 
comiiared  with  96.514  toTis  in  1919.  and  186,800  tons 
in  1916.  The  amounts  show  a  net  ])rolit  of  £17,153, 
out  of  which  £5,354  was  written  off  for  depreciation, 
and  £9,.375  paid  as  dividend  (No.  19),  being  at  the 
rate  of  3J  "„.  The  manager  remarks  that  the  quality 
of  native  labour  now  obtainable  is  very  poor. 

New  Brunswick  Gas  and  Oilfields. — This  com- 
pany operates  gas  and  oil  lands  in  New  Brunswick, 
Canada.  The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that 
the  profit  from  the  sale  of  gas  was  £26,101,  and 
from  oil  £4.886.  Other  items  brought  the  net 
income  to  /39,540.  After  allowance  for  taxes  and 
depreciation,  the  net  profit  was  £7,779.  The 
dividends  were  at  the  rate  of  6%  on  the  preference 
shares,  and  10%  on  the  ordinary  shares,  less 
income  tax  in  both  ca.ses.  During  the  year  a  new 
oil  well.  No.  54,  w'as  drilled  in  the  Stony  Creek 
field  to  a  depth  of  2,745  ft.,  and  it  is  now  the  most 
productive  well.  No.  53  was  started,  but  owing  to 
the  hard  rock  encountered,  drilling  was  suspended 
for  a  time.  It  is  hoped  to  resume  some  time  during 
the  current  year.  Three  of  the  producing  ga.s-wells 
were  deepened,  and  thereby  additional  flows  of  gas 
were  obtamed.  The  properties  are  on  ofler  to  the 
D'Arcy  Exploration  Co.,  acting  on  behalf  of  the 
Anglo-Per.sian  Oil  Co.  During  1920  the  D'Arcy 
Company  had  three  drilling  crews  at  work,  and 
further  drilling  is  to  be  done  during  1921. 

Apex  (Trinidad)  Oilfields. — This  company  was 
formed  in  1919  to  acquire  oil-rights  in  the  Fyzabad 
district,  Trinidad.  The  Anglo-French  Exploration 
Co.  and  the  British-Borneo  Petroleum  Syndicate, 
are  largely  interested.  G.  R.  Airth  and  Walter 
Maclachlan  are  the  managing  directors.  The  original 
capital  was  /200.000,  and  this  was  increased  to 
£400,000  in  May,  1920.  Three  heavy  rotary  drilling 
plants  have  been  put  to  work,  and  the  programme 
for  the  period  to  September  30  of  this  year  provides 
for  the  drilling  of  eleven  wells.  Wells  No.  1  and  2 
have  been  producing  regularly  ;  No.  1  is  to  be 
deepened  to  the  lower  oil-sands  ;  production  at 
No.  2  is  impeded  by  faulty  tubing.  No.  3  came  in  on 
November  6  last,  and  gave  an  initial  flow  of  about 
100,000  barrels  in  a  few  hours.  The  flow  was  then 
checked  by  the  well  sanding  up.  This  big  flow  was 
far  greater  than  expected,  and  the  dam,  which  was 
constructed  for  the  storage  of  only  50,000  barrels, 
gave  way  and  the  oil  was  lost.  The  well  has  .since 
been  brought  in  again,  and  the  production  to  the 
end  of  Apnl  other  than  that  lost  amounts  to  64,769 
barrels.  Well  No.  4  has  been  capped  to  control  the 
heavy  gas  pressure  ;  it  is  to  be  drilled  into  the 
lower  oil-sands.  At  No.  5  the  10  m.  casing  has  been 
set  and  cemented  at  1,050  ft.  preparatory  to  drilling 
into  the  oil-sands.  No.  6,  adjoining  No.  4,  has  been 
drilled  into  the  upper  oil-sands  ;  the  production 
from  May  23  to  the  end  of  April  was  20  150  barrels. 
At  No  7  the  drilling  rig  is  in  course  of  erection.  The 
total  production  to  the  end  of  April  has  been 
94,006  barrels,  equal  approximately  to  13,400  tons. 
An  arrangement  has  been  made  for  the  sale  of  the 
oil  production  to  Trinidad  Leaseholds,  Ltd.,  and 
80,000  barrels  had  been  delivered  at  the  time  of 
writing  the  report.  May  7.  A  geological  examination 
of  the  companv's  property  was  made  during  the 
latter  half  of  last  year  by  Dr.  F.  C.  P.  Mueiler- 
Carlson,  and  the  directors  state  that  his  report  is  of 
a  most  satisfactory  nature 


The  Mining  Magazine 

PUBLISHED    AT    SALISBURY     HOUSE.     LONDON. 

INDEX    TO   VOLUME   XXV. 

FROM    JULY    TO    DECEMBER,    1921. 


Kxri,ANATi)KV    NOTE.- 


-Itenis  in  italics  are  names  of  books  reviewed  ;   illustrated  articles  are  denoted  by  asteiibk.s  C)  ! 
refer  to  notices  of  articles  under  the  beading  "Mining  Digest." 


the  letters  (w.i/.) 


PAGE 

Aber-Llyn  Co.'s  New  Enterprises 272 

Abbontiakoon,  Progress  at 335 

Acidity  of  Mine  Waters   Watson  and  Cooper  {m.d.}. . .  389 

AiLinew,  J.  A.,  on  Votes  of  Thanks   72 

Air-CompresEor  at  New  Modderlontein    [m.d.) 325 

A  ir- Com  pressor,  Reavell {m  d.) 125 

Air  in  Mine?,  Report  on    J-  P-  R^ecs  [ni.d.) 60 

Akim,  Goldfields  of  liastern 136 

Alaska  Gastinea-j 138 

Alaska  Juneau,  History  of {m.d.) 61 

Alberta  Railways    39 

Allan,  Clyde,  and  Nigerian  Gold 270 

Almaden  Quicksilver  Mine {m.d.]. . . .  326 

Aluminium,  h'stimation  of  Oxygen  in    {m.d.). . . .  260 

Amalgamated  Zinc  (De  Bavay's)    271 

Amalgamated  Zinc  (De  Bavay's) Report. ...  64 

Amatlan  Oilfields,  ^iie  in 74 

American  Institute's  Monthly  Organ    67 

A7ialysis,  Technical  Methods  of R.  C.  Griffin 295 

Anantapur  Goldfield Report 262 

Anglo-Burma  Oil  Company     271 

Anglo-United  Oil&elds 272 

Anodes  for  Copper  Deposition {m.d.) ....  256 

Anschutz  Gyro  Compass  for  Surveyors    *22u 

Anschutz  Gyro  Compass,  Patent {m.d.) ....   *121 

Araraayo  Mines  en  Bolivie       204,  272 

Arizoija  Copper Report. . . .  262 

.Arizona  Copper  Co.  and  Phelps  Dodge 138,  IHS 


hn.d.}. 
,H.  B.  Manfe  (m.d.). 


GO 

188 

72 

27 

127 

302 

125 

98 

30 

51 

203 

31 


Arsenic,  Determination  of 
Asbestos  in  Rhodesia  ....... 

Ashanti  Goldfields  Corporation 

Assaying,  Text  Book  of C.   Ik  J.  J.  Beringer. 

.Associated  (^iold  Mines  of  W.A Report. 

.\tlin  Gold  Mines    

.Australia,  Galvanized  Iron  in    [m.d.]. 

A.ustralia,  Mine  Taxation  in 

Australia,  Mining  Conditions  in 

Australia,  Mining  in  Central li.  C.  Playford  {m.d.). 

Australian  Gold  Premium  Realized 

Australian  Ice  Ages 

Australasian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 302 

.Australian  Zinc  Concentrates 271 

Ayan  Corporation    74 

Balaghat,  New  Discoveries  at 204 

Bangrin  Tin  Dredging S 

Barium  Minerals   261 

Bayldon,  H.  C Real    Value    of    Gold....  223 

Benitez,  F History   of  Mining  in   Chile 287 

Bettington  Boiler  for  Pulverized  Coal {m.d.). . . .  192 

Bisichi  Prospecting  Results N,  336 

Bisichi  Tin Report 392 

Bismuth,  Estimation  of    {m.d.) ....  125 

Blackwater  Mines Report. . .  .  328 

Blast-Eumace  Air,  Moisture  in    {fn.d.) ....  191 

Blast-Roasting  Patent.  Rigg's {m.d.) *254 

Books,  Catalogue-  of  British  Scientific  and  Technical 390 

Borax  Deposits  in  Nevada [m.d.) ....  326 

Bore-hole  Survey,  Wuensch {m.d.) ....  60 

Bremer  Bay  Oil I(i2,  271 


Briseis  Tin  and  General  Mining Report . . 

Britannia  Beach,  Storm  at \ 

British  America  Nickel  Corporation     

British  Association 

British  Burma  Petroleum  Company 

British  Columbia  Output    

British  Guiana,  Gold  Deposits  in. . ..!.  N.  Justice  {m.d.). . 

British  Guiana,  Mining  in (m.d.) . . 

British  Platinum  and  Gold  Corporation 

Broken  Hill  Block  10 Report. . 

Broken  Hill  Block  U Report. 


Broken  Hill 
Broken  Hill 
Broken  Hill 
Broken  Hill 
Broken  Hi! 


.  British Report . . 

,  North Report. . 

1  Output  increased    

1  Proprietary  Results 

I  South     Report. . 

Broken  Hill  South  Concentration  Plant {m.d.\.. 

Broken  Hill,  Ventilation  at    {m.d.).. 

Brown,  J.  Coggin Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India.. 

Brunton,  D.  W.,  Interview  with (m.d.). . 

Buena  Tierra Report. . 

Bullfinch  Suspends  Output    

Burma    Corporation 9, 

Burma  Corporation Report. . 

Burma,  Mining  Possibilities  in H.  D.  Griffiths.. 

Burma,  Prospects  of  Gold  Dredging  in 

Burma  Queensland  Corporation's  Dressing  Plant  .  .{m.d.). . 

Burma  Ruby  Mine? Report.. 

Burmah  Oil  Co.'s  Shares 


i'AGe: 
128 

,  3U4 
102 
201 
338 
103 
326 
387 
10 
194 
194 
127 
391 
336 
137 
328 
389 
389 
*11 
61 
6-1 
336 

i,  337 

391 

*339 

337 

*1S2 

128 


Cadman,  Sir  J.,  on  Coal-Mining  Conditions 197 

Cages,  Extra  Strong,  for  Mines  130 

Cam  and  Motor  Developments    269 

Campbell,  J.  Morrow. .  .Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 154 

Carbocoal,  Smith's  Process {m.d.) 125 

Carbonic  Oxide,  Detection  of {m.d.) 260 

Carbonic  Oxide  Poisoning 130 

Cariboo,  Placer  Discoveries  in 365 

Cass  Technical  Institute,  Sir  John 4,  196 

Cassiterite,  Characteristics  of li.  H.  Davison 218 

Celebration  Mine,  Hampton  Plains 162 

Champion  Reef  Reconstruction 73,  203 

Chemicals,  Prices  of 47,  111,  173,  241.  300,  373 

Chenderiang  Tin  Dredging Report 327 

Chief  ConsoUdated  Mine,  Shaft-sinking  at 197 

Chile,  History  of  Mining    in P.  Benitez 287 

China,  Geology  of J.  S.  Lee  (m.d.) 61 

Chinese  Engineering  and  Mining  Companv 338 

Chloridi^ing-VolatiUzation '. H.  R.  Layng  {m.d.) 389 

Chrome  Interests,  Edmund  Davis's 8  ^ 

Chrome  in  Rhodesia H.B.Maufe  {m.d.) 188' 

Chromium,  Determination  of {m.d.) ....  389 

Chromium  Ore W.  G.  Rumbold 95 

Chromium  Steel,  Bibliography  of   (m.d.) 389 

Chuquicamata  Copper A.  Wallen  (m.d.).. .  .  60 

Churn-Drilling Iv.  R.  Rice  (m.d.) 125 

Coal,  Flotation  applied  to '■.  B.  Jones  (m.d.) 260 

Coal  Mining  by  Steam  Shove! i,.  Sheppard  (m.d.). .  . .  192 

Coal-Mining  Conditions,  British .  197 

Coalite    (m.d.) 3^o  350 


MIX  INT,     MAC.AZINI': 


I'At.U 


37,  101, 


,....(.».<*.).. 


(iii.>(.). 

Henry  Louis 


Collin?!  H.  v..  on  HuclvB  Rocks  and  Ores. 

Colloidal  1- iicl 

Colomlii.iii  i.oKl  Bxporls   ■■••■;■■.•■ 

Colombi.m  Mining  .mil  lixplor^ilic.n  Plant 

Colombi.in  IVopnotary  Gold  Mines 

Colorado  Sh  ilfi.  Oils  from 

Compass  Dip 

Compass,  <"Iyro 

ComfiresiCd-a  i>   I'lf"! 

Ciiml>res'if:l  .1 1>,  I'umpoii  vy 

Compressed-air  Shovel 

Concentralion  of  Minerals 

Concentration  Problems 

Concrete  I  leadgears    ... ... . . .  ■  • 

Consolidated  r.old  1-ields  Meeting. n',' "  U 

Consolidated  Cold  Kields  of  New  Zealan.l Repor 

Consolidated  Main  Reef H'^PO" 

Consolidated  Mining  and  Smeltuis  Co^ 


103,  230,  300,  3U4      I'orces  of  Nature,  I'lic '^ 


3S0 
332 
125 

74 
204 

10 
390 
•U) 


K.    Pcele.. 

E.  M.  Ivens. . 

(rn.rf.).. 

.S.  Nettleton  [m.d.). . 
.E.  S.  \Mard  {m.it.).. 

.  .C.  Toi:rnay  (m.rf.).. 


.•121  "220 


Conveyors.  History  of 

Copper  Deposition,  Anodes  lor   

Copper  Deposits  at  Warreu,  Arizona 
Cooper  Extraction  Process,  Corbould 

Copper  from  Lead  Bullion   

Copper  Leaching ■■  • r  'I-'!  Viif^  lV.'.Tl 

Copper  Leaching,  Principles  of F.  !■-.  Lathe  im.d.) 

Copper  Leaching  Process,  Pechey  ("'•'«•)  ■  ■  •  •     -i^:^ 

Copper  Mines,  Labour  at  Austrainn 
Copper  Production  in  United  Sti'tes 
Cippir  RsHning.. 


.  1".  Zimmer(m.ii.). 

("Lrf.). 

{.m.d.). 

{m.d.). 

("Lrf.). 

.1.  Irving  {m.d.). 


Ifl.'-j 


27 
228 

on 

1!)2 
260 
125 
335 
32S 
262 
300 
325 

2r;(i 
192 
>H8l 
118 
328 
1 


FrilJ  Medal  to  Sir  R.  Hadlicld 

Gnika  Company,  Control  of 

Gaika  Gold •  ■ 

Calicia,    Oil    Indmlry   of S. 

Galvanized  Iron  in  Australia   

Garbc,  Dr.  .1.  U.,  Report  on  Shetland  Copper    . 

Gas  from  Wood  Refuse 

C.eduld  No.  7  Shaft  

iJtologual  Map  of  the  World 

Gcologic;il  Sections,  Standarflizing 

Oeologv,   linniiietrini;   

c;lobe  and  Ph'unix  Negotiations   . . 


.  KeiJort . . . 
Jaiucki. . . 
..{m.d.)... 


Glynn's  Lydenburg  . 
C,old  Dredge  in  Nevac 


H.  B.  Milncr. . 

.  .H.  Uoscoe  {m.d.). . 
.  Ries  and  Watson.. 

Report . . 

.(m.,i.).. 


.H.  C.  Davldon. 
S.  J.  Speak. 


2 

335 
392 
12U 
125 
207 

yOo 

7 

24 
192 
120 

72 
392 
125 
209 
223 

93 

3 

159 

07 
•75 

71 


8 

.'.[['.[^l.ll^.l^^. 9 

.  .Lawrence  Addicks 23 

CoKJnld's  Copper  Extraction  Process   {m.d.) 'S-*! 

Cornish  Chamber  of  Mines  Yearbook 69 '  130    272 

E.'  H.  Davison  (m.'d.) '  185,  389 


Cornish  Cond 

Cornish  Geology 

Cornish  Labour  and  Mming 

Cornish  Miners  and  the  Rand    - .  ■  • ;  ' " " ;  ' ' ;  ■, ' ' ' 

Cornish  Tin  Lodes H-  B.  Cronshaw  (m.d.) . . . 

CorHwall,  Devon,  and  Somerset,  Lead  and  ZmcOrc^  of^ 

Cost-Book  System,  Origin  of . . . . . . ..... .H.  Lo"is  ('n.i.). . . 

Cronshaw,  H.  B Cornish  Tin  Lodes  (m.i.) . . . 

Crosley,  The  late  William 


199 
2I>9 
260 

261 
122 
260 
166 


'idld  Dredge  in  Nevada    

Gold  Eields  Rhodcsian  Development  Profits 

Gold,  Real  Value  of 

c;old.   Real  Value  of 

Gold  Returns,  Method  of  Making    

Gold  Stealing  in  West  Australia   

Gold.  The  Value  of    ,' ' '  ■^' 'A' ' '  ,i 

GooilchiW,  J.   H Land  Growth 

Goodchilrt,  ].  H.,  Theories  of 

Goodchild,  \V.  H.,  on  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary ods 

Goudreau  Gold  Deposit,  Ontario (»i-'') *180 

Gowganda,  Ontario 10- 

Gowland,    W.,    Metallurgy   of  the    Non-Ferrous   Metals 298 

Graiiby  Consolidated •  ■  •.•  •  ■■;■■■■, ,^1 

Graphite  Industry,  American B.   L.  Miller  (m.d.)....     192 

Graphite,  Origin  of T.  H.  Clark  (.«.<«.  . ...       00 

Great  boulder  Report....       04 

Great  Boulder  Costs    ■■■■■ g 

Grecian  .Magnesite  Deposits l"i.«.) aoa 

Griffiths,  H.  D Mining  Possibilities  m  Burma 'ddg 

Grimley's  Prospector's  Balance ■■■■■ :•••.: iiT. 


Grinding  Problems H-  W.  Hardinge  \>n-d.)-. 

GrOndal  Flotation  Process  in  Germany i     A ' ' 

Guatemala,  Oil  Prospects  in    .(m.a.). . 

Gurum  River  Tin  Mines Report. . 

Gyro  Compass,  Patent  for ^m.d.) . . 

Gyro  Compass  for  Surveyors,  Anschiitz  s    


193 
'323 
320 
128 
■1-20 
'220 


185, 


Davidson  Consolidated,  Porcupine   ... •••••■  •.••;.■• 

Davison,  E.  H Characteristics    of    Cass  terite 

Davison,  E.  H Cornish  Geology  (m.d.).... 

Devonshire,  Records  of  Output  in 

Diamond-bearing  Gravels  of  Somabula  I-  orest ; ' ' j  V 

Diamond-drilling,  Rapidity  of - ['"■":> 

Dip  Compass Henry  Louis 

Dolly    Varden    Mine .•■•• ••••■••• 'l'"'  S 

Dos  Estrellas  Gold  Mine T.  Skejves  Saunders. . 

Dredging  ESciencies C.  W.  Gardner  {m.d) . . 

Drill  Steel    <'"■''■' ' ' 

Drying  of  .Materials,  Commercial    {m.d.) . . 


133 
218 
389 
213 
327 
389 
19 


•88 

320 

60 

60 


East  Pool,  New  Shaft '  inl 

East  Pool,  Prospects  of  Restart    ■     ^^l* 

East  Pool,  Shaft  Accident I^s 

Eastern  Pioneer  Company •  - ...  -  •  ■  ■-  ■■■■■  ■■■•■     ^-''^ 

Egypt,  Oilfields  of W.  F.  Hume  (ra.u.) . . 

Eiken   Alannah • -,■  -  •  •  ■  •  ■  ■  •  R'-P"''' •  • 

El  Oro,  Geolog>-  of H.  V.  Wmchell  {m.d.).. 

El  Oro  Gold  Mine,  .Mexico 

El  Oro's  Subsidiary  Company  . ...  •--.•■.-, ;  •■;•,•■ 

Electric  Furnaces  for  Melting  Gold  anc  Silver   (m.a.) . . 

Electrolytic  Zinc  of  Australia ■••■••     ~^^'  ^f 

Emtage,  R.  H *'f"'jV  ' ' '     XS> 

Engels  Copper  Mine,  California ("•-»•) ^^J 

Engineering  Conference  in  London  

Engineers'  Club    ;■•,■';;-'*-***,"  'j  '\  *  * ' 

Fnlett  W  H Malayan  Lode-Mining  {m.d.). . . 

Esperanza  R<=P°rt-  •  • 

Esperanza  Copper  and  Sulphur K.epori. . . 

Exhibition,  Great,  of  1923 W  "J,' " 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria Report . . . 

Explosives,  Liquid-air \m.u,.)... 


317 
1-27 
113 
338 
10 
260 


130 

125 
64 
64 

264 
62 

124 


Hadtield,  Sir  R.,  presented  with  Fritz  Medal    ^2 

Haig,  Eari,  Unveils  Memorials    ..; -Jg" 

Haldane,  Dr.  J.  S.,  on  Coal  Mining  Conditions Wi^ 

Hampden  Cloncurry  Copper  Mines     '- 

Hampton  Celebration  Mill   °%L 

Hampton  Gold  Mining  Areas Jg.^ 

Hatfield,    H.    S Tm   Concentration    {m.d.) .... 

Helium,  Occurrence  and  Origin  of .m-^- 

Hill  Dr.  L.,  Ventilation  and  Human  Efficiency  . .  .(m.a, 

Hixon.  H.  W.    ..Inorganic  Origin  of   Petroleum  (m.d.).... 

Holland,  Sir  T.  H.  and  India ""' 

Holland,  Sir  Thomas,  on  Indian  .Mining  Laws. •  ^a, 

Holman   B.  W.,  Ventilation  and  Human  Efficiency  .. .  i(6, 

Hoknes.    Arthur Petrographic    Methods  . . . 

Homersham,  E Flotation  for  Rand  Ores  {m.d.) 

Huelva  Rocks  and  Ores /"  'Y  i 

Hyde's  Welding  Process - l'";*:! 

Hydraulics.   Text-book  of ,■ 'A; '  J''"  %,^  i  i 

Hydro-electric  Resources  of  India. .  .J.  W.  Meares  (m.d.). 


332, 


188 
386 
■325 
324 
196 
121 
■350 

95 
387 
380 
259 

94 
125 


125 
391 
•11 


Igneous  Diffusion -N.  L.  Bowen    m.rf.  . 

Income  Tax  Guide -  -  H.  W.  Pahner  (m.^.) . 

India,  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of. . . .  .J.  Coggin  Brown. 

Indian  Hydro-electric  Resources. . .  .J.  W.  Meares  {m.d.).. .  .  12J 

Indian  Mining  Laws    -  • ;;\\"U'y"i\""  19*1 

Indian  Mining  Laws Sir  Thomas  Holland  (.«.J.). ...  121 

Indian  Mming  Laws E,  O.  Murray. ...  293 

Indo-Burma  Oilfields '^"*'  g?i 

Institute  of  Metals,  Meeting  of    .Sig 

Institutions'  Memorials ",„,, 

Institution's  New  Building • „.,,, 

International  Nickel  Co.'s  Smelter  Closes    |ou 


IpohTin  Dredging. 


264 
191 


Falconer,  Dr.  J.  D-,  Lectures  on  Geology 

Fans,  Mine,  in  Combination D.  Penman  {m.d.) . 

Farrow,  Thomas,  Sentence  on ,-,•  •;  ■ '  ;;,' ' ' ';  "  j  V 

Felspars,  Mineralography  of H.  L-  Ailing  {m.d.) 

Feuerheerd  Mine  Pump ^''^'l 

Filter-Press  Practice,  Symposium  on .{m.a.l 

First  Aid  and  Rescue  Work  in  Mintn;. . .  ,L.  G.  Irvine. ...     ^ao 

Flin-Flon  Copper-Gold  Mines / ' '  j  i 

Florida  Phosphates,  Mining u-  ■,-,  •  ■, )'"jl 

Flotation  appUed  to  Coal F.  »■  Jones  {m.d) 

Flotation  by  Luckenbach  Process ■  •  ■  ■  ■■.^"■"■J. 

Flotation,    Concentration  by 1.   A.   Kicbiara 

Flotation  for  Rand  Ores    E.  Homersham  {m.d.) 

Flotation  Process  in  Germany,  Grondal (m.d.) 

Flotation  Tests  of  Idaho  Lead-Zinc  Ores 

Fluor-spar ■ 


61 

325 
389 
296 


125 
260 
192 
358 
387 
■323 
327 
194 


Iron  and  its  Com boutlds. '.'.'. '.'.'■'.'. .  ■  ■}■  Newton  Friend. . . 

Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India .|.  Coggm  Brown... 

Iron  and  Steel  Institute  Meeting '."jV" 

Iron  Compounds,  Solution  and  Deposition  of »«■»■)  •  •  • 

Iron  Ores  of  Normandy    -•.••,■,; '"' j   ' " ' 

Iron  Ores  of  South-West  Africa P.  A  -Wagner  (m.^.). . . 

Irvine    L.  G.,  First  Aid  and  Rccue  Work  tn  Mining... 

Jrving^  J Copper  Leaching  {m.d.) . . . 

Isotopes  of  Metals   

James,  Alfred,  Biography  of    {m.d.)....     o^jj 

Jumbo  Company's  Progress 

,,    ,  Report 128 

Kaduna    Renort       .  128 

Kaduna  Prospectors ■ . ; •  •  -  •  •  ■'^fP"" ooo 

Kendall,  J.  D Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposit,....  — 


328 

02 

•11 

148 

59 

•251 

319 

290 

3-20 

201 

390 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


"1)1 


i'AtiK 

162,  301 

K-irL.i,„H  I  ,    T,      -- 3i>,  101,  loa,  230,  au9,  36a 

Ivirklanrt  Lake  Proprietary 73    2U4    338 

Kookymc,  Niagara,  and  Tampa,  W..i.,  (ieoloev  of.'.         '         '  1Q4 
Kramat   Palai .' i=^.  /Report;;:;     126 

...  62 
261 
127 

•75 
364 
175 
165 
62 
125 

lis 

249 


Kimberlcy,  W.A.,  Oil  in. 
Kirklaiui  Lake,  Ontario  . 


Lahat    Mines Report 

Lake  Dislncl,  UaU  and  Zinc  O'cs  of T.  liistwood'. '. '  ' 

Lake  View  and  Star Rennrf 

J-^rH  ?rT'':<  ■;■■ ■  ■  ■  J- '  «-■  «°°dd,°S : : : : 

Larder  Lake,  Ont.irio jqj 

J"' d"^'-  &  'o Principles  of  Copper  Leaching  ' '(ni.rf') ... . 

Le  Roi  No.  2 /.. 

Le  Roi  No.  2 ;.';;;;;;;;;;;;; ' 

Lead  Arsenate,  Maniifacturf.'of 

Lead  Bullion,  Removal  of  Copper  from' 
Lead  Deposits  in  VVtst  Australi; 


Nevada  Consolidated,  Concentration  at 
New  State  Areas  Metallurgical  Plant 


.  .  (»(.( 


PAGE 

260 


......  „.«i.,  .11,^03  ..icidiiurgicai  riant      ooK 

Newcomen,  Monument  to  fo^ 


.Kent  and  Gill  (m.rf.). 


Report.  . 
.{ifi.d.).. 
.im.d.).. 
Im.d.). 


Leech,  C.  W.,  Mining  .Models  designed  by  ...  .-jfi 

Leeuwpoort  Tin  Mines ■Renort '  "  '  IQI 

Levant  Tin  iMines Keport....  194 

Libiola  Copper ;;;;;;;; Reoori"  '  ■  19^ 

Lightning  Creel;,  Ont.ino....             i<eport....  12b 

Limonite  in  British  Columbia                     Jpi 

Lonely  Reef  Developments              ,oi 

Lonelv  Reef  Ore  Reserves  

Louis,  Henry .■;;:.:;;; ;Dip'  Compaq: : 

Louis,  Henry  .        .    .Origin  01  Cost-Book  System  {m.d.).. 
Louisiana.  Salt-.Mining  in ;   _     'md) 


Nickel  Metallurgy   .  . 

Nickel  Plate  Gold  Mine 

Nigeria,  Prospecting  for  Gold  in. . . .  ;;;; '•Jm'oVn 

Nigeria,  Reduction  of  Costs  in -oa,  ~  (u, 

Nigerian  Consolidated  Mmes  Results        

Nigerian  Tin  .■Accumulations    . .  

Nissen's,  P.  N.,  Memorial  . .  , 

Nodulizing  Flue-Dust  and  Fine  Concentrate'  '.'.'.'.  Vim  d')   ' ' ' 

Nordberg  W  inding  Engine   I,,i.d\ 

Normandy,  Iron  Ores  of  .  .  Imd' > 

North  Aiiantapur  Gold  .Mines '.'.'.'. Renort 

Northampton  Lead  District,  W.A.  imdV  ' ' ' 

Northern  Exploration  Company   ....         ' ' ' ' " 

Nourse  Mines ;;;;;;;;;Report;;; .' 

Oil  and  Coal  Fuel,  Trent's (,„  j  \ 

o-l  '^°m'  ?  S'^otland ■. h;  ii:  Cadeli  {m.d.). . . 

Oil  in  Mackenzie  River  District  , 


139 

388 

38 

336 

330 

8 

270 

'330 

192 

335 

■251 

328 

249 

10 

261 

192 
260 


Oi  in  Mackenzie  River  District tm  d]"  "     .35 

Oil  in  Saskatchewan    )"  J    2? 


Low -Temperature  Carbonization (,„  j  \ 

Luckenhach's  F'">->.-"  " '        ' 

Luipaards  Vlei 


72 
19 
122 
125 
3.S9 
192 
3Q2 


Report. . 

McIntjTe  Developments,  Porcupine  iqo 

Mackenzie  River  Oil    J"" 

Mackenzie  River  District,  Oil  in '(J j \ 

McLiughlin.  R.  P.,  Oil  ImuI  Dcveloplnm'l'and  Vaiualir.'! 


M^gSiSi;.';-.-.-;.-.-;.-.-.-'':'"™"  '^'^'"°"''  Dnir,.:^:i:: 


Magmatic  Differentiation f    h    L 

Magnesite  Deposits  of  Gree'-e                   '     ' 
Malav  St.ites  Tin  Output  


Vogt  [m.d.) 

(m.d.) 


Sg»„^°'!°'.*.':°'°.^.-.v;.v.-. "'•  "•  Ep'ett  («:rf.'): 


Manjak 

Mapping  for  the  Oil  Geologist,  Field 

Mason  and  Barry  .  .  i  .  .  , 

Mayo  Silver-Lead.  Yukon' 

Mechanical 
.Melbourne 


.R.  H.  Emtage. . 
.  .C.  A.  Warner.. 


'hanical  Drawing    i '   Tr' "  t'-V™' 

bourne  Letter.. ''   ^^   J^^Ser. 


102 
*55 
1.56 
389 
203 
125 
389 
73 
125 
158 
156 
227 
204 
164 
228 


nv '," ^T^  ;■■■■■  ••'■'■'•'■'•'■'■' ■■■■■';.;;;;.'h.'b; MTtaer: 

o,    Land  Development  and  Valuation.  .R.  P.  McLaughlin 

Oil  Prospects  in  Guatemala   I,„d\" 

M  Wells,  Prodnction  of BeaVani  lewis; ! 

o!  filn     Tl?' ^-  ^"""y  Thompson  (m.d.) . . . 

n   Se  1'  °,^^Sypt.  . .  . W.  F.  Hume  ]m.d.).  . . 

Uilhelds,  Resources  of  .Mexican („,  li  \ 

Oi/yieWs,   Vnderimmul  Conditions   in,   A.    Vv'.' Ambrose" ' 
Oil  [see  also  Petroleum).  "=<;... 

Okotsk,  Alluvial  Gold  at 

Ontario's  Mineral  Production ; .' 

Oppau,  Explosion  at 

Ore  Deposits,  Origin  of  Primary. '.'.'.)'.  'siirrow'campbelV  '. ' 
Ore  Deposits,  Origin  of  Primary J    D    Kendall 


57 

204 
156 
326 
327 
326 
'317 
313 
327 

74 
229 
196 
154 
222 


n,..,  o      .-  —  .."....J J.  iy.  xveiiuaii. . .  .     vvv 

Ore-Hunting      Augustus  Locke  {m.d.) ....     326 

Oroville  Dredgmg    '        '  ,  S 


Oroya  Links. 

Otav    "' 

Ouro  Preto  Results  . 


in 

127 


113 
338 
337 
94 


jfemoriais"'  t(^ti;e"Dead  ■.■::'.:: 3°'  ^'''^•,^2^ 

.Mesopotamia,  Geology  of ny 


^'^^'?^^^?7-:---:;-.v;;;;..'^'?!'i^"-^?^'3°5'^«^ 


M/'ailiferoT,7MineTAdv'isory  CommitUe: : '. !  l^;  ."•.^""- ' ' '     ]'it 


132 
61 
97 

298 


Metallogmphy  of  Metals  and  Common  Alloys^  S.  'l'.:  iiivt '  ' 

Metallurgy,  Handbook  of Schnabel  an<i  T^,,;.' ' ' ' 

Metallurgy  of  the  .Xon-Ferrous  .l>rf« k  W  GowUnd  ' ' " 

-Mexican   Oil   Position    ■  .  ■ .  w .  oowland . . 

Mexican  Oilliclds,  Resources  of.  . .  .;'.V.V.V.'.V.V.'.Vm.rf.)    .  .  NsiS 

'....'.'.'.'.'.       74 
126 

188 


i  .Mines;  Output  ol.V.::V.:: Report. ...  127 

Pretr,   RecUc       -^ 

Pachuca    Geology  of H.  V.  Winchell  (m.i.) 

Pahang  Corporation    ' 

Papua  Oil  Exploration    

S«'''  ■-'^Sm?-  •  a- ,• : Textbook'  'of  '  'liydrauiies. 

Pasquia  Hills,  Oil  in /„,  j ,  h^ 

Pato  Results ,m.d.).. . .  57 

Pechey  Copper-Leachmg  Process    '.'.'.'.'.'.'im'.d')'."  '  sJg 

Pena  Copper '        '     ' '  "xf 

Penman,  D Mine  Fans  in  Combination  {m.d] '.  '. . .'  191 

...  n__j..-._.__     ,       ....[m.d.)....  260 

166,  232,  304,  366 

33,   08,   100,  361 

125 


-Mexican  Output  of  Metals  and  Miner'ais 
Mexico,  Claims  against   ... 
Mica  in  Rhodesia. . . 

Milner,   H.   B 

Milner,  H.  B 

Mine  .Accounting  and  Cost  'Principles 


H. 


Trinidad  'ISO 


B.  Maufe  (m.ii.) 

Oil  in  Sussex 204 

"" 205 

290 


Mmerall,uiuslry  of  the  British  Empire 


ling  Law  of  West  Africa 
Mining  Laws,  Indian 


194 
194 
69 


Permanganates,  Electrolytic  Production  of 

Personals    dn    1 04 

Perth   Letter    ;;;. .      .' .       ' 

Peru,  Gold  Deposits  in    A.  G.'piews  /mirf ') 

Peruvian  Oilfields s    R    Prisk  (<>i  rf      ' 

Petrographk   Methods    Arthur   Holmes.' '. 

Petrol  from  Natural  Gas A.  Beeby  Thompson  hn  d  ) 

Petroleum  ...    H.  B.  Cronshaw':; 

Petroleum  at  Bremer  Bay 

Petroleum  in  Venezuela.' A.  'h.  'Redfiel'd  'im'.d.)..         asu 

Petroleum.  Inorganic  Origin  of   ni. 

Petroleum,  Inorganic  Origin  of H.  W.  Hixon'(',«'rf  ')"  '  '     ^1 

Petroleum  Lectures  at  Cass  Institute ?q,. 

Petroleum  Prospects  in  Kimberley,  W.A \do    5fi? 

Petroleum  [see  also  Oil).  '"''■  °°^ 

Phelps  Dodge  and  Arizona  Copper  Co 1  qe    1  oa 

Philippine  Islands,  Mining  m  . ".\'m'd.).  ..."     60 


125 
...  95 
. . .  385 
. . .  327 
162,  271 


Mmml  M^is'S'i^th  kensi^^""^^  «°''="^'  ''"■''•' '  ' '  '      121       Phosiia.e  Miningm-FlSrid^. ! ! ! ! ! : ; ; ! ! ! ! ! ! ; '  ' '  'Zdl    ""     iS^ 

Mitchell  Vibrating  Screen  ^  214      Phosphates:    Mineral  Industry    !..  i!    '■■''■''•'■•• '     J?S 

"       Planet-Arcturus,  Extraction  Methods  at '. %ni 


Modderfontein   East 
Modderfontein,  New 
Modderfontein,  New,  Costs  at 
Modderfontein.  New,  Progress  at 
-Motors,  Commercial  . 

Mount  Bischoff  Tin  Mine 

■Mount  Boppy  Closes   . . 
Mount  Cuthbert  Copper 


.  Report . 
.Report. 


203, 


41 
2f.l 
261 
269 
202 
286 
271 
270 
160 


Planet-Arcturus  Gold  Mines. . . 
Platinum  in  Ores,  Detection  of. 

Poderosa  Copper 

Porcupine,  Ontario '. 

Premier  Gold  Mine 

Prestea  Block  .K,  Position  at  .' '. 
Progress    Mines 


202 
62 
327 
128 
363 


Mounl  L^:ll'^:;r^  and  tonien^raiion  ai' : ! ! !  1 ! ! :  1 ! ; ; ; !  .^      p„,^,i,ed  Coal  in  B^tttai^^i^i: 


Mount  Morgan  Gold    . 

Mount  Morgan  Gold n'  ■  ■ '  1 

Mount  Morgan  Labour  Troub'es '"''"'' 

MurraV  F  "g""  '^°"'">'  ^'^^"^  ,'  ,v  '■■■■■    '.'.:'.'.'.■.'. 

«u.ueFidisTmDeposii:;:;::::;:'j;:'rv^f(!;;':j:5: 

Naraguta  Company's  Gold  Ventures 

^araguta^  Extended  Tin  Mines  


336 
72 
262 
270 
203 
293 
243 


203,  270 


.........  .Report.  . .  . 

C  W.  Davis.... 

Report 

36,  101,  163,  229,  299, 

38,  164,  231 

335 

Prospector's  Balance,  Grim'ley's Report. . . .     328 

Pulverized  Coal  in  Bettmgton  Boiler i,'„'d  '"" 

Purington,  C.  W.,  Biography  of   .'.'.';.';;:::  (ml 


192 
390 


Pyrites,  Genesis  of  Spanish •.;h;  'f.'  tollins  (m.d.).. . .  380 

Radium  from  Joachimsthal  . .  9^,4 

Radium  Production  in  America    . .' .' imd'\""  mkq 

Rand.  Cornish  Miners  and  the  . .       '        ' ' ' ' '  olS 

Rand  Dividends  ...                                  ''"» 

Rand  Gold  Relinerv .2. 

Rand  Labour  Prolilems •.'.■.■;;;  "  V  72;  'wi: im,  269,  335 


k 


1\V.     MININC,     MACA/INK 


ilhodcsia  Broken  Hill  , 

Kho«lc<.iA  Broken  Hill Report . 


KIuhUm.i  Itrokrn  Hill  I-'ossils. 

KhcKUsn.  tii-olofiic.il  Investigations  in,  H.  R.  Maufe  (w.rf.). . 

Kh-xKiiaii  Political  Position 

Kick.utl,   T.    A Concentraiion    by    Flotation.. 

Uies   and   Watson    Engiiwering   Geology.. 

Ricg's  Blast -Roasting  Patent (m.rf.).  • 

Robinson   Peen Report . . 

Rock-Drills.  Wave-Transmission,  R.  dc  H.  St.  Stephens. . 

Rod  Grindini;  Mills E.  H.  Robie  (m.rf.).. 

Rogers.  A.  \V South-East  Rand  (wi.rf.), . 

RooiberK  Suspends  Production    

Ropp  Tin   Report . . 

Ropp  Tin  Results    

Russo- Asiatic  Consolidated    

Russo-  Asiatic  Negotiations      


•MiK 

OS 
127 

saa 

1S8 
130 

12G 

•251 

02 

30 

no 

128 
385 
191 
130 
10 
205 

St.  John  del  Rcy   5 

St.  John  del  Rev Report *e3 

St.  Stephens,  R.  dc  H..  Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drills 39 

Salt-Mininp  in  Louisiana (m.rf.) ....  125 

Sampling  Disscminalcd  Copper  Deposits    {m.d.) 32(5 

Sand   Lwige  Copper  Mine    2,  73,   •133,  207 

Saskatchewan,  Oil  in (tfi.d.). . . .  r>7 

Saunders,  T.  Skcwes Dos  Estrellas  Gold   Mine W> 

Scottatid,  Lead,  Zinc,  Copper,  and  Nickel  Ores  of,  G.  V.  Wilson  ]!I4 

Scotland,  Oil-Bores  in {m.d.)....  \iQ(i 

Serb-Croat-Hlcietie  State,  Mineral  Resources  o/,  D.  A.  Wray. . . .  391 

Shaft,  Oclajionally-Timbcrcd  Circular {m.d.) ....  260 

Shaft-Sinking  at  Miami {m.d.) GO 

Shaft-Sinking  Record    197 

Shales,  Oil  from  Colorado    (tn.d.) ....  390 

Shamva,  Results  at 7 

Share  Quotations 48.  112,  174,  242,  310,  374 

Sharpless,  I-*,  l-"..  Appointment  of   67 

Sheba  Gold  Mines    72 

Sheep  Creek,  Revival  of  Mining  ii»    305 

Shetland  Copper    2,  73,  'ISS,  267 

Shipping,  Engineering  and  Machinery  Exhibition 19(i,  23-4 

Siamese  Tin  Syndicate  Results 8 

Sierra  Leone  Geology K.  Dixey  (m.d.) ....  124 

Silver  Ores H.  B.  Cronshaw 327 

Simmer  &  Jack Report 392 

Skead  Gold  Mines    300 

Slocan  Silver-Lead  District    38 

Sotnatula  Diamond  Deposits,  Geology  o/ 327 

Sons  of  Gwalia  Re-treatnicnt  Plant  203 

South  African  Engineers  and  Electrical  Directory    194 

South  American  Copper  Syndicate 74 

South  Kalgiirii  Consolidated Report ....  127 

South-West  Africa,  Iron  Ores  of  ...  .P.  A.  Wagner  (m.d.). . . .  319 

Sozol 41 

Sozol,  RejTiard  and  Edser's  Patent    Gl 

Spain,  Mine-Holding  in 74 

Speak,  S.  J Real  Value  of  Gold 93 

Spitsbergen 10 

Spitsbergen  Coal  Interests   im.d.) 61 

Spitsbergen,  GeoIog>'  of J.  W.  Gregory  \m.d.)....  12."» 

Spitsbergen,  Present  Day  Conditions,  J.  M.  Wordie  {m.d.) 192 

Springs  Mines,  New  Metallurgy  at 7,  202 

Standard  Silver-Lead  Mine     38 

Statistics  of  Production 44.  lOS,  170,  238,  308,  370 

Sleel,  The  V/orhing  of Colvin  and  Juthe 261 

Stope-Filling,  Hydraulic Knox  and  Paion  {m.d.) 260 

Stoughton.  B..  resigns  Secretarj-ship 3 

Submersible  Motors  for  Mines  .' {>n-d.) ....  12.5 

Sullivan  Diamond-Drill  J.  A.  MacVicar  [tn.d.) 389 

Sulphuric  Acid.  Modem  Processes {m.d.) 389 

Sungei  Besi  Mines Report 62 

Surveying.  Anschiitz  Gyro  Compass  for     *220 

Surveying  Compass,  G>to,  Patent  for    (m.d.) ....  •120 

Surveying  Problems  in  Land  and  Mint D.  Davies. . . .  226 

Susses,  Oilin H.  B.  Milner 294 

Tole.    194 

Taxation  of  Mines  in  Austraha   98 

Tellurium  Alloys    (m.d.) 125 

Thompson,  A.  Beeby  . .  .Petrol  from  Natural  G?s  [m.d.) 385 

Thompson,  A.  Beeby   Oilfield  Losses  (m.d.) 326 

Timbers,  Decay  of  Mine D.  Harrington  (m.d.). . .  .  325 

Tin  Concentration H.  S.  Hatfield  (m.d.) *188 

Tin  Deposits,  Transvaal P.  A.  Wagner  (m.d.) 243 

Tin  in  Kangaroo  Hills (m.d.) 389 


J'AGK 

Tin  in  Kotrhiu,  Yunnan (m.d.). .. .  S2(V 

Tin  Sales.  lederated  .Malay  States  137 

Tip  Top  .Mine.  Rhixlesia 270 

Tomboy  Mim s,  Color.ido 33R 

Toronto  I  etler 30,  101,  163.  229.  299,  363- 

Trade  Paragraphs  41,  105,  160,  233.  304,  307 

Transfind  Gold  l-ield.  West  Australia 137 

Transvaal  and  Rluxlesian  Estates Report.  . , .  262 

Transtvtal  f^humh,  r  of  Miners  Report  for  192U    261 

Transvaal  IkiUI  Mining  Estates Report. . . .  12(» 

Transvaal  Tin  Deposits P.  A.  Wagner  (»r.t/.) 243 

Tu-nt'sOil  and  Coal  Euel {m.d.) 192 

Tre\or,  T.  G.,  on  Recompense  for  Science 190 

Trinidad   H.  B.  Milner •139,  •20& 

Trinidad  Oil  Article,  Correction  for    264 

Tronoh  Mines Report 02 

Tungsten  Eilaments : . .  .{m.d.). . . .  125 

Tungsten  Ores  in  Bolivia K  I-.  Hess  (m.d.). .  . .  326 

Uganda,  Mineral  Resources  of (m.d.). . . .  •375 

Uganda  Rift  Valley E.  J.  Wayland  {m.d.) 389 

United  Steel  Corporation  of  India    271 

United  States  Department  of  Mines 66 

United  States  Mining  Law & 

Uranium  Steel    H.  S.  Foote  (m.d.) 389 

Urquhart,  Leslie,  and  Russian  Conditions 265 

Van  Roi  Mine 301 

Vanadium,  Estimation  of   (m.d.) ....     259,  326 

Vancouver  Letter    37,  102,  164,  230,  30(1,  364 

Venezuelan  Petroleum A.  H.  Redfield  {m.d.). . . .  389^ 

Ventilation  and  Efficiency 266 

Ventilation  and  Human  Efficiency. . .  .Dr.  L.  Hill  (m.d.). . . .  325 

Ventilation  and  Working  l-Tficiency,  B.  W.  Hohnan  -   '273,  ^350 

Ventilation  at  Broken  Hill (m.d.) yHi» 

Ventilation  of  Dead  Ends  in  Mines S.  Nettleton. . . .  •149 

Vogt,  J.  H.  L Magmatic  Differentiation  (m.d.) 125 

Volatilization  and  Cbloridizing H.  R.  Layng  {m.i.) 389 

VolatiIi2ation  Process,  Chloride (m.d.) 192 

Wagner,  P.  A.  . .  .Iron  Ores  of  South- West  Africa  (m..d.) .^.lO- 

Waihi  Grand   Junction Report lf)4 

Wales,  Lead  and  Zinc  Ores  in B.  Smith. . . .  261 

Wanlockhead  Lead  Mines  Reopen    204 

W;irrcn,  Arizona,  Copper  Deposits  at (m.d.) ....  192 

Wartenweiler,  F.,  Distribution  of  Gold  in  Rand  Ores  (m.d.). . .  189 

Waugh  Drill  Shaft-Sinking  Record 197 

Wave-Transmission  Rock-Drills,  R.  de  H.  St.  Stephens....  39 

Wavland,E.J Uganda  Rift  Valley  {m.d.) 389 

Wavlaud  and  Simmons,  Mineral  Resources  of  Uganda  (m.d.) . .  *37r> 

Weardale   Lead Report 391 

Welding  Process,  Hyde's (m.d.) 259 

W'i-r!  Africa,  Mininci,  Law  of 194 

West  Shining  Tree,  Ontario 364 

W^st  Springs,  No.  2  Shaft 7,  72 

Whim  Well  Copper  Mine    '33 

Wickett,  James    334 

Winchell.  H.  V..  .Geology  of  Pachuca  and  El  Oro  (m.d.) *lVii 

Winding  Engine,  Nordberg    (m.d.) 325 

Winding  Engines,  Dynamics  of {7n.d.}. . . .  60 

Wolfram  Ores,  Dressing,  in  Queensland (m.d.) *1S2 

Wood  Refuse,  Gas  from    {vud.) 390 

Wray,  D.  A.,  Mineral  Resources  of  Serb-C^oat-Slovene  State 301 


Yugoslavia,  Coal  in D.  A.  Wray  {m.d.). 

Yuill,  H.  H.,  Report  on  Shetland  Copper 

Yukon  Mining   

Yukon  Silver  Mines 


61 
2r)7 

39 
102 

270 

64 
5R 
60 


Zinc  Concentrates,  Australian 73,  136,  203, 

Zinc  Corporation   Report 

Zinc  Determination  by  Potassium  Ferrocyanide  method  (m.d.) 

Zinc  Dust  and  Vapour    (m.d.) 

Zinc,    Electrolytic    Deposition   and   Hydro-metalhtrev    of 

O.  C.  Ralston....       20 

Zinc,  Electrolytic,  Production  at  Risdon 336 

Zinc,  Estimation  of M.  Bodansky  (m.d.) 260 

Zinc  from  Lead  Slags,  Recovery  of. .  Guy  Courtney  (m.d.). . .       49 

Zinc-Lead  Ore  Treatment  in  British  Columbia    230 

Zinc  Output  in  United  States    138 

Zinc  Residues,  Treatment  of     (m.d.) 388 

Zinc  Smeltine  under  Pressure    (m.d.). . . .     326 

Zirconia "i W.  R.  Schoeller  (m.d.) OO- 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 


PuBi.isiiEO  on  the  i5tli  of  each  niontii  by  The  Minmng  Publication's,   LiMiTRn, 
AT  Salisbury  House,  Lonoon  Wall,   London,  E.C.  2. 

Telephone  :  London  Wall  S938.      Telegraphic  Address  :  Oligodase.      Codes  :  McNnll,  botli  Editions, 
Branch  Offices  -'  420,  Market  Street,  San  Francisco.  Subscriftion  '  16s.  per  annum  (Single  Copy  Is.  6d.),  including 


'  I  000,  Fisher  Bdg.,  Chicago. 


postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  1. 


LONDON,  JULY,  1921 


Price  Is.  6d. 


C  O  N  T  E  N  r  S 


Editorial 


Notes 


The  John  Fritz  Medal  for  Sir  Robert  Hadfield  ;  The 
Engineeruig  Conference  ;  Chalk  Fuel  and  Shetland 
Copper  ;  Farrow's  Sentence  ;  The  Secretaryship  of 
the  American  Institute. 


Statistical  Returns 3 

Attention  is  drawn  to  the  want  of  uniformity  in  the 
method  of  returning  the  monthly  gold  outputs  by 
mining  companies. 

The  Sir  John  Cass  Technical  Institute       4 

Particulars  are  given  of  the  courses  of  instruction  in 
metalhirgy  at  the  Sir  John  Cass  Institute  in  the 
City  of  London 

St.  John  Del  Rey .5 


This  famous  old  gold  mine  in  Brazil  is  now  developing 
ore  at  a  vertical  depth  of  6,40U  ft.  below  surface. 

Review  of  Mining 


Articles 

The  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India 

Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown 

The  Dip  Compass.  .Prof.  Henry  Louis 

Book  Reviews 

Milner's  "  Geological  Map  of  the  World  ". . 
Addicks'  "  Copper  Refining  " .  .W.H.  Merrett 
Beringer's  "  Text  Book  of  Assaying  " 

B.  Drinkwater 

Peele's  "  Compressed  Air  Plant  " 

ilex.  Richardson 

Ralston's     "  Electrolytic     Deposition     and 

Hydro-Metallurgy  of  Zinc "  CO.  Bannister 

News  Letters 

Melbourne 30 

Mining  Conditions  in  Australia  ;  Early  Ice  Ages. 

Perth,  W.A 34 

■  VVhim  Well  Copper  .Mine. 


11 

19 


24 
25 

27 

27 

29 


Toronto 36 

Porcupine  ;   Kirkland  Lake  ;  Cobalt. 

Vancouver,  B.C 37 

Granby  Consolidated  ;  Standard  Mine :  Nickel  Plate 
Mine ;  Premier  Mine ;  Slocan  District ;  The 
Yukon ;  Alberta. 

Letter  to  the  Editor 

Wave-transmission  Rock-drill 

R.  de  H.  St.  Stephens  39 

Personal    40 

Trade  Paragraphs    41 

Metal  Markets    41 

Statistics  of  Production 44 

Prices  of  Chemicals 47 

Share  Quotations 48 

The  Mining  Digest 

Recovery  of  Zinc  from  Lead  Slags 

Guy  Courtney  49 

Minine  in  Central  Australia 

. .  . " E.  Copley  Playford  51 

Oil     Prospecting    in    the    Mackenzie    River 

District E.  M.  Kindle  55 

Oil  in  Saskatchewan William  Mclnnes  57 

Zinc  Determination E.  Olivier  58 

Solution  and  Deposition  of  Iron 

/.  Haworth  and  J.  Evans  59 

Rod  Grinding  Mills E.  H.  Robie  59 

Origin  of  Graphite T.  H.  Clai-k  60 

Short  Notices    60 

Recent  Patents  Published 61 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 62 

Company  Reports    62 

Amalgamated  Zinc  (De  Bavay's)  :  Huena  Tierra  ,  Ksperanza  ( 
Esperanza  Copper  and  Sulphur  ;  Ex-Lands  Nigeria  ;  Great  Boulder 
Proprietary;  Lahat  Mines  i  Le  Roi  No.  2 1  Planet-Arcturus ; 
Robijison  Deep  ;  St.  John  del  Rey  ;  Sungei  Besi ;  Troaoh  .Mines  ; 
Zinc  Corporation. 


EDITORIAL 


'"l^lll-"  ci'iiiiuinv  of  prosi'iiMny;  Sir  KobiiL 
1  ll.ullicKl  with  the  Jolm  Fritz  medal  was 
OIK'  lit  iimisual  and  pleasant  significancu.  It 
was  kindly  thoiij^lU  fulness  that  prompted 
the  American  societies  to  instruct  their 
members  attending  the  Engineering  Con 
terenee  held  in  London  last  month  to  form 
a  delegation  for  making  a  public  presentation 
i>f  this  medal.  The  John  Fritz  l''oiuuhition 
was  started  in  1902  to  commemorate  the 
great  services  to  iron  and  steel  metallurgy 
render(?d  by  the  late  John  Fritz,  head  of  the 
Bethlehem  works  in  Pennsylvania,  and  the 
bestowal  of  the  medal  is  the  highest  honour 
that  can  come  to  an  engineer  from  America. 
Sir  Robert,  in  replj',  accepted  the  medal 
not  entirely  as  a  recognition  of  his  own 
personal  work,  but  also  as  conveying  an 
expression  of  the  regard  felt  by  the  American 
engineering  profession  for  the  abilities  dis- 
plavcd  bv  the  British  engineers  and 
metallurgists  during  the  war. 

REFERENCE  is  made  in  the  preceding 
paragraph  to  the  Engineering  Con- 
ference held  in  London  last  month.  This 
was  arranged  by  the  Institution  of  Civil 
Engineers,  and  was  the  first  held  since  the 
outbreak  of  the  great  war.  One  of  the 
sections  was  devoted  to  mining  and 
metallurgy,  and  here  a  number  of  interesting 
discussions  took  place.  Dr.  J.  W.  Evans 
dealt  with  the  application  of  water-power  in 
the  development  of  mineral  resources ; 
Mr.  R.  Nelson  described  recent  improvements 
in  coal  cleaning,  instancing  the  action  of 
flotation  and  table  concentrators  ;  Mr.  H. 
Standish  Ball  read  a  communication  on  the 
Francois  cementation  process ;  and  Mr. 
Thomas  Crook,  of  the  Imperial  Mineral 
Resources  Bureau,  presented  a  paper  on  the 
effect  of  the  war  on  mineral  supplies.  Wliile 
these  papers  did  not  contain  any  new 
material,  they  served  to  draw  public  attention 
to  the  present  problems  in  mining  and 
metallurgy',  and  to  demonstrate  that  mining 
is  an  important  branch  of  engineering. 


.iiiiinpieLl  to  conduct  a  bank  wilhoul  full 
experience  of  the  iletails  and  without  a 
linancial  backing  that  would  bring  jiiolitable 
business  for  the  fund-;  de[)()sitrd  with  him. 
While  being  sorry  for  the  people  who  lost 
their  money,  we  are  equally  sorry  that 
Mr.  Farrow  did  not  succeed  in  his  ambition. 
No  doubt  the  big  banks  arc  glad  that  he  has 
disajipeared.  At  the  time  of  his  arrest  they 
advertised  extensively  that  they  provided 
every  facility  for  small  depositors,  but 
experit'uce  shows  that  they  do  not  really  care 
for  this  class  of  business.  The  Post  Ollice  still 
gives  2.1%  per  year  on  deposits,  and  has 
removed  the  yearly  and  total  limits  in  order 
to  attract  as  much  money  as  possible  for 
public  u.sc.  The  Savings  Certificates  offer 
a  higher  rate  of  interest  than  the  Savings 
l^ank,  but  the  Post  Office  limit  holds  good 
here.  A  day  may  arrive  when  the  Govern- 
ment and  the  bankers  will  treat  the  meanest 
depositor  rather  more  graciously.  Until  then 
there  will  be  a  succession  of  attempts,  by 
honest  or  dishonest  men,  to  attract  the 
savings  of  comparatively  poor  people  by 
offering  the  advantages  enjoyed  by  their 
more  fortunate  fellow-citizens. 


THE  collapse  of  Farrow's  Bank  and  the 
sentence  of  Mr.  Farrow  to  four  years' 
penal  servitude  for  the  issue  of  falsified 
balance-sheets  are  so  much  matters  of  public 
notoriety  that  little  need  be  said  here.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  a  man  of  such  long 
experience  of  the  iniquities  of  moneylenders, 
both    regular    and    irregular,    should    have 


ONE  or  two  doubtful  projects  have  been 
launched  publicly  or  privately  during 
flic  last  few  weeks.  One  revives  an  old 
scheme  for  selling  a  mixture  of  chalk  and  some 
unspecified  ingredient  as  a  substitute  for  coal. 
This  proposal  usually  makes  its  appearance 
when  coal  is  scarce,  whether  the  scarcity  is 
due  to  war,  railway  trouble,  or  closing  of  the 
coal-mines.  It  seems  hardly  necessary  to 
refer  to  this  matter  here,  for  no  reader  of  the 
Magazine  is  likely  to  be  deluded  by  the 
advertisement.  Another  doubtful  scheme 
deals  with  a  copper  deposit  in  the  Shetland 
Islands.  A  news  agency  circulated  a  para- 
graph in  the  daily  press  announcing  the 
discovery  of  two  copper  lodes  at  Sandwick  in 
the  island  of  Yell,  estimated  to  contain 
100,000  tons  and  300,000  tons  of  ore 
respectively.  The  secretary  of  the  company 
wrote  to  the  papers  subsequently  stating  tliat 
the  deposits  are  not  in  Yell  but  in  the  Main- 
land, and  modifying  the  estimate  of  ore,  the 
implication  being  that  the  puffers  of  the 
shares ' '  yelled  "too  soon  or  too  loudl  v.  Many 
letters  have  been  received  by  us  with  regard 
to  this  project.  Our  advice  in  return  has 
been  that  inquiries  should  be  addressed  to 
Dr.  J.  S.  Fktt,  head  of  the  Geological  Survey, 


JULY,    1921 


at  the  Jermyn  Street  Museum.  He  has  an 
intimate  personal  acquaintance  with  the 
Shetland  Islands  and  their  geology.  It 
would  be  a  good  chance  for  a  Government 
Department  to  enter  into  financial  affairs 
and  tell  prospective  investors  what  to 
expect.  As  for  ourselves  we  are  tired  of 
riuining  the  risk  of  hbel  actions.  It  is  best 
that  public  bodies  should  take  action,  as  the 
Surrey  County  Council  did  in  the  case  where 
lemonade  "  made  from  Messina  lemons  "  was 
proved  to  consist  of  sugar  and  phosphoric 
acid.  Even  here  there  were  plenty  of  first- 
class  scientific  experts  who  were  prepared  to 
say  that  the  description  was  justifiable.  The 
Magazine  cannot  afford  either  lawyers'  fees 
or  the  fees  of  experts  practising  in  the  courts. 


FATE  follows  the  American  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers. 
Another  so-called  crisis  has  arisen  through 
the  resignation  of  Mr.  Bradley  Stoughton  as 
secretary.  For  many  years  the  Institute 
flourished  under  the  autocratic  and  beneficent 
rule  of  Dr.  R.  W.  Raymond,  and  under  his 
auspices  it  became  an  unrivaUed  expositor  of 
mining  and  metallurgical  practice.  The 
papers  and  transactions,  through  his  influence, 
were  of  the  highest  order  from  both  the 
professional  and  the  literar}^  standpoint,  and 
membership  of  the  Institute  was  prized 
accordingly.  Before  he  died  the  control  was 
wrested  from  his  hands,  and  subsequently 
also  many  modifications  in  the  policy  of  the 
Institute  were  introduced.  Of  recent  years 
far  too  many  papers  have  been  written  and 
pubhshed,  and  the  net  for  membership  has 
been  cast  far  and  wide,  without  any  desire  for 
increased  esprit  de  corps,  but  merely  prompted 
by  a  desire  to  increase  the  revenue  of  the 
Institute.  The  discontinuance  of  the  dis- 
tribution of  papers  by  means  of  the  month!)' 
bulletin,  and  the  establishment  instead  of  a 
gossipy  monthly  paper  called  Mining  ami 
Metallurgy  was  another  false  step  intended 
for  greater  publicity  and  income.  We  under- 
stand that  the  future  of  this  monthly  paper  is 
under  serious  discussion  by  the  council  of  the 
Institute,  and  that  proposals  are  being  con- 
sidered for  its  amalgamation  with  another 
organ  of  the  profession.  In  the  meantime 
the  reason  for  ^Ir.  Stoughton's  resignation 
remains  a  mystery.  He  says  that  a  secretary 
should  not  in  any  case  retain  his  office  for 
more  than  ten  years,  but  the  wisdom  of  this 
view  we  take  leave  to  doubt.  Mr.  Stoughton 
is  a  capable  metallurgist,  he  is  a  good 
tactician    and    administrator,    and    he    has 


a  sense  of  humour,  and  as  far  as  politeness  and 
consideration  for  others  is  concerned  he  is 
perhaps  too  polite  to  some  of  those  with 
whom  he  has  to  come  in  contact.  It  is  really 
a  pity  that  he  is  resigning,  and  that  the 
council  of  the  Institute  cannot  adopt  a  more 
stable  and  professional  policy. 

Statistical  Returns 

In  the  last  issue  we  referred  to  the 
report  by  Mr.  Hugh  F.  Marriott  on  the  work 
at  the  mines  of  the  Central  Mining  and 
Investment  Corporation,  mentioning  that  his 
figures  of  revenue  from  the  gold  output  ar^* 
based  on  its  par  value,  and  that  the  credits 
due  to  the  premium  are  given  separately. 
But  for  the  fact  that  some  other  engineers  and 
companies  do  not  adopt  this  practice,  the 
method  would  seem  to  be  the  obviously 
and  indisputably  correct  one.  The 
standardization  of  statistical  returns  has  been 
referred  to  in  these  pages  on  several  occasions, 
and  in  many  cases  improvements  in  their 
presentment  have  been  observable  during  the 
past  few  years,  but  there  is  still  a  lack  of 
an  agreed  system  among  the  mining 
companies,  with  the  result  that  the  labours 
of  the  statistician  are  unnecessarily  com- 
plicated. The  present  is  a  convenient  oppor- 
tunity for  mentioning  the  matter  again,  and 
for  glancing  through  the  returns  as  supplied 
month  by  month  by  the  chief  companies  in 
various  parts  of  the  world. 

Taking  first  the  gold  mines  of  the 
Transvaal,  we  find  that  the  Central  Mining- 
Rand  Mines  group  report  the  fine  oimces,  the 
estimated  value  including  premium,  and  the 
estimated  profit  on  the  same  terms.  The 
Consolidated  Mines  Selection,  Consolidated 
Gold  Fields,  Union  Corporation,  Anglo- 
French,  W'itwatersrand  Deep,  and  Luipaard's 
Vlei  follow  the  same  course.  On  the  other 
hand,  Johannesburg  Consolidated  and  the 
Albu  group  do  not  give  the  ounces,  but  report 
the  estimated  revenue  and  profit  including 
premium.  They,  however,  give  the 
estimated  price  of  gold  per  ton,  as  do  the 
other  groups,  so  that  anyone  desirous  of 
finding  the  figure  for  the  actual  output  can 
do  so.  But  it  would  be  simpler  for  everybody 
if  the  figures  for  the  ounces  were  given, 
because  these  are  the  first  obtained  when  the 
gold  is  won,  and,  anj'way,  dividing  backward 
does  not  necessarily  give  the  identical  figures. 
Moreover,  uncertainty  may  exist  as  to 
whether  the  cost  of  realization  has  been 
deducted  from  the  gross  revenue  or  not.  In 
the  list  of  Rhodesian  producers,  most  of  the 


Till      MI\l\r,     MAriAZIXl' 


mines  report  in  ounces  ;  two  rejiort  in  pounds 
at  par,  one  in  pounds  at  an  estimated  price 
of  gold,  whili'  anotlier  docs  not  say  whether 
the  pounils  represent  par  vaUie  or  inchule 
premium.  In  \Vest  Africans,  Taquah,  Aliosso, 
and  Asiianti  Goldlields  rejiort  in  ouncis, 
Abbontiakoon  and  I'nstea  Hloek  A  in  pounds 
at  par,  and  Obhuassi  in  revenue  including 
premium,  but  without  stating  the  price  of 
gold  used  in  making  the  estimate.  The 
Indian  gold  mines  give  the  outputs  in  fine 
ounces.  The  Australasian  mines  pursue 
every  possible  variety  of  practice.  Some 
give  their  returns  in  fine  ounces,  some  in 
revenue  at  par,  some  include  specified 
premiums,  and  others  unspecified  jiremiums ; 
some  lump  royalties  from  tributi'rs  in  one 
sum  with  the  output  from  the  companies' 
mines,  and  these  outputs  may  be  at  par  or 
may  include  premium ;  finally  tlie  New 
Zealand  mines  give  their  returns  in  four- 
weekly  periods  and  not  by  the  calendar 
month. 

There  are  a  number  of  other  gold  mines  in 
various  parts  of  the  world  under  English 
control  or  of  interest  to  English  shareholders, 
and  most  of  tliem  report  in  ounces  or  in 
United  States  dollars.  For  instance,  St.  John 
del  Rey  gives  the  par  value  in  pounds  and 
Ouro  Preto  the  ounces,  nothing  being  said  of 
premium  in  the  monthly  reports.  Plymouth 
Consolidated  and  Tombo\',  being  in  the 
United  States,  have  no  premium  to  hel]5 
them,  so  report  at  par  value.  Of  the 
Mexican  mines,  P^I  Oro  and  Mexico  of  El  Oro 
report  the  realized  value  in  United  States 
dollars,  and  Esperanza  and  Santa  Gertrudis 
report  the  profit  in  United  States  dollars. 
The  Pato  and  Xechi  companies,  operating  in 
Colombia,  publish  returns  of  dredging  runs 
of  irregular  numbers  of  days  in  United  States 
dollars.  Here,  as  with  the  Mexican  mines, 
the  gold  values  are  at  par,  for  the  companies 
are  not  allowed  to  take  advantage  of  the 
free  markets. 

No  doubt  some  companies,  in  reporting 
output  and  profits,  prefer  to  give  the  full 
income  including  premium,  so  as  to  make  the 
returns  as  big  as  .possible  ;  indeed,  if  the 
premium  were  not  included  a  loss  would 
sometimes  be  shown,  and  an  unpleasant  jar 
would  be  given  to  the  shareholders.  It  is 
naturally  argued  that  from  the  shareholders' 
point  of  view  the  actual  income  is  w-hat 
matters.  But  to  the  serious  student  of 
mining  more  precise  and  complete  informa- 
tion is  necessary,  and  as  its  preparation  and 
publication  would  entail  no  further  tinn-  or 


expense  to  the  several  companies,  there  is  no 
reason  why  in  every  casi'  the  specific  figures 
for  the  out]nit  should  not  be  given  in  addition 
to  the  n\i  niie  derived  therefrom. 


The  Sir  John  Cass  Institute 

riu-  delis'c  ry  (i(  Iceliuis  on  N'arious  asjiects 
of  the  zinc  industry'  by  Messrs.  J.  C.  Moulden 
and  v..  A.  Smith  at  the  Sir  John  Cass 
Technical  Institute,  to  which  reference  was 
made  last  month,  has  served  to  draw  atten- 
tion once  more  to  an  educational  institution 
in  the  City  of  London  that  deserves  to  be 
better  known  in  mining  circles  than  it  appears 
to  be.  Owing  to  so  many  inquiries  having 
been  received  as  to  its  scope  and  functions, 
it  is  a])propriate  that  something  should  be 
said  on  the  subject  in  these  columns. 

Sir  John  Cass  was  a  merchant  and  alder- 
man of  the  City  of  London  who  flourished 
about  two  hundred  years  ago.  He  did  much 
for  education  in  his  lifetime,  and  after  his 
death  his  estate  carried  on  the  work.  In 
liSO")  a  new  scheme  was  put  forward  by  the 
Charity  Commissioners,  which  provided  for 
the  establishment  of  the  present  institute. 
The  foundation  stone  was  laid  by  Bishop 
Creighton  in  1899,  and  the  building  was 
opened  by  the  late  Lord  Avebury,  better 
known  as  Sir  John  Lubbock,  in  1902.  The 
institute  is  in  Jewry  Street,  Aldgatc,  not  far 
from  Eenchurch  Street  Station.  Instruction 
is  given  in  pure  and  applied,  science,  and  in 
the  arts  and  crafts.  The  department  of 
science  includes  courses  in  mathematics, 
physics,  chemistry,  and  metallurgy,  and  the 
curriculum  is  designed  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  students  who  arc  engaged  in 
the  chemical,  metallurgical,  electrical,  and 
engineering  industries.  The  institute  is 
intended  primarily  for  the  evening  student, 
who  is  occupied  in  earning  his  living  during 
the  day,  but  facilities  are  also  afforded  for 
special  research  work  during  the  afternoons. 
The  fact  that  the  classes  are  held  only  in  the 
evenings  makes  it  possible  for  the  institute 
to  enrol  among  its  teachers  a  number  of 
practical  men  who  have  won  distinction  in 
their  own  particular  lines,  and  who,  from  a 
sense  of  duty,  are  ready  to  give  of  their  best 
to  those  desirous  of  acqxiiring  knowledge. 
The  head  of  the  institute  is  Dr.  Charles  A. 
Kcane,  who  is  well  known  for  his  books  on 
chemistry  and  analysis,  some  of  which  he 
wrote  in  collaboration  with  Dr.  George 
Lunge.  In  the  department  of  metallurgy, 
the  first  lecturer  was  Dr.  Guy  Bengough,  who 
is  known  for  his  researches  on  corrosion.    He 


JULY,    1921 


was  followed  by  Mr.  C.  O.  Bannister,  who  was 
associated  with  the  firm  of  Edward  Riley  & 
Harbord,  and  is  now  professor  of  metallurgy 
in  the  University  of  Liverpool.  Mr.  George 
Patchin,  A.R.S'M.,  M.Inst.M.M.,  became 
head  of  this  department  of  the  institute  in 
1910.  He  had  previously  achieved  great 
success  as  a  teacher  at  the  Birkbeck  College. 
.\mong  other  members  of  the  present  staff 
the  following  may  be  mentioned  :  Mr. 
W.  A.  C.  Newman,  assistant  chemist  at  the 
Royal  Mint  ;  Dr.  O.  F.  Hudson,  metallurgist 
at  the  Admiralty  research  department  ;  and 
Dr.  \V.  R.  Schoeller,  chemist  to  Daniel  C. 
Griffith  &  Co.,  who  takes  the  class  on 
mineralogy.  In  addition  to  the  regular 
course,  special  lectures  are  given  every  year. 
Last  year  three  lectures  were  delivered  by 
Mr.  H.  Livingstone  Sulman,  on  "  Froth 
Flotation."  This  year,  as  already  mentioned, 
Mr.  J.  C.  Moulden  is  lecturing  on  "  Modern 
Developments  in  the  Zinc  Industry,"  and 
Mr.  E.  A.  Smith  is  lecturing  on  "  Industrial 
Applications  of  Zinc."  These  special  lectures 
are  open  to  outsiders,  and  many  City  men 
have  found  them  helpful  and  instructive. 

The  metallurgical  course  includes  a  variety 
of  subjects,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following 
list :  General  metallurgy,  elementary,  inter- 
mediate, and  advanced  ;  assaying  ;  iron  and 
steel ;  metallography ;  mechanical  testing  of 
metals  and  alloys  ;  heat  treatment  of  metals 
and  alloys  ;  foundry  practice  ;  mineralogy  ; 
mechanical  drawing  for  metallurgists ; 
materials  of  construction  and  design.  These 
courses  include  lecture,  demonstration,  and 
laboratory  work  wherever  suitable.  Addi- 
tional courses  are  being  considered,  to  deal 
with  furnace  design  and  construction,  and 
with  electric  furnaces  and  smelting.  The 
complete  curriculum  extends  over  four  years, 
not  including  a  preliminary  year  devoted  to 
elementary  physics  and  chemistry,  and  at 
the  end  of  that  period  a  diploma  is  granted 
to  those  students  who  reach  the  required 
standard.  Other  departments  of  the  institute 
are  organized  on  the  same  scale,  and  some  of 
the  subjects  dealt  with  are  of  interest  to 
metallurgists  :  for  instance.  Dr.  Owen's 
course  on  colloids. 

In  addition  to  lecture  rooms  and  drawing 
office,  the  metallurgical  department  contains 
a  main  laboratory  for  general  analysis,  a 
laboratory  for  dry  assaying  and  furnace  work, 
a  metallography  and  pyrometry  room,  a 
mechanical  testing  laboratory,  and  a 
moulding  and  casting  room  for  foundry  work. 
The  laboratories  are  well  equipped  and 
1—3 


arranged  ni  the  latest  manner.  The 
metallography  and  pyrometry  room  con- 
tains photomicrographic  outfits,  polishing 
machines,  visual  microscopes,  galvanometers 
and  millivoltmeters,  thermo-couples,  resist- 
ance pyrometers,  differential  apparatus  and 
electric  furnaces  for  ascertaining  critical 
temperatures,  thread  recorder,  Callendar 
recorder,  and  dark  room.  The  mechanical 
testing  laboratory,  which  was  endowed  by 
the  Goldsmiths'  Company  in  1914,  is  equipped 
with  a  30  ton  Buckton  testing  machine  fitted 
with  autographic  recorder,  an  Izod  impact 
testing  machine,  a  Brinell  hardness  machine 
with  Ludwick  cone  attachment,  a  Sankey 
bending  machine,  a  Shore  scleroscope,  and 
a  cement  testing  plant. 

The  institute  achieves  success  and  supplies 
instruction  which  is  greatly  appreciated  by 
a  great  variety  of  students.  The  further 
expansion  of  the  sphere  of  usefulness  of  the 
metallurgical  department  is  the  ambition  of 
Mr.  Patchin,  and  we  trust  the  profession 
will  give  him  encouragement  and  back  his 
efforts  in  a  practical  way. 


St.  John  del  Rey 

As  usual,  Mr.  George  Chalmers'  yearly 
review  of  operations  and  conditions  at  the 
Morro  Velho  gold  mine  in  Brazil,  operated  by 
the  St.  John  del  Rey  Mining  Company,  is 
replete  with  interest.  Few  companies  or 
managers  give  such  elaborate  details  of  their 
work.  There  is  no  suppression  of  the 
difficult  problems,  and  the  reasons  for 
deciding  on  any  particular  policy  are  fully 
disclosed  and  candidly  discussed.  And  there 
have  been,  and  still  are,  many  difficult 
problems.  For  instance,  the  ore  is  arsenical 
and  not  amenable  to  what  may  be  con.sidered 
standard  treatment.  The  ore  and  walls  do 
not  stand  well,  so  driving  and  sinking  must 
be  done  off  the  lode,  incline  shafts  are  not 
desirable,  and  close  filling  after  sloping  is 
necessary.  The  ore-body  is  in  the  nature 
of  a  narrow  elongated  pipe  pitching  in  a 
vertical  plane,  so  that  prospecting  for  it  at 
depth  by  diamond  drill  from  the  surface  is 
quite  out  of  the  question.  As  for  sinking 
a  deep-level  vertical  shaft,  it  happens  that  at 
the  period  when  such  a  policy  might  have 
been  adopted  with  success,  in  the  light  of 
subsequent  knowledge,  the  ore  was  showing 
signs  of  becoming  poorer  in  depth,  and  any 
policy  other  than  following  the  lode  would 
have  been  financially  unsound.  Thus  we 
have  the  series  of  vertical  shafts  and  con- 
necting  tunnels   characteristic   of   St.   John 


6 


nil';     MININC,     MACAZIN'K 


tU'l  Kiy,  which  are  so  iiuxpHcal)!!'  to  thosi' 
who  have  not  road  Mr.  Chahncrs'  reports 
since  he  took  up  the  manaf^i'ment  tliirty 
years  a^'o. 

The  problems  that  have  faced  ^h.  t  hahners 
during  the  last  few  years  have  arisen  from 
two  causes,  first  the  flattening  of  the  ]iitc!i, 
aiid  second  the  unbearable  heat  at  the 
bottom  workings.  As  regards  the  jntcii, 
this  was  approximate!}'  -15°  at  a  vertical 
tlepth  of  ;-!,0(H1  ft.  As  the  workings  went 
down,  the  pitch  has  gradually  tended  to 
flatten,  and  at  5, 5(H)  ft.  the  ore-body  is  at 
about  30"  with  the  horizontal.  This  altera- 
tion, of  course,  makes  the  successive  tunnels 
longer,  so  that  below  the  22nd  horizon, 
6, 126  ft.  vertically  below  the  outcrop,  there 
will  be  no  alternative  but  to  sink  incline 
shafts  to  follow  the  pitch.  At  the  present 
time  the  deepest  development  work  is  at  this 
horizon.  At  first  the  ore  exposed  proved 
somewhat  disappointing,  but  it  was  felt  that 
it  was  just  possible  that  the  main  ore-body 
had  not  been  struck,  that  the  flattening  had 
been  greater  than  calculated,  and  con- 
sequently that  parts  of  the  lode  unpayable 
in  the  upper  levels  had  been  intersected  by 
the  tunnel  and  winze.  This  uncertainty 
existed  when  the  annual  report  was  circulatecl. 
At  the  meeting  of  shareholders  the  Chairman 
had  the  great  good  fortune  to  be  able  to 
announce  that  the  true  lode  had  been  dis- 
covered in  a  cross-cut  and  that  the  gold  assays 
are  as  good  as  ever. 

The  other  present  difficulty  to  which 
reference  is  made  arises  from  the  heat  at 
depth.  This  question  has  received  the  close 
attention  of  J\Ir.  Chalmers  for  the  last  ten 
years,  and  has  formed  an  important  feature 
of  his  yearly  reports  for  some  time  past.  The 
whole  matter  is  crucial  to  the  future  of  the 
mining  industry  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
the  experience  at  this  mine  should  be 
discussed  in  conjimction  with  such  cases  as 
the  City  Deep.  In  1913  Mr.  Eric  Davis,  one 
of  the  staff  at  St.  John  del  Rey,  commenced 
a  study  of  temperatures  with  the  dry-bulb 
and  wet-bulb  thermometers.  By  experience 
it  was  decided  that  the  wet-bulb  temperature 
in  the  stopes  should  not  be  greater  than 
S2"  F.,  and  it  was  calculated  that  to  get  these 
conditions  the  initial  moisture  content  of  the 
air  entering  the  mine  should  be  not  more  than 
about  50  grains  per  pound  of  dry  air.  This 
content  corresponds  to  a  saturated  condition 
at  45°  F.  A  refrigerating  plant  was  then 
ordered,  capable  of  cooling  80,000  cu.  ft.  of 
air  per  minute  to  a  temperature  of  43'  F.    It 


is  not  Hi  ii»,ii  y  here  to  go  into  drtails  of  this 
plant,  for  ])articulars  were  given  in  the 
M.\G.\ziNK  for  October,  1919.  This  plant 
would  have  been  erected  long  ago  if  it  had 
not  been  for  the  war.  The  delays  in  delivery 
were  unavoidable  under  the  circumstances, 
but  they  caused  great  anxiety  at  the  mine. 
Kventually  the  machinery  and  outfit  arrived 
last  year,  and  the  plant  was  started  at  the 
beginning  of  December.  In  tlu'  meantime, 
however,  the  development  of  the  mine  in 
dejith  became  almost  impossible,  and  the 
stoping  operations  became  difficult.  Tiie 
workmen  could  not  stand  the  heat,  and  many 
of  them  left,  with  the  consequence  that  the 
output  was  reduced.  The  most  serious 
difficulty  aro.se  in  connexion  with  the  driving 
of  the  tunnel  on  the  22nd  horizon,  and  the 
sinking  of  winze  No.  31  from  the  horizon 
above  to  meet  it.  The  conditions  of  working 
may  be  gleaned  from  the  fact  that  the  rock 
tem])erature  in  these  dead  ends  was  117°  F. 
The  heat  was  sufficient  to  interfere  with  the 
electric  motors  driving  the  fans,  and  alto- 
gether there  was  some  doubt  whether  the 
human  being  could  achieve  the  connexion 
of  tunnel  and  winze.  Mr.  Chalmers  rightly 
praises  Captain  Watts  and  his  helpers  for 
persisting  in  the  driving  of  the  tunnel  imder 
these  adverse  circumstances.  The  connexion 
was  eventually  made  on  January  2  ;  and  the 
circulating  current  was  then  established. 
As  the  cooling  plant  had  been  started  a  short 
time  before  there  was  no  difficulty  in  con- 
tinuing the  work  and  developing  the  ore- 
body  at  this  depth.  It  is  clear,  however, 
that  if  the  cooling  plant  had  not  arrived  in 
time  there  would  have  been  no  alternative 
but  to  stop  development  in  depth  and  realize 
the  ore  reserves.  As  it  is,  the  cooling  plant 
makes  it  possible  to  apply  the  winding  and 
other  machinery  already  provided  for  sinking 
and  working  to  a  vertical  depth  of  7,500  ft. 
In  connexion  with  this  brief  notice,  it  is 
desirable  to  read  the  precis  of  the  last  yearly 
report,  printed  on  another  page,  which  is 
accompanied  by  a  drawing  showing  the 
bottom  workings.  Owing  to  the  small  size 
of  our  page  it  is  not  possible  to  reproduce 
the  full  plans  and  elevations  accompanying 
the  report.  Those  of  our  readers  who  are 
interested  should  write  to  the  company  for 
a  copy  of  the  report,  or  call  on  the  ever- 
obliging  Mr.  Kup,  the  managing  director, 
and  inspect  the  model  of  the  ore-body  and 
the  various  elaborate  working  drawings 
showing  the  form  of  the  ore-body  and  the 
method  of  development  and  mining. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introduction.— The  settlement  of  the  coal 
dispute  has  come  at  last,  and  the  mines  are 
gradually  resuming  operations.  The  steel 
makers  and  the  engineering  works  are  hoping 
that  coal  will  be  plentiful  and  reasonably 
cheap.  If  such  hopes  are  verified,  the  con- 
sumption of  metals  will  once  more  be  revived, 
and  the  producers  of  copper,  lead,  tin,  and 
zinc  will  benefit. 

Transvaal. — The  dividends  declared  on 
the  Rand  for  the  half-year  Januarj^  to  June 
are  given  in  the  accompanying  table.  The 
figures  are  lower  than  those  for  the  previous 
half-year,  but  as  the  last-named  figures  were 
rather  greater  than  might  have  been  expected, 
the  market  was  quite  prepared  for  the  fall. 


Brakpan  

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Langlaagte 
Consolidated  .Alain  Reef 
Crown  Mines  (ICs.)  . . 

Ferreira  Deep    

Geduld    

Geldenhuis  Deep  .... 
Govemment  Areas  . . 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep    

Langlaagte  Estate   . . 
Meyer  &  Charlton  . . . 
Modderfontein  (lOs.) 
i\Iodderfontein  B  (5s.) 
ModderfonteinDeep  (os.) 

New  Primrose 

New  Unified 

Nourse  Mines 

Robinson  Deep  "A"  (Is.) 
Robinson  Gold  ({5)    - . . 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs  Mines 

Sub-Nigel 

Van  Ryn  

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep   

Witwatersrand  Gold  . . . 
Witwatexsrand  Deep. . . 
Wolhuter 


2nd 

1st 

2nd 

half, 

half, 

half, 

1919. 

1920. 

1920. 

s.   d. 

5.  d. 

s.  d. 

3    0 

3    0 

G    0 

2    9 

2    6 

4    0 

1     6 

1    0 

1    6 

1    3 

1    3 

1    9 

3    6 

2    9 

5    0 

1    0 

2    0 

2    6 

a 

1    6 

2    0 

1     G 

6 

2    6 

4     0 

4    0 

C    0 

— 

1    0 

9 
1     6 

1    6 

1    0 

1    6 

14    0 

10    0 

14    0 

30    Ct 

4    6 

5    9 

9    6«» 

6    6«* 

2    6 

3    3 

3    0 

4    3 

1    0 

1    0 

1    0 

1    0 

2    0 

9 

9 

1     0 

— 

2    0 

2    6 

1    0 

2    0 

3    6 

2    0 

3    6 

6 

6 

1     0 

3    0 

1    0 

1    0 

1    6 

1    6* 

1    6* 

1    6* 

5    9t 

5    0 

8    0 

1    3 

6 

1    6 

1    0 

1    0 

3    0 

6 

1    3 

1    3 

1st 
half, 
1921. 


s.  d. 
3    0 


5    0 


1  C 
10    0 

4    3 

2  0 

3  3 
1  0 
1    0 

6 

1  0 
1    G 


1    6 
9 

1  6* 
6    0 

9 

2  0 
1    0 

9 


t  On  old  £4  shares.        a  Scrip  distribution  equal  to  16%.       'riee 
oi  tax.      {Also Scrip.      ••On  old £1  shares. 

The  total  dividends  of  Transvaal  gold  mining 
companies  declared  during  the  half-year 
were  ^3,238,838,  of  which  ^2,260,222  came 
from  companies  operating  in  the  Far  East 
Rand,  and  £978,616  from  the  older  parts  of 
the  Rand.  The  dividends  declared  by  com- 
panie.s  outside  the  Rand  were  £37,563. 

Last  month  we  quoted  Mr.  H.  F.  Marriott's 
report  on  the  conditions  at  the  mines  of  the 
Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group.  One 
of  his  points  as  regards  efficiency  related  to 
the  obsolete  law  that  natives  must  not 
start  work  each  day  before  the  white  over- 
seers   give     instructions,     and     that     they 


must  leave  in  front  of  the  white  man.  He 
pointed  out  that  under  this  regime  the  actual 
working  time  of  the  native  averaged  only 
five  out  of  the  statutory  eight  hours.  It  is 
now  announced  that  the  Mines  Department 
is  embodying  in  the  regulations  a  clause 
giving  permission  for  the  establishment  of 
night  inspection  shifts  with  the  object  of 
enabling  the  natives  to  start  work  earlier. 
Evidentlv  Mr.  Marriott's  protest  has  borne 
fruit. 

The  sinking  of  No.  2  shaft  at  West  Springs 
is  to  be  suspended  for  a  time  and 'the  ground 
below  is  to  be  explored  by  bore-hole.  The 
reason  for  the  suspension  is  not  given,  but 
presumably  the  water  trouble  referred  to 
in  the  j'early  report  is  the  cause.  In  the 
meantime  development  from  No.  1  shaft 
is  to  be  intensively  pushed  and  connexion 
made  with  the  workings  started  from  Springs 
mine,  so  that  an  ore  reserve  may  be  created  at 
the  earliest  possible  date. 

At  Springs  mine  the  ore  reserve  has  been 
substantiaUj'  augmented  recently,  and  the 
directors  have  decided  to  purchase  additional 
plant  so  as  to  increase  the  monthly  tonnage 
from  40,000  to  50,000. 

The  No.  7  shaft  at  Geduld  reached  the 
reef  at  a  depth  of  2,450  ft.  on  June  19.  The 
assay-value  was  0'6  dwt.  over  35  in.  Though 
this  figure  is  low,  it  does  not  worry  the 
company,  because  it  happens  that  an 
extensive  area  of  unusually  high-grade  ore 
has  already  been  developed  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  shaft.  In  the  yearly  report 
recently  issued  it  was  stated  that  develop- 
ment in  this  area  had  proved  4,215  ft.  in 
ore,  of  which  66%  was  payable,  averaging 
16  dwt.  over  an  estimated  stoping  width  of 
66  inches. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during  May 
was  48,744  oz.,  as  compared  with  47,858  oz. 
in  April  and  46,266  oz.  in  May  of  last  year. 
The  value  is  reported  at  £225,841,  as  against 
£282,396  in  April,  the  divergence  being  due 
to  the  usual  erratic  manner  in  which  the 
premium  is  credited  in  Rhodesia.  Other 
outputs  during  May  were  :  Silver,  12,806  oz.; 
coal,  44,688  tons  ;  chrome  ore,  5,700  tons  ; 
copper  266  tons ;  asbestos,  2,345  tons ; 
arsenic,  8  tons  ;  mica,  6  tons  ;  diamonds, 
8  carats. 

During  1920  the  ore  milled  at  Shamva 
amounted  to  609,509  tons,  and  the  yield  of 
gold  was  96,718  oz.    The  assay  value  of  the 


8 


Tin:     MIMNC,     MAGAZINE 


ore  \va>  ;>■()  ilwl.  por  ton,  of  which  ;{-2()  ilw  t. 
was  extractcil.  The  goKl  sold  for  /,">;{S,.S87, 
and  the  workini;  inolit  was  £'223,.')20,  out 
of  wliich  ("180,000  wa,'^  distributed  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  30"',,.  The 
reserve  is  estimated  at-  1,081,2')0  tons, 
averaging  -11  dwt.,  as  compared  with 
1,982,000  tons  averaging  4-31  dwt.  the  j-ear 
before.  Eight  additional  Nisscn  stamps  and 
one  tube-mill  have  been  erected  during  the 
year.  With  regard  to  the  general  mining 
policy,  Mr.  Cyril  E.  Parsons,  the  consulting 
engineer,  says  that  the  futm"e  of  the  property 
and  the  prolongation  of  its  life  still  depend 
largely  on  the  possibility  of  proiilably 
removing  and  treating  the  large  tonnage  of 
low-grade  overburden,  so  that  the  better 
ground  Ij'ing  underneath  can  be  successfully 
mined  ;  an}'  attempt  to  mine  without 
removing  the  overburden  would  in  his 
opinion  cause  disastrous  falls  of  ground. 

In  speaking  at  the  meeting  of  Fanti 
Consolidated,  as  reported  in  the  JM-ACazine 
last  month,  Mr.  Edmund  Davis  announced 
the  sale  of  the  chrome  interests.  He  stated 
that  the  new  discoveries  of  ore  in  Rhodesia 
and  competition  from  other  parts  of  the 
world  would  lead  to  diminished  profits. 
Thus  the  control  of  the  chrome  market,  so 
long  associated  with  Mr.  Davis's  name, 
comes  to  an  end.  The  deposits  discovered 
two  years  or  more  ago  in  Rhodesia  are  very 
extensive.  They  are  being  developed  by 
Rhodesia  Base  Metals,  Ltd. 

Nigeria.  —  The  Bisichi  Company  has 
received  advice  from  its  engineer  to  the 
effect  that  prospecting  operations  on  one  of 
the  leases  have  given  excellent  results, 
four  million  cubic  yards  of  ground  being 
proved  to  contain  approximately  5,000  tons 
of  cassiterite.  The  whole  of  the  area  has 
not  yet  been  tested,  and  it  is  believed  that 
further  prospecting  will  continue  to  increase 
the  reserve. 

The  Nigerian  Consolidated  Mines  was 
formed  early  in  1920  to  acquire  a  number  of 
tin  properties  in  the  Rayficld,  Jemaa,  and 
Womba  districts  from  Mr.  W.  E.  Thomas, 
who  became  managing  director.  As  recorded 
in  our  issue  of  April,  yir.  Thomas  died 
suddenly  of  pneumonia.  The  report  for  the 
period  from  the  registration  of  the  company 
to  February  28  shows  that  the  output  of 
tin  concentrate  was  233  tons,  which  was 
satisfactory  considering  that  the  properties 
had  not  been  brought  into  full  working  order. 
The  accounts  show  credits  of  £24,308  from 
the  sale  of  concentrate,  but  the  year  ended 


with  au  advir.se  balance  of  £3,8  13.  Owing  to 
the  fall  in  the  price  of  tin,  operations  have 
been  disct)utinui'd  for  a  time,  though  some 
tributiug  is  l)eing  done.  The  directors  write 
hopefully  of  the  prospects  of  increasing  the 
output  when  conditions  improve. 

Australia. — The  Australian  Court  having 
eonsented  to  a  suspension  of  the  award  of 
higher  wages  and  a  modification  of  the 
working  hours,  the  Mount  Lyell  company 
finds  it  possible  to  continue  work.  The 
Wallaroo  and  Moonta  company  announces 
the  aj^proachiug  resumption  of  o]H-ralions 
on  a  restricted  scale.  At  Mount  Morgan  the 
conferences  between  the  directors  and  the 
leaders  of  the  trades  unions  have  brought 
no  result  so  far,  and  the  mine  remains  closed. 

The  Great  Boulder  Proprietary  Company 
has  paid  a  handsome  dividend  for  1020, 
but  the  profits  were  largely  due  to  the  gold 
,  premium.  The  working  cost  was  41s.  9d. 
per  long  ton,  as  compared  with  35s.  8d. 
in  1919,  and  32s.  6d.  in  1918.  Six  years 
ago  the  cost  w\as  about  24s.  per  ton.  The 
new  jiroperty  at  Norseman  has  given  good 
results,  and  substantial  profits  are  expected, 
providing  labour  conditions  are  satisfactory. 

Siam.^The  Siamese  Tin  Syndicate  made 
a  record  in  connexion  with  output 
during  1920.  The  three  dredges  treated 
2,200,640  cu.  yd.,  and  extracted  937  tons  of 
tin  concentrate,  the  previous  highest  figures 
having  been  in  1916.  The  income  from  the 
sale  of  concentrate  was  £198,285,  and  the 
working  profit  £43,271,  out  of  which  £36,000 
has  been  distributed  as  dividends,  being  at 
the  rate  of  30%.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
the  company  floated  a  subsidiary  eighteen 
months  ago,  called  the  Bangrin  Tin  Dredging 
Company,  to  deal  with  alluvial  tin  ground 
about  five  miles  north  of  the  company's 
property.  Rails  have  since  been  laid  and 
the  site  for  the  dredge  has  been  prepared. 
The  dredge  has  been  designed  by  Messrs. 
F.  W.  &  R.  Payne,  but  its  construction  has 
been  delayed  by  labour  troubles  in  this 
country,  and  by  the  coal  strike. 

Burma. — The  issue  of  new  preference 
shares  by  the  Burmah  Oil  Company,  to  which 
reference  was  made  last  month,  proved  a 
great  success.  Since  then  the  report  for 
1920  has  been  issued.  The  gross  profit  was 
£4,891,500,  out  of  which  £1,153,800  was 
written  off  for  depreciation,  while  the  excess 
profits  duty  is  estimated  at  £1,900,000.  The 
ordinary  shares  received  £1,543,000  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  30%.  The 
present    company   was   formed   in    1902    as 


JULY,     1921 


an  expansion  of  a  company  of  the  same  name 
registered  in  1886.  The  chief  property  is 
in  the  Yenangj'aung  oilfield  in  the  Irravvady 
valley,  and  there  is  every  expectation  that 
the  ground  will  continue  to  yield  handsomely 
for  many  years  yet.  A  pipe-line  300  miles 
long  takes  the  crude  oil  to  Rangoon,  where 
refining  is  done.  The  compan}-  formed  the 
Anglo-Persian  Oil  Company,  and,  with  the 
British  Government,  still  holds  nearly  all 
the  ordinary  capital  of  that  company.  It 
purchased  the  control  of  the  Assam  Oil 
Company,  and  it  operates  the  property  of  the 
Budderpore  Oil  Company,  also  in  Assam. 
Among  other  interests  are  shareholdings  in 
the  United  British  Oilfields  of  Trinidad, 
and  a  participation,  in  association  with  the 
Anglo-Persian,  in  exploratory  operations  in 
Hungary.  In  order  to  obtain  material  for 
receptacles  for  its  various  products,  the 
company  recently  joined  with  the  Tata 
Iron  and  Steel  Co.,  Ltd.,  in  promoting  the 
Tinplate  Company  of  India,  and  the  works 
are  now  in  course  of  erection  at  Jamshedpur. 
Electric  power  plant  has  been  installed 
on  the  company's  properties  in  the 
Yenangyaung  oilfield,  and  power  will  also 
be  supplied  to  its  neighbours,  the  British 
Burmah  and  the  Indo-Burmah  Petroleum 
Company. 

In  the  May  issue  some  particulars  were 
given  of  a  private  and  informal  meeting 
of  shareholders  in  the  Burma  Corporation,  at 
which  a  resolution  was  passed  agreeing  to 
the  company  purchasing  the  control  of  a 
group  of  lead  manufacturers  in  this  country. 
Suljsequcntly  powerful  protests  were  made 
by  influential  sharehoklers.  It  has  since 
been  announced  that  these  protests  have 
carried  weight,  and  that  it  has  been  decided 
not  to  proceed  with  the  matter.  There  is 
no  inherent  reason  why  the  proposal  should 
not  be  a  sound  one  commercially,  providing 
the  facts  and  details  are  all  right  ;  but  the 
attempt  to  rush  the  matter  semi-secretly 
raised  the  opposition.  The  way  in  which  the 
control  of  Burma  Corporation  is  exercised 
leaves  much  to  be  desired. 

Cornwall. — As  reported  last  month,  an 
extensive  fall  of  ground  has  occurred  in  the 
main  shaft  at  East  Pool.  The  cables  were 
broken,  so  that  the  electric  pumps  were  put 
out  of  action.  The  old  Cornish  pump  at 
Agar  shaft  has  not  been  able  to  cope  with  the 
water.  The  position  thus  became  serious, 
not  only  to  East  Pool,  but  to  the  adjoining 
mine.  South  Crofty.  The  directors  and 
engineers  of  the  two  mines  have  met  several 


times,  with  a  view  to  devising  some  joint 
action.  The  engineers,  Mr.  M.  T.  Taylor 
and  Mr.  Josiah  Paul],  are  now  engaged  in 
considering  methods  for  combating  the  water. 

Canada. — The  Chairman  of  the  Mining 
Corporation  of  Canada,  at  the  recent  meeting 
of  shareholders,  referred  to  the  acquisition 
of  a  majority  interest  in  the  Flin-Flon  copper- 
gold  property  in  Manitoba.  He  stated  that 
16,000,000  tons  of  ore  had  been  proved, 
with  an  additional  probable  9,000,000  tons. 
He  also  claimed  that  the  samphng  of  recent 
workings  showed  a  content  30%  higher  than 
previous  figures.  Details  of  these  new 
estimates  are  desirable  before  they  are  likely 
to  arouse  much  interest  among  mining  men. 

United  States. — A  proposed  new  mining 
law  is  to  be  submitted  to  Congress.  It  has 
been  drawn  up  by  the  aid  of  the  mining 
societies  and  the  Bureau  of  Mines,  and  the 
committee  has  had  the  advice  of  mining 
lawyers.  A  notable  feature  of  the  proposal 
is  the  abolition  of  the  "  apexr  law  "  as  far 
as  mining  claims  recorded  in  the  future  are 
concerned.  Another  feature  is  the  dis- 
carding of  the  principle  of  actual  discovery 
o:  a  mineral  deposit  as  a  prerequisite  to  the 
location  of  a  claim,  though  it  is  provided 
that  discovery  must  be  made  before  a 
claim  is  patented. 

The  suspension  of  copper  production  in  the 
United  States  is  well  known,  but  the  slack- 
ness of  the  iron  and  steel  trades  has  not 
until  recently  been  indicated  by  the  issue 
of  tangible  figures.  It  is  now  announced 
that  the  shipments  of  iron  ore  from  the  Lake 
Superior  mines  to  the  smelters  for  the  five 
months  to  May  31  last  was  2,770,238  tons, 
as  compared  with  7,206,939  tons  for  the  same 
period  during  1920. 

Mexico. — The  report  recently  issued  in 
the  United  States  to  the  effect  that  the 
Mexican  oilfields  would  be  exhausted  in 
the  course  of  a  year  or  two  was  not  believed 
in  this  country,"  where  it  was  held  that  the 
report  was  v/ritten  for  some  political  or 
similar  purpose.  Another  report  has  since 
been  issued  from  the  same  source  in  which 
it  is  stated  that  the  potential  production 
of  the  Mexican  oilfields' is  almost  unlimited. 
This  is  probably  rather  a  better  guess  than 
the  first,  but  it  is  equally  vague  and  un- 
satisfactorv. 

The  political  position  with  regard  to 
Mexican  oil,  as  outlined  in  the  foregoing 
paragraph,  has  been  publicly  exposed  by 
the  action  of  the  Standai'd  Oil  in  threatening 
to   cease  production   and   exports   from  its 


10 


Till.     MlXIXc;    MAGAZINE 


properties  in  Mexico.  The  Mexican  Govern- 
nieiit  had  aiinoiincod  the  im])ositioii  of  a  duty 
on  oil  exjiorts,  antiei])atinp;  a  threatened 
discriminating  import  duty  into  the  United 
States.  Some  doubt  existed  as  to  whether 
the  Mexican  Government  would  enforce  this 
duty.  The  daily  papers  allege  that  the 
United  States  Government  will  take  steps 
to  protect  the  American  citizens  thrown 
out  of  work  by  the  cessation  of  the  Standard 
Oil's  activities.  The  other  oil  companies 
operating  in  Mexico  declare  that  they  are 
pleased  at  the  Standard  Oil's  attitude,  but 
it  must  be  remembered  that  there  is  a 
political  aspect  as  between  the  United  States 
and  Mexican  Governments,  and  that  the 
Standard  Oil's  tactics  go  further  than  a 
mere  trading  ruse. 

Ten  years  ago  the  directors  of  the  El  Oro 
^Mining  and  Railway  Co.  decided  to  form  a 
local  subsidiary  company  for  the  jnirpose  of 
testing  other  properties  in  Mexico.  This 
subsidiary  has  already  done  much  work  in 
the  States  of  Zacatccas,  Mexico,  Hidalgo, 
and  Jalisco.  To  provide  further  funds  the 
El  Oro  Company  has  recently  subscribed  for 
50,000  additional  shares  of  10  pesos  each, 
and  is  issuing  49,500  shares  among  share- 
holders as  a  bonus  dividend,  being  at  the 
rate  of  one  share  for  every  25  El  Oro  shares. 

Colombia. — A  company  has  been  formed, 
called  the  Colombian  Proprietary  Gold 
Mines,  Ltd.,  to  acquire  alluvial  gold  pro- 
perties on  the  Llantin  river,  a  tributary  of  the 
Saija,  about  70  miles  south  of  the  port  of 
Buenaventura.  Mr.  T.  J.  Ive  is  chairman, 
and  Messrs.  Inder,  Henderson,  &  Dixon 
are  the  consulting  engineers,  while  the 
British  Platinum  &  Gold  Corporation  has 
underwritten  the  present  issue  of  shares. 
The  vendor  company  is  the  Compania 
Minera  de  Santa  Rosa,  of  which  Mr.  Henry 
J.  Eder,  of  Cali,  Colombia,  is  the  largest 
shareholder.  A  report  has  been  made  by 
Mr.  A.  G.  Davidson,  who  has  been  associated 
with  the  consulting  engineers  for  some  years. 
The  developments  have  warranted  the 
placing  of  a  contract  with  Messrs.  Lobnitz 
&  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Renfrew,  for  the  construction 
of  a  dredge  having  a  capacity  of  60,000  cu.  yd. 
per  month. 

The  British  Platinum  &  Gold  Corporation 
has  issued  a  statement  showing  that  since 
the  dredge  on  the  Opogodo  property  was 
put  to  work  in  December  last  a  total  of 
966  oz.  of  platinum,  together  with  280  oz. 
of  gold,  had  been  recovered  up  to  ]\Iav  21. 
A  model  of  this  dredge  was  shown  at  the 


Colombian  ("io\-rinnnnl's  stand  ,il  the 
Ivubbcr  and  Troiiieal  Products  ICxliibilion 
at  tlie  .\grieultural  Hall.  In  this  dredge 
a  balanced  reciprocating  screen  is  used 
instead  of  cylindrical  screens  for  removing 
coarse  stones  and  boulders. 

The  report  of  the  Oroville  Dredging  Com- 
pany, whose  assets  are  now  entirely  in  the 
form  of  shares  in  companies  operating  in 
Colombia,  gives  a  brief  account  of  tin; 
performance  of  the  dredges  operated  by  the 
Pato  and  Nechi  companies  during  the  year 
ended  September  30  last.  At  the  Pato 
property  1, 137,600  cu.  yd.  yielded  golil 
worth  $526,267,  or  36-6  cents  per  yard. 
The  operating  cost  was  13  71  cents  per  yard. 
At  Nechi  2,135,081  cu.  yd.  gave  gold  worth 
$816,188,  or  38-2  cents  per  yard.  The 
Oroville  received  dividends  of  /|88,1.S6  and 
£28,318  respectively  from  its  holdings  in 
Pato  and  Nechi,  and  distributed  £91,398 
among  shareholders,  being  at  the  rate  of 
2s.  9d.  per  £l  share. 

Brazil. — The  output  of  gold  from  the 
Ouro  Preto  mines  during  1920  was  27,858  oz., 
obtained  from  82,100  tons  of  ore.  The  gold 
sold  for  /1 56,490,  and  the  working  profit 
for  the  year  was  £16,229,  out  of  which  the 
10%  dividend  on  the  £29,661  preference 
shares  has  already  been  paid.  A  further 
dividend  on  the  preference  shares  of  5%,  and 
a  dividend  of  5%  on  the  £39,429  ordinary 
shares  have  since  been  paid.  Developments 
have  continued  to  disclose  ore. 

Russia. — Mr.  Leslie  Urquhart  delivered  one 
of  his  characteristic  speeches,  displaying  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  Russian  conditions 
from  both  the  political  and  mining  point  of 
view,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Russo-Asiatic 
Consolidated,  held  on  July  6.  This  com- 
pany was  working  and  developing  many 
important  properties  before  the  revolution, 
but  these  properties  have  been  nominally 
confiscated  by  the  Bolsheviks.  One  of  these 
days  Mr.  Urquhart  will  induce  the  powers 
that  be  to  respect  the  rights  of  property, 
to  the  benefit  of  Russia  and  of  all  those 
desirous  of  working  and  trading  within  her 
boundaries. 

Spitsbergen. — In  May  we  mentioned  that 
the  Northern  Exploration  Company  was 
offering  £150,000  Secured  Notes  to  share- 
holders with  the  object  of  keeping  the 
organization  alive.  It  is  now  announced 
that  £61,610  of  these  Notes  have  been 
allotted.  This  has  enabled  the  company  to 
pay  off  its  debts,  and  to  dispatch  a  small 
expedition  this  summer. 


THE    IRON    AND    STEEL   INDUSTRY    OF    INDIA 


By  J.  COGGIN  BROWN,  O.B.E.,  D.Sc,  M.Inst.M.M.,  F.G.S., 

Officiating  Superintendent,  Geological  Survey  of  India. 
This  article  is  written  with  the  permission  of  the  Director,  Geological  Survey  of  India. 

(Concluded  from  page  347,  June  issue.) 


The  Bengal  Irox  Co.,  Ltd. — This  com- 
pany was  registered  in  December,  1919,  with 
an  authorized  capital  of  £2,500,000  to  acquire 
the  Bengal  Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  Ltd.  The  works 
are  situated  at  Kulti  in  Bengal  on  the  East 
Indian  RaQway;  142  miles  from  Calcutta. 
It  has  already  been  shown  how  the  latter 
company,  founded  in  1889,  was  the  lineal 
descendant  of  the  Barakar  Iron  Works  Co., 
Ltd.,  which  was  started  in  1875.  In  1889  the 
plant  consisted  of  two  small  open-top 
furnaces,  only  one  of  which  was  worked,  for 
which  the  blast  was  heated  by  coal  in  pipe 
stoves,  and  one  blowing  engine  with  its 
complement  of  boilers  which  were  entirely 
fired  by  coal.  The  production  of  pig  iron  in 
1889-90  was  about  9,000  tons  per  annum, 
and  was  disposed  of  to  Government  establish- 
ments either  in  that  form  or  in  the  shape  of 
castings.  The  foundries  then  covered  an 
area  of  12,300  sq.  ft.,  and  the  production 
from  them  was  3,800  tons  per  annum.  At 
that  time  the  company  did  not  own  its  own 
collieries,  but  purchased  its  coal  and  coke 
requirements  in  the  open  market.  The  site 
of  the  works  was  chosen  originally  on  account 
of  the  close  proximity  of  both  coal  and  iron 
ore  supplies,  and  for  many  years  the  clay 
ironstone  nodules  that  formed  the  ores  for  the 
furnaces  were  obtained  from  a  geological 
horizon  in  the  Gondwanas,  known  as  the 
Ironstone  Shales.  This  crops  out  between  the 
coal-bearing  Barakar  and  Raniganj  stages, 
and  stretches  for  some  distance  east  and  west 
of  the  works.  The  iron  ore  was  obtained  by 
contract  with  the  local  proprietors  of  bullock 
carts,  and  the  supply  was  uncertain  in 
quantity  and  variable  in  quality. 

The  remodelling  of  the  works  was  taken 
in  hand  at  once.  The  two  original  blast- 
furnaces were  converted  into  close-top 
furnaces  to  enable  the  gas  to  be  utilized  for 
firing  the  boilers.  At  a  later  date,  as  they 
required  rebuilding,  they  were  removed  and 
replaced  by  two  modern  furnaces.  A  new 
furnace  was  also  erected,  fitted  with  three 
17  ft.  diameter  Cowper  stoves.  During  the 
period  up  to  1914  steady  progress  w^s  made  ; 
collieries    were    purchased    and    developed, 


namely,  Noonodih,  in  the  Jherria  field,  in 
1905,  and  Ramnagar,  li  miles  distant  from 
the  works,  and  connected  with  them  by  a 
light  railway,  in  1907.  By  1908  several  small 
iron  ore  areas  had  been  acquired,  one  of  which 
was  at  Kalimati  (now  Jamshedpur),  close  to 
the  site  of  the  present  Tata  iron  and  steel 
works.  With  the  opening  up  of  the  com- 
pany's mines  at  Manharpur,  in  the  Kolhan 
Estate  of  Singhbhum,  in  1910,  a  constant 
supply  of  first-class  hematite  was  assured, 
for  already  many  millions  of  tons  of  high- 
grade  material  have  been  proved,  and  the  use 
of  the  ore  from  the  Ironstone  Shales  was 
finally  discontinued.  The  outbreak  of  the 
war  found  three  furnaces  in  operation  with 
an  annual  output  of  approximately  80,000 
tons  of  pig-iron,  each  furnace  with  its  four 
Cowper  hot-blast  stoves,  and  the  whole  plant 
operated  from  a  modern  power-house  con- 
taining three  turbo-blowing  engines  of  a  total 
horse-power  of  over  4,000.  The  plant  in 
existence  to-day  will  now  be  described. 

There  are  four  furnaces  in  operation,  a 
fifth  under  construction,  and  twenty  stoves 
for  heating  the  blast  ;  seventeen  of  the  latter 
are  65  ft.  high  by  21  ft.  in  diameter,  and 
three  are  55  ft.  high  by  17  ft.  in  diameter. 
On  the  completion  of  the  fifth  furnace  the 
total  capacity  of  the  plant  will  be  175,000  tons 
of  pig  iron  per  annum.  The  blast  is  supplied 
from  turbo-blowers  of  the  Parsons  type,  with 
a  total  capacity  of  115,000  cub.  ft.  of  air  per 
minute.  There  are  twenty-four  Lancashire 
boilers,  fired  by  waste  furnace  gas,  in  two 
batteries,  supplying  steam  to  the  blowing 
engines.  The  iron  ore,  coke,  and  limestone 
are  delivered  from  railway  wagons  and 
raised  to  the  charging  hoppers  by  two  steam 
and  electric  hoists.  In  the  case  of  No.  5 
furnace,  a  Brown  Hoisting  Co.'s  charging 
apparatus  has  been  provided.  The  slag  is 
removed  in  Dewhurst  ladles  and  taken  to  the 
tip  in  a  molten  state. 

The  coking  plant  consists  of  three 
batteries  each  of  thirty-four  Simon  Carves 
by-product  ovens,  with  an  out-turn  capacity 
of  130,000  tons  per  annum,  complete  with 
recovery  plant  for  coal  tar  and  ammonia,  and 


11 


12 


Tin:     MIXING     MAGAZINE 


also  a  sulpluiiio  acid  plant.  A  fourtli  haltt'iy 
is  under  construction  whicli  will  raise  the  total 
output  to  200,000  tons  per  annum.  The 
present  raisinfjs  of  coal  from  the  company's 
collieries  (Khendwa  and  Ramnagar  in  the 
Kaniganj  field  and  Noonodih  in  jlurria)  are 
about  laO.OOO  tons  per  annum,  hut  are  heini; 
increased  to  250,000  tons.  The  requirenuiUs 
of  the  coking  plant  are  drawn  from  these  and 
other  sources.  The  coal  is  discharged  from 
railway  wagons  into  hoppers,  whence  it  is 
elevated  to  the  crushing  machines  and  thence 
to  the  storage  bunkers.  It  is  compressed 
before  entering  the  ovens. 

The  waste  heat  from  the  ovens  passes  to 
a  battery  of  boilers,  w-here  it  is  used  in  raising 
steam  for  the  electric  generating  jilant, 
which  has  a  capacity  of  2,.')00  kw.  and  jmo- 
vides  power  and  light  throughout  the  works, 
to  the  Kamnagar  colliery,  and  to  the  pumping 
station  at  Monberia  on  the  Barakar  River. 

The  area  occupied  by  the  foundries  has 
increased  from  12,300  sq.  ft.  in  1890  to 
175,000  sq.  ft.  to-day.  This  department 
comprises  pipe  foundries,  railway  sleeper  and 
chair  foundry,  general  casting  foundry  and 
brass  foundry,  together  with  pattern  shops, 
etc.  Pipes  are  made  in  dry  sand  moulds  and 
vertically  cast.  One  plant  is  fitted  with 
hydraulic  and  the  other  with  electric  power. 
Flanged  pipes  of  all  sizes  for  steam  or  water 
mains  are  made.  During  the  war  the  com- 
pany supplied  many  miles  of  pipes  for 
Mesopotamia  and  the  North-West  Frontier, 
in  addition  to  20,000  tons  of  high-grade  ferro- 
manganese  made  from  Indian  ore  and  dis- 
patched to  America,  France,  and  Ital}-. 
Large  quantities  of  railway  sleepers  were  also 
supplied  for  extensions  in  various  military 
zones.  The  railway  sleeper  foundry  is  fitted 
with  moulding  machines  for  making  both 
plate  and  bowl  designs. 

In  the  general  foundry  all  kinds  of  castings 
up  to  10  tons  in  weight  are  manufactured, 
including  columns  for  buildings  and  mills, 
straining  posts  and  sockets  for  fencing, 
mortar  mills,  road  rollers  and  machinery 
castings,  ornamental  columns,  lamp-posts, 
railings,  etc.  The  foundries  are  capable  of 
turning  out  60,000  tons  of  castings  per  annum 
divided  as  follows :  pipes  15,000  tons, 
sleepers  and  chairs  30,000  tons,  general 
castings  15,000  tons. 

The  Bengal  Iron  Co.,  Ltd.,  to-day  employs 
about  100  Europeans  and  15,000  Indians,  and 
every  effort  is  made  to  cater  for  the  physical 
well-being  and  comfort  of  both.  A  modern 
hospital  administers  free  medical  treatment. 


iHiodslutfs  are  issued  at  cost  price,  while 
schools  for  l)oys  and  girls  have  been  built  and 
are  principally  financed  by  the  company. 

Bk.\ni)s  of  Indian  Pig  Iron. — The  typical 
comjiosition  of  the  iron  ores  and  fluxes  used 
by  tlu'  two  companies  (iroducing  ])ig  iron  in 
India  to-day  are  given  in  the  talik'S  on  the 
oiijiosite  i)age. 

Dr.  .\.  McW'illiam,  in  the  Jvurnal  of  llw 
Iron  (iiul  Steel  Institute,  liUS,  pp.  '151-68, 
says  of  the  pig  iron  produced  by  the  Tata 
Iron  (S:  Steel  Company  :  "  The  scries  of  pig 
irons  produced  contain  about  0'*1%  of  phos- 
phorus, and  can  fairly  regularly  be  kept  at 
less  than  0-05" „  of  sulphur  wHth  less  than  l**;, 
silica  for  making  basic  open-hearth  steel,  the 
mangani'se  being  brought  up  to  over  1%  by 
the  addition  of  small  quantities  of  manganese 
ore  to  the  blast-furnace  burden.  Nos.  1,2,3, 
and  1  foundry  pig  irons  are  also  made  as 
required." 

Indian  pig  iron  in  general  compares 
favourably  in  quality  with  the  best  English 
and  Scotch  foundry  irons,  and  the  special 
brands  which  are  made  by  both  the  producing 
concerns  are  superior  to  any  iron  imported 
into  India,  with  the  exception  of  hematite 
iron.  In  this  connexion  it  should  be 
mentioned  that  there  is  available  in  India 
a  small  output  of  high-grade  coke  that  could 
be  used  if  necessary,  in  conjunction  with 
special  ores,  to  make  hematite  pig  iron  equal 
to  the  best  brands. 

The  Mysore  Government's  Charcoal 
Iron  Works. — The  Government  of  the 
State  of  Mysore  has  a  blast-furnace  nearing 
completion  at  Benkipur,  w'here  the  iron  ores 
of  the  Bababudan  Hills  in  the  Kadur  district 
will  be  smelted  with  charcoal.  The  timber 
is  to  be  obtained  from  the  great  forests  of 
the  Shimoga  and  Kadur  districts,  and  to  be 
treated  in  a  modern  wood-distillation  plant  at 
Benkipur.  It  is  proposed  to  manufacture 
calcium  acetate,  wood  alcohol,  and  possibly 
calcium  carbide  as  by-products.  The 
estimated  cost  of  the  works  is  approxi- 
mately /630,000.  The  plant  is  being  con- 
structed by  the  Tata  Iron  &  Steel  Co.,  Ltd., 
and  the  company  has  also  been  appointed 
managing  agents  for  a  period  of  twenty-five 
years. 

The  Indian  Iron  cS:  Steel  Co.,  Ltd. — 
This  company  was  registered  in  March,  191  cS, 
with  an  authorized  capital  of  Rs.3, 00, 00,00(1, 
subsequently  increased  to  Rs.3, 01, 50, 000 
(/2, 010, 000)".  Two  blast-furnaces  with  an 
estimated  output  of  110,000  tons  of  pig  iron, 
or  73,000  tons  of  ferro-manganese,  are  being 


JULY,     1921 


13 


Tata  Iron  &  Steel  Co. 
Gurumaisbini  Ore.  Gangpur  Dolomite. 


Bengal  Iron  Companv,  Limited. 


Fe  . 
Mn 
S... 
P  .. 
Si    . 


03 
0-8 
001 
0-09 
2  to  3 


CaO    . . .  30 

MgO  ...  21 

FeiOi...  1 

AljOa  ..  0-7 

SiO-2   ...  2  to  3 


An  average  coke  contains  about  O-o^j,  S, 
0-22%  P,  and  20° «  ash. 


Manharpur  (Pansira)  Ore. 

Fe20:t  92-?l 

(=  G4.9%  Fe) 

Si02   210 

AkO.,   1-2.5 

MnO n-fl5 

CaO     015 

PjOj     Oil 

S trace 

Alkalies    ., 

Loss  on  ignition  3"50 


Sutna  Limestone. 

0/ 

CaCO.i    01-80 

MgCO.i  1-70 

Si02   5-15 

FeO    0-25 

Fe-20.i 0-32 

Al-iO.j  O-ol 


H-20 


0-10 
39-86 


Analyses  of  Pig  Iron  employed  by  the  Bengal  Iron  Company,  Limited. 
Brand.  C.   (graphite).    C.  (combined).  Si.  Mn.  P.  S. 

Manharpur    3-00  to  3  "lO        0-20  to  010      2-75to3-2."i        0-20  to  025        015  to  0-25  0-10  to  0-02 

Bengal 30O  „  3-2U        030  ,,  010      2-50  ,,  300        OUU  .,  120        USO  .,  I'OO  0-03  „  O'Ofl 


put  up  at  Asansol  on  the  Raniganj  coalfield. 
A  large  part  of  the  plant  has  arrived  at  the . 
site  and  is  being  erected  now.  Development 
work  at  the  company's  mines  in  the 
Singhbhum  district  has  proved  very  large  ore 
reserves,  and  it  is  stated  that  over  100,000 
tons  are  already  mined.  About  5,000  persons 
are  employed  at  present. 

New  Iron  and  Steel  Works. — The 
establishment  of  two  new  iron  and  steel 
works  in  India  has  passed  the  stage  of  con- 
sideration, and  though  it  is  not  permissible 
at  this  juncture  to  give  any  details  about 
them,  it  may  be  stated  that  very  large  iron 
ore  reserves  have  been  developed  on  the  con- 
cessions granted  to  the  promoters,  and 
supplies  of  coking  coal  are  assured.  Both 
these  raw  materials  come  from  the  same 
districts  as  those  drawn  upon  by  the  existing 
companies.  The  new  works  may  be  located 
as  Chandil  on  the  Bcngal-Nagpur  line 
between  Sini  and  Adra,  and  at  Manharpur, 
respectively. 

Subsidiary  Industries. — A  great  deal  of 
the  new  plant  now  under  erection  at  the  Tata 
Iron  &  Steel  Works  is  intended  to  supply 
semi-finished  steel  to  subsidiary  industries 
which  are  now  commencing  to  grow  up  at 
Jamshedpur  and  other  places  in  India' 
Among  these  the  following  may  be 
mentioned  : — 

(i)  Galvanized  Iron.  It  is  anticipated  that 
the  production  of  sheets  for  this  purpose  will 
have  commenced  within  the  ne.xt  twelve 
months,  and  in  the  meantime  the  smelter  of 
the  Indian  Zinc  Co.,  Ltd.,  with  a  capacity 
of  10,500  tons  of  spelter  and  25,000  tons  of 
sulphuric  acid  per  annum,  is  being  built. 
The  concentrates  for  the  smelter  will  be 
obtained  from  the  Bawdwin  mines  of  the 
Burma  Corporation,  Ltd.  The  potential 
market  for  galvanized  sheets  in  India  may  be 
judged  from  the  fact  that  in  the  fiscal  year 
ending  1914,  the  imports  of  these  articles 
into  the  country  amounted  to  277,595  tons, 
valued  at  £3,584,957. 


Production   of   Pig   Iron,   Ferro-Manganese,  and   Steel   in 
India  (in  long  tons). 

Pig  Iron.      Ferro-Manganese.  Steel. 

1910  2-U,71U  1,843  131,292 

1917  248,132       1.475  162,711 

1918  248,018      13,223  182,269 

1919  307,374       2,0.50  186,901 
1020      317,6:39       1,183  156,240 

(ii)  Tinplate.  The  Tinplate  Co.  of  India, 
Ltd.,  has  been  formed  to  take  up  the 
manufacture  of  this  article  in  India,  and  the 
necessary  bars  or  sheets  will  be  purchased 
from  the  Tata  Company.  The  Burma  Oil 
Co.,  Ltd.,  alone  is  said  to  require  some 
50,000  tons  of  tinplate  per  annum  for  the 
containers  in  which  some  of  its  products  are 
marketed. 

(iii)  Cables.  The  reduction  works  of  the 
Cape  Copper  Co.,  Ltd.,  which  arc  capable  at 
present  of  producing  250  tons  of  copper  per 
month,  are  only  15  miles  from  Jamshedpur. 
It  is  proposed  to  establish  a  cable  company 
which  will  make  use  of  steel  wire  from  the 
Tata  mills  and  copper  from  the  Rakha  Hills 
smelter  for  this  purpose. 

(iv)  Refractories.  Reference  has  already 
been  made  to  the  Kumardhubi  Silica  &  Fire- 
brick Co.,  Ltd.,  in  which  the  Tata  Iron  & 
Steel  Co.,  Ltd.,  holds  a  large  interest.  In  a 
similar  manner  the  Bengal  Iron  Co.,  Ltd.,  is 
pursuing  a  progressive  policy  in  regard  to 
subsidiary  industries  in  the  vicinity  of  Kulti, 
and  being  a  large  shareholder  in  the  Bengal 
Firebrick  Syndicate  is  thereby  certain  of  a 
regular  supply  of  the  numerous  refractory 
materials  required  in  its  works,  and  at  the 
same  time  assures  the  firebrick  works  of  a 
steady  market  for  a  large  proportion  of  its 
total  out-turn. 

(v)  Castings.  The  Bengal  Iron  Co.,  Ltd., 
also  owns  one-half  of  the  capital  of  the 
Eastern  Light  Casting  Co.,  Ltd.,  which  is 
erecting  large  foundries  for  the  manufacture 
of  light  castings  such  as  rain-water  pipes, 
rice  bowls,  etc. 

(vi)  ^liscellaneous.  Other  subsidiary 
industries,  the  establishment  of  which  is 
being  considered  in  various  parts  of  India, 
include  the  manufacture  of  enamelled  ware, 


1 1 


THE    MIXING    MAGAZINE 


whools  and  railway  rolling  stock,  special 
steels,  agricultural  inipUnunts.  ship  and 
boiler  plates,  nKuhinery  for  tea  factories, 
jute  and  cotton  mills,  collieries,  etc. 

IxoiAN  Ikox  Okus. — The  following  data 
are  taken  from  the  annual  and  (luinquennial 
reviews  of  mineral  production  in  India, 
unless  otherwise  stated,  and  the  interested 
reader  is  referred  to  them  for  fuller  details. 
They  form  part  of  the  Records  of  the 
Geological  Survey  of  India. 

Indian  iron  ores  of  economic  importance 
may  be  classified  as  follows  ; 

(1)  Banded  rocks  composed  of  magnetite- 
hematitc-quartz  schists,  associated  with 
cherts,  jaspers,  and  other  rocks  of  Archtean 
age  known  as  the  Dharwars,  which  are  now 
believed  to  be  the  oldest  rocks  wherever 
they  occur  in  India.  In  these  silica-iron  ore 
rocks  the  latter  constituent  is  occasionally 
concentrated  into  lenticular  bodies  of  great 
size.  These  deposits  are  comparable  with 
those  of  the  Lake  Superior  region,  Brazil,  and 
other  parts  of  the  world,  where  similar 
geological  conditions  prevail. 

(2)  Bands  and  nodules  of  clay  ironstone 
found  in  shales  between  the  coal-bearing 
Barakar  and  Raniganj  stages  of  the 
Gondwanas. 

(3)  Surface  and  sub-surface  ores  due  to  the 
segregation  of  iron  o.xide  in  the  superticial 
deposits  formed  by  rock  weathering  in 
tropical  climates.  These  are  generally  found 
about  the  outcrops  of  the  Dharwarian 
hematite  schists,  but  they  occur  also  in 
rocks  of  later  geological  periods. 

The  deposits  of  class  (1)  furnish  the  ores 
which  are  being  smelted  to-day.  or  which  it  is 
proposed  to  reduce  in  the  near  future.  Those 
of  class  (2)  supplied  the  ore  in  the  early  days 
of  modern  smelting  in  Bengal,  but  their  use 
has  been  discontinued.  The  ores  of  class  (3) 
were  worked  by  the  native  smelters  to  some 
e.xtent  in  the  past,  but  they  are  only  employed 
for  special  purposes  on  a  small  scale  at 
present,  for  example  by  the  Burma  Corpora- 
tion, Ltd.,  as  a  flux  in  lead-ore  reduction,  and 
there  are  no  reliable  estimates  of  their  total 
extent. 
The  best  known  examples  of  class  (1)  are  : 
{a)  The  deposits  of  Singhbhum  and  the 
feudatory  States  of  Orissa. 

[b)  The  deposits  of  the  Chanda,  Drug,  and 
other  districts  of  the  Central  Provinces. 

(c)  The  deposits  of  the  Kadur  district  of 
Mysore. 

{d)  The  deposits  of  Goa  and  Ratnagiri. 
Singhbhum. — This  is  the  name  given  to 


a  district  wilh  ,ui  arci  of  about  3,900  sijuare 
miles  which  lies  in  the  south-east  of  the 
Cluita  Xagpur  division  of  the  Province  of 
liih.ir  and  Orissa.  It  forms  part  of  the 
southern  fringe  of  the  Chota  Xagpur  plateau. 
The  eastern  portions  are  comparatively  open, 
but  elsewlu're  it  is  very  hilly.  The  ranges 
have  a  general  maximum  height  of  about 
2,000  ft.,  which  is  exceeded  by  the  isolated 
peaks.  The  Government  estate  of  Kolhan, 
where  very  large  deposits  of  iron  ore  occur, 
is  in  the  south-west,  while  the  estate  of 
Dliallilnnn  lies  to  the  east.  Singhbhum  is 
bounded  on  the  west  by  the  Gangpur  State, 
which  contains  important  manganese  and 
limestone  deposits,  and  on  the  south  by  the 
feudatory  States  of  Orissa  known  as 
Mayurbhanj,  Keonjhar,  and  Bonai. 
Geologically,  its  most  interesting  feature  is 
a  great  liatholith  of  granite  which  has  lifted 
up  the  Dharwar  phyllites  and  schists.  (See 
map.)  A  portion  of  the  southern  lobe  of  the 
granite  is  included  within  the  boundaries  of 
llayurbhanj.  The  chief  iron-ore  deposits 
of  this  State  lie  within  the  Dharwar  rocks  to 
the  east  of  the  batholith  and  between  it  and 
the  main  mass  of  the  granite  traversing  the 
States  to  the  south.  The  Singhbhum  iron-ore 
deposits  and  the  iron-ore  ranges  recently 
discovered  in  the  Kolhan  estate  occupy 
roughly  a  similar  position  to  the  west  of  the 
batiiolith.  Before  describing  the  iron  ores  in 
greater  detail  it  may  be  mentioned  that 
Singhbhum  is  a  highly  mineralized  region. 
Close  to  the  northern  margin  of  the  batholith. 
and  extending  further  to  the  south-east  and 
west,  is  the  well-known  copper  belt,  a  line  of 
workings  made  by  the  ancients  in  their 
search  for  copper  ores.  The  Rakha  mines  of 
the  Cape  Copper  Co.,  Ltd.,  are  close  to  the 
extreme  north-eastern  lobe  of  the  batholith. 
Several  miles  to  the  north  there  is  a  large 
intrusion  of  dolerite  now  altered  to  epidiorite, 
known  as  the  Dalma  trap.  At  intervals  along 
the  copper  belt  there  are  small  lenticular 
bodies  of  magnetite-apatite  rock.  At 
Kalimati,  .")  miles  north  of  the  granite, 
wolfram  occurs  in  quartz  veins.  Nearer  the 
Dalma  trap  argentiferous  galena  has  been 
found  at  Dhadka.  In  addition,  various 
auriferous  quartz  lodes  are  known,  while 
chromite  is  associated  with  peridotites  to  the 
south-west  of  Chaibasa.  The  geological 
structure  and  ore  deposits  of  this  interesting 
region  have  been  described  by  V.  Ball, 
J.  Malcolm  ■Maclaren,  L.  L.  Fermor,  C.  M. 
Weld,  and  H.  C.  Jones,  to  all  of  whom  the 
writer  is  indebted. 


JULY,     1921 


15 


16 


Tin:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


The  main  line  of  the  Benfjal  -Nagpur  railway 
from  Calcutta  to  Hombay  crosses  Singhbhum 
from  east  to  west.  At  Siiii  junction  it  is 
joined  b\'  a  line  runnin;,'  down  from  the 
Ben!;al  coalfields.  The  new  railways  under 
construction  to  open  up  the  iron  ore  deposits 
are  indicated  on  the  map. 

The  iron  ore  deposits  that  have  been 
exploited  for  the  longest  time  are  those  of 
Pansira  and  Buda  Hills,  leased  by  the 
Bengal  Iron  Co.,  Ltd.  The  mines  arc 
situated  about  12  miles  and  8  miles 
respectively  south-east  of  Manharpur  station 
on  the  BengaUXagpur  railway,  with  which 
they  are  connected  by  a  narrow-gauge  line. 
The  ore  takes  the  form  of  veins  and  bodies 
of  hematite  in  banded  iron  ore-silica  rocks. 
Many  millions  of  tons  have  been  proved,  and 
the      following     is     a      typical      analysis : 


Si 


2- 10  : 


Mn  =  005 


Fe  =  61  00 
P  =  0-05. 

With  these  deposits  as  a  starting-point, 
further  prospecting  has  led  to  the  discovery 
of  iron  ore  ranges,  which  are  believed  to 
continue  for  forty  miles  in  a  south-south- 
westerl}^  direction  into  the  Keonjhar  State, 
only  a  portion  of  which  has  been  examined 
up  to  the  present  time.  The  most  important 
range  has  been  surveyed  for  about  10  miles. 
It  rises  some  1,500  ft.  above  the  sur- 
rounding plain  and  its  top  is  formed 
of  good  iron  ore  almost  without  a  break. 
Another  parallel  line  of  hills  has  been 
traced  for  7  miles,  in  which  the  iron  ore 
occupies  the  same  position.  In  the  southern 
portion  it  is  as  good  and  continuous  as  in 
the  adjoining  range,  but  in  the  north  replace- 
ment is  less  complete.  In  a  third  range 
the  ore  is  confined  to  patches  which  are, 
however,  of  considerable  importance.  To 
the  west  of  these  ranges  there  are  more 
irregular  patches  of  ore  occupying  the  tops 
of  the  hills.  These  hematites  usually 
appear  to  average  about  64°(,  of  iron,  with 
phosphorus  ranging  between  003  and  008, 
or,  in  some  cases,  to  as  high  as  O'lo.  The 
sulphur  content  is  usually  below  003. 
Titanium  is  also  said  to  be  found  occasionally 
in  the  ore,  usually  either  as  a  trace  or  in 
very  small  quantities.  Samples  from  the 
better  parts  of  the  deposits  contain  as  much 
as  68  or  69  %  of  iron.  Although  com- 
paratively little  work  has  been  done  hitherto 
by  the  concessionaries,  enough  is  known, 
according  to  Sir  Henry  Hayden,  to  justify 
the  belief  that  the  quantities  available  will 
run  into  hundreds — possibly  into  thousands 
— of   millions    of   tons.      A    branch    of    the 


Bengal-Nagpur  Railway  now  under  con- 
struction from  Amda  to  Jamd.i  will  open 
up  pari  of  this  region. 

.^Ir.  H.  C.  Jones,  of  the  Geological  Survey 
of  India,  who  is  now  making  a  detailed 
investigation  of  these  deposits,  has  shown 
that  the  rocks  generally  consist  of  shales  or 
slates  and  phyllites,  with  beds  of  sandstone, 
quartzite,  and  hematite  quartzites.  The 
latter  form  the  main  part  of  the  iron- 
bearing  series.  The  ore-bodies  are  believed 
to  have  been  derived  from  these  rocks  by 
local  enrichment,  largely  by  the  leaching 
of  silica  and  to  a  less  extent  by  the  intro- 
duction of  iron  oxide. 

The  iron  ore  deposits  of  Mayurbhanj,  first 
noticed  bv  the  Indian  geologist  Bose,  arc 
great  lenticular  leads  or  bodies  of  hematite, 
with  small  quantities  of  magnetite  associated 
with  banded  quartzites  and  quartz-iron  ore 
rocks.  '  They  are  intimately  connected  with 
granite  on  the  one  hand,  and  granulite  rocks 
of  the-  charnockite  type  on  the  other.  About 
a  dozen  ore-bodies  have  been  located  in  this 
State,  which  are  now  estimated  to  contain 
some  39,100,000  tons  of  non-titaniferous 
ores  of  60  to  67%  of  metallic  iron.  (Sec 
C.  P.  Perin  :  "  The  Recent  Development  in 
the  Iron  and  Steel  Industry  of  India "  : 
American  Iron  and  Steel  Institute,  October, 
1920.  p.  5.)  The  more  important  ones  are 
the  following  : 

[a]  At  Gurumaishini,  this  hill  mass  rises 
3,000  ft.  above  sea-level.  The  ore  deposits 
occur  in  three  parallel  and  separate  leads, 
measuring  7,000,  5,500,  and  3,000  ft. 
respectively  in  length  and  varying  from  300 
to  700  ft.  "in  breadth.  The  total  area  is 
estimated  at  19  millions  of  square  feet, 
and  the  total  quantity  of  ore  at  many 
millions  of  tons.  The  average  composition 
of  the  solid  ore  is  Fe  =  6433  ;  P  = 
0075  ;  S  =  0021  ;  SiO.  =  1-64.  A  great 
deal  of  "  float "  ore  of  somewhat  lower 
grade  (Fe  =  61-5)  exists.  The  iron  ore  mines 
from  which  the  Tata  Co.  draws  its  present 
supplies  are  at  Gurumaishini. 

[h)  At  Okampad,  a  single  great  lens  of 
iron  ore,  12  miles  to  the  south-south-west 
of  Gurumaishini,  covers  an  area  of 
300.000  sq.  ft.,  and  exhibits  at  one  point  a 
scarp  300  ft.  high.  There  are  also  two 
smaller  outliers  and  a  large  area  of  rich 
"  float  "  ores.  The  average  analysis  of- four 
samples  gives  the  following  results  :  Fe  = 
6311  ;   P  =  0-029  ;   S  =  nil. 

(c)  At  Badampahar,  8i  miles  to  the 
south-west  of  Okampad,  rises  the  peak  of 


JULY,     1921 


17 


Badampahar,  elevation  2,706  ft.  Here  there 
is  another  single  great  ore-body, 
approximately  3,000  ft.  long  by  500  ft  in 
breadth,  which  with  many  smaller  outhers 
occupies  the  crest  of  the  hill.  Outcrops  of 
massive  ore  have  been  measured  through  a 
vertical  distance  of  600  ft.  A  broad-gauge 
extension  of  the  Gurumaishini  Railway  is 
now  under  construction  from  Onlajori  Station 
on  the  Tatanagar-Gurumaishini  branch,  to 
open  up  the  Okampad  and  Badampahar 
deposits,  and  preliminary  operations  are  in 
progress  to  develop  the  latter. 

There  are  indications  that  similar  geological 
conditions  may  exist  in  the  Pal  Lahara  State 
of  Orissa,  which  is  separated  from 
Mayurbhanj  by  the  Keonjhar  State. 

Ch.\nda  District,  Central  Pri;vinces. — 
The  deposits  form  well-marked  bands 
associated  with  the  Dharwar  rocks.  The 
ore  is  usually  a  very  high-grade  hematite. 
At  least  ten  separate  deposits  have  been 
located,  and  some  of  them  are  of  large  size. 
The  two  best  known  are  at  Lohara,  where 
the  ore  forms  a  hill  nearly  half  a  mile  long, 
200  yards  wide,  and  120  ft.  high,  and  it 
has  been  traced  for  a  further  distance  of 
2J  miles  ;  and  Pipalgaon,  where  there  is  a 
very  fine  mass  of  red  hematite.  The  Lohara 
deposit  i's  leased  to  the  Tata  Iron  &  Steel 
Co.,  Ltd.,  by  whom  it  is  held  in  reserve, 
except  when  small  quantities  of  this  quality 
of  ore  are  wanted  for  special  purposes.  The 
grade  of  the  ore  may  be  judged  from  the 
following  analyses  : — 

Lohara  :  Fe  =  69-21  ;  S  =  0012  ;  P  = 
0-00.3  ;    SiO.,  =  0-82. 

Pipalgaon  :  Fe  =  71-05  ;  S  =  trace  ;  P  = 
trace  ;   SiOg  =  45. 

Drug  District. — The  iron  ores  form 
conspicuous  hillocks  rising  above  the  level 
of  the  surrounding  country.  The  most 
important  of  these  is  a  ridge  including  the 
Dhalli  and  Rajhara  Hills,  which  extends 
for  20  miles  and  attains  heights  of  400  ft. 
above  the  plain.  The  ores  are  associated  with 
phyllites,  and  arc  often  of  a  banded  quartz- 
iron  ore  type,  but  in  places  thick  lenticular 
masses  of  comparatively  fine  hematite  occur. 
Mr.  C.  M.  Weld  proved  2J  million  tons  by 
diamiond  drilling  in  the  Rajhara  mass.  An 
adjoining  deposit  is  assumed  to  contain 
74-  million  tons,  making  a  total  of  10  million 
tons,  carrying  67  to  68°o  of  iron  with 
0-06  to  0-09%  of  phosphorus. 

Similar  iron  ores  are  now  known  to  have 
a  very  considerable  extension  into  the 
Bastar  State  to  the  south,  and  they  are  said 


by  Mr.  C.  P.  Perin  to  carry  a  tonnage  of 
from  20  to  30  times  that  now  reasonably 
accurately   known. 

Mysore.  —  Smeeth  and  Iyengar  give 
particulars  of  these  deposits  in  Mineral 
Resources  of  Mysore,  1916,  p.  65.  Iron  ores 
are  widely  distributed  in  Mysore,  but  are 
very  variable  in  character,  and  in  com- 
paratively few  places  are  abundant  or  pure 
enough  for  modern  operations.  The  best 
known  ores  are  those  of  the  Bababudan  hills 
in  the  Kadur  district.  The  crest  of  this 
horseshoe-shaped  chain  of  hills  is  formed 
nearly  entirely  of  banded  quartz-iron  ores, 
largely  hematite  with  some  magnetite.  The 
various  ore  fields  are  separated  by  intrusive 
diorites,  often  altered  into  ferruginous  clays, 
or  patches  of  soil  and  jungle,  or  quartzites, 
where  the  overlying  series  has  been  denuded 
away.  A  great  many  million  tons  of  ore 
exist  in  this  region,  but  in  widely  separated 
patches  difficult  of  access.  The  following 
tentative  data  refer  only  to  one  small  patch 
known  as  the  Kemmangundi  field,  and  are 
believed  to  be  conservative.  The  area  is 
about  50  acres  and  the  surface  conditions 
are  expected  to  continue  to  50  ft.  or  more  in 
depth.  Taking  an  average  depth  of  only 
25  ft.,  the  total  tonnage  is  estimated  at 
4,000,000  tons  of  an  average  composition  of 
Fe  =  57  ;  SiO.,  =  2  ;  S  =  0-05  ;  and  P 
=  0-08.  This  and  a  smaller  deposit  in  the 
vicinity  arc  estimated  to  yield  three-quarters 
of  a  million  tons  with  Fe  =  61  to  62,  and 
P  =  0-05,  and  two  million  tons  with  Fe  =  56 
to  57,  and  P  =  009.  These  are  only  two 
deposits  out  of  a  large  number  at  distances 
of  from  1  to  10  miles  from  this  point. 

On  an  area  of  9  or  10  square  miles  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Kalhattigiri,  the  orf^  exists 
practically  at  the  surface,  and  Dr.  Smeeth 
has  concluded  that  3  square  miles  are 
occupied  by  good  ore.  Assuming  that  the 
surface  ore  extends  to  at  least  10  ft.,  the 
amount  available  is  83,000,000  tons.  The 
outer  crusts,  say  to  3  or  4  ft.,  would  yield 
25,000,000  tons,  carrying  60  to  65%  iron, 
and  the  remaining  6  or  7  ft.  some 
60,000,000  tons  containing  55  to  58°;  iron 
with  about  8%  of  combined  water.  The 
amount  of  phosphorus  is  somewhat  high, 
varying  from  0-044  to  0-105%. 

GoA  AND  Ratnagiri. — The  iron  ores  of 
these  regions  are  of  Dharwarian  age,  and 
crop  out  in  the  midst  of  laterites.  At  the 
surface  they  are  mixtures  of  limonite  and 
hematite  with  minute  crystals  of  magnetite. 
At  Bicholim  in  Goa  the  main  ore  band  has 


18 


TIIF,     MINIXr,     MACA/INK 


been  traced  for  7  kilometres,  and  is  said  to 
vary  from  30  to  100  metres  in  width.  Tlie 
hard  ore  is  beheved  to  be  a  surface  hydratcd 
form  of  a  friable,  schistose,  micaceous 
hematite  found  unaltered  at  about  f)!)  ft. 
bilow  the  surface.  On  account  of  the  extent 
of  the  outcrops,  however,  the  hard  ore  is 
jirobably  available  in  large  quantities. 
.\nalyses  show  that  it  is  of  high  grade,  very 
low  in  silica,  and  with  a  phosphorus  content 
below  the  Bessemer  limit.  The  Ratnagiri 
ores  arc  of  the  same  tj-pe. 

Other  Ore  Deposits. — Iron  ores  occur 
throughout  peninsular  India  in  association 
with  the  ancient  crystalline  rocks  of  which  it  is 
built  up,  but  by  far  the  majority  of  them  arc 
so  intimately  blended  with  quartz  that  only 
a  very  siliceous  low-grade  material  can  be 
obtained  without  concentration.  These 
occurrences  of  quartz-iron  ore  schist  are  so 
common  that  newly  recorded  instances  of 
them  are  generallj'  passed  over  as  matters 
of  very  little  immediate  economic  irUcrest. 
An  attempt  has  been  made  in  the  preceding 
paragraphs  to  indicate  how,  during  the  past 
few  years,  more  detailed  survey  work  has 
brought  to  light  distinct  ore-bodies  of  great 
size  and  richness,  especially  in  the  Central 
Provinces  and  Singhbhum,  Mayurbhanj , 
and  Orissa.  No  useful  purpose  could  be 
served  by  giving  the  very  lengthy  lists  of 
all  the  iron  ore  occurrences  which  are  known 
in  practically  every  province.  These  have 
already  been  collected  by  T.  H.  D.  La  Touche 
in  his  annotated  index  of  Indian  Minerals 
of  Economic  Importance. 

Coal  Supplies. — The  question  of  the 
supplies  of  metallurgical  coke  which  are 
likely  to  be  required  to  meet  the  expansion 
of  the  Indian  iron  and  steel  industry  is  a 
most  important  one,  and  may  now  be  con- 
sidered briefly. 

The  output  of  coal  in  India  is  steadil}' 
increasing,  having  risen  from  about  5  million 
tons  per  annum  twenty  years  ago  to  over 
20  million  tons  to-dav.  The  total  production 
in  1919  amounted"  to  22,628,000  tons, 
w'ithout  reckoning  the  amount  taken  by  the 
miners  for  their  own  use.  Of  this  total, 
the  Jherria  and  Raniganj  fields  produced 
53-68  and  30-12%  respectively,  and  the 
smaller  Gondwana  coalfields  of  Bihar  and 
Orissa  a  further  8-56°o. 

In  1918  the  Government  of  India,  in  view 
of  the  large  avoidable  waste  of  coal  known 
to  occur  on  the  Raniganj  and  Jherria  fields, 
engaged  Mr.  Treharne  Rees  to  visit  them  and 
advise    on    the    best    methods    of    securing 


greater  economy  in  the  jiroduction  and  con- 
sumption of  coal.  Mr.  Rees'  report  was 
submitted  in  August,  1919,  and  his  principal 
reconnnendations  include  more  efiiciiiil 
nuthods  of  coal  extraction,  the  more 
economic  use  of  power  and  more  general 
employment  of  electricity,  the  improvement 
of  methods  of  coke-making,  the  introduction 
ol  coal  mixing,  the  more  extended  employ- 
ment of  screening,  the  possibilities  of 
briquette  manufacture,  etc. 

In  January,  1920,  the  Government  of 
India  appointed  a  committee  to  consider 
Mr.  Rees'  report.  It  included  representatives 
of  the  royalty  owners,  mining  associations, 
firms  engaged  in  mining,  the  Director  of  the 
Geological  Survey  of  India,  the  Chief 
Inspector  of  Mines,  and  the  Mining  ICngineer 
to  the  Railway  Board.  This  committee 
toured  the  coalfields,  examined  numerous 
witnesses,  and  published  a  lengthy  report  in 
June,  1920. 

In  dealing  with  the  question  of  coke  pro- 
duction the  committee  show  that  only  very 
approximate  figures  are  available  of  the 
higher  grade  of  coking  coal  reserves.  The 
Raniganj  coalfield  alone  contains  over  twenty 
thousand  million  tons  of  coal  of  all  kinds,  but 
most  of  this  is  inferior  and  only  518  million 
tons  of  first-class  coal  are  estimated  to  exist. 
The  addition  of  the  Jherria  reserves  of  the 
best  coal  brings  the  total  up  to  nearl}'  a 
thousand  million  tons.  To  the  west  of 
Jherria  the  Bokaro  field  is  said  to  contain 
over  si.x  hundred  million  tons  of  coking  coal, 
and  it  is  possible  that  further  reserves  will  be 
found  in  the  untouched  Karanpura  fields  still 
further  to  the  west.  Apart  from  these  the 
only  other  coking  coal  known  to  occur  in  any 
quantity  in  India  is  that  of  Assam,  the  high 
sulphur  content  of  which,  however,  makes  it 
imfit  for  metallurgical  purposes.  The  com- 
mittee concluded  that  as  far  as  is  known  at 
present,  India  will  be  dependent  for 
metallurgical  coke  on  the  fields  of  the 
Damuda  valley,  and  that  although  the  total 
amount  of  coal  they  contain  is  undoubtedly 
verj'  large,  the  quantity  available  for  coke 
manufacture  is  strictly  limited.  Unless  the 
resources  are  conserved  and  the  use  of  the 
coal  of  lower  grade  substituted,  wherever 
possible,  for  that  of  the  better  coking 
qualities,  India  may  be  faced  at  no  very 
distant  date  with  the  loss  of  her  metallurgical 
industries  for  want  of  coke.  If  the  present 
rate  of  increase  is  maintained  and  an 
opportunist  policy  persisted  in,  the  known 
reserves   of   two    thousand   million    tons   of 


I 


JULY,     1921 


19 


high-grade  coking  coals  would  be  extracted 
in  forty  years. 

Having  come  to  this  conclusion  the  com- 
mittee made  a  number  of  recommendations 
to  the  Government  of  India,  which  still  has 
them  under  consideration.  These  included 
the  formation  of  a  new  Government  Depart- 
ment and  a  Board  as  controlling  authorities 
with  legal  powers  designed  to  ensure  con- 
servation and  econom.ic  extraction  of  coal. 

It  is  necessary  to  point  out  that  the  mining 
engineer  of  the  Railway  Board  submitted  a 
minority  report  in  which  he  stated  his  own 
personal  belief  that  in  the  recently  proved 
portions  of  the  Jherria  and  Raniganj  fields 
and  in  the  Bokaro  and  Karanpura  fields  there 
are  at  least  300  years  supply  of  good  quality 
coal  available. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  authorities  are  well 
aware  of  the  position,  and  in  the  writer's 
opinion  there  is  no  need  to  fear  that  the 
growth  of  the  Indian  iron  and  steel  industry 
is  likely  to  be  checked  by  the  lack  of  metal- 
lurgical coke.  Apart  from  the  question  of 
conservation,  there  are  possibilities  of  ex- 
tensions to  known  reserves  of  high-class  coal 
in  the  undeveloped  fields  and  to  the  results 
of  research  in  the  mixing,  washing,  and 
flotation  of  the  poorer  qualities. 

The  results  of  recent  investigations  in  the 
United  Kingdom  on  froth  flotation  as  applied 
to    the   washing    of   industrial    coal    arc    of 


peculiar  interest  to  India,  as  they  have 
demonstrated  that  metallurgical  fuels  of 
a  high  degree  of  purity  can  be  made  from 
coals  possessing  a  high  ash  content. 

Conclusions. — According  to  Mr.  C.  P. 
Perin  :  "  Since  the  beginning  of  the  war 
prospecting  parties  have  been  continuously 
in  the  field  working  in  a  quadrangle  400  miles 
east  and  west  by  200  miles  north  and  south, 
beginning  at  Calcutta  as  the  north-east 
corner.  After  investigations  by  some  twenty 
prospectors,  engineers  of  experience,  and 
geologists  connected  with  the  different  com- 
panies, there  is  now  estimated  to  be  about 
20,000  million  tons  of  high-grade  iron  ore 
within  a  maximum  distance  of  the  fuel  of  500 
miles  and  an  average  distance  of  120  to  130 
miles." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  India  possesses 
sufficient  high-grade  iron  ores  to  supply  an 
iron  and  steel  industry  of  the  first  magnitude, 
and  the  rapid  developments  which  are  taking 
place  show  that  this  fact  is  fully  appreciated 
by  capitalists.  The  day  would  not  seem  to  be 
far  distant  when  India  will  be  self-supporting 
as  regards  iron  and  steel  and  probably 
exporting  pig  iron  to  outside  markets,  for 
in  the  opinion  of  those  best  able  to  judge  it 
can  be  produced  comparatively  cheaply, 
owing  to  the  low  assembly  costs  consequent 
on  the  close  proximity  of  raw  materials  and 
the  cheap  rates  of  freight. 


THE    DIP    COMPASS 

By   HENRY   LOUIS,  M.A.,  D.Sc,  A.R.S.M.,  M.Inst.C.E.,  etc.. 

Professor  of   Mining,   Armstrong   College,    Newcastle-on-Tyne. 


Methods  of  magnetic  surveying  are 
employed  for  locating  such  ore  deposits  as 
distinctly  affect  an  ordinary  magnetic  needle  ; 
such  are  mineral  deposits  that  consist,  or, 
at  any  rate,  contain  a  large  proportion,  of 
cither  magnetite  or  pyrrhotite  ;  the  former 
occur  extensively  in  Scandinavia,  Canada, 
and  the  Northern  L'nited  States,  as  well  as 
less  abundantly  in  other  places,  while  the 
best-known  example  of  the  latter  is  to  be 
found  in  the  important  copper-nickel  deposits 
of  Sudbur}',  where  these  magnetic  methods 
have,  in  fact,  rendered  excellent  service. 
Comparatively  recently  attem.pts  have  been 
made  to  extend  the  principles  involved  to  the 
location  of  ore-bodies  of  relatively  low- 
magnetic  permeability,  such  as  beds  of 
ordinary  ironstone.  The  'method  was 
elaborated  by  Mr.  G.  W.  Walker  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Iron  Ore  Committee  of  the 


Conjoint  Board  of  Scientific  Societies,  of 
which  I  was  Chairman,  and  a  full  report 
will  be  found  in  the  Philosophical 
Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society,  series 
A,  vol.  ccxix  (1919),  page  73.  This  method, 
however,  requires  elaborate  and  delicate 
instruments,  and  its  consideration  is  beyond 
the  scope  of  the  present  article,  which  refers 
exclusively  to  the  methods  as  above  defined. 
Owing  to  the  fact  that  so  many  of  the  Swedish 
ore  deposits  carr\'  large  proportions  of 
magnetite,  these  methods  have  originated 
and  have  been  mainly  worked  out  in  Sweden. 
The  earliest  form  of  instrument  appears  to 
have  been  the  Swedish  so-called  miner's 
compass,  the  invention  of  which  is  ascribed 
to  Daniel  Tilas,  who  died  in  1672.  As  will 
be  seen  from  Fig.  1,  it  consists  of  a  cylindrical 
brass  box,  usually  li  to  2  in.  in  diameter,  and 
of   about   the   same   depth,    with   a   domed 


20 


THE    MIXING     MACAZIXE 


glass  cover.  In  the  centre  of  the  l>ox  there 
is  a  long  steel  pointed  pin,  on  which  revolves 
a  cap,  to  which  a  magnetic  needle  is  pivoted, 
so  that  tins  needle  i;  free  to  move  in  hotli  a 
horizontal  and  a  vertical  plane.  Tliere  are 
no  graduations,  but  a  line  is  drawn  round 
the  inside  of  the  bo.\,  which  indicates  the 
normal  level  of  the  north-seeking  end  of  the 
needle  when  subject  only  to  the  magnetic 
influence  of  the  earth.  If  this  instrument 
is  taken  to  any  place  where  there  i'^  any 
magnetic  influence  other  than  that  normally 
lUie  to  the  earth,  the  north  end  of  the  needle 
will  come  to  rest  cither  above  or  below  the 
marked  line,  and  from  its  position  an 
experienced  man  can  tell  whether  magnetic 
deposits  of  any  importance  arc  likely  to 
exist  or  not  below  the  spot  that  is  thus 
tested.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  appliance 
is  a  crude  one,  but  its  indications  are  quite 
useful  to  a  skilled  observer. 

Another  form  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States  about  186C).  which  is  generally 
spoken  of  as  the  American  dip  compass 
(see  Fig.  2).  It  consists  of  a  shallow  brass 
box,  '.i  to  IJ  in.  in  diameter,  and  1  to  J  in. 
deep,  in  which  a  magnetic  needle  is  suspended 
on  a  horizontal  axis  so  as  to  be  capable  of 
moving  in  a  vertical  plane  only.  The  flat 
sides  of  the  box  are  made  of  glass,  and  it 
contains  a  graduated  arc  so  that  the  amount 
of  dip  can  be  read  off.  It  is  made  by  Messrs. 
W.  &  L.  E.  Gurley,  of  Troy,  New  York,  and 
other  American  makers,  and  has  also  been 
copied  by  instrument  makers  in  this  country. 
In  use  it  is  placed  horizontally  and  turned 
until  the  needle  points  to  the  zero  of  the 
graduation,  and  is  then  turned  up  into  a 
vertical  position  so  that  the  needle  swings 
in  the  plane  of  the  local  magnetic  meridian, 
when  the  amount  of  dip  can  be  read  off  from 
the  graduations.  About  1898  I  introduced 
an  improved  form  in  which  I  attempted  to 
combine  the  advantages  of  the  American 
and  Swedish  instruments  ;  this  I  described 
fully  in  1899  (see  Journal  of  the  Iron  and 
Steel  Institiiie,  1899,  i,  p.  80).  It  con.sists 
of  a  box  like  the  American  compass,  only 
deeper,  being  Sin.  in  diameter  and  liin. 
deep,  with  glass  sides.  The  needle  is 
suspended  as  in  the  Swedish  instrument, 
and  behind  it  a  semicircular  arc  is  pivoted 
concentrically  with  the  horizontal  axis  of 
the  needle,  so  that  the  arc  always  hangs 
with  its  zero  line  horizontal.  By  turning 
the  box  until  the  needle  swings  freely  about 
the  vertical  suspension  it  sets  itself  in  the 
local  magnetic  meridian,  and  the  amount  of 


dip  can  be  read  off  witli  considerable 
accuracy.  The  instrument  is  made  by  Mr. 
F.  Robson,  of  Newcastle-on-Tyne,  and  I 
was  able  to  do  some  good  work  with  it.  I 
have,  however,  aliandoned  it  entirely  for 
the  form  whicli  I  propose  to  describe 
presentlv.  It  h.id  two  drawbacks  :  the 
delicate  suspensions  were  too  ajit  to  become 
deranged  with  work  in  the  field,  but  abo\'e 
all  it  shared  \\\\.h  all  the  instruments  above 
described  the  serious  drawback  that  it 
indicated  dips  in  the  plane  of  the  local 
magnetic  meridian,  the  objections  to  which 
method  will  be  pointed  out  in  the  sequel. 

Meanwhile,  between  1870  and  about 
1880,  two  Swedish  instruments,  the  Thalen 
magnetometer  and  the  Tiberg  inclinator, 
had  been  devised  ;  thry  were  subsequently 
combined  in  one  instrument,  which  is 
practically  the  only  instrument  used  at  all 
extensively  in  Sweden  to-day,  and  which  is 
known  as' the  Thalen-Tiberg  magnetometer. 
This  is  used  for  making  complete  magnetic 
surveys  of  the  area  in  which  there  are  reasons 
for  supposing  that  magnetic  minerals  occur  ; 
by  this  means  curves  of  horizontal  and 
vertical  intensity  can  be  plotted,  from  which 
the  position  of  the  ore  deposit  can  be  deduced. 
For  a  full  description  of  these  methods, 
the  reader  may  be  referred  to  a  small  work 
on  the  subject  by  Eugene  Haanel,  "  On  the 
Location  and  Examination  of  Magnetic 
Ore  Deposits  by  Magneto-metric  Measure- 
ments," published  by  the  Canadian  Depart- 
ment of  Mines  in  ioO-l,  which  is  entirely 
based  upon  the  well-known  work  of 
Th.  Dahlblom  published  at  Falun  in  1898. 
Without  denying  that  this  method  may  at 
times  give  information  of  the  highest 
importance,  my  own  experience  has  been 
that  the  results  from  an  economic  standpoint 
are  not  always  reliable.  Moreover,  it  is  a 
somewhat  slow  and  laborious  method,  and 
I  have  for  some  time  past  come  to  the 
definite  conclusion  that  the  results  obtainable 
bv  it  are  not  commensurate  with  the  cost 
and  labour  involved  in  obtaining  them.  I 
have,  therefore,  reverted  to  the  simple 
reading  of  dip  angles  as  in  the  American 
dip  compass,  but  have  adopted  the  form 
of  needle  used  in  the  Swedish  magneto- 
meter, which  is  intended  to  be  read  in  a 
plane  at  right  angles  to  the  magnetic 
meridian.  The  dip  compass  thus  designed, 
which  I  have  used  very  successfully  for 
a  good  many  years,  is  now  being  put  on  the 
market  by  Messrs.  T.  Cooke  &  Sons,  Ltd., 
York. 


JULY,     1921 


21 


IlG.  3. 


w 

Fig.  4. 


ur 


Fig.  5. 

As  shown  in  Fig.  3,  it  consists  of  a  brass 
box,  some  -1  in.  in  diameter  by  about  f  in. 
deep,  the  sides  being  made  of  glass,  or  better 
still,  of  transparent  celluloid.  It  is  suspended 
by  a  gimbal  attachment,  so  that  when  held 
freely  it  hangs  so  that  the  line  adjoining  the 
zeros  of  graduation  is  truly  horizontal  ; 
the  base  also  allows  it  to  be  set  on  any  level 
surface    when    more    accurate    observations 


1—4 


22 


Til 


MIXINT.    MA(>A;^INE 


arc  desired.  In  tlic  I'kKI  I  often  use  a  light 
hand-camera  trip<xl  for  this  ])ur]iose.  The 
needle  is  suspended  in  carefully  eentrrd 
jewels,  and  it  is  necessary  that  much  care 
and  close  attention  should  be  bestowed 
upon  the  horizontal  axis,  so  that  the 
suspension  mav  be  highly  accurate  and  work 
with  the  minimum  of  friction.  The  needle 
has  a  screw  thread  cut  on  one  end  (usually 
the  south-seeking  end),  and  on  this  a  counter- 
poise, in  the  form  of  a  small  nut,  moves 
smoothly  but  stiflly,  so  that  the  needle 
may  be  accurately  adjusted  in  a  truly 
horizontal  position.  Below  the  centre  of  the 
needle  is  a  short  pin  of  hard  brass,  also  with 
a  fine  screw  thread  cut  on  it,  and  a  little 
milled  nut  travels  on  this,  so  that  the  centre 
of  gravity'  of  the  sj'stem  can  be  brought  to 
any  desired  point  below  the  centre  of 
suspension.  By  placing  it  flat  and  turning 
the  box  the  needle  can  be  brouglit  into 
coincidence  with  the  00°  mark  of  the 
graduation  ;  on  now  turning  the  instrument 
into  a  vertical  position,  the  needle  will  be 
constrained  to  move  in  a  vertical  plane  at 
right  angles  to  the  local  magnetic  meridian. 

In  order  to  understand  the  principles 
involved,  it  is  necessary  to  recall  brieffy 
some  of  the  elementary  facts  concerning  the 
magnetism  of  the  earth.  If  a  magnetized 
steel  needle  be  suspended  quite  freely  from 
its  centre  of  gravity,  it  will  set  tangentially 
to  the  lines  of  force  in  the  magnetic  field  of 
the  earth  at  that  point,  or,  in  other  words, 
the  magnetic  force  of  the  earth  will  be  acting 
along  the  axis  of  the  needle.  It  is  convenient 
to  resolve  this  force  into  its  horizontal  and 
vertical  components ;  in  order  to  give 
some  idea  of  the  forces  involved  it  may 
be  mentioned  that  in  this  country  the 
horizontal  intensity  {H)  is  about  0T85  C.G.S. 
units,  and  the  vertical  intensity  (V)  about 
0-435  C.G.S.  units.  It  need  hardly  be  said 
that  these  values  are  continually  changing, 
though  the  change  is  a  relatively  slow  one. 

Assuming  that  a  magnetic  needle  be 
suspended  from  its  centre  of  gravity  in  the 
plane  of  the  magnetic  meridian  at  a  spot 
where  it  is  subject  only  to  the  magnetic 
influence  of  the  earth,  it  will  then  have  a 
definite  dip  or  inclination  ;  let  the  angle 
of  inclination  measured  from  the  horizontal 
be  / ;  now  let  the  needle  be  placed  in 
another  plane  making  an  angle  a  with  the 
plane  of  the  magnetic  meridian,  and  let  its 

V 


H    cos    a,    hence    tan    i  = 


tan    I 


dip  be  i.     Then  tan  I 


H- 


in  the  second 


position    the   horizontal   intensity   becomes 


H  cos  a  cos  a 
.Vccordingh',  when  a  is  00°,  or  the  needle 
is  in  a  ])lane  at  right-angles  to  the 
magnetic  meridian,  )'  becomes  00°,  and 
is  then  a  maximum.  Furthermore,  it  is 
evident  that  in  this  position  H  has  no 
effect  upon  the  inclination  of  the  needle,, 
and  its  action  is  therefore  eliminated.  If  a 
needle  be  brought  to  a  spot  where  it  is  subject 
to  a  magnetic  influence  other  than  that  of 
the  earth,  as,  for  instance,  if  it  is  brought 
near  a  mass  of  magnetite,  if  the  needle  is  in 
the  plane  of  the  local  magnetic  meridian, 
both  the  horizontal  and  vertical  components 
of  the  field  due  to  the  mass  of  magnetite  as 
well  as  those  due  to  the  field  of  the  eartii 
will  affect  the  needle.  Conceivably  the  com- 
ponents of  the  former  miglit  be  in  the  same 
ratio  as  those  of  the  latter,  and  in  this  case 
the  dip  of  the  needle  would  not  be  altered,, 
and  the  presence  of  the  deposit  would  not 
be  detected  ;  even  if  this  were  to  occur, 
it  would  only  be  in  one  position,  and  the 
presence  of  the  deposit  would  be  detected 
by  an  alteration  in  the  dip  of  the  needle 
as  soon  as  a  second  observation  was  made. 
Moreover,  in  the  vast  majority  of  cases  the 
vertical  component  due  to  a  mineral  deposit 
below  the  surface  of  the  earth  is  much  greater 
than  the  horizontal  component,  and  there- 
fore the  dip  of  the  needle  is  in  most  cases, 
affected.  It  is,  however,  obvious  that  since 
the  dip  depends  upon  a  number  of  variable 
conditions,  the  relation  between  the  angle' 
of  dip  and  the  magnitude  of  the  magnetic 
forces  involved  cannot  be  stated  in  general 
terms,  but  must  be  determined  independently 
for  each  set  of  conditions  ;  it  can  only  be 
said  quite  generally  that  the  extent  to  which 
the  dip  is  affected  will  as  a  rule  be  greater, 
the  greater  the  magnetic  forces  involved. 
In  other  words,  observations  with  the- 
magnetic  needle  in  the  magnetic  meridian 
have  a  qualitative  but  not  a  quantitative 
value.  It  is  on  tliis  account  that  I  now 
always  work  with  the  magnetic  needle 
at  right  angles  to  the  plane  of  the 
meridian  when  quantitative  measurements 
can  be  obtained,  as  will  appear  from  the 
following  considerations. 

In  Fig.  4  !£)  is  a  counterpoise  sliding  along 
the  needle  to  counterbalance  the  vertical 
component  of  the  earth's  magnetic  force 
when  the  needle  is  in  a  plane  at  right  angles 
to  the  magnetic  meridian  ;  it  is  set  at  a 
distance  h  from  the  centre  of  the  needle,  and 
W  is  a  small  weight  placed  at  a  distance  r- 


i 


JULY,     1921 


23 


from  the  centre  of  suspension  of  the  needle. 
Let  the  distance  between  the  poles  of  the 
inagnetic  needle  be  21  and  let  tn  be  the 
magnet  pole  strength.     Then  wh  =  mV2l. 

Now  let  the  needle  be  brought  into  a  field 
whose  strength  vertically  is  V-\-dV,  where 
dV  represents  the  change  in  the  vertical 
component  of  the  field,  and  let  the  needle 
now  come  to  rest  in  an  inclined  position 
making  an  angle  of  inclination  b  to  the 
horizontal  (Fig.  5) .  The  equation  of  moments 
is  now  w  h  cos  b  +  W  r  sin  b  =  in  V2l.  cos  b 

+  m  [dV)  21  cos  b,  whence  /an  b  =  TlMZ13^ 

Wr 


and  dV  = 


Wr  tan  b 
~W2T 


Thus  the  change  in  the  field  is  propor- 
tionate _  to  the  tangent  of  the  angle  of 
inclination  ;  for  small  angles  no  serious  error 
will  be  committed  if  the  change  in  the  field 
is  taken  as  proportional  to  the  angle  itself. 
Furthermore,  it  will  he  seen  that  the  angle 
becomes  greater  as  r  is  diminished,  so  that 
the  needle  can  be  made  very  sensitive,  and 
will  indicate  bigger  angles  of  inclination  for 
the  same  change  in  the  magnetic  field  if  the 
small  weight  IF  is  brought  closer  to  the 
point  of  suspension  of  the  needle.  By  the 
construction  of  the  instrument  m,  I,  and  W 
are  constant. 

In  order  to  make  a  series  of  observations, 
the  needle  must  first  of  all  be  adiu--ted  at 
a  place  near  the  field   to   be  investigated, 
where  there  is  no  magnetic  attraction  other 
than  that  of  the  earth  itself.     The  compass 
is  now  placed  flat  and  turned  until  the  south 
end   of   the  needle   coincides   with   the   90° 
graduation  ;    it  should  be  gently  tapped  to 
make  sure  that  it  is  in  the  magnetic  meridian. 
The  compass  bo.\  must  now  be  turned  into 
a  vertical  position  when  it  will  be  in  a  plane 
at  right  angles  to  the  magnetic  meridian  ; 
one  of  the  side  cover  glasses  is  now  removed, 
and  the  counterpoise  k<  is  screwed  to  and  fro 
until  the  needle  is  exactly  horizontal.     The 
cover  glass  is  replaced,  and  the  instrument 
is  taken  to  the  field  to  be  examined.     The 
same  procedure  is  repeated  ;   the  instrument 
is  held  horizontally  until  the  south  end  of  the 
needle,  moving  freely,  coincides  with  the  90° 
graduation  mark.     It  is  then  turned  into  a 
vertical  position  and  the  inclination  of  the 
needle  is  noted-;    inclinations  of  the  north 
end  are  usually  given  a  +  sign,  and  those  of 
the  south  end  a  —  sign.     If  the  readings 
are  too  small  or  too  large    for  convenience, 
these  can  be  altered   by  moving  the  small 
weight    W  towards    or  from    the   point    of 


support,  but  its  position  must  not  be  again 
altered  while  a  set  of  readings  are  being 
taken  in  a  given  field. 

It  will  be  noted  from  the  above  in- 
vestigation that  if  the  plane  of  the  needle 
does  not  coincide  exactly  with  the  plane 
perpendicular  to  the  magnetic  meridian,  a 
small  deviation  will  produce  no  serious 
error.  Seeing  that  cos  8°  =  0-99,  even  if  the 
plane  of  the  needle  is  8°  out  of  the  plane 
perpendicular  to  the  meridian,  the  error 
in  the  tangent  of  the  angle  of  inclination 
would  only  amount  to  1%. 

If  desired,  this  dip  compass  can  be  used 
for  setting  out  curves  of  equal  vertical 
intensity,  exactly  as  is  done  with  the 
elaborate  and  expensive  Swedish  instrument, 
the  method  here  recommended  being  at 
least  as  accurate  and  much  more  rapid, 
although  it  requires  two  observers.  Instead 
of  setting  out  a  network  of  squares  over  the 
ground  as  is  done  in  the  Swedish  method, 
I  recommend  that  one  observer  use  the  dip 
compass,  in  conjunction  with  another  who 
will  plot  the  position  of  the  first  observer  by 
surveying,  preferably  using  a  plane  table. 
For  this  purpose  I  strongly  recommend  the 
use  of  the  tacheometric  plane  table  (see  my 
paper  on  this  subject  in  the  Transactions  of 
the  Institution  of  Civil  Engineers,  vol.  cciii, 
1917,  page  359).  This  method  will  be  found 
satisfactory  and  expeditious,  and  can,  of 
course,  be  combined  with  the  survey  of  the 
area  under  examination. 

This  form  of  dip  compass  also  renders 
important  services  underground  when 
working  deposits  of  magnetite  or  pyrrhotite. 
Assume  that  an  approximately  vertical 
lenticular  mass  of  such  ore  has  been  opened 
up  by  means  of  an  adit  which  has  penetrated 
into  the  ore-body ;  obviously  if  a  dip 
compass  be  taken  into  the  adit  it  will  he 
affected  by  the  ore  both  above  and  below 
the  adit ;  at  the  surface  above  the  deposit 
the  needle  will  probably  show  a  well-marked 
dip  ;  the  dip  will  be  less  in  the  adit  because 
the  portion  of  the  deposit  above  the  adit  will 
be  drawing  the  needle  upwards  while  the 
portion  below  the  adit  draws  it  downwards, 
and  it  is  thus  easy  to  determine  whether  the 
adit  has  cut  the  deposit  above  or  below  its 
centre,  and  even  to  form  some  idea  of  the 
depth  to  which  the  deposit  is  likely  to 
extend.  If  the  deposit  is  opened  up  at  several 
different  levels  and  such  observations  are 
made  at  each  level,  quite  reliable  conclusions 
as  to  the  permanence  in  depth  of  the  deposit 
can  be  drawn. 


24 


THi:    MINIKC,     M.UiAZIXl': 


BOOK    RFA'IEWS 

A     Geological     Map     of    the     World. 

Hy  HuNKY  li.  Milm;k,  .M.A.,  I'.G.S.      On 

Moiratoi's    Projection  ;     one   slicet    15  in. 

by  -S  in.   Price  "i.'is.  net.   London  :  lulw.mi 

Stiinford,  Ltd. 

The  primary  object  of  this  publication  is 
the  presentation  in  an  easily  accessible  form 
of  an  accurate  geological  map  of  the  world, 
compiled  from  the  most  recent  and  authentic 
stratigraphical  criteria  available.  L'or  a 
long  time  the  need  has  been  felt  for  a  general 
"  inde.x  "  map  of  this  nature,  which,  while 
omitting  detailed  definition  such  as  must 
necessarily  be  obtained  from  a  stud}-  of 
original  large  scale  maps  of  a  particular 
region,  depicts  the  broader  outlines  of  the 
geology  of  the  country  whereof  that  region 
forms  a  part.  Moreover,  the  co-ordination 
and  correlation  of  the  results  of  strati- 
graphical  work  by  different  geologists 
in  contiguous  countries  is  desirable  in 
order  that  our  geological  knowledge  of  the 
continents  of  the  world  could  be  summarized 
as  far  as  present  data  permitted.  .\  com- 
parison of  this  map  with  Marcou's  well- 
known  work  published  some  fifty  j^ears 
ago  shows  at  a  glance  the  enormous  amount 
of  pioneer  field-work  carried  out  since  that 
time,  and  if  only  as  a  tribute  to  the  ability 
and  perseverance  of  those  engaged  in  this 
research,  the  map  was  most  certainly 
justified. 

Geological  investigation,  whether  carried 
out  by  national  survey  or  by  private 
individuals,  must  of  necessity  be  limited  in 
scope  ;  its  very  nature  demands  the  careful 
observation  of  comparatively  small  areas 
in  great  detail  if  it  is  to  be  of  ultimate 
scientific  or  economic  value  ;  hence  there  is 
bound  to  be  a  natural  tendency  towards  the 
accumulation  of  a  vast  amount  of  local 
geological  data,  which,  by  reason  of  its 
magnitude,  may  and  often  does  uncon- 
sciously mask  the  larger  and  fundamentally 
more  important  geological  issues.  This  wider 
view  of  the  potentiality  of  such  work  can 
only  be  appreciated  by  the  co-ordination  of 
the  more  far-reaching  elements  of  knowledge 
localh'  amassed,  and  a  geological  map  of 
the  world  would  seem  to  be  the  best  medium 
for  utilizing  such  knowledge  to  the  fullest 
extent  in  illustrating  the  fundamental 
geology  and  tectonics  of  the  earth's  crust. 
Particularly  in  the  study  of  such  authors 
as  Suess  or  de  Lapparent  is  a  map  of  this 
description  desirable  for  constant  reference, 


to  ]iiomote  cohesjiin  <if  thounlit  and  lo 
facilitate  tlii'  grasp  of  dcietiinis  \\lii(h  they 
seek    to   estal)lisli. 

The  map  is  drawn  on  Mercator's  pro- 
jection, and  its  size  is  appro.\imalei\-  1.5  in. 
l)y  "JS  in  :  latitude  and  longitude  ari'  clearly 
delnied  lo  enable  jirecise  localities  to  be 
li\ed,  but  no  place-names  whatever  are 
printed  on  the  maj).  Inclusion  of  such  names 
would  have  undoubtedly  complicated  the 
intricate  geological  detail  shown  in  many 
cases,  and  would  have  made  tiie  defining 
lines  between  different  gecjlogical  systems 
dil'licult  to  follow,  especially  in  such  countries 
as  luuope  and  North  America ;  actually 
this  omission  of  place-names  is  of  little 
consequence  to  those  to  whom  the  map  will 
make  its  greatest  appeal,  since  it  may  be 
safely  presumed  that  their  geographical 
knowledge  is  comprehensive  enough  to 
embrace  such  names  as  might  possibly  have 
been  incorporated  in  a  map  of  this  size. 
In  any  case  its  study  in  conjunction  with 
topographical  maps  of  the  countries  repre- 
."^enled  is  advocated  by  the  author.  The 
colours  used  are  as  far  as  possible  uniform 
with  the  standard  international  colour- 
scheme  adopted  in  publications  of  this  nature, 
though  certain  additional  conventions  have 
been  introduced  to  depict  undifferentiated 
geological  systems  such  as  the  Trias-Jurassic, 
as  in  Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa, 
etc.  In  the  pamphlet  issued  with  the  map, 
the  author  explains  the  reasons  for  the 
blank  spaces  occurring,  and  for  the  omission 
of  certain  geological  data  resulting  from  the 
survey  of  some  of  the  better  known  inland 
watercourses  of  Central  South  America, 
Central  Africa,  and  Siberia ;  in  the  former  case 
either  no  authentic  stratigraphical  records 
exist,  or  if  they  do,  their  comparatively 
sketchy  character  inhibits  their  inclusion  ; 
in  the  latter  instance  the  reduction  to  the 
varying  scale  necessitated  by  the  size  and 
projection  of  the  map  of  such  results  as  are 
published  is  thereby  rendered  impracticable, 
and  no  possible  scientific  value  would  accrue 
to  the  mere  insertion  of  a  few  short  sinuous 
lines  bordered  by  hazy,  narrow  bands  of 
colour,  representing  the  geology  of  one  or 
two  little  known  rivers.  The  author's  con- 
tention that  such  blank  spaces  are  better 
left  until  more  arcal  work  is  carried  out  in 
those  countries  (when  published  results 
can  easily  be  added  by  the  intelligent  reader) 
is  certainly  sound,  and  more  in  keeping  with 
the  character  and  purpose  of  this  publication 
as  a  whole. 


JULY,    1921 


25 


The  specific  utility  of  a  map  of  this 
description  is  twofold  ;  scientific  and 
economic.  Scientifically  its  uses  are  obvious 
in  all  branches  of  academic  instruction ; 
for  the  student  it  forms  a  basis  for  a  broad 
and  intensive  study  of  the  geology  of  the 
world ;  for  the  professional  geologist  it 
constitutes  a  ready  means  of  reference  to 
regional  geology  otherwise  only  accessible 
at  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  bibliographical 
research.  Economically  it  portrays  to  the 
capable  observer  those  essential  geological 
factors  cognate  to  any  enterprise  for  the 
development  of  the  natural  mineral  wealth 
of  the  world,  since  the  dominant  igneous 
or  sedimentary  nature  of  a  particular  region 
can  be  at  once  ascertained,  the  more 
important  coalfields  located,  and  the  probable 
petroliferous  regions  suggested  from  a  close 
study  of  structure  and  disposition  of  likely 
formations  such  as  those  of  Tertiary  age. 

Copper  Refining.  By  Lawrence  Addicks. 

Cloth,     octavo,     206     pages,     illustrated. 

Price  17s.  net.     New  York  and  London  : 

The  McGraw-Hill  Book  Co. 

The  book,  to  a  large  extent,  contains  the 
results  of  ^Mr.  Addicks'  personal  experience  in 
this  branch  of  metallurgj',  and  comprises 
a  series  of  articles  each  dealing  with  one  of 
the  problems  of  copper  refining.  These 
articles  appeared  originally  in  Chemical  and 
Metallurgical  Engineering,  and  have  now  been 
embodied  in  a  volume,  seeing  that  the 
literature  dealing  with  the  principles  of 
operation  of  electrolytic  copper  refining  is 
limited.  The  work  is  in  a  way  unique, 
inasmuch  as  it  deals  largely  with  possible 
losses  and  errors  in  the  various  stages  of 
copper  refining,  while  the  economic  side  of 
the  subject  is  carefully  considered  through- 
out. 

It  contains  13  chapters  under  the  following 
headings  :  I.  JMetal  Losses  ;  II,  Metals  in 
Process  ;  III,  Tank  Resistance  ;  IV,  Current 
Density ;  V,  Current  Efficiency ;  VI, 
Impurities  ;  VII,  By-products  ;  VIII, 
Furnace  Refining  ;  IX,  The  Requirements  of 
Refined  Copper  ;  X,  Copper  from  Secondary 
^laterial  ;  XI,  The  Power  Problem  ;  XII, 
Elements  of  Design  ;  XIII,  Application  to 
Other  Fields. 

The  salient  points  in  connexion  with  the 
sampling  of  the  various  refinery  materials  are 
clearly  indicated.  This  is  of  the  first 
importance  in  any  investigation  of  metal 
loss,  as  the  values  shown  by  the  sample  have 
to  be  paid  for  whether  they  exist  or  not. 


Some  assaying  precautions  are  given, 
especially  in  conne.xion  with  bullion,  and 
the  author  wisely  points  out  that  "  mis- 
management in  the  laboratory  may  easily 
affect  the  apparent  or  financial  metal  losses  ". 
Metal  losses,  such  as  those  in  slags,  stacks, 
and  processes,  are  dealt  with  ;  in  the  last- 
mentioned  there  are  included  such  losses  as  : 
(1)  silver  and  gold  in  outgoing  copper,  (2) 
silver  in  outgoing  gold,  (3)  gold  in  outgoing 
silver,  and  (4)  values  such  as  selenium, 
platinum,  etc.,  lost  in  by-products. 

A  careful  survey  is  taken  of  the  metals 
undergoing  electrolytic  treatment,  and  the 
means  are  indicated  of  checking  the  position 
at  each  stage  of  the  process.  Since  this  class 
of  refining  takes  considerably  longer  than 
fire  processes  (which  are  as  a  rule  not  so 
satisfactory  technically),  there  are  large 
amounts  of  valuable  metals  locked  up  and 
these  impose  heavy  interest  charges.  It  is 
shown  that  an  increase  of  current  density 
is  closely  related  to  plant  investment  and  the 
quantities  of  metals  continually  under  treat- 
ment, while  the  power  required  increases 
nearly  as  the  square  of  the  current  density. 
A  detailed  study  is  made  of  the  possibilities  of 
improving  tank  resistance,  since,  in  practice, 
a  number  of  resistances  and  counter  electro- 
motive forces  have  to  be  overcome.  It  is 
also  shown  that  the  current  density  is  the 
factor  of  an  electrolytic  process  which  is 
more  important  than  all  others  in  the  design 
and  operation  of  a  plant,  as  so  many  items 
depend  upon  it  in  order  to  obtain  the  best 
return  for  the  capital  invested. 

The  question  of  current  efficiency  is 
discussed,  and  the  author  shows  that, 
although  nine  sources  of  loss  are  always 
present,  3'et  they  can  all  be  kept  low.  In 
a  badly  running  plant  the  current  efficiency 
may  be  as  low  as  60%  ;  he  regards  85°o  as 
poor ;  good  balanced  operations  will  give 
92°o  ;  while  with  efficiency  regardless  of 
expense  99°o  may  be  obtained. 

About  20  pages  are  devoted  to  impurities, 
which  are  placed  under  six  main  headings  : 
(1)   Sources;     (2)   Exits;     (3)   Distribution; 

(4)  Chemical  requirements  of  refined  copper  ; 

(5)  Recovery  of  soluble  impurities  from  the 
electrolyte  ;  and  (6)  Recovery  of  insoluble 
impurities  from  anode  slimes.  Very  useful 
information  is  given  in  connexion  with  the 
purification  of  the  electrolyte,  while  the 
various  elements,  usually  associated  with 
copper,  are  discussed.  The  means  by  which 
the  anode  slimes  are  worked  up  into  market- 
able materials  are  given,  and  the  by-products 


26 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


are  divided  into  three  main  classes  :  (1) 
Those  which  are  readily  marketable  in  any 
quantity  (gold,  silver,  platinnni,  palladium, 
lead,  nickel,  and  antimony)  ;  (2)  Those 
which  have  a  limited  and  therefore  a  widely 
fluctuating  market  (bismuth,  arsenic,  cobalt, 
selenium)  ;  and  (3)  Materials  which  have  no 
market  at  the  present  time  (tellurium). 

The  requirements  for  a  slime  process  are 
stated,  and  it  is  pointed  out  that,  as  the 
material  usually  runs  35  or  10%  silver  and 
i^o  of  gold,  every  b3'-product  must  be  re- 
treated for  values  contained.  As  the  slime  is 
a  valuable  material,  it  is  essential  that  the 
bulk  of  the  gold  and  silver  should  be 
recovered  as  rapidly  as  possible.  This 
involves  three  main  steps  :  (1)  The  pro- 
duction of  a  nearly  copper-free  slime  ;  (2) 
Smelting  the  slime  from  No.  1  to  dore 
bullion  ;  and  (3)  Parting  the  metal  obtained. 
A  considerable  amount  of  attention  is  given 
to  these  stages,  and  the  author  shows,  by 
means  of  flow-sheets,  the  advance  which 
has  been  made  in  the  treatment  of  copper- 
anode  slimes  during  the  past  20  j-ears.  This 
difficult  branch  of  the  metallurgy  of  a 
copper  refinery  is  treated  in  a  very  lucid 
manner. 

About  18  pages  are  devoted  to  Furnace 
Refining,  and  the  various  stages  of  the  process 
are  described  :  Charging,  melting,  flapping, 
skimming,  coking,  poling,  and  pouring.  The 
section  on  pouring  is  of  special  interest,  as 
development  is  traced  from  the  Welsh 
practice  of  using  a  ladle  holding  some  15  or 
20  lb.  of  copper  to  the  special  twin  ladle  with 
which  casting  can  be  conducted  at  the  rate  of 
over  100,000  lb.  an  hour.  Some  attention 
is  given  to  the  preparation  of  moulds,  the 
formation  and  retreatment  of  slags,  and  the 
thermal  efficiency  of  the  refining  furnace.  As 
regards  future  developments,  it  is  pointed 
out  that,  during  20  years,  the  furnaces  have 
changed  from  20  to  250  tons  per  24  hours 
capacit}^  and  larger  furnaces  could  easily  be 
built  were  there  any  justification  for  it. 
The  hearth  is  now  constructed  of  magnesite 
brick  for  corrosive  charges,  while  the  walls, 
verb,  and  sometimes  the  entire  roof  are  now 
built  of  chrome  or  magnesite  brick. 

Although  the  bulk  of  the  world's  copper 
is  refined  clectrolytically,  yet  two 
reverberatory  treatments  are  retained  :  the 
anode  and  the  refining  furnaces.  The  first 
operation  is  satisfactory,  but  the  latter, 
instead  of  being  a  simple  melting,  really 
becomes  a  complete  refining  ;  the  author 
mentions    the    possibilities    of    the    electric 


furnace  and  of  continuous  melting,   l)ul   he 
considers  the  latter  more  attractive. 

The  reciuirements  of  refined  copper  are  con- 
sidered under  the  headings  of  conductivity, 
pitch,  ductility,  castings,  and  dimensions, 
over  about  17  pages.  Much  useful  in- 
formation is  given  which  is  illustrated  by 
means  of  graphs  and  references  to  original 
pajxrs  in  the  Transactions  of  the  .\merican 
Institute  of  Mining  Engineers.  The  pro- 
duction of  cofiper  and  incidental  metals 
from  secondary  materials  is  often  a  paying 
proposition,  and  this  book  contains  con- 
siderable guidance  respecting  the  treatment 
of  this  class  of  material,  which  may  consist 
of  junk,  mill  products,  metallurgical  pro- 
ducts, and  refinery  by-products. 

The  power  problem  of  an  electrolytic 
copper  refinery  is  considered  merely  from  the 
general  requirements  and  limitations  of  the 
problem  as  a  whole.  There  is,  of  course, 
available  heat  from  the  reverberatories  for 
the  generation  of  .steam,  and,  if  the  running 
is  sufficiently  uniform,  it  may  not  be 
necessary  to  use  power  generated  in  other 
ways,  such  as  by  a  hydro-electric  or  gas 
plant.  The  author  places  the  current 
density  at  18  amperes  per  sq.  ft.  in  average 
practice  and  the  temperature  of  the 
electrolyte  at  130°  F.  ;  under  these  circum- 
stances the  power  consumption  will 
approximate  350  kilowatt-hours  per  ton  of 
copper  deposited.  With  a  refinery  having 
a  capacity  of  100,000  tons  a  year,  a  power 
capacity  of  4,000  kw.  should  be  available. 

Under  the  heading  "  Elements  of  Design  " 
some  space  is  given  to  the  location  of  plants. 
The  author  states  that  the  nations  of 
Europe,  since  the  war,  have  developed  a 
desire  to  control  key  industries  complete 
within  their  borders,  and  this  may  bring 
about  the  building  of  new  refineries. 
Important  points  in  connexion  with  the 
design  of  the  power-house,  tank-house,  and 
the  furnaces  are  reviewed,  while  a  certain 
amount  of  attention  is  given  to  silver- 
refining  and  to  purification.  Two  main 
principles  should  be  kept  in  mind  in  operating 
the  plant  :  (1)  All  the  impurities  should  be 
removed  as  far  as  possible  at  the  anode 
furnace  ;  (2)  Operating  conditions  should  be 
brought  to  the  highest  limits  of  uniformity. 
The  book  is  concluded  with  a  chapter  on 
the  application  of  electrolytic  refining  to 
other  fields,  and  the  cases  of  the  precious 
metals,  zinc,  and  lead  are  specially  con- 
sidered. The  electrolytic  process  for  lead 
is  particularly  interesting,  as  it  has  to  com- 


JULY,    1921 


27 


pete  with  the  efficient  Parkcs  process,  and 
apparently  the  only  economic  advantage  it 
possesses  is  that  the  bismuth  present  can 
be  saved. 

Dr.  Percy  stated  that  metallurgy  is  the 
art  of  extracting  metals  from  their  ores  and 
adapting  them  to  various  purposes  of 
manufacture  with  profit.  It  has  evidently 
been  the  object  of  the  author  to  indicate 
those  points,  often  small  ones,  where  savings 
and  improvements  can  be  effected,  so  that 
the  refinery  may  be  worked  under  the  best 
conditions  for  economical  efficiency  and  a 
suitable  return  obtained  for  the  capital 
expended. 

The  work  contains  a  number  of  flow- 
sheets, diagrams  of  processes,  and  other 
useful  data  ;  there  are  many  suggestions  for 
future  developments  and  consequently  much 
food  for  reflection.  We  strongly  recommend 
this  volume  to  all  who  are  interested  in  the 
metallurgy  of  copper. 

W.  H.  Merrett. 

A  Text  Book    of    Assaying.     By  C.  and 

J.  J.  Beringer.  Fifteenth  edition,  revised 
by  H.  R.  Beringer.  Cloth,  octavo, 
480  pages.  Price  12s.  6d.  net.  London  : 
Charles  Griffin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
Those  whose  business  it  is  to  watch  the 
development  and  progress  of  assaying  in 
its  various  branches  cannot  have  failed  to 
notice  the  comparative  scarcity  of  good 
books  on  the  subject  by  English  authors. 
America,  with  its  huge  mineral  resources  and 
constantly  varying  metallurgical  problems, 
affords  ample  scope  for  new  methods  and 
modifications  of  existing  methods  to  meet 
local  conditions.  Consequently  it  is  not 
surprising  to  find  that  the  majority  of 
present-day  books  on  assaying  or  metal- 
lurgical analysis  are  American  in  their 
origin  or  inspiration.  It  is  all  the  more  a 
matter  for  congratulation,  therefore,  that 
the  work  under  consideration,  weU-known  to 
mining  men  the  world  over,  should  reach 
a  fifteenth  edition. 

The  edition  under  review  preserves  the 
familiar  form  and  arrangement  of  previous 
editions,  and  contains  new  matter  relative 
to  the  assays  of  tin,  tungsten,  copper,  arsenic, 
zinc,  and  manganese.  The  section  on  tin 
contains  the  assay  method  associated  with 
the  name  of  the  late  J.  J.  Beringer,  and,  with 
the  account  of  Hutchin's  lime  method  and  of 
the  Pearce-Low  assay,  constitutes  an 
excellent  survey  of  the  present  position  of 
tin '  assaying.     A  valuable  addition  to   this 


section  is  an  appendix,  containing  the  assay 
methods  of  the  Eastern  Smelting  Company, 
Penang.  The  section  on  tungsten  includes 
the  latest  work  of  Hutchin  on  the  use  of 
cinchonine.  Other  additional  features  are 
the  well  -  known  aluminium  and  hypo 
separations  for  copper,  the  Volhard  assay  for 
manganese,  and  Low's  method  for  zinc. 

It  would  perhaps  be  idle  to  criticize  a 
book  which  has  so  firmly  established  itself 
as  a  standard  book  of  reference.  We  confess 
to  some  surprise,  however,  that  no  reference 
is  made  either  to  any  bismuthate  method 
for  manganese,  or  to  the  glyoxime  method  for 
nickel.  It  may  be  put  forward  that  the  cost 
of  these  reagents  (a  first  cost  only  in  the  case 
of  glyoxime,  since  it  is  readily  recoverable) 
is  a  bar  to  their  use  on  mines  or  works  in 
remote  districts.  Nevertheless,  in  a  book 
used  so  largely  by  students,  we  think  they 
deserve  at  least  a  brief  mention.  It  is 
presumably  chiefly  as  an  exercise  for  students 
that  the  dry  assay  of  nickel  and  cobalt  is 
given  prominence. 

Under  the  heading  of  chromium  a  gravi- 
metric method  is  described  for  the 
determination  of  this  element  in  steel. 
Standing  alone  as  this  method  does,  it  is 
apt  to  create  the  impression  that  no  other 
method  exists  for  this  purpose,  whereas 
there  are  obviously  several  good  and  much 
used  volumetric  methods. 

Some  of  these  matters  are  inconsistencies 
rather  than  defects,  and,  containing  as  it 
does  few  methods  that  are  not  chemically 
sound,  the  book  should  continue  to  hold  its 
own  as  a  reference  book  for  those  connected 
with  mines  and  for  technical  chemists  in 
general. 

B.   Drinkwater. 

Compressed  Air  Plant.  By  Robert 
Peele.  Fourth  edition,  cloth,  octavo, 
506  pages,  illustrated.  Price  25s.  net. 
New  York  :  John  Wiley  &  Sons  ;  London  : 
Chapman  &  Hall. 

The  extension  of  the  use  of  compressed 
air  during  the  last  decade  or  two  and  the 
certainty  of  a  still  greater  recognition  of  its 
advantages  in  the  near  future  make  the 
subject  one  of  considerable  importance  to 
engineers,  whether  civil,  mechanical,  or 
mining.  How  wide  the  field  of  application  of 
this  medium  of  power  transmission  has 
become  may  be  judged  by  an  enumeration 
of  some  of  its  employments  :  elevating, 
transferring,  and  stirring  liquids  in  chemical 
works,    atomizing    liquids,    spraying    paint 


28 


TllL     MINING     MAGAZINE 


and  cement,  blast-furnaces,  g'.ass-Mowin;;, 
caisson  and  other  subaqueous  work,  railwaj' 
switcliin^  and  sitinalling,  air  brakes,  riveting 
and  other  pneumatic  tools,  sand-blast, 
refrigerating,  haulage  locomotives,  hoists, 
flotation  machines,  coal-cutters,  and  rock- 
drills.  In  view  of  the  difficult}'  of  dealing 
with  the  subject  in  all  its  ramifications  within 
a  reasonable  compass,  the  author,  who  is  the 
professor  of  mining  in  the  School  of  Mines  of 
Columbia  University,  and  the  iditor  of  the 
weli-known  and  valuable  Mining  Eiii^iiurrs' 
Handbook,  decided  to  confine  liimself  mainly 
to  the  consideration  of  the  production,  trans- 
mission, and  use  of  compressed  air  in  mining. 

The  scope  of  the  work  is  well  indicated  by 
the  titles  of  the  twenty-seven  chapters  into 
which  it  is  divided  .  Introduction,  structure 
and  operation  of  compressors,  the  com- 
pression of  air,  wet  compressors,  dry  com- 
pressors, compound  or  stage  compressors,  air- 
inlet  valves,  discharge  or  delivery  valves, 
mechanically  controlled  valves  and  valve 
motions,  performance  of  air  compressors, 
air  receivers,  speed  and  pressure  regulators, 
air  compression  at  altitudes  above  sea-level, 
explosions  in  compressors  and  receivers,  air 
compression  by  direct  action  of  falling  water, 
convej-ance  of  compressed  air  in  pipes, 
compressed-air  engines,  freezing  of  moisture 
deposited  from  compressed  air,  re-heating 
compressed  air,  compressed-air  rock-drills, 
hammer  drills,  coal-cutting  machinery, 
channelling  machines,  operation  of  mine 
pumps  by  compressed  air,  pumping  by  the 
direct  action  of  compressed  air,  compressed- 
air  haulage,  measurement  of  air  consumption. 

The  space  allotted  to  the  turbo-compressor 
will  be  considered  by  some  hardly  com- 
mensurate with  the  increasing  attention 
which  is  being  devoted  to  its  development.  It 
is  true  that  below  a  capacity  of  5,000  cu.  ft. 
of  free  air  compressed  per  minute,  it  is  not  the 
most  economical  type,  but  above  that  level 
of  output  it  successfully  challenges  the 
highest  grade  reciprocating  compressors. 
Entire  absence  of  valves  and  reciprocating 
parts,  compactness,  freedom  from  vibration, 
suitability  for  direct  high-speed  electric  or 
turbine  drive,  ower  initial  and  maintenance 
cost,  high  capacity  in  proportion  to  weight 
and  floor  space  occupied,  and  elimination  of 
danger  of  explosions  in  air  receivers  and  pipe 
lines  due  to  the  comparative  absence  of  oil, 
make  it  an  ideal  machine  where  a  large  output 
is  required.  Turbo-compressors  are  now 
made  in  standard  sizes  with  a  capacity  of 
from  5,000  to  50,000  cu.  ft.  of  free  air  per 


minute  tn  a  pressure  of  \?>0  lb.  or  more  per 
&(].  in.  The  numbir  of  impellers  in  series 
may  be  as  many  as  30,  the  speed  3,000  to 
5,0(10  revs,  per  min.,  and  the  horse-power  as 
much  as  13,000.  The  increment  of  tlu: 
]iressure  per  impeller  varies  from  2  to  S  lb. 
jier  sq.  in.,  4  or  5  lb.  being  common  practice. 
-About  20  impellers  in  scries  are  required  to 
produce  a  final  pre.s.sure  of  100  lb.  per  sq.  in. 
at  -1,000  revs,  per  min. 

An  interesting  description  is  given  of 
some  installations  of  the  hydraulic  system 
of  air  compression  developed  by  C.  H. 
Taylor.  Air  is  introduced  into  a  column  of 
water,  and  is  compressed  as  it  and  the  water 
fall  together  to  the  bottom  of  a  shaft,  where 
the  air  is  separated  and  collected.  The  first 
cost  is  not  disproportionately  heavy  for 
large  outputs,  while  the  efficiency  is  good, 
and  maintenance  and  running  costs  very  low. 
A  peculiar  feature  attending  this  method  of 
compression  is  the  lowering  of  the  percentage 
volume  of  oxygen  in  the  air  from  21%  to 
18°o,  with  a  corresponding  increase  in  the 
nitrogen  content.  In  some  mines  this  has 
prevented  the  use  of  candles  for  lighting. 

Much  useful  information  is  given  con- 
cerning the  air-lift.  .Since  1888,  when 
Dr.  Julius  Pohle  drew  attention  to  the 
possibilities  of  this  device,  its  progress  has 
been  steady,  if  slow.  It  is  spcciall}'  applicable 
to  the  drainage  of  shallow  mines  and  as  an 
aid  in  unwatering  old  and  flooded  mines. 
It  possesses  the  great  advantage  that,  once 
installed,  it  can  be  operated  entirely  from  the 
surface  ;  no  pumpmen  arc  needed  in  the 
mine,  and  if  the  power  fails  and  the  water 
rises  no  pumps  are  lost.  The  efficiency  is 
from  20  to  40%.  Until  recently  it  was 
thought  that  a  submergence  of  50%  was 
necessary  to  obtain  reasonable  results,  but 
an  installation  in  a  Mexican  mine  has  shown 
that  an  efficiency  of  30°o  is  obtainable  with 
a  lift  of  over  1,000  ft.  and  a  submergence  of 
only  20<';^.  The  principles  of  the  air-lift 
are  as  yet  imperfectly  understood,  and  its 
design  is  consequently  faulty ;  but  even 
in  its  present  immature  stage  the  work  it  is 
doing  holds  out  considerable  promise  of  its 
becoming  a  valuable  auxiliary  in  mine 
drainage. 

It  is  to  the  chapters  on  rock-drills  that  the 
mining  engineer,  remembering  young  and 
strenuous  days  with  them  in  the  mine  and 
maturer  days  in  the  office  wondering  which 
sort  to  buy,  will  instinctively  turn.  J.  J. 
Couch  in  18-19  began,  and  Sommeiller  in 
1861,    Burleigh    in    1866,    Simon    Ingersoll 


JULY,    1921 


39 


in  1871,  and  J.  George  Leyner  in  1897, 
continued  the  rock-drill's  slow,  irresistible 
development.  The  old,  two-man,  recipro- 
cating drill,  a  wonder  in  its  day,  is  almost  a 
thing  of  the  past.  One-man  reciprocating 
and  hammer  drills  are  the  machines  of  the 
present.  Jackhammers  for  sinking,  recipro- 
cating, cradle  hammer,  and  telescopic  air 
feed  hammer  for  driving  and  stoping  ;  and 
telescopic  air  feed  hammer  for  rising,  are 
popular  for  the  duties  indicated.  The  two 
main  types  are  used  to  the  extent  of  about 
30%  reciprocating  and  70%  hammer,  the 
latter  steadily  gaining.  The  design  of  the 
newest  hammer  drills  aims  at  :  light  weight 
and  small  size,  automatic  rotation,  automatic 
feed,  automatic  lubrication,  drilling  speed, 
water  feed,  air  economy,  strength  and 
simplicity,  ease  of  adjustment  and  repair, 
and  ability  to  stand  rough  usage.  The  perfect 
drill  of  the  future  is  likely  to  approximate 
to  neither  of  the  main  types,  but  to  assume 
the  form  of  a  non-vibratory,  comparatively 
noiseless,  rotarj'  borer.  With  the  ever- 
growing command  over  materials  and 
increasing  knowledge  of  their  uses,  it  is  not 
stretching  imagination  too  far  to  suppose 
that  some  means  commercially  applicable  to 
the  drilling  of  hard  rock  more  quietly, 
efficiently,  and  cheaply  than  present  methods 
seem  ever  likely  to  allow  will  before  long  be 
discovered. 

Two  verj'  interesting  designs  of  hammer 
drills  embodying  automatic  rotation  now 
on  the  market  are  the  Waugh  Turbo  and  the 
Holman  Auto.  The  former  is  a  cradle 
machine  equipped  at  the  chuck  end  with  an 
air  turbine,  which  enables  the  drill  steel  to 
be  revolved  quite  independently  of  the 
piston  hammer.  The  latter  is  a  telescopic 
air-feed  machine,  fitted  at  the  rear  end  of 
the  extension  with  an  independent  recipro- 
cating air  motor,  which  b}'  means  of  a 
splined  rod  oscillates  the  drill  steel.  Both  of 
these  machines  mark  a  distinct  advance  in 
drill  manufacture. 

The  first  edition  of  this  book  appeared  in 
1908,  and  met  with  gratifying  success.  The 
issue  of  three  later  editions,  each  one  showing 
careful  revision  and  embodying  useful 
additions,  in  the  succeeding  twelve  years 
has  shown  that  the  author  is  alive  to  the 
need  of  keeping  its  contents  abreast  of  the 
times,  and  that  a  large  circle  of  appreciative 
readers  are  at  one  with  him.  Although  the 
general  excellence  of  the  treatise  precludes 
much  in  the  way  of  criticism,  a  few  comments 
may  be  offered,   in  the  hope  of  benefiting 


future  editions.  The  types  of  American 
rock-drills  illustrated  and  described  repre- 
sent the  best  American  practice,  but  a 
similar  verdict  hardly  applies  to  the  En,glish 
machines  depicted.  Xo  reference  is  made  to 
the  now  fairly  common  adjunct  to  the  large 
modern  mine  plant — the  air  operated  drill 
sharpener.  Liquid  air  would  seem  to 
deserve  mention  in  view  of  its  manufacture 
through  the  compression  and  expansion  of 
air,  its  use  in  mine  rescue  apparatus,  and  its 
employment  as  a  blasting  agent.  An 
amplification  of  the  cost  data  of  plant  and 
operation  would  be  helpful  to  those  who  have 
to  inspect  the  business  aspect  of  the  subject; 
and  a  bibliography  would  also  be  a  useful 
addition. 

The  attractiveness  of  the  work  is  enhanced 
by  good  quality  paper  and  printing  and 
258  excellent  illustrations,  while  interest 
is  secured  by  a  scholarly  presentation  and 
a  blending  of  theory  and  empiricism  in 
agreeable  proportions. 

Alex.  Rich.\rdson. 

Electrolytic  Deposition  and  Hydro- 
metallurgy  of  Zinc.  By  Oliver  C. 
R.ALSTOx.  Cloth,  octavo,  201  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  18s.  net.  New  York 
and  London  :  McGraw-Hill  Book  Com- 
pany. 

The  publication  of  this  book  on  a 
specialized  subject  such  as  the  electrolytic 
deposition  and  hydrometallurgy  of  zinc, 
so  sliortly  after  the  proved  commercial 
success  of  the  processes  to  a  study  of  which 
it  is  largely  devoted,  is  an  indication  of  the 
enormous  demand  existing  at  the  present 
time  for  spcciahzed  technical  books.  The 
author  has  undoubtedly  done  a  service  to 
metallurgists  in  putting  on  record  so 
promptly  many  details  of  the  operations 
involved,  and  has  run  the  risk  of  omitting 
much  matter  which  might  have  been  included 
had  publication  been  delayed  a  little  longer. 
Although  published  only  this  year,  two 
important  papers  have  already  "been  read 
since  its  publication,  one  describing  the 
electrolytic  zinc  plant  of  the  Anaconda 
Company  at  Great  Falls,  by  F.  Laist  and  his 
associates,  read  before  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgical 
Engineers  in  February,  and  the  second,  read 
before  the  Faraday  Society  by  S.  Field, 
describing  work  done  in  this  country.  Both 
these  papers  contain  a  considerable  amount 
of  information  which  might  with  advan'age 
hav^e  been  incorporated  in  the  book,  and  a 


30 


Till':     MINING     MAGAZINE 


knowledge  of  the  matter  in  these  papers 
makes  the  reading  of  the  book  a  Httle  dis- 
appointing. 

The  book  contains  an  excellent  history  of 
zinc  hydrometallurgy,  from  which  it  appears 
that  ever  since  1880  serious  attempts  have 
been  made  to  place  these  processes  on  a  com- 
mercial basis,  but  real  success  was  not  met 
with  until  191"),  when  processes  were  worked 
out  by  the  Consolidatetl  Mining  and  Smelting 
Co.  at  Trail  and  by  the  Anaconda  Copper 
Co.  Each  developed  a  simple  process  of 
roasting  the  ores,  followed  by  leaching  with 
dilute  sulpliuric  acid,  purification  of  the 
solution  obtained,  and  electrolysis  to  obtain 
zinc  cathodes  and  regenerate  sulphuric  acid 
at  the  anodes.  The  purification  of  the 
solution  was  the  most  imjiorlant  matter 
worked  out,  and  after  the  realization  of  the 
necessity  for  this,  and  by  the  developnunt 
of  suitable  methods  and  plant  for  its  accom- 
plishment, the  electrolytic  production  of 
zinc  became  a  commercial  success.  The 
roasting,  leaching,  and  purification  of  zinc 
sulphate  solutions  receive  attention,  and  the 
effect  of  the  presence  of  the  various  impurities 
generally  present  is  dealt  with  in  detail. 
Cobalt  has  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most 
baffling  impurities  in  zinc  sulphate  solutions, 
for  minute  quantities  have  powerful  effects 
on  the  re-solution  of  the  cathodes,  10  parts 
per  million  seriously  impairing  the  deposition 
and  15  parts  per  million  being  fatal  to  the 
process.  The  work  of  Hansen,  Laist,  Elton, 
Caples,  Frick,  Hanlej',  Gepp,  Stevens,  Snow, 
Clevenger,  and  Field  in  connexion  with  the 
purification  of  solutions  is  described.  The 
electrolysis  of  zinc  sulphate  solutions 
receives  full  attention  and  details  of  practice 
on  various  plants  are  given. 

Although  practically  all  the  electrolytic 
zinc  at  present  on  the  market  is  deposited 
from  zinc  sulphate  solutions,  the  chloride 
solution  is  in  use  in  a  few  places,  and  the 
processes  which  have  been  suggested  from 
time  to  time  for  the  production  of  the  chloride 
from  ores  are  described,  including  roasting 
%vith  salt  and  chlorination  with  chlorine 
gas,  chlorination  with  solutions  of  metal 
chlorides,  and  by-products  such  as  calcium 
chloride  and  hydrochloric  acid.  The  chloride 
of  zinc  solutions  obtained  by  these  processes 
have  many  applications  in  chemical 
industry,  so  that,  apart  from  electrolytic 
treatment,  the  methods  of  purification  are 
important  and  do  not  differ  greatly  from  the 
methods  used  for  sulphate  solutions.  For 
the  electrolytic     production     of     zinc,     the 


chloride  solution  may  be  electrolysed  as 
sucli,  or  evaporatiil  to  dryness  and  the 
resulting  zinc  chloride  fused  and  electrolysed 
in  the  fused  state.  Only  aijueous  electrolysis 
is  in  commercial  operation,  although  fused 
zinc  chloride  cells  have  been  tested  on  a  large 
scale  by  several  different  companies,  and 
details  as  far  as  available  are  given  of  both 
methods. 

To  the  electrolytic  refining  of  impure  zinc, 
gah'anizer's  hard  dross,  and  zinc  crusts 
from  desilverizing  works,  one  short  chapter 
is  devoted,  in  which  most  of  the  important 
experimental  work  on  these  lines  is  described. 

A  chapter  is  also  devoted  to  hydro- 
metallurgical  methods  used  for  the  pre- 
paration of  zinc  compounds  from  ores, 
including  ammoniacal  leaching,  bisulphite 
leaching,  etc.,  and  the  manufacture  of 
lithopone,  zinc  sulphate,  and  zinc  chloride. 

In  the  final  chapter  the  economics  of  zinc 
hydrometallurgy  are  dealt  with,  and  the 
author  is  correct  in  stating  that  a  single 
chapter  (of  six  pages  only)  will  not  suffice 
to  adequately  discuss  the  economics  involved 
in  choosing  a  wet  method  of  zinc  extraction 
in  place  of  the  standard  fuel  smelting  process 
or  the  electric  smelting  process.  The  author 
concludes  that  the  present  state  of  advance- 
ment in  the  art  makes  it  economical  to  use 
electrolytic  recovery  of  zinc  only  on  the 
more  complex  sulphide  ores,  although  its 
application  to  the  treatment  of  pure  ores 
might  have  been  attractive  were  it  not  for 
the  great  surplus  of  smelter  capacity  in 
close  proximity  to  such  deposits  as  those  of 
the  Joplin  district. 

C.  0.  Bannister. 

tr^r  Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  under  the  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  The  Mining  Magazine,  724,  Salisbury  House,  London 
Wall,  London,  E.C.2. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

MELBOURNE 

March  25. 
Mining  Conditions  in  Austr.-\lia. — Mr. 
M.  A.  Davidson,  M.L..A.,  chairman  of  the 
Select  Committee  appointed  by  the  New 
South  Wales  Government  to  inquire  into  the 
decline  of  metalliferous  mining  in  the  State, 
has  issued  an  interim  report  based  on  the 
committee's  inquiries  in  Armidale,  Emma- 
ville,  and  Tingah  districts.  The  report  refers 
to  the  fact  that,  unlike  other  industries, 
increase  in  the  cost  of  production  in  the 
metalliferous  mining  industry  cannot  be 
passed  on.  For  this  reason  it  is  urged  that 
special  support  should  be  given  the  industry 


I 


JULY,    1921 


31 


by  the  State  Government,  which  should  fix 
the  price  of  base  metals  commensurate  with 
the  cost  of  production,  and  hold  the  metals  in 
reserve  until  the  market  value  has  revived. 
As  an  alternative,  it  is  suggested  that  an 
advance  on  the  amount  of  base  metals  pro- 
duced should  be  made  to  companies  which 
had  not  previously  made  large  profits.    The 
e.xport  embargo,  imposed  during  the  war,  is 
deemed    to    be    now    unnecessary,    and    its 
immediate  removal  urged,  while  it  is  recom- 
mended that  the  State  Government  should 
take  into  immediate  consideration  the  advisa- 
bility of  a   modern   plant   established  in   a 
central  position  for  the  treatment  of  ores  in 
Australia,  instead  of  shipping  them  abroad. 
Greater      encouragement      of      prospecting 
is    advocated,    by    increasing    the    amount 
of     financial     aid     and     assisting     in     the 
establishment     of     treatment     plants.       A 
geological     survey     of      the     metalliferous 
areas  of  the  State,  it  is  urged,   should   be 
undertaken,  as  early  as   possible,    and    the 
geological  survey  staff  increased  to  ensure  its 
rapid  completion.    Light  railways  linking  up 
with   main   lines   and   improved   roads   are 
stated  to  be  an  urgent  necessity,  while  it  is 
stated  that  the  continually  increasing  freights, 
railways     and    otherwise — which    increases 
cannot   be   passed   on — have   been   a   great 
factor  in  the  closing  dQwn  of  some  of  the 
smaller  and  low-grade  mines,  and  a  general 
flat  rate,  greatly  reduced,  for  ores,  is  recom- 
mended.    The  report  concludes  by  stating 
that    a    proper    system    of    organization    is 
required,  and  asks  :    is  it  preferable  to  allow 
mines  to  close  down  and  the  employees  to 
drift  to  the  city  and  cause  a  big  increase  in  the 
already  huge  amount  that  is  being  spent  by 
the  Government  in  relieving  distress,  or  to 
place  the  amount  of  money  into  the  industry, 
thereby      reviving      the      production      and 
eventually  obtaining  a  refund  of  the  money 
now  being  spent. 

Last  week-end  the  Select  Committee  took 
evidence  in  Broken  Hill.  The  first  witness 
was  the  mining  warden,  Mr.  A.  R.  Perry,  who 
has  had  experience  in  several  parts  of  the 
State.  He  had,  he  said,  noticed  a  great  falling 
off  in  the  number  of  prospectors,  which  he 
considered  to  be  due  to  the  unremunerative 
nature  of  the  occupation.  Broken  Hill  was 
a  rich  man's  field,  and  the  poor  man  had  little 
chance.  The  prospector  should  be  protected 
and  encouraged  to  the  uttermost.  A  small 
treatment  plant  would  help  prospectors 
considerably.  Mr.  W.  Riechers,  who  had 
prospected  in  the  district  for  six  years,  said 


that  he  worked  for  lead,  zinc,  and  silver  at  the 
Allandale   mine,    where   he   erected   a   con- 
centrating plant,  capable  of  treating  ten  tons 
a  shift.     It  had  given  good  results,  and  the 
costs  were  very  moderate.    He  would  like  to 
see  a  small  concentration  plant  put  by  the 
Government  near  the  railway  for  the  benefit 
of  prospectors.     Its  cost  need  be  only  about 
;^3,000  or  /^3,500.    It  did  not  pay  prospectors 
to    send    crude    ore    away,    because    of    th; 
heavy    freight    charges.      Witn?ss    was    in- 
terested in  a  mine  at  Thackaringa.    He  pro- 
duced a  general  sample  of  zinc  ore,  which 
would    assay    about    61%.      There   was    no 
market  for  the  zinc,  because  of  the  Federal 
Government's  ten  years'  contract  with  the 
British  Government.     The  small  men  had  no 
market.     The  Federal  or  State  Government 
should  find  a  market  for  the  small  producers. 
Thomas  Ham,  underground  manager  at  the 
Junction  North  mine,  gave  some  interesting 
particulars  about  the  tinficld  at  Euriowie.    If 
there  was  a  portable  battery  there,  he  said, 
much  more  work  could  be  done,  and  the  place 
could   now  carry,    at   the  present   price   of 
metals,  150  to  200  men  instead  of  being  idle. 
He  had  worked  at  one  mine  at  Euriowie 
32  years  ago,  and  he  did  not  think  that  any- 
one had  worked  there  since.    There  was  good 
tin  there.    He  had  seen  a  lode  from  10  ft.  to 
30  ft.    wide.      Witness    did   think    that    the 
Broken  Hill  mines  could  work  at  a  profit  at 
the  present  price  of  metals.    From  a  show  at 
White  Cliffs,  witness  sent  some  ore  to  the 
Wallaroo  smelters  that  showed  32%  copper, 
but  the  smelting  charges  were  8s.   a  unit. 
There  was  also  gold  in  the  ore.    The  show  was 
now  lying  idle  ;  he  could  not  touch  it,  because 
of  the  low  price  of  copper.    He  considered  it 
absolutely   essential,    for    the   good   of    the 
industry,  that  prospectors  should  be  nelped. 
The    Prospectors'   Association  favoured  the 
creation  of  local  prospecting  boards,  said  this 
witness,  and  the  increasing  of  the  powers  of 
the  local  wardens,  to  obviate  the  long  delays 
caused  through  everything  having  to  be  done 
through  Sydney.  Witness  did  not  believe  that 
anything  payable  had  been  found  outside  the 
known  line  of  lode  for  25  years. 

E.\RLY  Ice  Ages. — Discoveries  of  evidence 
of  glaciation  on  igneous  rocks  of  Carboniferous 
a^e  have  recently  been  made  in  the  Mait- 
land  district,  New  South  Wales,  by  Mr.  W.  R. 
Browne,  a  lecturer  in  the  geological  depart- 
ment of  the  Sydney  University.  Pro- 
fessor Sir  Edgeworth  David  has  discussed 
these  discoveries  at  some  length  in  popular 
language,  and  the  substance  of  his  remarks 


32 


Til 


MIXTXC;     MACA/'IXI" 


is  given  herewith,  witlioiit  omission  of  the 
tfxplanatory  portions  intended  for  the 
layman. 

Prior  to  this  discovery,  surfaces  of  granite 
rock,  grooved  and  striated  by  the  movenunt 
of  a  glacier  ice,  have  been  described  as 
occurring  on  the  Kosciusko  Plateau.  These 
ancient  glaciated  jxivements  at  Kosciusko 
were  worn  down  and  grooved  by  tlie  ice  at  a 
period  probably  some  10,000  to  50,000  years 
ago.  The  special  interest  attaching  to  this 
new  discover}'  is  that  it  is  evidence  of  a  far 
older  glaciation,  dating  back  to  some  250 
millions  of  years  ago.  This  period,  known  as 
the  Carboniferous,  somewhat  antedates  the 
epoch  of  the  oldest  coal  measures  in  Australia, 
namely,  the  Greta  coal  measures  of  tiie  Lower 
Hunter  region.  There  is  evidence  that  glacial 
conditions  were  prolonged  at  intervals  for 
some  time  after  the  formation  of  the  Greta 
coal  measures  had  been  completed,  but  just 
previous  to  the  deposition  of  the  Newcastle- 
Bulli-Lithgow  coal  measures  with  the  under- 
lying Tomago  coal  measures.  Thus  the 
Greta  coal  measures  of  New  South  \\'alrs,  in 
which  the  most  productive  collieries  of  the 
northern  coalfields  are  at  present  situated, 
belong  to  an  interglacial  epoch  of  this 
extremely  ancient  ice  age.  Glaciated  rock 
pavements  somewhat  similar  to  that  just  dis- 
covered, have  been  recorded  from  Bacchus 
Marsh  and  Derrinal,  near  Hcathcote,  in 
Victoria,  Hallett's  Cove,  and  the  Inman 
Valley  to  the  south  of  Adelaide.  In  West 
Australia,  although  no  glaciated  pavements 
have  yet  been  found,  there  is  abundant 
evidence  of  the  existence  there  of  glacier 
ice  at  this  Carboniferous  period.  The 
evidence  of  the  Irwin  coalfield  in  West 
Australia  is  in  the  form  of  huge  boulders 
of  rock,  foreign  to  the  district,  up  to  as  much 
as  60  tons  in  v>-eight,  many  of  these  blocks 
being  scratched  and  grooved  by  the  old 
ice-sheets  which  have  used  them  as  "  holy- 
stones "  in  the  process  of  grinding  down  and 
polishing  the  rocky  floor  beneath  the  ice- 
sheets  over  which  the  thick  ice  was  slowly 
creeping  and  e.xerting  enormous  vertical  and 
lateral  pressure. 

Both  in  West  Austraha  and  South 
Australia  there  is  evidence  that  the  ice-sheets 
and  icebergs  ranged  northwards  to  about  the 
parallel  of  25""  S.,  that  is,  within  a  few  degrees 
of  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn.  In  fact,  during 
this  Carboniferous  period  the  whole  of 
Tasmania  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
southern  half  of  Australia  must  have  been 
verv  much  in   the  condition   of  the  South 


Polar  lands  to-day.  Probably  Iht-  whole 
surface  of  the  country  within  the  area 
specified  was  covered  by  glittering  sheets  of 
tiiick  ice,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the 
higher  peaks,  such  as  the  great  volcanoes 
of  tlu;  period,  developed  on  a  grand  scale  in 
the  Lower  Hunter  region.  These  erupted 
glowing  masses  of  lava  and  grey  to  gre.;n 
layers  of  volcanic  ash  amid  the  snow  and 
ice  of  the  period,  just  as  Mount  Erebus  and 
other  active  Antarctic  volcanoes  do  to-day. 
The  same  exquisite  tints  of  sapphire  blue 
were  doubtless  to  be  seen  in  the  crevasses 
of  these  very  ancient  ice-sheets,  and  the 
same  lovely  tints  of  emerald  green  around  the 
margin  of  their  floating  bergs  were  doubtless 
to  be  observed  then  as  in  Polar  regions  to-day ; 
and  in  the  seasons  of  sunniier  thaw  great 
rivers  sprang  into  being  in  a  few  days  and 
rolled  the  rock  debris  of  the  great  volcanoes 
down  into  the  moraine  lakes,  and  to  the 
margins  of  the  ice-sheets,  while  the  roar 
of  intermittent  volcanic  eruptions  mingled 
with  the  thunder  of  the  great  avalanches, 
like  those  one  so  often  heard  and  saw  rushing 
down  the  steep  slopes  of  the  Antarctic  Andes 
into  Ross  Sea. 

Previous  to  this  recent  discovery  near 
Maitland,  the  existence  of  these  glaciations 
before  and  after  the  formation  of  the  Greta 
coal  was  well  kn«wn,  and  an  excellent 
summary  of  the  evidence  has  been  given  by 
Mr.  C.  A.  Snssmilch  in  a  paper  published  by 
the  Royal  Society  of  New  South  Wales  last 
year.  In  the  case  of  evidences  of  the  passage 
of  these  ancient  ice-.sheets  over  Victoria  and 
South  Australia  it  is  possible  to  determine 
the  direction  of  movement  of  the  ice  by 
means  of  the  trend  of  the  grooves  on  the 
rock  floor  over  which  the  ice  moved,  and  it 
may  be  said  that  the  grooves  run  generally 
in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direction.  It 
remained  to  decide  the  "  sense  "  of  the  move- 
ment, that  is,  whether  it  had  been  from  south 
to  north  or  from  north  to  south.  In  the  case 
of  ruts  made  by  wheeled  vehicles,  one  can 
tell  the  general  direction  in  which  the 
vehicles  have  been  travelling  by  the  trend 
of  the  ruts ;  but  in  order  to  determine 
the  sense  in  which  any  particular  vehicle 
has  been  moving  one  would  have  to  study 
the  ruts  in  conjunction  with  the  impression 
of  the  horses'  hoofs.  The  latter  would  at 
once  give  the  sense  of  the  movement. 

In  the  case  of  the  movement  of  glacier  ice, 
the  place  of  the  hoof-marks,  as  in  the  above 
illustration,  is  taken  by  small  pieces  of  rock 
which  have  been  dragged  loose  or  plucked 


JULY,    1921 


33 


by  the  moving  sheet  of  ice.  Thus,  small 
recesses  are  left  where  these  fragments  of  rock 
have  been  forced  off,  with  little  vertical  cliffs 
facing  the  direction  towards  which  the  ice 
has  moved.  No  such  small  cliffs  with  sharp 
edges  could  possibly  e.xist  if  they  were 
opposed  to  the  direction  of  movement  of  the 
glacier  ice,  as  in  that  case  they  would  rapidly 
be  ground  down  and  obliterated.  Another 
proof  as  to  the  direction  of  movement  of 
ancient  ice-sheets  is  to  be  found  in  the 
character  of  the  large  blocks  of  rock,  foreign 
to  a  neighbourhood,  and  known  as 
"  erratics  ".  Such  blocks  have  been  trans- 
ported from  a  distance  on  top  of  the  ice- 
sheet  or  floated  by  icebergs.  It  is  often 
possible  to  discover  the  e.xact  locality  from 
which  such  "  erratics  "  have  been  derived  by 
this  method.  In  the  case  of  the  glaciation 
which  followed  on  after  the  development  of 
the  Greta  coal  measures,  a  study  of  the 
large  erratics  found  near  Branxton  shows 
that  they  were  probably  derived  from  moun- 
tains in  the  neighbourhood  of  Mount  Lambie 
and  the  Jenolan  Caves. 

In  regard  to  the  earlier  phases  of  this  very 
ancient  Carboniferous  glaciation — the  phase 
which  preceded  the  Greta  coal  measures — the 
test  of  the  direction  of  movement  of  the  ice 
by  means  of  a  study  of  the  erratics  is  incon- 
clusive. The  discovery  just  made  by 
Messrs.  Osborne  and  Browne  shows  con- 
clusively the  exact  direction  from  which  the 
ice  came,  for  not  only  are  there  thousands 
of  more  or  less  parallel  grooves  and  scratches 
on  the  galciated  rock  surface  at  Rockdale, 
but  there  are  structures,  corresponding  to 
hoof-marks,  as  referred  to  above,  which  show 
the  sense  in  which  the  ice  moved.  It  came 
from  a  little  east  of  south  and  moved  towards 
a  direction  north  by  west. 

It  would  thus  appear  that  the  margin  of 
the  great  continental  ice-sheets  of  Australia 
in  Carboniferous  time  was  situated  in  New 
South  Wales,  near  to,  or  possibly  in,  what  is 
now  the  Hunter  Valley,  extending  thence  to 
Currabubula,  near  Tamworth,  and  beyond. 
There  is  a  great  development,  near  the 
recently  discovered  glaciated  pavement,  of 
the  fine-grained  flour  of  rock  representing 
extremely  finely  pulverized  material  carried 
out  from  under  ice-sheets  by  their  sub- 
glacial  streams,  and  deposited  as  fine  mud 
in  glacial  lakes  dammed  back  by  mounds  of 
moraine  rubbish  along  the  margin  of  the 
ice-sheets.  These  rocks  occur  usually  in 
delicate  paired  layers,  in  some  cases  as  many  as 
from  50  to  100  of  these  paired  layers  being 


counted  in  a  thickness  of  1  ft.  of  rock.  The 
two  layers  in  each  pair  are  of  unequal  thick- 
ness. The  thicker  layer  was  deposited  by  the 
floods  resulting  from  the  summer  thaws,  and 
frequently  contains  .small  fragments  of  plant 
stems  and  fronds  of  ferns.  The  thin  member 
of  each  set  of  pairs  was  deposited  during  the 
winter,  when  the  ground  was  frozen  and 
covered  with  snow  and  ice.  No  remains  of 
plants  are  found  in  these  thin  laj'ers.  By 
counting  these  paired  laj'crs  in  a  given  thick- 
ness of  rock  it  is  possible  to  tell  exactly  how 
many  years  have  been  occupied  in  the 
deposition  of  these  particular  strata.  It  is 
estimated  that  the  thickness  of  about  300  ft. 
of  shales  found  near  West  Maitland  have 
taken  about  5,000  years  to  form. 

The  distribution  of  the  great  Carboniferous 
continental  ice-sheets  of  Australia  and 
Tasmania  largely  e.xplains  why  the 
productive  coal  measures  of  the  great  coal 
basin  of  New  South  V/ales  appear  to  be 
entirely  wanting  from  South  Australia,  the 
greater  part  of  Victoria,  and  Tasmania,  as 
well  as  from  the  southern  part  of  West 
Australia.  These  southern  regions  continued 
to  be  glaciated  long  after  the  edges  of  the 
continental  ice-sheet  had  withdrawn  from 
the  region  of  the  northern,  western,  and 
eastern  coalfields  of  New  South  Wales,  as 
well  as  from  the  region  of  the  Irwin  River 
in  West  Australia.  In  areas  on  the  equator- 
ward  side  of  the  retreating  continental  ice- 
sheet,  extensiv^e  coalfields  of  vast  value 
became  developed. 


PERTH,    W.A. 

April  21. 
Whim  Well. — The  gold  and  copper  mines 
of  what  is  generally  referred  to  as  the 
Nor-West  were  discovered  by  prospectors 
returning  from  the  Kimberley  rush  before 
the  dawn  of  the  eastern  goldfields. 
Metallurgical  difficulties  in  the  treatment  of 
the  ores,  and  the  scarcity  of  fuel  and  timber, 
have  hitherto  been  against  the  successful 
working  of  the  mines  on  the  Pilbara  field. 
However,  the  rapid  decline  in  the  gold- 
mining  areas  further  south  (Murchison  and 
Kalgoorlie)  has  caused  attention  to  be 
drawn  to  the  possibilities  of  the  Nor-West. 
Miners  and  prospectors  are  wending  their 
way  up,  and  if  the  Government  will  only 
reduce  the  heavy  taxation  and  custom  dues, 
many  mines  will  be  worked  to  a  profit. 
The  introduction  of  suction  gas  plants  has 
made  a  great  difference  in  the  cost  of  power, 
especially,    as   in    the   case   of   Whim   Well 


31 


Till-     MIXING     MAGAZINE 


mine,  wlure  fuel  has  to  hv  imported  by  boat 
from  a  soutlurn  port. 

On  the  treatment  side  two  processes 
have  been  introduced  reccntl}*  tliat  will  help 
to  overcome  the  difficulties  that  have 
militated  against  the  success  of  this  lield. 
The  first  is  the  introduction  of  leaching  of 
the  low-grade  oxidized  ores  of  cojiper,  while 
the  second,  as  j'ct  in  its  trial  stages,  is  the 
economic  extraction  of  gold  in  the  presence 
of  small  quantities  of  copper,  which  latter 
have  prevented  a  good  extraction  from  being 
obtained  b\'  amalgamation  and  cj-anidation. 
I  do  not  propose  to  discuss  this  in  the  present 
paper,  because  sufficient  information  is 
not  available  to  the  pul)lic  at  present.  The 
question  of  leaching  has  been  proved  to  be 
successful  on  the  Whim  Well  copper  mine, 
and  it  opens  up  big  possibilities  not  onlv  for 
this  mine,  but  also  other  similar  ore-bodies 
in  the  Nor-\\'est. 

The  Whim  Well  is  the  largest  copper-ore 
deposit  in  the  I'ilbara  field,  and  a  description 
of  it  may  be  of  interest.  It  is  .situated 
56  miles  b}-  road  to  the  east  of  the  port  of 
Roebourne,  the  administrative  centre,  and 
12  miles  south  from  Balla  Balla  on  the  coast. 
There  is  a  tram-line  connecting  these  two 
points  and  extending  another  mile  to  a 
safe  harbour  for  lighters.  The  picked  ore 
and  copper  are  thus  railed  from  the  mine, 
loaded  on  to  the  latter,  which  take  tlum 
out  7  miles  to  a  well-protected  anchoiagc, 
there  transferred  on  to  boats  doing  the  coastal 
trading  from  Fremantle  to  Singapore.  The 
ore  is  sent  to  smelting  works  in  the  eastern 
states  or  England. 

The  Whim  Well  mine  was  worked  inter- 
mittently by  prospectors  for  several  years, 
who  broke  out  about  10,000  tons  of  15% 
copper  ore,  of  Tihich  they  shipped  about 
4,000  tons  averaging  26%.  In  1906  the 
Whim  Well  Copper  Mines,  Ltd.,  took  up 
the  property,  but  had  very  little  capital 
available.  During  the  following  eight  years 
i;^2,000  tons  of  8^%  copper  ore  were  broken, 
of  which  57,000  odd  tons  of  14°';,  average 
were  shipped,  while  75,000  tons  of  rejects  of 
about  4%  average  were  put  aside  until  a 
suitable  treatment  became  available.  During 
this  period  a  Murex  concentration  plant  was 
erected  for  the  treating  of  low-grade  oxidized 
ore.  Owing  to  a  number  of  circumstances 
it  was  not  an  economic  success,  although  an 
extraction  of  80%  on  4^%  copper  ore  was 
obtained.  From  1914  shipping  space  became 
verj-  difficult  to  secure,  and  not  much  was 
done  until  1917,  when  attention  was  drawn 


to  the  successful  work  being  carried  out  in 
the  leaching  of  2J";,  copper  ore  at  Mount 
Hope  (New  South  Wales).  Ex])eriments 
were  carried  out,  and  in  1920  a  start  was 
make  to  leach  a  heap  of  10,000  to  50,000  tons 
4%  ore  by  means  of  a  leaching  i)rocess 
known  as  the  Peechy,  wliich  will  be  described 
later. 

The  geology  has  been  describe  d  in  bulletins 
of  the  Geological  Dejiartment,  and  also  in 
a  paper  read  before  the  Institution  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgy  on  December  21,  1911,  by 
Mr.  H.  li.  Sleeman.  I  need  not  describe 
the  geology  otherwise  than  by  saying  that 
the  ore  deposit  occurs  in  grey  slaty 
country  which  is  replaced  to  the  north 
by  schists  (altered  sediments),  which  in 
turn  are  replaced  by  earthy  travertine 
limestones,  extending  to  the  coast  -  line. 
The  latter  are  flanked  east  and  west  by 
extensive  granite  areas.  The  ore-body  strikes 
roughly  east  and  west  for  3,000  ft.  along  the 
crest  of  a  ridge,  eventually  dipping  under 
the  alluvium.  The  dip  is  flat  (20')  to  the 
north,  while  there  are  a  number  of  cleavages 
running  N.W.  and  S.E.  of  apparently  the 
same  period  as  the  ore-body,  as  it  has  not 
been  faulted  by  them.  Along  the  lims  of 
cleavage,  even  outside  of  the  main  ore-body, 
copper  has  been  carried  in  solution  and 
deposited.  Typical  ironstone  gossan  over- 
lies the  ore  deposit,  which  was  no  doubt 
originally  pyritic  to  the  surface.  The 
oxidation  of  the  chalcopyrite  has  left  the 
iron  as  a  capping,  while  the  acid  solutions 
have  kaolinized  the  slate  beneath,  in  which 
the  copper  has  been  depo.sited  as  carbonates, 
oxide,  and  silicate,  with  some  secondary 
chalcocite.  Owing  to  the  flatness  of  the 
ore-body,  this  action  has  apparently  been 
local,  and  there  are  no  lines  of  ore  deposition 
as  shoots.  Rich  ore  has  been  mined  riglit 
from  the  outcrop  to  the  lowest  points  worki  d, 
about  120  ft.  below  the  lowest  adit  level. 
At  these  lowest  pju-fs  the  rich  ore  is  going 
down  as  of  equal  grade  as  the  best  parts 
mined  above  it. 

The  development  work  in  the  past  has 
been  done  essential!}'  for  the  winning  of 
high-grade  ore  for  shipment,  and  only  certain 
areas  have  been  exploited  at  all.  The  result 
is  that  it  does  not  lend  itself  to  the  estimation 
or  ore  reserves  in  the-  accepted  use  of  the 
term. 

Mr.  H.  R.  Slecman  has  been  in  charge  of 
the  operations  for  some  years,  and  by  his 
experience  of  the  law  of  the  average  value 
of   the   faces   and   level   bottoms,   together 


JULY,    1921 


35 


with  the  assays  from  diamond-drill  bore 
holes,  he  feels  justified  in  estimating  the 
amount  of  possible  ore  as  a  million  tons, 
containing  4%  copper.  From  the  outcrop 
along  the  line  of  dip  to  the  vertical  depth 
of  130  ft.  below  the  lowest  adit  level  is 
1,000  tt.  The  main  workings  extend  over 
a  length  of  at  least  600  ft.,  while  the  ore- 
bodv  varies  in  width  from  10  to  ,>0  ft.  The 
total  mining  to  date  amounts  to  200,000  tons 
of  S"^o  ore  (including  pillars  left),  so  that  the 
estimate  of  the  possible  amount  of  pay  ore 
(4°o)  left  in  the  mine  to  the  bottom  level 


gallons  per  day  of  24  hours,  10,000  gallons 
were  needed  for  make-up  in  new  parts  of  the 
dump  at  first.  The  loss  was  reduced  to 
4,000  gallons  after  the  circulation  was 
started,  and  when  more  complete  draining 
of  the  dump  had  been  effected,  A  circulation 
of  twice  the  above  is  necessary  to  make  the 
dump  leaching  payable.  It  has  been  found 
that  70,000  gallons  in  circulation  will  return 
10  tons  of  copper  precipitate  per  month, 
but  with  the  improvements  now  effected  it  is 
expected  that  20  tons  per  month  \\-ill  be 
secured     by     heap     leaching,      utilizing     a 


Ciffi^ 


Whim  Well  Coiikk  Mine. 
\"als  for  experimental  work  in  leacliing  in  the  foreground. 


is   more    than    twice    the    amount    already 
taken  out. 

Hitherto  this  grade  of  ore  has  been  un- 
payable, so  that  the  richer  portions  have  been 
taken  out,  while  the  low-grade  ore  has  been 
dumped  or  left  in  the  mine.  The  experiments 
carried  out  for  heap  leacliing  were  made 
by  Mr.  Audlcy  Smith  and  the  mine  staff, 
on  the  lines  of  the  treatment  at  Mount  Hope, 
New  South  Wales.  A  start  was  made  in 
1020  on  a  50,000  ton  dump  of  ore,  containing 
4*^0  copper.  A  fairly  satisfactory  result  was 
obtained,  but  the  loss  of  water  was  greater 
than  the  supply  in  the  mine.  It  was  found 
that    to   maintain    a   circulation    of    70,000 


circulation  of  150,000  gallons  of  water  per 
dav  with  a  loss  of  7^o-  Thus  the  question  of 
water  is  a  very  important  one,  and  an 
engineer  of  the  Mines  Department  has  recom- 
mended that  the  mine  warrants  the  erection 
of  a  five-inch  pipe  line  from  Balla  Balla  to 
the  mine  to  provide  the  water  necessary  for 
heap  leaching,  concentration,  and  leaching 
of  the  current  ore.  The  present  plant  on  the 
mine  will  be  adapted  and  where  necessary 
expanded  to  carry  out  the  following  treat- 
ment scheme,  which  is  based  on  experiments 
made. 

The  ore  from  the  mine  is  conve\-ed  on  a 
belt  to  the  breaker,  from  which  any  high- 


36 


Tin:     MINING    MAGAZINK 


grade  ore  is  picked  by  boys.  I'nmi  there 
it  passes  on  to  rolls  ciiisliiiig  to  J  in.  nicsh. 
It  is  then  hydraulicaliy  classified,  the  sands 
going  on  to  a  Jlay  jig  for  concentration,  and 
from  thence  through  an  S  ft.  Haidinge 
liebble-niill,  the  product  going  to  the  agitators 
witii  the  overflow  from  the  classifier.  The 
tine  product  is  then  agitated  and  leached  in 
Hrown  agitators  with  sulphurous  acid  gas 
and  air  from  an  air-lift,  and  decanted  on  the 
counter-current  system  used  on  the  gold- 
fields.  As  the  copper  in  the  solution  increases 
to  a  suitable  percentage,  it  is  sent  to  the 
jirecipitation  tanks,  which  are  filled  with 
scrap  iron.  The  excess  wash  solutions  can 
be  used  on  the  heap  leaching  plant  whenever 
required.  The  concentrate  will  be  kept  up  to 
20"^,  copper,  while  the  precipitate  assays 
70",,  copper,  which  will  be  shipped  to  the 
most  suitable  smelters.  At  the  present 
time  the  SO.,  is  generated  from  sulphur,  but 
it  is  intended  that  before  long  it  will  be 
obtained  direct  from  the  p^Tites,  which  has 
been  proved  to  be  of  considerable  extent 
below  the  present  workirigs.  The  pyrites 
may  also  be  used  on  the  top  of  the  ore  dump, 
as  is  done  at  Bisbee  in  America,  for  the 
rejuvenation  of  the  solutions,  thereby  in- 
creasing their  leaching  value. 

Should  this  joint  scheme  of  treatment 
prove  up  to  expectations,  it  will  pave  the 
way  for  similar  work  on  other  copper  mines 
in  West  Australia,  which  have  hitherto 
been  unable  to  get  a  sufficient  ratio  of 
shipping  ore  to  that  of  the  low-grade  material 
now  shown  to  be  amendable  to  treatment 
b\'  leaching. 

C.  M.  Harris. 


TORONTO 

June  1.3. 
Porcupine. — The  gold-mining  industry  is 
showing  increased  activity.  The  producing 
mines  are  increasing  their  output,  much 
capital  is  seeking  investment,  and  new 
properties  are  being  opened  up.  Attention 
is  being  directed  to  the  outlying  territory 
beyond  the  known  gold-producing  area, 
■where  considerable  exploration  is  being 
carried  on.  The  Hollinger  Consolidated  is 
producing  gold  at  the  rate  of  approximately 
8200,000  per  week,  the  extraction  averaging 
about  $9  per  ton.  The  company  has 
decided  to  develop  its  owTi  electric  power, 
and  is  proceeding  with  a  preliminary  survey 
of  the  Kettle  Falls  on  the  Abitibi  River, 
where  it  is  estimated  that  25,000  h.p.  may  be 
generated,  in  addition  to  10,000  h.p.  reserved 


by  till'  Ontario  Ciovernment.  The  f.dls  lie 
about  ()0  miles  north  of  the  mine,  and  the 
intervening  territory  presents  no  serious 
obstacles  to  ]iower  transmission.  The  annual 
report  of  the  Dome  Mines  for  the  year  ended 
March  31  shows  a  considerable  reduction  in 
profits  due  to  the  unfavourable  conditions 
during  tln'  early  part  of  the  twelvemonth. 
l^ullion  was  produced  to  the  value  of 
SI, 0 10, 195,  the  average  yield  per  ton  treated 
being  S"'!!.  The  net  profits  were  §302,179, 
as  compared  with  $951,984  in  thi'  preceding 
year.  Operating  costs  for  the  first  quarter 
of  1921  went  up  to  S5-05  per  ton  owing  to 
power  shortage,  dropping  to  $3-75  when 
power  again  became  available  in  April. 
General  manager  Depencier  in  his  report 
stated  that  while  he  regarded  it  as  futile  to 
estimate  the  value  of  the  ore  reserves  the 
developments  on  the  10th  level  were  con- 
sidered of  extreme  importance,  as  proving 
the  occurrence  of  highly  paj'able  ore  at  the 
lowest  level  opened  up.  The  stamp  equip- 
ment of  the  mill,  which  has  not  been  used 
for  some  years,  has  been  put  in  order  for 
operation,  bringing  the  capacity  of  the  mill  up 
to  1,400  tons  daily.  The  Mclntyre  has 
placed  an  order  for  an  Hardinge  ball-mill 
and  other  equipment,  which  will  be  installed 
in  the  fall,  bringing  the  capacit}'  of  the  mill 
up  from  550  to  900  tons  dail}'.  The 
Hollinger  Reserve,  lying  west  of  the  Hollinger 
Consolidated,  where  a  high-grade  vein  system 
has  been  opened  up  at  the  300-ft.  level,  has 
been  purchased  by  a  syndicate  headed  by 
E.  -A.  Osier  &  Co.,  of  Toronto,  and  develop- 
ment will  shortly  be  commenced.  The 
Goldale  Mining  Co.,  which  has  taken  over 
the  Bewick-^Moreing  holdings,  is  arranging 
to  carry  on  an  extensive  exploration 
campaign.  The  North  Crown  Mine  has 
closed  down  indefinitely,  and  it  is  under- 
stood that  further  financing  will  be  necessary 
before  resuming  operations.  The  Tommy 
Burns  property,  about  10  miles  south-east 
from  the  producing  area  of  the  camp,  has 
been  taken  over  by  the  Triplex  Gold  ilines. 
The  workings  are  being  unwatered  and  a  new 
shaft  is  being  put  down.  Operations  have 
been  resumed  at  the  Premier  Paymaster, 
where  diamond-drilling  has  proved  the  east- 
ward extension  of  the  main  vein. 

KiRKi.AXD  Lake. — The  Lake  Shore  during 
April  recovered  bullion  to  the  value  of 
§22,213  from  the  treatment  of  1,860  tons  of 
ore,  being  an  average  of  Sll'94  per  ton.  The 
mill  is  kept  running  on  development  ore, 
the  policy  of  the  management  being  to  store 


JULY,    1921 


37 


up  large  ore  reserves  in  anticipation  of  the 
enlargement  of  the  plant.  The  Tough-Oakes 
has  resumed  underground  work  with  the 
expectation  of  commencing  milling  about 
August.  An  important  discover}'  has  been 
made  at  the  900  ft.  level  of  the  Kirkland 
Lake  mine,  where  horizontal  drilling  has 
encountered  about  12  ft.  of  highly  mineralized 
material,  9  ft.  of  which  carries  high  gold 
content.  A  large  new  ore-body  is  being 
opened  up  at  the  700  ft.  level.  At  the 
Ontario-Kirkland  the  construction  of  the 
mill  is  making  good  progress,  and  it  is  hoped 
to  have  it  completed  in  September.  About 
3, .500  ft.  of  lateral  work  has  been  done  on 
the  300  and  150  ft.  levels,  indicating  a  supply 
of  ore  sufficient  to  keep  the  mill  running  for 
three  years.  The  vein  at  the  100  ft.  level  of 
the  King  Kirkland  has  been  opened  up  for 
172  ft.,  a  considerable  proportion  of  the  ore 
assaying  $]0  to  the  ton.  Surface  explora- 
tion is  being  carried  on  to  determine  the  most 
favourable  place  for  sinking  a  central  shaft. 
The  shaft  of  the  Bidgood  is  being  unwatcred, 
and  will  be  put  down  from  its  present  depth 
of  300  ft.  to  deeper  levels.  A  shaft  is  down 
60  ft.  on  the  Lebel  Oro  on  a  vein  stated  to 
show  ore  averaging  318  per  ton  over  a  width 
of  about  40  inches.  A  10  ft.  vein  carrying 
good  gold  content  has  been  found  on  the 
Moffatt  Hall  property,  5  miles  from  the 
Tough  Oakes.  A  large  syndicate,  mainly 
representing  English  interests,  is  bidding  for 
numerous  properties  lying  along  the  line  of 
the  north-easterly  strike  of  the  proved  gold- 
bearing  zone.  Individual  claim-holders  have 
been  approached  with  attractive  offers  for 
options,  and  some  of  the  new  companies 
have  been  offered  good  prices  for  their 
holdings. 

Cobalt. — Though  silver-mining  is  still 
depressed  by  reason  of  the  low  price  of  the 
metal,  conditions  are  showing  some  improve- 
ment. Towards  the  close  of  May  the  Mining 
Corporation  of  Canada  resumed  operations 
at  full  capacity,  giving  employment  to  about 
250  men.  Since  closing  down  the  company 
has  increased  the  capacity  of  its  mill  by  about 
50%,  enabling  it  to  treat  a  higher  tonnage 
and  reduce  operating  costs.  The  annual 
report  shows  profits  of  §579,569,  as  compared 
with  $908,7-18  in  1919.  Silver  was  produced 
to  the  amount  of  1,664,018  oz.,  as  against 
1,230,652,  and  the  ore  reserves  showed  a 
satisfactory  increase,  being  estimated  at 
2,181,000  oz.,  as  compared  with  1,307,220  in 
1919.  The  amount  to  the  credit  of  the 
profit  and  loss  account  was  $3,268,628.  The 
1—5 


company  covered  a  wide  field  in  its  search 
for  desirable  properties,  and  during  the  year 
had  about  300  under  its  consideration. 
Permanent  records  embracing  165  of  these 
were  prepared,  of  which  132  were  in  Canada, 
56  of  the  number  being  in  Ontario,  indicating 
that  the  Dominion  will  continue  to  be  the 
principal  scene  of  its  activity.  The  Peterson 
Lake,  which  sustained  a  considerable  loss  on 
last  year's  operations,  and  is  confronted 
with  heavy  obligations,  is  endeavouring  to 
reconstruct  its  finances.  Its  ore  reserves  are 
estimated  at  126,000  oz.  of  silver,  and  the 
directors  believe  that  if  funds  for  further 
development  can  be  secured  there  are  good 
prospects  for  additional  ore  discoveries.  An 
important  discovery  has  been  made  on  the 
Oxford  Cobalt,  where  a  number  of  stringers, 
one  of  them  carrying  600  oz.  of  silver  per  ton, 
have  been  encountered  6  ft.  below  the 
surface.  The  O'Brien  produced  312,000  oz. 
of  silver  during  May  from  the  treatment  of 
6,066  tons  of  ore,  .showing  an  average 
recovery  of  over  51  oz.  per  ton.  Lateral 
work  on  the  Chambers-Ferland  property  of 
the  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary  (1919)  has 
encountered  an  important  ore-body  averaging 
50  oz.  of  silver  to  the  ton. 


VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

June  9. 

Gr.\nby  Consolidated.  — •  The  Granby 
Consolidated  Mining,  Smelting,  and  Power 
Company  has  just  issued  its  annual  report 
for  1920.  As  with  the  great  majority  of  the 
other  copper  companies  on  the  continent, 
the  year  has  been  an  unprofitable  one,  the 
report  showing  a  deficit  of  $687,011,  which 
compares  with  a  deficit  of  $984,409  in  1919. 
There  is  this  unfavourable  difference,  however, 
that  in  1919  the  company  disbursed  dividends 
amounting  to  $1,312,537,  while  last  year  no 
dividends  were  declared.  The  assets  of  the 
company  were  reduced  from  $25,081,361  to 
$24,906,360,  and  the  surplus  from  $1,184,309 
to  $497,298.  The  ore-reserve,  too,  suffered 
a  depletion  of  200,000  tons.  The  last  is 
explained  by  the  fact  that  in  the  early  part 
of  the  year,  when  the  price  of  copper  was 
good,  effort  was  concentrated  on  production, 
at  the  expense  of  development.  As  soon  as 
the  150  ft.  level  has  been  enlarged  to  allow 
of  development  to  be  carried  on  without 
hindering  production,  the  boundaries  of  the 
ore-body  will  be  extended. 

During  the  year  the  company  produced 
25,744,327  1b.  of  copper,  1,054,206  oz.  of 
silver,   and   9,481  oz.   of    gold.      The  great 


38 


THE    .MINING     MAGAZINE 


bulk  of  the  silver,  probably  over  OO'',,,  came 
from  ore  purchased  froui  the  Dolh'  Vardcu 
mine.  This  ore,  which  is  highly  siliceous, 
acts  as  a  flux  for  the  company's  Hidden 
Creek  ores'.  The  average  cost  of  the  produc- 
tion of  the  copper  was  15-94  ccnts.per  pound, 
and  the  average  selling  price  for  the 
]0,-lf>-l,706  lb.  of  copper  sold  was  17S,")  cents. 
Considerable  economies  were  introduced 
during  the  latter  half  of  the  year,  after  the 
change  in  the  management,  the  cost  of 
production  for  the  tirst  half  of  the  year  being 
18-38  cents,  and  for  the  last  half  l-Voi  cents. 
Since  last  fall  two  cuts  have  been  made  in  the 
wage  scale,  totalling  §1-25  per  man  per  shift, 
and  a  further  reduction  in  the  cost  of  produc- 
tion has  been  made  this  year,  the  cost  for 
the  month  of  March  being  12--14  cents.  This 
reduction  is  due  to  increased  efficiency  on 
the  part  of  the  men,  and  to  improved 
metallurgical  practice,  resulting  in  the  use 
of  less  coke  and  flux  and  in  improved 
extraction, 

A.  J.  Bancroft,  professor  of  geology  at 
McGill  University,  has  taken  up  his  new 
duties  as  assistant  general  manager  for  the 
company,  and  among  his  first  duties  will  be 
the  extending  of  the  ore-reserve,  which  now 
totals  10,986,430  tons  of  smelting  .ore.  The 
Governors  of  McGill  University  have  given 
Professor  Bancroft  a  year's  leave  of  absence, 
in  which  he  will  decide  whether  he  will  take 
up  technical  work  as  a  profession  or  return 
to  pure  science  at  the  university. 

The  company's  Cassidy  colliery  produced 
154,000  tons  of  coal  during  the  year,  of  which 
30%  was  sold  and  the  remainder  converted 
into  coke  at  the  by-product  coke-ovens  at 
Anyox,  resulting  in  the  production  of 
75,000  tons  of  coke.  Improvements  have 
been  made  in  the  coal-washing  plant,  and 
a  better  grade  of  coke  is  being  produced. 

Standard  Mine. — The  directors  of  the 
Standard  Silver-Lead  Mining  Companj'  have 
announced  that,  subject  to  ratification  by 
the  shareholders  at  a  meeting  to  be  held  on 
June  20,  thev  have  sold  the  company's 
Standard  mine  for  S75,000,  of  which  S25,d00 
is  to  be  paid  in  cash  and  the  balance  in  two 
equal  instalments  at  one  and  two  years, 
respective!}'.  A  royalty  of  20°r;  is  to  be  paid 
on  all  ore  shipped  from  the  property,  such 
moneys  to  go  towards  the  purchase  of  the 
propert}'.  The  directors  consider  that  for 
big-scale  operations  the  mine  is  worked  out, 
and  for  the  past  year  it  has  been  in  the  hands 
of  lessees.  The  Standard  has  been  an 
excellent  mine,  and  has  payed  its  shareholders 


more  than  $2,700,000  in  dividends.  The 
cumiKiny  is  in  a  strong  jiosition.  If  the 
present  sale  is  cou'iunimated  it  will  have 
a  surplus  of  more  than  half  a  million  dollars  ; 
this  is  being  held  for  investment  in  the  mining 
indu-^try  in  the  j)rovince,  provided  a  property 
satisfactory  to  the  directors  can  be  founcl. 
It  is  understood  that  several  jiroperlies  are 
under  consideration  at  the  jiresent  time. 

XiCKicr.  Pi..\TE  Mink. — The  Medley  Gold 
Mining  Company,  owners  of  the  Nickel  Plate 
Mine,  at  lledley,  has  issued  its  annual  report, 
which  shows  a  deficit  of  Si, 941  on  the 
operations  last  year.  The  company  realized 
that  the  mine  was  running  behind,  and,  as  no 
satisfactory  terms  could  be  made  with  the 
em])loyecs  with  regard  to  a  reduction  in 
wages,  the  mine  was  closed  early  last  autumn. 
During  the  war  effort  was  concentrated  on 
production,  and  the  development,  which  up 
to  then  always  had  been  kept  well  ahead,  was 
allowed  to  run  behind.  Diamond-driUing 
has  indicated  that  there  are  extensive  ore- 
bodies  awaiting  development,  and  the 
directors  have  decided  to  spend  $35,000  in 
opening  up  the  property  for  production.  The 
wage  scale  has  been  reduced  $1-25  per  day, 
so  that  this  work  can  now  be  done  at  a  reason- 
able price. 

Premier  Mine. — Though  the  price  of 
labour  has  been  reduced  in  practically  all 
the  mining  districts  of  the  Province,  the 
employees  at  the  Premier  mine  refused  to 
accept  a  reduction,  and  on  the  company 
attempting  to  enforce  it  went  on  strike.  The 
strike  extends  to  all  departments,  and 
includes  the  work  on  the  concentrator  and 
on  the  aerial  tramway.  The  company 
attempted  to  make  a  reduction  of  only 
75  cents  per  day  in  the  wage  .scale,  while 
$1-25  has  been  the  amount  of  the  reduction 
in  nearly  all  other  parts  of  the  Pro-vince. 
Even  if  the  reduction  had  gone  into  force, 
this  would  have  been  the  highest  priced 
mining  camp  in  the  Province  :  miners  would 
have  received  $5-50,  shovellers  $5-00,  and 
surface  labourers  $4-/5  to  $5-00.  This  is 
a  dollar  per  shift  more  than  the  present  rate 
in  the  Slocan  camp.  After  being  on  strike 
for  two  weeks  the  men  took  a  ballot,  the 
result  of  which  was  for  continuing  the  strike 
by  a  majority  of  four  to  one. 

Slogan  District. — With  a  view  to 
bringing  about  renewed  activity  in  the 
Slocan,  the  principal  silver-lead  mining 
district  in  the  Province,  the  local  branch  of 
the  International  Mine,  ]\Iill,  and  Smelter 
Workers   met    the   principal    operators   and 


JULY,    1921 


39 


agreed  on  a  new  wage  scale,  which  is  a 
reduction  of  $r25  per  day  on  all  classc?  of 
lahour.  Miners  and  skilled  mechanics  are 
now  getting  55-00  per  day,  mechanics'  helpers 
Sl-5d.  and  labourers  and  shovellers  S400. 
The  result  has  been  that  a  number  of  the 
mines  either  have  restarted  operations  or 
are  about  to  restart.  The  Silversmith 
Mines,  Ltd.,  owning  the  principal  mine  in  the 
district,  has  made  arrangements  with  the 
owners  of  the  Ivanhoe  mill,  by  which  the 
Silversmith  has  acquired  the  mill,  mill-site, 
and  water-rights  on  the  south  fork  of 
Carpenter  creek.  The  mill  is  being  over- 
hauled and  its  capacity  brought  up  to 
between  two  and  three  hundred  tons  per  day, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  ore  milled. 
An  aerial  tramway  is  to  be  built  to  connect 
the  Silversmith  with  the  mill.  The  mine 
was  closed  down  on  April  1,  sufficient  ore 
having  been  developed  to  assure  a  supply 
for  some  time.  Effort  now  will  be  con- 
centrated on  the  remodelling  of  the  mill  and 
on  the  building  of  the  tramway,  and  when 
this  has  been  completed  it  is  probable  that 
the  mine  will  be  reopened. 

The  Yukon. — Several  hundreds  of  tons  of 
supplies,  mining  machinery,  and  building 
material  are  accumulating  at  Whitehorse  for 
shipment  to  the  new  silver-lead  camp  at 
Mayo.  It  is  expected  that  the  river  will  be 
in  condition  for  moving  this  towards  Mayo 
Landing  by  the  end  of  the  second  week  in 
June.  The  Yukon  Gold  Mining  Co.  and 
the  White  Pass  Railway  Co.  are  building 
wharves  at  Mayo  Landing. 

Alberta.- — A  bill  has  passed  the  Dominion 
House  providing  for  the  incorporation  of  the 
Mackenzie  River  Railway  Company,  Ltd., 
with  a  capital  of  810,000,000.  It  is  under- 
stood that  the  Imperial  Oil  Company  is 
substantially  behind  the  project.  The  rail- 
wav  will  extend  the  Alberta  and  Great  Water- 
ways system  from  Fort  McMurray,  where  the 
rails  now  end,  to  Great  Slave  Lake. 

Considerable  excitement  has  been  caused 
bv  the  discovery  of  alluvial  gold  in  the  banks 
of  the  creek  running  into  the  Cadotte  river, 
which  flows  into  the  Peace  river  about  40 
miles  below  Peace  River  town.  The  new 
discovery  is  75  miles  from  Peace  River  town. 
The  original  discovery  was  made  by  an 
Indian  trapper,  who  brought  nuggets  into  the 
town.  Dr.  Gauthier  and  a  party  set  out  for 
the  location,  and  after  doing  a  little 
excavating  and  panning  were  convinced  with 
the  value  of  the  discovery,  staked  claims,  and 
filed  them  in  the  land  office  at  Peace  River. 


LETTERS  TO  the   EDITOR 

Wave-transmission  Rock-drills 

The  Editor  : 

Sir— I  note  that  Mr.  Chas.  R.  Love 
objects  to  the  loss  in  the  transmission  cables 
which  I  had  assumed  in  my  comparison 
between  the  boring  capacities  of  the  wave- 
motion  rock-drill  and  the  pneumatically 
operated  tool  per  i.h.p.  installed  at  the 
surface. 

This  matter  has  very  little  bearing  on  the 
point  at  issue,  and  the  loss  in  transmission 
can  be  reduced  to  any  reasonable  extent 
by  increasing  the  sectional  area  of  the  con- 
ductor employed,  the  cost  of  the  cable  being 
the  only  factor  of  commercial  interest. 

Similarly,  Mr.  Love  may  certainly  generate 
the  current  at  the  voltage  he  prefers,  and 
thus  do  away  with  the  necessity  for  the  use 
of  underground  transformers,  but  I  hold 
that  it  is  not  good  commercial  practice  to 
use  low  voltages  in  transmission  hnes,  owing 
to  the  great  cost  of  the  extra  copper  required 
in  the  conductors.  The  voltage  might  easily 
be  reduced  to  one -half,  one-quarter,  or 
one-tenth  of  that  which  I  should  propose  to 
use  (3,000  volts),  but  in  that  case  the  cost 
of  the  cables  will  have  to  be  multipUed  by 
two,  by  four,  or  by  ten,  as  the  case  may  be, 
and  even  in  the  very  limited  area  of  a  mining 
concession,  the  extra  expense  will  be  a 
formidable  item. 

With  regard  to  Mr.  Love's  statement  that 
I  have  been  comparing  a  wave-power  plant 
of  12  h.p.  with  a  compressed-air  plant  of 
1,000  h.p.,  I  must  protest  altogether,  and 
I  think  that  Mr.  Love  has  overlooked  a 
certain  very  important  difference  between 
the  two  systems. 

If  the  pneumatic  system  is  to  be  installed 
on  a  mine,  the  whole  compressing  plant 
may  be  set  up  at  any  convenient  place  and 
the'  compressed  air  led  to  any  workings 
within  the  limits  of  the  property  without 
regard  being  paid  to  the  lateral  extent 
of  the  workings  or  to  the  differences  in 
altitude  between  the  compressor  and  the 
rock-drills  which  have  to  be  operated  by  it. 

It  is  quite  otherwise  with  the  wave-po\yer 
plant,  as  the  generators  and  the  drills  which 
they  are  to  operate  must  be  installed  within 
reasonable  lateral  distance  of  each  other,  and 
it  is  essential  that  the  difference  in  vertical 
height  between  the  wave-motion  generators 
and  the  rock-drills  must  be  strictly  limited. 


40 


Tin;   Mixixr,   magazine 


Tliis  means  that  any  ordinary  niiiu'  wcniKl 
require  many  separate  installations  at  \'arit>us 
(lejitlis  in  eaeli  shaft  in  whieh  the  thills  are 
required.  The  wave-motion  generators  must 
therefore  be  constantly  moved  from  place 
to  place  and  this  calls  for  small  units  which 
must  be  easily  transportable. 

Certainly  bigger  units  than  12  h.p.  each 
might  be  used  if  thcj'  can  be  built  sufficiently 
compact,  and  not  too  heavy  for  easy  trans- 
portation i)i  the  shafts,  but  I  am  not  aware 
that  anything  larger  than  the  12  h.p.  unit 
has,  so  far,  been  built,  nor  do  I  sec  outside 
the  somewhat  better  efficiency  of  the  larger 
electric  motor  which  would  be  required, 
any  real  advantage  to  be  gained,  as  there  is 
no  reason  to  expect  the  efficiency  of  the 
wave  generator  to  be  increased  to  any  serious 
extent  by  doubling  or  trebling  its  capacity. 

Since  the  compressed-air  installation  does 
not  call  for  subdivision  into  small  units, 
the  case  of  the  12  h.p.  air-compressor  does 
not  arise,  and  I  can  only  repeat  that,  in 
my  opinion,  the  wave-power  rock-drill  is 
not  a  serious  competitor  to  the  compressed- 
air  drl'l  for  mining  purposes  from  any  point 
of  view. 

In  conclusion  I  must  deny  that  I  have 
treated  the  wave-motion  system  at  all 
unfairly  in  my  previous  letter ;  in  fact,  I 
consider  that  I  have  been  more  than  generous 
to  it  by  crediting  it  with  a  boring  speed  very 
much  in  excess  of  that  which  I  believe  it  to 
be  capable  of,  nor  have  I  touched  upon 
certain  other  disadvantages  which  I  believe 
to  be  inherent  to  the  system,  and  wliich 
would  surely  cause  trouble  and  inconvenience 
in  ordinary  mining  use. 

R.  DE  H.  St.  Stephens. 

Camborne,  Jtme  25. 


PERSONAL 

Reginald  F.  Allen  is  now  engaged  at  the 
Kingsdown  (Hewas  Water)  tin  mine,  St.  Austell. 

E.  C.  -Andrews,  Government  Geologist  for  New 
South  Wales,  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  New  South  Wales. 

Ernest  Bottoms  is  home  from  Nigeria. 

Sir  John  Cadman  has  been  elected  president  of 
the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers. 

J.  .Morgan  Clements  has  returned  to  New 
York  from  China. 

F.  G.  Cottrell  is  in  Europe  investigating  helium 
and  oxygen  production  on  behalf  of  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

N.  F.  Dare  has  been  appointed  manager  for  the 
Chenderiang  Tin  Dredging  Co.,  Ltd.,  in  Perak, 
Federated  Malay  States. 

Allan  Davidson  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

.\RTHUR  Dickinson  is  back  from  Brazil. 

R.  W.  Ffennell  has  returned  to  South  .\frica. 


I'.   \i.  Hamber  is  homo  from  Nigeria. 

K.  W.  Uannam  is  home  again  from  Nigeria. 

Dr.  J  .\.  I..  Henderson  has  moved  his  office  to 
College  Hill  Chambers,  College  Hill,  Cannon  Street, 
London,   E.C.  2. 

James  Hocking  has  returned  from  Spain. 

.\rtiu;r  W.  Hooke  has  gone  to  the  United  States 
on  a  short  visit.  .Xs  representative  of  Inder, 
Henderson,  &  Dixon,  he  will  in.spcct  some  alluvial 
gold  deposits  in  the  Seward  Peninsula,  Alaska. 

.•\lfred  James  has  resigned  from  the  Council  of 
the  Institution  of  .Mining  and  Metallurgy. 

Fred  Johnson  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
Birmingham  Metallurgical  Society. 

Richard  I,.  Llovd,  of  the  Dwight  ct  Lloyd 
Metallurgical  Company,  has  been  awarded  the 
degree  of  Master  of  Science  by  the  Washington 
University,  St.  Louis,  U.S.A. 

Ross  Macartney  is  expected  from  Rhodesia. 

S.  M.  Marshall  has  returned  to  New  York  from 
India. 

John  Mathieson  and  the  other  members  of  the 
Scottish  Spitsbergen  Syndicate's  expedition 
arrived  at  Spitsbergen  on  June  16. 

Walter  G.  Perkins  has  returned  to  his  old 
address  at  62,  London  Wall,  London,  K.C.  2. 

.\le.\ander  Richardson  is  leaving  for  Canada 
and  the  United  States,  where  he  will  visit  mines 
and  mining  schools. 

Sir  Marcus  Samuel,  head  of  the  Shell  Group, 
has  been  made  a  peer,  and  is  now  known  as  Lord 
Bearsted. 

Eugene  Schneider,  the  iron-master  of  Creusot, 
France,  is  to  be  the  John  Fritz  medallist  for  1922. 

W.  E.  Thorne  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

W.  D.  Thornton  has  moved  his  office  to  the  new 
Cunard  Building,  25,  Broadway,  New  York. 

J.  R.  Thurlow  is  here  from  the  Rand. 

K.  P.  Tod.  who  has  been  for  many  years  in  charge 
nf  the  British  Aluminium  Co. 's  works  at  Kinloch- 
Icven,  has  joined  the  staff  of  Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong, 
Whitworth  A  Co.,  Ltd.,  where  he  will  be  occupied 
with  the  firm's  hydro-electric  work. 

Louis  .A.  Wright  is  on  a  short  visit  to  Spain. 


The  summer  meeting  of  the  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgical Golfing  Society  was  held  at  the  links  of  the 
Highgate  Golf  Club  on  June  28.  The  first  prize 
was  won  by  Edward  Hooper  (90—11  =  79  net) 
and  the  second  by  W.  H.  Stentiford  (100  —  16  = 
84  net).  

Arthur  L.  Pearse  died  at  New  York  on  May  14. 

Sir  Bernard  Oppenheimer  died  on  June  12, 
after  having  been  in  indifferent  health  for  over  a 
year.  He  was  head  of  the  South  -African  Diamond 
Corporation,  It  will  be  remembered  that  he 
estabUshed  several  diamond  cutting  works  in  this 
country,  where  he  employed  disabled  soldiers. 

Sir  Thomas  Wrightson,  Bart.,  chairman  of 
Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Stockton-on-Tees, 
died  on  June  18,  aged  82.  He  was  born  in  1839 
near  Darlington,  and  received  his  education  at 
King's  College,  London.  He  served  an  apprentice- 
ship at  the  Elswick  Works,  Tyneside,  of  which  his 
cousin.  Sir  William  G.  Armstrong  was  then  the  head. 
He  also  spent  some  time  in  civil  engineering  at 
Westminster  with  Sir  John  Fowler  and  Sir  Benjamin 
Baker.  In  1864,  he  went  to  the  ironworks  of  Head, 
Ashby  &  Co.,  Stockton,  which  shortly  after  became 
known  as  Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Limited.  He 
contributed  many  papers  to  the  proceedings  of  the 


JULY,    1921 


41 


Iron  and  Steel  Institute.  He  was  interested  in 
many  other  departments  of  science  than  engineering 
and  steel  manufacture.  His  work  in  connexion 
with  the  physiological  theory  of  hearing  and  the 
structure  of  the  ear  was  of  high  order  and  was  well 
received  among  physicists  and  in  medical  circles. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

Salterns,  Ltd.,  of  Parkstone,  Dorset,  send  us 
a  pamphlet  on  the  development  of  water  power, 
describing  their  water  turbines  and  accessories. 

The  General  Electric  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Magnet 
House,  Kingsway,  London,  W.C.  2,  send  us  a 
pamphlet  describing  the  "  Kingsway  II  "  miners' 
electric   hand-lamp 

The  Cressall  Manufacturing  Co.,  of  40  and 
41,  Staniforth  Street,  Birmingham,  have  issned  a 
leaflet  describing  their  controller  resistances  for 
cranes,   lifts,   hoists,   etc. 

The  Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tool,  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  170,  Piccadilly,  London,  W.  1,  send  us  leaflets 
describing  electric  grinders,  air  and  electrically 
operated  coal  drills,  and  the  Boyer  hammer-pick. 

John  Mills  6i  Co.,  of  the  Railway  Foundry, 
Llanidloes,  Montgomery,  send  us  a  catalogue 
relating  te  their  steam-driven  self-contained  hauling 
engines.  The  catalogue  contains  full  illustrations 
and  descriptions  of  the  standardized  spare  parts. 

Bruce  Peebles  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  manufacturers  of 
electrical  machinery',  Edinburgh,  announce  the 
appointment  of  .\rthur  T.  Smith  as  their  repre- 
sentative in  the  Midland  Counties  of  England,  and 
of  Harold  E.  Webb  as  their  London  office  manager. 

The  Mitchell  Vibrating  Screen,  invented  by 
B.  A.  Mitchell,  chief  engineer  to  the  Utah  Copper 
Company,  is  being  placed  on  the  market  by  the 
Stimpson  Equipment  Company,  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
which  is  represented  in  the  country  by  Stephen  M. 
Holden,  42,  Bannerdale  Road,  Abbeydale,  Sheffield. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  Intern.\tional 
Co.,  of  165,  Broadway,  New  York,  and  2,  Norfolk 
Street,  Strand,  London,  W.C,  send  us  their  monthly 
house  organ  for  June  and  July,  and  also  pamphlets 
relating  to  the  electrification  of  excavating  shovels, 
electric  arc  welding,  electrical  apparatus  for  the 
metallurgical  and  chemical  industries,  the  electrical 
precipitation  and  recovery  of  dust,  smoke,  and  fume 
from  gases,  automatic  railway  substations,  and  the 
electrification  of  steam  railways. 

Sir  W.  G.  Armstrong,  \\  hitw  orth  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
announce  that  they  have  secured  the  services  of 
K.  P.  Tod,  M.I.Mech.E.,  M.I. Met.,  in  connexion 
with  their  hydro-electric  work.  Many  of  cur 
readers  will  have  met  Mr  Tod  on  visits  which  they 
have  paid  to  the  British  Aluminium  Co.'s  works  at 
Kinlochleven,  where  he  has  been  since  1907,  and 
where  originally  he  was  in  charge  of  the  erection 
of  the  pipe-lines  and  turbines  of  30,000  h.p.  Mr.  Tod 
has,  until  recently,  been  nianager-in-chief  over  the 
whole  of  the  British  Aluminium  Co.'s  undertaking 
at  Kinlochleven. 

SozoL,  Limited,  of  20,  Copthall  Avenue,  London, 
E.C.  2,  send  us  samples  of  their  anti-rust  and  anti- 
corrosion  preparations.  These  liquids  form  a  film  on 
the  metal  surface  in  the  nature  of  an  adsorption  or 
molecular  effect,  and  the  film  is  not  easily  removed 
mechanically,  though  it  is  amenable  to  soap  and 
boiling  water.  Sozol  ought  to  be  of  great  value 
to  the  engineer  in  charge  of  mine  plants  and  stores. 
Elsewhere  in  this  issue  we  quote  the  covering  patent, 
granted    to    Professor    Edwin      Edser    and    Otto 


Reynard.  The  proprietary  company  is  controlled 
by  Minerals  Separation,  Ltd.,  and  the  sale  agents 
for  the  United  Kingdom  are  F.  Simmonds  &  Co., 
1  to  3,  Regent  Street,  London,  S.W.  1. 

Hill  &  Co.,  Engineers,  Ltd.,  of  7,  Hobart 
Place,  London,  S.W.  1,  showed  the  Sauerman  cable- 
way  excavator  at  the  recent  Building  Trades  Exhibi- 
tion at  Olympia.  This  excavator  consists  primarily 
of  a  scraper  bucket  attached  by  flexible  chain  con- 
nexions to  a  patented  type  of  carrier  running  on  an 
inclined  track  cable,  this  cable  being  supported  at 
the  upper  end  by  tension  blocks  to  a  well-guyed  mast 
and  anchored  at  the  lower  end  to  a  movable  A-frame 
or  bridle  anchorage.  A  load  cable  is  attached  to  the 
front  of  the  bucket  and  carrier.  This  cable 
performs  the  operation  of  loading  the  bucket  and 
conveying  it  along  the  track  cable  to  the  dumping 
point.  A  tension  cable  is  provided  for  operating  the 
tension  or  fall  blocks  at  the  top  of  the  mast  or  tower. 
This  cable  and  the  blocks  tighten  and  slacken  the 
track  cable.  Both  the  load  and  tension  cables  lead 
from  guide  blocks  at  the  top  of  a  mast  or  tower 
down  to  a  double  drum  friction  hoist,  usually  located 
at  ground  level.  The  machine  is  designed  fcr 
excavating  and  conveying  sand,  iron  ore,  or  gravel, 
and  will  dig,  elevate,  convey,  and  dump  the  material 
in  a  continuous  operation  under  the  control  of  one 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
exhibited  a  fairly  steady  tendency  during  the 
first  half  of  last  month,  but  during  the  latter  half 
weakness  set  in  and  values  receded.  The  settlement 
of  the  coal  dispute,  however,  caused  a  better  feehng 
at  the  end  of  the  month.  The  easier  tone  was  in  9 
sympathy  with  weaker  American  advices,  holders 
in  the  United  States  showing  greater  wilhngness 
to  cut  prices  than  had  been  the  case  for  some  time. 
A  simultaneous  fall  in  the  value  of  the  pound  sterling 
in  New  York  failed  to  give  London  quotations  any 
support.  Sentiment  during  the  month  was  inclined 
to  be  somewhat  variable,  according  to  whether  the 
coal  news  was  favourable  or  unfavourable  in  regard 
to  a  speedy  termination  of  the  stoppage.  The 
demand  from  British  consumers  has  been  poor, 
and  is  certainly  unlikely  to  revive  until  coal  supplies 
are  again  plentiful.  Inquiry  from  the  Continent  at 
the  beginning  of  the  month  was  moderate,  but  had 
a  slackening  tendency  later,  although  Germany 
continued  to  feature  as  a  buyer  on  a  fair  scale. 
It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Germany  was  the 
largest  single  importer  of  copper  from  America 
during  April,  taking  7,000  tons,  while  France 
took  4,500  tons  and  the  United  Kingdom  3,600  tons. 
Italy  appears  to  have  purchased  more  rough 
copper  for  sulphate-making  than  she  actually 
needed,  and  it  is  quite  possible  that  she  may  find 
herself  compelled  to  make  resales.  Advices  from 
the  United  States  indicate  that  production  there 
wac  only  46,000,000  lb.  in  May  against  90,000,000  lb. 
in  .'\prii,  and  it  is  estimated  that  bv  July  the  figure 
should  not  be  more  than  35,000,0001b.  On  this 
basis  it  is  expected  that  the  .second  half  of  the 
current  year  should  witness  a.  considerable  reduction 
in  the  existing  large  stocks  of  electrolytic  copper  in 
the  United  States,  as  consumijtion  should  then  far 
exceed  the  restricted  production. 

-Average  orice  of  casli  standard  copper  :  June, 
1921,  /71  ISs.  2d.  ;  May.  1921,  (73  5s.  lOd.  ;  June, 
1920,  i'SS;    May,  1920',  /96  18s.  Id. 


42 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Daily  London  Mhtal  Prices  :    Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  ami  'I'iii  i>i'r  Long  Ton ; 


COPPIR 

Standard  Cash                Stiniini  i)  raos.) 

Electrolytic 

Wire  Bars 

Best  Selected 

Tunc 

C     s. 

d.        i     s.  d.      £    s.   d. 

C    s.  d. 

£    ».  d. 

77    0    0 

f. 

s. 

d. 

-:  s. 

d. 

c 

s. 

d. 

i    s. 

d. 

(    ».  d. 

% 

73  10 

0  to  73  12    6 

73  12    G 

to  73  15    0 

to  79 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73    0 

0 

to 

75    0     0 

10 

73    0 

0  to  73    3    6 

73    5    0 

t)  73    7    0  1  77    0    0 

to  79 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73    5 

0 

to 

75    5    0 

13 

73    2 

0  to  73    5    0 

73    7    0 

to  73  10    0 

77    0    0 

to  79 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73    5 

0 

to 

75    5    0 

14 

73    7 

G  to  73  10    0 

73    7    6 

to  73  10    0 

77    0    0 

to  70 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to 

75  10    0 

15 

73    0 

0  to  73    2    6 

73    2    6 

to  73    5    0 

77    0    0 

to  79 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to 

75  10    0 

IG 

72  12 

6  to  72  13    0 

72  17    0 

to  73    0    0 

77    0    0 

to  79 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  79 

0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to 

75  10    0 

17 

71  17 

6  to  72    C    0 

72    2    0 

to  72    5    0 

77    0    0 

to  7S 

0 

0 

77    0 

0 

to  7S 

0 

0 

72    0 

0 

to 

74    0    0 

20 

71    0 

0  to  71    2    fi 

71     2    6 

to  71    5    0 

76    0    0 

to  78 

0 

0 

76    0 

0 

to  78 

0 

0 

72    0 

0 

to 

74    0    0 

21 

70    7 

6  to  70  10    0 

71)  10    0 

to  70  12    G 

75    0    0 

to  77 

0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  in    0 

22 

70    5 

0  to  70    7    0 

70    5    0 

to  70    7    6 

74    0    0 

to  76 

0 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  76 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

23 

69  12 

6  to  69  15    0 

69  17    G 

to  70    0    0 

74    0    0 

to  7G 

0 

0 

74    0 

n 

to  70 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

24 

69    7 

G  to  69  10    0 

69  12    G 

to  69  15    0 

73  10    0 

to  75 

0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to  75 

0 

0 

69  15 

0 

to 

71  15    0 

27 

70  12 

G  to  70  15    0 

70  17    0 

to  71     0    0 

74    0    0 

to  70 

0 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  76 

0 

0 

69  15 

n 

to 

71  15    Q 

72  10    0 

2S 

70    5 

0  to  70    7    6 

70  12     G 

to  70  15    0 

74    0    0 

to  70 

0 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  7G 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

29 

70    5 

0  to  70    7    6 

70  10    0 

to  70  15    0 

74    0    0 

to  76 

0 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  76 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

30 
July 

71    2 

6  to  71    7    0 

71  10    0 

to  71  12    6 

75    0    0 

to  77 

0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77 

0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

71  17 

C  to  72    0    0 

72    2    6 

to  72    5    0 

75  10    0 

to  77  10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

4 

71  17 

6  to  72    0    0 

72    2    6 

to  72    5    0 

75  10    0 

to  77 

10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77 

10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

5 

72    0 

0  to  72    7    6 

72    5    0 

to  72    7    6 

75  10    0 

to  77 

10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77 

10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

0 

72    0 

0  to  72    5    0 

72    2    6 

to  72    5    0 

75  10    0 

to  77  10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77 

10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

7 

72    7 

6  to  72  10    0 

72    7    6 

to  72  10    0 

75  10    0 

to  77  10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

8 

72    7 

6  to  72  10    0 

72    7    G 

to  72  10    0 

75  10    0 

to  77 

10 

0 

75  10 

0 

to  77 

10 

0 

73    0 

0 

to 

75    0    0 

Tin. — Despite  temporary  rallies,  the  standar.l 
tin  market  during  June  was  characterized  by  a 
weak  tendency,  and  values  closed  the  month  con- 
siderablv  below  the  opening  quotations.  The 
prolongation  of  the  coal  stoppage,  combined  with 
genera!  industrial  depression  and  unfavourable 
reports  from  the  American  market,  made  this 
downward  movement  almost  inevitable.  Pro- 
fessional dealings  on  'Change  constituted  the  bulk 
of  the  business  transacted,  in  the  absence  of  any 
appreciable  consuming  demand.  The  tinplate 
works  have  been  taking  practically  nothing,  but 
it  is  believed  that  their  stocks  are  low,  and  that  they 
will  find  it  necessary  to  make  fair  purchases  when 
operations  are  resumed  on  a  larger  scale.  In  the 
meantime,  the  outlook  is  obscure  and  it  is  difficult 
to  take  a  really  favourable  view  of  the  market.  In 
America  business  is  dull,  and  although  dealers  there 
have  been  making  purchases  both  in  the  Straits 
and  China,  the  motive  appears  to  have  been  the 
acquisition  of  stocks  rather  than  the  satisfaction 
of  demand.  The  rise  in  the  dollar  might  have  been 
expected  to  bring  in  some  .\merican  buying  on  the 
London  market,  but  this  did  not  materialize.  In 
the  East  holders  have  been  more  willing  to  sell, 
and  there  is  a  suspicion  that  producers  are  finding 
it  difficult  to  dispose  of  their  current  production, 
with  the  result  that  the  large  stocks  held  there  by 
the  various  interests  are  still  being  added  to. 
While  the  tin  market  is  a  notoriously  erratic  one, 
it  seems  rather  nnlikel)'  that  it  will  assume  a  very 
firm  appe.arance  while  genera!  conditions  are  so 
unfavourable,  although,  of  course,  the  cessation  of 
the  coal  stoppage  may  cause  fresh  optimism  in 
the  near  future. 

.-Vverage  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  June,  1921, 
/167  123.  lOd.  ;  May,  1921,  /177  10s.  8d.  ;  June, 
1920,  /250  18s   6d.  ;    May,  1920,  /•295  3s.  7d. 

Lead. — The  London  lead  market  Icept  very 
steady  during  June,  although  business  at  times  was 
quiet.  Spain  continued  to  be  practically  the  only 
source  of  supplies  for  the  London  market,  and  in  this 
connexion  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  some 
Spanish  mines  at  least  are  able  to  sell  at  a  profit 
at  current  prices.     The  other  producing  countries. 


however,  have  been  sending  very  little.  Nothing 
can  be  expected  from  .\ustralia  at  the  present  time, 
and  there  is  little  chance  that  Burma  will  have 
any  metal  to  spare.  Germany  may,  of  course, 
find  it  possible  to  ship  some  metal  in  the  near 
future,  but  at  the  present  time — whatever  the 
reason — is  adopting  a  waiting  policy.  In  Mexico 
the  Government  .seems  to  anticipate  a  revival  of 
activity  as  soon  as  conditions  are  more  favourable, 
and  large  quantities  of  ore  are  being  dispatched  to 
the  smelter  of  the  .\merican  Smelting  and  Refining 
Co  at  Chihuahua  in  readiness  for  the  resumption 
of  operations,  whenever  that  may  be.  The  price 
in  the  United  States  has  been  easy  of  late,  having 
fallen  from  S  cents  to  4-50  cents  per  lb.,  which 
increases  the  possibility  of  offerings  in  London  from 
that  quarter,  although  the  recent  rise  in  the  dollar 
militates  against  such  sales.  In  the  meantime, 
arrivals  from  the  chief  exporting  country,  Spain, 
continue  somewhat  irregular  owing  to  bunkering 
difficulties.  Consumers  here  have  generally  bought 
for  prompt  delivery  in  furtherance  of  their  policy 
of  only  taking  metal  for  their  immediate  require- 
ments, and  their  doing  so  has  probably,  helped 
to  keep  the  market  firm  by  creating  a  premium  for 
prompt  metal.  In  the  United  States  there  appears 
to  be  some  reluctance  on  the  part  of  producers  to 
curtail  mining  operations  because  of  the  good  price 
obtainable  for  the  silver  recovered. 

.\verage  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  June,  1921, 
/22  9s.  Id.  ;  May,  1921,  /23  7.s.  3d.  ;  June,  1920. 
^35  Is.  4d.  ;    .M.ay,  1920, 'V.39  3s.  2d. 

Spelter. — The  London  spelter  market  fluctuated 
during  the  past  month,  but  values  on  the  whole 
were  fairly  steadv.  Despite  the  poor  industrial 
outlook,  there  was  an  absence  of  selling  pressure. 
Consuming  demand,  of  course,  was  restricted, 
owing  to  the  poor  state  of  the  galvanizing  trade 
and  the  coal  stoppage,  but,  nevertheless,  there  was 
a  steady  though  small  inquiry.  The  attitude  of 
the  Continental  producers  appeared  to  be  quite 
firm.  Germany  offered  very  little,  being  hampered 
by  the  reparations  legislation  and  by  the  troubles 
in  the  zinc-producing  province  of  Silesia,  while 
Belgium  and  Norway  were  not  disposed  to  make  sales 


JULY,     1921 


43 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  ;  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 

Spelter) 

Goto 

Soft  Foreign    | 

F.ngll5 

h 

( 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

23  ^7 

d.  C 

s. 

d.   £  s. 

1. 

/  ?• 

i.    i    s. 

d. 

£  s.d.    £  s. 

d. 

£  s. 

i.         i     s. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

June 

6  to  23 

0 

n  24  10 

0 

26  15 

0  to  27  15 

0 

168  15 

0  to  169  0 

0 

170  15 

0  to  171  0 

0 

35 

341 

110 

4 

9 

23  2 

6  to  22 

12 

C  24  5 

0 

27  0 

0  to  27  17 

0 

165  15 

0  to  166  0 

0 

167  5 

0  to  167  10 

0 

35i 

W 

111 

0 

10 

22  10 

0  to  22 

0 

0 

23  15 

0 

27  5 

0  to  28  0 

0 

137  0 

0  to  167  5 

0 

169  5 

0  to  109  10 

0 

35J 

35i 

110 

5 

13 

22  2 

6  to  21 

17 

G 

23  5 

0 

2fi  15 

0  to  27  10 

0 

167  10 

0  to  167  15 

0  1  189  10 

0  to  169  15 

0 

351 

85i 

110 

0 

14 

22  6 

0  to  22 

0 

0 

23  5 

0  !  23  15 

0  to  27  12 

6 

163  15 

0  to  169  0 

0  ]  171  10 

0  to  171  15 

0 

35 

35 

109 

2 

15 

22  5 

0  to22 

0 

0 

23  5 

0  1  26  15 

0  to  27  10 

0 

170  5 

0  to  170  10 

0  172  15 

0  to  173  0 

0 

348 

lil 

108 

7 

16 

22  2 

6  to  22 

0 

0 

23  5 

0  !  26  15 

0  to  27  7 

6 

167  10 

0  to  107  15 

0  '  170  0 

0  to  170  .5 

0 

34J 

34J 

lOS 

2 

17 

22  2 

6  to  22 

0 

0 

23  5 

0  20  10 

Oto27  5 

0 

106  10 

0  to  167  0 

0  I  169  0 

0  to  169  10 

0 

35| 
35t 

353 

108 

1 

20 

21  15 

0  to  21 

12 

6 

23  0 

0  '  26  10 

0  to  27  0 

0 

164  10 

0  to  164  15 

0  167  5 

0  to  167  10 

0 

353 

109 

1 

21 

21  17 

C  to  21 

15 

0 

23  0 

0  1  26  10 

0  to  27  0 

0 

164  0 

0  to  101  5 

0  :  160  15 

0  to  167  0 

0 

353 

35} 

109 

7 

22 

22  5 

0  to  22 

9 

6 

23  10 

0  26  10 

0  to  27  2 

6 

165  10 

0  to  165  15 

0 

167  15 

0  to  168  0 

0 

35i 

3oi 

109 

9 

23 

22  10 

0  to  22 

7 

6 

24  0 

0 

26  12 

6  to  27  5 

0 

165  15 

0  to  166  0 

n 

167  15 

0  to  168  0 

0 

35 

35 

110 

5 

21 

23  2 

6  to  23 

0 

0 

24  10 

0 

27  15 

0  to  27  15 

0 

166  12 

6  to  166  17 

6 

168  17 

6  to  169  0 

0 

35i 

35 

109 

6 

27 

23  10 

0  to  23 

5 

0 

24  15 

0 

26  15 

0to27  2 

6 

168  10 

0  to  166  15 

0 

169  0 

0  to  169  5 

0 

35i 

35 

109 

5 

28 

23  7 

0  to  23 

0 

0 

24  10 

0 

26  15 

Oto27  5 

0 

166  0 

0  to  166  5 

0 

168  5 

0  to  168  10 

0 

355 
351 

35i 

109 

3 

29 

23  7 

6  to  23 

2 

6 

24  10 

0 

27  5 

0  to  27  12 

6 

167  0 

0  to  167  5 

0 

169  5 

0  to  169  10 

0 

35i 

110 

0 

30 

July 

1 

23  5 

0  to  23 

2 

6 

24  10 

0 

27  2 

6  to  27  12 

6 

169  0 

0  to  169  5 

0 

171  0 

0  to  171  5 

0 

351 

351 

110 

1 

23  0 

0  to  23 

0 

0 

24  10 

0 

20  10 

Oto27  5 

0 

170  15 

0  to  171  0 

n  172  15 

0  to  173  0 

0 

353 

35} 

lie 

3 

4 

22  5 

n  to23 

5 

0 

24  10 

0 

26  7 

6  to  27  2 

6 

172  5 

0  to  172  10 

0  1  171  5 

0  to  174  10 

0 

?f^ 

1* 

110 

1 

5 

23  5 

0  to  23 

.5 

0 

24  10 

0 

26  17 

6  to  27  7 

6 

169  10 

0  to  169  15 

0  171  10 

0  to  171  15 

0 

36i 

36 

110 

4 

6 

23  7 

6  to  23 

5 

0 

24  10 

0 

26  17 

6  to  27  7 

6 

103  10 

0  to  168  15 

0  j  179  10 

0  to  170  15 

0 

36i 

36 

110 

9 

7 

23  2 

Sto23 

0 

0 

21  10 

0 

26  17 

6  to  27  7 

6 

148  7 

6tol6S  12 

6  :  170  7 

6  to  170  10 

0 

36i 

36J 

110  10 

8 

at  the  expense  of  prices.  Production  in  Belgium 
during  May  was  4,360  tons,  or  40  tons  more  than 
in  April.  In  America  the  market  has  been  quiet 
and  easy,  with  consuming  demand  poor,  although 
both  India  and  Japan  have  made  purchases  there. 
The  United  States  output  in  May  has  been  estimated 
at  1S,000  tons,  or  about  1,500  tons  more  than  in 
.\pril,  and  2.300  more  than  in  March.  Dehveries 
during  May  amounted  to  14,000  tons,  so  stocks  were 
increased  during  the  month  by  some  4,000  tons. 
It  would  appear  that  the  current  yearly  pro- 
duction of  America  is  the  lowest  since  1904. 

Average  price  of  spelter  :  June,  1921.  £27  2s.  2d. 
May,  1921,  /27  6s.  7d.  :  June,  1920,  /40  2s.  lid.  ; 
:\Iay,  1920,  £46  Os.  9d. 

Z'lNX  Dust. — The  market  is  quiet  and  moderately 
steady.  Australian  high-grade  zinc  dust  is  quoted 
at  about  £55,  and  Enghsh  92  to  94°(,  is  priced  at 
/53,  but  other  makes  are  obtainable  around  £.52. 

Antimony. — Ordinary  brands  of  English  regulus 
are  slill  quoted  at  £37  to  £40,  special  brands  at 
£38  5s.  to  £42,  and  98  to  99%  at  £29  to  £32.  Foreign 
is  quoted  at  about  £24. 

Arsenic. — Business  is  dull,  and  the  quotation 
nominal  at  £46  to  £48  per  ton,  delivered  London 
or  Liverpool. 

Bismuth. — The  price  has  kept  verj'  steady  at 
7s.  6d.  per  !b. 

Cadmium. — Sellers  have  made  no  alteration  in  the 
quotation,  which  continues  at  6s.  to  6s.  3d.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — British  producers  continue  to  quote 
/1 50  per  ton  for  both  home  and  export  business, 
but  foreign  metal  is  obtainable  at  considerably 
below  this  figure. 

Nickel. — The  price  was  advanced  £5  during  the 
month  to  £190  for  both  home  and  export. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  quotation  remains  at 
15s.  to  16s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — There  has  been  no  recent  change 
in  prices,  black  oxide  being  quoted  at  12s.  and 
grey  at   13s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Prices  have  kept 
steady,  raw  platinum  being  obtainable  at  about 
£17  and  raw  palladium  at  £15,  while  manufactured 
metal  is  quoted  at  £20  per  oz   in  both  cases. 


Quicksilver. — Values  have  had  an  easier 
tendency,  and  the  present  quotation  is  about 
£11  per  bottle. 

Selenium. — -The  quotation  is  unchanged  at 
10s.  6d.  to  13s.  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — The  price  continues  at  90s.  to 
95s.  per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — £30  per  ton  is  quoted  for 
both  home  and  export  business. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  market  has  had  a  shghtly 
easier  tone,  and  Indian  grades  are  quoted  at  Is.  2Jd. 
per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K 

Tungsten  Ore. — This  market  has  continued  dull 
and  variable.  We  call  the  price  of  65%  WO3 
about  lOs.  6d.  to  12s.  per  unit  c.i.f. 

Molybdenite. — The  price  is  somewhat  easier 
at  423.  6d.  to  50s.  per  unit  c.i.f.  nominal. 

Chrome  Ores. —  Values  have  tended  to  weaken, 
and  Indian  and  African  grades  are  now  quoted  at 
£4   10s.  to  £5  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Silver. — The  tendency  was  upwards  during  the 
month.  Spot  bars  opened  at  33id.  on  the  !st,  rose 
to  35|d.  on  the  Uth,  weakened  to  34ld.  on  the  16th, 
recovered  to  35  Jd.  on  the  20th,  and  closed  on  the 
30th  at  35|d. 

Graphite. — Sellers  continue  to  quote  Madagas- 
car ,80°o  to  90°o  at  £20  to  £25  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  and  Steel. — The  prolongation  of  the  coal 
stiike  continued  adversely  to  affect  the  iron  and 
steel  trades.  Stocks  of  pig  iron  have  diminished, 
and  premiums  have  been  asked  for  July  delivery 
where  obtainable.  With  the  strike  over,  pig  iron 
producers  will  only  restart  their  furnaces  again 
if  the  settlement  includes  terms  which  will  allow 
of  cheaper  fuel.  In  the  meantime,  Continental 
material  has  been  coming  over  at  cheap  prices, 
Belgian  foundry  iron  being  offered  at  £5  c.i.f. 
U.K.,  against  the  official  minimum  home  trade 
price  for  No.  3  Cleveland  of  £6.  The  depression  in 
the  finished  iron  and  steel  trades  has  continued, 
and  though  makers  will  now  be  able  to  resume 
operations  j)rovided  fuel  and  raw  material  are 
cheaper,  few  have  sufficient  orders  for  one  week's 
rolling.  In  the  meantime,  orders  have  been  lost 
to  Germanv,  Belgium,  and  the  United  States. 


44 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


STATISTICS 


PXODV 

:iiON  OF  Gold  in  riiR 

Transvaai 

• 

Else- 
l;.iiul     '     where     1      Tot.ll 

Price  ot 

1       Oz.       i       Oi. 

Oi. 

Gold  per  OT.. 

M«y,  1020  

681,551 
699,199 
718,521 
683,60.1 

17,490 
16,758 
17,578 
lRd79 

699,041 
715,957 
736,099 
702,083 
682,173 
662.472 
633.737 
632.215 

s.     d. 
105    0 
102    6 

iuiv 

105    0 

112    6 

September 

October    

November   

December 

665.486    1     16.687 
645.819         16.653 
618,525         15,212 
617,549         14,666 

lis    0 
117    6 
117    0 
115    0 

Total.  1920    . 

January.  1921 

February  

March  .' 

April 

May    


•.940,038       204,587     8,153,625 


637.425 
543,767 
656,572 
665,309 
671,750 


14.16S 
14.370 
14.551 
16.073 
16.026 


651.593 
588,137 
671.123 
681,882 
687,776 


105  0 

103  9 

103  9 
103 


103    9 


Natives  Ehployed  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
mines 


Coal 
mines 


I  Diamond 
mines 


Total 


May  31, 1920 184,722  12,897 

June  30    179,827  13,030 

July  31 174,187  13,005 

August  31    169,263  I     13,535 

September  30    163,132  1     13,716 

October  31 159,420  I     13,858 

November  30 158,773  14,245 

December  31  150,671  14,263 


4,703 
4.590 
4.521 
4.244 
4,323 
4.214 
3.504 
3.340 


202.412 
197.459 
191.713 
187.042 
181,171 
177,498 
176,522 
177,274 


January  31,  1921   .. 

Februar\-  28    

March  31    

.;    165,287 
.'    171,518 
.     174,364 
.     172.826 
.     170..595 

14,541 
14,097 
14,906 
14,908 
14,510 

3,319 
1,612 
1,364 
1,310 
1,302 

i    1K!,147 
187.827 
100.634 

April  30  

189,050 

May3l  

180.407 

Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled    from    official    statistics    published    by    the    Transvaal 
Chamber  of  Mines. 


Tons 
milled 


j  Work'g  I  Work'g 
Yield    I     cost      j   profit 
per  ton  ^  per  ton  <  per  ton 


Mav.  1920  ...    2,117.725 

JuiJe '  2,146,890 

July 2,194,050 

August    2,057,560 

September...    1,9.50,410 

October 1,871,140 

November  ...'  1.799.710 
December  . . .    1,797,970 


January,  1921    1,895,235  35  0 

February 1,575,320  35  6 

March   1,958,730  I  34  5 

April     :  1,9G1,S15  '  34  5 


s.  d. 
31    9 
31  10 
33    6  1 
36  11 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 


s.  d. 

25  11 

25  2 

24  6 

25  0 

25  6 

26  1 
20  S 
26  8 


26    3 

28  6 
26  1 
25  10 


s.  d. 

5  19 

6  8 
9    0 

11  11 
13  5 
13  8 
13  1 
13    3 


Total 

working 

profit 


£ 

618,147 

692,510 

985,056 

1,226,906 

1,276,369 

1.278.385 

1,255,749 

1,193,672 


8  9 

7  0 

8  4 
8  7 


829,436 
550,974 
813,636 
854,533 


Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


January  . . . 
February  . . 
March    . . . . 

April   

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . . 
September  . 
October  . . . 
November  . 
December  . 


1919 


1920 


1921 


£ 

oz. 

211,917 

43,42? 

220,835 

44,237 

225,808 

4.5,779 

213,160 

47.000 

218.057 

46.206 

214.215 

45,054 

214.919 

46,208 

207,339 

48.740 

223,719 

46.471 

204.184 

47.343 

186.462 

40.782 

158,835 

46.190 

oz. 

40.956 
40,810 
31,995 
47.858 
48,744 


Transvaal  Com  OiiTrrrs. 
April  I 


May 


Treated 
1    Tons 


Total 


2.499,498 


.5.52.498 


222.369 


Aurora  West 

Brakpan 

City  Deep    

Cons.  Langlangte   

Cons.  Main  Reef 

Crown  Mines 

D*rb'n  Roode  poortDeep 

East  K.Tud  P.M 

Ferreira  Deep   

GcduM 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Glynn's  Lydenburg    . . . 

Goch  

Government  G.M.  Areas' 

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central 

Langlaagte  Kstate   .... 

Luipa.Trd's  Vlei 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontcin 

Modderfontein  H    

Modderfontein  Deep  . . 
Modderfontein  East. . . . 

New  llniiied    

Nourse  

Primrose    

Randfontein  Central    . . 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United    . . . 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs     

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  Ryn    

Van  Ryn  Deep    

Village  Deep   

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witw'tersr'nd  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhuter 


10.800 
55,000 
80.000 
43.000 
48,000 

192.000 
26.550 

135.000 
31.300 
44.000 
49.765 
3.533 
17.n;xi 

136.000 
47.100 
28.800 
88,400 
20,380 
14,000 
06,000 
58,000 
42,600 
25,700 
1I,3(X) 
46,000 
21.500 

128,500 
39,000 
61,300 
23,800 
54,500 
60,600 
42,000 
9,900 
15,030 
31,520 
50,400 
48,600 
32,220 
30,000 
35,000 
31,700 


Yield 
Oz. 


£14,596t 

22,476 

£182,518* 

£65,1231 

£85,563" 

£280,545* 

£45,663* 

£1S3,518» 

£55,717* 

1.5,150 

£67,418* 

£6,686: 

£19.937+ 

£287.860+ 

13,114 

£37,150* 

£02,270+ 

£21,940+ 

£41,407+ 

£224,885* 

£1 58,368* 

22,916 

£51,285* 

£14,002+ 

£73,9.59* 

£23,759+ 

£183,3rB+ 

£40,440* 

13,114 

£23,189+ 

£68,043* 

14,469 

18,631 

6,043 

£23,583t 

£49,063+ 

£140,608+ 

£76,730' 

/47,947t 

£49,820+ 

14,491 

£41,704* 


Treated 

Yield 

Tons 

Oz. 

10,8.50 

£15.378+ 

54,500 

22.795 

86,000 

37.251 

39,000 

£05.209+ 

48,n00 

17.084 

188,000 

63,149 

27.500 

9,038 

130.000 

35,858 

33.100 

10,f«7 

46.000 

15,670 

48.637 

13,2.10 

3.370 

£6,629§ 

10,300 

£20,102+ 

134,000 

£280,030+ 

47,700 

13.345 

27,500 

7,107 

38,500 

£63,448+ 
£24,112+ 

20,770 

13,700 

£42,166+ 

88,000 

43,689 

58,000 

32.938 

41,300 

23.233 

24,000 

10.353 

11,000 

£13.202+ 

42,200 

13.939 

20,900 

£23.307+ 

,  121,000 

£183.779+ 

33,500 

8.035 

59,000 

18,147 

22,400 

£23,0(10+ 

52,000 

13.705 

60,000 

14.617 

43,900 

]9,.596 

9,000 

5.914 

15,620 

£24.312§ 

[    32,500 

£48.437+ 

49,000 

£136.240* 

46,000 

15.141 

3.%  100 

.£48.41)1 

35,300 

£48.442+ 

35,200 

9.568 

31,400 

7.970 

•  Gold  at  £5  3s.  3d.  per  oz.     +  £5  8s.  9d.  per  oz. 
§  £5  Is.  3d.  per  oz. 


J  £5  2s.  9d.  per  oz. 


Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


Cam  &  Motor    

Falcon    

Gaika  

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo   

London  6:  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-.\rcturus   

Rezende 

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  1.     . . 

Shamva   

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian 


April 


Ton? 


Oz. 


11,100 

15,293 

3,503 

6,083 

1,399 

5,320 
5,4.50 
5,700 
2.59 
52,350 
1,700 


£11,500+ 

3,08611 

1,254 

4,744 

464 

£2,592 

5,299 

2,592 

2,001 

234 

£39,825t 

£5,184+ 


May 


Tons 


Oz. 


11,200 

15,637 

3,324 

6,364 

1,350 

5.440 
5.820 
5,800 
245 
55,500 
1,600 


£12,978+ 
3,144* 
1,281 
5,969 
470 
£3,422 
5,396 
2,942 
2,630 
210 
£42,.5S2{ 
£5,307+ 


*  Also  270  tons  copper.       +  At  par.       t  Gold  at  £5  5s.  per  oz. 
II  Also  272  tons  copper. 


West 

AtKicAN  Gold  Out 

puts. 

April 

May 

Treated       Value 

Treated   |     Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Tons     1       Oz. 
0.604     ,  £10.663* 
5.012          1.952 

5.759     1      5,325 
760    1    £2,838+ 
5,4';5         £0,993* 
2,200          1.303 

Tons            Oz. 
6.864     >  £10.807* 
6,825          2,252 

Akoko 

Ashanti  Goldf.elds   

6,727          7,839 
1,018    1    £3,265+ 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah  

7,312     ,  £12,437* 
2,600     '      1,664 

■  At  par.        t  Including  premium. 


JULY,    1921 


45 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Reported 

Delivered 

for  Export 

to  Mint 

Total 

Total 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Value  I 

September,  1920  . . 

141 

,14,940 

55,081 

233,963 

October    

174 

128 

,13,801 
54,729 

53,975 
54,857 

229,275 

November   

233,017 

December 

321 

53,595 

53,916 

229,057 

Tanuary,  1921 

523 

50,934 

51,457 

218,574 

February  

684 

26,872 

27,556 

117,050 

March 

10 
607 

47,875 
46,602 

47,885 
47,209 

203,'M)1 

April 

200,635 

May 

474 

47,638 

51,503 

217,495 

June 

153 

2S,194 

28,347 

120,410 

AUSTRALUS   Goi.D   OUTPUTS. 

West 
Australia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

i 

January  . 

51,438 

4.587 

4,582 

20,403 

February. 

27,557 

10.940 

9.046 

21,575 

March  . . . 

47,880 

12,383 

6.090 

24,344 

April 

47,273 

— 

— 

34,101 

May    

— 

— 

15,356 

June 



— 

— 

— 

July 

^- 

— 

— 

August. . . 



— 

— 

— 

September 

■ 

— 

— 

— 

October    . 



— 

— 

— 

November 



— 

— 

— 

December 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Total  . . 

174,174 

1       27.910 

20,318 

1 15,929 

Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


April 

May 

Tons 

Value  i 

Tons 

Value  I 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

5,977 

6,890!l 

6,023 

7,28511 

Blackwater  (N.Z.)    

2,SSS 

5,110' 

2,744 

5,455* 

Bullfinrb  (W.A.) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

(iold'n  Horseshoe  (W.A) 

9,024 

4,747t 

4,032 

2,454 

C.rt  Boulder  Pro.  (W.A.) 

9,033 

27,0991! 

4,156 

12,88311 

Ivanhoe  (W.A.) 

12,217 

5,773{ 

4,483 

1,631! 

Kalgurli  (W.A.)    





4,958 

Il,2o0;i 

Lake  Views  Star  (W.A.) 

6,656 

14,717tli 

4,012 

10,274t|| 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.)    . . 

1,700 

2,928* 

— 

— 

Mount  Boppy  (N.S.W.) 

3,696 

1,045± 

4,874 

835} 

Oroya  Links  (W.A.)  . . . 

1,442 

9,235t 

1,548 

7,418tll 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Sons  of  Gwalia  (W.A.)  . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

South  Kalgurli  (W.A.)  . 

7,081 

12,40211 

— 

— 

Waihi(N.Z.) 

10,907  [ 

2,997t 
31,134§ 

11,959  ■[ 

3,511t 
25,738§ 

,,  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z.) 

5,260  1 

1,7371 
5,9471 

G,020  1 

l,79nt 
6,089§ 

Yuanmi(W.A.) 

1,.512 

5,407» 

1,632 

5,511* 

•  Inclutiing     premium  ;      t  Including    royalties  ;      %  Oz.     gold  ; 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   ||  At  par. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 


-April 

May 

Tons 

jValue  £ 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 



!        326§ 



2S2§ 

EI  Oro  (Mexico)    

31,500 

1  206,000t 

34,500 

207,000t 

Esperanza  (Mexico)    

- 

2,318tt 

— . 

2,188tJ 

Frcntino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia] 

2,270 

7,997 

2,340 

8,777 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico) . . 

11,200 

182,780t 

11,500 

184,780t 

Mining  Corp.  of  Canada    . 

— 

— - 

— 

— 

Oriental  Cons.  (Korea)  ... 

16,365 

97,95St 

- 

94,000t 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)    

7,100 

2,22211 

6,7C0 

2.41011 

Plym'th    Cons.    {Calif'rnia 

9,000 

'    10,663 

8.600 

8.9C0 

St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil). 

— - 

40,000 

— 

38,000 

Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico 

35.053 

'    13,42U 

37,258 

10,742t 

Tolima  (Colombia) 

90" 



53»» 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    

!    16,000 

\    48,500t 

19,000 

65,000t 

*  Oz.  silver,    t  U.S.  Dollars.    +  Profit,  gold  and  silver.    H  Oz.  gold. 

§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.    **  Production  of  silver  ore. 
Pato  (Colombia)  :  28  days  to  June  7,  S8,271  from  14,266  cu.  vd.j 

7  days  to  June  14,    57,530  from  17,338  cu.  yd.  ;   8  days  to 

June  23,  $12,470  from  46,057  cu.  yd. 
Nccbi    (Colombia)  :     29    days  to  June  1,   {27,315  from  172.972 

cu.  yd. ;  12  days  to  June  13,  $18,935  from  91.620  cu.  yd. 


April. 

May. 

Tons 
Treated 

Fine 
Ounces 

Tons 
Treated 

Fine    ■ 
Ounces 

3,200 

11,010 

15,690 

700 

8,456 
12,500 

2,328 
4,492 
11,027 
901 
5,189 
8.426 

3,300 

12,215 

16,818 

700 

8,639 
12,900 

2,009 

Champion  Reef 

4,.561 
10,776 

North  Anantapur 

913 
5,315 

Ooregum    

8,482 

Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

January  .... 

44,718 

41,420 

.38,184 

39,073 

34,028 

February  . . . 

42,566 

40,787 

36,384 

38,872 

32,529 

March    

44,617 

41,719 

38,317 

38,760 

32,.576 

April    

43,726 

41,504 

38,248 

37,307 

32,363 

May 

42,901 

40,889 

38,608 

38,191 

32,656 

June 

42,024 

41,264 

38,359 

37,864 

— 

July 

42,273 

'10,229 

38,549 

37,129 

— 

August 

42,591 

40,496 

37,850 

37,375 

— 

September  . . 

43,207 

40,088 

36,813 

35,497 

— 

October 

43,041 

39,472 

37,138 

35,023 

■ — 

November  . . 

42,913 

36,984 

39.628 

.34,522 

- — 

December  . . 

44,883 

40,149 

42,643 

34,919 

— 

Total   .. 

.'S20.362 

485,236 

461,171 

444,532 

164,162 

Base  Metal  Outputs. 


.\rizcna  Copper Short  ton?  copper    . . 

I  Tons  lead  cone.    . . , 
British  Broken  Hill    . . .  •  Tons  zinc  cone 

(  Tons  carbonate  ore 

^     ,        Tt  11  r>                     '  Tons  lead  cone.    . . , 
Broken  H'll  Prop .  ^^^^  ^^„^  ^„„^ 

Broken  Hill  South   Tons  lead  cone 

T,           ^  ( Tons  re&ned  lead    . 

Burma  Corp ,  q,^  ^^f^^^^  5;,^^^   _ 

--         ,      ^,  '  Tons  copper    

Hampden  Cloncurry    •  ■  j  qz  oold 

( Tons  copper    

Mount  Lyell      -  Oz.  silver   

I  Oz.  gold   

Mount  Morgan    I  JHoSr". ! ! ! ! ! ! 

North  Broken  H,l! i  5°° siwir   ! ! !  1 ! ! ! ! 


Rhodesia  BroUen  Hill     Tons  lead  . 

„   ,  ,-j    ^  .-  '  Tons  lead  cone. 

Sulphide  Corporation  . .  -  ^^^^  ^,^^  ^^^^  _ 

Tanganyika Tons  copper 

™.      ^             ,.  I  Tons  zinc  cone 

Zmc  Corporation  -j  .j.^^^  ,^^j  ^^„^ 


April 


1,000 


2.673 

2,369 

231,934 


439 

11,073 

292 


May 


2,897 

2,781 

353,003 


433 

10,432 

277 


1,812 

1.7R0 

1,806 

1,906 

2,72s 

3,093 

2,189 

2,8-46 

8,520 

9,745 

617 

811 

Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kingdom. 


Iron  Ore  Tons   . 

Manganese  Ore    Tons   . 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites   Tons   . 

Copper  Ore,  Matte,  and  Prec Tons   . 

Copper  Metal     Tons    . 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons   . 

Tin  Metal, Tons   . 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet Tons   . 

Zinc  (Spelter) Tens    . 

Quicksilver Lb. 

Zinc  Oxide Tons    . 

White  Lead     Cwt.    . 

Eary  tes,  ground    Cwt.    .  j 

Phosphate      Tons    . ; 

Sulphur Tons    . 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt.    . 

Petroleum  j 

Crude    Gallonsj 

Lamp  Oil      Gallons, 

Motor  Spirit Gallons; 

Lubricating  Oil    Gallons! 

Gas  Oil Gallons 

Fuel  Oil    Gallons 


April 


May 


123,583 

15,690 

7,694 

21,518 

14,662 

5,170 

7,744 

291 

11,840 

7,609 

1,9E3 

1,051 

317 

1,205 

7,951 

10,709 

11,401 

2,206 

411,316 

7,865 

328 

309 

4,770 

2,885 

21,133 

6,987 

28,210 

14,704 

5 

. 

114,249 

18,994 

7,520,101 

9,299,586 

9,992,778 

9,034,974 

26,191„5a5 

28,364,422 

3,374,996 

3,750,784 

3,067,510 

1,494,292 

46,588,689 

47,952,217 

16 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Outputs  op  Tin  Mining  Coupanhs. 
Ill  Ton;  of  Concentrate. 


March 


April 


C 
10 

11 


May. 


Tons 

2S 


22t 
4 

n 

8J 


Kisfri.'i ;  Tons 

Associ.ilcd  Nigerian    — 

BUichi 22 

Bong\\*clU   — 

Champion  (Xigeria) — 

Dua  ; i 

Ex-Lands  20 

Filani — 

Gold  Co.lst  Consolidated    ...  3 

Gurum  River  ,  13 

Jantar — 

.los 16 

Kaduna  — 

Kaduna  Prospectors  14 

Kano 3 

Lower  Bisicbi GJ 

Luckv  Chance    — 

Minna   3 

Mongu  5:> 

Naraputa 70 

Naragiita  Extended    3 

Nigerian  Consolidated '  20 

N.\.  li.iuchi ]  45 

Oftin  River — 

Raylield    |  23 

Ropp 97 

Rukuba  i  4} 

South  Bukeru 12 

Svbu    I  5 

Tin  Fields fi 

Yarde  Kerri   13 

Federated  Malay  States  : 

Chenderiang '  81* 

Gopeng   72 

Idris  Hydraulic '  21 

Ipoh 17i 

Kamunting 122* 

Kinta .SO 

Lahat 57 

Malayan  Tin P5i 

Pahang     213 

Rambntan    15 

Sungei  Besi    42 

Tekka    30 

Tekka-Taiping 13i 

Tronoh    20 

Cornwall : 

East  Pool   — 

Geevor '  — 

South  Crofty    '  . —         1 

Other  Countries ;  ] 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia)  . !  200 

Berengiicla  (Bolivia)  '  31         '        ! 

Briseis  (Tasmania)    S 

Decbook  Ronpibon  (Siam)  . .  30i               ! 

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal) '  99* 

.Macready  (Swaziland) i  19»       | 

Renong  (Siam)  . . .- :  21         i         1 

RooiberyMineralstTransvaal)  50                  E 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)  57                 ' 

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siara)  ...  37                 < 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)   — - 

'  Three  months.  f  Tributers. 


Nigeria^  Tin  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecilaed  content. 
Note. — These  figures  are  taken  from  the  monthly  returns  made  by 
individual  companies  rei^orting  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
So".,  of  the  actual  outputs. 


23 

G 

33 


107 
50 

120 
.54 
13 


1916   I    1917 


Tons 

Januar\'  531 

February   .528 

.March .547 

April 486 

May 536 

June  510 

July    606 

August  I  498 

September  ....  535 

October    684 

November    ....  679 

December ,  654 

Total 6,594 


Tons 
657 
646 
655 
555 
509 
473 
479 
551 
538 
578 
621 
655 


6,927 


1918 

1919    , 

Tons 

Tons 

67S 

613 

CCS 

623 

707 

606 

5S4 

546 

525 

483 

492 

484 

545 

481 

571 

616 

520 

561 

491 

625 

472 

536 

518 

511 

6,771 

6,685 

1920  I  1921 


Tons 
438 
370 
445 
394 
337 


Tons 
547 
477 
505 
467 
383 
435 
484 
447 
528 
62S 
544 
577 


6,022  I    1,984 


36 

32i 

45 

40 

8 

S 

8 

6} 

41i 

42 

30 



95 

97 

5 

3 

20 

10 

13 

1} 

4 

13 

11 

77} 

m 

21 

19 

— 

20 

36 

35i 

51 

50J 

77 

83 

!30 

248 

15} 

16 

34 

36 

31 

36 

U 

10} 

22 

21 

rRODUcnoN  OP  Tin  in  rppERATEn  Malay  States. 

Estimated  at  70"o  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters 
l.onR  Tons. 


1017 


Tons 

January 3,553 

Febniarv 2,755 

March    ; 3,280 

April   3,251 

May (  3,413 

June j  3,489 

July I  3,253 

August I  3,413 

September 3,154 

October '  3,4.30 

November 3,300 

December j  3,525 


1 39,833      37,370 


1918 


Tons 
3,030 
8,197 
2,609 
3,308 
3,332 
3,070 
3,373 
3,259 
3,157 
2,870 
3,132 
3,022 


1919 


1920 


Tons 
3,765 
2,734 
2,819 
2,858 
3,407 
2,877 
3,756 
2,956 
3,161 
3,221 
2,972 
2,4C9 


36,935 


Tons 
4,265 
8,014 
2,770 
2,606 
2,741 
2,940 
2,824 
2,736 
2,734 
2,837 
2,573 
2,838 


1921 


84,928 


Tons 
8,298 
3,111 
2,190 
2,6i)2 
2,S?4 


14,175 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  Tons. 


i  April  30 

Straits  and  Australian  Spot  '  1,357 

Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit    . . . '  185 

Other  Stan  iard,  Spot  and  Landing  5,081 

Straits,  .Afloat    775 

Australian,  Afloat   150 

Banca,  in  Holland 2,867 

Ditto,  Afloat 200 

Billiton,  Spot   534 

Billiton,  Afloat j  — 

Straits,     Spot    in     Holland     andj 

Hamburg    i  — 

Ditto,  Alloat  to  Continent     I  100 

Total  Afloat  for  United  States    ...  1,441 

Stock  in  America 2,4-11 

Total   I  15,131 


May  31   1  June  30 


1,430 
535 

4,457 

1,505 
150 

3,405 

445 

644 

30 


475 
2,595 
2,046 


1,931 
135 

4,279 

1,210 
90 

3,780 
485 
523 
159 


585 
1,225 
2,546 


17.767    I   10,953 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  op  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  tons. 


April 

May 

June 

Shipments  from  : 

Straits  to  U.K 

775 
925 
100 
825 

295 

811 

1,425 
1,735 

507 
200 

490 

353 

320 
600 

505 

Straits  to  other  places    

Austraha  to  U.K 

350 

25 

200 

Imports    of     Bolivian    Tin     into 
Europe 

724 

Supply  : 

Straits. 

1,800 

70 
865 

3,667 

150 

1,130 

394 

1,425 
25 

Billiton   

Banca    

Standard  

273 

1,170 

263 

Total  

2,735 

5,391 

3,156 

Consumption  : 
U.K.  Deliveries   

1,531 

152 

1,590 

95 

1,000 

398 

1,225 

132 

1,361 

3S8 

American       ,  

1,590 

Straits,  Banca  &  BiU^ton,  Con- 

631 

TMal   

3,368 

2,755 

3,970 

JULY,    1921 


47 


OuTPuis  Reforied  by  Oil-producing  Companies, 


Tons.. 

April 

May 

Aoglo-Egyptian   

12,478 

10,101 

39,241 

68,200 

99,200 

288 

95,0!:0 

H,160 

1,849 

1,400 

20,095 

15,000 

2,813 

14,173 
10,700 

Bands 

21,000 

British  Burm^h   

Barrels 

Barrels 

70,212 
102,720 

Dacia  Romana 

Tons. . 

Barrels 

294 
9-1,250 

Lobitos 

Roumanian  Consol 

Tons. . 

Tons. . 

8,686 
1,849 
9,fc00 

Steaua  Romana      

Tiinidad  Leaseholds    

United  of  Trinidad    

Tons.. 

Tons.. 

Tons.. 

19,150 
13,.550 
3,768 

Quotations   of   Oil   Companies'   Shares. 
Denomination  of  Shares  £1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo-American   j  4  15 

Anglo- Egyptian  E    1  17 

Anglo- Persian  1st  Pref 1     2 

Anglo-United,  Wyoming     I  8 

Apex  Trinidad    |  2     5 

British  Borneo  (10s.) ,:  16 

British  Bannah  (Ss.)    I  J     0 

Burmah  Oil 6  15 

Caltex  ($1)    6 

Dacia  Romano    1     0 

Kern  River,  Cal.  (10s.) 1     1 

Lobitos,  Peru    4     0 

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ($.5)   6  10 

Pref.  (S5)    6    5 

North  Caucasian  (10s.) 18 

Phxnix,  Roiimania   I  10 

Roumanian  Consolidated i  13 

Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden)    I  47    0 

Scottish  American    10 

Shell  Transport,  Ord 5  11 

„      Pref.  (£10) 8  10 

Trinidad  Central 4     5 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 212 

United  British  of  Trinidad '  1     2 

Ural  Caspian     I  1     0 

Uroz  Oilfields  (10s.) I  9 


Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


d. 

£   s. 

d. 

0 

4  10 

0 

6 

1    8 

9 

•>! 

1    2 

(i 

9 

5 

0 

<>l 

2    0 

0 

s! 

13 

9 

0| 

1    0 

0 

0 

6    7 

H 

'A 

4 

3 

d 

1    0 

0 

<'i 

19 

6 

o! 

4    5 

0 

"i 

5    7 

6 

ol 

5    2 

6 

"( 

17 

H 

6 

11 

9 

6 

12 

6 

C 

42  10 

11 

0 

7 

0 

3l 

5  11 

3 

0 

s  10 

M 

0 

3  15 

0 

ri 

2  10 

0 

f 

18 

9 

0 

17 

6 

0 

8 

P 

Date 


Company 


June  21  . 
June  23  . 
June  10  . 
Jviue  24  . 
June  22  . 
June  26  . 
June  15  . 
June  26  . 
June  22  . 
June  IS  . 
June  16  . 
June  26  . 
June  10  . 
June  22  . . 
June  18  . . 
July  5  .. 
June  21  . . 
June  22  .  . 
June  23  .  . 
June  11  .. 
June  10  . . 
June  16  . . 
June  10  . . 
July  2  .. 
June  21  . . 
June  20  . . 
June  .^  . . 
June  10  . . 


Anglo-American  of  S..\.    .  . 

Apex  Mines 

British  Burmah  Petroleum  . 

Burmah  Oil  

California  Petroleum 

Clydesdale  Collieries    

De  Beers  Consolidated    . . . . 

Dundee  Coal 

Exploring  Land  &  Minerals. 

Frontino  &  Bolivia 

Gopeng  Consolidated 

Great  Boulder  Perseverance 

Idris  Hydraulic  Tin 

Ivanhoe  Gold      

Kramat  Pulai  

Lobitos  Oilfields 

Mexican  Eagle    

Mexico  of  El  Oro   

Natal  Navigation  Collieries  . 

Nechi  (Colombia) 

Oroville  Dredging    

Ouro  Preto    

Pato  (Colombia)     

Poderosa   

Rand  Selection   

Rczende 

Rhodesia  Copper   

Shamva  Mines 


Par 

Value  of 
Shares 


£1 

lOs. 

8s. 
Or.  n 
Pr.  $100 

a 

Pr.£2  10s 

a 

5s. 
Pr.£l 

a 
a 

a 

£r> 

a 
ii 

Or.  $500 

£1 

Or.  10s 
Or.  ri 

£1 
£1 
£1 
£1 
3s. 
£1 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


5%  less  tax. 

6d. 

131%  less  tax. 

4s.  tax  paid. 

11% 

10% 

10s.  less  tax. 

710/ 
5%  less  tax. 
5%  less  tax. 
9d.  less  tax. 

5d.* 

6d.  less  tax. 

Is.  6d.  less  tax. 

Is.  less  tax. 

15^*0  less  tax. 

6%,  less  tax. 

2s.  6d.  tax  paid 

2s. 

5s.  less  tax. 

9d.  less  tax. 

5%  less  tax. 

7s.  less  tax, 

2s.  6d.  less  tax, 

15°'o  less  tax. 

20''i  less  tax. 

12i°i  less  tax. 

7iS%  less  tax. 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.    July  8. 

These    quotations    are   not    absolute ;     they   vaiy   according 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

Acetic  .^rid,  40% per  cwt. 

S0% 

„  Glacial per  ton 

Ahmi    ,, 

Alumina,  Sulphate ,, 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb. 

,,         0'880  solution    per  ton 

,,  Carbonate per  lb. 

,,  Chloride,  grey   per  ton 

I.  „       pure    pe"-  cwt. 

,,  Nitrate  per  ton 

,,  Phosphate    ,. 

,,  Sulphate     „ 

Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb. 

Sulphide,  Golden ,, 

Arsenic,  White per  ton 

Barium  Carbonate ,, 

,,       Chlorate per  lb. 

, ,       Chloride per  ton 

,,       Sulphate   ,, 

Benzol,  90% per  gal. 

B'^sulphate  of  Carbon per  ton 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI 

,,  Liquor,  7%    ,, 

Borax , , 

Boric  Acid  Crystals    „ 

Calcium  Chloride   

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60% per  gal. 

,,  „    crystallized,  40' per  lb. 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  ton 

Citric  Acid per  lb. 

Copper,  Sulphate   . .      per  ton 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100% per  lb. 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    

Iodine per  oz. 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton 

,,     Sulphate ,, 

Lead,  Acetate,  white , 

,,      Nitrate   ,, 

,,     Oxide,  Litharge 

„     White , 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   ,, 

„      gre\'SO%   

Ma^esite,  Calcined ,, 

Magnesium,  Chloride 

,,  Sulphate    ,, 

Methylated  Spirit  G4'  Industrial per  ?al. 

Nitric  Acid,  80°  Tw per  ton 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb. 

Phosphoric  Acid per  ton 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb. 

,,  Carbonate per  ton 

,,  Chlorate   per  lb. 

Chloride  80% per  ton 

Hydrate  (Caustic)  OO-^o , 

,,  Nitrate       ,, 

,,  Permanganate per  lb. 

,,  Prussiate,  Yellow , 

Red 

Sulphate,  90% per  ton 

Sodium  Metal per  lb. 

,,       Acetate    per  ton 

,,       Arsenate  -15% 

,,       Bicarbonate    ,, 

,,       Bichromate per  lb. 

,,       Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)   per  ton 

(Crystals)    

,,       Chlorate per  lb. 

„      Hydrate,  76% per  ton 

..       Hypo:uIphite   „ 

Nitrate,  96%    

,,       Phosphate ,. 

,,       Prussiate per  lb. 

.       SiUcate per  ton 

Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    ,, 

(Glauber's  Salts)    

,,       Sulphide    ,, 

,,      Sulphite ,, 

Sulphur,  Roll    

,.       Flowers    ,, 

Sulphuric  A.cid,  Fuming,  65^   ,, 

M  ,,       free  from  Arsenic,  144^  ...        ,, 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  20% 

Tartaric  Acid per  lb. 

Turpentine    per  cwt. 

Tin  Crystals per  lb. 

Titanous  Chloride  „ 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton 

Zinc  Sulphate „ 


f 

s. 

d. 

. 

3    6 

2 

*" 

(I 

fif- 

0    0 

16 

r 

0 

14  IC 

0 

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44  10 

0 

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15 

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1 

0 

75 

1 

0 

18  IC 

0 

2 

7 

1 

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45 

( 

0 

11 

0 

0 

u 

17 

(1 

0 

8 

0 

(1 

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0 

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(1 

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0 

0 

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34 

0 

0 

69 

0 

0 

10 

0 

0 

1 

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4 

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(1 

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1 

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7^ 

1 

0 

9 

0 

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4 

0 

0 

45 

0 

0 

48 

0 

0 

32 

0 

0 

44 

0 

0 

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0 

0 

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0 

0 

21 

0 

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16 

0 

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10 

0 

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6 

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31 

0 

0 
9 

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0 

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101 

35 

0 

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5 

20 

0 

0 

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0 

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1 

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26 

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10  10 

0 

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0 

0 

7 

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4 

26 

5 

0 

17 

0 

0 

18  10 

0 

24 

0 

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7 

11  : 

5 

0 

7  10 

0 

6  10 

0 

27 

0 

0 

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15 

0 

0 

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0 

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24 

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:) 

22  10 

;) 

IS 

u 

u 

'  Fifth  distribution  on  liquidation. 


IS 


Tiiic   mininh;    .ma».\zini 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

Shares  arc  fl  par  value  except  where  otherwise  nolcd. 


GOLD,    SILVER. 
DLVMONDS  : 

Rasd  ; 

lirakpan 

Central  Mining  (£8) 

City  &  Suburban  ((,'4)  

City  Deep 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidated  l.anglaagte 

Consolidatovl  Main  Kecf  

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.)  . 

Crown  Mines  (U>s.) 

Daggafontein 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Proprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Ciovernment  Gold  Mining  Areas    . . . 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Estate   

Mever  &  Charlton 

McKldcrfontein  (10s.)  

Modderfontein  B  {5s.) 

Modderfontein  Deep  (os.) 

Modderfontein  F.ast 

New  State  Areas 

Nourse 

Hand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Rand/ontein  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (1 2s.  6d.) 

Van  Ryn 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witw'atersrand  Deep 

Wolbuter 

Other  Tr.^nsvaal  Gold  Mines  : 

Gh'nn's  l.ydenbiirg 

Sheba  (os.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates  . . . . 

Diamonds  in  South  .\frica  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (f2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  Gd.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  .Africa 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoeni.x  (."js.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.)  

West  Africa  : 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso 

Ashanti  (4s.) 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks  . . 

Bullfinch 

Golden  Horse-Shoe  (^^5) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary  (2s.) 

Great  Fingall  (10s.) 

Hampton  Properties 

Ivanhoe  (£5) 

Kalgurli 

Lake  V^iew  Investment  (10s.)  . 

Sons  of  Gwalia   

South  Kalgurh  (10s.) 


July  7, 

1020 

f.  s.  d. 
2  10  0 
b  U    » 

n   « 

2    7  0 

1  7  6 
!.■)  6 
11  0 

119 

2  0  3 
9  i 
3 


6    1 


ft 
0 
7    (i 
1  18    0 


3 
0 

12  0 

16  3 

7  n 

2  13  3 

2  10  0 

13  9 

8  0 
10  0 

IG  3 

3  D 

1  12  (i 

14 


7 

13  9 

17  G 

3    0  0 

2  15  0 

1  15  0 


3  0 
12  0 
17    0 


2 

le 


4  15    0 
3  10    0 


3     I 


17  0 

10  3 

2  6 

9  6 

13  9 

13  9 


11  3 

1  U 

10  0 

20    5  0 

4    5  0 

10  15  0 

10  G 

17  6 


July  6. 

1921 

£    s.  d. 

2  12  B 

e    0  0 

3  0 

2    0  3 

18  9 

12  6 
9  6 

13  0 
1  15  0 

3  ti 

3  U 

4  3 


2    8 


4 
15 
13 
4  7 
3  7 
1  7 
2 


1 

7 
2  1 
2  12 


10    0 


9    G 


12  3 

2  9 

1  IS  9 

12  6 

15  0 

12  3 

3  12  6 
7 


10  0 

13  9 

0  3 
3  (i 

G  G 

1  9 
7  6 

10    5  0 

2    5  0 

4    0  0 


9  9 

15  fi 

2  0  0 

3  10  0 
1  10  0 

4  6 

2  3 

8  3 

14  3 

1  6 

5  G 


3    0 

o 

G 

3    0 

o 

G 

3    6 

1 

0 

17    6 

10 

0 

7    6 

5 

(1 

2    0 

1 

a 

12    e 

4 

9 

1    3    9 

16 

3 

13    9 

11 

0 

IC    0 

9 

B 

G    0 

4 

V, 

G     <J 

7 

G 

•  New  E 

hares. 

t 

Gold,  Silver,  conl. 

Others  in  Australasia  : 

Blackwater.  New  Zealand 

Consolidated  G.F.  of  New  Zealand...! 

Mount  Uoppy,  N.S.W.  (10s.) j 

Progress.  New  Zealand | 

"  Waiiii,  New  Zealand 

Waihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd. . 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

El  Oro,  Mexico 

Esperanza,  Mexico  

Froiitino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (,(5),  British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro.  Mexico  .... 

Nechi  'Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Droville  Dredging,  Colombia      

Plvmouth  Consolidated.  Califoniia. . 

St.'  John  del  Key,  Brazil    

Santa  Gerlrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldfields ■ 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balaghat  (IPs.) 

Champion  Keef  {2s.  Gd.) 

Mysore  (10s.) 

North  .Anaiitapur 

Nundydroog  (lus.) 

Ooreg'um  (lOs.) 

COPPER ;  I 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  .\rizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cipe  and  India... 

Esperanza,  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  ... 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal 

Messina  f5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania i 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  {£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tuito  (£5),  Spain 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia i 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia 1 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  . .  \ 

LEAD-ZINX  : 

Broken  Hiil  : 

Amalg.amated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  ({10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.) 

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees). . . 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)  

TIN: 


July  7, 
1020 

£   s.  d. 

8  0 

8  0 

4  8 

1  9 

1  18  9 

10  0 

10  0 

12  6 

10  9 

10  6 
11 


Aramayo  Francke,  Bolivia 

Bisichi  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Briseis.  Tasmania 

Dolcoath,  Cornwall 

East  Pool  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria  . . 

Geevor  (10s.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging,  Malay   

Kamuating,  Malay 

Kinta.  Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay  . . . 

Mongti  !10s.).  Nigeria 

Naraguta,  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi,  Nigeria  (10s.) 

Pahang  Consolidated  (os.),  Malay. 

Raytield,  Nigeria 

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (45.),  Nigeria 

Siamese  Tin,  Siam 

South  Crofly  (os.),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Cornwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taiping,  Malay 

Tronoh,  Malay 


10 

6    5 

9 

1    3 


1    2 

7 


7 
2 

14 

4 

II 


July  6, 
1921 


£     6- 

2 
2 
1 
1 


18    9 
17    9 


0   0 

10     0 


2    8  9 

12  6 
5  0 

13  9 

1  10  0 

5  6 

2  0  0 

13  9 
17  C 

1  12  G 

37  10  0 

10  6 

10  0 

10  0 

1  16  3 


d. 
0 
6 
6 
3 

8  0 
10    0 

2  G 

4  0 

9  9 
fi  0 
7  G 
2  G 

,     5  0 

7  0 

5  0 
12  6 
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5  6 
5    0 

S  9 
5    0 


1 

12 


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12 


1    3  9 

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5  0 

1  15  0 

4  0 

7  6 

13  9 

12  G 

15  0 

31     0  0 

11  0 

7  6 

11  3 

1    0  0 


1     7 

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17 

6 

2    0 

0 

1   1 

3 

3    2 

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2  10 

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3 

1    1 

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lC;-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING,  METALLURGY,  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents    on    mining    and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


RECOVERY    OF    ZINC     FROM     LEAD    SLAGS 


The  Proceedings  of  the  Australasian  Institute  of 
-Mining  and  Metallurgy,  No.  38,  1920,  contains 
a  paper  by  Guy  Courtney  on  the  recovery  of  zinc 
from  lead  blast-furnace  slags,  giving  a  description 
of  some  of  the  work  carried  out  by  the  Sulphide 
Corporation  at  Cockle  Creek.  Early  in  the  life  of 
the  works  it  was  realized  by  the  metallurgical  staff 
that  a  very  wide  field  for  investigation  lay  before 
them.  At  the  head  of  these  was  the  late  F.  H 
Evans,  and  it  was  due  to  his  work  and  suggestions 
that  the  question  has  grown  from  a  mere  hypothesis 
to  a  commercial  undertaking,  in  so  far  as  these 
works  are  concerned.  In  1908  a  patent  was  tiled 
by  Mr.  Evans  in  conjunction  with  P.  A.  M'Kay, 
which  had  for  its  object  the  expulsion  of  zinc  from 
lead  blast-furnace  slags,  the  operation  being  carried 
out  either  in  a  blast-furnace  or  reverberatory  furnace 
supplied  with  tuyeres.  .\  converter  was  also  pro- 
posed, the  reduction  of  the  zinc  being  accomplished 
by  blowing  in  carbonaceous  material  in  a  finely 
divided  condition,  or  carburetted  gas  through 
the  molten  slag.  One  of  the  earliest  attempts  made 
at  Cockle  Creek  to  drive  the  zinc  from  the  slag  was 
some  fourteen  years  ago.  Compressed  air  was 
blown  in  under  the  surface  of  some  molten  slag. 
The  resultant  ebullition  drove  off  large  volumes  of 
fume,  but,  owing  to  the  chilling  effect  of  the  cold 
air,  the  test  could  only  be  maintained  for  a  few 
minutes.  A  little  later  this  method  was  again 
tried,  with  certain  modifications.  An  iron  pipe  was 
lined  with  firebrick,  leaving  an  opening  15  in.  in 
diameter  and  4  ft.  deep.  Four  inches  from  the 
bottom  three  tuyeres  were  fitted,  equally  spaced 
round  the  circumference.  Attached  to  the  tuyeres 
were  three  reservoirs  for  powdered  coal.  In 
starting,  the  air  and  coal  dust  were  turned  on  and 
hot  slag  poured  in  to  a  depth  of  about  12  in.  above 
the  tuyeres.  The  agitation,  brought  about  through 
the  blast  of  air  and  the  combustion  of  the  coal, 
drove  off  dense  volumes  of  fume.  This  continued 
without  abatement  for  about  45  minutes,  which  was 
as  long  as  the  supply  of  fuel  lasted.  Without 
proper  means  of  handling  the  powdered  coal,  it 
became  a  difficult  matter  to  ensure  a  constant 
stream  being  blown  in  with  the  air,  as  at  this  period 
little  was  known  of  the  methods  and  appliances  now 
in  use  for  the  handling  of  powdered  fuel.  The 
zinc  driven  off  was  only  about  19o,  but  a  marked 
increase  in  the  temperature  of  the  slag  was  observed. 
This  would  no  doubt  have  reached  1,600°  C, 
which  was  afterwards  found  to  be  so  important 
a  figure  in  all  the  tests.  When  this  experiment  was 
repeated  the  same  results  were  observed.  These 
tests  anticipated  the  patent  subsequently  taken  out, 
and  in  a  great  measure  the  new  methods  now  being 
employed  in  one  or  two  American  and  Japanese 
works,  whereby  powdered  fuel  is  fed  to  the  copper 
blast-furnaces  through  the  tuyeres. 

At  a  later  period  information  was  obtained  from 
Europe,  which  led  to  the  belief  that  the  problem 
had  been  successfully  solved  there.  Two  processes 
were  in  operation  :  one  using  briquettes  in  a  blast- 
furnace, the  other  utilizing  the  hot  slag  as  it  was 


tapped  from  a  lead  blast-furnace  into  a 
reverberatory  furnace.  In  the  latter  operations 
two  reverberatory  furnaces  were  used,  one  of  20 
tons  and  the  other  of  5  tons  capacity.  Into  the 
former  the  slag  was  tapped  from  the  blast-furnace 
and  given  a  good  strong  firing.  At  intervals  of 
2J  hours  the  tap-hole  was  opened  and  enough  slag 
allowed  to  run  to  fill  the  smaller  or  5  ton 
reverberatory.  At  this  stage  a  certain  amount  of 
limestone  and  coke  was  added,  and  the  charge 
strongly  fired  for  another  2  J-  hours.  At  the  end 
of  this  period  the  zinc  should  have  been  expelled 
from  the  slag. 

An  e.xpermient  at  Cockle  Creek  on  the 
reverberatory  method  differed  from  the  European 
tests  in  that  only  one  furnace  was  used  and  the 
slag  was  introduced  cold  instead  of  hot.  Charges 
of  10  tons  were  treated  in  this  way,  and  a  fair 
quantity  of  fume  was  e.xpelled.  One  of  the  con- 
ditions necessary  for  the  success  of  the  operation 
was  that  the  temperature  should  be  not  less  than 
1,600°  C.  A  fair  amount  of  fume  came  away 
while  the  slag  was  melting.  A  period  of  quiescence 
then  intervened,  when  the  fume  came  off  again  in 
large  volumes,  on  the  temperature  rising  to 
1.600'  C.  Agitation  of  the  charge  helped  con- 
siderably, but  this  agitation  had  to  be  continuous 
to  be  effectual.  From  assays  taken  it  was  found 
that  from  35''o  to  40%  of  the  zinc  was  expelled. 
The  cost  of  working  this  method  was,  however, 
found  prohibitive.  A  large  amount  of  labour  was 
necessary,  and  the  quantity  of  fuel  consumed  in 
maintaining  so  high  a  temperature  placed  it  beyond 
the  possiblity  of  being  a  commercial  success. 
Attention  was  next  turned  to  the  advantages  offered 
by  the  electric  furnace.  A  350  k.w.  motor- 
generator  set,  capable  of  giving  7,000  amperes  at 
50  volts,  had  been  installed  for  treating  zinc  ores 
electrothermically.  A  small  furnace  was  built 
of  circular  section,  lined  with  9  in.  of  English  fire- 
brick and  holding  about  500  lb.  of  slag.  The  top 
was  left  open  so  that  the  progress  of  fusio.'.  could 
be  followed  from  beginning  to  end.  Early  during 
the  test  it  was  noticed  that  the  action  of  the  slag 
on  the  lining  was  very  drastic,  and  at  the  end  of 
six  hours  nothing  remained  of  the  furnace  but  the 
outer  iron  shell.  As  this  was  more  of  a  preliminary 
experiment  than  an  actual  test.no  figures  were  taken 
of  power  consumption  or  zinc  extraction,  though 
it  was  observed  that  dense  volumes  of  fume  were 
evolved.  Numerous  other  linings  were  tried, 
including  chrome  and  magnesite,  but  the  experience 
gained  was  identical  in  each  case  ;  no  refractory 
material  could  stand  the  intense  heat  and  the  action 
of  the  slag  Finally  recourse  was  had  to  a  water- 
jacketed  furnace.  A  tank  was  therefore  con- 
structed, of  trough  form,  14  ft.  long  and  2  ft.  wide, 
having  a  two-course  brick  lining,  the  idea  being 
to  have  a  furnace  in  which  the  molten  slag  would 
be  kept  in  a  state  of  flow,  thereby  endeavouring  to 
establish  a  continuous  operation.  Four  electrodes 
were  introduced  at  equal  intervals  through  the  roof, 
the   carbon    tamping   in    the    hearth    making    the 


49 


50 


TH 


MINING    MAGAZINE 


negative  side.  Cold  slag  was  fed  at  one  end,  and, 
on  fusing,  travelled  to  the  other  end  of  the  trouRh, 
h.iving  to  jiass  three  intensely  hot  zones  on  its  way 
to  the  tap-holo.  Continuous  charging  and  tapping 
were  maintained  with  excellent  results,  a  large 
tonnage  being  treated  with  an  extraction  of  60% 
of  the  zinc  in  the  slag.  When  the  furnace  was 
dismantled  it  was  found  that  in  the  space  formed, 
due  to  expansion,  between  the  inner  and  outer 
lining  of  bricks,  about  half-a-pound  of  metallic  zinc 
had  condensed.  This  led  to  the  conclusion  that, 
under  suitable  conditions,  it  should  be  possible  to 
condense  the  fume  by  the  same  operation,  and  thus 
save  the  additional  cost  of  retorting.  In  order  to 
collect  the  fume  a  new  furnace  was  built,  con- 
sisting of  two  concentric  rings  of  boiler  plate  having 
a  3  in.  water  space  between.  A  set  of  flues,  con- 
necting to  a  fan  and  bag-house,  was  erected  and 
10  tons  of  oxide  collected.  In  appearance  the  oxide 
was  somewhat  grey,  though  occasionally  there 
would  be  periods  when  the  product  from  the  bags 
would  be  nearly  white.  The  carbon  content 
explains  tlie  difference  in  the  colour,  but  no  reason 
can  be  assigned  as  to  why  it  should  be  more 
prevalent  at  some  periods  than  at  others.  The 
oxide  produced  by  this  method,  it  was  observed, 
w-as  of  greater  density  than  that  recovered  by  the 
blast-furnace  process  of  extraction  mentioned 
later  ;  it  would  be  reasonable,  however,  to  expect 
a  good  deal  more  occluded  air  in  blast-furnace 
oxide  than  in  that  produced  electrothermically. 
The  following  is  a  percentage  analysis  of  the 
electric-furnace  oxide :  PbSOj,  15-12  ;  PbCO,, 
5-00  ;  ZnO,  62'8  ;  Fe.,0,,  0-7  ;  AlsO,,,  2-21  ;  SiOj, 
4-07  ;  C,  0-93  ;  CaO,  trace  :  As,  trace.  In  all 
cases  a  resistance  type  of  furnace  was  used,  this 
^  giving  the  highest  efficiency.  Besides  using  cold 
dump  slag  several  tests  were  made  on  hot  slag  direct 
from  the  blast-furnace,  as  it  was  considered  that 
by  utilizing  the  heat  already  in  the  slag  a  great 
saving  in  power  could  be  effected.  The  contrary 
was,  however,  found  to  be  the  case,  as  shorter  time 
is  required  to  remove  the  zinc  from  cold  slag  than 
when  using  it  hot.  Reducing  agents  and  fluxes 
were  discarded,  as  no  advantage  could  be  found  to 
result  from  their  use.  There  is  no  doubt  that, 
given  cheap  power  and  a  moderate  price  for 
graphite  electrodes,  the  extraction  of  zinc  from  lead 
blast-furnace  slags  of  low  zinc  contents  could  be 
looked  upon  as  a  commercial  possibility,  those 
usually  run  and  experimented  upon  at  the  works 
containing  about  9°^  Zn. 

After  a  lapse  of  three  years  the  question  was 
again  brought  to  the  fore,  and  after  careful  con- 
sideration a  small  blast-furnace  was  constructed. 
Two  rows  of  tuyeres  were  allowed  for.  15  in.  apart, 
with  the  bottom  row  9  in.  above  the  bottom  of  the 
furnace,  the  area  at  this  point  bemg  4  ft.  6  in.  by 
2  ft.  3  in.  The  depth  of  shaft  from  tap-hole  to 
feed  floor  was  9  ft.  3  in.,  while  above  the  feed 
floor  a  large  chamber  was  built  for  the  cooling  of 
the  gases  before  passing  to  the  flues  leading  to  the 
bag-house.  The  original  tuyeres,  3  in.  diameter, 
were  found  to  be  too  large,  therefore  cast-iron 
thimbles  were  used  to  reduce  the  size  to  liin. 
diameter.  Soon  after  starting  it  was  found  that 
the  two  rows  of  tuyeres  were  rather  a  disadvantage, 
a  careful  balance  in  the  blast  pressure  having  to 
be  maintained,  othersvise  a  back  draught  was  pro- 
duced in  the  top  row,  which  quickly  destroyed 
the  sleeves  on  the  bustle  pipe.  At  the  same  time 
an  element  of  risk  was  run  by  the  men  attending 


the  furnace  when  they  opened  the  tuyeres,  and  as 
a  ciiuse<punce  the  top  row  was  discarded.  A 
5  ft.  cluirijc  colinnn  was  found  to  give  the  best 
results  when  working  with  a  blast  of  8  to  10  oz. 
By  these  means  it  was  possible  to  run  the  furnace 
with  a  hot  top,  while  at  the  same  time  a  minimum 
amount  of  dust  was  blown  into  the  flues.  From 
the  cooling  chamber  the  fume  was  carried  along 
30  ft.  of  brick  flue  and  180  ft.  of  40  in.  diameter  iron 
pipe  to  a  Fichler  fume-coUecting  plant,  and  from 
thence  to  the  bag-house.  The  Fichtcr  plant, 
owing  to  the  (loor  condition  of  some  of  the  elements, 
on  account  of  their  having  been  idle  for  some  years, 
did  not  collect  much  fume,  but  it  answered  the 
purpose  of  a  cooler,  the  gases  being  so  hot  that  the 
original  arrangement,  whereby  the  fume  went 
straight  to  the  bag-house,  did  not  allow  sufficient 
length  of  I'ipe  and  in  consequence  many  of  the  bags 
were  destroyed.  The  bag-house  consisted  of  five 
rows  of  12  bags,  each  18  in.  diameter  and  17  ft. 
long.  Two  qualities  were  used,  unbleached  calico 
and  grey  flannel,  the  latter  having  the  longer  life. 
A  by-pass  was  introduced  between  the  furnace  and 
the  bag-house,  by  which  means  it  was  po.ssible  to 
divert  the  fume  to  the  smelter  stack,  in  the  event 
of  the  bags  requiring  repairs  or  renewals.  At  the 
same  time,  as  the  capacity  of  the  fan  in  use  was  not 
large  enough  to  take  all  the  fume,  it  was  possible 
to  run  the  furnace  at  full  capacity,  likewise  pre- 
venting any  fume  from  blowing  through  the 
charging  doors,  and  interfering  with  the  feeding. 
In  order  to  thoroughly  test  the  method  three 
distinct  charges  were  used  :  slag  briquettes,  slag 
nodules,  and  ordinary  dump  slag.  The  first  to 
be  used  were  the  briquettes  having  the  following 
composition  :  Crushed  slag,  100  parts  ;  limestone, 
15  parts;  coke,  15  parts;  cement,  1'5  parts. 
From  the  outset  a  great  deal  of  trouble  was 
experienced,  through  the  friable  nature  of  the 
briquettes,  which  broke  up  in  the  furnace  and  filled 
the  crucible  and  tuyeres  with  fines.  It  was  also 
found  necessary'  to  add  an  additional  26%  of 
coke,  part  of  which  went  to  make  up  for  the  amount 
of  fine  coke  blown  out  of  the  furnace.  Quite 
apart  from  these  mechanical  troubles,  however, 
the  cost  of  making  briquettes  was  found  to  be  too 
high  to  ensure  a  profitable  undertaking.  In 
dealing  with  the  slag  nodules,  all  the  above- 
mentioned  objections  also  applied,  but  in  spite  of 
the  many  difficulties  encountered,  some  valuable 
data  were  collected.  The  assay  of  the  charge  gave  : 
lead,  3-6%  ;  zinc,  7-8%.  The  zinc  is  on  the  low 
side,  which  is,  of  course,  due  to  the  dilution  of  the 
slag  by  the  fluxes.  The  slag  tapped  ran  on  an 
average  0-5%  lead  and  3-2%  zinc,  the  recovery 
calculated  on  these  figures  being  70%  lead  and 
60%  zinc.  The  high  lead  content  of  the  slag  is 
accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  it  was  taken  from 
an  old  section  of  the  dump.  During  all  the 
operations  a  great  deal  of  trouble  was  experienced 
through  the  formation  of  sows,  but  by  building 
the  crucible  with  a  slope  in  the  direction  of  the 
tap-hole,  this  trouble  was  overcome.  The  treat- 
ment of  the  nodules  was  a  replica  of  the  briquette 
campaign,  only  of  shorter  duration,  giving 
practically  the  same  results.  Following  the 
briquettes  and  nodules,  a  trial  was  carried  out 
with  slag  direct  from  the  dump.  A  certain  pro- 
portion of  limestone  was  added  in  order  to  run  a 
slag  going  about  25%  CaO.  The  following  is  the 
composition  of  the  average  charge  :  Slag,  100  parts  ; 
limestone,  17  parts  ;   coke,  34  parts  ;   with  2'3%  Pb 


JULY,    1921 


51 


and  9-S°o  Zn.  The  tapped  slag  went  l^o  Pb  and 
5-4°o  Zn.  The  recover}'  on  these  figures  gives  60°o 
Pb  and  41%  Zn.  These  results  are  low,  but  from 
data  obtained  while  using  a  small  quantity  of  slag 
rich  in  zinc,  it  was  found  possible  to  maintain  a 
recovery  of  about  75%,  and  it  was  also  found  to  be 
a  comparatively  simple  matter  to  reduce  the  zinc 
to  about  5%,  regardless  as  to  whether  the  original 
contents  were  9%  or  15%,  so  that,  in  running  on 
a  slag  going  15%  or  20%  Zn,  a  fair  margin  of  profit 
would  be  shown.  About  40  tons  of  oxide  of  a  blue- 
grey  colour  were  collected  which,  on  ignition, 
appeared  creamy-white  and  gave  the  following 
percentage  analysis :  PbO,  25-42  ;  ZnO,  63  ; 
CaO,  trace  ;  Insoluble,  0-70  ;  SO.,,  8  ;  Sb-As,  0-13  ; 
As,0„,  0-85  ;  Fe-iOs,  0-28  ;  CuO,  trace  ;  and  CI, 
0-014. 

From  this  series  of  tests  certain  definite  data  were 
established,  showing  that,  in  order  to  successfully 
recover  zinc  from  lead  blast-furnace  slags,  the 
zinc  in  the  original  slag  should  not  be  much  below 
15%.  In  addition  it  was  found  that  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  zinc  is  evolved  during  the  process  of 


melting  ;  hence  cold  slag  is  preferable  to  slag 
in  the  molten  state  to  commence  with.  The  slag 
having  reached  the  molten  stage  no  more  fume 
comes  off  until  the  temperature  attains  the  region  of 
1,600^  C  or  over.  \  lower  temperature  can  be 
used,  say  1,200°  C,  provided  the  bath  is  kept  in 
a  state  of  constant  agitation  during  the  whole 
period  of  treatment.  These  points  concerning 
critical  temperature  were  established  through  the 
medium  of  the  electric  furnace,  which  proved 
particularly  suitable  for  this  class  of  work,  where 
a  condition  was  required  at  all  times  that  would 
permit  of  a  close  and  constant  watch  being  kept 
on  the  operations  as  a  whole,  but  more  particularly 
on  the  bath  of  slag  itself.  In  order  to  carry  the 
experiments  through  to  a  finality  a  small  electro- 
lytic zinc  plant  was  erected  for  the  treatment  of 
the  oxide.  The  plant  was  capable  of  producing 
about  one  ton  of  zinc  per  day  and  the  whole  of  the 
oxide  was  converted  to  metal,  which  presented  no 
difficulties  in  operating  beyond  those  usually 
encountered  in  converting  oxide  to  metal  electro- 
lytically,  a  high-grade  zinc  being  produced. 


MINING    IN    CENTRAL    AUSTRALIA 


In  the  Chemical  Engineering  and  Mining  Ifeview 
(Melbourne)  for  March  and  April,  F.  Copley 
Playford,  Chief  Warden  at  Darwin,  Northern 
Territory,  gives  an  account  of  his  journey  from 
Adelaide  to  Darwin  across  the  continent  of 
Australia. 

With  the  exception  of  a  small  and  unprospected 
belt  80  miles  south  of  ."Mice  Springs,  no 
metalliferous  rocks  are  met  with  between 
Oodnadatta  and  the  Macdonnell  Ranges.  Near 
Charlotte  Waters,  close  to  the  Territory  boundary, 
there  exist  deposits  of  kaolin,  one  apparently  of 
great  length  and  width,  and  of  a  very  pure  nature, 
from  which  aborigines  obtain  material  to  make 
smoking  pipes  and  carved  ornaments  for  the 
purpose  of  barter.  An  analysis  of  samples  of  clay 
taken  by  the  writer  from  this  deposit  show  the 
quality  to  be  good  and  its  behaviour,  when  burnt, 
fits  it  for  use  in  high-grade  ceramic  ware.  Arrange- 
ments have  now  been  made  to  have  a  bulk  parcel 
sent  to  the  school  of  mines.  Ballarat,  where  the 
Institute  of  Science  and  Industry  is  assisting  in 
carrying  out  research  work  on  clays  of  various 
types. 

The  Macdonnell  Ranges  consist  of  a  series  of 
jagged,  precipitous,  and,  comparatively  speaking, 
parallel  lines  of  peaks,  low  jumbly  hills  and 
ridges  rising  from  a  plateau  ranging  from  2,000 
to  2,500  ft.  above  sea-level,  the  mountainous 
and  hilly  country  partly  enclosing  some 
extensive  cotton  and  saltbush  and  grassy 
plains.  These  ranges  trend  in  an  easterly  and 
westerly  direction  for  about  250  miles  with  an 
average  width  of  45  miles,  the  overland  telegraph 
line  crossing  them  at  their  central  and  narrowest 
part.  Apart  from  such  crossing,  the  only  sections 
passed  over  by  the  author  were  from  .\lice  Springs 
via  Undoolya  station  to  the  Arltunga  goldfields, 
and  from  the  latter  locality  via  Winnecke  goldfield, 
back  to  Alice  Springs.  The  rocks,  metamorphic 
and  igneous,  along  the  whole  of  the  latter  route, 
are  favourable  for  the  occurrence  of  gold,  but 
except  the  auriferous  areas  mentioned  and  the 
Hart's  Rr^nge  mica  field,  very  little  prospecting 
work  has  been  carried  out  throughout  the 
Macdonnell  Ranges. 


The  White  Range,  Arltunga  goldfield,  lies  in  the 
Macdonnell  Ranges,  about  60  miles  E.N.E.  from 
Alice  Springs  telegraph  station,  and  280  miles 
north  from  Oodnadatta  railway  station.  The 
properties  that  have  been  worked  comprise  16 
gold-mining  leaseholds  with  an  aggregate  area  of 
640  acres.  With  the  exception  of  some  of  no 
great  extent  or  depth  on  a  claim  known  as  the 
Joker,  all  mining  operations  that  have  been 
carried  out  on  the  White  Range  are  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  leaseholds  taken  up  by  White, 
and  nearly  all  are  on  its  eastern  slope,  the 
majority  being  within  an  area  of  80  acres.  The 
principal  ones,  ranging  from  north  to  south,  are 
locally  known  as  the  Great  Western,  Associated, 
White's  East,  and  Lucy,  with  its  continuation 
westerly  known  as  the  Pipeclay,  White  Range 
Consolidated.  Excelsior,  and  Extended  Nos.  1  and 
2.  There  are  also  other  mine  workings  on  the 
higher  slopes  of  the  range  and  some  near  Corby's 
Bluff.  Of  these  the  most  extensively  worked  are 
the  Excelsior  and  Lucy,  but  in  these  two,  as  well 
as  all  the  others,  the  ore  has  been  simply  rooted 
out  at  depths  up  to  70  ft.  from  different  places  in 
ore-channels,  most  of  the  workings  resembling 
huge  rabbit  warrens  with  an  occasional  cave  and 
burrows  leading  from  them.  The  widest  make  of  ore 
worked  has  a  width  of  15  ft.,  with  no  walls  showing 
on  either  side,  but  in  most  cases  the  ore-bodies 
worked  were  from  4  to  6  ft.  in  width.  According  to 
the  official  records  at  the  Arltunga  government 
battery,  the  first  parcel  dealt  with  from  the  White 
Range  was  in  1898,  and  the  last  in  August,  1913. 
Those  from  White's  Blocks  totalled  7,863  tons,  the 
value  of  the  gold  recovered  by  amalgamation  and 
cyaniding  the  sandy  tailing  was  £44,780,  an 
average  result  of  ;^5  18s.  6d.  per  ton,  equal  to  a 
return  of  H  oz.  of  fine  gold.  Only  the  sand  and 
not  the  slime  was  cyanided,  the  recoverable  value 
from  such  source  being  about  one-fifth  of  the 
total.  The  value  of  the  battery  gold  ranged  from 
£3  8s.  3d.  to  £3  16s.  3d.  per  oz.,  the  average  being 
£3  12s.  In  the  year  1914-15,  110  tons  of  this 
slime  at  this  mill  was  treated  by  the  government 
for  a  return  from  cyaniding  of  gold  to  the  value  of 
/402.     The  best  parcel  from  the  White  Range  was. 


52 


TH1-:    .MINING    MAGAZINE 


one  of  17li  tens  ovit  of  the  Excelsior  workings, 
whicli  roturnod  sold  to  the  value  of  /3.54S  12s.  (id. 
The  values  of  rrushiiiijs  wt're  very  consistent,  the 
last  series  totnllins  627  tons  for  a  return  in  value  of 
/3.549.  .\ccordinK  to  earlier  e.\pert  reports,  the 
proportion  of  material  treated  to  that  mined  was 
from  one-fourth  to  one-third,  so  that  the  gold 
recovere<l  from  the  workings  wouUl  average  from 
7  to  9\  dwt.  per  ton  of  material  raised. 

In  close  vicinity  to  the  Blocks  are  two  irovern- 
ment  wells,  one  70  ft.  in  depth,  with  a  fresh  water 
supply  of  150  gallons  per  day.  and  the  other 
1,S0  ft.  deep  with  a  supply  of  250  gallons.  The  other 
wells,  all  of  which  are  government,  within  a  radius 
of  5  miles  of  the  prop"rties  are  Police  Camp  well 
with  a  supplv  of  3.000  gallons  ;  Paddy's  Hole 
well,  1,000  gallons  ;  Cross  Road  well,  250  gallons  ; 
Battery  well,  5,000  ;  and  Whipe-Out  w^ell,  50  gallons 
of  fresh  water  per  day.  The  supply  from  these 
wells  would  be  insutVicient  for  an  undertaking  of 
any  magnitude,  and  the  only  way  of  obtaining  an 
ample  supply,  so  far  as  can  be  foreseen,  is  by 
e.xcavating  a  reservoir  of  large  capacity  in  a  clay 
flat  near  the  Habe  River,  about  five  miles  distant. 
There  is  only  little  gum  and  mulga  in  the  creeks, 
the  nearest  mine  timber  of  any  importance  being  on 
the  Habe  River,  and  the  quantity  there  is  limited. 
Transport  is  by  camel  and  horse  team  from 
Oodnadatta,  the  most  direct  route  being  from  Deep 
Well,  past  Williams'  Well  (a  stage  of  70  miles, 
excepting  shortly  after  rains),  where  the  Alice 
Springs -Arltunga  Road  is  met  with.  The  climate 
is  very  healthy,  with  cold  days  and  nights  in  the 
winter  and  hot  days  with  cool  nights  in  the  summer. 
The  rainfall  averages  about  ten  inches  annually, 
faUing  mostly  in  the  summer  months,  although 
good  winter  rains  up  to  four  inches  are  often 
experienced.  There  is  very  little,  if  any,  suitable 
mine  labour  in  the  district,  practically  all  the 
labour  required  for  any  mining  operations  having 
to  be  brought  from  south. 

The  gold-bearing  formations  cannot  be  termed 
lodes  or  reefs,  and  the  only  expression  that  conveys 
any  idea  of  their  character  is  ore-channels.  Only 
the  known  richer  places  in  them  have  been  worked, 
but  even  so,  should  they  go  down,  as  they  give 
every  promise  of  doing,  and  retain  their  gold 
contents,  the  properties,  when  opened  up  in  a 
systematic  manner,  may  be  of  great  value.  Some 
of  the  formations  can  be  easily  and  cheaply  tested 
by  means  of  tunnels  from  the  eastern  base  of  the 
range,  one  of  the  best  sites  for  an  adit  being 
below  the  main  workings  of  the  Excelsior,  where 
that  formation  could  be  driven  into  at  a  depth 
of  250  ft.  below  the  workings  and  cross-cut  by 
tunnelling  a  distance  of  8.S0  ft.  Only  in  one  of  the 
workings  was  there  any  mineral  detrimental  to 
cyaniding,  this  being  a  small  seam  of  copper  ore 
containing  arsenic  in  an  underlie  shaft  on  the 
Excelsior. 

Twelve  miles  north  from  Alice  Springs  telegraph 
station  the  overland  track  passes  through  the 
ranges  to  an  e.xtensive,  well-grassed  plateau  called 
Burt's  Plain,  having  a  gradual  inland  fall  from 
2.600  to  2,200  ft.  above  sea-level.  For  a  distance 
of  40  miles  the  ranges  are  in  close  proximity  to 
the  east,  but  recede  rapidly  to  the  westward. 
Of  this  eastern  branch  of  the  ranges,  known  as  the 
Strangways  Range,  Mr.  Brown,  the  geologist, 
reports  that  the  rocks  consist  of  granite,  syenite, 
diorite,  and  schistose  granitic  rocks  with  quartz 
reefs,  and  are  favourable  to  the  occurrence  of  gold. 


This  definition  also  accurately  describes  and  is 
ap])lical)le  to  the  country  passed  over  between 
Winnecke's  goldlield  and  Alice  Springs.  From  this 
range  until  the  Buxton  Ranges  are  reached  only 
recent  forniatit)n  at  a  mean  elevation  of  2,200  ft.  is 
met  with,  except  at  the  low  Hann  Range,  where 
primary  rocks  outcrop.  In  the  Buxton  Ranges  are 
fair-sized  areas  of  granitic  country  with  slate 
carrying  quartz,  and  ironstone  reefs  well  worthy 
of  being  prospected  for  tin  and  gold.  Galena  was 
found  at  their  western  extremity.  Thence  along  the 
track,  passing  Central  Mount  Stuart,  the  south- 
easterly end  of  the  John  Range,  to  the  country  near 
Barrow  Creek,  any  rock  formation  that  may  exist 
is  covered  with  recent  deposits.  The  only  informa- 
tion procurable  of  this  high  belt  of  country  to  the 
west  is  that  contained  in  a  government  prospecting 
report  of  the  party's  rushing,  in  the  year  1906, 
over  then  drought-stricken  country  in  a  futile 
attempt  to  reach  Tanami.  According  to  this  record 
the  mineral  possibilities  of  the  John  Range,  where 
the  party  saw  a  little  copper  ore  and  raised  ,1  colour 
of  reef  gold,  appear  to  be  fairly  good,  especially 
for  gold,  tin,  and  copper. 

The  few  low  ranges  about  and  up  to  30  miles 
north  of  Barrow  Creek  trend  in  an  easterly  and 
westerly  direction.  Nearly  all  are  capped  with 
quartzite,  sandstone,  and  conglomerate  overlying 
raetamorphic  granite  and  sandstone  with  slaty 
rocks  and  quartz  reefs,  which  outcrop  on  their 
lower  slopes.  In  the  year  1919  an  aboriginal  ' 
discovered  v/olfram  at  the  foot  of  the  most 
southern  one,  called  Foster's  Range,  and  a  ton 
or  so  of  that  ore  was  obtained  and  sent  away. 
All  the  country  then  on  to  the  outliers  of  the 
Davenport  Range  is  recent  and  Tertiary,  and  of 
an  average  height  of  1,500  ft.  above  sea-level. 

The  Davenport  Range  is  one  of  the  two  most 
extensive  geological  features  between  Oodnadatta 
and  Darwin.  With  the  north-westerly  extension, 
called  the  Murchison,  their  length  is  150  miles  with 
a  breadth  of  30  miles.  The  overland  telegraph  line 
and  track  crosses  the  extreme  westerly  end,  where 
the  ranges  are  low  and  narrow,  and  continues 
northerly  for  40  miles  at  a  few  miles  distance 
from  the  western  margin  of  the  Murchison  Range. 
The  prevailing  rocks  are  sandstone,  quartzite, 
conglomerate,  and  grit,  which  have  formed  flat- 
topped  ranges  of  uniform  heights  to  an  altitude  of 
400  ft.  above  the  surrounding  country.  Through 
denudation  of  this  formation  the  older  metalliferous 
rocks  are  exposed  over  large  areas,  the  same 
agency  having  produced  the  numerous  long,  wide 
valleys  that  now  exist  between  the  ranges.  During 
the  years  1898-9  a  party  under  the  leadership  of 
Mr.  Allan  Davidson  prospected  these  ranges  for 
gold.  They  discovered  several  auriferous  areas, 
some  fairly  extensive,  and  put  down  shallow  shafts 
on  a  few  of  the  most  promising  gold-bearing  reefs 
located,  which  were  found  to  be  too  low  a  grade  to 
be  profitably  worked  under  then  existing  con- 
ditions. As  their  main  object  was  the  discovery 
of  rich  gold  reefs,  only  a  little  alluvial  gold  was 
sought  for  and  obtained.  The  party  also  located 
some  copper-bearing  deposits,  galena,  common 
opal,  and  a  mineral  that  was  subsequently  proved 
to  be  wolfram,  when  one  of  the  party,  subsidized  by 
the  ■  government,  revisited  in  1914  the  place  of 
discovery.  This  field  is  now  called  Hatches  Creek 
wolfram  field,  although  it  was  about  a  year  later 
before  any  mining  work  was  done  there. 

Hatches  Creek  field  is  situated  about  700  miles 


JULY,    1921 


53 


from  each  of  the  termini  of  railway  Hnes  at 
Oodnadatta  and  Katharine  respectively  and  350  miles 
from  the  Duchess-Sullivan  Creek  railway,  near 
Cloncurry,  Queensland.  The  latter  route  is  through 
waterless  desert  country  for  most  of  the  waj',  but 
on  account  of  the  great  disparity  of  distances  it 
has,  during  the  past  three  years,  been  used  in 
preference  to  the  Oodnadatta  track.  The  wolfram 
belt  runs  in  a  northerly  and  southerly  direction  for 
a  distance  of  5  miles,  its  maximum  width  of  2  miles 
being  at  its  southern  end.  Within  this  area  are 
numerous  wolfram-bearing  quartz  reefs,  veins,  and 


01 

H 

> 

C 

in 

H 
D 
> 

r 


Creek  ;  ^       ^      ,  ^^ 

Af'  Donnt:i/ta 
«S^^5?c^__ Alice  Spri 


CE  NTRAL  AUSTRALIA 
Scale    of   Miles 


short,  irregular  shoots  from  1  in.  to  4J  ft.  in  width 
with  varying  lengths  up  to  300  ft.  The  strike  of  the 
reefs  is  mainly  in  conformity  with  the  country,  and 
has  a  steep  westerly  dip.  The  enclosing  rocks  are 
metamorphic  sandstone,  quartzite,  conglomerate, 
slate,  and  schistose  granitic  rocks,  the  two  latter 
being  principally  at  the  northern  end,  where 
scheelite  is  the  predominant  mineral  found,  and 
where,  in  close  proximity,  there  is  a  small  auriferous 
area  discovered  by  Mr.  Davidson's  party.  The 
tungsten  ores  are  very  irregularly  distributed 
throughout  the  matrix,  being  chiefly  found  in 
patches  and  shoots  with  stretches  of  barren  material 

1—6 


intervening  ;  still  in  some  of  the  reefs  a  run  of 
fair  grade  ore  is  met  with.  Oxide  of  iron,  a  little 
copper,  and  bismuth,  are  associated  with  the 
wolfram  at  the  southern  end  of  the  field.  Mining 
operations,  more  or  less  of  a  perfunctory  nature, 
were  profitably  carried  out  on  this  field  from  the 
year  1915  up  to  when  the  price  of  wolfram  slumped 
early  last  year.  By  that  time  the  deepest  working 
was  117  ft.  from  the  surface.  Only  a  few  men, 
and  those  at  a  high  rate  of  wages,  or  if  preferred 
by  the  employee,  on  a  good  term  of  tribute,  could 
be  induced  to  go  there.  At  no  time  were  there 
more  than  fifty  Europeans  on  the  field,  and  at  the 
time  of  the  writer's  visit  in  September  last  they 
numbered  only  sixteen,  the  majority  of  whom 
were  about  to  leave.  The  output  of  the  field  to 
date  is  about  250  tons  of  66%  wolfram  ore  and 
25  tons  of  scheelite  at  a  little  higher  percentage, 
all,  with  the  exception  of  some  alluvial,  obtained 
by  burning  and  dollying  the  material  mined. 

Another  important  wolfram  field,  known  as 
Wauchope  Creek,  is  also  situated  in  the  Davenport 
Range,  about  60  miles  N.N.W.  from  Hatches  Creek, 
6  miles  easterly  from  the  overland  telegraph  line 
and  track  and  nearly  midway  between  Oodnadatta 
and  Katherine.  In  the  year  1917  an  aboriginal 
engaged  in  horse  hunting  discovered  wolfram  there, 
and  shortly  afterwards  the  whole  of  the  wolfram- 
bearing  area  comprising  a  small  parcel  of  land 
50  by  20  chains  was  pegged  out  in  small  holdings. 
These  latter  are  in  a  small  metamorphic  sandstone 
and  slate  belt  about  3  miles  in  length  and  from 
a  chain  to  20  chains  in  width,  trending  N.X.W.  and 
S.S.E.,  bounded  on  the  east  by  a  table-topped 
range  of  desert  sandstone,  and  w-est  by  a  line  of  low 
hills  and  ridges  of  quartzite  bordering  on  scrubby 
plain  country  lying  immediately  to  the  south-west. 
Within  this  belt  at  its  central  and  widest  part 
are  a  series  of  wolfram-bearing  quartz  reefs  and 
leaders  from  1  in.  to  2  ft.  in  width  outcropping 
for  distances  up  to  800  ft.  Their  uniformity  is 
remarkable,  and  the  majority  of  them  trend  with 
the  country  and  have  a  flatfish  dip  to  the  north- 
east, gradually  becoming  steeper  so  far  as  worked 
down.  Wolfram  ore  of  good  grade  was  obtained  in 
places  along  quite  a  dozen  of  the  principal  reefs 
and  for  long  distances  in  some  of  them.  Mining 
operations  carried  out  are  of  the  nature  of  irregular 
open-cuts,  very  little  of  a  systematic  nature  having 
been  done.  The  deepest  of  the  few  shafts  sunk  is 
onK-  40  ft.  from  the  surface.  Where  rich  stone  was 
showing  on  the  surface  it  was  simply  rooted  out, 
and  when  such  a  patch  became  poorer,  another 
was  found  and  dug  into.  The  richness  of  some  of 
these  was  phenomenal,  men  on  tribute  obtaining  as 
much  as  8  tons  of  clean  wolfram  for  three  or  four 
weeks'  work.  As  at  Hatches  Creek,  operations 
were  handicapped  through  want  of  labour.  At  no 
time  were  there  more  than  26  Europeans  on  the 
field,  all  but  five  or  six  of  them  being  wage  and 
tribute  men.  Want  of  water  was  also  a  drawback, 
the  nearest  permanent  water  supply  being  16  miles 
awa\' ;  moreover,  all  transport  w-as  by  camel  team 
to  and  from  Oodnadatta,  600  miles  distant.  Not- 
withstanding these  disadvantages  and  the 
occurrence  of  a  four  months'  strike  of  wage  and 
tribute  men,  the  claim-holders  made  net  profits 
of  many  thousands  of  pounds  out  of  wolfram 
obtained  from  their  mines  during  the  short  period 
of  work.  At  the  time  of  the  author's  re-visiting 
the  locality  in  September  last,  the  holdings  were 
under  exemption  from  labour  conditions,  and  only 


54 


Till-:     .MINING     MAGAZINE 


two  Kuropcans  wore  there.  Some  nice  wolfram 
was  then  showing  on  the  face  at  different  workings. 
So  far  the  lieKl  has  proved  to  be  exceptionally 
rich  in  wolfram,  antl  there  is  every  promise  of 
continnance  ami  the  reefs  living  to  great  depths. 
The  output  to  date  is  approximately  237  tons  of 
BS^o  wolfram  ore,  all  perfectly  free  from  any 
detrimental  substance,  and  obtained,  except  when 
mined  in  solid  lumps  and  alluvial,  by  burning  and 
dollying  wolfram-bearing  quartz.  Very  recently 
the  majority  of  these  mine  holdings,  including  the 
principal  leases,  have  been  acquired  by  an  .\delaide 
company  with   /1 2,000  working  capital. 

Prior  to  Mr.  Davidson's  party,  no  prospecting 
work  was  carried  out  in  these  ranges,  and  the 
little  that  was  done  subseijucntly  was  solely  for 
wolfram,  a  small  quantity  of  that  mineral  being 
found  a  mile  south  from  \\'oodineera  waterliole  in 
the  Frew  River,  40  miles  to  the  north  of  Hatches 
Creek,  at  the  head  of  Lennie  Creek,  mid-way 
between  the  two  fields,  and  in  some  quartz  veins 
and  alluvial  at  the  Marbles,  8  miles  northerly  from 
Wauchope.  Although  areas  of  granite  country 
have  the  appearance  of  being  stanniferous,  the  only 
discoverj-  reported  was  of  a  few  ounces  of  black  tin 
ore  from  gully  wash  near  Wauchope  Creek. 

Since  the  author's  course  was  along  the  ranges 
from  Hatches  Creek  to  Wauchope  Creek,  mostly 
through  trackless  countrv',  the  Kurrundie  gold  reels 
were  not  visited.  These  are  close  to  the  Hatches 
Creek-Tennant's  Creek  track,  and,  according  to 
Mr.  Davidson's  report,  are  large,  low-grade  pro- 
positions payable  to  work  under  favourable  con- 
ditions. Since  his  party  left  nothing  further  has 
been  done  there,  although  from  time  to  time  the 
areas  have  been  taken  up  solely  for  speculative 
purposes. 

Along  the  overland  track,  after  leaving  the 
Davenport  Ranges,  past  Kelly's  well  (1,100  ft. 
above  sea-level)  to  the  McDouall  Ranges  near 
Tennant's  Creek,  undulating  sandy  country  is 
passed  over  for  most  of  the  way,  the  older  forma- 
tions of  metamorphic  sandstone,  quartzite,  and 
granitic  rocks  with  quartz  veins  being  only  met  with 
at  the  westerly  outliers  of  the  Murchison  Range. 
The  McDouall  Ranges  are  actually  a  continuation 
of  and  a  westerly  branch  of  the  Murchison  Range. 
Ko  eruptive  rock  was  seen  by  the  -writer  in  passing 
through  them,  but  in  every  other  respect  they 
appear  to  be  of  similar  formation  ;  their  maximum 
height  does  not  exceed  1.600  ft.  above  sea-level. 

After  leaving  Tennant's  Creek  there  is  no 
metalliferous  country  until  the  Marranboy  tin 
belts  are  reached.  Patches  of  broken  tableland, 
continuations  of  similar  higher  formations  to  the 
westward,  are  between  Attack  and  Woodforde 
Creeks  on  the  Tennant's-Powell  stage,  and  also 
between  Powell's  Creek  and  Newcastle  Plains  ;  the 
rocks  are  desert  sandstone,  quartzite,  and  con- 
glomerate, lying  very  fiat.  At  Banka  Banka 
station,  20  miles  from  the  western  edge  of  the 
Barkly  Tablelands,  there  is  some  coarse,  acid,  grey 
granite.  A  little  opalized  quartz  was  observed 
between  Banka  Banka  station  and  Helena  Springs, 
where  opal  was  discovered.  Outcrops  of  acid,  grey 
granite,  and  coarse  conglomerate  occur  between 
Sturt's  Plain  and  Daly  Waters.  From  then  on  to 
the  stanniferous  country  mentioned,  recent  and 
Tertiary  formations  overlie  limestone,  as  in  the 
Barkly  Tableland,  but  nowhere  in  this  long  stretch 
of  country — some  400  miles — is  there  any  likeUhood 
of  a  mineral  find  being  made. 


From  Marranboy  the  author  travelled  via 
Maude  Creek  old  gold  and  copper  diggings,  40  miles 
to  Katherine,  thence  by  train  to  Darwin.  As  these 
two  mining  fields  are  well  within  the  coastal 
district,  and,  with  others  similarly  situated,  have 
been  described  by  geologists  and  other  ollicials, 
and  as  the  conditions  pertaining  to  such  are  totally 
dissimilar  to  those  inland,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
refer  to  them  here. 

The  metalUferous  areas  described  and  com- 
mented on  in  this  article  are,  with  the  exception 
of  Tanami  and  the  Petermann  Range — where  a 
few  colours  of  gold  were  found — all  those  known 
outside  the  territorial  coastal  belt.  They  are  on 
these  uplands  extending  from  the  19"  30'  to  the 
24°  parallel  of  south  latitude,  and  from  200  to  300' 
miles  from  the  border  line  between  the  Northern 
Territory  and  Queensland.  Only  small  portions  of 
this  huge  area  of  country  have  been  prospected, 
and  that  mostly  in  a  haphazard  manner.  Past 
and  existing  conditions  and  circumstances  offer 
little,  if  any,  inducement  to  the  prospector,  and 
the  great  distances  from  rail  and  centres  of 
population,  combined  with  the  costly,  slow,  and 
unreliable  transport  facilities,  practically  prohibit 
the  development  of  any  of  the  known  mines,  even 
by  companies  with  a  large  working  capital. 

The  climate  over  the  whole  area  is  very  healthy, 
with  hot  dry  heat  in  summer,  cool  days  and  cold 
and  often  frosty  nights  in  the  winter.  The  average 
annual  rainfall,  which  is  somewhat  irregular,  is 
about  10  in.,  faUing  in  heavy  showers  in  the 
.summer,  the  winter  rains  being  of  a  drizzly  nature, 
accompanied  by  cold  easterly  (winds.  There  is 
nothing  in  the  nature  of  the  climate  to  retard 
European  labour  efficiency  to  any  appreciable 
extent.  In  no  sense  is  the  country  tropical  or 
semi-tropical,  and  malarial  and  other  enervating 
disorders  prevalent  on  the  coastal  mining  fields  are 
unknown.  Timber  for  mining  purposes  is  scarce 
over  all  the  metalliferous  areas,  the  trees  on  the 
ranges  and  hills  being  hollow,  stunted,  and  scattered, 
and  only  fit  for  firewood.  Good  mine  timbers  of 
mulga,  bloodwood,  and  gum  are  obtainable  in 
limited  quantities  in  the  valleys  of  creeks  and 
so-called  rivers,  and  from  the  surrounding  country. 
Water  is  scarce  throughout  the  Macdonnell  Ranges. 
There  are  a  few  large  waterholes  and  springs,  and 
a  limited  supply  is  obtainable  by  sinking  in  some  of 
the  creeks  to  depths  up  to  100  ft.  For  any  big 
mining  undertaking,  however,  water  would  probably 
have  to  be  stored  in  dams  or  reservoirs.  In  the 
Davenport  Ranges  there  are  numerous  waterholes,. 
some  verj^  long  and  deep  and  practically  permanent. 
Along  the  telegraph  line  north  from  Alice  Springs 
(which  is  a  misnomer,  as  there  are  no  springs  there) 
fair  supplies  of  water  have  been  struck  at  shallow 
depths  in  some  of  the  government  wells.  It 
would  therefore  appear  that  any  water  difficulty 
would  not  be  of  a  serious  nature,  and  could  be 
easily  overcome  by  conservation. 

As  regards  a  route  for  the  proposed  north-south 
continental  railway,  the  direct  route  to  connect  the- 
present  termini — Oodnadatta  and  Katherine — is 
via  Arltunga  through  the  Hart's  Range  mica 
field,  not  anywhere  near  Alice  Springs,  as  most 
people  seem  to  think,  then  on  past  Wauchope 
Creek  wolfram  field.  For  engineering  and  other 
reasons,  however,  a  deviation  from  Arltunga  in 
the  direction  of  Hatches  Creek,  and  then  through 
the  north-western  portion  of  the  Barkly  Table- 
lands may  be  preferable. 


JULY,    1921 


55 


OIL    PROSPECTING    IN    THE    MACKENZIE    RIVER    DISTRICT 


The  Canaiian  Mining  Journal  for  May  6  prints 
an  article  by  E.  M.  Kindle,  of  the  Canadian 
Geological  Survey,  containing  a  number  of  sugges- 
tions to  oil  prospectors  in  the  Mackenzie  River 
Valley.  The  opening  of  navigation  in  the  Mackenzie 
River  basin  this  season  will  probably  witness  a 
northern  migration  of  oil  prospectors,  unprecedented 
in  western  Canada.  A  large  proportion  of  those  who 
are  likely  to  make  the  long  journey  to  the  new  oil- 
field below  Norman  on  the  Lower  Mackenzie  will 
probably  have  little  or  no  knowledge  of  the  con- 
ditions under  which  they  must  live  in  this  region. 
A  few  suggestions  and  some  bits  of  geographical 
information  from  one  who  has  spent  two  seasons  in 
the  Mackenzie  Valley  will  be  helpful  to  many  who 
go  into  the  great  Northland  for  the  first  time,  and 
also  to  many  others  who  do  not. 

^\^lile  prospectors  will  find  a  genial  summer 
climate,  they  will  need  to  provide  with  some  care  for 
the  sub-Arctic  winter  conditions  which  follow  the 
summers.      One    of   the    most   important   of   these 


provisions  for  winter  is  a  cabin.  It  should  be  clearly 
understood  that  there  are  no  road  houses  or  other 
establishments  furnishing  public  accommodation 
anywhere  in  the  Mackenzie  Valley.  The  environ- 
ment of  the  North  exercises  a  selective  influence  on 
the  human  as  it  does  on  the  other  kinds  of  animals 
found  within  its  bounds.  The  man  who  lives  in  the 
North  as  a  trapper  must  in  vrinter  be  able  to  visit 
his  traps  and  sleep  in  the  open  at  a  temperature 
of  60°  below  zero.  Losing  a  trail  in  the  spruce 
forests  is  hkely  to  mean  freezing  in  winter  and 
starvation  in  summer.  He  must  have  a  keen  sense  of 
direction  and  the  ability  to  estimate  accurately  the 
limitations  of  his  canoe.  An  error  in  estimating  the 
hazard  of  a  rapid  or  the  strength  of  a  gale  results  in 
his  elimination  from  the  field  of  adjustment  to 
northern  conditions.  So  the  white  men  whom  one 
meets  on  the  northern  rivers  and  lakes  represent  as 
a  rule  a  selected  group  of  men  who  have  proved 
themselves  fit  to  cope  with  conditions  which  quickly 
weed  out  the  human  weaklings. 


Map  givim;  an  Outline  of  the  PHVsiOGKArHV  oi    the  Mackenzie  Kivek  Easin 


56 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Kdmonton  is  the  logical  place  for  outfitting  if  one 
wishes  the  advantages  of  large  and  well-stocked 
stores,  but  most  of  the  provisions  required  for  an 
expedition  into  the  North-West  Territories  can  be 
obtained  either  at  Pence  River  Crossing  or 
McMurray.  At  one  or  the  other  of  these  points  the 
north-bound  traveller  takes  final  leave  of  railways 
anti  hotels  and  must  be  prepared  to  depend  entirely 
on  his  own  resources.  After  provisions  the  next 
most  important  items  for  the  outfit  are  one  or  two 
heavy  woollen  blankets  or  some  form  of  sleeping- 
bag  and  a  mosquito-proof  tent.  No  experienced 
man  will  neglect  the  latter,  and  the  nearly  equally 
important  items  of  light-canvas  gloves  and  head 
nets  in  outfitting  for  any  part  of  the  northern 
wilderness.  He  who  neglects  these  precautions 
against  the  universal  mosquito  pest  of  the  North- 
west will  have  good  cause  to  regret  his  negligence 
and  probably  decide  that  he  would  have  enjoyed 
just  as  much  a  sojourn  in  the  super-heated  climate 
of  tradition. 

One  of  the  things  which  should  be  included  in  the 
outfit  of  the  prospector  going  into  the  Mackenzie 
basin  in  a  geological  map  of  the  region.  This  may  be 
obtained  by  writing  the  Director  of  the  Canadian 
Geological  Survey  at  Ottawa  for  a  copy  of  Memoir 
108.  Another  small  but  important  item  of  the 
outfit  is  a  pocket  compass.  The  north-bound 
traveller  may  be  reminded  here  that  his  compass 
readings  require  correction  as  he  journeys  north  in 
somewhat  the  same  way  as  does  his  watch  on  a 
transcontinental  trip.  At  Fort  Smith  the  needle 
points  not  even  approximately  north,  but  33°  23' 
east  of  north.  At  Fort  Norman  the  declination  cast 
is  between  41  and  42  degrees. 

Any  approach  by  rail  to  the  Peace  or  .Athabasca 
rivers,  which  are  the  great  waterways  leading  toward 
Great  Slave  and  the  Mackenzie,  must  be  through  the 
city  of  Edmonton.  This  thriving  modern  city  was  a 
very  few  j-ears  ago  onl)-  an  obscure  trading-post  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Co.  on  the  Saskatchewan  River.  A 
railroad  was  completed  a  few  years  ago  from 
Edmonton  to  Peace  River  Crossing  on  the  Peace 
River,  which  is  about  312  miles  north-west  of 
Edmonton.  Another  railroad  extends  north  from 
Edmonton  via  Lac  La  Biche  to  the  head  of  naviga- 
tion on  the  Clearwater  River.  This  railway  ends 
near  McMurray  ;  from  that  point  to  the  Arctic  coast 
steamer  na\'igation  on  the  Mackenzie  is  interrupted 
at  but  one  point,  the  rapids  at  Fort  Smith,  where 
there  is  a  portage  of  16  miles.  It  should  be  noted- 
however,  that  while  the  latter  route  is  the  most 
direct  the  service  beyond  Lac  La  Biche  is  frequently 
discontinued  for  considerable  periods  because  of 
the  condition  of  the  road  bed.  The  Peace  River 
route  is  longer  and  involves  a  four-mile  portage 
at  the  Vermillion  chutes  which  the  McIMurray  route 
avoids,  but  the  railway  transportation  is  more 
dependable.  The  distance  from  the  end  of  the 
railroad  at  Peace  River  Crossing  to  the  oil  well  is 
about  1,500  miles,  and  from  McMurraj-  about  1,200 
miles.  Telegraph  service  extends  to  Peace  River 
Cro.ssing  and  to  McMurray,  but  not  beyond. 

Two  lines  of  steamers  have  for  a  number  of  years 
been  engaged  every  summer  in  bringing  out  the 
winter  catch  of  fur  and  taking  in  the  yearly  con- 
signment of  supplies  to  the  trading  posts  which  are 
located  from  100  to  200  miles  apart  throughout  the 
Mackenzie  River  system.  A  third  line  began 
operations  in  1919.  These  steamers  make  only  a 
single  round-trip  to  the  most  northerly  posts.  Two 
or  more  trips  are  ordinarily  made  to  points  on  the 


Upper     Mackenzie.       The     companies     operating 
steamers    on    the    Mackenzie    in     1920    were    the 
Hudson's  Bay  Co.  and  the  Northern  Trading  Co. 
Both  of  these  companies  have  offices  in   lulmont<in. 
Tlie  roun<l-trip  steamjr  rate  quoted  by  one  of  the 
transport   companies   this  season   from   McMurray 
to  the  oil  w-ell,  including  meals  and  berth,  is  $300. 
A  freight  rate  which  has  been  qiioted  between  these 
points    (north)    is    S 10-25    per    1001b.      nuring  the 
winter  season  the  only  communication  between  the 
Mackenzie  Valley  and  the  outside  world  is  main- 
tained   by    dog  sledges  or  carioles  which  carry  the 
mails  in  and  out  of  the  Mackenzie  Valley  once  a 
month.     Only  first-class  mail,  however,  is  carried 
on  these.      It  may  well  be  understood  that  to  the 
inhabitants    of    the    Mackenzie    Valley    the    great 
seasonal  events  of  the  year  are  the  opening  and 
clo.sing  of  navigation  on  the  waterways  of  the  basin. 
The  ice  of  Great  Slave  Lake  lilocks  the  navigation 
of  the  Mackenzie  River  for  nearly  a  month  after  the 
great  river  is  free  of  ice.    Owing  to  this  fact  naviga- 
tion on  the  Mackenzie  is  limited  to  about  3J  months. 
The   record   of  the  ice  break-up  at   Rae  on  Great 
Slave  Lake  entered  in  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company 
journals  and  published  by  Russell  shows  the  break- 
up during  6  years   (1857-9  and   1883-5)   to  have 
ranged   from   May   30   to   June   23.      The   general 
direction  of  the  wind  in  spring,  however,  drives  the 
ice   toward   the   southern   shore   so   that   steamers 
seldom  venture  into  the  lake  before  the  first  of  July. 
The  Mackenzie  at  Simpson,  which  is  near  latitude 
62°,  opens  between  May  4  to  May  20,  averaging  from 
the  10th  to  the  15th,  according  to  Captain  Mills,  who 
has  spent  several  years  at  Simpson  and  has  run 
steam.ers   on   all   of   the   navigable   waters   of   the 
Mackenzie  basin.     Because  of  nearly  dead  water  in 
the  Mackenzie  for  a  long  distance,  the  head  of  the 
river  opens  2A  or  3  weeks  later  than  at  Simpson. 
The  opening  of  Great  Slave  Lake  generally  occurs, 
according  to  Captain  Mills,  between  June   16  and 
July   2.  "or   six  weeks   later   than   the   Mackenzie 
below  Simpson. 

Fur  constitutes  the  sole  commercial  product  of  the 
country,  and  prospective  travellers  in  the  Mackenzie 
Valley  may  be  reminded  that  the  transport  com- 
panies were  established  solely  for  the  purpose  of 
getting  the  fur  out  of  the  country,  and  a  limited 
amount  of  provisions  in  each  season  to  the  trading 
posts,  not  for  the  accommodation  of  the  travelling 
pubUc. 

The  approximate  distances  between  the  trading 
posts  on  the  Mackenzie  River  system  north  of  the 
end  of  the  railroad  at  McMurray  are  indicated  in 
the  following  table  : — 

From  McMurray  to  Miles. 

Fort  Chipewyan    190 

Fort  Fitzgerald 280 

Fort  Smith   296 

Fort  Resolution   490 

Fort  Hay  River 570 

Fort  Providence 660 

Fort  Simpson 835 

Fort  Wrigley 995 

Fort  Norman 1,155 

Oil  Well 1.201 

Fort  Good  Hope 1.330 

Fort  Arctic  Red  River.  ...     1 ,570 

Fort  McPherson 1 ,635 

Fort  Scenic 1 ,735 

A  company  has  been  organized  which  proposes  to 
build  a  railway  around  the  Slave  River  rapids 
between  Fort  Smith  and  Fitzgerald.     At  present. 


JULY,    1921 


57 


however,  all  freight  must  be  transported  across  the 
16  miles  between  these  two  points  by  wagon  or 
tractor.  Steamers  will  leave  Fort  Smith  for  the 
first  trip  down  the  ^Mackenzie  about  June  24. 
Departure  from  the  same  point  on  the  second  trip 
will  be  about  July  26. 

The  Mounted  Police  have  the  authority  to  turn 
back  any  individual  whom  they  consider  for 
physical  or  other  reason  unfit  for  the  trip.  The 
inspector  at  Fort  Fitzgerald,  which  must  be  passed 
by  all  persons  entering  the  Mackenzie  Valley,  is 
required  to  take  certain  personal  information 
regarding  each  individual  going  beyond  that  point. 
This  interview  may  include  a  request  for  evidence 
that  arrangements  have  been  made  with  some 
power-boat  for  return  transport  or  that  a  contract 
for  a  year's  supply  of  provisions  has  been  secured. 
.  It  is  necessary  to  begin  the  return  trip  from  Norman 
not  later  than  September  28  if  a  winter  sojo\!rn  is 
not  planned. 

It  is  reported  that  aeroplane  service  to  the  new  oil 
district  will  be  available  for  those  who  do  not  mind 
paying  $1,000  for  the  round-trip.  The  Imperial  Oil 
Company  is  preparing  to  use  planes  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  in  its  own  employees. 

It  is  probable  that  many  persons  wishing  to  go 
north  this  season  will  find  it  impossible  to  secure 
accommodation  on  the  steamers.  Such  persons  will, 
however,  find  it  possible  to  make  the  trip  north  by 
canoe,  and  to  make  very  good  time  with  the  aid  of 
the  river  current.  The  return  trip,  of  course,  cannot 
profitably  be  made  in  this  way,  since  the  journey 
is  up  stream.  A  man  skilful  with  tools  can  build 
his  own  boat  on  the  river  bank  at  Peace  River 
Crossing. 

In  the  noi"thern  latitude  where  daylight  lasts 
about  24  hours  in  June  it  is  feasible  for  large  canoes 
to  travel  day  and  night  if  the  party  wishes  to  speed 
up.  The  mosquitoes  are  less  active  during  the  cool 
nights,  which  is  often  another  incentive  to  night 
travel.  The  writer  has  covered  the  200  miles  stretch 
between   Fort  Smith   and   Resolution   by  day  and 


night  travel  in  2\  days.  This  method  for  short 
periods  involves  no  hardship,  if  the  night  is  divided 
into  two  or  more  watches  with  only  one  man  at  the 
paddle,  while  the  others  sleep  or  study  astronomy 
from  the  bottom  of  the  canoe.  There  are  only  two 
points  on  the  entire  Mackenzie  River  where  the 
canoeman  needs  any  special  advice  in  regard  to 
avoiding  rapids.  One  of  these  is  opposite  the  site 
of  Old  Fort  Wrigley.  Here  the  river  splits  on 
a  rocky  island.  Loaded  canoes  and  scows  should 
take  the  west  channel.  The  narrow  eastern  channel 
is  rather  swift  w-ater.  The  other  locality  is  the 
Sans  Sault  rapids.  Here  also  the  canoeman  should 
take  the  west  side  of  the  river  keeping  near  the 
shore.  The  Vermillion  chutes  and  the  Smith 
rapids  on  the  Slave  are  always  portaged. 

The  Mackenzie  basin  embraces  a  vast  area  repre- 
senting some  680,000  square  miles  of  territory  in 
North  West  Canada.  Extending  over  nearly  17° 
of  latitude  it  necessarily  includes  a  considerable 
variety  of  physiography.  A  great  central  plain 
bordered  on  the  east  by  the  Laurentian  plateau  and 
on  the  west  by  the  Rocky  mountains'  and  their 
northern  extension,  the  Mackenzie  Mountains,  repre- 
sent the  major  physiographic  features  of  the 
region.  The  mileage  of  the  new  oil  well  is  equivalent 
to  the  distance  from  Ottawa  to  South  Florida.  Since 
there  are  no  roads  and  very  few  trails,  travel  in  the 
Mackenzie  Valley  is  strictly  limited  to  the  water- 
ways. Everywhere  dense  forests  of  spruce  and 
poplar,  muskeg,  or  small  lakes  cover  the  lowlands 
near  the  rivers.  These  generally  render  travel 
across  country  nearly  impossible  or  extremely  slow. 
In  all  the  1,200  mile  stretch  of  lake  and  river 
between  the  end  of  steel  at  JIcMurray  and  the  oil 
well,  the  traveller  will  see  only  eight  or  ten  Indian 
villages,  with  two  or  three  fur-trading  stores  at 
each  to  intcrupt  the  virgin  forest.  The  total 
population  of  the  entire  Mackenzie  district  will 
probably  not  exceed  5,000.  Probably  less  than  150 
of  these  are  whites,  the  remainder  being  Indians, 
except  200  or  300  Esquimaux. 


Oil  in  Saskatchewan. — The  throwing  open  of  the 
Pasquia  Hills  Forest  Reserve  for  oil  prospecting 
under  the  recent  amendments  to  the  Dominion  Oil 
Regulations,  has  drawn  attention  once  more  to  this 
potential  oil  region.  To  readers  of  the  Magazine 
its  position  is  best  indicated  by  recording  that  it  is 
about  40  miles  from  The  Pas  over  the  Saskatchewan- 
Manitoba  border.  The  presence  of  large  bodies  of 
oil  shales  in  these  hills  has  long  been  known.  In 
the  course  of  his  report  to  the  Geological  Survey 
cm  the  basins  of  the  Nelson  and  Churchill  Rivers, 
William  Mclnnes  made  several  references  to  these 
shales.  His  report,  which  was  written  in  1911,  was 
pubhshed  two  years  later  as  Jleraoir  No.  30.  The 
Canadian  Mining  Journal  for  April  8  gives  extracts 
from  this  report. 

According  to  Mr.  Mclnnes  the  overlap  of  the 
Cretaceous  sediments  is  marked  for  a  hundred  miles 
west  of  Lake  Winnipegosis  by  the  bold  escarpment 
of  the  Porcupine  and  Pasquia  Hills,  and  farther  west 
by  the  equally  high  but  gently  sloping  Wapawekka 
Hills.  A  partial  section  of  Cretaceous  rocks 
making  up  the  Pasquia  Hills  was  seen  where  the 
rocks  are  exposed  in  gullies  worn  by  streams 
descending  these  northerly  facing  slopes.  An  esti- 
mated section  along  these  guUie?,  compiled  mainly 
from  exposures  observed  in  the  trench  worn  by 
Nabi  River,  is  as  follows,  in  ascending  order  : — 

35  ft.     to     40  ft.  ;      thick     bedded,     soft     grey 


arenaceous  oil-shale  or  thin  bedded  sandstone, 
holding  the  remains  of  fishes. 

6  in.  ;    compact  impure  limestone. 

120  ft.  or  more  ;  soft,  fissile,  light  grey  (almost 
black  when  wet)  oil-shales,  holding  the  comminuted 
remains  of  fishes  and  many  foraminifera. 

15  ft.  ;  clay  iron-stone  in  beds  6  in.  to  1  ft.  in 
thic!;ness,  divided  by  thin  partings  of  shale. 

10  ft.  ;  soft  fissile,  grey  shale  that  seems  to  be 
similar  to  the  oil-shales  below. 

The  whole  is  overlain,  to  the  surface,  by  10  ft.  or 
more  of  boulder  clay  containing  many  boulders  of 
limestone  and  a  few  of  Pre-Cambrian  gneiss  and 
granite. 

The  fossils  from  the  section  given  above  were 
probably  of  Niobrara  age.  The  thickness  of  the 
Niobrara  in  Manitoba  has  been  computed  to  be 
from  130  to  200  ft.,  comprising  calcareous  shales, 
which  pass  downwards  into  the  shale  of  the  Benton. 

The  base  of  the  section  given  above  lies  at  a  height 
of  400  ft.  or  more  above  the  bed  of  the  Carrot  River, 
where,  at  the  rapid  above  the  Red  Earth  Indian 
reserve,  ledges  are  exposed  that  are  thought  to  repre- 
sent the  Dakota  division  of  the  upper  Cretaceous. 
They  consist  of  5  ft.  of  very  soft  quartzose  sandstone 
deeply  stained  with  iron  o.xide,  lying  in  undisturbed 
heavy  beds  that  show  false-bedding,  and  hold 
nodules  and  irregular  masses  of  iron  pyrites.  In 
places  the  sandstone  becomes  a  fine  conglomerate. 


58 


Till':     .MIX  IXC,    MAGAZINE 


in  cert.iin  layers  with  pebbles  of  gneiss  and  oilier 
rocks,  and  in  places  it  contains  carbonaccons 
material  resembling  the  comminuted  remains  of 
plants.  The  soft  sandstone  is  overlain  by  hard, 
white  quartz  sandstone  with  distinctly  red-pnrplc 
tinge,  which  is  strongly  ripple-marked  on  some 
surfaces. 

I'ifty  miles  farther  up  the  Carrot  River  from  the 
rapid  at  which  the  sandstones  are  exposed,  and  at  an 
elevation  of  about  400  ft.  above  that  point,  grey  oil- 
shales  similar  to  those  of  the  Pasquia  Hills  section 
form  the  low  scarped  banks  of  the  river.  There 
is  thus  an  interval  of  400  ft.  or  more  between  the 
observed  beds  of  Dakota  sandstone  and  those  of 
Niobrara  shale.  A  great  part  of  this  interval,  which 
on  the  side  of  the  Pasquia  Hills  and  in  the  valley  of 
the  Carrot  river  is  covered  by  deposits  of  boulder 
clay  and  by  later  stratified  sands  and  clays,  is  with- 
out doubt  occupied  by  the  shales  of  the  Jienton. 
Shales  considered  to  be  of  Benton  age  which,  from 
their  relative  elevation,  would  fall  into  this  gap, 
were  observed  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Tyrrell  in  the  bed  of  the 
Saskatchewan  below  Birch  islands. 

The  Carrot  river,  which  joins  the  Saskatchewan 
two  miles  above  The  Pas  flows  past  the  Ked  Earth 
Indian  reserve.  From  the  crossing  of  the  second 
base  line  w-esterly,  the  steeply  sloping  front  oJ  the 
Pasquia  Hills  rises  from  the  flat  land  to  the  south 
of  the  river  all  along.  The  hills  rise  to  a  height  of 
about  1,600  ft.  above  the  valley  or  2,500  ft.  above 
the  sea.  The  hills  are  made  up  for  the  most  part  of 
Cretaceous  sediments,  though  the  base  is  probably 
formed  of  Palasozoic  beds  and  the  summit  is  covered 
by  varying  thickness  of  boulder  clay. 

The  only  exposures  of  rock  in  place  seen  in  the 
Pasquia  Hills  by  Mr.  Mclnnes  were  found  in  the 
gulches  eroded  by  streams  flowing  down  the  hill- 
slopes.  Thej'  consist  for  the  most  part  of  soft, 
grey,  fissile  shales  that  contain  a  considerable 
amount  of  bituminous  matter,  enough  to  cause  them 
to  burn  freely,  with  the  emission  of  a  strong  odour  of 
petroleum  when  heated  in  the  camp  fire.  The  best 
exposures  were  found  in  the  valley  of  the  Nabi  river, 
where  !40  ft.  or  more  of  thick-bedded  sandstone, 
holding  the  remains  of  fishes,  bivalves,  and 
foraminifera,  are  exposed  in  cliffs  along  the  river  ; 
the  species  are  characteristic  of  the  Niobrara  division 
of  the  Cretaceous. 

Altogether  more  than  40  square  miles  of  territory 
in  the  Pasquia  Hills  have  been  .staked  since 
December  last,  when  the  new  oil  regulations  came 
into  force.  Syndicates  have  been  formed  and  it  is 
understood  that  several  drills  will  be  on  the  spot  at 
an  early  date.  A  miniature  boom  is,  in  fact,  being 
staged,  and  local  hopes  of  a  future  producing  oil- 
field are  high.  Expeditions  have  been  .sent  out  by 
business  men  from  The  Pas,  while  interests  in  cities 
in  western  Canada  have  put  up  money  for  explora- 
tion work.  Many  samples  of  shale  have  been 
brought  into  The  Pas,  which  when  lighted  will  burn 
freely.  Samples  of  paraffin  wax  and  fossilized 
remains  of  fish  are  also  on  view.  The  break-up  of 
frost  has  interfered  with  traffic  between  The  Pas  and 
the  Pasquia  Hills  for  a  time,  and  it  is  unlikely  that 
any  further  parties  will  venture  out  until  open  water, 
when  it  is  anticipated  there  will  be  a  big  rush  to 
take  up  sections.  The  Pasquia  Hills  are  reached  in 
the  %vinter  time  by  horse  team  and  dog  sleigh,  and 
in  the  summer  there  is  a  water  route  running  into 
the  foothills,  from  whence  the  best  method  of 
travelling  will  be  by  pack  horses.  Since  the  above 
was  written,  many  parties  have  gone  into  the  region. 


Zinc    Determination.— In      the     Journal    of     the 
Society  of  Chemical  Inilustry  for  May  31,  IC.  Olivier, 
writing  from  the  Central  Laboratory  of  the  Vieille 
Mimtagne   Company,   discusses   the   determination 
of  zinc  by  the  potassium  ferrocyanide  method.    The 
determination    of   the    zinc   content   of    Australian 
concentrates  is  usually  carried  out  volumetrically, 
cither    by    the    so-called    American    method    (the 
potassium     ferrocyanide     method)      or     by     the 
Schnaftner   method    (titration   of   the   ammoniacal 
solution  with  sodium  sulphide)  ;   this  last  method  is 
also     sometimes     termed     the     Vieille     Montague 
method  (see  Eic^vet,  Bi<tl.  Soc.  Cliiiii.  Bclg.,   1919, 
28,  351).  In  the  American  method,  as  usually  carried 
out,  the  ore  or  concentrate  is  decomposed  by  means 
of  nitric  acid  and  potassium  chlorate,  the  mixture 
evaporated     to    dryness,    the    residue    boiled    with 
ammonia  and  ammonium  chloride  solution,  and  the 
filtrate  acidified  ;    the  copper  is  removed  by  means 
of  lead  foil,  the  liquid  is  neutralized  with  ammonia, 
a  solution  of  potassium  hydrogen  tartate  and  ferric 
chloride   is   added,   the   solution   heated   to   about 
75°    C,    and    titrated    with    standard    potassium 
ferrocyanide     solution    in    presence    of    ammonia 
until  a  spot  test  with  acetic  acid   shows  a  blue 
coloration.       The    method   used   for  preparing  the 
solution  for  analysis  results  in  the  extraction  of  the 
zinc,  together  with  the  copper,  cadmium,  calcium, 
and  magnesium,  and  part  of  the  lead,  iron,  and 
manganese.      Of    these    elements    only    the    zinc, 
copper,  cadmium,  and  manganese  are  precipitated 
by  the  ferrocyanide,  and  only  the  copper  is  removed 
prior  to  the  titration,  so  that  the  cadmium  and 
manganese  present  are   returned   as   zinc.     While 
the   amount   of   cadmium   present   in   the   concen- 
trates is  usually   so   small   as   to  be  negligible  (it 
averages  about  0-1%),  this  is  not  so  in  the  case  of 
manganese,  which  may  be  present  to  the  extent  of 
considerably  more  than  1%,  and  so  result  in  a  high 
figure  being  returned  for  zinc.     In  one  case,  for 
example,  the  author  found  P16%  of  manganese  (as 
MnjOj)  in  the  zinc  solution  before  titration.    That 
amounts  of  manganese  such  as  are  found  in  con- 
centrates    vitiate     the    titration     is     shown     by 
experiments    in    which    manganese    corresponding 
to  2° 'a  and  4%  respectively  of  MujOj  was  added  to 
solutions  of  known  zinc  content  ;     on  titration  of 
these  solutions,  0-8%  and  2-3%  of  zinc  in  excess 
of  the  quantity  present  was  indicated.     To  separate 
the  manganese  completely   from   the  solution,    a 
few  cubic   centimetres   of   hydrogen   peroxide   are 
added  to  the  mixture  of  ammonium  chloride  solution 
and  ammonia  used   to  treat  the  residue  resulting 
from  the  decomposition  of  the  ore  ;    this  renders 
the  manganese  insoluble,  and  the  results  obtained 
agree   closely  with  those  found  by  the   Schaffner 
method.    When  the  percentage  of  manganese  present 
is  small  (for  instance  0'25%)  the  results  obtained  by 
the   two   methods    (without   the   use   of  hydrogen 
peroxide)   agree  within   about  0'1%,   but  in   most 
cases     manganese     will     be     present    in     amounts 
sufficiently  great  to  necessitate  the  use  of  hydrogen 
pero.xide.       The    American    method    has    another 
disadvantage,  especially  where  a  large  number  of 
titrations    have    to    be    made    daily,    namely,  the 
titration  is  carried  out  in  hot  solutions  ;    this  is 
necessary  in  order  to  obtain  complete  precipitation 
of    the    zinc    ferrocyanide    in    a    dense,    gelatinous 
form.     Further,   the   blue  coloration  produced   in 
the    spot    test    is    not    entirely    satisfactory,    since 
although   the   reaction   is   sensitive   the   colour   is 
not  always  very  distinct  in  presence  of  coloured 


JULY,    1921 


59 


ferrocyanides  and  the  intensity  of  the  colour  is 
not  appreciably  increased  ivith  increasing  amounts 
of  potassium  ferrocyanide.  In  the  author's  opinion 
the  SchafJner  method  is  preferable  to  the  American 
method,  in  view  of  the  above  facts,  and  also  having 
in  mind  the  fact  that  the  zinc  is  precipitated  as 
colourless  sulphide,  which  affords  a  ready  indication 
of  its  freedom  from  other  metalhc  sulphides.  The 
only  other  colourless  insoluble  sulphide  known  is 
the  double  sulphide  of  zinc  and  cadmium,  discovered 
by  the  author  m  1886,  but  the  error  arising  from  this 
source  is  negligible  since,  as  already  pointed  out, 
zinc  ores  contain  very  little  cadmium,  and,  moreover, 
the  greater  part  of  the  cadmium  is  separated  as 
sulphide  together  with  the  lead  and  copper. 

Solution  and  Deposition  of  Iron. — The  Journal  of 
the  Society  of  Chemical  Industry  for  May  16 
contains  a  paper  bj'  J.  Haworth  and  J.  Evans 
entitled  "  The  Ochre  Streams  of  the  \'alleys  of  the 
Don  and  Loxley,  South  Yorkshire  ".  The  paper 
dealt  primarily  with  questions  of  water  supply,  but 
it  is  of  interest  to  geologists  also,  as  it  refers  to 
bacterial  action  in  depositing  iron. 

The  authors  define  ochre  waters  as  natural  waters 
in  which  salts  of  iron  occur  in  solution.  In  most 
cases  such  waters  deposit  iron  oxide  or  ochre  on  the 
banks  and  bed  of  the  stream.  They  may  be  con- 
veniently sub-divided  as:  (1)  Chalybeate  waters, 
which  occur  either  as  waters  containing  carbon 
dioxide  and  iron  bicarbonate,  together  with  other 
salts,  or  as  saline  acidulous  chalybeates  containing 
chiefly  sodium  sulphate  and  iron  bicarbonate  ;  and 
(2)  waters  containing  chiefly  sulphates  of  iron. 
The  chalybeate  waters  seldom  contain  large 
quantities  of  iron  (8  to  15  parts  per  100,000).  They 
emanate  from  strata  containing  iron  in  the  form  of 
carbonate,  which  in  the  presence  of  carbon  dioxide 
forms  the  soluble  bicarbonate.  Waters  containing 
sulphates  of  iron  are  frequently  found  in  all  districts 
where  coal  workings  exist  or  where  outcrops  of  the 
coal  measures  occur.  The  streams  in  valleys 
draining  areas  in  which  coal  measures  are  exposed 
frequentl)'  bear  marked  indications  of  the  presence 
of  iron  salts  by  the  brown  and  red  deposits  of  ochre 
on  the  beds  of  the  streams  and  by  the  brown  colour 
of  the  water. 

The  River  Loxley  is  a  tributary  of  the  Don,  and  the 
watersheds  arc  divided  by  a  precipitous  ridge  in 
which  outcrops  of  the  lower  coal  measures  occur  at 
numerous  points  and  are  exposed.  Beneath  the 
lower  coal  measures  beds  of  ganister  and  fireclay 
occur.  These  are  worked  at  niimerous  points  on 
both  sides  of  the  ridge,  the  products  being  largely 
used  in  the  Sheffield  industries.  The  mining  opera- 
tions consist  usually  of  driving  levels  or  adits  into 
sides  of  the  valleys  at  different  levels  where  the 
outcrops  occur,  and  water  drains  from  these 
forming  streams  which  flow  down  to  the  river. 
There  are  also  other  streams  flowing  from  the  slopes 
of  the  valley,  but  a  casual  observation  shows  that 
the  streams  from  the  mines  or  ganister  pits  all 
contain  salts  of  iron  and  deposited  ochre,  whereas 
the  remaining  streams  contain  no  iron.  The 
physical  appearance  of  the  ochre  streams  is  striking. 
In  some  cases  the  water  is  clear  but  coloured,  the 
colour  varying  from  pale  yellow  to  a  deep  reddish- 
brown  ;  in  other  cases  the  water  is  turbid  through 
the  presence  of  iron  hydroxide,  but  in  all  cases  heavy 
deposits  of  iron  hydroxide  or  basic  iron  sulphate 
arc  present.  The  source  of  iron  salts  is  without 
doubt  iron  pyrites  between  the  layers  of  the  coal 
strata.     Specimens    of    the   shale   and    coal    when 


first  exposed  .show  distinct  layers  of  pyrites  in 
the  course  of  oxidation  ;  in  splitting  the  layers 
perfect  crystals  of  transparent  calcium  sulphate  in 
the  form  of  selenite,  CaSO.,,  2H.2O,  may  be  observed. 
This  substance  also  finds  its  way  into  the  water. 
The  waters  issuing  from  the  mines  contain  ferrous 
and  ferric  sulphates,  and  free  sulphuric  acid,  the 
primary  oxidation  products  of  pyrites.  In  the 
streams  further  reactions  occur  producing  the 
heavy  red  deposits  which  consist  of  ferric  oxide  and 
basic  ferric  sulphates.  In  some  cases  the  banks 
consist  of  this  deposited  ochre  for  several  inches  in 
depth. 

The  ochre  deposits  have  their  origin  in  several 
ways  :  (1)  Direct  oxidation  and  the  production  of 
ferric  hydroxide  ;  (2)  alkaline  surface  waters 
joining  the  stream  ;  (3)  the  action  of  iron  bacteria 
which  grow  profusely  in  such  waters.  The  first  two 
methods  of  deposition  are  purely  chemical ;  the 
third  is  of  considerable  interest.  Water  containing 
iron  salts,  even  in  very  minute  quantities,  forms  a 
very  suitable  medium  for  the  growth  of  the 
organisms  commonly  referred  to  as  "  iron  bacteria  "  ; 
two  common  varieties  of  these  are  Crenothrix 
polyspera  and  Lepiothrix  ochracece.  As  little  as  one 
part  of  iron  in  2  to  3  millions  of  water  is  rufficient 
to  permit  the  development  of  these  organisms.  The 
organisms  decompose  the  salts  of  iron,  depositing 
the  iron  in  the  form  of  ferric  oxide,  and  liberating 
acid.  In  the  case  of  ochre  streams  such  as  those 
under  consideration  the  organisms  deposit  the  ferric 
o.xide  and  the  streams  become  acid.  The  organisms 
have  very  high  chemical  energy  and  are  able  to 
oxidize  ferrous  salts  many  times  the  weight  of 
their  own  cells.  The}'  are  remarkable  by  reason 
of  the  fact  that  their  existence  is  maintained  largely 
by  inorganic  salts  and  the  presence  of  only  minute 
quantities  of  organic  matter  is  necessary.  In  the 
case  of  the  two  rivers  mentioned  the  usual  flora  and 
fauna  are  entirely  absent. 

Rod  Grinding  Mills. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  ilay  28,  E.  H.  Robie  discusses 
the  development  of  the  rod-mill,  that  is  to  say,  the 
form  of  re-grinding  mill  in  w-hich  rods  are  used 
instead  of  balls  or  pebbles.  He  gives  particulars 
of  the  Marathon,  Marcy,  Allis-Chalmers,  Cole- 
Bergman,  and  Forrester-Hendy  types,  and  also 
accounts  of  experimental  work  done  with  them. 
We  quote  herewith  some  of  his  views  founded  on 
his  investigations  and  experience. 

Rod  or  roller  mills  are  being  actively  developed 
by  several  companies  and  have  every  possibility  of 
being  .successful  competitors  of  ball  and  tube  mills 
in  certain  fields  of  work.  They  are  adapted  only  to 
grinding  through  a  comparatively  narrow  size 
range  in  individual  mills,  and  work  done  up  to  this 
time  indicates  that  they  cannot  take  feed  as  large  as 
is  often  given  to  a  ball-mill,  nor  is  it  yet  proved  that 
they  are  superior  or  equal  to  tube-mills  where 
material  finer  than  100  mesh  is  desired. 
Theoretically,  however,  there  is  no  reason  why  they 
should  not  be  efficient  grinders  for  the  finest  sizes. 
They  do  not  seem  as  adaptable  to  small  as  to  large 
units,  for  a  small  mill  could  not  carry  sufficient 
weight  of  rods  to  break  up  large  or  tough  ore 
particles,  for  the  rods  act  along  a  line  contact. 
They  have  been  successfully  used  for  dry  crushing, 
although  this  is  not  generally  desired.  There  seems 
to  be  no  reason  why  rods  could  not  be  substituted 
for  balls  in  mills  of  the  Krupp  type  which  discharge 
through  perforated  plates  forming  the  cylindrical 
surface  of  the  mills.    The  author  has  never  heard  of 


60 


THK    .MINING    MAGAZINE 


their  use  in  thi<!  wny,  however;  removal  of  the  worn 
rotis  woiiUl  be  an  inconvenience. 

In  roil-mills,  a  waved  type  of  hner  is  probably 
superinr  to  a  smooth  snrface.  The  indications  are 
that  liner  consumption  will  be  possibly  i  lb.  per  ton 
less  than  for  ball-mills.  Also,  the  forms  are  simpler 
and  can  be  made  more  cheaply.  There  are  no  prates 
or  manholes  to  provide  for.  The  consumption  of 
steel  rods  appears  to  be  slifjhtly  less  in  the  rod-niill 
than  of  balls  in  the  ball-mill.  In  this  connexion  it 
is  important  to  remember  that  steel  in  the  form  of 
rods  or  rounds  is  a  standard  article,  cheaply  made, 
and  obtainable  from  many  rolling-mill  plants. 
Competition  is  active,  and  there  are  no  trade-name 
handicaps.  Statistics  covering  several  years  indicate 
that  balls  sell  for  about  double  as  much  as  rods. 
Freight,  however,  will  be  perhaps  half  of  the 
delivered  cost  and  is  about  the  same  for  rods  as 
for  balls.  Power  consumption  would  seem  to  be 
somewhat  less  as  a  general  rule  for  rod-mills  than 
for  ball-mills  of  equal  capacity,  the  exact  figures 
depending  upon  the  grinding  problem  and  the  type 
of  mill  selected. 

Indications  are  that  flotation  concentrates  are 
more  easily  filtered  when  the  ore  has  been  ground  in 
rod-mills  than  when  balls  have  been  used  as  the 
grindin'_'  medium.  If  this  be  true,  it  would  seem  to 
be  a  logical  result  of  the  lessened  amount  of  slime 
produced  in  rod-mill  grinding,  inasmuch  as  it  is 
this  which  clogs  the  canvas  and  results  in  a  thin  and 
wet  fdter  cake. 

Most  of  the  rod-mills  described  by  the  author  have 
not  been  in  use  long  enough  to  prove  the  extent  of 
their  applicability  or  to  afford  fair  comparisons 
with  ball-mills  or  tube-mills.  The  information 
given  indicates  possibly  more  of  their  advantages 
than  disadvantages. 

Origin  of  Graphite. — In  Economic  Geology  for 
May,  Thomas  H.  Clark,  of  Harvard  University, 
discusses  the  origin  of  graphite  at  the  contact  of 
igneous  and  metamorphic  rocks.  He  quotes  a 
paper  bv  K.  L.  Ailing  appearing  in  the  New  York 
State  Museum  Bulletin  for  1918.  Ailing  showed  that 
the  oxides  of  carbon  in  the  presence  of  gaseous 
water  may  react  to  form  graphite.  Much  of  this 
water  mav  be  magmatic,  or  the  heat  of  the  intrusive 
igneous  rocks  may  release  water  from  sedimentary 
rocks  ;  while  one'  of  the  sources  of  carbon  dioxide 
may  be  calcium  carbonate.  The  author  also  quotes 
H.  P.  H.  Brumell's  paper  in  the  Journal  of  the 
Canadian  Mining  Institute,  1908,  who  suggested 
that  intrusives,  in  conjunction  with  siliceous  or 
other  waters,  acted  upon  the  original  rocks,  and 
formed  sulphates  and  silicates,  at  the  same  time 
depositing  the  carbon  as  graphite.  The  author 
proceeds  to  discuss  opinions  on  the  subject  of  A.  N. 
Winchell,  H.  Dixon,  and  E.  G.  Acheson.  He 
concludes  thus  :  , "  Granting  that  the  chemical 
processes  upon  which  Dixon,  Winchell,  and  others 
base  their  formulas  are  correct,  the  geological 
materials  required  are  water  and  carbon  monoxide 
or  carbon  dioxide.  There  is  evidence  that  these 
latter  substances  might  come  from  the  calcite  of 
the  limestones.  Among  the  contact  metamorphic 
minerals  developed  between  igneous  rocks  and 
limestone  the  most  abundant  are  lime-bearing 
minerals,  two  of  which,  scapolite  and  diopside,  are 
almost  exclusively  confined  to  meta-limestones. 
Therefore,  it  seems  probable  that,  if  the  limestone 
furnished  the  lime  (CaO)  for  the  silicates,  the 
remaining  carbon  dioxide  (COj)  furnished  the 
material   for  the  graphite     Of  the  two  derivatives 


of  the  calcite,  the  carbon  dioxide  would  be  the  more 
volatile,  and  therefore  the  less  likely  to  be  caught 
and  crystallized.  On  account  of  this,  it  may  be, 
the  graphite  is  frequently  not  found  actually  at  the 
contact,  but  separated  from  the  igneous  rock  by 
lime  silicates,  which  were  less  volatile.  Just  what 
the  conditions  are  that  result  in  the  crystallization 
of  the  graphite  remain  to  be  established." 


SHORT    NOTICES 

Winding  Engines.  In  the  Colliery  Guardian  for 
June  17,  C.  D.  Mottram  commences  an  article  on 
the  graphical  dynamics  of  a  winding  engine. 

Shaft-sinking.  -In  the  Engineering  and  Alining 
Jotinuil  for  May  21,  V..  K.  Rice  describes  the  sinking 
of  \an  Dyke  No.  1  shaft,  Miami,  Arizona.  This 
was  the  locale  of  the  champion  shaft-sinking 
exploit  referred  to  in  the  Journal  a  year  ago. 

Compressed-air  Shovel. — The  Colliery  Guardian 
for  Mav  27  i|uoles  a  jxipcr  by  M.  Clapicr  read  before 
the  Societe  de  I'lndustrie  .Minerale  describing  an 
underground  shovel  operated  by  compressed  air 
intended  for  filling  coal  into  cars  and  filling  worked- 
out  slopes. 

Air  in  Mines. — The  Institution  of  Mining 
Engineers  has  publi.shed  the  third  report  of  the 
committee  on  the  control  of  atmospheric  conditions 
in  deep  and  hot  mines,  with  which  is  embodied 
a  paper  on  the  subject,  written  by  J.  P.  Kces. 

Bore-hole  Survey. — The  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  jor  June  4  describes  the  Wuench  "  gravi- 
scope  ",  an  instrument  for  continuously  recording 
the  direction  of  bore-holes. 

Drill  Steel.  —  In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  June  1,  P.  A.  E.  Armstrong  describes 
experimental  work  in  producing  hollow  drill  steel 
with  a  decarburized  interior  surface. 

Drill  Steel. — The  American  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgical  Engineers  has  published  the 
following  papers  on  drill  steel  :  Analysis  of  Some 
Dnll-Steel  Tests,  by  F.  B.  Foley  ;  Application  of 
Magnetic  Analysis  to  Rock-Drills,  by  C.  W. 
Burrows  ;  Heat  Treatment  of  Rock-Drill  Steel,  by 
G.  H.  Oilman  ;  What  is  the  Ideal  Drill-Steel  ? 
by  F.  H.  Kingdon  :  Rock-Drill  Steels  too  Short 
for  Use  Reclaimed  by  Welding,  by  W.  T.  Ober. 

Zinc  Dust  and  Vapour. — Chemical  and  Metal- 
lurgical Engineering  for  May  25  contains  a  transla- 
tion of  an  article  in  a  Norwegian  paper  on  the 
nature  of  zinc  dust  ;  and  for  May  18  of  an  article 
on  the  condensation  of  zinc  vapour. 

Zirconia, — The  Journal  of  the  Society  of  Chemical 
Industry  for  June  15  contains  a  brief  paper  by 
Dr.  W.  R.  Schoeller  on  the  production  and  testing 
of  zirconia. 

Estimation  of  Arsenic.  —  The  Chemical  Trades 
Journal  for  June  25  reprints  a  paper  read  by 
R.  Leitch  Morris  before  the  British  Pharmaceutical 
Conference  on  the  volumetric  determination  of 
arsenic  acid. 

Philippine  Mining.— In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  June  4,  C.  M.  Eye  writes  on 
mining  progress  in  the  Philippine  Islands. 

Chuquicamata  Copper.— In  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  June  4,  A.  W.  Allen  commences 
an  article  on  the  Chuquicamata  copper  enterprise 
in  Chile. 

Drying  Problems. — The  Journal  of  Industrial 
and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  May  contains  a 
number  of  papers  deahng  with  various  problems 
connected  with  the  commercial  drying  of  materials. 


JULY,    1921 


61 


Alaska  Juneau. — In  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  May  7,  \'.  C.  Clauson  gives  the  history  of 
the  Alaska  Juneau  gold-mining  enterprise,  and  an 
account  of  the  concentration  and  metallurgical 
plant. 

Spitsbergen. — The  Iron  and  Coal  Trades  Review 
for  May  27  quotes  a  description  from  the  Dutch 
Official  Economic  Intelligence,  of  the  coal  con- 
cessions acquired  by  a  Dutch  company  from  the 
Isefjord  Kulkompani  of  Christiania.  The  property 
is  on  Ice  Fiord,  to  the  east  of  Green  Harbour. 

Coal  in  Yugoslavia. — The  Iron  and  Coal  Trades 
Review  for  June  17  contains  an  article  by  D.  A. 
Wray  on  the  coal  resources  of  Jugoslavia,  the  new 
kingdom  of  the  Serbs,  Croats,  and  Slovenes. 

Geology  of  China. — The  Geological  Magazine  for 
June  commences  the  publication  of  a  paper  entitled 
'■  An  Outline  of  Chinese  Geology  ",  by  J.  S.  Lee, 
lecturer  on  Paleontology  in  the  University  of 
Peking. 

Felspars. — The  Journal  of  Geology  for  May  is 
devoted  entirely  to  Part  I  of  "  The  Mineralo?raphy 
of  the  Felspars  ",  by  H.  L.  Ailing. 

D.  W.  Brunton. — The  i\Iining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  May  2S  publishes  an  interview  with  D.  W. 
Brunton  by  T.  A.  Rickard. 


RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED 

^l^~  A  copy  of  the  specification  of  any  of  tlie  patents  mentioned  in 
this  coltintn  can  tie  obtained  tty  sending  \s.  to  the  Patent  Office^ 
Sotititanipton  Buildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London,  W.C.  2.  ^'ith 
a  note  of  the  number  and  year  of  the  patent. 

19,015  of  1919  (163,3481.  \V.  J.  Kuranen, 
Helsingfors,  and  .\.  Hibbert,  Bexhill.  Jlethod  of 
separating  metals,  such  as  copper  and  iron  in 
sulphide  ores,  by  roasting  to, oxide  and  exposing 
the  mixture  to  the  preferential  treatment  of  a 
gaseous  acid  radicle. 

19,028  of  1919  (162,682).  W.  J.  Browning, 
Kio  Tinto.  \n  industrial  process  for  the  extraction 
of  metals  from  solutions  or  for  the  separation  of 
metals,  consisting  m  precipitating  in  the  form  of 
a  sulphide  or  sulphides  one  or  more  metals  present 
in  solution  by  reaction  with  elemental  sulphur  and 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  produced  by  burning  or 
calcining  or  distilling  a  sulphur-bearing  mineral  or 
minerals,  such  as  pyrites  or  cupriferous  pyrites, 
in  the  presence  of  steam  additional  to  that  which 
may  arise  from  the  moisture  in  the  material  or 
atmospheric  air  used,  and  then  passing  the  residual 
gas  through  an  incandescent  carbonaceous  zone 
while  regulating  the  supply  of  oxygen  and  main- 
taining the  optimum  temperature  of  the 
carbonaceous  matter. 

19,581  of  1919(162,307).  W.  H.  Dorman  &  Co., 
M.  L.  Bramson,  J.  Hanson,  and  R.  G.  Hanson, 
Stafford.  Improvements  in  the  construction  of 
wave-transmission   rock-drills. 

773  and  26,939  of  1 920  ( 1 63,080)  and  6,429  of 
1921  (163,659).  J.  M.  Holman  and  \.  T.  Holman, 
Camborne.  In  air-feed  rock-drills,  automatic  means 
whereby  the  drill  is  rotated  without  impeding  the 
forward  feed. 

2,580  of  1920  (138,348).  Rare  Metals  Reduc- 
tion Co.,  Baltimore.  Method  of  producing  ferro- 
zirconium. 

3,181  of  1920(131,622).  T.  A.  Eklund,  Stock- 
holm. Method  of  recovering  tin  from  tin  ashes  and 
waste  tinplate. 

3,256,  7,470,  and  22,687  of  1920  (162,775). 
C.  J.  Williams,  London.  Improved  methods  of 
adjustment  for  table  concentrators. 


4,067  of  1920  (163,423).  .\.  J.  Dubois,  Sarre- 
bruck.  Means  for  loading  and  unloading  mine 
cages  having  several  decks. 

4,983  of  1 920  ( 1 63,474).  O.  Reynard,  Bradford, 
and  E.  Edser,  London.  Rust-prevention  composi- 
tion for  protecting  metallic  surfaces.  The  following 
are  claims  1  and  3  :  (1)  A  method  of  preparing 
a  composition  for  the  protection  of  surfaces,  in 
which  anhydrous  wool-fat,  substantially  free  from 
free  fatty  acid  is  mixed  with  a  solvent  free  from 
water,  which  will  have  no  injurious  effect  on  the 
surface  and  which  consists  of  a  non-imflammable 
volatile  liquid,  such  as  trichlorethylene  or  carbon 
tetrachloride  (or  contains  sufficient  thereof  to  render 
the  solvent  non-imflammable).  (3)  A  process 
according  to  Claim  1  of  preparing  a  protective 
composition  in  which  any  crude  substance  which 
contains  wool-fat  and  also  contains  fatty  acids,  is 
treated  with  an  oxide,  hydroxide,  or  a  suitable 
salt  of  a  metal  which  will  combine  with  the  free 
fatty  acid  to  form  a  metallic  soap,  preferably  a 
soap  insoluble  in  water,  and  the  product,  after 
evaporating  off  any  water  present,  is  treated  with 
a  non-imflammable  volatile  solvent  such  as 
trichlorethylene  or  carbon  tetrachloride  or  a  solvent 
containing  sufficient  thereof  to  render  the  liquid 
non-imflammable. 

5,228  of  1920  (139,220).  J.  E.  Kennedy,  New 
York.      Improvements  in  jaw-type  rock-breakers. 

7,027  of  1920(163,170).  Travlor  Engineering 
A-ND  Manufacturing  Co.,  .\llentown,  Pennsylvania. 
Improvements  in  gvratory  crushers. 

7.645  of  1920  (162,486).  T.  G.  Nyborg, 
Hexham,  and  -M.  F.  Higgixs,  Sheffield.  Improve- 
ments m  hand  hammer-drills. 

8,468  of  1920  (140,775).  G.  Grondal,  Djurs- 
holm.  Sweden.     Slime  separating  machine. 

1 1,934  of  1920  (155,792).  Electrolytic  Zinc 
Co.,  OF  .\usTRALiA,  LTD.,  Melbourne.  In  the 
recovery  of  zinc  by  electrolysis,  in  which  lead 
anodes  and  aluminium  cathodes  are  used,  the 
removal  of  chlorine  from  a  zinc-bearing  solution 
prior  to  electrolysis  by  adding  a  soluble  silver 
salt,  thereby  preventing  the  corrosion  of  the 
electrodes. 

13,579  of  1920  (163,210).  R.  H.  McKee,  New 
York.  Method  of  producing  zinc  oxide  and 
hydrogen  by  bringing  zinc  vapour  into  contact 
with  steam. 

17.392  of  1920  (145,710).  Fried.  Krupp, 
Essen,  Germany.  Improvement  in  the  inventor's 
method  of  producing  low-carbon  ferro-chrome. 

18,346  of  1920  (146,372).  Anschutz  &  Co., 
Kiel.  Gyroscopic  compasses  suitable  for  surveying 
purposes. 

18,964  of  1920  (147,020).  Manufactures  de 
Produits  Chimiques  du  Nord,  Paris.  Deposition 
of  dust  from  the  gases  of  ore-roasting  furnaces  by 
means  of  hanging  chains. 

18.967  of  1920  (161,103).  Ore  Roasting 
Development  Co.,  Philadelphia.  Multiple  hearth 
ore  roasting  furnace. 

19,668of  1920(147,686).  V.Antoine, Belgium. 
Improvement  in  disc  crushers  and  grinders. 

20,131  of  1920  (148,210).  R.  voN  Zelewski, 
Hennef,  Germany.  Improvements  in  vertical 
retorts  used  in  the  distillation  of  zinc. 

24,280  of  1920(150,997).  H.  W.  Hardinge,  New 
York.  In  conical  mills  fitting  a  conical  hood  to  the 
discharge  end  and  revolving  with  it,  the  duty  of 
the  hood  being  to  arrest  the  particles  that  are  too 
big  and  to  return  them  to  the  body  of  the  mill. 


Till.    MINING    MAGAZINE 


NEW  BOOKS,  i\-\MPHLI::TS,  Lie 

l^s'Copii-s  of  llu'  books,  etc,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
thronsh   the  Ttx-hnical  Hookshop    of    Thf    Miniiii;    MugaziHf, 

7'*i,  S.ilislinry  House.  London  W.tM.  \-.X.  L'. 

Salt  ;  Asbestos  ;  Mica  :  Molybdenite  ;  Platinum  ; 
Nickel :  Graphite  :  Manganese.  By  H.  Ol-nstan, 
Chief  Ciovorninont  Geologist  for  Qneonsland.  These 
eight  pamjihlcts  are  reprints,  revised,  of  articles 
that  have  appeared  in  the  Qiievnslaiid  Govcrnmciit 
Milling  Journal  during  the  last  year  or  two. 
Attention  has  been  drawn  to  these  articles  on  several 
occasions  in  our  pages,  and  some  have  been  quoted 
in  connexion  with  the  information  given  relating 
to  the  Australian  deposits. 

Text-book  of  Inorganic  Chemistry,  Vol.  IX, 
Part  2.  Iron  and  its  Compounds.  By  Hr.  J. 
Newton  1-"riexi).  Cloth,  octavo,  270  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  18s.  London  :  Charles  Griffin  & 
Co..   Ltd. 

Metallography.  Part  II.  The  Metals  and 
Common  Alloys.  By  S.\MUEL  L.  IlovT.  Cloth, 
octavo,  470  pages,  illustrated.  Price  28s.  net. 
New  York  and  London  :  McGraw-Hill  Publishing 
Co.,  Ltd.  

COMPANY    REPORTS 

Robinson  Deep. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Consolidated  Gold  Fields  group,  and  works  a  deep- 
level  property  in  the  Central  Rand.  The  Booysens 
property  on  the  dip  was  acquired  more  recently,  and 
a  new  vertical  shaft,  the  "  Chris  ",  was  sunk. 
The  operations  have  not  been  profitable,  and  the 
company  is  saddled  with  special  "  .\  "  shares, 
entitling  the  holders  to  large  cumulative  preferential 
dividends,  which  are  in  arrears,  and  there  is  also 
a  loan  of  /300,000  advanced  by  the  Gold  Fields 
and  Central  Mining.  The  report  for  1920  shows 
that  625,150  tons  of  ore  was  raised  and  s;nt  to  the 
mill,  where  196,474  oz.  of  gold  was  extracted,  being 
6-29  dwt.  per  ton.  The  receipts  from  the  sale  of 
gold  were  £1,100,693,  of  which  £277,139  represented 
premium.  The  working  cost  w-as  £'912,013,  and 
the  working  profit  £188,652.  Interest,  taxes,  etc., 
absorbed  £60,634,  and  £76,471  was  allocated  to 
capital  account  for  shaft-sinking.  The  holders 
of  "  -A.  "  shares  received  £50,000.  The  revenue  per 
ton  was  35s.  3d.,  and  the  working  cost  293.  2d. 
It  will  be  seen  that  but  for  the  premium  a 
considerable  loss  would  have  been  made.  The  ore 
reserve  is  estimated  at  1,597,000  tons,  averaging 
6-97  dwt.  per  ton,  the  total  being  much  the  same 
as  the  year  before,  while  the  content  is  0-33  dwt. 
higher.  In  order  to  develop  the  deepest  ground,  it 
is  proposed  to  sink  an  au.xiliary  vertical  shaft,  at 
the  cost  of  a  quarter  of  a  million  pounds. 

Planet-Arcturus  Gold  Mines. — This  company 
belongs  to  the  Gold  Fields  Rhodesian  Development 
group,  and  owns  the  Planet,  Arcturus,  Slate,  and 
other  properties.  Early  operations  were  not 
successful.  In  1918  the  Slate  and  Arcturus  were 
leased  to  the  parent  company,  which  advanced 
working  capital  on  loan.  Milling  was  recommenced 
in  June,  1920.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  from 
that  date  to  the  end  of  the  year  30,603  tons  of  ore 
was  treated  for  a  yield  of  12,968  oz.,  which  sold  for 
£73,400,  including  premium.  The  working  cost  was 
^48,843,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  £24,557,  which 
was  applied  in  reducing  the  debt  to  the  lessees. 
The  balance  of  expenditure  incurred  by  the  lessees, 
with  accrued  interest,  amounted  on  December  31 
to  £159,657.     The  main  shaft  was  sunk  to  water- 


level  at  335  fl.  The  small  amount  of  development 
work  dour  h.is  given  generally  satisfactory  results. 

Tronoh  Mines. — This  company  has  been  working 
alluvial  tin  properties  in  Perak,  Federatetl  Malay 
Slates,  since  1901,  and  has  been  a  large  and 
important  producer.  The  best  parts  of  the 
properties  have  been  worked  out,  and  recent  policy 
has  been  to  build  dredges  for  the  treatment  of  the 
poorer  ground  and  tailings,  and  to  let  ground  on 
tribute.  The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that 
there  has  been  a  further  fall  in  the  value  of  the 
ground  treated.  Two  dredges  were  at  work  and 
another  is  in  course  of  erection  on  the  spot.  No.  3 
mine  was  worked  by  pump-dredge.  IBy  far  the 
largest  proportion  of  the  output  was  done  by 
tribute.  The  exact  returns  were  :  51  tons  of  tin 
concentrate  from  No.  3  mine,  43  tons  from 
239,491  cu.  )-d.  No.  1  dredge,  272  tons  from 
819,091  cu.  yd.  No.  2  dredge,  and  759  tons  from 
tributers,  total  1,125  tons.  The  accounts  show  an 
income  of  £218,372,  and  a  net  profit  of  £;21,463, 
out  of  which  £[20,000  has  been  distributed  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  lO";,. 

Lahat  Mines.  —  This  company  belongs  to  the 
Tronoh  group,  and  has  operated  alluvial  tin 
properties  in  Porak,  Federated  .Malay  States,  since 
1906.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  the  output 
of  tin  concentrate  has  been  increased  by  the 
adoption  of  a  drifting  system  at  one  of  the 
properties,  by  means  of  which  a  rich  lead  is  fol- 
lowed cheaply.  The  total  output  was  533  tons,  as 
compared  with  465  tons  in  1919.  At  the  under- 
ground workings  27,670  cu.  yd.  was  raised  and 
333  tons  of  tin  concentrate  extracted  from  it, 
the  yield  being  23  lb.  per  cu.  yd.  The  accounts 
sliDw  an  income  of  £101,144,  and  a  net  profit  of 
£15.173.  out  of  whith  £12,000  has  been  paid  as 
dividends,  being  at  the  rate  of  10%. 

Sungei  Besi  Mines- — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Tronjli  group,  and  was  formed  in  1909  to  work 
alluvial  tin  properties  in  the  State  of  Selangor, 
Federated  Milay  States.  The  report  for  1920  shows 
that  197,703  cu.  j-d.  yielded  383  tons  of  tin  con- 
centrate, selling  for  £65,653.  Additional  land  is 
being  acquired  to  the  north,  where  boring  is  now 
in  hand.  The  company  has  during  the  past  year 
worked  the  Kepong  property,  where  121  tons  of 
tin  concentrate  was  extracted  from  230,000  cu.  yd. 
of  ground  sluicel  ;  at  the  present  price  of  tin, 
however,  the  operations  are  not  profitable.  The 
accounts  show  receipts  £83,815,  and  a  net  profit 
of  £17,615,  oat  of  which  /16,71 1  has  been  distributed 
as  dividends,  being  at  the  rate  of  15°^. 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1912  to  work  alluvial  tin  properties  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  Bauchi  Plateau,  Nigeria.  The  report 
for  the  year  1920  shows  that  382  tons  of  tin  con- 
centrate was  produced,  as  compareil  with  360  tons 
in  1919,  and  340  tons  in  I9I8.  A  pumping  plant 
was  recently  supplied  in  order  that  the  rate  of 
extraction  might  be  increased,  but  owing  to  general 
conditions  and  to  the  high  cost  of  wood  fuel,  its 
use  is  postponed  for  a  time.  At  the  end  of  1919 
it  was  estimated  that  the  company's  ground  would 
vield  2,009  tons  of  tin  concentrate.  The  accounts 
show  a  profit  of  £14.130,  of  which  £8,343  was  placed 
to  reserve  for  income  tax,  while  £6,745  was  dis- 
tributed as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  5%. 

Le  Roi  No.  2. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1900  b\-  the  late  Whitaker  Wright  to  work  a  group 
of  gold-copper  mines  at  Rossland,  British  Columbia. 
For  the  last  eighteen  years  operations  have  been 


JULY,   1921 


63 


conducted  under  the  direction  of  Alexander  Hill 
and  Stewart.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
16,422  tons  of  ore  was  shipped  to  the  smelters, 
averaging  0'87S%  copper,  12-4  dwt.  gold,  and 
0-71  oz.  silver,  the  gross  value  of  which  was 
$271,742,  or  $16-55  per  ton.  The  total  smelting 
charges  were  $122,126,  or  S7-43  per  ton.  The  loss 
for  the  year  was  /12,181.  The  work  was  conducted 
under  exceptional  difficulties,  owing  to  the  high 
costs  of  material,  labour,  and  to  the  inability  of  the 
smelters  to  handle  and  pay  for  the  ore  promptly. 
It  has  been  necessary,  therefore,  to  suspend  mining 


worth  ;f418,210  at  par,  and  the  sale  of  silver  brought 
an  income  of  /4,888.  The  premium  received  on  the 
sale  of  gold  was  /126,811,  so  that  the  total  revenue 
was  ;£549,914,  or  57s.  8d.  per  ton.  The  working 
cost  in  Brazil  was  ;£352,097,  or  47s.  lid.  per  ton. 
The  net  profit  v/as  £167,749,  of  which  three- 
quarters  represented  the  premium  on  gold.  The 
sum  of  £85,000  was  transferred  to  capital  works 
account.  The  usual  10%  was  paid  on  tha  £100,000 
preference  shares,  and  10%  was  paid  on  the 
£546,265  ordinary  shares.  The  chief  development 
work  during  the  year  has  been  the  driving  of  the 


-'      -  n      ^ 


=  :=>•-     ^t^' 


Horizon    XXI 

stot  I 


Horizon    XXII 

sua'  btiB*  t** 

Jut  ttt  iMl 


Pi..\N  AND  Section  ov'  Lowest  Workinc.s  at  St.  John  del  Rey. 


for  the  present.  No  ore  has  been  sent  to  the  con- 
centration plant  recently,  but  as  there  has  been  a 
considerable  increase  in  fine  ore  that  cannot  be 
hand-sorted,  it  has  been  decided  to  introduce  a 
Minerals  Separation  plant. 

St.  John  del  Rey.  —  The  nintieth  annual  report 
of  this  company,  which  works  the  Morro  \'elho 
gold  mine  in  Brazil,  shows  that  the  output  was 
restricted  chiefly  owing  to  scarcity  of  labour, 
caused  by  the  unpleasantly  hot  conditions  in  the 
deepest  levels.  Toward  the  end  of  the  year  the 
cooling  plant  came  into  operation,  and  the  cause 
of  dissatisfaction  being  removed,  more  men  have 
been  available  since.  The  ore  raised  and  treated  was 
146,800  long  tons,  as  compared  with  a  normal 
180,000  tons.     The  yield  of  gold  was  98,311  oz.. 


tunnel  at  horizon  22,  and  the  sinking  of  winze  31 
from  horizon  21  to  horizon  22.  This  was  extremely 
difficult  work,  owing  to  the  rock  temperature  being 
117' F.  When  once  the  connexion  was  made 
conditions  improved,  and  as  already  stated  the 
cooling  apparatus  further  relieved  the  situation. 
Under  these  circumstances  it  was  not  possible  to 
maintain  the  reserve  fully  nor  to  keep  the  normal 
number  of  working  faces  going.  The  reserve  is 
estimated  at  1,228,000  tons,  or  about  6i  years' 
supply ;  though  as  part  of  the  lode  between 
horizons  21  and  22  has  not  been  fully  explored, 
Mr.  Chalmers  considers  it  prudent  to  reckon  the 
actually  proved  ore  at  827,000  tons,  equal  to 
4i  years'  supply.  Further  reference  to  this  report 
is  made  in  the  Editorial  columns. 


61 


nil:    MiNiNt;    .maca/im: 


Burns  Ticrra.  This  company  belongs  to  the 
Kxploration  Co.  ijroup.  and  operates  a  silver-lead 
property  in  Cliihuahua,  Mexico.  Last  year 
additional  capital  was  raised  in  order  to  extend  the 
scale  of  development.  The  report  for  1920 
shows  that  6.9'J7  tons  of  oxidized  ore  was  shipped, 
averaginc;  949''(,  lead  and  S(i  oz.  silver  per  ton, 
for  which  the  smelters  paid  $63,048.  or  $9- 10  per 
ton.  The  accounts  show  a  loss  of  /34,6I9  for  the 
year.  Owing  to  the  low  prices  of  lead  and  silver, 
the  high  cost  of  development  work,  and  the 
excessive  railway  rates  and  smelter  charges,  it  was 
decided  to  suspend  operations  on  June  30  of  this 
year. 

Esperanza.- — This  company  has  worked  the 
F.spcranza  gold  mine  at  F.l  Oro,  Mexico,  since 
1903.  Large  profits  were  made  for  .some  years, 
but  operations  are  now  confined  chielly  to  the 
treatment  of  low-grade  ore,  old  fillings,  and  tailings. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  273,120  tons  of  ore 
was  sent  to  the  mill,  where  gold  and  silver  realizing 
$1,370,555  was  extracted.  The  loss  at  the  mine  was 
S406.491,  after  allowing  for  depreciation  of  plant 
and  depletion  of  the  mine.  The  reserve  of  ore  and 
filling  is  estimated  at  117,684  tons,  together  with 
750.000  tons  of  low-cr-grade  material  that  might 
show  a  profit  in  normal  times.  As  has  been  recorded 
from  time  to  time  recently,  development  is  being 
actively  continued  and  has  occasionally  disclosed 
high-grade  ore.  The  company  has  an  option  on  the 
Union  en  Cuale  property,  where  active  develop- 
ment has  been  done.  Owing,  however,  to  the  un- 
satisfactory' state  of  the  metal  market,  it  has  been 
deemed  best  to  suspend  this  w-ork,  though  the  option 
is  being  continued. 

Esperanza  Copper  and  Sulphur. — This  company 
was  formed  in  1906  to  work  a  group  of  pyrites 
mines  in  the  south  of  Spain,  Shipments  have 
been  maintained  fairly  steadily,  and  operations 
were  not  disturbed  by  the  war  to  the  .same  extent 
as  those  at  other  mines  in  the  district.  The  only 
year  when  there  was  serious  restriction  was  1919, 
during  which  the  shipments  were  only  one-third 
of  the  normal.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  the 
output  of  pyrites  was  71,176  tons,  and  that 
85  tons  of  copper  precipitate  was  produced.  The 
dispatches  of  pyrites  from  the  mine  to  the  port  of 
Huelva  were  61,719  tons,  and  the  shipments  thence 
82,970  tons.  If  it  had  not  been  for  a  railway  strike, 
which  occupied  ten  weeks,  the  normal  shipments  of 
100,000  tons  a  year  would  have  been  reached.  The 
reserve  of  developed  ore  is  estimated  at  835,000  tons. 
The  accounts  show  a  profit  of  £14,598.  and  /17,500, 
less  income  tax,  has  been  distributed,  the  rate  being 
5%.  The  company  also  has  a  controlling  interest 
in  the  Cyprus  Sulphur  &  Copper  Co.,  which  owns 
low-grade  deposits,  the  treatment  of  which  is  still 
under   consideration. 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary. — This  company  was 
formed  in  London  in  1894  to  acquire  gold  mining 
claims  at  KalgooHic,  West  Australia,  and  for 
twenty-five  years  handsome  dividends  have  been 
paid.  During  the  last  year  or  two  the  output  and 
profits  have  been  smaller,  owing  to  shortness  and 
indifference  of  labour,  high  costs,  and  the  arrival 
of  the  workings  at  the  tottcm  hmits  of  the  ore- 
bodies.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  100,756  long 
tons  of  ore,  averaging  14-26  dwt.  per  ton,  was  raised 
and  treated,  yielding  gold  worth  /305,212  at  par, 
to  which  must  be  added  /1 23,500  received  as 
premium.  The  total  revenue  was  £428,713  ;  the 
working     cost     was     £215,712  ;       allowance     for 


depreciation  /25,000  ;  and  taxes  /47,46S.  The 
sharelioMers  received  £131,2,50,  the  dividends 
amounting    to    75°^.  Kichard    Hamilton,    the 

manager,  estimates  the  reserve  at  245,187  tons, 
averaging  1475  dwt.  per  ton,  as  compared  with 
325,314  tons  averaging  14'56  dwt.  the  year  before, 
and  345,719  tons  averaging  14'49  dwt.  at  the  end 
of  1918.  .Vs  regarils  new  properties,  the  option  on 
the  -Maher  at  Comet  \'ale  has  been  abandoned,  but 
the  O.K.  at  Norseman  is  giving  good  results.  The 
continual  rise  of  costs  at  Great  iSoulder  is  shown  by 
the  fact  that  the  cost  per  ton  in  1920  was  41s.  9d., 
as  compared  with  35s.8d.in  1919, and  32s.  6d.  in  1918. 

Zinc  Corporation. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1905  to  treat  zinc  tailing  at  Uroken  Hill  by  the 
flotation  process.  In  1911  the  South  Blocks 
mine  at  Broken  Hill  was  acquired,  and  the  company 
then  became  a  lead  producer  as  well.  The  present 
report  covers  the  year  1920.  During  this  time  the 
mine  and  plant  were  largely  idle  owing  to  the 
strike,  and  it  was  not  until  November  that  mining 
was  resumed,  while  concentration  was  not  started 
until  the  next  month.  Until  the  end  of  the  year 
the  lead  concentrator  treated  6,908  tons  of  ore, 
averaging  17°(,  lead,  10-4"o  zinc,  and  2-8  oz.  silver 
per  ton,  and  produced  1,620  tons  of  lead  con- 
centrate, averaging  63  8°o  lead,  7-l"o  zinc,  and 
9-2  oz.  silver;  together  with  2,212  tons  of  zinc 
tailing,  averaging  18-5%  zinc,  4-2°o  '"^ad,  and 
1-6  oz.  silver.  .A.t  the  zinc  concentrator  28,110  tons 
of  tailing  and  slime  was  treated,  of  which  24,920  tons 
came  from  the  old  dump,  averaging  16'4°„  zinc, 
4-I''r,  lead,  and  5-1  oz.  silver,  and  produced 
7,670  tons  of  zinc  concentrate,  averaging  48'2% 
zinc,  6-90o  lead,  and  8-7  oz.  silver,  together  with 
542  tons  of  lead  concentrate,  averaging  54-3% 
lead,  17-9%  zinc,  and  24-5  oz.  silver.  Since  the 
end  of  the  year  it  has  been  found  impossible,  with 
the  high  wages  and  the  low  price  of  lead,  to  continue 
the  production  of  lead  concentrates  ;  moreover, 
there  was  a  fire  at  Port  Pirie  smelting  works, 
as  already  recorded.  The  only  operation  conducted 
at  present  is  that  at  the  zinc  concentrator,  and  the 
zinc  concentrate  produced  is  sold  to  the  Govern- 
ment under  the  contract  made  shortly  after  the 
outbreak  of  war.  The  ore  reserve  in  the  mine  is 
estimated  at  2,115,700  tons,  averaging  14'6%  lead, 
9  4'Jo  zinc,  and  2-6  02.  silver.  There  is  also 
664.633  tons  of  dump  material  to  treat,  and 
31,472  tons  of  zinc  slime.  The  accounts  show  an 
income  of  £109,132  from  the  sale  of  concentrates, 
and  a  profTt  of  £31,910,  out  of  which  £24,569  was 
distributed  as  preferential  dividend  for  the  first 
half  of   1920. 

Amalgamated  Zinc  (De  Bavay's). — This  com- 
pany treats  zinc  tailing  at  Broken  Hill,  and  until 
recently  vvas  mainly  occupied  with  the  treatment  of 
this  material  coming  from  the  North  and  South 
mines.  At  present  old  dump  material  occupies 
chief  place.  The  company  has  a  large  holding  in 
Electrolytic  Zinc  of  Australasia,  and  also  conducts 
e.xperimental  work  in  other  directions.  The  report 
for  the  half-year  to  December  31  last  show-s  that 
work  was  resumed  in  the  middle  of  November  on  the 
termination  of  the  strike,  and  during  the  six  weeks 
to  the  end  of  the  year  14,852  tons  of  material  was 
treated  for  a  yield  of  3,403  tons  of  zinc  concentrate, 
averaging  47-7%  zinc,  6-7%  lead,  and  13-4  oz. 
silver  per  ton,  together  with  32  tons  of  lead  slime 
concentrate,  averaging  48-6  %  lead,  15'7%  zinc,  and 
76'6  oz.  silver.  The  accounts  show  a  loss  of  ;^16,651 
on  the  half  year. 


V'^ 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 


Plbhshei)  on  tlie   i5tli  of  each  nioiitli  by  The  Mining  Publications,   Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,   London  Wall,   London,   E.C.  2. 

Telephone  :  London  Wall  3938.      Telegraphic  Address  :  Oligodnse.      Codes  :  McNeill,  both  Editions, 
n  r,      ^,,  '  420,  Market  Street,  San  Francisco.  S.iR^rRiPTiov  '  ^^-  P^  annum  (Single  Copy  ls.6d.),  including 

Branch  Offices  ^  ^^-^  p^^^_,^  ^^^_  Chicago.  Subscription  ^  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  2. 


LONDON,  AUGUST,  1921. 


Price  U.  6d. 


c  o  N  r  !■:  i\'  r  s 


Editorial 

Notes    66 

The  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy's  New 
Home  ;  El  Oro  and  Pachuca  Mining  and  Geology  i 
A  Department  of  Mines  for  the  United  States  ; 
Gyrostatic  Compass  for  Surveying  ;  Cornish 
Chamber  of  Mines  Year-book  ;  Fixing  a  Gold 
Premium  :  The  American  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgical  Engineers. 


Rhodesia  Broken  Hill    

Particulars  are  given  of  recent  development  and 
output  at  this  lead-zinc  mme  in  Northern 
Rhodesia. 

Cornish  Conditions 


An  appeal  is  made  for  help  for  the  many  miners  in 
Cornwall  who  are  now  out  of  work. 

The  Framing  of  Mining  Laws 

An  exposition  of  Indian  mining  laws,  and  their 
objects,  written  by  Sir  Thomas  Holland,  is 
discussed,  and  the  publication  of  papers  of  this 
character  commended. 


PAGE 
"  Geology  of  Mesopotamia  and  its  Border- 
lands " T.  G.  Madgwick     97 

Schnabel      and      Louis'      "  Handbook      of 
Metallurgy  " George     Patchin     97 

News  Letters 

Perth    98 

The  Taxation  of  Mines. 

Toronto    101 

Porcupine;     Kirkland    Lake;     Cobalt;     Sudbury; 
Gowganda. 

Vancouver 1  (12 

Mackenzie  Rivi^r  Oil  ;    Yukon  Silver  -Mines  ;  British 
Columbia  Output. 

Personal    104 

69     Trade  Par.\graphs    10.5 

Metal  Markets    105 


68 


69 


Statistics  of  Production 


108 


The  Forces  of  Nature    71     Prices  of  Chemicals Ill 

Share  Quotations  112 


The  Editor  writes  an  introduction  to  an  article  by 
Mr.  J.  H.  Goodchild  appearing  in  the  issue. 

Review  of  Mining 72 


Articles 


Land  Growth    /.    H.    Goodchild     75 

The   author   outlines   a   method  of  approaching  the 
main  problems  of  geophysics  and  geochemistry. 


Las  Dos  Estrellas  Gold  Mine   

T.    Skewes   Saunders 

The  author  describes  a  mine  at  El  Oro,  Mexico,  of 
which  he  was  manager  for  the  last  seven  years. 
The  control  of  this  mine  has  been  in  France  and 
Mexico,  and  details  of  the  operations  have  not 
hitherto  been  available  to  English  readers. 

The  Real  Value  of  Gold 


78 


S.  J.  Speak     93 


Book  Reviews 

Park's  "  Textbook  of  Practical  Hydraulics  " 

Henry  Louis     94 
Holmes's    "  Petrographic   Methods   and 

Calculations  " E.  H.  Davison     9.S 

Rumbold's   "Chromium   Ore"..//.    K .Scott     95 


The  Mining  Digest 

Geology  of  Pachuca  and  El  Oro 

H.    V.    Winchell  113 

Removal  of  Copper  from  Base  Lead  Bullion 

D.  C.  M'Gruer  1 18 

Gyroscopic  Surveying  Compass 120 

Indian  Mining  Laws Sir  T.  H.  Hotland  121 

Origin  of  the  Cost-book  System'. ...//.  Louis  122 

The  South-East  Rand A.  W.  Rogers  123 

Liquid-air  E.xplosives 124 

Sierra  Leone  Geology F.  Dixey  124 

Short  Notices    125 

Recent  Patents  Published 126 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 126 

Company  Reports    126 

Associated  Gold  Mines  of  Western  .\ustralia  ;  Briseis  Tin  and 
General  Mining;  British  Broken  Hill;  Burma  Ruby  Mines; 
Eileen  Alannah  ;  Gurum  River  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mine? ;  Kaduna ; 
Kaduna  Prospectors ;  Kramat  Pulai ;  Lake  View  and  Star ; 
Libiola  Copper  ;  Naraguta  Extended  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines  i  Oroya 
Links  ;  Poderosa  ;  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill ;  South  Kalgurli  Con- 
solidated ;  Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates. 


EDITORIAL 


ON  July  25  tlic  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Miialluif^y  moved  to  its  new  prcinisis 
in  Cit}"  Koad.  Tlu'  house  is  commodious  and 
well  arranged,  and  tliough  its  surroundings  are 
not  just  what  the  council  would  have  chosen 
if  office  accommodation  in  London  had  not 
been  so  restricted,  it  can  at  least  be  said 
that  the  continuous  omnibus  and  tram 
services  to  the  City  nullify  the  feared  isolation 
of  the  new  home.  The  Institution  of  Jlining 
Engineers  has  also  moved  to  City  Road,  and 
Jlr.  C.  McDermid  has  assumed  tlie  secretary- 
ship of  both  societies.  Wc  give  herewith 
a  photographic  view  of  the  building,  and  in 
a  later  issue  we  hope  to  publish  a  detailed 
description. 


on  the  geology  of  Pachuca  and  J'^1  Oro. 
His  advice  as  regards  Kl  Oro  is  timely,  and 
should  be  ai)])reciated  by  those  who  are  in 
fa\our  of  furtiur  exploration. 

A  HILL  before  United  States  Congress 
relates  to  the  establishment  of  a  Depart- 
ment of  Mines,  assimilating  old  offices  and 
creating  new  ones.  It  is  proposed  that  the 
present  Bureau  of  Mines  should  be  con- 
verted into  a  "  Bureau "  of  Mineral 
Technology,  and  the  Geological  Survey  into 
a  "  Bureau  "  of  Mining  and  Applied  Geology. 
There  would  also  be  a  "  Bureau  "  of  Mineral 
IMarkets,  and  a  "  Bureau  "  of  Public  Mineral 
Domain.      In    addition    tlieri-    would    be    a 


The  Institution  of  Mininc  and  Metallurgy's  New  Ho.me. 


ELSEWHERE  in  this  issue  Mr.  T. 
Skewcs  Saunders  describes  the  mines 
of  the  Dos  Estrellas  Company  at  El  Oro, 
Mexico.  This  mine  has  given  big  profits 
to  Me.xican  and  French  owners  from 
extremely  rich  ores,  and  of  late  years  profits 
have  been  made  by  the  scientific  treatment  of 
the  remaining  ores  of  lower  grade.  Details 
of  the  mine  have  never  been  published,  so 
that  the  complete  history  of  the  El  Oro 
district  has  never  been  available.  The 
present  article  may  serve  to  fill  in 'some  of 
the  gaps.  In  another  part  of  this  issue  we 
reprint  a  paper  by  Mr.  Horace  V.  Winchell 


"  Division  "  of  Mineral  Statistics,  a  "  Division  " 
of  Publications,  and  a  "  Division  "  of 
Accounting  and  Disbursing.  By  those  in 
this  country  who  are  beginning  to  hate  the 
words  "Bureau,"  "Departments,"  and 
"  Divisions,"  this  announcement  is  not 
received  with  enthusiasm. 


^TOT  long  ago  a  note  was  published  in 
^  these  columns  relating  to  the 
gyrostatic  compass,  and  to  the  possibility 
of  its  application  to  mine  surveying  as  a 
substitute  for  the  magnetic  compass  in 
indicating    the    true    north.      Surveyors    in 


66 


AUGUST,    1921 


67 


this  country  were  aware  at  the  time  that 
an  instrument  embodying  this  idea  had  been 
developed  in  Germany,  but  no  one  could 
give  details.  Attention  may  therefore  be 
drawn  to  the  abstract  of  the  patent  issued 
to  Anschutz  &  Co.,  appearing  elsewhere 
in  this  issue.  The  specitication  and  drawing 
give  an  idea  of  the  principle  of  the  instrument, 
but  we  hope  in  a  future  issue  to  publish 
further  information  supplied  by  the  makers. 


THE  Cornish  Chamber  of  Klines  Year-book 
for  1921,  edited  by  Mr.  Harold  E.  Fern, 
is  a  reflex  of  the  contracted  state  of  local 
mining,  but  in  the  comparatively  few  pages 
a  great  deal  of  valuable  history  and  statistical 
information  is  given.  These  records  are 
valuable  both  currently  and  for  permanent 
reference.  The  contents  of  the  volume 
include  the  report  of  the  Council  for  the 
year  1920,  details  of  the  various  metal- 
mining  companies  operating  in  Cornwall,  and 
statistical  tables  of  production.  A  valuable 
feature  of  the  volume  is  a  table  giving  analyses 
of  the  working  costs  during  1920  at  five  of 
the  leading  tin  mines ;  namely,  East  Pool, 
Dolcoath,  South  Crofty,  Tincrof t,  and  Geevor. 
These  figures  explain  why  costs  have  been 
advancing  so  seriously  during  the  last  few 
years. 

WHETHER  gold  is  to  go  back  to  its 
original  value,  or  whether  we  are 
to  continue  to  send  the  metal  to  the  United 
States  and  live  on  paper  in  this  country, 
is  the  chief  financial  problem  of  the  day. 
The  only  orthodox  way  of  bringing  gold 
back  to  its  par  value  is  to  cut  wages  and 
public  expenditure  in  this  country.  In  this 
issue  we  publish  an  article  by  Mr.  S.  J.  Speak, 
who  demonstrates  the  inabihty  of  the 
Government  and  the  financial  authorities 
in  the  City  to  effect  this  desirable  reinstate- 
ment of  the  basic  principle.  Mr.  Speak's 
opinion  is  that  the  appreciation  of  gold 
should  be  regularized,  and  that  its  price 
should  be  put  to  six  guineas  per  ounce. 
In  this  way  the  relation  of  prices  to  values 
would  be  more  easily  revised  without  the 
working-classes  being  provided  with  a  reason 
for  strikes.  The  relation  of  gold  to  official 
currency  is  one  of  those  difficult  problems 
that  a  layman,  even  a  professor  of  political 
economy,  cannot  always  grasp,  but  there 
are  cases,  alhed  to  mathematical  "  limits," 
which  are  easily  comprehensible.  For 
instance,  the  great  discoveries  of  gold  in 
Australia  and  California  had  both  a  sudden 


and  an  ultimate  influence  on  currency  and 
wages,  and  gold  as  such  suffered  a 
depreciation  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
uncontrolled  issue  of  paper  money  by  the 
Confederates  and  by  various  Governments 
in  South  America  caused  nominal  prices  to 
go  up  indefinitely.  In  the  depreciation  of 
money  by  the  State  gold  is  not  in  the  hands 
of  the  public,  so  they  reap  no  benefit  against 
the  fall  in  its  purchasing  value,  the  matter 
being  entirely  in  the  control  of  the  exchange 
bankers.  The  fact  is  that  the  public  have 
no  control  of  the  price  of  gold,  or  even  of 
diamonds,  and  the  disposal  of  either  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  rings.  Mr.  Speak's  article 
gives,  under  the  circumstances,  an  intelligible 
solution    of   a   much-debated   question. 


LAST  month  we  recorded  that  Mr.  Bradley 
Stoughton  had  resigned  the  secretary- 
ship of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Metallurgical  Engineers.  Since  then 
it  has  been  announced  that  he  is  succeeded 
by  Mr.  F.  F.  Sharpless.  Mr.  Sharpless  will 
be  known  to  many  people  in  London,  for  he 
was  at  one  time  an  adviser  to  the  Consoli- 
dated Mines  Selection  Company,  and  in  this 
capacity  he  visited  West  Africa.  He  has 
been  professionally  associated  with  Mr. 
Horace  Vaughan  Winchell,  and  with  other 
influential  men  who  devote  much  time  and 
thought  to  the  interests  of  the  Institute,  and 
he  has  been  secretary  of  the  Mining  and 
Metallurgical  Society  of  America.  So  he  is 
well  known  to  mining  engineers  and 
experienced  in  society  administration.  But 
while  thus  prognostigating  success  for  his 
tenure  of  office,  we  still  cannot  help 
expressing  our  inability  to  understand  why 
Mr.  Stoughton  should  have  felt  it  incumbent 
on  him  to  resign.  The  secretaryship  of  the 
Institute  has  not  provided  the  only  worry  to 
the  council  recently,  for  the  publication 
of  the  monthly  paper  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
is  also  the  cause  of  grave  concern,  and  the 
multiplicity  of  unwieldy  committees  is  once 
more  being  adversely  criticized  in  various 
quarters.  As  regards  the  monthly  paper, 
we  notice  that  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  expresses  its  disapproval  of  it,  both 
from  the  point  of  view  of  policy  and  in 
relation  to  its  intrinsic  merits.  With  sly 
subtle  humour  the  writer  shows  how  little 
original  matter  is  found  in  its  pages,  and  how 
it  fails  to  serve  the  requirements  of  the  mining 
engineer  and  metallurgist.  The  humour  is 
so  subtle  that  we  are  unable  to  say  whether 
the  fact  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  having 


68 


Till':     MININC.     MAC,  A/INIC 


"  somewhat  of  the  flavour  of  Tni:  Mining 
Magazine  but  not  so  compact  "  is  intcndril 
as  a  compliment  to  both,  either,  or  neitlier 
of  the  monthlies  mentioned  ;  jirobably  neitlier. 
But  seriously,  the  Joiinuil  is  to  be  eouf^ratu- 
lated  on  the  stand  it  has  taken,  for  its  adviee 
and  conunent  will  go  a  long  way.  It  is  to  he 
hoped  that  the  Institute  will  revert  to  its 
Biilhtin,  and  at  the  same  time  go  back  to  its 
old  policy  of  quality  rather  than  quantity  in 
the  matter  of  papers  published.  We  note 
in  the  American  papers  some  reference  to 
a  proposal  to  amalgamate  Miuim;  and 
Mftalliir^y  with  the  organ  of  the  American 
Mining  Congress.  Surely  such  a  step  would 
put  the  Institute  still  further  off  the  mark, 
and  would  be  regarded  with  dismay  by 
mining  engineers  outside  the  United  States. 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill 

In  thise  tiajs  of  depression  in  the  metal 
markets  it  is  remarkable  that  a  lead 
mine  in  the  centre  of  Africa  should  be  making 
profits  and  paying  dividends.  But  this  is 
what,  in  spite  of  so  many  disadvantageous 
circumstances,  the  Rhodesia  Broken 
Hill  Development  Company  has  been  able 
to  do.  During  1920  the  yield  of  lead  was 
14,602  tons,  obtained  by  smelting  12.800  tons 
of  ore  ;  the  net  profit,  after  allowance  for 
depreciation,  was  /89,949,  out  of  which 
£35,000  was  paid  as  dividend,  at  the  rate 
of  lO^o,  the  remainder  being  kept  in  hand 
until  income  tax  and  excess  profits  duty 
arc  settled.  The  deposit  belonging  to  this 
companv,  situated  in  Northern  Rhodesia, 
is  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  all  those 
controlled  in  London,  and  we  were  glad  to 
be  able  to  publish  a  detailed  account  of  it 
in  October,  1919.  In  glancing  briefly  at  the 
report  of  current  progress,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  review  past  history  or  to  give  a  general 
description  of  the  property,  for  the  article 
in  question  contains  all  this  information. 
During  the  last  year  or  two  further  geological 
investigations  have  been  made,  and  it  is 
now  considered  certain  that  the  various 
outcrops  are  parts  of  two  lodes  about 
1,000  yards  apart.  One  of  these  lodes  out- 
crops at  kopjes  Nos.  1,  3,  and  4,  and  con- 
tains more  lead  than  zinc  ;  while  the  other 
passes  through  kopje  No.  2  and  consists 
essentially  of  zinc  ore.  There  are  a  number 
of  other  outcrops,  of  minor  importance  at 
present,  which  have  not  yet  been  explored 
in  depth.  The  further  development  of 
the  ore,  and  also  the  theory  of  the  geology 


and  the  origin  and  continuan(r  of  llir  dit 
dejiosils,  dejK'nd  largely  on  the  water 
iiuestion.  As  recorded  two  years  ago  the 
surface-workings  are  drowned  with  water, 
and  it  was  an  open  (juestion  whether  ])uinping 
\\i)ulil  be  effective  at  anything  like  a  com- 
nureial  cost,  and  conse(]uently  whether  it 
would  be  ])0ssible  to  sink  shafts.  The 
directors  decided  to  provide  powerful  pumps, 
which  were  eventually  delivered  after  great 
delay,  and  at  enhanced  prices.  They  also 
called  to  their  service  the  Francois 
cementation  process,  by  means  of  which 
shaft-sinking  became  possible  immediately, 
and  should  continue  to  be  independent 
of  the  water.  The  No.  1  shaft  has  been 
sunk  to  173  ft.,  and  a  level  is  being  oi)ened 
at  l.")0  ft.  By  means  of  these  workings,  it 
will  be  piossible  to  follow  the  indications 
jnovided  by  the  bore-holes.  In  connexion 
with  the  water,  which  has  given  so  much 
trouble,  and  has  also  worried  the  geologists, 
it  has  been  shown  recently  that  the  water- 
level  is  now  much  higher  than  it  used  to  be, 
and  that  a  drainage  channel  300  ft.  deeper 
than  the  present  water-level  was  in  action 
at  no  distant  date.  Thus  the  existence  of 
oxidized  ores  below  the  present  water- 
level  is  explained,  coupled  with  a  certainty 
of  the  permanence  of  sulphide  ores  below  the 
portions  already  proved  by  bore-hole.  A 
hope  is  also  provided  for  an  eventual 
clearance  of  the  water  from  an  apparently 
waterlogged  area.  Another  interesting 
geological  point  relates  to  the  occurrence  of 
vanadium  minerals.  During  1920  a  sub- 
stantial income  was  derived  from  the  sale 
of  these  ores,  and  arrangements  are  being 
made  for  their  further  exploitation.  At  the 
present  time  the  proved  vanadium  reserves 
consist  of  3,750  tons,  averaging  7  to  13%, 
and  6,000  tons  averaging  'Si%.  Experi- 
mental work  is  in  hand  for  the  concentration 
of  these  lower-grade  ores,  and  eventually 
it  is  believed  that  vanadium  will  be  an 
important  factor  in  the  success  of  the 
property.  As  regards  the  zinc  contents  of 
the  ores,  it  is  only  necessary  here  to  say  that 
electrolytic  plant  is  on  the  spot,  and  that 
results  will  be  available  later.  In  con- 
cluding this  brief  notice,  it  is  right  that 
personal  credit  should  be  given.  Mr.  Edmund 
Davis,  as  chairman  and  managing  director, 
provides  the  business  ability,  Messrs.  Hooper, 
Speak  &  Co.  are  the  consulting  engineers, 
Mr.  Ross  Macartney  is  the  manager  at  the 
mine,  and  Mr.  F.  1'.  Mennell  has  been  engaged 
in  geological  studies. 


AUGUST,    1921 


69 


Cornish  Conditions! 

During    the    last    few    months    we    have 
published  no  Camborne  letter  in  our  news 
columns,  for  our  local  correspondent  bluntly 
says  there  is  nothing  to  write  about  :  Cornish 
mining  is  dead,   hopes  of  resuscitation   are 
remote,  and  to  write  of  the  terrible  position 
and   the   distress  would  be   unkind   to   the 
sufferers.     It  is  to  his  credit  that  he  fought 
for  the  cause  of  Cornwall  during  the  threat- 
ening days,  canvassed  the  practical  sympathy 
of  those  in  power,  and  foretold  the  results 
of  the  Government's  policy  of  neglect  and 
drift.     It  is  no  wonder  that  he  is  disgusted 
with      journalism    which    has    proved    so 
ineffective,  and  has  laid  aside  his  pen  for  the 
time.     But  something  must  be  said  about 
Cornish  matters,  even  if  it  is  only  with  the 
object  of  arousing  some  sympathy  for  the 
victims   of   adverse   circumstances.     Of   the 
men  who  are  perforce  idle,  it  has  to  be  said 
that  they  were  never  overpaid  and  that  they 
never  upset  normal  arrangements  by  making 
impossible    demands.     In    fact    there    have 
been    cases    where    they   have    suggested    a 
curtailment  of  pay  in  order  that  operations 
should  not  cease.     Their  attitude  has  been 
entirely  different    from    that    of    the   coal- 
miners,    who    induced    the    Government    to 
pledge  public  funds  for  the  maintenance  of 
high  wages  in  a  prosperous  industry  that  can 
pass  the  e.xtra  cost  to  the  consumer.     The 
tin-miner  was  faced  with  the  higher  cost  of 
coal,  steel,   timber,  and  explosives,  and  he 
was   quite   unable   to  pass   the   extra  costs 
to  the  buyer  of  his  products,  for  the  metal 
markets   are   entirely    beyond   his   control  ; 
while,    as    for    assistance    from    the    public 
purse,    this    was    not    granted    until    wages 
were  not  forthcoming.     It  was  always  the 
contention  of  the  Magazine  that  the  mines 
should  be  kept  working  by  aid  of  the  public 
money     now    distributed     as    charity    and 
without  profit  to  the  giver  or  the  community, 
though  it  was  fairly  clear  that  the  proposition 
would  stand  no  chance  of  acceptance.     It  is 
too  late  now  to  revive  an  argument  in  favour 
of  such  a  course.     All  that  can  be  done  is 
to  help  the  miner  in  some  practical  way  and 
to  break  the  appalling  darkness  and  silence 
that  broods  over  Cornwall.     The  out-of-work 
pay  is  little  enough,  and  is  quite  insufficient 
ior  keeping  life  together  with  decency  and 
respect  ;    but    now    even    this    resource    is 
threatened,  and  the  men  never  know  when 
they    will    be    entirely    without    means    of 
subsistence.     The  funds  at  the  disposal  of  the 
poor  law  guardians  are  already  strained  to 
.2—3 


the  limit.  Voluntary  contributions  have 
been  liberal,  and  the  Central  Relief  Com- 
mittee at  Camborne  has  been  able  to  be  of 
great  assistance,  but  as  the  days  drag  by 
it  becomes  increasinglj^  difficult  to  obtain 
the  necessary  funds  locally.  Early  this  year 
Mr.  Joseph  H.  Cock,  a  member  of  the  staff 
of  the  ^Mining  School,  who  was  at  the  time 
chairman  of  the  Relief  Committee,  issued  an 
eloquent  appeal  to  Cornishmen  abroad  to 
contribute  to  the  funds  for  the  help  of 
distressed  folks  at  the  old  home.  It  is 
gratifying  to  know  that  the  response  was 
excellent,  and  that  much  good  was  thereby 
done.  Time  has  since  passed  and  the 
position  in  Cornwall  is  still  tense,  so  we 
re-echo  Mr.  Cock's  invitation,  and  trust 
every  Cornishman  who  reads  this  article 
will  lose  no  time  in  getting  into  contact  with 
the  secretary  of  the  Camborne  Relief 
Committee,  the  Reverend  W.  A.  Bryant. 
Before  concluding  we  would  mention  that 
many  people  not  conversant  with  mining 
conditions  recommend  the  present  distressed 
Cornishmen  to  emigrate  as  their  fathers  and 
grandfathers  did  at  former  periods  of  mining 
depression  in  the  old  county.  Unfortunately 
it  is  difficult  to  follow  this  advice,  for  the 
countries  where  additional  mining  labour 
is  wanted  are  few  and  far  between.  Never- 
theless if  any  influential  Cornishman  abroad 
can  guarantee  positions  for  stranded  miners 
at  present  in  Cornwall  his  assistance  in  this 
direction  will  be  as  welcome  as  a  subscription 
to  the  funds. 

This  is  the  position  of  things  in  Cornwall 
at  present.  Oh,  the  pity  of  it  that  the  sons 
of  an  ancient  and  honourable  industry  should 
have  to  plead  for  help  through  no  fault  of 
their  own  ! 


The  Framing  of  Mining  Laws 

Reference  has  been  made  in  these  pages  on 
orre  or  two  occasions  to  the  excellent  work 
done  by  the  Indian  Government  in  the  con- 
trol of  industrial  operations.  At  a  time  when 
Indian  affairs  looked  gloomy,  and  even  ugly, 
a  number  of  sound  and  experienced  servants 
of  the  State  rallied  to  its  support,  and  by  the 
exercise  of  firmness  and  patience  have 
guided  the  community  to  commercial  and 
political  safety.  Unfortunately  the  Enghsh 
Press  tells  us  little  or  nothing  of  what  goes 
on  in  the  Overseas  Dominions,  so  that  the 
transcendent  abilities  of  Sir  Thomas  Holland 
as  an  administrator  are  comparatively  un- 
known in  this  country.  The  Indian  Govern- 
ment has,  however,  recognized  the  uses  of 


70 


THE    MIXIXC.     MACAZIXIC 


publicity,  and  has  made  a  mmilur  of 
innovations  tending  to  bring  its  motives  and 
aspirations  to  the  notice  of  the  pohtical 
and  business  connnunities,  both  locally  and 
in  this  country.  I'or  instance,  an  Indian 
Trade  Commission  has  been  established  al 
Winchester  House,  in  the  City,  and  many  of 
our  readers  will  have  had  the  ailvantai;e  of 
the  help  and  advice  of  Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown. 
who  has  been  found  at  that  office  for  the  last 
year  or  so,  in  connexion  with  the  mineral 
industries  of  India  and  neighbouring 
countries.  More  recently  the  Government 
has  founded  thv  Journal  of  Indian  liiduslrits 
and  Labour,  with  the  object  of  providing  a 
means  of  contact  between  the  various 
industrial  communities  throughout  India. 
and  of  explaining  the  underlying  principles  on 
which  the  Government  acts.  It  may  be  said 
at  once  that  the  Government  of  India  aims 
at  idealism  tempered  with  business  acumen. 
The  benetit  of  the  State  is  the  watchword  ; 
but,  on  the  one  hand,  the  benefits  are  not 
to  be  entirely  controlled  by  the  business 
man,  and.  on  the  other,  the  State  is  not  to 
be  represented  by  the  blatant  agitator  or 
the  fluent  ignoramus.  In  fact,  it  is  a  com- 
bination of  the  high-mindcdness  of  President 
Wilson  and  General  Smuts  with  the  mundane 
philosophy  of  CecO  Rhodes. 

An  excellent  example  of  the  straight- 
forwardness of  the  Indian  Government  is  to 
be  found  in  the  May  issue  of  the  before- 
mentioned  Journal,  where  Sir  Thomas 
Holland  writes  on  the  principles  governing 
the  grant  of  mineral  concessions  in  India. 
Sir  Thomas,  being  alarmed  at  the  apparent 
simplicity  of  his  exposition  of  the  principles, 
declares,  with  his  characteristic  vein  of 
irony,  that  "  these  general  considerations 
are  mostly  platitudes  "  ;  but  as  all  knowledge 
and  mental  exercises  when  clearly  expounded 
may  be  mistaken  by  some  people  for 
platitudes,  we  can  easily  imagine  the  smile 
on  his  face  when  he  wrote  or  dictated  that 
word.  Briefly,  the  mining  laws  of  India 
are  so  framed  as  to  offer  sufficient  speculative 
attraction  to  the  capitalist,  and  at  the  same 
time  ensure  a  fair  return  to  the  State 
without  undue  waste  of  the  natural  resources. 
It  is  the  business  of  a  mining  company  to 
make  as  much  profit  as  possible  out  of  a 
mineral  deposit  in  the  shortest  time  ;  this  is 
extravagance  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
community.  On  the  other  hand,  the  State 
must  see  that  its  mineral  resources  are 
utilized  for,  following  their  judicious  employ- 
ment,     there      comes      great      commercial 


advantagi'  and  jirosix-rity.  Yet,  seeing 
that  these  resources  are  limited,  care  must 
be  taken  that  they  are  not  carelessly  or  waste- 
fully  mined  ;  in  other  wonls,  complete  and 
gradual  ixtraction  is  hetli'r  for  the  com- 
numitv  tiian  ra])id  profit-making  by  the 
mining  companies.  Sir  Thomas  puts  the  case 
of  Ihe  miners  quite  candidly.  He  points  out 
tiiat,  as  most  mining  enterprises  are  highly 
speculative,  the  investor  wants  the 
tiicouragement  of  generous  terms  before 
he  will  risk  capital  in  an  unproved  country  ; 
that  most  of  the  capital  is  sunk  in  an 
irrecoverable  form,  for  the  miner  cannot  sell 
his  shafts  and  levels  in  the  open  market, 
and  he  must  therefore  hope  to  recover 
his  initial  outlay  from  his  profits  in  a 
M-lalivtly  short  period  ;  and  that  unless 
a  miner  can  now  and  then  reap  the  benefit 
of  an  occasional  windfall,  he  will  not  be 
able  to  write  off  the  losses  due  to  the  large 
number  of  unlucky  ventures  inevitable  in 
this  class  of  work.  To  weigh  all  these  con- 
siderations without  prejudice  or  bias  is  the 
aspiration  of  the  Indian  Government,  and, 
as  Sir  Thomas  says,  the  expression  of  these 
])rinciples  looks  like  a  platitude.  But  how 
many  other  countries  can  point  to  so  clear 
an  exposition  of  their  motives  ?  In  other 
States  we  see  indifference  to  public  or  private 
interests,  or  an  inclination  to  opportunism, 
or  a  participation  on  the  part  of  the  State 
or  its  minions  in  the  clash  of  the  markets, 
in  the  manoeuvres  for  position,  and  in  the 
crushing  of  opponents  or  rivals,  or  even  a 
policy  which  puts  business  in  the  way  of 
lawyers  and  experts. 

Sir  Thomas  Holland,  in  his  article,  proceeds 
to  details  on  one  or  two  debatable  points. 
He  gives  reasons  why  the  law  should  be 
uniform  throughout  all  the  Indian  States, 
and  he  shows  why  it  is  necessary  to  revise 
the  law  periodically.  He  discusses  the 
relation  of  prospecting  licences  to  mining 
leases.  Here  he  shows  how  it  is  necessary 
to  give  liberal  terms  to  the  genuine  prospector 
and  the  obviously  earnest  investor,  and  he 
indicates  the  necessity  for  differentiating 
between  the  various  fields  of  enterprise. 
In  some  cases  the  surface  indications  are 
such  as  to  make  it  imperative  for  definite 
results  to  be  available  in  a  comparatively 
short  time  ;  whereas,  in  other  cases,  such 
as  drilling  for  oil,  much  longer  periods  of 
prospecting  should  be  allowed. 

We  may  be  permitted  to  express  the  hope 
that  directors  will  read  Sir  Thomas  Holland's 
article,  for  it  incidentally  gives  an  excellent. 


AUGUST,   1921 


71 


idea  of  the  actual  importance  of  mining 
relative  to  other  local  industries.  Most 
of  the  companies  and  their  directors  are 
fully  aware  of  their  duty  to  the  laws  and 
customs  of  the  various  countries,  as  well  as 
to  their  own  shareholders,  but  occasionally 
companies,  or  groups  of  companies,  come 
into  undesirable  and  unnecessary  conflict 
with  communities  and  their  governors  by 
exaggerating  their  claims  to  recognition  and 
by  want  of  capacity  to  regard  affairs  in 
their  true  perspective.  A  perusal  of  this 
article  may  act  as  a  corrective. 

The  Forces  of  Nature 

In  this  issue  we  print  an  article  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Goodchild,  entitled,  "  Land  Growth,"  which, 
we  readily  admit,  is  not  easy  to  comprehend 
at  the  first  perusal.  The  casual  reader  and 
even  the  expert  geologist  and  petrologist 
may  possibly  be  mystified,  as  they  were  with 
the  articles  by  the  author's  brother,  Mr.  W.  H. 
Goodchild,  on  the  origin  of  igneous  ore 
deposits,  which  appeared  in  these  pages 
three  years  ago.  Nevertheless,  the  author's 
views  will  find  response  in  the  minds  of  many 
students  of  geology  who  feel  that  there  is 
something  missing  in  the  theories  taught 
in  the  textbooks.  At  the  present  time  the 
mineral  arrangement  and  the  constitution 
of  the  earth's  surface  is  ascribed  to  either 
igneous  action  or  sedimentation,  that  is  to 
say,  some  rocks  are  held  to  be  the  cooling 
products  of  a  molten  magma,  while  others 
are  the  result  of  meteoric  action  on  existing 
land  surfaces.  Mr.  Goodchild  would  add 
to  these  influences  the  chemical  reactive 
energies  of  the  minerals  and  mineral  masses. 
These  chemical  forces  are,  of  course,  well 
enough  known  to  geologists,  but  hitherto 
argument  involving  them  has  been  confined 
to  discussions  as  to  the  origin  of  under- 
ground ore  deposits.  Under  the  latter 
conditions  the  potency  of  solutions  to  attack, 
convey,  and  precipitate  are  fully  recognized, 
and  deductions  are  facilitated  by  the  fact 
that  material  exists  concurrently  in  both  the 
original  form  and  as  middle  and  final  pro- 
ducts. Few  geologists  have  attempted  to 
apply  the  same  principles  to  the  wider  fickL 
and  this  application  is  rendered  the  more 
difflcult  because  only  the  current  product 
is  visible.  This  difficulty  may  be  exemplified 
by  reference  to  the  permanence  or  other- 
wise of  old  buildings.  The  remains  of 
Roman  and  Egyptian  edifices  lead  people  to 
suppose  that  the  ancients  knew  better  how 
to  build  than  we  do  nowadays,  they  entirely 


forgetting  that  the  evidence  of  bad  building 
in  the  olden  days  has  long  since  disappeared. 
Another  difliculty  in  applying  this  principle 
in  its  wide  sense  is  that  different  substances 
act  at  different  rates,  the  least  plentiful 
usually  acting  the  most  rapidly.  Carbon, 
phosphorus,  and  potassium  go  through 
cycles  of  adventures,  while  silica  and  most 
of  the  silicates  are  slow  of  change  and 
reaction.  The  only  constituents  of  the 
earth's  surface  that  are  plentiful,  and  at  the 
same  time  show  visible  and  calculable 
changes,  are  carbonate  of  lime  and  the  iron 
compounds.  Thus  Mr.  Goodchild  would 
recommend  a  close  comparative  study  of  the 
iron  ores  of  the  world  from  his  standpoint, 
including  those  in  Cumberland,  Nortli  and 
South  Spain,  India,  Brazil,  and  Lake 
Superior.  That  such  a  study  would  meet 
prodigious  obstacles  cannot  lie  denied,  for 
direct  evidence  would  be  scarce,  and  often 
almost  unrecognizable,  and  until  some 
evidence  of  this  growth  of  land  is  obtainable 
many  scientists  and  practical  men  may  as 
likely  as  not  refuse  to  believe  in  its 
importance.  For  ourselves  we  keep  a 
receptive  mind  ready  to  consider  any  pro- 
posal put  forward  by  a  serious  and  com- 
petent student  of  nature.  These  chemical 
forces  acting  on  a  large  scale  as  outlined  by 
Mr.  Goodchild  would  provide  explanations 
for  many  phenomena  which  are  at  present 
obscure,  and  they  would  afford  alternative 
explanations  for  others.  For  instance, 
banded  ironstones  and  doubtful  gneisses 
would  be  explained  ;  the  apparently  igneous 
rocks  which  look  like  sedimentaries,  or  vice 
versa,  would  be  relegated  to  their  proper 
division  ;  an  explanation  would  be  provided 
of  the  absence  of  metamorphism  at  the 
contact  of  certain  supposed  igneous 
intrusions  ;  it  would  no  longer  be  necessary 
to  attribute  schistosity  or  slatey  cleavage  to 
enormous  pressures,  nor  contortions  of  rocks 
to  the  folding  or  crumpling  of  plane  deposits. 
Sulphur  would  cease  to  be  essentially  a 
hypabyssal  element,  and  pyrites  would  be 
usually  formed  by  the  action  of  iron  com- 
pounds on  organic  substances.  The  current 
principles  of  petrology  may  appear  to  stand 
in  the  way  of  some  of  the  foregoing 
applications,  particularly  where  a  doubt  is 
implied  of  the  igneous  origin  of  certain 
rocks  ;  but  that  remains  to  be  seen.  How- 
ever, we  are  travelling  a  little  too  far  in 
advance.  These  prospective  explanations 
are  merely  given  as  an  indication  of  incentives 
to  investigation  on  Mr.  Goodchild's  lines. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introductory.  —  Though  coal  milling; 
lias  been  resumed  for  over  a  iiionth  in  this 
country  general  trading  is  still  stagnant  mid 
the  prices  of  industrial  metals  continue  at 
a  low  ebb.  As  for  gold,  the  Ignited  States 
Exchange  has  dropped  again,  and  the 
premium  has  correspondingly  risen. 

Transvaal. — The  labour  (juestion  has  been 
to  the  fore  this  month,  and  definite  proposals 
were  made  by  tlie  Chamber  of  Mines  for  a 
cut  in  wages.  The  men  have  agreed  to 
a  standard  of  wages  based  on  the  cost  of 
living,  and  this  involves  a  reduction  of 
Is.  6d.  per  shift  immediately.  It  is  felt, 
however,  that  more  than  a  cut  is  wanted, 
and  that  a  weeding  out  of  disaffected 
incompetents  would  do  much  more  good. 

Further  particulars  arc  to  hand  from  South 
Africa  with  regard  to  the  stoppage  of  sinking 
at  No.  2  .shaft,  West  Springs.  It  is  now 
stated  that  this  shaft  had  reached  a  depth 
of  3,000  ft.  without  liaving  encountered 
the  Kimberley  .slates,  which  were  expected 
at  a  depth  of  2,300  ft.  to  2,100  ft.  A  big 
transverse  fault-plane  is  knowTi  to  traverse 
the  Springs  property,  and  No.  1  shaft  is  near 
this  line  of  disturbance.  No  doubt  this  dyke 
has  had  a  disturbing  influence  on  the  countr}' 
round  No.  2  shaft. 

About  eighteen  months  ago  additional 
capital  was  subscribed  for  the  reopening  of 
the  Sheba  Gold  Mining  Compan3''s  pro- 
perties at  Barberton.  Since  then  much 
prospecting  work  has  been  done.  The  mine 
that  has  responded  best  is  the  Zwarzkopje, 
where  14,603  tons  averaging  10-4  dwt.  gold 
per  ton  has  been  proved.  At  the  Intombi 
section  the  reserve  is  20,000  tons,  averaging 
10  dwt.  Further  development  is  to  be  done 
before  milling  is  recommenced,  and  when 
that  happens  it  is  intended  to  add  tube- 
mills  for  the  purpose  of  grinding  the  ore 
finer. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  in 
Southern  Rhodesia  during  June  was  49,466oz., 
as  compared  with  48,744  oz.  in  May,  and 
45,054  oz.  in  June,  1920.  Other  returns  of 
output  for  June  were  as  follows  :  Silver, 
13,243  oz.  ;  coal,  49,425  tons  ;  chrome  ore, 
5,831  tons ;  copper,  264  tons ;  asbestos, 
1,993  tons  ;    arsenic,  48  tons  ;   mica,  7  tons. 

The  Lonely  Reef  Gold  Mining  Company 
reports  the  ore  reserves  at  June  30  at 
197,704  tons,  averaging  19'11  dwt.  gold  per 
ton,  as  compared  witli  202,845  tons  averaging 
20'8  dwt.  at  the  end  of  December  last. 


There  appears  to  be  some  chance  of  a  deal 
being  effected  between  the  Globe  iS:  Pliunix 
and  the  Rhodesia  I'.xploration  Company 
(formerly  Amalgamated  I'ropt-rties)  witii 
regard  to  the  John  I'ull  and  other  claims  round 
which  the  celebrated  lawsuit  centred.  The 
chairman  of  the  latter  company  has 
announced  that  he  is  in  negotiation  with  a 
director  of  tlie  Globe  &  Phceni.x,  but  whether 
officially  or  not  is  imcertain.  The  (dobe  & 
Phani.x  reserves  at  June  :iO  were  calculated 
at  89,491  tons  averaging  30-39  dwt.  gold 
per  ton,  as  compared  with  93,852  tons  of 
similar  tenor  six  months  previously. 

West  Africa.— -The  Ashanti  Goldfields 
Corporation  announces  the  intersection  of 
the  Obuasi  lode  at  the  19th  level.  Here  the 
lode  is  26  ft.  wide  and  averages  19-9  dwt. 
of  gold  per  ton. 

Australia. — The  reports  of  several  com- 
panies operating  at  Kalgoorlie  arc  quoted 
elsewhere  in  this  issue.  These  companies 
are  now  securing  full  benefit  of  the  gold 
premium,  and  are  thus  able  to  earn  increased 
profits.  But  gold  premium  does  not  account 
for  all,  and  in  this  connexion  we  may  express 
our  pleasure  that  Mr.  J.  .\.  Agnew  drew 
attention  to  the  excellent  management  of 
the  mines  which  is  also  a  substantial  factor 
in  the  present  position.  Too  often  most 
of  the  directors  and  all  the  shareholders 
omit  to  give  any  real  credit  to  the  mine 
managers  for  the  satisfactory  results  ;  they 
even  begrudge  the  few  minutes  occupied 
at  the  end  of  a  meeting  when  a  perfunctory 
motion  of  thanks  to  the  staff  is  introduced, 
for  this  item  of  the  agenda  unnecessarily 
cuts  into  their  lunch. 

The  cabled  report  of  the  Hampden 
Cloncurry  Copper  Mines  for  the  half-year 
ended  February  28  shows  a  yield  of 
1,882  tons  of  copper,  1,149  oz.  gold,  and 
7,256  oz.  silver  obtained  from  the  smelting 
of  36,698  tons  of  ore,  of  which  4,065  tons  was 
custom  ore  and  9,391  tons  metalliferous  flux. 
The  operations  resulted  in  a  loss  of  £6,694. 
As  already  recorded  the  properties  and  the 
smelter  are  now  idle,  awaiting  a  reduction  in 
wages  and  in  the  costs  of  stores. 

During  the  year  ended  May  29,  the  ore 
raised  at  Mount  Morgan  totalled  260,062  tons, 
of  which  89,405  tons  was  sent  direct  to  the 
smelter.  At  the  concentrator  167,802  tons 
of  ore  jdelded  60,033  tons  of  various  classes 
of  concentrates.  The  smelter  treated  the 
ore  sent  direct,  together  with  19,129  tons  of 


72 


AUGUST,    1921 


73 


jis;  concentrates  and  32,667  tons  of  table 
and  flotation  concentrates.  The  j'icld  of 
copper  was  5,149  tons,  and  of  gold  76,463  oz. 
It  has  not  been  possible  to  declare  a  dividend. 
At  present  the  labour  position  is  uppermost, 
and  the  directors  are  endeavouring  to  induce 
the  men  to  adopt  some  scale  of  wages  that 
will  make  it  possible  to  operate  without  loss. 
The  company  is  actively  developing  and 
equipping  a  coal  mine  at  Baralaba  for  a 
capacity  of  500  tons  per  day.  Experiments 
are  in  hand  for  chlorinating  the  tailings  from 
the  concentrators  with  a  view  of  saving 
further  quantities  of  gold. 

The  Governments  of  Great  Britain  and 
.Australia  continue  to  refuse  information  as 
to  the  price  paid  by  the  former  for  Australian 
zinc  concentrates.  The  Board  of  Trade 
states  that  the  total  sums  disbursed  for 
the  years  ended  March  31,  1919,  March  31, 
1920",  and  JIarch  31,  1921,  were  ^1,221,859, 
/490,137,  and  /151,951  respectively.  It  is 
also  announced  that  concentrates  totalling 
4,972  tons  have  been  sold  at  an  average 
price  of  £1  17s.  per  ton.  Presumably  this 
is  the  sum  of  the  sales  all  these  years.  Their 
deal  has  not  been  good  business  for  anybody 
except  some  of  the  producers  at  Broken  Hill, 
and  even  these  will  eventually  suffer  owing 
to  the  large  Government  stocks  standing  in 
the  way  of  a  revival  in  mining. 

India. — Champion  Reef  will  be  the  next 
Indian  mining  companj^  to  reconstruct  with 
the  object  of  providing  funds  for  further 
development  in  depth.  Mysore  and  Nundy- 
droog  have  already  reconstructed,  but 
Ooregum  has  been  able  to  provide  funds  for 
the  same  purpose  out  of  its  rich  ore  reserves. 
The  directors  believe  that  the  ore  disclosed 
in  the  lowest  workings  justify  deeper  develop- 
ment, so  a  scheme  for  raising  the  necessary 
capital  will  be  submitted  to  shareholders 
next  month.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  the 
shaft  in  Carmichael's  section  of  this  mine  is 
over  6,000  ft.  deep  on  the  dip. 

Burma.  —  The  Burma  Corporation 
announces  a  reconstitution  of  the  London 
Committee,  which  now  consists  of  Sir  Henry 
Strakosch,  Sir  John  Mann,  and  Messrs.  J.  A. 
Agnew,  A.  Chester  Beatty,  F.  A.  Govett, 
Herbert  Guedalla,  and  J.  C.  Prinsep. 
ilr.  E.  P.  Mathewson  is  to  visit  the  mine  and 
advise  on  the  metallurgical  position. 

Malaya. — The  report  of  the  Federated 
Malay  States  Mining  Department  for  1920 
shows  that  34,938  tons  of  tin  concentrate 
was  exported  ;  of  this  amount  22,134  tons 
came  from  Perak,  8,851  tons  from  Selangor, 


3,252  tons  from  Pahang,  and  697  tons  from 
Negri  Sembilan.  It  is  stated  that  64% 
of  the  mines  were  under  Chinese  manage- 
ment, as  compared  with  68%  in  1919,  and 
74%  in  1913  ;  it  would  be  much  more 
interesting  if  the  relative  percentages  of 
output  by  Chinese-managed  companies  were 
given. 

Cornwall. — The  respective  boards  of  East 
Pool  and  South  Crofty  have  not  yet  been 
able  to  find  a  basis  of  joint  action  in 
connexion  with  the  unwatering  of  the  mines. 
After  the  pumps  at  East  Pool  main  shaft 
were  put  out  of  action  by  the  collapse  of 
ground,  pumping  was  continued  at  Agar 
shaft  for  a  time.  This  pump  has  since 
been  stopped,  but  owing  to  the  dry  season 
the  water  is  not  rising  rapidly.  The  board  of 
East  Pool  have  now  in  consideration  a 
scheme  for  sinking  a  new  shaft,  at  a  point 
situated  to  the  north-east  in  the  Tolgus 
section. 

Shetland  Isles.  —  For  the  benefit  of 
numerous  readers  who  have  sent  inquiries 
relative  to  a  paragraph  in  the  last  issue 
we  record  herewith  the  formation  of  a  com- 
pany called  the  Sand  Lodge  Mine,  Ltd.,  with 
a  capital  of  £100,000,  to  acquire  property 
from  the  Shetland  Exploration  Syndicate, 
in  Sand  wick  and  Cunningsburgh,  on  the 
Mainland  of  Shetland.  The  new  company  is 
housed  with  Murrietta  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  19,  Great 
Winchester  Street,  E.C.,  and  Dr.  J.  R. 
Garbe  is  the  consulting  engineer.  We  await 
the  publication  of  a  report  on  the  property 
by  a  mining  engineer  of  recognized  position. 

Canada.-— The  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary 
Company  is  taking  steps  to  increase  the  scale 
of  development  on  its  properties,  the  Tough- 
Oakes,  Burnside,  and  Sylvanite.  Mi,  S.  C. 
Thomson,  of  New  York,  who  was  at  one  time 
consulting  engineer  to  Messrs.  S.  Neumann  & 
Co.,  in  South  Africa,  has  been  appointed 
consulting  engineer  to  the  Kirkland  Lake 
Proprietary,  and  it  is  also  understood  that 
Mr.  W.  H.  GoodchUd  is  to  be  sent  out  to 
make  a  geological  study  of  the  properties. 
In  this  connexion  it  is  of  interest  to  read 
what  Mr.  Reginald  E.  Hore  has  to  say  in 
the  Canadian  Mining  Journal  with  regard 
to  the  prospects  of  the  Kirkland  Lake 
district.  He  strongly  recommends  the 
resumption  of  surface  prospecting  on  a 
systematic  scale  bj'  stripping  the  overburden. 
He  is  of  opinion  that  continuity  of  the 
deposits  in  depth  may  be  expected  and  that 
liberal  expenditure  on  development  and 
underground  prospecting  is  warranted.     He 


74 


THi;     MIXINi;     MAt.A/lM'. 


specifically  nuiitions  the Tou.cjli-Oakcs,  wluro 
ho  roconinunds  a  search  for  the  contimi  ition 
of  the  ore-body,  which  was  cut  off  by  laulls 
both  lati'ially  and  in  depth. 

United  States. — The  proposal  to  place  an 
import  duty  of  ;{5  cents  per  barrel  on  crude 
and  one  of  2.")  cents  on  fuel  oil  has  not  been 
received  with  ap])roval  by  the  Governiiicnt. 
The  House  of  Re]iresentativcs  struck  the 
clause  out  of  the  Tariff  Hill,  whih-  President 
Harding  has  issued  a  message  declaring  that 
such  an  action  would  be  entirely  opposed 
to  the  present  policy,  which  seeks  an  open 
door  for  the  United  States  in  all  the  oil- 
fields of  the  world. 

Mexico.— The  politics  of  the  oil  position 
is  intimately  interwo\'en  with  United  States 
interests  and  the  battle  is  between  the 
American  oil  controllers  and  the  Mexican 
Government.  The  American  producers  who 
recently  suspended  operations  as  a  protest 
against  the  increased  export  tax  have  decided 
to  resume  operations. 

Alarming  reports  were  spread  last  month 
with  regard  to  a  fire  in  the  Amatlan  oilfield. 
Fortunately  these  reports  proved  to  be 
greatly  exaggerated,  and  it  appears  that  only 
four  wells  were  involved.  The  properties 
of  the  Mexican  Eagle  company  were  not 
damaged  in  any  way.  In  fact,  the  engineers 
of  that  company  did  much  to  bring  the  fire 
under  control   and  prevent  it  spreading. 

The  following  figures  for  the  output   of 
base  metals  and  minerals  in  Mexico  during 
1920  are  given  by  the  Financial  Agent  in 
New  York  of  the  Mexican  Government  : — 
Metric  Tons. 
Lead   .  .  .    82..")  17 

Copper  .    49,192 

Zinc     .  .  .    15,650 

Mercury       .  .  75 

Manganese  .      1,137 

Antimony    .  .  622 

Tungsten      .  .  40 

Molybdenum  .  4 

Arsenic         .  .       2,091 

Graphite       .  .      3,222 

There  is  nothing  to  indicate  whether  these 
figures  relate  to  metal  extracted,  metallic 
contents,  or  ores. 

Venezuela. —  The  reports  now  issued 
as  to  prospects  at  the  South  American 
Copper  Syndicate's  mine  at  Aroa  are 
distinctly  encouraging.  The  diamond-drill 
campaign  has  proved  the  existence  of  a  new 
ore-body  of  obvious  importance,  and  tliis 
method  of  exploration  has  been  fully 
demonstrated  to  be  the  right  one  for  ores 


of  liiis  sort,  that  is  to  say,  coj^pcr  sul|)hid(: 
deposits  in  limestone.  The  new  smelting 
]ilant  is  ready  to  start  whenever  the  power 
plant  is  eom]iIeted. 

Colombia. — At  the  meetings  of  the  Nechi 
ant!  ()ro\-ille  Dredging  companies,  Mr.  J.  A. 
.\gnew  gave  some  ]xnticulars  of  the  method 
of  realizing  the  gold  produced.  This  in- 
formation supjilements  the  remarks  on 
statistical  returns  ])ublished  in  the  July  issue 
of  the  IM.XG.vziNE.  The  gold  ])roduced  by 
the  Nechi  and  Pato  companies  is  shipjied  to 
New  York  for  realization,  and  tlie  mining 
profits  transmitted  from  New  York  to  London 
receive  the  benefit  of  the  gold  premium. 
For  some  time  the  companies  were  not 
allowed  to  export  their  gold  from  Colombia, 
and  even  now  it  is  not  possil)le  to  ship  it  as 
coin  or  bars.  The  companies,  however,  found 
that  it  was  possible  to  ship  it  as  sponge,  and 
they  go  to  the  inconvenience  of  putting  it 
in  this  form.  It  will  be  seen  from  this 
explanation  that  the  periodical  outputs  are 
given  in  L^nited  States  currency  and  that  the 
benefit  of  the  premium  comes  in  the 
remittance  of  profits  from  New  York  to 
London. 

Spain. — Some  perturbation  has  been 
caused  among  the  English  and  other  foreign 
mining  companies  operating  in  Spain  by  the 
issue  of  a  royal  decree  preventing  the  holding 
of  mining  property  by  anj'  companies  other 
than  those  of  local  domicile,  which  must 
have  both  chairman  and  managing  director 
of  Spanish  birth.  Apparently  this  decree 
affects  only  new  ventures  or  expansions 
of  operations  by  present  companies,  but 
this  point  is  not  clear.  In  any  case  there  is 
some  doubt  whether  such  an  important 
change  could  be  made  by  royal  decree. 

The  Pena  Copper  Company  raised  82,751 
tons  of  ore  during  the  year  1920,  of  which 
43,161  tons  went  to  the  leaching  floors.  The 
precipitate  obtained  contained  516  tons  of 
fine  copper.  The  shipments  of  ore  were 
6,181  tons  of  cupreous  ore,  24,271  tons  of 
sulphur  ore,  and  93,582  tons  of  washed  ore. 
The  net  profit  was  £34,645,  whicfi  was  carried 
forward. 

Siberia.  —  The  Ayan  Corporation,  Ltd., 
has  been  registered,  with  a  capital  of 
/300,000,  to  acquire  alluvial  gold  properties 
on  the  Okotsk  Sea,  north  of  Nicolaievsk, 
and  certain  trading  interests.  Mr.  C.  W. 
Purington  is  the  pioneer  who  has  introduced 
this  business,  and  he  is  supported  by  many 
companies  identified  with  the  Lena  Gold- 
fields. 


LAND    GROWTH 


By  J.  H.  GOODCHILD 

The  Author  outlines  a  method  o[  approaching  the  main  problems  cf  geophysics  and  geochemistry. 


In  the  April  issue  of  the  Magazine  a 
letter  of  mine  was  published,  contributing 
to  the  discussion  on  iron  ore  in  Cumberland. 
An  editoiial  article  in  the  same  issue  referred 
to  views  and  arguments,  leaving  readers  to 
discover  that  the  main  point  of  that  letter 
was  an  appeal.  The  suggestion  was  made 
that  argument  should  be  suspended  while 
a  comparative  study  of  iron  ore  regions  is 
undertaken.  The  aim  would  not  be  the 
origin  of  the  ore  so  much  as  a  critical  study 
of  the  surroundings,  taking  all  that  the  iron 
suggests  as  an  aid  to  imagination  and 
expression.  That  letter  and  the  editorial 
note  may  serve  as  an  introduction  to  the 
following  sketch.  In  such  an  irregular  piece 
I  beg  that  I  may  be  excused  the  giving  of 
references  or  making  acknowledgments. 
It  is  all  acknowledgment.  The  world  is 
full  of  ideas  of  the  kind.  At  the  same  time, 
for  the  better  understanding  of  some  allusions 
I  must  mention  Professor  D'Arcy  Thomp- 
son's Growth  and  Form.  It  is  no  use  for  me 
to  try  to  imitate  his  treatment,  but  it  could 
undoubtedly  be  followed  in  the  places  con- 
sidered. Further,  those  who  can  should 
refer  to  the  following  : — 

(1)  "A  Brief  Summary  of  the  Theory  of 
Isostasy,"  by  Colonel  Bun-ard.  Geographical 
Journal,  July,  1920,  noting  particularly 
the  remarks  of  Mr.  R.  D.  Oldham. 

(2)  "  The  Interior  of  the  Earth,"  By 
Mr.  R.  D.  Oldham.  Geological  Magazine, 
January,  1919. 

(3)  The  first  chapter  of  the  second  volume 
of  The  Face  of  the  Earth.  Ed.  Suess, 
Oxford  edition. 

The  exhaustive  study  of  The  Manganese 
Ores  of  India,  by  Dr.  L.  L.  Fermor,  nominally 
an  official  production  of  the  Indian  Geological 
Survey,  and  the  writings  of  Dr.  Morrow 
Campbell  on  Laterite,  have  been  the  most 
instructive,  not  to  say  inspiring,  literature 
on  tropical  geology  \\hich  has  come  my  wa}-. 

^  ^  ^  ^ 

The  elevation  and  depression  of  the  land, 
or  as  Suess  prefers  to  name  the  problem,  the 
displacement  of  the  strand  line,  is  discussed 
in  his  second  volume.  The  first  chapter 
gives  a  history  of  ideas  regarding  it.  He 
records  that  in  a.d.  1320  Dante  delivered  a 


discourse  "  De  Aqua  et  Terra."  At  the  time 
it  was  generally  held  that  there  were  two 
centres,  about  which  the  elements  ranged 
themselves  in  symmetry,  one  for  the  waters 
of  the  ocean  and  another  for  the  land,  and 
these  were  so  placed  that  the  sea  was  higher. 
Did  not  the  land  sink  below  the  horizon  as 
a  ship  put  out  to  sea,  and  was  last  seen  by 
the  man  on  the  mast  ?  The  greater  height 
of  the  sea  accounted  for  the  occurrence  of 
springs  near  the  summits  of  mountains. 

Dante  showed  that  all  this  was  untenable. 
Water  condensed  on  the  mountains  from  the 
atmosphere  and  would  thus  produce  springs. 
He  gave  his  reasons  for  rejecting  the  two 
centres,  saying  that  it  is  evident  that  the 
land  rises  from  the  ocean  owing  to  particular 
elevations  of  its  mass,  and  not  as  a  result  of 
a  general  eccentricity,  since  in  the  latter 
case  the  dry  land  would  be  bounded  by  a 
circular  outline,  and  this  we  know  is  not  so. 
He  goes  on  to  say  that  the  earth  cannot 
raise  itself,  nor  can  the  cause  be  water,  air, 
or  fire  ;  the  elevating  force  must  therefore 
be  sought  in  the  heavens. 

Dante  thus  adopts  the  system  which  had 
already  been  expounded  in  greater  detail 
by  Ristoro  d'Arezzo  in  1282 ;  according 
to  this,  not  only  must  the  irregularities  of 
the  earth's  surface  be  ascribed  to  the  fixed 
stars,  but  mountains  and  valleys  present, 
as  it  were,  a  mirror  of  the  various  distances 
of  these  stars  from  the  earth,  in  an  inverted 
sense,  like  the  impression  of  a  seal  m  wax. 
In  addition,  Ristoro  is  aware  of  the  erosive 
power  of  water,  and  of  the  existence  of 
fossilized  remains  of  marine  animals. 

Let  us  suppose,  then,  a  man  of  that  time 
contemplating  the  mountains  of  Italy.  He 
sees  them  as  particular  elevations.  Tradition 
and  habit  favour  the  view  of  each  mountain 
as  a  separate  entity  with  its  name,  but  there 
is  also  probably  a  word  like  "  monte  "  in 
use  for  high,  barren  land  in  general. 

He  has  seen  the  tops  of  these  mountains 
snow-capped  in  winter,  the  snow  disappearing 
in  the  spring.  The  water  sinks  into  the 
ground  or  runs  away  over  the  surface.  In 
the  first  case,  a  source  for  springs,  in  the  latter 
a  force  tending  to  develop  form  by  cutting 
out  ravines. 


76 


THE    MlNlNc,     M.\(',\7I\E 


But.  besides  the  evanescent  snow,  there 
lies  on  some  mountains  something  more 
stable,  yet  often  curiously  like  patches  of 
snow.  It  is,  when  you  come  near  it ,  a  whitish 
soft  stone.  It  contains  shells  like  those 
found  in   the  sea.     \\'hat   can   this  mean  ? 


The 


sea  .'' 


Wonderful     thought  ! 


Could 


the  mountain  have  been  below  the  sea  ? 
Could  these  creatures  have  been  buried 
as  travellers  sometimes  arc  in  a  snowstorm  ? 
Could  this  greyish-white  stone  fall,  settle 
on  the  mountain,  harden  and  set  like  mortar  ? 
Some  patches  are  much  higher  than  others. 
And  if  some  power  did  lift  the  mountain 
with  this  load  to  the  upper  air,  how  should 
it  not  bend,  break,  be  drawn  out  into  streaks 
and  veins  as  we  so  often  see.    The  outer  form 


the     crust,     the      additional      inllumce     of 
palxontology. 

Our  feet  inform  us  that  the  ground  is 
solid.  Twenty  miles  of  solid  is  solid.  Then, 
comjiared  with  the  fossil,  the  "  rock  "  was 
a  tombstone,  a  tablet  in  a  record.  Building- 
up  wint  by  rock-forming.  There  were 
iiLii-nls  which  formed  and  destroyed.  Rock 
by  comparison  was  patient,  not  agent. 
*  *  *  * 

Yet  there  is,  of  course,  plenty  of  activity 
in  the  hills.  Consider  the  elementary  case 
of  a  chalk-pipe,  one  of  those  iron-stained 
shafts  or  pockets  which  so  easily  catch  the 
ive    in    the    south-east    of    England,    where 


,  ^mm-'' 


Fig.  1.— TvpicAL  Chalk-pipes. 

is  all  jagged  and  scarred,  and  more  than  this, 
the  entrails  are  as  though  one  should  draw 
out  dough  or  clay  of  different  colours  as  the 
potters  do.  And  the  w-ater  in  the  caves 
drops  crystal !  Here  is  no  sign  of  water 
at  a  higher  level  in  the  sea  rising  through  the 
earth.  The  high  power  we  must  invoke 
seems  above.  It  lifts,  it  hfts  the  mountain  ! 
No,  not  the  mountain.  There  is  lifting,  there 
is  a  drawing  out,  and  the  mountain  grows 
to  its  present  form  as  all  comes  up  through 
the  salt  water  towards  the  rain  and  cloud. 
Even  as  the  snow  melts,  so  this  lime  with  the 
shells  melts.  Part  goes  through  the  moun- 
tains and  part  hes  in  hummocks  on  their 

sides. 

*  *  *  * 

This  was  before  the  day  of  "  crust," 
before  it  was  easy  to  speak  of  a  globe  with 
an  interior,  before  there  had  been  added  to 
all  the  other  influences  present  in  observation 
and  description  tending  towards  the  choice 
of   words    like    "rock"    for    a    fraction   of 


Fin.  A. 


Fig  B£. 

gravel  and  sand  lie  on  the  Chalk  (Fig.  1). 
These  pipes  were  considered  formerly  to  be 
perhaps  filled  pot-holes.  The  flints  and  sand 
are  in  a  "  hole  "  in  the  chalk.  How  did  they 
get  into  it  ?  By  being  swirled  in  with  water. 
The  pipes,  however,  are  often  highly 
svmmetrical,  and  Prestwich,  in  1855,  dis- 
cussed at  once  their  symmetry  and  chemical 
origin.  He  said  that  probably  solution  of  the 
chalk  took  place  at  favourable  spots,  sand 
and  flints  flowed  downwards,   a  cylindrical 


AUGUST,    1921 


77 


shaft  being  formed  and  filled  continuously. 
As  regards  the  form,  he  thought  that  a  pipe 
begins  as  a  basin-shaped  depression  with 
depth  ac  less  than  radius  ah  (Fig.  A).  As  the 
growth  proceeds  these  proportions  are  not 
maintained,  solution  being  more  rapid  at  the 
bottom  than  at  the  sides,  that  is  ac  becomes 
greater  than  ah. 

The  pipe,  therefore,  does  not  enlarge 
with  time,  as  in  Fig.  Bl,  but  as  in  Fig.  B2. 
It  is  probable  that  the  internal  processes  of 
this  cell-like  growth  arc  complicated.  Very 
likely  the  iron  counts  for  something  more 


/  -  ' 

Sand 

\ 

m 

Fi 

ig.C 

C=    Chalk 

than  an  adventitious  stain.  Simplifying 
the  processes,  we  may  suppo.se  that  iron  and 
organic  matter  come  from  the  overlying 
sand,  and  so 

Organic  matter  +  iron  as  catalyst  -f  oxygen 
+ water  give  CO^ -f  water -f  ferric  compounds. 

Ferric  compounds  have  an  affinity  for 
silica,  and  tend  to  be  retained  by  it  as  well 
as  by  the  alkaline  reaction  of  the  chalk. 
The  rhythm  of  the  seasons  may  enter  into 
the  processes,  leaching  and  diffusion  being 
more  rapid  in  wet  weather,  dry  weather 
favouring    some    other    necessary    phase. 


In  any  case,  you  have  a  symmetrical 
external  form  growing  by  balanced  com- 
plicated processes  within.  A  new  thing 
has  been  born,  which  has  a  behaviour  as  an 
individual,  caUing  for  a  name  by  reason  of 
its  symmetry  and  definite  character.  Many 
are  shapeless,  however,  and  of  all  degrees  of 
definiteness,  due,  no  doubt,  to  lack  of  just 
the  right  balance  in  the  factors.  The  shape- 
less ones  are  but  as  part  of  ♦^he  overlying 
sand,  and  have  no  name. 

Taking  a  symmetrical  case,  we  can  think 
of  a  "  growing  "  or  "  d3mamic  "  pipe,  and 
represent  momentary  states  as  in  the 
diagram  (Fig.  C).  To  these  alone  does  the 
notion  of  "  rock  "  or  "  deposit  "  seem  to 
apply. 

The  reality  over  the  interval  /;  to  t, 
is  a  changing  thing,  or,  at  any  rate,  when 
we  say  that  "  it  grows,"  we  are  using  an 
ordinary  and  well  understood  notion. 

If  enough  iron,  organic  matter,  sand, 
etc.,  enter  the  growing  cavity,  action  on  the 
chalk  and  growth  of  some  kind  might  be 
continued  even  if  communication  with  the 
surface  were  cut  off  by  the  closing  of  the 
orifice  from  any  collapse  or  thrusting  move- 
ment. If  water  continued  to  penetrate,  the 
enclosed  materials  would  be  as  so  much 
food  to  be  digested,  and  the  resulting 
equilibrium  form  at  the  moment  t„  would 
depend  on  the  rates  of  the  various  happenings 
internal  and  external  during  the  interval. 
The  growing  pipe  is  a  kind  of  cell. 

The  following  points  are  briefly  noted  : — 

(1)  The  colony  of  the  iron  first  attracts 
our  attention,  then  helps  us  to  visualize 
possible  changes,  and  on  the  large  or  small 
scale  would  assist  in  foHowing  them  by 
comparison  of  different  cases. 

(2)  Catalytic  action  of  the  iron  probable 
and  therefore  a  highly  suggestive  example 
lies  before  us  under  comparatively  easy 
conditions. 

(3)  These  pipes  occur  below  such  a 
formation  as,  say,  the  Thanet  Sand.  They 
are  examples  of  internal  change  or  interaction 
between  two  so-called  rocks,  which  in  strati- 
graphy are  said  to  be  of  different  "  age." 
The  law  of  superposition  is  thus  called  in 
question. 

(4)  When  equihbrium  is  reached  the  cell 
appears  as  a  low  order  of  concretion,  but 
during  growth  it  might  be  said  to  function 
as  a  low  order  of  agent. 

*  *  *  * 

Having  visualized  the  pipe,  or  cell  con- 
taining   sand    and   iron,    growing   into    the 


7S 


Till-:     M1MN(.     M.\(,\/IN1 


\U..  ■_*.  —  "CiREKSSAND  "    UeDS    IS    A    Cxi.CAREOrS   ShALE. 

Chalk,  \vc  remember  that  the  water  and 
products  of  reaction  pass  away  into  the 
latter.  The  Chalk  also  with  its  innumerable 
surfaces  of  interaction  is  a  scene  of  internal 
change.  That  impurities  should  be  able 
to  segix'gate  or  come  to  equilibrium  in  this 
region  of  action  and  freedom  is  not  more 
surprising  than  that  water  should  collect 
in  streams  on  the  free  surface  of  the  hills. 

The  Chalk  formation  which  covers  so 
large  an  area  of  Western  Europe  is  still  a 
kind  of  sea,  where  freedom  for  growth  and 
segregation  obtains,  although  wc  walk  on 
it  as  solid  land  and  are  therefore  liable  to 
forget  or  ignore  these  internal  potentialities 
when  larger   questions  are  to  be  considered. 


■'■  ?*«*•, 

'^ 

* 

I^^y 

^- , 

■ 

^ 

Fig.  :i, — Tilis-HEDUEU  Callareous  Shai.k  .sear  ihe  Hh.e  shown 
O.S    THE    RIGHT   IN    KiG.  5. 

.\s  the  flints  and  sand  adjusted  themselves 
by  falling  to  form  a  symmetrical  cell,  so 
the  Chalk  will  adjust  itself  in  "  jointing  " 
and  "  bedding,"  while  solution  and  pre- 
cipitation and  other  processes  are  taking 
place  internally.  Turning  our  thoughts  back 
to  the  vastly  greater  accumulation  which 
slowly  covered  the  floor  of  the  Cretaceous 
sea,  we  easily  recognize  that  all  subsequent 
happenings  are  to  be  related  to  a  "  dynamic 
cb.alk,"    something    changing     internally    at 


j-K,.  4.  —  .\iA^-i\E  Limestone  .wiont,  Cah  akeoi->  .Skaies,  ISasiiue  C'iuntkv. 


AUGUST,    1921 


79 


I'li;.  5.  —  .Mining  IJisTRrrx  of  Bilbao. 
Large  masses  of  iron  ore  are  quarried  on  the  hilltop  to  the  left  where  the  limestone  visible  in  the  centre  is  faulted  down.    To  the  right, 
the  valley  is  in  less  resistant  shale.    The  conical  hill  has  a  backbone  of  limestone.     Dykes  and  indefinite  masses  of  greenstone  are 
found  in  all  directions  but  are  of  small  dimensions. 


appreciable  rates.  The  flint  veins  or 
marcasite  nodules  could  grow  in  such  a 
medium  as  freely  as  on  the  open  floor  of  the 
sea.  No  open  fissure  is  needed  for  the  flint 
vein,  but  at  the  same  time  "  replacement  " 
may  be  an  expression  liable  to  mislead. 
It  is  a  reversion  to  the  idea  of  a  fixed  place 
or  thing  to  be  replaced. 

If  so  large  a  quantity  of  matter  pass  from 
solution  to  the  solid  state,  from  sea-water 
through  the  organisms  to  the  great  "  beds  " 
on  the  floor,  when  we  recognize  that  these 
are  anything  but  constant  or  enduring,  are, 
moreover,  chemically  active,  we  are  led  on 


to  grasp  an  idea  of  "  growing  land,"  some- 
thing not  merely  piled  up,  consolidated,  and 
afterwards  eroded.  By  way  of  the  sea,  in 
this  case,  the  land  assimilates  a  vast  quantity 
of  material,  which  will  continue  to  function. 
The  land  is  by  so  much  the  less  "  dead  as 
a  stone  ",  the  more  a  living  body. 

If  Chalk  lying  between  Greensand  and 
Thanet  Sand  is  a  field  for  the  growth  of 
pipes,  so  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  in 
Cumberland  is  a  field  for  the  growth  of 
hematite.  The  pockets  of  hematite  are  often 
found  below  the  limestone,  so  before  for- 
getting the  Chalk  and  the  sand  cells  on  its 


In..  6.  —  Tvi-R.AI.    LlMl>10NE    KbEI"    in    B.\SciUE    Coi'NTKV. 


so 


Tin:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


upper  surface,  \vc  may  imagine  similar 
tinckncics  on  a  lower  or  on  any  surface. 
If  Ihore  ho  reaction  there,  instead  of  flints  and 
sand  falling  down,  insoluble  matter  or 
compounds  being  precipitated  might  be 
squeezed  up  or  in  any  direction.  The 
percolating  water  might  take  any  course, 
but  the  growth  of  the  resulting  cell  would 
not  necessarily  be  in  the  same  direction 
The  squeezing  of  creamy  clay  following  on 
solution  of  limestone  at  a  contact  with  an 
aluminous  rock  would  probably  be  accom- 
panied by  osmosis,  diffusion,  etc.,  and  these 
factors  would  determine  according  to  their 
values  the  precise  nature  of  the  resulting 
growth.  Particularly  a  sharp  separation  of 
crystalloid  from  earthy  substances  is  likely. 
Some  of  the  resulting  growths  might  be 
vein-like,  or,  in  dyke  form,  the  cn,'stalloid 
compounds  moving  at  different  rates  from 
the  earthy.  In  other  cases  the  segregation 
would  be  widespread  and  fairly  uniform, 
partly  governed  by  lines  of  bedding  detcr- 
mmed     during     mechanical     deposition     in 

water. 

*  *  *  * 

In  photo  No.  2,  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  Bilbao,  in  the  north  of  Spain,  are  seen 
"  beds  "  of  "  greensand  "  in  a  calcareous 
shale,  somewhat  like  our  Gault,  but  harder, 
and  belonging  to  a  complex  of  about  the 
same  age. 

Photos  Nos.  3,  -1,  5,  and  fl  give  an  idea  of 
the  country.  As  one  walks  these  valleys  one 
passes  through  the  depths  of  an  ocean  bed. 
Since  the  day  when  the  coral  reefs  rose  and 
sank,  were  silted  up  and  buried,  a  vast  field 
for  internal  action  has  passed  from  salt- 
water  conditions   to   freshwater   conditions. 

The  great  masses  of  limestone  and  all  the 
disseminated  carbonates  in  the  shales  and 
marlstoncs,  now  dissolving  and  creating  cells 
or  tissues  for  complicated  changes,  arc  repre- 
sentatives of  potential  action  and  instability. 
Such  a  complex  could  conceivably  imbibe 
salts  from  sea-water  and  deal  with  them  after 
the  manner  of  a  plant.  I  cannot  say  whether 
glauconite  occurs,  but  many  of  the  beds,  such 
as  shown  in  the  photograph  (Fig.  2),  are  like 
our  greensand. 

Photo  No.  7  shows  a  dyke  which  is  one  of 
many  related  to  the  ophitic  dolerite  masses 
common  throughout  the  region.  Such  dykes 
are  commonly  called  "  intrusions,"  yet 
along  with  these  two  types  oi  greenish 
silicate  rock,  one  describable  as  a  bed,  and 
the  other  suggesting  the  injection  of 
molten  silicate  rock,  there  are  numbers  of 


indefinite  bodies  consisting  sometimes 
entirely,  sometimes  only  partially,  of  alkaline 
silicates.  Some  lie  along  the  contact  of 
limestone  and  .shale,  some  are  mixed  with 
siliceous  sinter  or  flint  in  lenses. 

Taking  the  district  by  itself  all  the 
suggestions  are  in  favour  of  growth  within 
land  accunuilated  in  the  Cretaceous  ocean, 
resulting  in  the  segregation  of  dolerite, 
trachyte,  and  ferrous  carbonate.  If  some 
of  the  "  greensands "  are  like  the 
"  greenalito  "  of  the  Lake  Superior  region, 
tliere  seems  no  need  to  suppose  volcanic 
exhalations  accompanj'ing  sedimentation  to 
account  for  their  silicate  composition  and 
bedded  form,  as  Van  Hise  suggests.  The 
open  space  or  freedom  sought  in  such 
speculations  is  potential  here  through  the 
solubility  of  a  large  part  of  the  system. 

In  looking  at  the  great  masses  of  limestone 
either  pure  or  marly,  we  can  conceive  of 
equal  quantities  slowly  vanishing ;  the 
\anishing  mass  in  its  surrounding  clayey 
envelope  would  be  as  it  were  a  vast  cell  for 
processes  of  growth  within.  We  may  suppose 
that  something  of  the  kind  is  going  on  now 
in  the  Pacific  round  about  coral  reefs.  At 
the  same  time  we  cannot  expect  that  the 
more  unstable  substances  would  remain. 
Chlorides  would  be  washed  out.  The 
evidence  of  the  iron  mines  suggests  that 
carbonaceous  matter  has  been  an  important 
factor. 

It  is  not  surprising  that  in  the  early 
nineteenth  century',  while  the  notion  of 
"  rock  "  was  strong,  and  there  was  no 
immediately  apparent  agent  for  the  pro- 
duction of  these  internal  greenstones,  the 
volcano  and  the  interior  of  the  globe  should 
be  invoked. 

It  was  a  service  to  stratigraphy,  tectonics, 
and  paleontology  to  clear  chemistry  out  of 
the  way  by  a  plausible  theory.  Externally 
formed  beds  invaded  by  "  igneous  "  dykes, 
from  inside,  left  the  road  open  for  rock- 
logic  and  mapping.  We  reap  the  reward  of 
the  statistics  recorded  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  in  a  language  which  had  two  plain, 
easily  understandable  species  as  basis,  the 
inside  "  igneous,"  and  the  e.xtemally 
accumulated  in  a  free  .space,  the  "  sedi- 
mentary." Intermediate  varieties,  difficult 
chemical  complications  had  to  be  made  to 
fit  in  or  be  ignored.  Volcanoes  could  be 
observed,  sedimentation  could  be  observed, 
but  chemical  changes  in  "  rock ",  though 
often  suggested  were  too  recondite,  too 
difficult   to  observe   for  any  compelling  or 


AUGUST,    1921 


81 


consistent  body  of  evidence  to  be  obtained 
concerning  them.  To-day  so  much  has  been 
done  in  other  fields  of  inquirv  that  the 
attempt  to  treat  such  a  region  as  this  of 
Bilbao  as  "  growing  land  "  would  not  meet 
with  so  many  obstacles,  and  it  would  be 
worth  while  to  concentrate  on  this  vast 
concretion,  of  which  these  two  or  three  little 
photos  give  some  idea.  It  is  just  the 
indefinite  things  which  are  so  hard  to  record, 
and  I  have  none  to  show. 

Needless  to  add,  French  and  Spanish 
geologists,  as  well  as  some  British,  have 
paid    a    great    deal    of    attention     to    the 


carbonate  of  iron  with  intergrown  calcite 
began  to  concentrate.  There  was  o.xidation 
later,  giving  brown,  red,  and  purple  hematite, 
enrichment  of  the  carbonate  below  to  pure 
sideritc,  which  again  in  turn  oxidized  to 
hematite.  The  details,  however,  are  com- 
plicated, and  the  main  interest  for  the 
moment  is  the  fact  that  mining  reveals  so 
mucii  clayey  decomposed  ground,  with 
evidence  of  slumping  as  in  the  case  of  the 
chalk  pipe,  that  having  these  things  to  refer 
to  in  the  same  region  as  the  greenstone 
dykes,  the  general  idea  of  growth  with 
imstable  and  chemirallv  active  linn'stnne  as 


Fic.  7. — DoLERiTE  (?)  Dyke  cittisg  across  \-ertical  beds,  the 

STRIKE  OF  WHICH   13  IN  THE   PLANE   OF  THE   PAPER. 

"  ophite,"  and  endeavoured  to  shake  them- 
selves free  from  the  incredibilities  which  the 
only  available  descriptive  language  tended 
to  impose  (Fig.  8). 

*  *  *  # 

The  scale  and  character  of  possible 
chemical  changes  can  be  the  better  imagined 
by  considering  the  ground  opened  up  in 
mining  the  large  iron  deposits.  In  and 
about  the  limestone  occur  deposits  of 
siderite  with  o.\idized  outcrops.  Many  of 
the  quarries  have  removed  most  of  the 
brown  hematite  and  are  down  on  the 
carbonate.  Unfortunately  no  adequate 
photographs  were  available. 

A  simple  theory  of  the  origin  of  the  ore  is 
to  suppose  that  at  some  period  since  the 
limestone  masses  were  coral  and  shells  poor 


Fig.  8.— Bed-like  masses  is  the  foreground  are  of  dolerite, 
being  part  of  the  periphery  of  the  mais  mass  of  trachyte 

IS    THE    BACKGROVSD.       THIS    IS    THE    ONLY    LARGE  MASS  NEAR   THE 
MINES,   U-HICII   ARE    ABOLT    FOl'R    MILES    AWAY. 


eari^L^^.^ 

^ 

hi 

1^ 

|i' 

. ,   ' 

^ 

AND     KEEPING      WHILE      THE       EARTH       ADVANCES      AND     THE      IRON 
NODULES   CROW    IN    BETW.EE.S    THEM. 

a  factor  is  well  sustained.  Neither  the 
source  of  the  iron  nor  the  source  of  the 
alkalies  in  the  silicates  is  at  first  of  great 
importance  until  we  have  given  full  scope 
to  this  idea  of  grouing  land,  and  are  ready 
to    criticize    "  beds  "    "  faults,"     "  folds," 


82 


Till-:     MIN1N(,     MACAZINM 


'■  intnisions."  etc.  The  growth  is  so  wrll 
illustrated  by  the  iron  deposits,  and  is  as 
iiuicli  to  be  attended  to  as  a  volcano  or  a 
river  depositing  sediment. 

*  *  .»  * 

Consider  one  superficial  featuie  shown  in 
photo  No.  0.  On  the  hard  limestone  lies 
loose  earth  full  of  brown  hematite  grains 
and  nodules.  The  imdissolved  pinnacles 
("  dolomias  ")  are  left,  showing  a  rhythmic 
advance  of  solution  in  a  vertical  direction. 
The  pinnacles  arc  often  wonderfully 
symmetrical.  In  the  top  right-hand  corner 
of  the  picture  will  be  seen  two  or  three 
of  them  sharply  pointed,  straight-sided. 
Far  better  groups  exist  than  those  here 
shown.  The  apices  are  conical  and  the  sides 
have  broad  re-entrant  flutes.  Here  there  is 
rhythmical  grouping  of  symmetrical  cells 
between  synmietrical  jiinnaclcs,  the  direction 
of  growth  in  the  vertical  being  determined 
by  gravity.  Within  the  loose  earth  the 
grains  and  nodules  follow  their  own  habits, 
and  it  is  a  question  whether  the  presence  of 
the  iron  has  not  something  to  do  w'ith  the 
nicely  balanced  advance  into  the  limestone, 
so  as  to  produce  the  symmetrical  pillars. 

We  found  that  a  single  chalk  pipe,  when 
symmetrical,  called  for  a  name,  but  1 
have  never  heard  of  a  name  for  a  group  of 
pillars  and  cells,  such  as  these.  Suppose, 
now,  instead  of  this  coarse  cellular  growth 
in  a  vertical,  gravitational  field,  some 
similar  chemical  reactions  took  place  where 
everj-th.ing  slipped  or  were  drawn  out  in 
long  lines,  the  group  of  cells  would  become  a 
tissue.  Such  a  tissue  would  be  fissile,  cleaved, 
or  foliated,  and  would  call  for  a  name  such 
as  shale,  slate,  or  schist.  These  names  are 
integrations  of  a  property  common  to  the 
whole  mass  ;  they  are  like  .summations,  and 
somehow  this  summing  of  a  series  in  naming 
works  itself  into  our  reasoning  about  the 
formation  or  behaviour  of  the  tissue.  That 
is  to  saj^  unconsciously  in  observation, 
description,  or  argument  there  is  implied 
that  the  whole  sum  of  the  parts  was  formed 
by  an  adding  together  of  the  parts.  These 
pillars  grew  simultaneously,  and  the  lamin;e 
of  many  shales,  slates,  and  schists  of  com- 
plicated composition  grew  simultaneously 
by  compUcated  internal  processes.  Of 
course,  the  textbooks  warn  us  against 
confusing  stratification  or  bedding  with 
"  cleavage  '',  but  almost  on  the  next  page 
the  writer  wdU  probably  use  an  argument 
about  a  "  slate  "  which  w-ould  only  be 
valid  if  the  cleaved   layers  had  been  added 


together.  It  is  ea-;y  lo  imagine  branching 
veins  of  (juartz  or  i)egmatiti'  found  running 
through  a  slate  being  formed  as  an  excretion 
or  as  part  of  the  growth  of  the  tissue,  so  that 
the  inference  of  intrusion  or  injection  or 
percolation  of  solutions  in  fissures  is  un- 
justified. 

-Another  noticeable  ])oint  in  connexion  with 
thi'se  pinnacles  with  their  ])Ockels  of 
i-arth  and  iron  noduKs  is  the  appearance  of 
crystallized  calcite  on  their  sides,  something 
like  wax  guttering  down  a  candle    (Fig.  D). 


Ce/ci  fe 


FigD 

That  is  to  say,  at  some  period  dtuing  the 
growth  there  appears  to  have  been  a  sort  of 
reversal  or  halting  between  two  alternatives 
on  the  part  of  the  dissolving  CaCO,. 
Either  solution  and  disappearance  or  re- 
crystallization  on  the  side  of  the  pillar. 
Anyhow,  it  is  easy  to  conceive  of  re- 
crystallization  spreading  over  the  whole 
field,  enclosing  the  nodules  of  iron  ore, 
though  during  the  process  the  iron  might 
well  be  dehydrated  and  appear  as  brilliant 
ilakes.  The  end  result  would  be  a  saccharine 
or  crystalline  marble  with  red  or  black 
hematite  streaks  through  it.  The  main 
point  which  is  certain  is  that  iron  and 
calcunn  carbonate  are  on  the  move  together. 

Where  large  quantities  of  the  one,  the 
CaCOj,  are  disappearing  from  the  field 
altogether  there  will  be  forthcoming  the 
freedom,  the  potential  open  space,  for  growth 
into  permanent  equilibrium  forms.  Such 
a  complex  might  be  called  a  "  rock"  or  it 
might  be  called  two  or  more  rocks,  depending 
on  how  the  whole  growth  had  proceeded. 
The  symmetries  developed  sometimes  tend 
to  be  grouped  into  one,  so  that  a  compound 
hcmatite-calcite  rock  is  considered  as  one 
species.  Or  they  might  be  of  such  a  nature 
that  the  iron  ore  would  be  considered 
separately  as  a  "  lode "  in  a  crystalhne 
limestone. 

The     earth    in    the    cells    must    not    be 

forgotten.       In     the     recrystalhzation      of 

calcite  and  hematite  insoluble  matter  would 

have  to  pack  itself  away  between  the  more 

mobile  substances. 

*  *  *  * 

Intergrown  red  hematite  and  calcite 
showing  that  these  two  substances  at  least 


AUGUST,    1921 


83 


have  been  on  the  move  together  is  well 
illustrated  by  deposits  in  the  province  of 
Zaragoza,  Spain.  The  type  of  ore  closely 
resembles  Cumberland  hematite,  and  it 
occurs  where  Triassic  and  younger  formations 
overlie  slate  or  quartzite  marked  Silurian. 
At  the  particular  spot  I  have  in  mind  it 
seemed  impossible  to  find  any  boundary 
between  the  red  and  green  Triassic  rocks 
and  those  said  to  be  Silurian.  Further,  it 
may  be  remarked  that  in  this  rough  and  arid 
region,  where  at  first  the  mind  might  be 
predisposed  to  the  solid  rocky  view  of  things, 


far  such  action  has  affected  the  whole  region 
of  slate  and  quartzite,  and  where  chemistry 
is  concerned  what  weight  to  give  to  un- 
conformability. 

In  the  cases  of  the  chalk  pipe  and  the 
pinnacles  growth  occurred  in  a  "  solid  "' 
medium,  or  advanced  through  a  field  filled 
with  solid.  There  was  not  the  freedom 
of  open  water  or  of  molten  magma,  but  there 
was  the  less  apparent  though  equally 
effective  freedom  of  the  unstable  chalk  or 
limestone,  solid  for  the  stratigrapher,  solid 
for   walking   on,    but   potentially   not   solid 


^ 

«i- 

J 

wm 

|k 

m 

l"''  'kiF 

^w 

^^M^H 

^ 

i&j^H^^S 

IHH 

\fr 

:s::vi  liKt  ?k  ^r^a^^lH^B^^ 

I^iG    IM.-  Ikon  (Jiarrv  in   Sierra  XtvADA. 


Fig.  11. — Iron  Quarry  in  Sierra  Nevada. 

the  finding  of  soft  wet  hematite  below  ground, 
mine  waters  turbid  with  red  oxide  and 
depositing  calcite  at  a  great  rate,  is  a  notable 
contrast.  When  these  facts  have  been 
weighed  the  crystalline  limestones  on  the 
hillsides,  with  their  wavy  lines  of  hematite 
and  curious  enclosed  nodules,  are  recognizable 
as  probable  growths  within,  as  products  of 
the  mingling  of  substances  from  formations 
of  different  age.     It  is  natural  to  ask  how 


Fig.  12- — .K  Wadv    in  int   Sierra  .'^hiamilla. 


Fig.  13. — Limestone  (Triassic  ?)   lying  on  or  in  the  schist 
SHOWN  in  Fig.  12. 

when  growth  is  being  considered.  So  by 
these  banded  crystalline  hematite-bearing 
limestones  we  are  brought  a  further  stage 
in  grasping  what  changes  are  possible  in 
solid-seeming,  hard,  dry,  rocky  land. 

The  action,  however,  has  been  local  and 
incomplete.  Where  there  has  been  less  action 
the  "  sedimentary  "  strata  are  recognizable  ; 
but  supposing  it  more  complete  and  wide- 
spread, the  end  would  have  been  a  "  meta- 
morphic  "  area.  , 

:{;  ^  4:  ^ 

Photos  Xos.   10,   11,  are  from  the  Sierra 


8-J 


AUGUST,    I'.vji 


Nevada  region  near  the  Mediterranean  coast 
of  Almoria.  The  area  is  marked  on  the 
Spanish  maps  as  "  Estrato  CristuMno," 
indicating  a  careful  and  philosophic 
reluctance  to  use  the  word  "  nuta- 
morphic."  There  are  remnants  of  Tertiary 
and  Triassic  strata  scattered  o\'er  or  encloscil 
in  schists,  slates,  and  cryst;\llinc  limestones. 
In  the  quarries  shown  the  main  mass  of 
rock  is  a  soft,  unctuous  schist,  more  or  less 
"  decomposed  ",  accompanied  hy  limestone 
or  dolomite  varying  greath-  in  colour  and 
texture,  with  splashes  of  hematite  even 
more  varied.  The  hyjiothesis  or  expression 
"  replacement  of  the  limestone,"  which 
serves  well  in  Cimiberland,  has  its  weakness 
revealed  here.  It  is  so  obvious  that  there 
is  nothing  fixed  to  be  replaced.  Everj'thing 
is  on  the  move,  and  photo  No.  10  is  eloquent 
to  this  effect.  Notice  the  comer  on  the  left, 
where  the  men  and  trucks  are  standing. 
From  here  upwards,  towards  the  right,  the 
dark  streaks  of  ore  are  like  clouds  floating 
awa\-  across  the  face  of  the  quarry,  and  at 
this  particular  spot  there  is  no  limestone 
visible  ;  it  is  practically  all  soft  schist  con- 
taining these  "  clouds." 

In  No.  11  the  dark  mass  at  the  bottom  is 
purple  hematite  in  a  bed-like  form,  with  two 
partings  of  white  clay  running  through  it. 
The  vertical  streak  of  white  is  only  mud 
washed  down  the  face.  Notice  also  the 
skj'-line.  There  is  just  an  indication  of  the 
surrounding  half-desert,  dry,  rough,  and 
stony.  Yet,  not  many  feet  down,  water  is 
encountered,  with  soapy  rock,  ready  to  shp 
and  shear  the  while  chemical  change  takes 
place  in  the  moving  medium.  The  ore  below 
is  mostly  friable,  porous,  brecciated,  but  on 
the  surface,  of  course,  harder  and  frequently 
bespangled  with  calcite  as  though  a  sponge 
of  hematite  had  been  reimpregnatcd  with 
,       calcareous  solution  and  dried. 

Everything,  ore,  limestone,  soapy  schist, 
wetness  below,  dry  exterior,  betokens  collapse 
or  yielding  to  external  stresses  accompanied 
by  internal  change.  Most  probably  vast 
quantities  of  calcium  carbonate  and  we  know 
not  what  other  substances  besides  have 
been  leached  out.  During  this  leaching  the 
oxide  of  iron  has  come  to  its  present  state  of 
equilibrium,  showing  by  the  great  variety 
of  its  textures  and  colours  how  sensitive  it 
is  to  varying  conditions.  It  varies  from 
brilliant  blue-black  oligist  to  purple,  brown, 
or  yellow,  more  earthy  forms.  Needless  to  say 
that  these  two  little  pictures  would  require 
to  be  supplemented   by  hundreds  of   others 


in  order  \o  i('])iTsrnt  fully  the  cliaracteristics 
of  this  region.  The  oxide  of  iron,  more' a 
dye  and  less  a  mineral,  impregnates  almost 
anything,  but  again  seems  to  leave'  things 
untoiu'lied,  to  withdraw  itself  and  con- 
ctutrate.  Note  the  bleached  ])artings  of 
white  clay  in  No  11.  ICverywhere,  liowevtT, 
the  same  lesson  emerges,  namely,  that  the 
presence  of  the  iron  makes  clearer  what 
kind  of  changes  we  have  to  bear  in  mind  in 
considering  such  a  region.  Not  only  are  iron 
and  carbonates  on  the  move  as  before,  but 
siliceous  materials  are  involved  on  a  very 
large  scale.  The  "  schist  "  and  "  .slate  " 
can  be  imagined  to  be  products  of  similar 
changes  in  less  highly  coloured  siliceous 
materials.  That  many  of  the  changes  in  the 
iron  ore  arc  produced  by  "  weathering." 
and  some  of  those  in  the  schist  probably 
deep  down,  need  not  abash  us.  In  either  case 
"  growth  "  covers  complicated  "  change  of 
form,"  accompanied  by  "  change  of  sub- 
stance "  or  "  mctamorphism  "  and  "  meta- 
somatism," combined  and  simultaneous. 
We  are  throwing  away  an  opportunity  if  we 
neglect  to  make  the  comparison  of  the 
observable  superficial  deposit  with  those 
which  may  perhaps  have  grown  or  retain 
some  characteristics  of  growth  under  deep- 
seated  conditions.  One  suggestion  is  that 
the  removal  of  vast  quantities  of  matter, 
the  carbonates,  gives  the  freedom  necessary 
for  changes  which  are  often  ascribed  to 
high  temperature. 

Let  us  now  remark  that  these  ranges  of 
hills  in  this  half  desert  region  rise  several 
thousand  feet  above  sea-level,  that  patches 
of  Tertiary  strata  occur  at  all  levels,  and  that 
where  the  schists  are  exposed  the  remains 
of  the  Trias  in  many  places  look  as  though 
they  were  partly  engulfed  in  them,  and 
partly  as  though  underlying  schist  were  a 
sort  of  vertical  fibrous  filter  on  which  the 
undissolved  matter  of  the  Trias  has  been 
caught,  the  soluble  salts  having  entered  into 
the  reactions  taking  place  in  what  is  now 
schist. 

You  go  up  a  deep  gorge  entirely  in  schist. 
Its  sides  show  efforescences  of  salts.  The 
scanty  wells  often  taste  bitter.  As  you 
ascend  to  the  tops  of  the  hills  you  find 
hummocky  limestone,  occasionally  gypsum, 
lying  in  disordered  fashion  across  or  tangled 
into  the  lines  of  cleavage.  Photo  No.  12 
shows  a  gorge  of  dull-grey  schist  with  quartz 
veins  every  few  yards.  No.  13  gives  a 
rather  poor  idea  of  the  limestone  "  caught 
on  the  filter,"  on  the  top  of  the  hill  above  the 


AUGUST,    1921 


85 


same  gorge.  There  are  signs  of  mingling 
everywhere.  They  are  multiplied  as  soon 
as  you  go  underground.  What  has  happened 
in  the  vast  complex  which  these  hills  repre- 
sent, of  which  they  are  but  the  residue, 
since  the  Trias  was  laid  down  or  since  the 
Tertiaries  were   laid   down  ? 

There  has  been  movement.  What 
moved  we  can  hardly  say.  Why  it  moved, 
much  less.  But  how  it  moved  and  reacted 
we  can  in  some  sort  make  out  from  the 
present  things. 

There  is  every  suggestion  that  in  this 
region  there  has  been  movement  through 
thousands  of  feet,  and  perhaps  tendencies 
towards  far  greater  distances  never  realized 
of  materials  partly  accumulated  in  Triassic 
times,  partly  in  Tertiary  times,  and  that 
below  the  younger  there  has  been  mi.Kture 
and  reaction  with  the  older,  giving  a  streaking 
out  into  forms  showing  symmetries,  pro- 
ducing this  schistose  complex.  That  these 
schists  are  Pre-Triassic  or  Pre-Tertiary  is  a 
statement  to  which  it  is  difficult  to  attach 
any  exact  meaning,  and  for  my  part  those 
"  Pre-Cambrian  "  or  "  Archaean  "  com- 
plexes which  I  happen  to  have  seen  are  to 
be  looked  at  in  the  same  way.  How  does  the 
law  of  superposition  apply  to  them  ?  In  the 
absence  of  fossils  how  do  they  come  into  the 
time  scheme  at  all  ?  That  the  Cambrian 
appear  to  rest  on  them  means  very  little. 
Since  life  came  to  the  world  and  calcareous 
matter  was  precipitated  in  large  quantities 
in  the  sea,  there  has  been  a  force  at  work 
renewed  periodically  from  above  which  tends 
to  destroy  underlying  things  and  their  marks. 
The  calcareous  matter  is,  of  course,  not  the 
only  reagent  at  work,  but  it  is  in  the 
observation  of  limestones  that  we  are  led  to 
gather  up  the  possibilities  of  internal  change 
when  unstable  matter  is  engulfed  or 
assimilated  in  the  "  solid  "  land. 

Seventy  per  cent  of  the  earth's  surface  is 
covered  by  sea.  We  saw  in  the  Bilbao 
region  that  the  remains  of  the  Cretaceous 
there  might  give  us  some  idea  of  the  internal 
changes  in  the  vast  ocean  bed,  especially  if 
we  compared  it  with  the  Pacific  of  the  present 
day. 

Here,  in  this  dry  region  of  the  south,  where 
the  very  barrenness  helps  one  to  concentrate 
on  the  chemical  aspect  of  things,  where 
there  is  no  antithesis  of  active  vegetation  or 
running  streams  to  predispo.se  the  mind 
towards  the  solidity  of  rock,  we  are  reminded 
by  these  lime-washed  strata  and  have  this 
reminder  blazed  out  in  colour  by  the  iron, 
2—4 


of  the  poiiibilities  of  mingling  and  growth 
in  the  land  during  its  rise  into  mountain 
ranges. 

In  this  same  neighbourhood  occur  lava- 
like  masses  pointing  to  vulcanism.  In  the 
Sierra  de  Almagrera  hot  sahne  waters  are 
pumped  from  the  mines.  That  growth  of  the 
kind  we  are  considering  should  sometimes 
result  in  violent  reactions  is  quite  easily 
thinkable.  Salt,  sulphur,  or  carbonaceous 
matter,  which  in  other  places  owing  to  pro- 
tecting influences  have  managed  to  survive 
as  salt-beds,  gypsum,  or  pyrites,  coal  or 
petroleum,  if  involved  in  such  growth  would 
increase  the  chemical  potential  to  such  a 
degree  that  local  explosions  might  well  take 
place.  It  must  always  be  remembered  that 
the  known  deposits  of  these  substances  are 
not  quantitative  samples.  They  are  but 
indications  of  probable  far  vaster  potential 
deposits,  which,  of  course,  would  be  the 
more  likely  ones  to  react  with  devastating 
consequences  and  their  own  obliteration. 

*  *  *  * 

Photograph  No.  14  shows  the  Tertiaries 
at  Sorbas  lying  level  in  a  break  between  the 
hills.  They  remind  me  of  figures  I  have  seen 
of  the  Indian  Gondwana  beds  and  their 
relations  to  the  gneiss.  It  is  obvious  that 
isolated  patches  of  a  widespread  formation 
may  remain  slightly  changed  while  every- 
thing around  may  run  together  and  produce 
new  forms. 

*  *  *  * 

If  we  are  prepared  to  make  the  most  of  the 
phenomena  of  internal  change,  revealed  in 
and  about  the  mines  of  the  Sierra  Nevada 
region,  the  "  estrato  cristalino  "  becomes  a 
kind  of  large  concretion  involving  fragments 
of  recognizable  fossiliferous  strata. 

Those  wonderful  series  which  are  so 
prominent  in  the  tropics,  under  such  names 
as  itacolumite,  Witwatersrand,  Dharwar, 
can  be  viewed  in  the  same  way.  They  may 
be  more  perfect  examples  of  "  estrato 
cristalino." 

*  *  *  + 

Photo  No.  17,  from  Minas  Geraes,  Brazil, 
shows  a  typical  outcrop  of  itacolumite,  the 
famous  "  flexible  sandstone."  It  is  an 
oblique  view  of  three  parallel  ridges  with 
slate  or  schist  between  them.  Close  by  is 
the  well-known  iron  ore  mass,  the  Pico  do 
Itabira  do  Campo. 

Photo  No.  16  is  a  view  of  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Serra  do  Caraca.  To  the  right,  rising 
to  3,000  ft.  above  the  plain,  is  the  main 
mass  of  itacolumite.    The  double  pointed  hill 


86 


TTIF     :\I1\1\\,     MAC, A/INK 


towards  the  left  is  chiifly  of  itabirito  or 
lu'inatite-qiiartzite  (Fig.  13).  The  phiin  is 
covered  with  "  canga  "  or  "  lateritic  iron 
ore." 

Everyone  acquainted  with  these  regions 
knows  that  witli  variations  such  series  occur 
over  thousands  of  square  niih's,  with  granite 
or  gneiss  appearing  at  regular  intervals. 

In  a  paper  entitled  "  Lateri/.ation  in 
Minas  Geracs,  Brazil,"  published  some  years 
ago  (lust.  Mill.  Mel.,  l'.)i;i-M)  I  gave  an 
account  of  my  impressions  of  this  region. 
The  line  taken  then  was  the  same  as  I  have 
tried  to  develop  in  this  article.  It  was  forced 
on  me  by  the  stupendous  cliaracter  of  the 
"  weathering  "  phenomena.  The  iron  and 
manganese  depo.sits  bring  out  in  such 
remarkable  fashion  the  possibilities  of  growth 
that  one  is  irresistibly  led  to  universalize. 

*  *  He  »! 

A  word  about  Lake  Superior.  I  have  never 
been  in  North  America,  but  taking 
Professor  Leith's  word  for  it  that  the  iron 
deposits  are  closely  similar  to  those  in 
Minas  Geraes,  make  the  suggestion  that  both 
may  be  Post-Cretaceous  growths.  That  is, 
if  it  be  possible  to  ascribe  any  age  at  all. 


Fig.  14. — TERTr.\RiES  at  Sorbas  lying  level  is  a  break 

BETW'EEN    THE    HILLS. 

In  India  it  has  been  found  that  under- 
neath limestones  there  has  been  "  replace- 
ment "  of  gneiss  and  other  rocks.  Further, 
there  are  the  salt  deposits  of  the  Salt  Range 
in  Northern  India,  apparently  Eocene, 
but  from  which  it  is  said  that  the  salt 
appears  to  have  penetrated  below  the 
Cambrian . 

My  suggestion,  then,  with  regard  to  Lake 
Superior  and  Minas  Geraes  is  that  since  the 
time  when  these  localities  were  in  the 
"  Pacific  Phase,"  there  has  been  a  "  drawing 
up  of  the  mountain,"  a  reaction  between 
3'ounger  and  older  sediments.  From  this 
mingling  and  reaction  is  produced  the 
"  Atlantic  Phase "  of  growth,  with  its 
crystalline  rocks,  its  schists  and  banded  iron 
ores  in  streaks.     The  deltas,   lagoons,   and 


submarine  volcanoes  which  Van  Hise  pro- 
fessed to  see  in  these  streaks  are,  if  I  may  so 
put  it,  an  example  of  what  rhythm  can  do 
in  th<'  imagination  of  able  nun,  caugiit 
between  a  system  of  words  and — and  the 
work  of  the  "  stars." 

The  freedom,  the  0])en  space,  required  by 
lagoons  and  submarine  volcanoes  is  potinlial 
in  a  system,  solid  for  everyday  thinking, 
but  not  to  be  thought  of  as  solid  when 
cheniicalh-    artivi'    sub<t:inrrs    are    for    Imig 


Fig.  15. — Section  along  the  strike  of  JlANiiKn  Itaririte, 

MiGfEI.    Hl-KNIEK    MANGANESE    MINES,    liR\;'ll-. 


Fig.  16. — Easter.n  side  of  the  Sierra  do  Caraca. 

periods  from  t^  to  4.  in  such  relations  as 
we  saw  obtained  in  the  case  of  the  sand 
lying  on  the  chalk. 

4:  4:  *  :{: 

We  saw  that  the  "  chalk  pipe  "  or  cell 
helped  us  along  with  the  consideration  of 
physical  and  chemical  changes  taking  place 
together,  of  falling  related  to  solution,  etc., 
producing  definite  symmetrical  objects  calling 
for  a  name,  becoming  definite  members  of 
a  class  or  species.  It  led  us  to  extend  our 
range  over  great  spaces  to  the  conception  of 
"dynamic"   chalk,   as  a  factor  or  agent  or 


AUGUST,    1921 


87 


organ  in  growing  land.  In  a  similar  way,  but 
in  a  way  quite  impossible  for  me  to  impart  here, 
the  hills  of  itabirite  and  their  surroundings 
may  brace  a  man  up  for  the  conception  of 
growth  on  a  vast  scale  in  a  system  represented 
by  the  fossiliferous  strata  in  places  where  this 
growth — this  so-called  metamorphism — has 
not  destroyed  the  marks  of  origin.  Such 
a  "system  "  includes  the  sea-water  and  all 
other  unstable  elements  as  factors,  and 
does  not  exclude,  of  course,  influences  from 
the  interior  of  the  globe,  though  since  these 


overtakes  it,  and  detritus  is  again  deposited. 
*  *  *  * 

Historical!}',  at  any  rate,  the  so-called 
Basement  Complexes  of  gneiss  and  granite 
are  connected  in  thought  with  fusibility 
of  alkaline  silicates.  It  may  be  that  we 
should  give  more  attention  to  solubility, 
diffusibility,  and  all  the  suggestions  which  the 
biologist  could  supply  as  to  the  properties 
of  potassium  in  particular.  That  granite 
and  gneiss  should  be  end  products  secreted 
downwards  or   tending  in   the  main   to  be 


lie.  17. — .A.  Typical  OcrcRor  or  Iiacolu  .mite,  Brazil. 


are  unknown   they   are  regarded  rather  as 
factors  in  the  "  field." 


secreted  within   the  land  seems   to   accord 
with  the  known  facts. 


Nearly  all  the  great  rivers  of  the  world 
run  off  the  Atlantic  Phase  to  the  Atlantic 
and  Indian  Oceans.  Deposition  of  detritus 
predominates.  To  the  Pacific  Ocean  few 
great  rivers  run  down.  There  is  a  pre- 
ponderance of  chemical  precipitation  in  the 
form  of  oozes  and  coral.  When  these  latter 
are  "  raised  "  the  more  violent  chemical 
or  internal  processes  manifest  themselves  in 
vulcanism.  The  .slower  segregation  of  granite 
and  the  wearing  down  of  the  land  until  it 
appears  as  the  Atlantic  Phase  has  not 
proceeded     to    completion    before    the    sea 


The  foregoing  notes  and  pictures  are 
what  I  have  to  offer  for  consideration  in 
connexion  with  a  supposed  organized  under- 
taking appealed  for  in  my  letter.  Readers 
of  any  experience  at  all  will  know  that  there 
is  a  time  for  logic  and  a  time  for  faith,  and 
will,  I  am  sure,  easily  imagine  what  might  be 
attempted  on  these  lines  by  a  joint  effort 
to  unify  widely  scattered  local  knowledge. 
My  own  behef  is  that  a  very  wonderful  and 
beautiful  piece  of  work  would  result  and  that 
a  new  view  of  the  life  of  land  and  sea  is 
indeed  opening  out  before  us. 


LAS    DOS    ESTRELLAS    GOLD     MINE 


By  T.  SKILWES   SAUNDERS.  M.lnst.M.M. 

The  iiulhor  describes  a  mine  bI   El  Oro.  Mexico,  o(  which  he  was  mannger  (or  (he  lasl  seven  years.     The  conlrol  o( 
this  mine  has  been  in  France  and  Mexico,  and  details  of  the  operations  have  not  hilherlo  been  availubleto  English  readers. 


iNTKom'CTioN — I  iiavo  often  boon  askotl 
to  give  a  description  of  the  Dos  Estrellas 
(Two  Stars)  gold  mines  at  Kl  Oro,  Mexico, 
but  occasion  and  opportunity  liavc  not 
been  hitherto  favourable.  The  following 
notes  may  help  to  complete  the  published 
inforiuation  relating  to  an  important  gold- 
producing  district  of  Mexico. 

Geology. — Geologically  the  Dos  Estrellas 
property  pertains  to  the  extensive  belt  of 
Cretaceous  schists,  known  as  the  El  Oro 
shales,  that  extend  from  the  north-eastern 
part  of  the  State  of  IMichoacan  to  the  southern 
part  of  the  State  of  Mexico  and  northern 
part  of  Guerrero.  These  sedimentary  rocks 
have  been  intruded  by  porphyritic  rocks  of 
Tertiary  age,  with  the  result  that  extensive 
faulting  has  taken  place.    Some  of  the  faults 


The  Gold  Mines  at  El  Oro. 

follow  the  general  strike  of  the  veins — north- 
west and  south-east  —  and  are  highly 
mineralized,  thereby  constituting  profitable 
ore-bodies,  as,  for  instance,  the  San  Rafael 
vein  in  the  El  Oro  camp  ;  whereas  other 
faults  have  a  general  easterly  and  westerly 
strike,  but,  although  they  affect  the  vein 
system  in  several  ways,  they  are  devoid  of 
mineralization. 

The  Dos  Estrellas  Company  has  extensively 
developed  a  system  of  veins,  the  principal  one 
being  known  as  Veta  Verde,  which  has 
ascending  offshoots  into  the  hanging  wall, 
these  offshoots,  or  branches,  constituting 
in  general  payable  ore.  The  main  vein  and 
all  its  branches  occur  exclusively  in  the  shales 
and  the  whole  shales  as  well  as  vein  are 
covered   by   a   cap-rock   of   andesitic   lava, 


varying  according  to  the  topography  of  the 
original  surface  from  80  to  '.i'20  metres  in 
thickness.  Veta  Verde  has  been  proved  to 
have  a  uniform  width  of  about  twelve  metres 
to  a  depth  of  approximately  600  metres  from 
the  cap-rock.  The  hanging  wall  branch  veins 
vary  from  70  centimetres  to  .'!  metres  in 
width  ;  they  are  approximately  parallel 
to  each  other,  and  to  Veta  Verde  ;  the 
westerly  vein  (Nueva)  has  a  horizontal 
distance  of  about  6,")  metres  from  the  main 
vein.  In  many  places  in  the  upper  part  oi 
the  mine  the  shale  is  mineralized  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  constitute  ore,  and  in  some 
instances  the  silver  values  in  the  shale  have 
been  higher  than  those  in  the  siliceous 
branch  veins.  To  the  foot-wall,  or  east  of 
Veta  Verde  are  other  veins,  only  one  of  which 
(Blanca)  joins  with  Veta  Verde  in  d(i)th. 
The  others  have  a  width  of  from  0-8  to 
2  metres.  They  are  irregularly  mineralized 
and  are  of  little  industrial  importance. 

The  mineral  filling  probably  resulted  from 
the  combined  effect  of  ascending  waters 
through  previous  existing  fractures  and  by 
metasomatic  replacement  of  the  clastic 
rocks.  The  fractures  may  have  been  pro- 
duced by  shrinkage  of  the  crustal  material, 
aided  by  the  effect  of  the  intrusives. 

The  eruptive  rocks  are  mainly  andesitic 
and  rhyolitic  in  dj'kes  and  batholiths,  which, 
when  they  reached  the  primitive  surface, 
spread  out  and  covered  the  outcrops  with  the 
previously  mentioned  lava  cap-rock.  In 
the  lowest  working  diabasic  rocks  have  been 
found.  The  payable  mineralization  ceases 
very  abruptly,  and  at  a  notably  uniform 
level,  which  is  slightly  lower  than  the  point 
where  the  branch  veins  split  from  the  main 
vein,  or  about  500  ft.  below  the  cap-rock. 

Property  of  the  Comp.^ny. — The  com- 
pany owns  eight  patented  mining  claims, 
having  an  area  of  429  hectares,  or  practically 
1,060  acres,  situated  on  the  western  slope 
of  the  Somera  mountain.  The  mine  offices, 
mill,  and  cyanide  plants  are  in  the  State  of 
Michoacan,  but  a  portion  of  the  mining  pro- 
pert}'  is  in  the  State  of  Mexico,  and  adjoins 
the  mining  claims  of  the  El  Oro  Mining  and 
Railway  Co.,  the  Esperanza  Mining  Co.,  and 
the  Mexico  Mines  of  El  Oro. 

The  main  vein  (Veta  Verde)  has  an  average 
strike  of  N.  18  \V.  and  a  dip  of  about  60'' 


AUGUST,    1921 


89 


south-westerly,  and  has  been  proved  for 
practically  3  kilometres  along  its  strike  and 
in  places  to  600  metres  upon  its  dip.  More- 
over, the  Dos  Estrellas  Company  holds  60°o 
of  the  stock  in  the  old  Borda  Antigua 
property  in  the  Tlalpujahua  district  (about 
3  kilometres  from  Estrellas  mill),  and  during 
the  past  year  they  acquired  controlling 
interests  in  other  small  silver  properties 
in  the  same  district.  As  development  work 
has  proved  Veta  Verde  to  lose  its  mineraliza- 
tion in  depth,  the  company  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  searching  for  other  properties, 
and  they  have  options  upon  various  pro- 
perties including  the  Veta  Grande,  near  the 
City  of  Zacatecas,  and  a  copper-gold  property 
at  Las  Vigas,  State  of  Vera  Cruz. 

Developments. — Development  has  been 
done  by  six  tunnels  from  200  to  1,800  metres 
in  length  and  by  five  principal  shafts  from 
150  to  450  metres  in  depth.  Additionally 
there  are  six  interior  shafts  of  from  150 
to  300  metres  in  depth.  There  are 
approximately  60  kilometres  of  levels,  of 
which  about  38  kilometres  are  open  at  this 
time. 

Ore  Reserves. — The  calculated  ore  re- 
serves at  December  31  of  each  year  are 
shown  in  the  following  table  : — 


Positive              Probable 

Mined 

Year         Metric 

:  Tons       Metric  Tons       during 

year 

1916            46U„528               337,.Vil 

146,317 

1917            213, 

,218                 84,106 

277,8 

176 

191S            4.53, 

763               367,050 

337,420 

1919            542, 

920               461,292 

366,440 

1920            429,004               399,535 

376,019 

Production. 

— The  output 

s  during 

recent 

years  are  given 

in  the  next  table  : — 

Treated 

Total  value          p..,„„„„.4 

operating 

Dry  Metric 

of  Bullion 

per  ton 

costs    per 

Year 

tons 

recovered 

ton 

Pesos 

Pesos 

pesos 

1910 

425,878 

11,185,443-73 

26-26 

9-9383 

1911 

479,989 

ll,178,0e6-7fi 

23-29 

9-9977 

1912 

507,018 

11,237,311'D7 

22-16 

9-1953 

1913 

521,799 

10,309,630-86 

19-76 

9-2514 

1914 

141,824 

2,632,526-40* 

18-56 

9-3550 

1915 

24,542 

173,7a3-381- 

7-0,a 

1910 

164,610 

2,41'2,288-3U 

14-65 

9-2330 

1917 

266,658 

4,917,540-62 

18-44 

14-4847 

1918 

344,859 

7,719,0ai-06 

22-38 

13-4167 

1919 

366,820 

7,615,798-05 

20-76 

11-5499 

1920 

361,878 

6,415,669-98 

17-73 

12-1700 

•  Four  months,   t  One  month  experimental  work,   t  Eig 

ht  months. 

On  account  of  political  disturbances, 
milling  was  suspended  from  April,  1914, 
until  May,  1916,  with  the  exception  of  one 
month  during  1915.  The  total  production 
from  the  mine  from  its  inception  to  the  end 
of  1920  was  4,869,878  dry  metric  tons. 

Equipment. — Dos  Estrellas  has  a  com- 
plete electrically  driven  mining  plant  and 
machinery,  including  electric  haulage,  con- 
sisting of  eight  Baldwin  Westinghouse  loco- 
motives.    The  milling  and  cyaniding  plant 


has  a  daily  capacity  of  1,250  metric  tons, 
and  comprises  two  Hadficld  gyratory 
crushers,  Merrick  automatic  weigher, 
automatic  sampler,  120  stamps  of  1,250  1b., 
108  drops  per  minute,  14  tube-mills  5  ft. 
by  24  ft.,  29  r.p.m.,  14  drag  classifiers,  9  Dorr 
thickeners.  Butters  filters,  and  Merrill  and 
Crowe  vacuum  precipitation  plant. 

The  company  owns  its  railway  and  rolling 
stock  connecting  its  mine  and  mill  with  the 
El  Oro  camp,  and  also  owns  lumber  forests 
in  the  States  of  Mexico  and  Michoacan. 

History. — The  Dos  Estrellas  property 
is  on  the  western  slope  of  the  Somera 
mountain,  whereas  the  famous  San  Rafael 
vein  of  the  El  Oro  mining  camp  is  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  that  mountain,  and  at  a 
horizontal  distance  of  about  2i  kilometres 
from  the  Estrellas  creek.  This  Somera 
mountain  has  a  vertical  height  of  about 
380  metres  above  the  western  river,  and  on 
the  western  slope  of  the  mountain  the  shale 
is  exposed  for  about  125  metres  above  the 
river,  the  remaining  255  metres  consisting 
of  the  andesitic  lava  cap-rock. 

In  the  shale  and  at  a  point  about  70  metres 
above  the  river,  some  small  veins  (known  as 
"  Jesus  del  Monte  ")  outcrop  and  upon  these 
considerable  work  was  done  in  the  way  of 
test  pits  ;  also  a  shaft  was  sunk  to  a  depth 
of  about  125  metres  and  a  220  metre  tunnel 
was  driven  from  the  Estrellas  creek  for  the 
purpose  of  cutting  these  veins  in  depth. 
This  work  was  carried  out  by  local  Mexicans 
in  a  spasmodic  manner  between  the  years 
1890  and  1897.  In  1898  the  attention  of 
F.  J.  Fournier  (a  Frenchman  who  was  at  that 
time  working  in  a  small  mining  camp  about 
10  miles  north-west  of  El  Oro)  was  called 
to  the  abundance  of  rich  float  aling  the 
western  slope  of  the  Somera  mountain  all 
the  way  from  the  river  to  the  andesite  cap- 
rock,  and  he  reasoned  logically  that  such 
did  not  proceed  from  the  narrow  and  poor 
veins  of  "  Jesus  del  Monte,"  especially  as 
a  great  deal  of  float  was  found  higher  up 
the  mountain  side  than  the  outcrops  of 
these  small  veins  ;  neither  did  the  float  come 
from  the  strong  San  Rafael  vein  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Somera  mountain,  the 
apex  of  San  Rafael  vein  being  about 
280  metres  lower  than  the  mountain  top. 
Fournier  concluded  that  the  vein  which  from 
the  float  came  was  buried  beneath  the  cap- 
rock  somewhere  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain 
but  on  its  western  slope,  and,  acting  upon 
this  assumption  he  denounced  the  whole  of 
the  territory  available  between  the  western 


00 


111 


M1MN(,     M.\r,A/.INK 


ravine  aiul  the  ininiiif;  claims  of  thf  tliiec 
principal  El  Oro  companies.  He  enlisted 
the  services  of  Baltasar  Munoz  Lumbier, 
a  well-known  Mexican  engineer,  and  also 
organized  a  mining  company  at  Mexico 
City  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the 
Republic  of  Mexico,  having  as  co-directors 
some  of  the  best  known  and  most  successful 
Mexicans  at  that  time  engaged  in  local 
mining  enterprises.  The  company  was 
organized  in  3,000  shares  of  100  pesos  each 
par  value,  to  acquire  and  work  the  mining 
claims  held  by  Fournier,  for  which  he 
obtained  5,000  pesos  in  cash  and  1,000  free 
or  full}-  paid  shares  in  the  company. 

Munoz  Lumbier  laid  out  the  main  tunnel 
(now  known  as  the  Estrellas  tunnel)  in  the 
shale  and  at  a  point  360  metres  below  the 
summit  of  the  Somera  mountain  and  about 
125  metres  below  the  cap-rock,  and  pointed 
it  straight  for  the  main  shaft  of  the  Esperanza 
mining  property,  some  2,400  metres 
horizontally  distant.  This  tunnel  is  at  a  point 
about  320  metres  south  of  the  previously 
mentioned  220  metre  tunnel  driven  earlier 
by  the  Mexicans.  Work  was  begun  on  the 
Estrellas  tunnel  on  December  27,  1899,  and 
at  210  metres  the  "  Jesus  del  Monte  "  vein 
was  cut.  A  limited  amount  of  driving 
proved  it  to  be  of  little  merit.  At  585  metres 
a  vein  known  as  EI  Salto  was  cut,  but  this, 
too,  had  little  importance.  At  660  metres 
the  bonanza  vein  (Nueva)  was  cut.  This  had 
a  width  of  2  metres,  and  it  immediately 
gave  shipping  ore  of  phenomenal  richness, 
several  carloads  averaging  3  kilogrammes  of 
gold  and  85  kilogrammes  of  silver  per  metric 
ton.  At  the  700  metre  point  the  famous 
Veta  Verde  was  cut,  with  a  width  of  20  metres 
(about  65  ft.),  and  averaging  25  grammes  of 
gold  and  300  grammes  of  silver  per  ton.  At 
once  Fournicr's  fortune  was  made,  as  well 
as  that  of  those  who  retained  their  shares 
and  accompanied  him  in  his  vicissitudes 
and  pertinacity.  As  the  mine  was  opened 
up  the  reserves  developed  and  the  surface 
equipment  and  mill  expanded  propor- 
tionately. The  price  of  the  shares  steadily 
increased,  and  a  few  years  later,  when  the 
price  of  the  original  shares  reached  several 
thousand  pesos,  these  were  subdivided  into 
one  hundred  shares  each  having  a  nominal 
value  of  one  peso  each.  Thus,  while  the 
capitalization  remained  at  300,000  pesos, 
the  number  of  the  shares  was  increased  from 
3,000  to  300,000.  These  were  placed  upon 
the  Paris  Bourse  during  1907,  and  rapidly 
rose  in  price  until  reaching  the  equivalent 


of  38,000  pesos  jier  share  of  original  stork. 
For  several  weeks  the  j^rice  remained  around 
the  equivalent  of  30,000  pesos  per  original 
share.  \..\\rv  on,  during  1913,  when  it  was 
seen  that  the  end  of  the  plu  nomenal  richness 
was  in  sight,  and  tlividends  fell  off  con- 
s'.deral)ly  from  previous  years,  a  change  in 
management  was  made.  P'rom  1900  to 
1913  the  management  was  confuied  to 
French  and  Mexican  engineers.  Under  the 
management  from  1913  to  date  extensive 
development  work  in  the  bottom  of  the  mine 
had  proved  the  non-persistence  of  mineraliza- 
tion in  depth,  and  no  discoveries  or  rich  ore 
had  been  made  during  the  past  few  years. 
Nevertheless,  by  employing  modern  methods 
throughout  the  whole  organization,  and  by 
re-working  the  ujiper  part  of  the  mine, 
very  satisfactory  working  costs  are  being 
obtained  and  the  property  continues  to  be 
operated  profitably  and  to  maintain  the 
leading  position  among  the  mines  in  the  El 
Oro  district. 

Opek.\tions  During  1920. — The  out- 
standing features  of  the  year  1920  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows  :  {a)  the  decline  in  the 
price  of  silver  from  an  average  of  131  cents 
(U.S.  currency)  per  ounce  troy  in  January 
to  64  cents  in  December  ;  (6)  the  increased 
difficulties  in  the  labour  situation,  partly 
as  a  result  of  political  conditions  during  the 
year,  and  in  part  due  to  the  demand  for 
skilled  workmen  in  the  oilfields  ;  and  (c) 
the  management  having  obtained,  by  means 
of  options  and  contracts,  various  mining 
properties  in  the  Tlalpujahua  and  other 
districts,  thereby  taking  the  indicated  steps 
towards  prolonging  the  life  and  increasing 
the  activities  of  the  company. 

Though  the  wages  of  the  work-people  were 
gradually  increased,  during  the  first-half  of 
the  year,  yet  there  was  such  a  demand  for 
operatives  of  all  kinds  in  the  oilfields  that 
the  men  became  insistent  in  their  demands, 
and  demanded  conditions  economically 
impossible,  with  the  result  that  at  the  end  of 
September  there  was  a  strike  that  caused 
suspension  of  operations  in  the  mill  during 
practically  the  whole  month  of  October. 
Although  the  management  gained  its 
principal  points,  the  shut-down  occasioned 
a  higher  operating  cost  and  lower  tonnage 
treated  than  would  have  re.sulted  other- 
wise. 

The  policy  of  investigating  new  properties 
was  pursued  most  actively,  and  while  as 
a  result  of  the  big  fall  in  the  price  of  silver 
such    properties    have    lost    some    of    their 


AUGUST.    1921 


91 


attractiveness,  those  which  the  company  is 
working  in  the  Tlalpujahua  district  have 
been  acquired  by  long-time  contracts  of 
such  a  nature  as  to  offset  in  part  the  con- 
ditions of  the  silver  market. 

The  operating  costs  were  somewhat  higher 
than  during  the  previous  year,  such  being 
due  to  more  development  work  being  done,  to 
higherwages  being  paid  to  all  work-people,  and 
to  the  higher  first  cost  of  the  principal  supplies 
for  the  mine.  In  spite  of  these  conditions, 
the  operating  costs  were,  as  usual,  the  lowest 
in  the  district. 

During  the  year  3,795  metres  of  exploration 
work  was  done  upon  and  in  connexion  with 
the  various  veins,  this  work  being  carried 
out  upon  each  of  the  main  levels  between 
the  +90  and  the  -140.  Although  such 
work  did  not  add  very  materially  to  the  ore- 
reserves,  in  some  instances  it  served  to  place 
ore  from  the  probable  to  the  positive  class, 
whereas  in  other  cases  such  as  Veta  del 
Salto,  hanging-wall  stringers  of  Veta  Verde, 
and  the  deposit  against  the  contact,  small 
increases  in  the  reserves  were  realized. 

The  ore  reserves  compare  favourably  with 
the  reserves  at  the  end  of  1919,  notwith- 
standing the  marked  difference  in  the 
price  of  silver  at  the  end  of  1920,  as  compared 
with  the  previous  year.  The  estimates  at 
the  end  of  1919  were :  Positive  ore, 
542,919  tons,  averaging  5'4  grammes  of 
gold  and  141  grammes  of  silver  per  ton  ; 
probable  ore,  461,292  tons,  averaging 
6'4  grammes  of  gold  and  135  grammes  of 
silver  per  ton  ;  total,  1,004,211  tons,  having 
an  average  content  of  5-85  grammes  of  gold 
and  138' 2  grammes  of  silver  per  ton. 

I  estimated  that  at  the  end  of  December, 
1920,  the  reserves  were  as  follows  :  Positive 
ore,  429,664  tons,  averaging  86  grammes 
of  gold  and  151  grammes  of  silver  per  ton  ; 
probable  ore,  399,535  tons,  averaging 
7  grammes  of  gold  and  152  grammes  of  silver 
per  ton ;  total  829,199  tons,  having  an 
average  content  of  7-83  grammes  of  gold  and 
151 '4  grammes  of  silver  per  ton. 

The  production  for  the  year  1920  was 
361,878  tons  of  an  average  grade  of 
8'9  grammes  of  gold  and  157'5  grammes  of 
silver.  By  adding  this  amount  to  the 
reserves  at  the  end  of  1920,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  ore  reserves  decreased  by  only 
175,000  tons,  showing  that  approximately 
187,000  tons  of  ore  was  developed  during  the 
year.  This  increase  was  brought  about  by 
actively  exploiting  the  old  stopes  upon 
Veta  Verde  at  various  places,  but  principally 


between  faults  from  the  zero  level  to  the 
+  36  level,  where,  in  addition  to  finding 
payable  fills,  we  frequently  found  small 
pillars  of  high-grade  ore.  To  a  lesser  extent 
we  are  developing  similar  conditions  on  the 
+  72  level,  north  of  Cyamel  tunnel  ,and  on  the 
-f  90  level  towards  the  south  end  of  the 
mine.  The  extent  of  these  payable  fills 
is  unknown ;  hence  the  difiiculty  in 
estimating  the  tonnage  they  will  produce, 
but  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the 
importance  they  have  upon  the  future  of  the 
mine.  I  believe  that  the  estimates  herewith 
given  are  most  conservative,  and  that  as 
we  continue  exploiting  the  upper  part  of 
the  mine  we  shall  continue  to  find  payable 
ore  in  places  at  present  inaccessible. 

The  following  table  gives  an  estimate  of 
the  ore  reserves  at  December  31,   1920  : — 


Positive 

Probable 

Grammes 

per  ton 

Grammes  per  ton 

Tonnage 

Au. 

As. 

Tonnage 

All. 

Ag. 

Veins  ; 

•■A"    

Ampano  . . . 

— 



— 

16,901 

6-43 

103-3 

"  B"    

— 

— 

— . 

8,700 

6-19 

102-5 

Blanca    

in„S77 

8-44 

119-1 

14,249 

7-93 

128-6 

Colorada    . . 

6,240 

7-2.5 

1-38-2 

2,000 

5-50 

110-0 

"D"    

2,016 

9-89 

85-9 

19,300 

7-48 

96-9 

"  E"    

6,769 

10-76 

151-5 

1,717 

6-59 

334-0 

Nueva    .... 

3.5,156 

10-76 

187-5 

33,818 

11-08 

25  2 

Verde 

360,106 

8-33 

149-5 

232,850 

6-34 

151-9 

Hanging-wall 

Stringers  : 

Veta  Verde 







13,000 

7-26 

109-1 

Salto 

— 

— 

— 

5,000 

s-so 

109-0 

Mineral  ai^ainst 

Contact    . . . 

— 

8-59 

150-S 

2,000 

800 
7-00 

62-0 

Totals  . . . 

420,661 

399,535 

152-0 

The  amount  of  ore  treated  during  the  year 
was  361,877  dry  metric  tons,  having  an 
average  content  of  8-9  grammes  gold  and 
157-5  grammes  silver.  The  mine  produced 
373,293  tons,  the  difference  between  the 
ore  produced  and  the  ore  treated  being 
11,415  tons,  which  was  added  to  the  stock- 
pile at  El  Cedro. 

The  amount  of  bullion  exported  manifests 
an  extraction  of  892%  of  the  gold  and 
70-4°,;,  of  the  silver  contents.  There  was 
produced  1,395  bars,  having  a  calculated 
value  at  the  mine  of  6,415,670  pesos. 

The  average  price  obtained  for  our  silver 
throughout  the  year  was  1-006  dollars, 
U.S.  currency,  per  ounce  troy,  compared 
with  1-121  dollars  during  the  year  1919. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  some 
of  the  factors  that  increased  our  operating 
costs,  and  to  these  must  be  added  that  of  the 
strike  during  the  month  of  October,  whereby 
although  we  treated  only  a  small  amount  of 
ore  in  the  mill,  yet  we  endeavoured  to  keep 
the  mine   and   some   other  departments  at 


92 


II       MlNlNi;     M\(,.\/1M-; 


work,    tluToby   increasing   the  general   cost 
of  operations. 

The  operating  costs  averaged  12' 17  pesos 
per  dry  metric  ton  tliirint;  lO'iO,  eomparrd 
with  llSo  pesos  during  lOl'J.  The  details 
of  such  costs  are  herewith  given,  also  a 
comparison  with  previous  years. 

mis  1919  1920 

liiploralion 1-36  068  OUT) 

tJtploitation   4-42  3-92  440 

MUling   1-33  120  121 

Cv-inidinK    2-13  2CiO  IM 

General  Expeiiso    IMO  117  131 

Taxes 215  209  ISO 

Sales  of  products   001  OM  O'.'il 

Totals 13-41       11-54       1217 

During  the  year  we  treated  in  the  La  Lucha 
mill  approximate!}^  29,200  dry  metric  tons 
of  ore  from  the  Borda  Antigua  property, 
ha\'ing  an  average  grade  of  o'OC  grammes 
gold  and  290  grammes  silver.  The  recovery 
as  per  bullion  exported  amounted  to  9-1-5% 
of  the  gold  and  SS'S^J,,  of  the  silver  values. 
During  the  first  half  of  the  year  the  operations 
resulted  in  a  small  profit  being  made,  but  as 
the  price  of  silver  became  lower  and  wages 
higher,  it  became  unprofitable  to  continue 
milling  operations ;  consequently,  during 
the  earl}'  days  of  December  we  ceased  all 
exploitation  work  and  cancelled  the  agree- 
ment between  the  Borda  Antigua  and  the 
La  Lucha  companies,  covering  the  operation 
of  the  La  Lucha  mill.  It  is  the  intention 
to  treat  Borda  Antigua  ores  at  the  El  Ccdro 
mill  when  the  ore  in  the  mining  properties 
in  the  TIalpuiahua  district  is  exploited. 

In  the  Tlalpujahua  district,  the  company 
has  several  properties  under  option  ;  these 
comprise  Concepcion  de  Borda,  Planeta, 
San  Rafael,  and  Noche  Buena.  On  the  first- 
named  property  we  accomplished  a  con- 
siderable amount  of  preliminary  work  in  the 
way  of  repairing  the  main  shaft  and  road- 
ways, unwatering  the  mine,  and  installing 
the  necessary  machinery  to  render  the 
mine  accessible  and  to  carry  on  future 
development  work.  The  results  of  in- 
vestigations in  the  upper  or  exploited  part 
of  the  mine  indicate  the  existence  of 
practically  10,000  tons  of  fills  and  pillars, 
averaging  about  200  grammes  silver  and 
1-5  grammes  gold,  while  in  the  lower,  or  that 
part  of  the  mine  known  as  the  Bonanza 
winze,  there  exists  as  virgin  vein  matter 
probably  5,000  tons  of  ore  of  about 
300  grammes  silver  and  2  grammes  gold. 
The  most  interesting  and  promising  point 
for  investigation  in  this  property  is  north  of 
the  big  fault,  where  the  vein  is  intact,  and 
from  the  second  level  a    working    is    being 


dii\-en  t(i  inUiscel  llit-  viiii  ,it  tliis  ]Hiint, 
ami  at  the  same  lime  to  exjilore  the 
ground  between  ConceiK'ion  de  Borda  and 
tin  riancta  jirojicrties.  The  latter  ]iropi-rty 
lias  an  intcristing  record  as  having  jiroduced 
high-grade  silver  ore,  and  we  have  been 
re-timbering  the  shaft  and  placing  a  hoist 
and  head-gear  in  position,  and  will  soon 
begin  the  unwatering  of  this  property.  Such 
upper  workings  as  we  have  rendered  assessible 
show  the  viin  to  be  completely  worked  out. 

The  Noche  I^uena  property  is  a  small  one 
south  of  the  Carmen  de  Virgencs  property. 
The  up]xr  part  of  the  vein  has  been  worked 
out  for  its  gold  as  well  as  silver  values,  and 
a  long  tunnel  that  was  being  driven  to  cut 
the  vein  in  depth  at  the  time  of  our  acquiring 
this  property  did  not  succeed  in  finding  the 
vein,  owing  to  it  being  faulted  ;  in  con- 
sequence we  have  been  cleaning  out  the  old 
workings  with  the  view  of  following  the 
vein  downward  by  means  of  winzes. 

We  cross-cutted  the  entire  wi<lth  of  the 
San  Rafael  Comanja  properties  toward  their 
northern  extremity,  but  such  work  did  not 
result  in  our  finding  anything  of  economic 
importance  ;  however,  the  central  and 
southern  parts  of  these  properties  remain 
to  be  explored  from  the  Concepcion  and 
Planeta  properties. 

The  task  of  cleaning  out  the  old  working  of 
the  Zomelahuacan  copper  property,  near 
the  town  of  Las  Vigas,  State  of  Vera  Cruz, 
has  been  practicallj'  completed,  and  although 
the  information  at  present  available  is  far 
from  being  complete  or  final,  yet  the  results 
of  several  hundreds  of  samples  from  various 
workings  show  that  the  deposits  -in  places 
carry  sufficient  copper  and  gold,  so  as  to 
render  the  exploitation  of  such  economically 
possible  with  copper  at  about  15  cents.  On 
the  other  hand,  we  now  know  that  the 
mineralization  does  not  occur  in  the  form  of 
a  fissure  vein  as  has  previously  been  supposed, 
but  rather  as  a  contact  deposit,  and  there  is 
little  or  no  continuity  between  the  various 
deposits  exposed  which  hitherto  has  been 
considered  as  being  the  case  instead  of  isolated 
deposits,  as  we  have  proved  them  to  be. 

A  most  promising  prospect  containing 
gold  values  examined  during  the  year  is  the 
El  Tigre  in  the  State  of  Nayarit,  but  un- 
fortunately, although  it  was  decided  to 
enter  into  negotiations  to  acquire  such 
property  under  option,  legal  difficulties  have 
been  experienced  in  the  matter  of  obtaining 
a  clear  title  to  the  property  and  have 
prevented  its  acquisition. 


THE    REAL    VALUE    OF    GOLD 


By  S.  J.  SPEAK.  A.R.S.M.,  M.lnst.M.M. 


Obv^iously  where  gold  is  the  unit  of 
currency  its  vahie  in  terms  of  money  is 
constant,  though  its  real  value  is  its  value 
in  relationship  to  other  commodities.  The 
true  value  of  any  commodity  is  equal  to  the 
energy  and  sacrifice  required  to  produce  it, 
but  its  market  value  is  subject  to  the 
varying  effects  of  supply  and  demand.  Gold 
differs  from  all  other  commodities  except 
silver,  in  that  the  demand  for  it  is  almost 
entirely  for  money  purposes,  so  that  should  it 
ever  lose  its  place  as  the  basis  of  currency 
the  demand  for  it  would  be  almost  negligible, 
and  its  market  value  would  be  subject  to  the 
usual  effects  of  supply  and  demand,  which 
would  result  in  the  closing  of  nearly  all  gold 
mines. 

Bankers  are  generally  agreed  that  some 
basis  unit  for  currency  is  essential,  and  that 
the  most  suitable  one  is  gold.  Its  supposed 
suitabilit}'  depends  entirely  on  its  past 
history,  which  has  been  that  its  production 
has  not  been  subject  to  violent  fluctuations. 
The  discovery  of  a  large  and  fabulously  rich 
goldfield  would  destroy  its  value  as  a  basis 
of  currency. 

Gold,  therefore,  is  unlike  most  other  com- 
modities in  that  the  demand  for  it  is  mainly 
of  an  artificial  character.  In  this  respect  its 
position  compares  unfavourably  with  that, 
say,  of  diamonds,  for  possesion  of  the  latter 
is  desired  for  their  beauty,  whereas  few  would 
hold  gold  on  that  account. 

Even  bankers  desire  to  hold  as  little  gold 
as  possible,  for  without  power  to  issue  notes 
against  the  gold  that  they  may  have  in  their 
vaults,  they  can  secure  no  interest  upon  it, 
and  gold  is  therefore  held  by  them  only 
as  an  emergency  precaution.  Their  aim 
is  to  hold  as  little  of  it  as  possible,  in 
accordance  with  their  own  ideas  of  safety. 
.Thus  gold  is  in  the  paradoxical  position 
that  the  demand  for  it  is  of  an  artificial 
character,  and  no  one  in  ordinary  times 
wishes  to  hold  it  as  a  commodity. 

The  indifference  displayed  by  our  bankers 
to  the  dwindling  gold  output  of  the  Empire 
shows  that  they  regard  gold  mainly  as  an 
international  token,  and  overlook  the  fact 
that  gold  takes  much  labour  to  produce, 
and  that  such  labour  has  not  since  the  war 
been  as  relatively  well  paid  as  labour  in  other 
industries.  Of  course,  there  is  to  be 
remembered  the  fact  that  a  year's  production 


of  gold  is  only  a  small  proportion  of  the 
world's  stock  of  gold,  and  bankers  may 
properly  regard  a  temporary  deficiency  of 
new  output  as  of  small  consequence  ;  yet, 
on  the  other  hand,  currency  has  been  con- 
siderably increased  during  the  war,  and 
deflation  will  have  to  be  exxeedingly 
drastic  if  the  world's  currency  can  ever  have 
the  same  gold  backing  as  before  the  war.  The 
declared  policy  of  our  own  nation,  which  is 
no  doubt  dictated  by  the  bankers,  is  towards 
that  end.  The  paper  pound  is,  if  possible, 
to  be  made  equivalent  to  the  old  gold  pound. 

To  achieve  this  end  strong  efforts  are  being 
made  to  reduce  the  price  of  other  com- 
modities. The  attempt  with  coal  has 
resulted  in  a  strike  which  has  cost  a  loss 
of  national  wealth  of  probably  over 
£200,000,000.  This  was  a  real  loss,  which 
can  never  be  regained,  because  it  was  labour 
being  idle  instead  of  productive.  The  only 
gain  is  in  the  direction  of  improving  the  value 
of  our  paper  currency.  Deflation  is  obviously 
going  to  be  a  very  expensive  process,  and  the 
patient  may  be  killecl  by  it  instead  of  cured. 

An  alternative  method  is  to  recognize  the 
existing  inflation,  and  thereby  avoid  wage 
reductions,  which  we  know  our  workmen  will 
stupidly  resist.  In  comparison  with 
American  currency,  ours  is  inflated  about 
30%,  and  it  is  recognized  that  American 
currency  is  also  inflated,  possibly  50%. 
America,  as  a  creditor  nation,  having 
secured  thereby  large  stocks  of  gold,  will  be 
able  to  deflate  and  probably  at  a  much 
more  rapid  rate  than  we,  and  it  may  be 
expected  that  our  exchange  with  America 
will  go  further  against  us. 

Under  these  circumstances,  if  our  country 
now  recognized  an  inflation  of  50%  and 
adopted  a  free  gold  basis  on  such  ratio, 
the  immediate  results  would  be  somewhat 
as  follows  : — 

(1)  Wages  need  be  little  disturbed  for  some 
time. 

(2)  The  Bank  of  England  could  purchase 
gold  for  internal  requirements. 

(3)  American  exchange  would  fall  to  near 
3-24. 

(4)  Gold  producers  would  receive 
nominally  more  English  currency  for  their 
output. 

(5)  Interest  payments  on  internal  national 
debt     would     be    greatly    relieved.       This 


93 


<)J 


THli:    MIN1N(.     M.\(..\ZINK 


woukl  not  ho  oquivalont  to  capital  con- 
fiscation if,  say.  all  loans,  tkbcntmcs,  etc., 
raised  before  V.Hit  were  allowed  an  increase 
of  oO'',,,  because  most  of  the  money  raised 
since  that  date  was  in  inflated  ciurency. 
Capitalists  would  suiter  little  damage,  for 
they  would  benefit  by  the  consecinont 
reduced  taxation. 

(6)  All  present  possessors  of  cash  or  bank 
deposits  would  suffer  possibly  to  the  extent 
of  l.")*^,,.  which,  anyway,  is  more  e(]uilable 
than  that  they  should  benefit  to  the  extent 
of  about  50",„  at  the  expense  of  the  rest  of 
the  nation,  which  is  what  the  present 
deflation  policy  aims  to  do. 

Unfortunately  such  a  scheme  would 
probably  hit  bankers  more  particularly  than 
anybody  else,  and  it  is  therefore  to  their 
supposed  interest  to  avoid  it.  When,  how- 
ever, we  witness  the  serious  trade  difficulties 
and  imemployment,  and  compute  what 
national  loss  that  means,  it  would  probably 
pay  all  capitalists  in  the  end  to  take  a  possible 
loss  now,  a  loss  more  apparent  than  real. 

For  the  sake  of  brevity,  no  argument  is 
offered  to  show  the  justice  of  a  50%  premium 
on  gold.  Your  readers,  however,  know  the 
general  conditions  of  mining  throughout  the 
world,  and  arc  aware  how  poorly  the  .gold 
miners  have  been  paid  for  their  work  as 
compared  with  the  coal  miners  of  England. 
Of  course,  this  has  arisen  from  the  effects  of 
supph^  and  demand. 

\\liat  is  now  suggested  amounts  to 
legalizing  a  50°o  premium  on  gold  with  the 
object  of  avoiding  the  present  painful 
and  wasteful  process  of  currency  deflation. 
In  such  way  we  would  more  quickly  attain 
a   settled    basis    of    currenc}',    whereas    the 


existim;  dill.ilion  prociss  must  take  consider- 
able time,  and  may  never  succeed,  and,  in  the 
meantime,  will  In'  a  constant  embarrass- 
ment to  trade. 

The  gokl  output  of  the  wnrld  li.is   fallen 
about  .'iO^y  since  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  and  may  fall  further  unless  the  principal 
nations  return   to   a  free  gold   basis  at  an 
early  date.     If  Great   Britain  will  require, 
as  has  been  estimated,   ten  years  to  com- 
pK'ti'  its  present  deflation  policy,  by  that  time 
gold  will  be  relatively  scarce,  and  it  will  bi> 
difficult  to  acquire  sufficient  gold  backing  for 
its   currency.      This  aspect  of  the  question 
appears  to  be  overlooked  by  most  financial 
experts,  and  the  main  object  of  this  article 
is  to  draw  attention   to  the  fact  that  the 
matter  of  gold  production  has  an  important 
Ixaring    on    the    currency    question.      The 
world    is    an    expanding   community,    and 
unless     gold   output    keeps   pace,    currency 
deflation  will   have  to  go  beyond   the  pre- 
war basis.     As  the  British  Empire  is  now 
contributing    about    70%    of    the    world's 
output,  it  is  of  particular  interest  to  us  to 
support  that  industry.     During  the  war  its 
])roduct     was    commandeered     at     pre-war 
prices,  a  treatment  served  out  to  no  other 
industry,  and  since  then  and  is  now  suffering 
from  lack  of  normal  demand.       Meanwhile, 
America  is  securing  a  stock  of  gold  at  a  price 
below  the  fair  cost  of  its  production.     The 
danger  of  the  present  system  if  continued 
is  that  when  we  do  want  gold  we  shall  be 
required  to  pay  dearly  for  it,     whereas  a 
bold    stroke    as    above    advocated    would 
establish    a    stable    currency    which    would 
enable  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  country 
to  revive  rapidly. 


BOOK    REVIEWS 

A  Textbook  of  Practical  Hydraulics.   l>y 

Professor  James  I'akk.     Second  edition. 

Cloth,  octavo,  310  pages,  illustrated.  Price 

21s.  net.    London  :    Charles  Griffin  &  Co., 

Ltd. 

That  a  second  edition  of  this  work  should 
have  been  called  for  within  five  years  after 
the  appearance  of  the  first  is  ample  and 
satisfactor}'  evidence  that  it  has  met  the 
requirements  of  those  for  whom  it  was 
intended,  and  Professor  Park  is  to  be  con- 
gratulated upon  having  so  successfully 
accomplished  the  task  that  he  had  set  him- 
self to  perform.  There  is  but  little  in  the 
present    edition    that    calls    for    comment. 


beyond  the  statement  that  many  of  the 
deficiencies  that  had  been  noted  in  the  first 
edition  have  now  been  made  good.  The 
author  has,  quite  rightly,  not  departed  in 
the  least  from  his  original  scheme,  although 
he  has  somewhat  strengthened  the  theoretical 
portions  which  were  decidedly  weak  in  the 
former  edition,  as  was  pointed  out  in  the 
Mag.azine  at  the  time.  It  may  fairly  be 
hoped  that  in  this  respect  the  author  has 
found  the  review  of  his  first  edition  not 
unhelpful  in  his  work  of  revision.  For 
example,  in  the  present  volume  Bernoulli's 
theorem  is  stated  and  is  applied  to  elucidate 
the  theory  of  the  Venturi  meter,  and  in  the 
same  way  the  diaphragm  method  of 
measuring  the  flow  of  water  in  a  pipe  has 


AUGUST,    1921 


95 


been,  at  any  rate,  referred  to.  The  account 
of  the  Pilot  tubes  in  the  present  volume  is 
a  decided  improvement  upon  its  predecessor  ; 
it  is,  however,  not  quite  accurate  to  say  that 
when  the  mouth  of  the  tube  points  down- 
stream the  water  in  the  vertical  hmb  is 
depressed  by  the  same  amount  as  that  to 
which  it  is  elevated  when  the  mouth  faces 
up-stream.  The  depression  is,  in  fact, 
always  less  than  the  corresponding  elevation. 
The  treatment  of  most  of  the  sections  is, 
however,  quite  adequate  and  the  e.Kplanations 
are  clearly  put.  To  an  English  reader,  it 
appears  strange  that  in  a  book  of  this  class 
the  author  should  find  it  necessary  to  work 
out  so  many  of  his  examples  first  by 
arithmetical  methods  and  then  again  by 
logarithms.  There  may  be  a  good  reason 
for  this  not  apparent  to  us  in  this  country, 
but  here  we  should  have  expected  that  a 
student  capable  of  reading  a  work  on 
hydraulics  would  at  least  know  sufficient 
elementary  mathematics  to  be  able  to  make 
a  simple  logarithmic  calculation. 

Henry  Louis. 

Petrographic  Methods  and  Calculations. 

By  Arthur  Holmes,  D.Sc.    Cloth,  octavo, 

511  pages,  with  diagrams  and  illustrations. 

Price    31s.    6d.    net.      London  :     Thomas 

Murby  &  Co. 

Many  books  on  petrography  contain  little 
beyond  the  description  of  the  megascopic 
and  microscopic  characters  of  the  rocks 
and  the  methods  employed  in  their  deter- 
mination, but  Dr.  Holmes  has  set  out  to 
produce  a  treatise  giving  a  full  treatment  of 
the  petrographic  methods  to  be  employed 
in  the  laboratory  and  at  the  desk.  Much 
of  the  matter  appears  in  a  British  textbook 
for  the  first  time. 

One  is  struck  from  the  first  with  the 
stimulating  character  of  the  volume.  No 
chance  of  indicating  a  new  line  of  inquiry 
is  missed,  and  the  student  who  can  work 
through  the  book  without  attempting  to 
settle  some  petrographic  problem  for  him- 
self will  be  very  lacking  in  imagination. 

The  chapter  on  the  determination  of  the 
specific  gravity  of  minerals  and  rocks  is 
particularly  complete,  and  includes  a 
description  of  methods  for  the  determination 
of  the  porosity  of  rocks  and  of  the  specific 
gravity  of  rocks  and  minerals  at  high 
temperatures  ;  m'olecular  volumes,  iso- 
morphism, and  polymorphism  are  also 
dealt  with. 

The   separation   of   minerals   is    discussed 


from  every  point  of  view  except  that  of 
flotation,  which  seems  to  have  been  neglected 
by  most  petrographers,  but  in  the  reviewer's 
experience  forms  a  useful  method  in  some 
cases. 

The  chapters  on  the  optical  examination 
of  minerals,  sediments,  crushed  rocks,  and 
thin  sections  are  excellent,  and  include 
a  most  useful  chapter  on  microchemical 
methods.  The  textures  of  igneous  and 
metamorphic  rocks  are  then  described  in 
considerable  detail,  and  the  book  closes  with 
two  chapters  on  the  interpretation  and 
graphical  representation  of  chemical  analyses 
of  rocks.  Useful  tables  are  given  in  two 
appendices,  and  a  third  consists  of  a  series 
of  excellently  reproduced  photo-micrographs 
illustrating  rock  textures. 

Numerous  illustrative  examples  of  the 
methods  described  are  quoted  from  actual 
researches  and  the  close  connexion  between 
methods  of  the  research-worker  and  those 
suitable  for  use  as  commercial  tests  of 
material  is  pointed  out. 

References  are  given  throughout  the  book 
to  original  papers  on  the  various  methods 
described  and  on  researches  in  which  they 
were  employed;  this  greatly  adds  to  the  value 
of  the  book. 

The  book  is  well  illustrated  by  a  series 
of  figures  and  diagrams,  the  latter  being 
particularly  numerous,  the  print  is  clear,  and 
the  matter  well  set  out. 

Dr.  Holmes  is  to  be  congratulated  on 
having  produced  a  book  which  should 
materially  advance  the  study  and  practice 
of  petrology. 

E.  H.  Davison. 

Chromium  Ore-        By  W.  G.   Rumbold.. 

Paper    covers,    octavo,    60    pages.      Price 

3s.    6d.    net.       London  :      John    Murray 

and  the  Imperial  Institute. 

This  monograph  is  one  of  a  series  published 
by  the  Imperial  Institute  describing  mineral 
resources,  with  special  reference  to  the 
British  Empire,  and  it  deals  with  the  same 
matter  as  a  brochure,  one  of  a  similar  range, 
issued  last  year  by  the  Imperial  Mineral 
Resources  Bureau.  It  is  unfortunate  that 
these  two  Government  Departments  should 
publish  monographs  dealing  with  like 
subjects,  and  some  working  arrangement 
between  the  Institute  and  the  Bureau,  to 
eliminate  this  overlapping,  is  desirable. 

In  Chapter  I  of  the  monograph,  the 
occurrences,  character,  and  uses  of  chromium 
ore  are  discussed,  and  attention  is  called  to 


96 


THK     MINIM.     MAi.AZINl-: 


the  great  increase  in  productitin  ilurini;  tin- 
war.  For  some  years  previous  to  li)ll  the 
price  of  tlie  mineral  was  low,  and  the 
principal  producers  were  New  Cakdonia  and 
Rhodesia,  the  output  being  controlled  by  a 
joint  selling  agency.  With  the  greater 
demand  for  munitions  of  war,  the  deposits 
of  the  United  States  and  Canada  were 
intensively  developed,  and  the  output  from 
the  Indian  deposits  was  also  largely 
increased.  Following  the  cessation  of 
hostilities,  prices  fell  heavily,  and  pre-war 
values  are  now  being  approached,  as  well 
as  the  standard  of  qualit}'  raised. 

Chromium  ores  are  considered  to  be 
derived  from  primar\'  segregations  of  a 
peridotite  magma,  and  are  generalh' 
associated  with  serpentine  rocks,  in  which 
they  occur  as  irregular  shaped  bodies  or 
disseminated  grains.  By  reason  of  the  wide 
distribution  of  serpentine,  an  ample  supply 
of  the  ores  is  assured,  whirh  will  meet  the 
increased  demand  when  conditions  are  more 
normal,  for  the  importance  of  chromium 
has  been  greatly  enhanced  as  a  result  of  the 
war. 

Statistics  of  the  output  of  chromite  for 
the  years*  1912-19  are  given,  but  would 
have  been  improved  if  they  had  been  accom- 
panied by  the  value  per  ton  of  the  mineral 
c.i.f.  British  ports  over  the  same  period. 

The  mining  and  concentration  of  chromite 
are  briefly  described,  and  it  is  pointed  out 
that  a  more  general  adoption  of  modern 
methods  would  enable  producers  to  reduce 
their  operating  costs  to  meet  present-day 
conditions,  as,  without  doubt,  where 
mechanical  concentration  is  not  in  operation, 
a  large  proportion  of  the  mineral  is  rejected 
as  waste. 

The  information  given  regarding  the 
utilization  of  chromium  is  useful.  In  the 
production  of  ferro-chrome  alloys  in  the 
electric  furnace,  the  carbon  contents  are 
high,  which  is  prejudicial  when  used  with 
low-carbon  steels.  Subsequent  refining  will 
reduce  the  carbon,  but  a  carbon-free  alloy 
can  be  made  by  the  "  thermit  "  process  of 
reduction  by  aluminium. 

The  virtues  of  the  so-called  "  rustless 
steel  "  have  been  overstated,  as  Sir  Robert 
Hadfield  pointed  out  some  years  ago,  but 
there  is  a  widening  field  of  usefulness  for  the 
alloy.  As  a  result  of  improved  heat  treat- 
ment and  variation  in  composition  of  the 
alloy,  it  is  now  possible  to  manufacture 
cutlerj'  from  it  with  an  edge  equal  to  the 
best  high-carbon  steel. 


Riferince  is  madr  to  the  use  of  chrome 
ore  as  a  relractory  material,  for  it  con- 
stitutes an  almost  ideal  lining  for  furnaces, 
as,  although  somewhat  dilTicult  to  sinter, 
it  has  a  verj'  high  fusing  point  and  is  equally 
suitable  for  basic  or  acid  working.  The  use 
of  chromium  salts  in  the  dyeing  industry  is 
mentioned,  but  it  is  probable  the  largest 
consumption  of  chromates  in  the  future  will 
be  as  a  primary  coating  for  iron  and  steel, 
wliicli,  when  covered  with  a  wet-resisting 
tinishing  jiaint  formi'd  of  o.xide  of  iron  and 
linseed  oil  is  found  to  be  most  effective  in  the 
prevention  of  corrosion. 

Useful  information  is  given  in  Chapter  II, 
which  describes  the  principal  deposits  of 
chromium  ore  of  the  British  Kmpire,  and  in 
Chapiter  111,  which  deals  with  foreign  sources 
of  supply. 

It  is  pointed  out  that  .some  of  the  largest 
and  richest  deposits  are  within  the  Empire, 
in  Rhodesia,  South  Africa,  India,  Canada, 
and  Australasia.  Of  the  foreign  deposits, 
those  of  New  Caledonia,  Asia  Minor,  and 
Greece  are  the  most  important.  The  pro- 
duction of  chromite  in  the  United  States 
reached  large  figures  during  the  war,  but 
the  high  cost  of  concentration  will  prevent 
development  of  the  ores  in  normal  times,  as 
obtains   with    their   manganese   deposits. 

The  chromiferous  iron  ores  of  Greece 
and  Cuba,  which  contain  2  to  3%  of 
chromium  and  05  to  1%  of  nickel,  and  which 
are  widely  distributed  elsewhere,  cannot 
be  used  successfully  for  the  production  of 
ordinary  steel,  owing  to  the  e.\tra  cost  of 
manufacture  due  to  their  refractory  character, 
and  the  necessity  of  eliminating  the  greater 
part  of  the  chromium  in  a  slag,  which  is 
very  viscous.  A  large  expenditure  has  been 
incurred  in  developing  the  Cuban  deposits, 
where  the  mineral  occurs  as  a  mantle,  and 
is  excavated  by  mechanical  plant  and 
sintered  before  shipment.  The  pig  iron 
produced  from  this  mineral  possesses  special 
qualities,  by  reason  of  its  chromium  and 
nickel  contents,  and  is  used  as  a  foundry 
mixture  to  increase  strength  and  ductility. 
In  manufacturing  steel  from  it  by  the 
"  Duplex  "  process,  the  greater  part  of  the 
chromium  is  oxidized,  while  most  of  the 
nickel  is  retained,  with  the  result  that  the 
finished  product  contains  1  to  1'5%  nickel 
and  025  to  0-75%  chromium.  This  con- 
stitutes a  nickel -chromium  steel,  and 
although  of  low  grade,  is,  with  suitable 
heat  treatment,  of  greater  value  than 
ordinary  steel  for  many  purposes. 


AUGUST,    1921 


97 


The  bibliography  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
monograph  should  enable  anyone  interested 
to  obtain  more  detailed  information  than  is 
possible  to  provide  in  the  text. 

H.  K.  Scott. 

Geology  of  Mesopotamia  and  its  Border- 
lands.     Compiled    by    the   Geographical 
Section  of  the  Naval  Intelligence  Division. 
Cloth,    octavo,    120    pages,    with    folding 
maps.       Price    5s.    net.      London  :      His 
Majesty's  Stationery  Office. 
Although  but  recently  issued  to  the  public 
this   useful   little   volume    betrays   signs   of 
having  been  written  some  time  previously, 
for  neither  in  the  text  nor  in  the  excellent 
bibliography  is  there  any  mention  made  of 
the  more  recent    work    done  in  connexion 
with  the  geologj'  of  these  parts,  notably  of 
the  paper  by  Busk  and  Mayo  read  before  the 
Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists.    One 
rather     obvious     defect     arising     from     its 
anonymous   authorship   is   the   difficulty   of 
separating  the  opinions  of  the  writers  and 
those  of  their  authorities. 

In  the  note  which  precedes  the  text  we 
find  that  "  the  problems  of  the  economic 
geology  of  greatest  present  interest  are  those 
connected  with  the  distribution  and 
correlation  of  the  oil-bearing  beds  .  ,  ." 
Some  space  is  devoted  to  other  minerals, 
but  the  above  forms  the  keynote  of  the  work, 
with  which  all  will  agree  ;  yet,  regarded  as 
a  contribution  to  our  knowledge  of  the  oil 
of  these  regions,  it  must  be  confessed  the 
book  has  little  practical  value.  Thus,  the 
evident  importance  attached  to  the  fact 
that  oil  seepages  have  been  known  historically 
for  2,400  years  (pp.  72  and  84)  strikes  an 
oil-man  as  scarcely  justifiable,  for  the 
actual  period  presumably  has  been  far  greater, 
and  in  any  case  such  considerations  are  little 
evidence  of  commercial  supplies  being 
retained.  The  fact  of  the  development  of 
the  Maidan-i-Xaftun  pool  in  Persia  is,  of 
course,  rather  a  testimony  to  the  drill  than 
added  geological  evidence,  and  its  exact 
significance  as  regards  the  field  as  a  whole 
can  be  judged  only  from  the  detailed  geology, 
which  is  not  touched  upon.  Again,  the 
evident  desire  for  a  "  definite  estimate  of  the 
quantity  of  oil  "  before  pronouncement  as 
to  the  prospects  of  a  field  shows  undue 
caution  and  the  practical  oil-man  does  not 
concern  himself  mainly  with  the  "  correlation 
and  number  of  the  promising  oil-beds  " 
nor  with  the  expression  of  opinion  of  writers 
personally  unacquainted  with  the  area. 


Sound  judgment  formed  in  the  field  after 
detailed  plane-table  mapping  by  experienced 
oil-geologists  is  the  kind  of  basis  required 
in  appraising  the  potential  value  of  a  prospect, 
and  this  has  to  be  followed  by  systematic 
test  driUing  co-ordinated  with  the  geological 
work.  The  favourable  consensus  of  opinion 
of  oil-men  conversant  with  these  regions, 
which  tends  to  regard  them  as  the  principal 
undeveloped  field  in  the  Old  World,  deserves 
more  weight  than  is  given  to  it  by  the 
authors. 

With  the  above  reservations  the  book 
may  be  recommended  to  all  desiring  a  handy 
compendium  of  the  general  geology  of  the 
Persian  Gulf  and  Mesopotamian  regions, 
based  mainly  upon  the  works  of  Loftus,  de 
Morgan,  and  Pilgrim,  with  brief  reference 
in  Chapter  V  to  Oswald's  work  in  Armenia. 

The  summary  of  the  geological  history 
in  Chapter  VII  is  the  most  interesting  part  of 
the  book,  both  as  regards  what  is  already 
known  as  well  as  indicating  the  important 
problems  yet  to  be  tackled,  as,  for 
instance,  the  southern  margin  of  the 
Sunkland.  The  maps  and  diagrams  are 
carefully  made,  and  the  former  are  not  the 
least  useful  part  of  the  work. 

T.  G.  Madgwick. 

Handbook  of  Metllaurgy.     Vol.  I.     By 

Carl  Schnabel,  translated  and  revised 
by  Henry  Louis.  Cloth,  octavo,  1,171 
pages,  with  numerous  diagrams  and  illus- 
trations. Third  edition.  Price  40s.  net. 
London  :  Macmillan  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
The  first  edition  of  this  book  was  published 
in  1898,  and  the  second  in  1905,  and  both 
editions  were  translations  of  Schnabel's 
German  editions  with  brief  notices  of 
improvements  and  new  processe:;  made 
known  after  the  issue  of  the  original  work. 
In  the  present  edition  Professor  Louis  has 
taken  a  more  original  line,  for  he  has  adopted 
the  plan  of  an  independent  revision,  mainly, 
as  he  states,  on  account  of  the  death  of 
Schnabel,  and  because  all  the  important 
modern  improvements  in  general 
metallurgical  practice  were  to  be  found  in 
English-speaking  countries.  The  war,  how- 
ever, delayed  publication  of  this  third  edition, 
much  of  which  had  been  completed  and  the 
type  set  up  by  1914;  "  therefore,"  states 
Professor  Louis  in  the  preface,  "  there 
are  no  references  to  an\^  of  the  most  recent 
developments  in  certain  departments  .  .  . 
nor  to  any  of  the  literature  of  the  last  few 
years."    This  is  almost  bound  to  impair  the 


98 


THK     MINIXC,     MACAZINI 


usefulness  of  tlu'  book,  ;it  least,  as  far  as 
those  are  concerned  wlio  already  possess 
the  earlier  edition.  The  difticulty  does  not 
appear  to  the  reviewer  as  insurmountable, 
for  it  niiRht  have  been  overcome  by  an 
appendix  in  which  these  matters  could  have 
been  dealt  with,  and  then  incorjiorated  in  the 
text  of  the  next  edition. 

The  form  of  previous  editions  having  been 
maintained,  it  will  be  hardly  necessary  to  say 
that  the  present  volume  deals  with  the 
metallurgy  of  copper,  lead,  silver,  and  gold, 
and  that  in  each  case  the  physical  and 
chemical  properties  and  the  reactions  of  the 
metal  compounds  that  are  of  imjiortance 
in  extraction  are  set  forth  before  the  nuthods 
of  extraction  are  explained  in  detail  and 
illustrated  by  works  practice. 

The  book  deals  essentially  with  general 
metaJlurg}^  that  is,  with  the  extraction  of  the 
metal  from  its  ores,  and  the  necessary  refining 
operations.  Many  people,  including  the 
reviewer,  would  have  liked  to  see  more 
reference  to  the  micro-examination  of  metals 
in  those  sections  relating  to  the  effects  of 
impurities.  For  instance,  in  the  case  of 
copper,  photo-micrographs  of  this  metal 
containing  cuprous  oxide  could  have  been 
inserted  with  advantage  on  p.  3  where 
reference  is  made  to  the  eutcctic  (a 
metallography  term),  and,  further,  the 
injurious  effect  of  bismuth  could  have  been 
explained  by  an  illustration  of  this  con- 
stituent separating  out  and  fomiing  thin 
brittle   walls   between    the   copper  crystals. 

Turning  now  to  the  methods  of  extraction 
and  refining,  it  seems  a  pity,  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  an  independent  revision  has  been 
made,  that  the  reviser  has  not  been  more 
drastic  in  his  treatment  of  processes  that  are 
almost  obsolete,  thereby  gaining  space  for 
fuller  descriptions  of  the  more  modern 
methods  and  plant.  A  comparison  of  the 
present  edition  with  that  published  in  1905 
shows  that  the  revision  has  not  been  as  drastic 
as  some  w'ould  desire.  The  details  of  heap- 
roasting  may  be  important,  but  surely  not 
of  such  importance  as  to  require  ten  pages  to 
be  devoted  to  it,  when  the  description  of  the 
Edwards  and  Mcrton  roasting  furnaces  is 
confined  to  a  space  of  a  dozen  lines.  Another 
example  that  might  be  quoted  occurs  in  the 
section  dealing  with  the  metallurgy  of  lead. 
It  is  stated  on  p.  565  that  "  the  collection 
of  flue  dust  is  an  important  element  in  all 
lead  smelting,"  and  with  this  statement  all 
lead  smelters  and  refiners  will  agree.  The 
subject,  however,  is  dismissed  in  two  pages, 


witlu)ut  ( A'cn  a  (K>iri]iii<iii  of  a  bag-house, 
the  reader  being  referred  for  this  to  the 
'J'nnisaclions  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Mining  Engineers,  whereas  the  illustration 
of  the  heaji-roasting  of  copjier  ores  is  rejjro- 
iluced  under  lead,  a  distinct  waste  of 
half  a  page. 

It  is  gratifying  to  find  that  the  revision  of 
that  part  of  the  book  dealing  with  the 
cyanidation  of  gold  ores  is  as  thorough  as 
could  be  expected  in  a  volume  of  this  size. 
Had  the  other  metals  been  dealt  with  in  a 
similar  manner  the  book  would  have  been 
well-nigh  perfect. 

In  conclusion  it  should  be  stated  that  the 
blame  for  parts  of  the  new  edition  being 
less  up-to-date  than  others  must  not  be 
placed  on  Professor  Louis,  for  it  is  well- 
known  that  a  reviser  of  a  technical  book 
seldom  has  the  last  say,  the  control  of  the 
policy  of  new  editions  resting  solely  with  the 
publishers. 

George  Patchin. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

PERTH.  W.A. 

May  22. 
Tax.'Mion  of  Mines. — During  the  past 
three  weeks  the  Royal  Commission  on 
Taxation  appointed  by  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment has  been  taking  evidence  in  West 
Australia.  The  subjects  of  inquiiy  covered 
the  equitable  distribution  of  the  burdens 
of  taxation,  and  the  giving  to  primary 
producers  a  special  consideration  as  regards 
the  assessment  of  income  tax.  A  great 
mass  of  valuable  evidence  was  collected  and 
proffered  on  behalf  of  the  Chamber  of  Mines 
and  the  i\Iining  Association,  which  was  most 
ably  placed  before  the  Commission  by 
Mr.  J.  V.  Jukes  and  Mr.  Will  Davies,  the 
accountants  representing  the  institutions. 
Mr.  Herbert  J.  Daly,  Mr.  H.  R.  Sleeman, 
Mr.  J.  Thompson,  M.L.A.,  and  Mr.  C.  M. 
Harris  gave  evidence  supplementing  the 
above  on  behalf  of  those  who  are  directly 
interested  in  finding  the  capital  either  in 
cash  or  labour  to  search  for  and  extract  gold 
and  the  base  metal  ores.  A  review  of  the 
salient  points  may  be  of  interest  to  show  to 
the  British  investor  that  some  amelioration 
of  the  present  anomalies  in  taxation  as 
interpreted  may  be  expected,  provided  the 
Federal  Government  is  sincere,  and  will 
accept  the  recommendations  of  the  Royal 
Commission. 


AUGUST,    1921 


99 


The  evidence  as  it  affects  the  mining 
industry  may  be  divided  into  five  headings  : 
(a)  Decrease  in  the  output  of  gold  in  Western 
Austraha  ;  (b)  taxation  of  sale  consideration 
of  mining  leases  ;  (c)  Federal  land  tax  on  the 
unimproved  value  of  a  mine  ;  (rf)  the  taxing 
of  mines  in  their  early  stages  ;  (c)  the 
taxation  of  prcuspcctors. 

Dealing  with  the  tax  on  mining  leases, 
it  was  pointed  out  by  Mr.  Davies  that  the 
action  of  the  taxation  department  in  assessing 
for  income  tax  the  sale  price  of  a  mine  under 
the  guise  of  such  being  payments  received 
by  a  lessee  upon  the  transfer  of  a  lease  to 
another  person  is  most  unjust.  The  depart- 
ment admits  that  the  proceeds  of  the  sale 
of  a  mine  are  not  taxable  as  income  ;  never- 
theless, it  arrives  at  that  very  unjust  result 
by  taxing  the  sum  received  (subject  to 
allowance  for  capital  expenditure  on  equip- 
ment and  development,  if  any)  by 
designating  it  consideration  given  on  the 
transfer  of  a  lease.  As  the  Act  stands  and 
is  administered  at  present,  the  prospector 
who  discovers  a  potential  mine,  but,  being 
unable  to  develop  it  himself,  sells  it  to  a 
company  for  partly  cash  and  partly  shares, 
or  for  all  shares,  may  be  called  upon  to  pay 
in  taxes  on  nominal  income  a  greater  amount 
than  will  be  actually  realized,  this  state  of 
affairs  being  brought  about  by  the  taxation 
of  shares  at  their  face  value,  irrespective  of 
their  actual  market  value,  either  at  the  date 
of  the  sale  of  the  mine  or  at  the  date  the 
return  is  made  by  the  taxpayer. 

In  his  evidence,  Mr.  Jukes  says  on  this 
question  that  although  originally  intended 
to  apply  to  leases  of  business  premises,  it 
is  being  interpreted  in  its  present  form  as 
applying  to  mining  leases,  and  operates  with 
great  harshness.  A  prospector  taking  up 
public  land  under  mining  lease  may  be  able 
to  dispose  of  his  interest  to  good  advantage 
through  the  discovery  of  promising  deposits 
on  it.  Assume  he  is  able  to  sell  for  ^^10,000, 
he  would  become  liable  for  £3,421  Federal 
taxation  and  the  State  Act  purports  to 
impose  £2,300,  whereas,  if  he  had  won  the 
same  amount  in  a  lottery  his  Federal  tax 
would  be  £1,400.  Of  course,  if  instead  of 
taking  a  mining  lease  of  land  he  bought 
freehold,  and  then  owing  to  some  fortunate 
circumstance  he  sold  at  a  profit  of  £11,000, 
he  would  not  be  liable  to  taxation  on  the 
accretion.  From  various  legal  authorities 
on  judgments  quoted,  it  seems  impossible 
to  regard  a  mineral  deposit,  even  though 
contained  in  a  mining  lease,  as  anything  but 


a  fixed  capital  asset.  And  even  if  in  the  hands 
of  the  original  discoverer  who  has  paid  no 
fixed  sum  for  the  asset,  the  facts  are  not 
affected.  He  has  given  time,  money,  skill, 
and  often  suffered  great  hardships  in  the 
search,  and  the  State  secures  the  mineral 
contents  of  a  certain  area  of  land  to  him 
to  work,  remove,  and  sell  for  his  own  benefit. 
It  is  what  he  retained  in  the  shape  of  assets 
upon  which  he  has  expended  his  capital 
subscribed  in  the  form  of  his  savings,  work, 
and  skill. 

In  the  "  Kalgoorlie  Miner  "  on  October  25, 
1919,  the  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Taxation 
in  dealing  with  what  is  the  essential  value 
of  a  lease,  thereby  meaning  buildings, 
pastoral  timber,  or  gold  mining  leases 
states  :  "  My  staff  vahier  would  address 
himself  to  the  gold  as  a  wealth-making 
factor,"  and  he  goes  on  to  say  "  that  is  the 
value  of  the  virgin  gold  in  situ."  As 
Mr.  Daly  pertinently  remarked,  the  Deputy 
Commissioner  will  have  to  find  a  superman  as 
a  staff  valuer,  if  he  is  going  to  appraise 
the  value  of  gold  in  situ  in  a  newly  dis- 
covered mine. 

A  mining  lease  differs  from  all  other 
leases  ;  it  is,  in  fact,  a  direct  licence  to 
deplete  a  certain  area  of  ground  and  take  from 
it  all  its  potential  and  discoverable  wealth. 
The  end  of  a  successful  mining  venture 
means  that  numerous  deep  holes  have  been 
made  into  the  earth's  crust,  and  no  payable 
ore  is  left  in  the  lease.  The  plant  and 
machinery  is  usually  scrapped  or  sold  for 
one-tenth  part  of  its  original  cost.  On  this 
point,  Mr.  Sleeman  says  :  "  Sales  of  mining 
leases  should  not  be  taxed  as  income, 
whether  sold  by  individuals  or  by  syndicates 
or  by  companies,  whether  the  finders  or  the 
promoters.  It  should  be  treated  as  other  forms 
of  property  in  this  regard.  If  this  be  refused, 
then  as  the  next  best  the  whole  history  of  the 
lease  should  be  reviewed.  Its  purchase  price 
(if  any),  the  money  and  work  spent  upon  it, 
the  number  of  years  represented  by  these,  and 
so  on.  It  should,  however,  be  levied  only 
on  money  when  actually  received  and  on 
actual  saleable  value  of  any  shares  received 
on  payment.  Then  one  could  sell  some 
shares  to  pay  the  tax  on  the  shares.  At 
present  the  tax  often  demands  money  that 
a  man  has  not  got,  and  cannot  get,  or  he 
might  be  allowed  to  pay  the  portion  of  this 
tax  in  shares." 

Mr.  Thompson  cited  his  own  case  in  which 
he  had  sold  a  mineral  lease  at  Yampi  Sound 
in  North-West  Australia  to  the  Queensland 


100 


TllK     MIX  INC.     M\(.\ZINI': 


Government  for  £;iO,000  worth  of  debentures, 
and,  according  to  the  I'etieral  and  State  laws, 
he  was  hable' for  {10,000  in  taxation.  Not 
onlv  that,  but  tlie  Federal  Taxation  Com- 
missioner ruled  that  the  tax  nnist  be  paul  on 
the  face  value  of  the  debentures,  although 
he  had  offered  to  sell  /1 00  liebentures  for 
{85.  He  was  of  o]iinion  that  as  several 
loans  had  been  floated  locally  by  the  Federal 
Government,  and  the  debenture  issues  were 
free  from  taxation,  why  not  apply  the  same 
thing  to  investors,  who  put  their  money  into 
debentures  or  in  developing  the  country. 

Dealing  with  the  question  of  taxation  of 
imimproved  land  values  in  relation  to  mines, 
Mr.  Davies  was  in  a  position  to  give  some 
very  telling  evidence  in  the  case  of  the 
Whim  \\'c\[  Copper  Company.  The  mine  of 
this  company  is  held  partly  as  freehold  and 
partly  leasehold.  In  the  absence  of  a 
valuation  for  the  unimproved  land  tax, 
which  the  company,  under  legal  advice, 
refused  to  put  in,  the  amount  of  the  tax 
assessed  in  default  was  {1,000,  despite  the 
fact  that  the  company  had  spent  over 
£100,000  more  money  in  developing  the 
mine  than  they  had  taken  out,  and  that  at 
the  time  were  not  receiving  any  revenue,  as 
owing  to  the  war  they  were  not  able  to  ship 
any  ore.  Considerable  argument  as  to 
whether  the  mine  came  under  this  Act 
went  on  between  Mr.  Davies  for  the  company 
and  the  Taxation  Department.  Meanwhile, 
there  was  a  somewhat  similar  case  pro- 
ceeding in  the  High  Court,  based  on  the 
value  of  artesian  water  below  the  surface, 
and  eventually  the  judgment  on  the  case 
was  in  favour  of  the  Department.  The 
\\'him  Well  company  had  to  accept  this 
decision,  as  they  were  not  in  a  position  to 
fight  an  expensive  case  in  the  High  Court. 
By  this  time  the  company  had  become 
bankrupt.  A  few  London  enthusiasts  agreed 
to  find  some  more  mone\'  for  the  mine,  but 
would  not  do  so  while  what  they  considered 
an  unjust  taxation  debt  was  hanging  over 
the  property.  Mr.  Sleeman,  representing 
the  shareholders  who  were  finding  this  new 
capital,  decided  to  go  to  Melbourne  and 
fight  the  matter  out  with  the  Commissioner. 
He  asked  whether  it  was  the  policy  of 
Australia  to  encourage  mining  or  to  kill  it, 
and  whether  it  was  better  for  the  Common- 
wealth to  get  {1,988  by  way  of  taxation,  or 
that  a  big  mine  should  be  producing  possibly 
a  quarter  of  a  million  pounds  worth  of  ore 
in  two  or  three  years,  and  pay  a  very  large 
portion    of    it    out    in    wages  ?     The    Chief 


Commissioner  de.ili  wiih  the  niattiT,  and  he 
annulled   the  whole  of   the  assessnuiil. 

The  conclusion  is  that,  while  as  a  ni.it Or 
of  ]M)licy  Federal  land  tax  maj"  be  of 
advantage  to  the  community  by  deterring 
the  locking  up  of  land  in  large  estates, 
there  is  neither  necessity  nor  reason  for 
applying  such  |irinciples  to  the  small  areas 
contained  in  metalliferous  mines,  no  matter 
how  rich  (in  isolated  cases)  those  areas  may 
be. 

The  clfect  of  taxation  on  new  mines  was 
dealt  with  by  Mr.  Daly,  who  contends  that 
income  tax  was  designed  as  a  tax  on  vearly 
earnings,  on  tiie  profits  of  a  company  or 
indi\-idual.  It  certainly  was  never  meant 
to  be  a  tax  on  new  wealth,  the  discovery 
by  a  prospector  or  by  an  exploration  com- 
pan\-,  nor  was  it  intended  that  the  working 
capital  provided  to  open  up  new  mines  should 
be  subject  to  income  tax  before  any  profit 
had  been  earned  from  the  gold  won  from  the 
mine.  This  statement  is  given  in  general 
terms,  and  aims  at  illustrating  how  the 
mining  industry  has  suffered  a  severe  set- 
back since  legislation  provided  for  tax  on 
transfer  of  leases  and  income  ta.x  on 
prospectors  consideration.  The  effects  of 
recent  Australian  mining  legislation  have 
practically  blocked  the  road  to  raising  any 
new  capital  in  London.  The  taxation  on 
prospecting  operations  is  one  of  the  chief 
hindrances  to  new  mining  ventures  in 
Australia.  A  few  days  ago  Mr.  Daly  received 
the  following  instructions  from  an  important 
London  company  :  "  We  have,  after  careful 
consideration,  reluctantly  decided  not  to 
embark  on  any  gold  mining  business  in 
West  Australia  at  the  present  time."  Both 
the  State  and  Federal  Acts  deal  as  harshly 
with  mining  companies  as  with  the  individual 
prospector. 

The  case  of  Charles  Bartlow  was  cited  by 
Mr.  Davies.  He  had  been  prospecting  for 
over  twenty  years,  with  but  little  success. 
Some  years  ago  he  found  a  small  patch  which 
yielded  him  some  three  or  four  thousand 
pounds.  He  put  this  money  on  fixed  deposit 
and  has  been  subsisting  on  the  interest  while 
he  continued  his  calling  as  a  prospector. 
In  1919  his  income  from  prospecting  was  {40. 
for  the  next  four  years  it  was  nil.  In 
November,  1919,  he  found  a  rich  patch  at 
Lake  Austin,  which  produced  {7,7.51  worth 
of  gold.  Deducting  the  cost  for  mining 
and  treatment,  amounting  to  {411,  his 
income  from  personal  exertion  was  thus 
{7,343.    His  income  from  property,  that  is  to 


AUGUST,    1921 


101 


say,  the  interest  he  drew  on  his  former  find 
was  set  at  £112,  or  total  taxable  income  of 
;f7,455.  Out  of  the  modest  yield  of  his 
earlier  nest-egg  (;£112)  he  is  taxed 
£35  Is.  as  income  tax  from  property. 
The  tax  on  income  from  personal  exertion 
amounts  to  £1,616  Os.  lid.,  or  a  total 
Federal  tax  of  £1,651  2s.  9d.  In  addition, 
his  State  taxation  was  £1,647  17s.,  making 
his  total  tax  for  this  year  £3,298  19s.  Thus 
he  has  to  pay  nearly  half  of  his  income. 
If  he  had  realized  the  harshness  of  such  an 
unjust  tax,  he  would  not  have  crushed  all 
the  ore  in  May  and  June  but  would  have 
waited  to  June  and  July  to  bring  the 
operations  into  two  different  taxation  years. 
Thus  he  would  have  saved  £2,000. 

The  Governments  have  realized  the  value 
of  the  prospector,  and  have  spent  large  sums 
of  money  to  foster  the  industry  ;  men  have 
been  trained  as  metallurgists,  geologists, 
mining  engineers,  etc.,  and  their  experience 
is  an  asset  to  Australia.  But  if  the  enter- 
prise and  grit  of  the  man  who  finds  the  gold 
or  base  metals  is  strangled  by  unjust 
taxation,  then  the  whole  fabric  of  mining 
must  fall. 

C.  M.  Harris. 


TORONTO 

July  6. 
Porcupine. — While  most  branches  of 
mining  industry  are  quiet,  there  is  much 
activity  in  the  gold  camps  since  labour 
became  more  plentiful,  and  the  operations 
of  the  current  year  will  probably  establish 
a  new  high  record  of  production.  Porcu- 
pine has  had  such  an  influx  of  labour 
that  many  have  been  unable  to  obtain  house 
accommodation,  and  are  living  in  tents. 
The  increased  efficiency  of  labour  is  indicated 
by  the  statement  that  the  Hollinger  Con- 
solidated is  now  mining  and  milling  2J  tons 
of  ore  daily  for  each  man  employed,  whereas 
when  efficiency  was  at  its  lowest  point  it 
was  treating  only  1\  tons  per  day  for  each 
worker.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Dome 
Mines  Co.,  on  June  14,  General  Manager  H.  P. 
de  Pencier  stated  that  since  the  issue  of  the 
annual  report  there  had  been  a  distinct 
improvement  in  the  outlook  and  the  output 
had  greatly  exceeded  their  expectations. 
The  ore  recovered  between  the  8th  and  10th 
levels  had  fully  carried  out  the  promise  of 
the  diamond  -  drilling,  an  ore-shoot  360  ft. 
in  length  having  been  developed  on  the 
10th  level,  while  diamond-drilhng  for  300  ft. 


below  that  level  indicated  even  richer  ore 
than  had  so  far  been  recovered.  The 
Mclntyre  closed  a  highly  prosperous  year 
on  June  30,  and  a  forecast  of  the  annual 
report  places  the  profits  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  $1,000,000,  the  grade  of  the  ore  reserves 
having  been  well  maintained  at  an  average 
of  about  $11  to.  the  ton.  No.  7  vein  has  been 
reached  by  a  cross-cut  at  the  1,375  ft.  level, 
where  it  shows  a  width  of  20  ft.  of  ore,  stated 
to  carry  $30  to  the  ton.  The  Allied 
Porcupine,  capitalized  at  $5,000,000,  has 
taken  over  fifteen  mining  claims,  aggregating 
720  acres,  together  with  the  mining  plant 
and  mill  on  the  Three  Nations  property, 
and  has  begun  active  development  with 
satisfactory  results.  New  operations  under 
way  include  the  development  of  the  Big 
Dyke  and  the  Triplex,  formerly  known 
as  the  Tommy  Burns. 

KiRKLAND       Lake. — This       district       is 
attracting  much  new  capital,  interest  in  it 
having  been  stimulated  by  the  prospect  of 
the   construction   of   the   proposed   narrow- 
gauge    railway.      The    Lake    Shore    during 
May    recovered    gold    to    the    amount    of 
$29,637  from  the  treatment  of  1,863  tons. 
A  rich  ore-shoot  is  being  opened  up  on  the 
.600  ft.  level.     The  proposed  enlargement  of 
the  mill  has  been  indefinitely  postponed.    The 
annual  report  of  the  Kirkland  Lake  for  the 
year    ending    May    31    shows    a    profit    on 
operations     of     $34,990,     compared     with 
$24,499  for  the   preceding  year.      The  pro- 
duction was  $277,007,  as  against   $107,071. 
A  new  vein  found  by  diamond-drilling  from 
the  900  ft.  level,  has  been  tapped  by  cross- 
cutting,  and  shows  gold  content  of  $21  to  the 
ton  over   a  width  of  7  ft.     At    the  Bidgood 
a  drift  at  the  300  ft.  lev^-1  has  encountered 
good    commercial  ore  showing  visible  gold. 
Work  is  in  progress  at  the  Goodfish  property, 
about  3  miles  north  of  the  producing  area, 
with  promising  results.    The  Wood- Kirkland 
has    a    force    of    men    engaged    in    surface 
exploration.    A  mining  plant  will  be  installed. 
New   enterprises   in    this   field   include    the 
Lebel  Lode,  Ltd.,  capitalized  at  $2,000,000, 
which  has  taken  up  100  acres  lying  north 
of  the  Lebel  Oro,  and  the  White  Kirkland 
with    $500,000    capital    and    a    favourably 
located  property  of  130  acres.     The  Kirkland 
Lake    Proprietary,    which   is    controlled    in 
London,    appears    to    be    about    to   resume 
active  operations.      Mr.  S.  C.  Thomson,  of 
New  York,  has  been  visiting  the  properties, 
but  his  report  has  not  yet  been  published  here. 
Cobalt. — -The  silver-mining  industry  con- 


102 


Till-     MIXIXr.     MAr.AZINE 


tinucs  much  depressed  owing  to  the  low  price 
of  silver.    The  exchange  rate  between  Canada 
and  the  United  States  enables  the  leading 
producing  mines  to  continue  operations  at  a 
low  rate  of  profit.    The  Nipissing,  during  the 
five    months   ended   May,   produced    silver 
valued     at     $724,131,    as     compared     with 
$1,7:^1  .-16 1  during  the  corresponding  period 
of  1020.    The  Mining  Corporation  of  Canada 
is  operating  at  capacity  and  storing  its  silver. 
The   alterations   in    the   mill    increasing   its 
capacity  from  160  tons  per  day  to  300  tons, 
with  improved  methods  of  treatment,  have 
reduced  operating  costs  sufficiently  to  enable 
the    companj'    to    keep    working    in     the 
expectation  of  a  profit.     Recent  discoveries 
on  the  Buflalo  property  have  increased  the 
ore   reser\-es.      At   the   annual   meeting   on 
Jime  29,  President  J.  P.  Watson  stated  that 
the  most  important  step  taken  during  the 
year  was  the  acquisition  of  a  majority  interest 
in  the  Plin  Flon  copper  property  in  Manitoba, 
containing   16,000,000   tons   of   assured   ore 
and   additional   possible   and   probable   ore 
of   9,000,000   tons.     The   annual   report   of 
the  Beaver  Consolidated  for  the  year  ended 
February'    26    shows    an    operating   loss    of 
S3, 617,    as    compared    with    an    operating 
profit   of    8158,215   for   the   previous   year. 
The    production    of    silver    amounted     to 
157,274  oz.,    compared   with   301,781.     The 
mine,  which  was  closed  down  in  December, 
is  kept  pumped  out  ready  for  the  resumption 
of  operations  when  conditions  improve. 

Sudbury. — The  British  America  Nickel 
Corporation  has  carried  through  its  scheme 
of  financial  reorganization,  arranging  for 
capital  as  follows  :  $6,000,000  first  income 
bonds ;  518,500,000  second  bonds ;  and 
$20,000,000  common  stock.  Hon.  Edgar  N. 
Rhodes,  of  Amherst,  N.S.,  speaker  of  the 
Canadian  House  of  Commons,  has  been 
elected  president  and  managing  director, 
and  Captain  D.  Vogt,  president  of  the 
Norwegian  Nickel  Works,  who  was  in  charge 
of  the  company's  affairs  during  the 
re-financing  period,  becomes  vice-president 
and  managing  director  for  the  European 
office.  The  corporation  is  awaiting  an 
improvement  in  market  conditions  before 
reopening  its  mine  and  plants. 

GoW'GAXDA. — At  the  Castle  property  of  the 
Trethewey  much  of  the  surface  equipment  has 
been  destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  mine  has 
been  closed  down.  Re-financing  is  in  con- 
templation before  resuming  operations,  which 
will  not  be  a  matter  of  difficulty,  as  the  com- 
pany has  400,000  shares  in  the  treasury. 


VANCOUVER.  B.C. 


July 


Mackenzik  Rivkk  Oil. — The  Imperial 
Oil  Company's  monoiilane  has  made  its 
first  trip  to  I'ort  Norman  oiltield.  The 
machine  started  from  Edmonton  at  the 
beginning  of  June,  and  made  the  trip  in 
slightly  over  12  hours  flying  time.  Stops 
were  made  at  Smith,  Hay  River,  and 
Simpson,  the  water  route  being  followed. 
Mr.  Fullerton,  the  pilot  of  the  machine, 
returned  to  Peace  River  by  power-boat, 
the  return  trip  occupying  25  days,  and  the 
round  trip,  including  the  stop  at  Fort 
Norman,  less  than  a  month.  Pontoons 
have  been  added  to  the  company's  mono- 
planes, so  that  they  may  alight  on  water. 
This  has  diminished  their  carrying  power 
considerably.  Four  new  oil-boring  rigs 
have  been  dispatched  to  Norman  by  the 
water  route,  so  this  year  five  holes  will  be 
bored,  besides  the  one  at  Great  Slave  Lake. 
It  is  expected  that  a  number  of  other  con- 
cerns will  have  oil  rigs  in  the  field  before  tlie 
summer  is  over,  some  of  which  probably  will 
be  in  operation. 

G.  P.  Mackenzie,  Gold  Commissioner  for 
the  Yukon,  has  been  appointed  a  land 
commissioner  for  the  North- West  Territories, 
in  order  that  prospectors  going  to  and  from 
the  Fort  Norman  oilfield  by  way  of  the 
Yukon  may  file  their  claims  at  Dawson, 
instead  of  having  to  make  a  special  trip  to 
Edmonton,  as  in  the  past.  There  arc  many 
that  believe  that  the  Yukon  route  is  the 
logical  route  to  the  oilfields  both  in  winter 
and  summer.  Steamers  ply  between 
Skagway  and  the  Pacific  coast  ports  through- 
out the  year,  and  there  is  a  year-round 
train  service  from  Skagway  to  Whitehorse, 
over  the  White  Pass  railway.  There  is  a 
passable  road  from  Whitehorse  to  the  new 
silver  camp,  at  Mayo,  and  Mayo  is  only 
350  miles  from  Norman. 

Yukon  Silver  Mines. — The  Yukon  Gold 
Co.  took  out  more  than  3,000  tons  of  high- 
grade  silver-lead  ore  from  its  property  at 
Keno  Hill  during  the  winter.  The  laws 
governing  mining  in  the  Yukon  and  the 
North-West  Territories  demand  that  ore 
mined  in  these  places  shall  be  smelted  in 
Canada.  Owing  to  the  low  metal  prices  at 
present  obtaining,  no  smelter  in  Canada  was 
willing  to  purchase  this  ore,  so,  by  an  Order 
in  Council  permission  has  been  granted  to  have 
it  smelted  in  the  United  States,  and  the  ore 
is  being  shipped  to  the  Selby  smelter,  at  the 
head  of  San  Francisco  bay. 


AUGUST,    1921 


103 


British  Columbia  Output. — The  annual 
report  of  the  Minister  of  Mints  for  the  year 
1920  has  just  been  issued.  It  shows  the 
value  of  the  mineral  production  for  the  year 
to  have  been  $35,543,084.  This  figure  is 
within  $50,000  of  the  preliminary  estimate, 
issued  early  in  January,  though  the 
individual  items  that  go  to  make  up  that  total 
are  vastly  different  from  the  early  estimate. 
As  I  stated  at  the  time  the  prehminary 
estimate  was  issued,  the  output  of  zinc  then 
given  was  far  too  great  ;  the  revised  figures 
now  show  the  estimate  to  have  been  nearly 
30  million  pounds  in  excess  of  the  actual 
production.  The  lead  output  given  at  that 
time,  however,  was  some  IS  million  pounds, 
and  the  copper  output  two  million  pounds 
too  low  ;  consequently  the  total  value  of  the 
final  estimate  has  come  out  pretty  close 
to  the  preliminary  one.  The  preliminary 
estimate  is  made  before  all  the  returns  have 
been  received,  and  evidently  this  year  some 
of  the  lead  output  was  credited  as  zinc.  As 
both  metals  come  from  the  same  mines, 
the  error  is  an  understandable  one. 

The  following  table  gives  the  mineral 
production  for  1920,  those  of  the  preceding 
year  being  given  also,  for  comparison  : — 

1919.  1920. 

Gold  placer  oz.  14,325  11,080 

,.     lode  ..oz.  152,426  120,048 

Silver oz.  3,403,119  3,337,849 

Copper lb.  42,459.339  44,887,676 

Lead lb.  29.475,968  39,331.218 

Zinc lb.  56,737,651  47,208,268 

Coal    long  tons  2,267,541  2,595,125 

Coke  long  tons  91,138  67,792 

The  output  of  gold  was  32,378  oz.  less 
than  during  the  previous  year.  This  was  to 
be  expected,  as  the  price  of  labour  and 
supplies  remained  high  throughout  the  year, 
causing  the  Nickel  Plate  mine  at  Hedley, 
one  of  the  principal  producers,  to  close  in 
September.  For  the  same  reason  little 
placer  mining  was  done  in  the  province. 
The  Rossland  mines,  too,  were  closed  on 
account  of  labour  troubles  for  a  considerable 
part  of  the  year,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the 
energetic  work  at  the  Surf  Inlet  mine  and  the 
opening  of  the  new  Premier  mine,  the  gold 
production  would  have  been  much  lower  than 
it  was.  With  the  general  reduction  in  the 
wage-scale,  amounting  on  an  average  to  a 
reduction  of  §1-25  per  man  per  day,  there  has 
been  a  revival  in  both  placer  and  lode-gold 
mining,  and  at  the  present  time  everything 
points  to  a  much  larger  production  of  gold 
this  year. 

But   for   the   production   from   the  Dolly 


Varden  and  Premier  mines  the  output  of 
sUver  would  have  been  much  less  than  it 
was,  as  the  Slocan  district,  which  is  the 
principal  silver-producing  district  of  the 
province,  was  closed  by  strikes  during  the 
early  part  of  the  year  and  by  the  depressed 
condition  of  the  lead  and  zinc  market  towards 
the  end,  the  silver  from  this  district  being 
obtained  as  a  by-product  in  the  production 
of  lead  and  zinc.  The  consequence  was  that 
the  output  of  the  Slocan  was  less  than  half 
of  what  it  was  in  1919. 

The  output  of  copper  was  maintained 
through  the  energetic  operations  of  the 
Granby  company  throughout  the  year,  and 
of  the  Britannia  company  for  the  first  ten 
months  of  the  year.  Too  much  praise  cannot 
be  given  to  the  Granby  company,  which  in 
the  early  part  of  the  year  was  in  a  really 
precarious  condition.  A  change  of  manage- 
ment in  June,  1920,  however,  has  pulled  the 
company  out  of  the  fire.  A  gradual  decrease 
in  the  cost  of  the  production  of  copper  from 
18-38  cents  per  pound  in  the  first  half  of  the 
year  to  14-01  cents  for  the  second  half  was 
effected.  This  has  been  still  further  reduced 
this  year,  and  at  the  present  time  copper  is 
being  produced  at  12-44  cents.  There  is  still, 
of  course,  no  margin  for  profit  at  the  present 
price  of  copper,  but  it  is  expected  that  still 
further  reductions  will  be  made  in  the  cost 
of  operation,  and,  now  that  the  coal  strike 
in  Britain  has  been  settled,  there  is  likely  to 
be  an  improvement  in  the  price  of  the  metal. 
The  increase  in  the  lead  production  is 
due  almost  entirely  to  the  output  from  the 
Consolidated  Mining  and  Smelting  Co.'s 
Sullivan  mine  at  Kimberley.  This  is  turning 
out  to  be  a  really  remarkable  mine,  and  last 
year  accounted  for  about  26  millior  pounds 
of  lead  and  42  million  pounds  of  zinc, 
together  with  more  than  300,000  oz.  of 
silver.  The  production  of  the  Slocan,  which 
used  to  be  the  lead  and  zinc  district  of  the 
province,  produced  only  6  million  pounds  of 
lead  and  less  than  4  million  pounds  of  zinc. 
The  reason  for  the  low  production  has 
already  been  given  under  silver. 

The  slight  increase  in  the  production  of 
coal  has  all  come  from  the  Crow's  Nest 
district,  where  the  seams  are  large  and  more 
cheaply  worked.  The  output  per  under- 
ground employee  was  797  tons,  and  for  all 
employees  535  tons  per  man.  The 
corresponding  figures  at  the  Vancouver 
Island  collieries  were  591  and  385  tons 
respectively.  With  these  outputs  per  man 
it  is  difficult  to  understand  why  the  retail 


101 


111       .MININ(.     MA(,A/.INI 


cost  of  coal  remains  so  hij;h.  In  the  C  tow's 
Nest  field  101,019  tons  of  coal  was  con- 
verted into  coke  iij  bchivc  ovens,  and 
li7,7i)2  tons  of  coke  was  produced.  At  the 
(nanby  ooniiiany's  by-product  ovens,  at 
Anyox,  KHi.iXiO  tons  of  Vancouver  Island 
coal  blended  with ^5,755  tons  of  Alberta  coal 
jiroduced  75,090  tons  of  coke,  88  l,:i'.t  1  {j;allons 
of  tar,  •200,125  cu.  ft.  of  gas,  151,802  gallons 
refined  motor  fuel,  and  2,100,;{55  lb.  of 
ammonium  sulphate.  [This  coke  docs  not 
appear  to  be  included  in  the  returns  in  the 
table.— Editor.] 

The  only  other  minerals  worthy  of  con- 
sideration were  000  tons  of  manganese  ore, 
running  better  than  oO"^,,  which  w-as 
jiroiiuced  from  a  new  discovery  on  Cowichan 
Lake,  Vancouver  Lsland,  and  7,500  tons  of 
fluor-spar,  valued  at  SI 75,000,  which  came 
from  Rock  Candj'  mine,  in  the  Grand  Forks 
division. 

Considering  the  depressed  condition  of  the 
base  metal  market  during  the  latter  part  of 
the  year,  the  report  cannot  be  considered 
as  other  than  satisfactory.  It  is  difficult 
to  make  any  predictions  for  the  future  at 
this  time.  The  Granby  is  practically  the 
only  copper  concern  operating  in  the  province 
at  the  present  time,  and  it  will  not  account  for 
more  than  30  to  35  million  pounds  during  this 
year.  The  Britannia  cannot  possibly  get 
its  new  mill  finished  this  year,  and,  considering 
that  the  Canada  Copper  Corporation  shut 
down  with  copper  at  15  cents,  it  is  hardly 
likely  that  it  will  restart  this  year.  The  Con- 
solidated Mining  and  Smelting  Co.  will 
produce  a  small  amount  of  copper  as  a  by- 
product from  its  Rossland  gold-copper  ores. 
It  is  keeping  up  its  lead  and  zinc  output, 
more  than  200,000  tons  of  ore  having  been 
delivered  at  the  smelter  during  the  first  half 
of  the  present  year,  against  383,000  for  the 
whole  of  last  year.  It  has  improved  its 
electrolytic  zinc  process,  too,  considerably, 
and  is  obtaining  a  much  better  extraction. 
The  Premier  Gold  Mining  Co.  wiU  have  its 
concentrating  plant  and  new  tramway 
finished,  and  should  give  a  much  larger  output 
than  ever  before.  An  enormous  ore  reserve 
has  been  developed  at  the  Premier,  and 
the  mine  may  be  confidently  trusted  to  give 
a  continually  increasing  output  of  silver  and 
gold  for  some  time  to  come.  The  Bclmont- 
Surf  Inlet  Mines,  Ltd.,  is  opening  up  a  new 
mine,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  the 
present  one,  and  it,  too,  should  give  a  good 
account  of  itself.  The  Dolly  Varden  mine, 
which  provided  more  than  a  quarter  of  the 


silver  ]iroduelion  last  j-ear,  has  not  been 
rcopenetl  this  year.  The  tenor  of  the  ore 
runs  about  37  oz.  of  silver  per  ton,  and,  with 
the  heavy  cost  of  maintenance  of  the 
mountain  railway  from  the  mine  to  tide- 
w.itrr,  tliis  ligure  gives  little  margin  for 
jMotit  at  the  present  price  of  silver.  The 
president  of  the  company  paid  a  visit  to 
ICngland  with  a  view  to  obtaining  capital 
for  a  concentration  and  cyanide  plant  at  tin- 
mine,  but  the  time  of  his  visit,  with  the  coal 
strike  on  hand  and  consequent  waning  rate 
in  money  exchange  between  the  two  places, 
evidently  was  not  propitious.  A  considerable 
sum  of  money  has  to  be  paid  off  to  the  old 
company  before  the  title  of  the  mine  is  clear, 
and  this  would  make  it  difficult  to  raise 
capital.  Given  a  concent  r.it  ion  jilant, 
indications  point  to  the  Dolh'  Varden 
becoming  a  good  property.  Unfortunately, 
howc\-er,  development  work  has  not  been 
maintained,  and  this  would  add  considerably 
to  the  difficulty  in  getting  money. 

Mining  is  still  very  quiet  in  the  Slocan, 
for  the  double  rca.son  that  the  ])rices  of  silver, 
lead,  and  zinc  remain  low  and  there  is  no 
satisfactory  outlet  for  the  product,  the  Con- 
solidated Mining  &  Smelting  Co.  being  able 
to  obtain  all  the  lead  and  zinc  ore  it  requires 
from  its  Sullivan  mine,  and  the  tenor  of  the 
bulk  of  the  ore  in  the  Slocan  renders  shipping 
to  United  States  smelters  unprofitable,  on 
account  of  the  high  freight  rates. 


NEW  BOOK  CATALOGUE 

The  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining 
Magazine  has  issued  a  new  catalogue  of  books 
relating  to  mining,  metallurgy,  geology,  and  kindred 
subjects,  including  oil  and  petroleum.  This 
catalogue  will  be  sent  post  free  on  application. 


PERSONAL 

F.  O'D.  BoURKE  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

L.  Maurice  Cockerell  left  on  August  3  for 
New  York  and  Mexico. 

Joseph  Crankshaw  has  gone  to  Peru  to  take 
over  the  management  of  the  New  Chuquitambo 
gold  mines. 

Harvey  Dodd  is  expected  from  Brazil. 

B.  E.  Frayling  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

O.  T.  Gorton  is  home  from  Portugal. 

F.  R.  Hockey,  superintendent  of  the  iron  mines 
of  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary,  has  arrived  in 
London  by  way  of  the  United  States,  and  is  now 
visiting  the  Swedish  iron  mines. 

Henry  C.  Jenkins  is  visiting  Roumania. 

Fred  Johnson  has  been  awarded  the  degree 
of  D.Sc.  by  the  Birmingham  University. 

T.  J.  Jones  has  returned  from  the  United  States. 

V.  F.  Stanley  Low  is  expected  home  from 
Sweden  shortlv. 


AUGUST    1921 


105 


D.  J.  Macdonald  has  left  for  West  Africa. 

William  McNeill  is  back  from  Mexico. 

Percy  Marmion  has  been  appointed  general 
manager  in  Burma  for  the  Burma  Corporation. 

Humphrey  M.  Morgans  has  returned  from  the 
East. 

Arthur  E.  Page  has  left  for  the  mines  of  the 
Ashanti  Goldfields  Corporation,  West  Africa. 

G.   RoosE  Paton  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

H.  G.  Payne  has  left  for  Rhodesia. 

John  Pope  has  gone  to  South  Africa. 

.Albert  Reis  is  back  from  Spain. 

H.  F.  G.  RoosE  is  back  from  Colombia. 

T.  Skewes  Saunders  has  resigned  as  manager 
of  Las  Dos  Estrellas,  El  Oro,  and  has  opened  an 
office  as  consulting  mining  engineer  at  525  Edificio 
La  Mutua,  Mexico  City. 

F.  F.  Sharpless  has  been  appointed  secretary 
of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgical  Engineers.  He  will  be  remembered 
in  this  country  as  .American  representative  of 
the  Consolidated  Mines  Selection  Company.  As 
to  his  personal  character  it  may  be  said  that  he  does 
credit  to  his  Quaker  parentage. 

R.  G.  Stickland  is  expected  shortly  from 
Sarawak. 

S.  C.  Thomson  has  been  appointed  consulting 
engineer  to  the  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary 
Company. 

J.  B.  Tyrrell  has  been  elected  chairman  of  the 
engineering  section  of  the  American  Association 
for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  which  will  hold 
its  next  meetmg  at  Toronto  in  December. 

Arthur  L.  Walker,  professor  of  metallurgy 
in  the  Columbia  University,  is  on  holiday  in  Europe. 

A.  T.  Watson  has  gone  to  the  Gold  Coast  for  the 
Goldfields  of  Eastern  Akkim 

P.  B.  Waugh  is  now  resident  in  Hungary. 

A.  Howell  Williams  has  returned  from  Chile. 

Ernest  Williams  is  back  from  Canada. 


Charles  H.  Eden,  vice-chairman  and  managing- 
director  of  Vivian  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  Swansea,  died  on 
July  28. 

William  Crosley  died  on  July  31.  He  was  for 
many  years  in  the  service  of  Edmund  Davis,  and 
was  well  known  in  West  Africa  as  manager  of  the 
Abbontiakoon  and  Prestea  Block  A. 

Cornwallis  F.  H.  Smith,  for  nearly  50  years  on 
the  City  reporting  staff  of  The  Times,  died  last 
month.  lie  was  well  known  in  many  circles  where 
his  wide  knowledge  and  accuracy  of  style  were  fully 
appreciated.  As  a  reporter  of  company  meetings 
he  was  unexcelled,  Mr.  Chisholm,  of  the  Mining 
World,  being  his  only  rival. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

The  works  of  the  Metropolitan -Vickers 
Electrical  Co.,  Ltd.,  at  Trafford  Park,  Man- 
chester, were  described  and  illustrated  in  the  Iron 
and  Coal  Trades  Review  for  July   15. 

Hyatt,  Ltd.,  of  4  Thurloe  Place,  South  Kensing- 
ton, London,  S.W.  7,  send  \is  their  latest  sectional 
catalogue  showing  the  appUcation  of  their  roller 
bearings  to  elevating  and  conveying  machinery. 

The  Wolf  Safety  Lamp  Co.  (Wm.  .Maurice, 
Ltd.),  of  the  Star  Works,  Leeds,  send  us  particulars 
of  their  acetylene  lamps  ;  and  the  Federation 
Lamp  Co.  (W'm.  Maurice,  proprietor),  send  us  a 
pamphlet  relating  to  their  new  electric  miners' 
lamp. 


Daniel  Adamson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Dukinfield, 
near  Manchester,  send  us  a  pamphlet  giving  a  brief 
account  of  the  expansion  of  their  business  since 
its  foundation  in  1851,  and  of  some  of  their 
specialities  :  steam-engines,  turbo-blowers,  air- 
compressors,  etc. 

A.  J.  M.  Sharpe,  at  one  time  with  the  Broken 
Hill  Associated  Smelters,  and  more  recently 
managing  director  of  H.  S.  WiUcocks  &  Co.,  Ltd., 
has  established  the  International  Metal  Service, 
with  offices  at  13-14,  Walbrook,  London,  E.G.  4. 
The  object  of  this  service  is  to  supply  commercial 
and  technical  information  relating  to  mines,  ores, 
metals,  chemical  products,  etc. 

The  Sullivan  Machinery  Co.,  of  Chicago 
(London  Office  :  Salisbury  House,  E.C.  2),  send  us 
Bulletin  78a,  which  describes  their  dry  vacuum 
pumps  of  single-cylinder  type.  These  are  equipped 
with  the  Sullivan  improved  wafer-type  plate  valve 
for  both  intake  and  discharge  openings.  They  are 
built  for  steam  or  belt  driving.  All  the  moving 
parts  are  enclosed  and  are  fully  lubricated  by  the 
splash   method- 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
at  the  beginning  of  July  exhibited  quite  a  firm  tone, 
but  later  on  values  receded.     The  chief  feature  in 
the  situation  has  undoubtedly  been  the  appreciation 
of  the  dollar,  which  tended  to  restrict  demand  from 
Europe,    and    by    curtailing    the    United    States' 
export   sales   caused    weakness   in   the   New   York 
quotation,   and   a   sympathetic   easiness   here.     As 
regards  the   London  market,  there  is  little  doubt 
that   the   firm    manner   in   which    values    held    up 
during  the  coal  stoppage  discounted  the  improve- 
ment in  consumption  which  was  expected  to  follow 
the  settlement,  and  although  some  slight  improve- 
ment has  been  noticeable  of  late,  it  has  not  been 
sufficient    to    sustain    values,    which    have    been 
ruling  at  below  the  American  parity.     America,  of 
course,  is  and  must  continue  to  be,  the  dominating 
influence,  and   much  will  depend   on   the  attitude 
of  producers  there.     The  latter  recently  have  shown 
rather  more  willingness  to  shade  prices,  and  it  may 
be  that  they  have  at  last  realized  that  the  only  way 
to  restore  the  industry  to  a  firm  basis  will  be  to  cut 
down  costs  and  reduce  prices.     The  present  United 
States  output  is,  of  course,  drastically  restricted, 
and   only  the  vastness  of  the  stocks   in   existence 
there  and   the   paucity   of  world   demand   prevent 
its   effect   being   felt   at   the   present   time.     With 
regard    to    European    demand,    both    France    and 
Germany  are  taking  fair  quantities  ;   and   in   this 
connexion   it  is   rather  surprising  that    Germany 
should  be  the  chief  foreign  purchaser  of  American 
electrolytic  at  the  moment,  bearing  in  mind  that 
she  has  to  pay  in  cash  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
credit  scheme  of  the  Copper  Export  Association  has 
not   been   applied   to   her.       Reports   from   Huelva 
are  to  the  effect  that  the  copper  mining  industry 
there  is   in   a   not   too   hopeful   condition,    but,   in 
response  to  an  appeal  from  the  management  the 
workmen   have    volunteered    to    work    extra    time 
without  pay.     A  report  from  Australia  states  that 
there  is  no  possibility  of  immediate  resumption  of 
smelting  at  the  Hampden  Cloncurry,  unless  a  sub- 
stantial  reduction  in  wages,  freights,  and  stores  is 
effected. 

Average   price  of  cash  standard   copper  :    July, 


106 


THE    MINING     MAi.AZINE 


Daily  London  Metal  Prices:    Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lcid,  Zinc,  and  Tin  por  Long  Ton  ; 

CopriR 


StnndixrJ  i..i 

h 

Standard  (3  mos.) 

Electrolytic 

Wire  Bars 

Best  Selected 

July 

C     »• 

d. 

I 

s. 

d. 

£    s. 

d. 

C    «■ 

d. 

I    s. 

d. 

f.    s. 

d. 

£   '• 

d. 

c  >• 

d. 

£    s. 

d. 

C      5.    d 

11 

72  10 

0 

to  72 

12 

ti 

72  10 

0 

to  72  12 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

73    0 

0 

to 

75    0    0 

12 

72    0 

0 

to  72 

2 

6 

72    2 

a 

to  72    6 

0 

71)  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

7(i  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

13 

72    2 

0 

to  72 

5 

0 

72    5 

0 

to  72    7 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

14 

71  12 

r, 

to  71 

15 

0 

71  15 

0 

to  71  17 

G 

715  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  77  10 

0 

72  10 

0 

to 

74  10    0 

15 

70  17 

e 

to  71 

0 

0 

70    2 

c 

to  71    5 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

71     0 

0 

to 

7;i    0    0 

18 

70  10 

0 

to  70  12 

6 

70  17 

0 

to  71    0 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

71     0 

0 

to 

73    0    0 

IP 

70    2 

6 

to  70 

5 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  70  12 

6 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

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0 

to 

72    0    0 

20 

70    5 

0 

to  70 

7 

6 

70  15 

0 

to  71    0 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

70    0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

21 

70    7 

6 

to  70  10 

0 

70  17 

0 

to  71    0 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

70    0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

22 

70  17 

6 

to  71 

0 

0 

71    5 

0 

to  71    7 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  76    0 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

71     0 

0 

to 

73    0    0 

25 

70    0 

0 

to  70 

2 

6 

70    7 

G 

to  70  12 

6 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

71    0 

0 

to 

73    0    0 

2f> 

70    0 

0 

to  70 

2 

6 

70    7 

0 

to  70  10 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  h:    0 

27 

70    0 

0 

to  70 

2 

6 

70    7 

0 

to  70  10 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  in    0 

28 

70    0 

0 

to  70 

2 

6 

70    7 

6 

to  70  10 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

20 

August 

2 

70    6 

0 

to  70 

7 

6 

70  12 

6 

to  70  15 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  77    0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to 

72  10    0 

70    5 

0 

to  70 

7 

0 

70  12 

e 

to  70  15 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  7C  10 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  76  10 

0 

70    5 

0 

to 

72    5    0 

3 

70    2 

6 

to  70 

5 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  70  12 

6 

74  10 

0 

to  711  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  70  10 

0 

70    5 

0 

to 

72    5    0 

4 

70    2 

6 

to  70 

5 

0 

70  10 

(1 

to  70  12 

6 

74  10 

0 

to  70  10 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  76  10 

0 

70    5 

0 

to 

72    5    0 

5 

70    5 

0 

to  70 

7 

6 

70  12 

6 

to  70  15 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  76    0 

0 

70    5 

0 

to 

72    5    0 

8 

70    0 

0 

to  70 

2 

6 

70    7 

6 

to  70  10 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

70    5 

0 

to 

72    5    0 

1921,  ;^71  4s.  4d.  ;  June,  1921,  £7\  ISs.  2d.  ;  July, 
1920,  /90  5s.  6d.  ;  June,  1920,  ;(;88. 

Tin. — A  drifting  tendency  has  been  noticeable 
in  the  London  standard  tin  market  during  the 
past  month,  and  after  a  slight  rally  at  the  com- 
mencement values  steadily  receded.  Consumption 
during  July  was  consistently  poor,  chiefly  owing 
to  the  non-appearance  of  the  expected  revival  in 
the  tinplate  industry.  With  genuine  consumers 
practically  out  of  the  market,  the  standard  market 
was  inevitably  dominated  by  the  tactics  of 
professional  operators  who  are  apparently  unwiUing 
to  give  the  market  much  support.  At  one  time  a 
little  inquiry  was  seen  from  the  United  States,  no 
doubt  inspired  by  the  proposal  to  impose  a  duty  of 
2  cents  per  lb.  on  imported  tin,  but  on  the  whole 
American  demand  has  been  quiet,  neither  the  fall 
here  nor  the  drop  in  sterling  exchange  succeeding 
in  attracting  any  serious  buying  interest.  The 
Continent,  however,  has  been  a  moderate  purchaser 
of  late.  As  regards  the  East  the  belief  that  pro- 
duction there  is  somewhat  in  excess  of  current 
demand  seems  to  be  confirmed  by  the  greater 
\vilUngness  to  sell,  which  is  now  apparent  in  the 
Straits.  Fair  quantities,  indeed,  have  been  dis- 
posed of  there  at  comparatively  reasonable  prices. 
The  future  of  the  market  is  a  little  obscure  at  the 
present  time,  as,  although  the  quotation  may  not 
necessarily  be  exorbitant,  the  existence  of  large, 
tied-up  stocks  in  the  East  and  the  probability  of 
a  further  surplus  accumulating  cannot  be  regarded 
with   much  optimism. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  July,  1921, 
/164  13s.  Id.  ;  June,  1921,  /167  12s.  lOd.  ;  July, 
1920,  i262  Is.  5d.  ;   June,  1920,  /250  18s.  6d. 

Le.^d. — Remarkable  steadiness  was  the  feature 
of  the  lead  market  in  London  during  the  month  of 
July,  and  values  on  balance  were  little  changed. 
A  fair  amount  of  speculative  activity  of  a  bullish 
nature  was  evident,  but  this  factor  alone  hardly 
accounted  for  the  firm  appearance  of  the  market. 
Holders  have  continued  their  firm  attitude,  while 
consumers  have  also  maintained  their  previous 
policy  of  buying  mainly  for  immediate  delivery. 
The  net  result  has  been  that  not  only  has  the  con- 


centration of  consumers'  demand  upon  the  prompt 
position  been  a  sustaining  factor,  but  that  when- 
ever delayed  shipments  entailed  a  shortage  of  near 
metal,  values  rose  appreciably.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  early  position  still  commands  a 
fair  premium  over  forward.  Consuming  demand, 
on  the  whole,  has  been  much  better  in  this  market 
than  in  most  of  the  other  metal  markets. 
Indications  are  not  lacking  that  possibly  the  near 
future  will  see  larger  arrivals  of  lead,  and  it  is 
quite  probable  that  Spain  will  cease  to  feature  as 
the  sole  supplier.  Indeed,  during  July  metal  arrived 
here  both  from  Australia  and  America,  and  should 
Me.xico  continue  to  dispatch  fair  quantities  of 
metal  into  the  United  States,  further  shipments 
from  the  latter  country  are  to  be  expected.  As 
regards  Australia,  it  is  not  believed  that  Broken 
Hill  consignments  on  any  scale  are  possible  for  some 
time  yet.  In  America  the  market  has  been  easy 
on  the  whole,  and  some  interests  have  withdrawn 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  present  prices  mean  a 
considerable  loss.  Quite  possibly  further  cuts 
will  be  made  in  the  United  States  output. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  July,  1921, 
/23  .Ss.  lOd  ;  June,  1921,  ;^22  9s.  Id.  ;  July,  1920, 
£35  9s.  ;    June,  1920,  £35  Is.  4d. 

Spelter. — The  course  of  values  in  the  London 
spelter  market  during  July  was  steadily  downwards, 
although  the  net  loss  was  not  considerable.  This 
seems  to  have  been  due  to  the  continuance  of  an 
extremely  poor  consuming  demand  and  rather  more 
willingness  on  the  part  of  holders  to  liquidate. 
Probably  some  holders  have  got  tired,  which  is  not 
surprising  in  view  of  the  present  poor  industrial 
outlook  and  the  complexity  of  the  spelter  situation. 
The  expected  revival  in  the  galvanizing  industry 
has  not  yet  materialized  to  any  extent,  and,  indeed, 
seems  impossible  just  at  present,  and  therefore 
very  little  improvement  can  be  expected  in  genuine 
consumptive  demand.  On  the  other  hand,  supplies 
have  continued  restricted.  The  Silesian  question 
is  still  undecided,  and  what  with  the  Reparations 
Act  and  the  German -Polish  dispute,  fresh  supplies 
are  unlikely  from  that  quarter  for  some  time. 
Belgium   and    Norway   have   recently   displayed   a 


AUGUST,    1921 


107 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal   Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  ;  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tim 

Silver 

ZlKC 

Spelter) 

Gold 

Soft  Foreign 

Englis 

h 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

C    s. 

d.        i    s. 

d. 

£    s- 

i.      i    ?. 

d.         i    s. 

d.  1 

£     s.d.          £     s. 

d. 

I     s. 

d.          i      s. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

Julv 

23    2 

6  to  23    0 

0 

24  10 

0    26  17 

6  to  27    7 

6 

166    0 

0  to  166    5 

0 

168  10 

0  to  168  15 

0 

365 

36S 

112  10 

11 

23    2 

6  to  23    0 

0 

24  10 

0    26  15 

Oto27    7 

6 

166    5 

0  to  166  10 

0 

168    5 

0  to  108  10 

0 

37 

36} 

113    4 

12 

23    2 

6  to  23    0 

0 

24  10 

0    26  12 

6  to  27    7 

6 

136  15 

0  to  167    0 

0 

169    0 

0  to  169     5 

0 

37} 

37i 

112    9 

13 

23    5 

0to23    2 

3 

24  10 

0    26  10 

Oto27    5 

0 

166    5 

0  to  166  10 

0 

168    5 

0  to  168  10 

0 

37} 

371 
37? 

113    2 

14 

23    7 

0to23    5 

0 

24  15 

0    26    5 

Oto27    0 

0 

165  10 

0  to  165  15 

0 

167  15 

0  to  168    0 

0 

37} 

113   4 

15 

23    7 

6  to  23    5 

0 

24  15 

0    26    5 

Oto27     0 

0 

164  10 

0  to  161  15 

0 

166  15 

0  to  167    0 

0 

371 

36? 

113    9 

18 

23  10 

0to23     5 

0 

24  15 

0    26    0 

0  to  25  15 

0 

161  10 

0  to  161  15 

0 

164    0 

0  to  164    5 

0 

37J 

305 
36i 

115    0 

19 

23  10 

Oto23    5 

0 

25    0 

0    26    0 

0  to  20  12 

6 

100    0 

0  to  160    5 

0 

162     5 

0  to  162  10 

0 

37 

114    4 

20 

24    -i 

6  to  23  12 

6 

25    5 

0    25  10 

0  to  20    5 

0 

161    0 

0  to  161     5 

0 

163    0 

0  to  163    5 

0 

38 

371 

11411 

21 

24    2 

6  to  23  12 

G 

25    5 

0    26    0 

0  to  26  15 

0 

102  15 

0  to  163    0 

0 

164  15 

0  to  165    0 

0 

38 

37J 

114    9 

22 

23  17 

6  to  23  10 

0 

25    5 

n    25  15 

0  to  26  10 

0 

160  15 

0  to  161     0 

0 

162  15 

0  to  163    0 

0 

381 

38i 
38i 

114   8 

25 

23  10 

0  to  23    2 

6 

24  15 

0    25  12 

6  to  26    7 

6 

loS    5 

0  to  158  10 

0 

160    5 

0  to  160  10 

0 

382 

114  10 

26 

23    2 

6  to  22  17 

6 

24  10 

0  ,  25  12 

6  to  26    7 

6 

158    5 

0  to  158  10 

0 

160    5 

0  to  160  10 

0 

39 

38J 
38| 

11410 

27 

23  12 

6  to  23    2 

6 

24  15 

0 

25  12 

6  to  26    7 

6 

159    5 

0  to  159  10 

0 

161     3 

0  to  161  10 

0 

391 

11410 

28 

23    7 

G  to  23    0 

0 

24  15 

0 

25  19 

0to23    5 

0 

159  15 

0  to  160    0 

0 

161  15 

0  to  162    0 

0 

38} 

38 

115    2 

29 

Aug. 

2 

23  12 

6  to  23    2 

6 

25    0 

0 

25    5 

0to26    2 

6 

158  10 

0  to  153  15 

0 

160  10 

0  to  160  15 

G 

383 

38  i 

115    5 

23  15 

0  to  23    7 

6 

25    0 

0 

25    0 

0  to  25  15 

0 

157  10 

0  to  157  15 

0 

159  15 

0  to  160    0 

0 

388 

384 

115    5 

3 

23  15 

0  to  23    7 

6 

25    0 

0    25    5 

0to26    0 

0 

158    0 

0  to  158    5 

0 

160    0 

0  to  160    5 

0 

3Si 

3SJ 

115    1 

4 

24    0 

0  to  23  10 

0 

25    5 

0 ; 25  10 

0to26    7 

6 

159    5 

0  to  159  10 

0 

101     5 

0  to  161  10 

0 

383 

38| 

114   2 

5 

23  15 

0to23    7 

G 

25    0 

0    25  15 

0to26  10 

0 

161  10 

0  to  162    0 

0 

163  10 

0  to  162    0 

0 

38J 

371 

113   3 

8 

little  more  desire  to  sell  and  moderate  quantities 
have  come  in.  The  stocks  in  the  United  Kingdom 
are  not  particularly  extensive,  but  are  quite  ample 
to  meet  the  poor  demand  which  at  present  exists. 
Production  in  Belgium  is  still  restricted  and  was 
some  4,370  tons  in  June,  against  4,360  tons  in  May. 
In  the  United  States  the  market  has  been  dull, 
and  the  position  there  does  not  inspire  much 
confidence.  At  the  moment,  however,  conditions 
are  hardly  favourable  for  shipments  of  surplus  metal 
from  that  country  to  this  side. 

Average  price  of  spelter  :  July,  1921,  £2Q  123.  ; 
June,  1921,  £21  2s.  2d.  ;  July,  1920,  £42  13s.  3d.  ; 
June,   1920,  /42  2s.   lid. 

Zinc  Dust. — Prices  are  fairly  steady ;  high- 
grade  Australian  £'55  per  ton,  English  92  to  94% 
about  £52  10s.,  and  American  92  to  94 °i  /52  10s. 

Antimony. — English  regulus  has  kept  very 
steady  ;  ordinary  brands  /37  to  £40,  special  brands 
£38  5s.  to  £42,  and  98  to  99%  £29  to  £32.  Foreign 
in  warehouse  shows  a  slight  advance  on  the  month 
at  £24  10s.  to  £25  per  ton. 

Arsenic  — The  market  has  continued  dull,  and 
the  quotation  for  Cornish  white  is  nominal  at  £45 
per  ton,  delivered  London  or  Liverpool. 

Bismuth. — No  recent  change  has  been  made  in 
the  quotation,  which  continues  at  7s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — The  price  continues  at  6s.  to  6s.  3d. 
per  lb. 

.\luminium. — The  quotation  is  about  £115  to 
£125  per  ton. 

Nickel. — Producers  quote  £190  for  both  home 
and  export,  but  this  price  is  somewhat  nominal. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  price  is  nominally  15s. 
to    16s  per  lb.,  but  there  are  sellers  at  slightly  less. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — Black  oxide  is  still  quoted  at 
12s.,  and  grey  is  also  unchanged  at  13s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Platinum  is  un- 
changed, manufactured  material  being  priced  at 
£20  and  raw  at  £17  per  oz.,  while  palladium  is  also 
steady,  with  manufactured  metal  quoted  at  £20 
and  raw  at  £15. 

Quicksilver. — The  market  is  quiet,  and  values 
are  slightly  lower  at  about  £10  17s.  6d.  per  bottle. 

Selenium. — Sellers  quote  10s.  6d.  to  13s.  per  lb. 


Tellurium. — The  quotation  is  easier  at  80s. 
to  90s.  per  lb. 

Sulph.ate  of  Copper. — The  quotation  is  un- 
changed at  £30  per  ton,  for  both  home  and  export. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  price  of  Indian  grades 
is  rather  nominal   at   Is.   2d.   per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K. 

Tungsten  Ore. — The  market  is  quiet  and 
variable.  The  present  quotation  for  65%  WO3 
is  about  12s.  6d.  to  13s.  6d.  per  unit. 

Molybdenite. — The  quotation  is  dull  and  rather 
nominal  at  42s.  to  SOs.  per  unit  c.i.f. 

Chrome  Ores. — Indian  and  African  grades  have 
eased  slightly  to  £4  10s.  c  i.f. 

Silver. — The  London  silver  quotation  was 
firmer  during  the  month  of  July.  The  price  opened 
at  35Jd.  on  the  1st,  rose  to  37id.  on  the  9th,  relapsed 
to  36|d.  on  the  Uth,  advanced  to  37id.  on  the  13th, 
and  then  fell  to  37d.  on  the  20th.  Subsequently 
the  quotation  was  marked  up  to  39W,  on  the  28th, 
followed  by  38|d.  on  the  29th.  The  price  closed 
the  month  on  July  30  at  39 Jd. 

Graphite. — Madagascar,  80  to  90%,  has  kept 
very  steady  at  £20  to  £25  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  and  Steel. — The  resumption  of  operations 
on  the  part  of  producing  plants,  since  the  settle- 
ment of  the  coal  dispute,  has  been  slow.  This  is 
mainly  accounted  for  by  the  price  of  coal,  which  is 
still  too  high  to  permit  of  economic  working.  A 
very  few  blast-furnaces  have  been  started,  and  the 
product  of  most  of  these  is  for  use  in  the  same 
plants.  Most  ironmasters  are  reluctant  to  resume 
production  till  they  see  a  chance  of  doing  so  at  a 
profit,  and  a  substantial  reduction  in  coke  prices 
will  be  necessary  if  the  prices  of  home  producers 
are  to  be  on  a  competitive  basis  with  Continental 
offers.  The  stocks  of  good  grades  of  foundry  iron 
in  makers'  hands  are  very  low,  as  a  result  of  the 
protracted  stoppage  of  production  In  the  case 
of  manufactured  material  the  delay  in  starting  is 
no  doubt  partly  attributable  to  lack  of  sufficient 
orders  to  permit  of  regular  working.  There  is  a 
certain  amount  of  inquiry  about,  but  business  is 
slow  to  mature.  Keen  ■  competition  is  still  in 
evidence  on  the  part  of  the  Continent,  and  a  fair 
amount  of  Continental  material  is  changing  hands. 


108 


ll!i:     MININC.     MACAZINI'. 


STATISTICS 


PnoBvciioN  OF  Gold  in  thi  Traksvaal. 


Rand 


Else- 
where 


Total 


Oi. 


Or. 


Oi. 


Price  o( 
Gold  per  ox. 


June,  1920 C9P,100    !     10,753  I   715,857 

July    718,521  17„'i7S  78(i,0»D 

Au/just CS3,604  18,479  702,083 

Septcmlwr ,  li05,486  16,687  ,   682,173 

October   '  645,819  16,65.3  662,472 

November  618,525  15,212  ,   63S.797 

December 617,549  14,666  632,215 


102 
105 
112 
115 
117 
117 
115 


Total.  1920   7,949,038       204,587     8,153,625 


January,  1921  . . .  637,425  14,16.'* 

l-cbruary  I  643,767  I  14,370 

March 656,572  14,651 

April 665,309  I  16,073 

May    671,7.%  (  16,026 

June i  663,383  I  15.107 


651,593 
688,137 
671,123 
681,882 
687,776 
676.400 


105 
103 
103 
1C3 
103 
107 


Nativks  Employed  im  trb  Transvaal  Mikes. 


Gold 
mines 


Coal 

mines 


Diamond 
mines 


Total 


June  30, 1920 i  179,827 

July31 1  174,187 

August31    1  169,263 

September  30   163,132 

October  31 !  1,'>9.420 

November  30 '  158,773 

December  31 1  159,671 

January  31,  1921   ...  165,287 

February  28    171,518 

March  31    174,364 

April  30  172,826 

May31   170,595 

June  30   |  168,152 


13,036 

4,506 

]97,4f.9 

13,005 

4,521 

191,713 

13,535 

4,244 

187,042 

13,71fi 

4,323 

181,171 

13,858 

4,214 

177,498 

14,245 

8,504 

176,522 

14.263 

3,340 

1    177,274 

14,541 
14,697 
14,906 
14,908 
14,510 
14.704 


3,319 
1,612 
1,3H4 
1,310 
1,302 
1.317 


1S1,147 
187,827 
100,634 
189,050 
180,407 
184,173 


Cost  and  Profit  o.n  the  Rand. 

Compiled   from    official   statistics   published    by    the   Transvaal 
Cbamber  of  Mines. 


Work'g 

Work'g 

Total 

Tons 

Yield 

cost 

profit 

working 

milled 

per  ton 

per  ton 

/per  ton 

profit 

s.  d. 

s.  d. 

s.  d. 

£ 

June.  1920  . . . 

2,146,890 

31  10 

25    2 

6    8 

692,510 

July 

2,194,050 

33    6 

24    6 

9    0 

985,058 

August    

2,0.57,500 

36  11 

25    0 

11  11 

1,226.806 

September  . . . 

1,9.50,410 

38  U 

25    6 

13    6 

1,276.369 

October  

1,871,140 

39    9 

26    1 

13    S 

1,278,385 

November  . . . 

1,799,710 

40    2 

26    8 

13    1 

1,255.749 

December  . . . 

1,797,970 

39  11 

26    8 

13    3 

1,193.672 

Januarv,  1921 

1,895,235 

35    0 

26    3 

8    9 

829,436 

February 

1,. 576,320 

35    6 

28    6 

7    0 

5.50,974 

March   

1,958,730 

34    5 

26    1 

8    4 

813,636 

AprU     

1.981.815 

M    5 

25  10 

8    7 

854,533 

May 

1,955,357 

35    3 

26    2 

9    1 

889,520 

Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1920 


1921 


January  , . . 
February  , . 
March   .... 

April   

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . . 
September  . 
October  . . . 
November  . 
December  . 


C 
211,917 
220,885 
225,808 
213,160 
218,057 
2!4,215 
214,911) 
207,339 
223,710 
204,184 
180,462 
158,835 


43,423 
44,237 
4.5,779 
47,090 
46,266 
45,054 
46,208 
48,740 
45,471 
47,343 
46,782 
46,190 


oz. 
40,956 
40,810 
31,995 
47,858 
48,744 
49,400 


Transvaal  Cols  Outputs. 

i  May  I 


Juno 


Treated  i 
Tons 


Yield 
Oz. 


1  Treated 
I     Tons 


Aurora  West 

BraKpan  

City  Deep    

Cons.  Lan(^laa(jte   

Cons.  Main  Reef 

Crown  Mines 

D'rb'n  RoodepoortDccp 

Fast  Kand  P.M 

Ferrcira  Deep  

Geduld 

Gcldi-nhuis  Deep 

Glynn's  Lydenburg    . . . 

Goch  

Government  G.^I.  Areas 

Kleinfontein    

Knij^ht  Central 

Langlaa^tc  Estate   . 

l.nipaard's  Vlei  .... 

Meyer  &  Charlton  . . 

Modderfontein j 

?Iod(!rrfortein  V>    

Modderfontcin  Deep    . . 

Modderfontein  East 

New  Unified    

Nourse  

Primrose    

Kandfontein  Central    . . 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodcpoort  United    . . . 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs    

Sub  Nigel 

Trans\aal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  Kyn   

Van  Ryn  Deep    

Vill.nge'Dcep   [ 

West  Rand  Consohdated 
W'itw'tersr'iid  (Knights)i 
VVitw  atersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhuter 


10,8.50 
54,500 
86,000 
39,000 
48,fK)0 
188,000 
27,600 
130,000 
83,100 
46,000 
48,687 

8,370 
16,300 
184,000 
47,700 
27,500 
38,500 
20,770 
13.700 
88.000 
68,000 
41,300 
24,000 
11,000 
42,200 
20,900 
121  ,(,-00 
38,500 
59,000 
22,400 
62,000 
60,000 
'43,900 

9,000 
15,620 
32,500 
49,000 
46,000 
33,100 
35,800 
35,200 
31,400 


Yickl 
Oz. 


•  Gold  at  £5  7s.  6d.  per  oz.  f  £5  ; 
§  £5  Is.  3d. 


£16,a7.''t  10.040  £1B,182« 

22,795  58,700  20,971 

87,251  85,.500  30,128 

£65,209t  44,300  £07,905« 

17,684  40,200  16,800 

58,149  190,000  64,;-;:)7 

9,638  27,000  0,195 

85,658  123,500  33,034 

10,907  32,300  10,020 

15,670  44,500  14,815 

18,240  '  4.5,068  12,428 

£6,62ii§  8,805  i  £7,7101 

£20,102+  ;  17,800  !  £19,940* 

£260,080t  '  129,000  I  £275,55(1« 

13„345  48,000  '   13,795 

7,107  28,100  08,810 

£63,448t  40,200  £r.5,7n{j» 

£24,112t  21,550  £20,,S(;0« 

£42,166t  18,000  £41,(f.O* 

43,680  06,000  45,103 

82,038  57,500  82,556 

28,233  42,000  23,884 

10,353  24,100  9,753 

£13,202+  11,'JOO  £18,.571» 

13,990  42,000  13,561 

£28,807t  21,600  £23,814* 

£183,779t  123,600  £201,427* 

8,035  42,000  7,905 

18,147  56,300  17,404 

£23,000t  22,200  £24,434* 

13,705  53,500  13,876 

14,017  61,400  14,186 

19,596  41,500  18.806 

5,914  9,500  6,698 

£24,312§  15,590  £23,282t 

£48,437t  32,200  £49,225 

£136,246t  51,000  £144,520* 

15,141  47,000  15,212 

Z48,411t  32,000  £48,802 

£48,442t  37,400  £53,995 

9,568  34,891  9,513 

7.670  I  82.600  I '7342_ 

3s.  9d.  per  oz.  J  £5  6s.  per  oz. 
per  oz. 


Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


May 


Tons 


Cam  &  Motor   

Falcon    

Gaika  

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo    

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-.\rcturus  

Rezende 

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva   

Transvaal  h  Rhodesian 


11,200 

16.637 

3,324 

P,364 

1,350 

5,440 
6.820 
6.800 
245 
55.500 
1,600 


Oz. 


*  Also  270  tons  copper.       t  At 
II  Also  268  tons  copper. 


£12,978+ 
3,144* 
1,281 
5,069 
470 
£3,422 
6,396 
2.942 
2,630 
210 
£42,.582t 
£5,307t 


June 


Ton.= 


11,700 

15,572 

3,406 

0,185 

1.300 

2,4S7 

6.350 

5,700 

5,700 

528 

56,300 

1,550 


Oz. 


3,061 
3,88111 
1,271 
5,386 
485 
£8,051 
5,280 
2,438 
2,547 
279 
£43,94  6§ 
£6,068+ 


par.       X  Gold  at  £5  5s.  per  oz. 
§   Gold  at  £5  10s.  per  oz. 


Total 


52.4PP 


S'71.a35 


West  African  Gold  Outputs. 

May 

June 

Treated 

Value 

Treated  )    Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Tons 
6,804 
6,825 

6,727 
1,018 
7,312 
2,600 

Oz. 

£10,807* 

2,252 

7,839 

£3,265+ 

£12,437* 

1,664 

Tons 
6,550 
6,305 

6,692 

S39 

7,177 

2,700 

Oz. 

£10,9:7* 

2,C90 

Akoko  

Ashanti  GoIdBcIds   

6,626 
£2,555t 
£13,091* 
1,729' 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah  

'  At  par.         t  Including  premium. 


AUGUST,^  1921 


109 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Reported  ,  Delivered 

for  Export      to  Mint 

Oz.  Oz. 


Total 
Oz. 


Total 
Value  £ 


October,  1920 174 

November    12S 

December 321 

JaDuary,  1921 523 

February  684 

March 10 

April 607 

Alay 474 

June 153 

July 1,641 


53,801 

53,975 

229,275 

54,729 

54,857 

233,017 

53,595 

.53,916 

229,057 

50,934 

.51,457 

218,574 

26.872 

27,556 

117,050 

47,875 

47,885 

203,401 

46,602 

47,209 

200,635 

47,638 

51,503 

217,495 

28,194 

28,347 

120,410 

44,917 

46,558 

197,774 

Australian  Gold  Ovipuis. 


West 
Australia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

£ 

January  . 

51,458 

4,587 

4,582 

20,403 

February. 

27,557 

10,940 

9,046 

21,575 

March  . . . 

47,886 

12,383 

6,090 

24,344 

April  .... 

47,273 

5,954 

2,591 

34,101 

May    .... 

48,113 

— 

15,356 

June 



— 



11.340 

July 



— 



16,416 

August. . . 



. — 



September 

i_ 

— 





October    . 









November 









December 

— 

- 

— 

— 

Total  . . 

222,287 

33,865 

22,909 

144,095 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


Jlay 


June 


Tons 

Value  i 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

6,023 

7,28511 

5,962 

7,65811 

Blackwater  (N.Z.)    

2,744 

5,'155'  ■ 

2,927 

6,290* 

BullBnch  (W.A.) 

Gold'n  Horseshoe  (W.A) 

4,032 

2,454t 

10,032 

5,253t 

Grt  Boulder  Pro.  (W..\.) 

4,150 

12,883i; 

8,743 

27,3221! 

Ivanhoe  (W.A.) 

4,483 

i,.53i: 

15,425 

5,958{ 

Kalgurli  (W.A.)    

4.958 

11,250;| 

1,572 

4,371|i 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.) 

4,012 

in,274f|| 

6,360 

15,2251il 

Menzies  Con.  {W.A.I    . . 





2,070 

4,309* 

Mount  Eoppy  (N.S.W.) 

4,874 

83ot 

2,166 

5801 

Oroya  Links  (W.A.)  ... 

1,548 

7,418tll 

1,597 

7,429tll 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

— 

— 



Sons  of  Gwaha  (W.A.)  . 

— 

. 

_ 



South  KalgurU  (W.A.)  . 

— 

— 

11,364 

18,66311 

Waihi(N.Z.) 

11,959  ■ 

.%511t 
2.'),738| 

13,702  ■[ 

4,004t 
36,003§ 

„  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z.) . 

6,020  [ 

1,790J 
6,0S9§ 

5,700  \ 

1,7301 
5,792§ 

Yuanmi(W.A.) 

1,K!2 

5,511« 

1,666 

4,513* 

'  Including 


premium  ;      +  Including    royalties  ;      t  Oz.     gold  1 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   |1  At  par. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 


May 


June 


Tons 


Value  / 


Tons       Value  £ 


Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 

El  Oro  (.Mexico)    

Esperanza  (.Mexico)   

Frcntino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 
Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico). . 
Mining  Corp.  of  Canada  . 
Oriental  Cons.  (Korea)  . . . 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)    

Plym'th  Cons.  (CaUfmia 
St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil). 
Santa  Gertnidis  (Mexico)!    37,258 

Tolima  (Colombia)  55*' 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    !    10,000 


34,500 

2,340 
11,500 


6,700 
8,600 


2S2§ 

207,000t 

2,1881} 

8,777 

181,7801 

94.000t 

2,41011 

8,900 

33,009 

10.742} 

65,0001 


34,500 

2,340 
11,510 


6,400 
8,000 

36,602 

18,500 


360§ 

209,0001 

32911 

10,737* 

182,0701 

94,0001 

2,40911 

8,120 

40,000* 

14,208t 

58,0001 


•  At  par.     t  U.S.  Dollars,      t  Proftt,  gold  and  silver.     |l  Oz.  gold. 

§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.    **  Production  of  silver  ore. 
Ncchi  (Colombia)  :  IS  days  to  July  1,  tl0,S79  from  165,407  cu.  yd. ; 

18  days  to  July  19,     f  12,006  from  109,247  cu.  yd. 

Pato  (Colombia)  :  16  days  to  Julv  9,  S14,93(3  from  71,482  cu.  yd.  i 

16  days  to  July  25,  51 1,507  from  70,080  cu.  yd. 


Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


May. 

June. 

Tons 
Treated 

Fine 
Ounces 

Tons 
Treated 

Fine 
Ounces 

Balaghat   

3,300 

12,215 

16,818 

700 

8,630 
12,J)00 

2,609 
4,.561 
10,776 
913 
5,315 
8,482 

3,200 

11,988 

17,243 

700 

8,916 
12,000 

2,342 
4,607 
10,5CG 
913 
5,304 
8.476 

Champion  Reef 

North  Anantapur 

Nundydroog    

Ooregum    • 

Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


1920 


1921 


January  . . . 
February  . . 
March    . . . . 

April   

May 

Jure 

July 

August  . . . . 
September  . 
October  . . , 
November  . 
December  . 


Total  ..I  520,362    i  485,236    I  461,171    1444,532    I  1 96,3' 


Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

44,713 

41,420 

38,184 

39,073 

42,560 

40,757 

36,384 

38,872 

44,617 

41,719 

38,317 

38,760 

43,726 

41,504 

38,248 

37,307 

42,901 

40,889 

38,608 

38.191 

42,924 

41,264 

38,359 

37,864 

42,273 

40,229 

38,549 

37,129 

42,591 

40,490 

37,850 

37,375 

43,207 

40,088 

36,813 

35,497 

43,041 

39,472 

37,138 

35,023 

42,915 

36,984 

39.628 

34,522 

44,883 

40,149 

42,643 

34,919 

Oz. 

34.028 
32.529 
32,576 
32,363 
32,650 
32,207 


Ba^e  Metal  Outputs. 


May    1     June 


Broken  HjII  Prop... 
Broken  Hill  South  . 
Burma  Corporation. 

Hampden  Cloncurry 
Mount  Lyell      


Arizona  Copper Short  ton?  copper    . . 

I  Tons  lead  cone.    . . , 

British  Broken  Hill    . .  -  -'  Tons  zinc  cone 

( Tons  carbonate  ore 
'  Tons  lead  cone.    . . , 

*  *  (  Tons  zinc  cone.  . . . , 
.  .Tons  lead  cone , 

I  Tons  refined  lead    . , 

'  *  I  Oz.  refined  silver   . . 

(  Tons  copper    , 

*  *  i  Oz.  gold   , 

j  Tons  copper    

. .  J  Oz.  silver   , 

{  Oz.  gold   , 


Mo-t  Morgan    "I  S^omT'.  ! 

North  Broken  Hill ■'  Tons  lead  . . . 

I  Oz.  silver   . . . 
Rhodesia  Broken  Hill 

Sulphide  Corporation  . . 


Tons  lead  . 
J  Tons  lead  cone. 
'i  Tons  zinc  cone  ., 
Tanganyika Tons  copper 

Zinc  Corporation   -'  ?°"^  f'"S  "=°"'^-- 

^  I  Tons  lead  cone. 


2,897 

2,781 

353,003 


435 

10,432 

277 


1,760 
1,006 
3,093 
2,846 
9,745 
811 


2,533 

2,323 

266,893 


451 

14,316 

280 


1,559 
3,222 
5,320 
2,736 
9,315 
865 


Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kingdom. 


May 


June 


Coal 

Iron  Ore  

Manganese  Ore    .  - 

Copper  and  Iron  P>Tites  . . . . 
Copper  Ore,  .Matte,  and  Prec. 

Copper  Metal     

Tin  Concentrate      . . . 

Tin  Metal 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet 

Zinc  (Spelter) 

Quicl<silver 

Zinc  Oxide 

White  Lead     

Barytes,  ground    

Phosphate      

Sulphur 

Nitrate  of  Soda 

Petroleum 

Crude    

Lamp  Oil     

Motor  Spirit 

Lubricating  Oil   

Gas  Oil 

Fuel  Oil    


.Tons  . 

.Tons  .! 

.Tons  . 

.Tons  . 

.  Tons  . 

.Tons  . 

.  Tons  . 

.Tons  . 

.Tons  . 

.Tens  . 

.Lb.  . 

.Tons  . 

.Cwt.  . 

.Cwt.  . 

.Tons  . 

.  Tons  . I 

.Cwt.  . 


450,162 

15,696 

21,518 

5,170 

291 

7,609 

1,051 

1,205 

10,709 

2,206 

7,865 

309 

2.8S5 

6,987 

14,704 

18,994 


.Gallons,  9,299,586 
.Gallons  9,034,974 
.Gallons  28,364,422 
.Gallons  3,750,784 
.Gallons:  1,494,292 
.Gallons'  47,952,217  I  54;32i;777 


1,390,824 

34,209 

8,334 

3,881 

1,373 

8,542 

2,174 

965 

12,103 

2,593 

385,528 

340 

4,323 

12,187 

13,875 

19,800 

7,137,546 

16,939,260 

16,390,603 

1,953,902 

7,181,277 


110 


Till-     MlNIXi;     MAC.AZIXE 


Oi'triTS  Of  Tis  Mining  Coupaniks. 
la  Tom  of  Concentrate. 


April 


Nlmriit :  Tons 

AssKinted  Nigerian    — 

Biiichi 27 

Bonitwclli   i  — 

Champion  (Nigeria) — 

Du»  — 

Ex-Ljinds  20 

rilani 2 

Oold  Coast  Consolidated    ...  — 

Gunim  Kiver  7 

laittar — 

Jos 0 

Knduna 10 

Kaduna  Prospectors 11 

Kano — 

Kctli  ConsolkiattHi     

Lower  Di«ichi 4i 

Lucky  Chaucc    — 

Minua    — 

Mongu 3G 

Naraputa 45 

Naraguta  Extended    i  8 

Nigerian  Consoliiatcd 8 

N.N.  I^auchi 41* 

Ortin  River i  — 

Rayfield    30 

Kopp 95 

Rukuba  5 

South  Bukeru 20 

Sybu    II 

Tin  Fields 4 

Yarde  Kerri  13 

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang j  — 

Gopeng    77J 

Idris  Hydraulic I  21 

Ipoh I  — 

Kamuntiog • — 

Kinta 36 

Lahat [  51 

Malavan  Tin 77 

Pahang     '. 230 

Rambutan    '  15i 

Sungei  Besi    '  34 

Tekka    31 

Tekka-Taiping i  11 

TroDoh    '  22 

Cornwall  : 

East  Pool   I  — 

Geevor :  — 

South  Crofty    — 

Other  Countries : 

Araraayo  Francke  (Bolivia)  .  195 

Berenguela  (Bolivia) '  27 

Briseis  (Tasmania)     8 

Deebook  Ronpiboo  (Siam)  . .  28 

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal)  ....  — 

Macready  (Swaziland) — 

Rsnong  (Siara) 72 

Rooiber^  Mineralsi'Transvaal)  50 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   76 

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)  ...  43 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)   — 


Mjy 


Tons 


161 

2a 
6 

33 


107 
50 

120 
54 
13 


June 


Ton* 

33 


15 


321 

35 

40 

38 

8 

20 

6i 

9 

42 

64 

__ 

31 

97 

104 

3 

3 

10 

16 

11 

U 

11 

9i 

_ 

09' 

83J 

361 

19 

13J 

20 

5} 

82* 

35J 

35J 

50i 

52 

8:1 

8(35 

248 

240 

16 

15 

36 

33 

36 

30 

lOJ 

2U 

21 

20 

165 

28 

9 

32 


01 
55 
124 


10 


2 

4 

7 

10 

22t 

4 

7 

11 

101 

81 

10 

*  Three  months.        t  Tributers. 

Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
in  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 
I'^oU. — Thesf  fissures  are  tahcn  from  the  vionthly  returv.s  made  by 
individual  companies  reporting  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
85%  of  the  actual  o\ttpiits. 


1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons   ! 

Tons 

January  

531 

667 

678 

013 

547 

438 

Februaiy   

,528 

616 

008 

623 

477 

370 

March 

547 

655 

707 

606 

505 

445 

April 

486 

555 

584 

546 

467 

394 

May 

536 
510 

509 
473 

523 
492 

483 
4R4 

383  ' 
435 

337 

June    

321 

July    

506 

479 

545 

481 

484 

August    

498 

551 

571 

610 

447 

— 

September  .... 

535 

538 

5''0 

561 

528 

— 

October    

584 

578 

491 

625 

62S 

— 

November   .... 

679 

621 

472 

536 

544 

— 

December 

654 

655 

518 

511 

577 

— 

Toul 

6,594 

6,927 

6,771 

6,685 

0,022 

2,305 

ritonucnoN  or  Tin  in  FrprRATro  Matay  Statis. 

listimatcd  at  7U%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Snieltetm 
LonK  Tons. 


1017 


1918 


1919 


1920 


1021 


Tons 

January 3,B5« 

Febniarv 2.755 

March    '. 8,280 

April   I  3,251 

May I  3,113 

June 3,489 

July  3.253 

August :  3,413 

September 3,154 

October I  3,4.30 

November ;  3,800 

December \  8,525 


39,833 


Tons 

Tons 

Tom 

3,030 

3,765 

4,265    1 

3,197 

2,734 

8,014 

2,609 

2,819 

2,770 

3,808 

2,858 

2,000 

3, .332 

8,407 

2.741 

3,070 

2,877 

2,940 

8,373 

3,75C 

2,824 

8.259 

2,950 

2,730 

3,157 

3,161 

2,734 

2,870 

3,221 

2,837 

3,132 

2,972 

2,578 

3,022 

2,409 

2,838 

87,370 

30,935 

34,928 

Tons 
8,298 
3,111 
2,190 
2,092 
2,884 
2,752 


10,927 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  Tons, 


1  May  31 

Str.iits  and  Australi.nn  Spot   1  1,430 

Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit      .  .|  585 

Oilier  Standard,  Si^ot  and  Landing  4,457 

Straits,  Afloat    I  1,505 

Australian,  Afloat   '  150 

Bauca,  in  Holland 3,405 

Ditto,  .\float 445 

Billiton,  Spot  644 

ISilliton,  Afloat j  30 

Straits,     Spot     in     Holland     a.-id| 

Hamburg    ;  — 

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     |  475 

Total  Anoat  for  United  States    . .  .\  2,595 

Stock  in  America i  2,046 

Total  i  17,767 


June  30 


16,953 


July  31 


1,931 

1,930 

135 

250 

4,279 

4,868 

1,210 

1,355 

90 

135 

3,780 

4,244 

485 

351- 

523 

423 

150 

38 

585 

305 

1,223 

8,906 

2,546 

2,521 

19,852 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  op  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Lcng  tons. 


May 

June 

July 

Shipments  from  ; 

Straits  to  U.K. 

1,425 
1,7.35 

.507 
200 

490 

353 

320 
600 
505 
350 
25 
200 

724 

1,340 
2,420 

215 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

325 
150 
975 

Imports     of     Bolivian    Tin     into 
Europe 

221 

Supply  : 

3,667 

150 
1,180 

1        394 

1,425 
25 

273 
1,170 

263 

3,975 

150 

55 

1,284 

Standard 

1,228 

Total 


Consumption  : 

U.K.  DeUveriK   , 

Dutch  „ , 

American      ,, . 

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 
tinental Porta,  etc 


Total 


AUGUST,    1921 


111 


Outputs  Reported  by  Oil-producing  Companies, 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.    August  8. 


Tons. . 

May 

June 

14,173 

10,700 

21,000 

70,212 

102,720 

294 

94,260 

S.OSO 

2,1  £9 

9,600 

19,15J 

13,.550 

3,768 

13,529 

Anglo-United    

Barrels 

Banels 

9,660 
16,985 

Barrels 

69,020 

Caltex    

— 

Barrels 

91,157 

8,845 

Tens . . 

],115 

Tons.. 

1,228 

Tiinidad  Leaseiiolds    

United  oi  Trinidad    ....... 

Tons,. 

Tons.. 

11,300 
3.402 

QuorATioNS   OF   Oil  Companies'   Shares. 
Denominatioa  of  Shares  £1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


AQglo-Americaa  

Aoglo-Egyptian  B    

Anglo-Persian  1st  Pref 

Anglo-United,  Wyoming     

A^jex  Trinidad    

British  Borneo  (10s.) 

British  Burmah  (Ss.j 

Burmah  Oil 

Caltes  (51)    ! 

Dacia  Romano   

Kern  River,  Cil.  (lOs.) I 

Lobitos,  Peru 

M?xican  Eagle,  Ord.  {S5)   

Pref.  (§5)    

North  Caucasian  (10s.) . ' 

Phoenix,  Roamania    

Roumanian  Consolidated 

Royal  Dutch  (100  galdea)    

Scottl«h  American    

Shell  Transport.  Ord.  . .    

.,       Pref.(£10) ... 

Trinidad  Central , 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

United  British  of  Trinidad  

Ural  Caspian     I 

Uroz  Oilljelds  (lOs.l I 


July  6 

Aug.  5 

1921 

1921 

i    s. 

d. 

i  s. 

d. 

4  10 

0 

4    5 

I) 

1    S 

i) 

1    8 

9 

1    2 

li 

1    2 

6 

5 

I) 

3 

9 

2    0 

0 

1  17 

6 

13 

9 

12 

6 

1    0 

0 

17 

6 

6    7 

H 

6    2 

(i 

4 

H 

4 

H 

1    0 

0 

17 

H 

19 

6 

19 

H 

4    5 

0 

4    2 

6 

5    7 

6 

5    6 

3 

5    2 

6 

5    2 

f, 

17 

(i 

17 

K 

11 

9 

9 

(i 

12 

H 

10 

3 

42  10 

0 

43    0 

0 

7 

0 

3 

0 

5  11 

■A 

5    2 

6 

8  10 

n 

8  10 

0 

3  15 

0 

3  11 

■A 

2  10 

0 

2    5 

0 

18 

9 

17 

H 

17 

« 

17 

6 

8 

9 

6 

6 

Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 

Company 

Par 

Value  of 

Shares 

Amount  of 
Dividend 

July  25    .. 
.\ugust  6.. 
July  21    .. 
July     9  .. 
July  25    .. 
July  22    .. 

July  23    .. 
July  11  .. 
July  14   .. 
JulyU    .. 
July  27    .. 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary  . . . 

Deebook  Dredging 

Eastern  Smelting 

P.Or.£l 

a 
a 

4s. 
Or. /I 
Pr.fl 

JIO 

£i 

£1 

a 

9d. 

ls.« 
10%  less  ta.i. 
5%  less  tax. 

33% 

6\%  less  tax. 

Glynn's  Lydenburg 

Moad  Xickel \ 

Is.  tax  paid. 

Oriental  Consolidated 

Oroville  Dredging   

7%  less  tax. 

50  cts. 

Is.  less  tax. 

4Ad.  tax  paid. 

3d.  less  tax. 

Tekka  Taiping 

These   quotations    -ire    not    absalute ;     they 
quantities  required  and  contracts 


'    vary   according    to 
nmning, 

r     t,     ^ 


*  Instalment  of  return  of  capital. 


Acetic  Acid,  40% 

80%  

,,  Glacial 

Alum    , 

Alumina,  Sulphate 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous 

0-880  solution    

,,  Carbonate 

,,  Chloride,  grey   

,,  ,,      pure    

Nitrate  

,,  Phosphate    ..., 

,,  Sulphate    

Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic 

„  Sulphide,  Golden 

Arsenic,  White   

Barium  Carbonate 

„      Chlorate 

„       Chloride 

,,       Sulphate   

Benzol,  90% 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI 

,,  Liquor,  V'/o    

Borax 

Boric  Acid  Crystals  

Calcium  Chloride    

CartKilic  Acid,  crude  60% 

,,  ,,     crystallized,  40    

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) 

Citric  Acid 

Copper,  Sulphate 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100%    

Hydrofluoric  Acid    - 

Iodine 

Iron,  Nitrate 

,,     Sulphate    

Lead,  .-Ycetate,  white 

„     Nitrate   

„      Oxide,  Litharge 

„     White   

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   

,.      grey  80%   

Magnesite,  Calcined 

Magnesium,  Chloride  

,,  Sulphate    

Methylated  Spirit  04^  Industrial  

Nitric  Acid,  80°  Tw 

Oxalic  Acid  

Phosphoric  .\cid 

Potassium  Bichromate    

,,         Carbonate 

,,  Chlorate  

Chloride  80% 

„  Hydrate  (Caustic)  90%   

,,  Nitrate       

,,  Permanganate  

,,  Prussiate,  Yellow   

Red 

Sulphate,  90'% 

Sodium  Metal 

„       Acetate    

„      Arsenate  45% 

,,      Bicarbonate    

„      Bichromate     

,,      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  

„  „         (Crystals)   

„       Chlorate 

„      Hydrate,  76% 

,,       Hypo:ulphite   

„      Nitrate,  96%    

,,       Phosphate 

,,       Prnssiate 

Silicate 

,,      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    

(Glauber's  Salts)    

,,       Sulphide    

,,       Sulphite 

Sulphur,  Roll   

,,       Flowers    

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65^  

,,  ,,       free  from  Arsenic,  144 ' 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30% 

Tartaric  Acid    

Turpentine    

Tin  Crystals 

Titanous  Chloride  

Zinc  Chloride 

Zinc  Oxide 

Zinc  Sulphate 


.  per  cwt. 

,  per  ton 


.  per  lb. 
,  per  ton 
.  per  lb. 
.  per  ton 
,  per  cwt. 
,  per  ton 

.  per  lb. 

,  per  ton 

,  per  lb. 
.  per  ton 

,  per  gal. 
,  per  ton 


,  per  gal. 

.  per  lb. 

,  per  ton 

,  per  lb. 

.  per  ton 

,  per  lb. 

.  per  oz. 

.  per  ton 


.  per  gal. 
,  per  ton 
,  per  lb. 
.  per  ton 
,  per  lb. 
,  per  ton 
,  per  lb. 
,  per  ton 


,  per  lb. 


,  per  ton 
,  per  lb. 
,  per  ton 


,  per  lb. 

,  per  ton 

,  per  lb. 

.  per  too 


,  per  lb. 
,  per  ton 


,  per  lb. 
,  per  cwt. 
.  per  lb. 

.  per  ton 


14  10 

2 

30    0 

40    0 


4  10 
o 

30    0 


4 
43 
48 
32 
44 

8 
U 
21 
15 
10 

31 

50 
26    0 


0 
0 
0 
2 
1 

0  „ 
0  0 
11 
0  0 
0  0 
3  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0  0 
0    0 

0  0 

1  7 

6J 

0 

5 

0 

Hi 

^i 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 


20 
33 
55 


10  10 


2(5  15 

16  0 
18  10 
22    0 

11  15 

6  10 

6    0 

22    0 

12  10 

13  0 
13  0 
24    0 

6    5 

8  10 

1 

4    2 

1 

1 

22  10 

41    0 

17  0 


0 
0 
0 
0 
3 
0 
0 
0  94 
10 
0 
5 
0 
0 

n 

6 

3 

3 

0 

0 

4 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

4i 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

0 

0 

0 

C 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

7 

0 

5 

0 

0 

0 

0 


n-j 


THE    MIXING     MAGAZINE 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

£1  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


Sharts  ■ 


GOLD,    SILVER. 
DIAMONDS  : 

Rand  : 

Brakpnn 

Central  Miiilni;  (tti) 

City  &  Suburban  li-1) 

City  Detp 

Consolid.it<xi  Gold  Fields 

Con'iolid.itod  l.nngba^te 

Conwilidatcd  Main  Rct'f  

ConM)lidatcd  Mines  Selection  (10s.) 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) 

Dafig.ofon  tein 

Durban  Roodepoort  Deep 

East  Rand  IVoprietary 

Ferreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Government  Gold  Mining  Areas    . . 

Joh.-innesbiu-g  Consolidated 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Kstate   

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Moddcriontein  (10s.)  

Modderfontein  H  {5s.) 

Moddexfontein  Deep  (5s.) 

Moddcriontein  ilast 

New  State  Areas 

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontcin  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  6d.) 

Van  R>Ti 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep 

WolLuter 


Other  Tr.^nsvaal  Gold  Mines  ; 

Glj-nn's  l.ydenburg 

Sheba  {5s.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates  . . . 

Dlamonds  in-  South  .\frtca  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  {(2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Sbamva 

Waioughby's  (lOs.)  

West  Africa  : 

Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

Abosso 

Asbanti  {4s.i 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquab 

West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch 

Golden  Horse-Shoe  (£6) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary  (2s. 1  . . . 

Great  Fingall  (10s.) 

Hampton  Properties 

Ivanhoe  (£5) 

Kalgurli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)  

Sons  of  Gwalia   

South  Kalgurh  (10s.) 


Aug.  6, 
ItCO 

f.    s.  d. 

2  IG  a 

S  13  9 

0  (i 

2  13  9 

1  10  CI 

17  0 

II  C 

1  2  C 

2  13    U 
13    0 

4 
S 
8 


4    7 

1  9 
7 
4 
7 

15  0 
4  17    6 

3  13    9 
6  15 

2  6 
1     3 

1  6 
10 

2  18 
2  15 

13 
9    0 

1  1    3 

16  3 
3 

2  1 
16 
17 
17 

4  5 


2  17 

1  17 

5 


2 
3 
3 
16 
7 
1 


3  0 

10  C 

17  6 

3  0 

15  0 


10  0 

0  0 

13  9 

17  0 

5  6 

G  0 


0 
0 
3 
0  0 
G    C 


9 
3 
3 

0 
0 
0 

10  9 

15  9 
13    9 

9    0 
4    0 

11  3 

1    G 

10  0 

20  0  0 
4  2  6 
10  10    0 

11  3 

16  S 
9    0 

16  0 
15  3 
0    0 


4 
5 
8 
2  11 
5 


2 
3    5 


Aug.  B, 
1921 

i    s.  d. 

2  l."-.    0 

U    8    9 

3    0 

2  11    3 

17    0 

12    G 

10    6 

14    G 

2    1    3 

8    U 

9 

3 

G 


3  9 

5  0 

6  0 

4  3 
IS  0 
14  6 

4  11  3 

3  15  0 

1  11  3' 

2  7  6 
12  G 

12  6 

8  6 

2    7  (i 

2  12  6 

11 


10    0 
S    9 

14    0 


2 
2    0 
12 


15  <j 

11  9 

3  15  0 

9  6 

10  0 

15  n 

S  0 

3  9 


G  6 

1  9 

7  6 

11     0  0 

2     7  0 

5    0  0 

8  0 
11  9 

4  3 

10  0 

14  0 


1  12    G 
4    0 


2  9 

2  fi 

1  0 

12  G 

6  0 
1  6 
4  9 

17  6 

11  3 

8  9 

4  0 

7  3 


Gold.  Silvi^k,  com/. 

Others  in  Australasia  : 

Blackwatcr.  New  Zealand 

Consolidated  G.F.  of  New  Zealand.. 

Mount  Boppy,  N.S.W.  (10s.) 

Progress,  New  Zealand 

Wailti,  New  Zealand 

W'aihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd. . 
America  : 

Hucna  Ticrra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

HI  Oro,  Mexico 

Ksperanza,  Mexico 

I'rontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Roi  No.  2  (C5),  British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  111  Oro,  Mexico  . ... 

Nechi  (Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Oroville  Dredging,  Colombia      

P]\Tiiouth  Consolidated,  California. . 

St.  John  del  Key,  Brazil    

Santa  Gertrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  ; ' 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balaghat  (10s.) 

Champion  Reef  (2s.  6d.) 

Mysore  (10s.) 

North  .^nantapur ' 

Nundydroog  (10s.) 

Ooregum  (IDs.) 

COPPER : 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India... 

F.speraiiza,  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  . .. 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal 

Messina  (os.),  Transvaai 

Mount  Elliott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

N.'xmaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tiiito  (£5),  Spain 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  . . 

LEAD-ZINC : 

Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (OC) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  : 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees) 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.) 

TIN: 

Aramayo  Franrke,  Bolivia 

Bisichi'{10s.),  Nigeria 

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath,  Cornwall 

East  Pool  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria . 

Gee\  or  (lOs.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging,  Malay   

Kamunting.  Malay 

Kintn,  Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Moiigu  (10s,),  Nigeria 

Naraguta,  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi,  Nigeria  (10s.) 

Pahang  Consohdated  (os.),  Malay. . . 

Rayfield,  Nigeria 

Renong  Dredging,  Siam 

Ropp  (4s.),  Nigeria 

Siamese  Tin,  Siam 

South  Crofty  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals,  Cornwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taiping,  Malay 

Tronob,  Malay 


Aug.  6, 
1920 

£   :  d. 

8  0 

3  0 

5  0 

1  9 

fi  0 

1  15  0 


10  0 

12  G 

12  C 

10  6 

11  8 
10  0 

5  10  0 

8  9 

1    3 

13 

in 

1    3 

7 


1    0 
10 


IS 

4 
10 


10    5 

10 


3    2 

13 

17 

1     1 

1     5 

1  17 


13    9 


2    6  3 

15  0 

5  0 

12  G 

1  10  0 

5  6 

1    5  0 

13  3 

18  3 

1  12  C 

37    0  0 

10  3 

11  3 
113 
1  16  3 


11    0 


2  17  G 

11  6 
4  3 
3  6 

13  0 
3  3 

12  6 

1  17  fi 

14  3 

2  10  0 
2    7  6 

1  17  6 
17  G 
10  0 

3  6 

10  9 

8  G 

2  13 


8    6 


1    7  G 

1  17  G 
3  1  3 
13  9 

2  11  3 
2  10  0 

17  0 

17  G 


Aug.  5, 
1921 

C    ».  d. 

2  G 

2  G 

2  0 

1  3 
1    u  I) 

8  9 

2  6 
4-3 
0  G 

17  0 

fi  3 

2  0 

4    5  0 

5  3 

13  9 

12  G 

13  G 

7  3 
5  0 

8  9 
5  0 


S 
1 

11 
2 
6 


12 

15 

30  10 

11 

7 


3 

1 

3 

1  12 

11 

1     5 

1  10 

1    6 

11 

16 


1    G 

5 

1  15 

4 

G 

17 

1     1 

1    3 


12    0 


1    7  6 

12  6 

5  0 

5  0 

1  10  0 
3 


6 

10    0 
14    0 


11    3 
1    0    0 


17  G 

10  0 

2    0  0 

12  6 

1  11  3 

1    7  G 

12  G 

10  0 

7  Ct 

G  0 


G     3 


1  17  6 
5  3 
2    6 


1  6 
6  0 
6 
3 
6 
0 
0 
3 


•  New  Shires.        t  IC-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING,  METALLURGY,  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents    on    mining    and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


GEOLOGY  OF  PACHUCA  AND  EL  ORO 


At  the  February  meeting  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers, 
Horace  V.  Winchell  presented  a  paper  giving  some 
of  his  impressions  of  the  geology  of  the  Pachuca 
silver  district,  and  the  E!  Oro  gold  district,  Mexico, 
obtained  during  a  visit  a  year  ago.  His  hints  as 
to  future  work  are  of  considerable  practical  value, 
and  will  be  of  interest  to  shareholders  in  the  various 
companies  at  El  Oro  and  in  the  Santa  Gertrudis. 

Pachuca. — Pachuca  district  is  believed  to  have 
been  discovered  in  1522,  and  its  present  output 
is  nearly  one-sixth  of  the  silver  production  of  the 
world.  The  district  consists  of  a  series  of  mountains 
and  valleys,  the  minor  features  of  which  extend  in  an 
easterly  and  westerly  direction  and  reach  elevations 
of  8,000  to  10,000  ft.  above  the  sea.  The  range  as 
a  whole  constitutes  a  continental  divide  ;  its  axis 
runs  northerly  and  southerly  and  separates  the 
waters  that  flow  westerly  into  the  Pacific  Ocean 
from  those  flowing  easterly  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
On  the  north  and  east  the  surface  falls  rapidly 
to  the  warmer  zone,  and  is  cut  by  deep  canyons. 
In  this  warm  country  about  4,000  ft.  below  the 
summit  is  a  canyon  2,500  or  3,000  ft.  deeper  that 
drains  the  region  on  the  eastern  slopes.  Dense 
forests,  heavy  undergrowth,  and  much  soil  cover 
the  land.  On  the  western  slope  there  is  a  different 
atmosphere  and  country  ;  the  vegetation  is 
relatively  sparse  and  the  conditions  semi-arid.  The 
rocks  are  either  bare  or  covered  with  laterite  ; 
they  are  often  weathered  and  rotted  to  a  con- 
siderable depth.  According  to  the  best  weather 
data  obtainable,  there  is  a  marked  difference  in  the 
amount  of  rainfall  on  the  two  slopes,  within  the 
few  miles  occupied  by  the  operating  mines,  on  the 
north  and  east  the  rainfall  being  far  greater  than 
on  the  west.  These  conditions  suggest  a  difference 
in  the  chemical  activity  of  surface  waters,  which 
seem  to  have  played  an  important  part  in  the 
genesis  of  these  extensive  ore  concentrations. 

Tertiary  eruptives  similar  to  those  that  contain 
so  many  of  the  mines  of  Mexico  and  the  south- 
western part  of  the  United  States  are  conspicuous 
features  of  the  geology.  The  underlying  basement 
on  which  these  volcanoes  were  deposited  is  probably 
Cretaceous  sediments,  but  none  was  observed  in  the 
area  covered  by  these  notes.  The  oldest  rock  seen 
is  the  older  andesite.  This  is  a  thick  flow  of  incon- 
stant texture,  and  varies  from  a  massive  rock  with 
few  phenocrysts  to  a  highly  porphyritic  mass  in 
which  are  many  whitened  felspars  and  some  altered 
pyroxenes  with  occasional  biotites.  Toward  the 
north  and  west  this  typical  andesite  is  succeeded 
by  a  quartz  andesite,  or  dacite,  much  more  siliceous, 
lighter  in  colour  and  with  many  quartz  phenocrysts 
ranging  in  size  from  ^.,  to  J  in.  in  diameter.  Whether 
the  dacite  is  a  phase  of  the  older  andesite  or  a 
separate  flow  was  not  ascertained.  No  definite  line 
of  contact  was  seen.  Both  of  these  rocks  contam 
fragments  of  darker  fine-grained  andesite,  and  both 


at  times  exhibit  marked  flow  structure.  They  can 
hardly  have  been  intrusives,  for  there  is  no  remnant 
of  any  covering  rock.  Moreover,  at  times  the 
vesicular  or  amygdaloidal  te.xture  characteristic 
of  rocks  cooled  near  the  surface  is  found. 

The  older  andesite  appears  on  the  surface  over 
the  greater  portion  of  the  area  thus  far  developed 
by  mining  operations.  It  can  be  traced  continuously 
from  a  point  more  than  1  mile  east  of  the  Guerrero 
mill  of  the  Real  del  iNIonte  Co.  to  a  point  west  of  the 
Bordo  shaft,  where  it  passes  beneath  later  eruptives, 
about  12  miles.  Its  width  on  the  surface  is  much 
less,  since  its  northern  margin  is  south  of  the 
northern  limit  of  underground  mining  operations, 
and  may  be  seen  just  north  of  the  valley  in  which  are 
situated  the  Paraiso  and  Santo  Tomas  shafts.  Its 
southern  limit  of  exposure  was  not  traced.  Within 
this  older  andesite  are  east-west  zones  of  extensive 
and  profound  thermal  alteration  in  which  the  rocks 
have  been  altered  over  areas  probably  several  miles 
long  and  often  hundreds  of  feet  wide.  The  altered 
rock  is  softer  and  lighter  in  colour  than  the  fresh 
andesite,  and  carries  occasional  pyrite  crystals,  with 
calcite  films  and  veinlets,  and  even  quartz  incrusta- 
tions. It  is  in  these  altered  zones  in  the  older 
andesite  (and  dacite)  that  the  important  ore 
deposits  have  been  found  and  developed. 

The  succeeding  rock  is  later  andesite.  This  con- 
sists of  flows,  breccias,  and  tuffs,  all  highly 
porphyritic  and  generally  less  massive  than  the 
older  andesite.  It  is,  however,  sometimes  thick- 
bedded  and  dense  and  so  similar  in  appearance 
as  to  be  distinguished  with  difficulty  except  on 
weathered  surfaces.  It  weathers  in  various  colours 
from  reddish  brown  to  bluish  or  purplish  grey  and 
covers  large  areas  north  of  the  actively  mined 
district.  In  places,  only  a  thin  shell  of  this  rock  is 
left  ;  elsewhere  shafts  go  down  through  it  into  the 
lower  andesite.  In  the  Girault  tunnel,  the  contact 
is  well  exposed  ;  near  the  TrompiUo  shaft  there  is 
a  steep  fault  contact  between  the  two  formations 
with  the  Vizcaina  vein  lying  between.  This  later 
andesite  has  not  been  considered  promising  ground 
for  exploration,  and  has  produced  but  little  ore. 
Whether  this  prejudice  is  based  on  its  actual 
poverty  or  not  is  a  question  that  can  be  answered 
only  by  future  and  deeper  development,  where  this 
later  formation  attains  great  thickness.  So  far 
as  the  author  could  learn,  the  only  workings  in  it 
are  comparatively  shallow  (at  least  in  the  central 
portion  of  the  district),  and  do  not  attain  depths 
where,  even  in  the  older  andesite,  valuable  ore- 
bodies  are  first  encountered. 

Still  younger,  and  overlying  the  later  andesite, 
is  rhyolite.  This  rock  is  cream  coloured  and  occurs 
on  the  surface  in  thin  flows  and  tuffs,  often  much 
weathered  and  cut  by  small  arroyos.  Rhyolite  or 
quartz-porphyry  dykes  of  the  same  material  are 
also  seen  on  the  surface  and  underground  through- 
out the  district  from  the  Santa  Gertrudis  north  to 


113 


11 1 


I II 


MINING     MA(,.\/1NIC 


the  Capula  ami  from  the  crest  of  Uio  main  iliviile 
above  Real  del  Monte  west  to  ami  beyond  the 
Bordo.  These  dykes  have  various  strikes  and 
dips,  but  the  larpe  and  more  continuous  ones  strike 
and  dip  parallel  to  the  mam  proiliutivc  vein 
systems.  On  the  surface  and  underground  these 
riiyolite  flows  and  quartz-porpliyry  dykes  are  cut 
by  the  vein  fissures,  which  arc  sometimes 
particularly  well  mineralized  and  contain  large 
stopes  where  they  abut  against  or  rest  upon  the 
dykes.  At  Capula  the  vein,  carrying  ore  in  two  or 
more  strands,  is  in  a  quartz-porphyry  dyke  of  great 
longitudinal  extent  and  from  50  to  100  ft.  thick, 
dipping   southerly   about   50^. 

Cutting  later  andesite,  but  of  undetermined  age 
relation  to  the  rhyolite  is  basalt.  This  rock  is  seen 
in  east-west  dykes  from  5  to  40  ft.  thick,  and  a 
general  northerly  dip  in  the  country  west  of  the 
Pachuca  mineralized  area.  It  is  not  much 
weathered.  It  stands  up  in  bold  outcrops,  and  is 
dense  and  tough  and  contains  abundant  olivine 
phenocrysts.  The  later  andesite  near  these  dykes 
has  been  weathered  and  oxidized,  and  the  red 
belts  have  sometimes  been  mistaken  for  veins. 

So  far  as  could  be  observed,  all  the  veins  of  the 
Pachuca  district  belong  to  the  same  general  period 
of  fracturing.  Although  some  veins  terminate 
against  or  are  faulted  by  others,  the  evidence 
tends  to  show  that  all  of  the  productive  veins  thus 
far  developed  were  formed  and  primarily 
mineralized  at  one  period,  and  from  the  same 
agencies  and  structural  disturbances.  Neverthe- 
less, there  are  two  systems  of  veins  ;  one  striking 
east  and  west,  and  one  striking  north  and  south. 
The  east-west  veins  are  said  to  have  been  first 
discovered  and  worked,  although  the  north-south 
veins,  which  are  rich  and  wonderfully  productive, 
have  also  been  worked  for  many  years.  The  latter 
occur  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  district,  largely  in 
the  property  of  the  Real  del  Monte  Co.  Most  of 
the  east-west  veins  have  numerous  branches 
extending  both  north-easterly  and  north-westerly, 
forming  what  has  been  termed  "  linked  vein  " 
structure,  quite  typical  of  rock  fracturing  on  a 
large  scale.  Some  of  the  branches  extend  through- 
out the  intervening  space  between  the  stronger 
east-west  veins  ;  others  apparently  die  out  before 
reaching  any  great  distance.  The  full  extent  of  the 
north-south  vein  system  has  not  yet  been  disclosed, 
nor  is  it  knoivn  how  many  such  veins  remain  to  be 
discovered.  They  seem  to  terminate  on  the  south 
against  the  great  Vizcaina  fissure,  although  the 
Dios  te  Guie  is  said  to  be  displaced  by  the  Vizcaina 
and  to  extend  a  short  distance  south  of  it,  without, 
however,  containing  much  ore. 

The  principal  veins  of  the  east-west  system  are 
the  Santa  Gertrudis.  Fresnillo,  Anilcos,  Vizcaina, 
Maravillas,  Santa  Ana,  and  Polo  Norte.  La  Corteza 
and  EI  Lobo  veins  strike  north-westerly,  while  the 
Veta  del  Tajo,  Cristobal  Colon,  and  Florencia  strike 
to  the  north-east. 

So  far  as  developed,  the  north-south  veins,  in 
their  order  from  west  to  east,  are  the  Dios  te  Guie, 
San  Sabas,  Purisima,  Santa  Ines,  Santa  Brigida, 
and  Veta  de  la  Reina.  The  stoping  width  of  these 
veins  varies  from  3  to  40  ft.,  and  some  of  the  ore- 
shoots,  such  as  that  in  the  Purisima  (N-S)  vein, 
are  400  metres  long.  The  large  east-west  veins 
contain  some  of  the  longest  ore-shoots  ever 
developed,  reaching  1,000  metres  in  the  Santa 
Gertrudis  vein  and  as  much  in  the  Vizcaina.  The 
horizontal  dimensions  of  the  ore-shoots  generally 


exceed  the  dip-length.  The  bearing  of  this  fact 
on  the  <|uestion  of  ore  genesis  will  be  suggested  later. 
The  dij)  of  the  east-west  veins  is  generally  to  the 
south,  at  angles  of  from  (i.S"  to  80".  Loral  north 
dips  are  not  uncommon.  The  north-south  veins 
dip  both  easterly  ami  westerly  ;  it  is  said  that  the 
former  are  the  more  productive. 

The  veins  occupy  planes  of  fracture  and  zones  of 
shearing  and  are  composed  of  crushed  country 
rock  more  or  less  completely  replaced  by  quartz 
and  other  vein  minerals.  The  best  veins,  from  the 
standpoint  of  productivity,  are  in  and  course 
through  the  zones  of  greatest  rock  alteration,  and 
yet  there  was  occasionally  observed  a  belt  or  barrier 
of  fresher  looking  rock  just  before  coming  to  a  vein. 
Such  a  belt  lies  just  east  of  the  east-dipping,  north- 
south   Purisima   vein. 

There  are  evidences  of  two  generations  of  quartz 
deposition.  The  first  period  quartz,  which  replaced 
the  broken  andesite  and  often  presents  a  bamled 
or  curved  structure  suggestive  of  its  deposition 
around  rock  fragments,  is  white  and  bony  or  ivory- 
like. Upon  and  around  this  white  quartz  and  in  its 
interstices  is  a  darker  later  quartz  carrying  silver 
minerals  with  pyrite  and  a  little  galena  and,  still 
rarer,  crj'stals  of  blende  and  chalcopyrite.  Where 
not  replaced  by  quartz,  the  vein  filling  is  sericitic 
or  kaolinic.  The  quartz  is  usually  broken  into 
fragments,  especially  where  the  veins  are  wide,  but 
is  sometimes  solid  and  "  frozen  "  to  the  hard  country 
rock.  Some  veins  have  good  walls  ;  some  are  in 
"  bad  ground  ",  some  are  accompanied  by  well- 
defined  planes  of  movement  on  one  or  both  walls 
or  in  the  veins  themselves.  The  best  and  most 
abundant  ore  seems  to  be  in  those  veins  that  are 
quite  open  to  the  passage  of  ground  water.  There 
is  not  a  great  flow  of  water,  considering  the  length 
of  underground  development.  As  the  rainfall  at 
Pachuca  is  so  much  less  than  that  at  Real  del 
Monte,  it  is  probable  the  eastern  mines  make  more 
water  than  those  in  the  western  camp. 

It  is  a  singular  and  significant  fact  that  on  the 
western  slope  oxidation  extends  to  the  lowest  pro- 
ductive levels,  about  2,000  ft.  from  the  surface. 
This  is  not  intended  to  imply  that  no  sulphide 
minerals  remain.  The  sulphide  of  silver,  argentite, 
is  the  principal  ore-mineral,  and  pyrite  is  quite 
abundant  ;  but  the  quartz  is  honeycombed, 
rhodonite  and  rhodochrosite  are  more  or  less  altered 
to  psilomelane  and  pyrolusite,  horn  silver  is 
apparent,  and  calcite  coatings  are  found  on  the  joints 
and  in  cavities.  The  effect  of  w^eathering  is  naturally 
greater  as  one  approaches  the  surface,  and,  indeed, 
not  only  the  silver  but  the  quartz  itself  seems  to 
have  been  dissolved  out  of  the  upper  portion  of 
the  veins  and  carried  downwards.  It  is  only 
occasionally  that  quartz  and  ore  persist  upwards 
to  the  grass  roots.  Few  stopes  extend  high  enough 
to  make  their  presence  known  by  surface  settling, 
and  the  average  prospector  acquainted  with  the 
camp  states  without  hesitation  that  good  ore  can 
hardly  be  expected  .short  of  400  or  500  ft.  in  depth. 
This  has  a  familiar  sound,  but  seems  to  have  more 
than  an  element  of  truth  here.  Long  ore-shoots, 
already  fully  explored  and  mined  upwards  to  their 
terminations  sometimes  have  tongues  projecting  to 
the  daylight  ;  but  the  average  line  of  the  upper 
margin  of  the  long  shoots  is  perhaps  150  metres 
from  the  surface.  Indeed,  there  seems  to  be  a 
general  parallelism  between  the  surface  topography 
and  the  configuration  of  the  ore-shoots  below.  This 
rule  may  possibly  not  hold  where  there  is  a  con- 


AUGUST,   1921 


115 


siderable  thickness  of  recent  volcanics,  even  though 
such  rocks  are  cut  by  the  vein  fissures.  It  must 
be  admitted  that  there  is  no  rule  without  exceptions 
and  that  no  general  statement  is  applicable  to  every 
vein  in  the  district.  There  are  stopes  that  reach 
the  surface  ;  there  are  ore-shoots  that  do  not  persist 
downwards  ;  there  are  veins  whose  production 
has  come  from  within  500  ft.  of  the  present  surface 
and  others  that  are  chiefly  barren  to  that  depth 
and  productive  below  it.  Nevertheless,  there  is 
a  remarkably  persistent  general  relation  between 
the  surface  and  the  upper  Umit  of  the  pay  ore.  This 
relation  becomes  still  more  striking  when  the 
termination  of  the  ore  downwards  is  considered. 
There  seems  to  be  little  doubt  in  the  minds  of  those 
familiar  with  Pachuca  that  the  minerahzation  has 
a  rather  abrupt  and  ven.'  definite  termination  in 
several  fully  explored  mines,  and  that  the  pro- 
ductive area  of  the  veins  is  confined  within  a  vertical 
range  of  about  2,000  ft.  Moreover,  in  no  one 
ore-shoot  is  the  full  extent  of  this  zone  mineralized. 
The  average  height  of  the  pay-ore  zone  is,  perhaps, 
1,500  ft.,  in  many  cases  less,  and  in  a  few  cases 
more.  It  is  a  matter  of  common  knowledge  that 
the  veins  scatter,  the  quartz  diminishes,  the  values 
fall  off  rapidly,  and  only  occasionally  are  found 
any  sulphide  or  base  minerals  such  as  blende  and 
galena.  This  general  situation  is  not  in  any  way 
exceptional  for  veins  in  Tertiary  eruptives,  but  the 
explanation  may  not  always  be  the  same  nor  the 
geological  record  so  easily  read. 

In  considering  the  possibilities  of  a  mining  district 
an  understanding  of  its  geology  and  something  as  to 
the  probable  genesis  of  its  ores  is  valuable  as  a  guide 
in  explorations  and  in  appraising  its  future.  The 
facts  given  may  be  summarized  as  follows :  (1) 
The  country  rock  is  a  series  of  Tertiary  volcanics. 
(2)  The  vein  fissures  cut  the  entire  series  from  the 
oldest  to  the  youngest.  (3)  parallel  to  the  veins 
are  quartz-porphyry  dykes  of  considerable  extent. 
These  are  not  universally  known,  but  are  in 
sufficiently  constant  association  with  the  veins  to 
be  taken  into  consideration  as  possible  agents  in  ore 
genesis.  (4)  The  country  rock  is  not  only  widely 
sheared  and  fissured,  but  presents  evidence  of  pro- 
found alteration  by  thermal  waters  over  wide 
zones.  (5)  The  country  rock  is  still  further  altered 
by  weathering  from  the  surface  down  to  considerable 
depth.  (6)  The  veins  are  largely  quartz,  but  this 
quartz  seldom  comes  to  the  surface  and  never  in 
such  quantity'  as  in  the  veins  undertjround.  This 
statement  is  true  of  veins  and  their  outcrops, 
whether  found  on  the  crests  of  mountains  or  in 
deep  valleys.  In  other  words,  both  quartz  and  ore 
lie  for  the  most  part  some  distance  below  the  surface. 
(7)  Oxidation  and  leaching  persist  to  the  lowest 
levels  of  silver  enrichment.  Horn  silver,  native 
silver,  and  argentite  (the  last  greatly  pre- 
dominating) are  the  ore  minerals.  They  occur  in 
white  quartz,  which  is  itself  secondary,  or  as 
incrustations  or  cavity  filUngs,  together  with  pyrite 
and  an  occasional  speck  of  chalcopyrite  and  galena. 
For  the  most  part  oxides  of  iron  and  manganese 
are  present,  though  in  diminishing  amount  as  depth 
is  gained.  (S)  There  are  seldom  any  massive 
sulphide  ore-bodies  in  the  veins  beneath  the 
oxidized  ore,  nor  are  there  in  the  upper  levels  the 
large  masses  of  oxidized  material  that  often  indicate 
the  former  presence  of  heavy  sulphide  bodies. 
(9)  The  major  axes  of  the  ore-shoots  are  more 
nearly  horizontal  than  vertical  ;  so  much  so  that 
the  Pachuca  district  is  almost  unique  in  this  respect. 


MO)  The  vein  quartz  dies  out  downwards,  and  even 
large  veins  dwindle  into  a  series  of  scattered  and 
unmineralized  stringers.  (11)  All  the  mineralized 
veins  belong  to  one  general  period  and  contain 
the  same  kind  of  ore.  The  products  of  the  district 
are  silver  and  gold  in  the  ratio  of  about  5  gm.  of 
gold  to   1  kg.  of  silver. 

With  reference  now  to  the  richly  productive 
portion  of  the  Pachuca  camp,  the  history  of  ore 
formation  may  well  have  been  somewhat  as  follows  : 
Having  accumulated  in  large  mass,  the  andesites, 
both  older  and  later,  slowly  cooled,  and  zones  of 
shearing  were  produced  by  shrinkage  and  sub- 
sidence. Through  the  multitude  of  cracks  and 
fissures  vapours  and  hot  waters  penetrated  the 
rock  and  effected  widespread  alteration,  depositing 
at  the  same  time  barren  pyrite  in  disseminated 
crystals  over  zones  of  considerable  width.  When 
these  fissures  extended  to  sufficient  depth  there 
was  another  outburst  of  magma,  this  time  quartz- 
porphyry  and  rhyolite,  followed  by  the  usual 
period  of  hot-spring  activity.  At  this  time  the  first 
quartz  was  deposited  in  and  along  the  fissure 
alieady  formed  and  replaciiig  and  silicifying  the 
broken  andesite  along  the  shear  zones.  The  period 
of  subsidence  and  fracturing  was  not  yet  at  an  end, 
for  the  quartz-porphyry  itself,  after  cooling 
sulificiently,  was  fractured  and  fissured  and  some- 
what mineralized.  Then,  -with  the  dying  down  of 
fumarolic  and  hot-spring  activity,  came  the 
opportunity  for  surface-waters,  which  up  to  this 
time  had  been  operating  solely  on  the  exposed 
surfaces,  to  begin  working  their  way  downward 
along  the  fissures  and  shear  zones,  oxidizing  and 
dissolving  the  scattered  sulphides  and  carrying 
them  to  new  resting  places  at  lower  levels.  It 
is  not  known  how  much  erosion  has  taken  place 
since  these  Tertiary  rocks  were  formed,  but  that  it 
may  well  have  been  thousands  of  feet  is  shown  by 
the  depth  of  the  valleys  in  the  immediate  vicinity. 
On  the  western  slope  of  the  mountains  chemical 
changes  are  rapid,  and  with  an  already  altered 
rock  on  which  to  operate  the  upper  parts  of  the 
veins  were  constantly  and  successively  oxidized, 
leached  of  quartz,  silver  minerals,  pyrite,  and 
gangue  minerals,  while  the  surface  was  eroded  and 
carried  away.  Always  the  values  were  held  in  the 
veins  and  carried  downward  in  advance  of  the 
dissipating  forces  of  erosion,  and  times  without 
number  the  little  films  of  argentite  that  had  been 
deposited  at  a  safe  depth  and  were  becoming 
endangered  by  the  slow  approach  of  the  surface, 
were  removed  still  deeper.  In  this  way  there  is  the 
cumulative  result,  first,  of  ages  of  primary 
deposition,  during  which  perhaps  no  commercial 
ore-bodies  were  formed,  and,  second,  of  a  long  period 
of  weathering  under  a  hot  sun  and  climatic 
conditions  distinctly  favourable  to  secondary 
enrichment.  The  proof  of  the  theory  is  in  the 
character  of  the  minerals,  the  leaching  and  other 
evidences  of  the  work  of  descending  waters,  as  well 
as  the  shape  of  the  ore-shoots,  their  correspondence 
with  the  topography  of  the  surface,  the  paucity  of 
quartz  at  grass  roots,  and  its  diminuendo  habit 
beneath  the  ore  accumulations.  In  short,  all  the 
broad  phenomena  of  the  district  seem  to  be  in 
accord  with  this  theory  and  with  no  other.  It  is 
supported  by  both  the  positive  proof  and  the 
negative  facts,  by  the  minerals  found  as  well  as  by 
those  that  are  not  present  ;  it  is  a  most  excellent 
example  of  the  formation  of  large  and  deep  ore- 
bodies  by  secondary  sulphide  enrichment. 


lu; 


THK     MININC.     M\(,\/I\l': 


Similar  forcos  working  on  similar  mate-rials  nmlor 
similar  conditions,  for  an  equal  liMinth  of  limo,  may 
be  expecteil  to  produce  similar  results.  Thus,  witli 
equal  procipitation  and  evaporation  over  the  entire 
district,  uniform  surface  gradients  on  both  sides 
of  the  divide,  and  similar  rocks  uniformly  sheared 
and  lissurcd  so  as  to  offer  equal  receptivity  to 
drainage,  there  would  probably  result  a  similarity 
in  topography  and  in  the  subterranean  products 
of  weathering  agencies.  Where  the  materials  are 
similar  but  the  conditions  are,  known  to  vary,  it  is 
reasonable  to  attribute  heterogeneity  of  products 
to  such  variance  of  conditions  ;  and  where  the  rocks 
are  different,  products  may  be  formed  by  the 
operation  of  similar  forces  under  similar  conditions. 
At  Pachuca.  the  rocks  are,  in  general,  similar 
mineralogically  and  structurally  ;  the  operating 
forces  are  similar,  although  not  of  equal  intensity 
nor  volume  :  the  time  factor  is  practically  con- 
stant ;  hut  the  products  have  a  wide  variance  in 
different  portions  of  the  district. 

Reference  has  been  made  to  the  marked  difference 
in  the  anniial  precipitation  on  the  western  and 
eastern  .slopes  of  the  continental  divide,  but  its 
effect  has  not  been  fully  described.  The  first  result 
to  be  noticed  is  in  the  different  sculpturing  of  the 
surface.  On  the  eastern  slope  the  topography  is 
rougher,  the  slope  gradients  are  steeper,  the  changes 
in  elevation  more  frequent  and  abrupt.  On  the 
western  slope  there  arc  many  long,  smooth,  gently 
sloping  hillsides,  and  comparatively  few  sharp 
and  deep  canyons.  As  a  consequence,  the  rainfall, 
if  equal  o\'er  the  two  areas,  would  run  off  faster 
on  the  eastern  than  on  the  western  slope,  and  a 
smaller  amount  would  percolate  downward  into 
the  rocks.  But  with  the  much  greater  rainfall  on 
the  eastern  slope,  it  might  be  expected  that  the 
effect  of  surface  waters  would  be  at  least  as  great, 
and  oxidation  as  deep  in  I^eal  del  Monte  as  in 
Pachuca.  In  fact,  considering  alone  the  much 
greater  precipitation,  one  would  expect  deeper  and 
more  intense  oxidation.  But  the  reverse  is  the 
case.  Sulphide  minerals  are  rarely  found  within 
300  ft.  of  the  surface  in  the  western  part  of  the 
camp,  while  they  are  abundant  within  70  ft.  of  the 
surface  about  1  mile  east  of  the  Guerrero  mill,  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  range.  It  is  probable,  as 
already  stated,  that  there  is  more  water  in  the 
mines  and  in  the  ground  generally  on  the  eastern 
than  on  the  western  slope.  The  question  arises, 
why,  then,  is  there  such  a  marked  difference  in  the 
depth  to  which  oxidation  has  extended  ?  No 
doubt  many  factors  enter  into  the  problem.  It  is 
evident  at  a  glance  that  erosion  is  more  rapid,  and 
that  it  nearly  keeps  pace  with  oxidation,  on  the 
eastern  slope.  But  there  are  other  reasons  why 
sulphides  in  that  section  are  so  much  nearer  the 
surface.  It  may  be  explained  in  part  by  the  fact 
that  the  rain  waters  are  not  so  active  chemically 
after  soaking  through  the  soil.  There  is  perhaps 
not  enough  difference  in  temperature  to  make  any 
material  difference,  although  such  difference 
probably  exists.  It  is  perhaps  more  largely  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  rank  vegetation  that  covers 
the  eastern  foot  hills  deprives  the  rain  of  its  oxygen, 
and  hence  the  underground  waters  in  that  section 
are  comparatively  inert.  In  this  respect  Pachuca 
offers  a  rare  example  of  the  effect  of  differing 
climatic  conditions  on  the  depth  and  character  of 
mineralization  in  veins.  In  another  respect,  also, 
it  is  interesting.  Many  observers  here  and  in  other 
districts  have  noted  the  fact  that  there  is  oxidation 


below  the  present  water  table,  and  have  attributed 
the  phenomenon  to  a  change  of  water-level  in  com- 
]iaratively  recent  time.  This  does  not  a])pear  to  be 
the  only,  nor,  indeed,  always  the  more  probable, 
explanation.  Where,  as  is  probably  the  case  here, 
the  entire  volume  of  ground  water  is  slowly  moving 
downward,  and  yet  is  ever  renewed  by  annual  rain- 
fall, there  must  be  oxidizing  action  until  all  the 
oxygen  is  consumed,  and  thus  even  below  the 
surface  of  the  subterranean  water-table,  extending 
downwards  perhaps  several  hundred  feet,  the  sul- 
phide minerals  will  become  oxidized. 

El  Oro. — For  his  data  on  F.\  Oro,  the  writer  is 
indebted  not  alone  to  his  personal  examination, 
but  to  a  report  on  the  camp  by  Waldemar  I.indgren, 
written  in  1913.  From  this  report  arc  taken  the 
following  more  general  statements,  in  order  to  lay 
the  ftiundation  for  points  that  seem  to  be  of  special 
interest  to  the  economic  geologist.  The  district 
of  I-ll  Oro  is  situated  on  the  high  plateau  of  Mexico, 
near  its  western  edge,  at  an  elevation  of  about 
10,000  ft.  On  this  part  of  the  plateau  broad  valleys 
are  separated  by  irregular  groups  of  mountains 
rising  'J.OOO  to  3.000  ft.  above  the  depressions.  The 
valleys  are  filled  with  volcanic  tutf  and  dctritns. 
The  mountains  are  largely  built  up  of  volcanic 
flows,  mainly  andesite,  but  at  many  places  the 
underlying  older  rocks  are  exposed.  The  latter 
consist  of  calcareous  shales  of  Cretaceous  or  Jurassic 
age,  and  in  places  contain  an  older  series  of  igneous 
rocks  intruded  into  the  shales  and  exposed  by 
erosion.  The  geological  sequence  is  then  as  follows  : 
(1)  Calcareous  shale  with  some  .sandstone  and  lime- 
stone. (2)  Older  Tertiary  igneous  rocks  intruded 
into  or  poured  out  on  these  sedimentary  shales. 
(3)  Formation  of  fissure  veins  intersecting  .shales 
and  older  igneous  rocks.  (4)  Epoch  of  erosion.  (5) 
Late  Tertiary  and  recent  igneous  rocks,  chiefly 
flows  of  lava  and  tuffs,  resting  on  eroded  shales,  older 
igneous  rocks  and  veins,  and  showing  no 
mmeralization.     (6)  Recent  epoch  of  erosion. 

The  younger  surface  lavas  are  mostly  massive, 
dark-grey,  hornblende-andesites,  which  are  oxidized 
and  disintegrated  near  the  surface,  but  show  no 
mineralization,  nor  do  they  contain  pyrite.  Toward 
the  valley  agglomerates  and  tuffs  gradually  take 
the  place  of  the  massive  rocks.  Where  the  contact 
with  the  shales  is  exposed  by  mining  operations, 
a  few  feet  of  reddish  stratified  material  of  fragmental 
origin  often  rest  directly  on  the  shale.  The  thick- 
ness of  this  lava  is  manifestly  affected  by  the  recent 
erosion.  Along  the  San  Rafael  lode,  south  of  North 
shaft,  it  is  less  than  200  ft.,  but  north  of  this  point 
it  increases  to  400  ft.,  and  at  Tiro  Hondo  and  San 
Patricio  shafts  it  is  about  600  ft.  Under  the  summit 
of  the  hill  the  thickness  is  1,000  ft.  Dykes  and 
intrusive  necks  of  this  lava  are  found  in  the  adjoining 
Esperanza  mine. 

The  older  andesite  is  a  greenish  dense  rock,  which 
has  been  greatly  altered  by  the  vein-forming 
agencies  and  now  contains  much  pyrite,  calcite, 
and  sericite.  It  occurs  as  thick  intrusive  sheets,  or 
as  irregular  masses  in  the  black  shales,  also  as 
smaller  dykes.  On  the  property  of  the  El  Oro  Co. 
none  of  this  rock  reaches  the  present  surface  or  the 
old  surface  underneath  the  younger  andesite,  but 
it  forms  a  thick  flat  body  which  is  about  600  ft. 
thick  ;  it  was  first  encountered  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  property  along  the  San  Rafael  vein, 
about  600  ft.  below  the  capping.  Farther  south, 
it  lies  deeper,  being  near  the  interior  shaft  at  about 
900  ft.  below  the  capping  ;  and  in  the  Carmen  mine 


AUGUST,    1921 


117 


its  top  lies  again  about  800  ft.  below  that  surface. 
The  lower  contact  with  the  shales  has  been  found 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  mine.  Throughout, 
this  andesite  sheet,  or  sill,  is  faulted  by  the  tissure 
of  the  San  Rafael,  the  vertical  throw  being,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Somera  shaft,  about  670  ft.  Down 
to  about  the  1.300  ft.  level,  the  andesite  appears 
only  in  the  foot-wall.  Below  the  1,300  ft.  level, 
it  begins  to  appear  in  the  hanging  wall,  and  con- 
tinues to  form  that  wall  down  to  the  1,600  ft.  level, 
the    lowest    point    reached.  (Since    Lindgren's 

examination  the  mine  workings  have  developed 
ground  far  beneath  the  lower  margin  of  this  sill.) 
The  older  series  of  andesite  is  represented  both  by 
intrusive  rocks  and  lava  flows. 

The  predominating  sedimentary  rock  is  a  black, 
bituminous  shale,  well  stratified  and  often 
containing  much  calcite,  in  fact,  grading  into  a 
calcareous  shale  and  occasionally  into  a  black 
granular  limestone.  In  places  the  shale  contains 
embedded  masses  of  a  dark-grey  friable  sandstone. 
This  sandstone  is  more  abundant  in  the  deep  levels, 
and  is  typically  present  at  the  station  and  cross-cut 
of  the  Somera  shaft  on  the  1,300  ft.  level.  When 
examined  in  the  field,  this  rock  was  held  to  be  of 
tuifaceous  origin,  but  the  microscope  has  shown  it 
to  be  a  pure  quartzose  sandstone.  The  sedimentary 
rocks  lie  horizontal,  or  at  slight  dips  that  exhibit 
no  marked  irregularity.  A  total  thickness  of 
1,300  ft.  of  strata  is  exposed  in  the  workings. 

Mr.  Winchell  proceeds  as  follows  :  We  have  at 
El  Oro  a  series  of  veins  bearing  gold  and  silver 
minerals  in  a  quartz-calcite  gangue.  These  veins 
are  fissures  that  were  filled  by  replacement  and 
infiltration.  Some  of  them  are  evidently  fissures  of 
considerable  displacement.  They  cut  through  the 
black  shales  and  through  the  sill  of  andesite  that  was 
intruded  horizontally  into  these  shales,  and  which, 
as  a  natural  consequence,  is  both  overlain  and  under- 
lain by  the  shale  beds.  After  the  veins  were  formed 
and  minerahzed,  they  were  subjected  to  the  action 
of  surface  waters  for  a  considerable  time,  and  an 
imknown  extent  of  their  upper  portions  was  removed 
by  erosion.  They  are  oxidized  to  the  depth  of  nearly 
1,000  ft.,  and  their  silver  content  at  least  was 
secondarily  enriched  by  the  action  of  descending 
waters.  The  general  strike  of  the  veins  is  about 
N.  30°  W.,  and  their  dip  at  varying  angles  to 
the  west.  They  have  branches  in  both  foot  and 
hanging  walls,  but  more  numerously  in  the  latter. 
After  a  long  period  of  weathering  and  erosion  the 
country  was  covered  by  more  recent  lava  flows, 
which  were  in  turn  weathered  and  eroded  until 
in  some  localities  the  underlying  shales  and  one  vein, 
the  first  discovered  Descubridora,  are  exposed  on 
the  surface.  These  lava  flows  and  volcanic  tuffs 
are  not  penetrated  by  the  veins  which  cut  the 
underlying  rocks.  The  veins  are,  in  turn,  cut  and 
displaced  by  north-dipping  east-west  faults.  These 
faults  are  unmineralized,  except  by  a  little  calcite, 
which  may  be  of  recent  deposition.  Their  general 
effect  has  been  to  step  the  country  down  to  the 
north.  The  direction  of  movement  along  several  of 
these  faults  has  been  diagonally  downwards  to 
the  east.  The  andesite  sill  varies  in  thickness  from 
400  ft.  to  possibly  more  than  700  ft.  ;  it  has  been 
cut  and  displaced  by  the  vein  fissures  with  throws 
of  several  hundred  feet.  The  most  productive 
ore-bodies  have  been  found  in  the  veins  where  they 
lie  within  the  shale  overlying  the  andesite  sill  and 
adjacent  to  it,  where,  by  reason  of  faulting  move- 
ment along  the  vein  fissures,  the  shale  is  brought 
2—6 


in  opposition  to  the  andesite.  There  is  also  some 
ore  found  where  the  veins  lie  wholly  in  andesite, 
but  not  in  large  quantity  anywhere  above  the  lower 
margin  of  the  lower  faulted  .segment  of  the  sill. 
Developments  indicate  that  the  veins  are  not 
enriched  for  any  distance  below  the  andesite. 
Quartz,  indeed,  is  found  to  persist  for  some  distance 
beneath  it,  but  with  diminishing  tendency  down- 
ward, and  with  smaller  ore-shoots.  The  quartz 
scatters  in  stringers  of  diminishing  strength,  and 
dies  out.  The  lower  stretches  of  the  veins  contain 
some  of  the  baser  sulphides,  such  as  blende  and 
galena.  The  commercial  ore-bodies  occur  in  long 
relatively  horizontal  ore-shoots  better  mineralized 
in  the  upper  levels.  Some  of  these  shoots  have  been 
definitely  bottomed  while  others  are  still  being 
pursued  through  their  downward  reaching  lobes 
and  tails. 


EL  ORO  MEXICO 

LOOKING   NORTHERLY 


It  is  seldom  in  the  course  of  geological  study  that 
the  facts  observable  suffice  to  point  strongly  to  a 
particular  mass  of  eruptive  rock  as  the  source  of 
vein  mineralization.  In  this  respect  El  Oro  is  of 
particular  interest.  The  position  of  the  ore-bodies 
in  the  ground  and  their  relation  to  the  andesite  sill, 
the  dwindhng  of  the  quartz  and  mineralization 
downward  suggest  that  it  was  the  fountain  head 
of  ore-deposition.  There  is  nothing  to  suggest  the 
presence  of  other  sills  or  masses  of  intrusive  rock, 
and  many  facts  that  lead  one  to  doubt  their 
e-xistence.  This  holds  true  of  all  the  veins  thus 
far  developed.  They  are  large  and  rich  above  the 
sill  and  poor  and  small  or  entirely  pinched  out 
beneath  it.  This  could  hardly  be  the  case  if  they 
had  been  formed  from  solutions  rising  from  greater 
depth.  This  theory  is  useful  as  a  working 
hypothesis,  for  it  not  only  suggests  the  futility  of 
costly  exploration  beneath  the  sill,  but  at  once 
shows  the  attractiveness  of  territory  overlying  the 
sill  still  unexplored  and  now  covered  by  later 
andesite,   which   caps  the   vein-carrying  shale. 


lis 


III'     MIX  IXC.     MAGAZINE 


REMOVAL    OF    COPPER     FROM     BASE    LEAD     BULLION 


The  Procefdincs  of  the  Australasian  Institute  of 
Mining  and  MrtaUurg^-,  No.  38,  1920,  contains 
a  paper  by  D.  C.  M'firucr  entitled  :  The  Treatment 
of  the  Copper  Impurity  in  the  Lead  Ores  Smelted 
by  the  Suljihide  Corporation,  at  Cockle  Creek, 
New  South  Wales.  The  question  of  dealing  with  the 
small  quantities  of  copper  found  in  a  great  many 
of  the  purchased  ores  became  a  factor  of  importance 
when  the  Sulphide  Corporation  decided  to  relinc 
its  own  lead  bullion,  as  the  presence  of  this 
impurity  has  a  marked  effect  on  the  elticicncy  of 
the  desilverizing  operations  of  the  Parkes  process. 
The  copper  is  rcmoveil  from  the  base  bullion  by 
dressing,  wliich  collects  the  copper,  and  at  the  same 
time  has  considerable  gold,  silver,  and  lead  values. 
The  drossing  of  the  bullion  is  done  in  two  stages  : 
firstly,  at  the  smelters  ;  and  secondly,  in  the 
copper  kettles  at  tlie  refinery.  In  both  cases  a  wet 
dross  is  produced,  which  is  subscejuently  sweated  in 
a  suitable  type  of  furnace.  When  dry  the  dross  is 
raked  out  and  stored  until  enough  accumulates 
to  warrant  a  run  on  dross  in  the  small  blast-furnace 
kept  for  that  purpose.  A  typical  assay  of  the  dry 
dross  is  as  follows  :  Au,  03  oz.  per  ton  ;  Ag,  55  oz. 
per  ton  ;  Pb,  60-70%  ;  Cu,  6-5%  ;  Fe,  22%  ;  Zn, 
1-5%;  Sb,  4-5%;  As,  1-6%;  S,  4-5%.  The 
accumulated  dross  is  treated  in  a  small  blast- 
furnace with  the  necessary  fluxes,  producing  a  low- 
grade  Cu-Pb  matte  and  base  lead  bullion.  The 
assay -value  of  the  matte  is  approximately  as 
follows  :  Au,  0-05  oz.  per  ton  ;  Ag,  30  oz.  per  ton  ; 
Pb,  23  2%  ;  Cu,  23-25%  ;  Fe,  25%  ;  Zn,  30%  ; 
Sb,  5  6%  :    As.  3-3%  ;    S,  14-4%. 

This  matte  was  formerly  crushed,  roasted,  leached 
with  H.,S04,  and  copper  precipitates  produced  ; 
but  owing  to  the  shortage  of  scrap  iron  some  other 
means  of  converting  the  copper  into  a  marketable 
form  had  to  be  sought.  The  conversion  to  bluestone 
showed  most  promise,  and  with  this  object  in  view 
the  low-grade  matte  is  crushed  through  i  in. 
screen,  given  a  quick  roast  in  the  rotary  furnaces, 
then  over  a  Dwight-Lloyd  machine,  and  finally 
worked  up  to  high-grade  matte  in  a  reverberatory 
furnace.  In  working  the  low-grade  up  to  high- 
grade  matte,  the  time  of  treatment  is  gauged  by  the 
Fe  contents  of  the  charge,  and  when  a  dip  sample 
shows  the  Fe  to  be  about  2%  the  charge  is  tapped, 
irrespective  of  the  copper  values.  The  lead  loss  is 
naturally  high,  but  provision  is  being  made  to 
connect  the  reverberatory  furnace  to  a  bag-house 
in  the  near  future.  An  average  assay  of  the  high- 
grade  matte  produced  is  as  follows  :  Au,  P125  oz. 
per  ton  ;  Ag,  69  oz.  per  ton  ;  Pb,  24%  ;  Cu,  47%; 
Fe,  2%  ;  Zn,  2-4%  ;  S,  17%.  The  high-grade 
matte  is  crushed  in  a  Krupp  mill  through  40  mesh 
screen,  roasted  in  a  4-hearth  hand  reverberatory 
furnace,  and  then  passed  on  to  the  leaching  depart- 
ment for  the  production  of  bluestone.  The 
temperature  aimed  at  when  roasting  is  between 
600°  and  625°  C,  the  following  tests  being  taken 
under  working  conditions  :  No.  1  hearth,  460°  C  ; 
No.  2  hearth,  532°  C ;  No.  3  hearth,  582°  C  ; 
No.  4  hearth,  618°  C.  An  average  sulphur  assay 
of  the  roasted  product  is  as  follows  :  Total  S, 
7-7 o;,;   Sas  SO3,  7  4%. 

The  copper  is  dissolved  out  of  the  matte  by 
leaching  with  dilute  H.,SOi  in  an  ordinary  circular 
agitation  vat  provided  with  a  wooden  paddle, 
which  is  driven  by  a  spur  and  pinion  wheel  fitted 
over  the  top  of  the  vat.     Two  such  agitators  are 


in  use,  and  they  arc  employed  for  either  leaching 
the  roasted  matte  or  purifying  the  neutral  leach 
liquors.  Sometimes  one  is  treating  matte  and  the 
other  is  purifying  liquors,  and  at  other  times  they 
are  both  purifying  accumulated  neutral  liquors. 
The  production  of  a  neutral  impure  liquor  occupies 
from  I  to  5  hours,  whereas  5  to  15  hours  are 
necessary  for  purification,  according  to  the  (juantity 
of  iron  present  ;  therefore  an  accumulation  of 
impure  neutral  liijuor  takes  place.  In  making  up 
neutral  liquors,  the  roasted  high-grade  matte  is 
carefully  weighed,  then  lijiped  into  the  agitator, 
which  has  been  previously  tilled  to  the  correct  level 
with  H2O  (or  acid  wash  liquors  from  a  previous 
charge)  and  a  calculated  quantity  of  H.jSO,. 
Sullicient  acid  is  added  to  give  a  neutral  liquor 
containing  70  to  80  grm.  per  litre  of  copper.  The 
temperature  of  the  liquor  is  kept  up  to  about  70°  C 
by  means  of  live  steam  delivered  to  the  bottom 
of  the  agitator.  Samples  are  taken  during  the 
agitation,  and  a  test  made  for  Cu,  Fe,  and  free 
HoSO,.  When  the  copper  in  the  solution  is  correct, 
and  the  acid  neutralized,  the  agitation  is  stopped, 
the  steam  turned  off,  and  the  pulp  allowed  to  settle, 
the  clear  liquor  then  being  syphoned  oft'  to  the 
storage  vat  for  impure  neutral  liquors.  It  has  been 
found  that  at  least  three  leaches  can  be  made  before 
it  is  necessary  to  discharge  any  residues.  The 
copper  content  of  the  matte,  of  course,  controls 
the  size  of  the  charge  to  the  agitators,  and  con- 
sequently the  number  of  charges  treated  before 
discharging  a  residue. 

After  the  third  neutral  liquor  has  been  syphoned 
off,  two  successive  acid  washes  are  given  to  the 
residues.  Each  wash  is  given  about  2  hours' 
agitation  with  5  to  10%  H^SOj.  I.ive  steam  is 
used  to  raise  the  temperature  to  about  60°  C. 
Periodical  tests  of  the  wash  liquor  for  copper  and 
acid  are  taken,  and,  when  no  further  increase  of 
copper  in  the  solution  is  shown,  the  agitation  is 
stopped,  the  pulp  is  allowed  to  settle,  and  the 
clear  acid-wash  liquor  is  run  off  to  the  wash- 
water  storage  vat.  From  the  vat  it  is  subsequently 
pumped  back  to  the  agitator  for  the  next  charge 
to  make  up  neutral  leach  liquors  of  the  required 
strength.  After  the  second  acid  wash  has  been 
settled  and  run  off,  sufficient  water  is  added  to  flush 
the  whole  of  the  residues  out  of  the  agitator  through 
a  bottom  discharge  into  No.  1  of  three  cone-shaped 
setthng  vats,  which  are  terraced  to  flow  from  No.  1 
to  No.  2,  and  so  on,  finally  overflowing  into  the 
storage  vat  for  acid-wash  liquors.  These  vats 
allow  the  pulp  to  settle,  and  the  clear  wash  water, 
which  contains  a  little  copper,  is  either  displaced 
by  running  in  fresh  water  to  No.  1  or  by  syphoning 
off  to  the  acid-wash  storage  vat.  The  thickened 
pulp  is  discharged  through  a  bottom  discharge  pipe 
into  a  large  brick  bin,  where  it  is  allowed  to  dry  out 
sufficiently  to  be  sent  to  the  roasting  department. 
All  bluestone  plant  residues,  which  represent  about 
40%  by  weight  of  the  original  high-grade  matte 
leached,  are  incorporated  in  the  Huntington- 
Heberlein  pot  charge,  which  forms  part  of  the 
ordinary  daily  charge  to  the  blast-furnace.  Of 
the  metal  values  in  the  high-grade  matte  treated, 
all  of  the  Au,  Ag,  and  Pb  is  retained  in  the  residues, 
together  with  46%  of  the  Fe,  32%  of  the  Zn,  and 
9-5°'o  of  the  Cu.  The  Au.  Ag.  and  Pb  values  are 
thus  separated  from  90-5%  of  the  copper,  and  are 
subsequently  recovered  with  the  bullion  produced 


AUGUST,    1921 


119 


in    the    blast-furnace,    the    copper    that    escaped 
solution  being  again  drossed  off. 

Iron  is  the  chief  removable  impurity,  and  during 
its  precipitation  the  whole  of  the  As  and  Sb  is  also 
precipitated  The  Hofmann  system  of  purification 
has  been  successfully  employed.  This  system 
claims  that  in  the  presence  of  air  and  CuO  (in  hot 
liquors)  ferric  sulphate  is  oxidized,  then  precipitated 
as  ferric  oxide,  and  that  a  chemical  equivalent  of 
copper  goes  into  solution  as  CuSOj.  A  con- 
siderable departure  from  the  somewhat  elaborate 
purifier,  as  described  by  Hofmann,  has  been  made, 
and  all  liquor  purifications  are  carried  out  in  an 
ordinary  agitation  vat.  Several  methods  of 
applying  the  air  have  been  tried,  but  the  best 
results  have  been  obtained  by  delivering  the  air 
and  steam  at  a  point  near  the  bottom  of  the  agitator, 
either  by  two  independent  lead  pipes  of  equal 
length  strapped  together — one  for  air  and  the  other 
for  steam — or  by  mixing  the  air  and  steam  in  one 
lead  pipe.  Whichever  method  is  applied,  the  lead 
pipe  is  securely  fixed  to  the  inside  of  the  agitator  by 
means  of  wooden  cleats. 

The  agitator  is  filled  to  the  correct  level  with 
impure  neutral  leach  solution.  A  sample  of  the 
liquor  is  taken  and  tested  for  iron  in  the  ferrous 
state,  the  agitator  is  then  started,  and  steam  and 
air  turned  on.  For  the  necessary  CuO  either 
ordinary  roasted  high-grade  matte  or  roasted  copper 
precipitates  are  used,  and,  as  the  temperature 
rises  in  the  agitator,  about  300  lb.  of  roasted  matte 
or  precipitates  are  tipped  in.  The  progress  of  the 
purification  is  carefully  watched  by  means  of  a 
sample  of  the  liquor  taken  every  hour,  and  a  test 
made  for  ferrous  iron  by  acidifying  the  sample  with 
H.^SOj  and  titrating  direct  with  standard  KMnOj. 
In  the  presence  of  the  added  CuO  (in  the  roasted 
matte  or  precipitates)  no  appreciable  iron  in  the 
ferric  state  is  found  in  the  solution  ;  therefore 
a  titration  for  Fe  in  the  ferrous  state  gives  a  true 
working  indication  of  the  total  iron  in  the  solution 
at  any  stage  of  the  purification.  The  amount  of 
Fe  in  the  impure  neutral  liquors  varies  considerably, 
according  to  the  iron  in  the  matte  treated  and  the 
completeness  of  the  roasting.  The  maximum  Fe 
found  in  the  impure  leach  liquors  is  about  10 
grammes  per  litre,  and  the  minimum  about  2-0 
to  2-5  g.p.l.  The  degree  of  purification  aimed  at  is 
from  0-15  to  0-2  g.p.l.  Fe.  From  5  to  15  hours' 
agitation  and  aeration  are  necessary,  and,  when  the 
purification  is  finished,  the  agitator  is  stopped, 
steam  and  air  turned  off,  and  the  charge  allowed 
to  settle.  The  clear  solution  is  then  syphoned  off 
to  the  storage  vat  for  purified  liquors.  The 
following  tabulation  shows  the  completeness  of  the 
removal  of  Fe,  As,  and  Sb,  the  Zn  not  being 
affected  : — 

Cu  Fe  As  Sb  Zn 
Impure  liquor  (g.p.l.)  73  5-1  1-05  trace  3-0 
Purified   liquor    (g.p.l.)    80      0-15  trace     nil      3-1 

After  decanting  the  purified  liquor,  the  residue, 
which  contains  a  considerable  bulk  of  precipitated 
ferric  oxides,  is  given  a  weak  acid  wash  to  dissolve 
the  unconverted  CuO.  About  three  hours'  agitation 
is  given.  The  residue  is  allowed  to  settle,  and  the 
liquor  decanted  to  the  acid-wash  liquor  storage  vat. 
If  necessary  two  acid  washes  are  given,  then  the 
residues  are  discharged,  with  water,  in  exactly 
the  same  manner  as  ordinary  leach  residues  when 
making  up  neutral  impure  liquors.  All  acid-wash 
water  is  used  as  subsequent  leach  solutions  for 
fresh  charges  of  impure  liquor. 


The  main  evaporating  pan  is  a  rectangular  lead- 
lined  wooden  vat  of  750  gallon  capacity.     The  first 
arrangement    consisted    of    six    4  in.    lead-covered 
boiler  tubes    let    into  the  vat  longitudinally,  with 
a  fire-box,  suitable  for  burning    coke,  at  one  end, 
and  a  chimney  at  the  other.     'The  rate  of  evapora- 
tion proved  to  be  altogether  too  slow,  and  the  coke 
consumption  was  abnormal.     Steam  coils  were  then 
installed,  the  first  being  a   1  in.   soft-lead  piping. 
The  best  results  have,  however,  been  obtained  by 
using  1 J  in.  Sb-Pb  piping,  containing  4%  Sb.     On 
account   of   the   strength   of   the   hard-lead   piping 
the    scale    can    be    periodically    removed    without 
injury   to  the   coil.     A  percentage  analysis  of  the 
scale  that  forms  is  as  follows  :    Pb,  nil  ;    Cu,  28-8  ; 
Fe,  0-4  ;    Zn,  0-9  ;   Sb,  trace  ;    As,  0-9  ;    total  S, 
14-5  ;     S  as   SO3,    14-5.     The  evaporator  will   not 
hold  enough  concentrated  liquor  to  fill  a  crystallizing 
vat,  therefore  when  the  liquor  in  the  evaporator 
has  attained  a  specific   gravity  of  1-4  it  is  run  to 
a  storage  vat  provided   with  lead   coil,   using  the 
waste   steam    from   the   evaporator.     This   storage 
vat  acts  as  a  further  concentrator,  and  also  as  a 
means  for  thoroughly  clarifying  the  liquor  before 
its    gravitation    to    the    crystallizers,    where    it    is 
delivered  at  from   1-42  to   1-43  sp.   gr.   and  from 
80°  to  85°  C. 

The  crystallizing  vats  in  use  are  made  of  brick, 
lined  on  the  sides  with  8  lb.  sheet  lead,  and  with 
10  lb.  lead  on  the  bottoms.  The  dimensions  of  the 
vats  are  8  ft.  by  10  ft.  by  2  ft.  9  in.  high,  and  their 
capacity  1,370  gallons.  To  give  the  maximum  of 
surface  for  bluestone  crystals  to  build  upon,  each 
vat  has  112  sheet-lead  strips  8  in.  wide  and  4  ft.  3  in. 
long,  hung  on  4  in.  by  2  in.  hardwood  battens, 
and  allowed  to  e.xtend  down  into  the  vat  to  within 
about  7  in.  of  the  bottom.  When  it  is  desired  to  fill 
a  crystallizer,  all  the  strips  are  placed  in  position  ; 
the  hot  concentrated  liquor  is  gravitated  from  the 
storage  vat,  covered  over  with  hessian,  and  allowed 
to  cool  slowly  for  from  7  to  9  days.  From  2  to 
2-5  tons  of  dried  bluestone  are  made  per  charge. 
When  the  crystallizer  is  to  be  emptied,  the  mother 
liquor  is  ejected  by  means  of  a  steam  ejector.  The 
crystals  are  all  knocked  off  the  strips  and  sides  on 
to  the  bottom  of  the  vat,  then  shovelled  out  and 
delivered  to  the  washer.  Thus  two  products  are 
obtained  from  the  crystallizing  vats  :  (1)  Mother 
liquor  ;     (2)   bluestone  crystals. 

An  average  analysis  of  the  mother  liquor  is  as 
follows  in  terms  of  grammes  per  litre  :  Cu,  84  ; 
Fe,  0-8  to  2-0  ;  Zn,  11  ;  Free  H.2SO.,,  1-8  ;  Sp.  gr  , 
1-26.  The  original  procedure  was  to  further  con- 
centrate the  mother  liquor  and  produce  a  second 
crop  of  bluestone,  but  it  was  found  that  the  resulting 
crystals  were  of  low  grade,  which  necessitated  their 
being  dissolved  and  re-crystallized.  The  assay- 
value  of  the  low-grade  bluestone  thus  produced  was  : 
Cu,  24-95%  ;  CuSOj,  SHjO,  97-5%  ;  Fe,  0-065%  ; 
Zn,  0-15%. 

As  only  a  first-class  grade  of  bluestone  is  being 
boxed  for  sale,  the  necessity  of  re-dissolving  the 
low-grade  bluestone  cut  the  capacity  of  the  plant 
down  to  such  an  extent  that  some  other  means  of 
dealing  with  this  product  had  to  be  devised.  The 
present  practice,  which  overcomes  the  production 
of  any  low-grade  bluestone,  is  to  by-pass,  and  run 
over  scrap-iron,  a  definite  quantity  of  mother 
liquor  each  week,  returning  the  balance  to  the 
purified-liquor  storage  vat.  By  this  means  no 
building  up  of  the  zinc  (which  is  the  chief  impurity) 
takes  place,  and   a  high  grade  of  bluestone  only  is 


1 20 


III 


MINIXr,     MAi.AZINI'; 


made.  The  copper  precipitates,  prmlucod  from 
the  mother  liquor,  whicli  is  by-passeil,  represent 
about  IS"'„  of  the  copper  leached  from  tlie  matte. 
It  is  roasted,  and  returned  to  the  purifier  as  a  source 
of  CuO.  The  only  bluestone  now  being  re-dissolved 
is  the  undersizc  from  the  hutch  of  the  washer. 
This  is  dissolved  in  mother  liquor  in  an  agitator 
provided  with  a  paddle  and  steam  coil.  The 
crystals  are  added  to  the  liquor  until  a  specific 
gravity  of  1'435  is  obtained.  The  liquor  is  then 
run  into  the  crystallizer  with  ordinary  concentrated 
purified  liquors. 

The  bluestone,  as  it  comes  from  the  crystallizing 
vats,  has  to  be  washed  and  freed  from  any  very 
fine  crystals.  This  is  done  in  a  jigger  washer, 
having  a  fixed  screen.  Mother  liquor  is  used  as  the 
wash  liquor.  The  screen  on  the  washer  has 
3/32  in.  holes,  which  allow  the  undersized  crystals 
to  pa.ss  through  into  the  hutch  ;  from  there  they 
are  periodically  shovelled  and  sent  to  tho  re- 
dissolvor.  The  washed  crystals  are  shovelled  off 
tho  jigger  screen  into  a  centrifugal  drier,  from  which 


tllDV  arc  transferred,  when  properly  dried,  to  a 
screen  giving  two  sizes  of  crystals  loss  and  greater 
than  i  in.  The  boxes  used  are  made  of  i)ine,  and 
have  an  inside  dimension  of  20  in.  by  10  in.  by 
12  in.  I'"ach  bo\  is  lined  with  brown  jiaper  before 
being  filled,  and  holds  1  cwl.  net  of  bluestone,  of 
either  the  coarse  or  fine  grade  of  crystals,  and 
is  branded  C  or  F,  according  to  which  grade  of 
crystals  it  contains.  Tho  assay-value  of  the  finishod 
article  is  as  follows  :  Cu,  25-26'>i  ;  CuSO,,  51I.,0, 
Bg^So^  ;  Ni,  0  002%  ;  Zn,  009%  :  MgO,  trace  ; 
CaO,  trace;  AUOa -(-  Fo.O;,,  0-07%;  As.  trace; 
Sb,  trace  ;  Se  +  To,  trace  ;  Nitrates,  nil  ; 
Insolulile,  0-02%. 

It  will  be  noticed  that,  although  about  I.^% 
of  tho  copper  leached  out  of  the  high-grade  matte 
is  by-passed  and  precipitated  on  scrap-iron,  tho 
precipitated  copper  is  roasted  and  returned  to  tho 
purifier  ;  therefore,  by  the  method  above  described, 
a  metal,  which  is  looked  upon  as  an  impurity  in 
lead  smelting,  is  .separated  from  tho  Au,  Ag,  and 
Pb,  and  converted  into  a  profitable  by-product. 


Gyroscopic  Surveying  Compass.  —  In  the 
Mag.\7ine  for  .Xpril,  1920,  reference  was  made  to 
the  gyroscopic  compass,  the  principle  of  which  lies 
in  the  fact  that  the  axis  of  rotation  of  a  rapidly 
rotating  body  tends  to  assume  a  position  parallel 
to  the  axis  of  rotation  of  the  earth.  This  type  of 
compass  is  now  being  used  in  ocean-going  steamers, 
and  in  the  notice  named  we  mentioned  that  the 
principle  was  being  applied  in  Germany  to  mine 
surveying.  Last  month  the  specification  of  a 
patent,  granted  to  Anschutz  &  Co.,  of  Kiel,  was 
published.  This  was  numbered  18,346  of  1920 
(146,372).     We  quote  the  specification  herewith. 

On  the  bed-plate  1,  which  is  provided  with 
foundation-bolts  2,  is  cast  the  horse-shoe-shaped 
bracket  3.  The  drawing  shows  only  the  rear 
branch  of  the  said  bracket  ;  the  front  one  is  assumed 
to  be  cut  off,  the  cut  surface  being  visible  at  4. 
On  the  inner  sides  of  the  branches  of  the  said 
bracket  3  are  mounted — shown  dotted — supporting 
parts  5  on  which  a  spherical  vessel  7  rests,  by 
means  of  flanges  6.  This  vessel  is  filled  with  mercury 
and  contains  a  spherical  float  8  which  supports  the 
gyroscopic  compass  9  by  nieans  of  a  bracket  10 
which  is  connected  by  a  neck  1 1  to  the  float  8. 
Into  a  bore  12  of  the  neck  11  projects,  through  a 
bore  13  of  the  bracket  10,  a  centering-pin  14 
secured  at  the  top  to  the  bracket  3. 

In  the  gyroscope  compass  itself,  the  gyroscope 
casing  9  is  supported  by  means  of  pins  15  in  bearings 
16  of  the  bracket  10,  so  that  it  may  be  turned  about 
itself.  On  one  side  of  the  bracket  10  is  mounted 
a  spring-controlled  locking-pin  17,  which  engages 
in  the  position  illustrated,  w-ith  a  notch  18  pro- 
vided in  a  plate  19,  secured  to  the  gyroscope  casing 
9.  Exactly  at  an  angle  of  180°  relatively  to  the 
notch  18  there  is  provided  in  the  plate  19  a  second 
notch  20,  with  which  the  pin  17  can  also  engage. 
The  gyroscope  casing  may  therefore  be  brought 
either  into  the  position  shown  in  the  drawing,  or 
into  a  position  at  angle  180°  to  the  same.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  gyroscope  casing,  outside  the 
corresponding  bearing  16,  is  secured  a  cup  21,  which 
is  open  at  the  side.  Through  the  said  opening  is 
visible  a  mirror  22,  secured  by  means  of  three 
screws  23,  only  one  of  which  is  shown  in  the  drawing, 
to  a  part  24  on  the  bottom  of  the  cup  21.  This 
mirror  is  pressed  outwardly  by  a  spring  25  mounted 


in  a  bore  of  the  part  24.  By  suitably  setting  the 
screws  23,  the  mirror  may  be  brought  into  a  position 
exactly  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  x — x  of  the 
gyroscope  casing  9,  or  of  the  gyroscope  body  proper. 
The  gyroscope  body  is  not  shown  in  the  drawing. 
It  is  mounted  in  the  usual  manner  within  the 
gyroscope  casing  9,  on  ball-bearings,  which  are 
provided  in  the  pins  15  The  cup  21,  containing 
the  part  24,  is  used  for  admitting  lubricant,  and 
the  cup  26,  which  is  provided  on  the  plate  19, 
is  intended  for  the  same  purpose.  The  cup  26  is 
further  provided  with  a  cock  27  through  which  air 
may  be  discharged  from  the  gyroscope  casing  9,  or 
a  light  gas  introduced  into  the  casing  for  the 
purpose  of  reducing  the  surface  friction  of  the 
gyroscope  body.  The  instrument  is  closed  by  means 
of  a  sheet-metal  cap  28,  which  is  provided  in  front 
of  the  mirror  22  with  an  inspection  opening  29. 

The  gyroscope  with  the  casing  9,  bracket  10,  and 
float  8,  forms  a  floating  system  which  can  freely 
turn  about  the  vertical  axis  and  the  geographical 
meridian.  When  the  instrument  has  been  steadied 
by  hand  to  such  an  extent  that  only  small 
oscillations  take  place,  a  reading  can  be  effected 
with  the  assistance  of  the  mirror  22.  Then,  as 
already  stated,  the  gyroscope  casing  can  be  turned 
with  the  mirror  to  fsO",  and  the  reading  repeated, 
owing  to  which  any  errors  in  the  setting  of  the 
mirror  at  right  angles  to  the  axis  of  the  gyroscope 
are  eliminated.  Without  this  turning  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  test  the  proper  setting  of  the  mirror 
if  it  is  desired  to  keep  the  errors  within  the  limits 
of  one  minute  of  arc  or  less.  The  securing  of  the 
mirror  to  the  gyroscope  casing  presents  the 
advantage  that  any  changes  of  shape  of  the 
supporting  bracket  10  and  of  the  float  8  do  not 
affect  the  reading. 

The  turning  of  the  gyroscope  casing  with  the 
mirror  is  of  great  importance.  In  order  to  do  this, 
without  interrupting  the  supply  of  current  to  the 
electric  motor  (in  the  construction  illustrated  a 
three-phase  motor)  driving  the  gyroscope  body,  the 
current  supply  is  arranged  in  the  following  manner 

The  bracket  10  is  provided  with  a  brush-holder 
30  on  which  are  mounted  three  spring-controlled 
current-supply  brushes  31.  These  slide  on  contact- 
rings  32  on  the  gyroscope  casing  9,  from  which  the 
three  phases  are  supplied  to  the  stator  of  an  electric 


AUGUST,    1921 


121 


motor,  which  is  mounted  in  the  gyroscope  casing. 
The  three  phases  are,  however,  supphed  to  the 
three  brushes  from  the  outside,  without  the  free 
rotation  of  the  floating  system  about  the  vertical 
axis  being  interfered  with  in  the  following  manner. 
On  the  bed-plate  1  is  a  mercury  cup  33  containing 
the  mercury  34.  Into  the  latter  dips  a  pin  35, 
which,  by  means  of  an  insulating  part  36,  is  secured 
to  a  member  37  depending  from  the  bearings  16. 
Another  mercury  cup  38  is  provided  in  the  bore  12 
of  the  neck  11,  and  into  this  dips  the  lower  end  of 
the  centering-pin  14.     Each  of  these  two  mercury 


The  Anschltz  Gvrost.\tic  Surveying  Co-mpass. 

cups  supplies  one  phase  of  current  to  one  of  the 
brushes  31,  while  the  third  brush  is  bodily  con- 
nected to  the  bracket  10,  and  receives  its  current 
supply  through  the  mercury  in  the  vessel  7. 

In  order  to  make  the  instrument  readily  portable, 
on  the  bracket  10  are  provided  two  spring-controlled 
hooks  39,  which,  when  the  whole  bracket  10  is 
raised  together  with  the  float  and  the  vessel,  engage 
with  corresponding  projections  40  on  the  bracket 
3,  4.  Pins  41  on  the  bracket  10  engage  then  with 
suitable  bores  42  of  the  bracket  3,  4,  and  a  pin  43 
engages  with  a  suitable  bore  44,  also  on  the  bracket 
10,  while  at  the  same  time  the  bottom  end  of  the 
centering-pin  14  is  enclosed  fast  by  a  half-ring  45 
in  the  bore  12  of  the  neck  11.  In  that  way  the 
floating  system  is  completely  secured  to  the  bracket 


3,  4,  while  at  the  same  time  the  upper  opening  of 
the  mercury  vessel  7  is  tightly  closed  bv  the  shoulder 
46  of  the  neck  11.  The  instrument  is  therefore 
portable. 

It  is  further  pointed  out  that  in  the  working 
position,  between  the  circumference  of  the  bottom 
end  of  the  centering-pin  14,  and  the  bore  on  the 
neck  ring  45,  there  should  be  a  clearance,  in  order 
not  to  disturb  the  free  rotation  of  the  instrument. 
This,  however,  does  not  affect  the  result  of  the 
reading,  owing  to  the  possibility  of  repeating  the 
reading  by  turning  the  gyroscope  casing  with  the 
mirror  tu  an  angle  of  180°. 

Indian  Mining  Laws. — In  the  Journal  of  Indian 
Industries  and  Labour  for  May,  Sir  Thomas  H. 
Holland  writes  on  the  principles  governing  the 
grant  of  mining  concessions  in  India.  Wc  give 
herewith  his  summary  of  the  rules  for  the  grant  of 
prospecting  licences  and  mining  leases  and  we  refer 
to  his  exposition  of  the  principles  in  an  Editorial. 

Any  British  subject  is  at  liberty  to  search  for 
minerals  in  unoccupied  and  unreserved  land 
which  is  the  property  of  Government  ;  but,  before 
obtaining  a  prospecting  licence  or  a  mining  lease, 
which  carries  with  it  certain  privileges,  he  must 
obtain  a  certificate  of  approval  from  the  local 
Government  within  whose  jurisdiction  the  land 
lies  for  which  the  licence  is  required.  A  certificate 
of  approval,  which  will  hold  good  till  the  end  of  the 
calendar  year,  can  be  obtained  for  50  rupees,  and,  if 
the  local  Government  approve,  can  be  renewed  for 
a  fee  of  10  rupees. 

The  applicant  for  a  prospecting  licence  is  required 
to  furnish  a  description  of  the  land,  illustrated  by 
a  map  or  plan,  or  alternatively,  to  peg  out  his 
claim  according  to  a  prescribed  system  ;  and  when 
two  or  more  applicants  apply  for  the  same  land, 
the  prior  right  to  a  licence,  other  circumstances 
being  satisfactory,  shall  be  deemed  to  lie  with  the 
applicant  who  first  files  his  application  with  the 
Collector  of  the  District. 

Before  a  licence  is  granted  the  applicant  must 
deposit  either  100  rupees  per  square  mile  or  part  of 
a  square  mile,  or  give  security  to  a  like  amount. 
The  licence  must  then  be  executed  within  three 
months. 

A  district  register  of  licences  granted  is  open  to 
inspection  by  any  holder  of  a  valid  certificate  of 
approval  on  payment  of  a  small  fee. 

.A  licence  is  granted  in  the  first  instance  for  not 
more  than  one  year,  but  may  be  renewed  for  a 
further  term  not  exceeding  two  years. 

The  licensee  has  to  pay  a  fee  not  exceeding  one 
rupee  and  not  less  than  one  anna  per  annum  per 
acre  of  the  land  taken  up,  and  is  required  to  pay 
royalty  at  a  rate  not  exceeding  15%  of  the  value  on 
all  precious  stones  that  may  be  obtained,  and,  for 
other  minerals  over  and  above  specified,  small 
quantities  allowed  free,  at  the  rates  referred  to 
below  for  mining  leases. 

The  licensee  requires  the  previous  sanction  of  the 
local  Government  to  transfer  his  rights  to  any  other 
penson  holdmg  a  certificate  of  approval. 

Within  six  months  after  giving  up  his  licence,  a 
licensee  may  be  required  to  restore  or  to  make  safe 
any  land  opened  up  during  his  prospecting  operations. 

Each  licence  carries  with  it  the  right  to  claim 
a  mining  lease  in  accordance  with  the  rules,  the 
lease  comprising  the  whole  or  a  part  only  of  the 
area  covered  by  the  prospecting  licence,  so  long 
as  the  total  areas  leased  does  not  exceed  10  square 
miles  within  any  one  province. 


Ill 


nil:     MIMXC.     MAC.AZINl'; 


.  Holoro  obt:\ining  a  rofuiul  of  his  security,  a 
licensee  may  be  required  to  disclose  conlidentially 
to  Government  any  information  obtained  as  to  the 
mineralogical  or  geological  nature  of  tlie  area 
licensed. 

In  the  case  of  mining  leases,  the  a]>plioant  is 
required  to  deposit  as  security  the  equivalent  of  not 
more  than  ,S00  rupees,  but  any  sum  alreaily  held  in 
deposit  in  respect  of  the  prospecting  licence  will  be 
carried  forward  to  the  applicant's  account. 

The  application  for  a  mining  lease  must  be 
accompanied  by  a  map  or  plan  showing  the 
bountiaries  of  the  area  applied  for  ;  or  alternatively, 
the  ground  may  be  marked  out  as  in  the  case  of 
prospecting  licences. 

In  the  case  of  two  or  more  applicants  affecting  the 
same  land,  not  already  held  under  a  prospecting 
licence,  the  rule  of  priority  holds. 

A  register  of  mining  leases  is  kept  in  the  Collector's 
office  for  inspection  by  holders  of  certificates  of 
approval  or  their  representatives  on  payment  of 
a  suitable  fee. 

No  mining  lease  shall  be  granted  by  the  local 
Government  so  as  to  cause  the  total  area  held  under 
mining  leases  by  the  lessee  or  by  those  joint  in 
interest  with  him  to  exceed  10  square  miles  within 
the  territories  administered  by  the  local  Govern- 
ment ;  but  the  Government  of  India  has  power  to 
grant  areas  in  excess  of  this  amount. 

Without  the  previous  sanction  of  the  Governor- 
General  in  Council,  or  unless  provincial  rules  are 
prescribed  for  special  conditions,  such  as  river 
dredging  concessions,  the  length  of  an  area  granted 
under  a  minmg  lease  shall  not  be  allowed  to  exceed 
four  times  its  breadth. 

The  boundaries  below  the  surface  of  all  areas  given 
out  on  raining  leases  are  regarded  as  running 
vertically  downwards. 

The  term  for  which  a  mining  lease  may  be  granted 
shall  not  exceed  30  years,  but  the  lease  may  contain 
a  clause  permitting  renewal  for  another  30  years  on 
a  dead  rent  and  surface  rent  not  exceeding  twice  the 
original  rents,  the  royalty  payable  being  that  which 
on  the  day  following  the  expiry  of  the  original  lease 
shall  be  the  royalty  rate  then  in  force. 

A  lessee,  with  the  previous  sanction  of  the  local 
Government,  can  transfer  his  rights  to  another 
person  or  company  holding  a  valid  certificate  of 
approval. 

Unless  prevented  by  reasonable  cause,  a  lessee  is 
required  to  commence  operations  within  one  year 
from  the  date  of  the  e.xecution  of  his  lease,  and  is 
thereafter  required  to  carry  on  the  operations 
etfectually  in  a  proper,  skilful,  and  mining-like 
manner.  If  a  lessee,  without  reasonable  cause, 
ceases  to  work  the  mine  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
tivo  years  in  such  a  manner  as  to  produce  sufficient 
mineral  to  earn  a  royalty  at  least  equal  to  the  dead 
rent,  he  will  be  liable  to  forfeit  his  leasehold  rights, 
or  may  be  required  instead  to  pay  a  higher  dead 
rent  not  exceeding  twice  the  original  rent. 

A  lessee  is  required  to  keep  correct  accounts 
showing  the  quantity  of  all  minerals  obtained,  the 
number  of  persons  employed,  as  well  as  plans  of  the 
mine,  for  Government  inspection.  He  is  required 
to  allow  existing  and  future  adjoining  licensees  or 
leaseholders  of  land  to  have  reasonable  facilities  of 
access  thereto  ;  and  is  also  required  to  report  the 
discovery  of  minerals  other  than  those  specified 
in  his  lease 

At  the  determination  of  his  lease,  he  is  required 
to  deliver  up  the  premises  in  a  proper  and  workman- 


like state  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  local  Govern- 
ment. 

Any  lessee  is  at  liberty  to  relinquish  his  lease  at 
any  time  on  giving  not  less  than  twelve  calendar 
months'  notice  and  on  payment  of  all  sums  that  may 
be  due,  and  cannot  take  a  new  lease  for  a  portion  of 
the  land  so  relinquishetl. 

The  roy.ilty  rates  prescribed  by  the  rules  include 
S'^o  on  the  sale  value  of  ordinary  coal,  with  a 
minimum  of  2  annas  per  ton,  and  half  these  rates 
for  coal  dust.  In  the  case  of  mica,  the  royalty  is 
5%  on  the  sale  value  at  the  pit's  mouth.  For  oil, 
the  royalty  is  8  annas  per  40  gallons,  or  ^"/„  ad 
vnlorcm  on  the  gross  value  ;  and  for  gold  and  silver 
the  rate  paid  is  7i%  <in  the  profits  of  each  year 
taken  separately,  or  2\"„  on  the  gross  value  of  the 
metal.  Iron  ore  has  hitherto  been  charged  at  the 
rate  of  half  an  anna  per  ton.  Lease-holders  for 
precious  stones  pay  30%  on  the  net  profits  of  each 
year  taken  separately  ;  and  for  all  other  minerals, 
not  specified  above,  the  rate  is  2S%  on  the  sale 
value  at  the  pit's  mouth,  convertible  at  the  option 
of  the  local  Government  to  an  equivalent  charge 
per  ton  to  be  fixed  annually  or  for  a  term. 

Lease-holders  are  required  to  pay  a  minimum 
dead  rent,  which  becomes  absorbed  by  royalty. 
The  minimum  rates  charged  are  four  annas  per 
acre  for  coal,  lignite,  and  minerals  used  in  agriculture 
and  chemical  manufactures,  such  as  bauxite, 
gypsum,  iron  pyrites,  and  pyritous  shales.  For 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones,  the  minimum  rate 
per  acre  is  one  rupee,  and  for  iron  ore  one  anna  per 
acre.  These  minimum  rates  are  liable  to  bo 
exceeded  according  to  the  value  of  the  deposit  and 
the  degree  of  the  development  of  the  area. 

The  annual  surface  rent  charged  for  land  actually 
occupied  under  lease  is  that  assessable  under  the 
revenue  and  rent  law  of  the  province,  or,  if  no  such 
rent  is  so  assessable,  the  rate  may  be  fi.xed  by 
Government,  subject  to  a  maximum  on  one  rupee 
and  a  minimum  of  four  annas  per  acre. 

Origin  of  the  Cost-book  System.— .At  a  recent 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Cornwall  Polytechnic  Society, 
Professor  Henry  Louis  read  a  paper  under  this 
title,  in  which  he  gave  an  account  of  Roman 
tablets  discovered  in  Portugal,  these  tablets  con- 
taining inscriptions  indicating  the  existence  of  a 
cost-book  plan. 

A  few  years  ago  it  would  have  been  hazardous 
to  suggest  that  the  cost-book  system  was  a  part  of 
Rome's  legacy  to  Cornwall,  but  an  interesting 
discovery  made  in  Portugal  places  this  point 
beyond  doubt.  .\t  the  well-known  argentiferous 
copper  mines  of  .Aljustrel,  in  Portugal,  a  bronze 
tablet  had  been  discovered  in  1876  beneath  a  heap 
of  old  slag,  which  gave  some  interesting  particulars 
of  the  economic  regulations  that  applied  to  these 
mines  in  Roman  times.  More  recently,  in  1906, 
a  second  tablet  was  discovered,  the  inscription  on 
which  shows  the  laws  under  which  mining  was 
carried  on  in  this  colony,  and  presumably  also  in 
others,  and  here  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  we 
find  the  first  traces  of  a  well-developed  cost-book 
system.  The  inscription  dates  from  the  reign  of 
Hadrian.  The  relevant  portions  of  the  inscription 
may  be  translated   thus  : — 

(2)  Silver-bearing  shafts  shall  be  worked  in  the 
manner  contained  in  this  law  ;  the  prices  thereof 
shall  be  maintained  according  to  the  generosity 
of  the  most  sacred  emperor  Hadrian  Augustus, 
in  such  manner  that  the  ownership  of  that  share 
that  shall  belong  to  the  Treasury  shall  belong  to  him 


AUGUST,   1921 


123 


who  first  offers  the  price  for  the  shaft  and  pays 
into  the  Treasury-  the  sum  of  four  thousand  seterces- 

(3)  Whoever,  out  of  five  shafts,  shal!  have  sunk 
one  down  to  the  ore,  shall  work  without  inter- 
mission in  the  others,  as  is  written  above  :  unless 
he  shall  do  so,  others  shall  have  power  to  occupy 
the  same. 

(4)  If  anyone,  after  twenty-five  days  given  to 
preparation  for  the  expenses,  shall  have  forthwith 
commenced  to  carr\-  out  some  work,  but  shall 
afterwards  have  ceased  from  working  for  ten 
successive  days,  others  shall  have  the  right  of 
occupation. 

(5)  A  shaft  having  been  sold  by  the  Treasury 
and  having  lain  idle  for  six  consecutive  months, 
others  shall  have  the  right  of  occupying  the  same, 
provided  that  when  ores  are  drawn  from  it  one-half 
part  shall,  as  is  customary,  be  reserved  to  the 
Treasury. 

(6)  The  occupier  of  the  shaft  shall  be  allowed  to 
have  such  partners  as  he  may  desire,  provided  that 
the  latter  shall  contribute  to  the  expenses  for  that 
share  by  which  he  is  a  partner.  Should  he  not  do 
so,  then  he  who  has  made  the  disbursements 
shall  for  three  successive  days  in  the  most  frequented 
part  of  the  forum  cause  the  account  of  the  dis- 
bursements made  by  him  to  be  published,  and  he 
shall  intimate  to  the  partners  by  the  crier  that 
each  shall  contribute  to  the  expenses  according 
to  his  share.  Whoever  shall  not  contribute,  or  with 
evil  intent  shall  have  done  something  so  that  he 
may  not  contribute,  or  shall  deceive  one  or  more  of 
the  partners,  he  shall  be  deprived  of  his  share  in  the 
shaft,  and  the  share  of  that  partner  shall  belong 
to  the  other  partners  as  they  shall  have  paid  the 
disbursements. 

(7)  And  those  colonists  who  shall  have  made  dis- 
bursements in  that  shaft  in  which  there  shall  have 
been  several  partners,  shall  be  entitled  to  recover 
from  their  partners  what  shall  be  shown  to  have 
been  expended  in  good  faith. 

(8)  The  colonists  shall  be  allowed  to  sell  among 
each  other  also  such  shares  of  the  shafts  as  thev  may 
have  bought  from  the  Treasury  and  paid  the 
price  thereof,  for  as  much  as  each  one  can  obtain. 
Whoever  wishes  to  sell  his  share  or  to  buy  one  must 
make  a  declaration  before  the  Warden  in  charge  of 
the  mines  ;  it  shall  not  be  lawful  to  buy  or  sell  in 
other  wise.  And  whoever  is  in  debt  to  the  Treasury 
shall  not  be  allowed  to  give  away  his  share. 

It  will  be  seen  that  sections  (6)  and  (7)  -really 
contain  the  essential  regulations  of  the  cost-book 
system  ;  from  the  legal  point  of  view  nothing  more 
is  required,  as  we  fijid  here  the  power  of  making 
calls  upon  all  the  adventurers  in  a  mine  for  expenses 
legitimately  incurred  and  of  forfeiting  the  shares  of 
such  of  the  adventurers  as  do  not  pay  their  calls. 
It  is  worth  noting  that  such  mining  partnerships 
are  to  be  met  with  wherever  the  influence  of  the 
Roman  Empire  can  be  traced,  and  that  in  a  few 
cases  they  have  survived  up  to  the  present  time. 
The  mining  statutes  of  Trent,  Iglesias,  etc.,  all 
refer  to  it,  and  in  Germany  we  have  its  survival, 
though  in  modified  form,  in  the  "  Gewerkschaft," 
which  was  at  one  time  almost  identical  with  the 
cost-book  company  :  we  can  even  trace  the  intro- 
duction of  the  German  terms,  for  in  one  of  the 
Trent  ordinances,  dated  1214,  we  find  the  phrase 
"  quattuor  werki,  silicet  socii  affidati."  Again, 
the  mining  partnerships  of  the  same  type,  as 
indicated  in  the  Aljustrel  Mining  Law,  are  not 
known  to  modern  Spanish  Mining  Law,  but  we  find 


them  set  out  with  much  detail  in  the  mining  laws 
of  Spanish  South  America,  which  were  derived  from 
the  Ordinances  of  Phillip  II  of  1.S84,  which  devote 
a  section  to  mining  partnerships,  and  enact 
regulations  quite  similar  to  the  Roman  ones  though 
with  more  detail.  A  chapter  of  the  modern  Chilian 
Mining  Law  (Codigo  de  Mineria,  1888,  Titulo  XI, 
"  De  las  Compahias  Mineras  ")  practicallv  identical 
Avith  that  of  the  Argentine  Republic  of  1886,  also 
includes  a  set  of  similar  regulations. 

There  is  thus  excellent  evidence  that  the  principles 
of  the  cost-book  system  have  come  down  to  us 
direct  from  Roman  times,  and  that  it  was  the 
keen  minds  of  Roman  legislators  that  first  devised 
this  form  of  partnership,  so  admirably  adapted 
to  fostering  mining  enterprise. 

The  South-East  Rand. — At  a  meeting  of  the 
Geological  Society  of  South  Africa  held  at  the  end  of 
May,  Dr.  A.  W.  Rogers,  Director  of  the  Geological 
Survey  of  the  Union  of  South  ."Vfrica,  read  a  paper 
entitled  :  "  The  Geology  of  the  Neighbourhood  of 
Heidelberg."  Copies  of  papers  read  before  the 
society  are  not  available  for  general  use  until 
many  months  after  they  are  read,  so  we  take  the 
following  abstract  of  the  paper  from  the  South 
African  .Mining  and  Engineering  Journal  for  June  4. 

This  paper  describes  the  country  between  the 
Zuikerbosch  Rand  and  the  neighbourhood  of 
Balfour.  A  coloured  map  accompanied  the  paper, 
on  which  the  distribution  of  the  rocks  and  the 
structure  of  the  area  were  shown,  and  sections 
across  the  area  were  also  exhibited.  The  most 
important  result  obtained  in  the  demonstration 
was  that  each  major  subdivision  of  the  Witwaters- 
rand  system  diminishes  in  thickness  southwards 
from  the  Rand,  and  that,  in  the  country  of  which 
a  geological  survey  has  been  made  between  the 
Klipriversberg  and  the  Malan's  Kraal-Tweefontein 
escarpment,  there  is  no  unconformity  at  the  base 
of  the  Ventersdorp  formation.  The  figures  obtained 
for  each  major  subdivision  in  Heidelberg  are 
compared  with  the  estimates  made  by  Dr.  Mellor 
on  the  Central  Rand,  and  are  as  follows  : — 

Central  Rand.   Heidelberg. 
Feet.  Feet. 

Kimberley-Elsburg  series      6,120  3,560 

Kimberley  slates 500  370 

Main-Bird  series 3. 1 60  1 ,020 

Jeppestown  series 3,700  3,000 

Government  Reef  series         6,220  4,090 

Hospital  HiU  series  ... .        4,900  3,180 

24,600  14,220 

The  \^'itwate^srand  beds  in  Heidelberg  are  shown 
to  be  affected  by  many  faults,  and  the  relations 
between  the  faults  and  the  many  intrusions  of 
igneous  rocks  are  discussed  in  some  detail.  The 
most  conspicuous  dislocation,  called  the  Sugarbush 
Fault,  is  later  than  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  minor 
faults,  and  later  than  most  of  the  intrusions  ;  it  is  an 
east  and  w-est  fault  which  cuts  off  the  Witwatersrand 
beds  near  Heidelberg  from  those  near  Balfour,  and 
its  throw  diminishes  westwards  from  at  least 
14,000  ft.  near  Eden  Kop  to  some  3,000  ft.  on 
Goedeverwachting,  where  it  passes  under  the 
Karroo  beds,  which  also  conceal  it  beyond  Eden 
Kop  in  the  east. 

The  distribution  of  the  conglomerates  on  each 
horizon  on  which  they  have  been  observed  is 
described  in  the  paper.  Some  of  them  are  more 
persistent  than  others,  and  in  general  they  are 
thinner   and    consist   of   smaller   pebbles   then   the 


121 


HI 


MINING     MACAZINIC 


conglomerates  in  similar  stratigraphical  positions  on 
the  Kand. 

Certain  strata  in  the  Hospital  Hill  series,  the 
Government  Kocf  scries,  the  jeppcstown  series,  and 
the  Main-Biril  series  which  possess  characters 
rendering  them  valuable  aids  in  addition  to  those 
already  known  for  the  purpose  of  correlating  beds 
in  more  distant  areas  with  the  succession  in 
Heidelberg,  and  through  that  with  the  strata  on  the 
Central  Kand,  are  described  in  detail. 

The  paper  also  contained  a  discussion  of  the 
belief,  prevalent  in  some  quarters,  that  in  Heidel- 
berg the  representative  of  the  \an  Kyn  reef  is  to  be 
found  among  beds  which  are  regarded  by  the 
Geological  Survey  as  lying  above  the  Kinil^erley 
slates.  It  is  shown  that  this  belief  is  based  upon 
incorrect  data  ;  that  the  maps  published  in  support 
of  it  are  inaccurate  through  errors  in  the  position  of 
outcrops  of  the  Nigel  horizon  ranging  from  500  yards 
to  6  miles  having  crept  in  ;  through  the  existence 
of  important  faults  and  large  intrusions  of  igneous 
rocks  having  been  overlooked  ;  through  the  in- 
formation to  be  got  from  the  systematic  and 
accurate  record  of  position  and  dip  of  outcrops 
having  been  dispensed  with  ;  through  the  Bird 
amygdaloid  on  Maraisdrift  and  to  the  south  of  that 
farm  having  been  mistaken  for  the  Nigel  slates  ; 
and  perhaps  through  boulders  of  banket  in  the  coal 
measure  conglomerate  having  been  mistaken  for 
outcrops  of  banket  in  place.  It  is  also  shown  that 
certain  observations  on  cores  from  bore-holes,  held 
by  supporters  of  the  erroneous  correlation  of 
Kimberley  reefs  in  Heidelberg  with  the  Van  Kyn 
to  prove  that  the  Bird  amygdaloid  is  an  intrusive 
rock  are  wrong,  and  that  the  amygdaloid  is  a  con- 
temporaneous lava  flow.  It  is  also  pointed  out  that 
the  following  assumptions  made  by  the  supporters 
of  the  erroneous  correlation  are  mistakes  :  ( 1 )  a 
great  unconformity  at  the  base  of  the  ^■entersdorp 
formation,  on  account  of  which  that  formation  in 
Heidelberg  rests  upon  strata  several  thousand  feet 
lower  in  the  succession  than  it  does  in  the  Klip- 
riversberg  ;  (2)  the  persistence  of  character  in 
individual  beds  of  conglomerate  on  their  several 
horizons  wherever  they  are  developed  ;  (3)  the 
existence  of  a  fault  bet\veen  the  Cason  and  Blue 
Sky  shafts  on  the  eastern  side  of  which  the  beds  are 
displaced  towards  the  south,  so  that  a  reef  with 
slate  foot-wall  in  the  east  is  brought  into  apparent 
continuity  with  a  reef  with  quartzite  foot-wall  on 
the  west.  It  is  pointed  out  that  the  change  in  the 
nature  of  the  foot-wall  can  be  followed  in  detail,  and 
that  the  reef  is  one  and  the  same  bed  throughout. 

Liquid-air  Explosives. — The  report  of  the 
Government  Inspectors  of  Explosives  for  1920 
contains  a  brief  reference  to  tests  of  liquid-air 
explosives.  As  is  usual  with  Government  reports 
the  information  published  is  meagre  and  non- 
committal, but  we  reproduce  it  herewith  for  what  it 
is  worth. 

On  October  8,  1920,  experiments  were  carried  out 
in  Harefield  Park,  Middlesex,  with  liquid-air 
explosives,  and  were  witnessed  by  two  of  the 
Government  Inspectors.  Representatives  of  the 
Admiralty,  Board  of  Agriculture,  and  of  county 
bodies  were  also  present.  The  experiments  were 
conducted  by  the  Liquid  Air  and  Rescue  Syndicate, 
Ltd.  The  cartridges  consisted  of  paper  bags 
containing  a  carbonaceous  absorbent  material.  A 
commercial  No.  6  detonator  was  inserted  and  tied 
to  the  cartridge,  which  was  then  dipped  into  a 
container  of  liquid  air.     The  liquid  air  had  a  high 


(over  80%)  oxygen  content.  .\f(rr  brinj;  allowed  to 
soak  for  alxnit  l.S  minutes  the  cartridge  was  ready 
for  use.  The  li(iuid-air  container  containing  the 
cartridge  was  carried  to  the  shot-hole,  anil  as 
nnich  as  ten  minutes  were  allowed  to  elapse  between 
the  time  when  the  cartridge  was  taken  out  of  the 
container  and  the  firing  of  the  shot.  'I'he  cartridges 
with  which  the  experiments  were  made  were  about 
2J  in.  in  diameter  and  weighed  about  2  lb.  Single 
holes  were  bored  under  tree  stumps  about  18  in.  in 
diameter  without  any  other  disturbance  of  the  earth, 
and  one  2  lb.  carlritlge  was  loaded  and  stemmed  in 
each  hole  in  the  usual  way.  The  shots  were  lired 
by  electricity,  and  the  results  appeared  to  be 
satisfactory. 

Sierra  Leone  Geology. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Geological  Society  of  London  held  on  June  22, 
Frank  Dixey  read  a  pa|>cr  entitled  "  The  Norite 
of  Sierra  Leone." 

The  norite  of  Sierra  Leone  constitutes  a  complex 
of  which  the  oldest  and  most  important  member 
is  an  olivinc-noritc.  The  complex  forms  the 
mountainous  mass  which,  together  with  a  narrow 
coastal  plane  of  Pleistocene  sediments,  makes  up 
the  Sierra  Leone  peninsula.  The  norite  was  intruded 
in  the  form'of  a  huge  stock  ;  it  is  thus  very  different 
fnmi  other  well-known  norites,  which  occur  chiefly 
as  laccolites  or  as  special  phases  of  larger  masses  of 
different  comjiosition.  It  does  not  appear  to  possess 
any  marginal  or  basic  modilications,  while  its 
junction  with  older  rocks  is  obscured  by  the 
Pleistocene  sediments.  The  complex  is  probably 
somewhat  later  than  Pre-Cambrian  in  age,  but  in 
many  respects  it  closely  resembles  certain  well- 
known  Pre-Cambrian  masses.  The  main  intrusion 
of  norite  was  invaded  in  succession  by  the  following 
related  minor  intrusions:  (1)  younger  norites, 
(2)  norite-pegmatite,  (3)  beerbachite,  (4)  norite- 
ajilite,  and  (5)  dolerite. 

Important  features  of  interest  noted  in  the  older 
norite  are :  (a)  Well-developed  flow-banding. 
(It)  A  series  of  binary  and  ternary  intergrowths  of 
the  common  minerals,  indicating  the  importance  of 
eutectic  conditions  during  the  crystallization  of  the 
magma.  (c)  Metamorphism  due  to  the  minor 
intrusions,  which  varies  in  intensity  and  character 
according  to  the  nature  and  size  of  the  minor 
intrusions.  For  instance,  the  younger  norites  and 
the  beerbachite,  not  differing  greatly  from  the  older 
norite  in  composition,  have  caused  extensive 
corrosion  and  even  assimilation,  but  have  not  set 
up  new  minerals.  The  aplite  and  the  dolerite,  on  the 
other  hand,  being  relatively  acid  in  composition, 
have,  among  other  effects,  converted  the  pyroxenes 
to  amphiboles  and  modified  the  felspars.  .'\n 
interesting  effect  frequently  observed  in  all  phases 
of  metamorphism  of  the  norite  is  the  recrystalliza- 
tion  of  part  of  the  felspar  and  augite  into  graphic 
intergrowths. 

The  younger  norites  form  two  or  more  series  of 
intrusions  cutting  the  older  norite,  but  they  are 
collectively  of  small  bulk  as  compared  with  the 
original  intrusion.  The  field-relations  of  the  older 
and  younger  norites  are  often  very  complicated, 
both  on  account  of  the  irregular  way  in  which  the 
younger  rocks  have  broken  through  the  older,  and 
of  the  extraordinary  amount  of  corrosion  and 
assimilation  suffered  by  the  older  norite.  The 
beerbachite  intrusions  are  generally  small  and  of 
irregular  form  ;  the  larger  intrusions  actively  dis- 
integrated and  incorporated  the  preceding  intrusions 
of  norite.    The  veins  of  norite-aplite  generally  occur 


AUGUST,   1921 


125 


in  the  norite  in  the  form  of  fine  threads  consisting 
mainly  of  quartz  and  micropegmatite.  These 
threads,  are,  however,  only  the  relatively-acid 
terminations  of  wider  veins  which  are  sometimes 
seen  to  attain  a  thickness  of  as  much  as  9  inches. 
The  thicker  portions  of  the  veins  consist  chiefly  of 
acid  soda-lime  felspar,  orthoclase.  quartz,  and 
micropegmatite,  with  small  quantities  of  pyroxene, 
hornblende,  biotitc,  and  apatite.  The  norite-aplite 
veins  were  succeeded  by  a  series  of  more  or  less 
ophitic  enstatite-dolerite  dykes,  free  from  olivine 
and  rich  in  interstitial  acid  felspars.  In  many 
respects  these  dykes  closely  resemble  the  well- 
known  British  dolerites  ;  they  are,  nevertheless, 
free  from  quartz  and  micropegmatite. 

Iron  ores  occur  in  the  norite  as  small  masses  up 
to  several  inches  in  length,  as  narrow  schlieren, 
and  as  disseminated  grains  ;  they  are  highly 
titaniferous.  Sulphides  and  other  economic  minerals 
often  associated  with  noritic  intrusions  are  rare  or 
absent.  The  weathering  and  lateritization  of  the 
norite  present  some  interesting  features. 

In  the  discussion  following  the  reading  of  the 
paper,  A.  E.  Kitson  agreed  with  the  view  that  the 
norite-mass  had  probably  been  intruded  along  a 
zone  of  faulting,  and  thus  had  determined  to  some 
extent  the  character  of  the  coast-line  of  this  part 
of  West  Africa.  Since  the  norite-mass  had  not  been 
foliated,  he  believed  that  it  was  later  than  Pre- 
Cambrian  in  age.  The  remnants  of  old  platforms 
showed  strong  evidence  of  at  least  four  successive 
uplifts,  aggregating  more  than  1,000  ft.  above  sea- 
level.  He  agreed  with  the  author  that  there  had 
been  a  good  deal  of  assimilation  of  the  older  norite 
by  the  younger  intrusions.  Examples  of  assimila- 
tion, though  of  different  rocks,  occurred  in  the  Gold 
Coast.  Although  in  the  area  between  Freetown 
and  the  Hill  Station  there  was  a  considerable 
amount  of  bauxitic  laterite,  he  had  not  seen  any 
blocks  of  bauxite. 
.  The  author,  in  reply,  stated  that  iron  ores  occurred 
in  the  younger  norites  much  as  in  the  older  norites, 
except  that  in  the  former  they  were  present  only 
as  grains  and  small  segregations,  and  not  as 
schlieren.  Also,  bauxite  occurred  in  small  amount 
on  outcrops  of  both  the  older  and  the  younger 
norites. 

SHORT    NOTICES 

Churn-drilling. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  June  25,  E.  R.  Rice  commences  an 
article  on  the  churn-drilling  of  disseminated  copper 
deposits. 

Concrete  Headgears. — The  Colliery  Guardian 
for  July  1  and  S  contains  a  reprint  of  a  paper  read 
before  the  Liege  Engineers'  Association  by  C. 
Tournay  on  reinforced  concrete  headgears  in  France 
and  Belgium. 

Gold-dredge  in  Nevada. — In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  for  July  16,  G.  J.  Young 
describes  the  building  of  a  gold-dredge  at  Dayton, 
Nevada. 

Air-compressors.  —  The  Engineer  for  July  22 
publishes  a  report  by  Captain  H.  Riall  Sankey 
on  the  Reavell  quadruplex   air-compressor. 

Submersible  Motors. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
North  Staffordshire  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers, 
held  on  July  25,  A.  J.  Ramsay  read  a  paper  on  the 
application  of  submersible  motors  to  mining  work. 

Galvanized  Iron  in  Australia. — The  Industrial 
Australian  and  Mining  Standard  for  May  26 
contains  a  description  of  the  new  works  erected  by 


John  Lysaght  (.\ustralia),  Ltd.,  at  Port  Waratah, 
Newcastle,  New  SouthWales,  for  making  galvanized- 
iron  sheets.  This  company  works  in  connexion  with 
the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  Co.,  and  the  technical 
skill  is  supplied  by  John  Lysaght,  Ltd.,  of  Bristol. 
Tungsten  Filaments. — At  the  meeting  of  the 
Faraday  Society  held  last  month,  C.  J.  Smithells 
read  a  paper  on  high-temperature  phenomena  of 
tungsten  filaments,  giving  a  record  of  some  of  his 
observations  in  the  laboratories  of  the  General 
Electric  Company. 

Estimation  of  Bismuth. — In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Jour)ial  for  July  9,  O.  A.  Critchett 
gives  a  new  method  of  estimating  bismuth  in  ores. 
Lead  Arsenate. — In  the  Journal  of  Industrial 
and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  June,  O.  W.  Brown, 
C.  R.  Voris,  and  C.  O.  Henke  describe  a  method  of 
making  lead  arsenate  by  roasting  a  mixture  of 
lead  oxide  and  arsenious  oxide. 

Tellurium  Alloys. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  July  20,  J.  H.  Ransom  and  C.  O. 
Thieme  write  on  the  effect  of  small  quantities  of 
tellurium  in  hardening  and  increasing  the  tensile 
strength  of  tin,  lead,  and  white  metal.  It  is  believed 
that  the  action  of  the  tellurium  is  to  counteract  the 
effect  of  other  impurities  rather  than  to  form 
specific  alloys. 

Magmatic  Differentiation. — In  the  Journal  of 
Geology  for  June,  J.  H.  L.  Vogt  commences  an 
article  on  the  physical  chemistry  of  the 
crysta-llization  and  magmatic  differentiation  of 
igneous  rocks. 

Igneous  Diffusion. — In  the  Journal  of  Geology 
for  June,  N.  L.  Bowen  discusses  diffusion  in  silicate 
melts. 

Salt  in  Louisiana. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  July  2,  A.  G.  Wolf  describes 
salt-mining  operations  in  Louisiana. 

Spitsbergen. — In  the  Geological  Magazine  for 
July  Professor  J.  W.  Gregory  writes  on  the 
geological  sequence  across  Central  Spitsbergen 
from  Advent  Bay  to  Agardhs  Bay. 

Malayan  Mining. — In  the  Camborne  School  of 
Mines  Magazine  for  June,  W.  H.  Eplett  writes  on 
lode  mining  in  Malaya,  giving  particulars  of  work 
at  Pahang,  Bundi,  Sungei  Ayam,  Intan,  Sungei 
Gau,  Menglimbu,  Chendai,  and  Titi. 

Peruvian  Oilfields. — In  the  Camborne  School  of 
Mnu'S  Maga:ine  for  June,  S.  Raymond  Prisk  gives 
his  "  Impressions  of  an  Oilfield  ",  dealing  par- 
ticularly with  conditions  in  Northern  Peru. 

Florida  Phosphates. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  July  16,  S.  L.  Lloyd  describes 
the  method  used  m  mining  phosphates  in  Florida. 

Gold  Deposits  in  Peru. — The  Bulletin  of  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  for  July 
contains  a  paper  by  A.  Gordon  Plews  describing 
lode-gold  deposits  in  the  province  of  Pataz,  Peru. 
India's  Hydro-electric  Resources.  —  In  the 
Journal  of  Indian  Industries  and  Labour  for  May, 
J.  W.  Meares,  electrical  adviser  to  the  Government 
of  India,  writes  on  the  Government's  policy  with 
regard  to  the  development  of  Indian  hydro-electric 
power  resources. 

Colloidal  Fuel. — Engineering  for  July  15  contains 
an  article  describing  the  use  of  colloidal  fuel  (that  is, 
oil  and  pulverized  coal  mi.xed)  at  the  works  of  the 
Steel  Company  of  Canada,  Toronto,  for  heating 
iron  bars. 

Carbocoal. — Engineering  for  July  29  gives  further 
information  relating  to  the  Smith  continuous  car- 
bonization process 


126 


Tin:    MIX  IXC",     MAC'.AZINE 


RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED        NEW   BOOKS.  PAMPHLETS.  Etc. 

I— •^'Copies  o!  the  btwiks,  etc..  inLMititiiicd  brlow  Ciin  be  obt^iinetl 
through  the  Tt-clmicnl  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine, 
721.  Salisbury  House,  LoiuUm  Wall,  li.C.  :>. 

Elements  of  Engineering  Geology.      Hy  H.  KiES 

i\iul  I'luiMAs  L.  Wai  SON.  t'loUi,  octavo,  370  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  2'Js.  net.  New  York  :  John 
Wiley  ct  Sons  ;  London  :  Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltil. 
This  book  is  in  the  nature  of  a  condensation  of  the 
author's  well-known  book,  Engineering  Geology, 
reviewed  in  these  pages  in  September,  1914  ;  or 
perhaps  a  better  idea  of  its  scope  would  be  obtained 
if  W(!  said  it  was  intended  as  a  textbook  (or  a 
shorter  coUei^o  course  on  the  subject. 

Claims  against  Mexico.  By  K.  K.  Desvernink. 
Cloth,  octavo,  l.SO  pages.  Privately  printed. 
This  books  consists  of  a  brief  study  of  the  inter- 
national law  applicable  to  claims  of  citizens  of  the 
United  States  and  other  countries  for  losses 
sustained  in  Mexico  during  the  revolutions  of  the 
last  decade.  The  author  is  a  member  of  the  New 
York  bar. 

History  and  Present  Conditions  of  the  Oil 
Industry  in  Galicia.  I  ■>  l>r.  S.  jANICKl. 
Pamphlet,  4U  pages.  I'rice  2s.  6d.  net.  London  : 
The  Polish  Press  Bureau,  2,  Upper  Montague 
Street.    W.C.  1. 

Canadian  Geological  Survey's  Summary  Report, 
1920.  Part  B.— Pamphlet,  72  pages,  with  numerous 
maps.  This  report  contains  the  following  articles  : 
the  Mesozoic  of  the  Upper  Peace  River,  B.C.  ; 
Review  of  Prospecting  for  Oil  on  the  Great  Plains  ; 
The  Great  Slave  Lake  .^rea  ;  Oil-bearing  Rocks  of 
the  Lower  Mackenzie  River  \'alley. 

Bulletins  of  Indian  Industries  and  Labour.  By 
Dr.  J.  CoGOiN  Brown.  Published  by  ordgr  of  the 
Government  of  India.  No.  2.  Manganese  Ores  ; 
Xo.  6,  .Antimony,  .Arsenic,  and  Bismuth  ;  No.  7. 
Wolfram  ;  No.  9,  Chromite  and  Molybdenum  ; 
Xo.  11,  Tin.  These  bulletins  give  brief  outlines  of 
the  occurrence  of  the  minerals,  of  their  commercial 
uses,  of  the  methods  of  identifying  them,  and  of 
the  customs  in  the  metal  and  mineral  trades. 


f^  A  cof'y  of  the  <it>e^-t/it\iltim  of  any  of  the  f\Uents  nienlioneii  in 
this  column  Ctin  he  otflainej  by  sen.ting  Is.  to  the  I'tilen!  Office, 
Soutluimf'ton  liutUin^s.  Chtincery  t^ine,  London,  M'.C.  2,  U'tth 
,1  note  t>/  the  number  unj  yetir  of  the  patent. 

2.242  of  1920  (163,750).  C:  M.  Conder  and 
G.  T.  \iviAX,  Camborne.  Improved  method  of 
mounting  jaws  of  rock  breakers. 

2.243  of  1920  (163.751).  C  M.  Conder  and 
G.  T.  YiviAN,  Camborne.  Improved  method  of 
mounting  crushing  rolls. 

4.988  of  1920(165,144).  P.  B.  Jones.  H.  BiRV, 
and  Mi.NiiKALS  StiAKAtiON.  Ltd..  London. 
Improvements  method  of  application  of  flotation 
to  the  recovery  of  fine  coal,  particularly  from  the 
dust  evolved  in  the  production  of  coal-gas,  and 
the  concomitant  recovery  of  organic  carbon  com- 
pounds that  go  over  with    the    coal. 

6.268  of  1920  (164.444).  R.  and  J.  Strang, 
Blantvre.  Scotland.  .Means  for  stopping  mine 
cages  in  case  the  rope  breaks. 

7.190  of  1920(154.870).  Minerals  Separation. 
Ltd.,  London.  For  floating  oxidized  ores  of  copper 
or  lead,  the  use  of  3  lb.  of  oleic  acid  and  2  lb.  of 
silicate  of  soda. 

7.260  of  1920  (140,096).  L.  P.  Basset,  Paris. 
For  reducing  oxides,  mixing  with  finely  divided 
coal,  and  submitting  to  highly  heated  air,  thus 
producing  a  reducin'j  atmosphere  of  carbonic  oxide. 

7.839  "of  1920  (164.852).  H.  F.  H.  Shields 
and  Hkitish  Ropewav  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd., 
London.  Improvements  in  boxheads  or  carriers 
used  in  the  single-rope  svstem  ot  aerial  ropeways. 

8.247  of  1920(163.856).  .\.M.  Re.\d,  Columbus, 
Xi.S..\.  !\  ball-mill  with  a  number  of  separating 
grids,  the  spaces  between  each  being  provided  with 
graduated  balls. 

8.573  of  1920  (164.547).  R.  Martin  and  J.  I. 
Richards,  Swansea.  Method  of  operating  rakes 
in  straight  line  roasting  furnaces. 

8,591  of  1920(165,208).  J.  G.  Cloke. Tavistock. 
Concentration  plant  of  the  nature  of  the  fixed 
buddle,  consisting  of  a  number  of  V-shaped 
launders. 

8.960  of  1920(140.824).  United  Lead  Co..  New 
Y'ork.  Method  of  making  hard  alloys  of  lead  con- 
taining small  amounts  of  barium  and   calcium. 

11.1 15  of  1920(164.581).  Lindsay  Light  Co., 
Chicago.  Method  of  producing  pure  thorium  com- 
pounds from  monazite. 

11.927  of  1920  (142,493).  G.  Grondal, 
Djursholm,  Sweden.  .\pparatus  for  leaching 
copper  ore  that  has  been  subjected  to  chloridizing 
roast. 

11,981  of  1920  (149,316).  Titan  Comp.^ny, 
Fredrikstad,  Norway.  Improved  method  of  pro- 
duction of  titanic  acid  pigment  from  ilmenite. 
the  object  being  to  get  a  whiter  and  smoother 
material. 

13.652  of  1920  (165,298).  Sandvcroft.  Ltd., 
and  W.  Bvllock,  London.  Improved  method  of 
operating  the  jaws  of  rock-breakers. 

13,849  of  1920  (164,6081.  G.  J.  Kroll, 
Luxemburg.  Method  of  making  alloj's  containing 
alkali  earth  metals. 

25,076  of  1920  (164,270).  M.  Whitworth, 
Oswestry.  Forming  the  floor  of  sluice-boxes  of 
perforated  metal  with  the  holes  pointing  slightly 
upstream,  and  sending  a  pulsating  current  of  water 
upward  through  these  holes. 

28,886  of  1920  (163,957).  S.  Hunter, 
Manchester.  Improved  construction  of  coal- 
washing  jigs. 


1 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates. — This  company 
was  formed  by  the  late  Nicol  Brown  in  1882  to 
acquire  a  group  of  gold-mining  properties  at 
Pilgrim's  Rest,  in  the  Lydenburg  district  of  the 
Transvaal.  In  1895  it  was  amalgamated  with  the 
Lydenburg  Mining  Estates,  since  when  it  has  been 
in  the  control  of  the  Central  Mining  group.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  155,063  tons  of  ore  was 
mined  and  treated  at  the  Central  mines,  17,790  tons 
at  the  Elandsdrift  mine,  and  21,414  tons  at  the 
Vaalhoek  mine.  The  revenues,  gross  and  per  ton, 
including  premium,  were  respectively  /251,420  or 
32s.  5d., 764,336  or  72s.  5d.,  and  £45,021  or  4Is.  7d.; 
and  the  total  revenue  was  £.360,778.  equal  to  an 
average  of  37s.  Is.  per  ton  The  profit  was  £89,751 
or  9s.  2d.  per  ton.  Of  the  total  revenue,  £89,358 
accrued  from  premium,  a  figure  almost  identical 
with  the  net  profit.  The  shareholders  received 
£15,105,  the  dividend  being  at  the  rate  of  2i%. 
Development  has  been  restricted  by  the  shortage  of 
native  labour.  Another  feature  in  conne.xion  with 
development  is  that  at  the  Central  mines  the  assay- 
value  of  the  ore  continues  to  show  a  slight  decline. 
The  reserves  are  estimated  as  follows  :  Central 
mines  461.958  tons,  averaging  7-58  dwt.  per  ton  ; 
Elandsdrift  73,650  tons,  averaging  162  dwt.  : 
Vaalhoek,  67,262  tons,  averaging  8-64  dwt. 


I 


AUGUST,    1921 


127 


Rhodesia  Broken  Hill. — This  company  works 
the  lead-zinc  deposits  at  Broken  Hill,  Rhodesia, 
which  were  described  in  detail  in  the  Magazine 
for  October,  1919.  Edmund  Davis  is  chairman  and 
Hooper,  Speak  &  Co.  are  the  consulting  engineers. 
During  the  year  1920  the  amount  of  ore  smelted 
was  42,806  tons,  and  the  yield  of  lead  14.602  tons. 
The  whole  of  this  ore  was  obtained  from  the  open- 
cut  at  No.  1  kopje.  In  course  of  mining,  46, 42,'?  tons 
of  ore  high  in  zinc  was  extracted  also,  and  this  has 
been  dumped  for  future  treatment.  The  study  of 
the  zincy  ore  has  been  continued,  and  an 
experimental  electrolytic  plant  capable  of  pro- 
ducing 50  lb.  of  zinc  per  day  is  in  operation.  The 
prospecting  and  drilling  work  and  the  geological 
investigations  have  been  continued,  and  useful 
information  has  been  obtained  with  regard  to  the 
mode  of  occurrence  of  the  ore-bodies.  The 
cementation  process  has  been  successfully  applied 
to  the  sinking  of  the  shafts  through  the  heavily 
watered  dolomite.  At  the  end  of  the  year  No.l 
shaft  was  down  to  151  ft.  and  No.  2  to  50  ft.  The 
sales  of  lead  during  the  year  brought  an  income 
of  £461,677,  and  /4.43I  was  received  for  vanadium 
ore.  The  net  profit  was  £89,949,  out  of  which 
;f35,000  has  been  declared  as  dividend,  being  at  the 
rate  of  10%,  less  income  tax.  The  output  of  lead 
during  the  first  half  of  1921  was  9,428  tons. 

Eileen  Alannah. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Willoughby  group  and  has  worked  gold  mines  in 
the  Gatooma  district,  Rhodesia,  since  1911.  The 
ore  is  refractory,  and  there  have  been  breaks  in  the 
continuity  of  operations.  The  report  for  1920 
shows  that  21 ,720  tons  was  milled,  yielding  4,788  oz. 
by  amalgamating,  grinding  in  pans,  cyaniding  of 
concentrate,  and  cyaniding  of  sand.  The  buUion 
realized  £25,795.  In  addition  a  tributer  extracted 
gold  from  accumulated  slime,  the  royalty  on  which 
accruing  to  the  company  amounted  to  £130.  The 
accounts  show  a  loss  of  £1,950,  bringing  the  total 
debit  balance  to  £25,816.  In  February,  1921, 
there  was  an  exceptionally  heavy  rainfall,  as  much 
as  9  in.  being  registered  in  a  week.  In  consequence 
the  workings  were  flooded  to  near  the  surface. 
The  pumps  have  so  far  made  little  impression  on 
the  water,  and  it  is  possible  that  the  property  may 
be  abandoned,  for  the  present  at  any  rate.  Perhaps 
the  oxidized  ore  in  the  open-cuts  may  be  worked, 
if  not  the  sulphides  below. 

South  Kalgurli  Consolidated. — This  company  was 
formed  in  1913  to  amalgamate  the  South  Kalgurli  and 
Hainault  gold  mines  at  Kalgoorlie,  West  Australia. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  80,270  tons  was 
milled  for  a  yield  of  30,915  oz.,  equal  to  7-7  dwt. 
per  ton.  The  par  value  of  the  gold  was  £130,992. 
and  £51,284  was  received  as  premium.  The  net 
profit  was  £36,344,  out  of  which  £31,250  is  being 
paid  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  25%.  The 
ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  179,900  tons,  together 
with  a  probable  88,100  tons.  Development  is 
still  being  actively  continued,  though  no  new  dis- 
covery of  note  has  been  made  since  that  of  June, 
1919,  which,  as  John  Morgan,  the  consulting 
engineer,  says,  was  so  effective  in  raising  the  general 
grade  of  the  ore  treated. 

Associated  Gold  Mines  of  Western  Australia. — • 
This  companj-  was  formed  in  1894  to  work  the 
Australia  leases  at  Kalgoorlie.  Of  recent  years  the 
ore  has  been  of  low  grade  and  no  dividends  have  been 
paid  since  1914.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
64,462  tons  of  ore  was  treated  for  a  vield  of  gold 
realizing  £121,614,  of  which  /35,439  accrued  from 


premium.  In  addition  £5,174  was  received  as 
royalties  from  tributers.  .After  writing  off  the  cost 
of  development  and  diamond-drilling,  a  profit  of 
£25,624  was  made.  From  this  is  deducted  £8,864, 
the  adverse  balance  brought  in  from  the  previous 
year,  leaving  a  credit  balance  of  £16,760.  D.  F. 
ilc.Aulay,  the  manager,  states  that  exploratory 
work  has  proved  the  continuance  of  the  .Australia 
East  lode  in  depth.  The  company  holds  interests 
in  the  Keeley  Silver  Mines  and  the  Porcupine 
V'.N.T.  companies  operating  in  Canada.  The 
former  started  milling  recently,  but  nothing  is  being 
done  at  the  latter  owing  to  the  continuance  of 
high  costs. 

Lake  View  &  Star. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1910  to  amalgamate  the  Lake  View  Consols  and  the 
Hannan's  Star  companies,  after  the  former  had 
ceased  to  be  a  great  producer.  In  1915  the  Chaffers 
mine  was  purchased.  During  the  year  1920  the  ore 
raised  and  treated  amounted  to  95,157  tons,  and 
the  yield  of  gold  was  25,541  oz.,  the  par  value  of 
which  was  £103,881.  Gold  premium  and  a  small 
amount  of  royalty  received  from  tributers  brought 
the  income  to  /16S,489.  The  working  profit  was 
£27,494,  of  which  £3.000  was  written  off  for 
depreciation  and  £22,500  was  paid  as  dividend, 
being  at  the  rate  of  1H%.  Developments  during 
the  year  have  not  given  any  results  at  Lake  View 
or  Hannan's  Star,  but  additional  ore  has  been 
disclosed  at  Chaffers.  The  main  shaft  at  Lake 
View  has  been  sunk  deeper  in  order  to  open  a  new 
level  at  2,300  ft.  The  ore  reserves  are  estimated 
as  follows  :  Lake  View,  58,589  tons,  averaging 
28s.  9d.  per  ton ;  Hannan's  Star,  178,453  tons, 
averaging  25s.  8d.  per  ton  ;  and  Chaffers,  5,400  tons, 
averaging  40s.  4d.  per  ton  ;    all  par  values. 

Oroya  Links. — 'This  company  was  formed  in 
1896  as  Golden  Link  Consolidated  to  acquire 
properties  at  Kalgoorlie.  In  1909  the  name  was 
changed  and  milling  plant  was  acquired  from  the 
Oroya  Brownhill  company.  Operations  were 
suspended  in  1916,  and  part  of  the  property  has 
been  let  on  tribute.  J.  H.  Cordner- James  is 
chairman,  and  Bewick,  Moreing  &  Co.  are  the 
general  managers.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that 
the  tributers  extracted  13,137  tons  of  ore,  and  that 
5,765  tons  of  ore  was  purchased.  The  net  profit 
was  £2,537,  which  was  carried  forward. 

British  Broken  Hill. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1887  to  acquire  Blocks  15  and  16  at  Broken  Hill, 
New  South  \Vales.  The  report  now  issued  covers 
the  year  1920.  The  mine  and  dressing  plant  were 
closed  on  account  of  the  strike  for  19  months. 
Mining  was  resumed  on  November  16.  1920,  and 
from  then  until  the  end  of  the  year  660  tons  of 
carbonate  ore  was  raised,  averaging  28'5%  lead  and 
5'3  oz.  silver  per  ton  ;  also  13,756  tons  of  sulphide 
ore,  averaging  12-8%  lead,  n'8%  zinc,  and  7'3  oz. 
silver.  The  lead  concentrator  treated  14,279  tons, 
and  produced  2,330  tons  of  lead  concentrate, 
averaging  60-7%  lead,  7-3°o  zinc,  and  264  oz. 
silver.  At  the  zinc  flotation  plant  10,636  tons  of 
lead-mill  residue,  averaging  12'6°o  zinc,  3%  lead, 
and  3-1  oz.  silver,  was  treated,  yielding  2,120  tons 
of  zinc  concentrate,  averaging  45°o  zinc,  9%  lead, 
and  10-8  oz.  silver.  After  the  turn  of  the  year  the 
fire  at  Port  Pirie  smelting  works  and  the  general 
adverse  conditions  made  it  necessary  to  stop  work 
at  the  end  of  January.  The  accounts  for  the  year 
showed  a  loss  of  £47,757.  The  reserve  of  sulphide 
ore  is  estimated  at  1,057,905  tons,  averaging  12-4% 
lead,  11'3%  zinc,  and  6-9  oz.  silver. 


12S 


nil-:    MiM\(,    m.\(,.\/im; 


Brisris  Tin  &  Grnrrnl  Mining.— -Tliis  company 
has  woikcil  alluvial  tin  Joposits  in  north-eastern 
Tasmania  since  1899.  The  report  for  1920  shows 
that  1S1.300  cu.  yd.  of  grounil  was  shiiceil  at 
KnishUa's  l-"lat  for  a  yield  ol  219-8  tons  of  tin  con- 
centrate, the  extraction  per  yard  being  272  lb., 
while  at  Kingarooma  115,501)  en.  yd.  yielded 
23-5  tons,  being  at  the  rate  of  0.45  lb.  per  yard. 
The  total  production  was  244  tons.  This  was 
smelted  at  the  company's  works  at  Launceston,  and 
the  metal  obtained,  176J  tons,  sold  for  ;(;46,155. 
The  working  profit  was  /1 5,467,  out  of  which 
/2,2'-'9  was  written  off  for  depreciation,  and 
;i7,368  was  allowed  for  British  and  Colonial  taxes. 
Arrangements  are  being  made  for  diverting  the 
Ringarooma  river  once  more  to  bring  it  behind 
the  working  faces  by  means  of  a  high  embankment. 
Until  this  work  is  completed  the  output  of  tin 
concentrate  will  be  necessarily  restricted. 

Kramat  Pulai. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Trtmoh  group,  and  w^as  formed  in  1907  to  work 
alluvial  tin  properties  at  Pulai,  in  the  Kinta  district 
of  Perak,  Federated  Malay  States.  Subsequently 
deeper  leads  containing  scheclitc  were  worked, 
according  to  the  demand  for  this  mineral.  A  year 
ago  it  became  necessary  to  provide  rock  breakers 
for  disintegrating  the  scheelite-bejiring  material. 
The  report  for  1920  shows  that  the  output  of  tin 
concentrate  was  112  tons  and  of  scheelite  194  tons. 
The  production  of  scheelite  was  suspended  in 
September  owing  to  the  low  price  obtainable.  The 
accounts  show  receipts  of  £34,326  from  the  sale  of 
the  company's  products  and  of  /4,2S9  from 
tributers.  The  net  profit  was  /15,194,  and,  with  the 
amount  brought  in  from  the  previous  year,  the 
credit  balance  on  December  31  was  /24,937. 
Dividends  absorbing  /20,000  have  been  paid,  being 
at  the  rate  of  20%. 

Gurum  River  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines.  —  This 
company  was  formed  in  1911  to  work  alluvial  tin 
property  in  the  north-western  part  of  the  Bauchi 
plateau,  Nigeria.  Oliver  Wethered  i''  chairman, 
J.  jM.  lies  is  on  the  board,  and  Laws.  Rumbold  & 
Co.  are  the  general  managers  in  Nigeria.  The  report 
for  the  year  ended  September  30,  1920,  just 
published,  shows  that  the  output  of  tin  concentrate 
was  176  tons,  as  compared  with  104  tons  the 
previous  year.  The  receipts  from  the  sale  of  con- 
centrate w-ere  ;f21,353,  and  the  net  profit  was 
;£2,923.  Adding  £14,010  brought  forward  from  the 
previous  year,  the  disposable  balance  was  /16,934. 
Out  of  this  /12,316  has  been  distributed  as 
dividend,  being  at  the  rate  of  15%. 

Naraguta  Extended  (Nigeria)  Tin  Mines — This 
company  has  worked  alluvial  tin  ground  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Bauchi  plateau,  Nigeria, 
since  1911.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  the 
output  of  tin  concentrate  w^as  224  tons,  as  com- 
pared with  276  tons  the  year  before.  The  fall  was 
due  partly  to  labour  shortage,  but  also  to  the 
suppi}-  of  water  during  the  rainy  season  not  being 
up  to  the  average.  The  accounts  showed  a  credit 
balance  of  £359  for  the  year's  worlcing.  At  the 
present  time  the  property  has  been  let  on  contract. 

Kaduna. — This  company  was  formed  in  1910  to 
acquire  alluvial  tin  properties  on  the  western  side 
of  the  Bauchi  plateau,  Nigeria.  J.  E.  Snelus  is  the 
manager.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  October  31 
last  shows  that  the  output  of  tin  concentrate  was 
168  tons,  as  compared  with  205  tons  the  year  before, 
the  fall  being  due  to  the  shortage  of  efficient  native 
labour.    The  accounts  show  credits  of  £21,361  from 


the  sale  of  tin,  and  a  loss  for  the  year  of  £482.  The 
sum  of  £3,699  was  brought  forward  from  the 
I^revious  year,  and  £7,360  was  recovered  from 
excess  prolits  tax  previously  paid.  The  balance 
in  hand  was  therefore  /10'.,S76,  out  of  which  a 
dividend  at  the  rate  of  10%  was  paid,  absorbing 
/2,780.  .Additional  prospecting  licences  have  been 
actiuired  during  llie  year. 

Kaduna  Prospectors.  This  company  w\as  formed 
in  1913  as  a  subsidiary  of  the  Kaduna  Syndicate, 
and  now  works  alluvial  tin  property  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  Bauchi  plateau,  Nigeria.  The  report  for 
the  year  ended  October  31  last  shows  that  90 J  tons 
of  concentrate  was  won,  as  compared  with  58J  tons 
the  year  before.  The  accounts  show  a  loss  of"£750. 
Additional  ground  is  now  being  examined  under 
prosjiecting  licence. 

Burma  Ruby  Mines. — This  company  has  worked 
ruby  mines  at  iMogok,  Burma,  since  1889.  During 
1920  the  amount  of  earth  washed  was  estimated  at 
771,406  truck-loads  and  the  stones  recovered  were 
valued  at  £43,010.  The  sales  brought  an  income 
of  £33,507.  There  is  a  steady  demand  for  the 
ordinary  qualities  of  stones  in  India  and  Burma, 
and  fine  stones  arc  always  in  demand  in  London  and 
Paris.  Large  sections  of  ground  are  worked  by 
tributers,  and  the  royalties  collected  during  the 
year  amounted  to  £14,528,  which,  less  cost  of 
collection,  was  handed  over  to  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment. The  accounts  for  1920  show  an  adverse 
balance  of  £5,929.  During  the  j'ear  sluicing  has 
been  introduced,  and  water  is  now  brought  in 
instead  of  the  earth  being  hauled  to  the  washers. 
In  this  way  the  cost  of  operation  will  be  greatly 
reduced. 

Poderosa. — This  company  was  formed  in  1908  to 
acquire  copper  properties  iji  the  CoUahuasi  district, 
Chile.  The  ore  is  of  high  grade,  but  conditions  of 
work  are  difficult  ;  moreover,  the  marketing  of  the 
ore  has  been  subject  to  frequent  interruptions  during 
recent  years.  Dividends  were  paid  for  1909,  1916, 
and  1917.  The  report  for  1920  shows  that  5,01 1  tons 
of  ore,  averaging  30-13°o  copper  and  15-16  oz.  silver 
per  ton,  was  shipped  to  the  smelters,  as  compared 
with  1,498  tons  of  similar  tenor  the  year  before. 
The  operations  during  the  first  three  quarters  of 
1920  were  fairly  remunerative,  but  with  the  fall  in 
the  price  of  copper  it  became  impossible  to  ship  at 
a  profit,  so  that  since  October  work  has  been  con- 
fined almost  entirely  to  development.  The  accounts 
show  receipts  £108,620  from  the  sale  of  ore  and 
a  profit,  after  allowance  for  development  and 
depreciation  of  plant,  of  £18,349,  out  of  which 
£8,750  has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at 
the  rate  of  2J%  less  income  tax.  R.  O.  Packard, 
the  manager,  gives  particulars  of  current  and  pro- 
jected development.  He  estimates  the  ore  in  the 
Poderosa  mine  ready  for  shaping  at  about  10,000 
tons,  averaging  25  to  30%  copper,  and  the  con- 
centrating ore  on  the  dumps  at  134,000  tons, 
averaging  31"^  copper. 

Libiola  Copper  — This  company  has  worked  a 
copper  mine  in  the  north  of  Italy  since  1888.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  the  yield  of  copper  ore 
was  2,297  tons  and  of  pyrites  6,309  tons.  The 
demand  for  cupreous  pyrites  improved  during  the 
year.  Owing  to  labour  unrest,  operations  were  on 
a  comparatively  low  scale,  and  no  development  work 
was  done.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at  6,325  tons 
of  copper  ore  and  37,560  tons  of  pyrites.  The 
profit  and  loss  account  shows  a  credit  balance  of 
£234. 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 


Published  on  the  15th  of  eacli  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,   Limited, 
AT  Salisbuky  House,   London  Wall,   London,   E.C.  2. 


Telephone  :  London  Wall  893S.        Telegraphic  Address  :  Oligoclase.        Codes  :  McNnll  both  Editions 
Branch  Offices  '  j:^!:':  ^^?^^^}^^l'"']-C^'!:^I^^"-^°-  Svbsceiptov  '  ^'^-  P"  annum'  (Single  Copy  Is.  6d.),  including 

I  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


1  t.;Ol.t.  Fisher  Bdg.,  Chicago. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  3.      LONDON,  SEPTEMBER,   1921. 


Price  Is.  6d. 


CON  T  E  N  T  S 


Editorial 
Notes    130 

The  Position  of  Cornish  Mining;  Cages  for  Deep 
Mines  ;  Sir  Thomas  Holland's  Resignation  ; 
Newcomen's  Memorial  at  Dartmouth  ;  The 
Engineers'  Club. 

Carbonic  Oxide  Poisoning 130 

Reference  is  made  to  the  increasing  use  of  carbonic 
oxide  in  factories  and  homes,  with  comment  on 
recent  Government  decisions. 

The  Metalliferous  Mines  Advisory  Com- 
mittee      132 

The  opportunities  presented  by  the  appointment  of 
this  Committee  for  introducing  many  reforms  and 
improvements  in  mining  methods  and  administra- 
tion are  discussed. 

The  Shetland  Isles 133 

A  historical  account  of  mining  activities  in  the 
Shetland  Isles  is  here  given,  with  special  reference 
to  the  copper  deposits  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
Mainland. 

Review  of  Mining 136 

Articles   

Trinidad:  A  Review  of  its  Geology 
and  Oil  Resources . .  Henry  B.  Milner  139 

In  this  article  the  author  summarizes  our  present 
knowledge  of  the  geology  of  the  Island  of 
Trinidad,  with  special  reference  to  the  mode  of 
occurrence  and  storage  of  its  oil.  An  account  is 
given  of  the  progress  of  development  of  the 
petroleum  resources,  and  some  of  the  more 
iinportant  technical  difficulties  encountered  during 
oil  exploration  m  the  Island  are  discussed. 

The  Ventilation  of  Dead-Ends  in 
Mines Stanley  Nettleton   149 

Crushing  and  Concentration  at  Mount 
Lyell 152 

Letters  to  the  Editor 

The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 

Dr.  J.  Morrow  Campbell  154 

Manjak R.  H.  Emtage  156 

Book  Reviews 

McLaughlin's  "  Oil   Land  Development  and 

Valuation  " h.  B.  Milner   156 

"Manganese" H.K.  Scott   158 


News  Letters 

Melbourne. 159 

Gold  stealing  in  West  AustraUa ;   Queensland  Gold 


Mining 

Perth    160 

Suggestions  for  Reform ;  Gold  Stealing ;  Labour 
Questions;  Security  of  Tenure;  Tributing  • 
Hampton  Plains  ;  Oil ;  Northern  West  .A.ustraUa.' 

Toronto    163 

Porcupine ;  Kirkland  Lake ;  Cobalt  j  Lightning 
River  ;  Larder  Lake. 

Vancouver ]  64 

Silver- Lead;  Premier  Gold;  Dolly  Varden ;  Con- 
solidated Mining  and  Smelting;  Liinonite  Deposits. 

Personal    166 

Trade  Paragraphs    1 66 

Metal  Markets   167 

St.atistics  of  Production,  etc 170 

Prices  of  Chemicals 173 

Share  Quotations  174 

The  Mining  Digest 

Principles  of  Copper  Leaching.  .  .F.  E.  L%the   175 
Dressing  of  Wolfram  Ores  in  Queensland  . . . 

W.  H.  Bowater  182 

Cornish  Geology E.  H.  Davison  185 

The  Goudreau  Gold  Discovery,  Ontario  .... 

A.G.  Bunows  186 

Tin  Concentration H.  S.  Hatfield  188 

Geological  Investigations  in  Rhodesia 

H.B.  Maufe  188 

Distribution  of  Gold  in  Banket 

F.  Wartenweilsr  189 

Mining  Efficiency  on  the  Rand. .  ./o/!«  Moore   190 
Operation  of  Mine  Fans  in  Combination.  . .  . 

David  Penman   191 

Moisture  in  Furnace  Blasts /.  H.  Gillis  191 

Short  Notices    192 

Recent  Patents  Published 192 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 194 

Company  Reports    194 

Broken  Hill  Block  10;   Broken  Hill  Block  li ;  Leeuwpoort  Tin 
Mines  ;  Ropp  Tin  ;  Waihi  Graud  Junction. 


1-3? 


EDITORIAL 


THF.  Enfjinot'is'  Club  w  as  formally  oihih  d 
on  Si'ptonibor  1.  The  Club  occupies 
a  handsome  house  at  the  ct)rncr  of  Coventry 
Street  and  W'hitcomb  Street,  between 
Leicester  Square  and  I'iroadilly  Circus. 
The  honorary  secretary  is  Mr.  K.  ]..  Hill. 

ONLY  last  month  we  referred  with  com- 
mendation to  Sir  Thomas  Holland's 
scr\-ices  in  the  administration  of  certain 
branches  of  Indian  Government  business.  It 
is  unpleasant,  therefore,  to  have  to  record 
that  ho  has  had  to  resign  his  position  as 
member  for  commerce  on  the  Council 
of  the  Governor-General  of  India.  He 
ordered  the  abandonment  of  a  prosecution, 
which  the  legal  members  of  the  Government 
considered  should  be  continued.  Here,  again, 
it  is  of  little  avail  to  plead  that  his  actions 
were  prompted  by  notions  of  public  duty.  We 
can  onlj'  express  regret  that  his  undoubted 
abilities  and  his  sympathetic  methods  of 
handling  native  questions  should  be  lost 
to  the  Government  at  a  time  of  anxious 
national  stress. 


ONE  of  Mr.  E.  H.  Clifford's  recom- 
mendations relative  to  winding  from 
great  depths,  contained  in  his  paper  on  the 
Citj'  Deep  mine  read  before  the  Institution 
of  Mining  and  ^Metallurgy  early  this  year, 
was  that  cages  and  skips  should  be  made  of 
the  strongest  steel  or  other  alloy  obtainable, 
in  order  that  their  weight  should  be  reduced 
to  the  lowest  possible  limit.  It  is  obvious 
that  the  lightening  of  the  hoisting  load 
obtained  thereby  would  effect  an  important 
economy  and  substantially  reduce  the 
working  costs,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  the 
first  cost  would  be  considerable.  We  hear, 
however,  that  inquiries  made  by  mining 
houses  do  not  receive  a  ready  response  from 
the  constructional  engineers,  who  appear 
to  be  rather  doubtful  as  to  the  advisability 
of  such  a  polic}'.  We  can  assure  the 
manufacturers  that  the  matter  is  one  well 
worth   their  attention. 


IN  memory  of  Thomas  Newcomen,  the 
pioneer  of  steam  engineering,  a 
monument  has  been  erected  in  his  native 
town  of  Dartmouth,  being  placed  in  the 
public  park  facing  the  River  Dart.  The 
monument  consists  of  a  large,   rough-hewn 


granite  block,  to  which  is  at'ti.xed  two  bra.ss 
tablets.  One  of  the  tablets  gives  in  a  few 
words  an  outline  of  Newcomen 's  career,  and  on 
the  other  there  is  an  engraved  representation 
of  his  invention,  the  atmospheric  steam 
engini'.  Niweomen  was  born  in  Dartmouth 
ill  Iti()3,  where  he  first  earned  his  living  as  a 
blacksmith.  The  house  he  lived  in  was  in 
existence  until  liSiSI.  The  records  show  that 
he  built  an  engine  near  Dudley  Castle  in 
1712,  and  the  last  that  was  at  work  was  at  the 
South  Liberty  coal  mine  near  Bristol.  He 
died  in  London  in  1729,  and  he  was  buried 
in  Bunhill  Fields  ccmeterj',  which  is  situated 
about  half-way  between  the  old  and  the  new 
homes  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy. 


AT  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Cornish 
Chamber  of  Mines,  certain  members 
forcibly  expressed  their  disapproval  of  words 
in  the  editorial  on  Cornish  Conditions 
appearing  in  the  Magazine  last  month. 
The  offending  words  were  :  "  Cornish  mining 
is  dead."  Without  their  context  and  without 
further  amplification  the  statement  appears 
sufficiently  alarming.  But  the  word  "  dead  " 
is  one  of  elastic  definition,  as  will  be  found 
by  reference  to  the  Oxford  Dictionary. 
Wc  did  not  mean  it  in  the  sense  of  Artemus 
Ward's  "  killed  fatally  dead,"  but  rather 
in  the  mode  of  language  of  the  stockbroker, 
who  at  present  loudly  avers  that  the  rubber 
share  market  is  "  dead."  "  Inactive,  motion- 
less, idle,"  are  given  in  the  Oxford  Dictionary, 
and  this  is  the  sense  in  which  it  was  used 
by  us.  A  more  considered  phrasing  of  the 
words  and  their  context  would  be  :  "  Cornish 
mining  is  temporarily  dead,  and  there  are 
no  signs  of  an  immediate  revival."  Mr.  R. 
Arthur  Thomas  at  the  meeting  put  it  con- 
cisely when  he  said  :  "  Cornish  mining  is  not 
dead,  but  sleepeth." 


Carbonic  Oxide  Poisoning 

On  several  occasions  recently  we  have 
drawn  attention  to  the  dangers  arising  from 
the  gradually  extending  use  of  carbonic 
oxide  in  metallurgical  and  other  industrial 
and  domestic  operations.  Owing  to  it  being 
without  colour  and  odour,  its  presence  is 
not  detectable  until  unpleasant  physical 
symptoms  arise,  and  for  the  same  reason 
the  symptoms  are  not  easily  recognizable 
as  the  result  of  this  particular  form  of  gas 


130 


SEPTEMBER,     1021 


131 


poisoning.  In  mining  operations  its  effect 
is  not  as  general!}'  understood  as  it  should 
be,  and  the  headache  following  exposure 
to  the  fumes  of  blasting  is  often  wrongly 
attributed  to  nitrous  compounds.  Though 
various  writers  have  given  the  results  of 
their  investigations  into  the  composition 
and  effects  of  the  fumes  given  off  by 
explosives,  the  action  of  carbonic  oxide  has 
not  received  the  attention  it  deserves, 
owing  presumably  to  the  comparatively 
small  proportion  present.  One  of  these  days 
a  medical  man  will  devote  himself  to  the 
study,  in  the  same  way  as  Dr.  Leonard  Hill 
has  made  a  speciality  of  the  effects  of 
moisture  in  hot  atmospheres.  The  remedy 
will  probaT)ly  lie  in  regulation  of  times  of 
blasting,  rather  than  in  the  matter  of 
ventilating,  but  the  subject  will  afford  con- 
siderable scope  for  investigation.  In  coal- 
mining the  gas  is  known  as  "  white  damp," 
but  the  effect  of  its  presence  after  an 
explosion  of  coal  gas  or  coal  dust  is  often 
ignored,  and  it  is  only  recently  that  the 
necessity  for  providing  means  for  combating 
its  effect  during  first-aid  and  rescue 
operations  has  been  recognized. 

The  dangers  arising  in  industrial  operations 
from  the  use  of  commercial  gases  containing 
carbonic  oxide,  and  from  its  incidental 
formation  and  escape,  are  fully  understood 
by  the  Home  Office,  for  a  number  of 
publications  have  been  issued  dealing  with 
various  phases  of  the  subject.  One  of  these 
was  issued  last  month  by  the  Factory  Depart- 
ment, entitled  "  Memorandum  on  Carbonic 
Oxide  Poisoning  in  Factories."  This 
pamphlet  contains  a  large  amount  of 
information  of  value  to  metallurgists  and 
to  users  of  gas  engines  and  plant  in  which 
gas  is  emploj'ed  for  heating  purposes.  At  so 
many  mines  and  metallurgical  works  gas  is 
used  nowadays  that  this  pamphlet  ought  to 
be  in  the  hands  of  all  our  readers.  It  is  not 
possible  here  to  give  anything  like  full 
quotations,  but  one  point  raised  is  deserving 
of  special  reference.  The  dangers  are  often 
entirely  unsuspected,  and  in  the  specific 
case  mentioned  deaths  have  been  known  to 
occur  owing  to  the  slow  smouldering  of  coal 
and  other  carbonaceous  matter  in  dumps. 
The  gases  released  by  this  action  permeate 
the  soil  and  gain  access  to  buildings.  In  the 
same  way  gob  fires  in  coal  mines  are  dangerous, 
for  this  reason  as  well  as  on  account  of  the 
heat  evolved,  though  in  these  cases  the 
ventilating  current  usually  provides  sufficient 
remedy. 


In  factories  and  mines  it  is  possible,  by 
observing  certain  rules,  to  keep  clear  of  the 
dangers    of    carbonic    oxide,    and    in    well- 
organized    establishments    there   are    means 
for  instantly  combating  its  effects  when  the 
symptoms    arise.      Under    these    conditions 
there  seems  no  reason  for  agitating  against 
the    use    of    gases    containing    this    highly 
poisonous  constituent.     On  the  other  hand, 
the  increasing  proportion  of  carbonic  oxide 
in  town  gas  used  for  household  purposes  is 
open    to    considerable    objections,    and    the 
recent  report  of  a  Board  of  Trade  committee 
refusing    to    recommend    a    limit    must    be 
viewed  with  some  disquietude.     The  battle 
of  twenty-five  years  ago  between  the  water- 
gas    fraternity    and    the    anti-poison    group 
will  be  remembered.    The  result  at  the  time 
was  a  curbing  of  the  general  expansion  of 
the  use  of  this  gas,  but  two  factors  in  the 
problem   have   since   arisen    to   change    the 
point  of  view.     In  the  first  place  the  incan- 
descent    mantle     requires     heat     and     not 
illuminating    power    in    the    gas    employed, 
while  the  gas-works  desire  an  outlet  for  their 
coke.    Thus  the  Gas  Regulation  Act,  passed 
a  year  ago,   allowed  the  gas  companies  to 
sell     gas     by    heating    power     instead     of 
illuminating  power,  and  they  were  given  a 
free    hand    with    regard    to   carbonic    oxide 
content,  subject  to  the  decision  of  a  com- 
mittee appointed  by  the   Board  of  Trade. 
This  committee  met  a  great  many  times,  and 
examined    a    number    of    expert    witnesses. 
The  opinions  expressed  differed  fairly  widely, 
but  the  general  view  appears  to  have  been 
that   as  straight   coal  gas   contains   9%    of 
carbonic    oxide,    there    can    be    no    serious 
objection  to  higher  proportions  being  used. 
While  man}'  experts  pressed  for  a  maximum 
of  20%,  the  preponderating  view  was  that 
no  limit  should  be  imposed.     It  cannot  be 
denied  that  the  members  of  the  committee 
and  the  experts  are  well  informed  men,  but 
the  average  user  of  gas  feels  that  their  judg- 
ment is  open  to  criticism,  and   that  there  is 
something     wrong    somewhere.       The    gas 
companies  claim  that  they  are  benefactors 
to    the    race    because    their    product    gives 
no  smoke  and  no  fumes  to  destroy  btiildings  ; 
they  must  not  object  if  they  receive  a  retort 
to  the  effect  that  they  introduce  a  virulent 
poison   into   our   houses.      There   is   reason 
to    doubt    the    sincerity    of    the    altruistic 
attitude  assumed  by  the  lighting  and  heating 
corporations,  for  are  not  the  electric  lighting 
stations  the  worst  offenders  in  the  matter 
of     discharging     black     smoke     into     the 


132 


III.     MlMXt.     .MAi.AZlMC 


atmosphere  ?  The  cynic  will  go  almost  as 
far  as  to  say  that  these  clouds  of  smoke  are 
gooil  for  the  companies,  as  they  create  a 
demand  for  artificial  light.  Seriously,  how- 
ever, the  carbonic-oxide  position  is  unsatis- 
factory, and  much  has  still  to  be  learnt  by 
producers,  users,  and  experts.  \\'atch  will 
undoubtedly  be  kept  on  the  results  of  the 
recent  removal  of  restrictions,  and  the  matter 
will  be  revived  at  a  later  date.  As  far  as  this 
JIagazine  is  concerned,  it  is  impossible 
to  do  more  now  than  to  question  the  wisdom 
of  allowing  unlimited  use  of  this  gas. 


The  Metalliferous  Mines  Advisory 
Committee 

As  mentioned  in  the  June  issue,  the 
Secretary  for  Mines  recently  appointed  an 
Advisory  Committee  for  the  Metalliferous 
Mining  Industry.  No  doubt  many  readers 
are  sceptical  of  the  value  of  any  departmental 
committee,  and  judging  by  past  experience 
the\^  have  good  reason  for  such  disbelief,  for 
the  permanent  or  political  Goverimient 
officials  have  usually  ignored  the  recom- 
mendations of  such  advisers.  But  this 
attitude  of  scepticism  is  surelv  wrong,  for 
everybody  connected  with  metalliferous 
mining  in  this  country  should  endeavour 
strenuously  to  back  their  interests  and  take 
fuU  advantage  of  the  opportunity  now  offered 
for  doing  some  good  to  an  industry  which  is 
confessedly  in  a  parlous  position.  Anyway, 
most  of  the  committee  take  a  serious  view  of 
their  duties,  and  they  should  be  generously 
supported  in  mining  circles.  Among  the 
members  of  the  Committee  best  known  to 
readers  of  the  Magazine  are  Dr.  F.  H. 
Hatch,  Dr.  Malcolm  Maclaren,  Professor 
Henry  Louis,  and  Messrs.  Frank  Merricks, 
F.  W.  Harbord.  R.  Arthur  Thomas,  Anthonj' 
Wilson,  and  T.  C.  F.  Hall.  The  committee 
consists  essentially  of  representatives  of 
owners  of  iron,  tin,  and  other  metalliferous 
mines,  and  of  an  equal  number  of  repre- 
sentatives of  labour,  together  with  mining 
engineers,  geologists,  and  metallurgists,  and 
a  medical  expert.  If  there  is  a  criticism  to 
be  made  with  regard  to  the  constitution  of 
the  committee  it  arises  from  the  appoint- 
ments to  the  chairmanship  and  vice-chair- 
manship. Sir  Cecil  Budd  is  the  chairman, 
and  it  is  generally  felt  that  this  office  would 
have  been  better  held  by  some  one  con- 
versant with  mining  rather  than  by  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  metal  markets  ;  while  it  is 
considered     in     some     quarters     that^the 


presentation  of  the  vice-chairmanshi])  to 
tlu'  Labour  ])arty  gave  the  Committee  ino 
nuuh  of  a  political  complexion.  These 
points  arc  not  of  any  great  practical 
im])ortancr  as  matters  go  nowadays,  and  it  is 
well  to  dismiss  the  criticisms  as  prom])lly 
as  ])ossible.  The  great  point  in  connexion 
witii  the  Committee  is  that  its  formation 
marks  a  new  era  in  administration,  and  that 
for  the  first  time  in  our  history  the  owners 
and  workers  have  a  direct  and  legitimate 
voice  in  such  control  as  is  exercised  by  a 
Government  department.  The  Committee 
has  the  widest  functions,  and  tiiough  the 
Minister  is  not  compelled  to  refer  any 
question  to  it,  undoubtedly  he  will  have  in 
practice  to  obtain  the  opinion  of  his  advisers. 
It  is  also  laid  down  in  the  constitution  of  the 
Committee  that  the  Minister  "  shall  take  into 
consideration  any  representations  which  may 
be  made  to  him  by  the  Committee,"  a  clause 
which  gives  a  right  that  may  prove  to  be  of 
immense  value  to  the  industry.  As  regards 
recommendations  involving  the  sjjending 
of  money,  the  Committee  was  told  at  its 
first  meeting  that  the  limit  of  expenditure 
by  the  Mines  Department  had  already  been 
reached,  so  that  no  such  recommendations 
could  be  considered.  This,  of  course, 
excludes  a  great  many  matters  that  would 
otherwise  have  been  brought  forward,  and 
has  accordingly  caused  much  disappoint- 
ment to  a  large  section  of  the  non-ferrous 
mining  community. 

One  of  the  recommendations  already  made 
by  the  Committee  relates  to  the  collection 
of  statistics  of  production  and  labour.  Of 
recent  years  the  Home  Office  reports  on 
these  matters  have  grown  more  and  more 
absurd,  as  regards  both  scantiness  and 
dUatoriness  of  publication.  The  mine  owners 
send  full  returns  in  January,  and  an  ordinary 
business  house  would  be  able  to  publish 
the  reports  in  February.  But  the  reports 
are  generally  published  towards  the  end  of 
the  year,  when  they  are  of  little  use  to  those 
engaged  in  the  industry  or  to  anyone  else. 
The  Committee  is  now  urging  a  reform  in  this 
method  of  presentation  of  the  returns,  and  is 
also  urging  their  publication,  especially  those 
relating  to  labour,  at  shorter  intervals,  say 
quarterly. 

The  Minister  of  Mines  has  placed  before 
the  Committee  the  recommendations  of  the 
various  Commissions  that  have  examined 
the  conditions  of  the  mining  industry  of 
late  years,  in  particular  the  Royal  Com- 
mission on  Metalliferous  Mines  and  Quarries, 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


133 


the  Royal  Commission  on  Royalties,  and  the 
Departmental  Committee  on  the  Non-Ferrous 
Mining  Industn'.  Up  to  the  present  time 
no  effort  has  been  made  to  carry  out  these 
recommendations,  and  the  various  reports 
have  been  entirely  neglected.  They  are  now 
being  considered  by  the  Committee,  and  it  is 
probable  that  many  of  the  recommendations 
contained  in  them  will  be  endorsed  by  the 
Committee,  and  probably  accepted  by  the 
Minister.  It  will  hardly  be  possible  to  deal 
with  all  these  matters  by  immediate 
legislation,  and  in  any  case  there  is  great 
difficulty  in  drafting  an  Act  of  Parliament 
in  a  sufficiently  comprehensive  manner  to 
include  all  the  regulations  that  would  be 
necessary,  so  in  all  probability  the  most 
urgent  matters  will  be  dealt  with  by  means 
of  special  rules  and  Mines  Department 
regulations,  which,  when  formallyissued,  have 
all  the  force  of  law.  In  preparing  the  rules, 
it  is  of  importance  that  they  should  be 
adapted  to  each  class  of  metalliferous  mining, 
for  it  is  clear  that  what  is  suitable  for  open- 
cut  ironstone  mining  in  the  Midlands  is  not 
easily  adaptable  to  tin-mining  operations. 
Then,  again,  local  nomenclature  should  be 
considered,  for  the  terms  used  in  the  various 
districts  differ  widely.  Even  in  Furness,  the 
words  and  their  meanings  are  not  all  identical 
with  those  employed  in  the  neighbouring 
iron  mines  in  Cumberland,  while  Cornwall 
has  a  dialect  of  its  own.  Sub-committees 
have  already  been  formed  to  consider  the 
qualifications  of  managers,  the  keeping  of 
plans,  the  rules  for  safety  and  health,  and 
other  subjects. 

Probably  the  question  of  royalties,  way- 
leaves,  and  rates  will  receive  close  attention 
by  the  Committee.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
new  statistical  returns  will  give  the 
information,  which  has  hitherto  been 
unavailable,  relating  to  the  amounts  paid 
by  the  mines  under  these  headings. 
Curiously  enough,  the  Royal  Commission 
on  Royalties  was  unable  to  secure  exact 
data,  a  fact  which  went  far  to  nullify  any 
good  done  by  the  inquiry.  The  Government 
is  pledged  to  the  nationalization  of  royalties, 
and  it  is  clear  that  full  details  must  be 
obtained  before  any  legislation  can  be  under- 
taken. Both  mine  owners  and  the  workers 
are  aware  of  the  heavy  handicap  of  these 
charges,  and  are  equally  helpless  in  the 
matter.  It  is  true  that  occasionally  a  royalty 
owner  will  alleviate  the  burden  under  special 
circumstances,  but  nothing  but  public 
regularization  will  really  meet  the  case. 
3—3 


It  will  therefore  be  one  of  the  duties  of  the 
Committee  to  advise  as  to  the  terms  of 
nationalization.  The  incidence  of  local 
rates  is  not  of  less  importance  than  the 
imposition  of  royalties,  and  it  will  also 
receive  due  attention. 

The  Committee  has  started  well,  and  it  will 
no  doubt  make  its  position  felt.  Outside 
support  must  be  given  to  it  so  that  it  shall 
be  able  to  avoid  the  fate  of  similar  bodies, 
which  have  gradually  sunk  into  the  apathy 
consequent  on  neglect.  It  must  not  stop 
at  mere  advice  on  official  proposals,  but 
should  boldly  handle  all  the  factors  that  have 
so  largely  contributed  to  the  existing 
desperate  position.  We  may  hope  that  the 
Minister  of  Mines  will  make  full  use  of  the 
Committee,  and  treat  its  recommendations 
with  sympathy  and  intelligence,  and  give  it 
a  status  that  will  encourage  it  to  throw  itself 
with  energy  and  responsibility  into  the  task 
before  it. 


Shetland  Copper 

As  recorded  in  recent  issues,  a  project 
is  in  hand  for  the  reopening  of  the  old  copper 
mines  in  the  JMainland  of  the  Shetland  Isles. 
At  the  time  we  recommended  inquirers  to 
consult  Dr.  J.  S.  Flett,  director  of  the 
Geological  Survey,  with  regard  to  this 
subject.  Since  then  a  report  by  Dr.  Flett 
has  been  issued  by  the  Scottish  section  of  the 
Geological  Survey,  giving  a  historical  account 
of  these  ore  deposits,  so  the  public  are  now 
in  possession  of  all  essential  details. 

The  deposits  are  found  in  the  Old  Red 
Sandstone  of  the  Devonian  Age.  These 
rocks  are  principally  conglomerates,  red 
sandstones,  and  shales,  with  occasional 
thin-bedded  grey  flagstones.  The  area 
covered  by  the  rocks  extends  from  Rovey 
Head,  a  few  miles  north  of  Lerwick,  the 
capital  of  the  Isles,  along  the  eastern  side 
to  Sumburgh  Head,  at  the  extreme  south  of 
the  Mainland.  To  readers  of  Sir  Walter 
Scott  the  country?  will  be  familiar  as  providing 
the  principal  scenes  in  "  The  Pirate."  Pyrites 
and  chalcopyrite  are  found  in  lodes  in  these 
Old  Red  Sandstone  rocks,  and  at  a  number 
of  places  these  lodes  have  been  worked  for 
copper  at  various  times.  The  most  important 
of  the  operations  have  been  at  Sandlodge, 
which  is  situated  about  14  miles  south  of 
Lerwick.  The  lode  trends  about  N.  10°  E., 
and  three  old  shafts  are  marked  on  the  6  in. 
ordnance  survey  map.  The  country  rock  is 
reddish  sandstone,  and  the  weathered  back  of 
the  lode  can  be  seen  in  some  old  pits.    The 


131 


THE    MININC.     MAC.AZINE 


lode  consists  largely  of  siderite,  wiiiih  is 
weathered  to  liinonite  on  the  surface  to  a 
dcptli  of  about  100  ft.  Tlie  pyrites  is  found 
in  stringers  and  pockets,  and  other  sulphides, 
such  as  galena  and  blende,  are  also  present. 
The  deposit  was  originally  worked  for  copper 
ore.  but  at  one  time  iron  ore  was  also  mined. 
In  depth  the  siderite  gives  place  partly  to 
carbonates  of  lime  and  magnesia.  The  lode  is 
fairly  wide,  measuring  Oor  10  ft.,  and  thi're  is 
al.so  a  subsidiary  lode.  The  foregoing  facts 
give  a  general  idea  of  the  nature  of  the 
deposit,  but  it  is  interesting  also  to  record 
the  history  of  the  work  done. 

The  early  records  indicate  that  the 
Sandlodge  mine  was  first  opened  toward 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  that 
a  party  of  miners  was  brought  over  from 
Wales  to  do  the  development.  Shafts  were 
sunk,  and  copper  ore  was  raised,  selling  for 
about  £2,000.  The  death  of  the  lessee  put  an 
end  to  the  operations  before  much  work  was 
done,  but  by  the  year  1800  mining  had 
been  resumed.  Robert  Jamieson,  in  his 
Mineralogy  of  the  Scottish  Islands,  describes 
his  visit  to  the  property  in  1790.  .According 
to  his  account,  two  lodes  had  been  worked, 
known  as  the  east  and  west  veins,  and 
forming  branches  of  one  lode.  In  1803 
Patrick  Neill  was  there,  and  he  gave  his 
impressions  in  his  Tour  through  some  of  the 
Islands  of  Orkney  and  Shetland.  He  found 
that  a  shaft  was  down  to  130  ft.,  and  that 
one  or  two  cargoes  of  dressed  ore  had  been 
shipped.  He  was  told  that  the  company 
had  spent  £10,000  on  the  mine,  and  that  the 
best  quality  of  picked  ore  realized  £70  per 
ton.  John  Sherriff,  in  his  book  A  General 
View  of  the  Shetland  Islands,  published  in 
1817,  mentions  that  Professor  Fleming 
visited  the  district  in  1808.  The  mine  had 
been  abandoned  by  that  date  and  the  shafts 
were  full  of  water.  From  time  to  time  during 
succeeding  years  the  property  was  worked 
on  a  small  scale  with  unimportant  results, 
and  it  was  not  until  1872  when  John  Walker 
obtained  a  lease  that  public  attention  was 
attracted  once  more.  Mr.  Walker  carried  on 
work  actively  for  eight  years,  and  raised 
about  10,000  tons  of  iron  and  copper  ore. 
In  1878  the  production  of  copper  ore  was 
708  tons,  valued  at  £1,770,  and  of  iron  ore 
1,241  tons,  while  in  1880  the  yield  was 
1,995  tons  of  copper  ore  valued  at  £5,814 
and  396  tons  of  iron  ore  valued  at  £344. 
]\Ir.  Walker  sold  the  lease  in  1880  to  the 
Sumburgh  Mining  Company,  which  had 
a  nominal  capital  of  £60,000,  but  this  com- 


p.my  wiiit  inio  lii|uid.iii()n  in  the  follt)v\'iug 
year.  Since  then  the  property  has  been 
I'xamined  on  many  occasions,  but  reopening 
was  never  recommended,  until  in  November 
last  the  present  enterprise  was  inaugurated. 
One  of  the  most  enlightening  accounts  of 
the  deposit  written  in  recent  years  is  found  in 
a  paper  read  in  1908  by  Mr.  R.  W.  Dron 
before  the  Geological  Society  of  (jlasgow, 
entitled    "  Iron      and    Copper    Mining    in 


Reference 

Gnasa, 

•Mu^-s-    -  -.    


■> faults 

StraJ^i 


Geology  of  South  of  Mainland  of  Shetland  Isles. 

Shetland."  He  gives  some  idea  of  the  nature 
of  the  deposit  and  of  the  ores  mined.  He 
states  that  the  lode  averaged  9  or  10  ft. 
wide  and  that  the  west  shaft  had  been  sunk 
on  the  incline  to  a  depth  of  180  ft.  For  the 
first  100  ft.  the  lode  appeared  to  have  con- 
sisted of  hematite  and  limonite,  the 
weathered  products  of  siderite,  with  here  and 
there  pockets  of  copper  pjTites.  He  was 
informed  that  the  iron  oxides  had  been 
shipped  to  gas  works  for  use  as  a 
desulphurizer.  Below  the  100  ft.  level, 
he  reported  the  lode  material  to  be  siderite, 
associated    with    carbonates    of     iron    and 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


135 


magnesia,  and  that  this  also  contained  copper 
pyrites.  Also  he  mentioned  that  a  vertical 
shaft  had  been  sunk  to  cut  the  main  lode 
at  a  depth  of  240  ft.,  and  that  below  this 
■point  the  shaft  had  followed  the  lode  for 
60  ft.,  and  levels  driven  northward  and 
southward  for  220  ft.  and  190  ft.  respectively. 
In  these  bottom  workings  the  lode  material 
is  reported  to  be  white  siderite,  containing 
copper  pyrites,  but  Dr.  Flett  is  of  opinion 
that  its  composition  is  vary  variable. 

Dr.  Flett  in  his  report  mentions  a  number 
of  other  spots  where  copper  pyrites  is  known 
to  exist  in  this  district.  At  Setter,  about 
half  a  mile  south  of  Sandlodge,  a  lode  has 
been  known  for  many  years,  and  an  attempt 
was  made  to  work  it  in  1890.  Two  shafts 
were  sunk.  One  of  these  was  near  the  coast 
line,  and  followed  the  lode  for  90  ft.  The 
vein  was  of  solid  copper  pyrites,  but  it  was 
narrow,  being  only  a  few  inches  wide  at  the 
surface  and  1.5  to  20  in.  at  the  deepest  point 
worked.  The  proximity  to  the  sea  made  it 
impossible  to  continue  the  sinking  of  the 
shaft,  so  a  second  shaft  was  started  about 
150  ft.  inland,  and  on  higher  ground.  This 
shaft  was  sunk  to  83  ft.,  ancl  a  cross-cut 
was  then  started  to  intersect  the  vein,  but 
at  this  stage  the  venture  was  abandoned. 
Copper  pyrites  is  also  found  on  the  cUffs 
at  Sandwick  and  No  Ness,  not  far  from 
Sandlodge,  and  the  lode  is  presumably 
a  continuation  of  that  worked  at  Sandlodge. 
Other  trials  have  been  made  at  Levenwick, 
Hoswick,  Garthness,  and  Ouendale.  Fair 
Isle,  situated  about  half-way  between 
Orkney  and  Shetland,  belongs  also  to  the 
Sumburgh  estate,  and  here  there  is  another 
outcrop  of  copper  pyrites,  which  has  been 
investigated  at  various  times  during  the  last 
hundred  years,  but  neither  its  nature  nor 
its  position  has  been  such  as  to  encourage 
exploitation. 

From  the  description  of  the.se  deposits 
it  would  appear  that  they  resemble  more  or 
less  closely  the  siderite  lodes  north  of 
Pcrranporth,  Cornwall,  to  which  attention 
was  drawn  in  these  pages  about  four  years 
ago.  They  do  not  seem  to  afford  much 
hope  for  success.  Dr.  Flett  says  it  is  quite 
possible  that  with  modern  methods  of  mining 
and  dressing  there  may  still  be  a  future  for 
the  Sandlodge  mine,  but  this  is  evidently 
more  of  the  nature  of  a  polite  reservation 
than  an  actual  opinion.  For  ourselves  we 
do  not  consider  that  the  project  of  reopening 
this  mine  is  a  suitable  subject  for  paragraphs 
in  the  financial  dailies. 


Reference  is  made  in  the  foregoing  article 
to  Sir  Walter  Scott's  romance  "The  Pirate," 
in  which  manj'  of  the  scenes  are  placed  in 
Shetland.  In  the  course  of  the  story,  lie 
makes  mention  of  the  copper  deposits,  and 
as  the  account  given  is  appropriate  to  the 
present  position,  we  give  extracts  herewith. 
One  of  the  characters  in  the  story, 
Triptolemus  Yellowley,  is  continually 
attempting  to  introduce  so-called  improved 
agricultural  methods  into  the  islands,  and 
is  the  author  of  many  other  similarly  in- 
considered  schemes,  the  results  always  being 
disastrous.  He  has  a  sister  who  is  the 
meanest  of  the  mean,  but  also  an  acute 
critic.  On  a  certain  auspicious  occasion 
he  is  congratulating  himself  on  the  bonny 
blaze  of  wood  on  the  hearth,  to  which  his 
sister  retorts  that  he  won't  see  such  a  blaze 
again  unless  the  house  takes  fire  or  a  coal- 
heugh  is  found. 

"  And  wherefore  should  not  there  be 
a  coal-heugh  found,"  said  Yellowley 
triumphantly,  "  I  say,  wherefore  should  not 
a  coal-heugh  be  found  in  Shetland  as  well 
as  in  Fife  [from  whence  he  came],  now  that 
the  Chamberlain  of  the  Isles  has  a  far- 
sighted  and  discreet  man  [himself]  upon  the 
spot  to  make  the  necessary  perquisitions." 
"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,"  answered  his  sister, 
who  had  practical  reasons  to  fear  her 
brother's  opening  on  any  false  scent,  "  if 
you  promise  the  Chamberlain  so  many  of 
these  baubles  we  shall  not  be  well  settled 
here  before  we  are  found  out  and  set  trotting 
again.  If  one  was  to  speak  to  you  about  a 
gold  mine.  I  know  well  who  would  promise 
he  should  have  Portugal  pieces  clinking  in 
his  pouch  before  the  year  went  by." 

"  And  why  should  I  not,"  said  Triptolemus, 
"  maybe  your  head  docs  not  know  there  is 
a  land  in  Orkney  called  Ophir,  or  something 
very  like  it ;  and  wherefore  might  not 
Solomon,  the  wise  King  of  the  Jews,  have 
sent  thither  his  ships  and  his  servants  ? 
Yes,  you  shall  all  of  you  see  what  a  change 
shall  coin  introduce,  even  into  such  an 
unpropitious  country  as  this.  Ye  have  not 
heard  of  copper,  I  warrant,  or  of  iron-stone, 
in  these  islands,  neither  ?  There  is  copper 
near  the  cliffs  of  Konigsburgh  ;  ay,  and  a 
copper  scum  is  found  on  the  Loch  of  Swana, 
too." 

And  so  on.  It  should  be  added  that 
Yellowley  was  not  the  pirate  which  provided 
the  title  to  the  story.  Eventuall}'  Yellowley 
has  to  drop  his  schemes  as  the  inhabitants  are 
derisive  of  his  failures. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introduction. — The  iiutal  markets  con- 
tinue to  be  very  liull,  and  consequent h' 
mining  remains  in  the  doldrums.  The  trade 
of  the  country  is,  liowever,  tending  to  im- 
prove, following  resumption  of  operations  on 
the  conclusion  of  the  coal  strike.  Thus 
there  is  a  rather  more  hopeful  feeling  in 
mining  circles. 

Transvaal.-  The  agreement  reached  last 
month  between  the  Chamber  of  Mines  and  the 
men's  unions  for  a  cut  in  wages  of  white 
labour,  depending  on  cost  of  living,  has 
already  had  a  brightening  effect  on  the 
gold  shares,  and  in  both  Johannesburg  and 
London  the  quotations  have  recovered 
slightly  from  the  low  level  to  which  they  had 
sunk.  The  actual  working  costs  have  not 
yet  fallen  in  any  substantial  manner,  but  it 
is  fairly  clear  that  the  ma.ximum  has  been 
reached,  and  that  an  appreciable  if  small  fall 
may  be  e.xpected  before  long.  As  regards 
cost  of  supplies,  there  is  at  present  few  signs 
of  reductions  ;  in  fact,  the  price  of  dynamite 
has  been  raised. 

As  the  new  refinery  for  Rand  gold 
approaches  completion,  the  question  is  once 
more  discussed  of  marketing  the  gold 
through  a  local  selling  organization,  instead 
of  sending  it  to  Rothschilds  in  London.  A 
suggestion  has  even  been  made  that  the  out- 
put should  be  sold  ahead  on  contract,  thus 
helping  to  stabilize  the  market.  We  are 
not  sure  that  this  would  have  the  effect 
desired.  The  selling  of  gold  to  advantage  is 
an  intricate  and  specialized  business  and 
requires  close  touch  with  all  the  banking 
centres  of  the  world. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during 
July  was  reported  at  51,564  oz.,  as  compared 
with  49,466  oz.  in  June,  and  46,208  oz. 
in  July  of  last  year.  Returns  for  July  relating 
to  other  metals  and  minerals  produced  in 
Southern  Rhodesia  were  :  Silver,  12,620  oz.  ; 
coal,  5,3,967  tons ;  chrome  ore  730  tons  ; 
copper,  239  tons ;  asbestos,  1,775  tons ; 
arsenic,  7  tons ;  mica,  8  tons ;  tin  con- 
centrates, 1  ton  ;    diamonds,  22  carats. 

At  the  Lonely  Reef,  the  development  of 
the  24th  level  is  now  giving  better  results 
than  at  first.  On  the  north  drive,  for  60  ft. 
from  100  ft.  to  160  ft.  the  assay- value 
averaged  3|  oz.  per  ton  over  40  in.  At  165  ft. 
the  value  was  61  oz.  over  55  in. ;  at  170  ft., 
6f  oz.  over  51  in.,  and  at  175  ft.,  4J  oz. 
over  64  in. 


riic  admission  of  Southern  Rhodesia  to 
the  I'nion  oi  South  .\frica  is  once  more 
Ining  actively  discussed  by  those  in 
authority,  although  the  jiopular  vote  last 
year  was  overwhelmingly  against  such  a 
step.  The  change  of  view  has  followed  on 
General  Smuts'  sweeping  victory  in  the 
I'Uion  election.  This  victory  is  taken  as  a 
sign  that  the  inhabitants  of  South  Africa 
are  now  following  a  man  who  can  think 
imperially  and  at  the  same  time  unselfishly. 
Louis  Botha  was  a  man  of  the  same  character, 
but  did  not  have  the  extensive  support  of 
the  Dutch  citizens  as  Smuts  now  has.  It  is 
probable  that  under  the  new  conditions 
Rhodesia  may  join  the  Union. 

Some  particulars  are  given  under  the 
heading  "  Geological  Investigations  in 
Rhodesia,"  in  the  Mining  Digest  this  month, 
of  the  chrome  deposits,  recently  discovered, 
which  have  already  had  such  an  effect  on  the 
market  for  this  mineral.  The  article  also 
gi^'es  some  information  relating  to  mica  and 
graphite  deposits. 

West  Africa. — The  first  return  of  the 
Goldfields  of  Eastern  Akkim  gave  85  oz. 
from  4,000  cubic  yards.  This  was  effected 
by  a  trial  run  of  the  new  sluicing  plant. 
At  the  par  value  of  gold  the  yield  was  at 
the  rate  of  20d.  per  yard.  Investigations 
are  now  in  hand  relative  to  the  working 
of  the  ground  by  dredges. 

Nigeria. —  As  will  be  seen  from  the  report 
quoted  elsewhere  in  this  issue,  the  Ropp 
Tin  company  was  not  able  to  make  a  profit 
during  1920,  in  spite  of  its  large  output  of 
tin  concentrate,  1,017  tons.  During  the 
current  year,  the  costs  have  been  sub- 
stantially reduced,  and  the  company  is  now 
able  to  make  a  profit  when  the  price  of  the 
metal  is  above  £150  per  ton.  Mr.  Edmund 
Davis,  the  chairman,  believes  that  the  price 
of  tin  will  considerably  improve  after  the 
end  of  the  j'ear,  and  he  is  not  disposed  to 
suspend  operations  in  the  meantime,  as 
such  a  policy  would  entail  expenses  while 
working  is  stopped,  and  also  in  the  sub- 
sequent reopening.  The  company's  proved 
ground  is  estimated  to  contain  about 
10,000  tons  of  cassiterite. 

Australia. — Furtlicr  information  has  been 
given  liy  the  British  Government  with  regard 
to  the  Australian  zinc  concentrates  purchased. 
The  total  quantity  held  on  March  31  of  this 
year  was  573,685  tons,  while  11,943  tons  was 


136 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


137 


delivered  in  April,  14,085  tons  in  May, 
16,677  tons  in  June,  17,758  tons  in  July, 
and  22,418  tons  in  August.  It  is  admitted 
that  there  is  no  prospect  at  present  of  dis- 
posing of  the  stocks  at  prices  equivalent  to 
the  original  purchase  cost. 

Cable  advices  give  the  results  achieved 
by  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  during  the 
year  ended  May  31  last.  The  lead-zinc- 
silver  mine  was  reopened  on  November  10, 
after  the  cessation  of  the  strike,  but  was 
closed  early  in  Januarj'  owing  to  the  un- 
satisfactory state  of  the  metal  markets. 
During  the  time  of  operation  3,875  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  from  which  801  tons  of  lead 
concentrate  was  obtained.  The  zinc  plant 
gave  2,918  tons  of  zinc  concentrate,  the 
regrinding  plant  557  tons  of  lead  con- 
centrate, and  the  slime  flotation  plant 
1,487  tons  of  lead  concentrate  and 
4,258  tons  of  zinc  concentrate.  At  the  iron 
and  steel  works  the  output  of  pig  iron  was 
226,760  tons,  and  the  open-hearth  furnaces 
produced  209,458  tons  of  steel.  A  third 
blast-furnace  was  blown-in  last  month. 

Alluvial  gold  has  been  found  on  Block  41, 
owned  by  Hampton  Gold  Mining  Areas, 
Ltd.,  the  reconstruction  of  Hampton 
Uruguay,  Ltd.  This  is  situated  farther  to 
the  north-east  of  Hampton  Plains  than  the 
Celebration  and  other  discoveries  of  two 
3'ears  ago.  It  is  close  to  the  Trans- 
continental railway,  at  about  37  miles  from 
Kalgoorlic.  Mr.  H.  J.  Daly,  the  manager, 
reports  that  the  find  is  encouraging,  though 
it  does  not  justify  a  rush.  The  district  has 
been  proclaimed  as  a  new  goldfield,  which 
is  officially  given  the  name  "Transfind." 

Malaya. — The  arrangement  between  the 
Federated  Malay  States  and  the  Dutch  East 
Indies  with  regard  to  the  sale  of  stocks  of 
tin  is  to  be  continued.  In  February  last  it 
was  agreed  that  neither  should  sell  its  stocks, 
purchased  in  the  interest  of  the  local  industry, 
for  a  period  of  three  months.  In  May  the 
period  was  extended  by  another  three  months 
ending  August  31.  The  present  renewal  of 
the  agreement  does  not  mention  any  date 
limit,  so  apparently  the  respective  Govern- 
ments do  not  expect  any  immediate  chance 
for  disposing  of  their  stocks  without  further 
upsetting  the  tin  market. 

CornwalL — The  directors  of  East  Pool 
have  issued  a  circular  relating  to  the  policy 
which  has  become  necessary  since  the 
collapse  of  the  main  shaft.  As  a  matter  of 
fact  it  is  not  a  new  policy,  and  the  accident 
only  had  the  effect  of  hastening  the  proposed 


modification  in  the  method  of  attacking  the 
ore.  The  circular  reminds  shareholders  of 
the  announcement  made  at  the  last  general 
meeting  that  rich  ore  had  been  developed 
on  both  the  Great  lode  and  the  Rogers  lode, 
in  the  Agar  section,  in  the  direction  of 
Tolgus,  and  that  the  sinking  of  a  new  shaft 
had  become  necessary.  The  fall  of  ground 
in  May  occurred  over  an  extensive  area  in 
the  old  workings  at  East  Pool.  Althou.eh 
this  fall  affected  the  East  Pool  shaft  at  the 
130  fm.  level,  and  put  out  of  action  the 
electric  pumps  at  the  80  fm.,  180  fm.,  and 
240  fm.  levels,  it  was  hoped  then  that  the 
shaft  could  be  repaired.  However,  con- 
tinual further  falls  took  place  all  through  the 
month  of  June,  completely  wrecking  the 
shaft  and  depriving  the  mine  of  its  winding 
facilities.  During  July  dams  were  com- 
pleted in  the  cross-cuts  to  the  Rogers  lode, 
in  order  to  isolate  that  lode  in  the  Agar 
.section  from  the  old  workings  in  East  Pool, 
and  salvage  operations  took  place  to  remove 
the  electric  pumps  and  other  material.  There 
was  then  no  alternative  but  to  stop  pumping 
and  definitely  abandon  the  old  workings  at 
East  Pool,  as  the  amount  of  water  was 
greater  than  could  be  dealt  with  by  the 
Cornish  pump,  and  practically  all  the  ore 
had  been  already  worked  out  in  this  section. 
The  directors  have  now  decided  that  the  new 
shaft  referred  to  at  the  general  meeting  shall 
be  at  once  taken  in  hand,  and  the  position 
of  the  shaft  has  been  definitely  fixed  at  a 
point  north  of  the  present  Agar  shaft,  where 
it  will  cut  the  Rogers  lode  at  a  vertical 
depth  of  about  250  fathoms.  This  shaft 
will  be  a  combined  winding  and  pumping 
shaft,  and  its  position  will  enable  it  to  be 
used  for  working  the  whole  of  the  rich 
unexhausted  portions  of  the  Rogers  lode 
to  the  west,  and  the  undeveloped  portions 
of  that  lode  to  the  east  in  the  direction  of 
Tolgus,  and  also  the  rich  lodes  proved  by 
bore-holes  parallel  to  the  Rogers  lode.  The 
directors  say  nothing  about  any  arrange- 
ment with  South  Crofty  with  regard  to  the 
underground  water  question.  The  point  is 
that  when  the  East  Pool  pumps  are  out  of 
action  the  clearing  of  the  water  falls  entirely 
on  the  South  Crofty  pumps,  which  are  not 
equal  to  the  duty.  If  the  newer  part  of  the 
East  Pool  company's  property  is  sealed  off 
from  the  old  property.  South  Crofty  will 
never  in  the  future  receive  any  assistance 
from  the  East  Pool  pumps.  There  seems  to 
be  no  alternative  for  South  Crofty  but  to 
provide  additional  pumps. 


i.-^s 


111.     MIMNc,     .M.U.AZIXE 


Canada.  —  C)ur  Toronto  coirospomlcnt 
refers  10  the  jnosiierity  now  being  enjoyed 
by  the  Porcupine  gold  mines.  .\t  the 
Mclntyre,  an  ore-body  30  ft.  wide  and 
assaying  S-0  per  ton  is  being  developed  at 
the  1.375  ft.  level,  and  the  mill  is  to  be 
extended  so  as  to  brini^  the  capacitv  from 
500  to  1,000  tons  per  day.  A.  Mitclielson 
and  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  London,  has  acquired  a 
controlling  interest  in  the  Davidson  Con- 
solidoti'd,  north-cast  of  Porcupine. 

United  States. — The  position  of  the  zinc 
industry  is  retlected  in  the  figures  of  pro- 
duction and  export  during  the  first  half  of 
1921.  There  was  produced  100,781  tons 
from  home  ores  and  1,714  tons  from  im- 
ported ores,  making  a  total  of  102,.")25  tons. 
These  figures  compare  with  205,269  tons 
during  the  second  half  of  1920,  and  2.38,108 
tons  during  the  first  half.  The  stock  at 
June  30  was  reported  at  94,747  tons,  as 
compared  with  71,037  tons  at  December  31, 
and  29,892  tons  at  June  30,  1920.  The 
exports  during  the  first  half  of  1921  were 
2,255  tons,  and  the  imports  7,405  tons.  The 
imports  arc  as  a  rule  nothing  at  all,  while 
during  the  immediately  preceding  half-years 
the  exports  were,  respectively,  24,500  tons, 
99,750  tons,  68,600  tons,  and  77,600  tons. 
The  figures  here  quoted  indicate  the  present 
demoralization  of  the  United  States  zinc 
industry-. 

Interest  in  the  shares  of  the  Arizona 
Copper  Company  has  been  revived  by  the 
statement  that  the  deal  with  the  Phelps- 
Dodge  Corporation  is  at  last  nearing  com- 
pletion. In  America  the  purchase  of  the 
properties  by  the  corporation  is  generally 
accepted  as  an  actual  fact,  and  that  only 
details  of  price  are  wanting  to  complete  the 
transaction.  It  is  presumed  that  the  railway 
controlled  by  the  Arizona  Company  will 
become  part  of  the  El  Paso  and  South- 
western system,  and  that  the  lighting  and 
power  service  will  be  transferred  to  the 
Phelps-Dodge  power  house  at  Morenci,  where 
Diesel  engines  give  cheaper  generation  of 
current.  It  is  stated  that  Mr.  J.  P.  Hodg.son, 
formerly  manager  of  the  Detroit  Copper 
Co.,  is  to  be  appointed  manager  of  the 
Arizona  Company's  property. 

The  Alaska  Gastineau  Company,  operating 
the  Perseverance  gold  mine  behind  Juneau, 
has  finally  decided  to  suspend  operations. 
In  a  lengthy  article  published  in  JIay.  1918, 
we  revieweci  the  unfortunate  position  of  this 
and  of  the  Alaska  Juneau  company,  which 
works  a  mine  on  the  same  line  of  lode.    The 


Gastineau  was  controlled  by  the  Jackling 
group,  and  the  Juneau  was  an  appanage  of 
the  .'\laska  Treadwell  group.  Both  com- 
panies suffered  owing  to  the  low-grade  ores 
proving  far  poorer  than  was  estimated, 
while  at  the  Juneau  the  milling  plant,  which 
was  built  to  a  new  design,  was  not  successful 
in  practice.  The  cost  of  treatment  turnetl 
out  eventually  to  be  much  higher  than  was 
estimated,  but  this  fact  was,  of  course, 
beyond  the  control  of  those  responsible. 
At  the  Gastineau  it  was  originalK' 
estimated  that  21,000,000  tons  of  jproved 
ore  averaged  Sl"75  in  gold  per  ton,  while 
the  probable  and  partly  developed  ore  was 
estimated  at  75,000,000  tons,  averaging 
Sl'50.  The  operating  cost  was  put  at 
75  cents  per  ton  and  the  loss  in  tailing 
25  cents  per  ton.  .Almost  at  once  it  was 
found  that  the  average  content  had  been 
over-estimated,  for  the  first  year's  results 
showed  an  average  assay- value  of  SI' 15  per 
ton  and  an  extraction  of  93  cents.  At  first 
the  cost  was  69  cents  per  ton,  but  as  harder 
ores  were  milled  the  cost  of  mining  and 
treatment  became  greater,  and  at  the  same 
time  war  conditions  sent  up  the  cost  of 
labour  and  supplies.  As  recorded  last 
year,  the  position  eventually  became 
impossible,  so  that  the  recent  decision  to 
close  down  was  not  unexpected.  During  the 
time  the  mill  was  at  work  11,711,314  tons 
yielded  gold  worth  59,508,168. 

Mexico. — The  Mexican  Minister  of  Finance 
has  made  a  compromise  with  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  United  States  oil  interests, 
and  his  action  has  been  approved  by 
President  Obregon.  The  result  is  that 
operations  have  once  more  been  resumed, 
and  the  export  tax  has  been  withdrawn. 
The  exact  terms  of  the  agreement  have  not 
yet  been  made  known. 

Russia. — The  visit  of  Mr.  Leslie  Urquhart 
to  Moscow  is  an  important  event,  and  hopes 
are  high  that  he  will  be  able  to  make  some 
arrangement  whereby  the  mines  of  the 
Russo-.\siatic  Consolidated  can  be  reopened. 
He  leaves  on  his  return  on  the  13th. 

China. — The  Eastern  Pioneer  Company, 
which  has  done  so  much  good  work  in 
prospecting  in  Sze-chuan  under  the  control 
of  Mr.  Pritchard  Morgan  and  by  the  mining 
advice  of  Mr.  H.  W.  L.  Way,  is  being 
amalgamated  with  the  Yang-tse  Corporation, 
and  additional  capital  is  to  be  raised.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  Jlr.  Way  gave  an 
account  of  the  potentialities  of  this  district 
in  the  M.\gazine  for  July,  1916. 


TRINIDAD  : 

A    REVIEW    OF     ITS    GEOLOGY    AND     OIL     RESOURCES 
By  HENRY  B.  MILNER,  M.A.,  D.l.C,  F.G.S. 

Lecturer  in  Oil  Technology,  Royal  School  ot  Mines 

In  the  following  article  the  author  summarizes  our  present  knowledge  of  the  geology  of  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  with 
special  reference  to  the  mode  ot  occurrence  and  storage  of  its  oil.  An  account  is  given  of  the  progress  of  development  of 
the  petroleum  resources,  and  some  of  the  more  important  technical  difficulties  encountered  during  oil  exploration  in  the 

Island  are  discussed. 


Lntroduction. 
At  the  request  of  the  Editor  of  The 
Mining  Magazine,  and  also  in  response  to 
the  repeated  suggestion  from  several  sources, 
I  have  endeavoured  in  the  following  paper 
to  present  a  concise  account  of  the  pure 
and  economic  geology  of  Trinidad,  an 
account  summarizing  more  especially  our 
scattered  knowledge  of  the  important  oil- 
fields extant  in  the  island. 

For  its  size,  Trinidad  possesses  a  really 
undue    share    of    geological    and    structural 
complexity,  and  as  is  well  known,  contro- 
versial tectonic  questions  and  stratigraphical 
problems  make  up  no  insignificant  part  of 
this   somewhat    striking   feature.     Notwith- 
standing  the  great   amount   of  prospecting 
carried  out  in  the  past,  it  is  surprising  how 
little  is  really  known  of  the  geology  of  this 
island,     and     although      it     may     appear 
paradoxical,  the   more   geologists  who   visit 
the  colony,   the  less  we  seem  ultimately  to 
know  about  it ;  this  is  a  natural  outcome  of 
the  tendency,  both  past  and  present,  towards 
the  elucidation  of  local  geological  features 
often  without  possible  regard  for  the  wider 
potentialities  of  the  work  ;  such  localization 
is  the  unfortunate  concomitant  of  oil-finding 
where    private    and    not    national    interests 
are   the    first    consideration,    and   in    itself, 
of  course,  in  no  way  reflects  on  the  standard 
of  the  work  carried  out  hitherto.     Scientifi- 
cally we  may  deplore  the  traditional  lack 
of   cohesion    between   geologists   who   serve 
solely  the  interests  of  different  and  possibly 
rival    oil   companies,    and   though   we   may 
agree  strongly  with  Professor  P.   Carmody 
in   advocating   "  team   work "   in   the   field 
as  conducive  to  the  best  economic  results 
for  all  concerned,!  the  fact  still  remains  that 
most      oilfield     investigation     is     regarded 
primarily    in    the    light    of    a    confidential 
inquiry,  whose  evidence  is  stored  up  in  the 
secret  archives  of  the  company  responsible 
for    its    inception.      This    practice,     while 
probably  necessary  in  certain  cases,  obviously 

•   "Trinidad  as  a  Key  to  the  Origin  of  Petroleum" 
Inst.  Pet.  Tech.,  .May  10,  1921. 


inhibits  the  grasp  of  the  facts  by  a  larger 
public,  and  it  further  retards,  through 
lack  of  publication,  the  progress  of  geological 
knowledge  of  the  island,  a  factor  which  is 
bound  to  be  detrimental  to  the  best  economic 
development  of  its  natural  resources  in 
the  long  run. 

It  is  not  surprising  to  find,  therefore, 
that  Trinidad  only  has  a  scattered  and 
incomprehensive  geological  literature  com- 
pared with  many  other  oil-producing 
colonies,  and  in  view  of  the  very  general 
interest  evinced  in  the  island  at  the  present 
time,  some  coherent  account  of  its  geology 
and  oil  technology  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

Physiography. 
Trinidad  lies  just  off  the  north-east 
coast  of  South  America,  from  which  it  is 
separated  by  the  Gulf  of  Paria,  the  distance 
measured  from  mainland  to  island  (across 
the  Dragon's  Mouth)  being  about  12  miles. 
Both  physically  and  structurally  it  is  related 
to  the  South  American  continent,  more 
particularly  to  northern  Venezuela,  whose 
tectonics  are  referable  to  those  of  the  sunken 
Antillean  continent  now  beneath  the 
Caribbean  Sea.^  Trinidad  forms  the 
southernmost  peak  of  a  submerged  mountain 
chain  now  represented  by  such  islands  as 
Antigua,  Barbados,  and  Tobago,  the  chain 
constituting  the  middle  Caribbean  zone 
of  folded  sediments,  as  defined  by  Suess.s 
The  trend  of  this  chain  is  parabolic,  with 
concavity  facing  west,  and  the  island  itself 
marks  the  turning  point  of  the  southerly 
limb  of  the  curve  as  it  swings  round  from 
N.E.-S.W.  (Tobago)  to  E.W.,  the  dominant 
strike  of  the  Northern  Range  of  Trinidad 
and  of  the  Caribbean  Hills  of  Venezuela. 

Roughly  quadrangular  in  outline,  though 
breached  by  the  sea,  particularly  on  the 
west  coast,  Trinidad  has  a  total  area  of 
some  1,7.50  square  miles,  and  a  coastline  of 
220  miles  long.     Geographically  it  presents 

-  II.  B.  Milner,  Oil  Resources  of  South  America, 
Milling  Afag.,  April,  1921,  p.  203. 

3_E.  Suess,  La  Face  de  La  Terre,  Tome  1,  1897, 
p.  724  et  seq. 


139 


140 


THE    MlNlXc;     .MAi.AZIXE 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


141 


five  well  differentiated  elements  :  (a)  the 
Northern  Range,  {b)  the  "  Swamp "  area, 
forming  the  basins  of  the  Caroni  and 
Oropuche  rivers,  (c)  the  Central  Range, 
(d)  the  Naparima  Plain,  and  (e)  the  Southern 
Hills.  The  geological  significance  of  these 
features  will  be  apparent  ultimately ;  for 
the  present  we  may  briefly  note  the  physical 
characteristics  of  each. 

{a)  The  Northern  Range  consists  chiefly 
of  two  well-defined  ridges,  a  foothill  ridge 
with  an  average  height  of  800  ft.,  bordering 
the  north  coast,  and  an  inland  ridge 
rising  to  a  height  of  3,000  ft.  in  places. 
Both  ridges  stretch  almost  continuously 
from  west  to  east  coasts,  having  a  total 
length  of  53  miles.  The  range  is  tectonically 
connected  with  the  Caribbean  Hills  of  north 
Venezuela,  of  which  it  is  but  an  eastward 
e.xtension,  the  islands  of  Chacachare,  Huevos, 
Monos,  etc.,  constituting  the  intermediate 
links. 

(h)  The  "  Swamp "  area  is  a  typical 
savanna  feature,  reminiscent  of  similar 
though  much  more  extensive  river  basins 
of  the  northern  part  of  South  America ; 
it  is  formed  by  the  drainage  of  the  Oropuche 
river  flowing  east,  and  by  that  of  the  Caroni 
flowing  west  ;  a  low  watershed  separating 
the  two  basins  rises  to  a  height  of  220  ft., 
and  is  part  of  a  sinuous  divide,  traceable  at 
intervals  across  the  island  from  north  to 
south. 

(c)  The  Central  Range  is  composed  of  a 
series  of  comparatively  low  ridges  stretching 
somewhat  irregularly  from  Point-a-pierre 
on  the  west  to  Cocos  Bay  (south  of  the 
El  Branche  river)  on  the  east  ;  the  average 
height  of  the  range  is  about  850  ft.,  but 
it  includes  such  hills  as  Montserrat,  Tamana, 
and  Mount  Harris,  all  over  900  ft.  high. 
The  ridges  are  not  continuous  across  the 
island,  but  are  intercepted  by  valleys  and 
ravines  in  which  there  is  an  abundant 
growth  of  tropical  vegetation  ;  the  higher 
elevations  are  commonly  well  wooded, 
particularly  in  the  west.  A  peculiar  feature 
is  the  radial  development  of  small  ridges 
from  Montserrat  itself,  five  of  which  strike 
obliquely  to  the  general  E.-W.  trend  of 
the  range,  occasioning  much  irregularity 
of  topography,  characteristic  of  the  western 
area. 

(d)  The  Naparima  Plain  defines  the  region 
between  the  Central  Range  and  the  Southern 
Hills,  and  has  an  average  breadth  of  18 
miles.  Its  character  is  that  of  a  gently 
undulating  plateau,  occasionally  broken  by 


steep-sided  valleys  and  monadnocks  such 
as  Naparima  Hill  and  Dunmore  Hill. 
Towards  the  east  the  plain  becomes  flatter 
as  it  approaches  the  swampy  tract  of  the 
Nariva  Lagoon. 

{e)  The  Southern  Hills  are  much  less 
clearly  dift'erentiated  than  the  other  ranges 
to  the  north,  and  are  not  so  conspicuously 
continuous  across  the  island.  One  ridge 
occurs  to  the  east  of  the  Moruga  river, 
stretching  from  Grandecaille  Point  to  the 
Moruga  valley ;  west  of  that  valley  the 
country  rises  again  in  the  form  of  a  broad 
elevation  trending  in  a  westerly  direction 
to  Siparia.  The  principal  summits  occur 
in  the  east,  the  Three  Sisters,  for  example, 
rising  to  heights  of  over  700  ft.  In  the 
west  the  elevations  are  slighter,  being 
seldom  more  than  250  ft.  above  sea- 
level.  Mainly  on  account  of  the  arenaceous 
character  of  the  rocks  involved,  the  hill 
slopes  are  often  remarkably  steep,  especially 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  range. 

From  the  map  (Fig.  1)  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  main  drainage  of  the  island  is  towards  the 
east  and  west  coasts,  the  principal  watersheds 
being  those  of  the  Caroni,  Oropuche,  and 
Ortoire  rivers  ;  a  portion  of  this  drainage, 
however,  finds  its  way  into  swamps  such 
as  the  Oropuche  and  Nariva  Lagoons, 
which  are  low-lying  tracts  of  country 
bordering  the  west  and  east  coasts 
respectively. 

The  climate  is  tropical,  with  a  wet  season 
from  June  to  December,  when  the  swamp 
areas  are  often  quite  inaccessible  and  the 
rivers  impassable.  The  tropical  heat,  how- 
ever, is  frequently  ameliorated  by  the 
prevalent  trade  winds,  and  where  the 
principal  hill  ranges  occur  the  conditions, 
even  in  the  hottest  and  most  humid  months 
of  the  year,  August  and  September,  are 
not  too  trying. 

On  the  lower  slopes  of  the  hills  and  in  the 
plains,  the  soil  is  wonderfully  fertile  and 
the  vegetation  is  accordingly  luxuriant  ; 
much  of  this  land  is  at  present  under 
cultivation. 

The  usual  types  of  tropical  fever  prevail 
in  the  island,  but  the  consensus  of  opinion 
shows  that,  with  ordinary  precautions,  such 
risks  can  easily  be  minimized. 

Gener.al  Geology. 

The  original  geological  survey  of  Trinidad 

was    instituted    in    1855    by    the    Secretary 

of    State    for    the    Colonies,    Sir    William 

Molesworth,     who     was     instrumental     in 


irj 


ihl;   minim;    ma(,azi.\l: 


\ 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


143 


obtaining  Treasury  sanction  for  this  and 
for  the  scientific  investigation  of  other 
West  Indian  colonies.  It  was  Murchison 
who  had  the  task  of  selecting  a  suitable 
staff,  and  as  director-general  of  the  Geological 
Survey  he  appointed  G.  P.  Wall  as  chief 
geologist,  a  former  pupil  of  the  Government 
School  of  Mines,  at  that  time  established 
in  Jermyn  Street.  J.  G.  Sawkins,  a  fellow 
of  the  Geological  Society  and  a  man  already 
known  from  his  work  in  Mexico  and  Cuba, 
was  also  recommended  by  Murchison  to 
accompany  Wall,  and  in  this  way  the 
classic  survey  of  Trinidad  by  Wall  and 
Sawkins  came  to  be  inaugurated.  The 
work  was  actually  carried  out  during  the 
years  1857  to  1859,  and  in  1860  the  "  Report 
on  the  Geology  of  Trinidad  "  *  was  issued 
jointly  by  those  geologists  as  a  memoir 
of  the  Geological  Survey.  This  memoir, 
now  both  long  out  of  date  and  print,  formed 
the  basis  of  much  of  the  subsequent  economic 
work  in  the  island,  and  although  later 
researches  have  modified  much  of  the 
geology  therein  described,  the  general 
principles  enunciated  by  the  authors  still 
maintain  a  certain  technical  value. 

Wall  and  Sawkins  divided  the  rocks  of 
the  island  into  three  well  differentiated 
series  corresponding  approximately  with  the 
dominant  physiographical  elements  described 
in  the  preceding  section  ;  the  sequence  they 
established  was  as  follows  : — 

a.    Naiiva 
Series. 

6.    Naparima 
Marl. 

('.    Tamana 
ur     Cal- 


Tertiary. 


careous 

Newer  Parian  Group5-(  ,    ^^"":^- 

\a.   Carom   or 

Carbon- 
aceous 
Series. 
e.    Moruga  or 
.\renace- 
\         ous 

Series. 
Cretaceous.  2.     Older  Parian  Group. 

(Metamorphic).    I.     Caribbean  Group. 

The  broader  divisions  still  hold  within 
certain  limits,  the  Caribbean  group  having 
its  typical  development  in  the  Northern 
Range,  the  Older  Parian  group  in  the 
Central  Range,  and  the  Newer  Parian  group 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  island  ;  recent 
work,  however,  has  modified  our  ideas  of  the 

■*  For  Her  Majesty's  Stationery  Office  :  published  by 
Longman,  Green,  Longman,  and  Roberts.      1S60. 

^  Subdivisions  of  this  group  )w/  arranged  in  strati- 
graphic  order. 


distribution  of  the  Older  and  Newer  Parian 
groups  because  in  the  Central  Range,  for 
example,  rocks  belonging  to  the  Newer 
Parian  group  certainly  occur.  For  purposes 
of  description  it  is  convenient  to  take  this 
classification  as  a  basis,  reserving  for  future 
discussion  such  alterations  rendered 
necessary  by  subsequent  detailed  work. 

(1)  The  Caribbean  Group. — This  group 
comprises  a  large  and  heterogeneous  series 
of  rock  types  in  which  mica  schists, 
quartz  schists,  crystalline  limestones, 
and  foliated  quartz  and  felspar  rocks 
occur  together  with  less  deformed  sand- 
stones, shales,  quartzites,  and  conglo- 
merates ;  these  rocks  have  for  the  most 
part  suffered  intense  folding  and  shearing, 
and  the  metamorphism  produced  varies 
in  character,  being  greater  in  the  western 
than  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  island. 
Dal  ton  "^  has  shown  that  the  series  is  typically 
developed  on  the  mainland  in  the  Caribbean 
Hills  of  Venezuela  ;  the  crystalline  limestones 
of  eastern  Venezuela  correspond  lithologically 
to  the  similar  facies  occurring  in  western 
Trinidad  (Levantille  Hills),  and  the  mica 
schists  and  graphitic  schists  of  the  former 
country  are  recapitulated  in  many  of  the 
highly  foliated  rocks  of  the  north-west 
coast  of  the  island.  The  connecting  islands 
of  Chacachacare,  Huevos,  and  Monos, 
between  Trinidad  and  the  mainland,  are 
also  composed  of  rocks  of  this  series,  and 
they  represent  partially  submerged  summits 
of  the  mountain  mass  forming  the  southern 
border  of  the  ancient  "  Antillean  Continent," 
remnants  of  which  are  now  extant  in  the 
Caribbean  Hills  of  Venezuela  and  the 
Northern  Range  of  Trinidad. 

With  regard  to  the  geologic  age  of  this 
group,  considerable  difference  of  opinion 
prevails.  Wall  and  Sawkins  are  discreetly 
reticent  on  this  point,  though  they  suggest 
a  "  remote  "  origin  ;  Ells '  remarks  on  their 
lithological  resemblance  to  Huronian  or 
possibly  Lower  Cambrian  rocks  in  Canada, 
but  the  subsequent  discovery  of  some 
rather  doubtful  fossils  (alleged  to  be 
inurchisonia  and  fawsites)  in  the  limestone 
of  the  Levantille  Hills  is  certainly  suggestive 
of  a  Palaeozoic  age,  a  point  receiving  some 
support  from  Dalton,  who  assigned  the 
Caribbean  series  of  the  mainland  to  at 
least  early  Mesozoic,  Palaeozoic,  and  possibly 

°  L.  V.  Dalton,  Geol.  A/a«.,  1912,  pp.  203-10  and 
references. 

'  R.  W.  Ells,  Trans.  Roy.  Soc.  Canada,  1907, 
section  iv,   p.    117. 


144 


'illL    .MJM.NO     .MAL.AZIM:; 


Arch.xan  epochs.  The  latest  view  is  that 
of  Cunningliani  Craig,  who  regards  tlie 
group  as  Jurassic  (not  older)  or  possibly 
merely  altered  Cretaceous."  It  would  seem, 
however,  that  the  balance  of  oj^inion  at 
the  present  time  favours  a  Pakcozoic  age, 
tliough  doubtless  j'oungcr  rocks  are  repre- 
sented as  in  Venezuela. 

The  thickness  of  the  group  is  another 
unknown  factor,  though  M'all  and  Sawkins' 
estimate  of  10,000  to  12,000  ft.  is  probably 
highly  exaggerated ;  folding  on  such  an 
extensive  scale  as  has  operated  here  is 
bound  to  produce  much  faulting  and 
repetition  of  beds,  and  Cunningham  Craig's 
computation  of  the  real  thickness  as  being 
not  more  than  2,000  ft.  is  probably  far 
more  correct. 

(2)  Older  Parian  Group. — As  originally 
described,  this  group  embraces  a  series  of 
sandstones,  clays,  carbonaceous  shales,  and 
limestones,  and  ;Uso  a  peculiar  deposit  known 
as  "argiline,"'-'  a  siliceo-calcarcous  claystone, 
tv-pically  developed  at  San  Fernando  Hill. 
The  coast  section  at  Point-a-Pierre  exposes 
several  facies  of  this  series,  and  the  dark- 
grey  clays  and  shales  with  their  ferruginous 
concretionary  bands  give  rise  to  a  very 
distinctive  reddish  soil,  traceable  for  some 
distance  inland.  The  group  as  a  whole 
is  characteristic  of  the  Central  Range  of 
the  island,  extending  from  the  east  to  the 
west  coasts ;  it  also  forms  the  cores  of 
several  hills  in  the  Naparima  area  such 
as  the  Mont  Chagrin,  Dunmore,  and  San 
Fernando  Hills,  and  outcrops  in  several 
places  from  beneath  the  Tertiary  deposits 
along  an  elongated  tract  of  country  bordering 
the  south  coast. 

In  many  instances  the  rocks  show  the 
result  of  extreme  folding,  which  took  place 
prior  to  Tertiary  deposition.  Fossils  are 
peculiarly  scarce  and  the  evidence  as  to 
geological  age  is  based  on  lithological 
similarity  to  beds  at  Cumana,  Venezuela, 
which  contain  definite  Neocomian  species. 
Recent  work  has  shown  that  these  deposits  in 
Trinidad  may  be  in  part  Tertiary,  but 
their  accurate  delineation  both  as  regards 
stratigraphical  age  and  geographical  dis- 
tribution can  only  be  settled  by  very  careful 
detailed  survey.  This  question  of  age  has 
an  important  bearing  on  the  geology  and  pros- 
pects of  the  Tabaquite  and  Piparo  oilfields. 

^  E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig,  Geo).  Structure  of 
Trinidad,  Victoria  Inst,   of  Trinidad  and  Tobago,  1905. 

'  The  argiline  is  now  regarded  by  some  workers  as 
being  of  Tertiary  age. 


{^^)  Newer  Parian  Group, — The  sub- 
divisions of  this  group  quoted  above 
an  b:is((l  on  lithological  differences, 
and  (U>  nut  rcjirisent  successive  strati- 
f^rajiliical  horizons  :  the  differentiation  of 
the  rocks  in  the  held  lias  presinted  ])roblems 
of  the  greatest  complexity  owing  to  their 
heterogeneous  characters  and  varying 
developments.  x\n    explanation    of    the 

occurrence  of  the  several  facies  of  Tertiary 
deposition  (and  more  have  been  recognized 
since  Wall  and  Sawkins  originally  described 
the  group)  is  to  be  found  in  extensive  lateral 
variation,  consequent  on  the  existence  of 
different  physical  conditions  under  which 
they  were  depC'sited  ;  the  sediments  were 
laid  down  on  a  (presumably)  Cretaceous 
land  surface,  in  most  cases  unconformably, 
and  with  marked  overlap  ;  as  a  result  of  the 
differential  erosion  of  that  land,  and  also 
as  a  result  of  collateral  earth  movement  with 
sedimentation,  deep  water,  shallow  water, 
and  estuarine  deposits  were  formed 
contemporaneously,  and  thus  a  variety 
of  rock  types  were  evolved. 

These  beds  occur  on  both  sides  of  the 
Central  Range,  though  their  maximum 
and  most  important  development  is  in  the 
southern  third  of  the  island.  The  Tamana 
and  Caroni  series  are  typical  of  the  northern 
region,  and  the  Nariva,  Naparima,  and 
Moruga  series  of  the  southern  region.  It 
is  the  geological  range  of  the  individual 
series  and  their  correlation,  even  over 
comparatively  small  areas,  which  have 
constituted  the  chief  analytical  problems 
in  the  field,  and  as  these  rocks  contain  the 
main  oil-producing  beds  at  present  known 
in  the  island,  their  correct  interpretation  is  a 
matter  of  supreme  economic  importance. 

(rt)  The  Nariva  Series.  —  As  originally 
defined,  this  series  consists  of  clays,  shales, 
and  occasional  limestones,  yielding  a  char- 
acteristic reddish  soil ;  the  rocks  are  traceable 
from  the  west  (Naparima)  to  the  east 
(Nariva)  at  intervals,  but  their  relations  to 
the  Older  Parian  series  are  obscure.  In  the 
western  area  the  Nariva  series  is  represented 
by  the  San  Fernando  sandstone  series, 
consisting  of  sandstones,  clays,  and  silicified 
marble ;  they  are  here  overlain  by  the 
Naparima  Claris. 

(6)  Xapariina  Marl.  —  Typically  de- 
veloped in  the  Naparima  plain  and  present- 
ing at  least  three  well-marked  facies,  an 
older  marlstone  series  resembling  massive 
chalk  and  including  intercalations  of  clay 
and    foraminiferal    sands,    a    later    nodular 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


145 


calcareous  sand,  massive  and  unbedded, 
conta.ining  glob igerina,  nmnmulina,  and  other 
foraminifera,  and  an  uppermost  green  clay  ; 
these  facies  have  been  chiefly  recognized 
in  the  western  area.  This  marl  series  is 
succeeded  by  a  thick  series  of  clays,  the 
Naparima  or  Globigerina  Clay,  consisting 
of  buff-green  and  bluish-green  clays  with 
a  glauconitic  sandstone  at  base  and  top. 
In  age  the  Naparima  marls  probably  range 
from  late  Eocene  to  early  Miocene,  the 
overlaying  clay  series  being  regarded  as 
Miocene. 

[c)  Tamana  or  Calcareous  Series. — Wall 
and  Sawkins  include  under  this  heading 
the  massive  limestones  of  Tamana  and 
Montscrrat,  with  their  associated  sands  and 
shales,  developed  on  the  northern  side 
of  the  Central  Range  and  alleged  to  be 
unconformable  to  the  Older  Parian  wherever 
they  occur.  Guppy  has  described  their 
lithological  and  palieontological  character- 
istics,!" and  has  shown  that  the  limestones 
contain  several  new  species  of  Tertiary 
mollusca.  These  limestones  seem  to  form 
the  base  of  the  series  and  they  are  overlain 
by  sands,  shales,  and  conglomerates  of 
estuarine  origin. 

[d)  Caroni  or  Carbonaceous  Series. — This 
series  was  originally  differentiated  as  typified 
by  the  rocks  exposed  in  the  coast  section 
between  Manzanilla  and  Oropuche  on  the 
eastern  border  of  the  island.  Wall  and 
Sawkins  recognized  a  lower  non-carbonaceous 
division  consisting  of  shales,  clays,  and 
sands,  and  an  upper  carbonaceous  series 
of  sands,  shales,  and  coal  seams,  chiefly 
met  with  on  the  western  coast.  The 
geological  age  of  the  series  is  doubtful, 
Dall  regarding  them  as  Oligocene.^'  and 
subsequent  workers  as  Mio-Pliocene.'-' 

[e)  The  Moriiga  Series. — Extensively  de- 
veloped in  the  southern  part  of  the  island, 
from  the  south  coast  to  the  Ortoire  valley. 
On  the  whole  these  rocks  have  decided 
estuarine  characters  and  consist  chiefiy  of 
loose  sands,  calcareous  sandstones,  and 
carbonaceous  shales  ("  lignite  seams ")  as 
at  Point  Moruga.  At  Erin  on  the  south 
coast  the  series  includes  a  peculiar  "  por- 
cellanite,"  an  indurated  shale  owing  its 
origin,    according    to    Wall    and    Sawkins, 

•o  K.  J.  L.  Guppv,  IJ.J.G.S.,  vol.  22,  1866,  pp. 
570-93. 

"  Guppy  and  Dall,  Proc.  U.S.  Nat.  Mus.,vol.  xix, 
1896,  pp.  303-30. 

'-  E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig,  Bull.  Imp.  Inst.,  vol.  5, 
1907,  pp.  175-9,  and  Victoria  Inst,  of  Trinidad  and 
Tobago,  1905. 


to  the  (?  spontaneous)  combustion  of 
associated  carbonaceous  matter  ;  '^  this  rock 
also  occurs  at  Point  Cedros,  Point  Rouge, 
and  locallj'  at  Moruga.  The  Moruga  series 
is  now  very  generally  legarded  as  being 
of  Pliocene  age. 

Practically  the  greater  part  of  the  existing 
divergence  of  opinion  as  to  the  Tertiary 
stratigraphy  of  the  island  is  centred  in  the 
recognition  and  correlation  of  the  various 
members  of  the  Newer  Parian  group  ;  in 
the  space  here  available  it  is  impossible 
to  do  more  than  mention  one  or  two  of  the 
recent  theories,  but  it  may  be  remarked 
at  once  that  in  the  opinion  of  most  workers 
in  the  island  our  knowledge  is  still  insufficient 
to  permit  of  any  dogmatic  assertions  as 
to  the  relative  ages  and  distribution  of  the 
beds. 

Cunningham  Craig  regards  the  Moruga 
series  (as  defined  by  Wall  and  Sawkins 
for  the  southern  part  of  the  island)  as 
equivalent  to  the  whole  of  the  Tertiary 
sequence  developed  elsewhere,  and  the 
Tamana  and  Caroni  series  he  regards  as 
corresponding  to  the  lower  and  upper 
divisions  of  the  Morugas  respectively. i* 
Again,  in  the  southern  area,  two  distinctive 
groups  of  oil-sand  have  been  recognized 
as  the  Lower  and  Upper  Galeota  groups  ; 
their  precise  horizons  have  been  doubtful, 
but  the  same  author  considers  them  as 
being  of  lower  Tertiary  age  and  as  repre- 
senting the  lower  part  of  the  Morugas. 
Cunningham  Craig's  middle  Tertiary  em- 
braces the  middle  Moruga  series,  which 
includes  the  Naparima  clay  and  marl  series, 
of  Oligocene  age  according  to  Dall,!^  but  of 
Miocene  age  according  to  the  first  writer.''^ 
The  typical  Moruga  sands,  lignites,  and 
porcellanites,  together  with  the  La  Brca 
oil-sand,  constitute  the  uppermost  horizons 
of  the  Moruga  series,  and  are  assigned  by 
Craig  to  a  late  Miocene  or  early  Pliocene 
age. 

Again,  during  the  course  of  oilfield  develop- 
ment, a  great  many  local  names  have 
come  into  existence  designating  certain 
sands  or  particular  horizons  of  economic 
importance  in  the  Tertiary  series.  In  this 
connexion  mention  may  be  made  of  the 
"  Morne  L'enfer  sandstone,"  "  Forest  Clay," 

'^  Wall  and  Sawkins,  op.  cit. ,  p.  49. 

'*  E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig,  Geol.  Structure  of 
Trinidad,  Bull.  Imp.  Inst.,  v,  1907,  p.  175,  and 
Victoria  Inst,  of  Trinidad  and  Tobago,  1905. 

■5  Guppy  and  Dall,  Proc.  U.S.  Nat.  Mus.,  19,  1896, 
p.  303. 

'*  E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig,  op.  cit. 


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SEPTEMBER,     1921 


147 


"Forest  Sand,"  and  the  "  Cruse  sands  ";  the 
first  three  are  typically  developed  in  the 
Fyzabad  and  Point  Fortin  fields,  the  Morne 
L'enfer  sandstone  overlying  the  Forest  Clay 
which  includes  the  productive  Forest  Sand, 
the  two  latter  equivalent  to  the  Naparima 
series  (in  part).  The  Cruse  sand  is  a  local 
development  of  the  lower  Tertiary  seizes 
principally  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the 
island,  and  is  possibly  the  equivalent  of  the 
so-called  Lizard  series  of  the  south-western 
peninsula. 

More  recently  still,  the  paljeontology  of 
these  Tertiary  beds  has  received  considerable 
attention  at  the  hands  of  Douville,''  Penny, 
and  others  ;  the  work  has  been  largely  a  study 
of  the  foraminifera  occurring  in  the  Naparima 
series,  on  account  of  the  great  economic 
importance  of  that  series  as  the  chief 
oil-producing  horizon.  It  would  seem,  how- 
ever, that  despite  this  detailed  work, 
correlation  of  the  beds  is  still  far  from 
satisfactory,  and  more  than  one  doubt 
has  been  expressed  as  to  the  ultimate 
stratigraphic  and  economic  value  of  the 
results.  So  many  species  occurring  in  these 
rocks  have  unfortunately  a  long  range  in 
time  and  wide  distribution  in  .space,  and 
consequently  are  of  little  value  as  indices 
of  any  but  the  broadest  divisions  of  geologic 
time  ;  nevertheless,  there  is  no  reason  why 
more  detailed  palasontological  work  of  this 
description  should  not  yield  important 
criteria,  especially  if,  as  our  knowledge 
increases,  certain  species  can  be  segregated 
for  purposes  of  precise  zoning. 

A  method  of  attack  in  problems  of  corre- 
lation of  the  sediments  over  small  areas  has 
been  successfully  employed  by  V.  C.  Illing 
during  the  course  of  his  work  in  Trinidad  ;  '" 
the  method  is  based  on  an  intensive  study 
of  the  petrography  of  the  deposits,  and 
the  results  have  hitherto  been  most  en- 
couraging. Much  more  attention  is  now  being 
paid  to  this  hitherto  neglected  branch  of 
petrology,  and  in  thus  bringing  new  light 
to  bear  on  the  peculiarly  complex  problems 
of  stratigraphical  correlation  in  the  island, 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  far-reaching  scientific 
and  economic  results  will  eventuate. 

Tectonics. 
Although    some    little    account    of    the 
tectonics    of   the   main   groups   into   which 
Wall    and    Sawkins    divided    the    strata    of 

''  M.  H.  Douville,  Comptes  rendus  des  seances  de 
Tacademie  des  Sciences,  t.  164,  p.  841. 

'"  Lecture  before  the  Geologists'  Assoc,  March  3, 
1916,  Abstract  185. 


Trinidad  appears  in  their  memoir,  the 
information  given  is  exceedingly  scanty, 
and  we  owe  the  first  real  attempt  at  the 
elucidation  of  the  structural  features  of  the 
island  to  Cunningham  Craig,  whose  work 
has  been  pubhshed  in  various  Council  Papers 
(Trinidad)  and  elsewhere. i" 

From  the  economic  standpoint  the  most 
important  geological  structures  occur  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  island,  and  it  is 
this  region  which  has  naturally  received 
the  more  detailed  attention  in  recent  3'ears  ; 
with  the  development  of  the  Tabaquite 
oilfield,  the  Central  Range  structures  have 
claimed  more  careful  attention,  and  a 
great  deal  of  work  has  been  carried  out  to 
this  end,  though  little  has  been  made  public. 
The  northern  area  is  commercially  un- 
attractive, and  the  structural  features  are 
on  that  account  little  known  except  in 
broad  outline. 

Reviewing  the  facts  in  the  light  of  present 
knowledge,  however,  we  can  recognize  in 
Trinidad  at  least  three  dominant  phases 
of  earth-movement  operative,  as  far  as 
can  be  ascertained,  in  pre-Cretaceous,  late 
Cretaceous,  and  Tertiary  times  respectively. 
The  pre-Cretaceous  folding  involved  the  rocks 
now  forming  the  Caribbean  Hills  of  the  main- 
land and  the  Northern  Range  of  Trinidad  ; 
the  evidence  shows  that  this  folding  was 
produced  by  horizontal  earth  stress  acting 
along  a  N.N.W.-S.S.E.  line,  and  the  pro- 
duction of  a  series  of  parallel  folds,  disposed 
en  echelon,  has  impressed  an  E.N.E.-W.S.W. 
strike  on  the  rocks  which  gives  the  dominant 
character  to  the  physical  relief  of  Northern 
Venezuela  and  Trinidad.  In  the  Northern 
Range  there  is  noticed  a  strong  tendency 
to  the  development  of  "  fan-structure " 
with  concomitant  faulting  and  thrusting ; 
the  latter  elements  have  played  but  a 
subordinate  part  in  the  evolution  of  the 
present  structures,  the  marked  repetition 
of  strata  being  a  function  of  folding  rather 
than  of  dislocation  in  this  case. 

The  Cretaceous  folding  affected  principally 
the  sediments  of  the  same  age,  and  to  this 
phase  of  earth-movement  wc  can  assign 
the  initiation  of  the  Central  Range.  It 
is  probable  that  the  movement  actually 
took  place  collaterally  with  sedimentation, 
and  there  is  evidence  also  that  the  basin  of 
deposition  received  a  slight  tilt  in  a  N.W.- 

"  E.  II.  Cunningham  Craig,  Bull.  Imp.  Inst.,  vol.  5, 
1907,  p.  175,  Victoria  Inst,  of  Trinidad  and  Tobago, 
1905,  Council  Paper  119  of  1905  (Trinidad  1905), 
Council  Paper  60  of  1907  (Trinidad  1907). 


148 


nil.     M1N1X(,     MAi.AZlM'; 


Fig  3 


DIAGRAMMATIC  SECTION  FROM  NORTH  TO  SOUTH  ACROSS 
MAIN    ANTICLINAL      FEATURES 


[   1    -    Naparima     Series 


Moruga     Series] 


S.E.  direction,  with  (.■Icv.uion  towards  the 
S.E.  As  deposition  advanced,  tlie  earth 
movements  continued  to  gather  in  intensity, 
and  they  culminated  with  the  formation 
of  a  series  of  X.E.-S.W.  folds,  recognizable 
in  the  Central  Range,  and  also  in  the 
Cretaceous  rocks  of  the  mainland.  On 
the  whole  the  degree  of  flexuring  was  not 
so  great  as  in  the  case  of  the  northern 
metamorphics,  but  it  was  quite  sutncient 
to  produce  the  sharp  asymmetrical  fold 
features  characteristic  of  the  Older  Parian 
rocks. 

Tertiary  folding  also  took  place  at  the 
time  of  deposition,  reaching  its  ma.ximum 
phase  tow-ards  the  close  of  Miocene  times  ; 
the  early  and  middle  Tertiary  deposits 
were  laid  down  on  the  eroded  Cretaceous 
land-surface,  the  sediments  becoming 
involved  in  flexuring  along  E.-W.  axes, 
consequent  on  earth-movement  from  the 
south.  In  this  way  the  Cretaceous  N.E.- 
S.W.  folds  became  moditied  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  island,  much  as  the  Caledonian 
folds  are  truncated  by  Miocene  uplifts  in 
southern  England,  and  in  Trinidad,  as 
in  Venezuela  and  elsewhere,  the  effect 
of  such  tectonic  interference  was  to  produce 
quaquaversal  structures,  often  quite  local, 
but  of  importance  from  the  point  of  view 
of  oil  accumulation. 

Cunningham  Craig  has  shown  that  the 
main  result  of  this  Tertiary  folding  was 
the  formation  of  a  well-marked  series  of 
anticUnes  and  synclines.^"  in  three  cases 
extending  right  across  the  island.  It  is 
these  structural  elements  with  which  are 
associated  the  principal  oilfields  of  the 
island,  and  they  may  be  differentiated  as 
follows  (see  map.  Fig.  5)  : — • 

{a)  The  Southern  anticline,  traceable  from 
GaJeota  Point  to  the  south-western  pro- 
montory of  the  island,  in  a  direction 
approximately  parallel  to  and  bordering 
the  southern  coast. 

-°  E.  H,  Cunningliam  Craig,  op.  cit. 


(Ij)  The  Point  l'"ortin  anticline,  traceable 
from  Mayaro  Hay,  along  the  southern  side 
of  Rock  River  and  north  of  Siparia  to 
Point  Fortin. 

(c)  The  Vance  River  anticline,  starting 
from  a  little  north  of  Mayaro  Point  and 
traceable  across  the  basin  of  the  Ortoire 
River  and  its  tributaries,  through  the 
Oropuche  Lagoon  to  Guapo  Bay. 

((/)  The  Pitch  Lake  anticline,  occurring 
at  La  Brea  Point  and  extending  eastward 
along  the  southern  main  road. 

(e)  The  San  Fernando  anticline,  of 
doubtful  extent,  and 

(/)  The  Central  Range  anticline,  a  less 
clearly  defined  feature  in  the  central  part 
of  the  island. 

An  intermediate  line  of  flexure  occurs 
between  the  Point  Fortin  and  Southern 
anticlines,  lying  midway  between  Erin  Point 
and  Siparia ;  although  for  the  most  part 
hidden,  it  is  quite  possible  that  its  linear 
extent  may  be  considerable. 

Besides  the  above-mentioned  folds,  a 
great  many  local  and  subordinate  flexures 
occur,  particularly  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  island  ;  their  individual  characteristics 
are  but  little  known  except  to  company 
geologists,  though  in  general  their  relations 
to  the  larger  tectonic  features  are  evident. 
The  diagrammatic  section,  Fig.  3,  illustrates 
some  of  the  most  important  folds. 
{To  be  concluded.) 

The  Iron  and  Steel  Institute  held  its 
autumn  meeting  in  Paris  during  the  week 
beginning  September  5.  In  addition  to  the 
usual  sessions  at  which  technical  papers 
were  read  and  discussed,  a  number  of 
excursions  were  arranged.  One  of  these 
excursions  covered  the  Lorraine  iron  ore 
fields ;  a  second  consisted  of  a  visit  to  the 
steel  works  of  Creusot  and  Chamand ; 
while  a  third  w^as  to  the  iron  deposits  and 
industries  of  Normandy.  A  reception  was 
given  by  the  Comite  des  Forges  on  Sep- 
tember 5. 


THE    VENTILATION    OF    DEAD-ENDS    IN    MINES 

By  STANLEY   NETTLETON,  M.Inst.M.E.,  Assoc.Inst.M.M. 


THE  desirability  of  completing  the 
development  work  of  a  mine  as  soon  as 
possible  after  its  inception  renders  the 
problem  of  efficient  ventilation  a  matter  of 
great  importance  to  mining  engineers.  In 
addition  to  the  primary  consideration  of 
safety  of  the  workmen,  the  relationship 
between  time  and  costs  must  not  be  lost 
sight  of,  for  a  sinking  shaft  or  heading  is 
generally  of  no  value  until  completion.  The 
interest  on  capital  expended  may  amount  to 
a  considerable  sum. 

Blasting  operations  in  "  dead-ends  "  may 
take  place  several  times  daily,  and  it  is 
desirable  that  workmen  on  each  occasion 
should  return  to  the  face  as  quickly  as 
possible  consistent  with  safety. 

In  metalliferous  mining  it  is  a  common 
practice  immediately  before  firing  a  charge 
of  explosives  to  open  taps  on  the  compressed- 
air  service  in  the  immediate  vicinity.  This 
certainly  results  in  the  introduction  of  cool 
and  pure  air  into  the  working  face,  but  the 
disadvantages  of  this  method  of  ventilation 
are  obvious.  Even  when  a  water-blast  is 
employed  the  discharge  of  air  at  high  pressure 
tends  to  place  dust  in  suspension  in  the 
atmosphere,  and  the  cost  of  removing 
blasting  fumes  efficiently  may  be  excessive, 
as  from  a  pipe  1  in.  in  diameter  there  may 
be  discharged  15,000  to  20,000  cubic  feet  of 
air  per  minute. 

A  working  face  is  frequently  well  ventilated 
by  the  exhaust  of  machines  during  drilling 
operations,  but  these  only  occupy  a  portion 
of  the  time  when  men  are  engaged  in  the  shaft 
or  drive.  In  order  to  maintain  the  efficiency 
of  labour  it  is  essential  that  fresh  air  should  be 
provided  in  large  volumes  for  dilution  of 
noxious  gases  and  reduction  of  temperature. 

Among  the  arrangements  which  have 
been  extensively  adopted  for  the  conveyance 
of  fresh  air  to  the  faces  of  dead  ends  are  pipes 
of  large  sectional  area,  and  the  division  of  the 
shaft  or  roadway  into  two  portions  by  means 
of  a  partition  of  canvas  or  other  material 
fixed  from  floor  to  roof  in  a  line  parallel  to 
the  heading.  The  difficulties  associated  with 
the  fixing  and  maintenance  of  these  devices 
are  well  known  to  men  on  the  work.  Air 
conduits  of  light  metal  or  casings  of  wood  are 
cumbersome  and  heavy.  The  cost  of  trans- 
port, erection,  and  dismantling  on  the 
completion    of   mine   development   may   be 

3—4 


greater  than  the  initial  cost  of  material 
employed.  The  removal  of  rigid  air  conduits 
is  usually  carried  out  in  so  hurried  a  manner 
that  they  require  the  attention  of  fitters  or 
carpenters  before  they  are  fit  for  further  use 
elsewhere. 

With  the  greatest  care  in  erection,  the 
amount  of  leakage  is  apt  to  be  excessive, 
particularly  if  the  conduits  are  .subject  to 
vibration  due  to  air-blasts  arising  from  the 
use  of  explosives.  The  leakage  of  air  is  much 
greater  than  is  generally  realized  by  those  in 
charge  of  the  plant. 

Tests  made  at  the  South  Star  Mine, 
Ballarat,  Austraha,  showed  that  on  forcing 
3,830  cubic  feet  of  air  through  3,230  ft.  of 
ventilating  pipe  11  in.  in  diameter  only 
510  cu.  ft.,  or  13  %  was  delivered  at  the 
face.  At  another  mine  in  Victoria  the 
relative  quantities  of  air  forced  into  the 
system  and  delivered  where  it  was  required 
were  4,630  and  1,136  cu.  ft.  per  minute 
respectively,  an  efficiency  of  24%.  To 
obtain  even  moderate  efficiency  it  is  essential 
that  with  the  metal  or  wooden  air-conduits 
very  great  care  must  be  taken  in  installation 
and  maintenance  to  avoid  leakage  at  joints, 
air  conduits  cannot  be  carried  near  a 
face  where  explosives  are  used 
without  risk  of  damage  from  fallina:  rock,  and 
when,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  box-holes 
have  to  be  opened  out  on  a  drive  in  course  of 
development  the  temporary  removal  of 
ventilation  arrangements  may  be  a  matter 
of  considerable  inconvenience.  Metal  pipes 
or  wooden  boxes  1  or  2  ft.  in  diameter 
cannot  be  readily  stored  in  a  roadway  where 
tramming  operations  are  being  carried  on. 

The  division  of  a  roadway  into  two  sections 
for  ventilation  purposes  has  several  dis- 
advantages. Canvas  sheeting  extending 
from  roof  to  floor  does  not  make  a  very 
satisfactor}'-  joint  even  at  the  low  ventilating 
pressures  which  exist  in  airways  of  large 
sectional  area  compared  with  totally  enclosed 
conduits.  Wlien  increased  width  of  roadway 
is  necessary  extra  cost  is  entailed  in  most 
instances.  Though  this  may  not  be  a  serious 
matter  when  the  road  is  entirely  in  coal  or 
ore-body  the  question  of  roof  support  may 
demand  serious  attention.  At  some  collieries 
in  Lancashire  these  difficulties  have  been 
surmounted  by  building  in  the  centre  of  the 
roadway  a  brick  wall,  which  serves  the  double 

149 


Rigid 
working 


150 


Till-:     MIXING    .MAGAZINE 


purpose  of  supporting  the  girders,  sustaining 
the  roof,  and  dividing;  the  road  into  intake  nntl 
return  airways.  This  has  proved  to  be  an 
erticient  though  costly  method  of  dcahng 
with  the  problem.  The  erection  has  to  be 
carefnlly  carried  out,  and  the  cost,  chiefly  due 
to  the  amount  of  labour  employed  on  the 
work,  prevents  this  method  of  ventilation 
from  being  largelj'  adopted.  For  general 
practice  the  most  satisfactory  arrangements 
for  the  supply  of  fresh  air  to  dead-ends  apjxar 
to  consist  of  some  form  of  conduit  which  has 
considerable  sectional  area,  is  simple  in 
installation,  and  can  be  readily  removed  when 
necessary.  Many  attempts  have  been  made 
to  use  collapsible  canvas  conduits  designed 
to  comply  with  the  above  requirements.  In 
an  .Austrian  device  the  conduits  are  rec- 
angular  in  section,  the  canvas  being  supported 
by  a  light  frame  of  wood  or  metal.  Owing 
to  difficulties  in  manufacture  at  low  cost 
and  risk  of  leakage  at  joints  which  cannot  be 
made  satisfactorily  when  the  main  has  not 
a  regular  alignment,  this  type  of  ventilating 
conduit  has  not  been  largely  adopted.  Canvas 
tubes  of  circular  or  oval  section  offer  greater 
possibilities  of  success,  but  the  connexion 
between  the  individual  lengths  presents 
difficulties.  The  use  of  half-flange  joints 
coupled  by  bolts  involves  the  use  of  a  spanner 
in  erection  and  removal,  apart  from  the 
disadvantages  of  cost  and  weight.  Owing  to 
corrosion  by  acid  mine  water  it  may  be 
necessary  for  the  iron  connexions  to  be  cut 
apart,  and  further  cost  is  entailed  in  labour 
for  removal  of  bolts  and  clamps. 

The  use  of  the  Ventwal  patent  joint 
appears  to  solve  most  of  the  above-mentioned 
problems.  It  consists  of  two  oval  rings, 
overlapped  by  the  canvas  which  forms  the 
air-conduit.  The  connexion  is  made  by 
inserting  one  ring  into  the  open  end  of 
another  length  of  canvas.  One  end  is  then 
rotated  90°,  so  that  the  two  rings  are  exactly 
parallel  to  each  other  when  they  are  drawn 
together.  The  canvas  surrounding  the  metal 
rings  makes  an  air-tight  joint,  the  efficiency 
of  which  is  increased  by  any  further  tension 
upon  it.  Over  eleven  miles  of  these  tubes 
have  been  sold  to  mining  companies  in 
England  and  abroad.  They  are  made  in 
lengths  of  20  ft.,  and  of  any  required 
diameter.  Tubes  of  36  in.  in  diameter  have 
been  supplied  to  a  copper  mine  in  Rhodesia, 
and  five  repeat  orders  were  received  from 
an  English  colliery  company  last  year. 
They  are  light,  and  maj'  be  suspended  from 
roof  timbers  or  carried  on  plugs  driven  into 


the  wall.  The  stiffness  of  the  canvas 
iniployed  jirevi'nts  collapse,  even  when 
working  on  exhaust  pressure,  but  as  the 
tubes  may  be  used  on  irregular  drives  or  laid 
over  broken  ground,  each  length  of  20  ft. 
contains  four  iron  supporting  rings. 

To  obtain  a  rot-proof  canvas  has  been  a 
matter  of  some  difficulty,  but  the  Telephos 
Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Vaughan  Road,  West  Harrow, 
Miildlesex,  the  licensees  for  the  manufacture 
of  ^'cntwal  tubes,  have  placed  on  the  market 
tubes  of  canvas  specially  treated  to  render  it 
resistant  to  the  acid  water  and  the  deleterious 
fumes  so  frequently  met  with  in  mining  work. 

The  forcing  of  air  at  high  pressures  through 
pipes  is  a  most  uneconomical  and  usually  a 
very  inefficient  method  of  ventilation. 
Pressures  equal  to  20  to  30  inches  water- 
gauge,  produced  by  Roots  blowers,  have  been 
recorded  in  details  relative  to  the  ventilation 
of  shafts  and  headings  in  Australian  mines. 

Expenditure  in  installing  larger  air-pipes 
would  be  well  justified  by  reduction  in 
working  costs  and  by  improvement  in  air 
supply  in  these  cases.  The  air  current 
should  be  at  as  low  a  pressure  as  is  possible 
consistent  with  efficiency  of  service,  and 
though  the  use  of  blowers  and  fans  driven  by 
engines  or  motors  has  sundry  advantages, 
a  jet  of  air  placed  in  a  pipe  of  large  section 
has  much  to  recommend  its  application. 
It  is  simple  and  not  likely  to  get  out  of  order, 
and  where  the  pressure  is  within  reasonable 
limits  it  is  remarkably  efficient  as  an  injector. 

A  few  years  ago  tests  were  made  bj' 
Mr.  E.  Pam  on  the  Geldenhuis  Deep  gold 
mine,  Johannesburg,  on  a  538  ft.  length  of 
9  in.  pipe  with  four  right-angle  bends,  with 
the  following  results,  the  air  pressure  on  _the 
mains  being  72  lb.  per  square  inch  : — 


Discharge 

Theoretical  from 

Tables. 

Free  air  per 

minute  produced 

by  jet. 

Size  of 

ill  cubic 

Nozzle. 

feet  per 
minute. 

in. 

\1 

210 

.S 

P*lange  off      .... 

530 
770 

19 
43 

1,080 

76 

f 

Quantity  of 

Blind  flanj^e  on  intake 

}» 

air  actually 

of  pipe 

80-' 

measured 

coming  out 

^ 

of  nozzle. 

These  practical  tests  show  that  the 
consumption  of  air  from  the  compressor 
service  is  from  Jj,  to  ^^  of  the  total  amount 
of  fresh  air  forced  through  the  ventilating 
pipe. 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


151 


The  use  of  air  from  the  compressor  engines 
as  a  source  of  supply,  and  not  of  power  for 
ventilation  cannot  be  too  strongly 
condemned. 

It  is  becoming  generally  recognized  that 
ventilation  is  a  factor  of  importance  in 
dealing  with  mining  costs,  owing  to  its 
influence  on  the  efficiency  of  the  worker. 
Labour  costs  have  increased  enormously  in 
recent  years,  and  the  miner  who  is  supplied 
with  an  abundance  of  cool  and  pure  air  is 


more  likely  to  do  a  fair  day's  work  than 
those  who  toil  in  a  warm  atmosphere  con- 
taminated by  traces  of  blasting  fumes.  Bad 
ventilation  has  far-reaching  effects.  Men 
not  only  become  inefficient  underground, 
but  on  reaching  the  surface  in  a  condition 
described  as  "  played  out  "  they  are  ready 
to  listen  to  anj'  argimicnt  in  favour  of 
striking  for  higher  rates  of  pay  for  work 
which  in  the  opinion  of  their  employers  is 
costing  much  more  than  is  reasonable. 
With  the  exhaustion  of  the  older  mines. 


Section  through  Ventwal  Joint. 


Making  Ventwal  Joint. 


Ventwal  Joint  Complete. 


Showing  how  Ventwal  Tubing  can  be  put  through  narrow  and 
irregular  fissures. 


i:>2 


Till':     MINIXC,     MA(;.\ZIXK 


the  (]uo^tion  of  vontilation  becomes  more 
im]iortant  owins;  to  increase  of  temperature 
with  greater  depth  of  workiiTj;.  It  is  in 
development  work  and  in  outlying  parts  of 
a  mine  that  the  ventilation  is  most  likely  to 
be  unsatisfactory.  In  many  mining  areas 
these  should  receive  more  attention  than 
appears  to  have  been  given  to  them  in  the 


past,  when  high  wages  and  a  sliort  life  under- 
ground were  generally  regarded  as  prominent 
features  in  the  life  of  the  miner,  .\part  from 
considerations  of  health  and  contentment  of 
employees,  which  should  be  regarded  as 
matters  of  first  importance,  the  inlluence  of 
good  ventilation  in  the  mine  on  working 
costs  should  never  be  overlooked. 


CRUSHING    AND    CONCENTRATION     AT 
MOUNT    LYELL 


In  our  issue  of  November  last  wo  quoted 
from  a  paper  by  Mr.  L.  V.  Waterhouse, 
describing  the  flotation  plant  recentlj' 
brought  into  use  at  Mount  Lyell.  Since  then 
we  have  received  some  notes  from  the  com- 
pany, giving  an  outline  of  the  crushing, 
sorting,  and  dressing  plant,  describing  the 
course  of  the  ore  through  the  plant,  with 
special  note  of  the  rearrangements  intro- 
duced for  the  purpose  of  saving  labour.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  ore  from  the 
Mount  LycU  mine  is  pyritic,  and  low  in 
copper  and  silica,  while  that  from  North 
Lyell  is  higher  in  copper  and  contains  much 
siUca.  Some  of  the  North  Lyell  ore  can  be 
picked  and  sent  direct  to  the  smelter, 
while  the  rest  requires  concentration.  The 
ore  from  the  Lyell  Comstock  all  requires 
concentration. 

The  first-class  North  Lyell  ore  as  it  arrives 
from  the  mine  is  dumped  into  the  bins 
reserved  for  it,  as  shown  in  the  diagram 
herewith.  From  the  bins  the  ore  is  fed  over 
a  grizzly,  which  screens  out  the  material 
minus  l|in.  in  size.  The  minus  IJin. 
material  falls  through  a  chute  on  to  No.  4 
conveyor,  which  in  turn  discharges  it  on  to 
the  inclined  conveyor  No.  5.  The  latter 
carries  the  minus  IJ  in.  material  to  the  top 
of  the  mill,  where  it  is  distributed  over  the 
miU-feed  bins  by  a  conveyor. 

The  oversize,  or  material  too  large  to  pass 
through  the  li  in.  grizzly,  falls  upon  No.  1 
conveyor,  and  discharges  over  a  chute  on 
to  a  shaking  grizzly-feeder,  where  it  is 
washed  and  the  material  minus  4  in.  screened 
out.  The  oversize  from  the  shaking  grizzly- 
feeder  is  fed  into  the  jaws  of  No.  1  crusher, 
which  crushes  to  4  in.  The  mimts  4  in. 
material  from  the  shaking  grizzly-feeder, 
together  with  the  crushed  oversize,  falls 
upon  the  inclined  conveyor  No.  6.  This 
raises  the  crushed  and  washed  ore  to  the 


top  of  the  sorting  plant,  and  discharges 
it  on  to  the  sorting  belt  or  conveyor  No.  7. 
The  ore  on  the  sorting  belt  passes  in  front 
of  the  sorters,  who  pick  out  the  lower- 
grade  material,  depositing  it  in  chutes, 
which  discharge  on  to  No.  8  conveyor,  and 
thence  into  the  reject  bin.  The  higher- 
grade  ore  is  left  on  the  sorting  belt,  and  from 
there  passes  over  conveyors  Nos.  9  and  10 
to  the  sorted  ore-bin.  From  this  bin  the 
sorted  ore  is  taken  in  trucks  to  the  smelter 
bins. 

The  reject  ore  is  fed  from  the  reject  bin 
by  two  reciprocating  feeders  on  to  the 
inclined  conveyor  No.  3,  which  serves  as  a 
belt  feed  to  No.  3  crusher  set  to  crush  to 
H  in.  The  IJin.  product  from  No.  3 
crusher  falls  upon  No.  4  conveyor,  passes 
to  No.  5  conveyor,  and  thence  to  the  mill- 
feed  bins,  joining  the  minus  iHn.  material 
already  referred  to.  v 

The  second-class  North  Lyell  ore  is 
delivered  into  bins  as  marked  in  the  sketch, 
and  is  passed  over  grizzlies  having  liin. 
spaces.  The  minus  \h  in.  material  falls  on 
to  No.  4  conveyor,  thence  to  No.  5  con- 
veyor, and  on  to  the  mill-feed  bins,  to  join 
the  li  in.  material  noted  above.  The  over- 
size falls  on  to  No.  2  conveyor,  which  serves 
also  as  a  belt-feed  to  No.  2  crusher,  set  to 
crush  to  3  in.  approximately.  The  3  in. 
product  from  No.  2  crusher  falls  on  to  No.  3 
conveyor,  and  thence  to  No.  3  crusher, 
where  it  is  crushed  to  liin.  The  l|in. 
product  from  No.  3  crusher  travels  over  the 
same  course  as  noted  in  the  case  of  the 
reject  ore. 

The  Comstock  ore  is  delivered  to  the 
mill-feed  bin,  which  also  receives  some 
of  the  second-class  North  Lyell  ore.  The  ore 
passes  over  a  H  in.  grizzly  directly  into  the 
jaws  on  No.  4  crusher  set  to  crush  to  1^  in. 
The  li  in.   product  from  the  crusher  joins 


SEPTEMBER,    1921 


153 


the  minus  liin.  product  from  the  grizzly, 
and  is  elevated  to  the  distributing  belt  over 
the  mill  bins. 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  foregoing  that  all 
the  ore  delivered  to  the  sorting  and  crushing 
sections  is,  after  removal  of  the  higher- 
grade  material,  crushed  to  li  in.  and  sent 
to  the  mill-feed  bins.  The  combined  1|  in. 
material  is  dehvered,  via  two  roll  feeds  and 
a  short  cross  conveyor,  on  to  a  |  in.  shaking 
screen  feeder.  The  oversize  from  the 
shaking  screen  is  crushed  and  elevated,  and 
returned  to  the  screen,  all  material  eventually 
having  to  pass  through  the  screen.     The 


sufficiently  crushed  is  separated  from  the 
coarser  materia],  and  overflows  to  the  boot 
of  the  Minerals  Separation  feed-elevator. 
The  sandy  discharge  from  the  classifier 
joins  the  discharge  from  the  cone,  and  is 
returned  to  the  tube-mill  for  further  grinding. 
The  thickened  slime  from  the  Dorr  thickener 
joins  the  overflow  from  the  Dorr  classifier 
in  the  boot  of  the  Minerals  Separation  feed 
elevator,  and  is  lifted  to  the  Minerals 
Separation  machines  for  further  treatment. 
The  ore,  which  has  now  been  reduced  to 
minus  65  mesh,  is  fed  to  the  Minerals 
Separation  boxes,  of  which  there  are  twelve. 


NORmmLORE. 
Z')^  CLASS 


NORTH  lYEa ORE. 


H'  CLA5S 


^^^ 


SORTED  ORE 


ls-tt't»'l 


Sorting  Plant  at  Moitnt  Lyell. 


minus  i  in.  product  from  the  screen  is 
elevated  to  the  feed  of  the  Hancock  jig, 
which  makes  three  products,  concentrates, 
middlings,  and  tails.  The  concentrates 
are  lifted  in  an  elevator  to  a  dewatering  vat, 
and  from  there  are  taken  in  trucks  to  the 
smelter  bins.  The  middlings  are  crushed 
in  a  set  of  fine-crushing  rolls,  the  product 
from  the  rolls  joining  the  feed  to  the  jig 
for  re-treatment.  The  tailings  are  delivered 
to  an  elevator  and  lifted  to  a  shaking  screen- 
feeder  having  |-  in.  holes. 

The  oversize  from  the  screen-feeder  is 
crushed  through  a  set  of  fine  rolls  and 
returned  to  the  screen  via  the  elevator. 
The  minus  \  in.  material  passing  through  the 
screen  is  elevated  to  a  diaphragm  cone, 
where  the  excess  water  overflows  to  two 
Dorr  thickeners,  and  the  sandy  discharge 
is  fed  directly  into  two  tube-mills.  The 
ore,  after  being  ground  in  the  tube-mills, 
is  discharged  into  the  boot  of  an  elevator 
and  lifted  to  the  feed  end  of  a  Dorr  classifier. 
In  the  classifier  all  material  that  has  I  een 


The  first  eight  boxes  produce  concentrates 
and  tailings.  The  tailings  from  the  first 
eight  boxes  are  treated  in  the  last  four 
boxes,  where  a  middling  concentrate  is 
produced  which  is  returned  to  the  first  eight 
boxes  for  re-treatment.  The  tailings  from 
the  last  four  boxes  then  pass  over  a  small 
cascade  box,  the  float  from  which  joins  the 
middling  concentrates  from  the  last  four 
bo.xes  for  re-treatment.  The  tailings  from 
the  cascade  box  are  sent  to  the  dump.  The 
concentrates  from  the  first  twelve  boxes  are 
elevated  to  Ohver  and  Portland  filters, 
where  the  excess  water  is  removed,  leaving 
a  concentrate  carrjdng  from  11  to  15%  water. 
The  filtered  concentrates  fall  upon  a  con- 
ve3'or  that  delivers  them  into  a  bin,  from 
which  they  are  loaded,  weighed,  and  sent 
to  the  smelter  for  further  treatment  in  the 
Dwight  &  Lloyd  sintering  plant..  After 
sintering  the  concentrates  are  combined, 
in  proper  proportion  with  the  sorted  ore,  jig 
concentrates,  Mount  Lyell  ore,  and  fluxes, 
and  smelted  in  the  blast-furnaces. 


i:.i 


THF    MINING    MAGAZINE 


LETTKRS     rO   TIII'.     liDI  FOR     i"iiclusinn  on   Uic  cvidmco  of  (luartz  and 

The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 
The  Editor  : 

Sir — Mr.  Kendall  has  had  wide  experience 
of  ore  deposits,  and  I  appreciate  the  coni- 
]iliment  of  his  contributing;  (in  the  Magazinh: 
for  May  last)  to  the  discussion  of  n\v  ])aper 
on  the  origin  of  primarj'  ore  deposits.  I 
regret,  however,  that  his  article  contains 
so  much  evidence  that  he  did  not  cither 
grasp  my  views  or  studj'  my  paper 
adequately. 

I  made  no  attempt  at  "  explaining  the 
well-known  features  of  the  dift'ercnt  classes 
of  ore-bodies."  I  sought  an  explanation 
of   how    metals   are   segregated    from    their 


original  disseminated  condition  in  rock 
magmas,  in  what  condition  of  solution  thev 
are  carried  in  magmatic  liquids,  and  the 
causes  of  their  deposition  as  ore  minerals 
therefrom. 

For  my  purpose  drawings  were  of  no  \'aluc 
whatever. 

In  connexion  with  crust  formation  and 
foundering  and  the  differentiation  of  primeval 
magma,  i\Ir.  Kendall  has  missed  what  I  sa}' 
at  the  bottom  of  page  9  of  mj-  paper  :  "  The 
crust  became  permanent  long  before  the 
capacity  of  the  fused  silicates  for  the  ab- 
sorption of  water  and  oxygen  was  satisfied, 
then  general  absorption  was  prevented 
and  the  molten  mass  no  longer  in  violent 
agitation  underwent  segregation  into  an 
acidic  portion  above  and  a  basic  portion 
below  ";  also  the  first  paragraph  on  page  10  : 
"  The  top  of  the  crust  was  probably  not 
truly  granitic,  but  considerably  more  basic 
since  it  was  only  after  its  formation  that 
the  segregation  upward  of  the  acidic  sub- 
magma  could  have  taken  place." 

I  have  no  means  of  access  here  to  the 
records  of  the  United  States  Geological 
Survey,  and  I  am  not  conversant  with  the 
work  of  Barns  referred  to.  Where  the  fallacy 
comes  in  I  do  not  know,  but  it  is  obviously 
incorrect  to  assert  that  fragments  of  any 
solid  can  float  on  a  liquid  the  density  of 
which  is  less  than  that  of  the  solid. 

That- an  aqueous  mother-liquor  is  given 
off  by  magmas,  which,  on  consolidation, 
yield  granite,  is  so  widely  accepted  that  it 
seems  unreasonable  to  regard  it  as  anything 
but  a  fact  as  well  established  as  any  such 
process  can  be.  "Sir.  Kendall  sa}-s  I  do  not 
give  the  evidence  on  which  the  "  assumption" 
is  based.  He  has  overlooked  what  appears 
in  the  middle  of  page  7  :  "  We  come  to  this 


Hgmatitc  veins,  one  or  both  of  which 
.iri'  invariably  found  in  or  above  granite 
batiioliths.  These  veins  are  not  filled  with 
<iuartz  or  pegmatite  in  a  state  of  simple 
fusion,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the 
elements  of  water  were  present  in  the 
liquid  from  which  they  were  derived." 

I  did  not  assert  that  jnimcval  granite  was 
derived  from  dioritc.  On  page  9  we  find  : 
"  It  is  probable  that  the  primeval  crustal 
magma  was  between  syenite  and  diorite 
in  composition,  with  about  60%  of  combined 
silica  and  without  water."  The  effect  of 
the  absorption  of  water  appears  to  have  been 
to  break  up  certain  silicates,  especially  the 
ferro-magncsian,  freeing  silica  and  bases 
such  as  FeO.  The  former  combined  with 
water  and,  as  silicic  acid,  leached  from  the 
magma  those  silicates  most  soluble  in  it, 
especially  those  containing  potash,  and  such 
ore  minerals  that  were  present  as  it  could 
dissolve  under  the  conditions.  Those  practi- 
cally insoluble  in  silicic  acid  remained 
behind  in  the  basic  portion  of  the  magma  ; 
examples  of  these  are  magnetite  and  chromite. 
The  bulk  of  the  sparingly  soluble  sulphides 
were  also  left  behind.  Water  appears  to 
divide  a  rock  magma  into  an  acid  and  a 
basic  portion  and  the  ultimate  residue  is 
practically  non-siliceous  ore.  Crystallization 
differentiation  and  gravitative  segregation 
are  both  equally  incompetent  to  furnish 
the  force  necessary  for  the  dissociation  of 
silicates  and  the  entire  removal  of  silica  from 
combination  with  bases.  There  must  be  some 
basic  radicle  present  which  has  a  greater 
affinity  for  silica  than  have  the  bases  that 
are  liberated.  The  only  compound  present 
capable  of  effecting  the  changes  observed 
in  nature  I  believe  to  be  water,  which,  as 
hydroxyl,  seems  to  have  a  strong  afiftnit}'  for 
silica. 

It  appears  improbable  that  primeval  magma 
could  have  contained  free  silica.  Mr. 
Kendall  asserts  that  the  basic  I'ocks  do  not 
contain  free  bases  with  which  the  free 
silica  in  granite  could  have  combined 
originally.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  ascertain 
the  quantity  of  free  bases  existing  in  basic 
rocks  because  the  great  bulk  of  them  is 
not  within  our  reach.  The  quantity  of 
free  silica  in  existence  is  certainly  very 
large,  but  it  makes  a  great  show,  for  it  is 
a  leading  component  of  the  lighter  rocks 
forming  the  greater  part  of  the  immediate 
surface  layer  of  the  earth.  If  Mr.  Kendall 
real-zes  that  the  bases  in  calcium   caibonate 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


155 


and  sodium  chloride  as  well  as  magnetite, 
to  mention  only  three  substances  common 
on  the  surface,  were  originally  combined 
with  silica,  he  will  probably  admit  that 
the  conclusion  he  has  arrived  at  on  this 
subject  is  not  at  all  a  safe  one. 

If  the  primeval  crustal  magma,  as  I  believe, 
was  an  anhydrous  silicate  melt  at  its  com- 
mencement it  is  practically  certain  that  it 
contained  no  free  silica.  When  water  was 
absorbed  the  modification  of  the  affinities 
of  component  radicles  brought  about  by  the 
presence  of  hj^droxyl  would  lead  to  the 
formation  of  many  new  minerals  whose 
existence  was  previously  impossible,  such 
as  the  micas.  These  were  not  confined 
to  such  as  contained  hydroxyl.  It  is 
doubtful  if  felspars,  and  particularly  the 
the  alkali  felspars,  could  have  come  into 
existence  in  appreciable  quantity  in  an 
anhydrous  silicate  melt. 

The  subject  of  magmatic  differentiation 
is  one  on  which  there  is  much  divergence 
of  opinion,  and  concerning  which  it  is  easy 
to  arrive  at  false  conclusions.  It  is  most 
regrettable  that  we  have  no  geo-physical 
lal)oratory  in  Britain,  for  it  is  only  by 
means  of  experiment  that  we  are  likely 
to  ascertain  the  truth. 

We  now  come  to  the  definition  of  primary 
ores,  ^^'hile  professing  not  to  do  so,  Mr. 
Kendall  uses  the  same  criterion  as  I  do, 
namely,  genesis,  in  defining  ores.  All  metals 
came  up  in  solution  in  magmas  in  the  first 
instance.  They  appear  as  ores  only  after 
magmatic  segregation,  and  all  must  fall 
into  one  of  two  classes  :  (1)  Those  segregating 
as  such  within  magmas,  and  (2)  those 
expelled  from  magmas  in  solution  and 
deposited  usually  in  fissures  either  near 
the  periphery  or  in  overljdng  sedimentary 
rocks.  Mr.  Kendall  says  a  primary  ore  is 
one  "  which  has  not  been  derived  from  any 
other    ore."  Since    such    ores    must    of 

necessity  belong  to  one  of  the  two  classes 
mentioned  above  it  follows  that  Mr.  Kendall's 
definition  and  mine  must  have  exactly  the 
same  meaning. 

Mr.  Kendall  asserts  that  a  pressure  of 
3,000  lb.  per  square  in.  would  have  prevented 
the  expulsion  of  mother-liquor  from  the 
primeval  crustal  magma.  Many  granite 
batholiths  demonstrably  solidified  under 
a  depth  of  sediments  which  in  hydraulic  head 
onh'  produced  a  pressure  at  the  periphery 
much  greater  than  3,000  1b.  per  sq.  in., 
yet  we  have  evidence  that  such  magmas 
gave    off    mother-liquor    in    every    known 


case.     The     expansive     force     exerted     by 
magmas  on  solidification  is  enormous. 

Mr.  Kendall  doubts  that  magmatic  liquids 
(1)  removed  the  bulk  of  ore  minerals  from 
an  acid  magma,  and  (2)  were  the  vehicle  in 
which  primary  ores  were  transported  to 
veins.  Let  us  take  the  case  of  Cornwall, 
which  is  well  known  to  most  of  us.  How 
much  tungsten,  tin,  or  copper  is  found  in 
components  of  the  granite  ?  Practically 
none.  Before  consolidation  of  the  granite 
these  metals  must  have  been  disseminated 
in  solution  throughout  the  magma.  It 
is  not  possible  to  explain  their  existence  in 
the  position  in  which  we  find  them  unless 
we  admit  that  they  were  segregated  by  some 
means  from  the  magma  leaving  barren 
granite,  expelled  in  liquid  form  with  silica, 
water,  and  other  minor  constituents  in  what 
we  call  mother-hquor,  and  that  this,  under 
favourable  conditions  yielded  the  ore 
minerals  that  we  find  in  fissures  both  in 
the  granite  near  its  periphery  and  in  over- 
lying  sediments. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  development 
of  ore  minerals  from  magmatic  liquids  is 
not  understood.  I  have  not  neglected 
the  precipitating  effect  of  substances  in  the 
walls  of  fissures  as  Mr.  Kendall  asserts. 
I  refer  to  it  in  the  last  paragraph  under 
"  temperature  of  deposition  "  on  page  19. 
Such  cases  as  those  cited  by  my  critic 
are  exceptional  and  no  generalization  can 
be  based  on  them. 

In  Burma  we  have  fissures  filled  with 
wolfram  and  quartz  that  have  been  reopened 
and  the  new  space  filled  with  chalcopyrite 
and  quartz,  reopened  a  second  time  and 
filled  with  pyrrhotite,  blende,  galena, 
stibnite,  and  quartz.  This  demonstrates 
clearly  that  the  granitic  magma  gave  off 
mother-liquor  containing  not  only  tungsten, 
but  copper,  zinc,  lead,  and  antimony, 
and  that  in  each'  case  the  ore  minerals  are 
accompanied  by  silica.  I  state  this  in  order 
to  demonstrate  that  the  magma  gives  off 
in  mother-liquor  not  only  the  high  but  the 
intermediate  temperature  ores  by  the  same 
vent,  and  the  latter  in  some  cases  at  a  later 
period  than  the  former. 

To  the  first  paragraph  on  page  275  I 
cannot  reply  ;  it  is  enigmatic. 

In  spite  of  Mr.  Kendall  having  quoted 
the  paragraph  in  which  I  define  the  scope 
of  my  paper,  he  insists  on  bombarding  me 
with  examples  of  ore  deposits  of  types 
to  which  I  made  no  reference.  I  purposely 
limited   myself   to   ores   occurring   in   veins 


156 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


in    order    to   present    the    problem    of    ore 
deposition  in  its  simplest  aspect. 

Some  of  the  types  referred  to  by  my 
critic,  for  example,  that  at  Lcadville,  arc 
probably  not  primary  in  the  sense  in  wliich 
I  nse  tlie  term.  Many  galena  and  otlur 
sulphide  ore  deposits  that  I  have  seen  I 
regard  as  not  rigidly  primary  but  secondary, 
due  to  replacement  that  acted  in  the  same 
way  as  that  by  which  chalcocite  and  galena 
were  introduced  into  sedimentary  rocks 
such  as  the  "  Red  Beds  "  of  the  south-west 
United  States,  and  Permian  and  Triassic 
beds  elsewhere. 

Concerning  the  origin  of  ores  in  veins 
in  and  near  the  periphery  of  batholitlis, 
there  can  be  little  doubt,  but  the  problem 
increases  more  and  more  in  complexity 
as  the  deposits  are  farther  removed  from 
their  source  in  igneous  rocks.  The  genesis 
^  of  ore  deposits  cannot  be  studied  satisfac- 
torily except  by  working  up  from  the 
simplest,  near  igneous  rock,  to  the  more 
complex  at  greater  and  greater  distances 
away.  Man}-  deposits  usually  regarded  as 
primary  may  be  really  secondary,  the  result 
of  metasomatic  replacement  by  ore-bearing 
solutions  produced  by  the  dissolution  of 
primary  deposits  by  agents  very  different 
from  those  contained  in  magmatic  liquids. 

Though  outside  the  range  of  my  paper, 
I  may  remark,  in  connexion  with  some 
of  the  examples  given  by  Mr.  Kendall,  that 
the  present  form  of  vein  walls  and  the 
composition  of  vein  matter,  both  as  regards 
ore  and  gangue  minerals,  may  be  very 
different  to-day  from  what  they  were  when 
deposited.  JIany  strata  containing  ores 
have  undergone  metamorphism,  and  it  is 
quite  evident  that  marked  alteration,  in 
form  and  composition  of  both  walls  and 
contents,  may  have  resulted. 

J.  Morrow  Campbell. 

Yengan,  Southern  Shan  States, 
Burma,  July  14,  1921. 

Manjak 

The  Editor: 

Sir — In  5'Our  issue  of  April  last,  in  an 
article  on  the  "  Oil  Resources  of  South 
America,"  b}'  Mr.  Henry  B.  MUner,  the  fol- 
lowing statement  occurs  :  "  Glance  Pitch, 
a  variety  of  asphaltite,  is  a  natural  desiccated 
petroleum  produce,  which,  when  free  from 
mineral  matter,  is  known  as  '  manjak.'  " 
I  hardly  think  that  the  name  manjak  is  of 
such  wide  application.  It  is  not  so  used  by 
Clifford  Richardson  in  his  treatises  on  the 


variinis  hydrocarbons  and  allied  substances, 
nor  by  Heinrich  Rics,  in  his  "  Economic 
Geology."  And  is  not  found  at  all  in  the 
]niblic&tions  of  United  States  Bureau,  edited 
by  the  late  G.  H.  Eldridge,  their  recognized 
authority    on    the    hydrocarbon    series. 

.As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  term  manjak 
originated  in  the  island  of  Barbados,  and  v.as 
never  used  outside  that  area  imtil  the  neigh- 
bouring island  of  Trinidad  struck  a  grade  of 
glance  pitch  to  which  the  Barbadian  term 
was  promptlj'  applied,  paying  us  the  com- 
pliment of  this  sincerest  flattery.  The  term 
is  as  distinctive  of  certain  particular  grades 
of  glance  pitch  found  only  in  Barbados,  as  is 
the  term  "  Demerara  crystals  "  of  a  particular 
class  of  sugar,  and  that  notwithstanding  the 
adoption  of  it  by  Trinidad,  whose  prod\ict 
does  not  enter  into  competition  with  that  of 
Barbados.  To  the  trade,  the  products  are 
known  as  "  manjak "  and  "  Trinidad 
manjak." 

Although  manjak  does  claim  to  be  of  great 
purity  (and  in  a  report  on  it  by  the 
Mineralogical  Bureau  of  Bohemia,  it  is 
stated  of  one  of  the  grades  that  "  it  is 
surprising  to  find  a  bitumen  of  such  purity 
in  nature  "),  yet  it  does  not  claim  to  be 
"  free  from  mineral  matter."  In  fact, 
Mr.  Milner  seems  to  contradict  himself  when 
he  applies  the  term  to  a  product  of  South 
America,  which  he  states  "  contains  only 
3%   of  mineral  constituents." 


R.  H.  Emtage. 


Ellerton,   Barbados. 
July  13. 


BOOK    REVIEWS 

Oil  Land  Development  and  Valuation. 

By  R.   P.   McLaughli.n.     Cloth,   octavo, 

200    pages,    illustrated.      Price    18s.    net. 

New    York    and    London  :     McGraw-Hill 

Book  Company. 

There  are  comparatively  few  phases  of  the 
mining  industry  calling  for  such  specialized 
knowledge  and  technique  as  oil  land  develop- 
ment, and  those  who  are  unfamiliar  with  the 
vicissitudes  of  oil  production  can  form  but 
a  small  idea  of  the  difticulties  and 
responsibilities  entailed  in  "  running "  a 
field  successfully,  the  unenviable  task  of  the 
average  field  manager.  If  things  go  wrong, 
as  the}'  may  often  do,  there  are  two  parties 
upon  whom  the  blame  may  be  conveniently 
fastened  by  inexorable  directors,  the  geologist 
and  the  field  manager  ;  the  former  bears  the 
initial    brunt    of    adverse    criticism    if    his 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


157 


locations  of  well  sites  prove  unprofitable; 
or  if  an  unkind  fate  decrees  the  absence  of  oil 
at  anticipated  horizons ;  the  latter,  once 
some  wells  are  brought  in  successful^,  has 
to  look  to  his  laurels  should  drilling  con- 
tractors give  trouble,  production  slacken, 
or  unaccountable  failure  overtake  the  opera- 
tions of  the  compam'-  concerned.  In  either 
case  the  lot  is  not  an  easy  one,  and  reputa- 
tions are  speedily  made  or  broken  as  chance 
decides.  The  geologist,  however,  has  an 
advantage,  in  that  public  opinion  has  of  late 
been  much  enlightened  by  an  extensive 
literature  describing  his  work,  which, 
intelligently  perused,  has  brought  home  to 
the  uninitiated  some  of  the  difficulties  he  has 
to  face  ;  the  field  manager  and  those  who, 
with  him,  share  the  responsibility  of  develop- 
ment and  production,  have  few  volumes 
accurately  descriptive  of  their  work,  and 
consequently  less  is  known  generally  about 
such  matters  as  well-drilling,  water  and  gas 
troubles,  cementing,  casing,  bailing,  and 
shooting  wells,  output  charts,  production 
reports,  and  the  like.  The  reason  for  this  is 
not  far  to  seek  ;  competent  field  manage- 
ment is  only  won  by  long  experience,  and  the 
nature  of  operations  in  different  fields  is 
often  so  variable  that  probably  no  single 
exposition  by  any  one  author  would  be 
adequate  to  all  cases.  Yet  Mr.  McLaughlin 
has  undoubtedly  given  us  a  book  which 
presents  this  aspect  of  the  oil  industry  in 
a  most  concise  and  practical  manner,  and  this 
volume  cannot  fail  to  be  of  the  greatest  use 
and  enlightenment  to  all  concerned  with  the 
development  and  successful  administration 
of  oil  properties. 

The  author  was  formerl}'  State  oil  and  gas 
supervisor  of  California,  and  the  foundations 
of  this  work  are  laid  chiefly  on  experience 
gained  in  Californian  fields  ;  those  who  know 
anything  about  the  technology  of  these  oil- 
fields know  how  diverse  are  the  conditions  of 
oil  occurrence  in  that  region,  so  that  the 
author's  contention  that  the  principles  in- 
volved in  oil  production  there  are  applicable 
to  all  oilfields,  though  a  somewhat  sweeping 
statement,  is  one  with  which  few  wiU  disagree. 

The  various  phases  of  oil  land  develop- 
ment and  valuation  are  grouped  together 
under  six  main  sections  dealing  successively 
with  development  programmes,  drilling  of 
wells,  underground  information  derived  from 
well-logs,  oil  production,  repairing,  deepenmg 
and  abandoning  wells,  and  values  of  oil 
properties.  In  all  cases  the  principles  in- 
volved are  clearly  discussed  and  some  ex- 


cellent diagrams  appear  in  the  text  in  illustra- 
tion of  the  ideas  involved.  The  ten  sketches 
depicting  flooding  of  oil  wells  bj'  water,  due 
to  various  causes,  are  especially  good 
(Chapter  II),  and  our  only  criticism  in  this 
connexion  is  that  there  might  be  more 
figures  like  them  (publishing  costs 
permitting  !)  explanatory  of  other  possibilities 
of  bad  wells.  The  author  has  a  good  deal  to 
say  on  sampling  wells,  that  most  important 
branch  of  drilling  ;  he  agrees  with  most 
observers  in  remarking  that  cable  tools  on 
the  whole  yield  better  samples  than  rotary, 
but  he  rightly  draws  attention  to  many 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  procuring  repre- 
sentative samples  of  strata,  no  matter  what 
system  is  employed.  In  view  of  the  in- 
creasing importance  of  microscopical  in- 
vestigations of  the  materials  brought  up, 
from  both  petrographical  and  palaeontological 
standpoints  in  identification  and  correlation 
of  horizons,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  manu- 
facturers and  others  engaged  in  the  produc- 
tion and  manipulation  of  drilling  plant  will 
keep  this  in  view,  either  perfecting  existing 
sampling  devices  or  so  modifying  the 
commonly  used  bailer  for  the  collection  of 
cleaner  and  less  contaminated  material  than 
is  customarily  obtained  thereby. 

In  the  paragraphs  on  assembling  of  in- 
formation, the  construction  and  analysis  of 
well  records  are  discussed,  and  graphic 
well  logs  explained  ;  an  interesting  feature  is 
the  use  of  "  peg  models,"  that  is,  models  of 
wells  of  a  given  field  made  of  wooden  rods 
fixed  into  a  firm  base,  the  rods  being  coloured 
in  sections  representing  thicknesses  and 
differences  of  strata  passed  through  ; 
correlation  of  horizons  from  one  well  to 
another  is  effected  by  using  fine  string,  and 
thus  the  structure  of  the  field  and  the 
differentiation  of  producing  horizons  may  be 
usefully  portrayed.  Such  a  model  exists  of 
the  Coyote  Hills  Oilfield,  California,  and  is 
here  illustrated  (p.  71). 

The  remainder  of  the  volume  calls  for  little 
remark,  save  that  the  final  chapter  on  the 
value  of  oil  land  is  somewhat  brief  in  pro- 
portion to  its  importance  ;  several  references 
are  given,  however,  to  other  and  more 
detailed  works  published  in  America. 

Of  all  the  various  works  published  hitherto 
on  oil  technology,  there  are  just  four  of 
particular  merit  which  we  should  like  to  see 
compulsorily  laid  on  every  petroleum  com- 
panj-'s  board-room  table  ;  Mr.  McLaughlin's 
volume  is  one  of  the  "  big  four." 

H.    B.    MiLNER. 


138 


THE    MIMXC.     MAGAZINE 


Manganese,     rainplilot,  151  pages.     Price 

OS.    Oil.    net.      London :     The    Imperial 

Mineral  Resources  I^ureau. 

Tliis  is  a  report,  one  of  a  series,  dealing  witii 
the  mineral  industry  of  the  British  Empire 
and  Foreign  Countries,  and  published  bj'  the 
Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau. 

While  manganese  minerals  and  alloys  have 
been  necessar\-  in  steel  manufacture  since  the 
introiluction  of  the  Bessemer  process,  they 
became  imjiortant  factors  to  the  .\llies  during 
the  war  period,  by  reason  of  the  dilliciilty  of 
obtaining  supplies  of  the  raw  material,  con- 
sequent on  the  activity  of  submarines,  and 
also  because  no  equalh-  efficient  deo.xidizer 
of  the  steel  bath  was  available. 

Since  1913  much  information  has  been 
published  on  the  subject,  particularly  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  monograph  is  a  pains- 
taking and  complete  compilation  of  this 
material  with  that  previously  published  con- 
sidered of  sufticient  interest  to  include  in 
the  publication. 

The  value,  however,  of  a  volume  like  the 
one  under  review  is  somewhat  reduced  by  the 
fact  that  the  '  information  is  not  con- 
temporaneous, and  represents  the  view- 
point of  many  different  observers.  These 
disadvantages  are  evident  when  dealing  \\-ith 
economic  details,  some  of  which,  owing  to 
being  somewhat  out  of  date  or  relating  to  the 
war  period,  have  a  reduced  present  or  future 
value  ;  and  also  when  discussing  estimates  of 
ore  reserves. 

The  preface  indicates  that  the  volume  will 
be  published  annually,  and  it  is  hoped  that 
with  the  help  of  the  Foreign  Commissioners 
of  the  recently  created  Department  of  Over- 
seas Trade,  as  well  as  of  our  Diplomatic  and 
Consular  representatives,  it  may  be  possible 
in  future  to  publish  reliable  statistical  and 
economic  information  shortly  after  the 
period  to  which  it  refers,  in  addition  to  that 
of  a  more  general  character  which  appears 
from  time  to  time  in  the  proceedings  of 
scientific  institutions  and  in  the  technical  press. 

Under  the  heading  "  General,"  interesting 
particulars  are  given  regarding  the  principal 
minerals,  their  uses  and  value  for  different 
purposes.  The  statement  on  page  7,  re- 
garding the  mineral  utilized  in  the 
manufacture  of  iron  and  steel  is  hardly 
correct,  for  a  large  percentage  of  50°o 
manganese  ore  is  smelted  in  the  blast- 
furnaces, as  indicated  on  page  27,  for  the  pro- 
duction of  a  pig  iron  containing  1  to  2'\^  of 
manganese,  which  enables  the  basic  process 
to  be  more  easily  worked. 


It  is  noteworliiy  tlial  tin-  iinscnt  prices  of 
manganese  ore  and  alloys  are  within  reason- 
able distance  of  those  of  the  pre-war  period, 
this  being  due  to  the  trade  depression,  and 
the  great  reduction  in  the  cost  of  ocean 
transport.  Further  reduction  in  costs  will, 
no  doubt,  be  olitained  as  a  result  of  lower 
railway  rates,  and  the  more  general  applica- 
tion of  mechanical  plant  to  the  gi;tting  of  the 
mineral,  particularly  in  India. 

During  IJie  war  ferro-mangane.se  was  made 
in  many  countries  not  hitherto  producers,  and 
on  a  larger  scale  than  heretofore  in  the 
United  States,  so  it  is  probable  that  this  will 
influence  prejudicially  the  British  produc- 
tion of  ferro  alloys  by  the  imposition  of 
protective  duties. 

No  mention  is  made  of  the  use  of 
manganese  ore  for  the  production  of  carbon- 
free  metallic  manganese,  made  by  the 
thermit  process,  which  is  becoming  of 
increasing  importance  for  nickel,  copper,  and 
silver  alloj's. 

Under  the  title  "  World's  Production," 
some  interesting  information  is  given,  but 
the  estimates  regarding  costs  of  production 
of  Indian,  Brazilian,  and  Caucasian  ores, 
taken  from  Dr.  Termor's  book  published  in 
1901),  have  now  only  historical  value.  The 
three  Indian  deposits,  of  which  estimated 
reserves  are  given,  did  not  contribute 
appreciably  in  recent  years  to  the  output, 
and  other  properties  of  much  greater  im- 
portance e.xist  in  the  Central  Provinces  of 
that  country.  So  little  development  work 
has,  however,  been  carried  out  on  any  of  them 
that  any  estimates  must  be  only  approxima- 
tions, although  those  who  have  seen  the  ore- 
bodies  are  convinced  that  the  potential 
reserves  are  very  large. 

With  regard  to  the  Brazilian  deposits,  the 
principal  one,  Morro  da  ]\Iina,  has  been 
recently  acquired  by  the  United  States  Steel 
Corporation,  and  as  that  concern  requires  in 
periods  of  industrial  activity  upwards  of 
500,001)  tons  per  annum  of  manganese  ore  for 
its  own  consumption,  it  is  probable  that 
amount  will  be  obtained  from  the  deposit  in 
the  future. 

The  present  capacity  of  the  world's  steel- 
works is  about  100  million  tons  per  annum, 
which,  together  with  other  demands  for 
manganese,  will  require  in  times  of  good 
trade  nearly  3  million  tons  of  ore.  This  can 
easily  be  supplied  by  known  deposits,  if 
transport  arrangements  are  available.  At 
present  steel  is  only  being  produced  at  the 
rate  of  about  35  million  tons  per  annum,  so 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


159 


that  the  absence  from  the  market  of 
Caucasian  ore  is  not  serioush'  felt.  With  the 
return,  however,  of  favourable  trade,  there 
may  be  a  scarcity  of  rail  and  ocean  transport 
for  Indian  and  Brazilian  manganese  ore, 
unless  political  conditions  in  the  Caucasus 
become  more  settled. 

The  details  regarding  the  Sinai  deposits 
indicate  that  although  occurring  at  the  base 
of  the  Carboniferous  Limestone  series  the 
mineral  may  be  classed  as  a  manganiferous 
iron  ore  containing  about  40%  manganese 
and  15%  iron,  similar  to  that  of  the  lateritoid 
deposits  of  India,  Brazil,  and  elsewhere.  The 
West  African  deposits  at  present  known  are 
important,  and  it  is  probable  that  others  will 
be  discovered  in  the  district  as  the  forest 
coast  belt  is  cleared.  The  South  African  and 
Canadian  deposits  are  unlikely  to  provide 
mineral  for  export,  but  are  probably  of 
sufficient  importance  for  local  requirements  ; 
while  the  Australian  deposits  appear  to  be 
more  extensive,  although  in  many  cases  of  the 
lateritoid  type,  and  their  distance  from  the 
coast  and  Europe  precludes  export,  unless 
rail  and  ocean  transport  can  be  obtained  at 
low  rates.  Dr.  Termor's  classic  work  has 
been  drawn  upon  for  particulars  of  the  Indian 
deposits  and  analyses  of  the  ores. 

Of  the  foreign  sources  of  manganese  ore, 
Georgia,  South  Russia,  and  Brazil  are  the 
most  important.  The  Russian  deposits  are 
especially  valuable  by  reason  of  their  com- 
parative proximity  to  steel  producing 
countries  and  low  percentage  of  iron  contents 
which  neutralizes  the  disadvantages  of  its 
finely  divided  condition  consequent  on  its 
pisolitic  and  earthy  character  which  is 
undesirable  for  the  blast-furnace.  Owing  to 
the  chaotic  political  position  in  Georgia  it  is 
doubtful  when  the  mines  of  Tchiatouri  will  be 
in  regular  operation  again,  although  cargoes 
from  stock  have  reached  Western  Europe 
from  the  South  Russian  and  Caucasian 
deposits.  The  deposits  of  high-grade  ore  of 
the  Central  American  republics,  Cuba,  and 
United  States,  do  not  appear  to  be  very 
extensive,  as  no  great  development  of  them 
took  place  during  the  war  period  when  the 
incentive  of  high  prices  and  national  stress 
should  have  enabled  this  to  be  done.  Of  the 
Brazilian  deposits  in  Minas  Geraes  only  that 
of  ^lorro  da  Mina  has  extensive  reserves,  and 
is  capable  of  a  large  output,  although  several 
other  properties  can  produce  when  prices  are 
satisfactory.  ^ 

H.  K.  Scott. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

MELBOURNE 

June  30. 

Gold  Ste.alixg  ix  West  Austr.'^li.^. — A 
deputation,  which  included  representatives 
from  the  Primary  Producers'  Association, 
the  Chamber  of  Mines,  and  the  Mining 
Association,  waited  on  the  West  Australian 
JMinister  for  Mines,  Mr.  Scaddan,  earlj-  in 
June  for  the  purpose  of  urging  the  necessity 
of  steps  being  taken  to  cope  with  the  illicit 
traffic  in  gold.  The  deputation  was  intro- 
duced by  Mr.  T.  H.  Harrison,  M.L.A.,  and 
the  principal  speaker  was  Mr.  Richard 
Hamilton,  president  of  the  Kalgoorlie 
Chamber  of  Mines,  who  presented  a  Bill 
which  had  been  drafted,  not  with  a  wish 
to  usurp  the  functions  of  the  Jlinister's 
department,  but  to  save  the  Minister  a  lot 
of  time  and  trouble.  He  thought  the  public, 
and  perhaps  Parliament,  did  not  appreciate 
the  extent  of  the  evil  of  gold  stealing. 
If  as  much  value  had  been  stolen  in  wheat, 
steps  would  have  been  taken  to  stop  the 
practice.  The  price  of  six  bags  of  wheat 
could  be  stowed  away  in  a  man's  mouth 
in  the  form  of  gold  without  any  inconvenience 
to  the  man  ;  hence  the  difficulty  of  detecting 
the  thefts  ;  for  years  and  years  the  value  of 
100,000  bags  of  wheat  had  been  stolen  from 
mining  companies,  and  they  had  tried  in 
vain  to  get  prohibitive  legislation  passed. 
The  Minister,  in  reply,  concurred  as  to 
the  neglect  of  successive  Cabinets  to  deal 
with  the  matter.  The  matter  was  not  new, 
either  to  him  or  to  his  department.  He  did 
not  know  how  far  the  deputation's  draft  Bill 
would  meet  the  case,  but  he  would  have 
a  Bill  embodying  the  idea  prepar-^d,  and 
would  consult  the  Chamber  of  Mines  re- 
specting it.  He  could  not  promise  that 
it  would  be  put  before  Parliament  this 
session,  but  it  would  be  submitted  to  the 
Cabinet,  and  it  would  have  a  good  chance 
of  being  dealt  with  this  session. 

OuEENSLAXD  GoLD  MixixG. — The  official 
figures  for  the  month  of  May,  1921,  indicate 
that  the  production  of  gold  in  Queensland 
is  at  a  very  low  ebb,  probably  the  lowest 
since  gold  mining  has  been  a  recognized 
industry  in  Queensland.  The  chief  cause 
of  the  falling  off  was  the  closing  down 
of  Mount  Morgan,  no  gold  being  won  there 
for  the  month,  as  against  6,346  oz.  for 
;\Iay  in  the  previous  j-ear.  Industrial 
troubles  among  the  workers  account  in 
a  fair  measure  for  the  lessening  of  the  \-ield. 


160 


III 


MlNlNi.     MA(>.\ZlNi: 


and  scratchcrs  and  fossickcrs  are  not  so 
numerous  as  in  the  years  gone  by,  when 
they  were  hired  to  fields  of  iiossiblc  fortune. 
Last  month's  output  was  '2,077  oz.,  against 
8,132  07..  for  May,  1920.  Charters  Towers 
dropped  by  290  oz.  to  776  oz.  ;  Gymjiie 
increased  from  237  to  722  oz.  ;  Chillagoe 
from  173  oz.  to  267  oz.  ;  Etheridgc  and 
Oaks  fell  from  175  oz.  to  1-17  oz.  ;  Croydon, 
166  oz.  to  71  oz.  ;  Ravenswood  produced 
72  oz.  in  both  periods.  The  total  yield 
for  the  five  months  to  May  31,  1021,  was 
2-1,986  oz.,  being  a  decrease  of  11,701  oz. 
against  the  five  months  of  the  same  period 
in  1920.  The  dividends  for  the  five  months 
this  year  amounted  to  /-l.SOO,  against 
£49,663  for  the  same  period  last  year. 

Mount  Cuthbert  Copper. — During  the 
half  year  ended  February  28  only  03  days' 
actual  work  was  done  at  these  mines  north 
of    CloncurPi',     distributed    over    October, 
November,  and  December,  and  on  December 
18  the  mines  and  smelter  were  closed  down. 
As  costs  and  the  price  of  copper  have  not 
since  adjusted  themselves  to  give  a  working 
profit,  the  mines  and  smelter  remain  closed. 
The    amount    of    blister    copper    produced 
during  the  half-vcar  was  just  over  693  tons. 
Of   12.468   tons"  of  ore  smelted   about  half 
(6,285)    came    from    the    Kalkadoon    mine, 
the  Mount  Cuthbert  mine  furnishing  3,166 
tons,    the   Orphan   2,415   tons,    the   flighty 
Atom  510  tons,   the  Surprise  79  tons,  and 
the  Little  Wonder  13  tons.     Since  smelting 
was  commenced  the  total  of  ore  treated  has 
been  123,093  tons,  from  which  6,768  tons  of 
blister    copper   was    produced.     Before    the 
company's  own  smelter  was  put  up  13,099 
tons  was  smelted  at  ]\lount  Elliott,  which 
yielded    1,110   tons   of   blister,   making   the 
total   tonnage  smelted   136,192,   for  a  pro- 
duction   of    7,878    tons    of    blister    copper. 
No   fresh   estimate  has  been   made   of  the 
ore  reserves,  owing  to  the  limited  amount 
of  extraction,  and  these  still  stand  at  193,500 
tons    containing    13,245    tons    of    copper. 
These    figures   include    80,000    tons   in    the 
Kalkadoon  mine,  averaging  5%  of  copper, 
and   there   is,    in   addition,    35,000   tons   of 
limestone   flux  in  the  Kalkadoon  east  lode, 
averaging     2%     of     copper.     Only     509  ft. 
of    actual    development    work    was    done 
during  the  half  year,   but   the  results   are 
regarded  as  satisfactory-.     Chief  interest  lies 
in  the  developments  at  the  Orphan  mine, 
where,  at  the  100  ft.  level,  the  new  ore-body 
was  proved  for  a  length  of  231  ft.,  while  the 
south   end  was  still  undeveloped,   and   the 


average  width  was  about  20  (t.  (^n  the 
west  lode  tiie  length  of  the  ore  cxjwsed  was 
255  ft.,  and  the  lode  was  still  strong  in 
the  north  enil.  Tlu'  ore  in  the  north  drive 
is  regarded  as  payable.  At  a  depth  of 
175  ft.  the  south  level  was  325  ft.  in  fair 
ore,  and  the  face  was  in  ore  of  high  grade. 


PERTH,  W.A. 

A  iiisiist  1 . 
SuGGESTio.vs  FOR  I\EFORM. — "  The  early 
history  of  California,  New  Zealand,  Victoria, 
and  West  Australia  itself  have  strikingly 
illustrated  the  potency  of  discoveries  of  gold 
in  stimulating  the  flow  of  population  and 
capital  into  a  country.  The  gold-mining 
industry  has  been  the  main  factor  in  the 
progress  of  this  State,  and  the  Government 
should  I>e  urged  to  take  immediate  steps 
in  the  direction  of  bringing  about  a  revival 
of  that  industry."  This  is  the  preamble  of 
a  notice  asking  mining  men  in  West 
Australia  to  meet  and  formulate  a  series  of 
recommendations  to  the  Primary  Producers' 
Association.  For  some  years  representatives 
of  goldfields  constituencies  have  devoted 
their  energies  to  securing  benefits  for  the 
workers,  without  giving  any  consideration 
to  the  rights  of  the  owners.  However,  the 
general  depression  in  mining  has  wakened 
up  the  primary  producers  to  the  fact  that 
something  must  be  done,  if  the  mining 
industry  is  to  survive.  The  Chamber  of 
Mines  '  in  Kalgoorlie  and  the  Mining 
Association  in  Perth  have  been  co-operating 
in  this,  and  already  several  suggestions 
have  been  made  which  it  is  hoped  will  be 
introduced  to  Parliament  in  the  Session  just 
opened.  I  have  in  a  previous  letter  dealt 
with  the  evidence  given  by  various  mining 
men  before  the  Federal  I\oyal  Commission 
on  Taxation.  It  is  expected  that  an 
amelioration  of  some  of  the  anomalies  will 
be  secured,  such  as  the  taxing  of  prospectors 
when  they  make  a  find  and  on  the  taxation 
on  the  transfer  of  gold-mining  leases,  both 
of  which  are  grossly  inequitable. 

Gold  Ste.^ling. — A  gold  buyers'  bill 
has  been  prepared,  which  will  make  it  very 
difficult  for  the  receiver  of  stolen  gold  to 
dispose  of  it.  At  the  present  time  if  a  man 
has  a  mine,  in  which  rich  patches  of  ore 
occur,  he  can  augment  these  by  adding 
stolen  gold,  without  much  fear  of  detection. 
Under  the  new  bill,  if  such  a  mine  were 
suspect,  the  Warden  could  order  it  to  be 
sampled  and  secure  evidence  which  would 
enable  the  police  to  put  the  onus  of  proof 


SEPTEMBER,    1921 


161 


of  production  on  the  owner.  Recently 
one  such  man  was  caught  bringing  to  the 
mine  1,000  oz.  of  amalgam,  after  midnight. 
He  was  arrested,  convicted,  and  sent  to 
gaol  for  eight  months  and  the  gold  forfeited. 
The  new  bill,  it  is  considered,  will  go  a  long 
way  to  stopping  the  gold-stealing  evil,  in 
that  it  will  make  the  receiver's  risks  too 
hazardous  to  be  worth  taking. 

L.ABOUR  Questions. — The  Arbitration 
Court,  which  was  heralded  as  the  panacea  for 
all  troubles  by  the  workers,  has  resulted  in 
a  professional  class  of  advocates  whose  aim 
seems  to  be  to  keep  employer  and  employee 
apart.  It  is  now  suggested  by  the  committee 
who  waited  on  the  Premier  yesterday  that 
as  soon  as  any  industrial  trouble  arises  a 
conference  of  owners  and  workers  shall  be 
held,  under  a  chairman  to  he  chosen.  Each 
side  can  state  its  case,  and  in  this  round-table 
conference  it  is  felt  that  a  better  under- 
standing will  be  come  to,  than  if  the  case  were 
to  be  fought  on  the  present  lines.  It  is  only 
the  questions  which  cannot  be  mutually 
settled  that  will  be  heard  by  a  Supreme 
Court  judge.  It  is  suggested  that  he  be 
appointed  for  life,  and  thus  ensure  con- 
tinuity in  arbitration  work. 

The  writer  has  during  the  past  five  years 
been  in  a  position  to  compare  the  effects 
of  class  warfare  on  the  one  hand  and  co 
operative  working  on  the  other.  In  the  first 
the  costs  are  high,  and  neither  the  employer 
nor  emplo^'ee  is  satisfied.  In  the  latter, 
where  everyone  works  together  to  make  a 
success  of  the  scheme,  it  is  progressive  and 
financially  sound.  The  latter  are  men  who 
learnt  the  value  of  team  work  in  Gallipoli, 
Egypt,  France,  and  Belgium,  and  although 
some  of  these  men  are  crippled  they  are 
succeeding  where  other  industries  are  being 
damaged  through  want  of  understanding 
between  the  owner  and  worker.  Col.  Blackett, 
at  the  annual  dinner  of  the  Institution, 
sounded  a  note  that  will  echo  in  the  hearts 
of  mining  engineers  the  world  over,  when 
he  spoke  of  his  love  for  the  Durham  coal 
miner.  The  miner  individually,  whether 
he  be  a  coal  miner  or  a  gold  miner,  is  a  most 
lovable  man  ;  one  has  only  to  see  the  response 
to  an  appeal  for  help,  either  in  money  or  in 
service,  when  his  purse  and  his  life,  if 
necessary,  are  willingly  proffered.  It  is  the 
professional  agitator  who  is  too  lazy  to  work 
that  causes  all  the  trouble,  because  his  living 
depends  upon  keeping  the  owners  and 
workers  apart.  There  are  signs  that  the 
latter  are  beginning  to  realize  that  they  are 


being  led  to  destruction  by  the  Bolshevistic 
element  which  secured  control  of  the  trades 
unions  while  the  loyalist  workers  went  to  the 
war.  The  soldiers,  when  they  returned, 
wanted  peace,  but  find  they  must  now  fight 
the  enemies  in  their  midst  (who  stayed  at 
home),  if  the  industries  of  our  fair  land  are  to 
be  saved. 

Security  of  Tenure. — The  subject  of 
security  of  tenure  of  mining  leases  has  also 
been  given  attention.  It  is  suggested  that 
the  expenditure  on  development  work  on 
a  lease  shall  be  cumulative  in  the  matter  of 
exemption.  That  is,  assuming  £4,000  spent 
entitles  a  leaseholder  to  one  year  exemption, 
/20,000  should  entitle  him  to  five  years, 
and  mines  on  which  a  considerable  amount 
of  money  has  been  spent  may  not  be  payable 
under  existing  conditions ;  but  with  the 
exception  of  one  year  exemption,  even 
although  ;£100,000  may  have  been  spent, 
without  any  reward,  the  owner  is  at  the 
mercy  of  the  Warden.  If  he  fails  to  protect 
his  lease  for  one  day  it  may  be  jumped  by 
any  man  of  straw  who  comes  along. 
Wliereas,  if  the  owner  who  has  spent  his 
thousands  on  the  lease  knew  that  he  would 
be  sure  of  being  protected,  he  would  be 
much  more  likely  to  find  more  money  on 
the  lease  if  conditions  improved  than  the 
jumper  would.  There  is  no  equity  at  all 
for  the  leaseholder  under  the  present  Act  ; 
and  although  Ministers  have  hitherto  been 
unable  to  see  it  in  this  light,  perhaps  some 
future  Minister  may  be  convinced  by  the 
pressing  argument  of  loss  of  capital  to  the 
State  which  is  manifest.  A  number  of 
suggestions  have  been  made,  whereby  the 
leaseholder  would  have  rights  more  in  accord 
with  those  granted  to  holders  of  other 
property. 

Tributing. — The  result  of  the  hasty 
legislation  introduced  last  year  by  the 
Minister  of  Mines  rather  appropriately 
referred  to  by  one  manager  as  the  "  Tributers 
Extinction  Bill,"  has  been  that  the  com- 
panies will  not  renew  existing  tributes  nor 
grant  new  ones.  A  Royal  Commission,  with 
the  Warden  of  Kalgoorlie  as  chairman, 
a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Mines,  and  one 
from  the  Miners'  Union,  has  been  appointed 
to  inquire  into  this  question,  and  is  now 
taking  evidence.  It  is  hoped  that  some 
workable  agreement  can  be  come  to,  whereby 
instead  of  a  term  of  three  years,  which  can 
now  be  demanded  as  the  length  of  the 
tribute,  irrespective  of  how  impossible  it  may 
be  for  the  owner,   it  is  proposed  that  the 


lf.2 


Tin:     MIXING     MACAZINIC 


tribute  agreement  shall  be  subject  to  six 
months'  notice  of  termination,  which  is 
nmch  fairer.  The  terms  will  no  doubt  be 
made  more  equitable  so  that  after  the 
tributer  has  made  wages  the  owner  shall 
receive  a  fair  share  as  royalty. 

Haimpton  Pl.-vins.— Ives  Keward,  which  is 
situated  on  the  south  side  of  Lake  Lefroy,  on 
the  continuation  of  the  line  extending  from 
Boulder  through  Celebration  and  \\hite 
Hope,  is  being  reported  on  by  the  manager 
of  the  last-named  company.  It  is  a  big 
lode,  on  which  glowing  reports  have  been 
made  by  the  j)ros])ector  and  manager. 
The  report  by  this  well-known  mining 
engineer,  N.  E.  Giblin,  will  therefore  be 
looked  for  with  keen  interest,  as  it  may  mean 
another  big  mine.  If  so  it  would  be  an 
incentive  to  genuine  work  on  a  field  which 
was  born  in  a  boom,  and  its  development 
frustrated  b}'  companies  with  big  share 
capitalization,  but  little  working  capital. 

The  prospector  of  the  new  Monger  field, 
McCahon,  who  has  done  some  good  work 
on  his  lease,  has  cut  the  ^longer  Proprietary 
lode  at  a  depth  of  160  ft.,  and  it  is  said  to 
carry  high  values.  A  battery  has  been 
erected  on  the  field,  and  no  doubt  a  number 
of  rich  crushings  will  be  secured  from  pipes 
of  ore,  but  the  mines  are  not  suitable  for 
companies,  being  more  suitable  to  parties 
of  working  miners. 

The  reports  from  the  Celebration  recently 
have  been  anything  but  reassuring.  The 
lode  in  the  300  ft.  level,  occurring  as  it  does 
in  contact  with  the  jasper  and  porphyry, 
is  patchy,  and  dispels  any  doubt  as  to  its 
similarity  in  origin  to  the  lodes  at  Boulder. 
It  was  questionable  when  this  lode  was 
found  whether  it  was  derived  from  the  quartz- 
dolerite  on  the  one  wall  or  the  porphj-ry 
on  the  other.  Owing  to  the  oxidation  and 
alteration  of  the  lode  material  it  was 
impossible  at  the  100  ft.  level  to  say  from 
which  of  these  wall-rocks  the  gold  came. 
The  majority  of  mining  engineers  and 
geologists  who  inspected  the  mine  and  the 
field  were  of  opinion  that  the  lode  was 
identical  with  those  on  the  Golden  Mile. 
That  opinion  has  proved  to  be  wrong.  At 
the  same  time  there  is  no  reason  for  the  state- 
ments issued  in  a  recent  editorial  in  the 
Times  that  the  reports  were  made  by  "  two 
a  penny  mining  men."  It  was  the  very  fact 
that  several  leading  mining  engineers  in 
West  Australia  were  the  vendors  of  the 
Celebration  when  it  averaged  50s.  over  20  ft. 
in  width  that  caused  the  boom.     It  was  the 


hundreds  of  comp;mies  that  wen'  lloalici 
on  the  strength  of  this  jMoperty,  on  leases 
without  any  apparent  ore-bodies,  and  not 
accompanied  b\'  a  report  by  an  accredited 
mining  engineer,  that  was  the  greatest  mis- 
take. This  applies  also  to  the  mines  on  the 
Mount  Monger  field,  w'hich  was  condemned 
bj-  tJie  writer  in  these  colunms  right  from  the 
start. 

Flot.\tion  Axn  Repokts. — During  the 
war  comjianies  could  not  be  floated  without 
the  sanction  of  the  Federal  Minister  dealing 
with  this,  and  he  insisted  on  a  report  being 
made  by  some  reliable  man  as  to  the 
justification  of  that  company  and  its 
prospects.  Had  this  wise  war-time  measure 
been  retained,  onl}^  those  leases  on  which  a 
lode  carrying  reasonable  prospects  of  gold 
would  have  been  allowed  to  be  floated,  and 
the  numerous  wild-cat  companies  would 
never  have  come  into  existence.  Whether 
the  State  Government  will  take  this  lesson 
remains  to  be  seen  ;  probably  they  will, 
as  in  the  past,  say  it  is  not  their  business, 
but  this  it  surely  is  if  they  wish  West 
Australian  mining  to  regain  the  confidence 
of  the  investing  public. 

Oil. — There  was  some  wild  excitement 
in  Perth  recently  when  a  local  paper 
published  news  that  an  oil  flow  had  been 
struck  at  Bremer  Bay,  near  Ravensthorp, 
and  that  the  owners  were  claiming  the 
reward  of  £5,000  offered  by  the  Government 
for  the  discovery  of  a  payable  oilfield. 
Inquiries  elicited  the  fact  that  the  rumour 
arose  because  a  boring  plant  had  arrived  to 
test  several  points  where  good  surface 
indications  were  found.  Considerable 
Tertiary  and  Post-Tertiary  beds  exist  at  the 
back  of  Bremer  Bay,  and  it  is  here  that  the 
prospecting  work  is  being  carried  on. 

The  Assistant  State  Mining  Engineer 
(Mr.  Torrington  Blatchford)  is  still  in  the 
Kimberley  district  investigating  certain  oil 
indications  there,  which  had  been  reported 
to  the  Mines  Department.  He  has  sent  down 
several  samples  for  preliminary  examination, 
as  a  guide  to  his  Geological  Survey. 

Northern  West  Australia.  —  The 
Government  realizes  the  possibility  of  the 
great  Nor'  West  of  this  State,  and  have 
appointed  Major  Drake-Brockman,  an 
engineer,  as  a  First  Commissioner  to  reside 
there  and  collect  information,  with  Mr. 
Blatchford  as  his  mining  adviser.  Those 
men  who  have  lived  in  that  tropical  portion 
of  West  Australia  are  all  enthusiastic  as 
to  its  mineral  possibilities. 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


163 


TORONTO 

August  10. 

Porcupine. — The  gold-mining  industry 
has  entered  upon  a  period  of  prosperity  and 
expansion.  Labour  is  plentiful  and  efficient, 
and  operating  costs  are  being  steadily  reduced 
by  the  ado]ition  of  modern  methods  and 
devices.  The  gold  production  of  Ontario 
during  the  present  year  to  date  is  estimated 
at  about  §7,600,000,  of  which  approximately 
$6,700,000  was  the  output  of  the  Porcupine 
camp.  The  Dome  Mines  during  the  three 
months  ended  June  30  realized  net  profits 
of  §235,697,  being  at  the  rate  of  20%  on  the 
issued  capital.  The  grade  of  ore  taken  from 
the  lower  levels  is  much  higher  than  that 
formerly  treated,  rendering  possible  larger 
returns  to  the  shareholders.  It  is  officially 
stated  that  the  present  dividend  rate  of 
10%  per  year  will  be  continued,  and  that  any 
further  distribution  of  profits  will  be  in  the 
form  of  a  return  of  capital.  The  Mclntyre 
has  cut  a  vein  30  ft.  wide  stated  to  carry 
$20  to  the  ton  on  the  1,375  ft.  level,  which 
is  being  opened  up.  A  station  has  been 
cut  on  the  1,625  ft.  level,  and  the  sinking  of 
the  shaft  to  a  depth  of  2,000  ft.  is  being 
continued.  The  management  has  decided  to 
proceed  at  once  with  the  construction  of  an 
addition  to  the  mill,  increasing  its  capacity 
from  500  tons  per  day  to  1,000  'tons.  The 
production  of  the  Hollinger  ConsoHdated  is 
about  $800,000  per  month,  and  dividends 
of  1%  every  four  weeks  continue  regularly, 
the  aggregate  disbursements  for  the  year 
amounting  so  far  to  SI, 968, 000.  At 'the 
Porcupine  Paymaster,  situated  about  2  miles 
south-west  of  the  Dome,  development  is 
meeting  with  satisfactory  results.  The  vein 
is  20  ft.  wide  in  places  and  is  paralleled  by 
other  good  veins.  The  shaft  will  be  put  down 
to  the  400  ft.  level.  Lateral  work  is  under 
way  at  the  300  ft.  level  of  the  Beaumont, 
formerly  the  North  Davidson,  to  cross-cut 
promising  veins  indicated  by  diamond- 
drilling.  Development  is  being  undertaken 
on  the  Gold  Island  property  on  Night  Hawk 
Lake  with  A.  R.  Globe,  formerly  assistant 
manager  of  the  Hollinger,  as  manager. 
The  Allied  Porcupine  Mines  has  unwatered 
the  Three  Nations  mine,  which  it  recently 
took  over,  and  will  resume  underground 
work.  The  March  Gold  is  arranging  to 
instal  a  mining  plant,  surface  work  having 
been   attended   with   encouraging  results. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  Lake  Shore  during 
June  established  a  new  high  record,  with  a 
production  of  §52,539  from  the  treatment  of 


1,656  tons  of  ore,  being  an  average  recovery 
of  S31-73  per  ton.  Present  development 
work  is  being  carried  on  at  the  400  ft.  and 
600  ft.  levels  with  excellent  results. 
Dividends  of  2%,  have  been  declared  payable 
August  10  and  November  10.  The  Ontario 
Kirkland  is  making  good  progress  with  the 
construction  of  its  mill,  which  it  is  hoped  will 
be  ready  for  operation  this  fall.  A  new 
shaft  is  being  made  near  the  mill  site  by 
rising  from  the  300  ft.  level  to  connect  with 
a  shaft  started  from  the  surface.  The  grade 
of  ore  latterlv  taken  out  by  the  Teck-Hughes 
is  running  high.  A  new  grinding  and 
classifying  unit  is  to  be  added  to  the  mill, 
which  will  increase  its  capacity  from  100  to 
160  tons  daily.  The  Sylvanite  mine  is  being 
taken  over  by  the  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary 
(1919)  conjointly  with  a  group  of  American 
financiers.  The  unissued  80,000  shares  of  the 
]iresent  Canadian  Sylvanite  Co.  will  be 
purchased  for  1400,000,  and  the  company 
reorganized  with  a  total  capital  of  §3,000,000 
in  shares  of  §1  each.  Existing  shareholders 
will  receive  §2,000,000  in  the"  ratio  of  five 
shares  for  one,  and  the  remaining  1,000,000 
shares  will  be  held  in  reserve,  the  Kirkland 
Lake  Proprietary  and  the  American  group 
to  have  the  option  for  two  years  of  acquiring 
500,000  shares  each.  The  Wright-Hargreaves 
during  June  produced  over  §51,000,  though 
the  mill  lost  25%  of  possible  running  time 
owing  to  power  difficulties.  The  mill  is  now 
handling  150  tons  of  ore  per  day,  mainly 
development  ore.  Stopes  have  been  opened 
up  in  several  parts  of  the  mine.  At  the 
King  Kirkland  a  new  vein  7  to  10  ft.  wide 
and  heavily  mineralized  has  been  discovered 
by  surface  trenching.  The  drift  at  the  300  ft. 
level  of  the  Bidgood  has  been  in  ore  for 
upwards  of  100  ft.  Surface  work  at  the 
Wood-Kirkland  has  uncovered  several  veins, 
one  of  which  especially  appears  of  con- 
siderable importance.  Lateral  work  will 
be  undertaken  to  oit  these  veins  at  the 
100  ft.  level.  The  Queen  Lebel,  a  new  com- 
pany, capitalized  a't  §2,000,000,  has  been 
formed  to  operate  a  group  of  claims  on  the 
south-east  side  of  Gull  Lake.  An  8  ft.  vein 
has  been  opened  up  at  the  surface. 

Cobalt. — The  silver  -  mining  industry, 
though  still  depressed,  is  showing  more 
activity,  and  the  outlook  is  improving, 
owing  to  the  strengthening  in  the  price  of 
silver,  and  more  favourable  economic  con- 
ditions. It  is  still  handicapped,  however, 
by  high  freight  rates,  and  a  wage  rate,  which, 
notwithstanding    the    recent    reduction,    is 


10  I 


TIIF.     MIXIXC.     MA(,\/1N1 


higher  than  many  i)f  ihi-  mines  can  ]iay  willi 
a  margin  of  prolit.  The  Nipissing  dnring 
Jnnc  mined  ore  of  an  estimated  net  value 
of  $162,824,  and  shipped  bulhon  from 
Nipissing  and  custom  ores  of  an  estimated 
net  value  of  $208,526.  Tlie  prochiction  of 
cobalt  has  become  an  increasing  factor,  the 
output  of  this  metal  in  June  (included  in  the 
above)  being  S2o,o60.  The  mill  of  the 
Mining  Corporation  of  Canada  is  treating 
about  300  tons  of  ore  daily,  containing  an 
average  of  approximately  20  oz.  of  silver  per 
ton,  indicating  an  output  ,  of  about 
2,190,000  oz.  annually.  The  La  Rose  Con- 
solidated is  extending  its  operations,  and  has 
unwatered  and  resumed  the  development  of 
the  Violet  property,  adjacent  to  the  O'Brien. 
The  Hudson  Bay  is  preparing  to  resume 
milling  operations  for  the  treatment  of 
broken  ore  to  the  amount  of  6,000  tons. 
When  this  is  done  the  directors  will  decide 
whether  to  undertake  further  development 
or  close  down  the  mine.  The  Bailey  custom 
mill  during  July  operated  at  capacity, 
treating  4,043  tons  of  ore  and  realizing 
gross  earnings  of  $12,129.  The  shaft  on 
the  Waldman  property  of  the  Oxford  Cobalt 
is  down  50  ft.,  placing  some  high-grade 
and  a  substantial  quantity  of  milling  ore  in 
sight. 

Lightning  River. — A  rich  find  of  gold 
has  been  made  on  the  claims  of  the  Lightning 
River  Gold  Mines,  Ltd.,  in  Harker  Township, 
8  miles  south  of  Lake  Abitibi.  The  vein  is 
54  in.  wide,  with  free  gold  across  the  whole 
width.  The  richriess  of  the  ore  has  caused 
much  excitement,  and  a  rush  of  prospectors 
to  the  district  has  commenced. 

L.\RDER  Lake. — The  large  three-compart- 
ment shaft  of  the  Canadian  Associated 
Goldfields  has  been  put  down  to  the  350  ft. 
level,  and  cross-cutting  towards  large  ore- 
bodies  indicated  by  drilling  has  begun  on  the 
175  ft.  and  320  ft.  levels.  The  company 
has  been  able  to  effect  great  economies  in 
transport  by  the  use  of  a  caterpillar  tractor, 
capable  of  carrying  a  load  of  11  tons.  The 
Crown  Reserve  of  Cobalt  is  exploring  its 
Larder  Lake  claims,  and  has  uncovered  an 
important  vein  system. 


VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

August  20. 
SiLVER-LE.-\D. — With  the  exception  of  the 
activities  of  the  two  big  smelting  companies, 
both  of  which  are  being  operated  at  close 
to  capacity,  mining  in  the  Province  remains 
quiet,  although  there  has  been  considerable 


iiniirovemenl  during  the  past  nidulli.  'i'lie 
Granby  Consolidated  Mining  Smelting  & 
Power  Comjiany  is  turning  out  about  two 
and  a  half  million  pounds  of  copper  monthly, 
and,  judging  from  the  fact  that  the  com- 
])any's  engineers  have  examined  several 
silver-lead  properties  recently,  it  would 
appear  that  the  management  is  con- 
templating the  addition  of  a  lead  smelting 
and  relining  department  to  its  plant.  In  fact, 
there  would  seem  to  be  an  opening  for  such 
a  plant  on  the  northern  coast  of  British 
Columbia.  Great  activity  is  being  exhibiteil 
this  summer  at  the  Mayo  camp  in  Yukon, 
and  at  the  present  time  ores  from  there  are 
being  shipped  to  the  Selby  smelter,  on  San 
Francisco  bay,  a  very  expensive  haul  that 
is  made  possible  only  bj'  the  high-grade 
nature  of  the  ore.  More  tlian  two  thousand 
claims  have  been  staked  in  the  Keno  Hill 
district,  near  Mayo,  and  among  the  parties 
that  arc  developing  ground  there  are  the 
Yukon  Gold  Company,  and  F.  W.  Bradley, 
of  the  Bunker  Hill  and  Sullivan.  The  ore  that 
has  been  shipped  is  a  high-grade  silver-lead 
ore,  running  about  200  oz.  in  silver  and 
60  to  70%  of  lead.  Of  course,  there  is  a 
quantity  of  ore  of  a  mucli  lower  grade,  and 
the  Yukon  Gold  Company  is  contemplating 
the  erection  of  a  concentrating  plant  next 
3'ear.  This  camp,  together  with  the  Salmon 
River  and  Alice  Arms  camps  and  the  recent 
discovery  of  silver-lead  ore  in  the  Atlin 
mining  division,  would  seem  to  warrant  the 
erection  of  a  lead  smelter  on  the  coast  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Province,  and  no  one 
is  better  fitted  to  undertake  the  enterprise 
than  the  Granby  company,  wliich  already 
has  an  excellent  staff  of  trained  metallurgists 
at  Anyox. 

Premier  Gold. — The  Premier  Gold  ]\Iining 
Companj'  has  put  the  first  1 00  ton  unit  of  its 
combined  concentrating  and  cyanide  plant 
into  operation,  and  it  is  said  to  be  giving 
complete  satisfaction.  A  quantity  of  con- 
centrate has  been  sacked,  ready  for  shipment, 
but  at  the  present  time  the  condition  of  the 
road  between  the  mine  and  tide-water 
prevents  it  being  moved.  The  construction 
of  the  aerial  tramway,  which  will  be 
11|  miles  long,  is  being  pushed,  and  ore- 
bunkers  are  being  built  at  Stewart,  the 
shipping  point.  A  rather  wet  summer,  and 
consequent  soft  condition  of  the  roads,  has 
delayed  the  work  appreciably.  The  Fish 
Creek  Mining  Co.,  which  is  operating  a  mine 
on  the  Alaskan  side  of  the  international 
boundary,  has  sent  a  trial  shipment  to  the 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


165 


Sclby  smelter,  and  has  some  20  tons  of  ore 
sacked  ready  for  shipment  over  the  winter 
snows.  The  ore  from  this  mine  is  said  to 
be  similar  to  the  Premier  ore,  containing 
gold  and  silver,  and  having  an  assay-value 
of  between  SjOO  and  S600.  Like  the  Premier, 
too,  the  property  is  rather  inacressiblc, 
high  up  on  a  mountain,  and  for  the  present 
will  have  to  depend  on  winter  snow  for  the 
transport  of  its  ore.  The  Alaskan  Govern- 
■  ment,  however,  has  made  arrangements  for 
the  building  of  a  waggon-road  to  the  mine. 
Probably  more  than  100  tons  of  ore  will  be 
taken  from  the  property  during  the  coming 
winter. 

Dolly  V.\rdex. — The  Dolly  Vardcn  mine, 
which  produced  some  850,000  oz.  of  silver 
last  year,  is  in  litigation  once  again.  It  will 
be  remembered  that,  in  the  closing  hours  of 
the  1920  session  of  the  Provincial  Legislature, 
an  Act  was  passed  taking  the  mine  out  of 
courts  and  vesting  its  ownership  in  the  Taylor 
Mining  Company.  Among  the  liabilities 
that  the  Taylor  company  had  to  assume  was 
a  mortgage  on  the  property  for  S150,000, 
given  by  the  previous  owners,  the  Dolly 
Varden  ]\Iines,  Ltd.,  to  George  Wingfield, 
of  Reno,  Nevada,  who  was  president  of  the 
company.  This  mortgage  fell  due  on  July  31, 
and  Mr.  Wingfield  is  suing  the  Taylor  Mining 
Co.,  the  Taylor  Engineering  Co.,  and  Charles 
M.  Rolston,  of  Vancouver,  for  the  amount 
together  with  accrued  interest,  which  brings 
it  up  to  §182,322.  The  plaintiff  asks  for 
an  accounting,  for  foreclosure,  for  possession, 
and  for  the  appointment  of  a  receiver.  The 
president  of  the  Taylor  Mining  Co.  paid  a 
visit  to  England  last  winter,  it  is  stated  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  funds  for  the  erection 
of  a  concentrating  and  cyanide  plant  to  obtain 
more  economical  production.  No  announce- 
ment was  made  on  his  return,  so,  presumably, 
his  mission,  if  such  it  was,  failed.  Neither 
the  railway  nor  the  mine  was  opened  this 
spring,  but  a  few  weeks  ago  the  railway  was 
put  into  operation  for  the  purpose  of  shipping 
some  3,000  tons  of  ore  that  was  mined,  but 
not  shipped,  last  year.  A  little  development 
work  was  started,  and  this  has  resulted  in 
the  discovery  of  another  ore-bod}'-,  some 
20  ft.  above  the  old  workings.  The  extent 
of  the  new  discovery  has  not  yet  been 
determined,  as  it  is  covered  by  a  rock  slide, 
and  a  considerable  amount  of  work  will  be 
necessary  to  discover  its  extent.  A  sampling 
across  4  ft.,  however,  gave  an  assay  of 
.57  oz.  of  silver  per  ton,  while  picked  samples 
ran  up  to  267  oz. 
3—5 


The  C0NS0LID.A.TED  Mining  &  Smelting 
CoMP.ANY  is  maintaining  the  production  of 
lead  and  zinc  from  its  Sullivan  mine,  at 
Kimberley,  and  considerably  increasing  the 
production  from  its  Rossland  mines,  which 
contain  es.sentially  gold  ores,  with  just  about 
sufficient  copper  for  the  collection  of  the 
precious  metals.  The  copper  output  from 
the  smelter  will  be  small,  probably  less  than 
four  million  pounds,  but  the  gold,  silver, 
lead,  and  zinc  outputs  should  be  considerably 
in  excess  of  last  year,  as  the  total  tonnage 
treated  at  the  smelter  up  to  the  middle  of 
August  was  260,924  tons,  compared  with 
383,112  tons  for  the  whole  of  last  year. 
\Mth  the  exception  of  about  5,000  tons,  all 
the  ore  has  come  from  the  company's  own 
mines.  The  Consolidated  company  has  two 
surveying  parties  exploring  what  is  known 
as  the  Esquimalt  &  Nanaimo  land  grant,  on 
Vancouver  Island.  This  belt  of  land  was 
granted  to  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway  by 
the  Dominion  Government  in  consideration 
for  the  construction  of  the  railway,  the  Con- 
solidated being  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
a  subsidiary  of  the  C.P.R.  The  monopoly 
of  this  belt  of  land  has  deterred  prospecting 
on  the  Island,  and  last  year  the  Provincial 
Minister  of  Mines  took  the  matter  up  with  the 
C.P.R.,  with  the  result  of  the  present  survey, 
which  will  determine  exactly  what  ground 
the  company  desires  to  retain.  The 
remainder  will  be  turned  over  to  the 
Provincial  Government,  and  will  be  opened 
for  location. 

Other  Mines. — The  new  concentrating 
plants  at  the  Le  Roi  No.  2  at  Rossland,  and 
the  Ottawa  mine,  at  Slocan,  have  been  put 
into  operation,  and  are  said  to  be  working 
satisfactorily.  Several  properties  in  the 
Slocan  have  either  changed  hands  or  been 
leased  or  optioned,  and  a  good  deal  of 
development  and  explorative  work  is  being 
done,  but  little  actual  production. 

Lbionite.  —  Part  A  of  the  Summary 
Report  of  the  Canadian  Geological  Survey, 
which  has  been  issued  recently,  is  of 
particular  interest  to  British  Columbians, 
in  that  it  contains  a  report  of  the  limonite 
deposits  in  the  Taseko  valley,  in  the  Lillooct 
division.  Considerable  excitement  was 
caused  in  1919  by  the  announcement  of  the 
discovery  of  an  immense  deposit  of  limonite. 
W.  M.  Brewer,  one  of  the  district  engineers 
connected  with  the  Provincial  Department 
of  Mines,  was  sent  to  make  a  reconnaissance 
of  the  deposit.  From  such  a  reconnaissance 
he  was  rash  enough  to  make  an  estimate  that 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


166 

the    deposit    contaiiud    upwauU    of    seven 
nillion  tons  of  aetual  ore  and  l.fty  mill  on 
?o  s  of  possible  ore.     To  -"">■.  Ins  the 
Provincid  Department  of  Mmes  sent  1-.  J. 
C  o  sbnd.  an  independent  minmg  engineer, 
to    make    a    thorough    exammation     while 
the  Geological  Survey  sent  J.  D,MacKenzic 
or  the  same  purpose.    Both  engmeers  spent 
the  .Greater  part  of  last  summer  m  the  iu'ld. 
and  thet  esUmates.  ^vluch  agree  closely  plaec 
JSe  actual  ore  at  little  more  than  OoC^OOO  tons^ 
This  ore  is  distributed  m  isol'^ted  patches 
over  an  area  of  some  50  square  miles,  and, 
owing  "o  the  inaccessibility  of  the  situation, 
is  of  no  commercial  value. 


PERSONAL 


W.  H.  GOODCHILD  has  left  for  K.rldand  Lake 
°"r  "b    Gottsbfrger  has  been  elected  secretary 

^°c'f  L'EACH-has  been  elected  president  of  the 
Korth'^'o'-f     England     Jn^titute     of     M>nmg     and 

M°n,f,  a,r/S,,»;.n»,  Journal,  has  gone  to  Ind.a 
°°#  rMcDo^-"fNe.v  York,  has  been  tounng 
Germany  and  Fra^e^  the  position  of  secre- 

tary'to-th'johannesburl  Consohdated  Investment 

^"t'^ur'I^nce  Pitblado  has  left  for  Chile. 

k  CHARD   QUAKCB  has   left   for  West   Afnca. 

r    \    Richardson  is  here  from  Coba  t. 

A    T   Snelung  has  gone  to  Mongu,  Nigeria. 

G.  GORDON  THOMAS  fs  expected  next  month  from 

^'T"h   Tonking  has  gone  to  West  Africa. 

DAVID  WILKINSON  is  here  from  Johannesburg. 
\    Stanley  Williams  has  left  for  Mgeria. 
t' NORMAN  Wynne  has  left  for  the  Pahang  Con- 
solidated Company's  mines  in  the  Federated  Malay 

^*H^'h    YeiLL.  of  Bainbridge,  Seymour  &  Co., 
Ltd  '  is  'visiting  the  Shetland  Isles. 

°r"''ifi'?.°i°C*  Drv.DSO».  te.a  ol  the  Sire„o 


<h,ced.  His  most  important  '"vcnf""  ;  "f  , 
S  rocco  fan.  designed  for  the  purpose  of  drying  1h. 
U'vlcaf  '  1»^«' l'^'  started  the  manufacture  of  tins 
fin  and  .  thor  specialties  at  Belfast.  As  is  well 
!:^;:,.?nMie  Sirol^o  fan  has  '^'^^^^^^^ 
-K"nnn^'^e,i\^iat!:r^i^-lff^e'p.:^rfo^ 

-•-n!V'r::^E"Tai^.M^^'c^-v.     AS     briefly 

h°ea?t  f:?^url°  earned  him  oif  suddenly  ^H^^- 
He  came  of  a  familv  of  civil    engineers,  his  father 
hav'ng    been    associated    with     the    constructmn 
nf^  some  of  the  earliest  railways  m  England.     I'or 
?L    "eater   part   ol   his   career   he   was   engaged 
neold  mining,  but  in  his  earlier  years  he  gamed 
a   practica     knowledge   of   engineering   in   col  lery 
wo?k     Ins    first    responsible    post    being    a^    ch'^f 
survA-or  to  the  Pemberton  Collieries,  near  W  igan 
In    887  he  transferred  his  activities  to  gok  mimng 
l",m.  Ol  t  to  take  charge  of  the  Sucr6  g°W  mmes 
Tn  Colombia,   South  America,  which  P»^t  he  held 
f  .    tin    vears      He    then    went    to    Rhodesia    as 
m'nv-er    or  the  Rhodesian  Gold  Trust,  afterwards 
"ting    as  consulting   engineer   to  the  Charterland 
GoUrFields  and  the  Mashonaland  ASf">^y-^^^Y°f^ 
mai     *„    IQ.'IQ    he    was    on    the    Cold    coast    i" 
ha  .e  of    h     Prestea  Block  A.     For  />-■  following 
tref  years  he  was  engaged  in  exploration  w«k 
in    Mexico,    travelling    over    many    parts    of    the 

TS  tr  "ff  srs„"ri:*eer.r.i 
■G'Sr^f  f-rc.r  -■ss^^ 

S;Sy.n?L  ,?.  uLll  S.*»  0.1,  ..  .he  evening 


previous' to  his  decease. 

tradeTTaragraphs 

F    ^'^V^LK.xioN  &  pTriners.  LTD..  of  Hatfield, 
arf  m'akmg  "maU  vtind-power  electric  generating 

^'■^T^T  Reed  Cooper,  of  U,  TothiU  Street.  West- 
minste;,  has"i"sued  a  neW  catalogue  of  his  immersible 
electric  pumps.  Sheffield  are 

aelXd  a"nd^fllustra?e°d  -npneenn,  for  August 
>%rifrRDl^GE%CtNY.-of  New  York  (Londo 

t-i  iShlft^l^^Sing^-lk,  Sng  ^with 
eight-foot  ball-mills. 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


167 


The  Metropolitan- VicKERS  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,  of  Manchester,  and  4,  Central  Buildings, 
Westminster,  send  us  Circular  1790/1,  dealing  with 
motor  equipments  for  main  rolling-mill  drives. 

F.  W.  Brackett  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Colchester, 
have  issued  a  bulky  catalogue  dealing  with  air- 
compressors,  dry  vacuum  pumps,  wet  vacuum 
pumps,  plunger  pumps,  centrifugal  pumps,  and 
steam  engines. 

The  Ingersoll-Rand  Co.,  Ltd.,  has  been 
registered  at  Somerset  House  as  a  private  limited 
company  to  carry  on  the  English  business  of  this 
well-known  American  corporation.  W.  M.  Treglown 
is  chairman,  and  D.  M.  Armstead  is  manging 
director. 

Henry  Bath  &  Son,  Ltd.,  metal  and  mineral 
brokers,  of  London,  Liverpool,  and  Swansea,  send 
us  a  copy  of  conversion  tables  containing  factors 
for  converting  cents  per  pound  into  pounds  per 
ton,  according  to  the  variations  in  the  dollar 
exchange. 

Nobel  Industries,  Ltd.,  of  Nobel  House, 
Buckingham  Gate,  London,  S.W.  1,  send  us  three 
new  pamphlets  :  Blasting  in  Collieries  and  Hints  on 
Electric  Shot-Firing  ;  Blasting  Explosives  and 
Accessories  ;  and  Ground-Clearing  with  the  aid  of 
Explosives. 

The  BucYRUs  Company,  whose  headquarters  are 
at  Wisconsin,  U.S.A.,  and  who  have  hitherto  been 
represented  on  this  side  by  Messrs.  G.  F.  West  &  Co., 
announce  that  they  have  now  opened  their  own 
London  office  at  19,  Iddesleigh  House,  Caxton 
Street,  Westminster,  S.W.  1,  to  which  address  all 
communications  should  in  future  be  forwarded. 

The  Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,  of  Manchester,  and  4,  Central  Buildings, 
Westminster,  send  us  their  circulars  1,266/1, 
1,266/2.  and  1,254/1,  dealing  respectively  with  oil 
circuit  breakers  type  G2,  oil  circuit  breakers  type 
Gil,  and  the  breaking  capacity  of  switches  and 
circuit  breakers. 

Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stockton-on- 
Tees,  and  5,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  are  re- 
issuing their  catalogue  of  mining  machinery  in 
sectionalized  form.  The  sections  already  received 
deal  respectively  with  jaw-crushers,  crushing  rolls, 
grinding  pans,  Nissen  stamps,  the  Colorado  impact 
screen,  the  :Notanos  tube-mill,  the  Colorado  rod- 
mill,  the  Colorado  convertible-discharge  ball-mill, 
the  Akins  classifier,  the  Lowden  patent  dryer,  the 
Notanos  patent  rotary  dryer,  and  the  Skinner 
patent  roasting  furnace. 

G.  A.  Harvey  &  Co.  (London),  Ltd.,  of  Woolwich 
Road,  and  Suffolk  House,  Laurence  Pountney  Hill, 
London,  are  exhibiting  their  specialties  at  the 
International  Shipping,  Engineering,  and  Machinery 
Exhibition  at  Olympia  :  Perforated  metals  for  all 
industries,  with  over  3,000  designs  ;  colliery  and 
quarry  screens  ;  perforated  conical  slotted  copper 
for  sugar  centrifugals  ;  perforated  brass  radiator 
and  pipe  guards  ;  ventilating  panels  and  piping  ; 
storage  tanks  ;  steel  lockers  and  cupboards  ;  steel 
storage  bins  ;  heavy  mild  steel  hoppers  and 
cyclones  ;  transformer  tanks  ;  sheet  steel  and 
plate  work  of  all  descriptions. 

John  &  Edwin  Wright,  Ltd.,  of  the  Universe 
Rope  Works,  Birmingham  (London  office,  Salisbury 
House,  E.C.  2),  have  a  representative  show  at  the 
International  Shipping,  Engineering,  and  Machinery 
Exhibition,  Olympia.  The  exhibit  includes  highe.st 
quality  steel-wire  ropes,  for  the  engineering, 
marine,    mining,   oil    well,    and    logging   industries. 


including  locked  coil,  flattened  strand,  non-rotating, 
and  other  special  constructions  of  wire  ropes,  for 
winding,  sinking,  haulage,  bridge  suspensions,  aerial 
ropeways,  cranes,  elevators,  etc.  ;  also  running 
ropes,  cargo  hauls,  standing  rigging,  etc.  ;  high- 
grade  plough  steel  steam  ploughing  ropes  and  steel- 
wire  rope  slings  for  heavy  lifting  purposes  ;  specially 
flexible  high-grade  tinned  plough  steel  cables  and 
strands  for  aircraft,  etc.  ;  high-grade  cotton 
driving  ropes,  hemp,  manilla,  etc.  ;  ropes  and 
cordage  for  shipping,  crane  and  capstan  ropes, 
manilla  and  hemp  ropes  for  shipping  and  fishing 
industries. 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  course  of  values  on  the  standard 
market  in  London  during  August  was  fairly  steady 
until  about  the  middle  of  the  month,  when  an 
easier  tendency  w'as  noticeable,  and  although  the 
last  few  days  of  August  saw  a  slight  recovery,  values 
showed  a  loss  on  balance.  The  easiness  was  due  to 
a  wave  of  pessimism  which  appeared  in  the  market, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  certain  holders  were  tiring  of  their 
burden.  The  outloolc  was — as  is  still  the  case — 
very  obscure,  and  with  consumers'  demand  con- 
tinuing restricted,  the  situation  presented  very  little 
to  encourage  a  bullish  view.  In  the  United  States 
there  was  at  one  time  rather  more  demand  for  the 
metal,  but  sellers  immediately  put  prices  up, 
according  to  their  usual  habit,  \vith  the  result  that 
the  buying  movement  was  scotched,  followed  by 
a  rapid  weakening  in  values,  which  was,  of  course, 
reflected  sympathetically  in  London.  At  the 
moment  the  best  foreign  customer  of  the  United 
States  copper  producers  is  Germany,  but  the  recent 
depreciation  of  the  mark  has  had  a  somewhat 
restraining  effect  on  her  purchases.  As  regards 
the  position  in  England,  manufactured  material 
continues  in  poor  demand,  and  makers  report  that 
the  Continent  is  able  to  secure  a  substantial  pro- 
portion of  the  available  business.  It  is  hoped, 
however,  that  the  reduction  in  the  price  of  fuel 
will  assist  British  manufacturers  to  compete  more 
advantageously  in  the  near  future.  The  month 
saw  a  moderate  demand  for  sheets  from  India. 
There  has  been  much  talk  recently  of  Germany 
establishing  credits  in  the  United  States,  ana  should 
the  scheme  succeed  it  is  to  be  expected  that  exports 
of  copper  to  that  country  might  show  a  certain 
increase. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  August 
1921,i68  12s.  Sd.  ;  July,  1921,  j(;71  4s.  4d.  ;  August, 
1920,  /94  Is.  ;   July,  1920,  /90  5s.  6d. 

Tin. — The  standard  tin  market  in  London 
fluctuated  within  moderate  limits  during  August, 
but  the  trend  of  values  was  downward  until  the 
last  few  days,  when  a  recovery  took  place, 
apparently  on  speculative  buying.  In  the  absence 
of  much  genuine  consumptive  demand,  a  weak 
tendency  was  practically  inevitable,  and  the 
occasional  rallies  were  due  merely  to  bear  covering 
and  other  tactics  of  the  professional  operators. 
The  general  position  has  thus  shown  very  little 
change  during  the  month,  the  large  unabsorbed 
stocks  in  the  East  continuing  to  hang  over  the 
market,  with  an  unfavourable  effect  on  sentiment. 
One  reason  why  the  market  receives  so  little  support 
is  doubtless  the  fact  that  holders  find  their  existing 
stocks  a  sufficient  burden  without  adding  to  them. 
It  is  difficult  to  see  any  hope  of  a  sustained  improve- 


168 


TUK     MIN'ING     MAilAZlNi; 


Daily  London  Metal  Trices  :    Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  Long  Ton  | 


CorPKR 

Standard  Casb 

Standard  (3  tnos.] 

Electrolytic 

Wire  Bars 

Ucst  Selected 

August 

C     »- 

d.        C    s. 

d. 

C    s. 

d. 

C    s. 

d. 

£    ». 

d. 

C    s. 

d. 

c 

s. 

d. 

^  »^ 

d. 

c 

B. 

d. 

«  ».  d. 

« 

70    0 

0  to  72    2 

6 

70    7 

(i 

to  70  10 

0 

74    0 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

74 

0 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

70 

n 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

10 

70    2 

6  to  70    5 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  70  12 

6 

70    0 

0 

to  76  10 

0 

75 

0 

0 

to  75  10 

0 

70 

0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

11 

70    0 

0  to  70    2 

6 

70    5 

0 

to  79    7 

0 

75    0 

0 

to  76    C 

0 

75 

0 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

70 

0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

12 

00  15 

0  to  69  17 

6 

70    0 

0 

to  70    2 

0 

74  10 

0 

to  76    0 

0 

74 

10 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

69 

15 

0 

to 

71  15    0 

IJ 

69  17 

e  to  70    0 

0 

70    5 

0 

to  70    7 

6 

74    0 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

74 

0 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

(iO 

15 

0 

to 

71  15    0 

IC 

69  10 

0  to  69  12 

6 

69  17 

0 

to  70    0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

73 

10 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

69 

10 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

17 

CS    2 

6  to  68    5 

0 

as  12 

0 

to  08  15 

0 

72  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

72 

10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

C9 

10 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

18 

C7    5 

0  to  67    7 

6 

67  15 

0 

to  67  17 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

72 

10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

69 

10 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

19 

67    2 

6  to  67    5 

0 

67  12 

0 

to  67  15 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  73    0 

0 

72 

0 

0 

to  73    0 

0 

67 

5 

0 

to 

69    5    0 

22 

65    5 

0  to  66    7 

0 

(.6  15 

0 

to  06  17 

0 

71    0 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

71 

10 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

67 

5 

0 

to 

69    5    0 

sa 

60    0 

0  to  60    2 

6 

Oli  15 

0 

to  66  17 

6 

70  10 

0 

to  T2    0 

0 

71 

0 

0 

to  72    0 

0 

66 

0 

0 

to 

08    0    0 

24 

66  15 

0  to  66  17 

6 

67    5 

0 

to  67    7 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  72    0 

0 

71 

0 

0 

to  72    0 

0 

06 

0 

0 

to 

68    0    0 

25 

66    5 

0  to  66    7 

6 

06  17 

6 

to  67    0 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  72    0 

0 

71 

0 

0 

to  72    0 

0 

60 

0 

0 

to 

68    0    0 

2B 

67  10 

0  to  67  12 

6 

08    2 

6 

to  08    5 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

71 

0 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

67 

10 

0 

to 

69  10    0 

29 

67  17 

6  to  68    0 

0 

68  10 

0 

to  OS  12 

0 

70  10 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

71 

0 

0 

to  72  10 

0 

67 

10 

0 

to 

69  10    0 

30 

67  12 

6  to  67  15 

0 

6S    5 

0 

to  08    7 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0     72 

0 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

67 

15 

0 

to 

69  15    0 

31 

Sept, 

1 

07  15 

0  to  08    0 

0 

58  12 

6 

to  68  15 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

71 

10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

67  15 

0 

to 

69  15    0 

67  15 

0  to  67  17 

6 

08  12 

8 

to  OS  15 

0 

71  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

72 

0 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

67 

15 

0 

to 

09  15    0 

•f 

68  12 

6  to  OS  15 

0 

69  10 

0 

to  69  12 

6 

71  10 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

72 

0 

0 

to  73  10 

0 

69 

0 

0 

to 

71     0    0 

5 

68  17 

(i  to  69    0 

0 

09  15 

0 

to  69  17 

0 

73    0 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

73  10 

0 

to  75    0 

0 

69 

0 

0 

to 

71     0    0 

u 

08  17 

0  to  69    2 

6 

69  17 

6 

to  70    0 

0 

73    0 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

73 

0 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

70 

0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

7 

68  12 

6  to  08  15 

0 

69  12 

0 

to  69  15 

0 

n    0 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

73 

0 

0 

to  74  10 

0 

70 

u 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

8 

67    5 

0  to  67    7 

6 

68    5 

0 

to  68  10 

0 

72    0 

0 

to  74    0 

0 

72 

0 

0 

to  74    0 

0 

70 

0 

0 

to 

72    0    0 

9 

67    2 

6  to  67    7 

6 

68    2 

6 

to  68    7 

6 

72    0 

0 

to  74    0 

0 

72  10 

0 

to  74    0 

0 

08 

5 

0 

to 

70    5    0 

merit  in  values  until  there  is  a  broadening  of 
consumption,  and  while  the  tinplate  industry  con- 
tinues depressed  this  is  hardly  likely.  Continental 
inquiry  has  been  on  the  whole  disappointing,  and 
demand  from  the  United  States,  although 
occasionally  stimulated  by  the  falls  here,  has  also 
been  poor.  In  the  Straits  sales  have  been  made  in 
fair  quantities  at  about  the  London  parity,  and 
sellers  there  have  evinced  quite  an  eager  desire  to 
dispose  of  metal.  Batavia  sells  occasionally. 
China,  however,  has  continued  to  hold  aloof.  Some 
hopes  are  held  that  the  tinplate  industry  is  on  the 
eve  of  a  recovery,  owing  to  the  absorption  of  the 
war  stocks  of  canned  goods  and  the  fact  that  the 
relief  of  the  Russian  famine  will  entail  the  dispatch 
of  vast  quantities  of  tinned  meats  to  the  stricken 
districts. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  August, 
1921,  £155  8s.  4d.  ;  July,  1921,  /164  13s.  Id.; 
August,  1920,  ;£274  5s.  lOd.  ;  July,  1920, 
/262   Is.   5d. 

Lead. — The  London  lead  market  kept  remarkably 
steady  during  August,  and  closing  values  were 
very  little  below  those  at  which  the  month  opened. 
This  was  due  to  no  small  extent  to  the  fact  that, 
unlike  most  of  the  other  non-ferrous  metals,  there 
was  quite  a  fair  demand  from  consumers,  which 
helped  to  sustain  values.  This  fact  is  all  the  more 
surprising  when  it  is  remembered  that  lead  is, 
relatively,  the  dearest  metal  of  the  four  dealt  in 
on  the  London  Metal  Exchange.  Holders  of  the 
metal  have  not  relaxed  their  firm  attitude  to  any 
extent,  and  the  spot  position  has  remained  tight, 
aided  by  irregular  shipments  and  the  policy  adopted 
by  consumers  of  buying  for  prompt  delivery  only. 
There  is  a  fairly  general  opinion  that  arrivals 
.  from  Spain  are  likely  to  be  erratic  and  restricted 
for  some  time  to  come.  On  the  other  hand, 
reports  speak  of  greater  activity  at  the  Mexican 
smelters,  so  that  supplies  from  that  quarter 
should  be  on  an  increased  scale  in  the  near 
future.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  that  the  Govern- 
ment has  at  last  disposed  of  their  stocks  of  lead, 
estimated  at  about  10,000  tons.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  month  there  w-as  quite  a  fair  inquiry  from  the 


Continent,  but  later  on  demand  fell  away,  perhaps 
owing  to  American  competition  there.  In  the 
United  States  the  market  appears  to  have  a  quiet 
tone,  and  although  the  leading  ])roducers  have  made 
no  alteration  in  their  price,  lead  in  bond  can  be 
bought  at  less.  News  is  to  hand  that  the  Port 
Pirie  smelter  in  Australia  has  resumed  operations. 
The  smelter  in  question  was,  it  will  be  remembered, 
recently  burnt  down,  and  the  reconstructed  plant 
has  probably  less  than  half  the  roasting  capacity 
of  the  old  one,  its  maximum  being  about  3.000  tons 
of  concentrates  weekly.  The  actual  scale  of  working 
will  depend  almost  entirely  upon  the  activities  of 
the  Broken  Hill  mines. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  August,  1921, 
/23  5s.  Id.;  July,  1921,  /23  5s.  lOd.  ;  August, 
1920,  £36  Ss.  lOd.  ;    July,  1920,  /35  9s. 

Spelter. — Values  in  the  London  spelter  market 
had  an  easier  tendency  during  the  month,  despite 
a  slight  improvement  in  the  galvanizing  trade 
and  a  consequent  better  demand  for  spelter.  The 
easiness  appears  to  have  been  due  chiefly  to  the 
developments    in    the    Germ.an    situation.  The 

renewed  depreciation  of  the  mark  led  to  the  natural 
supposition  that  exports  of  spelter  from  that  country 
might  again  be  feasible  on  a  fair  scale.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  a  quantity  of  German  spelter  has  actually 
been,  sold  here,  but  there  has  been  no  selling 
pressure  from  that  quarter.  Other  producing 
countries  have  been  adopting  a  rather  reserved 
attitude.  Belgium  sold  a  little,  and  there  were 
offerings  of  Austrian  metal.  Norway  was  a 
prospective  seller  at  the  beginning  of  the  month, 
but  ceased  to  offer  later.  The  future  of  the  market 
is  largely  dependent  on  whether  foreign  holders 
are  able  to  finance  their  stocks.  Consuming 
demand  generally,  despite  the  improvement  above 
referred  to,  is  still  none  too  satisfactory.  In 
America  rather  a  better  trade  infiuiry  was  reported 
at  the  beginning  of  the  month,  but  this  appears  to 
have  failed  to  develop  into  a  serious  buj'ing  move- 
ment, and  the  position  there  continues  in  a 
deplorable  state.  Despite  the  efforts  of  producers 
to  keep  down  output,  stocks  continue  to  increase, 
being  now  more  than  90,000  tons. 


SEPTEMBER,     l')21 


169 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounee  :  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Zinc 

Stan 

DARD  Tin 

Silver 

Gold 

Soft  Foreign 

F.nglisii 

Spelter) 

Cash 

1 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

£      5. 

d.    C     s. 

d. 

I    s. 

d.  1  ^  ?. 

d.    f  s. 

d.  C     s. 

i.          C      s. 

d.  '  £   s. 

d.    £     s. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

Aug. 

23  13 

Oto23  7 

ij 

25  0 

0  23  17 

6  to  2il  12 

G 

1U2  10 

0  to  162  15 

0  1  164  10 

0  to  164  15 

0 

361 

361 

Ill  4 

9 

23  12 

6  to  23  5 

0 

25  0 

0  25  17 

6  to  20  12 

G 

159  5 

0  to  159  10 

0  161  5 

0  to  101  10 

0 

37 

36i 

112  7 

10 

23  10 

0to23  0 

0 

24  15 

0 

25  10 

0  to  26  5 

0 

157  0 

0  to  157  5 

0  138  111 

0  to  158  13 

0 

371 
375 

37S 

112  5 

11 

23  10 

0  to  23  2 

G 

24  15 

0 

23  10 

0to26  2 

G 

155  5 

0  to  155  10 

0  156  3 

0  to  150  10 

0 

371 
375 

112  1 

12 

23  12 

Gto23  fi 

0 

24  15 

0 

23  10 

0to26  2 

6 

155  5 

0  to  153  10 

0  156  10 

0  to  136  13 

0 

38' 

112  0 

15 

23  12 

6  to  23  5 

0 

24  15 

0 

25  2 

6  to  25  15 

0 

154  15 

0  to  133  0 

0  1  156  0 

0  to  156  5 

0 

38 

375 

112  4 

16 

23  12 

6  to  23  5 

0 

24  15 

0 

25  0 

0  to  25  S 

0 

131  10 

0  to  131  15 

0  1  152  10 

n  to  152  15 

0 

38J 

38t 

113  1 

17 

23  12 

6  to  23  2 

(J 

24  15 

0 

24  12 

6  to  25  5 

0 

151  10 

0  to  151  15 

0 

153  0 

0  to  153  3 

0 

381 

38 

112  6 

13 

23  7 

6  to  2i   17 

6 

24  15 

0 

24  12 

6  to  25  5 

0 

152  7 

G  to  152  10 

0 

154  0 

0  to  154  5 

0 

383 

3SS 

112  5 

19 

23  2 

6  to  22  12 

6 

24  3 

0 

24  12 

6  to  25  5 

0 

152  10 

0  to  152  12 

6 

154  5 

0  to  154  7 

6 

37} 

37j 

112  3 

22 

23  0 

0  to  22  10 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  10 

0  to  25  0 

0 

152  2 

6  to  152  5 

0 

153  15 

0  to  154  0 

0 

38 

373 

112  4 

23 

23  0 

0  to  22  7 

6 

24  3 

0 

24  7 

6  to  25  0 

0 

150  0 

0  to  150  5 

0 

151  10 

0  to  151  15 

0 

sst, 

33 

11111 

24 

23  5 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  13 

0  to  25  2 

6 

140  0 

0  to  149  0 

0  j  150  15 

0  to  151  0 

0 

3Si 

38 

111  4 

25 

23  7 

6  to  22  13 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  15 

0  to  25  5 

0 

152  0 

0  to  152  5 

0  '  154  0 

0  to  154  5 

0 

38 

375 

111  6 

20 

23  7 

6  to  22  13 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  13 

0to23  7 

6 

153  5 

0  to  153  10 

0 

155  5 

0  to  155  10 

0 

381 

87? 

111  4 

29 

23  5 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  17 

e  to  25  10 

0 

156  10 

0  to  156  15 

0 

158  15 

0  to  159  0 

0 

384 

375 

111  1 

30 

23  3 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24  5 

0 

21  15 

0  to  25  10 

0 

157  0 

0  to  157  5 

0 

159  3 

0  to  159  10 

0 

38? 

37i 

110  4 

31 

Sept. 

1 

23  10 

0  to  22  17 

6 

24  10 

0 

24  12 

6  to  25  10 

0 

154  10 

0  to  154  15 

0 

15R  12 

6  to  156  17 

6 

373 

373 
373 
384 

110  4 

23  7 

e  to  22  13 

0 

24  10 

0 

24  7 

6  to  25  5 

0 

150  15 

0  to  157  0 

0 

159  0 

0  to  159  5 

0 

38J 

109  8 

2 

23  5 

0  to  22  13 

0 

24  5 

0 

24  12 

6  to  25  10 

0 

159  5 

0  to  159  10 

0  i  161  15 

0  to  162  0 

0 

38? 

110  10 

5 

23  5 

0  to  22  15 

0 

24  0 

0 

25  0 

0  to  25  15 

0 

161  5 

U  to  161  10 

0 

1G3  15 

0  to  164  0 

0 

391 
38| 

38| 

110  9 

6 

23  7 

C  to  22  17 

6 

21  5 

0 

25  2 

6  to  25  17 

6 

161  17 

G  to  162  2 

6 

164  10 

0  to  164  15 

0 

110  10 

7 

23  2 

6  to  22  12 

6 

24  5 

0 

25  2 

6  to  25  15 

0 

159  0 

0  to  159  5 

0 

161  10 

0  to  161  15 

0 

382 

38i 
3S| 

110  1 

8 

23  7 

0  to  22  17 

6 

24  5 

0 

25  7 

6  to  25  17 

6 

156  5 

0  to  156  10 

0  1 158  15 

0  to  159  0 

0 

381 

110  1 

9 

Average  price  of  spelter  :  .August,  1921,  /25  8s.  ; 
July,  1921,  /26  12s.  ;  August,  1920,  ^'41  19s.  6d.  ; 
July,  1920.  /42  13s.  3d. 

Zinc  Dust. — Values  have  kept  very  steady. 
High-grade  Australian  is  priced  at  /55  per  ton,  and 
English  and  .\merican  92  to  94  "o  a"bout  £52  10s. 

Antimony. — Prices  were  unaltered  during  the 
month.  English  regulus  ordinary  brands,  £'37  to 
jf40  ;  special  brands,  £38  5s.  to  £42,  and  98°^  to 
99°o  ^29  to  /32.  Foreign  in  warehouse  is  steady  at 
/24  10s.  to  £25  per  ton. 

.\rsenic. — Business  has  been  very  quiet,  and 
producers  have  reduced  the  quotation  for  Cornish 
white  to  £32  7s.  per  ton  delivered  station  London. 

Bismuth. — The  leading  interests  continue  to 
ask  7s.  6d.  per  !b. 

Cadmium. — The  price  has  eased  to  about  5s.  9d. 
to  65.  per  lb. 

.\luminium. — Home  producers  quote  £120  for 
home  and  £125  for  export  business,  but  there  has 
been  some  foreign  material  offering  below  these 
figures. 

Nickel. — The  leading  producers  continue  to 
quote  £190  per  ton  for  home  and  export  business. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  quotation  is  still  15s.  to 
16s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — Business  is  quiet,  with  black 
oxide  steady  at  12s.  and  grey  unaltered  at  13s.  6d. 
per  lb. 

Platinum  and  P.\lladium. — The  market  has 
kept  steady.  Prices  are  :  manufactured  platinum 
.£20,  raw  £17  per  oz.  ;  manufactured  palladium  £20, 
raw  £15. 

Quicksilver. — The  trend  of  prices  has  been 
easier,  the  chief  interests  having  reduced  their 
price,  and  the  present  value  is  about  £10  5s.  to 
£10  7s.  6d.  per  bottle. 

Selenium. — Sellers  quote  10s.  fid.  to  13s.  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — The  price  is  steady  at  80s.  to  90s. 
per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  quotation  is  a  little 
firmer  at  £30  to  £32  for  home  and  export. 

Manganese  Ore. — There  has  been  a  rather 
easier  tone,  and  Indian  grades  are  nominal  at 
Is.  Hd.  per  unit  c.i.f.  U.K. 


Tungsten  Ore. — Business  is  dull,  with  the 
present  quotation  for  65%  WOg  at  13s.  to  13s.  3d. 
per  unit  c.i.f. 

Molybdenite.— Sellers  quote  37s.  6d.  to  42s.  6d. 
per   unit  c.i.f. 

Chrome  Ores. — The  price  has  been  steady  at 
£4  10s.  c.i.f. 

Silver. — The  price  of  spot  bars  on  .\ugust  2 
was  38|d.,  but  Chinese  and  Indian  selling  had  a 
depressing  influence,  and  the  quotation  sagged  to 
36Jd.  on  the  9th.  Subsequently  there  was  some 
Indian  buying,  which  carried  the  price  up  to 
38§d.  on  the  19th.  On  the  22nd  spot  bars- reacted 
to  375d.,  only  to  recover  to  38id.  on  the  24th. 
Towards  the  end  of  the  month  there  were  small 
fluctuations,  the  price  closing  at  37|d.  on  the 
31st. 

Graphite. — Quotations  are  nominal,  business 
being  rather  quiet.  Madagascar,  80  to  90%,  is 
steady  at  £20  to  £25  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  .\nd  Steel. — .\t  the  end  of  the  month  there 
were  fourteen  furnaces  in  operation  in  the  Cleve- 
land district,  and  four  furnaces  in  Scotland.  Pig 
iron  manufacturers  have  had  their  attention 
chiefly  riveted  upon  the  course  of  fuel  prices,  and 
are  anxiously  awa,iting  the  time  when  pig  iron 
production  can  be  resumed  upon  an  economic  basis. 
Coke  is  being  offered  at  35s.  delivered,  but  pig 
iron  makers  are  not  inclined  to  look  at  anything 
above  .30s.  The  official  home  trade  minimum  price 
of  No.  3  Cleveland  is  still  1205.,  but  sellers  ask  135s. 
Export  business  is  quite  stagnant.  Hematite  is  a 
more  active  market  and  supplies  are  scarce,  makers 
not  bein.g  disposed  to  resume  production  on  any 
large  scale  until  fuel  is  cheaper.  Prices  are  firm  at 
160s.  for  the  home  trade  and  150s.  for  export. 
British  steel  has  continued  under  the  influence  of 
Continental  competition,  but  German  works  are 
filled  now  for  three  months  ahead.  The  settle- 
ment of  the  ship  joiners'  strike  here  has  tended  to 
improve  the  home  position,  and  orders  which  were 
held  up  on  that  account  and  on  account  of  the  coal 
strike  are  now  being  placed.  .\n  all-round  reduction 
of  2ns.  was  made  in  home  trade  steel  quotations, 
but  these  are  still  dearer  than  Continental  supplies. 


170 


I  Hi;     MINING     M.\GAZINE 


STATISTICS 


Produciioh  or  Gold  in  ihk  Transvaal. 

,      Else- 
;      Rond          where           Total 

Price  ot 

]       Oj.              Oi.              Oz. 

Gold  per  or.. 

Julv,  1920 718,521 

Auijust 0S3,«U 

Srptfinlwr 6l>5.48t> 

OctolKT    Wfl.Cl'.l 

November   618.525 

December 617,549 

ToUl,  1920   7.949.038 

January.  1921  . . .  637.425 

Febru.ir>-  643.767 

March 656.572 

April 6l».309 

May    ,  671.750 

June 663.383 

July   I  673,475 


1 

s. 

d. 

17,678 

736,099 

105 

0 

18,479 

702,083    1 

113 

6 

16,687 

682,17:1 

115 

0 

16,653 

662.472 

117 

6 

15,212 

633,737 

117 

6 

14,666 

632.215 

115 

U 

204.587     8,153,625 


14,168 
14,370 
14,551 
16,073 
16,026 
16,107 
16,080 


651,593 

105 

0 

688,137 

103 

9 

671,123 

103 

9 

681,382 

103 

9 

687,776 

103 

9 

678,490 

107 

6 

t«<9,55:> 

112 

6 

Kativks  Employed  in  tub  Transvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
mines 


Co.il 
mines 


Diamond 
mines 


ToUl 


July  31,  1920 174,187 

August  31    169,263 

September  SO   163,132 

October  31 1.59,426 

November  30 158,773 

December  31 159,671 

January  31.  1921   ...  165,287 

Februm-28    171,518 

March  31    174,364 

April  30  172,826 

May31  i  170,595 

JuneSO   168,152 

July31 '  160,999 


13,005 
13,635 
13,716 
13,858 
14,245 
14,263 


4,521 
4,244 
4,823 
4,214 
8,504 
3,340 


191,713 
187,042 
181,171 
177,498 
176,.522 
177,274 


14,541 
14,697 
14,906 
14,908 
14,510 
14,704 
14,688 


3,319 
1,612 
1,3(U 
1,316 
1,302 
1,317 
1,246 


183,147 
187,827 
190,634 
189,050 
186,407 
184,173 
182.9.33 


Cost  and  Profit  on  tue  Rand. 

Compiled    from   official    statistics   puMished    by    the    Transvaal 
Ch.imbcr  of  Mines. 


Tons 

Yield 

cost 

profit    1 

working 

milled 

per  ton 

per  ton 

per  ton 

profit 

s.   d. 

s.   d. 

s.  d. 

£ 

Julv,  1920  . 

.    2.194.030 

33    6 

24    6 

9    0 

953,058 

August    . . . 

.    2.0.57.5(50 

Sti  11 

25    0 

U  11 

1,226,906 

September  . 

.    1.9.")O.410 

SS  U 

25    6 

13    5 

1,276,369 

October  ... 

.    1.871.140 

39    9 

2()    1 

13    8 

1,278,385 

November  . 

.    1.799.710 

40    2 

20    S 

13    1 

1,255,749 

December  . 

.    1.797.970 

39  11 

26    8 

13    3 

1,193,672 

January.  IS" 

n   1.895.235 

35    0 

20    8 

8    9 

829,436 

February  . . 

.    1.576,320 

35    6 

2S    6 

7    0 

6.50,974 

March   .... 

.    1,958,730 

34    5 

26    I 

8    4 

813,036 

April     .... 

.    1,991,815 

34    5 

25  10 

8    7 

854,533 

May  

.    1,955,357 

35    3 

26    2 

9    1 

839,520 

June 

.!  1,966.349  1 

85  10 

25  10 

10    U 

979,769 

Trahsvaal  C.oLn  Oiitpi'ts. 
June 


Treated 
Tons 


-- 


Aurora  West. . . . 

Brakpan 

City  Deep    

Cons.  LanRlaaitte   

Cons.  M.iin  Reef 

Crown  Mines 

D'rb'nRoodepoortDeep 

F.-ist  Kami  P.M 

Ferrcira  Deep   

Geduld 

Geldenhtiis  Deep 

Glynn's  Lydcnburg    ... 

Goch 

Government  G.M.  Areas! 

Kleinfontcin    

Knight  Central | 

Langlaa^tc  Kstate   .... 

Luipa.ird's  Vlei 

Meyer  .S:  Charlton 

Mo.idcrfontcin 

Modd»*rfontein  B    

Motlderfontcin  Deep  . . 
Modderfontein  East. . . . 

New  Unitied    

Xourse   

Primrose    

Randlontein  Central    . . 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodcpoort  United    . . . 

Rose  Deep 

.Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs     

Sub  N  igel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  RiTi    

Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep   

West  Hand  Consolidated 
\\itw'tersr"nd  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhutcr 


10.640 
63,700 
85,500 
44.300 
49,200 

190,000 
27,000 

123,500 
32,300 
44,500 
45,668 
3,3K) 
17,300 

129,000 
48,900 
28,100 
40,200 
21, .550 
13.000 
06,000 
67,500 
42,600 
24,100 
11,200 
42,000 
21,600 

123,500 
42,000 
56,300 
22,200 
53,500 
61,400 
41,500 
9,500 
15,690 
32,200 
51,000 
47,000 
32,000 
37,400 
34,391 
32,600 


Yield 
Oz. 


iC15,182« 
20,971 
36,128 

£07,905« 
16,866 
64,837 
9,195 
33,034 
10,020 
14,815 
12,423 
£7,710: 

£19,946* 

£275,556* 

13,795 

68,816 

£a5,700« 

£26,8011* 

£41.0;** 

45,103 

32,556 

23,884 

9,753 

£13,571* 
13,5fil 

£23,814* 
£201,427* 
7,905 
17,404 

£24,434* 
13,876 
14,136 
18,806 
6,698 

£23,28"'* 

£144,526* 

15,212 

£48,802 

£53,995 

9,513 

7,842 


July 


Treated 
Tons 


Yield 
Oz. 


10,080 
58,000 
84,000 
42,300 
50,700 
201,000 
I  27,4(» 
127,000 
1  32,300 
45,300 
51,387 
'  3.630 
'  17,000 
I  140,000 
60,100 
28,600 
40,300 
22,.560 
13,500 
96,000 
69,000 
42,500 
20,350 
11,500 
43,400 
22,000 
127,000 
38,000 
60,200 
22,600 
54,400 
57,500 
40,000 
10,000 
16,010 
33,400 
49,300 
50,000 
32,000 
37,700 
81,759 
33,500 


£15,K23t 
21,909 
35,578 

£71,0731 
17,660 
69,092 
9,448 
34,252 
10,022 
15,655 
13,324 
£7.1.535 

£20.441t 
£2»7.622t 
13,743 
6,761 

£6Si,991t 

£31,484t 

£42,7151 
46,454 
33,047 
23,978 
10,172 

£13,536t 
13,.n01 

£20,31  r,t 
£211,792t 
7,571 
17,7.59 

£25,514t 

1.3,292 

13,251 

18,572 

5,461 

£25,8785 

£50,7301 

£148,588t 

16,152 

/;49,712t 

£52,862t 
9,178 
8,278 


'  Gold  at  £5  7s.  (M.  per  oz.     t  £5  12s.  6d.  per  oz. 
§  £5  1  Is.  iicr  oz. 


J  £5  6s.  per  oz. 


Rhodesian  Gold  OuTPtrrs. 


June 


July 


Ton.- 


Oz. 


Tons 


Oz. 


Cam  &  Motor   

FhIcou    

Gaika   

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo    

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planct'.\rcturus   

Rezende  

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva   

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian 


11,700 

15,572 

3,406 

6,185 

l.StK) 

2.437 

6,350 

5,700 

5,700 

528 

50,300 

1,550 


3,661 

3,38i;i 

1,271 

5,386 

485 

£3,051 

5,280 

2,4,38 

2,5-17 

279 

£43,9465 

£5,063t 


12,800 

15,718 

3,701 

6,079 

1.500 

2,409 

5,400 

5,840 

6,850 

338 

54,150 

1,5.50 


4,060 

3,425* 

1,242 

5.892 

483 

£3.170 

5.180 

2.689 

2,582 

346 

£41,50(^ 

I   £4.400t 


*  Also  243  tons  copper.       t  At 
5  Gold  at  £5 


par.  n  Also  268  tons  copper. 

10s.  per  oz. 


PRODDCTioti  OP  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1U2U 


1921 


January  . . . 
February  . . 
March    . . . . 

April    

May 

June 

July 

August 

September  . 
October  ... 
November  . 
Decemt>er  . 

Total   . 


£ 
211,917 
22l>,SS5 
2L'5,a« 
213,160 
218,057 
214,215 
214,919 
207,3.39 
223,719 
204,184 
186.462 
15S,S35 


2.409,40^ 


oz. 
43,428 
44,237 
45,779 
47,000 
46,206 
45,054 
46,208 
48,740 
4,S47I 
47,343 
46,782 
46,190 


B.'>2.49S 


or. 
46.950 
40.S1G 
Sl,«':. 
47.858 
48,714 
49.400 
61.564 


323.399 


West  Aprican  Gold  Otnpors. 


June 


July 


Treated 

Vahie 

Treated 

Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Abosso  

Akoko 

AshanU  Goldfields  

Eastern  .\kkim 

Obbuassi   

Tons 
6,550 
6,305 

6,692 

"^9 
7,177 
2.700 

•  Oz. 
00,957* 
2.090 

6.626 

£2.555t 

£13.091* 

1.729 

Tons 
7.200 
6,767 

7.OT7 

901 
8.093 
3,000 

Or. 

£12.476* 

2,278 

6,085 
85 

£2,")74» 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah  

£13,m>6* 
1,823 

'  At  par.        t  Including  premium. 


SEPTEMBER,    1921 


171 


Wesi  Ai-siKAiiAS  Gou>  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Indiak  Gou>  Outputs. 


Reported     DeUveied 

for  Export      to  Mint 

Oz.  Oi. 


Total 
Oi. 


Total 

Vaiue  £ 


Noi-ember.  1920. . .  1;S> 

Dectmbei 321 

lanuaiT.  1921 523 

i^ebruarr   6S4 

March..' 10 

April 607 

Mav 474 

June 153 

Julv '  l.etl 

August IIQ 


51.729 

54.So7 

2c3,C17 

53,oJ6 

.^3,916 

229,C67 

50.^4 

51.457 

21S.574 

26.S72 

27,556 

117,050 

47,S75 

47,585 

2te.401 

46,60e 

47,209 

StW.cSo 

47,63S 

51,503 

217,435 

2S,194 

2S,»47 

iai,410 

+4,917 

4ti,55S 

197,774 

51,731 

51,Sil 

220,2'.io 

.\t«TjuaxAX  Gold  OtrrFtrrs. 

West 

Australia 

Victoria 

j  Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

or. 

or. 

oz. 

/ 

January  . 

51,4JS 

4,5S7 

4.0S2 

a->.4G3 

Februarv. 

27,557 

ia940 

9.046 

21.575 

Maitjl  ... 

47,8SC 

12,3S3 

6,690 

24,344 

April  .... 

47,273 

5,954 

2.591 

S4.1v>l 

May    .... 

4S.113 

10.2SO 

2.0:7 

15,S?6 

June 

2S.347 

— 

— 

11.S40 

July 

— 

— 

— 

16.416 

August... 

— 

— 

— 

l'i410 

September 

— 

— 

— 

October    . 

— 

— 



— 

November 









December 

— 

— 

— 

— 

250,634 


44,145 


24,966 


144,095 


AvsntAuisiAK  G«u>  Ootputs. 


June 


July 


.Associated  G.M.  ,W.A.) 

Blackwater  (X.Z.)    

BuUSnch  (W.A.) 

GoM'n  HorsesliM  (W^_\) 
Grt  Boulder  Ptol  (WA.) 

Iv-anhoe  (W j\.) 15,425 

KalsurU  vW_A.t    

Lake  View  &  Star  (W„\.) 
Menries  Con.  iW..\.>  . . 
Mount  Eoppy  iN.S.W.) 
Orora  I  inks \W..A.)  . . . 

Progress  iN.Z.l 

Sons  oi  Gwalia  (W.A.) 
South  KalgurU  {WW.)  . 

Waihi(N.Z.) 


Tons 

Value  £ 

Tons 

Value  £ 

5,962 

7,C5.S!! 

5,f«2 

8,329!! 

2,927 

6,299* 

2,S09 

5.173* 

10,033 

5,2o3{  ' 

10,224 

5,332{ 

8,743 

27,322;! 

9,1SS 

28,7121! 

15,425 

5,ceSJ  I 

15,106 

5,634: 

1.572 

4,371!; 

2.370 

4.238;! 

6.3«» 

15,225t,i 

6,582 

14,625»11 

2.070 

4,300* 

1,079 

5,511 

2,166 

5S0: 

2,4C4 

93St 

1,397 

7,429tll 

1.330 

7,113tt1 

June 


July 


Balashat    

Champion  Reef  . . 

Mysore 

North  Acantapor 
Nundydroog  . . , . 
OoregTim 


Tons 

Fine 

Tons 

Fins 

Treated 

Ounces 

Treated 

Ounces 

3,2CO 

2.342 

3,300 

2,361 

11,988 

4.667 

12^50 

4.713 

17.243 

10.506 

17,090 

10,517 

700 

913 

70O 

90S 

S.916 

5,304 

9,048 

5,337 

12.900 

a  475 

12.900 

8.439 

Proddction  of  Golo  Kt  India. 


1917 


1918 


1919 


1920 


irat 


Oz. 

Januarv- 44,718 

February  . . .  42.56C 

March    44,617 

.-^pril    4.%726 

3Jav 42,901 

June 42,924 

Julv 42,273 

August 42,591 

September  . .  43,207 

October 43,041 

November  . .  42.915 

December   ..  44,SS3 


Oz. 
41,420 
40,7S7 
41,719 
41,504 
40,889 
41,264 
40,229 
40,496 
4a06S 
39,472 
36.984 
40,149 


Oz. 

38,184 
36,3&t 
38,317 
38,248 
38,608 
38,359 
3S,>19 
37.850 
36,813 
37,138 
39.628 
42,613 


Oz. 
39,073 
38,872 
38,760 
37,307 
38.191 
37,861 
37,129 
37,373 
35,497 
35,023 
34.522 
34.919 


Oz. 
34,02s 
S2.R29 
32,576 
32,363 
32,«50 
32,207 
32,278 


Total  . 

.  .saases    |48S>.^6    I461.171    1444.532 

'228,647 

Base  Mgtal  Otnpins. 

June 

July 

..  Grand  Junc'n  {N.Z,) 
Vuanmi  OV--V,) 


11.364 

13,3(i2|| 

5.700  { 
1.666 


1S,663!| 
4,00« 

36.098$ 
1,730J: 
5,7921 
4,513* 


7.857 

13.%0 

5.570 


Broken  Hill  Prop 

Broken  Hill  South  . . . 
Burma  Corporation . . . 

Hampden  Cloncurry    . 
Mount  Lyell      


Mount  Morgan 

1     12.4SS!!; 
(       4.033* 
\\   42.3841 
I  1      1,55SJ 
I       4,341  § 


premium  :      t  Including     royalties  ; 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   1|  At  par. 


.\rizona  Copper Short  tons  copper    . . . 

r  Tons  lead  cone.    . . . 

British  Broken  Hill   ...     Tons  zinc  cone 

Tons  carbonate  ore 

Tons  lead  cone.    

>  Tons  zinc  cone 

Tons  lead  cone 

'  Tons  rehned  lead    . . 
•  Oz.  refined  silver   . . 

Tons  copper    

Oz.  gold   

Tons  copper    

Oz.  silver  

Or.  gold   

Tons  Copper 

Oz.  gold    

North  Broken  Hill ,  J^^^^ »-;:::: ; 

Rhodefua  Broken  Hill     Tons  lead 

Sulphide  Corporation  . .  -!  S°!  ^^^  ^^J"     •  * " 
"^  ^  ( Tons  zmc  cone 

Tanganv-ika Tons  copper 

f  Tons  zinc  cone 

1  Tons  lead  cone.     . . . 


2,533 
2.323 


:  Oz.    goU  ;   I   Zinc  Corporation 


451 

14.316 

2S0 


1,569 
3,222 
5,320 
2.736 
9,315 


4,709 

3,239 

302,499 


446 
14,479 

3S5 


1,200 
1.170 
1,575 
2.183 
3,671 
3,189 
9.195 
925 


KlSCEULANEOtJS  GOLD  AKD  SiLVSR  OUTPITTS. 


June 


July 


Value  £       Tons       Value  £ 


Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia)  —  3605  —    1        51^t 

Cascalho  (Brazill —  —     I         —  32j-f 

Chuquit-imbo  (Peru) 1,200    1      1,000*      1,400  !      1,000* 

El  Oro  i.Veiico)    34.500    !  2O9.00Ot'    31.730    19S,C0Ot 

Esperanza  (Menco)    —       ,       32VtJi         —  698*; 

Frcntino  &  BoUvia  (C'lbia)  2,340  '  ia737*  ■  2,130  ;  10,106* 
Meiico  ElOto  (Meiico)..     11.510       lS2,070t         —  — 

.Miniag  Corp.  oi  Canada    .'      3,201      114,28^         —  — 

Oriental  Cons,  i Korea)  ...  —       ;    94,00Ot:         —     '     S3.000t 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)   6.400         2,409(!      7.5C0  2.503;| 

Plym"th  Cons.  iCalifmJa  8.000  8.120  7,200  8,704 
St.  John  del  Rev  (Brazil).  —  40,000*         —  40 000* 

Santa  G-rtrudis  (Meiicc)     36,6Ce    ,   14,298?    38,250       13,968; 

Tolima  (Colombia)  —  —  —  — 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    18,500         58,000t     16.000        61,C00t 

*  .\t  par.  t  U.S.  Dollars.  {  Profit,  goM  and  sih-er.  |l  Oz.  gold. 
§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.  ••  Producuon  of  silver  ore.  ^tOz,  gold, 
also  155  carats  oi  di.iaiond>.         ;;  Eight  weeks  to  .August  iu. 

J§  Oz.  silver. 
Neehi  (Cofcmbia)  :  13  days  to  .August  3,  128,330  from  90,7Gl1  cu.vd.; 

19  da\-s  to  .August  22,    $21,978  trom  117.760  cu.  vd. 
Pato(Cok>mbia):lSda>-5to.Augustl2,  523,3921rom  116,90301.  vd.; 

12  da>-s  to  .August  24,  ?22,55r  from  91.(J99  cu.  >-d. 


IsipORTS  OF  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  U.t ited  KiscroM. 


June 


July 


Coal Tons    .;     1.390,824  1,389,981 

Iron  Ore  Tons.!         34,209,  14,857 

Manganese  Ore    Tons   .;  8,334  4,789 

Copper  and  iron  Pvrites   Tons   .  3,881  2,933 

Copper  Ore.  .Matte,  and  Prec Tons    .  1,373  689 

Copper  Metal     Tons    .  8,542  2,534 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons   .  2,174  1,003 

Tin  Metal..    Tons   .  965  2.1SS 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet Tons   .  12.1CG  12,718 

Zinc  (Spelter) ..Tens   .  2,593  2,743 

Qmcksaver Lb.      .  385.528  343,176 

Zin:  Oxide Tons  .  340  350 

White  Lead     Cvvt.    .  4.323  7,884 

Barytes,  ground    Cwt.    .  12,187  20,490 

Phosphate     Tons   .  13.875  8,561 

Sulphur Tons   .  3  ■ — 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt.    .  19,800  23,130 

Petroleum 

Crude    ..   GaUons  7.137.546  13,271,705 

Lamp  Oil      Gallons  16,939.260  12,940,684 

Motor  Spirit GaUons  16,390.608  13,952,940 

Lubricating  Oil   Gallons  1,953.902  3,545,107 

GasOU Callous  7,181,277  12,666,628 

Fuel  Oil    Gallons  54.321.777  64.079,313 


Till-:     MlNlNc;     MAi.AZINl-: 


Oi'TFVTS  Of  Tin  Mining  Coufanirs. 
In  Tous  of  CoQcentnitr. 


Nigeria  : 
Asfodnted  Nigerian    . . . . 

Disichi  

nongwclli  

Champion  (Nlgerin)  ...   . 

Due  

Ex-Lands   

Filani 

Gold  CMst  Consolid.iled 

Gunim  River  

Jantar 


Kadiina 

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kane 

Kctii  Consolidated    

Lower  Bisicbi 

Lucky  Chance    

Minna    

Mongu  

Naraputa ' 

Naraguta  Extended    ' 

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  Hauchi 

Offin  River , 

Rayfield    ' 

Ropp 

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru 

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri  

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang 

Gopeng   

Idris  Hydraulic 

Ipoh 

Kamuntiog 

KinU I 

Lahat ! 

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang     

Rambiitan    

Sungei  Besi    

Tekka    

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Cornwall : 

East  Pool  

Geevor 

South  Crofly    

Other  Countries : 

Aramayo  Francke  (Bolivia)  . 

Berengiiela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (TasiBania)    

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam)  . . 

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal)  .... 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rnoiberg  Minerals{Transvaal) 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)  

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)  . . . 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)  , 


M^y 


Tons 
28 


7 
£2t 

4 
11 

81 


S2i 
10 

S 

Ci 


07 

3 
10 

1? 


831 

19 

20 

351 
505 
83 
248 
16 
36 
36 
lOi 
21 


161 

2S 

6 

33 


107 
50 

120 
64 
13 


June 


Tons 
S3 


4 
U 

10 

7 
lOi 

10 

15 


35 
38 
20 
9 
64 

31 

104 

3 

16 

li' 

li 

69' 
861 

82' 
35| 
52 
86i 
240 
15 
33 
30 
21i 


165 
28 
9 
32 
71* 
19* 
91 
55 

124 
98 
10 


Three  months. 


t  Tributers. 


July 


Tons 

is 


20 

li 

13 

1} 

i;)i 
_7i 

23 
3i 


37 
50 
20 
8 
03 

37 
118 

4 
16 


89 

17! 

22 

35? 
53} 
86J 
214 
14 
47 
37 
20 
32 


28 
23 


50 
134i 
123 


Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unsp'^ciiied  content. 
Kote— These  fi^itres  are  taken  from  the  monthly  returns  made  by 
individual  companies  reporting  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
85%  of  the  actual  outputs. 


1916       1917 


1918   I    1919   I    1920   I    1921 


January  . 

February   . . . 

March 

April 

May 

June  

July   

August   

September  . . 
October  .... 
November  . . 
December 

Total 6,594 


Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

531 

657 

678 

613 

528 

&16 

068 

623 

547 

655 

707 

606 

486 

555 

584 

546 

536 

509 

525 

483 

510 

473 

492 

484 

506 

479 

545 

481 

408 

551 

.571 

610 

535 

538 

520 

561 

584 

578 

491 

625 

679 

621 

472 

536 

654 

655 

518 

511 

Tons 
547 
477 
505 
467 
383 
435 
4S4 
447 
528 
628 
544 
577 


Tons 
438 
370 
445 
394 
337 
423 
494 


6,927  I   0.771  I   6,085  I  G,022      2,881 


Production  op  Tin  in  FinruATRo  Maiav  Sfatks. 

Estimated  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters 
I.OMK  Ions. 


1017 


1918 


January  

rebniary 

March   

April   

May 

Juiie 

July 

August  . .   

September 

October 

November 

December 


Tons 
8,559 
2,7.^5 
8,280 
3,251 
3,113 
3,489 
3,253 
3,413 
3,154 
3,430 
8,300 
3,525 


Tons 
8,030 
8,197 
2,000 
8,808 
3,332 
3,070 
3.373 
3,2.59 
3,157 
2,870 
3,132 
3,022 


lUlU  I  1920 


Tons 
3,765 
2,734 
2,819 

2,a-.8 

3,407 
2,877 
3,750 
2,9.56 
3,101 
3,221 
2,972 
2,409 


Tons 
4,265 
8,014 
2,770 
2.000 
2.741 
2.040 
2,824 
2.730 
2.734 
2.EI37 
2.673 
2.838 


39,833 


34.928      22.210 


1021 


Tons 
8,298 
3,111 
2,190 
2,092 
2,884 
2,752 
3,750 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  Tons. 


June  30     July  31      Aug.  31 


Str.iits  and  .\ustralian  Spot  

Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit    .  . . 
Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Landing 

Straits.  Afloat    

Australian.  Afloat    

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto,  Afloat 

Billiton,  Spot  

Billiton,  Afloat 

Straits,     Spot     in     Holland     and 

Hamburg    

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     

Total  Afloat  for  United  States    . . . 
Stock  in  America 


1,931 
135 

4,279 

1.210 
90 

3,780 
485 
523 
159 


585 
1,225 
2,540 


1,930 
250 

4,388 

1.355 
135 

4.244 

351 

423 

38 


305 
3,906 
2.521 


1.811 
690 

3.994 

1.025 
190 

4.003 
897 
327 
100 


650 
3.689 
1.761 


Total  )   16,953     I   19.852     I   19.037 


Shipments,  I.mports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Ti.n. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  tons. 


June 

July 

August 

Shioments  from  : 

Straits  to  U.K 

Straits  to  America 

320 
600 
505 
350 
25 
200 

724 

1,340 
2,420 
215 
325 
150 
975 

221 

995 

1,580 

.590 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

950 

75 

490 

Imports     of     Bolivian     Tin     into 
Europe 

587 

Supply ; 

Straits 

Australian  . 
Billiton  . . . 
Banca  . . . . 
Standard  . , 


1,425 
25 

273 
1,170 

263 


Total 


Consumption : 

U.K.  Delii-eries   

Dutch  , 

American      .  . . .  - 
Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton, 
tinental  Ports,  etc 


Con- 


Total 


3,156 


1,361 

388 

1,590 

631 


3,975 

150 

55 

1,284 

1,228 


6,692 


3,165 

75 
275 
963 
928 


;.409 


1,224 

.331 

1525 

713 


3,793 


2,004 

389 

3  320 

511 


6,224 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


173 


0UTPUT5    ReFORIED    BY    OiL-PRODUCING    COMPANIES. 


ADglo-Egyptian   

Tons. . 

June 

13.529 
9,660 
16,985 
22,35S 
69,020 

23G 

91,157 

8,845 

1,115 

1,228 

17,704 

11,300 

3,402 

July 

14,682 
9.900 

Barrels 

22,225 

Astra  Romana 

Tons. . 

Barrels 

22,234 
79,569 

Caltex    

13,340 

236 

Barrels 

93,121 

Tons. . 

9,323 

Roumanian  Consol 

Tons.  . 

Tons. . 

2,U53 
1,371 

18,892 

United  of  Trinidad    

Tons.. 

11,000 

QUOTATIOSS     OF     OiL     COMPANIES*     SHARES. 

Denomination  of  Shares  £1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo- American   

Anglo-E^ptian  B    

Anglo-Persian  1st  Pref 

Anglo- United,  Wyoming     

Apex  Trinidad    

British  Borneo  (lOs.) 

British  Burmab  (S?.)   

Burmah  Oil 

Caltex{$l)    

Dacia  Romano   

Kem  River,  Gal.  (10s.) 

Lobitos,  Peru    

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ( S5)   

Pref.  ($5)    

North  Caucasian  (10s.) 

Phcenix,  Roumania    

Roumanian  Consolidated 

Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden)    4S 

Scottish  American   , 

Shell  Transport,  Ord 

„       Pref.  (£10) 

Trinidad  Central 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

United  British  of  Trinidad 

Ural  Caspian     

Uroz  Oilfields  (lOs.l 


Aug.  5 

Sept.  6 

1921 

1921 

£  s. 

d. 

£    s. 

d. 

4    5 

(1 

4    0 

0 

1    8 

i> 

1  10 

0 

1     2 

n 

1     1 

6 

3 

9 

3 

9 

1  17 

H 

2    0 

0 

12 

6 

11 

3 

17 

K 

1    0 

0 

6    2 

6 

5  15 

0 

4 

H 

3 

9 

17 

6 

1     1 

a 

19 

6 

18 

6 

4    2 

fi 

3  17 

6 

5    6 

3 

5    2 

fi 

5    2 

6 

4  17 

H 

17 

6 

16 

3 

9 

C 

S 

y 

10 

y 

11 

0 

43    0 

(1 

40    0 

0 

3 

0 

2 

6 

5    2 

6 

4  17 

6 

8  10 

n 

8    2 

6 

3  11 

3 

3    2 

6 

2     5 

(1 

1  18 

9 

17 

H 

16 

H 

17 

6 

16 

3 

6 

6 

5 

3 

Dividends  Deci.ared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


Company 


Par 

iValue  of 

Shares 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


Sept.  8  . . . 

August  17. 
Sept.  8  . . . 
August  30. 

Sept.  8  . . . 
Sept.  7  ... 
August  30. 
August  31 . 
August  30. 
August  10. 
August  16 
August  29. 


Balaghat JP^'lg; 

Kinta  Tin ,      £1 

Jlysore \      l^^s. 

Xechi  Mines  Pr.  lOs. 

North  Anantapur -j  q/* 

Nundydroog 10s. 

Oroviile  Dredging    £1 

Ouro  Preto Pr.  ;f  1 

Pato  Mines H 

Rambutan    £1       ' 

Witbank  Colliery £1 

Zinc  Corporation Pr.  £1 


Is.  6d.  less  tax. 

6d.  less  tax. 

5%  tax  paid. 

Is.  less  tax. 
Is.  3d.  Jess  tax. 
Is.  6d.  less  tax. 
Is.  6d.  less  tax. 

(id.  less  tax, 

9d.  tax  paid. 
10%  less  tax. 

7s.  less  tax. 

8d.  less  tax. 

15%  less  tax, 

2s.  less  tax. 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.    September  8. 

These   quotations    are   not    absolute ;     they    vary    according    to 
quantities  required  aud  contracts  running. 

£  s.  d. 

Acetic  Acid,  40% per  cwt,  10  0 

80% ,  1  18  0 

„           Glacial per  tou  44  0  0 

Alum    „  16  0  0 

Alumina,  Sulphate ,,  14  10  0 

Ammonia,  Atihydrous per  lb.  2  2 

„          0-880  solution    per  ton  30  0  0 

,,          Carbonate per  lb.  4 

,,          Chloride,  grey   per  ton  37  0  U 

,,               „      pure    per  cwt.  3  5  0 

Nitrate  per  ton  45  0  0 

Phosphate „  70  0  0 

Sulphate    13  7  0 

Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb,  2  0 

,,          Sulphide,  Golden „  1  5 

Arsenic,  White  .  per  ton  30  U  0 

Barium  Carbonate „  10  0  0 

,,       Chlorate per  lb.  11 

,,       Chloride per  ton  14  0  0 

Sulphate   8  0  0 

Benzol.  90% per  gal.  3  0 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton  56  0  0 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI „  16  0  0 

, ,          Liquor,  7%    „  ti  0  0 

Borax „  31  0  0 

Boric  Acid  Crystals   ,,  65  0  0 

Calcium  Chloride   ,,  10  0  0 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  GO*;'© P^  8^1  i  7 

,,            ,,    crystallized,  40    per  lb.  6i 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  ton  4  10  0 

Citric  Acid per  lb.  2  5 

Copper,  Sulphate  . .      per  ton  30  0  C 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100%    ....   per  lb.  11 J 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    ,,  7  j 

Iodine per  oz.  1  0 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton  9  0  0 

„     Sulphate    „  4  0  0 

Lead,  Acetate,  white ,,  45  0  0 

„      Nitrate   43  0  0 

„      Oxide,  Litharge „  41  0  0 

„      White   „  44  0  0 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   ,,  8  0  0 

„       grey  80%    ,  U  0  0 

Magnesite,  Calcined „  21  0  0 

Magnesium,  Chloride ,,  14  0  0 

Sulphate    „  S  0  0 

Methylated  Spirit  Gi   Industrial per  g?.\.  5  3 

Nitric  Acid,  8U''  Tw.      per  ton  31  0  0 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb.  7^ 

Phosphoric  Acid per  ton  40  0  0 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb.  10 

,,          Carbonate per  ton  26  0  0 

, ,          Chlorate  per  lb.  5 

Chloride  80% per  ton  17  0  0 

„          Hydrate  (Caustic)  90%   „  31  0  0 

Nitrate       ,,  40  0  0 

,,          Permanganate per  lb.  1  3 

„          Pnissiate,  Yellow   „  1  3 

Red „  2  3 

Sulphate,  90% per  ton  16  0  0 

Sodium  Metal per  lb.  I  4 

,,      Acetate    per  ton  24  0  0 

„      Arsenate  45% „  44  0  0 

Bicarbonate    ,  10  10  0 

,,       Bichrftnate     per  lb.  7 

,,      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton  15  0  0 

(Crystals)    ,  7  0  U 

,,       Chlorate per  lb.  4 

„      Hydrate,  76% per  too  20  15  0 

,,       Hyposulphite   „  16  0  0 

„      Nitrate,  96%    „  18  10  0 

Phosphate „  22  0  0 

,,       Prussiate. . , per  lb.  7 

,,       Silicate per  ton  11  15  0 

Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    „  6  10  0 

(Glauber's  Salts)    „  5  0  0 

„       Sulphide    „  22  0  0 

„      Sulphite 12  10  C 

Sulphur,  Roll   „  13  0  0 

„       Flowers   ,  13  0  0 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65^  ,.  24  0  0 

free  from  Arsemc,  144'  .. .        ,,  6  5  0 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30% ..  6  10  0 

Tartaric  Acid    per  lb.  1  ? 

Turpentine    per  cwt.  3  3  6 

Tin  Crystals per  lb.  1  5 

Titanous  Chloride 1  0 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton  22  10  0 

Zinc  Oxide „  41  0  0 

Zinc  Sulphate „  17  0  0 


171 


THE    MIXING    MAGAZINE 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

Shares  are  £\   par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOLD,    SIL\KK, 
DIAMONDS : 

Rand  : 

Brakpnti 

Central  iMining  (£S) 

City  &  Suburban  (£4) 

City  Docp 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields 

Consolidalcii  I^lnglaagtc 

Con*^Uidati\i  Main  Kccf 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.)  . 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) 

Dapj;afonIein 

Durban  Koodeiioort  Deep 

East  Kand  Propriet.-iry 

Fcrreira  Deep 

Geduld 

Geldcnhuis  Deep 

Government  Gold  Mining  .Areas    . . . 

Joh.innesburg  Consolidated 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knierhts  Deep 

Langlaagte  Instate   

Mever  &  Charlton 

Modderfontcin  (10s.) 

Modderfonteiu  IJ  (5s.) 

Modderfontcin  Deep  (os.) 

Modderfontcin  East 

New  State  Areas 

Notirse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfootdin  Central 

Robinson  i£o) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

Rose  Deep  

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  Cd.) 

Van  R>-n 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep 

Wolhuter 


Other  Transvaal  Gold  Mines  : 

Gl>Tin's  Lydeoburg 

Sbeba  (5s.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates  . . . 

Diamonds  is  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£2  10s.) 

Jagersfonteio 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6ci.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phtenii  (3s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Sfaamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.)  

West  Africa  : 

AbbootiakooD  (IDs.) 

Abosso 

Ashanti  (4s.) 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 

West  Australia  ; 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

Bullfinch  

GoUen  Horse-Shoe  (£5) 

Great  Bnulder  Proprietary  (2s.)  . . . 

Griat  Fingali  (10s.) 

HamotoD  Properties 

Ivanhoe  (£5) _ 

KalsTJirli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)   

Sons  of  Gwalia    

South  Kalgurli  (10s.)     


Sept.  7, 
1820 

r    s.  d. 

i  12  6 

S  12  6 

7  (i 

2  17  0 

1  9  » 
17  e 
It  6 

1 

2  13  9 
11  0 

5 

8 

10  0 

1  18  0 

7 
4  5 
1     9 


3  13 
6  1(5 
2  4 
1    2 

1  10 
10 

2  19 
2  12 

12 


17  0 

2  16  3 

3  0  0 
1  16  3 

0  0 


6 


9 


0 
0 
0 
3 
6 
6  t) 
10  6 
12    6 


17 

17 

3 

2  2 

17 
17 

17  0 

3  17  6 
10  3 
17  6 

14  3 
8  6 
4  6 

13  0 
1  9 

10  0 

ID    5  0 

4  13  0 
10    U  0 

12  0 

15  9 
8  6 

14  6 


Sept.  e, 
1921 

i   ».  d. 

2  10  3 

7    0  0 

2  0 
2  11  3 

1  1  3 

16  S 
12  6 

17  6 

2  6  0 

3  3 
6  0 
G  0 

10  0 

2  10  0 

B 


0 
5  0 
8    0 


14  0 

4  2  6 
3  15  0 

1  10  0' 

2  5  0- 
11  6 

15  0 

9  9 

2  10  0 

2  15  0 

13  0 

10  0 

10  0 
13  9 

3  0 

2  5  0 

11  3 
lU  9 
13  0 

3  15  0 
10  0 
13  9 
13  9 

S  6 

4  0 

5  6 
1  9 
9  3 

13    5  0 

3    0  0 

5  15  0 

12  0 
12  6 

5  3 

10  9 


13 

2  10  0 

3  15  0 
1  12  6 

4  0 


2 

0 

2 

9 

10 

6 

9 

0 

17 

0 

10 

0 

2 

6 

1 

9 

13 

9 

9 

0 

3 

0 

2 

fi 

3 

0 

2 

6 

3 

() 

1 

U 

15 

0 

11 

3 

7 

3 

6 

0 

1 

H 

1 

6 

11 

3 

5 

U 

18 

9 

16 

3 

15 

0 

12 

0 

16 

6 

8 

9 

6 

0 

3 

() 

6 

0 

5 

6 

Gold,  Silver,  cent. 

Others  in  Australasia  : 

Htiickw.itcr,  Nt'w  Zealand 

Consulklated  G.I-\  o(  New  Zealand... 

Mount  Uoppy,  N.S.W.  (lOs.) 

Progress,  New  Zealand 

Waiiii.  New  Zealand 

Waihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd..! 

Amkhica  :  I 

Hiicna  Ticrra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado | 

Ki  Oro,  Mcxieo I 

Kspcranza,  Mexico ' 

I'rontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia j 

Lc  Koi  No.  2  {,(5),  BriUsU  Columbia  j 
Mexico  Mines  of  Kl  Oro,  Mexico  . ... 

Ncchi  (Prcf.  ILts.),  Colombia \ 

Oroville  Drcdginc,  Colombia       i 

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California. . 

St.  John  del  Key.  Brazil    | 

Santa  Gertrudis,  Mexico | 

Tomboy,  Colorado , 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldficlds 

Orsk  Priority , 

India  ; 

BalaBhat  (10s.) , 

Champion  Kccf  {2s.  tjd.) , 

Mysore  (10s.) , 

North  Anantapur , 

Nundydroog  (10s.) , 

Ooregum  (10s.) , 

COPPER : 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona , 

Cape  Copper  (C2),  Cape  and  India.., 

lisperanza,  Spain , 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  . . 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal , 

Messina  (os.),  Transvaal , 

Mount  Elliott  (£5),  Queensland. .... 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  (£5),  Spain , 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sis.sert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  .. 

LEAD-ZINC: 
Broken  Hill : 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (lOs.) 

Asia: 

Burma  Corporation  {10  rupees) 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  fos.) 

TIN: 

Aramayo  Franrke,  Bolivia 

Bisichi  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath.  Cornwall 

East  Pool  (5s.),  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.).  Nigeria  . . . 

Geevor  (10s.).  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredeine,  Malay  

Kamunting,  Malay 

Kintn,  Malav 

ATalavan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

MoDgu  (10s.).  Nigeria '. 

Naragutg,  Nigeria 

N.  N.  -Bauchi.  Nigeria  (10s.) 

Pahang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay. . . 

Rayheld,  Nigt^ria  

Renong  DreHtring.  Siam ,. 

RoPD  Us).  Nutria 

Siame<^  Tin,  Siam 

South  Crofty  (js.).  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals.  CorDwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Teklia-Taiping,  .Malay  

Tronoh,  Malay 


Sept.  7, 
1020 

£   s.  d. 

8  9 

8  0 

5  0 

1  0 

1  13  9 

10  0 

10  0 

13  3 

13  6 

14  3 
10  0 

5    0 
6  17    6 


1    2  6 

10  0 

15  6 

1    3  G 

8  0 


11 

17 

1  15 


y.'  JO  Atuiiwu,  .urtitij      

'ew  Shares.        f  10-rupee  shares  of  Indian  Co. 


3    1 
12 

15 
1  3 
1  5 
1  15 


17  6 

10  0 

8  6 

2  9 

17  0 

4  3 

10  0 

13  6 


2  10    0 

12    6 

5 

15 

1  10 

5 

1    5 

1    3 

18 

1  10    0 

32  10    0 


1  8  9 

2  0  0 

3  3  9 

1  2  0 

2  11  3 
2  10 


17    0 
IS    0 


17    6 
10    0 


11    0 


3    0  0 

10  6 

4  3 
3  3 

10  0 

3  0 

10  0 

t  15  0 

17  6 

2  10  0 

2    2  0 

1  17  6 
17  0 

10  0 

5  0 

11  3 

a  0 

2  0  0 


Sept.  B, 
1921 

£    ••  <!• 

2  8 

2  U 

2  0 


1   1 

4 

G 

17 

1     1 

1     U 


2  G 
4  0 
10    0 


17 

(i  3 

2  G 
4  10  0 

4  G 

1   a  g 

10  0 
13  9 

7  0 

r.  0 

8  9 

5  0 

7  3 

1  0 

11  3 

3  9 
7  3 

12  G 


1  10 

17 

5 

G 

1  10 

3 

13 

13 


12  6 

15  0 

31  10  0 

10  0 

7  6 

10  0 

1     1  3 


15  0 

18  9 

1  17  6 

lU  0 

18  9 

16  3 

11  3 

8  9 


6    3t 
5    G 

G    0 


1  12  G 

10  0 

1    3  "J 

1   12  G 

1     5  0 
11 


15    0 


6    0 
6 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING,  METALLURGY,  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  ani 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  tvith  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents    on    mining    and  metallurgical  subjects,   and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 

THE    PRINCIPLES     OF    COPPER     LEACHING 


The  June  Bulletin  of  the  Canadian  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgy  contains  a  paper  by 
Frank  E.  Lathe,  chief  chemist  of  the  British 
America  Nickel  Corporation,  on  the  "  Principles  of 
Leaching  and  Precipitation  of  Copper."  We 
reproduce  this  paper  practically  in  full. 

Ten  or  fifteen  years  ago  hydro-metallurgists 
were  predicting  a  bright  future  for  leaching 
processes.  Many  different  methods  had  been 
worked  out  satisfactorily  on  an  experimental 
scale,  and  all  seemed  ready  for  their  commercial 
application.  About  that  time,  however,  oil  flotation 
came  to  the  fore,  and  though  not  even  yet  under- 
stood thoroughly  as  far  as  theory  is  concerned,  it  at 
once  proved  a  great  commercial  success.  In  fact, 
its  conspicuous  achievements  relegated  leaching  to 
the  background.  The  chief  reason  why  flotation 
made  such  rapid  progress  in  comparison  with 
leaching  is  that  the  former  fits  in  well  with  ordinary 
gravity  concentration,  in  fact,  helps  it  out  where  it  is 
weakest,  in  the  treatment  of  slimes.  Leaching,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  not  well  adapted  to  slime  treat- 
ment, and  involves  a  separate  plant,  with  new 
apparatus,  new  chemistry,  and  new  methods  of 
control.  As  a  result,  flotation  has  advanced  more 
rapidly  than  leaching,  but  both  have  now  become 
so  firmly  established  that  the  metallurgists  who 
would  keep  abreast  of  modern  progress  must  study 
both  carefully.        In  considering  the  possibility  of 


leaching  a  particular  ore  or  tailing,  there  are 
important  points  to  be  investigated.  The  present 
paper  is  an  attempt  to  answer  the  questions  in  the 
light  of  the  recent  success  of  several  large  plants. 

In  Table  I  will  be  found  a  list  of  the  principal 
leaching  plants  in  operation  in  America  during 
1920,  with  classified  information  about  each.  In 
addition  to  these,  several  companies  are  practising 
heap-leaching  of  very  low-grade  ores  on  a  moderate 
scale,  and  many  processes  are  being  investigated. 

The  various  operations  through  which  an  ore  may 
pass  will  now  be  taken  up  one  at  a  time,  and  the 
principal  points  considered  in  some  detail. 

Crushing. — Many  factors  influence  the  decision  as 
to  the  best  size  for  leaching  purposes.  For  heap- 
leaching,  where  the  operation  is  expected  to  require 
a  year  or  two  to  go  to  completion,  pieces  up  to 
several  inches  in  diameter  will  be  satisfactory. 
Where  ore  is  leached  in  tanks,  however,  overhead 
expense  is  considerable,  and  time  becomes  an 
important  matter. 

Fine  crushing  possesses  the  following  advantages  : 

(1)  It  sets  free  the  copper  minerals  more  perfectly 
and  hence  tends  to  improve  the  extraction. 

(2)  It  increases  the  capacity  of  the  plant  by 
shortening  the  time  necessary  to  dissolve  the  copper. 

(3)  If  the  solvent  is  sulphuric  acid,  as  is  usually  the 
case,  less  of  it  will  be  required.  The  reason  for 
this  is  as  follows.     When  coarse  pieces  of  ore  are 


Table  I. — Principal  CoprER  Leaching  Plants  in  America. 


No. 

Company 

Location 

Tons 
Daily 
Capy. 

Material 
Treated 

Gangue 

Chief 
Copper 
Minerals 

Preliminary 
Treatment 

Solvent 

Preci- 
pitant 

References 

1 

Anaconda 

Anacon- 
da. 
Montana 

2,000 

Tailing 
(sand) 

Qiiartz- 
monzon- 
ite 

Chaicocite. 
vhalcopyrite 
enargite, 
bornite 

Roasting 

Sulph- 
uric 
acid 

Scrap 
iron 

Mathewson,  E.  &  M.  J.,   1915, 

vol.   99.   page  723. 
Laist   and   Aldrich,   Trans.   A.I. 

M.  E..  vol.  55,  page  866. 

2 

Calumet 

and 

Hecla 

Lake 

Linden, 

Michigan 

4,000 

Tailing 

Basalt 
and  con- 
glomerate 

Native 
copper 

Crushing  to 
28  mesh, 
and  de- 
sliming 

Ammo- 
nium 
carbo- 
nate 

heat 

Benedict.   E.  &  M.  J  ,    1917. 
vol   104,  page  44. 

3 

Chile  Ex- 
ploration 

Chuqui- 
camata, 
Chile 

15,000 

Ore 

Granodi- 
orite 

Brochantite 
chalcanthite, 
natrochalcile 

Crushing  to 
half  inch 

Sulph- 
uric 
acid 

Elect- 
rolysis 

Papers  by  G.  L.  Oldright,    J.    J 
Fleurnoy  and  J.   B.   Wise,    read 
before  the  Chuquicamata   Tech- 
nical Society.    Personal  notes. 

4 

Xennecott 

Kcnne- 

cott. 

Alaska 

700 

Tailing 

Dolomitic 
limestone 

Malachite, 
azurite 

Partial 
desliming 

Ammo- 
nium 
hydrate 

Heat 

Lawrence,  E.  &  M.  J.,  1917.  vol. 

104,    page    781. 
Eddy,  E,  &  M.  J.  1919.  vol.  107, 
page     1.162. 

i 

New 
Cornelia 

Ajo, 
Arizona 

5,000 

Ore 

Monzon- 

ite 
porphyry 

Malachite, 

cuprite, 

chrysocolla 

Crushing  to 
half  inch 

Sulph- 
uric 
acid 

Elect- 

rplysis 
and 
scrap 
iron 

Morse  and    Tobelmann.    Trans. 

A.I.M.E.,   vol.   55.   page   830. 
Tobelmann  .and    Potter,    Trans. 

AI.M.E,,  vol.  60,  page  22. 

MacKay.  Bull,  A.I.M.E.,  Sept., 

I',i9, 

6 

Utah 
Copper 

Garfield. 
Utah 

2,000 

Ore 

Monzon- 

ite 
prophyry 

Malachite, 
azurite 

Crushing  to 
half  inch 

Sulph- 
uric 
acid 

Scrap 
iron 

Rickard,  M.  &  S.  P.,  Dec.  1918. 

175 


170 


THK     MINI.NC.     MACAZINIC 


present  the  acid  first  dissolves  the  ropper  minoriils 
from  the  surface  of  these,  and  diirinp  tliis  time  has 
no  great  action  on  the  Kansvie.  As  the  sulvent  action 
progresses  towards  the  centre  of  these  pieces  it 
becomes  slower  and  slower,  and  the  acid  is  meantime 
lying  in  intimate  contact  with  the  leached  outer 
portion.  Some  of  it  will  therefore  be  neutralized  by 
the  basic  gangue  minerals,  while  if  the  ore  had  been 
crushed  tnier  the  acid  would  have  been  drawn  off 
before  much  of  this  neutralization  had  taken  place. 

(4)  It  will  result  in  less  fouling  of  the  solutions,  for 
the  same  reason  that  acid  consumption  is  lowered. 

On  the  other  hand,  if  the  ore  is  crushed  un- 
necessarily line,  there  are  the  following  dis- 
advantages : — 

(1)  Considerable  expense  in  crushing  will  be 
involved. 

(2)  I^xcessive  dust  will  be  caused  in  the  crusher 
building,  with  consequent  injury  to  the  workmen. 
As  a  preparation  for  leachini;,  crushing  is  done  dry 
when  possible.for  reasons  which  will  be  apparent  later. 

(3)  The  dust  losses  will  be  considerable  whenever 
the  ore  is  handled,  in  the  crusher  building,  on  con- 
veyors, and  particularly  when  dropped  from  loading 
bridges  into  leaching  tanks.  This  may  appear  to  be 
an  unimportant  detail,  but  as  the  fines  are  usually 
richest  the  loss  is  sometimes  sufficient  to  be  seen  on 
the  monthly  balance-sheet  for  copper. 

(4)  Slimes  leach  poorly,  unless  they  can  be 
agitated,  which  is  not  done  in  any  commercial 
plant  yet  constructed.  Extraction  is  usually  best 
on  fine  sands. 

(5)  Channeling  in  the  tanks  may  result,  so  that 
slimes  will  interfere  with  the  extraction  even  on  the 
coarser  sizes. 

(6)  More  moisture  will  be  retained  after  the 
leaching  and  washing  operations  are  completed, 
with  consequent  loss  as  water-soluble  copper. 

Where  copper  minerals  occur  mainly  in  cracks, 
and  joint-planes  in  the  ore,  as  at  Chuquicamata, 
Ajo,  and  elsewhere,  crushing  does  not  need  to  be 
finer  than  i  in.  in  order  to  give  a  good  extraction. 
.\t  Lake  Linden,  on  the  other  hand,  the  minus  f,.  in. 
tailing  has  to  be  further  ground  until  it  will  pass 
a  28-mesh  screen.  At  Anaconda  75  to  80%  of  the 
sand  taihng  being  treated  will  pass  20-niesh,  and  no 
further  grinding  is  necessary. 

The  crushing  machinery  used  in  preparing  ore  for 
leaching  does  not  differ  greatly  from  that  found 
in  ordinarv-  gravity-concentration  plants.  The 
horizontal  Sjmons  disc  crusher  is  the  favourite  for 
intermediate  work,  while  rolls  and  the  vertical 
Symons  are  also  used  to  some  extent.  Vertical 
Symons  and  fine  rolls  reduce  to  half-inch.  At  the 
Calumet  and  Hecla  pebble  mills  are  used  for  fine 
grinding. 

A  device  has  recently  been  installed  at  Chuquica- 
mata for  overcoming  the  dust  nuisance  in  the 
crusher  building.  Dust  is  removed  by  fans  and  con- 
ducted through  pipes  to  a  large  wooden  settling 
chamber,  from  which  the  collected  dust  is  flushed 
to  the  leaching  tanks. 

Dc-sliming. — If  i  in.  ore  is  being  leached,  no 
de-sliming  is  required  before  sulphuric  acid  leaching. 
The  Anaconda  plant  treats  a  tailing  which  contains 
no  great  amount  of  slime,  hence  percolation  is  good. 
The  feed  is  partially  de-slimed  at  I'Cennecott,  and 
more  completely  at  Lake  Linden,  where  minus 
200-mesh  material  is  carried  off  in  the  overflow 
from  V-shaped  settling  tanks.  Such  .slimes  cannot 
be  leached  well  without  agitation,  but  may  be 
treated  by  flotation. 


I{(i<isli)if;.  -On  account  of  the  exjiense.  tliis  step 
will  of  course  be  omitted  if  possible,  and  numy 
o])erators  of  the  jiresent  day  would  say  tha(»  the 
necessity  of  roasting  an  ore  debarred  leaching 
processes  altogether.  This  conclusion  is  by  no 
means  justified.  The  .Anaconda  Company  roa.sts 
tailing  with  3;<";,  of  coal,  and  makes  a  profit  when 
handling  material  as  low  as  0-5"o  copper.  That 
being  the  case,  there  is  no  reason  why  leaching 
shoukl  be  considered  out  of  the  question  simply 
because  the  copper  minerals  in  the  ore  are  not 
soluble  in  sulphuric  acid. 

When  roasting  is  used  as  a  preparation  for 
leaching,  the  combined  process  will  in  many  in- 
stances become  a  serious  competitor  of  flotation, 
l^oasting  and  leaching  have  even  been  made  the 
subject  of  large-scale  experiments  on  such  material 
as  flotation  or  other  concentrates,  and  it  is  claimed 
that  these  mixed  sulphides  may  be  roasted  to  make 
soluble  95°,,  of  the  copper  and  not  more  than  1% 
of  iron,  in  which  case  electrolytic  precipitation 
should  be  possible. 

The  chief  objects  of  roasting  are  to  increase  the 
solubility  of  the  copper  and  decrease  that  of  the 
gangue.  Copper  sulphides  are  almost  insoluble  in 
ordinary  leaching  solutions,  while  those  of  iron  are 
often  fairly  soluble.  In  a  general  way  the  opposite 
is  true  of  the  oxides.  Roasting  therefore  brings 
about  these  two  desirable  ends,  and  in  addition 
agglomerates  the  fine  particles  so  that  percolation 
takes  place  more  readily.  In  some  cases  certain 
impurities  like  arsenic  and  antimony  are  partially 
volatilized  at  the  same  time. 

Free  access  of  air  is  of  course  necessary  for 
oxidation.  In  addition  to  this,  temperature  control 
is  important.  At  a  low  heat  sulphates  are  formed 
of  both  copper  and  iron,  and  the  most  desirable 
temperature  is  one  at  which  the  latter  readily 
breaks  up  into  sulphur  trioxidc  and  iron  oxide,  but 
at  which  the  copper  sulphate  is  not  decomposed. 
This  is  about  550'  C.  Laist  states  that  if  the 
temperature  rises  too  high  some  of  the  copper  will 
become  insoluble  in  all  acids  except  hydrofluoric. 
This  will  not  take  place,  however,  until  the 
temperature  is  higher  than  that  necessary  to 
decompose  copper  sulphate,  which  is  650-700°  C. 
If  the  heat  is  sufficient  to  sinter  the  sulphides,  the 
copper  is  likely  tp  be  found  partly  as  undecomposed 
sulphide,  half  fused,  and  partly  as  oxide,  but  not  at 
all  as  sulphate,  which  is  the  most  desirable  form  if 
acid  consumption  is  to  be  kept  down. 

Chemicals  are  sometimes  added,  either  to  the 
charge  or  to  the  roa.sted  product.  Of  these  the  most 
common  is  ordinary  salt,  the  presence  of  which 
renders  much  of  the  copper  soluble  in  chloride 
solutions,  even  in  the  absence  of  acid,  and  is 
especially  useful  in  converting  silver  and  gold  into 
chlorides,  in  w'hich  form  they  also  are  readily 
soluble.  In  addition,  the  presence  of  salt  increases 
the  oxidizing  action  of  the  air.  When  leaching  was 
first  begun  at  Anaconda,  about  1'5%  of  salt  was 
added  after  the  roasting  operation  was  complete  to 
increase  the  extraction  of  silver,  but  its  use  was 
discontinued  some  two  years  ago,  chiefly  on  account 
of  the  increased  cost  of  salt  delivered  at  Anaconda. 

As  Anaconda  has  the  only  large-scale  plant 
roasting  ore  or  tailing  as  a  preparation  for  leaching, 
a  brief  description  of  that  plant  may  be  of  interest. 
Roasting  is  carried  out  in  si.x-hearth  modified 
McDougall  furnaces,  20  ft.  in  diameter,  and  fired 
with  coal  on  the  third  hearth.  The  temperature  of 
this  hottest  hearth  is  about  535"  C,  control  being 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


177 


made  easy  bv  means  of  a  series  of  recording  pyro- 
meters. Sulphur  in  the  feed  is  a  httle  over  2° a-  and 
this  is  reduced  to  about  i%,  a  part  of  which  is 
present  in  the  roasted  material  as  soluble  sulphates. 
Each  furnace  has  a  capacity  of  about  75  tons  in 
24  hours.  As  already  mentioned  above,  the  coal 
consumption  is  only  about  3-3°o,  a  part  of  the  heat 
required  being  furnished  by  the  oxidation  of  sulphur 
and  iron. 

Solveiils. — The  ideal  solvent  would  be  cheap, 
easy  of  transportation,  or  capable  of  being 
manufactured  at  the  plant  where  used,  non- 
volatile, and  easily  recoverable  from  its  solutions 
with  accompanying  precipitation  of  the  copper  in 
a  marketable  form.  Also,  when  considered  in 
relation  to  a  particular  ore,  it  should  completely 
dissolve  the  copper  without  attacking  the  gangue. 

The  standard  works  on  leaching  give  lists  of  many 
solvents,  including  water,  sulphuric  acid  and 
sulphates  of  various  metals,  hydrochloric  acid  and 
manv  chlorides,  ammonia,  and  ammonium  salts, 
sulphurous  acid,  nitric  acid,  and  others.  None  of 
these  comes  near  to  the  ideal  solvent,  and  most  of 
them  are  so  far  away  from  it  that  it  is  unlikely  that 
they  will  ever  be  used  in  commercial  operations  on 
a  large  scale. 

Of  the  solvents  named,  sulphuric  acid  is  the  best, 
and  about  75  °o  of  all  leaching  at  the  present  time 
involves  its  use.     It  has  the  advantages  that : — 

(1)  It  is  the  cheapest  of  all  solvents  except  water. 

(2)  It  can  frequently  be  manufactured  at  the  plant 
where  it  is  to  be  used,  perhaps  utilizing  for  the 
purpose  waste  gases  from  roasting  operations. 

(3)  It  is  easily  regenerated  by  electrolysis  of  the 
copper-bearing  solutions. 

(4)  The  copper  recovered  is  of  very  high  purity, 
and  needs  only  to  go  through  the  ordinary  furnace- 
refining  given  to  all  high-grade  copper  in  order  to 
make  it  suitable  for  wire-bars. 

(5)  It  is  non-volatile,  and  therefore  easily  handled. 

Sulphuric  acid,  however,  possesses  some  dis- 
advantages which  entirely  prevent  its  use  in  some 
instances.      For  example  : — 

(1)  It  does  not  dissolve  metallic  copper. 

(2)  It  dissolves  only  half  the  copper  from  cuprite, 
leaving  the  remainder  in  the  form  of  metal. 

(3)  it  readily  attacks  carbonates  of  lime  and  iron, 
which  are  frequently  present  in  the  gangue  of  copper 
ores,  causing  both  a  heavy  consumption  of  acid  and 
a.  contamination  of  the  solutions. 

(4)  It  has  some  action  on  oxides  and  silicates  of 
iron  and  aluminium,  which  cause  trouble  by  fouUng 
the  solutions. 

Ammonia,  or  ammonium  carbonate,  is  being  used 
at  the  two  modern  plants,  the  Calumet  and  Hecla 
and  the  Kennecott,  and  it  is  therefore  worth  while 
examining  its  suitability  as  a  solvent.  On  the  one 
hand  :  (1)  It  is  expensive.  (2)  It  is  not  possible 
to  regenerate  it  by  electrolysis  of  the  solutions. 
(3)  The  copper  recovered  from  ammoniacal  solutions 
requires  further  treatment.  (4)  It  is  volatile,  and 
therefore  difficult  to  handle.  These  disadvantages 
show  that  ammonia  cannot  hope  to  compete  with 
sulphuric  acid  in  the  field  where  the  latter  is 
suitable.  But  ammonia,  on  the  other  hand  :  (1) 
Dissolves  metallic  copper  readily.  (2)  Completely 
dissolves  cuprite.  (3)  Does  not  attack  carbonates 
of  lime  or  iron.  (4)  Does  not  attack  compounds  of 
ferric  iron  or  alumina.  (5)  Is  very  perfectly 
recovered  by  distillation,  fouhng  of  solutions  being 
therefore  impossible. 

Ammonia,  therefore,  fills  just  the  field  in  which 


sulphuric  acid  is  useless.  This  is  well  illustrated  by 
a  consideration  of  the  two  plants  using  ammonia 
leaching  processes.  At  the  Calumet  and  Hecla, 
where  native  copper  is  dissolved  from  mill  tailing, 
sulphuric  acid  could  not  be  used  because  of  its  lack 
of  action  on  the  copper.  At  the  Kennecott  plant, 
where  copper  carbonates  occur  in  dolomitic  lime- 
stone, sulphuric  acid  would  dissolve  the  copper 
readily,  and  decompose  the  gangue  almost  equally 
well. 

Sulphurous  acid,  that  is,  an  aqueous  solution  of 
sulphur  dioxide,  has  been  made  the  subject  of  a 
great  number  of  experiments,  and  it  is  possible  that 
it  may  yet  be  used  on  a  considerable  scale,  with 
precipitation  of  copper  by  scrap  iron  or  otherwise. 
In  the  majority  of  cases,  however,  it  will  pay  better 
to  oxidize  it  to  sulphuric  acid,  which  will  make 
possible  the  electrolysis  of  solutions  and  obviate  the 
difficulty  a.rising  from  fumes. 

Ferric  salts  are  good  solvents  for  oxidized  or 
metallic  copper,  and  even  for  chalcocite.  One  of 
the  chief  advantages  of  their  use  is  that  they  do 
not  ordinarily  attack  the  gangue.  Difficulties  are 
that  where  ferric  salts  are  reduced  in  the  process 
their  complete  oxidation  is  not  easily  brought 
about,  and  that  precipitation  by  electrolysis  is  not 
possible.  Ferric  sulphate  is  used  chiefly  in  heap 
leaching,  with  precipitation  on  scrap  iron. 

None  of  the  other  solvents  is  of  sufficient 
importance  to  make  its  consideration  desirable  in 
a  brief  review  like  the  present. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  evident  that  so  far 
as  present  practice  is  concerned  sulphuric  acid  and 
ammonia  have  the  field  very  much  to  themselves. 
While  the  others  are  not  likely  to  be  applied  on  a 
large  scale  in  the  near  future  it  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  even  ten  years  ago  a  commercial  ammonia 
process  seemed  very  far  away. 

Sulphuric  Acid  Process. — Where  fine  and  com- 
paratively uniform  material  is  to  be  leached  no 
particular  attention  need  be  paid  to  the  distribu- 
tion of  the  charge  in  the  tanks.  This  is  the  case  at 
Anaconda.  But  when  the  ore  contains  pieces 
varying  in  size  from  nearly  an  inch  in  diameter  to 
the  finest  of  slime,  precautions  have  to  be  taken  to 
prevent  channels  of  coarse  ore  through  which  an 
excessive  amount  of  solution  might  pass,  to  the 
detriment  of  the  remainder  of  the  charge.  The 
large  tanks  are  usually  rectangular,  and  are  spanned 
by  loading  bridges  on  which  run  conveyor  belts 
carrying  the  ore.  A  moving  tripper  distributes  it 
uniformly  over  the  full  width  of  the  tank.  The 
tanks  are  usually  10  to  15  ft.  in  depth,  and  it  is  best 
to  make  the  layer  of  ore  in  the  tank  the  full  depth  in 
one  trip.  The  coarser  material  falls  to  the  bottom, 
so  that  there  is  a  certain  amount  of  stratification, 
but  this  is  desirable  rather  than  otherwise.  In 
filling  the  final  end  of  the  tank  it  is  wise  to  go  only 
so  far  that  the  bottom  of  the  ore  slope  comes  near 
the  end  wall,  and  then  move  the  distributor  so 
that  the  ore  falls  directly  against  the  wall,  going 
backwards  to  fill  the  remaining  space.  Other- 
wise there  would  be  a  column  of  the  coarser  ore 
against   the   end,   which  it   is   desired   to   prevent. 

It  has  been  suggested  that  the  best  method  is  to 
charge  the  ore  with  solution  already  in  the  tank. 
When  tried  on  a  large  scale,  however,  it  is  found 
that  this  practice  results  in  too  much  classification, 
and  that  piercolation  and  solution  of  the  copper  are 
both  slower. 

There  is  no  part  of  the  leaching  process  which  is 
more  confusing  to  one  not  accustomed  to  it  than 


178 


nil-:     MIM.\(,     MACA/IM-; 


till-  circulation  of  solutions.  Moreover,  each  plant 
has  its  own  system,  so  that  it  is  almost  iniiio.ssilile 
to  generalize.  For  the  purposes  o(  this  paper  the 
author  deeidetl  to  choose  as  an  illustration  the 
practice  that  ajipears  to  him  most  rational  and  of 
most  general  application,  namely,  that  uf  the  Chile 
lixploration  Co.,  at  Chuquicamata.  The  writer 
distinj;uislies  the  various  solutions  by  letters,  taken 
alphabetically  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  used, 
from  A  to  F.  Thus  A  is  that  going  from  the 
leaching  plant  to  be  purified  on  its  way  to  the 
electrolytic  tanks,  B  and  C  are  the  two  leach 
solutions  put  on  the  ore,  and  D,  E,  and  F'  the 
three  wash  solutions,  to  be  followed  by  fresh  water. 
It  should  be  mentioned  here  that  each  of  these  has 
its  own  solution  tank  in  which  it  is  stored  while  not 
being  used  on  any  ore  tank,  and  these  solution 
tanks  will  be  designated  by  the  same  letters  as  the 
solutions  themselves.  The  solution  analyses  to  be 
given  are  only  approximate,  as  they  vary  con- 
siderably. Table  II  is  an  illustration  of  the  working 
of  the  svsteni  to  be  described. 


Table  II. 

— Le.\chi.ng  Cycle  at  Chuquicamata. 

Solution. 

Cubic  Metres  On. 

Cubic  Metres  Off. 

Solution. 

Moisture 

100 

B 
D 

3.2001 
600  1 

3,800 

.\ 

C 

3.200 

3,200 

B 

n 

2.600 

3.200 

D 

E 

3,200 

3.200 

E 

V 

2,500 

2,500 

F 

Water 

1,400 

900 

(in  tailing) 

16,800 

16,800 

The  first  solution  put  on  a  fresh  tank  of  ore  is 
B,  only  moderately  high  in  both  copper  and  acid 
(Cu,  25  grammes  per  litre  ;  HjSOj,  45  g.pl.). 
This  is  admitted  from  the  bottom,  in  order  to  keep 
the  slimes  as  far  away  from  the  filter  as  possible, 
and  in  amount  just  sufficient  to  cover  the  ore  well. 
It  is  left  on  the  tank  from  four  to  eight  hours, 
depending  on  the  requirements  of  the  electrolytic 
tank-house,  and  is  then  drawn  off  as  A  (Cu,  55  g.p.l.  ; 
H.iSO,,  20  g.p.l.).  As  soon  as  the  withdrawal  of 
A  is  begun  it  is  followed  on  the  tank  by  some  of  D, 
the  first  wash  (Cu,  15  g.p.l.  ;  H.jSOj,  28  g.p.l.),  the 
amount  varying  with  the  estimated  grade  of  the 
ore  charged. 

All  the  solution  being  drawn  off  is  sent  to  the 
A  tank  until  it  is  down  to  30  g.p.l.,  so  that  the 
volume  is  greater  than  that  of  B  put  on,  greater, 
if  the  estimate  has  been  correct,  by  the  volume  of 
D  used. 

After  the  small  volume  of  D  has  been  added  it  is 
followed  by  a  large  volume  of  C  (Cu,  13  g.p.l-  ; 
H.jSOj,  80  g.p.l.),  which  is  the  spent  electrolyte 
from  the  tank-house.  This  strongly  acid  solution 
does  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  leaching,  and  is 
therefore  left  on  the  ore  for  as  long  as  possible, 
usually  about  36  hours.  At  the  end  of  that  time  it  is 
withdrawn,  becoming  the  new  B  solution,  and  is  at 
the  same  time  followed  by  wash  solution,  first  the 
remainder  of  D,  then  E  (Cu,  8  g.p.l.  ;  H..SO4, 
12  g.p.l.),  F  (Cu,  4  g.p.l.  ;  H.,SOi,  5  g.p.l.),' and 
clean  wash  water,  in  rapid  succession.  In  drawing 
off  these  solutions  the  division  between  them  is  not 


maile  as  in  the  first  case,  by  copper  analysis,  but  by 
vohune,  so  that  the  renuiinder  of  I>,  with  a  small 
part  of  E,  goes  into  the  D  lank,  the  remainder  of  K, 
with  a  small  part  of  F,  into  the  K  tank,  and  the 
n-mainder  of  F,  with  all  the  wash  water,  into  the 
F  tank. 

The  amount  of  wash  water  which  can  be  used  is  in 
the  long  run  the  sum  of  the  solution  discarded  in  the 
electrolytic  tank-house,  evaporated  in  the  circuit 
and  left  in  the  tailing  as  moisture,  less,  of  cour.se, 
the  original  moisture  in  the  ore.  At  Chuquicamata 
the  last  item  is  very  small,  but  it  is  worth  mentioning 
because  it  illustrates  why  the  ore  should  not  bo 
sprinkled  to  keeji  down  the  dust  in  the  crushing 
plant.  In  order  to  keep  the  water-soluble  copper 
lielow  0-(II"(,  it  is  necessary  to  use  about  1,300  tons 
of  water  per  10,000  ton  tank,  .■\fter  washing,  a 
tank  is  drained  12  to  24  hours,  the  longer  time 
being  especially  necessary  when  but  little  wash 
water  has  been  used. 

It  is  not  possible  to  compare  methods  in  use  at 
different  plants  with  perfect  fairness  unless  all  the 
conditions  arc  carefully  considered,  which  is  not 
possible  in  this  paper.  However,  some  points 
regarding  the  practice  at  Ajo  may  be  mentioned 
here,  and  .^jo  is  more  nearly  comparable  than  any 
of  the  other  plants  because  it  also  uses  electrolytic 
precipitation  of  the  copper. 

At  Ajo  the  acid  in  the  solutions  is  run  much  lower, 
on  account  of  the  much  greater  solubility  of  the 
gangue.  The  fir.st  solution  on  fresh  ore  in  a  tank  is 
circulated  through  that  tank  until  almost  neutral. 
When  drawn  off  it  is  followed  by  several  leach 
solutions,  w'ith  gradually  increasing  acid,  until  at  the 
end  of  a  w-eek  the  acid  has  risen  to  30  g.p.l.  In 
their  practice  it  has  been  found  that  the  maximum 
extraction  per  pound  of  acid  consumed  is  given  by 
this  long  treatment  with  weak  solutions,  although 
of  course  a  larger  plant  is  required.  The  strongest 
acid  solution  is  followed  by  the  first  of  four  washes. 
Each  of  these  is  circulated  on  itself  for  three  hours, 
until  the  soluble  copper  remaining  in  the  ore  is 
uniformly  distributed  through  it,  and  the  tank  is 
then  drained  before  the  next  wash  solution  is 
admitted.  The  water-soluble  copper  remaining 
in  the  tailing  is  about  0-06%  out  of  a  total  of  0-28. 

Comparing  the  two  systems,  the  percolation  at 
Chuquicamata  is  downward  except  for  the  first 
solution,  that  at  Ajo  is  altogether  upward.  The 
.'\jo  metallurgists  state  that  upward  percolation 
reduces  channeling  and  effects  a  more  rapid  extrac- 
tion of  the  copper.  On  the  other  hand,  their  method 
results  in  ten  times  as  much  water-soluble  copper 
in  the  tailing,  which  means  a  loss  of  two  or  three 
tons  of  metallic  copper  per  tank.  The  efficiency  of 
the  Chuquicamata  method  is  due  to  the  fact  that 
each  succeeding  wash  put  on  is  lower  in  specific 
gravity  than  the  previous  one.  and  there  is  very 
little  mixing  of  solutions.  To  one  familiar  only  with 
the  chemical  operations  of  a  laboratory^  the  difficulty 
of  mixing  solutions  of  different  specific  gravity  in 
large  tanks  is  almost  incredible  In  fact,  the  theory 
has  been  advanced  in  all  seriousness  that  a  uniform 
solution  if  left  undisturbed  for  some  time  will  tend 
to  stratify,  which  is  the  opposite  of  the  teachings  of 
textbooks.  The  draining  method  is  doomed  to 
inefficiency  because  of  the  considerable  amount  of 
each  solution  remaining  in  the  ore  when  drained. 
This  can  at  best  only  be  diluted  by  the  succeeding 
solution.  Downward  percolation  has  the  additional 
advantages  that  it  greatly  lessens  the  amount  of 
slime  carried  over  to  the  solution  tanks,  and  requires 


I 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


179 


less  power,  as  the  solutions  find  their  way  down 
through  the  ore  by  gravity.  If,  however,  the  ore 
in  the  tank  he  wet  at  the  beginning  of  the  leaching 
operation  it  is  desirable  to  admit  the  first  solution 
from  the  bottom,  in  order  to  make  the  water  rise 
ahead  of  it  and  go  to  waste  until  traces  of  copper 
appear.  As  mentioned  above,  it  is  for  another 
reason  that  it  is  admitted  at  the  bottom  at 
Chuquicamata,  namely,  to  keep  the  slimes  away 
from  the  filter. 

As  for  the  advantage  of  continuous  percolation 
over  merely  allowing  the  solutions  to  stand  on  the 
ore,  this  must  be  determined  for  each  separate 
plant.  In  general,  low-grade  ore  does  not  require 
continuous  percolation,  but  it  may  be  essential  for 
ore  of  high  grade.  The  reason  seems  to  be  that  with 
richer  material  it  is  necessary  to  circulate  in  order 
to  bring  a  sufficient  amount  of  acid  in  contact  with 
the  copper  minerals  to  effect  their  solution.  In 
such  a  case  continuous  percolation  has  been  known 
to  raise  the  extraction  as  much  as  30  per  cent. 

An  extension  of  the  time  of  leaching  will  usually 
result  in  better  extraction,  or,  if  the  acid  concentra- 
tion of  the  leach  solutions  be  reduced,  in  a  lower 
acid  consumption  with  equally  good  extraction. 
In  normal  times  the  saving  thus  obtained  must  be 
balanced  against  the  cost  of  additional  plant 
required  for  an  extension  of  the  leaching  period. 
During  curtailed  production,  however,  the  time  may 
be  lengthened  to  great  advantage.  Thus  at 
Chuquicamata  the  average  extraction  for  February-, 
1921,  was  raised  from  the  normal  of  90-92°o  to 
94-15°o-  A  40%  curtailment  at  Ajo  in  March, 
1919,  reduced  the  acid  neutralized  per  ton  of  charge 
from  67-4  to  45. 

The  percentage  of  the  total  copper  which  can  be 
extracted  in  leaching  will  vary  considerably,  as 
some  copper  is  nearly  always  present  as  sulphide  or 
in  some  other  insoluble  form,  and  all  that  the 
leaching  plant  should  be  asked  to  do  is  to  dissolve 
a  satisfactory  percentage  of  the  copper  which  is 
soluble  in  sulphuric  aid.  The  percentage  of  the 
acid-soluble  copper  which  is  dissolved  ought  not 
to  be  under  85  per  cent. 

Leaching  tanks  in  the  larger  plants  using 
sulphuric  acid  as  solvent  are  usually  made  of 
reinforced  concrete,  with  a  lining  of  either  lead  or 
mastic  asphalt.  The  lead  may  be  protected  from 
mechanical  wear  by  wood.  The  smaller  tanks,  of 
circular  form,  are  more  often  of  wood,  with  lead 
linings.  Tanks  are  emptied  by  several  methods  : 
at  Garfield  and  Chuquicamata  by  Mead-Morrison 
unloading  bridges,  which  span  the  tanks,  at  Ajo  by 
Hulett  unloaders,  and  at  Anaconda  by  flushing  out 
with  water.  All  these  methods  are  proving 
satisfactory. 

Leaching  for  precipitation  on  iron  does  not  differ 
radically  from  that  just  given.  The  chief  differences 
are  caused  by  the  fact  that  one  does  not  have  to 
plan  for  the  recovery  of  the  acid,  which  is  all  lost, 
and  that  the  fouUng  of  solutions  is  important  only 
in  so  far  as  it  increases  the  consumption  of  acid.  To 
avoid  a  large  consumption  of  iron  and  sulphuric 
acid  the  solution  going  to  the  precipitation  plant 
should  be  verv  low  in  free  acid,  which  attacks  iron 
readily.  It  is  therefore  kept  on  fresh  ore  long  enough 
to  become  practically  neutralized.  Ferric  salts  also 
have  a  solvent  action  on  the  iron,  but  these  are  not 
usually  present  in  large  amount.  At  Garfield  the 
general  scheme  is  not  unhke  that  at  Chuquicamata, 
though  there  is  more  circulation  of  the  solutions  in 
the  tanks  by  means  of  a  series  of  air-lifts. 


At  .Anaconda,  where  precipitation  on  iron  is  used 
and  all  acid  is  lost,  this  loss  amounts  to  about  65 
pounds  of  60^  acid  per  ton  of  tailing.  At  Ajo  much 
of  the  acid  is  regenerated  in  the  electrolytic  deposi- 
tion of  the  copper,  as  well  as  in  the  purification  of 
the  solutions  by  sulphur  dioxide,  but  the  acid 
consumption  is  some  90  pounds  per  ton  of  ore,  the 
larger  amount  being  due  to  the  relatively  greater 
solubility  of  the  gangue.  At  Chuquicamata  there 
is  a  very  considerable  amount  of  combined  sulphuric 
acid  in  the  ore,  so  that  if  no  solutions  were  dis- 
carded in  the  tank-house  there  would  actually 
be  an  increase  of  acid  in  the  system.  As  it  is,  the 
new  acid  required  amounts  to  only  four  or  five 
pounds  per  ton. 

Purification  of  Sulphate  Solutions. —  Purification 
is  not  necessary  except  as  a  preparation  for  electro- 
lysis, for  owing  to  the  discarding  of  all  solutions  in 
precipitation  on  iron  there  is  no  cyclic  increase  of 
impurities. 

Any  gangue  material  soluble  in  sulphuric  acid  is 
liable  to  increase  to  the  point  of  saturation.  This 
may  do  no  harm,  if  it  be  chemically  inert  like 
calciunr  sulphate ;  it  may  not  be  within  com- 
mercial control  except  by  discarding  a  part  of  the 
solution,  as,  for  example,  nitric  acid  ;  or  it  may  be 
capable  of  reduction  by  a  comparatively  cheap 
means,  as  in  the  case  of  ferric  iron  and  chlorine. 

Ferric  iron  is  the  h^te  noire  which  haunts  the 
copper  hydro-metallurgist  in  his  dreams,  and  turns 
his  hair  white  before  its  time.  It  is  mainly 
responsible  for  the  difficulties  of  electrolytic  work, 
and  has  probably  caused  more  failures  than  all 
other  impurities  combined. 

It  is  possible  to  entirely  remove  ferric  iron  from 
the  solution  by  precipitation  with  copper  oxide,  this 
being  produced  especially  for  the  purpose  or 
obtained  from  the  ore  itself.  In  the  latter  case  the 
difficulty  is  that  in  order  to  dissolve  the  copper 
completely  it  is  necessary  to  follow  the  purified 
solution  with  an  acid  one,  which  picks  up  the 
precipitated  ferric  oxide  for  another  trip  on  the 
merry-go-round.  Fortunately  iron  in  the  ferrous 
condition  is  almost  harmless,  so  the  efforts  of  the 
metallurgist  are  usually  directed  towards  methods 
of  reducing  it  to  the  ferrous  condition  instead  of 
eliminating  it  from  the  system. 

At  Ajo  the  reduction  is  made  by  means  of  sulphur 
dioxide.  This  does  not  act  well  in  a  strongly  acid 
solution,  so  the  solution  used  in  the  leaching  process, 
as  noted  above,  is  made  almost  neutral  before  being 
sent  to  the  reducing  towers.  It  passes  through  the 
towers  which  are  filled  with  a  wooden  checkerwork, 
counter-current  to  the  flow  of  sulphur  dioxide  pro- 
duced in  roasting  pyrite,  and  a  very  good  absorp- 
tion is  secured.  While  being  reduced  to  the  ferrous 
condition  ferric  iron  oxidizes  sulphur  dioxide  to 
sulphuric  acid,  which  is  an  important  gain. 

The  reduction  brought  about  in  the  towers  brings 
the  ferric  iron  down  from  10  to  2-5  g.p.l.  and 
increases  the  acid  from  4-0  to  16  g.p.l.  This  is 
done  without  saturating  the  solution  with  sulphur 
dioxide  to  such  an  extent  that  it  gives  much  trouble 
in  the  tank-house,  although  it  is  well  to  provide  for 
good  ventilation  where  their  gas  is  used. 

It  was  also  suggested  at  Ajo  to  utilize  the  cement 
copper  produced  in  the  precipitation-on-iron  plant 
to  reduce  the  ferric  iron  of  the  solutions.  This  was 
tried  and  proved  successful,  but  it  usually  pays  to 
ship  the  cement  copper  and  use  sulphur  dioxide 
reduction. 

Chlorine   is   present  in   the   Chuquicamata   ore. 


ISO 


THU     MININC.     MA(,\ZIM 


partly  a-;  an  oxychloride  of  copper,  atacamilo.  but 
iiiainiv  as  <itKliuiii  chlorido.  This  is  all  dissolvcil  in 
the  leaching  tanks,  so  that  the  strong  solution  from 
fresh  ore  contains  up  to  live  grammes  of  rhlorine  per 
litre.  It  is  precipitated  as  cuprous  chloride  by 
agitatinq  the  solution  with  fine  cement  copper, 
which  at  the  same  time  reduces  much  of  the  ferric 
iron  present.  The  cuprous  chlorido  is  dissolved  in 
a  lerrous  chloride  solution  and  then  the  copper  is 
precipitated  on  scrap  iron,  most  of  the  cement 
copper  so  formed  going  back  to  the  dechloridizing 
plant. 

Prfrif'ilnlinii  ol  Copper  by  Fledtolysis. — This  is 
perhaps  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  hydro- 
metallurgy  of  copper.  If  the  solutions  contained 
nothing  biit  copper  and  sulphuric  acid  the  operation 
would  be  an  easy  one.  but  impurities  cause  no  end  of 
trouble,  which  can  be  overcome  only  by  persistent 
effort. 

Many  different  materials  have  been  suggested  for 
the  anodes,  but  onl\-  four  have  been  used  to  any 
extent. 

Graphite,  or  carbon  in  some  other  form,  has  many 
strong  advocates,  but  so  far  has  been  practically 
limited  to  chloride  solutions.  If  used  for  sulphate 
solutions  the  oxygen  liberated  at  the  anode  will 
attack  it  vigorously  unless  neutralized  by  some 
reducing  agent  like  sulphur  dioxide.  Ferric  salts 
are  also  extremely  corrosive  to  carbon.  But  the 
voltage  used  is  low,  and  the  amount  of  acid  re- 
generated is  very  high,  so  there  are  great  induce 
ments  for  further  experimentation.  It  is  not  at  all 
unlikely  that  it  will  be  used  on  a  large  scale  when 
the  various  difficulties  have  been  overcome. 

Lead  containing  up  to  10%  of  antimony  is  very 
satisfactory  for  pure  sulphate  solutions,  owing  to 
the  insolubility  of  lead  sulphate.  Even  ferric  iron 
lias  no  effect  on  it.  If  much  chlorine  is  present, 
however,  these  anodes  go  to  pieces  rapidly,  and  their 
solution  is  even  more  rapid  with  nitric  acid  in  the 
electrolyte  as  at  Chuquicamata  The  only  trial  they 
have  had  on  a  large  scale  is  at  Ajo,  and  there  they  are 
giving  splendid  .service.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year 
of  operation  they  were  almost  as  good  as  new.  sn 
it  is  certain  that  anode  replacement  will  be  a  small 
item. 

Chuquicamata,  with  sulphuric,  nitric,  and  hydro- 
chloric acids  in  the  solutions,  has  had  the  most 
difficult  problem.  Here  both  magnetite  and  ferro- 
silicon  have  been  used.  In  the  early  experimental 
work  it  was  decided  to  use  fused  magnetite  anodes 
made  in  Germany,  and  these  were  installed  in  the 
large  plant.  Then  the  breaking  out  of  the  European 
war  prevented  the  shipment  of  a  further  supply, 
and  ferro-silicon  (about  l.'^'^o  Si)  was  substituted  for 
magnetite.  This  was  much  inferior  to  magnetite 
chemically,  but  far  better  in  its  mechanical  and 
electrical  properties,  and  cheaper.  The  war  has 
been  over  more  than  two  years,  but  ferrous-silicon 
anodes  are  still  in  use.  The  company's  research 
laboratory  has  developed  several  promising  new 
materials,  and  may  yet  be  rewarded  by  an  anode 
which  w-ill  be  a  success  commercially.  The  difficulties 
with  ferro-silicon  are  that  it  is  not  entirely  insoluble 
in  the  solutions  used,  so  that  anodes  of  this  material 
have  to  be  replaced  from  time  to  time,  and  that  the 
iron  dissolving  contaminates  the  solution.  In 
fact,  the  necessity  of  discarding  a  large  quantity 
of  solution  at  that  plant  is  due  entirely  to  the 
solubihty  of  the  anodes,  for  the  tailing  contains  as 
much  iron  as  the  ore  itself.  Some  solution  would 
have  to  be  discarded,  in  any  case,  to  eliminate  the 


nitric  ,ncid,  Iml  tli.il  does  not  iln  sn  much  harm 
when  the  ferric  iron  is  low. 

The  electrolyte  employetl  differs  from  the  electro- 
lyte used  in  onlinary  cojiper-refining  chiefly  in  the 
lower  acid  cnnti-nl  and  higher  impurities.  The 
.lormer  is  due  to  the  effort  toa,void  aciil  consumption 
by  action  on  the  gangue,  which  would  be  increase<l  by 
high  acid  in  the  solutions.  At  Ajo  it  is  further 
lowered  to  gain  efficiency  in  the  reduction  of 
ferric  iron  bv  sulphur  dioxide.  In  order  to  increase 
the  acid  and  lower  the  copper  at  Chuquicamata  the 
solution  from  the  dechloridizing  |)lant  is  diluted, 
be'ore  going  to  the  tanks,  with  .some  of  the  solution 
which  has  been  ))artly  electrolysed  and  therefore 
has  had  a  part  of  its  acid  regenerated. 

The  impurities  in  the  electrolyte  are  those  which 
have  not  been  eliminated  by  some  process  of 
purification  of  the  leaching  plant  solutions.  Ferric 
iron  in  the  head-tank  solution  is  usually  low, 
because  it  can  be  controlled,  but  the  ferrous  iron 
may  be  high,  and  this  is  a  latent  source  of  trouble 
on  account  of  the  ease  with  which  it  is  oxidized. 
As  the  total  iron  increases,  the  trouble  with  ferric 
iron  becomes  so  great  that  something  radical  has 
to  be  done,  and  this  usually  means  discarding  the 
solution  after  removal  of  the  copper.  Ferric  iron 
has  a  very  considerable  solvent  action  on  the  copper 
deposited,  thereby  lowering  the  ampere  efficiency 
and  also  increasing  the  voltage.  Chlorine  up  to 
0-5  g.p.l.  has  no  ereat  effect  on  the  current  efficiency, 
and  a  considerable  part  of  it  is  deposited  with  the 
copper;  chemically  deposited,  because  electrically  it 
would  go  to  the  anode.  The  small  amount  of 
chlorine  which  may  be  introduced  into  solutions  in 
the  wash  water  used  has  not  been  found  harmful  to 
lead  anodes,  as  was  feared  before  they  were  given 
a  commercial  trial.  At  .Ajo  about  two-thirds  of  the 
chlorine  is  deposited  with  each  cycle  through  the 
tanks.  Nitric  acid  may  run  up  to  15  g.p.l.  without 
doing  any  serious  harm,  esi^ecially  if  the  ferric  iron 
is  low.  but  at  high  concentration  or  in  a  warm 
electrolyte  it  attacks  both  cathode  and  anode,  at 
the  same  time  giving  off  obnoxious  fumes  in  the 
tank-l;ouse. 

On  account  of  the  high  voltage  necessary  to 
deposit  copper  with  insoluble  anodes,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  heat  the  solutions.  In  ordinary  copper- 
refining  this  is  done  to  decrease  the  ohmic  resistance 
of  the  electrolyte,  but  when  ferric  iron  is  present  it 
is  desirable  to  have  the  temperature  as  low  as 
possible  to  avoid  the  solvent  action  of  these 
impurities  on  the  deposited  copper.  At  Ajo  the 
temperature  of  the  solutions  remains  about  30°  F. 
above  that  of  the  atmosphere,  but  at  Chuquicamata, 
where  the  current  density  and  the  resistivity  of  the 
anode  are  both  higher,  the  beating  is  great  enough 
to  make  necessary  a  cooling  tower  through  which  the 
electrolyte  goes. 

In  discarding  solution  from  the  tank-house  to 
eliminate  impurities,  the  copper  may  be  removed  by 
electrolysis,  or  by  precipitation  on  iron,  or  by  a 
combination  of  these  methods.  The  choice  depends 
chiefly  upon  the  relative  cost  of  electric  current  and 
scrap  iron,  and  the  means  at  hand  for  disposing 
of  the  impure  electrolytic  or  cement  copper  pro- 
duced. Flectrolysis  is  done  at  the  cost  of  a  greatly 
reduced  current  efficiency,  while  conditions  arc  also 
bad  for  precipitation  on  iron,  on  account  of  the 
acidity  of  the  spent  electrolyte.  At  Chuquicamata 
electrolysis  alone  is  used,  and  the  impure  (arsenical) 
copper  is  sent  to  the  anode  furnace  making  soluble 
anodes  for  the  starting-sheet  section  of  the  tank- 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


181 


house.  At  Ajo  the  spent  electrolyte  is  passed  over 
scrap  iron,  and  the  cement  copper  is  shipped  or 
used  to  reduce  ferric  iron  in  the  solution. 

The  spent  electrolyte  may  not,  however,  always 
he  the  proper  solution  to  discard.  It  may  be  that 
in  t  he  leaching  process  iron  and  alumina  will  actually 
be  precipitated  on  the  ore,  only  to  be  picked  up 
a<rain  by  the  strong  acid  and  wash  solutions.  If  as 
a  result  the  wash  solutions  contain  more  iron  and  less 
free  acid  in  proportion  to  the  copper  content  than 
does  the  spent  electrolyte  they  can  be  discarded  to 
advantage.  It  will  mean  less  copper  to  precipitate 
per  unit  of  iron  discarded,  and  less  acid  lost  as  well. 
Also,  on  account  of  the  lower  acidity,  the  con- 
sumption of  scrap  iron  should  not  be  as  high  as 
when  precipitating  copper  from  spent  electrolyte. 
In  addition,  the  water-soluble  copper  in  the  tailing 
can  be  kept  down  by  using  an  extra  amount  of 
wash  water  and  then  passing  this  over  scrap  iron. 

The  theoretical  voltage  necessary  to  decompose 
copper  sulphate  with  an  insoluble  anode  is  1'22.  In 
practice  nothing  near  this  is  ever  reached,  owing 
chiefly  to  the  solvent  action  of  impurities,  but  all 
the  factors  ordinarily  met  with  in  copper  refining 
also  play  a  part.  At  Ajo,  where  the  current  density 
is  low  (7"5  amperes  per  square  foot)  the  voltage  is 
just  over  two  ;  at  Chuquicaraata,  with  anodes  of 
greater  resistivity  and  nearly  double  the  current 
density,  it  is  about  ?'8.  The  current  density  should 
be  about  that  used  in  ordinary  refining  under  similar 
cost  conditions.  A  higher  current  density  has  been 
advocated  in  order  to  more  perfectly  overcome  the 
solvent  action  on  the  cathodes,  but  this  doe?  not 
take  into  account  the  heating  of  the  solutions  with 
the  higher  current,  which  will  cause  the  solvent 
action  to  increase  in  even  greater  proportion  than 
the  amperage. 

The  current  efficiency  in  a  new  plant  is  usually 
low,  not  so  much  on  account  of  difficulties  inherent 
in  the  process  as  because  it  is  necessary  to  start  with 
a  green  crew.  When  men  have  been  properly 
trained  for  the  work  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  look 
for  an  efficiency  of  80  to  85%.  The  amount  of 
copper  deposited  per  kilowatt-hour  should  be 
0-7  to  0-9  lb. 

The  starting-sheet  section  may  be  practically  the 
ordinary  starting-sheet  department  of  a  copper 
refinery,  when  soluble  anodes  are  used,  as  at 
Chuquicamata,  or  the  starting  sheets  may  be  made 
from  the  usual  tank-house  solution,  with  insoluble 
anodes,  as  at  Ajo.  If  the  anodes  can  be  provided 
without  too  great  expense,  it  will  be  found 
advantageous,  in  most  cases,  to  adopt  the  former 
system,  owing  to  the  better  quality  of  the  sheets 
produced. 

Percipitation  on  Iron. — This  method  will  usually 
be  adopted  in  small  plants  where  it  is  desired  to 
keep  the  initial  expense  of  construction  down  to 
a  minimum,  and  in  large-scale  operations  as  well 
when  iron  can  be  obtained  as  a  by-product  of  the 
company's  shops,  as  at  Anaconda  and  Garfield. 
These  plants  are  also  favoured  by  having  a  ready 
means  of  disposing  of  the  cement  copper  produced. 
The  installation  of  electrolytic  tank-houses  should 
be  undertaken  only  by  companies  with  the  best  of 
metallurgical  skill  at  their  command. 

Precipitation  may  be  done  with  almost  any  kind 
of  scrap  iron,  old  tin  cans,  and  old  galvanized  iron 
utensils  being  used  in  large  quantities  for  the 
purpose.  Sponge  iron,  that  is,  iron  reduced  from 
its  ores  at  a  low  temperature,  and  consequently  very 
porous,  would  be  almost  ideal  as  an  iron  precipitant, 

3—6 


but  its  production  on  a  commercial  scale  has  not 
been  a  part  of  the  practice  of  any  of  the  large 
companies.  Both  the  Anaconda  and  Xew  Cornelia 
(Ajo)  have  done  extensive  experimentation  along 
this  line,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  difficulties 
encountered  are  not  insurmountable. 

Precipitation  formerly  took  place  in  launders, 
which  required  a  fairly  large  plant  and  involved 
difficulties  in  handling  materials.  Now,  however, 
the  tendency  is  to  precipitate  the  greater  part  of 
the  copper  in  modified  tube-mills  filled  with  scrap 
iron,  through  which  the  solution  flows  on  its  way 
to  the  launders  for  the  final  precipitation.  This 
centralizes  the  handling  of  both  the  scrap  iron  and 
cement  copper,  for  which  machinery  can  then  be 
used  to  advantage.  The  Utah  Copper  Co.,  at  Gar- 
field, has  the  most  extensive  installation  of  this  kind, 
though  it  has  been  practised  for  some  years  at 
Chuquicamata  in  the  recovery  of  copper  from  the 
cuprous  chloride. 

Theoretically  the  consumption  of  iron  in  the 
precipitation  of  copper  from  cupric  solutions  is  nine- 
tenths  of  a  pound  per  pound  of  copper,  and  half 
of  that  amount  from  cuprous  solutions.  Owing, 
however,  to  the  action  of  acid  and  ferric  salts,  these 
figures  cannot  be  even  closely  approached  in 
practice.  Twice  the  theoretical  consumption  would 
be  more  nearly  normal  in  sulphate  solutions,  with 
better  than  that  in  chloride  solutions. 

The  cement  copper  is  always  contaminated  with 
iron  and  other  impurities,  so  that  it  will  not  usually 
analyse  higher  than  65  or  70%  copper. 

Aimuonia  Leachitig. — The  success  of  ammonia 
leaching  may  be  ascribed  chiefly  to  the  overcoming 
of  mechanical  difficulties  in  handling  a  solvent  so 
volatile,  so  that  the  mechanical  features  of  such 
a  plant  are  specially  important.  Steel  tanks  are 
used  by  both  the  Calumet  and  Hecla  and  the 
Kennecott,  but  these  differ  considerably  in  detail. 
In  the  former  each  tank  has  a  removable  cover, 
which  is  taken  off  for  charging  and  other  operations, 
while  the  solution  is  not  on  the  charge.  At 
Kennecott  the  covers  are  dome  shaped,  and  riveted 
to  the  tanks,  and  are  made  sufficiently  strong  to 
withstand  an  internal  pressure  of  10  lb  to  the  square 
inch.  Manholes  are  provided,  as  also  are  others 
for  charging  and  manipulating  the  feed  distributor 
and  excavator,  which  are  permanent  fixtures  inside 
the  tanks.  The  reason  for  the  Kennecott  construc- 
tion is  that  the  washing  of  the  taihng  is  done  with 
steam  under  pressure,  the  system  being  patented  by 
them.  Covered  tanks  are  provided  in  both  places 
for  solution  storage. 

The  chemistry  of  the  operation  is  simple.    At  Lake 
Linden  ammonium  carbonate  is  bought,  and  this, 
with  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  acts  on  the  metallic 
copper  as  follows  : — 
2(NH4).,CO,  +  O2  -1-  2Cu  = 

2CuCO,,(NH3).,  +  2H..O 

This  cupric-ammonium  carbonate  has  a  solvent 
action  on  more  copper,  producing  cuprous- 
ammonium  carbonate  : — 

CuCO,(NH,).,  -t-  Cu  =  Cu^COslNHs).,. 

This   again   is   oxidized    by    the    air   to   cupric- 
ammonium  carbonate  : — 
2CU2C03(NH3)2  -f  Oo  -f  2(NH,).jCOs  = 

4CuCOi,(NH3)2  -1-  2H.,0. 

In  this  way  the  air  really  furnishes  all  the  oxygen 
required,  and  the  ammonium  carbonate  and  cupric- 
ammonium  carbonate  simply  act  as  carriers  for  it. 
In  plant  operation  this  oxygen  is  introduced  by 
passing   air   through   the   first   and   second    leach 


182 


111;     MINIM,     MAGAZINE 


solutions,  which  have  their  copper  thus  converted  to 
the  cupric  condition.  Any  ammonia  gas  whicli  is 
carried  oft  during  the  operation  is  absorbed  in  water. 

At  Kennecott.  where  the  ore  is  a  carbonate,  the 
solution  is  bought  as  ammonia,  but  this  is  of  course 
rapidly  converted  into  the  carbonate.  In  both 
plants  the  ammonia  and  the  carbon  dioxide  com- 
bined with  it  are  recovered  by  distillation,  the 
compounds  being  broken  up  by  heat,  but  again 
re-forming  in  the  condensers,  while  copper  oxide  is 
precipitated  in  the  residual  solution. 

The  leaching  cycle  is  not  radically  different  from 
that  used  in  sulphuric-acid  leaching,  and  the  same 
precautions  should  be  observed,  except  that  in  this 
ca.se  there  is  no  fouling  of  solutions  to  worry  about. 
At  Lake  Linden  two  leach  and  two  wash  solutions 
are  used,  followed  by  wash  water,  the  quantity  of  the 
latter  being  dependent  upon  the  volume  sent  to  the 
stills.  This  will  naturally  be  kept  at  as  low  a  point 
as  possible,  as  the  cost  of  steam  for  distillation  is  one 
of  the  principal  items  of  expense.  In  washing  at 
Kennecott,  steam  is  introduced  at  the  top,  and 
passes  through  the  charge,  being  thus  preceded  by  a 
wash  of  condensed  steam.  The  ammonia  is  thus 
driven  out  by  volatilization.  The  amount  of  steam 
necessary  per  ton  of  charge  is  about  100  lb.  at  5  lb. 
pressure,  and  some  20  hours  are  required  for  the 
operation. 

Theoretically  all  the  ammonia  should  be  recovered. 
In  practice  there  is  lost  about  one  pound  per  ton 
at  Lake  Linden  and  half  that  amount  at  Kennecott. 
The  better  recovery  at  the  latter  place  is  due  to  the 
steam  w-ash,  but  it  is  doubtful  w^hether  in  the  average 
plant  it  would  pay  for  the  cost  of  steam  consumed. 
Steam  and  ammonia  account  for  about  60%  of  the 
total  cost  at  both  plants.  The  stills  consist  of  a 
series  .of  cylinders  placed  vertically,  the  copper 
ammonia  solutions  passing  down  while  steam 
ascends.  The  first  cylinders  remove  nearly  all  the 
ammonia,  and  the  second  series  complete  the 
operation.  At  first  much  trouble  was  experienced 
owing  to  the  precipitated  copper  oxide  adhering  to 
the  stills,  but  this  was  overcome  by  placing  in  each 
a  revoking  scraper  to  remove  it  as  fast  as  formed. 

The  leaching  plant  at  Lake  Linden  made  last  year 
about  11,000,000  lb.  of  copper,  which  cost  less  than 
six  cents  a  pound  up  to  smelting.    The  recovery  was 


over  80",,.  At  Kennecott  the  recovery  of  oxidi/ed 
copper  was  about  the  same,  the  cost  per  ton  of 
tailing  somewhat  higher  and  that  per  pound  of 
co])per  a  little  lower,  owijig  to  the  higher  grade  of 
material  treated. 

Scofye  of  Lcnchini;  Processes. — The  characteristics 
of  an  ore  suitable  for  leaching  by  one  of  the  methods 
described  are  : — 

(I)  The  copper  minerals  must  be  soluble  in 
sulphuric  acid  or  ammonia,  or  capable  of  being 
made  so  by  a  cheap  method,  as  roasting.  This 
ajiplies  to  nearly  all  ores  except  possibly  heavy 
sulphides. 

('2)  The  gangue  minerals  must  be  nearly  insoluble 
in  either  acid  or  ammonia,  or  capable  of  being  made 
so.     This  also  applies  to  most  ores. 

(3)  Gold  and  silver  should  either  not  be  present  in 
appreciable  quantities  or  .should  be  rendered  soluble 
by  a  chloridizing  roast  or  leach.  It  should  be 
mentioned  that  there  is  no  large-scale  ]ilant 
recovering  both  copper  and  precious  metals  in  this 
way,  but  such  may  be  expected  as  a  result  of  future 
developments. 

On  account  of  the  strong  competition  of  flotation 
in  handling  sulphide  ores,  the  most  promising 
extension  of  leaching  in  the  near  future  would  seem 
to  be  the  treatment  of  the  large  bodies  of  partly 
oxidized  ores  at  present  lying  idle.  These  will,  of 
course,  require  a  preliminary  roast.  And  the  day 
may  not  be  far  distant  when  a  roasting  and  leaching 
process  producing  electrolytic  copper  may  be  found 
preferable  to  the  usual  combination  of  gravity 
concentration,  flotation,  smelting,  converting,  and 
electrolytic  refining,  even  on  ores  which  arc  well 
adapted  to  flotation. 

Leaching  has  been  applied  in  the  past  almost 
entirely  to  low-grade  material,  but  this  limitation  is 
not  imposed  by  the  nature  of  the  process.  If  it  be 
commercially  feasible  to  roast  and  leach  the  tailing 
from  a  gravity-concentration  plant,  it  may  be  even 
more  profitable  to  similarly  treat  the  ore  itself. 

When  viewed  in  the  light  of  its  financial  success, 
leaching  makes  an  excellent  showing.  In  fact,  the 
profits  made  by  companies  handling  low-grade  ore  or 
tailing  are  an  indication  that  under  suitable  con- 
ditions leaching  costs  compare  favourably  with  those 
of  any  methods  of  treatment  yet  devised. 


DRESSING    OF    WOLFRAM     ORES     IN    QUEENSLAND 


Reference  was  made  recently  in  the  Magazine  to 
the  mines  and  dressing  plant  of  the  Burma  Queens- 
land Corporation,  at  Wolfram  Camp,  North  Queens- 
land. A  detailed  description  of  the  mill  is  given 
in  a  paper  by  W.  H.  Bowater,  showing  how  the 
tungsten,  bismuth,  and  molybdenum  minerals  are 
separated,  appearing  in  the  Proceedings  of  the 
Australian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy, 
No.  40,   1920. 

A  commencement  was  made  with  the  erection  of 
the  first  unit  of  the  new  mill  in  August,  1917,  and 
milling  and  concentrating  commenced  in  February, 
1919.  The  ore  is  essentially  quartz,  the  richer 
values  occurring  in  lumps  and  patches  in  this 
quartz.  Between  the  quartz  and  the  granite  there 
is  a  transition  zone,  through  which  the  molybdenite 
is  more  evenly  distributed.  The  chief  minerals  are 
molybdenite,  wolfram,  metallic  bismuth,  bismuth 
sulphide,  bismuth  carbonate,  and,  rarely,  a  little 


scheelite.  The  wolfram  is  of  a  very  friable  nature, 
and,  as  the  quartz  gangue  contains  the  molybdenite, 
a  screen  must  be  chosen  so  that  the  wolfram  is 
slimed  as  little  as  possible  and  at  the  same  time 
the  quartz  reduced  as  much  as  possible. 

The  ore  from  the  company's  various  mines  is 
delivered  by  the  aerial  ropeway  into  the  off-loading 
bin  (see  Fig.  1),  passing  from  this  bin  over  No.  I 
grizzly  with  2  in.  openings.  The  oversize  from 
No.  1  grizzly  passes  to  No.  1  jaw  crusher,  set  to 
break  at  2-5  in.,  and  thence  to  No.  2  grizzly  with 
l'5in.  openings.  The  oversize  from  No.  2  grizzly 
passes  to  No.  2  jaw  crusher,  set  to  break  at  I'.i  in., 
then  joins  up  with  the  fines  from  No.  1  grizzly  and 
No.  2  grizzly,  the  whole  then  passing  to  the  inter- 
mediate bin.  From  the  intermediate  bin  the  ore  is 
trammed  to  the  battery  bins,  side-tipping  trucks  of 
one-ton  capacity  being  used.  The  ore  is  distributed 
as  required   for  each  5  heads  of  stamps.     .\t  the 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


183 


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time  of  writing  the  first  unit  of  20  heads  of  stamps 
was  in  commission,  arranged  in  groups  of  5  to  each 
box.  From  the  battery  bins  the  ore  is  automatically 
fed  through  Challenge  ore-feeders  to  the  stamp 
boxes.  Stamps  are  of  1,2501b.,  run  at  100  drops 
per  minute,  with  from  6  in.  to  7  in.  drop.  The  depth 
of  overiiow  is  approximately  10  in.  Woven  wire 
screens  are  used  with  apertures  of  1/10  in.  to 
1/12  in.,  the  latter  for  ore  richer  in  molybdenite. 
The  stamp  duty  varies  from  5'5  to  5-8  tons  per 
head  per  24  hours.  The  mortar  boxes  are  set  on 
concrete  foundations  with  a  f  in.  rubber  sheet 
between  the  box  and  concrete.  The  pulp,  passing 
from  the  stamper  boxes,  is  automatically  sampled 
before  passing  to  hydraulic  classifiers  (No.  1  group), 
one  classifier  for  each  5  heads  of  stamps.  The 
spigot  (J  in.  diameter)  from  each  classifier  passes  to 
its  settler  (B),  the  overflow  from  each  classifier 
joining  up  and  passing  to  settler  (C),  the  overflow 
of  settler  (C)  being  divided  and  passing  to  two 
settlers    (CA).     The   spigot    (Jin.    diameter)    from 


each  settler  (B)  passes  to  Wilfley  and  Buss  tables, 
one  table  to  each  settler.  The  overflow  from 
settlers  (B)  joins  up  and  passes  to  a  large  settler 
(D),  the  ."ipigot  (I  in.  diameter)  of  which  passes  to 
a  Wilfley  table.  The  overflo-wJ  of  settler  (D)  passes 
to  a  still  larger  settler  (E),  the  spigot  (J  in.  diameter) 
of  which  is  sent  to  classifier  No.  2  group,  the  over- 
flow being  sent  to  the  tailings  launder  of  the  group 
of  Wilfle)'  and  Buss  tables,  assisting  to  flush  out 
this  launder.  Three  products  are  made  on  the 
concentrating  tables  :  bismuth-wolfram  con- 
centrates, middlings,  and  tailings.  The  bismuth- 
wolfram  concentrates  assay  30%  to  45%  WO;,  and 
5%  to  7%  Bi.  The  middlings  as.say  approximately 
8%  to  10%  WO3  and  5%  M0S2,  and  contain  a  fair 
percentage  of  pyrites.  The  taiUngs  contain  0-1% 
to  0-13%  WO.,,  the  percentage  of  MoS.^  varying, 
depending  on  the  degree  of  fineness  of  stamping. 

The  concentrates  are  sent  to  the  drying  and 
magnetic  separation  room. 

The  middlings  pass  to  Wheeler  pans,  thence  to 


IS  I 


TH1£     MIXING     MAi.AZlNE 


liyiirauUc  classifiers  (N"o.  2  £;roupl.  Tlio  spigot  of 
these  classifiers  (J  in.  iliaineter)  pass  to  Krupp 
tables,  producing  bisn\uth-\voHrani  concentrates, 
middlings,  and  tailings.  The  hisnmth-wolfraiu 
concentrates  assay  25%  to  40%  WO„  and  3%  to 
5%  Bi,  and  are  sent  to  the  drying  and  magnetic 
separation  room.  The  middlings  from  the  Kriip]' 
tables  are  elevated  back  to  the  Wilfley  table  dealing 
with  the  spigot  from  settler  (D).  The  overtlow 
from  each  classifier  joins  up  and  passes  to  a  settler 
(F).  The  spigot  (Jin.  diameter)  of  this  settler 
passes  to  an  Isbell  vannor,  producing  bismuth- 
wolfram  concentrates  and  tailings.  The  con- 
centrates, containing  15%  to  25%  WO3  and  3% 
to  4%  Bi,  are  sent  to  the  drying  and  magnetic 
separation  room.  The  overflow  passes  to  two 
settlers  (G).  The  spigot  and  overflow  of  settlers 
(C  and  CA)  also  pass  to  two  classifiers  (No.  2 
group),  the  spigots  (Jin.  diameter)  of  which  join 
up  and  pass  to  an  Isbel!  vanner,  the  overflow  of  the 
classifiers  passing  to  settlers  (G). 

The  tailings  from  the  Wilfley  and  Buss  tables 
are  passed  to  two  settlers  (CB),  the  spigots  of  which 
join  up  and  are  sent  to  the  molybdenite  flotation 
plant  (No.  1)  sub-unit,  the  overflow  being  pumped 
back  to  the  mill  reservoir. 

The  tailings  from  the  Krupp  and  vanner  tables 
are  passed  to  a  settler  (H),  the  spigot  (J  in. 
diameter)  of  which  is  passed  to  the  molybdenite 
flotation  plant  (No.  2  sub-unit),  the  overflow  going 
to  the  creek  dam. 

The  spigot  of  settler  (G)  is  run  to  slime  frames, 
producing  a  low-grade  concentrate  and  tailings, 
the  overflow  going  to  the  waste  settler  (L).  Tlie 
tailings  join  up  with  the  spigot  of  settler  (H)  and 
pass  to  the  molybdenite  flotation  plant  (No.  2 
sub-unit).  The  spigot  of  settler  (K)  (see  later), 
together  with  No.  2  head  of  the  slime  frame  con- 
centrates, is  sent  to  a  buddle  (No.  1),  the  overflow 
going  to  waste.  No.  1  head  of  this  buddle,  together 
with  No.  1  head  of  the  slime  frame  concentrates, 
is  re-treated  in  No.  2  buddle.  No.  2  head  of  No.  1 
buddle  is  re-treated  in  No.  1  buddle,  and  No.  3 
head  is  sent  to  waste.  No.  I  head  of  No.  2  buddle 
is  treated  on  a  Luhrig  vanner,  producing  bismuth- 
wolfram  concentrates,  middlings,  and  tailmgs.  The 
concentrates  are  sent  to  the  drying  and  magnetic 
separation  room.  The  middlings  are  returned  to 
the  vanners,  and  the  tailings  sent  to  waste.  No.  2 
head  of  No.  2  buddle  is  re-treated  in  No.  1  buddle 
and  No.  3  head  sent  to  waste. 

The  bismuth-wolfram  concentrates  are  dried, 
sampled,  weighed,  and  assayed.  They  are  then 
sized  into  three  grades  (through  30  mesh,  through 
16  mesh,  and  through  12  mesh)  and  magnetically 
separated.  Any  oversize  is  crushed  and  re-sized. 
Two  magnetic  separators  of  the  Dalbouze  bracket 
type  are  employed  at  work,  the  current  used  being 
II  amperes  at  110  volts.  The  product  from  the 
separators  consists  of  clean  wolfram  concentrates 
and  a  bismuth  concentrate  containing  the  bismuth, 
together  with  a  little  wolfram.  A  small  amount  of 
iron  residue  is  also  obtained,  which  contains  a  small 
percentage  of  wolfram.  These  residues  are  dressed 
on  a  Wilfley  table,  producing  a  fairly  high-grade 
wolfram  concentrate,  which  is  shipped  with  the 
concentrate  above.  The  wolfram  and  bismuth 
concentrates  from  the  separators  are  then  ready  for 
shipment. 

The  molybdenite  flotation  plant  (see  Fig.  2) 
consists  of  t\%-o  sub-units.  No.  1  dealing  with  the 
tailings  from  the  Wilfley  and  Buss  tables,  and  No.  2 


dealing  with  the  t.ulmgs  from  Krupp  l.iblcs,  Isbell 
vanners,  and  slime  frames. 

In  No.  1  sub-unit  the  spigots  from  settlers  (CV) 
are  passed  to  two  settlers  of  the  cone  type  in  order 
to  be  dewatcred  as  much  as  possible.  The  de- 
watered  pulp  is  passed  to  a  mixer,  the  stirring 
blades  revolving  175  r.p.m.,  the  necessary  oil 
required  being  added  in  this  mixer.  From  the 
mixer  the  pulp  is  fed  to  distributors  on  No.  1  set 
of  four  flotation  vessels.  The  flotation  vessel  is  of 
the  cone  type,  with  an  approximate  diameter  of 
4  ft.  9  in.  and  depth  3  ft.  3  in.  The  distributor 
occupies  1  ft.  11  in.  of  the  centre  of  the  vessel, 
leaving  1  ft.  5  in.  of  the  outer  diameter  of  the  vessel 
as  flotation  area.  The  spigots  of  No.  1  set  of 
flotation  vessel  pass  to  distributors  on  No.  2  set, 
l!ie  concentrates  passing  to  a  dcwaterer.  The 
spigots  of  No.  2  set  are  sent  to  two  large  settlers 
(I),  the  liquor  overflowing  to  the  storage  reservoir. 


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Molybdenite  Flotation  Plant, 


and  the  tails  passing  to  waste,  the  various  overflows 
joining  up  at  this  point  and  providing  the  necessary 
flushing  water.  The  concentrates  from  No.  2  set 
of  flotation  vessels  join  up  with  those  produced 
from  No.  1  set  and  pass  to  the  dewaterer.  The 
overflow  from  the  two  cone  settlers  is  passed  to 
a  large  settler  (J),  the  spigot  f.V  in.  diameter)  of 
which  is  sent  to  No.  2  sub-unit,  the  overflow 
passing  to  a  still  larger  settler  (K).  This  pre- 
caution is  taken  in  case  of  the  overflowing  of  the 
two  cone  settlers,  in  addition  to  obtaining  a  better 
settlement  of  the  fine  material. 

In  No,  2  sub-unit,  the  tailings  from  the  Krupp 
tables,  Isbell  vanners,  slime  frames,  and  spigot  of 
settler  (J)  are  sent  to  a  large  settler  (L).  The  spigot 
I  f  in.  diameter)  is  passed  to  two  cone  settlers,  the 
overflow  going  to  waste.  The  dewatered  pulj) 
from  the  cone  settlers  is  then  dealt  with  as  in  No.  1 
sub-unit,  the  feed  from  the  mixer  passing  to  dis- 
tributors on  No.  1  set  of  three  flotation  vessels  and 
concentrates  to  the  dewaterer.  The  sjiigot  cJ 
No.  1  set  of  flotation  vessels  passes  distributors  on 
No.  2  set,  the  concentrates  joining  up  and  passing 
to  the  dewatered.  The  spigots  of  No.  2  set  of 
flotation  vessels  join  up  with  the  spigots  of  No.  2 
set  of  No.   1   unit,  and   pass   to   the   settlers    (I). 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


185 


The  molybdenite  concentrates  also  join  up  with 
that  produced  from  No.  1  sub-unit,  and  together 
pass  to  the  dewaterer.  The  molybdenite  dewaterer 
is  a  rectangular  box  approximately  3  ft.  long  by 
2  ft.  wide  and  6  in.  deep.  On  the  bottom  of  the 
box  is  placed  80  mesh  screening.  The  liquor 
carrying  the  concentrates  is  led  on  to  the  box, 
the  latter  being  given  a  shaking  movement.  The 
dewatered  concentrate  is  periodically  removed 
from  the  screen,  the  liquor  and  fine  molybdenite 
passing  through  the  screen  into  a  large  3-compart- 
ment  box.  The  fine  molybdenite  settles  in  this 
box,  and  the  liquor  overflows  to  the  storage 
reservoir.  The  fine  molybdenite  in  No.  1  compart- 
ment of  this  box  is  periodically  removed  and  dressed 
in  kieves  to  a  marketable  concentrate.     The  fine 


molybdenite  in  Nos.  2  and  3  compartments, 
together  with  the  skimmings  from  the  kieves,  are 
periodically  returned  to  the  mixers.  As  much  as 
possible  of  the  liquor  is  saved  and  pumped  from  the 
storage  reservoir  to  tanks  above  the  mixers,  thus 
providing  liquor  for  the  mixers  and  overflow  of  the 
flotation  vessels.  Loss  in  liquor  is  provided  for 
by  adding  water  when  necessary  to  these  tanks. 
The  dewatered  molybdenite  concentrate  is  dried 
and  is  then  ready  for  market.  The  concentrate 
obtained  from  the  screen  assays  85%  to  94% 
MoSj.  The  dressed  concentrate  from  ISFo.  1  com- 
partment of  the  box  assays  80%  to  85%  M0S2, 
depending  on  the  cleanliness  of  the  water  used  in  the 
flotation  plant  and  the  nature  of  the  ore  milled. 


CORNISH    GEOLOGY 


At  a  meeting  of  the  Royal  Cornwall  Polytechnic 
Society  held  on  July  6,  E.  H.  Davison  read  a  paper 
entitled  :  "  Some  Recent  Additions  to  our  Know- 
edge  of  Cornish  Geology."  This  consisted  of  a 
series  of  notes  on  new  facts  regarding  the  geologv 
of  Cornwall,  both  on  the  purely  scientific  side  and 
as  regards  the  economic  side  of  the  science,  which 
have  come  to  the  author's  knowledge  during  the 
last  eighteen  months.  In  most  cases  the  original 
observations  were  made  by  one  or  another  of  his 
students  at  Camborne  Mining  School,  sometimes  as 
the  result  of  suggestions  made  by  others,  at  other 
times  entirely  original. 

The  occurrences  described  in  the  paper  are  as 
follows  : — 

(1)  A  new  type  of  basic  igneous  rock  from  Porth- 
glaze  Cove,  Gurnard's  Head. 

(2)  A  type  of  tourmalinized  granite  not  previously 
described  from  Wheal  Providence,  Carbis  Bay. 

(3)  An  unusual  form  of  altered  elvan  from  Carn 
Menellis  district. 

(4)  The  occurrence  of  platinum  in  the  alluvial 
gravels  of  the  Lizard. 

(5)  The  occurrence  of  gold  in  the  Carn  Menellis 
district. 

(6)  Green  Clay  on  Goonhilly  Downs. 

(7)  Fuller's  Larth  at  Treamble. 

(1)  In  August,  1920,  Mr.  Castier,  who  was  then 
a  student  at  the  Mining  School,  and  has  since 
gone  to  the  Ouro  Preto  mine,  Brazil,  noticed  a 
strange  rock  at  Porthglaze  Cove,  just  to  the  north- 
east of  Gurnard's  Head.  The  author  visited  the 
cove  and  found  in  its  western  corner  a  basic  igneous 
rock,  with  patches  and  lenticular  areas  of  pale 
coloured  more  acid  material,  forming  the  cliff  to 
a  height  of  about  120  ft.  above  sea-level  and  for 
a  distance  of  about  40  yards  to  the  west.  The 
rock  has  a  black  and  pink  foliated  appearance,  the 
black  part  being  composed  of  hornblende,  iron  ore, 
and  a  little  felspar,  while  the  pink  part  is  composed 
of  altered  orthoclase  felspar  with  some  sphene  and 
apatite.  The  specific  gravity  is  2-82,  and  the  general 
character  of  the  rock  reminds  one  of  the  Kennack 
gneiss  of  the  Lizard,  and  it  seems  to  have  originated 
similarly  from  a  magma  composed  of  imperfectly 
mixed  acid  and  basic  material.  The  rocks  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  this  mixed  rock  are 
intruded  by  granite  veins,  the  granite-slate  contact 
being  visible  in  the  cliff  50  yards  to  the  east.  It 
has  been  suggested  that  the  mixed  rock  originated 
as  a  result  of  the  absorption  of  the  •'  greenstone  " 


by  the  granite,  but  the  field  relations  of  the  two 
rocks  do  not  support  this  view.  The  author  is  at 
present  engaged  m  a  thorough  examination  of  the 
mixed  rock,  which  should  throw  light  on  its  origin. 
He  has  since  seen  a  similar  type  of  greenstone  in 
the  Botallack  cliffs. 

A  microscopic  study  of  the  rock  shows  that  the 
coarsely  foliated  character  which  is  a  common 
feature  was  the  result  of  movement  while  the 
magma  was  still  fluid  and  not  of  pressure  sub- 
sequent to  solidification. 

(2)  Early  this  )-ear  Mr.  Simmonds  brought  the 
author  a  specimen  of  tourmalinized  granite  from 
Wheal  Providence  dumps,  Carbis  Bay,  which  has 
unusual  characters.  The  rock  occurred  in  the  dump 
material,  there  being  several  blocks  exposed  when 
the  dump  was  being  shifted  for  road  material. 
The  rock  shows  pink  orthoclase  and  quartz  with 
coarsely  crystallized  prisms  of  tourmaline  and  nests 
of  yellowish  muscovite  with  some  chlorite.  At  first 
sight  it  appears  similar  to  tourmalinized  granite  of 
the  luxuhanite  type,  but  the  tourmaline  occurs  in 
groups  of  well-developed  prisms  arranged  parallel 
to  one  another  and  not  in  radiating  needles  of  small 
size,  as  is  the  case  in  luxulyanite.  The  presence  of 
the  muscovite  is  another  point  of  difference.  The 
quartz  and  felspar  frequently  show  pegmatitic 
intergrowth.  The  tourmaline  also  is  seen  to  pene- 
trate the  felspar,  and  all  four  minerals  (quartz, 
felspar,  tourmaline,  and  mica)  seem  to  have 
crystallized  simultaneously  to  form  a  pegmatite. 

(3)  On  a  visit  to  Carn  Menellis  district  last  April 
the  author  came  across  a  type  of  altered  elvan 
which  has  unusual  characters.  The  dyke  of  elvan 
(quartz-porphyry)  is  worked  on  the  hillside  just 
above  Carn  Menellis  church,  and  is  seen  in  the 
quarry  to  be  a  fine-grained  rock  of  a  pale  buff 
colour  composed  of  occasional  phenocrysts  of 
quartz  and  felspar  in  a  fine  grained  felsitic  ground- 
mass.  Scattered  through  the  rock  here  and  there 
are  cubic  crystals  of  pyrite  which  are  oxidizing  to 
limonite  and  are  surrounded  by  a  ring  of  red-brown 
iron  stain.  The  altered  type  is  of  a  pale  yellowish- 
green  colour  which  has  been  brecciated  and  re- 
cemented  by  quartz  showing  comb  structure. 
Under  the  microscope  the  ground-mass  is  seen  to  be 
composed  of  an  extremely  fine-grained  mosaic  of 
quartz,  chlorite,  muscovite,  and  secondary  silica. 
The  original  felspar  phenocrysts  have  been  entirely 
removed  by  sihcification,  and  mth  the  sihca  lithia 
liiicas  have  been  introduced. 


KSl) 


THE    MINING     M.\(,AZINE 


(4)  When  Or.  K.  H.  Rastall  read  his  paper  on 
"  Oro  Deposits  of  Igneous  Origin"  before  the 
Cornish  Institute  of  F.nsiiioerslast  April  lie  siiRgosted 
that  according  to  the  character  of  the  Lizard  rocks 
they  would  very  probably  contain  platinum,  and  he 
considered  that  the  best  place  to  hunt  for  the  metal 
would  be  in  the  alluvial  gravels  of  thi  serpentine 
area.  As  the  outcome  of  this  suggestion  two  of 
the  students  (Messrs.  MacPherson  and  Lamb) 
visited  several  localities  on  the  Lizard  and  collected 
samples  of  the  river  gravels.  The  concentrate 
obtained  by  panning  the  samples  from  one  locality 
was  assayed  ami  it  proved  to  contain  a  very  small 
quantity  of  platinum.  They  then  obtained  a 
prospecting  licence  and  made  a  more  thorough 
examination  of  the  area,  but  unfortunately  with  no 
satisfactory  results.  It  appears  then  that  platinum 
undoubtedly  occurs  in  the  Lizard  district  associated 
with  the  ultrabasic  rocks  there,  but  not  in  quantities 
of  economic  importance.  This  is  what  one  would 
expect  considering  the  small  amount  of  real  alluvial 
material  in  the  district. 

(5)  Another  interesting  occurrence  (but  not  one 
which  can  be  claimed  as  new)  was  confirmed  by 
Messrs.  Kitto  and  Linne,  who,  during  the  study  of 
an  alluvial  area  in  the  Carn  Menellis  district,  found 
that  the  alluvial  sands  contained  gold.  This  metal 
has  been  recorded  from  the  district  before,  so  that 
this  cannot  be  considered  a  discovery,  but  it  is 
interesting  as  confirming  a  previous  report  and  as 
indicative  of  the  wide-spread  distribution  of  small 
quantities  of  gold  in  the  county. 

(6)  Other  economic  products  which  are  now  being 
worked  in  the  county  and  which  can  be  considered 
as  additions  to  the  list  of  Cornish  products,  are  : — 

{a)  The  green  clay  worked  in  the  Mullion  district, 
•which  can  be  seen  by  the  side  of  the  high  road  on 
Goonhilly  Downs  to  occur  near  the  junction  of  the 
ancient  Lizard  granite  and  the  serpentine. 


(b)  The  St.  Agnes  Pliocene  sand,  which  is  now 
being  dug  for  core  sand. 

(7)  A  clay  deposit  at  Treamble,  near  IVrran- 
porth,  was  discovered  by  Stephen  Clark,  of 
Treamble,  about  12  months  ago.  The  clay  occurs 
alongside  the  Great  I'erran  iron  lode  in  the  clay 
slate  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Treamble  valley, 
its  analysis  (communicated  by  Mr.  Clark)  being  :— 

Fuller's  Earth.  Clay  Slate. 

O'  o/ 

Si0.j S6°:il  SS-OO 

A10„ 24-20  2308 

Fe-jOa 0-42  816 

Cao 0-31  .s-se 

MgO 0-29                2-52 

Na.jO,  K.jO .  . . .  1-38                300 

TiOj trace 

SO;, trace 

HjO  free 124 

H.jO  combined  4"58 

99-94  97-12 

The  clay  has  been  classified  as  a  fuller's  earth  of 
exceptionally  good  qu.ility.  It  seems  to  be  con- 
nected with  the  branching  of  the  iron  lode  at 
Treamble  and  with  the  intersection  of  the  lode  by 
a  north  and  south  fault.  At  the  time  of  the  author's 
visit,  however,  the  deposit  was  not  sufficiently  well 
exposed  to  show  its  relations  clearly.  It  is  un- 
doubtedly an  alteration  product  of  the  clay  slate, 
and  the  comparison  of  its  analysis  with  that  of  the 
clay  slate  is  of  interest.  This  shows  that  in  the 
change  to  the  fuller's  earth  the  .slate  has  lost 
FeO.  CaO,  MgO,  and  some  alkalies,  silica,  and 
alumina,  giving  a  gross  loss  of  solid  constituent?  of 
H-S^Q.  which  seems  to  indicate  that  leaching  by 
water  or  solutions  was  the  cause  of  the  alteration. 


THE    GOUDREAU    GOLD    DISCOVERY.    ONTARIO 


A  discovery  of  gold  was  made  by  Thomas  Murphy 
in  April  last  at  a  point  3J  miles  south-west  of 
Goudreau  station  on  the  Algoma  Central  Railway, 
which  is  17  miles  south  of  Franz,  a  station  at  the 
crossing  of  the  Algoma  Central  and  the  Canadian 
Pacific  Railway.  "This  region  is  in  the  Michipicoten 
area,  bordering  on  Lake  Superior,  an  area  which 
has  hitherto  been  known  chiefly  for  its  iron  deposits, 
although  the  existence  of  gold  was  recorded  in 
W.  H.  Collins'  report  for  the  Geological  Survey  of 
Canada  issued  in  1918.  A.  G.  Burrows,  of  the 
Geological  Survey,  was  sent  promptly  to  examine 
the  locale  of  the  new  discovery,  and  his  preliminary 
report  has  just  been  received.  At  the  time  of  his 
visit  C.  G.  Daimpre  was  inspecting  the  Murphy 
claims,  and  on  the  latter's  recommendation  A.  R. 
Porter,  of  Toronto,  took  an  option  on  them.  We 
quote  from  Mr.  Burrows'  report  herewith. 

The  area  is  most  conveniently  reached  from 
Franz,  a  station  at  the  crossing  of  the  Canadian 
Pacific  and  Algoma  Central  Railways.  Goudreau, 
which  is  the  nearest  railway  station  to  the  gold 
discovery,  is  17  miles  southward  from  Franz  ;  the 
Murphy  claims  are  about  3|  miles  south-west  from 
Goudreau.  The  camp  is  reached  by  a  good  canoe 
route,  which  starts  J  mile  south  of  the  station,  and 
follows  by  way  of  Jackson,  Long,  Doherty,  Aitken, 
and  Murphy  lakes.  The  longest  portage  is  about 
1  mile.  The  find  is  located  near  the  north  shore  of 
Murphy  lake. 


The  rocks  in  the  area  to  the  south-west  of 
Goudreau  are  dominantly  basic  volcanics  of 
Keewatin  age.  Rocks  of  this  character  were 
observed  from  Goudreau  all  along  the  portage  route 
to  Murphy  Lake.  The  ellipsoidal  structure,  along 
with  araygdules  so  characteristic  of  much  of  the 
Keewatin,  is  frequently  seen.  In  places  the  basic 
lava  contains  considerable  carbonate  and  is  lighter- 
coloured  than  the  normal  dark-coloured  rock. 
Most  of  the  lavas  are  altered  to  schist,  which  has 
a  general  strike  nearly  east  and  west.  With  the 
lavas  there  is  a  small  amount  of  banded  iron 
formation,  magnetite  and  silica.  In  the  vicinity 
of  Goudreau  the  main  iron  formation  zone  is 
prominent.  Two  of  the  large  iron  pyrites  properties, 
the  Goudreau  mine  of  the  Nichols  Chemical  Com- 
pany and  the  liand  Consolidated  Mines,  are  near 
Goudreau  ;  neither  of  these  is  in  operation  at  the 
present  time.  With  the  basic  volcanics  in  the 
vicinity  of  Murphy  Lake  there  are  several  intrusions 
of  quartz-porphyry  of  quartz-felspar-porphyry  ; 
these  acid  rocks  are  generally  schistose  like  the 
darker  lavas.  Some  of  the  quartz-porphyry 
occurs  as  dykes  cross-cutting  the  strike  of  the  lava 
flows.  -A  mass  of  grey  granite,  gneissic  in  places, 
occurs  on  several  claims  to  the  west  of  the  gold 
discovery.  Several  narrow  dykes  of  diabase  with  a 
north-west  strike  cut  the  older  formation.  One  of 
these  is  an  olivine  diabase. 

The  first  discovery  of  gold  was  made  iii  a  quartz 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


187 


vein  in  the  south-oast  part  of  claim  408,  where, 
for  a  distance  of  about  20  ft.  along  the  hanging- 
wall  side  of  the  vein,  there  are  a  number  of  showings 
of  quite  coarse  gold  in  the  quartz.  The  quartz 
vein  has  been  traced  by  trenching  and  outcrops 
for  about  800  ft.  on  claim  408.  It  strikes 
appro.-^imately  N.  30°  W.,  and  the  dip,  where 
observable,  is  from  60°  to  80°  S.  It  varies  in  width 
from  7  in.  to  3  ft.  .\long  the  quartz  vein  the  wall- 
rock  has  been  altered  in  places  to  a  rusty  schist 
containing  ankerite  and  sericite  and  carrying 
quartz  veinlets  together  with  sulphides  at  different 
pomts.  The  width  of  the  altered  rock  appears  to 
vary  greatly,  but,  owing  to  the  small  amount  of 
cross-trenching,  the  width  of  the  possible  mineralized 
wall-rock  could  not  be  determined.  The  hanging- 
wall  contact  of  the  quartz  and  schist  is  more 
definite  than  the  foot-wall.  At  the  location  of  the 
gold  showings,  the  vein,  including  the  wall-rock, 
is  about  3  ft.  in  width,  while  15  ft.  to  the  north  is 


Map  showing  position  of  Goudreau. 


a  subsidiary  quartz  vein  a  foot  in  width,  to  the  north 
of  which  is  a  band  of  ankerite.  Twenty  feet  to 
the  west  this  smaller  vein  is  only  3  ft.  from  the 
main  vein.  The  quartz  vein  in  places  is  well 
mineralized  with  sulphides,  pyrites,  copper  pyrites, 
and  pyrrhotite  ;  15()  ft.  south-east  from  the  above 
showing  the  quartz  vein  is  about  7  in.  in  width  and, 
in  a  thin  band  of  sugary  quartz  and  schist  on  the 
hanging  wall,  visible  gold  was  seen. 

Work  has  also  been  done  on  claim  407  to  the 
east.  At  the  west  line,  200  ft.  north  of  Murphy 
Lake,  a  narrow  quartz  vein  about  a  foot  in  width 
has  been  traced  65  ft.  ;  it  strikes  S.  80°  E.  The 
wall-rock  for  a  few  inches  is  quite  rusty  and  carries 
sulphides.  Visible  gold  was  observed  at  two  points 
along  the  vein.  About  200  ft.  east  from  the  west 
line  work  has  been  done  on  a  wide  ankerite-schist 
band  up  to  20  ft.  in  width,  which  carries  quartz 
veins  roughly  parallel  with  the  ankerite  band. 
It  has  been  traced  for  170  ft.  in  a  direction  S.  70"  E. 
No  visible  gold  was  observed  in  this  vein,  but  at  one 
point  an  assay  of  $6-00  in  gold  was  obtained  over 
a  width  of  2  ft.  9  in.  of  quartz  and  84'00  in  gold  over 


a  width  of  5J  ft.  of  the  schist  and  carbonate, 
carrying  quartz,  lying  to  the  north.  Owing  to  the 
highly  altered  character  of  the  schist  by  oxidation, 
the  latter  assay  is  only  indicative  of  the  presence 
of  gold  which  may  be  concentrated.  The  quartz 
vein  carries  pyrite,  copper  pyrites,  pyrrhotite,  and 
a  little  zinc-blende.  It  is  possible  tliat  this  easterly 
vein  is  the  faulted  part  of  the  vein  exposed  on 
claim  408.  h.  number  of  assays  of  samples  obtained 
at  points  along  the  veins  showed  gold  values 
ranging  from  a  few  cents  to  $2800  per  ton.  In 
addition,  two  assays  were  made  of  specimens  of 
quartz  carrying  a  high  percentage  of  sulphides 
from  a  pit  a  few  feet  west  of  the  rich  gold  showings, 
which  gave  $31-20  and  ?48-80  in  gold.  The 
property,  however,  was  not  in  condition  for  any 
thorough  sampling  since  few  cross  trenches  had 
been  made  exposing  the  walls  of  the  vein  and  none 
below  the  superficial  oxidation.  The  main  vein 
shows  high-grade  ore  for  at  least  40  ft.  near  the 
discovery,  but  extensive  work  will  be  required  to 
determine  the  possible  ore-shoots  along  the  veins, 
since  large  portions  of  the  vein  are  concealed  by 
drift. 

Mr.  Burrows  also  gives  an  account  of  gold  depo.sits 
north-east  from  Goudreau.  Gold  has  been  dis- 
covered on  a  number  of  claims  between  Goudreau 
station  and  Goden  Lake. 

The  McCarthy-Webb  group  of  claims  near  Iron 
Lake  has  been  described  by  W.  H.  CoUins  in  his 
report  on  the  Magpie-Hawk  area  as  already 
mentioned.  Briefly,  the  rock  is  a  schistose  porphyry, 
which  in  places  is  a  quartz-porphyry,  with  a  strike 
N.  84'  E.  Shear  zones  occur  in  the  porphyry,  and 
these  are  indicated  by  a  rusty  surface  containing 
vague  quartz  veinlets,  which  is  in  marked  contrast 
to  the  white  porphyry.  The  rusty  streaks  are  very 
irregular  in  length  and  breadth,  being  from  a  few 
inches  to  a  few  feet  in  width,  containing  fine- 
grained iron  pyrites.  Gold  in  a  very  fine  state  has 
been  found  in  the  rusty  zones.  In  addition,  there 
are  widely  separated  transverse  veinlets  of  quartz 
carrying  much  tourmaline,  in  which  coarse  gold  has 
been  discovered.  These  veins  are  more  definite 
than  those  running  with  the  schist.  The  property 
has  been  sampled  several  times,  particularly  in  one 
place  for  a  length  of  100  feet,  where  the  rusty 
condition  is  most  pronounced. 

The  Morrison  claim  on  the  north  shore  of 
Goudreau  Lake  is  similar  to  the  McCarthy  in 
structure.  However,  the  rusty  zones  running  with 
the  schist  are  less  pronounced,  while  there  are  more 
of  the  transverse  quartz-tourmaline  veins.  Visible 
gold  has  been  found  in  a  number  of  the  narrow  veins 
which  are  parallel  to  the  schist  and  also  in  the 
transverse  veins. 

The  Cline  claims  about  IJ  miles  north-east  of 
Pine  Lake  were  also  visited.  Visible  gold  was 
seen  on  two  of  the  claims.  The  rocks  are  Keewatin 
schist  in  which  narrow  quartz  veins  have  been 
formed.  A  shaft  was  sunk  25  ft.  in  a  quartz  vein 
from  1 J  in.  to  6  in.  in  width,  in  which  there  is  a  high 
percentage  of  sulphides  and  visible  gold.  The 
extension  of  the  vem  to  the  west,  where  it  was  cut 
by  a  diabase  dyke,  has  not  been  found.  On 
another  claim  there  is  one  narrow  rich  quartz 
vein  about  5  in.  wide  in  which  gold  has  been  found 
over  a  length  of  20  ft.  A  second  vein  from  8  in. 
to  3  ft.  wide  occurs  on  the  claim.  It  consists  of 
quartz  and  schist  on  which  a  5  ft.  pit  has  been 
sunk.  Material  from  this  vein  showed  much  gold 
on  panning.     Owing  to  the  heavy  drift  covering  it 


188 


Tin:    MINING     MAC.AZINIC 


is  difticult  to  trace  the  veins  any  distance.  Some 
rusty  shear  zones  were  also  observed  on  another 
chxiiii.  In  one  trench  the  rusty  zone  is  15  (I.  in 
width,  which  diminishes  rapidly  to  the  west.  Some 
visible  gold  is  reported  near  the  north  wall. 
SuHicient  work  has  not  been  done  on  any  of  these 
clain>s  to  doternune  their  value. 

Tin  Concentration.— British  Patents  3,809  and 
3I.'J-4'2  of  1920,  con:binod  as  No.  165,892,  describe 
the  invention  of  H.  S.  Hatlield  for  electrostatically 
separating  materials  when  suspended  in  liquid 
mediums."  This  process  has  been  mentioned  in  the 
reports  of  the  Department  for  Scientilic  and 
Industrial  Research  as  applied  to  the  treatment  of 
slime  tin,  but  details  of  its  nature  have  not  hitherto 
been  published.  The  specification  is  a  long  one, 
and  we  merely  give  brief  extracts. 

According  to  this  invention  the  powder  whose 
constituents  are  to  be  separated  one  from  another 
is  suspended  in  a  liquid  the  dielectric  capacity  of 
which  lies  between  that  of  the  constituents  of  the 
said  powder.  Electrodes  in  the  liquid  are  con- 
nected to  an  electric  supply  of  considerable 
potential,  preferably  alternating  ;  an  electrostatic 
field  between  the  electrodes  is  thereby  produced. 
Those    susjiended    particles    of    greater    dielectric 


Hatfield's  Electrostatic  Process. 

constant  than  the  liquid  will  then  be  found  to'move 
so  as  to  place  themselves  along  the  shortest  lines 
between  the  electrodes  ;  that  is,  in  the  strongest 
part  of  the  electrostatic  field.  On  the  other  hand, 
those  particles  of  less  dielectric  capacity  than  the 
liquid  will  move  out  of  the  electrostatic  field 
between  the  electrodes.  As  an  example  of  the 
separations  to  which  this  invention  may  be  applied, 
the  cassiterite  in  tin  ore  when  suspended  in  aniline 
is  strongly  attracted,  while  the  gangue  is  _  not 
affected.     The    conductors    used    may    be    0-25    to 

1  millimetre  apart,  and  be  charged  with  alternating 
current  of  200  volts.  For  the  separation  of 
cassiterite,  and  for  separation  generally,  a  mixture 
of  nitrobenzene  and  paraffin  oil,  which  may  be 
adjusted  to  any  desired  dielectric  constant  between 

2  and  36,  is  very  useful.  With  fine  suspensions  it 
is  necessary  sometimes  to  add  an  agent  which 
produces  deflocculation  of  the  suspension.  In 
carr\'ing  the  invention  into  effect  in  one  form  as 
shown  in  the  figure,  a  vessel  a  is  provided  containing 
in  its  lower  part  a  quantity  of  water,  acid,  alkali, 
or  salt  solution,  or  other  electrically  conducting 
liquid  b.  Upon  this  liquid  floats  another  liquid  c 
which  is  that  used  as  the  medium  of  suspension 


and  chosen  so  as  to  have  a  dielectric  constant 
intermediate  between  those  of  the  particles  which 
are  to  be  separated  from  one  another.  In  this 
liquid  c,  and  as  close  as  practicable  to  the  boundary 
of  the  two  liquids,  is  a  perforated  electrode  d 
connected  to  one  of  the  poles  of  an  alternating 
electric  supply  c  the  other  pole  of  which  is  led  to  the 
electrically  conducting  lluid  in  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel  (/.  The  solid  to  be  separated  is  then  fed 
either  dry  or  mixed  with  a  little  of  the  suspension 
medium  into  the  top  of  the  vessel.  It  then  passes 
through  the  perforated  electrode  tl  and  that  part  of 
it  having  a  dielectric  constant  greater  than  that  of 
the  suspension  medium  comes  to  rest  upon  the 
boundary  between  the  two  liquids,  while  that  part 
of  it  having  a  dielectric  constant  less  than  that  of 
the  suspension  medium  is  immediately  forced 
through  the  boundary  between  the  two  liquids 
into  the  lower  liquid  b.  Pure  capillary  forces  act 
upon  the  .solid  at  the  boundary  between  the  two 
liquids,  which  either  o])pose  or  assist  it  to  pass  into 
the  lower  liquid  6,  and  the  success  of  this  method 
in  any  given  rase  will  therefore  depend  to  some 
extent  upon  these  forces,  and  can  only  be 
determined  by  trial.  It  is  found  that  if  aniyl 
alcohol  be  used  for  the  liquid  r,  and  water  for  the 
liquid  h,  cassilente  may  be  separated  from  gangue, 
the  gangue  passing  into  the  water  and  the  cassiterite 
remaining  behind. 

Geological    Investigations   in    Rhodesia.- — In    the 

Report  of  the  Rliodosian  Geological  Survey  for 
1921,  H.  B.  Maufe,  the  director,  gives  an  account 
of  investigations  in  the  I.omagundi  district.  He 
made  three  traverses  into  the  outlying  districts, 
one  of  which  included  a  visit  to  the  recently  opened 
mica  field.  The  number  of  mica  deposits  and 
quality  of  the  mica  (muscovite)  are  favourable  to 
the  establishment  of  a  mica-mining  industry-.  On 
this  and  on  another  traverse  westwards  into  the 
Sebungwe  district  the  beds  of  the  Lomagundi 
system  were  shown  to  have  a  far  wider  extension 
than  was  previously  known,  and  some  observations 
were  made  on  the  varying  degree  of  m.etamorphism 
of  the  beds.  In  this  connexion  it  was  pointed  out 
that  if  the  graphitic  slates  of  the  Lomagundi 
system  were  found  to  extend  into  the  areas  of 
higher  crystallization,  it  was  probable  that  workable 
deposits  of  flake  graphite  might  he  found.  Since 
then  some  very  promising  flake  graphite  has  been 
discovered.  Among  the  minerals  identified  on 
the  mica  field  is  beryl,  often  in  greenish  and  bluish 
green  tints,  which  render  it  probable  that  aqua- 
marine of  gem  quality  may  be  found.  Other 
minerals  discovered  in  place  on  the  mica  field  com- 
prise a  few  known  previously  in  the  Somabula 
diamondiferous  gravels  and  include  the  indicator 
staurolite.  The  source  of  these  minerals  had  been 
a  puzzle  hitherto. 

.\  third  traverse  included  an  examination  of  the 
chrome  deposits  in  the  Umvukwe  hills.  The  chrome 
iron  ore  occurs  in  seams  generally  less  than  one  foot 
thick  in  the  central  portion  of  the  Great  Dyke. 
The  occurrence  of  the  chrome  ore  has  been  aptly 
compared  by  A.  H.  .\ckerman  to  that  of  a  series  of 
coal  seam?  lying  one  above  the  other  in  a  basin. 
The  seams  dip  towards  the  median  fine  of  the  dyke 
at  moderate  angles,  which  diminish  towards  the 
centre,  and  there  is  good  reason  for  believing  that 
the  seams  extend  across  from  the  outcrop  on  one  side 
to  that  on  the  other.  The  country  rock  of  the  seams 
is  usually  an  enstatite  rock  partially  or  wholly 
altered  to  serpentine,  but  on  some  claims  a  chromite 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


189 


seam  has  a  floor  of  enstatile  rock  and  a  roof  of 
serpentine,  which  appeals  to  be  derived  either  from 
a  dunite  or  a  saxonite.  The  synclinal  structure  of 
the  dyke  is  similar  to  that  already  described  in 
other  portions,  notably  by  Dr.  VVagner  in  the 
BeUngwe  district.  The  origin  of  the  structure, 
formerly  a  purely  scientific  question,  has  now 
become  of  importance  to  the  chrome  miner,  and  will 
require  elucidation.  The  occurrence  of  the  chrome 
iron  ore  in  the  Great  Dyke  is  thus  quite  different 
from  that  of  the  chrome  in  the  well-known  deposits 
at  Selukwe.  The  chrome  iron  ore  in  the  Great 
Dyke  can,  it  appears,  be  picked  clean  to  assay  over 
50%  chromic  oxide,  and  the  resources  of  the  Great 
Dyke  in  this  m.ineral  must  amount  to  many  milhons 
of  tons. 

The  chrysotile  asbestos  now  being  worked  in  the 
Great  Dyke  is  situated  near  the  western  edge  of  the 
dyke,  where  the  northern  continuation  of  the 
dyke  offsets  to  the  east  nearly  a  mile.  The  offset 
appears  to  be  due  not  to  a  fault,  but  to  the  presence 
of  a  large  quartz  reef  in  the  granite  country  rock. 
That  the  line  is  one  of  weakness  is  shown  by  the 
presence  of  a  later  dolerite  penetrating  the  Great 
Dyke  close  to  the  line  of  the  offset.  The  asbestos 
seams  are  vertical,  of  a  high  average  width,  and 
trend  in  a  general  east  and  west  direction,  being 
spaced  irregularly  through  the  country  rock  as  in 
the  older  asbestos  deposits.  The  country  rock 
is  serpentine  derived  so  far  as  could  be  ascertained 
by  eye  partly  from  an  enstatite  rock  and  partly 
from  a  saxonite.  It  is  not  yet  generally  realized 
that  the  chrome  and  asbestos  deposits  occurring  in 
the  Great  Dyke  are  very  much  younger  in  geological 
age  than  the  Selukwe  chrome,  and  the  Mashaba  and 
Shabani  asbestos  deposits. 

Distribution  of  Gold  in  Banket.  —  At  the 
|une  meeting  of  the  Chemical,  Jletallurgical,  and 
Mining  Society  of  South  Africa,  the  new  President, 
F.  Wartenweiler,  presented  a  paper  on  the 
distribution  of  gold  in  banket  ore.  The  constituents 
of  the  banket  and  of  the  associated  quartzite, 
shale,  and  dyke  rocks,  which  constitute  the  ore 
treated,  have  been  described  by  a  number  of 
investigators ;  the  most  familiar  description  is 
perhaps  that  bv  R.  Young,  in  the  book  entitled 
The  Banket.  Both  \.  F.  Crosse  and  W.  A.  Caldecott 
dealt  with  the  constituents  of  the  milled  ore  many 
years  ago  (see  Journal  of  Chem.  Mel.  ait.i  Mng. 
Soc.  of  S..4.,  vol.  iv,  1903-04,  pp.  104  and  110; 
and  Transactions  of  Inst,  of  Mining  anJ  MctaH-irgy, 
vol.  xiv,  1904-05,  The  Finer  Crushing  of  Banket 
Ore,  by  W.  A.  Caldecott).  lack  of  detailed 
information  and  the  necessity  for  knowledge  on 
the  subject  being  brought  abreast  of  current 
practice  led  to  an  investigation,  the  main  features 
of  which  are  given  herewith.  It  was  begun  several 
years  ago  at  the  Rand  Mines  laboratory,  with  the 
primary  object  of  ascertaining  the  gold  distribution 
in  the  ore  constituents  of  the  products  into  which 
the  comminuted  ore  is  classified  after  amalgamation. 
Since  then  the  information  gained  by  the  method, 
when  applied  on  samples  from  different  mines,  has 
been  found  to  be  of  considerable  use  in  controlling 
reduction  works  operations.  For  the  purpose 
in  view,  it  was  thought  that  if  a  clean  separation 
were  made  between  the  pyritic  and  the  gangue 
portions  and  their  relative  gold  value  determined, 
the  information  sought  would  be  acquired.  After 
preliminaries  \vith  Sonstadt  solution  and  with 
flotation,  the  latter  method  was  decided  on  as 
preferable.       Tests    were    begun,    using    a    motor- 


operated  laboratory  flotation  machine,  supple- 
mented by  panning  of  the  tailing  to  separate  any 
coarse  pyrite  and  gold  which  had  not  been  lifted 
with  the  froth.  .Ml  samples  for  flotation  were 
ground  to  pass  a  1.50  mesh  linear  screen.  Various 
flotation  oils  were  given  a  trial,  the  combination 
finally  adopted  as  the  most  effective  being  wood 
tar  oil  and  turpentine,  in  a  circuit  acidified  with 
sulphuric  acid.  It  was  found  necessary  to  vary  the 
amount  of  acid  with  the  class  of  product  treated. 
A  final  washing  effect  in  respect  to  pyrite  was 
secured  by  the  addition  of  a  fractional  quantity 
of  wood  tar  oil  toward  the  end  of  the  flotation 
agitation.  The  separation  of  the  pyritic  portion  was, 
by  observation,  clean,  this  being  confirmed  by 
.sulphur  determination  in  the  tailing,  which  gave 
such  low  sulphur  content  in  terms  of  pyrite  as 
0-16%  FeS.2  and  0-08%  FeS.^.  .Vs  free  gold,  not 
encased,  will  float  in  the  frothing  process,  the  pyrite, 
unless  otherwise  noted,  also  includes  this  floated 
gold.  Its  incidence  was  ascertained  in  several 
tests.  No  distinction  was  made  between  the 
argillaceous  and  the  siliceous  portion  of  the  gangue. 
It"  is  known  that  the  truly  argillaceous  portion  is 
small  at  the  mines  of  the  central  district,  but  is 
increased  at  the  extreme  eastern  mines  by  the 
inclusion  of  much  shale. 

The  first  data  (series  A  and  B)  were  derived  from 
tests  on  samples  from  the  Ferreira  Deep  reduction 
plant.  These  tests  were  carried  out  in  two  series, 
one  in  which  the  agitation  and  frothing  Avas  con- 
tinued to  an  extreme  extent  with  the  object  of 
ensuring  a  clean  pyrite-free  tailing,  and  the  other 
in  which  flotation  was  carried  on  only  to  the  limit  of 
the  clean  mineral  froth  stage,  the  object  being  to 
obtain  a  clean  gangue-free  pyrite.  The  results  are 
given  in  tabular  form  by  the  author,  and  from  them 
it  is  seen  that  the  argillaceous  and  siliceous  portion 
of  the  slime  residue  contains  the  greater  part  of  the 
gold  ((iO-l%),  while  the  gold  in  the  cyanide  pulp 
is  found  to  the  extent  of  87- 5  "i,  in  the  pyrite 
portion.  In  Series  B  the  percentage  of  pyrite  by 
weight,  separated  by  the  flotation  method,  plus 
panning,  corresponds  closely  with  the  FeSo 
calculated  from  sulphur  determinations.  From  a 
study  of  this  record  it  is  evident  that  the  gold  in 
the  pyrite  portion  of  the  slime  charge  dissolves 
readily  in  cyanide  solution. 

Further  tests  (Series  C)  were  conducted  on  a. 
sample  of  cvanide  pulp,  and  on  a  sample  of  sand 
charge,  and  the  corresponding  residue  from  the 
Village  Deep  plant.  The  results  showed  that  the 
gold  in  the  cyanide  pulp  is  distributed  37-5°p, 
51-4%,  and  11-!%  respectively,  as  free  gold,  in 
pyrite,  and  in  gangue.  When  investigating  the 
sand  charge  and  residue,  gold  encased  in  the  siliceous 
matrix  was  determined  by  the  aqua  regia  method. 
It  does  not  appear  to  play  much  of  a  part  in  the 
residue.  If  the  seal  of  accuracy  be  attached  to  this 
method  of  determination,  one  would  accept  as 
established  that  the  cyanide  solution  penetrates 
the  ore  particles  and  dissolves  encased  gold.  The 
amount  of  gold  amalgamable  in  cyanide  pulp 
and  in  the  sand  charge,  37-5%  and  19-4''o 
respectively,  varies  with  the  grinding.  It  is  a 
revelation,  and  confirms  the  general  tendency 
in  practice  to  throw  more  responsibility  for  gold 
recovery  on  the  cyanide  section  of  the  plant  and  less 
on  amalgamation.  In  considering  the  distribution 
of  free  gold,  pvrite,  and  gangue,  it  is  observed  that 
the  first  two  comprise  90-3°o  oi  all  the  gold  inthe 
charge. 


190 


THK     M1MN(.     M  \(,AZ1N1-: 


.\  comprehensive  series  of  tests  (Series  O)  were 
carried  out  on  a  (?ity  Peep  sand  charge  aivl  the 
corresponding  resiiiue.  Free  sold  was  not  deter- 
mined in  this  series,  and  is,  therefore,  iucludod  in 
tlie  pyrite  vahie.  Under  pyrite  content  the  per- 
centage of  gold  content  is  found  to  increase  con- 
siderably in  the  gangue  portion  of  the  residue, 
evidently  due  to  encased  gold.  Grading  analysis 
discloses  the  increase  in  gold  percentage  content 
in  the  coarser  gradings,  comparing  the  charge  with 
the  residue.  The  large  amount  of  pyrite  by  weight 
and  the  importance  of  gold  content  in  the  minus 
*J00  mesh  grading  of  the  charge  is  significant, 
especially  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  improvement 
to  extraction  on  this  fine  p>  rite.  ,\11  the  information 
in  the  author's  tables  under  "  distribution  of  gold 
extraction  "  and  "  extraction  on  pyritic  portion  " 
points  to  the  great  importance  of  grinding  the 
maximum  amount  of  pyrite  and  gold  as  fine  as 
possible  to  pass  the  200  mesh  at  least,  in  order  to 
obtain  the  highest  extraction.  .Mthough  this  has 
been  accepted  as  an  axiom  by  many  workers  in  this 
field,  it  is  the  aim  of  this  paper  to  so  illustrate  and 
visualize  it  that  it  will  become  forcible  to  all  those 
interested.  I'"rom  a  practical  metallurgical  stand- 
point this  investigation  points  to  this  one  significant 
fact  of  the  need  for  comminution  of  the  pyrite. 

The  importance  of  careful  classification  and  tube- 
milling  follows.  If  the  classifiers  do  not  return  the 
plus  200  mesh  pyrite  and  free  gold  to  the  tube- 
mills  for  further  grinding,  then  the  plant  is  indeed 
handicapped.  On  the  ores  of  the  extreme  eastern 
district  the  application  of  this  maxim  is  of  the 
greatest  importance. 

Mining  Efficiency. — The  question  of  improving 
the  standard  of  efficiency  and  introducing  methods 
for  securing  economy  of  working  is  prominently 
before  the  whole  mining  community  in  the  Trans- 
vaal at  present,  the  universal  feeling  being  that 
something  must  be  done  to  prevent  the  untimely 
closing  of  most  of  the  low-grade  mines.  The  genera! 
question  is  in  the  main  political,  and  second.irily  it 
centres  round  the  rule  of  the  men's  unions.  i3ut 
apart  from  these  considerations  there  are  many 
points  of  detail  that  can  be  discussed  by  the 
managers  and  taken  into  account  by  both  white 
and  black  labour.  The  South  African  Mining  and 
Engineering  Journal  recently  offered  a  prize  for  the 
best  essay  on  "  How  to  Reduce  Working  Costs  and 
Improve  Efficiency  in  and  on  the  Mines  of  the 
\\'itwatersrand."  The  prize  has  been  awarded  to 
John  Moore,  of  the  Crown  Mines  The  essay  is 
brief  but  full  of  good  sense,  and  we  reproduce  it 
here.  We  would  mention  also  that  a  paper  has 
been  read  before  the  South  African  Institution  of 
Engineers  by  F.  C.  W.  Ingle  covering  the  same 
subject.  Copies  have  not  yet  arrived  in  this 
country,  so  publication  of  extracts  must  be  post- 
poned until  a  later  issue. 

We  quote  Mr.  Moore  in  full  as  follows  ; — 

There  is  no  one  thing  that  will  cut  the  cost  of 
production  sufficiently  ifor  the  low-grade  mines  to 
resume  w"ork  at  once.  However,  a  lot  of  small 
reductions  will  cut  the  costs  of  the  mines  at  present 
working  and  the  mines  now  closed  down  will  be  able 
to  resume  work,  slowly  at  first,  and  later  on  to  open 
up  on  their  former  scale. 

Firstly,  considering  surface  conditions  : — 

(I)  There  is  an  immense  amount  of  scrap  iron 
and  steel  that  could  be  remelted  to  produce  pig 
iron,  cither  for  mine  consumption  or  for  sale.  One 
blast-furnace    for    the    group    would    probably    be 


sullicient.  That  it  is  possible  for  a  group  to  make 
all  their  own  castings,  including  special  alloys  for 
stamp  shoes,  etc.,  has  been  proved  by  the  Calumet 
and  Hecla. 

(2)  Overlapping  authority  and  jictty  foremen 
must  be  got  rid  of. 

(3)  There  are  mines  to-day  with  a  comparatively 
small  tonnage  with  surface  costs  of  4s.  per  ton. 
Others  with  large  tonnage  and  surface  costs  of  7s. 
per  ton.     This  disparity  of  costs  is  startling. 

Secondly,  underground  :  — 

(1)  The  repair  of  worn  tools  should  be  undertaken 
to  a  greater  extent  than  is  at  present  practised. 
Shovels,  for  instance,  could  have  the  blades 
patcheil  when  worn,  and  broken  handles  replaced  by 
J  in.  or  1  in.  pipe.  One  end  lA  the  pipe  can  be 
split  and  a  rivet  put  in  to  form  the  usual  D  grip. 
For  actual  shovelling  these  are  not  as  good  as  a  new 
shovel,  but  for  the  scraping  that  is  usually  done 
they  are  just  as  good.  Pipes  to  be  cut  and  threaded 
and  old  taps  and  valves  to  be  brought  to  surface, 
cleaned  up.  and  repaired.  New  issue  should  be 
given  only  in  special  cases  unless  old  gear  is  turned 
in  with  the  order  for  new. 

(2)  .-\xes  and  saws,  etc.,  should  be  exchanged  for 
sharp  ones  as  soon  as  dulled.  This  should  be  done 
at  an  underground  store,  as  the  delay  is  often 
several  days  before  tools  left  on  a  station  are 
brought  to  surface.  In  the  meantime  they  are 
rusting  and  there  is  a  chance  of  them  getting 
lost.  One  saw  at  the  present  price  would  pay 
for  a  boy  tvvo  hours  per  day  for  a  month,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  inconvenience  caused. 

(3)  Timber  is  one  of  the  heaviest  costs,  especially 
on  the  Central  Rand.  This  may  be  cut  down, 
especially  in  low  slopes,  in  hammer  and  reclamation 
work,  by  the  use  of  old  heavy-section  rails  in  place 
of  sticks  as  foundations  for  waste  packs.  They 
must  be  well  hitched  into  the  foot  and  have  head 
boards.  .\  platelayer  can  cut  them  to  the  timber- 
man's  measurements  in  a  very  few  minutes. 

(4)  Instead  of  the  universal  lagging,  old  pipes 
may  be  used  across  the  rails  in  place  of  a  backwall. 

(5)  When  travelling  ways  must  be  kept  open, 
especially  when  the  ground  is  very  heavy  and  the 
height  not  more  than  6  ft.,  waste  packs  may  be 
b'jilt  as  follows  :  A  layer  of  stones  carefully  packed 
about  one  foot  thick,  then  across  this  old  hauling 
rope  unravelled  and  the  strands  cut  to  such  a  length 
that  they_  reach  twice  across  the  pack  with  the 
ends  away  from  the  travelling  way.  These  are 
placed  about  one  foot  apart,  .\nother  layer  of 
stone,  and  this  time  the  strands  are  laid  at  right 
angles  to  the  first.  These  so  bind  the  pack  that  it 
will  crush  to  about  two-thirds  of  its  original  height 
without  bulging.  The  ordinary  pack  will  crush 
very  little  before  bulging. 

(6)  There  are  many  other  ways  of  saving  timber, 
reclaiming  some  distance  from  the  faces,  etc.,  that 
are  used  everywhere,  but  the  two  above  are  not  in 
common  use  on  the  Rand. 

(7)  At  present  the  native  labourer  spends  on  an 
average  of  two  hours  per  day  in  a  prescribed 
waiting  place  till  his  boss  takes  him  to  his  working 
place.  In  bad  ground  it  is  admitted  that  a  white 
man  should  always  be  present,  but  in  the  average 
stope  a  tiraberman  or  trammer  could  inspect  the 
working  place,  start  the  boys,  and  then  go  to  the 
more  dangerous  places  where  constant  supervision 
was  necessary.  These  men  would  go  down,  say, 
two  hours  before  the  ordinary  shift.  This  would 
allow  about  two  hours  e.xtra  working  time  for  the 


SEPTEMBER,     1921 


191 


natives  at  no  additional  cost  to  the  mine.  It  would 
also  solve  the  native  labour  shortage.  In  the  case 
of  hammer  and  machine  boys,  they  would  not  be 
allowed  to  drill,  but  could  lash  benches,  set  up,  and 
generally  get  ready  for  the  day's  work.  [These 
conditions  have  since  been  improved. — Editor.] 

(8)  The  items  discussed  above  all  influence  the 
cost  of  production,  but  the  most  important  of  all  is 
to  give  the  day's  pay  man  an  added  incentive  to 
put  his  head  and  back  into  the  work.  This  alone 
will  restart  every  low-grade  mine  on  the  Rand. 
A  man  working  for  himself  will  do  twice  as  much 
as  a  man  on  day's  pay,  and  do  it  easier.  To  cut 
the  day's  pay  man's  wage,  no  matter  what  the 
excuse,  most  certainly  will  not  do  it,  and,  on  the 
other  hand,  a  glance  over  the  cost  sheets  of 
American  and  Canadian  mines  will  show  that, 
conditions  being  equal,  the  mines  that  pay  the  best 
wages  have  the  lowest  labour  costs  per  ton. 

The  following  bonus  scheme  is  working  success 
fully  in  a  number  of  places.  The  usual  guarantee  or 
day's  pay  is  given,  and  a  bonus  is  given  for  points 
above  a  certain  set  standard,  and  debits  for  below 
that  standard.  The  standard  would  be  set  for 
each  mine  captain's  section,  or,  if  possible  to  keep 
the  tonnage  separate,  for  each  shift-boss's  section, 
and  would  be  based  upon  tonnage  (skip  or  haulage), 
grade  (sample  office),  native  and  white  efficiency. 
The  tonnage  and  native  and  white  efficiencies  could 
be  taken  as  an  average  per  day  for,  say,  the  three 
months  previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  scheme. 
The  unit  of  tonnage  might  be  taken  as  1,000  tons, 
the  efficiency  unit  as  one  ton,  and  the  grade  unit 
as  one  dwt.  This  would  require  some  slight 
modification  in  exceptional  cases,  such  as  in  a  section 
which  was  just  being  opened  up  or  where  several 
stopes  were  stopped  simultaneously.  This  only 
applies  to  the  day's  pay  man  ;  the  contractor  would 
not  benefit  by  it  in  any  way.  The  day's  pay  man 
would  get  his  bonus  cheque  some  time  after  the 
first  of  the  month.  By  making  every  man  virtually 
a  contractor  his  best  work  would  be  secured  and 
no  man  would  see  another  loaf  if  his  own  bonus 
cheque  was  imperilled,  no  matter  what  the  union 
said  about  it. 

(9)  Another  change  that  would  make  a  difference 
on  the  right  side  is  to  give  the  shift- boss  his  old 
control'  over  his  men.  The  Chamber  of  Mines  did 
a  bad  thing  when  they  took  the  power  out  of  the 
shift-boss's  hands,  .\dmittedly  it  was  abused  at 
times,  but  if  members  of  the  Chamber  had  to  go 
underground  as  shift-bosses  to-day  and  keep  up 
the  standard  they  expect  shift-bosses  to  keep  up, 
there  would  be  a  change  before  night  to  the  old 
way.  Increase  or  decrease  of  working  costs  and 
native  and  white  efficiencies  are  the  true  indications 
of  success  or  otherwise,  and  a  glance,  especially  at 
the  latter,  will  show  it  has  not  been  a  success. 

Operation  of  Mine  Fans  in  Combination, — 
.•\t  a  meeting  of  the  Mining  Institute  of  Scotland 
held  last  month,  a  paper  by  David  Penman  was 
presented,  dealing  with  a  new  method  of  measuring 
ventilation  resistances,  with  special  reference  to 
the  operation  of  mine  fans  in  combination.  Kis 
general  conclusions  with  regard  to  fans  in  com- 
bination were  as  follows  :  (1)  The  advant?,ge  to  be 
gained  by  two  or  more  fans  in  series  or  in  parallel 
depends  chiefly  on  the  relation  existing  between 
the  resistance  of  the  fans  and  that  of  the  mine, 
(2)  Unless  the  resistance  of  the  fan  is  small  coni'. 
pared  with  that  of  the  mine,  the  operation  of  two 
fans    in    series    will    result    in    a    greatlv    lowered 


efficiency,  C?)  Unless  the  resistance  of  the  fan  is 
at  lea-t  one-third  of  the  resistance  of  the  mine,  the 
advantage  of  running  two  fans  in  parallel  is  sm?.ll. 

(4)  If  the  resistance  of  the  fan  is  small  compared  with 
that  of  the  mine,  not  only  will  the  increase  of 
quantity  by  parallel  operation  be  small,  but  a 
slight  reduction  or  increase  in  the  speed  of  one  of 
the  fans  over  the  other  will  result  in  the  air  being 
reversed  in  that  fan  which  runs  at  the  slower  speed. 

(5)  If  increase  of  quantity  is  the  sole  desideratum, 
better  results  will  in  most  cases  be  obtained  by 
combining  the  fans  in  series  than  by  running  them 
in  parallel,  (6)  The  increase  of  quantity  obtained 
bv  running  two  similar  fans  in  series  at  the  same 
speed  at  which  they  would  run  singly  would  in  most 
cases  be  approximately  35%.  (7)  The  increase  of 
quantity  obtained  by  running  two  similar  fans  in 
parallel  would  range  from  5  to  15%  in  the  majority 
of  mines  in  Great  Britain.  (8)  The  satisfactory 
running  of  two  fans  in  parallel  can  best  be  accom- 
plished through  the  medium  of  synchronous 
electric  motors.  (9) .  If  two  fans  are  running  in 
parallel  and  the  speed  of  one  should  fall  to  any 
extent,  the  other  fan  may  become  dangerously 
overloaded,  unless  there  is  a  large  margin  of  power 
available  in  the  motor  or  engine  driving  it. 

Moisture  in  Furnace  Blasts.  —  In  the 
Engineering  and  Mining  Journal  for  August  13, 
T,  H.  Gillis  gives  a  record  of  observations  with 
regard  to  the  effect  of  moisture  in  the  air  delivered 
as  blast  in  a  copper-nickel  blast-furnace. 

In  March,  1920,  an  exhaust  pipe  was  so  placed 
that  the  small  amount  of  steam  escaping  was 
being  drawn  into  the  intake  of  a  certain  blast- 
furnace blower.  Some  days  elapsed  before  this 
was  corrected,  and  the  incident  was  soon  all  but 
forgotten.  Some  weeks  later,  when  the  author 
was  making  investigation  as  to  certain  operating 
conditions,  it  was  noticed  that  there  was  a 
particularly  favourable  period  extending  over  a 
few  days,  with  no  corresponding  favourable  con- 
ditions to  account  entirely  for  it.  After  eUminating 
other  factors  to  determine  the  cause  of  these 
conditions,  he  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  as  it 
corresponded  with  the  period  in  which  the  steam 
was  being  drawn  into  the  intake,  possibly  the  extra 
moisture  was  the  factor  sought.  The  data,  however, 
were  not  conclusive  ;  they  were  affected  by  other 
conditions  and  could  not  be  taken  as  definitely 
establishing  much  basis  for  future  investigation. 
A  search  of  the  available  literature  on  the  subject, 
and  discussions  with  the  local  metallurgists,  failed  to 
explain  the  results  observed,  and  it  was  October 
before  further  experiments  could  be  made.  A 
test  was  then  determined  upon,  and  a  s  in.  pipe 
was  connected  between  the  air  main  and  a  steam 
pipe  carrying  180  lb.  of  steam  with  100^  F.  of  super- 
heat. A  decided  change  in  the  operation  of  the 
furnace  resulted,  but  here,  again,  the  results  were 
confused  by  other  factors.  'The  experiments  were 
continued,  and  larger  quantities  of  steam  were 
added,  but  the  results  after  the  first  few  days 
were  negative.  The  steam  would  be  turned  on  and 
gradually  increased,  with  the  result  that  at  fir 
the  furnace  would  speed  up,  and  crusts 
accretions  would  be  eliminated,  and  then  '.'  260 
effects  would  disappear.  No  bad  e'"  ^-^ 
observed,  however,  until  sufficient  st^  •  •  •  •    "" 

so  that  the  water  froni  the  cond^' 261 

blast  began   to  give   trouble  aro' 

No  accurate  methods  of  measuri   j^g -^61 

were  available,  but  deductions  f  '       liolidated  Main 

■■'  '^'^"'■'.[odderfontein  ; 


192 


Till';     M1M\*.     M  \(',A/1N1-: 


the  temperature  of  the  blast  and  its  moisture- 
carrying  capacity.  The  experiments  were 
temporarily  discontinued  owing  to  inability  to  get 
delinito  results. 

After  study  of  the  various  operating  curves 
covering  the  period  of  the  experiments,  the  author 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  he  h.id  been  using 
too  much  steam,  and  decided  to  make  another 
trial  as  soon  as  a  favourable  opportunity  presented 
itself.  About  the  end  of  January,  1921,  after  two 
weeks  of  uniform  furnace  operation,  the  steam  was 
again  connected,  and  a  very  small  amount  used. 
The  temperature  of  the  air  outside  ranged  between 
?ero  and  freezing,  and  the  air  in  the  blast  main  about 
70°  F.  above  that.  SuHicient  steam  was  added 
so  that  the  air  was  just  saturated  ;  that  is,  some 
condensation  showed  in  the  valves  and  beds  of 
the  pipe.  Rough  calculations  indicated  that  about 
300  lb.  of  steam  was  used  per  hour,  or  7,200  lb. 
per  day,  which  at  the  cost  of  evaporation  (which 
was  high  that  month),  amounted  to  $7-20  per  day 
for  steam.  The  tabulated  results  show  an  increased 
tonnage  of  147%  for  the  two  days  of  the  test  over 
the  average  of  the  five  days'  previous,  and  at  no 
time,  even  with  the  use  of  extra  coke,  had  it  been 
possible  to  make  the  same  record  without  steam, 
although  in  the  previous  experiments  it  had  been 
nearly  equalled  on  several  occasions.  There  was 
no  change  in  any  other  operating  condition  during 
the  period  and  no  material  change  in  the  weather. 
The  lirst  day's  run  does  not  comcide  exactly  with 
the  period  for  which  steam  was  on,  as  the  statistical 
day  started  at  7.30  a.m.  and  steam  was  connected 
about  9.30  a.m.  On  the  third  day  the  furnace  was 
down  a  few  hours  to  change  the  spout,  and  the 
author  had  no  opportunity  of  making  further 
tests.  Although  the  results  given  show  increased 
capacity  only,  there  are  reasons  to  believe  that 
corresponding  savings  in  operation  costs  could 
be  made  through  saving  in  coke  and  P.ux  and  in 
smooth  operation. 

Furnace  Performance  before  and  during  the  Test 

Per  cent     Per  rent 
of  Coke       of  Coke 
Ore        FIu.x       Coke       on  Ore      on  Charge 
(Sll-20    327-fiO    119-00        147  10-4 

c-      J  ■  811-20    327-GO    116-60        14-4  10-2 

Five    days    previous    I    -(.^.g^j         jyg.gg         J^^.3Q  J^.^  1(,.„ 

"''='' 712-S5  269-00  99-83  14-0  100 

'.713-60  306-70  110-70  14-3  104 

First  dav  of  test  . .     896-40  315-40  l'25-44  140  10-4 

Second  day  of  test     899-10  316-35  127-45  14-2  10-3 

The  furnace  was  50  in,  by  30  ft.,  of  ordinary 
water-jacketed  type,  and  was  smelting  raw 
pyrrhotite  ore  with  converter  slag  as  flux.  The 
results  obtained  indicate  an  advantage  to  be  gained 
by  the  use  of  steam  in  !;melting  sulphide  ores,  and 
tests  could  be  conducted  at  little  expense  in 
almost  any  jilant,  which  would  tend  to  increase 
the  available  information  on  the  subject  and  perhaps 
make  a  material  saving  on  operating  costs.  The 
author  is  desirous  that  other  metallurgists  should 
contribute  to  this  discussion. 


Coal  Mining  by  Steam  Shovel.-  At  the  meeting 
of  ihe  lustitutiDU  of  Mmmg  l-jigineers  held  mi 
Seineuiber  14.  (.'iciirgu  Sheppard  n-ad  a  paper  on 
coal  mining  by  steam  shovel  in  Alberta. 

Grinding  Problems.  —  In  Chemical  and 
AU'Uilli(r!;util  l^>ii;uu-c-niig  for  August  10,  I-t.  W. 
llardiuge  reviews  the  modern  problems  of  grinding, 
wet  anti  dry,  to  various  stages  of  comminution. 

Flotation.  — •  The  ^}il•.il>f!  a'ld  Si.iculific  I'rcss 
for  I  Illy  30  gives  particulars  of  the  Luckenbach 
tlotatiuii  process,  in  'Ahich  a  frothing  and  selecting 
agent  consisting  of  pine-pitch  in  an  alkaline  solution 
is  cniplove.l. 

■  Nodulizing. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Jotiintil  for  August  13,  C.  L.  Colbert  describes  the 
latest  nodulizing  practice  for  due  dust  and  fine 
concentrates  at  the  United  States  Metal  Refining 
Co.'s  works  at  Chrome,  New  Jersey. 

Chloride  Volatilization.  —  The  Mining  and 
Scitntific  Press  for  July  30  publishes  an  account 
by  T.  Varlev  and  C.  C.  Stevenson  of  investigations 
into  the  chloride  volatilization  process.  Articles 
on  this  subject  by  Ben  Howe  and  S.  Croasdale 
were  published  in  the  Magazine  for  December, 
1913.  and  March,  1914,  respectively. 

Geological  Sections.— At  the  meeting  of  the 
Institution  of  Mining  lingineers  held  on 
September  14,  Harry  Ro.scoe  read  a  paper  entitled  : 
Suggestions  for  the  Standardization  of  Geological 
Sections  of  Strata  proved  by  Bore-holes,  Shafts,  etc. 

Spitsbergen. — The  Geographical  Journal  for  July 
contains  an  illustrated  paper  by  J.  M.  Wordie  on 
present-day  conditions  in  Spitsbergen.  The  author 
is  one  of  the  geologists  connected  with  the  ex- 
ploration of  Spitsbergen. 

Engels  Copper  Mine.— In  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  for  July  30,  A.  B.  Parsons  commences 
an  article  on  the  Hngels  copper  mine,  California. 

Graphite. — In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  August  6,  B.  L.  Miller  reviews  the 
graphite  industry  of  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
giving  an  account  of  modern  methods  of 
concentration. 

Copper  Deposits  in  Arizona.— In  the  Engineering 
and  Muung  Journal  for  .-Vugust  13,  G.  J.  Mitchell 
describes  replacement  copper  deposits  in  the  Warren 
district.  Bisbee,  .Arizona. 

Pulverized  Coal.— The  Engineer  for  August  19 
contains  a  description  of  the  Bettington  boiler, 
using  pulverized  coal  as  fuel,  made  by  the  Eraser 
and  Chalmers  Engineering  Works,  Erith, 

Oil  and  Pulverized  Coal.— In  Chemical  ami 
Metalhir'^tcal  Engineering  for  August  3,  G,  S,  Perrott 
and  S,  '^P.  Kinney  describe  the  Trent  process, 
according  to  which  powdered  coal  in  water  is 
treated  with  comparatively  large  volumes  of  oil, 
the  pure  coal  and  the  oil  forming  a  plastic  fuel, 
while  the  ash  remains  in  the  water. 


:.  SHORT    NOTICES 

^^'•^'•■-entralion  Problems.  —.\t  the  meeting  of 
to  resuii-.^j^j  Institute  of  Mining,  Civil,  and 
up  on  the  Engineers  held  at  Sheffield  on 
Firstly,  co.  ^j^y  jy-pttigton  read  a  paper  entitled 
(1)  There  IS -^j^,).  ^^  Minerals,  indicating  a  new 
and  steel  that  ^■^^^n^  minerals.  We  intend  to 
iron,  cither  for  m  ^.j^j^  ^^^^  comment,  in  the  next 
blast-furnace    for 


RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED 

W^~  ■^  ^opv  of  Ike  specificatwn  of  any  of  thr  patents  mentioned  in 
this  column  can  if  obtained  by  sending  Is.  to  the  J'aten!  Office, 
Southampton  Bu:Idtni;s,  Chancery  Lane,  London,  W'.C.  %  with 
a  note  of  the  number  and  year  of  the  patent. 

5,224  of  1920(139,216).     J.  E.  Kennedy,  New 

York.     Iniprovements  in  gyratory  crushers. 

7, 848of  1919(165,822).  W,M..Morde Y.London. 
Electro-magnetic  separators  for  the  treatment  of 
minerals,  consisting  of  inclined  launders  with  an 
alternate  current  multiphase  magnet  underneath 
which  diverts  the  ma,enetic  material  to  one  side  of 
the  launders, 

11,185  of  1919(126,626).      P.  Des.achy,  Paris. 


SEPTEMBER,     1021 


193 


Improved  apparatus  for  making  lithopone,  that  is, 
a  mixture  of  barium  sulphate  and  zinc  sulphide. 

17,745  of  1919  (165,465).  F.  Calvert,  Man- 
chester. Improved  practice  in  adding  fluor-spar 
in  steel  purification. 

l,375of  1920(166,292).  Ropeways,  Ltd.,  and 
E.  Roe,  London.  Improved  raising  and  lowering 
tackle  for  aerial  ropeways. 

5,561  and  35,632  of  1920  (166,929).  J.  J- 
Collins,  Southport,  In  the  treatment  of  zmc-lead 
and  like  su  Iphide  ores  and  concentrates  for  the  separa- 
tion of  the  zinc  from  the  lead,  subjecting  the  crushed 
ore  or  concentrate  while  in  a  solution  of  a  lower 
chloride  of  a  metal  to  the  action  of  gaseous  chlorine, 
whereby  the  lead  is  converted  from  the  suljihide  to 
the  chloride  which  precipitates  on  cooling,  while 
the  zinc  sulphide  remains  substantially  unattacked, 
drawing  off  the  solution  of  the  lower  chloride  of  a 
metal  from  the  zinc  sulphide,  lead  chloride,  and 
sulphur,  and  dissolving  the  lead  chloride  in  a  hot 
saturated  solution  of  sodium  chloride,  leaving  the 
zinc  sulphide  and  sulphur. 

9,149  of  1920  (141,044).  Amalgamated  Zinc 
(De  B.way's),  Ltd.,  Melbourne.  Improvements  in 
patent  135,968,  dealing  with  the  separation  of 
mixed  chlorides  bv  brine  solution  for  the  recovery 
of  lead  and  silver  from  complex  ores. 

9,445  of  1920  (141,688).  Electrolytic  Zinc 
Co.  OF  Australasia,  Ltd.,  Melbourne.  Method  of 
recovering  cadmium  in  the  course  of  the  electrolytic 
process  for  producing  zinc. 

9.846  of  1920(166,647).  A.  M.  Mackilligin, 
London.  .\  machine  consisting  of  a  number  of 
jumpers  for  drilling  holes  in  a  row  and  operated 
in  much  the  same  manner  as  stamps. 

10,959  of  1920  (166,595).  J.  J.  Collins,  South- 
port.  A  process  of  purifying  tin,  consisting  in 
producing  pure  stannous  chloride  from  the  impure 
metal  bv  the  action  of  stannic  chloride  on  the 
latter  in  the  presence  of  an  excess  of  tin, 
dehydrating,  fusing,  and  electrolysing  the  stannous 
chloride,  whereby  pure  metallic  tin  and  stannic 
chloride  are  formed. 

11.116  of  1920(142,122).  H.  Mehner,  Char- 
lottenburg.  A  process  for  the  manufacture  of 
cyanogen  by  reaction  between  carbon,  nitrogen,  and 
the  vapour  of  an  alkali  metal,  in  which  the  free  alkali 
metal  is  introduced  in  the  reaction  space,  together 
with  a  combined  alkali  metal  of  such  nature  that 
no  reaction  between  the  free  and  the  combined 
alkali  metal  can  occur  during  the  process. 

13,775  of  1920(166,409).  C.  Langer,  Wool- 
hampton.  Method  of  separating  metals  such  as 
copper  and  nickel  electrolytically  and  depositing 
them  simultaneously  by  employing  two  electric 
currents  of  different  potentials. 

14,625  of  1920  (143,920).  Elektro-Osmose 
Graf  Schwerin  Gesellschaft,  Berlin.  A  process 
for  concentrating  by  the  flotation  method  finely 
comminuted  ores  containing  electro-positive  and 
electro-negative  particles,  wherein  there  is  caused 
to  act  on  the  finely  comminuted  ore  in  aqueous 
suspension,  for  the  purpose  of  separating  one  set  of 
particles  from  the  mixture,  an  electrolyte  having 
an  electric  charge  of  the  same  character  as  that  of 
the  set  of  particles  to  be  separated,  and  wherein 
for  the  simultaneous  or  subsequent  flotation  con- 
centration there  is  used  as  floating  agent  a  substance 
which  does  not  prevent  or  destroy  the  sol-condition. 

15,901  of  1920  (167.048).  H.  Walker. Christ- 
church,  New  Zealand.  In  order  to  provide  oxygen 
and  moisture  at  the  same  time  as  firing  shots  in 


mines,  using  a  cartridge  containing  permanganate 
of  potash,  chlorate  of  potash,  and  gum  arable, 
in  association  with  the  blasting  cartridge. 

16,701  of  1920  (165,655).  SkinningroveIron 
Co.,  Ltd.,  and  T.  R.  Smith,  Saltburn,  Yorkshire. 
A  negative  electrode  for  use  in  an  electrostatic  dust- 
depositing  plant,  consisting  of  chain-mail  or  the 
like  supported  at  the  top  on  a  stationary  bar  and 
with  a  heavy  bar  attached  to  the  bottom  edge 
thereof,  in  combination  with  mechanism  for  lifting 
the  heavy  bar  at  intervals  and  allowing  it  to  fall 
in  order  to  impart  a  jerking  action  to  the  electrode. 

17,062  of  1920  (146,133).  SocieTe  Electro- 
METALLURGipaE  Francaise,  Paris.  Method  of 
preparing  aluminate  of  lime  for  the  manufacture 
of  pure  alumina,  which  consists  in  dividing  the 
operation  into  two  phases  and  making  use  ot  two 
.apparatus  ;  in  the  first  phase  crushed  bauxite  mixed 
with  lim.e  is  heated  in  a  rotary  furnace  constituting 
the  first  apparatus,  which  is  heated  by  waste 
heat  from  the  second  apparatus,  and  in  the  second 
phase  the  mixture  is  discharged  from  the  rotary 
furnace  into  the  second  apparatus  which  is  a 
furnace  heated  and  arranged  for  eilecting  the  fusion 
of  the  mixture,  which  on  being  discharged  may  be 
cooled  and  granulated  in  water. 

19,014  of  1920  (161,104).  F.  Milliken. 
Lawrence,  New  York.  An  alloy  capable  of  resisting 
high  temperatures  consisting  of  chromium,  copper, 
nickel,  manganese,  and  16  to  20%  iron. 

20,253  of  1920(153,560).  S.  Steinmetz,  Berlin. 
Improvement  in  disc  crushers. 

23.238  of  1920  (161.491).  Dwight  &  Lloyd 
Metalu'rgical  Company,  New  York.  Improve- 
ment in  the  inventors'  apparatus  for  continuous 
ore-sintering. 

32,585  of  1920  (161,130).  Svenska  Diamant- 
berg-borrnungs  Aktiebolaget,  Stockholm.  In 
ascertaining  the  inclination  of  bore-holss,  the 
employment  of  a  solution  from  which  a  etallic 
deposit  can  be  precipitated  electrolytically  by 
making  connexion  when  desired,  instead  of  the 
etching  solution  hitherto  employed. 

32,715  of  1920  (165,708).  T.  G.  Nyborg, 
Hexham,  and  M.  F.  Higgins,  Sheffield.  Method  of 
fi.xing  the  tube  bringing  clearing  fluid  to  the  points 
of  percussive  drills. 

35,794  of  1920  (166,490).  S.  Dawson  Ware, 
London.  A  jig  having  one  or  more  power-moved 
screens  or  screen-trays  covering  praci'cally  the 
whole  area  of  the  tank  or  hutch,  suspended  from 
an  overhead  framework,  vibrated  or  reciprocated 
both  vertically  and  horizontally  by  two  independent 
positive  quick-return  motions. 

36,492  of  1920  (164,681).  E.  Cudney,  Stege, 
California.     Improved  electric  blasting  fuse. 

801  of  1921  (156,739).  F.  Krupp,  Magdeburg- 
Buckau.  Improved  form  of  plates  used  in  filter- 
presses. 

4,518  of  1921  (165,719).  G.  H.  T.  Rayner  and 
P.  R.\YNER,  Shefiield.  Valve  apparatus  for  rock- 
drills  and  similar  tools,  comprising  a  three-collar 
valve,  said  collars  being  of  equal  diameters, 
characterized  in  that  the  central  collar  controls  t"^ 
main  fluid  supply  and  diverts  it  alterr'  r,/>Q 
each   side   of   the   piston,   the   piston   of  '  '  '    ~ 

closing  valve-throwing  ports  from  the  c 260 

covering  and  uncovering  exhaust  por 

cylinder  to  the  atmosphere  during  the -"1 

return  strokes.  9gj 

6,987  of  1921  (160,464).     J.  E.  Ke  ' ; ;  "  '    "  . 
York.     Improvements  in  gyratory  cru3l;°^;f;^'^fJ^=J", 


101 


THi:    MIXINC,     MACAZINK 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMIMILKTS,  Etc. 

►^'Copirt  o(  Ihc  b<H>ks,  etc.,  nu'ntioncd  below  cnn  be  obtained 
throutjh  the  Technical  Hookshop  of  The  AtmiHg  ^t^isa:tnf, 
7lM.  Sabsbuiy  House,  l.oiulon  Wall.  K.C.  'J. 

Quin's  Metal  Trades  Directory  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  1921.  Cloth,  octavci.  :f()ll  jiagcs.  rncc 
lOs.  M.  net.  London  :  The  Metal  Information 
Bureau.  Ltd.,  7,  East  India  Avenue.  E.C.  3.  This 
is  the  first  issue  of  a  book  which  gives  classified 
information  relating  to  the  non-ferrous  metals 
business  I'f  this  country. 

South  African  Engineers  Electrical  and  Allied 
Trades  Directory.  1921-1922.  Cloth,  octavo.  49(1 
pages.  Price  3(ls.  net.  Johannesburg  :  The  Soulh 
A/ticati  Milling  ai:d  Jliigineiriiii;  Journa! ;  London 
Office  :    8--5.  I'lcct  Strict.  I'.C.  4. 

First  Aid  and  Rescue  Work  in  Mining.  I^V 
Dr.  L.  G.  Irvine.  Flexible  covers,  pocket  size, 
370  pages,  illustrated,  rrice8s.6d.net.  Johannes- 
burg :  The  South  African  Ked  Cross  Society. 
London  :   The  Mining  Magazine. 

Talc  :  Fluor-Spar. —  Published  by  the  Imperial 
.Miiicial  Kfsourcos  liurc.iu.     Price  9d.  each. 

Income  Tax  Guide.  1921.— By  H.  W.  Palmer. 
Price  Is.  net.     London  :    Tlic  Financial  Tiiiiis. 

Mineral  Industry  of  the  British  Empire  and 
Foreign  Countries.^Statistical  Summarj'  of  Pro- 
duction, ENports,  and  Imports,  1913  to  1920. 
Published  by  the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources 
Bureau.     Price  3s.  net. 

Concentration  by  Flotation. — By  T.  A.  Rickard. 
Cloth,  octavo.  690  pages,  illustrated.  Price  42s. 
net.  Kew  York  :  John  Wiley  &  Sons  ;  London  : 
Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd.  This  book  is  a  compilation 
of  articles  appearing  in  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  during  the  years  19)5  to  1920. 

Mining  Law  of  West  Africa. — Price  15s.  net. 
Published  by  the  Imperial  Mineral  Resources 
Bureau. 

Sir  John  Cass  Technical  Institute. — Syllabus 
of  Classes  for  Session  1921-2.  Issued  by  the 
Institute.  Jewry  Street,  Aldgate,  London,  E.C.  3. 

Lead,  Zinc,  Copper,  and  Nickel  Ores  of  Scotland. 
By  G.  \'.  Wilson,  with  contributions  by  Dr.  J.  S. 
Flett.  Paper  boards,  octavo,  160  pages,  illustrated. 
Price  7s.  6d.  net.  Published  by  the  Geological 
Survey  of  Scotland.  Reference  is  made  to  this 
book  in  an  editorial  in  this  issue  on  copper  in  the 
Shetland  Isles. 

The  Mutue  Fides-Stavoren  Tinfields.  By  Dr. 
P.  A.  Wagner.  Paper  covers,  octavo,  200  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  7s.  6d.  net.  Memoir  No.  16  of 
the  Geological  Survey  of  the  Union  of  South  Africa. 

The  Mining  Geology  of  Kookynie,  Niagara,  and 
Tampa,  in  the  North  Coolgardie  Goldfield.  By 
J.  T.  juTSON.  Paper  covers,  octavo,  100  pages, 
illustrated.  Bulletin  No.  78  of  the  Geological 
Survev  of  West  Australia. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Leeuwpoort  Tin  Mines. — This   company  is  con- 
trolled   by    the    South  African   Townships    Mining 
.and  Finance  Corporation,  and  has  worked  tin  mines 
woi-       W'aterberg  district  of  the  Transvaal  since 
to  res'ifi"''  ^rvine    Jampson   is   the   manager.     The 
up  on  tl?"'"920  shows  that  61,982  tons  of  ore  was 
Firstly,  cohat,  after  the  removal  of  waste,  55,335 
(1)  There  .it  to  the  stamps.       The  yield  of  tin 
and  steel  th^as  985  tons,  averaging  62%  metallic 
iron,  cither  fee  of  concentrate   brought  an  income 
blast-furnace     The    mining    costs    were    /88,35S, 
ation  charges  /23,484.     The  allowance 


for  development  and  de|)reciation  written  ort  was 
-14.990,  anil  the  taxes,  etc.,  ;(6,021.  The  share- 
liolder--  received  /;41,250,  being  at  the  rate  of  15%. 
llie  ore  reserve  is  calculated  at  64,488  tons, 
averaging  2'4"„  nu-tallic  tin,  figures  not  much 
ditferent  from  those  the  year  before. 

Ropp  Tin.— This  is  the  largest  producer  of  tin 
concentrate  on  the  Bauchi  plateau,  Nigeria. 
ICdmund  Davis  is  chairman  of  the  company,  and  the 
Consolidated  Gold  Fields  of  South  Africa  are  the 
consulting  and  superintending  engineers.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  the  output  of  concentrate 
was  1,017  tons,  of  which  619  tons  was  obtained  liy 
dredging,  162  tons  by  ground  sluicing,  150  tons  by 
tributing,  and  86  tons  from  other  sources.  The 
proceeds  from  concentrates  sold  were  ;<;52,900,  and 
there  are  credits  of  ^59,064  for  concentrates  on  hand 
and  in  transit.  There  was  a  loss  on  the  year's  work 
of  /7,595,  this  position  being  entirely  due  to  the  fall 
in  the  price  of  tin.  The  proved  ground  is  estimated 
to  contain  10,006  tons  of  cassiterite.  No  new- 
ground  has  been  tested  during  the  year.  The 
output  during  the  first  half  of  the  current  year  was 
561  tons. 

Waihi  Grand  Junction.  —  This  company  has 
worked  a  gold  mine  in  the  north  island  of  New 
Zealand,  adjoining  the  Waihi  mine,  since  1895. 
Dividends  were  [laid  from  1910  to  1918.  The 
report  for  1920  shows  that  57,450  tons  of  ore  was 
raised  and  treated,  yielding  gold  and  silver  valued 
at  /109,506.  The  working  cost  was  (130,463,  and 
provision  for  income  tax  ,(4,238.  There  was  in 
addition  an  income  of  /8,005,  arising  chiefly  from 
interest  on  investments.  The  result  of  the  year's 
work  was  a  loss  of  /21,0I6,  which,  added  to  the 
adverse  balance  of  /T  0,550  brought  in  from  the 
previous  year,  makes  a  total  debit  balance  of 
j'3 1,566.  The  ore  reserve  is  estimated  at  120.500 
tons,  as  compared  with  90,450  tons  the  year  before, 
but  assay-values  are  not  given.  The  directors  do 
not  now  publish  the  mine  manager's  report,  nor 
do  they  give  details  of  gold  and  silver  production 
and  the  premium  received  on  the  gold  sold. 

Broken  Hill  Block  14. — The  report  of  this 
company  now  issued  covers  the  half-year  ended 
March  .31.  The  mine  was  reopened  at  the  con- 
clusion of  the  strike  on  November  22,  but  operations 
were  suspended  again  at  the  end  of  December, 
owing  to  the  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the  metal 
markets.  During  the  short  time  the  mine  was 
being  worked  405  tons  of  carbonate  ore,  averaging 
24-3°'(,  lead  and  13-8  oz.  silver  per  ton,  was  mined 
and  delivered  to  the  Associated  Smelters  at  Port 
Pirie.  and  1,201  tons  of  sulphide  ore  was  raised  and 
sent  to  the  Block  10  joint  plant.  The  accounts 
show  a  loEs  for  the  half-year  of  £17,671. 

Broken  Hill  Block  10. — The  report  now  issued 
covers  the  half-year  ended  March  31.  The  long 
strike  terminated  on  November  10,  and  from  that 
date  until  the  end  of  December  some  mining  was 
done,  while  the  concentration  plant,  treating  Block 
10.  Block  14,  and  Junction  ore,  ran  from  November 
15  to  January  31.  The  joint  treatment  of  ore 
from  the  three  mines  named  included  3,386  tons 
from  Block  10,  and  6,234  tons  from  Block  14  and 
Junction,  making  a  total  of  9,620  tons,  averaging 
11-5%  lead,  9-34%  zinc,  and  8-89  oz.  silver  per  ton. 
The  lead  concentrate  won  was  1,508  tons,  averaging 
61'3%  lead,  6-5%  zinc,  and  36'6  oz.  silver,  and 
the  zinc  concentrate  1,718  tons,  averaging  45'7% 
zinc,  7'26%  lead,  and  13'9  oz.  silver.  The  accounts 
show  a  loss  for  the  half-year  of  £18,800. 


Hi' 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 


Published  on  the   15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,   Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,   London  Wall,   London,  E.C.  2. 

Telephone  :  Loiirfon  It'aJi  8938.        Telegraphic  Address  :  Oiigoc/ns^.        Codes  :  AfcAViH,  both  EditioDS. 
r,  '420,  Market  Street,  San  Francisco.  Subscripto.v  '  ^^^-  P^"^  annum  (Single  Copy  l5.  6d.  ,  including 

Branch  Offices  -  J-JJ'  pj^^^^  gjg  _  Chicago.  bUBSCRiPio.v  ^  p^^j^^^  j^  ^^y  ^^^^  „;  j^^  ^yorld. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  4.        LONDON,  OCTOBER,  1921, 


Price  Is.  6d. 


C  O  N  T  E  N  r  S 


PAGE 

Editorial 

Notes    196 

Explosion  at  Oppau ;  Lectures  on  Petroleum  ; 
Characteristics  of  Cassiterite  ;  Politicians  and 
Science ;  Sir  Thomas  Holland's  Resignation  ; 
Shipping,  Engineering,  and  Machiner>'  Exhibition  ; 
Shaft-sinking  Records. 

British  Coal-mining     197 

Reference  is  made  to  addresses  by  Sir  John  Cadman 
and  Dr.  J.  S.  Haldane,  who  attribute  the  present 
stagnation  of  the  coal-mining  industry  to  the 
over-legislation  of  the  past  twenty  years. 

Arizona  Copper 198 

An  outline  is  given  of  the  questions  involved  in  the 
sale  of  the  properties  of  the  Arizona  Copper 
Company  to  the  Phelps-Dodge  Corporation. 

The  Cornish  Crisis    199 

Another  appeal  is  issued  for  help  for  the  tin  miners 
of  Comwal'. 

The  British  Association 201 

The  Editor  gives  his  impressions  of  some  of  the  most 
interesting  features  in  the  discussions  at  the 
Edinburgh  meeting  of  the  British  Association. 

Review  of  Mining 202 

Articles 

Trinidad :   A   Review  of  its  Geology 
and  Oil  Resources . .  Henry  B.  Milner  205 

In  this  article  the  author  summarizes  our  present 
knowledge  of  the  geolog>'  of  the  Island  of 
Trinidad,  with  special  reference  to  the  mode  of 
occurrence  and  storage  of  its  oil.  An  account  is 
given  of  the  progress  of  development  of  the 
petroleum  resources,  and  some  of  the  more 
important  technical  difficulties  encountered  during 
oil  exploration  in  the  Island  are  discussed. 

Mine  Models  at  South  Kensington  . .    214 

This  article  contains  an  account  of  models  explana- 
tory of  mining  operations,  designed  and  made  by 
Mr.  G.  W.  Leech,  and  recently  added  to  the 
Science  Museum,  South  Kensington. 

The    Characteristics     of    Cassiterite 
E,  H.  Davison  218 

Many  minerals  are  easily  mistaken  for  cassiterite. 
The  author  of  this  article  gives  a  concise  state- 
ment dealing  with  the  subject,  intended  for  the 
guidance  of  workers  in  the  field. 

The  Gyro  Compass  for  Surveyors  . . .   220 
Letters  to  the  Editor 

The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 

.'./.  D.  Kendall  222 

The  Real  Value  of  Gold  .H.C.  Baxldon  223 


PAGE 

Book  Reviews 

Bulman  and  Mills'  "  Mine  Rescue  Work  and 
Organization  " Stanley  Neitleton  223 

Davies'  "  Problems  in  Land  and  Mine 
Surveying  " Alex.  Richardson  226 

V.'arner's  "  Field  Mapping  for  the  Oil 
Geologist  " H.  B.  Milner  227 

Jagger's  "  Mechanical  Drawing  " 228 

Ivens'  "  Pumping  by  Compressed  Air  "  ....    228 

News  Letters 

Toronto 229 

Metallic  Production  of  Ontario ;   Porcupine  ;  Kirk- 
land  Lake  :  Cobalt ;  Sudbury. 

Vancouver,  B.C 230 

Complex  Lead-Zinc  Ores  ;  The  Salmon  River  District. 

Person.^l    232 

Trade  Paragraphs    233 

Metal  Markets   235 

Statistics  of  Production   238 

Prices  of  Chemicals 241 

Share  Quotations  242 

The  Mining  Digest 

studies  of  Transvaal  Tin  Deposits 

Dr.  P.  A.    Wagner  243 

The  Northampton  Lead  District 

F.  R.  Feldtmann  249 

Iron  Ores  of  Normandy P.  Nicou  251 

Blast-Roasting Gilbert  Rigg  254 

Anodes  for  Copper  Deposition  .  Colin  G.  Fink  256 
The  Separation  of  Minerals  .  Stanley  Netileton  258 

Hyde's  Welding  Process 259 

Determination  of  Vanadium.  .  .R.  B.  Scltaa'  259 

Short  Notices    260 

Recent  P.atents  Published 260 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 261 

Company  Reports   261 

.\nantapur  Gold  Field  ;  .\rizona  Copper  ;  Consolidated  .Main 
Reef  ;  Mount  .Morgan  ,  Modderfontein  East ;  New  Modderfoiitein  ; 
Nourse  Mines. 


EDITORIAL 


T^lIE  great  explosion  at  the  Badisclic 
JL  AniMn  &  Soda  Fabrik's  works  at 
Oppau  points  to  tlic  danger  of  the  explosives 
ccntaining  anniioniinn  nitrate  or  of  the 
process  by  which  it  is  made,  and  the 
niaiuifacturers  of  mining  explosives  will 
investigate  accordinglj'.  The  information 
available  at  present  is,  however,  not  sufficient 
to  warrant  any  expression  of  opinion. 


OX  (October  10  a  lecture  on  the  geology 
of  petroleum  was  given  by  Sir  Frederick 
Black,  president  of  the  Institution  of  Petro- 
leum Technologists,  at  the  Sir  John  Cass 
Technical  Institute,  Jewry  Street,  Aldgate. 
This  lecture  constituted  an  introduction  to 
the  course  on  petroleum  technology  which 
has  this  year  been  added  to  the  curriculum 
of  the  Institute.  We  are  glad  to  sec  the 
continual  expansion  of  the  Sir  John  Cass 
Technical  Institute.  The  lectures  and  in- 
struction are  eminently  suited  to  the  require- 
ments of  men  engaged  during  the  day  time, 
and  both  technical  and  non-technical  men 
find  the  courses  of  study  extremely  helpful. 


ELSEWHERE  in  this  issue  we  print 
an  article  on  the  "  Characteristics  of 
Cassiterite,"  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Da\'ison,  lecturer 
on  economic  geology  and  mineralogy  in  the 
Camborne  School  of  Mines.  This  article 
may  appear  to  some  readers  to  be  rather 
elementary  for  a  paper  like  The  Mining 
Mag.^zine.  The  fact  is,  however,  that  many 
minerals  are  continually  being  mistaken  for 
cassiterite,  and  vice-versa,  so  that  a  concise 
statement  giving  the  characteristics  of  all 
these  minerals  should  prove  useful  in  many 
quarters.  The  identification  of  cassiterite 
is  a  subject  on  which  much  could  be  written, 
and  we  hope  some  of  our  readers  will  send 
contributions  to  our  pages  giving  details  of 
their  particular  experiences  in  the  field. 


THE  contempt  displayed  by  politicians 
and  the  public  for  scientists  and 
mining  men  forms  the  theme  for  many 
paragraphs  in  this  issue.  One  of  those  to 
utter  a  protest  against  this  treatment  is 
Mr.  T.  G.  Trevor,  the  Inspector  of  Mines  for 
the  Pretoria  District,  who  in  the  South 
African  Journal  of  Industries  for  August 
appeals  to  the  public  to  put  more  faith  in 


the  value  of  the  services  of  the  scientific 
man.  As  this  appeal  takes  the  form  of  an 
article  appearing  in  a  monthly  magazine 
publishcil  by  authority  of  th.e  Minister  of 
Mines  and  Industries,  it  is  clear  that  the 
appeal  stands  a  good  chance  of  being  read 
by  the  jioliticians. 


Wl'-  note  with  pleasure  that  Nature 
takes  up  the  cudgels  on  behalf  of 
Sir  Thomas  Holland,  who  has  been  obliged 
to  resign  from  the  Council  of  the  Viceroy 
of  India  under  circumstances  already  known 
to  our  readers.  Lord  Reading's  assertion 
that  the  Minister  of  Commerce  should  have 
been  a  lawyer  instead  of  a  man  of  science 
is  one  of  those  legal  generalities  which  create 
so  much  havoc  in  the  world  of  common  sense, 
and  the  men  of  science  resent  it  in  a  body. 
No  doubt  the  dismissal  of  Sir  Thomas 
Holland  will  be  brought  before  Parliament 
in  due  course,  for  this  degradation  of  a  com- 
petent and  sympathiSic  Minister  was  a  most 
ill-advised  action,  especially  at  the  present 
time,  when  the  future  of  India  is  in  the 
balance. 


MINING  engineers  found  much  to 
interest  them  at  the  Shipping, 
Engineering,  and  Machinery  Exhibition  held 
at  Olympia  last  month,  as  will  be  seen  from 
the  brief  description  printed  elsewhere  in 
this  issue.  One  of  the  features  of  the 
Exhibition  was  the  holding  of  special 
receptions  for  various  classes  of  engineers, 
on  which  occasions  lectures  were  delivered 
on  the  subjects  of  greatest  novelty  in  each 
particular  line.  One  evening  was  set  apart 
to  the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers  and 
the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy, 
and  the  social  intercourse  and  the 
opportunity  for  inspecting  the  exhibits  in 
congenial  company  were  greatly  appreciated. 
A  lecture  and  demonstration  was  given  by 
Professor  Edwin  Edser,  who  explained  the 
principles  of  froth  flotation  as  applied  more 
especially  to  the  saving  of  waste  coal.  When 
future  exhibitions  of  this  class  are  held  we 
hope  to  see  the  makers  of  machinery  used 
at  mines  more  widely  represented.  As  a 
matter  of  fact  we  believe  that  at  the  next 
exhibition  efforts  will  be  made  to  secure  a 
representative  show  of  modern  types  of 
mining  machinery  of  all  kinds. 


196 


OCTOBER,    1921 


197 


PARTICULARS  are  to  hand  of  another 
shaft-sinking  record.  At  the  Chief 
ConsoUdatcd  mine,  in  the  Tintic  district, 
Utah,  the  Water  Lily  vertical  shaft  was 
sunk  427^  ft.  during  the  31  days  from 
July  15  to  August  15.  The  first  367  ft. 
passed  through  a  porphyry  formation,  and 
the  last  60  ft.  through  a  moderately  hard 
close-grained  limestone.  The  shaft  has  three 
compartments,  each  measuring  4  ft.  4  in.  by 
4  ft.  6  in.  The  surface  equipment  consists  of 
two  small  hoists  and  two  air-compressors 
operated  electrically.  Hoisting  was  done 
through  two  compartments.  Timbering  was 
done  as  the  work  proceeded  by  means  of  a 
suspended  steel  bulkhead  hung  from  each  last 
set,  so  that  drilling  and  hoisting  could  be- 
done  continuously.  The  drill  employed  was 
the  Waugh  Clipper,  and  the  average  number 
of  holes  drilled  each  round  was  23-9.  The 
particulars  supplied  do  not  include  the  depths 
below  surface  of  the  start  and  finish  of  this 
trial.  The  previous  31  days'  record  was  the 
310  ft.  sunk  at  the  Crown  Mines  No.  15 
circular  shaft  in  July,  1919.  Here  the  shaft 
was  21  i  ft.  in  diameter,  and  the  hoisting 
depth  averaged  2,150  ft.,  while  the  rock  was 
hard  Rand  quartzitc  and  the  drills  employed 
were  Holman  sinkers.  These  shaft-sinking 
competitions  are  not  oiftcial,  and  there  is 
no  handicapping  as  regards  rock,  energy  of 
the  crew,  or  capability  of  the  drills  employed, 
so  all  we  can  do  is  to  congratulate  the 
respective  crews  for  getting  a  move  on. 


British  Coal-Mining 

There  are  signs  that  all  sections  of  the 
community  are  now  taking  a  more  reasonable 
attitude  with  regard  to  coal-mining,  the 
industry  on  which  the  prosperity  of  this 
country  depends.  Both  the  owners  and  the 
workers  are  listening  more  readily  to  the 
advice  of  well-informed  men  of  independent 
position.  Perhaps  the  most  notable  pro- 
nouncements of  this  sort  were  made  by 
Sir  John  Cadman  and  Dr.  J.  S.  Haldane 
at  the  recent  meeting  of  the  Institution  of 
Mining  Engineers.  Sir  John,  in  his 
presidential  address,  spoke  in  frank  and 
unmistakable  language  of  the  causes  of  the 
present  unsatisfactory  condition  of  the 
industry.  He  showed  that,  whereas  in  1900 
the  output  of  coal  was  291  tons  per  man 
employed,  the  figure  had  fallen  to  183  tons 
in  1920.  There  are  several  factors  which  may 
have  contributed  to  this  fall.  The  thicker 
and    more    accessible    seams    are    gradually 


being  exhausted,  and  thinner  seams  and 
seams  at  greater  distances  from  the  shafts 
are  being  worked.  Some  people  also  maintain 
that  the  mines  are  overmanned,  and  that  the 
surplus  force  does  not  add  to  the  productive 
capacity  of  the  colUeries.  It  may  be,  as 
Sir  John  said,  that  all  British  industry  has 
been  passing  through  one  of  those  lazy  fits 
that  recur  from  time  to  time.  But  all  these 
are  held  by  him  as  not  affording  the  real 
reason.  In  his  view  over-legislation  is  the 
cause  which  operates  the  most  effectively  in 
restricting  output.  During  the  last  twenty 
years  coal-mining  has  been  subjected  to  a 
degree  of  political  and  legislative  inter- 
ference without  parallel  in  any  other 
industry.  These  enactments  have  so  circum- 
scribed the  initiative  of  both  masters  and 
men  in  matters  that  might  have  been  much 
better  left  to  their  own  discretion,  and  have 
so  fettered  their  freedom  of  action  and 
choice  as  to  stifle  their  natural  spirit  of  energy 
and  enterprise.  The  restrictions  and 
regulations  were  mostly  imposed  by  outside 
authorities  little  conversant  with  the  matters 
in  hand,  and  the  legislation  has  been  fussy 
and  ill-conceived ;  the  result  of  the 
regulations  has  been  the  virtual  abolition  of 
personal  responsibility  and  of  co-operation 
between  managers  and  men.  In  fact,  hasty 
and  inappropiiate  laws  have  diminished  the 
output,  and  at  the  same  time  have  not 
increased  the  safety  of  working.  There  are 
really  so  many  regulations  that  the  time 
of  the  managers  and  men  is  taken  up  chiefly 
in  following  them  and  signing  forms,  and 
personal  initiative  in  mining  practice  has 
been  stifled.  In  Sir  John's  words,  what  coal- 
mining in  Great  Britain  most  needs  is  a 
respite  from  the  well-meant  but  bungling 
attentions  of  Parliament. 

In  the  speeches  following  the  delivery 
of  Sir  John  Cadman's  address,  Dr.  J.  S. 
Haldane  spoke  in  his  capacity  as  adviser 
on  improvements  in  underground  conditions, 
and  he  voiced  the  general  complaint  of 
scientific  men  that  their  advice  is  often 
ignored,  and  that  if  it  is  accepted  it  is  usually 
applied  by  people  who  have  no  knowledge 
of  the  subject.  His  contention  is  that,  if 
certain  recommendations  of  a  scientific 
committee  are  agreed  to,  the  advice  of  that 
committee  as  to  the  methods  of  carrying 
them  out  in  practice  should  also  be  taken. 
He  showed  that  in  many  cases  scientific 
recommendations  have  been  quite  wrongly 
applied.  Even  if  the  committee  particularly 
requested  that  no  legislation  should  be  under- 


108 


Tin:    MINING    MAdAZINE 


taken  without  further  reference  to  tluiu, 
tlic  Government  ofTicials  continue  in  their 
usual  course.  Dr.  Haldanc  instanced  cases 
where  his  own  reconinieiidations  hud  been 
applied  in  such  a  way  that  little  good  has 
ensued  :  in  fact,  the  regulations  founded  on 
them  only  served  to  tie  the  men  uj)  in  such 
a  way  that  they  did  not  know  which  way  to 
move.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  protests 
uttered  by  two  such  high  authorities  as 
Sir  John  Cadman  and  Dr.  Haldane  will  have 
some  effect  on  the  Government  ;  they  will 
certainly  be  accepted  by  the  coal  industry 
and  all  associated  with  or  dependent  on  it. 

Arizona  Copper 

For  two  years  or  more  the  directors  of 
the  Arizona  Copper  Company  have  been 
in  negotiation  with  the  Phelps-Dodge  Cor- 
poration with  a  view  to  the  sale  of  the 
properties  to  the  latter.  After  much  delay 
terms  have  been  agreed  and  placed  before 
shareholders.  It  may  be  said  at  once 
that  the  terms  have  been  considered  dis- 
appointing, and  that  the  shares  have  suffered 
considerably  on  the  market  accordingly. 
We  believe,  however,  that  this  dissatisfaction 
is  not  well  founded,  and  that  shareholders 
will  eventually  find  they  have  a  sound  and 
satisfactory  investment.  Briefly,  the 
purchase  price  paid  by  the  Corporation  is 
50,000  shares  of  SlOO  each,  to  rank  equally 
with  shares  that  have  received  an  average 
return  of  lS°o  per  annum  during  the  last 
twelve  vears.  The  present  issued  capital 
of  the  Corporation  is  450,000  shares  of  SlOO 
each,  so  that  the  Arizona  Copper  Company 
will  hold  just  one-tenth  of  the  shares  of 
the  Corporation.  The  issued  capital  of  the 
Arizona  Copper  Company  is  £703,984,  of 
which  rather  more  than  half  is  represented 
by  ordinary  shares.  During  the  last  dozen 
years  the  dividends  on  the  ordinary  shares 
have  averaged  50%,  but  owing  to  the  severe 
collapse  of  the  copper  market  no  profit  was 
made  in  1920,  and  the  mine  was  closed  in 
^lay  of  this  year,  along  with  many  other 
American  copper  mines.  At  first  sight 
the  times  may  not  appear  auspicious  for 
a  sale  of  the  properties,  and  that  a  companj' 
which  has  to  find  means  for  financing  its 
present  losses  and  also  has  a  prospect  of 
having  to  raise  further  capital  for  the 
exploitation  of  the  lower  grade  ore  is  not 
exactly  a  free  agent  in  the  deal.  But  the 
Phelps-Dodge  Corporation  is  not  an 
organization  that  relies  on  the  big  stick 
policy,  or  holds  a  pistol  to  the  parties  with 


whom  it  negotiates ;  moreover,  it  docs 
not  keep  an  eye  and  a  half  on  the  Stock 
E.xchange,  and  only  hall  on  its  projier 
business.  The  Corporation  and  its  pre- 
decessor, Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co.,  have  a 
line  record  for  technical  ability  and  business 
probity,  and  any  agreement  to  which  it 
sets  its  seal  is  likel}'  to  prove  a  fair  one. 
Its  commanding  position  in  the  copper 
world  was  largely  built  up  by  the  late 
Dr.  James  Douglas,  whose  high  character 
was  proverbial.  The  shares  are  almost 
entirely  held  privately  by  people  who  value 
thcni  for  the  income  they  yield,  and  they 
seldom  change  hands.  Shareholders  in  the 
Arizona  Copper  Company  must  learn  to 
adopt  the  same  attitude.  It  is  clear,  on  the 
'otlier  hand,  that  some  means  of  valuing  or 
selling  holdings  on  this  side  is  desirable, 
and  for  this  reason  the  Phelps-Dodge  shares 
will  not  be  distributed  among  Arizona 
Copper  Company  shareholders,  but  will  be 
held  by  the  latter  company,  which  will  thus 
become  a  holding  instead  of  an  operating 
company. 

The  two  companies  began  active  work 
in  Arizona  at  about  the  same  time,  the 
Arizona  Copper  Company  in  the  Clifton- 
Morenci  district,  which  was  the  first  copper- 
mining  region  to  be  developed  in  the  South- 
western States.  The  discoveries  leading  to 
the  commencement  of  a  new  industry 
happened  about  1875,  but  it  was  not  until 
the  early  eighties  that  active  work  was  taken 
in  hand.  In  those  days  rich  oxidized  ores 
in  a  limestone  gangue  were  treated,  and  the 
smelting  experiences  on  this  class  of  ores 
formed  an  interesting  incident  in  the  history 
of  the  metallurgy  of  copper.  The  Corporation 
began  work  at  Bisbee,  and  later  acquired 
the  Detroit  property  at  ]\Iorenci,  the  Globe 
and  Old  Dominion  at  Globe,  the  Moctezuma 
group  over  the  border  in  Sonora,  and  the 
Bunker  Hill  at  Tombstone,  while  smelting 
operations  have  been  conducted  at  Bisbee, 
Douglas,  Globe,  and  Morenci.  The  ores 
treated  in  the  Chfton-Morenci  district  have 
gradually  become  of  lower  and  lower  grade, 
and  the  methods  of  mining,  concentration, 
and  smelting  have  had  to  be  continually 
modified.  To  the  Arizona  Copper  Com- 
pany belongs  the  credit  of  having  first 
treated  the  .so-called  "  disseminated "  or 
"  porphyry "  type  of  deposit,  long  before 
Utah  Consolidated  and  Miami  were  heard 
of.  The  Arizona  Copper  was  also  the  first 
company  to  establish  leaching  plants  for 
the  oxidized  ores.     It  is  worthy  of  record 


OCTOBER,    1921 


199 


that  a  substantial  proportion  of  the  ore- 
minerals  now  mined  are  oxidized,  consisting 
of  malachite,  with  smaller  amounts  of 
cuprite,  chrysocolla,  and  other  compounds, 
but  the  chief  mineral  of  the  ores  is  chalcocite. 
At  the  present  time  the  Arizona  Copper 
mines  and  the  Detroit  mine  are  showing 
signs  that  another  entire  rearrangement  of 
the  mining  and  concentration  methods  will 
have  to  be  undertaken  so  as  to  treat  the 
vast  reserves  of  ore  of  a  still  lower  grade. 
The  capital  sum  involved  will  probably 
come  to  millions  of  pounds,  and  the  Cor- 
poration is  better  able  to  provide  the  funds. 
Another  point  in  favour  of  the  Corporation 
undertaking  this  work  is  that  if  the  money 
were  provided  in  this  country  a  considerable 
loss  would  be  incurred  in  sending  it  to  the 
United  States  with  the  dollar  exchange  in 
its  present  position.  The  Corporation's 
interests  in  the  Clifton-Morenci  district  are 
far  from  being  the  most  important  of 
its  possessions.  The  Copper  Queen  and  the 
Moctezuma  are  big  producers  of  copper, 
the  Tombstone  mines  yield  lead,  silver, 
and  gold,  and  the  Corporation  also  operates 
coal  mines  at  Stag  Canon.  The  Arizona 
Copper  shareholders  may  therefore  be  con- 
gratulated on  securing  a  permanent  interest 
in  a  company  which  has  such  a  wide 
ramification  of  possessions.  We  cannot  do 
better  for  a  peroration  than  quote  the  Copper 
Handbook,  which  says :  "  Phelps  Dodge 
is  one  of  the  few  new  companies  in  the 
copper-mining  industry  that  is  under- 
capitalized rather  than  over-capitalized,  and 
this  is  but  a  detail  in  a  general  business 
policy  that,  while  thoroughly  progressive 
and  "abreast  with  the  times,  retains  the 
fundamentally  sound  and  conservative 
policies  developed  by  the  old  firm  in  nearly 
a  century  of  honourable  and  markedly 
successful  business  life." 


The  Cornish  Crisis 

Two  months  ago  we  made  an  appeal  for  the 
Cornish  tin-miner,  workless  and  threatened 
with  starvation  owing  to  the  stoppage  of  the 
industry  on  which  he  depends  for  a  living. 
Unfortunately  the  position  is  rapidly 
becoming  more  acute,  and  the  outlook  for 
the  winter  is  undoubtedly  very  serious. 
The  unemployment  dole  has  automatically 
ceased,  and  the  distressed  are  oflicially 
thrown  on  the  rates,  which  are  entirely 
inadequate.  Cornishmen  are  earnestly 
seeking  some  satisfactory  solution  of  the 
difficulty.         Thej'    are    generously    raising 


funds  to  afford  temporary'  relief,  but  it  is 
miiversally  held  that  charity  cannot  be 
elfective  for  long,  as  the  purses  of  the  givers 
are  not  bottomless  in  these  days,  and  also  that 
it  is  of  little  use  to  wait  for  the  market  in 
tin  to  revive.  Thus  the  Cornishmen 's 
endeavours  are  twofold,  one  dealing  with  the 
raising  of  funds  to  afford  temporary  relief, 
and  the  other  to  find  the  men  some  work 
that  will  benefit  themselves  and  the  county. 

As  we  mentioned  in  the  previous  article, 
the  Distress  Fund  for  the  Camborne-Redruth 
Area  is  doing  excellent  work.  Mr.  F.  D. 
Bain,  the  tin-smelter,  is  the  treasurer  of 
the  fund,  and  the  Reverend  W.  A.  Bryant 
is  the  active  organizer.  Mention  should  also 
be  made  of  the  valuable  assistance  given  to 
the  committee  by  Mr.  Herbert  Thomas, 
of  the  Cornish  Post,  who  has  obtained  many 
subscriptions  from  Cornishmen  abroad.  There 
is  a  separate  Distress  Fund  at  St.  Just,  of 
which  Mr.  Richard  Nicholas  is  treasurer, 
and  substantial  sums  have  been  contributed 
to  it  by  the  residents  of  Penzance.  Many 
people  are  desirous  that  St.  Just  should  be 
included  in  the  other  area,  and  that  the  Lord 
Lieutenant  should  be  thus  enabled  to  con- 
stitute a  county  fund.  Such  a  rearrangement 
would  greatly  add  to  the  influence  of  the 
Cornish   appeals. 

The  police,  too,  are  taking  an  active  part 
in  the  relief  of  distress.  The  Chief  Con- 
stable of  Cornwall,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  B. 
Protheroe  Smith,  has  issued  an  appeal  for 
his  "  Cornish  Tin  Miners'  Relief  Fund," 
and  as  it  clearl}'  reflects  the  present  position 
and  the  pressing  necessity  for  help  we  quote 
the  appeal  herewith.  Writing  from  the  Chief 
Constable's  oflice  at  Bodmin,  he  says  : — 

"  Owing  to  the  high  price  of  coal  during 
the  past  few  months  and  previously,  and  the 
low  price  of  tin,  all  the  tin  mines  in  Cornwall 
have  been  closed  down  for  several  months. 
Of  the  many  men  out  there  are  3,000  who, 
from  the  end  of  September,  receive  no  un- 
employment dole  at  all,  and  it  is  estimated 
that  they  have  about  9,000  dependents. 
About  600  of  the  younger  men  emigrated, 
until  emigration  opportunities  for  tin  miners 
ceased.  These  men  and  their  forefathers  have 
always  been  miners.  Many  of  them  are  men 
of  43  to  55  years  of  age,  with  large  families. 
Of  the  amount  which  has  been  raised  for 
them  by  means  of  this  fund,  and  is 
now  almost  expended,  as  much  as  possible 
has  been  spent  in  payment  for  relief  work, 
and  as  little  as  possible  in  doles.  At  present 
we  have  only  sufficient  to  last  until  the  middle 


200 


111£    MIXING    .MAGAZlMi 


of  October,  i-'ood  depots  liavo  been  oiniud 
and  hundreds  of  parcels  have  been  given  away 
weekly.  The  men  want  work  and  nut  doles, 
and  the  object  of  the  fund  is  to  keep  the 
men  employed  on  relief  work  until  the 
mines  reopen,  and  to  proctne  food  for  the 
women  and  children,  and  also  coal.  There 
is  a  tremendous  amount  of  privation.  I 
will  only  quote  the  most  recent  case  which 
was  reported  to  me  last  w^eek,  and  is  a 
tvpical  case  of  where  help  is  needed.  ,\ 
man,  his  wife,  and  nine  children,  no  un- 
emplovmcnt  pay,  sole  income  15s.  a  week 
from  the  eldest  son,  aged  16,  except  what 
thej-  get  from  the  Relief  Fund. 

"  I  am  trying  to  get  all  the  financial 
assistance  I  can  for  the  miners,  because :  (1) 
these  men  never  lost  a  single  day's  work 
through  being  on  strike  ;  (2)  while  the  mines 
were  working,  in  some  mines  the\-  \'oluntarily 
gave  up  20%  of  their  pay  to  trj*  and  keep 
them  going ;  (3)  the  mines  received  no 
subsidy,  and  no  int^ated  bonus  was  ever 
asked  for  or  received  by  the  men  during  the 
war  ;  (4)  their  ma.ximum  pay  (except  the 
contract  men)  was  50s.,  minimum  37s. 
per  week  ;  (5)  their  conduct  up  to  the  present 
has  been  exemplary,  in  fact,   wonderful. 

"  The  Cornish  Police  have  voluntarily  sub- 
scribed /270  (an  average  of  £l  per  head) 
during  the  last  four  months,  and  are  still 
subscribing,  and  I  am  collecting  clothing 
through  the  poHce  all  over  the  county. 
The  Prince  of  Wales,  Duke  of  Cornwall, 
has  given  £300  to  the  Relief  Fund. 

"  I  know  the  great  distress  all  over  the 
country-,  but  in  view  of  the  foregoing, 
especially  where  so  many  women  and  children 
are  concerned,  who  have  no  means  of  support 
for  the  present,  very  little  food,  poor  clothing, 
and  no  coaJ,  I  should  be  very  grateful  if  you 
could  help  me  with  a  donation  to  the  fund 
I  am  trying  to  raise,  and  could  mention  it  to 
any  of  your  friends." 

We  endorse  this  appeal,  and  have  already 
sent  a  contribution  to  the  fund.  Perhaps 
.some  of  our  readers  will  follow  this  example. 
Colonel  Protheroe  Smith  is  a  kind-hearted 
man,  a.s  are  also  Deputy'  Chief  Banfield  and 
Superintendent  Smale,  w'ho  are  associated 
with  him  in  this  work.  The  count}-  police 
are  deservedh'  popular,  for  they  are  tactful 
and  sympathetic  and  do  ever\'thing  to  help 
the  miners  and  to  keep  them  in  good  temper 
and  in  a  reasonable  frame  of  mind.  In  fact 
the  police  in  Cornwall  and  throughout  the 
kingdom  are  the  sincere  and  discriminating 
friends  of  the  poor  and  of  those  in  trouble. 


So  much  for  present  relief,  but  the 
greater  (piestion  emerges  as  to  l;ow  to  jirovide 
these  men  w-ith  permanent  work.  In  the 
lust  place  it  may  be  asked  whether  there  is 
any  chance  of  the  niines  bting  reopened. 
Under  ordinary  circiunstances  the  answer 
would  be  that  economic  conditions  offer 
little  hope  for  any  immediate  resmnption 
of  work.  By  those  desirous  of  adopting  a 
more  active  policy  it  has  been  suggested 
that  the  mining  companies  should  follow  the 
example  of  some  of  the  iron-masters  and 
resume  operations  without  any  ho])e  of  a 
profit,  trusting  that  the  imjirovenunt  in 
trade  so  confidently  expected  will  put  them 
right  in  the  long  run.  Most  of  the  tin-mining 
companies,  however,  are  too  poor  to  stand 
the  hnancial  strain  involved  by  such  a 
policy,  and  the  two  companies  most  likely 
to  be  able  to  adopt  the  policy  arc  at  present 
worried  with  water  and  shaft  troubles. 
Another  suggestion  would  be  to  ask  the 
Government  to  guarantee  to  the  companies 
sufficient  financial  aid  to  meet  their  working 
costs.  This  proposal  is  on  the  same  lines  as 
that  brought  forward  a  year  or  more  ago 
to  the  effect  that  doles  should  be  diverted  to 
the  mines  with  this  desirable  object  in  view. 
Though  the  Government  refused  to  listen 
then,  there  is  reason  to  hope  that  with  the 
altered  financial  condition  of  the  country 
some  such  arrangement  might  receive  con- 
sideration. On  the  other  hand,  some  of  the 
mining  companies  would  not  take  kindly  to 
Government  interference,  for  such  co- 
partnership has  proved  expensive  and 
irritating  in  other  quarters.  If  the  miners 
cannot  be  helped  by  the  reopening  of  the 
mines,  the  only  alternative  appears  to  be  to 
start  works  of  public  utility.  There  are  at 
present  many  such  schemes  suggested  for 
Cornwall.  One  that  has  recently  been 
promulgated  seeks  to  provide  for  a  new 
drainage  system  at  St.  Just.  But  here, 
again,  the  question  of  finance  introduces 
difficulties,  for  the  Government,  the  counties, 
and  the  boroughs  are  already  so  saddled  with 
debts  and  financial  commitments  that  the 
raising  of  the  necessary  funds  will  not  be 
an  easy  matter.  Nevertheless,  it  is  the 
scheme  that  is  most  likely  to  obtain  the 
support  of  the  Government,  and  before  long 
it  is  probable  that  soine  public  announce- 
ment will  be  made  on  the  subject  on  these 
lines.  Works  of  this  character  can,  of  course, 
only  be  considered  as  temporary  expedients 
and  palliatives,  and  Cornishmen  will  have  to 
continue  to  discuss  the  ways  and  means  of 


OCTOBER,    1921 


201 


reopening  the  mines,  or  in  other  ways  of 
providing  profitable  industrial  occupation 
for  those  at  present  deprived  of  their  means 
of  livehhood. 


The  British  Association 

After  passing  through  a  diflicult  period 
of  its  existence  owing  to  scientists  having 
devoted  themselves  to  the  study  of  war 
problems  and  laying  on  one  side  for  the  time 
the  pul)lic  exposition  of  new  truths  and 
theories,  the  British  Association  has  gained 
its  old  footing  this  year,  and  the  meeting 
held  in  Edinburgh  last  month  was  one  of  the 
most  successful  recorded  during  its  existence 
of  ninety  years.  Being  free  from  war  worries 
the  scientists  were  able  to  devote  thought 
to  the  reorganization  of  the  methods  of 
conducting  the  meetings  and  to  the  intro- 
duction of  improvements  in  the  means  of 
presenting  information  and  raising  useful 
discussion.  Those  who  attended  the 
Edinburgh  meeting  are  unanimous  in  their 
praise  of  the  executive,  and  in  expressing 
the  opinion  that  the  British  Association  is 
itself  again. 

In  the  midst  of  the  prodigal  spread  of 
lectures,  papers,  and  discussions,  there  stood 
out  three  which  drew  general  attention  and 
constituted  the  important  features  of  the 
meeting.  These  were  concerned  with  the 
release  of  atomic  energy,  the  age  of  the  earth, 
and  isotopes,  three  subjects  which  are 
intimately  connected.  Readers  of  the 
M.^GAZiNE  are  fairly  familiar  with  the  first 
two  subjects,  but  probably  know  little  or 
nothing  of  isotopes.  This  word  was  coined 
to  represent  elements  possessing  the  same 
chemical  characteristics  and  inseparable  by 
chemical  means,  but  having  different  atomic 
weights.  The  name  is  derived  from  the  fact 
that  they  occupy  the  "  same  place  "  in  the 
periodic  series  of  Mendeleeff.  From  the 
researches  of  a  number  of  chemists,  of  whom 
Professor  F.  W.  Aston  is  the  chief,  it  is 
believed  that  many  elements  as  known 
to-day  are  a  mixture  of  isotopes,  a  supposition 
which  explains  why  their  atomic  weights  are 
not  whole  numbers.  Thus  chlorine,  whose 
atomic  weight  is  3.5-46,  is  held  to  be  a  mixture 
of  two  elements  having  the  atomic  weights 
of  3.5  and  37.  The  isotopes  making  up  an 
element  as  we  know  it  are  quite  insepaiable 
by  any  chemical  means,  and  their  existence 
would  only  be  based  on  supposition  if  there 
were  no  evidence  of  the  existence  of  one  by 
itself  and  freed  from  its  fellow  isotopes.  It 
is  here  that  the  subject  of  the  release  of 

4—3 


atomic  energy  and  the  breakdown  of  the 
atom  is  connected  with  that  of  isotopes,  as 
mentioned  above.  It  has  been  found  in  the 
course  of  study  of  radio-activity  that  when 
thorium  and  uranium  undergo  radio-active 
disintegration  they  assume  the  chemical 
characteristics  of  lead  and  its  position  in  the 
periodic  series,  but  differ  from  it  in  atomic 
weight.  Lead  prepared  by  any  chemical 
method  is  taken  to  be  a  mixture  of  isotopes 
that  travel  together  through  all  current 
reactions,  while  lead  obtained  by  the 
destruction  of  the  uranium  atom  is  a  new 
creation  and  consists  of  only  one  of  the 
isotopes  of  lead. 

As  regards  the  i^reakdown  of  the  atom 
and  the  resulting  release  of  atomic  energy, 
the  scientists  concerned  have  not  got  further 
than  demonstiating  this  phy.sical  fact  in  the 
case  of  radium,  and  no  means  of  generation  of 
power  on  a  greater  scale  has  as  yet  been 
found,  so  for  the  present  this  ultimate 
source  of  power  need  not  be  considered  in 
these  pages.  But  mining  men  must  keep 
this  future  possibilit\-  at  the  back  of  their 
heads  and  thus  be  aware  of  the  progress  of 
science  as  it  ma}'  affect  them. 

The  other  subject  discussed  at  Edinburgh 
to  which  we  have  made  reference  relates  to 
the  age  of  the  earth.  Lord  Kelvin,  before 
the  days  of  radio-activity,  had  estimated  the 
period  during  which  life  could  have  existed 
on  the  earth  at  a  maximum  of  twenty  million 
years,  basing  his  calculation  on  the  rate  of 
cooling.  During  recent  years  it  has  been 
discovered  that  the  disintegration  of  uranium 
has  provided  an  internal  source  of  heat  which 
has  caused  this  rate  of  cooling  to  be  far 
slower  than  was  known  to  Lord  Kelvin. 
Calculations  based  on  the  change  of  uraniuin 
to  lead  indicate  that  the  figure  would  be 
more'  nearlj^  a  thousand  million  years. 
There  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion 
as  to  whether  the  unit  of  uranium  time  has 
been  constant  or  not,  and  in  particular 
Professor  SoUas  has  shown  from  a  stud}' 
of  bombardment  rings  in  the  mica  of  granite 
that  the  disintegration  of  uranium  must 
have  been  more  rapid  in  the  earlier  stages 
of  the  world's  history. 

In  all  the  three  branches  of  the  subjects 
here  described  the  speculations  are  daring 
in  their  conception,  but  as  they  are  based 
on  undisputed  evidence  they  deserve 
recognition  and  consideration.  The  only 
point  of  reservation  is  how  far  the  reasoning 
is  aftected  by  other  factors  known  or 
unknown  to  us  at  present. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introduction. — Tlu'  state  of  tr.uk'  in  tliis 
country  contiiURS  to  be  Ixul.and  the  j;eneial 
position  is  now  being  seriously  considered  bv 
the  Government.  EvaMybody  knows  by  now 
that  the  remedy  Hcs  in  liarder  work  for 
smaller  pay,  diminution  of  profiteering  on 
the  part  of  distributors,  and  a  drastic  re- 
duction of  public  expenditure.  The  only 
difficulty  is  to  get  people  to  act  on  this 
principle.  In  the  meantime  mining  of  all 
sorts  is  in  a  very  depressed  condition. 

Transvaal. — The  loading  houses  continue 
to  discuss  the  economic  situation,  more 
particular!}^  w-ith  regard  to  the  management 
of  labour.  Consideration  is  also  being  given 
to  the  engineering  side  of  the  problem,  for 
it  is  generally  felt  that  many  improve- 
ments could  be  introduced  in  mining  and 
metallurgical  practice  independently  of  the 
labour  question.  It  can  hardly  be  denied 
that  the  Rand  has  lagged  behind  in  technical 
progress.  One  cause  of  this  backwardness 
is  undoubtedly  due  to  the  fact  that  the 
control  in  these  matters  is  far  too  tightly 
held  by  the  boards  of  directors,  and  that  the 
engineers  do  not  have  the  free  hand  they 
should. 

Considerable  interest  has  been  aroused 
by  the  publication  of  a  cable  to  the  effect  that 
Springs  Mines  is  adopting  an  all-sliming 
process.  The  cable  says  :  "  Directors  have 
decided  in  extending  reduction  plant  to 
discard  stamp  battery  and  plate  amal- 
gamation, and  adopt  all-sliming  of  ore  and 
direct  cyanide  treatment.  Decision  come 
to  as  a  result  of  metallurgical  experiments, 
and  will  result  in  reduced  capital  expenditure, 
probably  saving  operating  costs,  increased 
extraction  gold  contents."  As  far  as  any 
written  communication  on  the  subject  is 
concerned,  the  only  information  we  have 
received  relates  to  the  elimination  of  stamps. 
During  recent  years  it  has  been  the  tendency 
to  send  coarser  material  to  the  tube-mills 
than  formerly,  and  the  openings  in  the  battery 
screens  have  been  gradually  made  larger. 
They  are  so  large  nowadays  as  to  make 
stamping  almost  supererogatory,  seeing  that 
the  modern  crushers  will  supply  a  product 
suitable  for  the  tube-mill.  Thus  it  is  now 
proposed  to  eliminate  the  stamp-mill  and  the 
battery  amalgamating  plates.  The  other 
two  questions  remaining  for  consideration 
are,  first,  the  elimination  also  of  amal- 
gamation below  the  tube-mills,  and,  second, 
the     abandonment     of     classification     into 


sand  and  slinir,  the  enniininnticiii  of  all  the 
ore  to  slinu'.  and  the  treatment  of  the  whole 
in  agitators.  In  this  all-sliming  method  tiie 
cyanide  solutions  would  be  introduced  in 
tlie  tube-mills.  Presumably  the  cable 
means  that  amalgamation  is  entirely 
eliminated,  and  that  there  is  to  be  only  one 
protluct  for  cyaniding.  We  postpone  further 
discussion  until  complete  information  arrives. 
The  reports  of  those  companies  of  the 
Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group  whose 
linaneial  years  end  with  June  30  have  been 
issued  this  month.  Of  these.  New  Moilder- 
fontein  is  the  most  important.  Here  the 
tonnagemilled  and  the  profit  are  both  highest 
on  record,  the  figures  being  1,083,000  tons, 
as  compared  with  968,500  tons  the  year 
before,  and  £l,69i),{)o2,  as  compared  with 
/1,1'.)3,S15.  Of  the  profit  no  less  than 
£7.51,427  accrued  from  premium.  The  grade 
of  the  ore  milled  was  half  a  pennyweight 
lower  than  the  previous  year,  and  the  cost  per 
ton  was  up  Is.  6d.  An  important  feature  of 
the  development  work  was  the  discovery 
of  ore  averaging  97  dwt.  over  a  large 
stoping  width,  82  inches,  in  the  area  west  of 
No.  2  shaft  between  the  12th  and  13th  levels. 
No  ore  of  this  character  has  hitherto  been 
discovered  in  this  section  of  the  mine. 

The  Custodian  of  Ex-Enemy  Property 
is  visiting  London  again  in  connexion  with 
the  disposal  of  the  shares  under  his  control 
in  the  gold  mining  and  other  companies 
in  South  .-\frica,  and  it  is  hoped  that  a  scheme 
will  be  settled  before  long  between  the  British 
and  Union  Governments. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during 
August  was  returned  at  53,200  oz.,  as  com- 
pared with  51,561  oz.  in  July  and  48,740  oz. 
in  August  last  year.  The  other  returns  from 
Southern  Rhodesia  for  .\ugust  were  :  Silver, 
14,609  oz.  ;  coal,  51,088  tons;  chrome  ore, 
2,676  tons ;  copper,  263  tons ;  asbestos, 
1,212  tons  ;  arsenic,  10  tons  ;  mica,  3  tons  ; 
diamonds,  9  carats. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Planct- 
.\rcturus  group  of  gold  mines  was  reopened 
a  short  time  ago  by  the  parent  company, 
the  Gold  Fields  Rhodesian  Development 
Co.,  with  the  object  of  repaying  the  cash 
advances  previously  made.  It  turns  out 
now  that  the  costs  are  higher  than  expected, 
so  the  Gold  Fields  company  has  determined 
to  work  the  higher  grade  ore  only.  The 
reserve  at  June  30  was  251,034  tons, 
averaging    about    11'8  dwt.,    but    a    large 


202 


OCTOBER,    1921 


203 


amount  of  lower-grade  ore  has  now  been 
omitted  from  the  estimate,  and  the  new 
figures  are  139,600  tons,  averaging  13-27  dwt. 
Only  this  higher-grade  ore  is  now  being  worked. 

Kenya. — The  IMagadi  Soda  venture  is  still 
hampered  in  its  progress  bj'  various  economic 
factors,  and  the  financial  result  for  1920 
was  a  debit  of  £159,326,  bringing  the  total 
adverse  balance  to  £357, 000.  At  first  sight 
it  might  be  thought  easy  to  market  these 
vast  deposits  of  natural  soda,  but  their 
development  was  blocked  during  the  war 
in  many  ways,  and  then  the  trade  opposition 
is  powerful.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  chemical  business  know  how  hard  it  is 
for  a  new-comer  to  secure  a  market  even 
for  a  commodity  in  universal  demand.  The 
Magadi  enterprise  is  in  the  hands  of  strong 
people,  the  Shell  and  the  Central  Mining 
groups,  and  they  will  surely  win  through 
eventually.  Production  and  sales  started 
last  year,  and  have  increased  slowly  and 
steadily  since. 

Nigeria. —  In  June  last  it  was  mentioned 
that  the  Xaraguta  Tin  ilines  was  developing 
alluvial  gold  prospects  in  the  Birnin  Gwari 
and  Kano  regions.  The  necessary  pumping 
and  crushing  plants  have  since  been  acquired, 
and  we  are  informed  that  ^Ir.  Clyde  Allen 
is  leaving  London  for  Nigeria  about  the 
middle  of  ne.xt  month  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  comprehensive  campaign  of 
exploration  and  development. 

Australia.—  It  is  announced  that  the 
Electrolytic  Zinc  Company  of  Australasia, 
whose  works  are  at  Risdon,  Tasmania,  has 
made  a  contract  with  the  British  Govern- 
ment to  take  750,000  tons  of  zinc  concentrates 
over  a  period  of  years.  Presumably  this 
contract  will  help  to  relieve  the  British 
Government  of  part  of  its  burden,  but  further 
details  are  necessary  before  the  exact 
influence  of  the  contract  can  be  ascertained. 
In  the  meantime  the  stocks  of  this  product 
are  accumulating  at  an  increasing  rate,  and 
in  addition  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  has 
decided  to  resume  production  of  this  article. 
The  following  table  gives  in  actual  cash 
the  Government  disbursements  to  the  mines 
during  the  live  months  April  to  August  : — 


Tons 

i 

April     . 

11,943 

53,743 

:\Iay      . 

14,085 

63,382 

June      . 

16,677 

75,046 

July     . 

17,758 

79,911 

August 

22,418 

100,881 

Totals 


82,881 


372,963 


The  Gold  Producers'  Association  of 
Australia  report  that  during  July  89,888  oz. 
of  standard  gold  was  sold,  realizing  an 
average  net  price  of  101s.  9d.  per  oz.,  which 
is  equal  to  112s.  9d.  per  oz.  fine.  The  net 
premium  received  during  the  months 
January  to  June  was  £444,636,  which  repre- 
sents 21s.  lOd.  per  oz.  fine  on  the  gold  sold. 
Of  this  amount  £144,544  was  distributed 
among  members  of  the  association  on  May  30, 
and  the  balance  on  August  25. 

At  the  Sons  of  Gwalia  mine  the  plant  for 
the  re-treatment  of  sand  and  slime  was 
started  on  September  20.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  the  mill  was  destroyed  by 
fire  early  this  year.  The  present  announce- 
ment indicates  a  resumption  of  gold  pro- 
duction. The  new  main  plant  will  be  ready 
later. 

A  cable  message  announces  the  closing- 
down  of  the  Mount  Bischoff  tin  mine  in 
Tasmania,  owing  to  the  unfavourable  con- 
ditions in  the  tin  market.  For  some  time  this 
celebrated  mine  has  been  yielding  only  low- 
grade  ores,  but  there  is  no  reason  to  think 
that  the  closing  is  final,  for  the  last  fortnightly 
reports  to  hand  by  mail  refer  to  increased 
provision  for  roasting  the  pyritic  ores. 

A  serious  explosion  occurred  last  month  at 
the  Mount  ilulligan  colliery.  North  Queens- 
land, operated  by  the  Chillagoe  Company, 
when  over  fifty  men  lost  their  lives.  The 
disaster  is  all  the  more  to  be  deplored  because 
the  coal  and  coke  are  relied  on  for  many 
metallurgical  operations  in  this  region. 
Particulars  of  this  coalfield  were  given  in 
our  issue  of  February,  1918. 

India. — The  scheme  for  raising  further 
capital  for  Champion  Reef  has  now  been 
put  before  shareholders.  The  capital  of  the 
present  company  is  £260,000,  in  shares  of 
2s.  6d.  each  ;  a  new  company  is  to  be  formed 
with  the  same  nominal  capital,  but  divided 
into  shares  of  10s.  each,  of  which  one  will  be 
given  credited  as  4s.  paid  for  every  four  in  the 
old  company.  This  may  seem  a  very  drastic 
reconstruction,  but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  most  of  the  shares  in  the  company  were 
issued  at  high  premiums,  and  that  holders 
have  paid  far  above  par  for  their  shares 
and  have  received  big  dividends  for  many 
years.  The  output  of  gold  has  fallen  con- 
siderabl}^  lately,  so  that  it  has  been  necessary 
to  draw  on  the  reserve  fund  for  expenditure 
on  capital  account,  usually  met  out  of 
revenue,  and  also  restrict  the  amount  of 
development.  The  funds  now  raised  are 
required   for  further  development,   and  for 


201 


Till'     MI\IN(,     MACAZIXE 


additional  expenditure  to  provide  for  deeper 
operations. 

At  the  Balaghat  mine  the  lode  lias  been 
intersected  on  the  4,200  ft.  level  south, 
where  the  assaj'-value  of  the  ore  is  l.')d\vf. 
gold  per  ton  over  a  width  of  4  ft.  This  is 
the  lowest  level  in  the  mine. 

The  Indo-Burma  ttilfulds,  Ltd.,  has  made 
an  issue  of  £2.')0,()oo  debentures  for  the 
purpose  of  developing  its  properties.  The 
company  was  formed  last  year  for  the 
purpose  of  acquiring  property  in  the 
Yenangyaung  oiltield,  particularly  at 
Yenanma,  Padaukpin.  and  Okpon. 
Col.  H.  H.  John.son  and  Mr.  S.  C.  Sampson 
are  the  engineers  in  charge.  Co-o]5erative 
arrangements  have  been  made  with  the 
Yomah  Oil  Company,  of  which  Dr.  Arthur 
Holmes  is  the  manager,  for  drilling  and  also 
for  refining. 

Cornwall. — A  second  appeal  for  aid  for 
the  out-of-work  tin  miners  is  made  in  another 
part  of  this  issue.  This  appeal  is  now  being 
actively  backed  by  many  of  the  leading 
London  dailv  papers.  We  do  not  hear  of 
any  likelihood  of  mining  being  resumed 
anj'where  at  present. 

No  further  news  is  to  hand  with  regard  to 
the  position  at  East  Pool  and  South  Croity, 
but  there  appears  to  be  some  prospect  that 
the  two  companies  will  not  go  their  own  ways 
independently,  as  might  be  inferred  from  the 
announcement  by  East  Pool,  recorded  in 
our  last  issue.  It  would  not  be  advisable 
for  us  to  say  more  than  this  at  present. 

Lead  and  Zinc  in  Britain. — A  more 
reasonable  attitude  is  now  being  shown  by 
the  unions  who  control  the  doings  of  the  lead 
miners,  and  it  may  be  possible  to  resume  work 
here  and  there.  At  Wanlockhead,  in 
Dumfries,  the  men  have  signified  their 
willingness  to  try  the  owners'  terms.  It  is  not 
likely  that  any  zinc  will  be  mined  anywhere 
in  Britain,  for  the  demand  for  British  con- 
centrates has  vanished.  As  regards  the 
reopening  of  zinc  smelters,  the  Villiers  works 
at  Swansea  is  being  started  on  half  capacity 
as  a  trial,  but  none  of  the  other  companies 
shows  any  inclination  for  resumption. 

Canada. — A  circular  has  been  issued  by 
the  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietarj-  Company, 
which  announces  that  the  continuation  of  the 
faulted  No.  2  lode  on  the  Tough  Oakes  has 
been  found  in  a  cross-cut  from  the  .500  ft. 
level ;  also  that  a  cross-cut  driven  since  on 
the  300  ft.  level  has  intersected  the  upthrown 
lode.  This  part  of  the  lode  is  in  the  Burnside 
propert}-,    and   future   development   will   be 


done  from  the  Burnside  No.  H  shaft. 
Mr.  W.  H.  (ioodchiUl  is  now  making  a 
geological  examination. 

Colombia. — Tin-  Colombian  Mining  antl 
]-I\pliMaiic'n  Ci^nipany  has  issued  a  statement 
to  the  effect  that  the  new  mill  for  the  treat- 
ment of  the  Marmato  gold  ores,  as  outlined 
in  September  of  last  3'ear,  is  in  course  of 
construction.  It  is  hoped  to  have  the  first 
unit,  which  wiU  be  of  a  capacity  of  3.000  tons 
per  month,  ready  by  the  end  of  January,  and 
the  remainder,  bringing  the  capacity  to 
!  0.0(11)  tons,  by  the  end  of  March. 

Bolivia. — As  already  recorded  in  these 
columns,  the  Aramayo  Francke  Mines,  Ltd., 
has  changed  its  domicile  to  Switzerland, 
where  the  company  is  now  known  as  the 
Compagnie  .Xramayo  de  Mines  en  Bolivic. 
The  completion  of  the  transfer  of  the  property 
was  effected  on  December  23,  1920.  The 
Swiss  company  now  issues  a  report  for  1920, 
and  the  accounts  are  in  Swiss  francs.  The 
market  here  converts  the  figures  into  poimds 
at  22'50  francs  per  pound.  Thus  the  profits 
are  given  at  /234,500,  as  against  £663,900 
for  the  previous  period,  19  months  ended 
December  31,  1919.  The  dividends  dis- 
tributed were  /119,440,  being  at  the  rate  of 
20%,  as  compared  with  £179,127,  or  30% 
for  the  previous  period.  The  balance,  which 
is  a  large  one,  is  kept  in  hand,  so  that  the 
company  shall  preserve  its  strong  position 
in  these  doubtful  times. 

Portugal. — The  directors  of  Mason  & 
Barry,  Ltd.,  the  company  which  has  worked 
the  San  Domingos  pyrites  mines  at  Mcrtola 
for  fifty  years,  announce  that  negotiations 
are  in  hand  that  may  lead  to  the  sale 
of  the  properties,  but  no  details  of  any 
sort   are  given. 

Czecho-Slovakia.  —  The  Imperial  and 
Foreign  Corporation,  of  which  Mr.  Herbert 
Guedalla  is  the  head,  has  become  interested 
in  the  Joachimsthal  uranium-radium  mines, 
in  so  far  as  the  marketing  of  the  products  is 
concerned.  For  the  purpose  of  conducting 
the  business  the  corporation  and  the  Czecho- 
slovak Government  have  formed  a  company 
called  the  Czecho-Slovak  Company  for  the 
Exploitation  of  Radium.  A  large  consign- 
ment of  radium  bromide  has  already  arrived 
in  this  country,  and  the  best  way  of  deriving 
an  income  from  it  is  now  being  devised. 
We  have  not  yet  heard  of  any  pressman 
alleging  that  the  presence  of  this  radium 
accounts  for  the  abnormally  hot  weather 
now  being  enjoj-ed  in  London. 


TRINIDAD: 

A     REVIEW    OF     ITS    GEOLOGY     AND    OIL     RESOURCES 
By  HENRY  B.  MILNER,  M.A.,  D.I.C.,  F.G.S. 

Lecturer  in  Oil  Technoloey.  Royal  School  of  Mines 

In  the  (ollowing  article  the  author  summarizes  our  present  knowledge  of  the  geology  of  the  Island  of  Trinidad,  with 
special  reference  to  the  mode  of  occurrence  and  storage  of  its  ojl.  An  account  is  given  of  the  progress  of  development  of 
the  petroleum  resources,  and  some  of  the  more  important  technical  difficulties  encountered  during  oil  exploration  in  the 

Island  are  discussed. 

(Concluded  from  September  issue,  p.  14S.) 


Economics. 
The  geological  history  of  Trinidad  during 
Tertiary  times  embraces  three  quite  distinct 
phases  of  sedimentation  with  which  the 
occurrence  of  petroleum  in  the  island  is 
intimately  related.  It  has  been  found  that 
for  the  main  oil-producing  region  in  the 
south,  two  petroliferous  groups  of  strata 
are  recognizable,  a  lower  and  an  upper  ; 
the  lower  corresponds  to  the  Eocene- 
Oligocene  (in  part)  phase,  the  two  together 
sometimes  known  as  Paljeogene,  and  repre- 
sents a  period  of  marine  transgression  in 
which  essentially  marine  sediments  were 
laid  down  in  the  north  (Naparima  area),  and 
shallower  water  deposits  in  the  south  (Siparia, 
Erin,  etc.).  The  upper  group  corresponds 
to  the  late  Oligocene  and  Miocene  (in  part) 
phase,  during  which  the  pre-existing  ocean 
basin  was  rapidly  filled  up  by  excessive 
sedimentation,  producing  abundant 

arenaceous  material  and  a  marked  absence 
of  calcareous  facies,  characteristic  of  the 
lower  group  in  the  Naparima  area.  The 
third  phase  constituted  by  the  late  Miocene 
and  Pliocene  epoch  was  a  period  of  erogenic 
movement,  and  the  uplift  occasioned  a 
still  further  shallowing  of  the  sea,  with 
concomitant  production  of  estuarine  and 
even  terrestrial  deposits,  now  represented 
by  the  Moruga  series  ;  a  certain  amount  of 
oil  occurs  in  association  with  this  series, 
but  it  has  probably  all  migrated  across 
the  unconformity  from  the  underlying 
Naparima  beds,  the  uppermost  beds  of 
which  constitute  the  main  oil  horizons  now 
being  tapped.  The  lower  oil-bearing  group 
is  not  so  well  known  on  account  of  the  great 
depths  at  which  the  oil-sands  often  lie  ; 
further  reference  will  be  made  to  this 
ultimately.  With  regard  to  oil  production 
from  the  Moruga  beds,  it  is  important  to 
remember  that  we  are  here  dealing  with  beds 
laid  down  subsequent  to  the  main  Tertiary 
folding  of  the  region  (Middle  Miocene),  and 
whose  relationship  to  the  underlying  series 
is  one  of  marked  unconformability ;  in 
consequence,    production    from    wells    put 


down  entirely  in  Moruga  beds  may  be,  and 
often  is,  of  a  sporadic  nature. 

The  surface  indications  of  petroleum  are 
extremely  numerous  in  the  island  ;  these 
include  the  usual  oil  and  gas  seeps,  mud- 
volcanoes,  asphaltic  deposits  such  as  the 
famous  Pitch  Lake,  and  manjak  veins.  Oil 
seeps  occur  very  frequently,  as  for  example 
at  Lizard  Springs,  La  Brea,  along  the  Vance 
River,  and  at  Point  Ligoure.  Mud- 
volcanoes  are  also  widely  distributed,  and 
they  often  have  a  special  significance.  As 
in  other  countries,  two  main  types  exist, 
the  simple  and  the  compound  ;  the  former 
consists  of  a  single  cone  commonly  attaining 
as  much  as  20  ft.  or  more  in  diameter  at 
the  base  ;  an  exceptional  example  of  this 
type  is  seen  in  Columbia  Estate,  ward  of 
Cedros,  and  is  known  as  the  "  Columbia 
Chimney,"  in  which  the  crater  alone  is 
150  yards  in  diameter,  according  to 
Cunningham  Craig.'-^  The  compound  type 
is  made  up  of  a  series  of  overlapping  smaller 
cones,  varying  from  a  few  inches  to  two 
or  three  feet  in  diameter,  these  often  initiated 
on  the  slopes  of  a  much  larger  simple  cone  ; 
an  example  of  this  is  the  "  Devil's  Wood- 
3?ard "  near  Princes  Town.  Other  well- 
known  examples  of  mud-volcanoes  in 
Trinidad  are  the  "  Chemin  de  Diable," 
south  coast  of  the  island,  and  those  at 
Galfa  Point  and  Islot  Point.  Their  dis- 
tribution is  frequently  in  a  definite  direction, 
corresponding  to  the  trend  of  important 
fracture  lines  ;  such  lines  are  developed  as 
a  result  of  antichnal  flawing  and  faulting, 
particularly  in  pitching  structures.  On  this 
account  the  existence  of  mud-volcanoes 
is  to  many  a  warning  not  to  drill  rather 
than  a  good  indication,  since  it  pre-supposes 
fracture  and  escape  of  oil,  rather  than 
subterranean  storage. 

Of  the  solid  or  semi-solid  asphaltic 
indications,  no  finer  example  exists  than  the 
famous  Pitch  Lake  at  La  Brea  (Fig.  4a).  This 
has  an  area  of  about  137  acres  and  consists 
of  an  emulsion  of  bitumen,  sand,  and  water, 
solid  at  the  surface,  but  becoming  soft  and 


205 


206 


THK    MlXINi;     MAt.AZlNl-: 


viscous  in  depth,  and  also  in  the  central 
parts  of  the  lake.  Its  maximum  thickness 
is  135  ft.,  but  it  sliallows  considerably 
towards  the  margin  ;  the  estimated  amount 
of  asphalt  present  is  about  nine  million 
tons,  and  notwithstanding  the  quantity 
of  material  already  removed,  the  level  of 
the  lake  has  onlj-  sunk  about  8  ft.,  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  rate  of  influx  of  lluid 
asphalt  beneath  tends  to  counterbalance 
the  amount  removed  from  the  surface. 
Superficially  the  deposit  exhibits  the  forma- 
tion of  broad  folds  on  a  large  scale,  due  to 
constant  motion  of  material  from  centre  to 
periphery  (Fig.  4b) ;  water  collects  in  the 
troughs  of  these  folds  and  gas  is  frequently 


L*    eBSA    P' 


Plan  of  Pitch  Lake.LaBrea. 


(  Bdsc<3  on  Abraham.  Wail  3l  Sawktns.&  Orher$ ) 


seen  bubbling  through  it,  which  on  analysis 
proves  to  be  a  mixture  of  methane,  carbon 
dioxide,  hydrogen,  and  water.--  Several 
'■  islands  "  composed  of  sandy  cover  rock 
occur  in  the  lake,  on  which  shrubs  and 
small  trees  thrive ;  these  islands  are  in 
slow  but  continual  movement  from  point 
to  point  over  the  surface  .of  the  asphalt, 
dependent  on  the  motion  of  the  latter. 

The  methods  employed  in  mining  the 
deposit  are  quite  simple ;  the  asphalt  is 
hand  dug,  loaded  on  to  trolleys  actuated 
by  cable  along  a  rail  track  (which  can 
be   easily   shifted   as   work   progresses   and 


='  E.  H.  Cunningham  Craig.  Oil  Finding.  1917, 
p.    105. 

■-  H.  Abraham,  Asphalti  and  Allied  Substances, 
1918,  pp.  108-15. 


also  when  sinkage  occurs),  carried  by  inclined 
cable  for  nearly  a  mile  to  the  wharf,  where 
it  i-;  tijiped  into  steamers  for  export.  In 
1010,  131,090  long  tons  of  this  lake  asphalt 
were  exported,  of  which  13,380  tons  went 
to  Europe  and  117,719  tons  to  the  United 
States.  Shipments  in  1918  and  1919 
amounted  to  71,.">0  1  and  93, 951  tons 
respectively. 

Abraham  gives  the  following  analj'sis  of 
the  crude  material  from  the  centre  of  the 
lake":— 

of 

Water  and  Gas  volatilized  at  100°  C 29-0 

.\sphalt  soluble  in  carbon  bisulphide    . . .  .39'0 

.'\sphalt  absorbed  by  mineral  matter 0'3 

Mineral  matter  on  ignition 27 '2 

Water  of  hydration  in  mineral  matter 4'3 

Total 99-8 

Further,  after  pulverizing  and  drying  to 
constant  weight,  analysis  gave  the  following 
results  : — 

o/ 

/o 

.\sphalt  soluble  in  carbon  bisulphide 55 "0 

l*'ree  mineral  matter 3r)'S 

Water  of  hydration,  etc 9'7 

Total 100-2 

Refining  the  crude  material  consists  in 
heating  it  to  160°  C.  to  drive  off  water  and 
small  amount  of  volatile  constituents  ;  thus 
purified,  the  asphalt  has  a  jet-black  colour, 
a  somewhat  dull  lustre,  marked  conchoidal 
fracture,  and  a  specific  gravity  of  r41 
(varies  slightly). 

The  constant  motion  of  this  lake  asphalt 
referred  to  above  tends  to  cause  its  move- 
ment downhill  towards  the  sea,  the  lake 
being  138  ft.  above  sea-level  ;  this  results 
in  the  production  of  a  large  stream  of  "  land 
asphalt  "  (Fig.  4a),  different  in  composition 
from  the  lake  deposit  and  varying  with 
duration  of  exposure  to  atmospheric  weather- 
ing. This  land  asphalt  is  also  typically 
solid  at  the  surface  and  three  varieties  are 
known  locally,  "  cheese  pitch,"  "iron  pitch," 
and  "cokeypitch"  ;  the  first  is  characterized 
b}'  the  development  of  gas  cavities,  giving 
it  a  gruyere-like  appearance ;  the  iron 
pitch  is  exceedingly  hard  as  a  result  of 
continual  weathering,  and  the  cokey  facies 
is  the  product  due  to  carbonization  by  local 

=j  H.  Abraham,  op.  cit.,  and  references  there  quoted. 
See  also  Clifford  Richardson,  Proc.  Am.  .Soc.  Testing 
Materials,  1906^.  6.  p.  509,  also  Modern  Asphalt 
Pavement,  1908.  p.  176.  Analyses  were  also  given  by 
P.  Carmody  in  his  paper  on  "  Trinidad  as  a  Key  to  the 
Origin  of  Petroleum."     See  footnote  (1). 


OCTOBER,    1921 


207 


shrub  fires,  etc.  This  land  asphalt  differs 
from  the  lake  asphalt  in  containing  no  gas 
or  water,  a  higher  percentage  of  mineral 
matter,  and  a  lesser  percentage  of  volatile 
constituents. 

Besides  these  lake  and  land  asphalts 
just  described,  there  are  deposits  of  manjak 
in  the  island,  mainly  found  as  veins  and 
fissures  in  the  Tertiary  rocks  of  the  San 
Fernando  area,  and  elsewhere  ;  it  occurs  in 
sufficient  quantity  in  Trinidad  to  make  its 
exploitation  worth  while,  and  is  mined 
especially  at  the  Marabella  and  Vista  Bella 
mines.  Carmody  has  given  the  results  of 
several  analyses  made  on  this  material,  and 
these  show  a  fluctuation  of  between  84% 
and  95%  of  pure  bitumen. ^^ 

Thus  the  lake  asphalt  and  the  manjak 
constitute  the  principal  solid  forms  of 
petroleum  in  the  island ;  ozokerite,  the 
natural  paraffin  wax,  though  reported  from 
Trinidad,  seems  to  be  of  very  doubtful 
occurrence  there. 


Geohgieal  Age. 
4.    Pliocene  (Up. 
Tertiary). 


..V    Miocene  (Mid. 
Tertiary). 


2.    Palaeogene  (Lr. 
Tertiary). 


''  Cretaceous. 


Horizon. 

Moruga  .Series, 

"  La  Brea 

Oil-sand." 


Naparima 
Series, 
"Rio  Blanco 
Oil-sand"  or 
Upper  Oil 
Group. 

Galeota  sands. 
Lizard  sands 
or  LowerOil 
group  ;  divi- 
sible into 
two,  an 
upper  and  a 
lower    Oil- 
sand. 

(Tabaquite 
Oil-field, 
Central 
Kange). 


Remarks. 
/-Migrated  oil. 

Heavy,  Asphaltic 
I      base. 
I  Sulphurous. 

S.G.,  0-950, 
^     average. 

/Asphaltic  oil. 
Low  sulphur 
content. 
-  S.G.,  0-908, 
average. 
Chief  producing 
^     horizon. 

High  grade  light 

oil. 
S.G.,  0-840, 

average. 


Paraffin  base  oil. 
S.G.,  0-796. 


Horizonl-a/  Scale  of  Mi/es 

0  I  2  3  ■»-  5 


Vertical  Scsle  of  Feet 

0  500  1000  I50O 


SANPY      SHALES  ' 

?       MIOCENE  F<Uil( 


Fig  4.  (A)    Section  across  Pitch  Lake,  La  Brea 

(  Ba5ed  on  Wall  and  Sawkms.  anci   Others.) 


Passing  now  to  the  oil  itself,  reference 
has  already  been  made  to  the  principal 
stratigraphical  horizons  from  which  it  is 
obtainable ;  we  may  summarize  these  as 
follows  : — 


•*  p.  Carmody,  "  Trinidad  as  a  Key  to  the  Origin  of 
Petroleum,"  a  paper  read  before  the  Inst.  Pet.  Tech.. 
May  10,  1921,  as  .vet  unpublished,  but  a  resume 
occurs  in  the  Petroleum  Times,  May  21,  1921.  p.  585, 
including  analvses  of  oils.  For  Manjak  see  also  E.  H. 
Cunningham  Craig,  "  San  Fernando  Manjak  Field," 
Council  Paper  No."  3  of  1905,  Trinidad,  1905. 


Generally  speaking,  a  heavy  asphaltic  fuel-oil 
is  characteristic  of  the  island,  and  is  obtained 
chiefly  from  the  Upper  Oil  group  ;  paraffin 
and  mixed  base  oils  also  occur.  Carmody 
has  given  details  of  several  analyses  of 
liquid  and  semi-hquid  oils  from  Trinidad, 
in  which  the  specific  gravities  of  various 
samples  range  from  0-796  as  at  Tabaquite, 
to  0-977  as  at  Fyzabad." 

With  regard  to  the  above  horizons,  the 
Tabaquite  oil  is  usually  supposed  to  be 
from    a    pre-Tertiary    formation,     that    is. 


20S 


iiil;  .mix int.  magazine 


Cretaceous  sandstone,  but  geologists  are 
not  all  agreed  on  this  point,  some  suggesting 
that  it  is  a  pre-Crotaceous  oil,  others  that 
it  is  a  Cretaceous  oil,  and  yet  others  that 
it  is  a  Tertiary  oil.  A  more  recently  favoured 
theory  suggests  that  the  oil  has  accumulated 
in  its  present  position  by  downward 
migration  from  overlying  Tcrtiaries,  now- 
removed  by  denudation,  a  theory  currying 
favour  in  somewhat  anomalous  oil  occur- 
rences in  other  countries  besides  Trinidatl. 
The  Lower  Oil  group  or  Galcota  Sand 
horizon  produces,  as  at  Lizard  Spring,  a 
very  high-grade  oil  with  large  percentages 
of  petrol  and  kerosene.  The  Upper  Oil 
group  (Rio  Blanco  Oil-sand  of  Cunningham 
Craig)  is  the  most  important  producing 
horizon  at  present,  and  the  oil  is  of  a  heavy 
asphaltic  type  with  varying  specific  gravity  ; 
in  the  Point  Fortin  fields  for  example  the 
S.G.  varies  from  ()-907  to  0-945,  while  at 
Fyzabad  it  is  as  much  as  0-977.  The  La 
Brea  Oil-sand,  as  already  stated,  is  essentially 
a  horizon  of  migrated  oil,  characterized 
by  its  high  specific  gravity  (0-950),  and  its 
sulphurous  content. 

A  ^  striking  feature  of  the  petroleum 
produced  in  Trinidad  is  the  marked  variation 
shown  in  composition,  as  evidenced  by  the 
great  differences  in  specific  gravities,  per- 
centages of  petrol,  kerosene,  lubricating 
oil,  sulphur,  and  solid  residues  as  a  result  of 
refining  ;  the  occurrence  of  such  a  variety 
of  oils  suggests  either  formation  originally 
under  constantly  changing  conditions  of 
deposition,  or  subsequent  alteration  in 
character  as  a  result  of  inspissation  and 
allied  natural  processes.  Very  probably 
both  factors  have  been  at  work  in  the 
present  instance,  for  we  have  already  seen 
how  the  physical  conditions  altered  with 
the  growth  of  the  Tertiary  epoch,  and 
furthermore  observed  cases  of  natural 
filtration  are  quite  common  in  the  island  ; 
in  this  connexion  Cunningham  Craig  has 
described  an  interesting  example  at  Lizard 
Spring,  to  which  account  the  reader  is 
referred  for  further  information.''  Obviously 
a  consideration  of  these  facts  throws  us 
back  to  the  question  of  the  origin  of  Trinidad 
oil,  and  unfortunately  this  still  remains 
an  unsolved  problem  for  most  people  ;  it 
is  not  as  though  w-e  were  dealing  with  a 
definite  oil  horizon  as  well  individualized 
as  the  Monterey  Shales  of  Californian 
fields,    for    instance,    where    an    associated 

''  E.    H.    Cunningham    Craig,    Oil    Finding,    1917. 
pp.  91-2. 


tliatomaceous  fauna  is  indicative  of  the 
origin  of  the  oil,  thus  indigenous  to  these 
rocks  ;  in  Trinidad  the  evidence  is  much 
more  obscure,  and  apart  from  the  problems 
of  the  relationship  of  one  oil  horizon  to 
another,  in  themselves  formidable  enough 
to  solve,  so  far  no  generally  accepted  theory 
has  been  propounded  to  explain  the 
phenomena  observed.  The  recent  paper 
by  Professor  Carmody  is  mildly  constructive 
in  suggesting  "  Trinidad  as  a  key  to  the 
origin  of  petroleum,"  but  it  lacks  com- 
prehensiveness in  narrowing  down  the 
question  to  a  vegetable  origin  which,  while 
capable  of  explaining  the  occurrence  of 
certain  oil-pools  in  the  island,  is  inadequate 
to  all  cases  both  here  and  in  other  parts 
of  the  world,  as  for  instance  in  the  Californian 
example  cited  above.  A  special  plea  of 
that  author's  work,  however,  that  of  close 
collaboration  between  geologist  and  chemist, 
is  certainly  sound,  and  this  combination, 
if  not  initially  successful  in  solving  the 
local  problems  of  Trinidad  oil,  may  ultim- 
ately be  expected  to  provide  a  solution  to 
the  question  of  the  origin  of  petroleum 
in  a  broad  sense,  from  which  suitable  deduc- 
tions may  be  drawn  to  meet  the  special 
circumstances  of  cases  such  as  the  one 
under  discussion. 

It  remains  to  mention  in  this  economic 
section  coals  and  lignites  occurring  in  the 
island  ;  these  may  be  dismissed  briefly  as 
they  are  of  little  commercial  value.  The 
coal  deposits  are  not  extensive,  and  the 
material  is  of  poor  quality ;  they  occur 
particularly  at  Cunapo  and  Montserrat, 
the  coals  of  the  latter  locality  being  decidedly 
bituminous.  Lignites,  also  of  poor  quality, 
occur  at  Chaguanas  and  Brasso  Caparo. 
It  is  noteworthy  that  the  above  occurrences 
are  not  located  in  the  main  petroliferous 
region  of  the  island. 

Production  of  Petrolf.um. 

One  of  the  most  characteristic  features 
of  the  oil  reservoirs  in  Trinidad  is  their 
strong  tendency  to  exhibit  lenticular  dis- 
position, particularly  in  the  case  of  the 
upper  oil  horizon  ;  these  reservoirs  usually 
consist  of  sand  lenses  intercalated  with 
argillaceous  strata,  and  their  occurrence  is 
determined  primarily  as  afunction  of  estuarine 
and  deltaic  deposition,  subsequently  modified 
by  the  nature  and  degree  of  deformation 
undergone  by  the  enclosing  strata.  We 
have  already  seen  that  on  the  whole  the 
varying  phases  of  deposition  of  the  Tertiary 


OCTOBER,    1921 


209 


rocks  of  the  island  are  indicative  of  shallow 
water  conditions,  and  the  presence  of  these 
lenticular  sand  masses  is  clearly  incompatible 
with  deep-water  sedimentation,  a  factor 
receiving  support  from  the  marked  lateral 
variation  in  lithology  of  the  deposits, 
previously  remarked.  The  usual  textbook 
diagrams  of  lenticular  oil-pools,  however, 
can  hardly  be  accepted  as  truly  illustrative 
of  actual  conditions,  and  the  contrasted 
behaviour  of  wells  often  in  close  proximity 
is  not  so  easily  explainable  on  the  assumption 
of  the  existence  of  several  small  lenses,  as 
on  this  factor  of  lateral  variation  with  its 
attendant  differences  of  porosity  of 
sediment.  The  accurate  Tocation  of  these 
structures  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  tasks 
facing  the  geologist,  and  in  regions  of 
extensive  folding  of  strata,  as  in  Trinidad, 
.such  difficult}'  is  doubly  accentuated  ;  it 
obviously  implies  a  fundamental  knowledge 
of  the  mode  of  origin  of  the  sediments,  their 
lithology,  variation,  and  mutual  relationships, 
supplemented  by  a  careful  study  of  the 
records  of  existent  wells  and  by  all  the 
power  that  modern  field  and  laboratory 
methods  may  bring  to  bear  on  the  questions 
concerned.  Then  with  a  clear  idea  of  the 
attitude  of  these  oil-pools  in  depth,  the 
subsequent  location  of  well  sites  becomes 
a  comparatively  straightforward  matter,  and 
it  may  be  safely  said  that  the  failure  of  many 
wells  put  down  in  Trinidad,  as  in  other 
countries,  is  due  largely  to  insufficient 
"  ground  work  "  in  minimizing  risk,  quite 
apart  from  failure  due  to  adverse  circum- 
stances over  which  the  geologist  has  no 
control.  There  is  a  further  element  to  be 
considered  in  this  respect  and  that  is  the 
frequent  antipathy  shown  by  drillers  to  the 
geological  staff ;  the  gulf  between  them  is 
unfortunately  often  a  wide  one,  not  only 
in  some  cases  in  Trinidad,  but  also  in  other 
oilfields.  That  it  can  be  successfully  breached 
by  tact  and  collaboration  of  both  parties 
is  the  opinion  of  more  than  one  field  manager 
known  to  the  writer.  The  point  is  not 
by  any  means  irrelevant  to  prosperous  oil 
production. 

Drilling  is  not  easy  in  Trinidad  for  many 
reasons,  chiefly  owing  to  the  rapidly  changing 
characters  of  the  .strata,  and  also  on  account 
of  the  high  gas  pressure  frequently  met 
with  ;  in  many  cases  the  sands  cave  badly, 
and  this,  coupled  with  the  fact  that  the 
rocks  are  often  dipping  at  fairly  high  angles, 
tends  to  cause  delay.  Water  again  some- 
times gives  trouble,  and  in  such  instances 


prolonged  bailing  has  to  be  resorted  to 
before  production  can  be  obtained.  In 
areas  of  excessive  gas  pressure  the  buckling 
of  casing  previously  lowered  into  the  hole 
is  of  frequent  occurrence  ;  where  this  cannot 
be  overcome  by  temporary  expedient,  the 
well  has  to  be  sealed  off,  and  an  "  offset  " 
put  down  at  a  more  pertinent  location. 
Gushers  are  common  in  some  fields,  and  that 
of  Ape.x  No.  3  in  November  last  is  still 
fresh  in  the  public  mind  ;  in  this  case  a 
gross  flow  of  at  least  100,000  barrels  of  oil 
in  eighteen  hours  occurred,  a  dam  capable 
of  holding  back  50,000  barrels  being  washed 
away,  the  well  ultimately  catching  fire  and 
causing  much  damage.  Happily,  disasters 
on  this  scale  are  the  exception  rather  than 
the  rule,  and  usually,  thanks  to  the  ability 
of  the  drilling  engineers  in  charge,  there  are 
comparati\'elv  few  wells  which  come  in  with 
a  "  blow  "  that  are  not  ultimately  brought 
in  satisfactorily,  with  little,  if  any,  loss  of  oil. 

Generally  speaking,  the  wells  are  from  600 
to  2,000  ft.  deep,  though  there  is  no  specific 
reason  why  deeper  wells  should  not  be 
drilled  if,  ceteris  paribus,  prospects  suggest 
the  advisability  of  so  doing.  Both  standard 
percussion  and  rotary  flush  systems  are 
employed,  and  latterly  the  combination 
of  the  two  has  been  favoured,  that  is, 
starting  with  percussion  and  changing  over 
to  rotary  usually  at  about  500  to  700  ft., 
though  this  may  vary  according  to  circum- 
stances. As  in  other  oilfields,  however, 
there  is  no  rigid  rule  as  regards  method, 
and  each  well  put  down  is  drilled  according 
to  the  system  best  befitting  the  conditions 
obtaining  in  the  particular  area  selected. 

Oilfield  Development. 
It  is  not  surprising,  in  view  of  the 
potentialities  of  Trinidad  as  an  oil-producing 
colony,  that  development  of  its  petroleum 
resources  has  been  rapid,  largely  owing  to 
the  enterprise  of  British  companies.  The 
following  table  of  the  annual  production 
of  oil  from  1905  gives  some  indication  of 
the  course  of  events  : — 

Imp.  Gallons. 

1905-1909-10 368,934 

1910-11  4.378,942 

1911-12  9,985,748 

1912-13    17.626,563 

1913-14    22,523,060 

1914-15    36,753.931 

9  months  ending  Dec.  1915 23,489,362 

1916 32,475,695 

1917    56,080.914 

1918    72,872,398 

1919    64,436,632 

1920    72,905,947 


210 


Tin:     .MINING     MAGAZINE 


OCTOBER,    1921 


211 


From  the  above  statistics  it  will  be  seen 
that,  on  the  whole,  the  production  of  oil 
has  been  steadily  on  the  increase  ;  the 
dropping  off  in  output  in  1916,  and  again 
in  1919,  was  due  to  a  variety  of  circumstances 
connected  with  the  war,  though  in  the  latter 
case,  apart  from  general  financial  depression, 
shortage  of  material,  and  increased  costs 
of  production  prevalent,  this  falling  off 
was  not  wholly  without  natural  cause,  a 
marked  decline  in  output  being  noted  from 
several  of  the  best  wells  put  down.  While 
certain  people  were  at  once  pessimistic 
enough  in  predicting  a  gradual  future 
decrease  in  production  thence  onwards, 
the  consensus  of  opinion  of  geologists  and 
others  best  qualified  to  judge  the  trend 
of  events  in  the  island  showed  little  belief 
in  such  prognostication,  and  the  official 
returns  for  1920  completely  justify  the 
more  favourable  view.  We  revert  to  the 
question  of  decreased  output  of  oil  from 
natural  causes  subsequently. 

At  the  present  time  the  development 
of  the  petroleum  industry  in  Trinidad  is 
in  the  hands  of  some  thirty  or  more  com- 
panies, some  of  them  long  established, 
others  comparatively  newcomers ;  by  far 
the  largest  producing  company  is  the 
Trinidad  Leaseholds,  Ltd.,  which  has  an 
average  monthlj^  output  of  some  15,000 
barrels.  The  greatest  activity  from  the 
standpoint  of  actual  production  is  in  the 
south-western  portion  of  the  island,  from 
San  Fernando  to  Cedros,  while  considerable 
developments  are  in  progress  in  the  Fort 
George,  Piparo,  Williamsville,  ]\Iontserrat, 
and  Tabaquite  districts  of  central  Trinidad. 
In  the  following  description  of  the  various 
oilfields  it  is  convenient  to  deal  with  them 
geographically  under  three  regions,  (n)  South- 
western Peninsula,  (b)  South  Coast  and 
South-Eastern  Trinidad,  and  (c)  Central 
Trinidad.^'' 

{a)  South-Weslern  Peninsula. — This  in- 
cludes the  region  to  the  west  of  a  line  drawn 
from  San  Fernando  through  Princestown 
to  Moruga,  and  comprises  some  of  the 
most  important  oilfields  as  yet  developed 
in  the  island.  In  the  vicinity  of  San 
Fernando  itself,  several  interests  are  repre- 
sented,   including    the    Naparima    Oilfields 

-''  For  reasons  both  of  expediency  and  space,  it  is 
impossible  to  do  more  than  mention  briefly  the  chief 
companies  and  their  properties  in  the  Island  ;  for 
further  information,  reference  must  be  made  to  the 
various  company  reports  published  and  to  the  well 
known  "  Oil  and  Petroleum  Manual,"  1921,  by  Walter 
R.  Skinner. 


of  Trinidad,  Ltd.,  which  are  developing 
the  oil  resources  of  the  Ste.  Madeleine 
Sugar  Co's.  estates,  comprising  over  16,000 
acres.  To  the  south,  the  Trinidad  Lease- 
holds, Ltd.,  are  operating  at  Barrackpore, 
an  area  of  1,000  acres  acqtiired  from  the 
Trinidad  Oil  and  Transport  Co.,  Ltd.,  in 
1918  ;  a  6  in.  pipe-line  has  been  laid  connecting 
up  with  the  company's  main  pipe-line 
from  Forest  Reserve  to  the  shipping  port 
at  La  Carriere  IJPoint-a-Pierre).  To  the 
south  of  this  property  the  Trinidad  Central 
Oilfields,  Ltd.,  hold  prospecting  rights  over 
about  800  acres.  West  of  the  Oropuche 
Lagoon,  the  Trinidad  Leaseholds,  Ltd., 
are  operating  their  Forest  Reserve  field 
in  the  Fyzabad  district,  with  a  subsidiary 
field  at  Santa  Cecilia  to  the  east  ;  in  the 
former  field  forty-six  wells  are  now  producing, 
and  a  6  in.  pipe-line  exists  thence  through 
Santa  Cecilia  to  La  Carriere,  a  distance 
of  26  miles.  Development  of  the  Santa 
Cecilia  field  is  in  progress.  In  this  Fyzabad 
district,  the  Apex  (Trinidad)  Oilfields,  Ltd., 
have  their  properties,  covering  an  area  of 
some  800  acres  ;  it  was  here  that  the  gusher 
struck  at  well  No.  3  occurred  last  year,  to 
which  reference  has  already  been  made ; 
this  well  is  now  producing  again.  Further 
to  the  west  the  United  British  Oilfields  of 
Trinidad,  Ltd.,  have  properties  in  the 
Guapo  and  La  Brea  districts,  while  the 
Trinidad  Dominion  Oil  Co.,  besides  other 
properties  in  the  south-east  of  the  island, 
holds  some  530  acres  under  lease  at 
Point  Rouge.  The  Trinidad  Central 
Oilfields,  Ltd.,  also  have  483  acres  in  the 
Guapo  district,  and  other  smaller  companies 
are  operating  in  the  vicinity,  which  includes 
the  Crown  Lands  in  the  Morne  L'Enfcr 
Reserve,  over  which  the  Petroleum  Develop- 
ment Co.  have  prospecting  rights.  To  the 
north  the  Pitch  Lake  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
New  Trinidad  Lake  Asphalt  Co.,  Ltd., 
while  the  Trinidad  Lake  Petroleum  Co.,  Ltd., 
have  the  oil  rights  on  this  property  ;  there 
is  a  refinery  and  shipping  wharf  at  Brighton, 
just  west  of  La  Brea,  from  which  both  oil 
and  asphalt  are  exported.  The  United 
British  Oilfields  of  Trinidad,  Ltd.,  control 
altogether  some  38,000  acres  in  the  island, 
of  which  part  is  located  in  this  peninsular 
region.  Several  properties  bordering  the 
south  coast  and  extending  eastwards  towards 
Moruga  await  future  development  by  the 
companies  concerned. 

(6)  South  Coast  and  South-Eastern  Trinidad. 
— This  region  is  embraced  by  a  line  drawn 


in;     MlMNc.     MAc.AZJXli 


212 


from  Moniga  Point  northwards  tliroui;h 
the  Fort  George  area,  thence  east  to  Mayaro 
Point.  The  greater  part  of  this  cHstriet  is 
undeveloped  as  yet,  four  companies  having 
the  chief  interests  therein.  Trinidad  Lease- 
holds, Ltd.,  hold  under  lease  from  the 
Government  about  -10,000  acres  to  the  west 
and  north  of  Guayaguayare  Bay,  just  west 
of  Galcota  Point  ;  circumstances  of  war,  and 
inadequate  storage  capacity  and  transport 
facilities  have  retarded  "development  of 
this  property,  but  considerable  geological 
sur\Ty  work  has  already  been  carried  out. 
Trinitlad  Central  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  also  have 
properties  here,  97-J  acres  at  Lizard  Springs 
and  -12,216  acres  at  JLayaro,  part  held  on 
lease  and  part  on  exploration  licence  ;  the 
other  two  companies  concerned  arc  the 
United  British  Oilfields  of  Trinidad,  Ltd., 
and  the  Trinidad  Dominion  Oil,  Ltd., 
the  latter  property  bf)rdering  Guayaguayare 
Bav  and  adjoining  the  Trinidad  Leaseholds 
field. 

(c)  Central  Trinidad. —  In  the  central  part 
of  the  island,  the  Trinidad  Central  Oilfields, 
Ltd.,  have  had  their  enterprise  rewarded 
by  the  development  of  the  well-known  field 
at  Tabaquite,  being  part  of  a  property 
covering  some  25,730  acres,  of  which  over 
1,000  acres  are  held  on  lease  ;  the  port  of 
shipment  is  at  Claxton  Bay,  a  little  to  the 
north  of  Point-a-Pierre,  where  the  company 
has  a  small  refinery  connected  to  the  field 
at  Tabaquite  by  a  pipe-line,  the  distance 
being  18  miles.  Trinidad  Leaseholds,  Ltd., 
also  have  oil  rights  over  certain  smaller 
areas  in  this  region,  as  at  Piparo,  where 
developments  are  in  progress.  Following 
on  the  success  achieved  by  the  Trinidad 
Central  Oilfields,  Ltd.,  in  this  part  of  the 
island,  proving  the  existence  of  valuable 
high-grade  light  oil,  considerable  attention 
is  being  focussed  on  this  region,  previously 
regarded  as  an  unlikely  area  of  commercial 
oil  production.  In  the  map  (Fig.  5)  the 
distribution  of  the  proved  petroliferous  areas 
is  shown,  together  with  the  main  lines  of 
anticlinal  fle.xure  previously  described. 

CONXLt'SIOX. 

The  logical  sequence  to  a  descriptive 
article  such  as  this  is  naturally  a  reference 
to  the  future  oil  prospects  of  the  island, 
possibly  almost  as  elusive  a  .subject  as  much 
of  its  internal  geology !  ]\Iany  different 
opinions  are  expressed  on  this  point,  and 
one  constantly  hears  the  remark  that 
"  Trinidad    is    being     overdone,"    at    least 


on  this  side,  for  it  is  seUlom  made  by  those 
who  have  had  long  expeiience  in  the  island. 
Mention  has  already  been  made  of  the 
noticeable  decline  in  production  of  1019  ; 
this  now  requires  a  little  niorr  detailed 
explanation. 

The  bulk  of  the  producing  wells  in  Trinidad 
have  hitherto  tapped  the  resources  of  the 
upper  oil  horizons,  the  lower  in  many  cases 
lying  at  great  depths,  though  not  outside 
ultimate  drilling  range.  This  is  particularly 
the  feature  of  the  .south-western  part  of 
the  island,  where,  although  the  lower  sands 
have  been  proved  to  exist,  test  wells  put 
down  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  the 
deeper  oil-pools  have  frequently  met  with 
trouble  in  the  shape  of  excessive  gas  pressure 
or  strong  oil-flows  from  overlying  members 
of  tln'  upper  oil  series ;  a  case  in  point  is 
that  of  a  certain  well  put  down  with  the 
intention  of  tapping  the  lower  series, 
thought  to  be  about  1,800  ft.  below  the 
surface,  which  instead  struck  a  strong 
gas  and  oil  zone  at  less  than  half  this 
depth  ;  production  has  since  been  main- 
tained from  this  upper  horizon,  and  so 
far  it  has  been  found  quite  impossible  to 
deepen  the  well.  An  instance  such  as  this 
is  not  of  isolated  occurrence,  and  it  clearly 
points  to  the  persistence  of  as  yet  untapped 
resources  nearer  the  surface.  While  there 
may  be  a  tendency  towards  decline  in 
production  from  these  upper  sands  taking 
the  region  as  a  whole,  one  can  hardly  see 
grounds  for  pessimism  on  this  account, 
since  obviously  as  the  upper  horizons  get 
further  drained,  so  the  gas  pressure  and 
strength  of  oil-flow  will  tend  to  be  lessened, 
thus  making  it  possible  to  sink  deeper  wells 
in  order  to  tap  the  lower  resources.  And 
from  the  little  we  already  know  of  these 
lower  sands,  they  bid  fair  to  be  equally  as 
important  ultimately  as  the  upper  horizons 
have  been  hitherto.  Further  than  this, 
there  are  the  developments  referred  to  in 
the  central  parts  of  the  island,  where  com- 
paratively little  is  known  of  the  geological 
conditions  ;  if  Tabaquite  is  an3'thing  to 
judge  the  future  of  this  region  by,  we  perceive 
even  greater  possibilities  here  than  in  the 
south.  Add  to  this  the  potentialities  of 
much  of  the  undeveloped  land  in  the  south 
and  eastern  parts  of  the  island,  and  it  is 
abundantly  clear  that  the  petroleum 
resources  of  Trinidad  are  by  no  means 
exhausted. 

Lastly,  the  writer  may  perhaps  be  per- 
mitted to  voice  the  plea  for  greater  publicity 


213 


OCTOBER.    1921 


of  geological  data  accumulated  by  the 
geologists  of  the  several  companies  concerned 
in  oil  exploration  in  Trinidad,  and  this  for 
the  benefit  of  both  science  and  commerce. 
It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  of  no  oilfield 
in  the  world  of  the  importance  of  Trinidad 
is  so  httle  known  to  the  general  pu1)lic 
as  in  this  case,  and  it  is  extremely  difficult 
to  understand  the  traditional  iron-clad 
secrecy  prevailing  among  the  various  opera- 
tive interests  in  this  colony.  Once  a 
company  has  established  itself  on  a  definite 
property,  is  producing  from  this  property, 
and  has  thus  proved  its  economic  value, 
what  possible  advantage  can  be  served  by 
withholding  the  details  of  the  scientific 
evidence  by  wliich  such  results  were  achieved  ? 
We  have  only  to  study  the  admirable  reports 
and  technical  literature  extant  in  the 
United  States,  where  every  oilfield  has 
adequate  publicity  in  the  bulletins  and 
memoirs  of  the  various  State  surveys  and 
mining  bureaus,  to  be  regretful  at  the  lack 


of  similar  descriptions  of  our  own  fields,  and 
although  it  may  be  argued  that  no  official 
geological  survey  now  exists  for  Trinidad, 
that  in  itself  is  no  reason  for  the  deficiency 
in  this  case.  Collaboration  of  the  several 
experts  professionally  engaged  on  oil  explor- 
ation and  the  pooling  .of  that  scientific 
knowledge  obtained  in  the  course  of  their 
work  for  both  mutual  and  public  benefit, 
can  scarcely  be  detrimental  to  commercial 
interests  in  the  long  run  ;  on  the  contrary, 
by  such  co-ordination  future  developments 
would  tend  to  be  carried  out  on  a  much 
sounder  basis,  that  of  a  wider  geological 
knowledge,  and  increased  efficiency  both 
in  exploration  and  production  would 
necessarily  follow.  Professor  Carmody's 
vindication  of  "  team  work,"  alluded  to  in 
the  introduction,  maj'  be  again  emphasized 
here,  and  it  deserves  well  of  those  in  whose 
hands  the  future  of  the  petroleum  industry 
of  Trinidad  lies. 

(Concluded. ) 


Mining  in  Devonshire 

In  the  Summary  of  Progress  of  the  Geo- 
logical Survey  of  Great  Britain  for  1920, 
Donald  A.  MacAlister  gives  tables  of  output 
of  various  minerals  in  Devonshire  in  years 
gone  by. 

Outputs  of  Lead,  Silver,  Pyrites,  Arsenic, 
AND  Iron. 

Lead  Ore,  IS45  to  1913 Tons     59,422 

Lead,  Metallic,  extracted  from  above 

ore Tons     38,423 

Silver  extracted  from  the  above  lead, 

lS52tol913    Oz.      948,291 

Pyrites,  Iron  and  Arsenical,  1853  to 

1913    Tons    101,266 

Arsenic,  Soot  and  White,  in  addition 
to  the  Arsenical  Pyrites,  1853 
to  1913     ." Tons     98,067 

Iron  Oxides,  1853  to  1913 Tons  344,584 

Of  the  lead  ore  produced  the  largest 
amounts  came  from  the  parishes  of  Beer 
Ferris,  25,670  tons,  and  Christow,  22,550  tons. 
The  parish  producing  the  largest  amount  of 
pyrites  was  Tavistock,  72,000  tons,  of  which 
50,393  tons  was  arsenical.  The  iron  oxides 
were  partly  magnetite,  hematite,  limonite, 
and  shining  micaceous  ore.  The  last-named 
has  been  a  feature  of  iron  mining  in  Devon- 
shire, and  it  has  been  worked  from  time  to 


time  at  several  places,  being  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  protective  paints.  In  the 
following  table  relating  to  tin  and  copper 
we  give  the  details  of  output  of  each  parish. 

Outputs  of  Tin  and  Copper  by   Parishes. 

Copper 
derived  from 
the  Ore  in 

Tin  Copper  previous 

Concentrate.  Ore.  column. 

Tons.  Tons.  Tons. 

Ashburton 804  421  17 

■  Beer  Ferris     10  205  13 

Belstone 1  4,036  375 

Bovev  Tracey —  2.300  86 

Buckfastlei£»h    —  29,680  1.965 

Buckland  Monachorum       12  24.250  1.400 

Chagford    60  —  — 

Dartington 56  —  — 

Holme     6  —  — 

Ilsington    91  —  — 

Lamerton 61  22,600  1.285 

Lydford    295  —  — 

Manaton 203  —  — 

Marytavy     (including 

Peter  Tavey) .'       408  43,250  4.015 

Meavy     400  —  — 

Holland    —  1,180  75 

North  Bovey 1,314  —  — 

North  Molton    —  4,515  638 

Okehampton —  2,656  186 

Plvmpton  St.  Mary..     1,300  240  12 

South  Tawton —  6,285  34 ! 

Sydenham  Damarel.  .       —  SO  5 

Tavistock 300        933,210  59,682 

Walkhampton 220  280  2 1 

Whitchurch   515  20,6:30  1,538 

Others    10  1,150  80 

Totals 6,066     1,096,968      71,737 


MINING    MODELS    AT    SOUTH     KENSINGTON 


This  arlicle  contains  an  account  of  models  expla 
Mr.  G.  W.  Leech.  M.Inst. M.M..  and  recently 

The  Science  Museum  at  South  Kinsington 
is  not  so  well  known  as  it  should  be,  nor 
docs  it  receive  the  support  from  the  Govern- 
ment that  teachers  and  students  would 
desire.  The  collection  of  plant,  models, 
etc.,  relating  to  mining  shows  considerable 
uncvcnness,  and  there  arc  breaks  in  the 
historical  connexion.  This  condition  is 
caused  by  variations  in  the  interest  taken 
b\"  those  in  chargi'.  Fortunately  for  the 
mining  profession,  the  director  of  the 
Museum  from  1911  to  1918,  Sir  Francis  G. 
OgilvY,  was  much  interested  in  these  subjects, 
and  his  services  in  helping  the  Royal  School 
of  I^Iines  as  w^ell  as  the  Science  Museum 
are  well  known.  During  his  regime  a  great 
many  new  models  and  apparatus  were  added, 
so  that  the  collection  and  also  the  new 
catalogue  are  now  of  much  heightened  value. 
During  the  years  1915  to  1917  and  1918  to  1920 
Mr.  G.  W.  Leech,  M.Inst.JI.I\I.,  was  engaged 
in  designing  and  building  models  illustrating 


mmmg   methods. 


Altogether   about   forty 


of  these  models  have  been  added  to  the 
collection,  and  we  take  this  opportunity 
of  thanking  Sir  Francis  and  Mr.  Leech,  on 
behalf    of    the    minine    profession,    for    the 


nalory  oF  mining  operations,  designed  and  made  by 
added  to  the  Science  Museum,  South  Kensington. 

excellent  services  they  have  rendered  in 
tlir  cause  of  tichnical  education. 

To  give  readers  an  idea  of  tiie  nature  of 
the  new  work,  we  reproduce  in  this  article 
descriptions  of  five  models,  together  with 
photographs,  the  descriptions  being  taken 
from  the  oiihcial  guide-book  to  the  collection. 
It  will  be  seen  that  this  guide-book  con- 
stitutrs  quite  a  useful  exposition  of  modern 
methods  of  mining. 

(1)  Flat-Back  Sloping,  Overhand  System. — 
In  this  method  of  stoping  the  ore  is  broken 
out  in  a  series  of  slices  of  more  or  less  regular 
shape  extending  the  whole  length  and  width 
of  the  vein  between  the  winzes  and  walls, 
keeping  the  back  (roof)  as  uniform  and 
level  as  the  nature  of  the  ore  will  permit. 
The  model  represents  a  contact  ore  deposit 
between  a  granite  foot-wall  and  a  schist 
hanging  wall  (that  is,  a  good  foot-wall  but 
a  weak  hanging  wall)  ;  the  ore  is  supposed  to 
stand  well.  As  the  ore  is  removed  it  is 
necessary  to  fill  the  stopes  with  waste 
rock  ;  this  filling  is  distributed  by  a  light 
car  on  a  portable  track,  and  is  carried  up 
to  within  5  to  8  ft.  of  the  roof.  Ore  chutes 
or  passes  are  built  up  by  cross-logging  through 


i-ii;.  1. — Fi.ai-Back  SToriN( 

214 


OCTOBER.    1921 


215 


Fig.  2. — Ru.i,  Stopinc. 


Fig.  3. — Oilman  Cut-a.nd-Fii.i,  System. 


the  waste  filling.  \\Tien  waste  rock  is 
cheap  the  method  is  economical,  not  more 
than  a%  of  the  ore  being  left  in  the  mine. 
Prospecting  work_  can  be  carried  out  from 
the  stopes  by  means  of  cross-cuts,  etc.,  and 
other  development  work  can  be  carried  out 
more  conveniently  than  from  a  rill  or 
shrinkage  stope.  Another  advantage  of 
the  system  is  that  the  rich  ore  can  be 
sorted  out  and  the  ore  too  poor  to  pay 
for  treatment  can  be  left  behind.  The 
disadvantage  of  the  method,  particularly 
in  large  stopes,  is  the  cost  of  transport 
of  the  ore  to  the  passes,  owing  to  the 
shovelling  and  trucking  involved.  In 
some  case.s  this  is  reduced  by  the  use  of 
wheelbarrows.  A  corresponding  drawback 
occurs  when  the  stope  is  being  filled,  as  much 
shovelling  is  necessary  to  distribute  the 
waste  rock. 

(2)  Rill  Sloping. — This  sectional  model 
represents  the  rill  method  of  stoping-out 
ore  from  a  vein,  a  method  that  is  often 
employed  in  veins  of  narrow  to  medium 
width,  and  where  filling  is  needed  to  support 
the  walls.  The  name  is  given  to  it  because 
the  ore  gravitates  or  "  rills  "  in  the  ore-passes 
or  chutes.  Under  favourable  conditions  the 
ore-body  is  divided  into  blocks  by  levels 
about  100  ft.  apart,  and  by  winzes  50  to  60  ft. 
distant  from  one  another,  but  these  dimensions 
will  vary  according  to  the  character  of  the 
deposit.  In  the  model,  a  section  of  a  portion 
only  of  the  mine  is  shown,  comprising  one  of 


the  waste  shafts  connected  with  the  surface 
for  filling  the  stoped-out  ground.  The  stopes 
are  worked  at  angles  with  the  horizontal 
between  35^  and  45°.  The  flatter  angle  is 
that  shown  in  the  model.  At  the  steeper 
angle,  should  the  width  of  the  vein  increase, 
the  miner  has  to  exercise  considerable  caution 
in  moving  from  the  working  face.  After  a 
slice  of  ore  from  10  to  15  ft.  in  height  has 
been  worked  out  and  taken  away,  waste 
rock  filling  is  let  down  the  winze,  and  if  the 
ore  is  of  high  grade,  a  mat  of  boards,  as 
shown,  is  laid  on  the  waste  filling  to  receive 
the  next  slice  of  ore.  In  the  lower  stopes 
the  ore  is  supposed  to  be  of  low  grade  and 
no  timber  mat  is  used.  This  stope  is  in  the 
process  of  being  filled  with  waste  rock. 

(3)  Gilman  Cut-and-Fill  System.— This 
model  shows  a  method  of  mining  used  exten- 
sively in  Arizona,  and,  with  various  adapta- 
tions, in  stoping  the  large  sulphide  ore-bodies 
found  in  this  and  other  mining  districts  of 
the  United  States.  The  method  is  said  to 
have  been  named  after  an  American  engineer 
who  introduced  it.  The  system  consists  in 
blocking  out  the  ore  in  sections  of  40  to  50  ft., 
with  cross-cuts  driven  from  the  main  drive 
to  the  limits  of  the  ore-body  on  the  hanging 
and  foot-wall  sides.  A  section  of  the  stope 
on  the  foot-wall  side  of  the  drive  is  represented. 
Vertical  rises  are  driven  upwards  from  the 
cross-cuts  connected  with  winzes  sunk  from 
the  upper  level ;  later  these  provide  a  means 
of  filling  the  stope  with  waste  rock  and  serve 


MO 


Tin:    MlXIXr,    M.\(;.\71N1£ 


for  ore  chutes  and  passes.  These  cross-cuts 
are  the  first  step  in  sloping,  and  the  next 
step  consists  in  widening  the  ground  a  Uttle 
at  the  side  of  the  cross-cut  to  permit  the 
temporary  timbers  to  be  placed  in  position. 
Flooring  is  laid  so  as  to  allow  the  ore  to 
fall,  b}-  removing  the  short  planks,  into  the 
trucks"  below.  \Vhen  sufficient  ground  has 
been  broken  out  these  temporary  sets  are 
replaced  by  regular  timber  sets  of  posts, 
inclined  caps,  and  vertical  sills,  with  planks 
to  form  a  mat  between  the  gob  of  waste 
rock  and  the  ore  below  and  along  cither 
side.  After  each  successive  ore -cut  from 
10  to  12  ft.  above  the  floor,  the  ore  is 
drawn  off,  the  floors  taken  up.  and  the  waste 
rock  run  in  to  the  desired  height.  The  floor 
is  then  relaid  to  receive  the  next  cut.  In  the 
eariicr  stages  of  sloping  all  the  ore  is  not 
removed  as  soon  as  broken  down,  but  is 
allowed  to  accumulate  as  a  floor  for  the 
miner  to  stand  on.  The  work  at  successive 
stages,  numbered  1,  2,  3,  and  4,  and  the 
method  of  timbering  the  workings  are  shown 
in  the  model. 

(4)  Top  Slicing. — This  sectional  model  re- 
presents a  method  of  extraction  used 
principally  in  mining  large  soft  ore-bodies. 
The  system  is  a  moditication  of  the  long-wall 
retreating  method  worked  under  an  artificial 
roof  of  timber  called  a  mat.  The  top  of  the 
ore-body  is  removed  either  by  open  stoping 
or  sub-level  caving,  and  a  double  floor  of 
plank  2  in.  thick  is  laid  down.  The  over- 
burden is  then  caved-in  on  top  of  the  mat.  A 
car  level  is  laid  out  at  about  50  ft.  below  the 
mat,  and  the  ore  is  divided  by  drifts,  winzes, 
and  rises  into  blocks  30  to  40  ft.  wide.  Com- 
mencing at  the  boundary'  or  walls  of  the  ore, 
slices  11  ft.  in  height  by  30  to  40  ft.  wide 
are  mined  beneath  the  mat,  which  is  supported 
meanwhile  by  posts  and  round  unframed  caps. 
As  the  slicing  advances,  the  timber  mat  is 
caved  by  blasting  the  posts  behind  the 
working  face.  This  method  allows  a  larger 
and  more  regular  output  from  the  working 
faces  than  if  square-set  timbering  is  used, 
but,  owing  to  the  rough  floor  and  other 
conditions,  the  breaking  and  shovelling  of 
the  ore  is  not  done  so  economically ;  the 
amount  of  timber  used,  however,  as  compared 
with  square  sets,  is  small. 

(5)  Ore  in  Sight. — This  model  represents 
the  blocking  out  of  ore  in  a  mine,  and 
illustrates  some  of  the  difficulties  met  with 
in  estimating  the  quantity  of  ore  in  situ. 
One  of  the  purposes  of  blocking  out  the  ore 
in  a  mine  by  drifts,   winzes,   and  rises — in 


addition  to  the  primary  one  of  the  work  of 
extraction — is  to  exjiose  the  boundaries  of 
the  ore  deposit  in  three  dimensions  for  tlie 
jiurpose  of  estimating  (luantities  and  values 
contained  in  the  deposit.  Owing  to  the 
.  irregular  way  in  which  ore  deposits  occur, 
such  estimates  may  vary  considerably.  The 
Institutiiin  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy',  recog- 
nizing the  importance  to  the  mining  industry 
and  to  the  public  generally  of  delining  the 
terms  "  Ore  in  Sight,"  appointed  a  committee 
to  consider  what  steps  might  be  taken  in 
the  matter.  After  report  and  consideration, 
the  Institution  made  the  following 
recommendations : — 

(1)  That  members  of  the  Institution 
should  not  make  use  of  the  term  "  Ore  in 
Sight  "  in  their  reports  without  indicating 
in  the  most  explicit  manner  the  data  upon 
which  the  estimate  is  based  ;  and  that  it  is 
most  desirable  that  estimates  should  be 
illustrated  by  drawings. 

(2)  That  as  the  term  "  Ore  in  Sight  " 
is  frequently  used  to  indicate  two  separate 
factors  in  an  estimate,  namely :  [a)  Ore 
blocked  out,  that  is,  ore  exposed  on  at 
least  three  sides  within  reasonable 
distance  of  each  other ;  and  [b)  ore 
which  may  be  reasonably  assumed  to 
exist  though  not  actually  blocked  out  ; 
these  two  factors  should  in  all  cases  be  kept 
distinct,  as  [a]  is  governed  by  fixed  rules, 
while  [b)  is  dependent  upon  individual 
judgment  and  local  experience. 

(3)  That  in  making  use  of  the  term  "  Ore 
in  Sight  "  an  engineer  should  demonstrate 
that  the  ore  so  denominated  is  capable  of 
being  profitably  extracted  under  the  working 
conditions  obtaining  in  the  district. 

The  model  illustrates  these  recommenda- 
tions. At  B  B  the  ore  is  blocked  out  on 
four  sides  into  50  ft.  blocks.  At  C  the 
ore  is  blocked  out  on  three  sides,  but  as 
the  top  drift  is  partly  in  barren  ground, 
owing  to  the  lode  not  outcropping  to  the 
surface,  the  difficulty  of  estimation  is 
increased.  At  D  the  ore  is  blocked  out 
on  four  sides  into  100  ft.  blocks  ;  at  L  and  T 
indications  of  intrusions  of  barren  rock 
of  unknown  extent  occur.  In  the  case 
represented,  on  extraction  of  the  ore,  the 
barren  mass  was  found  to  be  of  the  shape 
shown  by  the  dotted  line.  At  E  the  ore 
is  blocked  out  on  three  sides,  but  no  winze 
has  been  sunk  at  Z  ;  the  character  of  the 
ore  at  this  point,  however,  may  reasonably 
be  assumed  from  the  data  supplied  by  the 
drifts  above  and  below.     The  same  remark 


OCTOBER,    1921 


217 


Fic.  4. — Top  Slicim;. 


Fig.  5. — Ore  in  Sight. 


applies  to  G  G.  Blue  lines  on  the  model 
every  5  to  10  ft.  indicate  the  points  where 
samples  for  assaying  are  taken. 

As  we  have  already  mentioned,  the 
models  described  in  the  foregoing  para- 
graphs are  only  five  out  of  over  thirty 
made  by  Mr.  Leech.  To  give  an  idea  of 
the  full  scope  of  his  work,  we  give  herewith 
a  list  of  titles  of  the  others,  at  the  same 
time  expressing  regret  that  space  prevents 
us  giving  the  descriptions  and  illustrations  : 
Shrinkage  stoping  ;  sub-level  caving  system  ; 
milling  system  of  mining ;  block  slicing ; 
mine  head  frame ;  prospector's  shaft ; 
Australian  spaced-box  mine  shaft  ;  Rand 
shaft  timbering  ;  main  adit  or  level  timbering; 
four-piece  level  set  timbering ;  four-piece 
level  set  for  side  pressure  ;  stuU  timbering  ; 
angle  setting  ;  stuU  timbering  with  varying 
angles  of  walls  ;  three-piece  stull  timbering  ; 
stuU  and  false  stull ;  stull  and  saddleback 
timbering  ;  saddleback  stulls  with  ore  chute  ; 
reinforced  stulls ;  Chinaman  ore  chute ; 
timbering  level  sets  with  stoping  beneath  ; 
square-set  timbering  for  stopes  on  Eureka 
sj'stem ;  square-set  timbering  for  stopes 
on  Bingham  system  ;  square-set  timbering 
for  stopes  on  Burlingame  system  ;  square-set 
timbering  with  round  timber  ;  rock  -  drill 
staging  ;  end  tipping  truck  ;  all-round  tipping 
truck ;  froth  flotation  plant ; 
separator  ;    cyanide  plant ;  etc.,  etc. 

1—4 


The  Institute  of  Metals 

The  autumn  meeting  of  the  Institute  of 
Metals  was  held  at  Birmingham  on 
September  21  and  22.  The  following  papers 
were  read  and  discussed  :  The  Properties 
of  some  Nickel-Aluminium-Copper  Alloys, 
by  A.  A.  Read  and  R.  H.  Greaves  ;  The 
Effect  of  Increasing  Proportions  of  Lead  in 
the  Properties  of  Admiralty  Gun-metal, 
by  R.  T.  Rolfe ;  The  Casting  of  Brass 
Ingots,  by  R.  Genders ;  The  Density  of 
the  Zinc-Copper  Alloys,  by  T.  G.  Bamford  ; 
Experiments  in  the  Working  and  Annealing 
of  Copper,  by  Dr.  F.  Johnson  ;  The  Effects 
of  Progressive  Cold  Drawing  upon  some  of 
the  Physical  Properties  of  Low-Tin  Bronze, 
by  W.  E.  Atkins  and  W.  Cartwright  ;  The 
Extrusion  Defect,  by  R.  Genders ;  The 
Use  of  the  Scleroscope  on  Light  Specimens 
of  Metals,  bv  F.  S.  Tritton  ;  The  Annealing 
of  Rolled  Zinc,  by  D.  H.  Ingall ;  The  Con- 
stitution and  Age-Hardening  of  the  Alloys 
of  Aluminium  with  Magnesium  and  Silicon, 
by  D.  Hanson  and  M.  L.  V.  Gayler  ;  The 
Electrolytic  Etching  of  Metals,  by  F.  Adcock  ; 
Electron,  the  High-Magnesium  Alloy,  by 
S.  Beckingsale.  A  number  of  visits  were  paid 
to  metallurgical  works  in  the  neighbourhood, 
and  there  was  also  an  interesting  visit  to  the 
Birmingham  University,  where  the  courses 
of  instruction  were  intimately  studied. 


THE    CHARACTERISTICS    OF    CASSITERITE 


By  E.  H.  DAVISON.  B.Sc.  F.G.S. 

Many   minerals  are   easily  mistaken  (or  cassilerile.     The  aullior   gives  a   corciic  sinlemcnl  dealing  willi   this   subject, 

intended  for  the  guidance  o(  workers  in  llic  field. 


Cassitcrite  is  a  mineral  wliicli,  owing  to  its 
vaiiation  in  colour  and  texture,  is  by  no 
means  eas\^  to  recognize  with  certainty.  It 
has,  to  the  writer's  knowledge,  happened  that 
such  minerals  as  blende,  axinitc,  and  zircon, 
have  been  mistaken  for  it  by  observer?  with 
considerable  experience.  Though  ils 
characters  are  given  in  detail  in  Dana's 
System  of  Mineralo£:y,  and  more  or  less  com- 
pletely in  other  textbooks  (e.specially  well  in 
Collins'  Mi)icralos,y  of  Cormcall  and  Devon), 
it  is  felt  that  the  following  summary  of  its 
physical  and  optical  characters  and  its 
chief  characteristic  chemical  reactions  may 
be  of  use  to  those  who  have  to  deal  with  tin 
ores  and  alluvials.  Special  reference  is  made 
in  connexion  with  other  minerals  often 
mistaken  for  it. 

Physical  Characteristics. — Cassiterite  has 
a  hardness  of  from  6  to  7  on  ilohs'  scale ; 
it  therefore  cannot  be  scratched  by  a  knife. 
Its  specific  gravity  varies  from  6-8  to  ~r\.  It 
has  imperfect  cleavage,  which  is  often  not 
to  be  observed,  with  uneven  or  subconchoidal 
fracture,  brittle  character,  and  adamantine 
lustre.  Its  streak  is  w'hite  to  pale  buff,  and 
it  may  be  nearly  transparent  or  opaque. 

The  colour  varies  from  black  through 
brown,  red,  and  j'ellow,  to  pale  buff  or  white. 
The  powdered  mineral  is  of  a  pale  buff 
colour,  unless  coloured  by  admixture  with 
iron  oxide. 

The  following  varieties  are  recognized  : — 

Crystalline  cassiterite,  "  diamond  tin,"  in 
fair-sized  tetragonal  crystals  in  low  pyramids 
or  short  prisms. 

"  Sparable  tin,"  in  small  acute  almost 
acicular  tetragonal  crystals. 

"  Rosin  tin,"  reddish  or  yellowish  in  colour 
and  translucent. 

"  Ruby  tin,"  ruby  red  and  nearly  trans- 
parent. 

"  Wood  tin,"  brown  to  buff  in  colour  with 
a  concentric  fibrous  structure. 

"  Toad's  eye  tin,"  a  variety  of  cassiterite 
occurring  in  small  spherical  masses,  with 
radiating  texture,  embedded  in  massive 
cassiterite  of  a  darker  or  paler  tint. 

"  Stream  tin,"  in  more  or  less  rounded 
grains  or  pebbles. 

218 


"  Black  tin  "  is  the  minci's  term  used  to 
indicate  tin  as  tin  oxide  in  whatever  form  it 
occurs. 

Optical  Characteristics. —  It  is  often  useful 
to  examine  a  sample  under  the  microscope  in 
the  form  of  fine  powder  or  as  a  constituent  of 
a  micro-section  of  a  rock  or  veinstone.  When 
this  method  is  used  several  minerals  are 
likely  to  be  confused  with  cassiteiitc  which 
would  be  readily  detected  in  the  hand 
specimen. 

Colour  in  transmitted  light  varies  from 
deep  red-brown  through  pale  brown  or 
yellow  to  colourless. 

Cleavage  (only  occasionally  seen)  parallel. 

Refractive  index  1'99  to  2'09,  very  high 
relief. 

Zoning  common  and  well  shown. 

Plcochroism  none  or  very  feeble. 

Polarization  colours  very  high,  simple 
twins  common. 

Colour  in  reflected  light  pale  buff  or  white. 

"  Wood  tin  "  shows  concentric  radiating 
fibres  which  give  a  black  cross  between 
crossed  nicols. 

"  Wood  tin  "  is  seen  under  the  micro- 
scope to  consist  of  concentrically  arranged 
crystalline  prisms  which  give  the  usual 
birefringence  colours  between  crossed  nicols 
and  is  in  no  sense  noncrystalline,  each 
individual  prism  being  readily  distinguished. 

"  Toad's  eye  tin  "  consists  in  come  cases  of 
quartz  crystals  zoned  by  included  granules  of 
cassiterite,  which  are  often  of  extremely 
minute  size. 

The  characteristic  buff  colour  of  cassiterite 
in  reflected  light  is  one  of  the  most  distinctive 
characters  under  the  microscope  and  of  great 
help  in  distinguishing  cassiterite  from 
minerals  with  characters  otherwise  similar. 

Blowpipe  Reactions. — Heated  on  charcoal 
gives  a  white  incrustation  which  turns  blue 
or  blue-green  on  moistening  with  cobalt 
nitrate  and  reheating.  Fused  on,  charcoal 
with  soda  yields  a  bead  of  metaUic  tin  as 
well  as  incrustation.  Potassium  cyanide 
may  be  used  instead  of  "  soda "  with 
advantage. 

Chemical  Test. — When  cassiterite  is  placed 
in  contact  with  zinc  and  hydrochloric  acid  it 


OCTOBER,    1921 


219 


Table    showing   Characters   of  Cassiterite   and   of   Minerals   likelv   to   be   Mistaken   for   it. 

Blowpipe  and  Chemical  Tests.      Optical  Characters. 


Mineral. 

Sp.Gr.  Hardness. 

Crystal  Form. 

Cassiterite. 

6-S-7-1     6-7 

Tetragonal 

SnOo. 

pyramids  or 
prisms. 

Metallic  bead  with  soda 
or  potass,  cyanide  on 
charcoa!. 

Incrus+ration  on  charcoal 
which  eives  blue-green 
with  cobalt  nitrate. 


Fleochroism 
none. 


feeble     or 


Birefringence  very  high. 
Vjwfi  or  white  in  re- 
flected light. 


Zinc  Blende. 
ZnS. 


4-0 


3-5 


Cubic  often  in 
tetrahedrons. 


Incrustation  on  charcoal 
which  gives  grass  green 
with  cobalt  nitrate. 


Isotropic.     Buff  or 
in  reflected  light. 


;rey 


Ilmenite.  47        5  .S  Tabular  Yellow      solution      with 

FeOTiOo.  trigonal.  potass,  bisulphate  turns 

violet  when  reduced  by 

tin. 


Opaque  in  transmitted 
light.  Black  usually 
with  buff  patches  of 
leucoxene   in  reflected 

light. 


Wolfram. 
(FeJInjWOj 


Rutile. 
TiO.2. 


7-5      5-5 


4-2       6-5 


Tabular 

crystals 

monoclinic. 


Crystals  like 
cassiterite, 
often  genicu- 
late twins. 


Zircon. 
ZrO-iSiOo. 

4-7 

7'5 

Prisms  with 

pyramid  caps 

tetragonal. 

Tourmaline, 

Borosilicate  of 

Al,  etc. 

31 

7-5 

Prisms  with 

pyramid  top 

trigonal. 

Garnet. 
3R'0,R/"03,3Si0.2 

3-7-4 

7-5 

Dodecahedra. 
Cubic. 

Axinite. 

Borosilicate  of 

Ca,  etc. 

3-3 

6-5 

Flat  crystals 
tri clinic. 

Microcosmic  bead  is  deep 
red.  Decomposed  by 
HCl,  the  solution 
giving  a  blue  colour 
when  reduced  by  zinc. 
Streak,  red  brown. 

Microcosmic  bead  violet 
in  reducing  flame. 
Fused  with  potass, 
bisulphate  gives  a  solu- 
tion which  yields  violet 
colour  when  reduced 
by  tin. 

On  heating  in  bunsen 
flame  brown  varieties 
change  to  red  and 
smoky  varieties  to  pale 
green  or  colourless. 

Gives  a  transient  green 
flame  when  heated  on 
Ft.  wire  with  potass, 
bisulphate,  and  fluor. 


Black,   or  dark    red     if 
very    thin.       Parallel 
cleavage.    Lath-shaped 
sections. 


Brown,  red,  yellow,  or 
grey.  Refractive  index 
2'9.  Birefringence  very 
high.  Slightly  pleo- 
chroic. 


Pleochroism  none.  Bire- 
fringence very  high. 
Black  in  reflected  light. 


Strongly  pleochroic. 

Maximum  absorption 
when  vertical.  Bire- 
fringence very  high. 


Isotropic. 


Intumesces   in   blowpipe     Strongly  pleochroic. 

flame.  Birefringence  weak. 


becomes  coated  with  a  film  of  metallic  tin, 
and  this  serves  as  a  very  useful  test  for  the 
mineral,  especially  in  testing  alluvial  gravels. 
Place  the  specimen  in  a  zinc  dish  and  pour  on 
dilute  hydrochloric  acid.  After  a  few  minutes' 
action  remove  and  wash  the  specimen.  The 
cassiterite  grains  or  crystals  will  be  coated 
with  grey  metallic  tin.  This  reaction  gives 
good  results  with  all  varieties  of  cassiterite, 
except  "  wood  tin,"  which  requires  extra 
long  treatment  and  must  be  crushed  to  a 
coarse  sand. 

Minerals  likely  to  he  mistaken  for  Cassiterite. 
— In  the  veinstone  cassiterite  is  most  likely 


to  be  confused, with  tourmaline,  zinc-blende, 
wolfram,  and  garnet  ;  in  the  alluvial  gravel 
with  zircon,  ilmenite,  garnet,  rutile,  and 
tourmaline ;  and  under  the  microscope  with 
tourmaline  and  zircon. 

The  table  above  gives  the  characteristics 
of  each  of  these  minerals  so  that  they  may 
be  readily  compared  and  identified.  By 
use  of  this  table  it  should  be  possible  to 
differentiate  between  the  various  minerals 
which  on  first  sight  may  be  taken  for 
cassiterite,  and  confusion  between  this 
mineral  and  ilmenite  and  garnet,  for  instance, 
should  be  avoided. 


THE    GYRO    COMPASS    FOR    SURVEYORS 


In  the  August  issue  British  Patent  18,:il('. 
of  H120  was  quoted,  giving  particulars  of  the 
gyroscopic  compass  for  surveyors  made  by 
Anschiitz  &  Co.,  of  Kiel.  Since  then  the 
following  descriptive  article  has  been  sent 
us  bv  this  lirni. 


It  is  known  to  every  mining  engineer  that 
the  needle  underground,  especially  in  rock 
containing  ore,  is  exposed  to  so  many  and 
complicated  disturbances  that  it  becomes 
almost  impossible  to  get  even  an  approximate 
indication  of  the  magnetic  meridian.  The 
difficulty  is  so  much  the  greater  as  there  is  no 
means  of  checking  a  deviation  underground, 
which  above  ground  can  be  done  by  com- 
paring the  reading  of  the  compass  with  the 
meridian  hne  found  by  taking  terrestrical  or 
or  astronomical  bearings. 

P'or  navigation  the  unreliable  magnetic 
compass  has  already  given  place  to  a  perfect 
substitute  in  the  non-magnetic  gj'ro  compass. 
This  apparatus  is  an  invention  of 
Dr.  Ansciiutz-Kaempfe,  of  Munich.  .After 
more  than  ten  years  of  persevering  investiga- 
tions and  experiments  he  succeeded  in  1908 
in  designing  an  apparatus  fit  for  use  on  board 
ship,  and  brought  it  soon  to  a  high  degree  of 
perfection.  Others  have  since  appeared  on 
the  market  employing  the  same  principle. 

The  design  of  the  gyro  compass  is  founded 
exclusively  on  dynamical  laws,  and  the 
instrument  is  free  from  all  deficiencies  of  the 
magnetic  compass  without  introducing  others 
in  their  place. 

It  was  desirable  to  employ  this  new 
indicator  of  direction  also  for  tunnelling  and 
mining  purposes,  as  there  really  was  a  great 
need  for  a  non-magnetic  compass  in  this 
branch  of  industry.  This  idea  has  long  been 
followed  b}'  Anschiitz  &  Co.,  of  Kiel- 
Xeumiihlen,  and  it  is  due  to  the  technical 
head  of  this  firm,  Dr.  Max  Schuler,  that  the 
investigations  in  this  line  were  finally 
crowned  by  success.  A  surveying  gyro 
compass  has  been  designed  showing  true 
north  with  such  exactness  that  it  fully 
satisfies  the  demands  of  the  surveying 
engineer.  The  apparatus  as  built  indicates 
the  meridian  with  an  exactness  of  a  half- 
minute  of  arc.  This  exactness  may  perhaps 
even  be  surpassed  in  future. 

Those  who  are  not  well  acquainted  with  the 
latest  nautical  developments  will  appreciate 
a  short  explanation  of  the  principle  of  the 


new    compass.     In 
needle   is   replaced 


the  gyro  compass  the 
by  a  rapidly  rotating 
gyrostat  as  directive  element.  This  gyrostat 
spins  about  a  horizontal  axis  and  is  suspended 
in  such  a  manner  that  the  metacentre  lies 
a  small  distance  below_the  point  of  suspension. 
Gravity  keeps  the  axle  of  such  gyrostat 
horizontal.     The  earth's  rotation  acts  upon 


Vertical  Section  of  Gyro  Compass. 

this  gjTO-pendulum  and  imparts  a  couple 
to  the  axle,  causing  a  gyro-precession,  which 
continues  until  the  axle  stands  in  the  plane 
of  the  meridian. 

The  suspension  of  the  gyrostat  in  the 
Anschiitz  compass  is  practically  frictionless, 
being  attached  to  a  globular  float  immersed  in 
a  mercurv  bath.     .\s  there  is  no  friction  to 


220 


OCTOBER,    1921 


221 


reduce  the  oscillations  of  the  axle  while 
settling  into  the  meridian  plane,  it  does  not 
come  to  rest,  but  continues  to  swing  to  and 
fro  about  the  meridian  with  very  slowly 
decreasing  amplitudes.  In  the  case  of  the 
gjTO  compass  for  navigation  it  is  necessary 
to  fit  the  gyro  system  with  a  damping  device 
to  reduce  these  oscillations.  The  surveying 
compass  does  not  require  such  attachment, 
as  it  would  only  diminish  its  exactness,  and 
there   is  no   difficult}'   in   reading   the   true 


it    during    the 


casing  can  be  raised  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  floating  system  is  fixed  rigidly  to  the 
supporting  bracket  (s),  whereby  the  upper 
opening  of  the  mercury  cup  is  closed,  and  no 
mercury    can    spill    out    of  ^ 

transport. 

The  fly-wheel  with  the  axle  is  turned  out  of 
one  piece  of  high-class  chrome-nickel  steel. 
This  is  necessary  because  of  the  enormous 
centrifugal  force  developed,  as  the  gyro  spins 
at  a  speed  of  20,000  revolutions  per  minute. 


Transformer  for  Generating   Current  for  Gyro  Compass. 


meridian  by  taking  the  average  of  a  few 
oscillations. 

The  vertical  section  indicates  the  construc- 
tion of  the  instrument.  The  fly-wheel  (i)  is 
pivoted  horizontally  in  the  gyro-casing  (2), 
which  by  a  bracket  (,3),  is  rigidlj'  attached  to 
the  hollow  globular  steel  float  (4)  immersed 
in  mercury  contained  in  the  mercury  cup  (5) . 
By  a  centre-pin  («),  playing  in  a  sharp-edged 
neck-ring  (;),  the  floating  system  is  kept  in  the 
middle  of  the  suspension,  supported  by  a 
bracket  (,S). 

In  order  to  make  the  instrument  rcadilv 
portable  the  bracket  (3)  with  float  and  gyro- 


The  axle  is  designed  according  to  the  Laval 
principle,  and  is  pivoted  in  high-precision  ball- 
bearings, which  are  lubricated  by  oil  wicks. 
The  gyrostat  is  designed  as  a  three-phase 
motor  with  short-circuited  rotor.  The  rotor 
is  fixed  in  the  bell-shaped  fly-wheel.  The 
stator  is  fixed  to  the  gyro-casing,  and 
encloses  the  gyro-axle.  It  is  enclosed  by  the 
rotor,  with  very  little  space  between  them. 
The  fly-wheel  is  at  the  same  time  the  ring 
of  the  rotor,  which,  otherwise,  could  not 
resist  the  enormous  centrifugal  forces. 

The  three-phase  current  driving  the  gyro- 
stat is  generated  by  a  transformer  from  con- 


Tiir  MIXING  :\r.\r,AZixE 


tinvious  to  throo-phase.  The  exactness  of 
indication  requires  a  perfectly  constant 
periodicity  of  the  333-cj'cle  three-phase 
current ;  the  generator,  therefore,  must  be 
designed  and  constructed  with  special  care. 
For  use  in  mining  and  tunnelling  the 
generator  can  be  fitted  on  a  cart  as  shown, 
which  also  carries  the  switches,  regulators, 
fuses,  and  electric  measuring  instruments. 
This  carriage  can  remain  in  the  main  gallery, 
while  the  compass,  connected  to  it  by  a  cable, 
is  used  in  a  narrow  side-gallery. 

The  three  phases  of  the  current  are  con- 
ducted without  friction  to  the  gyrostat. 
Phase  1  passes  through  centre-pin  (6') 
dipping  into  a  few  drops  of  mercury  con- 
tained in  a  steel  vessel  below  neck-ring  (r). 
Phase  2  goes  in  the  same  way  through  a 
contact-pin  and  a  second  contact-vessel,  not 
shown  on  the  drawing.  Phase  3  is  in  short- 
circuit  with  the  mercury-cup  (5)  and  passes 
through  the  mercury  to  the  float  (4),  where 
it  is  taken  up  by  an  insulated  wire. 

The  whole  g3'ro  compass  is  contained  in 
an  air-tight  binnacle  (9)  filled  with  hydrogen. 
In  this  way  the  compass  is  protected  against 
all  disturbances  by  incompetent  or  incautious 
handling,  the  friction  is  reduced  to  a 
minimum,  the  consumption  of  current  is 
considerably  diminished,  and  the  rotating 
parts  last  longer.  The  oil  greasing  the  ball- 
bearings cannot  get  thick,  which,  of  course, 
is  of  great  advantage  to  the  security  of 
working.  The  mercury  in  the  contact- 
vessels  cannot  oxidize,  because  of  the  com- 
plete absence  of  oxygen.  I\Ioreover,  dirt 
and  vapour  cannot  enter  the  binnacle,  which 
is  of  importance,  as  they  could  become  fatal 
to  the  inner  parts  of  the  apparatus  worked 
with  such  mathematical  precision,  especially 
because  in  an  air-binnacle  it  would  be 
necessary  to  cool  the  gyro  by  a  continuous 
draught. 

The  reading  of  the  indication  is  done 
through  a  window  {10)  in  the  gas-binnacle. 
For  this  purpose  a  mirror  reading  of  the 
Poggendorf  type  is  employed.  The  curve  of 
oscillation  is  traced  on  millimetre-paper. 
The  average  of  these  oscillations  gives  a  read- 
ing of  the  true  meridian  with  an  exactness 
of  half  a  minute  of  arc.  The  mirror  is  fixed 
to  the  gyro-casing  in  front  of  the  inspection 
window  {10).  The  gyro-casing  with  mirror 
can  be  turned  about  the  axis  of  the  gyro, 
that  is,  the  centre  of  the  mirror.  Without 
turning  the  mirror  180°  at  ever}^  reading  it 
would  be  impossible  to  test  the  proper 
position,  if  it  is  desired  to  keep  the  errors 


within  the  limits  of  one  minute  of  arc  or  less. 
The  securing  of  the  mirror  to  the  gyro- 
casing  presents  the  advantage  that  any 
changes  of  shape  of  the  supporting  bracket 
(.;)  and  of  the  float  (■/)  do  not  affect  the 
reading.  This  disposition  also  makes  it 
l)ermissiblo  to  leave  a  little  more  space 
between  the  centre-jiin  and  neck-ring,  with 
the  result  of  reducing  friction  about  the 
vertical  axis. 


LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits 

The  l-;(lit()r  : 

Sir — Dr.  Morrow  Campbell's  letter  in 
the  September  number  of  the  M.\g.\zine 
needs  a  few  observations  from  me,  if  you  will 
kindly  grant  me  a  little  space. 

Dr.  Campbell  saj^s  he  made  no  attempt  at 
explaining  the  well-known  features  of  the 
different  classes  of  ore-bodies.  From  the 
title  of  his  paper  alone  I  submit  that  most 
readers  would  conclude  that  was  the 
intention.  I  do  not  see  how  the  inquiries 
referred  to  in  the  second  paragraph  of  his 
letter  can  explain  the  origin  of  primary 
ore  deposits  if  they  cannot  explain  the 
various  forms  in  which  such  bodies  occur. 
It  is  largely  in  that  way  that  the  sufficiency 
of  an  idea  or  a  combination  of  ideas  regarding 
genesis  can  be  tested.  Any  number  of 
suggestions  may  be  made  in  the  laboratory, 
but  it  is  only  such  as  fit  the  facts  observed 
in  the  mine  that  can  be  accepted.  It  is 
because  Dr.  Campbell's  suggestions  will  not 
explain  those  facts  as  put  forward  in  the 
May  number  of  the  IMagazixe  that  I  say 
they  fail. 

As  Dr.  Campbell  has  not  before  him  the 
work  of  Carl  Barus  on  "  Igneous  Fusion  and 
Ebullition  "  (United  States  Geographical 
Survey  Bulletin  103),  I  maj'  perhaps  be 
allowed  to  introduce  here  a  few  remarks  from 
that  author.  On  p.  41  he  says  :  "  I  also  made 
special  experiments  on  the  floating  of  solid 
rocks  on  the  molten  magma.  To  my  surprise, 
such  flotation  always  occurs,  notwithstanding 
the  fact  that  originally  the  cold  rock  must 
be  10°„  more  dense  than  the  molten  rock. 
It  soon  appeared,  however,  that  the  cause 
of  such  flotation  is  crudely  mechanical, 
since  the  rock,  in  virtue  of  its  weight, 
simultaneoush^  hollows  out  a  cavity  and 
chills  it,  thus  forming  a  little  solid  boat  on 
which  it  floats  on  the  viscous  slag  below." 
I  think  the  viscosity  of  the  magma  combined 


OCTOBER,    1921 


223 


with  the  reduced  density  of  the  ncwl}^  formed 
sohd  are  sufficient  to  account  for  the  flotation 
of  the  latter.  Barus  shows  that  the  molten 
magma  was  sufficiently  sticky  to  be  drawn 
out  in  threads  when  the  temperature  of  the 
magma  was  250'  C.  higher  than  that  at  which 
it  became  solid. 

In  paragraph  3  of  his  letter  Dr.  Campbell 
says  :  "  That  an  aqueous  mother-liquor  is 
given  off  by  magmas,  which,  on  consolidation, 
yield  granite,  is  so  widely  accepted  that  it 
seems  unreasonable  to  regard  it  as  anything 
but  a  fact."  Wide  acceptance  of  ideas  does 
not  prove  them  to  be  true,  or  many  of  the 
so-called  explanations  in  geology,  now  dis- 
credited, would  be  still  in  fuU  favour. 

In  paragraph  8  Dr.  Campbell  says : 
"  Mr.  Kendall  asserts  that  the  basic  rocks 
do  not  contain  free  bases  with  which  the 
free  silica  in  granite  could  have  combined 
originally."  My  statement  with  reference 
to  this  matter  was  the  following  :  "  The 
same  sort  of  argument  leads  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  basic  rocks  did  not  come 
from  a  substance  having  the  mineral  con- 
stitution of  diorite.  If  the  free  silica  of 
granite  was  previously  combined,  what  has 
become  of  the  bases  with  which  it  was 
united.  They  are  not  found  in  the  more  basic 
rocks."  This  is  a  very  different  statement 
from  that  attributed  to  me  by  Dr.  Campbell. 
Later,  in  this  connexion.  Dr.  Campbell 
says  :  "  If  Mr.  Kendall  realizes  that  the 
bases  in  calcium  carbonate  and  sodium 
chloride,  as  well  as  magnetite,  were  originally 
combined  with  silica,  he  will  probably  admit 
that  the  conclusion  he  has  arrived  at  on  this 
subject  is  not  at  all  a  safe  one."  I  do  realize 
that  the  bases  of  the  first  two  of  these  sub- 
stances were  originally  combined  with  silica, 
but  I  also  realize  that  their  separation  from 
that  mineral  was  not  effected  until  long  after 
the  differentiation  and  consolidation  of  the 
magma  from  which  the  silicates  originated. 
That  subsequent  to  the  formation  of  the 
various  plutonic  rocks,  and  their  appeai'ance 
at  the  earth's  surface,  the  felspars, 
amphiboles,  and  pyroxenes — largely  com- 
posing those  rocks — were  subjected  to  decom- 
position and  severe  denudation.  It  was  then 
that  the  calcium  and  .sodium  Dr.  Campbell 
refers  to  were  liberated,  as  well  as  the 
substances  forming  the  argillaceous  and 
siliceous  rocks,  which  form  such  a  large  part 
of  the  earth's  crust.  But  neither  the  salt 
in  the  oceans,  nor  the  lime  in  the  calcareous 
rocks  have  anything  to  do  with  the 
appearance  of  free  silica  in  the  granite. 


I  need  not  further  remark  on  the  difference 
between  Dr.  Campbell's  definition  of  a 
primary  ore  and  that  suggested  by  me, 
beyond  saying  that  Dr.  Campbell  bases  on 
a  highly  disputable  hypothesis,  while  I 
follow  the  results  of  visual  and  other  direct 
observations. 

Dr.  Campbell's  remarks  about  the  Lead- 
ville  ores  are  too  general  to  deal  with,  but  it 
maybe  stated  that  there  are  both  primary  and 
secondary  ores  in  those  mines.  It  would  be 
interesting  if  Dr.  Campbell  would  describe 
in  detail  the  most  important  of  the  "  many 
galena  and  other  sulphide  ores  that  he 
regards  as  not  primary  but  secondary," 
and  explain  how  they  were  derived  from 
primary  ores. 

J.  D.  Kexd.\ll. 

London,  September  23. 

The  Real  Value  of  Gold 

The  Editor : 

Sir — I  read  with  interest  Mr.  Speak's 
article  on  this  all-important  question.  He 
approaches  and  discusses  the  question  of  the 
real  value  of  gold  partly  from  the  point  of 
view  of  the  gold-producer  and  partly  from 
what  we  may  call  the  view  of  the  wire-puller. 
I  am  desirous  of  making  some  observations 
on  this  subject  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
relation  of  the  productive  effort  of  human 
beings,  as  expressed  in  goods,  commodities,  and 
things,  to  the  purchasing  value  of  currency. 

Firstly,  the  real  value  of  gold  is  what  we 
human  beings  make  it,  either  considered 
in  the  sense  of  it  being  a  commodity  or  in 
the  sense  of  its  function  as  currency  ;  this 
self-evident  fact  I  expect  all  admit. 

Secondly,  gold  is,  for  the  purposes  of 
currency,  given  a  standard  or  fixed  value, 
which,  among  other  things,  enables  \'ariations 
in  the  efficiency  methods  and  productive 
effort  of  us  human  beings,  considered  either 
collectively  or  individually,  to  be  noted, 
regulated,  and  controlled. 

For  instance,  making  gold  some  fixed 
standard  value,  and  issuing  currency  tokens 
based  on  this  fixed  value,  serves  the  same 
purpose  in  one  sphere  of  human  activity  in 
exchange  of  goods,  commodities,  things,  and 
services  as  does  the  fixing  of  a  standard 
lb.  weight  for  measuring  quantities  or  a 
standard  foot  for  measuring  lengths  or 
distances. 

air.  Speak  suggests  that  the  value  of  gold 
should  be  increased  approximately  50%, 
as  the  best  solution  for  overcoming  our 
present   troubles  and  the  general  state  of 


Till'     MIX  INC.    M\r,\ZINI' 


depression  and  unrest  now  existing.  It  seems 
to  me  he  overlooks  several  important  factors 
and  their  real  significance  and  influence  on 
controlling  and  regulating  the  actual  pur- 
chasing value  of  currency  either  in  goods  and 
commodities  or  in  determining  the  amount 
that  can  be  paid  for  services  rendered  in  the 
performance  of  particular  classes  of  work. 

What  is  implied  in  this  statement  will  be 
better  miderstood  from  an  appreciation  of 
the  remarks  that  follow. 

If  the  real  value,  or  a  new  standard  value 
for  gold,  is  fixed  at,  say,  S0%  above  the  pre- 
war gold  standard,  the  resultant  effect  will 
be  that  the  amount  of  gold  that  is  supposed 
to  represent  the  value  of  a  one-pound 
currency  note  will  be  50%  less  than  before. 
The  purchasing  value  of  a  pound  note  will 
fall  iust  by  this  amount,  simply  because  its 
purchasing  value  is  ultimately  determined 
by  the  goods,  commodities,  and  things  we 
human  beings  are  able  to  obtain  in  exchange 
for  the  pound  sterling. 

Human  beings  determine  the  exchange 
value  of  commodities,  not  monev,  in  actual 
fact. 

Money  or  currency,  after  all,  if  we  work 
right  back  to  first  causes,  is  only  the  lubricant 
whereby  human  effort  and  human  activity 
is  scientifically  directed  to  produce  goods, 
commodities,  and  things  at  maximum 
capacity  with  least  inconvenience,  so  that 
the  individual  secures  the  results  of  his  effort 
in  producing  goods  and  in  services  rendered 
in  the  easiest  and  most  convenient  way. 

Next,  if  the  standard  value  of  gold 
is  increased  50%  artificially  by  a  Govern- 
ment decree,  through  pressure  brought  to 
bear  by  wire-pullers,  then  what  will  happen 
will  be  that  American  wheat  will  advance 
in  price  in  terms  of  our  currency  50%. 
Our  quartern  loaf  of  bread,  instead  of  costing 
us  as  now  Is.,  would  cost  Is.  6d.  ;  an  ounce 
of  tobacco  would  cost  not  Is.  as  now,  but 
Is.  Cd.  ;  meat  and  everything  else  would 
go  up  in  proportion  ;  and  the  only  remedy 
for  us  would  be  to  raise  wages  of  workmen 
50°'o  in  harmony,  and  likewise  salaries  and 
emoluments  of  all  other  workers.  In  other 
words  the  ball  of  inflation  would  be  set 
rolling  full  force  all  over  again. 

Does  Mr.  Speak  really  believe  the  copper 
producer  will  be  content  to  sell  his  copper 
for,  say,  -{70  per  ton  as  at  present  when  the 
standard  value  of  gold  is  increased  in  price 
50°o.  and  the  fractional  part  of  an  ounce  of 
gold  that  is  taken  to  represent  a  pound 
sterhng  is  reduced  b\'  oO%  ? 


The  producer  will  probably  agree  to 
exchange  the  same  amount  of  copjier  for 
the  same  equivalent  amount  of  gold  as  at 
present,  but  not  for  the  same  equivalent 
number  of  currency  notes  as  at  present  ;  that 
is  where  the  rub  comes  in  !  Producers  of 
all  other  connnodities  would  do  exactly  the 
same.  If  this  much  is  not  conceded,  then 
why  not  change  the  standard  lb.  weight 
and  call  the  new  standard  lb.  that  weight 
which   is   represented   by    lilb.    to-day? 

Of  course,  everyone  knows  what  the 
resultant  effect  would  be  if  this  were  done. 
It  would  first  of  all  create  chaotic  conditions, 
and  secondly  it  would  make  absolutely  no 
difference  to  the  actual  quantity  of  wheat, 
meat,  tobacco,  or  anything  else,  we  could 
obtain  from  producers  in  exchange  for 
currency.  That  is,  it  would  not  improve  the 
purchasing  value  of  currency.  What  would 
apply  if  the  standard  lb.  weight  were  altered 
would  apply  equally  if  the  amount  of  gold 
that  represents  a  pound  note  were  altered. 

No,  it  is  the  law  of  supply  and  demand 
that  is  at  work  and  in  operation  which  is 
causing  prices  for  goods  and  commodities 
and  wages  paid  for  services  to  gradually  fall 
and  tumble,  or,  in  other  words,  deflation  is 
being  forced  upon  us  as  a  nation,  because 
other  nations  are  producing  the  same  goods 
and  commodities  we  produce  and  export 
at  less  cost  and  paj'ing  lower  wages  for 
services  than  we  are. 

In  order  to  compete  and  retain  our  foreign 
trade  and  markets  w-e  are  being  forced  to 
scale  down  our  prices. 

If  England  is  to  meet  the  new  conditions 
that  confront  her  we  as  a  nation  of  people 
must  :  (1)  Reduce  the  burdens  of  taxation 
falling  on  the  people  and  on  industr3^  that 
is.  State  expenditure  and  extravagance  should 
be  curtailed  ;  (2)  improve  our  efficiency 
methods  in  all  spheres  of  human  activity  ; 
(3)  Increase  the  amount  of  our  productive 
effort  while  at  work.  The  coal  miner  should 
strive  to  increase  the  output  of  coal  per 
month  per  man  employed,  and  the  same 
applies  to  the  working  man  in  all  other 
trades  and  industries. 

If  all  three  of  the  above  factors  are  made  to 
work  in  harmony,  then  the  purchasing  value 
of  a  pound  sterling  will  increase,  and  a  state 
of  prosperity  return  to  trade  and  the  people 
of  England. 

It  seems  to  me  to  be  the  duty  of  our 
Government  to  adopt  every  legitimate  means 
in  their  power  to  try  and  bring  about 
deflation,  because  the  real  cause  of  our  trade 


OCTOBER,    1921 


225 


slump  and  the  depression  that  exists  in  the 
country  is  due  to  external  pressure  ;  that  is, 
other  nations  are  encroaching  on,  and 
entering  our  markets  at  home  and  abroad, 
underselHng  and  outbidding  us  as  traders. 

The  index  whereby  we  are  able  to  judge 
of  the  actual  position  of  affairs  is  by  noting 
what  the  purchasing  value  of  our  pound 
sterling  is  now,  compared  with  its  purchasing 
value  in  pre-war  days. 

What  real  difference  will  it  make  to  a  pro- 
ducer of  goods  if,  say,  to-day  he  produces 
10,000  things  for  ^1,000,  and  owing  to  falling 
prices  he  is  only  able  to  realize  /800  on  them, 
if  he  is  still  able  to  produce  a  like  number  of 
the  same  things  to-morrow  for  the  £800 
received  for  the  others  ? 

Again,  if  £500  will  purchase  in  five  years 
time  what  £1,000  purchases  to-day,  what 
difference  does  it  make  to  any  person  then 
if  they  only  receive  £500  in  exchange  for 
their  £1,000  ?  The  purchasing  value  of 
both  are  equal,  everyone  loses  nothing  in 
reality,  the  only  difference  being  that  £1 
in  five  years  would  go  as  far  in  purchasing 
goods,  commodities,  and  services  as  £2 
to-day. 

This,  then,  gives  another  side  of  the  picture 
approached  from  a  different  point  of  view 
on  the  subject  of  the  real  value  of  gold,  and 
rather  points  to  the  fact  that  deflation  would 
if  carried  to  its  logical  practical  conclusion 
establish  a  stable  currency  which  would 
enable  the  trade  and  commerce  of  the  country 
to  revive  rapidly. 

Gold  considered  as  a  commodity  is  not 
discussed  here,  as  it  would  make  this  reply 
too  long,  but  stated  shortly,  fluctuating 
exchange  rates  between  nations,  due  to 
fluctuating  trade  balances,  automatically 
determine  the  real  value  of  gold  as  a  com- 
modity ;  or,  stated  in  other  words,  markets 
(the  supply  and  demand  for  gold)  prove  in 
practice  stronger  than  legislation. 

It  has,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  always  seemed 
to  me  in  thinking  about  the  real  function  of 
money  or  currency  that  the  Jews  under- 
stand the  significance  and  meaning  of  the 
elementary  truths  enumerated  above  better 
than  we  do,  and  I  advance  it  as  a  probable 
reason  why  they  are  the  world's  greatest 
financiers  and  likewise  why  so  man  3'  of  them 
are  numbered  among  the  world's  greatest 
philanthropists. 

H.  C.  Bayldon. 

London, 

September  16. 


BOOK    REVIEWS 

Mine  Rescue  Work  and  Organization. 

By  H.  F.  BuLMAX  and  Trederick  P.  Mills. 
Cloth,  octavo,  182  pages,  illustrated. 
Price  12s.  net.  London  :  Crosby  Lock- 
wood  &  Son. 

There  are  employed  in  mining  operations 
throughout  the  world  over  six  million  persons, 
and  of  these  there  are  engaged  in  the  working 
of  coal  more  than  the  combined  totals  of  all 
those  engaged  in  other  classes  of  mining,  such 
as  exploitation  of  ores  of  iron,  copper,  gold, 
non-metallic  minerals,  etc.  The  value  of 
rescue  apparatus  at  collieries  has  become  so 
generally  recognized  that  in  the  principal 
coal-mining  areas  Government  regulations 
demand  that  self-contained  breathing 
appliances  be  available  for  use  if  required  at 
the  mine.  Accidental  ignitions  of  timber  or 
explosives  in  metalliferous  mines  may  pro- 
duce conditions  akin  to  those  which  exist 
when  an  explosion  or  underground  fire  occurs 
at  a  colHery,  and  it  may  be  said  that  the 
useful  application  of  mine-rescue  apparatus  is 
likely  to  extend  far  beyond  the  circles  for 
which  it  was  primarily  designed.  A  committee 
appointed  on  the  suggestion  of  the  Home 
Office  to  investigate  the  types  of  breathing 
apparatus  used  in  coal  mines  under  the 
chairmanship  of  Mr.  William  Walker,  the 
Chief  Inspector  of  Mines,  suggested  in  1918 
that  the  question  of  applying  the  rescue 
regulations  to  mines  under  the  Metalliferous 
Mines  Regulation  Act  should  be  taken  into 
consideration  when  any  new  legislation 
relating  to  these  mines  is  introduced.  On 
two  occasions  the  Cumberland  rescue  station 
has  been  called  upon  for  assistance  at  iron  ore 
mines,  and  a  colliery  brigade  saved  the  Hfe  of 
one  man  gassed  by  carbon  monoxide.  For 
nearly  ten  years  at  the  examinations  for 
certificates  of  competency  as  coUiery 
managers  there  have  been  always  placed 
before  the  candidates  questions  on  rescue 
work,  a  subject  of  growing  importance. 

Students  and  others  who  have  to  deal 
with  the  subject  mider  discussion  will  find 
the  work  of  Messrs.  Bulman  and  Mills  a 
helpful  pubhcation.  The  Government  regula- 
tions on  the  provision  of  apparatus  at  mines 
and  at  rescue  stations  and  the  course  of 
training  for  rescue  brigades  are  explained  in 
detail. 

It  is  useful  for  central  rescue  stations  in  the 
British  coalfields  to  serve  a  number  of 
collieries  situated  at  a  distance  of  not  more 
than  10  miles  in  direct  line  from  each  station. 


221'. 


Tin;     MINI. NT,    .MAi.AZINE 


At  these  centres  there  arc  provided  spteial 
facilities  for  the  training  of  teams  from  each 
colliery,  which  has  thus  available,  in  case  of 
accident,  men  well  acquainted  with  under- 
ground conditions  at  the  mine.  Their  efforts 
in  dealing  with  an  accident  would  be  supjile- 
mented  by  assistance  from  the  central 
station  which  is  organized  on  the  prineipks 
of  a  fue  brigade  for  prompt  turn  out  when 
required. 

The  course  of  training  suggested  by  the 
authors  is  apparently  based  on  practical 
experience  and  has  doubtless  given  excellent 
results,  but  in  the  course  of  fourteen  lessons 
for  teams  sent  from  collieries  for  training 
there  seem  to  be  several  points  open  to 
criticism.  The  men  arc  asked  to  see  that 
provision  is  made  at  their  collieries  for 
telephonic  communications,  suitable  road  for 
motor  hre  engine,  and  good  foundation  for 
engine,  etc.  Details  are  giv'en  of  weight  and 
dimensions  of  motor  pump,  and  it  is  pointed 
out  that  hj'drants  and  hose  should  be  in- 
spected weekl\^  \\'ould  not  an  official 
communication  from  the  central  mine  rescue 
and  fire  brigade  station  direct  to  the  manager 
of  the  mine  be  a  better  method  of  dealing  with 
matters  of  this  character,  than  placing  them 
in  the  hands  of  half  a  dozen  men  whose 
primar\-  object  in  attending  the  course  of 
instruction  is  to  make  them  capable  of 
acting  efficiently  in  an  irrespirable 
atmosphere  ? 

The  various  t^-pcs  of  respiratory  apparatus 
and  accessory  appliances  are  well  described, 
but  no  information  is  given  of  the  JMeco 
apparatus,  and  the  geophone,  of  which  there  is 
a  detailed  account,  does  not  appear  to  be  of 
the  t5'pe  familiar  to  a  large  number  of 
mining  engineers  who  had  experience  with 
Tunnelhng  Companies  of  the  Royal  Engineers 
during  the  late  war.  This  instrument, 
described  by  Major  Standish  Ball  in  the 
Proceedings  of  the  Institution  of  ^lining  and 
Metallurg}-,  1919,  not  only  magnified  any 
sound  passing  through  solid  rock  but 
indicated  with  great  accurac}'  the  direction 
of  point  of  origin.  A  brief  account  of  the 
method  of  utilizing  the  geophone  under- 
ground would  add  to  the  value  of  the  book 
ruider  review. 

That  aeroplanes  will  be  utilized  "  sooner  or 
later  "  for  the  transport  of  men  and  apparatus 
from  rescue  station  to  a  mine  on  occasion  of 
disaster,  as  suggested  by  the  authors,  appears 
to  be  very  doubtful.  The  cUfficulty  of 
obtaining  a  suitable  landing  place,  "  an 
area    of    75    acres "    near    to    the    mine    as 


mentioni.tl,  is  not  the  only  factor  to  be  con- 
sidered under  present  requirements.  When 
there  is  an  urgent  call  for  assistance  a  motor- 
car would  be  far  superior  to  an  aerojilane  in 
quickly  reaching  a  mine  within  Ui  iniKs  cit 
a  rescue  station. 

The  authors  show  a  sound  and  practical 
knowledge  of  their  subject,  and  as  a  text- 
book. Mine  Rescue  Wurk  and  Oriianization 
may  be  reconunended  to  the  attention  of  the 
mining  community. 

St.\kley  Nettleton. 

Problems  in  Land  and  Mine  Surveying. 

J'.y     D.wiEL     D.vviES.       Second     edition. 

Cloth,     octavo,     355    pages,     illustrated. 

Price    12s.    6d.    net.      London :     Charles 

Griffin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

Civil  engineers  are  fairly  well  supplied  with 
manuals  on  surveying  applicable  to  their 
work  ;  mining  engineers  are  not.  The  really 
good  all-round  book  on  mine  surveying  has 
still  to  be  written  ;  it  will  be  received  with 
open  arms  when  it  is.  While  awaiting  its 
tardy  arrival  we  must  be  grateful  to  those 
authors  who  present  us  with  treatises 
covering  some  of  the  ground  in  a  helpful 
way,  as  is  the  case  here.  The  first  edition, 
reviewed  in  these  columns  in  July,  1918,  had 
276  pages,  145  diagrams,  and  400  questions, 
of  which  291  were  worked  out.  The  second 
edition  has  355  pages,  195  diagrams,  and 
550  questions,  of  which  350  are  worked  out. 
Several  minor  corrections  have  been  made, 
and  the  scope  of  the  book  has  been 
advantageously  extended.  Many  of  the 
problems  and  diagrams  were  originally 
published  in  The  Science  and  Art  of  Mining, 
a  periodical  well  known  to  students  of  coal 
mining  ;  and  the  book  is  intended  principally 
to  assist  the  young  colliery  engineer.  The 
most  numerous  problems  given  are  those 
involving  calculation  of  areas,  use  of 
trigonometrical  ratios,  and  mensuration, 
with  many  others  dealing  with  amount  and 
direction  of  dip,  co-ordinates,  errors,  faults, 
levelling,  scales,  etc.  Noticeable  additions 
are  :  loose  needle  surveying  in  the  presence 
of  iron,  azimuth  by  solar  observation, 
conventional  signs  in  plan-making,  operation 
of  levelling  with  a  dumpy  level,  methods 
of  booking  levelUng  notes,  and  a  dial  survey 
of  a  steeply  inclined  shaft  and  drift  with 
plan  and  section  plotted  therefrom. 

For  obtaining  areas  by  co-ordinates  the 
author  uses  the  rule:  multiply  the  total 
latitude  of  each  station  by  the  algebraic 
sum  of   the   departure   of  that   traverse   or 


OCTOBER,    1921 


227 


draft  and  the  one  following  ;  the  sum  of  these 
products  divided  by  two  is  equal  to  the  area 
of  the  closed  traverse.  From  the  pro- 
fessional standpoint  a  better  rule  is : 
multiply  the  algebraic  sums  of  the  total 
latitudes  (or  departures)  of  every  two 
adjoining  stations  by  the  algebraic  differences 
of  the  total  departures  (or  latitudes)  of  the 
same  stations ;  the  algebraic  sum  of  the 
products  is  double  the  area.  The  solar 
observation  example  has  no  explanation 
appended  to  it,  making  it  difficult  of  com- 
prehension by  a  student ;  moreover, 
decimals  of  seconds  are  quite  superfluous 
in  an  observation  which  usually  is  not 
expected  to  give  the  true  azimuth  at  best 
nearer  than  to  1  minute,  and  the  inadvertent 
insertion  of  the  declination  instead  of  the 
codeclination  value  in  one  part  of  the 
calculation  makes  it  puzzling  to  the  un- 
initiated. 

Approval  must  be  accorded  to  the  in- 
struction that  "  bordering  should  be  neat, 
but  not  unduly  elaborate ;  otherwise 
appreciation  of  a  well-executed  plan  may  be 
lost  in  admiration  of  the  border."  Still, 
students  like  to  spread  themselves  a  bit  in 
the  matter  of  embellishments  when  it  comes 
to  titles,  north  points,  and  borders  ;  and 
enthusiasm  for  artistic  draughtsmanship, 
even  of  a  rather  florid  type,  is  not  a  bad 
sign,  and  should  not  be  too  severely  repressed. 

The  book  is  pleasantly  produced,  and, 
within  its  scope,  should  be  most  helpful  to 
students ;  it  should  also  be  of  assistance 
to  teachers  in  furnishing  them  with  a 
collection  of  worked  and  unworked  problems 
suitable  for  class  exercises. 

Alex.  Rich.^rdsox. 

Field  Mapping  for  the  Oil  Geologist.    By 

C.  A.  Warner.  Cloth,  octavo,  145  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  13s.  6d.  net.  New 
York  :  John  \\'iley  &  Sons.  London  : 
Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd. 

The  rapid  growth  of  the  petroleum 
industry  has  brought  with  it  a  corresponding 
increase  in  the  amount  of  technical  literature 
dealing  with  all  matters  pertaining  to  oil 
finding,  and  the  last  nine  months  especially 
have  seen  the  production  of  many  useful 
volumes  in  this  connexion,  mainly  from 
America.  As  not  unfrequently  happens, 
however,  such  a  literary  boom  brings  with  it 
certain  publications  which  are  neither  up  to 
the  standard  of  excellence  nor  of  the  specific 
value  of  contemporary  works,   and  at   the 


outset  we  are  bound  to  say  that  this  little 
volum  suffeers  in  these  respects. 

Firstly,  it  is  somewhat  overshadowed  by 
the  recent  volume  by  Cox,  Dake,  and  Muilen- 
burg  on  "  Field  Methods  in  Petroleum 
Geology,"  reviewed  in  the  June  number  of 
the  Mag.-^zixe,  which  covers  practically  the 
same  ground,  though  in  much  more  detail  ; 
secondly,  as  an  exposition  of  field  methods, 
even  simply  as  an  outline  of  first  principles, 
it  is  sadly  inadequate,  since  much  that  is 
of  fundamental  importance  in  geological 
mapping  and  subsequent  interpretation  of 
structures  is  omitted.  Further,  the  general 
foundation  of  the  subject  which  the  author 
sets  out  to  construct  is  unfortunately  made 
unsafe  by  exti'eme  brevity  of  treatment,  and 
without  some  previous  knowledge  and 
experience  by  way  of  supplement,  it  is  rather 
doubtful  whether  a  mere  perusal  of  this  work 
would  afford  the  reader  the  requisite 
theoretical  grounding  in  his  subject. 

The  text  consists  of  145  pages,  of  which 
roughly  63  are  taken  up  with  tables  of 
constants,  geological  fundamentals,  and 
index,  thus  leaving  only  82  pages  in  which  to 
dispose  of  the  subject  matter  ;  the  latter  is 
dealt  with  under  five  chapters,  the  first  being 
a  study  of  field  conditions,  the  second 
dealing  with  maps,  their  value  and  inter- 
pretation, the  third  discussing  field-mapping 
and  methods,  the  fourth,  mapping  instru- 
ments, and  the  last  containing  details  of 
meridian  determination  and  the  tables  above 
referred  to.  With  regard  to  the  first  chapter 
there  is  little  to  remark  beyond  the  fact  that 
a  discussion  of  such  a  broad  phase  of  the 
subject,  when  limited  to  seven  pages, 
cannot  po.ssibly  be  more  than  the  barest 
summary  ;  for  instance,  the  author  might 
well  have  extended  his  remarks  on  oil-seeps 
and  their  examination ;  far  too  great 
importance  is,  we  fear,  paid  to  surface 
indications  of  petroleum,  so  frequently 
suggesting  escape  of  oil  rather  than  storage 
in  subterranean  pools.  In  Chapter  II  the 
study  of  geological  and  topographical  maps  is 
somewhat  stereotyped,  as  are  the  illustrations 
which  include  the  inevitable  landscape  and 
contour  map  reproduced  from  the  inside 
cover  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey 
folios  ;  this  particular  illustration  seems  to  be 
a  sine  qua  noii  in  American  literature  of 
structural  geologj^  as  is  the  case  with  several 
other  illustrations  repeated  from  time  to  time 
in  different  volumes  ;  such  reiteration 
suggests  lack  of  imagination  and  does  not  tend 
to  the  creation  of  a  well  individualized  work. 


22S 


Tin-    MixiX(~.  :\i.\(-,.\zi\F, 


In  the  third  chapter  on  fuld  nKi]i]-)ing  and 
nuthoiis,  the  author  embodies  the  results  of 
personal  experience  in  geological  surveying, 
and  although  brief,  much  useful  information 
is  offered.  The  remarks  on  correlation  of 
unfossiliferous  strata,  however,  arc  mi- 
fortunate,  since  the  use  of  vertical  sections, 
implj'ing  uniformity  of  conditions  ovtr  wide 
areas,  must  be  extremely  limitetl,  uniformity 
being  the  exception  rather  than  the  rule  in 
most  countries.  No  mention  is  made  of 
petrographic  methods  of  correlation  under 
such  circumstances,  methods  which  are  far 
safer  than  those  dependent  on  mere  lithology 
and  whicli  might  well  be  applied  to  the  Red 
Beds  mentioned  by  the  author.  The  chapter 
also  includes  an  abstract  of  Griswold  and 
JIunn's  paper  on  certain  oilfields  which 
illustrate  the  working  of  isochore  maps 
(U.S.G.S.,  Bull.  318),  and  concludes  with 
a  few  hints  on  writing  geological  reports  ; 
we  are  glad  to  note  in  the  latter  connexion 
that  the  author  insists  on  a  degree  of  brevity 
commensurate  with  the  amount  and 
importance  of  the  information  to  be  sub- 
mitted ;  professional  reports  so  frequently 
present  the  appearance  of  small  textbooks 
that  the  advice  is  particularly  apposite. 

The  remainder  of  the  volume  is  devoted  to 
a  discussion  of  certain  instruments  used 
during  preliminary  survey,  and  includes 
information  on  the  telescopic  alidade, 
Brunton  pocket  transit,  and  aneroid 
barometer,  followed  by  notes  on  meridian 
determination  and  various  reference  tables. 
The  book  will,  we  think,  probably  make  its 
greatest  appeal  to  American  geologists  and 
others  engaged  in  oil-production  in  that 
country,  since  its  teaching  is  based  almost 
entirely  on  American  practice  ;  even  if  its 
scope  were  wider,  it  is  doubtful  whether  in  its 
present  size  and  form  it  would  command  a 
ready  sale  in  this  country  at  the  prohibitive 
price  at  which  it  is  published. 

H.    B.    MiLNER. 

Mechanical  Drawing.  By  John  E.  J.\gger. 

Third   edition,    cloth,   quarto,   251    pages, 

illustrated.      Price    15s.    net.      London  ; 

Charles  Griffin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

The  object  of  this  book,  the  result  of  many 
years  of  practice  and  study,  is  to  provide 
notes,  observations,  and  examples  to  enable 
a  student  to  learn  how  to  read  drawings, 
make  a  simple  working  drawing,  and  apply 
the  knowledge  gained  in  his  future  work. 
It  is  intended  for  students  who  have  not  the 
opportunity   to   serve   in   a   drawing   office, 


but  who  siiiiuld  know  something  of  oflficc 
processes  and  methods.  The  ability  to 
read  a  machine  drawing  correctly,  and  to 
infer  considerations  not  artnallv  expressed 
in  line  and  curve,  is  for  ihi  mcciianical 
engineer  just  as  imjiortant  as  the  ability 
to  analyse  a  mine  j)lan  is  for  the  mining 
engineer,  and  no  pains  .should  be  spared  to 
ac(]uire  such  facility. 

Beginning  with  instructions  on  draughts- 
manship, the  author  goes  on  to  tracing, 
])hoto-copying,  and  principles  of  projection. 
Then  follow  a  series  of  dimensioned  designs, 
ranging  from  a  .simple  cast-iron  bracket  to 
a  tool-holder  for  a  planing  machine,  and  a 
chapter  on  materials  used  in  mechanical 
engineering.  In  addition  to  the  numerous 
illustrations,  the  book  contains  much  textual 
information,  comprising  formulae,  tables, 
descriptions,  and  examples  for  working. 
It  is,  therefore,  a  great  deal  more  than  a 
book  on  drawing  only ;  and  one  which 
engineering  students  will  undoubtedly  find 
useful.  By  way  of  suggestion,  it  might  be  an 
increase  to  utility  to  include  an  example  of 
a  small  la3'-out,  say,  a  motor  driving  a 
line-shaft  from  which  power  was  taken  off 
for  a  few  machine  tools,  for  the  purpose  of 
leading  the  student  up  to  the  important 
field  of  general  planning  and  organization. 

Pumping     by      Compressed      Air.      By 

Edmund  M.  Ivens.  Second  edition.   Cloth, 

octavo,  266  pages,  illustrated.     Price  22s. 

New  York  :  John  Wiley  &  Son  ;  London  : 

Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd. 

Mr.  Ivens  undertook  the  study  of  this 
subject  in  the  first  instance  with  a  view  to 
obtaining  information  for  his  own  needs. 
He  had  the  opportunity  to  install  and  test 
a  number  of  air-hfts  operating  under  varied 
conditions,  and  thought  the  data  he  had 
gathered  as  the  outcome  of  his  experience 
and  reading  were  of  sufficient  interest  to 
conden.se  and  publish.  To  the  first  edition 
have  been  added  some  thirty  pages  of  text, 
and  several  illustrations,  formula;,  and 
tables  ;  the  added  matter  consisting  chiefly 
of  operative  results. 

The  first  of  the  fourteen  chapters  deals  with 
pumping  by  the  action  of  pistons ;  the 
second,  with  the  displacement  pump  ;  the 
third,  with  the  return  air  system ;  the 
next  five  with  the  air-lift ;  the  following 
four  with  compression  generalities,  com- 
pressor efficiency,  compressors,  and  flow 
of  air  in  pipes  ;  the  thirteenth  with  the  flow 
of  water  in  pipes ;     and    the    last   with   a 


OCTOBER,    1921 


229 


description  of  a  water-works  pumping 
installation.  As  will  be  seen,  the  air-lift, 
which  is  by  far  the  most  common  method 
of  pumping  by  compressed  air,  comes  in 
for  extended  notice.  Mining  men  will  be 
interested  in  the  system  of  working  sulphur 
deposits  developed  by  IMr.  Herman  Frasch. 
The  sulphur  is  liquefied  either  by  melting 
or  by  dissolving,  and  pumped  up  into 
settling  tanks.  The  well  is  cased  to  a  short 
distance  below  the  junction  of  the  over- 
lying strata  with  the  sulphur  bed,  and 
through  this  the  air-lift  piping  is  carried  down 
well  into  the  bed.  Steam  is  admitted  into 
the  casing,  and  melts  the  sulphur.  The 
mixture  of  molten  sulphur,  hot  water,  and 
steam  is  then  pumped  to  the  surface.  With 
regard  to  air-lifts  in  general,  it  might  be  well 
to  bear  in  mind  the  author's  opinion  that 
"  an  air  lift  improperly  designed  and 
installed  is  one  of  the  most  criminally  waste- 
ful means  of  pumping  known." 

The  book  is  well  supphed  with  illustrations, 
and  data,  both  theoretical  and  practical, 
valuable  to  anyone  desiring  information 
on  the  subject  of  pumping  by  compressed  air. 

l^^  Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  under  the  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  The  .l/tnins  Magazint,  724,  Salisbury  House,  London 
Wall,  London,  E.C.  2. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

TORONTO 

September  12. 

Metallic  Production  of  Ontario. — 
The  returns  of  the  Ontario  Department  of 
Mines  for  the  first  six  months  of  1921  show 
a  marked  decline  in  the  value  of  the 
metalliferous  output  of  the  province,  with  the 
exception  of  gold  and  lead.  The  total 
value  was  $11,363,652,  as  compared  with 
522,101,580  during  the  corresponding  period 
of  the  previous  year.  In  common  with  other 
industries  mining  is  experiencing  the  effects 
of  a  poor  market,  and  the  general  lowering 
of  commodity  prices.  The  output  of  gold 
shows  a  slight  increase,  being  valued  at 
$5,761,504,  as  compared  with  $5,690,504, 
while  the  production  of  silver  has  declined 
in  quantity  from  4,474,322  oz.  of  the  value 
of  $5,077,028  to  4,277,762  oz.  valued  at 
$2,552,125.  The  production  of  the  precious 
metals  was  much  curtailed  during  the  first 
quarter  of  the  year  by  the  shortage  of  electric 
power,  and  the  output  of  gold  for  the  full 
j'ear  now  that  conditions  are  more  favourable 
promises  to  establish  a  new  high  record. 

Porcupine. — An    interim    report    of    the 


Hollingcr  Consolidated,  covering  the  first 
seven  months  of  the  year,  presents  a  highly 
satisfactory  showing.  The  net  profit  for 
the  period  was  $2,339,921,  as  compared  with 
$2,074,025  for  the  corresponding  period  of 
1920.  The  total  income  was  $5,125,050,  as 
against  $4,012,242,  and  the  total  expenditure 
$2,785,129,  as  compared  with  $1,938,218. 
The  average  tonnage  milled  per  day  was 
2,406  tons,  as  compared  with  1,906,  and  the 
number  of  men  employed  had  increased 
from  1,103  to  1,369. 

The  Dome  Mines  is  carrying  out  an 
extensive  plan  of  exploration  to  ascertain 
the  extent  of  the  large  ore-body  encountered 
on  the  10th  level,  which  has  been  found  to 
continue  downwards  for  more  than  300  ft. 
The  workings  are  being  deepened,  but  it  has 
not  been  decided  how  far  the  shaft  will  be 
put  down.  A  new  ore-body  has  been  found 
on  the  7th  level,  but  whether  it  is  an  upward 
extension  of  the  deposit  on  the  lower  levels 
has  not  been  determined.  According  to  an 
official  statement  the  Dome  is  now  treating 
an  average  of  840  tons  daily,  with  an 
approximate  recovery  of  $6'17  per  ton. 

The  assets  of  the  Davidson  Consolidated 
have  been  taken  over  by  a  new  company, 
known  as  the  Porcupine  Davidson  Gold 
Mines,  in  which  British  capital  represented 
by  Sir  Archibald  Mitchelson  and  John 
Hambly,  is  largely  interested,  capitalized  at 
£1,000,000  sterling.  The  amount  paid  was 
^175,000  preferred  stock  and  ;/;450,000 
common  stock,  in  the  new  company,  and 
£50,000  cash,  shareholders  of  the  old  com- 
pany retaining  their  securities.  A  sum  of 
£"200,000  is  set  apart  for  working  capital 
and  the  mine  is  now  being  unwatered 
preliminary  to  the  resumption  of  operations. 

The  annual  report  of  the  ficlntyre 
Porcupine  for  the  year  ended  June  30 
shows  total  net  earnings  amounting  to 
$1,088,513,  as  compared  with  $1,280,232, 
and  a  net  profit  transferred  to  surplus  of 
$815,530,  as  compared  with  $818,020.  The 
ore  produced  was  171,916  tons,  of  a  gross 
value  of  $2,005,672,  averaging  $11-67  per 
ton,  as  compared  with  188,835  tons  of 
$2,175,891  gross  value,  and  $11-52  average 
value  for  the  preceding  year.  The  ore 
reserves  were  estimated  at  624,422  tons,  of 
the  value  of  $6,392,394,  an  increase  of  nearly 
$800,000. 

At  the  Beaumont,  formerly  the  North 
Davidson,  the  ore-body  cut  on  the  150  ft. 
level  has  been  tapped  by  a  cross-cut  at  the 
300  ft.   level,   and  is  being  opened  up. 


230 


THE    MIXING    MAr.AZIXIC 


The  Porcupine  area  is  being  considerably 
extended  by  operations  wliicli  are  bi'int; 
actively  carried  on  in  the  outlying  districts 
where  many  new  properties  are  being 
developed.  These  include  the  Union  Mining 
Corporation  and  Daly  claims  lying  w-est  of  the 
producing  area  ;  the  Big  Dyke,  Ankerite 
Extension,  Porcupine  Paymaster,  and  March 
Gold  toward  the  south  ;  Allied  Porcupine 
and  Porcupinc-Keora  to  the  north-east  ; 
Gold  Island  Ij'ing  east  and  the  Triplex  in  a 
south-easterly  direction. 

KiRKL.AND  L.A.KE. — This  camp  is  rapidly 
increasing  in  extent  and  importance,  and 
has  recently  experienced  a  considerable 
growth  in  population.  The  production  of  the 
Lake  Shore  for  Jul}'  amounted  to  §49,155 
from  the  treatment  of  1,967  tons  of  ore,  with 
an  average  recovery  of  $2199  per  ton. 
President  Harry  Oakes  states  that  the 
physical  condition  of  the  mine  is  stronger 
than  ever,  and  that  the  capacity  of  the  mill 
has  been  increased  to  nearly  70  tons  per  day. 
Structural  work  on  the  new  mill  of  the 
Ontario-Kirkland  of  100  ton  capacity  is 
nearly  completed,  and  it  is  hoped  to  have  it 
in  operation  by  the  end  of  the  year.  A 
considerable  quantity  of  ore  averaging  about 
$15  is  in  readiness  for  milling.  At  the 
King  Kirkland  another  new  vein  has  been 
opened  up  with  a  pay-streak  from  1  to  2  ft. 
wide,  which  shows  commercial  ore  on  the 
surface  for  200  ft.  Camp  buildings  are  being 
erected  on  the  Queen  Lebel,  and  a  plan  of 
exploration  and  development  has  been 
arranged.  A  vein  system  of  some  importance 
has  been  found  on  the  surface  at  the  Lcbel 
Lode  yielding  high  assays.  Exploration  is 
being  undertaken  to  ascertain  the  zone  of 
greatest  enrichment  before  putting  down 
a  shaft. 

CoB.ALT. — The  silver-mining  industry  con- 
tinues quiet.  Economic  conditions  have 
improved,  though  not  sufficiently  to  induce 
the  producing  mines  which  closed  down  last 
year  to  resume  work.  Production  by  the 
Nipissing  mine,  however,  shows  a  steady 
increase,  a  noticeable  feature  being  the 
amount  of  cobalt  produced  as  a  by-product. 
During  July  ore  was  mined  of  an  estimated 
net  value  of  $166,363,  including  cobalt 
valued  at  $25,380,  and  bullion  from  Nipissing 
and  customs  ore  was  shipped  of  an  estimated 
net  value  of  $223,057.  At  the  Violet  property 
of  the  La  Rose  Consolidated  a  vein  9  in. 
wide,  carrjdng  high-grade  ore,  was  struck 
on  the  570  ft.  level.  On  being  followed  it  was 
found   to   widen   out   considerably,    and   to 


show  greater  enrichment.  A  rich  vein 
has  been  encoinitered  on  the  O'Brien 
adjoining,  heading  towards  the  Violet.  A 
A  vein  opened  up  on  the  4th  sub-level  of  the 
Bailey  Cobalt  shows  2  to  4  in.  of  high-grade 
ore,  with  good  silver  contents  in  the  wall- 
rock.  The  report  of  the  Timiskaming  for  a 
period  of  18  months  ended  June  30  shows 
net  jiroduction  of  the  value  of  $179,294, 
ajid  other  income  of  $51,479,  makinf^  a  total 
of  $220,773.  Oj)erating  costs  and  other 
charges  were  $366,539,  making  a  deficit  of 
$135,765. 

Sudbury. — The  mines  and  smelter  of  the 
International  Nickel  Co.,  in  the  Sudbury 
district,  as  well  as  the  refinery  at  Port 
Col  borne,  Ontario,  were  closed  down  for  an 
indefinite  period  on  September  1.  Operations 
had  been  greatly  curtailed  for  some  months, 
and  the  suspension  was  not  unexpected. 
The  reason  assigned  was  general  business 
depression,  and  the  accumulation  of  heavy 
stocks  for  which  a  market  could  not  be  found. 
During  the  war  upwards  of  2,500  men  found 
employment  at  the  mines  and  works,  but 
the  pay-roll  has  since  been  gradually  reduced 
to  about  600.  The  Mond  Nickel  Co.  is  now 
the  only  one  in  operation,  and  it  is  only 
working  on  a  very  limited  scale. 

VANCOUVER.  B.C. 

Complex  Lead-Zinc  Ores.  —  What  is 
likely  to  be  the  most  far-reaching  event  of  the 
month  is  the  bonding  of  the  Stemwinder 
mine  and  the  Ontario  group,  at  Kimbcrley, 
from  the  !MacKenzie  &  Mann  interests  by 
the  Federal  Mining  &  Smelting  Co.,  a  sub- 
sidiary of  the  American  Smelting  &  Refining 
Co.  No  details  of  the  terms  of  the  bond  have 
been  announced  e.xccpt  that  ample  time  has 
been  given  to  explore  the  deposits  with  a 
diamond-drill.  The  Federal  company  had 
the  Stemwinder  property  under  option  in 
1918,  but  rehnquished  the  option  after  doing 
considerable  drilling.  It  is  easy  to  see  that 
there  are  a  number  of  conditions  that  may 
have  attracted  the  Federal  back  to  the 
property.  In  the  first  place,  with  lead  and 
zinc  prices  about  half  of  what  they  were  in 
1918,  and  with  money  considerably  tighter, 
it  is  likely  that  the  company  has  been  able 
to  make  better  terms  with  the  MacKenzie  & 
Mann  interests,  a  concern  that  has  the 
reputation  in  this  province  as  being  rather 
grasping ;  but  what  may  have  weighed 
more  than  this  with  the  Federal  is  the 
splendid  development  of  the  Consohdated 
Mining  Cc  Smelting  Co.'s  Sullivan  mine,  which 


OCTOBER,    1921 


231 


adjoins  the  Stcmwinder,  and  the  fact  that 
the  Consohdated  company,  after  spending 
some  three-quarters  of  a  million  dollars  in 
experiments,  has  solved  the  metallurgical 
difficulties  in  connexion  with  the  exceedingly 
complex  ores  found  in  the  Sullivan  and 
Stemwinder  mines.  This  ore  is  a  compact 
sulphide  containing  galena,  zinc-blende, 
marmatite,  pyrrhotite,  pyrite,  and  small 
quantities  of  several  other  minerals  and  not 
more  than  6%  of  gangue.  The  lead  and  zinc 
contents  vary  in  different  parts  of  the  mines, 
but  at  the  Sullivan  they  average  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  18%  zinc  and  12%  lead, 
with  a  low  silver  content,  probably  less  than 
4  oz.  per  ton.  Besides  numerous  laboratory 
plants,  the  Consolidated  built  and  dismantled 
several  commercial  plants — the  largest  had 
a  daily  capacity  of  600  tons — before  a  satis- 
factory process  was  devised.  The  following 
is  a  bare  outline  of  the  process  finally  adopted 
and  now  in  use.  The  ore  is  ground  to  about 
20  mesh  and  tabled  to  remove  some  of  the 
galena  and  some  of  the  gangue  ;  the  tailing 
from  the  tables  is  slimed  to  200  mesh,  and 
treated  in  ^linerals  Separation  cells,  a  mixture 
of  pine  oil  and  creosote  being  used  as  a 
frothing  agent.  This  gives  a  concentrate 
containing  the  bulk  of  the  lead  and  zinc 
sulphides,  together  with  a  considerable 
proportion  of  iron  sulphides  and  small 
quantities  of  other  sulphides.  The  taihng 
from  this  process  consists  essentially  of 
pyrrhotite  and  pyrite  and  gangue.  The 
concentrate  is  roasted,  and  the  calcine  is 
subjected  to  an  exceedingly  clever,  though 
very  complicated  process,  in  which  the  zinc 
oxide  is  dissolved  by  acid  zinc  sulphate 
solution,  and  the  solution  is  neutralized  and 
the  iron,  arsenic,  and  antimony  salts  pre- 
cipitated by  zinc  oxide  in  a  fresh  portion  of 
calcine.  The  solution  is  then  separated  from 
the  residue,  and  is  further  purified  by 
agitation  with  atomized  zinc,  which  removes 
copper  and  cadmium,  and  is  then  passed 
through  a  series  of  electrolysing  vats,  where 
about  60%  of  the  zinc  is  precipitated  on  the 
cathodes.  The  solution,  which  has  become 
acid  once  again,  is  used  to  dissolve  zinc  from 
a  fresh  portion  of  calcine.  Thus  a  continuous 
circuit  is  maintained,  a  little  chloride  being 
kept  in  the  circuit  to  precipitate  any  silver 
that  may  have  gone  into  solution.  The 
residue  from  this  process,  which  consists 
essentially  of  lead  sulphate,  ferric  oxide, 
and  undissolved  zinc  in  a  complicated  form, 
largely  ferrate,  goes  to  the  lead  smelter, 
where   the  lead   and   silver   are  recovered. 


The  Consolidated  company  will  give  out  no 
details  either  as  to  cost  or  recovery,  but  one 
can  make  a  shrewd  guess  at  the  latter  from 
the  quantity  of  ore  treated  and  the  zinc 
produced,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  a  great  deal 
more  than  60°/',-,  of  the  zinc  content  of  the  ore 
is  being  recovered.  The  lead  recovery  is 
much  higher.  Low  as  the  zinc  recovery  would 
seem  to  be,  there  is  little  doubt  about  the 
process  being  a  financial  success,  as  last  year 
the  Sullivan  mine  produced  more  than  00% 
of  the  zinc  and  nearly  70°  ^  of  the  lead  out- 
puts of  Canada.  Improvements  are  being 
made  to  the  process  from  time  to  time  and 
undoubtedly  a  much  better  extraction 
ultimately  will  be  obtained. 

To  return  to  the  Federal  company,  how- 
ever, the  proving  up  of  several  million  tons 
of  this  class  of  ore  in  the  Sullivan  mine  and 
the  development  of  a  process  to  treat  it 
has  probably  been  the  principal  drawing 
card  to  induce  the  company  to  re-enter  the 
East  Kootenay  field.  The  opportunities 
of  the  Canadian  lead  and  zinc  market,  which 
at  the  present  time  is  almost  entirely  in  the 
hands  of  the  Consolidated  company,  probably 
also  has  added  weight  to  the  Federal  com- 
pany's decision.  It  is  stated  that  if  it  receives 
encouragement  in  its  exploratory  work  the 
Federal  company  is  prepared  to  spend 
53,000,000  in  the  development  of  the 
property.  Drilling  has  been  started  and  will 
be  carried  on  until  a  definite  conclusion 
as  to  the  value  of  the  ore  deposit  is  reached. 

S.^LMON  River  District. — An  event  of 
considerable  importance  has  been  the  fhip- 
ment  of  the  first  consignment  of  concentrate 
from  the  Premier  mine,  in  the  Salmon 
River  district.  The  concentrate  was  obtaihed 
mainly  from  the  treatment  of  cullings  of  oie 
that  already  had  been  shipped.  The  con- 
signment consisted  of  160  tons,  valued  at 
51,750  per  ton  in  gold  and  silver,  giving  it 
a  total  value  of  about  5280,000.  This 
practically  establishes  the  Premier  as  the 
biggest  gold  and  silver  mine  in  the  Province. 
A  large  body  of  ore  has  been  developed,  and 
it  is  stated  that  the  ore-body  has  been  proved 
by  diamond-driUing  to  a  depth  of  600  ft.  below 
the  lowest  workings.  Shipments  of  both 
high-grade  ore  and  concentrate  will  be  made 
continuously  as  soon  as  the  aerial  tramway, 
now  in  course  of  construction,  from  the  mine 
to  tide-water,  a  distance  of  11 J  miles,  has 
been  completed.  In  the  meantime,  con- 
centrate will  be  shipped  by  road,  as  in  the 
present  instance,  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
high-grade  will  be  sacked  and  held  ;  though 


232 


Till'     MIX  IXC,     MACA/IXE 


it  is  possible,  if  the  tramway  is  not  liiiished 
and  the  travel  is  i;ood,  some  high-yrade  will 
be  shipped  over  the  snow  during  the  winter. 

The  Salmon  Kiver  distriet  seems  likely  to 
fulfil  its  early  promises.  At  least  two,  and 
possibly  three,  other  mines  will  be  shippini; 
fri>m  the  distriet  durint;  this  winter.  The  l"i--h 
Creek  Mining  Co.,  whieh  has  been  developing 
a  jMomising  lode  on  Fish  Creek,  a  tributary 
of  the  Salmon  Kiver  on  the  .\laskan  side 
of  the  international  boundar\-,  already  has 
made  a  shipment  of  some  20  tons  of  high- 
grade  ore,  which  it  is  expected  will  give  a 
return  of  betw.ecn  five  and  six  hmidred 
dollars  per  ton,  and  the  company  has  some 
100  tons  of  similar  ore  mined.  This  ore  is 
being  held  until  better  shipping  facilities 
arc  available.  The  Alaskan  Government  is 
building  a  good  trail  to  the  mine,  and  by  the 
time  this  has  been  completed  it  is  expected 
that  the  property  w'ill  be  sufficiently 
developed  to  be  in  a  position  to  make  regular 
shipments.  Up  to  the  present  all  the  ore 
that  has  been  taken  out  has  been  mined  from 
open-cuts,  but  a  tunnel  is  being  driven  to  cut 
the  ore-body  at  a  depth  of  50  ft.  below  the 
outcrop,  and  this  will  give  cover  for  operations 
during  the  winter.  A  permanent  camp  has 
been  established,  and  work  will  be  continued 
steadily  through  the  winter. 

The  Silverado  group,  which  has  recently 
been  purchased  by  a  Vancouver  sj'ndicate 
headed  by  J.  J.  Coughlan,  the  ship-builder, 
is  situated  on  a  mountain  across  the  river 
from  the  town  of  Stewart.  A  narrow  vein 
heavily  impregnated  with  freibergite  has 
been  traced  bv  open-cuts  betw-een  elevations 
of  2,000  and  4,200  ft.  Some  20  tons  of  ore 
has  been  taken  out  and  sacked.  A  sampling 
of  this  ore  by  the  present  owners  just  before 
the  purchase  w-as  made  gave  an  assay 
return  of  1,566  oz.  in  silver  and  S2-40  in 
gold  per  ton  and  14-S°o  of  copper.  A  tunnel 
is  being  driven  at  the  2,000  ft.  level,  and  a 
camp  is  being  established  at  this  point. 
The  trails  are  being  improved  and  brush  is 
being  cut.  The  syndicate  will  endeavour  to 
construct  a  light  tramway  between  the 
mine  and  tide-water,  a  distance  of  8,000  ft. 
before  the  winter  sets  in,  so  that  operations 
and  shipping  may  be  continued  through  the 
winter.  Some  500  ft.  of  snow-shedding  is 
being  buUt.  Should  this  w'ork  be  completed 
in  time  it  is  expected  that  small  shipments 
will  be  made  regularly. 

The  Outland  Silver  Bar  Co.,  which  is 
developing  the  Outland  group,  25  miles  up 
the    Salmon    River,    is    taking    out    a    trial 


shipment  of  50  sacks  on  pack-horses.  This 
jiroperty  is  1 1  miles  farther  up  the  river  than 
the  Premier,  and  until  a  considerable  outlay 
has  been  made  to  connect  it  with  existing 
roads  shipping  on  anything  but  a  small 
scale  is  impossible.  There  arc  a  number  of 
promising  prospects  in  the  vicinity,  and  it  is 
probable  that  the  Provincial  Governnunt 
will  construct  a  trail  to  serve  all,  leaving  the 
individual  owners  to  make  trails  from  it  to 
their  respective  properties. 

Besides  the  foregoing,  there  are  a  number 
of  properties  in  a  less  advanced  stage,  while 
there  are  many  others,  such  as  the  Big 
Missouri  and  the  Forty-nine,  on  which  a 
considerable  amount  of  work  has  been  done, 
and  in  some  instances  on  which  considerable 
ore-bodies  have  been  demonstrated,  but  on 
which  nothing  more  is  likely  to  be  done  until 
transportation  or  metallurgical  difficulties, 
or  both,  have  been  solved.  Taken  altogether, 
the  Salmon  River  district  is  one  of  great 
promise,  and  there  seems  to  be  every  likeli- 
hood that  several  mines  of  importance  will 
be  developed. 


PERSONAL 

John  Ballot  is,  we  are  pleased  to  hear,  recovering 
from  the  serious  illness  from  which  he  has  been 
suffering  recently. 

B.  V.  Barton  has  gone  from  Victoria  to  Rhodesia 
to  become  assistant  general  manager  of  the  Rhodesia 
Broken  Hill  mines. 

Dr.  J.  CoGGiN  Brown  is  returning  to  India 
shortly,  and  his  place  at  the  Department  of 
Commerce  and  Industry  of  the  Indian  Government 
at  Winchester  House,  London,  is  now  filled  by 
Cyril  S.  Fox,  also  of  the  Indian  Geological  Survey. 

A.  G.  Campbell  has  been  appointed  manager  of 
Broken  Hill  Block  10  mine. 

F.  G.  CoTTRELL  is  On  his  way  back  to  the  United 
States  from  Europe. 

Charles  Fremont  was  presented  with  the 
Bessemer  Medal  of  the  Iron  and  Steel  Institute  at 
the  recent  meeting  in  Paris. 

R.  T.  Hancock  has  joined  the  staff  at  the 
Keeley  silver  mines.  Cobalt. 

Dr.  J.  A.  L.  Henderson  has  gone  to  Canada. 

E.  G.  I.AWFORD  has  joined  the  staff  of  the  Santa 
Gertrudis  company  at  Pachuca,  Mexico. 

George  Macfarlane  has  returned  from 
Australia. 

H.  F.  Marriott  has  left  for  South  Africa. 

E.  P.  Mathevvson  was  here  from  the  United 
States  last  month,  and  has  since  left  for  Burma. 

Arthur  Mort  is  returning  to  Baluchistan. 

R.  E.  Palmer  is  paying  a  short  visit  to  Canada 
and  the  United  States. 

C.R.  Pinder  is  back  from  Mexico. 

.\lex.  Richardson  has  returned  to  Camborne 
from  a  tour  in  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

Francis  Samuelson  is  the  president-elect  of  the 
Iron  and  Steel  Institute. 

William  Selkirk,  of  4,  Broad  Street '  Place, 
London,    E.C.  2,    has    taken    G.    W.    Gray    into 


OCTOBER,    1921 


233 


partnership.  The  firm  will  be  known  as  W.  Selkirk 
and  Gray.  Mr.  Gray  has  been  chief  mining  engineer 
at  Rio  Tinto  for  the  past  eight  years,  and  latterly 
he  was  assistant  general  manager  for  the  company. 

Charles  E.  Stearns  has  joined  the  metallurgical 
staff  of  the  Union  Miniere  du  Haut  Katanga. 

J.  W.  Teale  and  H.  Blackman,  of  Bainbridge, 
Seymour  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  have  gone  to  South  .\merica. 

A.  W.  Wincey,  manager  of  Broken  Hill  Block  10 
mine,  has  gone  to  Papua  to  take  charge  of  the 
Misima  gold  mine. 


Major  Ci.EM  Webb,  founder  of  the  Soiilh  Africa:! 
Milling  Jonniil,  died  last  month. 

Sir  W.  E.  Garforth,  one  of  the  best  known 
English  coal-mining  engineers,  died  on  October  1. 
He  was  a  past  president  of  the  Institution  of  Mining 
Engineers.  He  did  much  research  work  in  connexion 
with  colliery  explosions,  and  was  to  the  forefront  in 
devising  rescue  apparatus. 

Dr.  Henry  Woodward  died  on  September  6,  in 
his  89th  year.  He  was  for  many  years  keeper  of 
the  Geological  Department  at  the  Briti.sh  Museum, 
but  probably  an  even  greater  service  to  science  was 
done  by  him  as  editor  of  the  Geological  Magazine 
from  its  commencement  in  1864  until  1918.  He  was 
an  ideal  editor,  patient  and  kindly,  and  helpful  to 
the  author.s  as  regards  the  presentation  of  facts 
and  arguments  in  comprehensible  and  proper 
manner. 

John  Pearce  Roe,  chairman  and  managing 
director  of  Ropeways,  Ltd.,  of  Eldon  Street  House, 
London,  E.C.  2,  died  on  September  2.  He  was  the 
son  of  the  late  John  P.  Roe,  M.Inst.C.E.,  of  Consett, 
Durham.  He  was  born  in  1852,  and  he  commenced 
his  career  early  in  his  father's  works  at  Cardiff. 
In  1870  he  went  to  the  Dowlais  Iron  Company, 
and  was  engaged  under  the  late  William  Menelaus 
and  Lewis  Richards,  first  in  the  drawing  office,  and 
subsequently  as  one  of  the  general  assistant 
engineers  at  the  company's  iron  and  steel  works 
and  collieries.  In  1879,  at  the  request  of 
Mr.  Menelaus,  then  chairman  of  the  Orconera  Iron 
Ore  Company,  he  went  to  Bilbao  to  report  progress 
and  install  provisional  appliances  for  getting  the 
output  of  the  mines  on  board  ship  ;  on  completion 
of  this  work  he  was  appointed  resident  engineer 
of  the  company,  and  in  that  capacity  designed  and 
carried  out  a  large  amount  of  work  in  connexion 
with  the  railways,  shipping  appliances,  loading 
staithes,  dredging,  and  feeder- transport  arrange- 
ments to  the  main  line,  including  heavy  inclined- 
plane  work.  In  1889  he  commenced  practice  as  a 
consulting  engineer  at  Cardiff,  and  undertook 
contracts  for  transporting  minerals  by  means  of 
aerial  ropeways  in  the  Bilbao  district.  In  the 
following  year  he  opened  offices  in  London,  and 
devoted  himself  particularly  to  the  development  of 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Roe  system  of  ropeways 
for  transporting  material  in  mountainous  countries. 
He  eventually  formed  a  company  under  the  name 
of  Ropeways,  Limited,  of  which  he  was  managing 
director.  TT his  company  has,  both  as  regards  design 
and  erection,  carried  out  a  great  number  of  the  most 
important  installations  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 
In  addition  to  supervising  the  entire  work  of  the 
company  he  practised  as  a  consulting  engineer, 
advising  on  various  engineering  matters,  and 
particularly  in  connexion  with  the  handling  and 
transport  of  minerals  and  the  like.  His  biggest 
piece  of  ropeway  engineering  work  was  the  Dorada 
ropeway,  which  is  by  far  the  longest  in  the  world, 

4—5 


that  is,  47  miles.  It  was  largely  due  to  his  invention.? 
and  improvements  that  the  single  type  of  ropeway 
has  reached  its  present  state  of  perfection.  He 
had  recently  brought  out  a  couple  of  inventions 
which  will  mark  a  further  important  advance  in 
ropeway  construction.  Apart  from  the  work  with 
his  firm,  he  recently  invented  a  new  type  of  rope 
conveyor,  which  has  just  been  put  on  the  market, 
and  up  to  the  last  carried  out  consulting  work  for 
various  projects,  generally  in  connexion  with  the 
mechanical  handling  of  materials.  Owing  to  his 
undoubted  genius  in  engineering  and  to  his  magnetic 
personality  the  chief  members  of  the  administrative 
and  technical  staff  have  been  with  his  firm  for 
periods  of  from  eighteen  to  thirty  years.  This 
shows  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by 
those  in  close  contact  with  him. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

The  Metropoi.itan-Vickers  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,  of  Trafford  Park,  Manchester,  and  4,  Central 
Buildings,  Westminster,  send  us  their  circular 
No.  1440/1,  dealing  with  their  water-wheel 
alternators. 

W.  T.  Glover  &-  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Trafford  Park, 
jManchester,  send  ns  their  descriptive  catalogue 
of  the  Glo-Clad  electric  wiring  system.  This  system 
is  useful  in  mines  and  in  similar  places  where  it  is 
desirable  that  the  wiring  shall  be  water-tight, 
gas-light,    and    acid-proof. 

R.  B.  Hodgson  &  Co  (Sheffield),  Ltd.,  of  the 
Sentinel  Steel  Works,  Sheffield,  send  us  an  elaborate 
catalogue  of  their  special  steels,  containing 
descriptions  of  the  steels  and  instructions  for  use. 
The  firm's  "  Pinnacle  "  brands  of  drill  steel  are 
well  known  among  mining  engineers. 

The  British  Griffin  Chilled  Iron  and  Steel 
Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Barrow-in-Furncss,  and  Temple 
House,  Tallis  Street,  London,  E.C.  4,  send  us  their 
leaflet  No.  6,  giving  particulars  of  their  "  Boultcn  " 
self-oiling  wheel,  which  is  specially  adapted  to  mine- 
cars  and  where  there  are  sharp  curves  in  the  haulage. 

The  Westinghouse  Brake  &  Saxbv  Signal 
Co.,  Ltd.,  of  82,  York  Road,  King's  Cross,  London, 
N.  1,  send  us  their  catalogue  dealing  with  their 
system  of  electro-pneumatic  control  and  safety 
appliances  for  mines.  The  appliances  described 
embody  the  principles  adopted  in  automatic 
signalling  on  railways,  and  they  are  already  in 
extensive  use  in  mines  in  connexion  with  hoisting 
plant. 

Edgar  Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  the  Imperial 
Steel  Works,  Sheffield  (London  Office  :  1,  Victoria 
Street,  S.W.),  send  us  the  October  issue  of  the 
Edgay  Allen  News.  It  contains  articles  on  modern 
electric  furnaces,  as  applied  in  heat  treatment, 
the  application  of  nickel-chrome  steel  to  the 
manufacture  of  dredge-bucket  pins,  and  the  uses 
and  treatment  of  special  alloy  steels  in  Canada. 
There  is  also  a  description  of  the  largest  gyratory 
crusher  made  in  this  country,  which  was  made  for 
the  Humber  Portland  Cement  Co.,  Ltd. 

The  Genf.ral  Electric  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Magnet 
House,  Kingsway,  London,  W.C.  2,  send  us  their 
leaflet  X2574,  dealing  with  their  flame-proof 
switchgear.  They  also  send  us  their  leaflet  OS2569, 
describing  the  Osghm  electric  lamp.  In  this 
lamp  no  filament  as  used  in  the  ordinary  type  of 
electric  lamp  is  employed.  It  consists  of  a  glass 
bulb  similar  in  shape  and  dimensions  to  the  ordinary 


231 


Till';    MI.NlXr.    MAGAZIXK 


ini-an<lcscont  electric  lamp  and  contains  the  rare  ga? 
Neon.  In  the  bulb  are  lixoil  two  metallic  electrodes 
placed  at  a  short  distance  from  each  other,  and 
known  as  the  anode  and  cathode,  the  anode  being 
connected  to  the  lamp  contact  by  which  the  current. 
enters,  and  the  cathode  to  the  contact  by  which  it 
leaves.  When  an  electric  current  is  apjilied  to  the 
terminals  an  electric  discharge  or  "  ionic  bom- 
bardment "  takes  place  between  the  two  metallic 
electrodes  from  the  anode  to  the  cathode.  This  is 
visible  to  the  human  eye,  as  light  of  a  characteristic 
orange  colour  appearing  as  a  luminous  haze  over 
and  about  the  cathode.  The  lij^ht  is  particularly 
rich  in  red  and  yellow  ravs,  and  therefore  very 
visible  at  a  distance.  In  addition  it  is  pleasant  and 
soft  to  the  eye,  owing  to  the  large  area  of  light 
emission. 

F.  E.  Becker  &  Co.  (Proprietors,  W.  and  J. 
George,  Limited),  of  17-29  Hatton  Wall,  London, 
E.G.  1,     are     putting     on     the      market    a    pros- 


Grimley's  Prospector's  Balance. 

pecting  balance  for  use  in  connexion  with  alluvial 
tin  estimations,  invented  by  Philip  Grimley, 
Assoc. Inst.lI.M.  This  balance,  which  is  on  the 
lines  of  a  steelyard,  is  designed  so  that  if  the 
concentrates  resulting  from  washing  J  cu.  ft.  of 
ground  be  weighed  on  it,  the  value  of  that  sample  in 
pounds  per  cubic  yard  can  be  read  from  the  beam, 
which  is  divided  into  10  units,  each  of  which  is 
subdivided  into  tenths.  In  addition,  the  weight  of 
the  concentrates  can  be  easily  ascertained.  Two 
large  and  three  small  sliding  weights  are  supplied. 
Each  of  the  small  weights  has  a  value  of  4-2  grams. 
That  is,  if  concentrates  w-eighing  4-2  grams  are 
placed  in   the  pan,  the   beam  will  be  horizontal 


when  one  of  the  small  weights  is  at  1,  or,  if  the 
weight  of  the  concentrates  be  42'0  grams,  the  licam 
will  be  horizontal  when  the  weight  is  at  10.  One 
quarter  of  a  cubic  foot  =  1'108  cubic  yard,  and 
4-201  grams  =  1/108  lb.  So,  for  example,  if 
J  cu.  ft.  of  ground  be  washed  up  and  when  the 
resulting  concentrates  are  put  in  the  jian  the  beam 
is  horizontal  with  one  of  the  small  weights  at,  say, 
3-2,  the  value  of  the  sample  is  3-2  lb.  per  cu.  yd., 
and  the  weight  of  the  concentrates  is  3-2  >:  4'2 
grams.  If  only  one  of  the  small  weights  be  used, 
concentrates  of  a  higher  value  than  10  lb.  per  cu. 
yd.  have  to  be  weighed  in  two  or  more  portions, 
and  the  beam  readings  must  be  added  together. 
But  with,  for  example,  one  small  weight  at  the 
mark  10  on  the  beam,  and  another  of  the  small 
weights  at  4,  a  value  of  10  plus  4  =  14  lb.  per  cu. 
yd.  can  be  read.  Similarly,  with  the  medium  weight 
(which  is  twice  as  heavy  as  one  of  the  small  weights) 
at  10,  and  a  small  weight  at  3  (as  illustrated),  a 
value  of  2  ■•  10  plus  3  =  23  lb.  per  cu.  yd.  can  be 
read  ;  or  with  the  largest  weight  at  10  and  one  of  the 
small  weights  at  3,  a  value  of  3  •  10  plus  3  =  33  lb. 
per  cu.  yd.  can  be  read.  In  all  the  above  cases  the 
value  in  lb.  per  cu.  yd.  x  4'2  =  weight  of  con- 
centrates in  grams.  Further,  should  it,  at  times,  be 
desirable  to  wash  samples  of  i  cu.  ft.,  then  the 
medium  sized  weight,  at  say,  the  mark  7,  would 
indicate  a  value  of  7  lb.  per  cu.  yd.  (Should  any 
of  the  small  weights  be  used  when  samples  of  J  cu. 
ft.  are  washed  its  beam  reading  must  be  halved.) 
When  \  cu.  ft.  samples  are  taken,  the  weight  of 
concentrates  in  grains  =  value  in  lb.  per  cu.  yd.  x 
8'4.  The  apparatus  is  simple  and  not  likely  to 
get  out  of  order  when  taken  on  a  prospecting 
expedition.  It  weighs,  in  its  wooden  box,  only 
li  lb.,  and  the  dimensions  of  the  box  are  15  in.  by 
4|  in.  by  IJin.  One  advantage  of  the  instrument 
is  that  it  can  be  carried  while  prospecting  so  that 
the  samples  can  be  immediately  tested,  thus 
obviating  error  and  misadventure,  and  giving  the 
required  information  promptly. 


SHIPPING.     ENGINEERING,     AND 
MACHINERY   EXHIBITION 

The  Shipping,  Engineering,  and  Machinery 
Exhibition  was  held  at  Olympia  during  the  three 
weeks  from  September  7  to  September  28.  A  few 
notes  are  given  here  of  the  exhibits  of  interest  to 
raining  engineers. 

Edwin  "Ei.lis  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  ol  Alpha  Road, 
Millwall,  London,  E.  14,  showed  specimens  of  their 
"  World  Brand  "  wire  ropes  for  shipping,  engineering 
and  mining  purposes. 

The  Empire  Roller  Bearings  Co.,  Ltd.,  of 
13,  Victoria  Street.  Westminster,  had  an  exhibit 
of  their  "  Empire  "  roller  bearings,  with  a  model 
truck  on  rails  fitted  with  them. 

G.  A.  Harvey  &  Co.  (London),  Ltd.,  of  Woolwich 
Road,  London,  S.F..  7,  had  a  comprehensive  show 
of  their  galvanized  tanks,  perforated  metal,  and 
woven  wire-screens. 

Worthington-Simpson,  Ltd.,  of  Queen's  House, 
Kingsway,  London,  W.C,  showed  a  number  of 
pumps,  including  high-  and  low-lift  centrifugal 
pumps,  and  also  air-compressors. 

J.  &  E.  Hall,  Ltd.,  of  Dartford,  Kent,  had  on 
exhibit  characteristic  plants  for  refrigerating  and  pre- 
serving food  and  for  ice-making  and  cooling  water. 

The  Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,    of    JIanchester,     and     Central     Buildings, 


OCTOBER,    1921 


235 


Westminster,  showed  a  great  variety  of  their 
products  from  electric  winders  to  lamps  and  bell- 
pushes. 

Hyatt,  Ltd.,  of  Thurloe  Place.  South  Kensing- 
ton, had  a  stall  displaying  their  flexible  roller 
bearings. 

Reaveli.  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Ipswich,  showed  a 
number  of  their  air-compressors. 

The  Unchokeable  Pump,  Ltd.,  of  3,  St.  Helen's 
Place,  London,  E.C.  3,  showed  their  centrifugal 
pump  in  action.  This  pump  is  used  for  handling 
soft  materials  in  water,  and  also  hard  materials, 
such  as  gravel  and  tailings. 

The  Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  35,  Surrey  Street, 
London,  W.C.  2,  exhibited  a  number  of  their 
specialities  :  a  crude-oil  engine,  air-compressor, 
rock-drills,  and  coal  pick-hammers. 

Ferodo,  Ltd.,  of  Chapel-en-le-Frith,  showed  their 
stair-treads  and  their  friction  linings  for  breaks  and 
clutches. 

CowLiSHAW,  Walker  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stoke-on- 
Trent,  had  a  representative  exhibit  of  the  coal- 
cutting  machinery,  and  their  haulage  plant  for 
mines. 

Geoge  Kent,  Ltd.,  of  199-201,  High  Holborn, 
London,  W.C.  1,  showed  a  great  number  of 
measuring  instruments,  including  the  Venturi 
meter  for  measuring  the  flow  of  water  or  gas. 

John  Kirkaldv,  LTD.,of  101,  Leadenhall  .Street, 
London,  E.C.  3,  showed  many  applications  of  their 
cooling  and  distilling  plants,  which  are  nowadays 
used  extensively  at  mines  for  a  variety  of  purposes. 

W.  H.  Dorman  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stafford,  made  a 
special  show  of  "  Flexstel  "  piping,  the  universal 
joints  of  which  will  withstand  very  high  pressures, 
.^t  the  same  stand  \  ISLOK,  Ltd.,  demonstrated 
their  well-known  lock-nut. 

The  De  Laval  Steam  Turbine  Co.,  of  150, 
Southampton  Row,  London,  W.C.  2,  showed 
centrifugal  pumps,  steam  turbine,  centrifugal 
blower,  etc. 

John  &  Edwin  Wright,  Ltd.,  of  the  Universe 
Rope  Works,  Birmingham,  and  Salisbury  House, 
London,  E.C.  2,  had  a  com.prehensive  exhibit  of 
hemp  and  wire  ropes.  These  ropes  have  a  large 
application  in  mining. 

The  Palnut  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  6,  Great  St.  Helens, 
London,  E.C.  3,  showed  their  safety  lock-washer, 
which  was  described  and  illustrated  in  the  Magazine 
for  June  last. 

SozOL,  Ltd.,  of  20,  Copthall  Avenue,  London, 
E.C.  2  (which  is  associated  with  Minerals  Separation, 
Ltd.),  exhibited  their  anti-rust  and  anti-corrosion 
preparations. 

The  CoNSOLiD.\TED  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  170,  Piccadilly,  London,  W.  1,  showed  the 
Hummer  rock-drills,  the  Boyer  riveting  hammers, 
and  the  Little  Giant  pneumatic  and  electric  drills 
and  grinders. 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
presented  quite  a  steady  appearance  during 
September,  and  fluctuations  were  within  narrow 
limits.  At  the  beginning  of  the  month  prices 
tended  to  harden  as  the  result  of  support  believed 
to  emanate  chiefly  from  America,  but  the  upward 
spurt  was  not  maintained,  and  subsequent  advances 
were  also  short-lived.  The  fact  was  pretty  plainly 
evident  that  sentiment  was,  if  anything,  pessimistic 
rather  than  optimistic,  and  that  conditions  were  not 


ripe  for  any  substantial  rise  in  values.  The  close  of 
the  month,  however,  witnessed  a  slight  revival,  and 
the  -American  quotation  also  began  to  harden.  The 
demand  from  English  consumers  continued  rather 
unsatisfactory  during  the  month,  and  although  at 
times  the  Continent  bought  moderately,  the  deprecia- 
tion in  European  exchanges  tended  to  restrict  the 
volume  of  demand  from  that  quarter.  Germany, 
in  particular,  has  been  hard  hit  by  the  rapid  fall  in 
the  mark,  and  reports  from  the  United  States 
would  indicate  that  her  purchases  there  are  smaller 
than  recently.  In  face  of  the  diminished  European 
demand  it  is  rather  surprising  that  the  American 
quotation  should  have  kept  firm,  especially  as 
consumers  there  are  also  taking  metal  on  a  small 
scale  only  ;  this,  however,  is  accounted  for  by  the 
stiff  attitude  of  producers,  who  seem  always  eager 
to  push  up  the  quotation  at  the  first  sign  of  improved 
demand.  In  the  meantime,  .on  both  sides  of  the 
Atlantic  the  existence  of  large  quantities  of  scrap 
copper  and  brass  continues  to  have  a  restraining 
influence  on  the  demand  for  virgin  metal.  Some 
large  deals,  however,  have  recently  taken  place 
in  British  war-scrap,  and  it  looks  as  if  the  point  of 
absorption  has  been  brought  appreciably  nearer. 
The  quarterly  reports  of  the  Chino  Copper  Com- 
pany, Nevada  Consolidated,  Ray  Consolidated, 
Utah  Copper,  and  Anaconda  Copper  Co.,  all  of 
which  are  shut  down,  indicate  that  they  are  finding 
the  suspension  of  operations  quite  an  expensive 
procedure,  and  it  is  to  be  imagined  that  most  of 
the  mines  will  reopen  immediately  the  situation 
looks  favourable.  In  the  meantime,  however, 
the  large  stocks  of  unabsorbed  copper  in  the  United 
States  act  as  a  deterrent. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  : 
September,  1921,  /68  Os.  lid.;  August,  1921, 
£68  12s.  Sd.  :  September,  1920,  ;£96  13s.  4d.  ; 
August,  1920,  £94  Is. 

Tin. — The  chief  feature  of  the  standard  tin 
market  in  London  during  the  past  month  was  the 
upward  rise  of  values  during  the  first  few  days  as 
a  result  of  the  publication  of  the  statistics  tor 
August,  which  indicated  a  decrease  in  the  visible 
supplies.  This  had  the  effect  of  infusing  an 
appreciable  amount  of  optimism  into  the  market, 
and  prices  rose  in  consequence.  The  main  factor 
contributing  to  this  decrease  was  an  e.xpansion  in 
American  deliveries,  but  it  was  overlooked  in  some 
quarters  that  since  American  consumption  had 
shown  no  appreciable  improvement,  the  bulk  of 
the  extra  metal  taken  must  necessarily  have  been  put 
into  stock  ;  this  view,  of  course,  gave  the  situation 
a  less  favourable  aspect.  In  any  case,  however, 
the  rise  in  values  was  not  maintained,  and  by  the 
middle  of  the  month  values  were  back  on  the  level 
ruling  at  the  opening.  It  may  be  mentioned  that  the 
United  States  did  not  follow  the  advance  here  to 
any  extent.  Towards  the  end  of  the  month 
sentiment  again  took  a  more  optimistic  turn, 
and,  thanks  to  reports  of  an  improvement  in  the 
tinplate  industries  of  South  Wales  and  Pittsburgh, 
values  rose  again,  but  more  steadily  and  slowly. 
.\s  regards  the  Continent,  Italy,  France,  and 
Germany  were  occasional  buyers,  but  naturally  the 
adverse  position  of  their  respective  exchanges 
tended  to  restrict  their  takings.  During  the  month 
the  E.ast  made  fair  sales,  though  sellers  there  were 
inclined  to  hold  aloof  whenever  the  market  in 
London  was  firm.  Shipments  from  the  Straits 
were,  however,  fairly  big  during  the  month.  China 
for  various  reasons  did  not  feature  as  a  seller. 


236 


THF    MIXIXG    ^UGAZINR 


Daily  London  Metal  Prices  :    Official  Closing 

Copper,  Lcail,  Zinc,  and  Tin  per  I-oiin  Ton 


CorrxR 

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67 

12 

8 

to  67  17 

0 

OS  111    (1 

to  OS  15 

0  1  72 

0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

73    0    0 

to  74     0 

0 

6N  10 

0 

to 

70  111    0 

23 

67 

15 

0 

to  67  17 

0 

OS  lu    0 

to  OS  12 

0     72 

0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

73    0    0 

lo  74    0 

0 

OS  10 

0 

to 

70  10    0 

20 

6S 

0 

0 

to  63    2 

6 

OS  15    0 

to  OS  17 

6     72 

10 

0  lo  71  10 

0 

73  10    0 

to  74  10 

0 

OS  10 

0 

to 

70  10    0 

27 

6S 

0 

0 

to  68    2 

0 

68  15    0 

to  09     9 

0  1  72 

10 

0  lo  74  ID 

0 

73  10    0 

to  74  10 

0 

09    0 

0 

lo 

71    0    0 

28 

6S 

7 

6 

to  68  10 

0 

69    5    U 

to  6!)    7 

6     72 

10 

0  lo  74  10 

0 

73  10    0 

lo  74  10 

0 

69    0 

0 

lo 

71    0    0 

29 

6S 

5 

0 

to  68    7 

6 

69    5    0 

to  39    7 

0     72 

10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

73  10    0 

to  74  10 

0 

69    0 

0 

to 

71    0    0 

30 

Oct. 

3 

68 

7 

6 

to  68  10 

0 

69    7    0 

to  09  10 

0  i  72 

10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

73  10    0 

to  74  10 

0 

89  10 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

6S 

7 

0 

to  68  12 

0 

69    7    0 

to  09  10 

0  )  72 

10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

73  10    0 

to  74  10 

0 

on  111 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

4 

68  12 

0 

to  68  15 

0 

69  10    0 

to  09  12 

0  .  73 

0 

0  In  71  10 

0 

74    0    0 

to  74  10 

0 

09  10 

0 

to 

71  111    0 

5 

09 

7 

C. 

to  09  10 

0 

70    5    0 

to  70    7 

0  1  7:i 

10 

0  lo  7.")  10 

0 

74  10    0 

to  7.-,  10 

0 

69  111 

0 

to 

71  111    0 

G 

69 

0 

0 

to  6!)    2 

6 

70    0    0 

to  70    2 

6  1  74 

0 

0  lo  70    0 

0 

75    0    0 

to  70    0 

0 

09  10 

0 

lo 

71   10    0 

7 

69 

7 

0 

to  C!)  IC 

0 

70    7    0 

to  70  10 

0     74  10 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0 

to  70  10 

0 

70    0 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

10 

09 

5 

0 

to  6!1    7 

0 

70    5    0 

to  70    7 

0 

75 

10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

75  10    0 

to  77  10 

0 

70    0 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  September, 
1921,  £156  17s.  6d.  ;  August,  1921,  £155  8s.  4d.  ; 
September,  1920,  £270  7s.  3d.  ;  August,  1920, 
£274  5s.  lOd. 

Lead. — Price  movements  on  the  London  lead 
market  during  September  were  within  a  com- 
paratively small  compass,  the  general  tendency 
being  slightly  downwards.  A  moderate  recoverj' 
towards  the  end  of  the  month  seemed  to  be  due  to 
covering  by  bears.  On  the  whole,  supplies  of  lead 
were  less  tightly  held  than  previously,  and  holders  of 
spot  in  particular  relaxed  their  firm  attitude.  In 
consequence,  the  backwardation,  or  discount  on 
forward  delivery,  gradually  diminished.  It  must 
be  admitted  that  as  a  result  of  this  the  position  of 
the  market  looks  somewhat  less  artificial  than 
formerly,  although,  relatively,  lead  is  dearer  than 
either  copper,  tin,  or  spelter  ;  and  as  demand  from 
consumers  has  latterly  shown  a  declining  tendency, 
it  would. not  be  surprising  if  values  were  to  sutler 
further.  Arrivals  of  metal  from  Spain  were  on  a 
comparatively  small  scale  during  the  month, 
probably  owing  to  labour  troubles  and  the 
diminution  of  stocks,  but  this  shortage  was  com- 
pensated by  shipments  from  America  and  even 
Australia.  There  was  at  times  quite  a  good  demand 
from  the  Continent,  but  British  dealers  encountered 
considerable  competition  in  European  markets 
by  American  interests.  Towards  the  end  of  the 
month,  however,  the  price  in  New  York  hardened 
appreciably  to  4-70  cents,  and  offerings  to  this 
country  tended  to  decrease.  Germany  has  been 
displaying  activity  as  a  lead  consumer,  and  in 
addition  to  her  domestic  output  finds  it  necessary 
to  import.  It  is  understood  that  a  syndicate  has 
been  formed  with  a  view  to  reopening  some  of  the 
Derbyshire  lead  mines,  which  were  worked  during 
the  war,  but  have  since  been  abandoned. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  September,  1921, 
£22  19s.  od.  ;  August,  1921,  /2.3  5s.  Id.  ;  September, 
1920,  £35  7s.  6d.  ;    August,''l920,  £36  83.  lOd. 

Spelter. — Values  on  the  London  spelter  market 
showed  a  net  gain  on  the  month.  The  opposite 
might  have  been  anticipated  with  some  reason, 
as    the    marked    weakness    which    set    in    during 


September  in  both  the  Belgian  and  German 
exchanges  was  a  possible  cause  of  offerings  from 
those  countries.  A  little  metal  was  certainly 
forthcoming  occasionally  from  Belgium,  but 
Germany  held  practically  aloof,  despite  the 
temptation  to  realize  in  London  which  the  mark 
at  400  must  have  presented.  It  would  appear 
that  stocks  in  Germany  must  be  now  of  quite 
moderate  dimensions,  and  that  domestic  con- 
sumption can  look  after  a  good  part  of  present 
output,  especially  as  the  Silcsian  .smelters  cannot 
be  working  at  full  pressure.  Further  firmness 
was  instilled  into  the  market  by  the  announcement 
that  the  stocks  in  the  United  States  had  been 
reduced  during  Augu.=t  by  some  6,000  tons,  which 
was  regarded  favourably  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
stocks  there  had  been  piling  up  for  some  time 
past.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  Belgian 
output  during  .\ugust  was  slightly  in  excess  of  the 
July  figure,  namely,  5,000  tons  compared  with 
4,950  tons.  As  regards  the  works  in  the  north  of 
France  it  is  stated  that  these  are  working  at  half 
pre-war  capacity,  and  do  not  appear  likely  to 
increase  their  output  for  some  considerable  time. 
A  welcome  development  during  the  month  was 
an  im.provement  in  the  galvanizing  industry,  which 
brought  out  more  consuming  demand  for  spelter 
and  helped  to  give  the  market  a  healthier  tone 
In  the  United  States,  also,  consumers  are  reported 
to  be  taking  rather  more  interest,  and  the  price 
advanced  there  also.  It  looks  as  if  Australasia 
will  be  a  big  producer  of  spelter  in  the  near  future. 
The  Risdon  electrolytic  zinc  works,  which  were 
commenced  during  the  war,  and  have  a  potential 
output  of  42,500  tons  of  electrolytic  zinc,  have 
purchased  some  750.000  tons  of  concentrates  and 
slimes  from  the  British  Board  of  Trade  tor 
treatment.  Some  Swansea  works  are  contemplating 
resuming  operations. 

Average  price  of  spelter:  September.  1921, 
£26  lOs.  8d.  ;  August,  1921,  /25  8s.  ;  September, 
1920,  £40  5s.  6d.  ;    August,  1920,  £41  193.  6d. 

Zinc  Dust.  — ■  Prices  are  lower  ;  high-grade 
Australian  £50  ;  English  and  American  92  to 
94%  about  £48  per  ton. 


OCTOBER,    1021 


237 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  ;  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Le\d 

Stak 

DARD  Tin 

Silver 

Zisc 
(Spelter) 

Gold 

Soit  Foreign 

F.n 

gli- 

h 

Casb 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

i    s.   d.       /    s. 

d. 

£ 

s. 

d. 

£ 

?.d.          i 

s. 

d. 

C 

s. 

i.          £     s. 

d. 

£        5. 

d.         £     s.  d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

Sept. 

23  I'J    6  to  23    0 

0 

24 

10 

0 

24  15    0  to  25 

10 

0 

156 

0 

0  to  156    5 

0 

15S    3 

0  to  158  10    0 

39 

38g 

110    2 

12 

'23     3     0  to  22  15 

0 

24 

5 

0 

25 

1)   0  to  25 

10 

0 

156 

12 

0  to  150  17 

0 

158  15 

0  to  159    0   0 

393 

39i 

110   3 

13 

23     5    0  to  22  15 

0 

24 

5 

0 

25 

2    0  to  25 

12 

6 

155 

15 

0  to  150    0 

0 

138    (.1 

0  to  138    5    0 

393 

39i 

110    4 

14 

23     5    0  to  22  15 

u 

24 

5 

0 

25 

0   0  to  25 

10 

0 

155 

n 

0  to  155    5 

0 

157    3 

0  to  157  10    0 

395 
39J 

39 

111    6 

15 

23     2     0  to  22  15 

0 

24 

5 

0 

24  17    6  to  23 

7 

6 

154 

3 

0  to  154  10 

0 

156  10 

0  to  156  15    0 

39i 

110  10 

16 

22  17    6  to  22  12 

G 

24 

0 

0 

25 

0    0  to  25 

10 

0 

154 

7 

0  to  154  12 

6 

1.56  12 

0  to  156  15    0 

39! 

39* 

110   3 

19 

22  15    0  to  22  12 

0 

24 

n 

0 

25 

0   0  to  23 

lU 

0 

155 

10 

0  to  155  15 

0 

157  15 

0  to  158    0    0 

395 

39:5 

110    6 

20 

23    11    ti  to  22  15 

0 

24 

0 

0 

25 

5    0  to  25 

12 

6 

150 

0 

0  to  150    5 

0 

15S    0 

0  to  158    5    0 

40 

39} 

110    7 

21 

22  15     0  to  22  12 

6 

23  15 

0 

25 

5    Oto25 

12 

0 

150 

2 

6  to  150    7 

G 

15S    2 

0  to  158    7    6 

41S 

m 

11011 

23 

22  15     U  to  22  10 

0 

23 

15 

0 

25 

7    6  to  25 

15 

0 

156 

5 

0  to  130    7 

6 

158    5 

0  to  158    7    6 

41i 

4U 

110   9 

28 

23     5    0  to  23    0 

0 

24 

5 

n 

25 

12    6  to  20 

9 

6 

157 

10 

0  to  157  13 

0 

15U  15 

0  to  lOll    0    0 

411 

4U 

lion 

23 

23    2    6  to  22  17 

6 

24 

5 

0 

26 

U    U  to  20 

10 

0 

157 

0 

0  to  137     7 

0 

15'J     5 

0  to  159  10    0 

43S 

43S 

11011 

27 

23    U    0  to  23    0 

0 

24 

5 

0 

20 

7    6  to  20 

15 

0 

130 

10 

0  to  150  15 

0 

15S  lu 

0  to  138  15    0 

43J 

421 

11011 

28 

23    2    6  to  23    0 

0 

24 

5 

0 

2(3 

7    6  to  20 

15 

0 

150 

5 

0  to  150  10 

0 

158  10 

0  to  158  13    0 

m 

43 

111    4 

29 

23    2    0  to  22  17 

t) 

24 

5 

0 

2G 

7    0  to  2i; 

15 

0 

150 

10 

0  to  156  15 

0 

158    7 

6  to  158  10    0 

m 

421 

111    0 

30 

Oct. 

3 

23    5    0  to  23     2 

6 

24 

5 

0 

2r, 

7    6  to  26 

17 

6 

157 

5 

0  to  157  10 

0  1  139  111 

0  to  1,39  15    0 

42J 

41 S 



23     5    0  to  23    2 

6 

24 

5 

0 

23 

1"    Oto27 

0 

0 

156 

10 

0  to  156  13 

0 

158  111 

0  to  15S  13    0 

-m 

42| 
411 

110    6 

4 

23    5    0  to  23     2 

fi 

24 

5 

0 

2il 

15    0  to  27 

5 

0 

155 

15 

0  to  150    0 

0 

157  15 

0  to  15s    0    0 

42J 

1(I9    8 

5 

23    5    1.1  to  23    2 

ij 

24 

5 

0 

2(1 

12    6  to  27 

2 

Tj 

155  10 

0  to  155  15 

0 

137  15 

0  to  158    0    0 

41} 

41 

108    7 

6 

23     2     0  to  22  17 

6 

24 

5 

0 

26  12    6  to  27 

2 

6 

155 

0 

0  to  155    5 

0 

137  10 

0  to  137  15    0 

41 S 

41S 

108    8 

7 

23    2    0  to  22  17 

6 

24 

5 

0 

26 

12    6  to  27 

2 

0 

155 

15 

0  to  156     0 

0 

157  15 

0  to  158    0    0 

42) 

42 

107    5 

10 

Antimony. — Values  have  kept  very  steady  as 
follow  :  English  regulus  ordinary  brands,  £37  to 
£40  ;  special  brands.  £38  5s.  to  £A2  ;  and  98  to 
OfiOg  /29  to  £'32.  Foreign  in  warehouse  is  about 
/24   10s.  to  £25  10s.  per  ton. 

Arsenic. — Towards  the  end  of  the  month 
consumers  entered  the  market  fairly  freely,  in 
anticipation  of  the  effects  of  the  Key  Industries 
Act,  and  the  price  of  Cornish  white  rose  from 
£32  7s.  to  £43  per  ton,  delivered  London. 

Bismuth. — The  o,uotation  is  unchanged  at 
7  s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — Business  is  quiet  at  about  6s.  per  lb. 

.\luminium. — \'alue3  have  remained  practically 
unaltered.  Domestic  producers  quote  £120  for 
home  and  £125  for  export,  while  foreign  metal 
is  apparently  still  obtainable  around  £100  f.o.b. 
Continent. 

Nickel. — The  tendency  has  been  a  little  easier, 
the  quotation  being  £185  to  £190  per  ton. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  price  has  weakened  slightly 
to  1 4s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  O.xide. — Quotations  are  lower  on  the 
month,  black  being  priced  at  10s.  9d.  and  grey 
at  12s.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Platinum  has  been 
rather  firmer,  manufactured  metal  being  quoted 
at  £20  10s.,  and  raw  at  £19.  Palladium  is  steady, 
with  manufactured  material  priced  at  £18  to  £20 
per  oz.,  and  raw  at  £14  to  £15. 

Quicksilver. — Values  are  lower  en  the  month, 
the  leading  interests  having  reduced  their  quotation 
to  £9  10s.  per  bottle.  At  the  moment  the  market 
is  steady. 

Selenium. — The  price  is  steady  at  10s.  6d.  to 
13s  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — Sellers  still  quote  80s.  to  90s, 
per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  price  is  unchanged 
on  the  month  at  £30  to  £32  per  ton  for  both  home 
and  e.xpcrt. 

Manganese  Ore. — There  has  recently  been  a 
firmer  tendency  in  the  market  for  Indian  grades, 
owing  to  the  rise  in  the  rupee,  and  the  present 
quotation  is  Is.  4Jd.  per  unit  c.i.f. 


Tungsten  Ore. — The  market  is  very  quiet, 
with  the  quotation  for  65%  WOs  none  too  well 
maintained  at  12s.  6d.  to  i3s.  c.i.f. 

Molybdenite.— Sellers  of  85%  molybdenite 
continue  to  quote  37s.  6d.  to  42s.  6d.  c.i.f. 

Chrome  Ores.  — ■  The  present  price  is  about 
£4  7s.  6d.  c.i.f. 

Silver. — The  market  was  quiet  at  the  beginning 
of  the  month,  but  later  Chinese  and  Indian  buying 
caused  prices  to  advance.  The  quotation  for  spot 
bars  opened  on  September  1  at  37|d.,  rose  to  39Jd. 
on  the  6th,  reacted  to  38^d.  on  the  8th,  advanced 
again  to  39gd.  on  the  13th,  and  after  weakening 
to  39Jd.  on  the  15th,  took  a  definitely  upward 
turn  till  43  ^d.  was  reached  on  the  27th.  The  price 
closed  at  42gd.  on  the  30th. 

Graphite. — Quotations  are  rather  nominal,  and 
there  is  no  change  to  report,  Madagascar  80  to  90% 
being  still  £20  to  £25  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  and  Steel. — It  cannot  be  said  that  much 
progress  is  being  made  in  getting  the  pig  iron  trade 
into  full  swing  again.  Of  course,  the  old  stumbling- 
block  is  the  high  price  of  fuel,  which  in  turn  prevents 
ironmasters  from  bringing  prices  of  pig  iron  down 
to  more  reasonable  levels.  True,  the  price  of 
Cleveland  fciundry  is  now  down  to  120s.,  which  was 
the  official  minimum  price  ii.xed  some  time  ago, 
but  even  this  figure  consumers  show  little  dis- 
position to  pay,  especially  seeing  that  they  can 
obtain  supplies  from  the  Continent  at  much  lower 
levels.  The  total  number  of  furnaces  blowing  in 
the  Cleveland  district  at  the  present  time  is  only 
seventeen  out  of  seventy-two.  A  welcome  feature 
of  the  serai-finished  steel  business  is  the  elimination 
of  Continental  competition,  British  makers  now 
being  able  to  book  orders  at  prices  below  those 
asked  by  the  makers  across  the  water.  In  finished 
steel,  however,  British  producers  have  a  long  way 
to  go  before  they  can  compete,  but  the  tendency 
is  downwards,  and  further  drops  are  anticipated 
before  long.  Of  course,  if  fuel — and  consequently 
pig  iron — came  down,  we  should  no  doubt  see 
substantial  reductions  in  steel  prices.  As  regards 
e.xport,  makers  have  been  cutting  prices  to  get 
business,  but,  with  the  e.xception  of  the  far  East, 
few  markets  are  showing  much  interest. 


238 


Till'     MINING     M.U;.\Z1N1': 


STATISTICS 


Prodvciion  op  Gold  in  thi  Tkansvaal. 


R,ind 


Else- 
where 


Tot.il 


Ot. 


Price  ot 


Oz,        Gold  per  or.. 


Au/iiist.  l'.)20 633,604 

September 605. 4S6 

October   645.819 

November  618.525 

December 617,549 


s. 

d. 

18,470 

702,083 

112 

6 

16.687 

682,173 

115 

0 

16,653 

662,472 

117 

1! 

15,212 

633,737 

117 

6 

14,666 

632,215 

115 

0 

Total,  1920 


.7,949,038    ,   204,587     ,8,153,625 


January,  1921  . . .  637,425  14,168  651,593  ;      105  0 

February  543,767  ,      14,370  ,    588,137  ,      103  9 

March 656,572  '     14,551  '    671,123  I      103  9 

April 665,309  16,073  681,382  103  9 

May    671,7.50  16,026  I    687,770  ,      103  9 

June 663,383  15,107  I    678,490  '      107  G 

July   673.475  ,     16,080  089,!J55  112  6 

August 695.230  i      16.296  !    711,526  111  6 


Natives  Employed  in  the  Tkansvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
mines 


Coal 
mines 


Diamond 
mines 


Total 


August  31,  1920 i  169,263 

September  30   163,132 

October  31 1.59,426 

November  30 i  1.58,773 

December  31  159,671 

January  31,  1921   . . .  165,287 

February  28    171,518 

March  31    174,364 

April  30  172,826 

May  31  170,595 

June  30    1  108,152 

July  31 166,999 

AugustSl I  169,003 


13,535 

4,244 

187,042 

13,716 

4,323 

181,171 

13,858 

4,214 

177,408 

14,245 

3,504 

176,522 

14,263 

3,340 

177,274 

14,541 

a,319 

lKi,147 

14.697 

1,612 

'    187,827 

14,906 

1,364 

!    100,634 

14,908 

1,316 

189,050 

14,510 

1,302 

1    186,407 

14,704 

1,317 

1    184,173 

14,688 

1,246 

182,933 

14,446 

1,207 

1    184,601 

s.  d. 

s. 

d. 

s.  d. 

£ 

36  11 

25 

0 

U  11 

1,226,900 

38  11 

25 

0 

13    5 

1,276,369 

39    9 

26 

1 

13    8 

1,278,385 

40    2 

20 

3 

13     1 

1,255,749 

39  11 

20 

8 

13    3 

1.193,672 

35  3 
35  10 
37  2 


26  3 
28  6 
26  1 

25  10  I 

26  2  I 
25  10  1 
25  7 


8  9 

7  0 

8  4 

8  7 

9  1 

10  0 

11  7 


Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1920 


1921 


January  . . 
February  . 
March  . . . 
April    . . . . 

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . 
September 
October  . . 
November 
December 


211,917 
220,835 
225,808 
213,160 
218,057 
214,215 
214,919 
207,339 
223,719 
204,184 
180,462 
158,835 


oz. 

43,423 
44,237 
45,779 
47,090 
46,266 
45,054 
46,208 
48,740 
45,471 
47,343 
46,782 
46,190 


40,9.56 
40,810 
31,993 
47,858 
48,744 
49,466 
51,564 
5Vi.2lJM 


COST  AND  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled    from   official   statistics    published   by    the  Transvaal 
Chamber  of  Mines. 

I  ,  rWork'g    Work'g        Total 

Tons  Yield         cost         profit  working 

milled        per  ton    per  ton     per  ton  '      profit 


August,  1920  .  2,0.57,500 

September  ...  ]  ,9.50,410 

October  1,871,149 

November  . . .  1,799,710 

December   ...  1,797,970 

January,  1921    1,895,235 
February  ....    1,575,320 

March    1,958,730 

April     1,991.815 

May  1,955,357 

June I  1,966,349 

July 1  2,010,236 


829,436 
5.'S0,974 
813,636 
854,533 
889,520 
979,769 
1,163,565 


Transvaal  Gold  Outputs. 

^July  r~ 


August 


Treated  i 
Tons    I 


Yield 
Oi. 


Treated 
i    Tons 


Aurora  West 10,080 

Hrakpan 58,000 

City  beep    84,000 

Cons.  Langlaagte   42,300 

Cons.  M.nin  Reef 50,700 

Crown  Mines 201,000  i 

D'rb'nRoodcpoortDeep  27,409 

Ivist  Kand  P.M 127,000  | 

Fcrrcira  Deep   ,  82,800 

Geduld 45,300 

Geldenhnis  Deep 51,387 

Glynn's  Lydcnburg    .. .'  3,030 

Goch 1  17,000 

Government  G.M.  Areas  140,000 

Klcinfontoin    50,100 

Knii;ht  Central 28,600 

Langlaaqtc  F.statc    40,300  I 

Luipaard's  Vlci 22,560 

Meyer  &  Charlton 13,500 

Modderfontein 96,000 

Modderfontcin  B    ,  59,000 

Modderlontein  Deep    . .  42,500 

Modderfontcin  East i  26,350 

New  Unified    11,500 

Nourse  43,400 

Primrose    ,  22,000 

Randfontein  Central    . .  127,000 

Robinson 38,000 

Robinson  Deep i  60,200 

Roodepoort  United    . . . '  22,000 

Rose  Deep 54,400 

Simmer  &  Jack 57,500 

Sorings    I  40,000 

Siib  Nigel 10,000 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates.  16,010 

Van  Ryn   33,400 

Van  Rvn  Deep  I  49,300 

Village  Deep    .50,000 

West  Rand  Consolidated  32,000 

Witw'tersr'nd  (Knights)  37,700 

Witwatersrand  Deep   . .  31,759 

Wolhuter 33,500  i 


£15,823t 
21,909 
85,578 

£71,673t 
17,060 
59,092 
0,448 
84,252 
10,022 
15,655 
13,324 
£7,1535 

£20,441 1 
£297,622t 
13,743 
0,761 

£69,991t 

£31,484t 

£42,71 5t 
46,454 
33,047 
23,078 
10,172 

£13,536t 
13,501 

£26,315t 
£211,792t 
7,571 
17,759 

£25,514t 

13,292 

13,251 

18,572 

5,461 

£25,8781 

£50,730t 

£148,5881 

10,152 

;£49,712t 

£52,862t 
9,178 
8,278 


•  Gold  at  £5  1  Is.  6d.  per  oz.  t  £5  125.  6d.  per  oz.  }  £5  9s.  9d.  per  oz. 
§£5  Us.  per  oz. 


Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 

July 

August 

Tons           Oz. 

Ton.s     1       Oz. 

Cam  &  Motor   

Falcon    

Gaika   

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo   

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-.\rcturus   

Rezende 

Rhodesia  G..M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva    

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian 


12,800 

15,718 

3,704 

6,079 

1.500 

2,4119 

5,400 

5,340 

5,850 

338 

54,150 

1,5.50 


4,060 
3,425* 
1,242 
5,892 
483 
£3,170 
5,1»5 
2,689 
2,582 
316 
£41,500§ 
£4,400t 


13,000 

16,024 

3,788 

6,208 

1,580 

2,473 

.5,170 

5,600 

5,800 

307 

53,750 

1,4-50 


4,355 

3,340i| 

1,323 

5,817 

470 

£3,054 

4,901 

2,495 

2,650 

355 

£42,fiOn§ 

£4,041  + 


•  Also  243  tons  copper.       t  At  par.  ||  Also  270  tons  copper. 

§  Gold  at  £5  10s.  per  oz. 


West  African  Gold  Outpuis. 


July 

August 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Abosso  

Akoko  

Ashanti  Goldftelds   .... 
Eastern  .\kkim 

Tons 
7,200 
.5,767 

7,o77 

901 
8,093 
3,1  ITO 

Oz. 

£12,470» 
2,278 

6,085 

85 

£2,574t 

£13,006* 

1,823 

Tons 
8,0CO 
0,239 

7,356 

Too 

8,094 
3.340 

Oz. 

£13,8.53' 
2,490 

7,760 

£3,440t 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah  

£15,507« 
2,065 

Total 


2.499,408 


552.498 


-90 


•  At  par.         t  Including  premium. 


OCTOBER,    1921 


239 


West  Ausirahak  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Reported 

for  Export 

Or. 

Delivered 

to  Mint 

Oz. 

Total 
Oz. 

Total 
Value  £ 

December,  1920  . . . 

January,  1921 

February   

March 

321 
523 
684 
10 
607 
474 
153 
1,641 
110 
380 

53,595 
50,934 
26,872 
47,875 
46,602 
47,638 
28,194 
44,917 
51,731 
50,728 

.53,916 
.51,457 
27,556 
47,885 
47,209 
51,503 
28,347 
46,558 
51,841 
51,108 

229,057 
218,574 
117,050 
203,401 
200,635 
217,495 
120,410 
197,774 
220,205 
217,092 

April 

May 

July 

September 

.Australian  Gold  Outputs. 

West 
Australia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

Kew  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

(. 

January  . 

61,458 

4,587 

4,582 

20,403 

February. 

27,557 

10,940 

9,046 

21,575 

March  . . . 

47,880 

12,383 

6,690 

24,344 

April  .... 

47,273 

6,954 

2,591 

34,101 

May    .... 

48,113 

10,280 

2,077 

15,356 

June 

28,347 

10,431 

1,602 

ll,6-!0 

July 

— 

— 

— 

16,416 

August.. . 

— 

— 

— 

15,946 

September 

— 

— 

— 

— 

October    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

November 

— 

— 

. — 

December 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Total  . . 

250,034 

1       54,577 

26,588 

160,041 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs, 


July 

August 

Tons 

Value  i 

Tons 

Value  I 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

5,962 

8,32911 

6,217 

8,31311 

Blackwater  (N.Z.)    

2,809 

5,176' 

2,805 

5.405* 

Bullfinch  (W.A.) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Gold'n  Horseshoe  (W.A) 

10,224 

5,332t 

10,512 

6,483{ 

Grt  Boulder  Pro.  (W.A.) 

9,188 

2S,712i: 

9,438 

29,4941! 

Ivanboe  (W.A.) 

15,100 

5,634: 

16,126 

6,185t 

KalgurU  (W.A.)    

2,370 

4,298;i 

— 



Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.) 

6,582 

14,625111 

6,765 

15,701tll 

Menzies  Con.  (W.A.)    .  . 

1,070 

5,511 

— 

— 

Mount  Boppy  (N.S.W.) 

2,404 

932; 

4,405 

1,111J 

Oroya  Links  (W.A.)  . . . 

1,330 

7,113tll 

1,633 

8,146tll 

Progress  (N.Z.) 

— 

— 

— 

Sons  of  Gwalia  (W.A.)  . 

— ■ 

— 

.^ 

— 

South  KalgurU  (W.A.)  . 

7,857 

12,48811 

7,862 

12,70011 

Waihi  (N.Z.i 

13,950  j 

4,03.i; 
42,384§ 

14,197  { 

4,480t 
14,820§ 

„  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z.) 

6,570  1 

^.'iss; 

4,541§ 

6,380  ] 

l,499t 
3,344§ 

Yuanmi  (W.A.) 

— 

— 

— 

— 

'  Including     premium  ;      t  Including     royalties  ;      J  Oz.     gold  I 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   ||  At  par. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 

July 

August 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Tons 

Value  ( 

Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 



512§n 



254§ 

Cascalho  (Brazil) 

— 

32tt 

— 

19c 

Chuquitambo  (Peru) 

1,400 

1,000' 

l.SOO 

1,250* 

El  Oro  (Mexico)    

34,750 

19S,C00t 

34.roo 

196,000t 

Esperanza  (Mexico)    

— 

698tt 

— 

3u0tt 

Frcntino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia 

2,150 

10,106' 

2,1G0 

8,608' 

Keeley  Silver  (Canada)  . . 

5,551 

32,987 

— 

— . 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico)., 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Mining  Corp.  of  Canada    . 

8,435 

125,915 

— 

— 

Oriental  Cons.  (Korea)  .,. 

1    19,297 

86,234t 

— 

75,500t 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)    

7,500 

2,50311 

7,100 

2,37011 

Plym'tb    Cons.    (Calif'mia 

7,200 

8,704' 

8,200 

6,913* 

St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil) 

— 

40,009* 

— 

43,000* 

Santa   Gertnidis    (Mexico 

38,250 

13,938} 

29,762 

16,227} 

Tolima  (Colombia) 

— 



— 

— 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    

16,000 

64,CX)0t 

18,000 

6n,ooot 

•  At  par.  t  U.S.  Dollars.  J  Profit,  gold  and  silver.  |l  Oz.  gold. 
§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.  ••  Production  of  silver  ore.  ft  Oz.  gold, 
also  155  carats  of  diamonds.  %*  ;Eight  weeks  to  August  13. 

§§  Oz.  silver,     c  Oz.  gold,  also  131  carats  of  diamonds. 
Nechi  (Colombia)  :   lij  days  to  September  1,  $21,014  from  79.485 

cu.  yd. ;   a  days  to  September  U,  531,050  from  58,311  cu.  yd. 

Pato  (Colombia) :  2U  days  to  September  13,  527,334  from  luO,03S 

cu.  yd. 


J 

jly 

August 

Tons 
Treated 

Fins 
Ounces 

Tons 
Treated 

Fine 
Ounces 

Balaghat    

3,300 

12,250 

17,090 

700 

9,048 
12,000 

2,364 
4,713 
10,517 
908 
6,337 
8,439 

3,300 

12,127 

17,313 

700 

9,100 
12,900 

2  301 

Champion  Reef 

4,822 

10,498 

904 

6  370 

North  Anantapur 

Ooregum    

8.543 

Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


1917     j     1918     1     1919 

1920 

1921 

January  .... 
February  . . . 

March    

April    

May 

June 

July 

August 

September  . . 
October  .... 
November  . . 
December  . . 

Oz. 

44,718 
42,560 
44,617 
43,726 
42,901 
42,924 
42,273 
42,591 
43,207 
43,041 
42,915 
44,883 

Oz. 

41,420 
40,787 
41,719 
41,504 
40,889 
41,264 
40,229 
40,496 
40,088 
39,472 
36,984 
40,149 

Oz. 

38,184 
36,384 
38,317 
38,248 
38,608 
38,359 
38,549 
37,850 
36,813 
37,138 
39.628 
42,643 

Oz. 

39,073 
38,872 
38,760 
37,307 
38,191 
37,864 
37,129 
37,375 
3.5,497 
35,023 
34,522 
34,919 

Oz. 

34,028 
32,529 
32,576 
32,363 
32,656 
32,207 
32,278 
32,498 

Total   .. 

.520,362    1  485,236    1  461,171 

444,532 

261,145 

Base  Metal  Outputs. 


July       August 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper    . . . 

(  Tons  lead  cone.    . . . 
British  Broken  Hill    ...  -  Tons  zinc  cone 

( Tons  carbonate  ore 

Broken  Hill  Prop '  1^^^  ^^^^  *^°"^-    • " " 

I  1  ons  zmc  cone 

Broken  Hill  South  , 

Burma  Corporation. 
Hampden  Cloncurry    . .  ■ 


. .  .Tons  lead  cone. 
j  Tons  refined  lead 
I  Oz.  refined  silver 
Tons  copper    . . . . 

"l  Oz.  gold   

(  Tons  copper    . . . . 

Mount  Lyell      J  Oz.  silver  

I  Oz.  gold   

Mount  Morgan    \lT\oT" .W:.: 

Pilbara    Tons  copper  ore  .  . . . 

,  „    ,       ,,.„  '  Tons  lead  cone. .. . 

North  Broken  Hill -  j^^^  ^^^^  eonc,  . . 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill     Tons  lead  . 
Sulphide  Corporation  . 

Tanganyika 

Zinc  Corporation  .... 


Tons  lead  cone. 
'  'i  Tons  zinc  cone  . 
.Tons  copper 

[  Tons  zinc  cone. . 

"( Tons  lead  cone. 


4,709 

3,239 

302,499 

446 

14,479 

385 


111 
1,200 
1,170 
1,575 
2,183 
3,671 
3,189 
9,195 

925 


2,935 

2,598 

200,900 


470 

14,056 

342 


90 
1,200 
1,170 
1,569 
2,089 
3,739 
2,952 
9,805 
967 


Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kingdom. 


July 


Coal Tons    .  1,389,981 

Iron  Ore  Tons   .  14,857 

Manganese  Ore    Tons   .  4,789 

Copper  and  Iron  PjTitcs   Tons   .  2,933 

Copper  Ore,  Matte,  and  Free Tons   .  689 

Copper  Metal     Tons   .  2,554 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons   .  1.002 

Tin  Metal Tons   .  2,188 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet Tons   .  12,718 

Zinc  (Spelter) Tons   .  2,743 

Quicksilver Lb.      .  343,176 

Zin:G.xide Tons   .  350 

White  Lead     Cwt.    .  7,8&i 

Biu-ytes,  ground    Cwt.    .  20,490 

Phosphate      Tons   .  8,561 

Sulphur Tons   .;  — 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt.    .!  23,130 

Petroleum  1 

Crude    Gallons  13,271,705 

Lamp  Oil     Gallons  12,940,684 

Motor  Spirit Gallons  13,952,940 

Lubricating  Oil   Gallons  3,545,107 

Gas  Oil  Gallons  12,666,828 

Fuel  Oil    Gallons  64,079,318 


.\ugust 


167,133 

36,997 

6,039 

16,375 

1,074 

8,317 

1,231 

2.086 

10,845 

3,907 

112 

.509 

2,705 

28,714 

15,697 

19,197 

9,501,804 
9,784,203 
21,140.'.147 
2,17ij,i)31 
U.601,765 
52,422.202 


210 


THE   MINING   magazim: 


Oi'TriTS  Of  Tim  Mining  CourANiR«. 
Id  Tod9  o(  Cnoccnunif. 


Ki(!eria  : 

Assocj.itcd  Nigerian    

Bisichi  

Hont^wclli     

Champii.m  (Nijjsha)  ...     ... 

Dm 

Ex'Laods   

Filani 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated    . . . 

Gurum  River  

JaDtar 

Jos 

Kadana  

Kaduna  Prospectors 

Kano 

Kctli  Consolidated     

Lower  Hisichi 

Lucky  Chance    

Minaa    

Mongu  

Nara^ta 

Naraguta  Extended    

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  Bauchi 

Offin  River 

Rayfield    

Ropp 

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru 

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri  

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang 

Gopeng    

Idns  Hydraulic 

Ipoh 

Kamunting 

Kinta 

Labat 

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang     

Rambutan    

Sungei  Besi    

Tekka    

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Cornwall : 

East  Pool   

Geevor 

South  Crofty    

Other  Countries ; 

Aramayo  Mines  (Bolivia) 

Berengiiela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania)    

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam)  . . 

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal) 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rnoiberg  Minerals(Transvaal) 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)  

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam)  . . . 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)   


June 


Tons 
33 


4 
1] 

10 


101 
10 


35 
SS 
20 
9 
64 


li 
9i 

C9* 
SUi 
13* 
5} 
82* 
35J 
62 
86' 
240 
15 
33 
30 
2U 
2'5' 


165 

28 
9 
32 
71* 
19* 
91 
55 
124 
98 
10 


1 


July 


Tons 
S5 


20 

li 
13 

Ij 
ISi 


23 
3i 


37 
50 
20 
8 
65 


89 

171 

22 

353 

53} 
865 
214 
14 
47 
37 
20 
32 


180 
28 


23 


50 
134i 
123 


August 


Tons 
30 


2J 
13 


'% 


*i 


50 

24 

9 

82S 


31 

37 

26 

104 

118 

128 

3 

4 

u 

16 

16   . 

1-4 



— 

89 

19| 

353 
433 

83J 
216 

l.T 

48 
37 
36 
30 


174 
28 
10 
21J 


111 

50 
121 
113 


•  Three  months.        t  Tributers. 

Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 
Note, — These  fit^urts  are  taken  from  the  monthly  returvs  made  ty 
individual  companies  reporting  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
S^°'U  of  the  actual  outputs. 


1916       1917 


1918 


1919       1920       1921 


Tons 

Januar\*  531 

February   ;  ,528 

March ,  ,547 

April 486 

May 536 

June   510 

July    506 

August   498 

September  ....  5.35 

October    584  I 

November   ....  679 

December 654 

Total :  6,594 


Tons 
667 
646 
655 
555 
509 
473 
479 
551 
538 
578 
621 
6,55 


Tons 
678 
OGS 
707 
584 
525 
492 
545 
.571 
520 
491 
472 
518 


Tons 
613 
623 
606 
546 
483 
484 
481 
616 
561 
625 
536 
5U 


Tons 
.547 
477 
605 
467 
383 
435 
484 
447 
528 
628 
644 
577 


Tons 
438 
370 
445 
394 
337 
423 
494 
377 


Frodvction  op  Tin  in  Fidrrated  Malay  States. 

Estimatt-d  at  70%  of  Concentrate  shipped  to  Snidtci'S 
Lon2  Too^ 


1017 


Tons 

January 3,558 

Febniarv 2,755 

March   .' 8,280 

April   •  3,251 

May ;  3,-113 

June I  3,4HU 

July ,  3,253 

August.., 3,413 

September I  8,154 

October '  8,4.36 

November '  3,300 

December 3,525 


1018 

Tons 
8,030 
8,197 
2,600 
8,308 
3,332 
3.070 
3,373 
3,250 
8,167 
2,870 
3,132 
8,022 


39.833      37,370 


1019 

Tons 
3,765 
2,734 
2,810 
2,858 
8,407 
2.877 
8.75C 
2,9.56 
8,161 
8.221 
2,972 
2.409 


1920 

Tons 
4.265 
8.014 
2,770 
2,606 
2,741 
2,940 
2.824 
2,786 
2.734 
2.837 
2.573 
2.638 


1R2I 

Tons 
8.208 
8.111 
2.190 
2,092 
2.884 
2,752 
8.750 
2.g5(« 


30.935    131,928      25.172 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co. 


Long  Tons. 


July  31      Aug.  31 


Straits  and  .\ustrali.in  Spot   

Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit    . . . 
Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Landing 

Straits,  Afloat    

Australian.  Afloat  

Banca,  in  Holland  

Ditto,  Afloat 

Billiton,  Spot  

Billiton,  Afloat 

Straits,     Spot     in     Holland     and 

Hamburg    

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     

Total  Afloat  for  United  States    ... 
Stock  in  America 


1,930 
2.''U 

4,388 

1,355 
135 

4,244 

351 

423 

38 


305 
3,906 
2,521 


Sept.  SO 


1,811 

1,748 

590 

510 

3,994 

4.226 

1,025 

2.000 

190 

190 

4,003 

3,934 

897 

954 

327 

241 

100 

130 

650 ' 

425 

3,689 

4,663 

1,761 

1.756 

Total  I   19.852    I   19.037    !   20,777 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  op  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  tons. 


July 

August 

Sept. 

Shipments  from  : 

Straits  to  U.K 

1,340 
2,420 
215 
325 
150 
975 

221 

995 
1,580 
690 
950 
75 
490 

687 

1,870 
3  OCO 

430 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

U.K.  to  America   

615 

25 

390 

Imports    of     Bohvian     Tin     into 
Europe 

324 

Supply : 

Straits 

3,975 

150 

55 

1,254 

1,228 

6,692 

3,165 

75 

275 

96S 

928 

5  sro 

Billiton   

ino 

1,085 
811 

Standard  

Total  

5,409 

7,3:i 

Consumption ; 

U.K.  Deliveries   

Dutch  „ 

American      ., 

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 
tinental Ports,  etc 


6.927      6.771       6.085      G,':22      3.258 


Total 


1,224 

2,004 

331 

889 

1.525 

3.320 

713 

511 

3  793 

6  224 

1,707 

329 

2,605 

940 

5,581 


OCTOBER,    1921 


241 


Outputs  Reported  by  Oil-producing  Companies. 


Tons. . 

June 

July 

August 

Anglo-Egyptian 

13,529 

14,682 

14,321 

AiigJo-Uuited   

Barrels 

9,660 

0,90J 

9,350 

Aoex  Trinidad      

.   . .  Barrels 

16,985 

22,223 

94,398 

Astr.i  Romana 

. .  .Tons. . 

22,358 

22,234 

27,013 

British  Burmah   

Barrels 

69,020 

79,569 

S1,40J 

Caltei    

Tons.. 

13,340 

Dacia  Romana 

. . ..Tons  . 

236 

236 



Kem  River 

Barrels 

91,157 

93,421 

66,061 

Lcbitos 

....Tons.. 

S,S43 

9,323 

9,  too 

Roumanian  Consol 

Tons.  . 

1,115 

2,053 

?,-m 

Santa  Maria     

. ...Tons. . 

1,228 

1.371 

1,2S6 

Steaua  Romana      

. ...Tons. . 

17,704 

18,730 

22.760 

Trinidad  Leaseholds    . . 

Tons  . 

11.300 

18,892 

11,800 

United  ol  Trinidad    . . . 

....Tons. . 

3,402 

2,983 

4,291 

Quotations   of   Oil   Companies'   Shares. 
Denominatioo  of  Shares  £1  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo-American  

AngIo-Eg>'ptian  B 

Anglo-Persiao  1st  Pref 

Angio-United,  Wyoming 

Apex  Trinidad    , 

British  Borneo  flOs.) , 

British  Burmah  (Ss.)    

Burmah  Oil 

Caltex(?l)    

Dacia  Romano   

Kem  River,  Cal.  (10s.) , 

Lobitos,  Peru    , 

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ( S5)   

„        „        Pref.  ($5)    , 

North  Caucasian  (10s.) , 

Pbcenix,  Roumania   , 

Roumanian  Con^oUdated , . . , 

Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden)    40 

Scottish  American    

Shell  Transport,  Ord , 

»       Pref.  (£10) 

Trinidad  Ceo  tral 

Trinidad  Leaseholds , 

United  British  of  Trinidad 

Ural  Caspian     

UrozOi'hpIds  flOs.) 


Sept.  6 

Oct.  6 

1921 

1921 

i    s. 

d. 

£  s. 

d. 

4    0 

0 

4    0 

0 

1  10 

0 

1    2 

6 

1    1 

K 

1     1 

H 

3 

H 

3 

9 

2    0 

0 

1  13 

H 

11 

3 

8 

9 

1    0 

0 

17 

6 

5  15 

0 

4    17 

6 

3 

9 

6 

1     1 

3 

17 

6 

18 

6 

19 

3 

3  17 

6 

4    0 

1) 

5    2 

6 

3  10 

() 

4  17 

6 

3    7 

6 

16 

3 

13 

9 

8 

9 

8 

3 

11 

0 

8 

6 

40    0 

II 

35    5 

0 

2 

6 

9 

9 

4  17 

H 

4    5 

0 

8    2 

6 

8    2 

6 

3    2 

6 

2  10 

0 

1  18 

9 

1  15 

!l 

16 

3 

13 

9 

le 

3 

12 

6 

5 

3 

6 

0 

Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


Company 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


Sept.  15  . 
Sept.  14  . 
Sept.  16  . 
Sept.  le  . 
Sept.  17  . 
Sept.  17  . 
Sept.  20  . 
Sept.  22  . 
Sept.  2^^  . 

Oct.      5  . 

Oct.  C  . 
Oct.     8  . 


,  Globe  and  Phcenix.. 
,  j  British  Aluminium. , 

,  I  Shamva 

,  I   Knight's  Deep 

.  ■   Kramat  Pulai 

Ivanhoe  Gold 

Gopeng  Consolidated 

Ferreira  Deep 

Talisman 

Ooregum  Gold 

Borax  Consolidated. 
Mexico  of  El  Oro  . . . 


Is.  tax  paid. 
5%  less  tax. 
7\%  less  tax 

4s.* 

Is.  less  tax. 

Is.  6d.  less  tax. 

9d.  less  tax. 

7h%  less  tax. 

"     os.t 
Is.  9d.  less  tax. 
9d.  less  tax. 

6%  less  tax. 

2s.  6d.  tax  paid. 


•  Second  di:-tribution  on  liquidation, 
liquidation. 


t  First  distribution  on 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.  October  7. 

These    quotations    are    not    absalute ;     they  vAiy    according    tn 

quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

£  s.  d. 

Acetic  Acid,  40% per  cwt.  1  2  'J 

80%  „  2  5  II 

„           Glacial per  ton  4G  0  C 

Alnm    „  16  0  0 

Alumina,  Sulphate . .  „  14  10  0 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb.  2  2 

„          0-880  solution    per  ton  23  0  0 

,,          Carbonate per  lb.  4 

,,          Chloride,  grey   per  ton  37  0  0 

„               ,,       pure    per  cwt.  3  5  0 

Nitrate   per  ton  45  0  0 

Phosphate    ,.  75  0  0 

Sulphate    „  13  10  0 

Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb.  1  6 

,,          Sulphide,  Golden , „  15 

Arsenic,  Whit*?   per  ton  38  U  0 

Barium  Carbonate ,,  10  0  0 

,,       Chlorate per  lb.  11 

„       Chloride per  ton  l(i  0  0 

Sulphate   8  0  0 

Benzol,  00% per  gal.  3  0 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton  56  0  0 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI „  16  0  0 

,,          Liquor,  7'^^,    ,,  6  0  0 

Borax ,  31  0  0 

Boric  Acid  Crystals  ,,  65  0  0 

Calcium  Chloride    ,,  10  0  0 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60% per  gal.  1  7 

,,           „    crystallized,  40    per  lb.  6i 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  ton  4  10  0 

Citric  Acid , per  lb.  2  5 

Copper,  Sulphate per  ton  30  0  C 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100%    per  lb.  Hi 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    „  7i 

Iodine per  oz.  1  0 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton  8  0  0 

„     Sulphate    „  4  0  0 

Lead,  Acetate,  white ,,  45  0  0 

„      Nitrate   „  47  0  0 

„     Oxide,  Litharge \i^  0  0 

„     White   „  44  0  0 

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   ,,  8  0  0 

„      gTevS0%    „  U  0  0 

Majnesite,  Calcined ,,  21  0  0 

Magnesium,  Chloride ,,  14  0  0 

Sulphate    „  8  0  0 

Methylated  Spirit  04Mndustrial  per  gai.  5  3 

Nitric  Acid,  80"  Tw. per  ton  31  0  0 

OxaUc  Acid per  lb.  9 

Phosphoric  Acid per  ton  40  0  0 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb.  10 

,,          Carbonate per  ton  26  0  0 

„          Chlorate    per  lb.  6 

Chloride  80% per  ton  17  0  0 

„          Hydrate  (Caustic)  90%   „  31  0  0 

„          Nitrate       ,,  4'J  0  0 

„          Permanganate per  lb.  1  3 

Prussiate,  Yellow ,  1  3 

Red 2  3 

Sulphate,  90% per  ton  10  0  0 

Sodium  Metal per  lb.  I  4 

„       Acetate    per  ton  30  0  0 

„      Arsenate  45% , ,  44  0  0 

Bicarbonate    ,,  12  0  0 

,,       Bichromate     per  lb.  7 

,,       Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton  15  0  0 

„               „         (Crystals)    „  7  0  0 

, ,       Chlorate per  lb.  4 

Hydrate,  76% per  ten  26  15  0 

Hvposuiphite „  16  0  0 

„       Nitrate,  96% IS  0  0 

„       Phosphate 22  0  0 

,,       Prussiate per  lb.  " 

,,       Sihcate per  too  1115  0 

„      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    „  6  10  0 

„              .,       (Glauber's  Salts)    „  5  0  0 

„       Sulphide    „  22  0  0 

„       Sulphite „  12  10  0 

Sulphur,  Roll    13  0  0 

Flowers   „  13  0  0 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65-   ,,  24  0  0 

,,              ,,       free  from  Arsenic,  144    . ..  ,.  6  5  0 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30% ..  610  0 

Tartaric  Acid    per  lb.  1  6 

Turpentine    per  cwt,  3  9  0 

Tin  Cn,'stals ,  per  lb.  1  5 

Titanous  Chloride ,,  1  0 

Zinc  Chloride per  ion  52  10  0 

Zinc  Oxide „  41  0  0 

Zinc  Sulphate „  17  0  0 


212 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

Shores  arc  £1  pur  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOLD,    SILVER. 
DIAMONDS  : 
Rand  : 

Brakp.in 

CcDtral  Mining  ((;S) 

City  &  Suburban  (t4) 

City  D«p 

Consolid.ittxi  Gold  Fields 

Con-iolKl.itcd  L.inn!.i.igtc 

Cousolidatcvi  M.iin  Ueef 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.)  . 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) 

Daggafonteiu 

Durban  Koodcpoort  Deep 

E.ast  Kand  Proprietary- 

Ferreira  Deep '. 

Geduld 

Geldenhnis  Detp 

Govcmmeut  Gold  Mining  Areas    . . . 

Johannesbiu-g  Consolidated 

Kleinfonlcin 

Knipht  Central 

Knit,'hts  Deep 

Lan^laagte  Kstate   

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein  (10s.)  

Modderfontein  B  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  Deep  (5s.) 

Modderfonteiu  East 

New  State  Areas 

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (/o) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  Gd.) 

Van  R>-n 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep 

Wolbuter 


Other  Tr.vnsv.aal  Gold  Mi.ves  : 

Gh-nn's  l.ydeoburg 

Sheba  (5s.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates  . 

DuMOXDS  IS'  South  .Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  ({2  10s.) 

Jagersfonteio 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  Gd.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  tS:  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  PbceaLx  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende  

Sbamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.)  

West  Africa  : 

Abbontiakooa  (10s.) 

Abosso 

.^shanti  (4s.).. 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 


West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

B.illfincb 

GokiPn  Hor^;e-Shoe  (/5) 

Great  B.iuldi-r  Proprietary  (2s.)  , 

Grsat  Finqsll  (lOs.) 

Hamoton  Properties 

Ivanhoe  G£5) 

Kal^iirli  

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)   . . . 

Sons  of  Gwalia   

South  Kalgurli  (10s.)    


l>t.  7, 
IWJO 

f.  s.  d. 
2  IG  3 
8  2 
7 
2  15 
1     G 

IG 

U 

1  1 

2  113 

10  0 
5  0 
9    0 

11  6 
1  IG    3 

S 


3 
0 
6  6 
C    9 


4 

6 

IG  0 
4  10  0 
3  IG    3 

1  13 

2  3 
1    3 

1  8 
10 

2  15 
2  17 

14 
7 


13    y 

IS    G 


3 
2    0 
17 


17  0 

IG  3 

3  17  6 

10  G 

IG  3 

13  9 

9  0 


13  9 

1  9 

10  0 

17    0  0 

4    5  0 

10    0  0 

12  0 
15  9 

13  0 
IG  0 
17  G 

2  IG  3 

2  15  0 

1  13  9 

5  G 

?.  0 

11  0 
17  0 

2  0 
13  G 


3 
3 
3 

16 
7 
1 

10 
5 

16 

15 
7 
6 


Oct.  6, 
1921 

C   s.  d. 

2  15  0 

G  15  0 

2  9 

2    8  9 

IS  9 

15  0 

10  0 


15 
2    0 


12  9 
4  0  0 
3  15  0 
16  3 
2    5  0 

10  G 
13  9 

9  6 

2    6  3 

2  12  6 

11  0 
9  0 

10  0 

13  3 
2  9 

2  2  6 

12  6 

14  6 

11  9 

3  15  0 

8  3 

11  3 
12 


G 

4  3 

7  6 
1  G 

8  6 

11    0  0 

2    7  0 

5  15  0 

9  6 
11  0  , 


9  6 

13  6 

2  7  6 

3  10  0 
1  11  3 

4  3 


3 

8 

15 

2 


2 

2 

1 

11 

5 

1 

R 

18 

13 


0 
9 
6 
9 
6 

3 
3 
0 
3 
6 
6 
0 
9 
3 
8  9 
3  n 
6    G 


Gold,  Silvbk,  conl. 

OriiKKS  in  Australasia  : 

Blackwater,  New  Zealand 

Consolidated  G.F.  of  New  Zealand... 

Mount  Boppy,  N.S.W.  (10s.) 

Progress,  New  Zealand 

Waihi,  New  Zealand 

Waihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd., 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

EI  Oro,  Mexico 

Hsperanza,  Mexico 

Frontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Koi  No.  2  ((5),  British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  EI  Oro,  Mexico  .... 

Ncchi  (Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Orovillc  Dredging,  Colombia      

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California. . 

St.  John  del  Key,  Brazil   

Santa  Gcrtrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority I 

India  :  j 

Balaghat  (10s.) [ 

Champion  Reef  (2f.  Cd.) 

MysoredOs.) I 

Nortli  .\Tiantapur I 

Nundydroog  (10s.) 

Ooregum  (10s.) 

COPPER: 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India...  i 

Esperanza,  Spain ; 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  . .. 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal : 

Messina  (5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elhott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  (£5),  Spain 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia i 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  . . 

LEAD-ZINX  : 

Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary i 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.)  

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia  :  j 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees) I 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  ; 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (os.)  

TIN :  i 


Oct.  7, 
1020 

£  «.  d. 

8  0 

3  9 

G  8 

1  9 

1  12  G 
10  0 

10  0 

13  0 

17  6 

2  5  0 


8 

9 

5 

0 

7 

B 

s 

9 

/ 

(! 

0 

0 

1 
1 

15  0 

1    1  6 

10  0 

1   n  0 

10  0 

8  c 

2  6 

15  6 

4  6 

7  C 

13  9 


2    3  9 

1    0  0 

5  0 

13  9 

1  10  0 

5  6 

1    5  0 

1    2  0 

18  6 

1  10  0 

29  10  0 

12  0 

11  3 

17  6 

1  12  0 


1    G    3 

1   15    0 

10    0 


1  1 

2  6 
2    6 

16 
16 


Aramayo  Francke,  Bolivia 

Bisichi  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath,  Cornwall 

East  Pool  (5s.},  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  {2s.).  Nigeria  . . 

Geevor  (10s.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredgini;,  Malay   

Kamuating,  ilalay 

Kinta,  Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay  . . . 

MooKU  (10s.).  Nigeria 

Naragutq,  Nigeria  

N.  N-  Bauchi.  Nigeria  (10s.)  .... 
Pahang  Consolidated  (5s.),  Malay. 

Rayfseld.  Nigf^ria  

Renone  DreH,iing.  Siam 

RoDP  (4s  1.  Nl^tria 

Siamese  Tin,  Siam 

South  Crofty  (5s.).  Cornwall    

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taipiiig,  .Malay  

Tronoh,  Malay    .,..'. 


12     fi 
10    0 


U    0 


3    2  6 

10  0 

4  3 

3  0 

8  9 

2  9 

10  0 
t  17  6 

15  0 

2  10  0 

2    0  0 

1  15  0 
17  6 

11  3 

3  0 
10  6 

8  0 

2  3  9 

8  « 

3  5  0 

12  0 

15  0 

I     2  !■■ 

1     1  3 

1  11  3 


Oct.  6, 
1921 

£    1.  d. 

2  tl 

2  U 

2  0 

1  9 

1    2  G 

B  9 

1  9 
4  3 
9  6 

17  e 

6  3 

2  6 
4    7  6 

4  0 
1    2  6 

10  0 

16  0 

7  6 

5  0 


0 
G 
3 
0 
9 
13    0 


12 
5 


17  6 

12  6 

5  0 

6  3 
2    0  0 

3  6 

11  3 

12  6 
12  6 
15  0 

28  10  0 

7  6 
5  0 

8  9 

loo 


10  3 

18  9 

1  13  9 

10  0 
1  8  9 
1     5  0 

11  0 
17  G 

6  0 

5  0 


1  12  6 

5  0 

2  6 
9 

3  0 

1  3 

2  G 
1  12  6 

10  0 

1     3  9 

1  12  6 

1     1  3 

10  0 

12  6 

2  0 


2 
1    .^ 


6 

9 

6    0 

1   17    6 

3    a 

5    0 

17    G 

1     0    0 

1     5     0 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING,  METALLURGY.  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents    on   mining   and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 

STUDIES    OF    TRANSVAAL    TIN    DEPOSITS 


Memoir  No.  16  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  the 
Union  of  South  Africa  deals  with  the  tin-mining 
district  between  Warmbaths  and  Lydenburg  in  the 
Northern  Transvaal.  The  deposits  are  just  north 
of  the  junction  of  the  Elands  and  Olifants  rivers, 
and  are  some  distance  away  from  the  better  known 
tin-mining  district  north-west  of  Warmbaths. 
The  Memoir  is  written  by  Dr.  Percy  A.  Wagner,  who 
was  appointed  three  years  ago  by  the  Geological 
Survey  to  make  special  investigations.  The  tin- 
mining  district,  which  is  the  subject  of  this  report, 
contains  producing  mines,  operated  by  the  Mutue 
Fides  (Transvaal)  Consolidated  Land  and  Explora- 
tion Co.,  the  Stavoren  Tin  Mines  Co.,  the  Olifants 
Tin  Mines  Co.,  and  the  Union  Tin  Mines  Co.  The 
particulars  of  the  deposits  are  not  of  great  interest 
from  the  point  of  view  of  production,  but 
Dr.  Wagner's  studies  afford  him  an  opportunity  of 
joining  in  the  discussion  of  the  problem  of  the  origin 
of  tin  ores.  He  says  the  district  gives  a  grand 
chance  to  the  mineralogist  to  collect  specimens  of 
a  great  variety  of  minerals,  but  this  chance  is 
shared  by  students  of  Cornish  mines.  .As  we  have 
often  remarked,  the  reports  on  Cornish  and  other 
mines  seldom  make  reference  to  the  existence  of  any 
but  the  leading  economic  minerals,  and  the 
mineralogist  desirous  of  discussing  origins  is  usually 
unable  to  make  any  useful  deduction  until  he  makes 
a  personal  visit.  Mineralogists  will  therefore 
welcome  Dr.  Wagner's  voluminous  report  on  these 
deposits.  We  make  quotations  from  the  report,  not 
for  the  object  of  giving  a  description  of  the  deposits, 
but  for  the  purpose  of  publishing  Dr.  Wagner's 
views  as  to  the  origin  of  the  ores. 

The  mineral  deposits  are  not  restricted  to  any 
definite  horizon  or  formation  occurring  in  the  red 
granite,  the  granophyric  granite  above  the  normal 
granite,  the  granophyre,  the  granitic  rocks  above  the 
granophyre,  and  in  the  basal  quartzites  of  the  Water- 
berg  System.  The  deposits  are  all  essentially  replace- 
ment deposits  connected  with  more  or  less  well-defined 
fractures  and  joint-planes,  cavity  filling  having 
played  a  quite  subordinate  role  in  their  formation. 
It  should  be  stated  that  the  mineralizing  fractures, 
as  a  rule,  are  mere  cracks  that  do  not  themselves 
carry  ore.  The  occurrences  are  as  numerous  as  they 
are  varied,  and  present  such  an  extraordinary 
diversity  of  type  that  it  is  difficult  to  arrive  at 
a  satisfactory  basis  of  classification.  It  is  found, 
however,  that  the  deposits  in  each  of  the  geological 
divisions  enumerated  have  more  or  less  well- 
marked  characteristics,  particularly  in  regard  to  the 
assemblages  of  metallic  minerals  present  and  the 
character  of  the  .alteration  of  the  wall-rocks.  It  is 
proposed  to  classify  them  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  rock  in  which  they  occur,  as  follows  : 
(I)  Deposits  in  granite  ;  (2)  deposits  in  granophyric 
granite  ;  (3)  deposits  in  granophyre  ;  (4)  deposits 
in  the  zone  of  granitic  rocks  above  the  granophyre  ; 
(.S)  deposits  in  quartzite.     It  is  not  to  be  inferred 


from  this  classification  that  the  nature  of  the  wall- 
rock  has  been  the  principal  factor  in  determining 
the  characteristics  of  the  several  types  of  deposit, 
though  it  undoubtedly  has  had  some  influence. 
The  main  cause  of  the  observed  differences  lies  in 
the  fact  that,  since  the  various  rocks  named  are 
regularly  super-imposed  and  the  metalliferous 
vapours  and  solutions  that  gave  rise  to  the  formation 
of  the  deposits  undoubtedly  travelled  upward,  each 
of  the  divisions  represents  a  certain  thickness  of 
rock  that  had  to  be  traversed  before  the  solutions 
(gaseous  and  liquid)  could  deposit  their  load.  The 
kind  of  country  rock  is  thus  correlated  with  the 
conditions  of  temperature  and  pressure  under  which 
the  mineralization  took  place.  The  deposits  in 
granite,  which  are  the  lowest  topographically  as 
well  as  geologically,  were  evidently  formed  at  the 
highest  temperature  and  pressure,  and  those  in  the 
quartzite  at  the  lowest  temperature  and  pressure, 
while  the  deposits  in  the  other  rocks  were  formed  at 
temperatures  and  pressures  intermediate  between 
those  obtaining  in  the  case  of  the  deposits  in  granite 
and  quartzites.  These  conclusions  are  in  consonance 
with  what  is  known  in  regard  to  the  relative 
temperatures  of  formation  of  the  principal  ore 
minerals  present  in  the  different  occurrences, 
recent  investigations  having  proved  that  cassiterite 
is  a  higher  temperature  mineral  than  wolframite  or 
scbeelite,  and  that  these  in  turn  are  deposited  at 
higher  temperatures  than  chalcopyrite.  Thus,  the 
deposits  in  granite  are  essentially  tin  deposits, 
cassiterite  being  tlie  only  mineral  recovered. 
Wolframite  and  chalcopyrite  are  also  present,  but 
only  in  subordinate  quantities.  The  deposits  in 
granophyric  granite  are  cassiterite-scheelite  deposits, 
both  minerals  occurring  in  workable  quantity.  The 
deposits  in  granophyre  are  cassiterite-scheelite- 
chalcopyrite  deposits,  scheclite  being  often  more 
abundant  than  cassiterite,  while  in  some  occurrences 
chalcopyrite  is  in  excess  of  both.  The  deposits  also 
carry  bismuth  minerals  which  were  not  noted  in  the 
other  classes  of  deposit.  The  deposits  so  far  opened 
up  in  the  granitic  rocks  above  the  granophyre  yield 
cassiterite,  copper  ores,  and  wolframite.  The 
deposits  in  the  quartzite  are  also  cassiterite- 
chalcopyrite-wolframite  deposits  characterized  by 
containing  considerable  quantities  of  specularite, 
which  almost  without  exception  is  greatly  in  excess 
of  the  economic  minerals  present.  It  remains  to  be 
stated  that,  as  regards  their  ore  content,  the  deposits 
are  extraordinarily  erratic  and,  in  consequence, 
difficult  and  expensive  to  work,  their  exploitation 
having,  on  the  whole,  been  attended  with  dis- 
appointing results. 

The  ore  occurrences  of  the  area  yield  a  rich  and 
varied  assortment  of  minerals.  In  all  fifty  minerals 
were  identified,  some  of  them  for  the  first  time  in 
South  Africa.  For  convenience  in  description  the 
author  divides  them  into  primary  ore-minerals, 
secondary  ore-minerals,  and  gangue  minerals 


243 


211 


Tin-     MIX  INT,    MA(,.\ZINE 


Cnssitcritc  is  the  most  important  of  the  ore- 
minorals.  The  cn-stals  ranpe  in  size  from  micro- 
scopic flimcnsions  to  a  iliametcr  of  1 1  incli,  very 
large  crj-stals  occurrinK  in  some  of  the  pegmatite 
ileposits  on  the  farm  Aliitue  Fiiles  and  in  certain 
of  the  occurrences  on  tlie  farm  Stavorcn.  The 
mineral  is  also  found  in  irregular  masses.  The 
colour  cf  the  crystals  varies  considerably,  the 
prevailing  tints  being  yellowish-brown  and  brown. 
On  tlie  farm  Stavoren  the  cassilerile  of  the  Siniiit 
working  is  of  a  pale  resin  colour,  that  of  the  Hdlsidc 
Quarry  is  redd'sh-brown.  and  that  of  the  "  C  " 
and  "  D  "  occurrences  dark-brown  or  chocolate 
coloured.  The  Joe's  Luck  working  on  Koodewal 
yields  translucent  crystals  of  pale-purplish  colour 
of  the  variety  known  as  "  ruby  tin." 

The  presence  of  stannine  in  the  pyritic  ore  of  the 
wolfram  pipe  on  Stavoren  is  inferred  from  the  fact 
that,  whereas  the  ore  can  be  shown  by  analysis  to 
contain  small  amounts  of  tin.  no  cassiteritc  is  to 
be  detected  in  it  either  in  the  pan  or  undor  the 
microscope. 

Primary  scheelite  is,  after  cassiterite.  the  most 
important  ore-mineral.  It  is  confined  to  the 
occurrences  in  granophyrc  and  in  the  immediately 
underlying  granophyric  granite.  It  occurs  in  well- 
formed  square  bipyramids  resembling  octahedra.and 
also  in  irregular  grains  and  masses.  The  crystals 
often  attain  large  dimensions  ranging  up  to  3J  in. 
across,  while  crystals  from  1  in.  to  1 J  in.  across  are 
quite  common.  The  scheelite  taken  from  and  near 
the  outcrops  of  the  ore-bodies  sometimes  shows 
alteration  to  tungstite.  More  usually,  however,  the 
crystals  and  grains  present  a  curiously  etched  and 
corroded  appearance,  and  there  can  be  no  question 
that  the  mineral  is  susceptible  to  alteration  under 
the  influence  of  the  atmospheric  agencies.  The 
occurrence  of  secondary  scheelite  may  here  be 
referred  to,  since  the  mineral  is  not  secondary  in 
the  sense  that  tungstite  and  certain  copper  minerals 
are  secondary'.  It  occurs  in  narrow  veinlets  and 
stringers,  and  also  in  well-formed  crystals  in  the 
wolframite  of  certain  of  the  deposits  on  the  farm 
Mutue  Fides,  having  been  derived  from  the  altera- 
tion of  that  mineral,  probably  through  the  agency 
of  heated  magmatic  waters  holding  calcium  in 
solution.  The  scheelite  differs  from  the  primary 
scheelite  in  being  of  grey  or  greyish-white  colour, 
whereas  the  latter  ranges  in  colour  from  yellowish- 
grey  to  yellowish-brown. 

Iron-rich  wolfram  is  sparingly  present  in  some  of 
the  deposits  in  granite  on  the  farm  Mutue  Fides, 
■where  it  occurs  in  masses,  some  of  which  are  as 
large  as  a  man's  fist.  The  crystal  faces,  where 
present,  are  generally  striated  in  characteristic 
fashion.  The  wolframite  from  most  of  these 
occurrences  presents  a  greyish  appearance  owing  to 
the  presence  of  numerous  minute  veinlets  of 
secondary  scheelite,  which  follow  the  cleavage 
planes  of  the  mineral  and  occupy  irregular  cracks. 
In  the  wolframite  pipe  situated  in  the  upper  zone 
of  granitic  rocks  on  the  farm  Stavoren  the  mineral 
occurs  in  blackish-brown  masses  up  to  J  in.  across. 
In  outcrop  specimens  of  wolframite  ore  the  mineral 
is  generally  found  to  be  covered  with  a  rough 
blackish-brown  cellular  crust,  proving  that  it 
also  is  susceptible  to  atmospheric  weathering. 
Occasionally  the  crv'stals  are  completely  replaced  by 
a  dark-coloured  porous  cindery  mass  composed 
entirely  of  iron  and  manganese  oxides.  This  form 
of  alteration  implies  the  removal  in  solution  of  the 
tungstic     oxide    originally    present.     It    has    been 


recorded  in  the  Tavoy  deposits  of  Lower  Burnui  by 
Morrow  Campbell,  who  attributes  it  to  tlir 
simultaneous  action  of  alkaline  water  and  oxygen. 

Chalcopyrite  is  the  only  primary  copjier  mineral 
hitherto  identified  in  the  deposits.  It  has  a  very 
wide  distribution,  and  is  present  in  practically  all 
the  important  occurrences  so  far  opened  up. 
It  is  most  abnndant  in  the  deposits  in  qranophyre, 
in  which  it  is  frequently  present  in  sulticicnt 
quantity  to  repay  extraction.  'J'here  is  also  an 
important  occurrence  of  chalcopyrite  in  quartzitc  on 
the  farm  Roodewal.  The  oxidation  of  the  chalco- 
pyrite occurring  in  the  superficial  portions  of  many 
of  the  deposits,  and  the  downward  migration  of 
solutions  derived  from  its  decomposition,  have 
given  rise  to  a  large  and' interesting  assemblage  of 
secondary  copper  minerals. 

Pyrite  is  abundant  in  the  deposits  in  granite, 
pyritization  having  next  to  sericitization  been  the 
most  important  metasomatic  process  involved  in 
their  formation.  It  is  less  abundant  in  the  deposits 
in  granophyre,  where  it  is  subordinate  to  arseno- 
pyrite,  but  is  also  apparently  abundant  in  the 
deposits  in  quartzite,  judging  by  the  amount  of 
secondary  martite  and  limonite  present  in  the 
gos.sans  of  these  deposits.  In  the  pyritic 
stanniferous  greisen  of  the  Mutue  Fides  mine  the 
mineral  is  found  in  crystals  of  octahedral  habit, 
while  in  the  chlontic  ore  of  the  same  occurrence  it  is 
present  in  bright  pentagonal  dedocahedrons  of  brass- 
yellow  colour.  In  the  lower  levels  of  the  IJnion  tin 
mines  pyrite  occurs  in  fine-grained  aggregates 
composed  of  small  interlocking  masses. 

Aisenopyrite  has  a  wide  distribution  in  the 
deposits  m  granite  and  granophyre,  but  has  not  so 
far  been  recorded  from  any  of  the  occurrences  in 
quartzite.  It  occurs  in  well-formed  crystals,  in 
irregular  prismatic  individuals,  and  finally  massive. 
The  arsenopyrite  of  the  arsenic  working  on  the 
farm  Stavoren  contains  small  amounts  of  cobalt, 
which  is  probably  present  as  glaucodote  (FcCo)AsS. 
In  some  of  the  Stavoren  deposits  arsenopj'rite  is  so 
abundant  that  it  was  found  practicable  to  erect  a 
plant  for  the  recovery  of  arsenious  oxide,  which  was 
successfully  operated  during  the  war.  The  mineral 
is  also  very  a.bundant  in  the  lower  levels  of  the  Mutue 
Fides  mme. 

-Molvbdenite  is  fairly  common  in  the  occurrences 
in  granophyre  and  was  also  noted  in  one  of  the 
workings  in  granite  on  the  farm  Mutue  Fides.  It 
occurs  in  bright  bluish  metallic  flakes,  in  aggregates 
of  such  flakes,  and  also  in  lamellar  masses.  It  is 
particularlv  abundant  in  the  aureoles  of  raven-mica 
surrounding  some  of  the  pipes  and  eyes  on  the  farm 
Stavoren.  From  one  of  tlie  workings  several  tons 
of  picked  molybdenite  ore  were  actually  recovered. 
Specularite  is  fairly  abundant  in  some  sections  of 
the  Mutue  Fides  mine  and  very  abundant  in  many 
of  the  workings  in  quartzite  on  the  farms  Roodewal 
and  Stavoren.  In  the  Mutue  Fides  mine  and 
certain  sections  of  the  Union  tin  mine  it  occurs  in 
the  form  of  ordinary  lustrous  micaceous  hematite, 
but  most  of  the  occurr'^nces  in  quartzite  yield  a  dull 
black  variety  of  the  mineral. 

Galena  occurs  in  minor  quantities  in  the  pyritic  tin 
ore  of  the  Mutue  Fides  mine  in  association  with  zinc- 
blende,  chlorite,  fluor-spar,  and  calcite.  It  is  the  pro- 
duct of  a  later  period  of  metallization  than  the 
cassiterite  and  associated  minerals.  It  is  also  found 
in  several  of  the  occurrences  on  Stavoren.  Here  the 
mineral  occurs  partly  in  large  well-formed  crystals — 
combinations    of    the    cube    and    octahedron — and 


OCTOBER,    l'J21 


245 


partlv  in  irregular  masses  associated  with  beautifully 
colou'red  violet  and  bluish-violet  fluor-spar.  The 
galena  at  one  of  the  workings  on  Stavoren  contains 
up  to  50  oz.  of  silver  per  ton. 

Other  primary  minerals  mentioned  by  Dr.  Wagner 
in  his  paper  are  zircon,  magnetite,  bismuthinite, 
galcno  -  bismutite,  blende,  and  graphite.  The 
secondary  ore-minerals  mentioned  are  tungstite, 
cuprotungstite,  scorodite,  bismutite,  chalcocite, 
covellite,  bornite,  native  copper,  malachite,  azurite, 
cuprite,  tenorite,  chrysocoUa,  chalcanthite,  olivenite, 
cerussite,  martite,  and  limonite.  The  gangue 
minerals  are  quartz,  chalcedony,  felspar,  raven- 
mica,  tourmaline,  fluor-apatitc,  sericite,  kaolin, 
lithomarge,  chlorite,  fluor-spar,  calcite,  and  ankerite. 
Raven-inica  is  the  rabenglimmer  of  Saxony,  and  it 
is  found  also  at  St.  Just,  Cornwall ;  it  is  a  lithium- 
potassium-iron  mica. 

One  of  the  most  noticeable  features  of  the  various 
occurrences  is  the  constant  and  intimate  association 
of  cassiterite  with  quartz.  The  mineral  is  almost 
invariably  found  enclosed  or  partially  embedded  in 
the  earher  quartz  where  'it  has  not  completely 
replaced  it,  and  though  often  found  replacing  felspar 
there  can  be  no  question  that  in  a  great  majority  of 
cases  the  cassiterite  has  selectively  replaced  the 
quartz  in  preference  to  felspar.  This  is  very  notice- 
able in  certain  of  the  occurrences  in  granite,  in 
which  the  original  quartz  of  the  rock  has  been  almost 
completely  replaced  by  cassiterite,  whereas  the 
felspar,  except  where  partially  scricitized,  is 
unaltered.  It  was  also  observed  frequently  in  the 
deposits  in  granophyre  and  in  the  deposits  in 
quartzite.  In  explanation  of  the  phenomenon  it 
may  be  pointed  out  that  tin  and  silicon  are  very 
closely  allied,  both  belonging  to  the  carbon  group  in 
the  periodic  classification,  so  that  one  would  expect 
the  compounds  of  the  tv.-o  elements  to  be  intimately 
associated  in  nature.  Even  more  important,  how- 
ever, is  the  fact  that  cassiterite  and  quartz  have 
practically  the  same  molecular  volume,  21 '9  in  the 
case  of  the  former  as  against  22-8  in  the  case  of  the 
latter.  The  replacement  of  quartz  by  cassiterite  in 
preference  to  felspar  would  thus  involve  a  minimum 
expenditure  of  energy. 

Emphasis  is  laid  by  Dr.  Wagner  on  the  important 
role  played  in  the  formation  of  the  mineral  deposits 
by  fissures  and  joint  planes.  No  distinction  is 
made  between  these,  as  the  more  pronounced 
fissures  appear  to  be  of  the  nature  of  master  joints. 
Fissures  trending  in  all  directions  are  met  with  in 
the  several  types  of  country  rock,  but  only  those 
trending  in  certain  directions  are  ore-bringers,  the 
productive  fissures  being  clearly  those  that  were 
accessible  to  the  metalliferous  vapours  and  solutions 
at  the  time  of  mineralization.  A  knowledge  of  what 
directions  of  Assuring  are  favourable  and  what 
directions  are  unfavourable  is  thus  of  the  utmost 
importance  to  those  engaged  in  the  search  for  new 
deposits  in  the  area,  whether  in  virgin  ground  or  in 
the  workings  of  the  existing  mines.  The  author  gives 
the  results  of  his  observations  in  this  connexion. 

Dr.  Wagner  then  discusses  the  origin  of  the 
mineral  deposits.  The  first  point  relates  to  the 
source  of  the  metalliferous  vapours  and  solutions 
that  gave  rise  to  the  deposits.  In  regard  to  this 
point  it  is  evident  that  the  deposits  are  connected 
genetically  with  the  intrusion  of  the  main  mass  of 
the  Bushveld  granite,  and  since  some  of  them  pass 
without  interruption  from  the  granite  into  the 
overlying  rocks  and  in  the  deposits  in  granite  all  the 
evidence  points  to  the  prevalent  direction  of  move- 


ment of  the  mineralizing  solutions  (gaseous  and 
liquid)  having  been  upward,  the  source  of  these  is 
clearly  to  be  sought  in  some  deep-seated  and 
probably  at  the  time  incompletely  consolidated 
zone  of  the  granite  underlying  the  mineralized  area. 
Whether  the  metals  contained  in  the  solutions  were 
extracted  from  the  granite  by  the  agency  of 
mineralizers,  as  has  been  suggested  for  certain  tm 
deposits  by  V'ogt,  or  whether  they  represent  primarj' 
constituents  of  the  mother  liquor  of  that  rock,  is  not 
relevant  to  the  question  at  issue,  since,  as  Taber 
has  pointed  out,  there  is  no  essential  difference 
between  (1)  the  transfer  of  ore-minerals  through 
the  agency  of  mineralizers  set  free  during  the  final 
stages  of  the  consolidation  of  an  igneous  magma 
and  (2)  the  solution  and  transportation  by 
mineralizers  of  the  metallic  minerals  originally 
dispersed  through  a  rock-mass.  The  N.N.E.-S.S.W. 
and  N.E.-S.W.  fissures  in  the  granite  appear  to  have 
been  the  only  channels  that  had  direct  access  to  this 
deep-seated  zone  in  the  granite.  From  them  the 
solutions  were  fed  into  the  W.N.W.-E.S.E.  and 
X.  bv  W.  fissures  in  the  overlying  rocks  in  which  all 
four  sets  were  ore-bringers. 

The  formation  of  the  pegmatites,  in  which  some 
of  the  ore-bodies  occur,  and  the  deposition  of  the 
various  ore  and  gangue  minerals  clearly  represent 
successive  stages  in  the  final  phase  of  consolida- 
tion of  the  Red  Granite,  the  progressive  change  in 
the  chemical  nature  of  the  magmatic  emanations 
having  been  clearly  coincident  with  a  progressive 
decrease  in  their  temperature.  It  is  now  generally 
recognized  that  the  crystallization  of  pegmatites 
involves  the  co-operation  of  water  and  other 
mineralizers,  and  takes  place  at  temperatures  not 
far  rem.oved  irom  575''  C.  the  crystallographic 
inversion-point  of  quartz.  This  m.ay  be  taken  to 
represent  the  upper  temperature  limit  in  so  far  as 
the  mineral  deposits  are  concerned,  since  it  is 
improbable  that  the  temperature  at  any  subsequent 
stage  exceeded  that  prevailing  during  the  formation 
of  the  pegmatites  ;  an  inference  that  would  agree 
with  the  conclusion  tentatively  reached  in  regard  to 
the  quartz  of  the  second  generation  in  the  deposits 
in  the  granophyre,  namely,  that  it  is  o  quartz 
which  crystallized  below  575'.  Of  the  earlier- 
formed  ore-minerals  specularite — the  only  metallic 
mineral  present  that  has  been  proved  in  any  of  the 
deposits  to  be  older  than  cassiterite — cassiterite, 
wolframite,  molybdenite,  and  scheelite,  are  all 
characteristic  of  deposits  formed  at  high 
temperatures.  It  may  be  safely  concluded,  there- 
fore, that  the  temperature  during  the  deposition  of 
these  minerals  was  well  above  the  critical 
temperature  of  water,  namely,  358°  C.  They  must 
thus  have  been  deposited  from  gaseous  solutions, 
or,  in  other  words,  under  pneumatolytic  con- 
ditions, using  the  term  "  pneumatolytic  "  in  its 
strictest  sense.  Following  Iddings  and  McDonald 
this  period  of  mineralization  may  be  referred  to  as 
the  secondary  pneumatolytic  phase  to  distinguish 
it  from  the  primiary  pneumatolytic  or  pegmatitic 
phase  during  which  the  pegmatites  were  formed. 
Raven-mica,  tourm.aline,  and  quartz  (second 
generation)  are  also  assigned  to  the  secondary 
pneumatolytic  phase,  but  to  an  earlier  stage  than 
the  ore-minerals 

The  next  phase  of  mineralization,  during  v.-hicli 
chlorite,  sericite,  quartz,  pyrite,  and  chalcopyrite 
were  deposited,  has  all  the  characteristics  of 
hydrothermal  metasomatism  at  moderate 
temperatures.     It     is     not     known     whether     the 


2-16 


THE    MIXINT.    MACAZINl' 


temperature  diirinf;  this  period  exceeded  tlic  critical 
temperature  of  water.  It  is  possible,  however,  that 
the  temperature  may  have  been  above  358"  at  the 
beginning  of  the  period  anil  below  358"  at  the  end 
of  the  period,  which  would  imply  a  change  in  the 
state  of  the  solutions  from  gaseous  to  liquid.  To 
this  phase  the  designation  '"  early  hyilrolhermal  " 
may  be  applied.  It  corresponds  with  the  propylitic 
phase  which  McDonald  has  distinguished  in  the 
case  of  tlic  Leeuwpoort  lodes.  During  the  fourth 
phase  of  primary'  mineralization,  in  which  galena, 
bismuthinite,  blende,  fluor-spar,  calcitc,  and 
chalcedony  were  deposited  by  heated  aqueous 
solutions,  fairly  !ow  temperatures — probably  not 
far  removed  from-  150°  C— must  have  prevailed. 
It  may  be  referred  to  as  the  "  late  hydrothernial 
phase  "  and  corresponds  with  JIcDonald's  phase  of 
cirhonitization. 

Through  being  brought  by  denudation  into  the 
zone  of  weathering  all  the  deposits  have  suffered 
secondary  alteration  by  o.xygenatcd  surface  waters, 
with  the  resultant  formation  of  o.\-ides,  carbonates, 
secondar^'  sulphides,  kaolin,  and  chlorite.  In 
certain  of  the  deposits  these  changes,  which  are  in 
progress  at  the  present  day.  have  been  attended  with 
very  important  results.  This  final  phase  will  be 
referred  to  as  the  "  phase  of  alteration  "  by  cold 
descending  meteoric  waters. 

Correlating  the  successions  of  the  ore  and  gangue 
minerals  in  the  several  types  of  deposit  with  what 
has  been  stated  in  regard  to  the  physical  conditions 
prevailing  during  the  different  periods  of  mineraliza- 
tion, the  histori,-  of  the  deposits  may  be  summarized 
as  given  in  the  accompanying  table  : — 


Pegmatitic  or  Primarj'   f  Deposition     of     pegmatitic 
Pneumatolytic  Phase.   \       pegmatitic  felspar  alone. 


be  found  to  have  much  the  same  history  as  those 
under  review,  but  it  will  j>robably  rarely  be  so  easily 
and  completely  decipherable.  The  confusion  that 
has  arisen  in  the  past  in  regard  to  the  respective 
nMes  of  pueumalolysis  and  hydatogenesis  in  the 
formation  of  such  depot;its  has  been  due  to  failure 
to  recognize  that  in  a  great  majority  of  cases  there 
have  been  successive  periods  or  phases  of  ore 
deposition,  each  characterized  by  certain  assem- 
blages of  minerals,  the  different  phases  probably 
corresponding  with  definite  ranges  of  temperature. 
While  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  later- 
formed  ore-minerals  (pyrite,  chalcopyrite, 
bismuthinite.  galena,  and  blende)  were  deposited  by 
the  agency  of  heated  magmatic  waters,  there  is 
considerable  uncertainty  in  regard  to  the  nature  of 
the  vehicle  or  carrier  that  was  responsible  for  the 
introduction  of  cassiterite,  scheclite,  and  wolframite. 
The  intimate  association  of  cassiterite  witli  fluo- 
and  boro-silicates  in  many  of  the  classical  tin 
deposits  of  the  world,  coupled  with  the  experimental 
proof  by  Daubree  and  DeviUe  and  Carron  that  at 
red  heat  the  vapours-  of  stannic  chloride  and 
stannic  fluoride  can  be  decomposed  by  steam  with 
the  deposition  of  cassiterite,  led  to  the  development 
of  the  well-known  pneumatolytic  theory,  according 
to  which  cassiterite  is  generally  introduced  in  the 
form  of  volatile  stannic  fluoride.  It  must  be 
admitted  that  where  fluorine  and  boron  minerals 
are  abundantly  present  this  theory  accords 
admirably  with  all  the  observed  facts.  Of  recent 
years,  however,  a  number  of  important  tin-tungsten 
deposits  have  engaged  the  attention  of  geologists, 
in  which  topaz,  tourmaline,  and  allied  minerals  are 

Prevailing 
Temperature, 
felspar     and     quartz,     or  About  575°  C. 


Secondary 
Pneumatolytic  Phase. 


Early 
Hydrothermal  Phase. 


iSta^e     I. — Deposition     of     raven-mica,     quartz,     and         <575°  C.  >  358°  C. 

probably  tourmaline. 
-,  Stase      II. — Deposition      of      specularite,      cassiterite, 

wolframite,     molybdenite,     scheelite,     arsenopyrite, 
^       and  fluor-apatite. 

fDeposition  of  chlorite,  sericite,  quartz,  pyrite,  chalco- 
(       pyrite,  some  fluor-spar,  and  probably  bismuthinite. 


f  Deposition  of  galena,   zinc-blende,  .^uor-spar,  ankerite. 
Late  calcite,    quartz,    chlorite,    and    probably    secondary 

Hydrothermal  Phase.     (        scheelite. 


Phase  of  Alteration  by 
cold  descending 
Meteoric  M'aters. 


/■Formation     of     chalcocite,     covellite,     copper     oxides, 
bismutite,    tungstite,    cerussite,    martite,    limonite, 
[        kaolin,  and  secondary  chlorite. 


About  150°  C. 


Ordinary 
atmospheric 
temperature. 


It  is  of  great  interest  to  record  that  the  first  four 
phases,  which,  as  indicated,  are  practically  the  same 
as  those  made  out  by  McDonald  in  the  lodes  of  the 
Leeuwpoort  tin  mine,  also  correspond  verv'  closely 
with  the  four  periods  of  crystallization  thatBrogger 
discriminates  in  the  pegmatite  dykes  of  the 
Christiana  region,  namely  :— 

(1)  The  phase  of  magm.atic  consolidation  during 

■which     the     essential     minerals     oi     the 
pegmatites  crystallized. 

(2)  The  principal  pneumatolytic  phase. 

(3)  The  phase  of  zeolite  formation. 

(4)  The  phase  of  carbonate  and  fluo-carbonate 

deposition. 
It    appears  not  improbable  that  on  further  in- 
vestigation most  tin-tungsten-copper  deposits  will 


conspicuous  by  their  entire  absence  or  their  extreme 
rarity.  The  Mutue  Fides-Stavcren  deposits  belong 
to  this  category. 

Coggin  Brown  and  \V.  R.  Jones,  in  discussing  the 
origin  of  the  deposits  of  Tavoy  in  Lower  Burma, 
which  in  their  more  typical  development  contain 
neither  topaz  nor  tourmaline,  have  independently 
suggested  that  the  place  of  fluorine  may  have  been 
taken  by  sulphur  and  arsenic.  More  recently 
Morrow  Campbell  has  suggested  in  respect  of  the 
same  deposits  that  highly  siliceous  heated  water  (he 
speaks  of  a  quartz-water  mixture)  was  the  carrier 
of  both  wolframite  and  cassiterite.  In  support  of 
this  contention  he  quotes  Verbeeck,  who  refers  to 
a  hot  spring  in  Malacca  that  deposits  siliceous 
sinter  containing  0-5%  SnOi ;    and  also  points  to 


OCTOBER,    1921 


247 


■the  existence  of  a  compound  known  as  silicotungstic 
acid  (SiO,.  4HoO,  I2WO3)  which  is  readily  soluble 
in  water."  Campbell  brings  forward  no  absolutely 
conclusive  evidence  in  support  of  nis  views.  He 
assumes,  for  example,  that  the  same  agencies  that 
brought  about  the  greisenization  of  the  granite 
surrounding  the  Tavoy  veins  introduced  the 
cassiterite  and  wolframite,  but  gives  no  reasons  for 
believing  such  to  have  been  the  case.  This  is  the 
very  point  in  regard  to  which  uncertainty  prevails 
in  the  case  of  the  Mutue  Fides-Stavoren  deposits. 
Extensive  greisenization  or  sericitization  has  here 
taken  place,  presumably  through  the  agency  of 
heated  water,  but  the  main  period  of  sericitization 
post-dated  the  introduction  of  the  earlier  ore- 
minerals,  and  there  is,  as  already  pointed  out,  no 
evidence  to  show  that  the  deposition  of  cassiterite 
was  accompanied  by  sericitization.  The  only 
fluorine  minerals  present  in  the  Mutue  Fides- 
Stavoren  are  fiuor-apatite  and  fluor-spar.  The 
latter  was  onlv  introduced  at  a  comparatively  late 
stage  in  the  formation  of  the  deposits  and  may  thus 
be  ruled  out.  Fluor-apatite,  on  the  other  hand, 
which  is  sparingly  present  in  some  of  the  deposits, 
appears  to  have  been  formed  contemporaneously 
with  the  earlier  minerals,  proving  that  fluorine 
compounds  were  active  at  this  stage  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  deposits,  and  incidentally  affording 
evidence  in  support  of  the  commonly  accepted 
pneumatolytic  theory.  Then,  again,  specularite, 
which  occurs  in  several  of  the  deposits  in  granite  and 
is  very  abundant  in  the  deposits  in  quartzite,  is 
kno\vn  to  be  readily  formed  by  the  interaction 
between  ferric  chloride  in  the  vapour  state  with 
steam,  whereas  the  direct  replacement  of  quartz 
by  specularite  which  is  frequently  observed  would 
be  very  difticult  to  explain  on  the  supposition  that 
the  iron  had  originally  been  in  aqueous  solution. 
To  the  absence  of  tourmaUne  the  author  attaches 
little  importance,  for  in  his  experience  the  associa- 
tion of  cassiterite  and  tourmaline,  as  a  rule,  is 
purelv  accidental,  the  latter  mineral  being  generally 
of  earlier  introduction.  In  some  deposits,  however, 
boron  appears  to  have  been  the  active  agent.  Thus, 
in  the  remarkable  tin  occurrences  of  the  Seward 
Peninsula,  Alaska,  described  by  Knopf,  boron  is 
actually  combined  with  tin  in  the  rare  minerals 
paigeite  and  hulsite,  while  boro-sihcates  and  other 
boron  minerals  are  abundantly  present. 

Whatever  the  nature  of  the  vehicle,  it  is  quite 
clear  that  it  was  capable  of  reacting  very  readily 
and  vigorously  with  quartz  and  felspar,  since  even 
where,  as  appears  frequently  to  have  happened, 
cassiterite  was  deposited  in  crystals  of  quartz  and 
felspar  in  drusy  cavities,  it  is  never  merely  found 
encrusting  these  minerals,  but  is  alwaj'S  partially 
embedded  in  them,  and  in  numberless  instances 
there  is  evidence  of  its  having  replaced  them.  The 
cassiterite  was  thus  evidently  deposited  as  a  result 
of  mutual  chemical  reaction  between  the  com- 
pound in  which  the  tin  was  contained  and  quartz 
and  felspar.  It  is  quite  possible  that  the  com- 
pound was  stannic  tetrafluoride  and  that  the 
cassiterite  was  deposited  by  the  direct  action 
between  it  and  quartz  according  to  the  equation — 

SnFj  +  SiO-i  =  SnOa  -I-  SiF„ 
since  Daubree  was  able  to  synthesize  cassiterite  by 
the  action  of  stannic  chloride  (SnClj)  vapour  on 
heated  lime.  If  this  reaction  was  responsible  for 
the  deposition  of  the  cassiterite,  it  is  remarkable 
that  no  topaz  was  formed  in  the  case  of  the  felspar, 
and  that  the  stanniferous  greisen  of  the  Mutue  Fides 


mine  contains  not  a  trace  of  fluorine.  It  may  have 
been,  however,  that  the  physical  conditions  pre- 
vailing may  not  have  been  suitable  to  the  formation 
of  topaz  or  other  fluo-silicatcs  and  that  the  silicon 
tetrafluoride,  which  is  a  gas,  passed  upward, 
together  with  any  other  gaseous  fluorides  that  may 
have  been  formed,  and  gave  rise  in  the  originally 
overlying  rocks  at  a  higher  level  and  at  a  much  lower 
temperature  to  the  formation  of  fluor-spar.  Much 
the  same  reasoning  would  apply  to  the  scheelite 
and  wolframite,  for  tungsten  also  forms  a  fluoride 
WFg  with  a  boiling  point  of  only  19°  C,  so  that  it 
is  a  gas  at  ordinary  temperatures.  The  theory  out- 
lined appears,  at  any  rate,  to  be  quite  as  plausible 
as  that  of  Campbell,  which  would  make  a  heated 
aqueous  solution  of  silica  the  carrier,  for  if  cassiterite 
had  been  deposited  by  a  solution  of  this  nature 
it  would  be  very  difiicult  to  explain  the  occurrence  of 
the  mineral  embedded  in  absolutely  fresh  and 
unaltered  orthoclase,  when  it  is  well  known  that  the 
latter  is  very  readily  attacked  by  solutions  of  the 
nature  postulated.  Further  work  will  doubtless 
throw  more  light  on  this  vexed  question,  which  in 
the  present  state  of  our  knowledge  it  would  be  idle 
to  pursue. 

Dr.  Wagner  passes  to  the  consideration  of 
vertical  ranges  of  the  economic  minerals  and  the 
prospects  of  their  persisting  at  depth.  The  lowest 
deposits  geologically  are  those  in  granite  on  the 
farm  Tygerpad  No.  2,300,  and  the  highest 
geologically  as  well  as  topographically  those  in 
quartzite  on  the  farm  Kwarriehoek  No.  1,818. 
Assuming  that  the  quartzite-granite  contact 
originally  extended  northward  to  a  point  vertically 
above  the  Tygerpad  workings  at  the  same  inclina- 
tion at  which  it  is  seen  to  dip  southw3.rd  below  the 
Makeckaan  plateau,  an  assumption  the  propriety  of 
which  is  open  to  serious  question,  then  the  deposits 
at  present  known  would  represent  a  vertical  range 
of  about  2,700  ft.  Of  the  various  ore-minerals 
present,  cassiterite,  wolframite,  chalcopyrite,  pyrite, 
and  specularite  have  the  greatest  vertical  range, 
being  found  throughout  the  whole  series  of  deposits 
from  those  in  granite  to  those  in  quartzite.  The 
vertical  range  oi  the  primary  scheelite,  on  the  other 
hand,  is  limited.  It  has  not  been  observed  in  any 
of  the  deposits  in  granite,  quartzite,  or  the  upper 
zone  of  granitic  rocks,  and  appears  to  be  confined 
to  those  in  granophyre  and  granophyric  granite. 
The  lowest  deposits  in  which  the  mineral  occurs  are 
those  in  the  .'Vcre  Patch  workings  on  GaTSterland, 
and  the  highest  are  the  "  B.  1  "  pipes  on  Stavoren, 
the  difference  in  level  between  the  outcrops  of 
these  deposits  being  415  ft.  The  actual  vertical 
extent  of  the  scheelite,  which  is  evidently  very 
much  greater,  unfortunately  cannot  be  calculated 
owing  to  the  uncertainty  as  to  the  angle  at  which 
the  granophyric-granite  granophyre  contact 
origin,any  extended  northward,  and  the  fact  that 
nothing  is  known  in  regard  to  the  downward  limit 
of  the  scheelite  in  the  granophyric-granite. 

Arsenopyrite  has  so  far  not  been  recorded  from 
aui'  of  the  deposits  in  quartzite  and  the  same 
apphes  to  galena  and  blende.  In  how  far  this 
is  due  to  the  fact  that  only  one  deposit  in  quartzite 
has  been  worked  to  even  a  moderate  depth  is  not 
clear.  Had  any  of  the  minerals  named  been 
present  in  considerable  quantities  in  the  deposit  sO' 
far  opened  up  it  could,  however,  hardly  have 
escaped  detection. 

Avery  important  problem  relates  to  the  depth 
to  which   the   cassiterite  is  likely  to  persist.     la 


2  IS 


THE    MlNlNt.     .MAC.AZINK 


rcRanl  to  this  paint  Ihep-  is  very  little  to  go  upon. 
The  investigations  of  Malcolm  Maclarcn  in  the 
tin  mines  of  Cornwall  have  placed  it  beyond 
reasonable  doubt  that  temperature  is  the  governing 
factor  in  the  deposition  of  the  mineral,  which  is 
cvitlently  only  formed  within  certain  definite 
limits  of  temperature.  These  limits  correspond  in 
each  area  witli  a  definite  vertical  range,  which 
would  clearly  be  determined  in  turn  by  the 
temperature  gradient  in  the  enclosing  rocks  at  the 
time  of  deposition  ;  so  that  the  temperature 
gradient  really  determines  the  limits  within  which 
cassiterite  is  precipitated  from  ascending  gaseous 
solutions.  [This  view  has  been  put  forward 
independently  by  Morrow  Campbell  in  the  paper 
entitled  "  The  Origin  of  Primary  Ore  Deposits," 
read  before  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
in  October,  1920.  Chapter  \l  of  the  present 
Memoir  wa.s  written  in  May,  1920.1  In  some  of 
the  Cornish  mines  the  vertical  ranges  of  cassiterite 
and  the  other  ore-minerals  present  have  been 
fairly  accurately  determined.  In  the  area  with 
which  we  arc  dealing  the  only  mineral  concerning 
which  anything  is  known  in  this  respect  is  srhcelite, 
and  even  as  to  its  vertical  extent  there  is  complete 
uncertainty.  In  regard  to  the  range  of  the 
cassiterite  nothing  is  known.  It  may  safely  be 
assumed,  however,  since  the  metalliferous  solutions 
travelled  upward  and  the  temperature  gradient 
was  probably  fairly  uniform  throughout,  that  within 
the  limits  previously  indicated,  the  higher  a  deposit 
is  situated  geologically  the  greater  is  the  depth 
below  its  outcrop  to  which  cassiterite  is  likely  to 
extend.  In  other  words,  as  regards  their  persistence 
at  depth,  the  deposits  in  the  rocks  above  the  Red 
Granite  are  more  favourably  placed  than  those 
in  that  rock.  This  does  not,  of  course,  imply  or 
postulate  that  a  deposit  opened  up,  say  in  the  upper 
portion  of  the  granophyre,  will  be  found  to  carry 
ore  continuously  all  the  way  to  the  underlying 
granite,  and  then  extend  downward  in  that  rock,  but 
refers  merely  to  the  vertical  range  of  the  mineraliza- 
tion. Even  in  the  granite,  however,  prospects  of 
the  tin  persisting  at  depth  are  favourable,  if  one 
may  argue  by  analogy  with  the  only  tin-tungsten- 
copper  deposits  that  have  so  far  been  worked  to 
.considerable  depths,  namely,  those  of  Cornwall.  In 
the  Cornish  deposits  it  has  been  established 
definitely  that  primary  depth  zones  exist.  In  the 
East  Pool  mine,  ,  for  example,  the  downward 
succession  of  the  economic  minerals  is  roughly  as 
follows:  copper  ores  from  the  surface  to  140  fathoms; 
wolframite  from  140  fathoms  to  200  fathoms  ;  and 
cassiterite  from  140  fathoms  to  340  fathoms  in 
the  south-dipping  lodes  and  possibly  to  450  fathoms 
in  the  north-dipping  lodes.  The  copper  zone  is 
thus  succeeded  by  a  tungsten-tin  zone  and  this  by 
a  tin  zone.  In  a  more  recent  report  on  the  central 
mines  of  the  Camborne-Redruth  area  Maclaren. 
summarizing  his  views  on  the  limits  in  depth  of 
profitable  tin-working  in  that  district,  points  out 
that  in  most  instances  there  is  a  marked  falling  off 
in  tin-content  at  an  average  depth  below  the 
granite-killas  contact  of  about  200  fathoms,  or 
some  360  fathoms  below  the  surface  ;  only  in  one 
case,  the  well-known  Dolcoath  ore-body,  did 
productive  ore  extend  much  below  this  ;  even  this 
has  failed  at  about  the  500  fathom  level. 

If  the  same  zones  exist  in  the  area  under  review, 
then  it  is  clear  that  the  Mutue  Fides-T\-gerpad 
deposits  are  near  the  bottom  of  the  tin-tungsten 
zone  and  have  not  even  entered  the  tin  zone  proper. 


It  is  also  relevant  to  observe  that  the  Zaaiplaats 
deposits  of  the  northern  Waterberg  tinfields,  which 
appear  to  be  situated  at  an  even  lower  horizon 
with  regard  to  thesource  of  the  metalliferous  vapours 
than  the  Mutue  Fides  deposits,  have  been  worked 
to  a  vertical  depth  of  over  400  ft.  As  the  greatest 
vertical  depth  so  far  attained  in  any  of  the  workings 
in  granite  in  the  Mutue  Fides  area  is  only  135  ft., 
there  is  thus  every  likelihood  of  the  cassiterite 
l)ersisting  far  below  the  limits  so  far  reached. 
Here  again,  however,  there  is  absolutely  no 
a.ssurance  as  to  the  continuity  or  workability  of 
any  particular  occurrence  at  depth,  for  the  de])osits 
in  granite  are  quite  as  erratic  as  those  in  the  over- 
lying rocks.  The  extraordinary  patchine.ss  of 
deposits  of  this  type  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  fact 
that  the  principal  ore-minerals  were  introduced  by 
gaseous  solutions  that  travelled  along  narrow  joints 
and  fissures  under  high  pressure  and  apparently 
rushed  from  point  to  point  where  favourable  con- 
ditions to  deposition  oftered,  leaving  the  intervening 
stretches  absolutely  barren.  The  conception  of 
the  deposition  having  taken  place  from  gaseous 
solutions  under  high  pressure  will  also  serve  to 
explain  how  very  considerable  quantities  of 
cassiterite  could  have  been  introduced  from  what  in 
many  instances  are  mere  cracks. 

As  regards  depth  at  which  the  mineralization 
took  place,  the  present  topography  of  the  tinfields 
probably  bears  no  relationship  whatsoever  to  that  in 
existence  u-hen  the  deposits  were  formed.  .•Vt  that 
time  the  area  was  covered  with  a  considerable  thick- 
ness of  sedimentary  and  igneous  rocks  belonging  to  the 
lower  division  o;  the  Waterberg  System.  What  the 
thickness  of  these  rocks  may  have  been  there  is  no 
means  of  ascertaining.  The  thickness  of  the 
basal  or  Rooiberg  series  in  the  Makeckaan  plateau 
is  about  1,200  ft.,  and  that  of  the  overlying  volcanic 
series  of  the  Waterberg  System  about  800  ft.  This, 
however,  jirobably  only  represents  a  small  part  of 
the  original  thickness  of  the  volcanic  scries,  which 
in  the  Middelburg  District  of  the  Transvaal,  where 
it  attains  its  maximum  development,  has  a  thickness 
of  8.000  ft.  It  appears  unlikely  for  various 
reasons  that  the  volcanic  beds  were  ever  anything 
like  so  thick  in  the  area  with  which  we  are  dealing, 
but  there  is  no  positive  evidence  that  they  were 
not.  All  that  can  thus  be  said  in  regard  to  the 
depth  of  cover  at  tlie  time  of  mineralization  is  that 
it  was  not  more  and  in  all  orobability  considerably 
less  than  9,000  ft. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  mineral  deposits  are 
later  than  the  quartzites  and  conglomerates  of  the 
Makeckaan  plateau,  which  have  been  correlated 
with  the  Rooiberg  series,  the  lowest  member  of  the 
Waterberg  System.  The  evidence  available  in  the 
area  under  review  does  not  enable  one  to  assign 
more  accurate  limits  to  the  period  in  which  they 
were  formed.  There  can  be  no  question,  however, 
that  the  deposits  are  products  of  the  epoch  of  wide- 
spread mineralization,  following  the  intrusion  of  the 
main  mass  of  the  Bushveld  granite. 

It  remains  to  inquire  why  the  mineral  deposits 
should  be  situated  where  they  are  in  a  zone  about 
Smiles  wide  striking  in  an  N.N.W.-S.S.E.  direction. 
In  regard  to  this  question  there  is  nothing  definite  to 
go  upon  and  it  would  be  idle  to  discuss  it.  The  fact 
that  tin-tungsten  deposits  the  world  over  are 
connected  with  anticlinal  and  domal  structures 
suggests,  however,  that  the  position  of  the  mineral 
belt  may  have  been  determined  by  an  anticline  in 
the  originally  overlying  Waterberg  beds. 


OCTOBER,    1921 


249 


THE    NORTHAMPTON    LEAD    DISTRICT.  W.A. 


On  several  occasions  the  lead-mining  operations 
in  the  Northampton  district.  West  Australia,  have 
been  the  subject  of  articles  or  notices  in  our  pages, 
the  last  occasion  being  in  March,  1919.  The  pro- 
perties have  been  worked  for  many  years  by  the 
Fremantle  Trading  Company,  which  is  allied  to  the 
Golden  Horse-shoe  Company,  of  Kalgoorlie,  but 
o\ving  to  the  comparatively  low  grade  of  the  ore  and 
its  irregular  occurrence,  adverse  economic  conditions 
often  cause  stoppages.  Last  year  F.  R.  Feldtmann, 
one  of  the  members  of  the  West  Australian 
Geological  Survey,  made  an  examination  of  this 
district,  and  his  preliminary  report  is  issued  in  the 
Annual  Progress  Report  of  the  Survey  just 
published.    We  quote  Mr.  Feldtmann  herewith. 

Northampton  township,  the  centre  of  the 
mining  district,  is  situated  27  miles  direct  north  of 
Geraldton,  or  34  miles  by  rail.  The  new  township 
of  Galena  is  situated  immediately  south  of 
Murchison  River,  about  31  miles  (45  miles  by  road) 
north  of  Northampton  and  about  8i  miles  (12  miles 
by  road)  N.N.E.  of  Ajana,  the  terminus  of  the 
railway  from  Geraldton. 

The  metalliferous  district  consists  of  an  elevated 
tract  of  country,  the  present  surface  of  which  is 
strongly  undulating,  where  the  removal  of  the 
overlying  Jurassic  strata  has  exposed  the  crystalline 
rocks.  The  southern  portion  of  this  area  of 
crystalline  rocks,  which  consists  largely  of  garnet- 
iferous  gneiss  or  gncissic  granite,  has  been  surveyed 
by  W.  D.  Campbell,  whose  map,  pubhshed  in  a 
Bulletin  published  in  1910,  shows  the  southern  end 
of  the  main  belt  to  be  about  seven  miles  due  east  of 
Geraldton.  The  northern  extension  of  this  belt  has 
not  yet  been  determined,  and  in  view  of  the 
economic  importance  of  these  rocks  a  broad  survey 
of  this  portion  of  the  gneissic  belt  is  highly  desirable. 
From  hasty  observations  made  on  the  road  from 
Northampton  to  Galena,  it  appears  probable  that 
the  gneissic  rocks  extend  without  a  break  to  and 
beyond  the  Murchison  River,  with  the  possible 
exception  of  the  high  Binnu  sand  plain.  How  far 
they  extend  eastward  along  Murchison  River  has 
not  been  determined,  but  thev  are  known  to  occur 
at  the  10  .Alile  Pool.  The  length  of  the  metalliferous 
belt,  if  continuous,  is  therefore  at  least  70  miles, 
the  maximum  width  being  probably  about  15  miles. 
The  belt,  however,  is  very  irregular  and  the  average 
width  is  probably  considerably  less. 

The  gneiss  is  cut  by  a  number  of  basic  (green- 
stone) dykes,  striking  nearly  north-north-east,  and 
by  a  greater  number  of  pegmatite  dykes  or  veins, 
with,  so  far  as  could  be  determined,  similar  strike,  as 
have  also  the  lodes.  The  lodes  are  closely  associated 
with  these  dykes,  but  their  relationship  to  the  basic 
dykes  is  purely  structural,  the  lines  of  fracture  along 
many  of  which  these  dykes  made  their  way  forming 
lines  of  weakness  during  subsequent  periods  of 
shearing.  On  the  other  hand,  the  formation  of  the 
ore-bodies  appears  to  be  closely  connected  with  the 
introduction  of  the  pegmatites,  which  probably 
extended  over  a  considerable  period,  the  earlier 
stages  of  which  were  marked  by  high  temperatures, 
as  shown  by  the  wide  development  of  garnet  in  the 
gneiss  and  also,  though  but  sparsely,  in  some  of  the 
pegmatites  and  the  formation  of  tourmaline  in 
a  few  of  the  pegmatites  and  their  ultra-acid  varieties, 
such  as  certain  of  the  quartz  reefs.  The  formation 
of  the  ore-bodies  took  place  during  the  final  stages 
of    igneous     activity,     under    lower    temperature 

4—6 


conditions.  The  occurrence  of  lead,  zinc,  and 
copper  deposits  as  the  final  products  of  granitic 
magmas  is  by  no  means  uncommon  in  other 
countries.  In  prospecting  for  new  lodes  it  is 
advisable  to  examine  closely  the  immediate  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  greenstone  and  pegmatite  dykes. 

The  gneissic  rocks  are  pale  to  fairly  dark  greyish 
rocks,  usually  fine  in  grain,  which  proved  to 
be  gametiferous  wherever  examined.  The  ferro- 
magnesian  appears  to  be  chiefly  biotite,  possibly 
chloritized  in  places.  Pegmatitic  facies  of  these 
rocks,  with  large  felspars  and  garnets,  occur.  In 
some  places  the  gneissic  structure  of  the  rocks  is 
well  marked,  in  others  the  rocks  are  compact  and 
massive,  the  only  traces  of  a  gneissic  structure 
being  a  slight  parallelism  of  the  composing 
minerals.  Occasional  zones  of  sheeted  or  laminated 
rock  occur  in  the  gneiss,  marking  lines  of  intense 
shearing  and  probably  corresponding  to  the  lami- 
nated jaspers  so  commonly  associated  with  the  gold- 
fields  greenstones  and,  in  places,  with  the  Pre- 
Cambrian  sediments.  The  general  strike  of  these 
sheeted  zones  is  nearly  north-west ;  they  were 
apparently  formed  prior  to  the  introduction  of  the 
basic  dykes  and  the  pegmatites. 

The  basic  dykes  are  for  the  most  part  coarse 
to  tine-grained  massive  epidiorites,  from  dolerites, 
but  they  probably  range  from  intermediate-basic  to 
ultra-basic  in  composition.  Their  most  remarkable 
feature  is  the  general  uniformity  of  their  strike, 
which  round  Northampton  averages  about  N.  32° 
E.  ;  they  appear  to  be  nearly  vei*cal.  They  are 
of  great  length,  and,  on  the  average,  of  considerable 
width,  several  of  those  examined  being  60  or  70  ft. 
wide  in  places,  and  Gregory  mentions  some  as 
attaining  a  width  of  180  ft.  Being  harder  than  the 
surrounding  gneiss  they  usually  form  prominent 
outcrops,  a  rounded  outline  being  characteristic  of 
the  weathered  outcrops  and  boulders.  Among 
those  lodes,  which  for  a  part  of  their  length  at 
least  occur  along  the  margins  of  basic  dykes,  are 
the  Wheal  Ellen,  Gwalia"  (south  lode),  Unaring. 
Derby  Syndicate  (Loc.  325),  Wheal  Beta,  and 
Yandanooka  at  Northampton,  and  the  Surprise  at 
Galena. 

The  pegmatites  are  of  great  variety.  The 
occurrence  of  pegmatitic  veins  apparently  as  a 
facies  of  the  gneissic  rocks  has  already  been 
mentioned,  but  most  of  the  pegmatites  undoubtedly 
belong  to  the  stages  of  igneous  activity  immediately 
preceding  ore  deposition,  and  are  intrusive  into  the 
gneiss.  No  direct  evidence  was  obtained  as  to  the 
relative  age  of  these  rocks  and  the  basic  dykes,  but 
from  their  composition  and  close  relationship  to  the 
lodes  thcj'  appear  to  be  younger  than  the  basic  rocks. 
The  pegmatite  dykes  are  much  more  numerous  and 
much  smaller,  as  a  rule,  than  the  epidiorites,  their 
width  usually  ranging  from  a  few  inches  to  a  few 
feet,  but  it  is  probable  that  much  larger  dykes, 
particularly  of  the  more  acid  varieties,  occur.  Their 
dip  appears  to  be  very  similar  to  that  of  the  lodes. 

One  of  the  commonest  types  of  pegmatite  is  a 
coarse-grained  rock,  consisting  chiefly  of  felspar  and 
quartz,  mainly  in  graphic  intergrowths,  with  some 
large  and  small  flakes  of  a  silvery  greenish-grey 
mineral,  probably  vermiculite  ;  flakes  of  graphite  are 
common  in  some  specimens  and  are  probably  con- 
temporaneous with  the  other  minerals  composing  the 
rock.  In  some  localities  the  felspars  are  white,  in 
others,  such  as  the  Baddera  and  N'lctoria  mines,  they 


250 


Till-     :\IIX1XG    :\IAGAZINE 


are  of  a  dark  red  colour.  Avilitic  facics  of  these 
rocks  arc  common.  Specimens  of  pegmatite  of  this 
tvpe.  from  the  Wheal  .Upha  mine,  contain  malachite 
and  aznrite,  deposited  in  thin  films  throughout  the 
rock,  as  well  as  in  one  specimen,  in  a  v\ighy  veinlet, 
probab!.\'  on  the  wall  of  the  dyke.  A  variety  from 
an  outcrop  on  the  Gwalia  mine  contains  large 
felspar  crystals  in  a  ground-mass  consisting  largely 
of  a  graphic  intergrowth  of  tourmaline  and  quartz. 
A  ditlerent  and  much  more  acid  aplitic  type  of 
pegmatite  occur*  in  the  Baddera  and  Wheal  May 
mines.  It  is  composed  of  greyish  glassy  quartz,  con- 
taining numerous  small  pale  salmon-pink  felspars. 
Another  highly  acid  type  from  the  Baddera  is  a 
rock  composed  of  glassy  quartz  with  fairly  numerous 
small  garnets  ;  a  few  minute  specks  of  mica  are 
also  present.  Extreme  ultra-acid  types  are  repre- 
sented by  some  large  quartz  reefs,  carrying  very 
sparsely  distributed  groups  of  large  tourmaline 
crystals. 

The  lodes  occupy  zones  of  intense  shearing  and 
brecciation  in  the  gnoissic  granite.  Where  a  shear 
zone  is  along  the  margin  of  a  greenstone  or 
pegmatite  dyke,  these  rocks  may  also  be  sheared 
and  brecciated.  The  strike  of  the  lodes  is  roughly 
parallel  to  that  of  the  greenstone  dykes,  but  is, 
however,  less  regular.  A  few  of  the  lodes,  including 
the  Uga,  tlie  Baddera  branch  lode,  and  parts  of  the 
Chiverton,  Nooka,  and  Wheal  .-Mpha  lodes,  strike 
approximately  north.  The  Surprise  lode,  at  Galena, 
strikes  nearly  north-north-west.  The  dip  is  usually 
north-west,  at  a  steep  angle,  but  in  places  the  lodes 
are  vertical,  or  even  have  a  slight  south-easterly 
dip.  The  Surjtfise  lode  dips  west-south-west.  In 
length  the  lodes  range  from  about  three  chains 
(Derby  Syndicate  lode)  to  about  one  mile  (Waner- 
anooka  lode),  averaging,  perhaps,  between  30  and  40 
chains.  The  width  is  ver\-  variable,  and  a  distinction 
must  be  drawn  between  the  width  of  the  lode-channel 
or  zone  of  shearing  and  brecciation,  and  that  of  the 
ore  veins  or  shoots.  The  lode  may  contain  no  ore, 
even  where  the  shear  zone  is  of  moderate  width,  and 
shearing  and  brecciation  are  fairly  well  marked,  or 
payable  ore  may  occupy  the  full  width  of  the 
channel.  The  ore-bodies  may  range  in  width  from 
a  fraction  of  an  inch  to  30  ft.,  or  even  more.  In  the 
Surprise  mine  sheared  rock,  carrying  vems  of  galena, 
occupies  a  width  of  more  than  100  ft.  at  the  110  ft. 
level.  In  most  of  the  lode-channels  the  shearing 
stresses  have  found  relief  along  one  or  more  planes 
in  a  main  zone  of  intense  shearing,  with  the  forma- 
tion of  a  narrow  band  of  crushed  clay  (flucan)  along 
the  planes  ;  the  remainder  of  the  rock  in  the  main 
zone  being  brecciated.  Shear  planes,  roughly 
parallel  to  the  main  planes,  as  well  as  irregular 
joint  planes,  were  also  formed  in  the  rock  for  some 
distance  outside  the  main  shear  zone. 

That  the  ore-bearing  solutions  \vere  introduced 
during  a  period  of  relief  from  pressure  is  indicated 
by  the  numerous  vughs,  the  sugary,  or  crystalline 
and  glassy  character  of  the  quartz,  and  the  coarsely 
crystalline  structure  of  the  galena  in  the  larger  veins. 
In  the  main  body  of  the  lodes,  where  most  affected 
by  the  ore-bearing  solutions,  the  rock  breccia  has 
been  recemented  b}'  silica,  the  cement  now  consisting 
of  very  finely  crystalline  quartz,  coloured  greyish  by 
inclusions  of  partly  digested  rock,  and  in  places  con- 
taining minute  specks  of  pyrite.  As  is  usual  in 
lode  formations  the  boundaries  of  the  cre-bodies  are 
ill-defined,  and  the  ore  is  not  necessarily  confined  to 
the  rock  enclosed  between  two  particular  planes  or 
walls ;    a  shear  plane,  w-hich  forms  a  convenient 


hanging  wall  at  one  point  in  a  mine,  may  be  used 
as  a  foot-wall  at  another  point.  It  is  probable 
that  .shearing  also  took  place  along  the  lode- 
channels  subsequently  to  ore-deposition.  In 
addition  to  the  \-aried  directions  of  the  stria;  on  the 
shear  planes,  which  in  the  Wheal  nilcu  mine  are  irk 
places  vertical,  in  places  liorizontal,  thus  suggesting 
local  movement,  the  main  shear  planes  are  in  many 
places  marked  by  a  few  inches  of  crush  clay,  and  by 
a  band  of  crushed  rod;  and  clayey  material,  which 
carry  no  ore  even  where  the  lode  is  rich  ;  moreover, 
bands  of  barren  schist  and  occasional  joint  or  shear 
planes  occur  in  the  body  of  the  lode.  It  is  difficult 
to  explain  why  these  should  contain  no  ore,  except 
on  the  assumption  that  they  are  subsequent  to  ore 
deposition. 

So  far  as  could  be  judged  all  the  lodes  of  this 
district  are  similar  in  structure,  and,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Surprise  lode,  where  barite  veins 
are  a  conspicuous  feature  in  the  ore-shoot,  in  their 
gangue,  though  differing  in  their  degree  of  silicifica- 
tion.  Any  classification  is  therefore  necessarily 
arbitrary.  It  is,  however,  convenient  to  group 
them  according  to  the  proportions  of  economic 
minerals  present  into  :  — 

(3)  Galena  lodes  carrying  only  negligible  quanti- 
ties of  blende,  copper  ores,  and  pyrites ;  the 
Baddera,  Surprise,  and  Wheal  May  lodes  being  of 
this  type. 

{h)  Galena  blende  lodes,  carrying  galena  and 
blende  in  nearly  equal  proportions  with  minor 
quantities  of  copper  ores  (chiefly  chalcopyrite). 
pyrite,  and  marcasito  ;  the  Wheal  Ellen  belonging 
to  this  group. 

(r)  Copper  lodes,  in  which  galena  and  blende,  if 
present,  occur  only  in  small  quantities;  in  this  group, 
however,  pyrite  and  marcasite  are  probably  present 
in  fair  quantities;  the  Wheal  Margaret  and  Victoria 
may  be  taken  as  representative  of  this  group. 

As  stated,  this  classification  is  purely  arbitrary, 
the  three  groups  grading  into  each  other  through 
intermediate  types.  Detailed  observations  had, 
unfortunately,  to  be  confined  to  lodes  of  the  first 
two  groups,  as  none  of  the  workings  on  the 
Northampton  copper  lodes  were  accessible  and 
practically  all  the  ore  hid  been  removed  from  the 
dumps. 

In  the  lodes  of  the  first  group  the  galena  occurs 
usually  as  veins  of  coarsely  crystalline  material  along 
the  main  shear  planes  ;  as  coarse  octahedral  orcubo- 
octahedral  crystals  lining  vughs  and  in  places 
associated  witJi  glassy  or  sugary  quartz ;  as  veinlets 
of  more  finely  crystalline  material  in  the  body  of  the 
lode  ;  or,  more  rarely,  in  a  fine-grained  massive,  in 
places  schistose,  form,  probably  a  replacement  of  the 
rock  along  narrow  zones  of  intense  shearing.  In  the 
rich  shoot  in  the  Surprise  mine  groups  of  coarse 
galena,  crystals  separated  by  tiny  irregular  veinlets  of 
quartz  occur  over  a  width  of  20  ft.  in  places.  The- 
blende  and  pyrite  usually  occur  as  narrow  veins  or 
veinlets  filling  shear  or  joint  planes  outside  the  main 
body  or  in  the  poorer  portions  of  the  lode. 

In  those  of  the  second  group  the  galena  occurs  as 
before,  but  blende  is  also  found  in  fairly  large  masses 
in  the  body  of  the  lode  as  well  as  occurring  as  in 
the  first  group.  Pyrite  occurs  as  in  the  first  group, 
but  marcasite  is  in  places  associated  with  galena  in 
the  body  of  the  lode.  In  addition,  finely  dissemi- 
nated chalcopyrite  (altering  to  malachite  in  the 
oxidized  zone)  is  fairly  common  in  the  more 
quartzose  portions  of  the  lode. 

The  secondary  deposition  of  galena  or  blende  .on 


OCTOBER,    1921 


251 


a  large  scale  appears  to  be  very  doubtful,  no  deposits 
definitely  formed  in  this  way  being  known.  As  is 
suggested  by  their  mode  of  occurrence,  rich  shoots 
such  as  those  of  the  Surprise,  Gcraldine,  and 
Baddera  mines  are  most  likely  due  to  the  primary- 
deposition  of  galena  from  ascending  solutions 
under  favourable  conditions.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  secondary  deposition  of  copper  sulphides  on 
a  large  scale  near  water-level  is  of  common 
occurrence.  Whether  this  has  taken  place  to  any 
great  extent  in  the  Northampton  lodes  it  is,  in  the 
absence  of  accessible  workings,  impossible  to  say. 
That  a  certain  amount  of  secondary  deposition  has 
taken  place  is,  however,  sugge.sted  by  the  presence 
of  such  minerals  as  covellite  and  chalcocite,  though 


even  these  minerals  may  be  of  primary  origin. 

There  is  every  probability  of  the  lodes  extending 
to  very  considerable  depths  below  the  limits  of  the 
present  workings,  and  there  is  no  evidence  to  show 
that  rich  shoots  may  not  occur  below  those  hitherto 
discovered.  At  greater  depths,  however,  the  lead 
ore  may  change  in  character,  becoming  more  com- 
pact and  finer-grained  and  containing  larger  pro- 
portions of  pyrite  and  chalcopyrite,  and  probably, 
also,  of  blende  in  lodes  like  the  Surprise  and  Baddera. 
In  spite  of  the  number  of  j'ears  since  mining  first 
started,  the  district  has  not  been  thoroughly 
prospected,  and  the  recent  discovery  of  the  Surprise 
lode  shows  that  by  careful  prospecting  other  rich 
lodes  may  yet  be  found. 


IRON    ORES    OF    NORM.ANDY 


At  the  meeting  of  the  Iron  and  Steel  Institute 
held  last  month  at  Paris,  P.  Nicou  gave  an  outline 
of  the  present  position  of  France's  iron  ore  resources. 
The  restoration  of  Lorraine  to  France,  and  the 
elimination  of  German  control  from  the  ore-fields  of 
Normandy,  Brittany,  llaine,  and  Anjou,  the  old 
provinces  constituting  north-western  France,  have 
put  her  once  more  in  a  strong  position  metal- 
lurgicall;  ,  and  the  owners  of  the  deposits  are  seeking 
customers  in  Great  Britain.  The  Lorraine  deposits 
have  been  described  many  times,  but  those  in  north- 
western France  are  not  so  well  known. 

We  quote  from  Monsieur  Nicou's  paper  herewith 
with  regard  to  the  Normandy  deposits,  those  in 
Anjou,  Maine,  and  Brittany  not  being  of  as  great 
importance  at  present. 

The  iron  ores  of  Normandy,  Anjou,  Maine,  and 
Brittany  are,  from  many  points  of  view,  and 
particularly  from  their  geographical  situation,  the 
most  suitable  of  all  the  French  deposits  for  British 
ironworks.  All  the  mines  now,  or  in  the  future, 
to  be  worked  are  in  close  proximity  to  the  sea. 
Those  of  Segre,  in  the  Anjou  ore-field,  the  farthest 
from  ports  of  embarkation,  are  only  85  and  135 
kilometres  .  distant  by  rail  from  Nantes  and 
St.  Nazaire  respectively,  while  the  Ferriere  and 
Halouze  mines,  the  farthest  south  of  the  Normandy 
mines  actually  in  operation,  are  within  75  and  80 
kilometres  of  Caen.  Befoi'e  the  war  a  large  number 
of  important  German  companies  had  acquired  con- 
siderable interests  in  these  mines,  and  a  heavy 
trade  with  Westphalia  had  commenced,  which 
militated  against  all  attempts  to  foster  an  ore 
trade  with  Great  Britain.  At  Caen,  more 
especially,  the  exports  to  Germany,  which  in  1908 
amounted  to  131,193  tons,  had  risen  by  1913  to 
342,281,  whereas  for  these  two  years  the  exports 
to  Great  Britain  had  only  risen  from  81,999  to 
144,409  tons. 

The  Normandy  deposits  spread  over  the  three 
Departments  of  Calvados,  La  Manche,  and  I'Orne. 
Though  the  second  largest  deposits  in  France,  they 
contribute  only  a  small  proportion  of  the  total  out- 
put. In  192U  the  proportion  of  output  had  fallen  to 
3'55°o'  This  decrease  is  due  to  the  reopening  of 
the  French  mines  in  recovered  Lorraine  ;  and  the 
decrease  is  even  less  than  might  have  been 
expected,  owing  to  the  destruction  of  numerous 
works  and  mines  in  the  east  of  France.  Whatever 
the  statistics  may  portend,  the  production  of 
ore  from  the  Normandy  mines  had  appreciably 
increased    during    the    years    which    immediately 


preceded  the  war,  and  the  1913  output  would 
have  justified  the  hope  that  in  1914  extraction 
would  have  reached  a  million  tons.  Great  develop- 
ments were  in  progress  at  the  Soumont  mines,  and 
particularly  at  St.  Andre  and  at  Barberry,  and  but 
for  the  war  the  Normandy  deposits  might  well 
have  amounted  to  several  millions  of  tons  annually. 
A  considerable  proportion  of  this  output  would 
have  been  employed  at  works  in  the  north  of 
France  :  Halouze  and  La  Ferriere  are  mines 
belonging  to  the  Acieries  de  France  et  de  Denain- 
Anzin,  and  the  Isbergues  and  Denain  works  of  the 
company  would  have  taken  the  largest  proportion 
of  their  output.  The  Forges  et  Acieries  du  Nord 
et  de  I'Est  had  large  interests  in  the  Larchamp 
mine,  and  would  have  mixed  the  ores  from  this 
mine  with  those  from  their  Piemie  concession  in 
Meurthe-et-Moselle,  thus  securing  a  particularly 
satisfactory  charge  for  their  blast-furnaces.  These 
three  mines,  Halouze,  La  Ferriere,  and  Larchamp, 
all  situated  on  the  main  syncline  of  Ferriere,  had 
in  1913  produced  373,000  tons  of  ore,  that  is,  45% 
of  the  whole  Normandy  production.  New 
works  in  Pont-a-Vendin  and  at  Dunkerque  were 
similarly  to  have  derived  a  large  proportion  of 
their  ore  requirements  from  Normandy.  In 
addition  to  the  foregoing,  blast-furnaces  in 
the  course  of  construction  in  Calvados,  in  the 
immediate  neighbourhood  of  Caen,  to  be  provided 
with  steel  works  and  rolling  mills,  were  to  draw 
their  supplies  from  the  Soumont  mines,  and  having 
associated  interests  in  Westphalian  works  were 
to  exchange  ore  for  coke  with  the  latter,  thus 
accomplishing  a  purpose  towards  which  British 
ironmasters  ought  now  to  address  themselves. 
Other  concessions  in  which  Germans  held  the  great 
bulk  of  the  shares,  or  in  which,  through  the  inter- 
vention of  Dutch  shareholders,  they  possessed  large 
interests,  were  equipped  with  plant  destined  to 
increase  their  productive  capacity  and  develop  an 
extensive  trade  with  their  shareholder  customers. 

Since  the  war  the  situation  has  greatly  changed. 
The  northern  works,  such  as  Denain,  Isbergues, 
Valenciennes,  and  Pont-a-Vendin,  have  been  com- 
pletely destroyed  by  the  Germans,  or  so  vitally 
injured  that  it  will  ta'ke  many  years  to  restore 
them.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  notable 
decrease  in  the  iron-ore  production  of  Normandy. 
The  Caen  works,  taken  over  by  a  company  which 
has  eliminated  the  German  element,  cannot  develop 
to  the  extent  wished  for.  Hence  the  Normandy 
mines    must   look    for   their   development   to   the 


252 


Till-     MIXING    MAGAZINE 


export  trade,  with  which  they  can  easily  cope  wliile 
meeting  all  deniamls  likely  to  be  made  upon  them 
(or  home  consumption 

The  ore  occui-s  either  as  an   oolitic   carbonate 
or  a  hematite.     Hoth  may  exist  simultaneously,  as 
the  hematite   always   passes   into  carbonate  at  a 
greater  or  less  depth.     Normandy  hematites  are  at 
present  chiefly  mined  at  St.  Ri?my.  St.  Andni.  and 
May.     The  St.  Uemy  ores  arc  the  richest  of  all  the 
Normandv  ores,  and  contain  50  to  5.S"„  of  iron, 
10  to  rio'o  of  silica.  3"„  of  alumina.  2-5°o  "f  lime 
and   magnesia,  0-6  to  0'7°o    of    phosphorus,  and 
3°o  of  water.     At  St.   .^ndre  and   May  the  iron 
percentage  is  lower,  being  between  46  ano!  SI,  with 
14  to  16%  of  silica.     The  other  concessions  contain 
chiefly  or  entirely  carbonate  ores  which  have  to 
be  calcined.     Only  12  to  15  kg.  of  fuel  per  ton  of 
ore  is  required  for  calcining  them,  and  the  yield 
varies    from    75    to    79''o.     On    their    withdrawal 
from  the  kilns  the  ores  from   the  three  following 
mines  contain  :     Halouze,  iron   48  to  49°o-  silica 
14  to   16%  :    La  Ferriere,  iron  47  to  49"o,  silica 
13  to  15%  ;   Larchamp,  iron  48  to  49°^.  silica  14  to 
15%.     The    proportion    of    alumina    varies    from 
4  to  7%  and  the  lime  and  magnesia  from  3'5  to 
4'5,     The    phosphorus   remains    between    0-6    and 
0'7%.     These    calcined    carbonates    are    therefore 
relatively  rich,  and  the  three  mines  in  question  are 
just  those  from  which  export  would  be  the  easier. 
Soumont    ores   only    yield    45-9"„    of    iron  after 
calcining,  the  silica  being  higher  than  in  the  ores 
just  described.     The  ores  of  Mortain,  Bourberouge, 
and  Jurques  are  very  similar  to  those  of  Soumont. 
It   will    be   seen    that   while   the   ores   are    some- 
what siliceous,  they  are,  generalh'  speaking,  high 
in  iron.     Their  composition  shows  that  they  are 
suitable  not  only  for  making  basic  pig  iron,  but 
also    for    mixing,    while    without   any    fluxes    they 
can    make     phosphoric     foundry     pig    containing 
1-2   to   1'3%  of  phosphorus,   as  well   as  pig  iron 
suitable    for    open-hearth    furnace    working.     The 
carbonates  are  usually  porous  when  calcined,  as  is 
shown    by    their   weight    per    cubic    metre.     This 
varies,  after  calcination,  from  1,600  to  1,650  kg.,  and 
thus  presents  a  distinct  advantage  when  they  are 
smelted. 

Four  principal  regions  may  be  distinguished,  each 
corresponding  with  a  particular  syncline  :  May, 
Urville,  Falaise,  and  La  Ferriere.  The  most 
northerly  comprises  the  concessions  of  May, 
St.  Andre,  Bully,  and  Maltot,  which  were  granted 
before  the  war.  Only  two  of  these  are  being 
worked.  At  May  the  beds  have  a  dip  of  45° 
and  a  thickness  varying  from  4  to  6  metres,  but 
of  which  only  a  thickness  of  2-5  metres  is  being 
actually  worked,  the  remainder  being  too  high 
in  .silica.  The  sinkings  carried  out  by  the 
Societe  des  Mines  et  Produits  Chimiques  reach 
a  depth  of  over  100  metres  below  the  surface 
and  extend  underground  for  over  4  kilometres. 
A  large  shaft  at  Lorguichon,  near  to  the  mineral 
railway  connecting  the  Soumont  mine  with  Caen, 
has  been  sunk  to  a  depth  of  150  metres  and  will 
allow  of  an  annual  production  of  150,000  tons  of 
ore.  This  ore  is  a  hematite  containing  46  to 
47%  of  iron.  In  1920  production  had  reached 
100,189  tons,  and  fell,  owing  to  the  war,  to  45,256 
tons  in  1919.  In  1919  it  had  increased  to  62,051 
tons.  At  St.  Andre  an  almost  vertical  bed  is  worked 
to  a  depth  of  nearly  100  metres,  and  the  ore  is 
got  from  a  bed  of  hematite  2-5  metres  thick,  over- 
lain by  a  bed  of  carbonate  not  yet  being  worked. 


The  outputs  in  1913,  1919,  and  1920  respectively 
were  89.225,  60,956,  and  75,567  tons.  The  n\illy 
and  Maltot  concessions  have  hitherto  only  been 
explored  by  bore-holes.  It  is  along  the  May  syncline 
that  investigations  eastward  have  been  pursued  to 
ascertain  whether  the  workable  beds  of  May  and 
St.  Andrd  extend.  The  results  have  been  of  suliicient 
interest  to  warrant  the  Government  granting,  this 
year,  a  series  of  concessions  extending  as  far  as  the 
railway  from  .\rgentan  to  Mezidon.  These  con- 
cessions at  Condesur-lfs,  Fieville,  Garcelles,  d'Ouezy, 
d'Ouville,  and  St.  I'ierre-sur-Dives  cover  a  greater 
area  than  all  the  others  in  Calvados  put  together. 

The   second   syncline,   sometimes   known   as   La 
Breche  du  Diable,  but  more  commonly  as  Urville, 
comprises  six  older  concessions,  Soumont,  Perricres, 
Barberry,        F.strees,       Gouvix,       and        Urville. 
Investigations   made   in    this   instance,   westward, 
have  li-d  to  the  prolongation  of   the  syncline  being 
established   as   far  as   its  outcrop,  and   have   led, 
since  the  commencement  of  the  year,  to  the  granting 
of  the  Cinglais  concession.     Of  all  the  concessions 
of  this  second  basin  the  most  important  in  every 
respect  is  that  of  Soumont,  which  supplies  the  Caen 
blast-furnaces     of     the     Society     Normande     de 
Miitallurgie.  with  which  they  are  linked  up  by  a 
private    railway.      Here    there   occurs   a    seam   of 
carbonate  ore  having  a  dip  of  30^,  which  appears 
from  bore-holes  sunk  to  depths  of  400  metres,  to 
get  less  steep  as  it  becomes  deeper.     So  far  the 
seam  has  been  proved  for  a  depth  of  200  metres 
by   slopes   and   roads   which   have  established   its 
continuity    and    constancy.      The    ore    gives,    on 
calcination,  45-9%  of  iron,  and  roads  have  been 
driven    for   several    kilometres.      Down    to   depths 
of  60   metres  hematite  is   found,   but  below  these 
depths  it  disappears  completely.     In  1913  the  mine 
produced  71,637  tons  of  ore,    of  which  9,000  tons 
was  imported  into  Germany  and  the  rest  put  into 
stock.     Since  that  date  the  work  done  by  the  new 
company     owning     the     Caen     furnaces     (Societe 
Normande   de   Metallurgie)    has   been   directed   to 
supplying  adequate  quantities  of  ore  for  the  con- 
sumption  of   the    blast-furnaces,    and    to   making 
calcining  tests,  which  have  yielded  excellent  results. 
In  1919  the  output  of  carbonate  ore  amounted  to 
40,400  tons,  of  which  24,042  went  into  stock  and 
16,358  was  passed  through  the  kilns.    By  December 
the  stocks  had  risen  to  219,602  tons  of  raw  ore,  and 
52,223   tons  of  calcined  ore.     These  stocks  were 
heavily  drawn  upon  during  1920  for  consumption 
at   the    works.      During    1920    Soumont    produced 
4,339  tons  of  hematite  and  65,322  tons  of  calcined 
carbonate.     The  Barberry  concession,  in  which  the 
German  Gutehoffnungshiitte  held  the  interest,  was 
naturally    sequestrated    during    the   war,    and    has 
since  been  completely  idle.     In  1913  the  production 
was  16,624  tons  of  calcined  ore  from  a  bed  in  which 
only  a  thickness  of  2-5  to  3  metres  was  worked,  to 
avoid  getting  a  too  siliceous  ore.     Arrangements 
had  been  made  for  the  rapid  development  of  this 
mine,  for  an  output  of  300,000  tons,  which  shows 
the  importance  attached  by  German  metallurgists 
to   the  Normandy  deposits.     Soumont,  which  was 
also  to  supply  part  of  the  ore  needed  at  the  Thyssen 
works  in  Westphalia,  was  in  1914  being  prepared  for 
an  output  of   500,000   to   600,000   tons   annually, 
beginning    with     1915.       The    war    stopped    this 
development,  but  the  plant  is  capable,  whenever 
required,  of  realizing  such  outputs.     Of  the  other 
concessions  on  this  syncline,  only  the  Gouvix  mine 
has  been  restarted  by  the  Societe  des  Forges  et 


OCTOBER,    1921 


253 


Acieries  de  Firminy,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  readj' 
to  supply  the  Dunes  \vorl;s  near  Dunkerquc.  The 
ore  is  a  carbonate,  and  calcining  kilns  have  been 
installed.  Extraction  has  only  been  of  a  preparatory 
nature,  and  the  tonnage  has  hence  been  small. 

The  third  Normandy  syncline,  that  of  Falaise, 
is  the  best  known,  as  it  contain.s  the  St.  Remy 
concession,  the  oldest  (havina  been  granted  in 
September,  1875)  and  the  richest.  A  bed  of 
hematite  2-5  metres,  of  very  uniform  quality,  over- 
lain by  a  thickness  of  about  I  metre  of  carbonate 
ore,  is  worked.  The  carbonate  ore  has  a  purplish 
colour,  and  was  not  formerly  worked,  although  for 
a  few  years  it  has  been  exploited.  The  hematite 
contains  51  to  55  °f,  of  iron  and  the  raw  carbonate 
41  to  42°;,,  with  12-9°o  of  siUca.  The  bed  is  only 
worked  to  slight  depths — 33  metres  on  an  a\'erage — 
below  the  surface.  Production,  which  in  1911 
reached  106,852  tons,  fell  in  1913,  as  the  result  of 
a  long  strike,  to  77,fi20  tens.  In  the  year  1920  the 
output  was  78,713  tons,  of  which  43,218  tons  were 


the  richest.  The  first-named  produces  only 
carbonate.  Throughout  1919  it  was  only  working 
part  time,  and  whereas  in  1913  its  output  was 
89.89(>  tons  of  calcined  ore,  in  1920  it  only  produced 
18,275  tons  of  ore,  of  which  14,588  tons  were 
calcined.  The  seam  has  a  thickness  of  5  to  8  metres, 
with  numerous  changes  of  dip  and  strike,  creating 
difticulties  in  working.  One  shaft  is  at  work,  and 
the  ores  are  transported  by  an  aerial  ropeway  to 
the  station  at  ChateHer,  7  kilometres  away,  on  the 
line  from  Pomfront  to  Flers.  Twelve  calcining 
kilns,  with  forced  draught,  have  been  installed  at 
the  mines.  The  Halouze  concession,  along  the 
immediate  prolongation  of  the  latter,  has  a  some- 
what narrower  seam,  5  to  7S  metres  in  thickness. 
It  is  worked  by  tw^o  shafts,  each  180  metres  deep, 
and  by  an  incline.  Actual  working  is  confined  to 
depths  not  exceeding  130  metres,  but  provision  has 
been  made  for  extraction  at  greater  depths.  There 
are  eight  calcining  kilns,  and  a  railway  8  kilometres 
in  length  connecting  the  mine  with  the  station  at 


50  "OO 


5cale  ot  Kilomefrc5 


y.,  )Cherb(6urg 


/Brest 


^    .    .       ''    Co^e  da  tJoreJ       ; 
nnis/erre]  / 


\  Amiens 

"^eine /nferieure'  ^ -  -^^^ 

Havre^ 

.R'o'uenJ 
0%3       \  '--^       Caen 

,-'  Fdlalja--.',^  '',-?? 

-_.'Fleri-'.Arqenri>;    ,,---''    \       Pant, 
I  .      Orne  \' 

,--*  ,-;'0orTifr9tit 

I  ^^  <'    ^^  I  c  i  /       ^  A 

,  '    -       1^  ^-  Lure  erloir^   , —  - 

'  SdrZ-Ae 


North-Western  France,  shoaving  Position  of  Iron  Ore  Deposits. 


hematite  and  35,595  tons  were  carbonate.  The 
remaining  concessions  on  this  syncline,  at 
Ondefontaine,  Jurques,  and  JMontpincon,  produce 
only  carbonate  of  much  poorer  quality,  and  with 
the  exception  of  Jurques,  which  has  been  worked 
by  the  Societe  Francais  des  Mines  de  Fer,  have 
been  little  developed.  At  Jurques  there  appear 
to  be  three  beds,  two  of  which  are  workable,  but 
of  which  only  one  is  at  present  being  worked.  It 
has  a  thici;ness  of  1-80  metres,  and  a  dip  of  55°. 
The  investigations  quite  recently  made  at  Mont- 
pincon  have  led  to  the  recognition  of  only  one 
seam,  much  faulted  and  probably  unworkable. 
The  description  of  these  three  synclines  completes 
the  account  of  the  Normandy  deposits  occurring 
in  the  Department  of  Calvados. 

The  fourth  syncline  spreads  over  the  Departments 
of  ''Orne  and  La  JIanche,  and  covers  two  widely 
differing  regions  ;  the  eastern  in  I'Orne,  with  the 
Mont-en-Gerome,  La  Ferriere,  Halouze,  and 
Larchamp  concessions,  and  the  western,  containing 
the  Mortain  and  Bourberouge  concessions, 
Larchamn,  Halouze,  and  La  Ferriere  are  at  the 
present  time  the  three  most  important  mines  in 
Normandy,  and,  with  the  exception  of  St.   Remy, 


Chatelier.  The  output  in  1913  was  152,fi56  tons  of 
ore.  In  1920  only  44,559  tons  were  produced,  of 
which  40,678  tons  were  calcined  and  dispatched. 
In  some  places  the  concession  yields  a  heniatite  ore, 
but  in  small  amounts  only  as  compared  with  the 
carbonate  ore.  The  mine  belongs  to  the  Compagnie 
des  Acieries  de  France.  At  La  Ferriere,  which 
belongs  to  the  Denain  Anzin  Company,  the  seam 
is  the  prolongation  of  that  encountered  at  Larchamp 
and  Halouze,  and  has  a  dip  of  between  35°  and  40° 
south,  which  becomes  steeper  northward  before 
reaching  Halouze.  Eight  kilns  are  installed  for 
calcining  the  carbonate  ore,  and  the  mine  is  con- 
nected by  rail  with  the  St.  Bomer  station  on  the 
Flers-Pomfront  line.  Most  of  the  ore  was,  before  the 
war,  used  at  the  works  of  the  proprietors,  but  these 
having  been  destroyed  by  the  Germans  the  output 
has  been  greatly  reduced,  and  only  the  requirements 
of  outside  customers  have  been  catered  for.  While, 
in  1913,  121,650  tons  of  calcined  ore  were  dispatched 
from  the  works,  the  1920  output  was  only  32,500, 
while  the  kilns  calcined  50,100  tons,  the  difference 
being  taken  out  of  stock. 

Of   the    other   concessions   on    the   La   Ferriere 
syncline,  the  Mont-en-G6rome  mine  is  not  as  yet 


2:>i 


THE    MIXING    MAGAZIXK 


being  worUeJ,  only  trial  borings  to  ascertain  the 
existence  ol  the  seam,  its  thickness  and  quality, 
having  been  carried  out.  According  to  the 
information  yielded  by  these  bores,  the  seam  is  less 
important  than  those  just  describctl.  At 
Uourberouge  there  is  a  workable  seam  of  2-5  metres 
thick,  with  an  average  dip  of  39",  and  at  Mortain 
the  thickness  reaches  6'5  metres,  and  the  minimum 
dip  is  54°,  which  becomes  steeper  as  the  depth 
increases.     Both  these  mines,  which  belong  to  the 


Soci6t4  l^rani,aise  dcs  Mines  de  Fer,  were  before  the 
war  worked  lor  the  export  trade.  They  are  con- 
nected by  rail  respectively  with  the  Avranches 
station  on  the  Domfront  line,  and  Mortain  on  the 
Vire  line.  Kilns  were  installed,  but  by  19Kt  pro- 
duction had  only  just  bc^un  au'l  the  output  was 
34,S,S:j  tons  ot  calcined  ore  at  l3ourberouj;e,  and 
(i,833  tons  at  .Mortain.  The  former  mine  became 
flooded  during  the  war  up  to  its  adit  level  ;  at 
Mortain  the  same  thing  occurred  to  the  lower  levels. 


Blast-roasting.  —  British  Patent  13,9.S8  of  1920 
(14(>,936),  issued  to  the  Mining  an.d  Metallurgical 
Processes  Proprietary,  Ltd.,  of  Melbourne,  as 
assignees  of  Gilbert  Rigg,  of  the  Broken  Hill 
Associated  Smelters,  describes  an  improved 
apparatus  employed  in  blast-roasting.  Mr.  Rigg's 
work  in  this  line  is  w-ell  known,  for  articles  have 
been  published  in  the  Mac..\zine  for  June,  1918, 
and  February,  1920,  and  he  read  a  paper  before  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  in  May,  1920. 
\Ve  quote  this  patent  specification  in  detail. 

The  invention  refers  more  especially  to  means 
for  perforating  and  thus  opening  up  or  breaking  the 
clinker  which  normally  forms  immediately  over  the 
grates  in  such  operations.  In  metallurgical 
operations  involving  the  passage  of  a  blast  or  current 
of  air  through  a  body  or  charge  of  ore  upon  a  grate, 
it  has  been  found  that  the  layer  of  material 
immediately  over  the  grate  is  usually  fused  into  a 
more  or  less  impervious  cake  or  clinker  and  that 
consequently  the  passage  of  air  is  seriously  impeded 
and  frequently  rendered  irregular  and  uneven, 
involving  constant  attention  in  the  filling  up  of 
blow-holes  to  avoid  intense  local  action.  In  many 
cases  this  results  in  the  limiting  of  the  thickness 
of  the  charge  to  a  comparatively  thin  layer  and 
retards  the  completion  of  the  operation.  It  has 
been  found  by  an  examination  of  the  treated  charge 
that  the  lower  layer  has  fused  into  a  compact  mass 
of  clinker,  although  the  upper  portions  of  the  charge 
are  not  so  affected.  The  object  of  the  present 
invention  is  to  pro\'ide  means  whereby  the  layer  of 
clinker  or  slag  formed  over  the  grate  is  periodically 
perforated  and  thereby  broken  or  opened  up  for 
the  passage  of  the  air  blast.  This  object  is  accom- 
plished by  providing  mechanical  means  by  w-hich  the 
layer  of  clinker  or  slag  is  intermittently  perforated. 
These  mechanical  means  preferably  comprise  a 
number  or  series  of  proj  ecting  teeth  or  spikes  adapted 
to  be  intermittently  forced  through  the  laj-er  of 
clinker  or  slag  as  the  same  is  formed  over  the  grate, 
thereby  perforating  and  opening  it  up  for  the  passage 
of  the  air  current.  These  projecting  teeth  or  spikes 
are  preferably  adapted  to  work  in  conjunction  with 
the  grate,  and  in  practice  the  same  teeth  or  spikes 
are  caused  to  project  through  the  perforations 
or  interstices  of  the  grate,  being  mounted  upon  a 
suitable  carrier  or  member  which  is  adapted  to  be 
moved  up  and  down  by  suitable  mechanical  means. 
.\n  apparatus  embodying  the  features  described 
is  illustrated  in  the  accompanying  sheets  of 
explanatory  drawings.  Fig.  I  is  a  view  in  sectional 
side  elevation  of  a  pot,  as  used  in  the  Huntington- 
Heberlein  process,  fitted  with  mechanical  devices 
for  perforating  the  clinker  formed  over  the  grate 
therein.  Fig.  2  is  a  view  in  plan  of  Fig.  1,  part  of 
the  pot  being  broken  away  to  show  details  in  the 
mechanical  means  devised  for  perforating  the 
clinker.  Fig.  3  is  a  view  illustrating  two  forms  of 
spikes  or  teeth  for  use  with  the  apparatus.  Fig.  4 
is  a  view  in  plan  of  the  spikes  or  teeth  shown  in 


Fig.  3.  Fig.  5  is  a  view  in  perspective  of  another 
form  of  spike  or  tooth.  Fig.  fi  is  a  view  in  sectional 
elevation  of  part  of  a  pot  showing  a  modification 
in  the  means  employed  for  perforating  the  clinker. 
Fig.  7  is  a  view  in  sectional  elevation  of  part  of 
Fig.  6,  and  shows  a  modified  form  of  tooth  or 
spike.  F'ig.  8  is  a  view  in  sectional  plan  of  the  tooth 
shown  in  Fig.  7.  Fig.  9  is  a  view  of  part  of  a 
constructional  detail  shown  in  Fig.  6.  Fig.  10  is  a 
view  similar  to  Fig.  7,  showing  another  modified 
form  of  tooth  or  spike. 

In  these  drawings  the  reference  numeral  20 
designates  a  pot  having  trunnions  21  supported  on 
a  frame  22  provided  with  transport  wheels  of 
approved  form.  One  of  the  trunnions  21  is  fitted 
wiih  a  worm  wheel  23.  which  gears  with  a  worm 
24  carried  by  a  shaft  25  fitted  with  a  hand-wheel 
26,  which  is  adapted  to  be  operated  to  tilt  the  pot 
sufficiently  to  empty  some  of  its  contents  as  desired. 
A  grate  27  is  supported  at  an  approved  point  in  the 
height  of  the  pot,  and  this  grate  preferably  com- 
prises a  cast  metal  plate  having  a  series  of  holes 
28  formed  vertically  therein.  The  grate  27 
is  preferably  mounted  removably  wit'iin  the  pot 
to  permit  of  its  being  replaced  by  another  when  worn 
out  or  damaged.  The  bottom  of  the  pot  is  provided 
with  a  centrally  disposed  hole  above  which  is 
mounted  a  guide  member  29  for  a  spindle  30, 
which  is  adapted  to  be  reciprocated  vertically 
therein.  The  upper  end  of  the  spindle  30  is  formed 
with  a  cap  or  flange  31  w-hich  is  bolted  to  the  centre 
of  a  plate  32  which  conforms  to  the  shape,  and  is 
somewhat  smaller  than  the  interior  of  the  lower 
part  of  the  pot.  The  plate  32  is  formed  with  a  series 
the  threaded  holes  33  which  are  adapted  to  take  the 
screwed  shanks  or  stems  34  on  the  lower  ends  of 
a  series  of  teeth  or  spikes  35.  The  teeth  or  spikes 
are  preferably  pointed  or  sharpened  on  their  upper 
ends  and  normally  project  upward  into  the  bottom 
of  the  holes  28  in  the  grate  27.  The  teeth  or  spikes 
35  may  be  made  to  the  same  shape  as,  but  slightly 
smaller  in  cross  section  than  the  holes  in  the  grate, 
or  they  may  be  made  of  such  other  cross-sectional 
shape  as  will  permit  of  the  passage  of  air  through  the 
holes  when  the  teeth  or  spikes  are  thrust  upwardly 
through.  The  teeth  or  spikes  may  be  given  a 
cruciform  shape  in  cross  section,  as  shown  in  Fig.  4 
of  the  drawing,  or  they  can  be  made  hollow  as 
represented  partly  in  sectional  elevation  in  the 
right-hand  side  of  the  same  figure.  When  the  teeth 
or  spikes  are  m.ade  hollow  as  shown,  the  plate  32 
is  bored  right  through  to  permit  of  the  air,  forced 
under  pressure  into  the  bottom  of  the  pot,  passing 
freel}'  upward  to  and  through  the  holes  36  formed  in 
the  upper  end  of  the  said  hollow  teeth  or  spikes. 
The  upper  ends  of  the  teeth  or  spikes  can  be  provided 
with  chisel  points,  and  when  made  of  round  bar 
material  their  sides  may  be  formed  with  grooves 
or  tlutings  37  (see  Fig.  5  of  the  drawings).  In  order 
to  permit  of  the  uniform  distribution  of  the  blast 
beneath  the  grate  27  the  plate  32  carrying  the  teeth 


OCTOBER,    1921 


255 


as- 


26,. 


1^  "  '1.      J'^./ ^ 

Details  of  Apparatus  for  forming  air-passages  during  Blast-Roasting. 


or  spikes  35  is  provided  with  a  number  of  holes  38 
through  which  the  blast  of  air  is  allowed  to  pass 
directly  upward  to  the  bottom  of  the  grate.  When 
hollow  spikes  are  used  the  air  holes  38  may  be 
dispensed  with.  The  lower  end  of  the  spindle  30 
is  slotted  horizontally  to  take  a  pin  39  fitted  to  the 
cheeks  of  a,  jaw  -40  formed  on  the  working  arm  of 
a  lever  41  which  is  pivotally  mounted  on  a  pin  42 
carried  by  a  bracket  43  secured  to  the  bottom  of  the 
pot.  The  power  arm  of  the  lever  41  preferably 
is  made  up  of  two  or  more  telescopically  connected 
parts  to  permit  of  it  being  shortened  when  the  pot 
is  to  be  tilted  to  empty  it  of  its  contents.  The  con- 
nexions between  the  parts  of  the  power  arm  of 
the  lever  41  can  be  made  in  any  well-known  manner. 
The  air  blast  is  supplied  to  the  lower  part  of  the 
pot  through  a  pipe  44  as  shown  in  dotted  lines  in 
Fig.  1  or  in  any  other  approved  way.  The  lower  part 
of  the  pot  can  be  cleaned  as  and  when  desired  by 
removing  the  cover  45  on  an  opening  46  in  the 
bottom  thereof. 

If  preferred  the  teeth  or  spikes  35  can  be  made 
as  shown  in  Figs.  6  and  7,  and  means  may  be 
provided  for  effecting  a  partial  rotation  of  the  teeth 
or  spikes  when  they  are  being  thrust  upwardly 
through  the  holes  in  the  grate  27.  In  this  last- 
mentioned  form  of  apparatus  the  teeth  or  spikes 
are  made  of  cruciform  or  other  irregular  shape  in 


cross  section  and  twisted  into  the  form  of  screws. 
The  twisted  teeth  or  spikes  are  adapted  to  pass 
through  correspondingly  shaped  holes  47  formed  in 
a  plate  48,  which  is  supported  bj^  brackets  49  a 
short  distance  below  the  bottom  of  the  grate.  The 
stems  34  of  the  teeth  or  spikes  35  in  this  instance 
are  free  to  rotate  in  the  plate  32  when  the  said 
teeth  or  spikes  are  thrust  upwardly  through  the 
holes  47  in  the  plate  48.  The  plate  32  and  plate 
48  are  provided  with  holes  38  and  50  respectively 
to  permit  of  the  free  passage  of  the  air  blast  to  the 
grate. 

When  the  lower  parts  only  of  the  teeth  or  spikes 
are  twisted  as  show-n  in  Fig.  10  of  the  drawings, 
the  teeth  or  spikes  will  be  partially  rotated  when 
their  screwed  or  twisted  parts  are  passing  through 
the  holes  47  in  the  plate  48. 

After  the  charge  in  the  pot  has  been  ignited  and 
the  blast  turned  on,  the  formation  of  dense  clinker 
or  partially  slagged  material  commences  to  take 
place.  By  moans  of  the  lifting  mechanism  the  teeth 
are  forced  upwards  into  this  dense  layer,  which  they 
perforate,  thus  allowing  the  blast  to  pass  through. 
It  will  be  seen  that  as  these  teeth  are  uniformly 
distributed  over  the  low-er  surface  of  the  charge, 
a  uniform  distribution  of  air  through  the  charge 
is  effected.  The  operation  of  raising  the  teeth  and 
perforating   and   opening   up   the   bottom   clinker 


230 


Till-:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


con  be  rcpoatetl  as  often  as  is  founi!  necessary,  tlius 
IccepiuK  the  charge  always  open  :  in  consciiuence  a 
more  rapiil  rate  o(  roasting,  and  a  more  uniform 
roasted  prtihict  are  obtainable  in  the  case  of  blast- 
roasting,  while  in  the  case  of  the  treatment  of  ores 
for  the  formation  of  oxides  and  the  like  by  the 
operation  of  a  blast  or  current  of  air  through  a 
mixture  of  the  ore  and  fuel  it  is  possible  to  work 
with  much  deeper  charges  than  have  hitherto 
been  found  practicable. 

The  addition  of  atomized  water  to  the  air  blast 
can  be  conveniently  made  use  of  in  regulating  the 
temperature  of  the  roasting  mass.  This  application 
is  made  possible  by  the  uniformity  of  the  blast 
distribution.  Where  blast  distribution  is  irregular 
and  patchy  the  cooling  effect  of  the  atomized 
water  would  be  localized,  and  give  rise  to  irregular 
roasting. 

Anodes  for  Copper  Deposition/ — British  Patent 
13,571!  of  ll-'-li  (157,871)  contains  an  interesting 
discussion  of  Ihe  probknis  at  (huquicamata  as 
regards  thelifeof  the  anodes  in  the  electro-deposition 
of  copper.  These  problems  have  been  referred  to 
on  several  occasions  in  the  M.\gazine,  and  they  have 
constituted  the  chief  subject  of  study  at  this 
copper  mine.  The  patent  is  granted  to  the  Chile 
Exploration  Company,  of  New  York,  as  assignees 
of  Colin  G.  Fink.  \Ve  quote  herewith  from  the 
specification. 

For  efficient  and  satisfactory  use  in  the 
electrolytic  recovery  of  copper  from  copper  sulphate 
electrolytes,  an  anode  should  possess  certain 
properties.  In  the  first  place  it  should  be  of  the 
so-called  insoluble  anode  type,  that  is  to  say,  it 
should  be  to  a  high  degree  insoluble  in  the 
electrolyte,  or  in  other  words,  it  should  possess 
high  resistance  to  anodic  disintegration.  In 
aildition  the  anode  should  have  high  electrical 
conductivity,  and  a  low  anodic  potential  in  order 
to  keep  the  electrical  losses  as  low  as  practicable. 
Again,  the  anode  should  be  of  such  a  character 
as  to  permit  the  ready  discharge  of  oxygen  gas 
thereform,  thereby  eliminating  or  minimizing  the 
undesirable  consequences  of  polarization.  In 
practice  it  is  generally  only  possible  tc  approximate 
the  ideal  condition  with  respect  to  each  of  the 
aforementicmed  properties,  and  accordingly  it  is 
necessary  in  the  production  of  an  anode  for 
commercial  practice  to  resort  to  a  compromise  of 
the  idea!  conditions  with  respect  to  these  properties 
in  order  to  obtain  an  anode  possessing  the  desired 
properties  to  a  more  or  less  satisfactory  degree. 

The  present  invention  contemplates  the  provision 
of  an  improved  anode  possessing  in  a  remarkably 
satisfactory  degree  the  aforementioned  desirable 
properties,  made  up  of  an  alloy  containing  cobalt 
and  silicon.  A  depolarizing  ingredient,  such 
as  m.anganese,  is  preferably  included  in  the  alloy, 
and,  as  a  result  of  electrolytic  ?xtion,  provides 
a  depolarizing  coating  or  film  for  the  surface  of  the 
electrolode  which  facilitates  the  discharge  of  oxygen 
gas  therefrom.  A  hardening  agent  is  also  preferably 
included  in  the  alloy,  and  serves  the  purpose  of 
hardening  the  surface  coating  or  film  of  the 
depolarizing     agent.  Chromium        may        be 

advantageously  used  as  the  hardening  agent,  and 
tungsten,  molybdenum,  and  uranium  may  also  be 
used  as  the  hardening  agent. 

The  improved  electrode  of  the  invention  is 
accordingly  made  up  of  an  alloy  of  which  the 
principal  constituents  are  cobalt  and  silicon.  In 
its    preferred    form    the    electrode    also    contains 


manganese  and  chromium,  logetlier  with  a  certain 
amount  of  carbon.  I'"xc''llent  results  ,ire  obtained 
with  an  alloy  of  tlie  following  composition  :  II'S  to 
K<"„  silicon,  4  to  6"„  i\Kinganese,  -I  to  (i',',, 
chromium,  U\S  to  1"2"„  carbon,  and  the  balance 
cobalt.  If  desired,  .5  to  30  parts  of  the  cobalt 
content  of  the  alloy  may  be  replaced  by  manganese, 
or  .S  to  12  parts  of  the  cobalt  content  may  be  replaced 
by  chromiunt,  or  5  to  8  parts  of  the  cobalt  content 
may  be  replaced  by  nickel,  without  objectionably 
alteri?ig  the  advantageous  properties  of  the  alloy 
as  an  anode  material.  The  jirojiortion  ol  carbon, 
manganese,  chromium,  and  silicon  can  be  somewhat 
varied,  but  in  general  neither  the  carbon,  manganese,, 
chromium,  or  silicon  should  be  too  low,  or  the 
corrosion  of  the  anode  will  be  objectionably 
increased.  On  the  other  hand,  the  carbon, 
manganese,  chromium,  and  silicon  content  should 
not  be  too  high.  A  high  silicon  content  results  in 
a  decrease  in  the  strength  of  the  anode,  and  an 
increase  in  both  its  tendency  to  corrode  and  in  its 
specific  electrical  resistance.  If  the  carbon  content 
is  too  high,  the  carbon  separates  out  in  a  graphitic 
form.  The  best  results  are  obtained  with  a  carbon 
content  slightly  in  excess  of  the  amount  which 
can  be  combined,  so  that  there  is  a  small  amount 
of  fine  graphitic  carbon,  such  as  will  give  a  grey 
surface  to  the  fracture,  but  without  any  excess  of 
graphitic  carbon. 

The  alloys  of  cobalt  and  silicon  are  distinguished 
from  alloys  of  other  more  or  less  similar  metals  with 
silicon  in  their  availability  for  use  as  electrodes. 
This  distinction,  and  the  advantages  of  the  cobalt- 
silicon  alloys,  are  due  in  part  to  the  anodic  properties 
of  the  cobalt,  that  is,  to  its  tendency  to  be  deposited 
on  the  anode,  which  distinguishes  cobalt  from  most 
other  metals  which  deposit  on  the  cathode.  The 
advantageous  properties  of  the  cobalt  alloys  are 
further  due  to  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the 
cobalt-silicon  alloys.  Photo-micrographs  of  cobalt- 
silicon  alloys  containing  about  12  to  15  %  of  silicon 
indicate  that  the  silicon  is  in  part  present  as  such 
or  in  solid  solution  in  the  cobalt,  while  a  largo  part 
is  present  in  the  form  of  a  eutectic  made  up  of  a 
solid  solution  of  cobalt  silicide  (Co.2Si)  in  the  cobalt 
and  perhaps  also  of  the  cobalt  silicide  itself.  The 
photo-micrographs  indicate  that  the  resistance  to 
corrosion  may  be  largely  due  to  the  presence  of  the 
.silicon  and  of  the  cobalt  silicide. 

With  anodes  of  cobalt-silicon  alloys  and  copper 
cathodes  there  is  a  voltage  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid 
of  about  ]-7  to  2-0  volts  at  a  current  density  of 
20  amperes  per  square  foot  of  anode  surface,  and 
a  spacing  of  IJ  in.  between  anode  and  cathode. 
Also  there  is  a  maximum  strength  against  flexure 
to  be  obtained  with  a  silicon  content  of  about  12  to 
15''„.  For  example,  a  flexure  strength  of  around 
6,200  lb.  per  sq.  in.  (unit  beam  1  in.  square,  12  in. 
span)  has  been  possessed  by  electrodes  of  this  silicon 
content.  Both  any  material  increase  and  any 
material  decrease  in  the  silicon  content  of  the  alloy 
seems  to  decrease  the  mechanical  strength  of  the 
electrode,  and  in  general  the  greatest  strength  is 
obtained  at  between  12  and  15%  of  silicon.  In  its 
breaking  strength  the  improved  electrodes  of  the 
invention  are  to  be  distinguished  from  electrodes 
of  iron  and  silicon,  where,  for  example,  a  similar 
content  of  silicon  gives  an  electrode  with  a  flexure 
strength  of  about' 1,000  to  1,500  1b.  per  sq.  in. 
The  greater  strength  of  the  cobalt-silicon  electrodes 
of  the  invention,  as  compared,  for  example,  with 
iron   silicon    electrodes,    enables    a    much    thinner 


OCTOBER,    1921 


257 


anode  to  be  employed  without  objectionable 
reduction  in  strength,  so  that  less  space  is  occupied 
thereby  in  the  electrolytic  tanks  or  cells.  Any 
considerable  increase  in  the  silicon  content  of  the 
cobalt-sihcon  electrodes,  as  above  noted,  tends  to 
increase  both  the  voltage  and  the  brittleness. 

Good  results  are  obtained  with  a  carbon  content 
of  about  l°o>  or  between  0-5 °o  and  l-20(,,  and  with 
a  silicon  content  of  from  12  to  15%.  Graphitic 
carbon,  as  pointed  out,  is  objectionable  beyond  a 
certain  small  amount,  but  inasmuch  as  cobalt  will 
combine  more  readily  than  iron  with  a  small  amount 
of  carbon,  it  is  possible  to  include  such  a  larger 
amount  without  an  objectionable  amount  of 
graphitic   carbon   being  present. 

From  investigations  made  of  photo-micrographs 
of  electrodes  embodying  the  principles  herein  dis- 
closed, it  is  believed  that  the  improved  electrode 
of  the  invention  owes  its  advantageous  properties 
to  the  fact  that  it  is  composed  for  the  major  part 
of  two  constituents.  The  first  of  these  constituents 
is  more  or  less  soluble  in  the  copper  siilphate 
electrolyte,  but  possesses  good  electrical  con- 
ductivity. The  second  constituent  is  relatively 
insoluble  in  the  electrolyte,  but  is  not  a  good  con- 
ductor of  electricity.  The  first  constituent  appears 
to  be  an  alloy  or  a  mixture  of  alloys  of  the  various 
metallic  constituents  of  the  electrode,  while  the 
second  constituent  appears  to  be  a  eutectic,  probably 
silicide  of  cobalt.  It  furthermore  appears  from  the 
photo-micrographs  that  the  structure  of  the  anode 
is  made  up  of  particles  of  the  first  constituent, 
v.'hich  particles  are  more  or  less  enclosed  or 
enveloped  with  a  coating  of  the  second  con- 
stituent. The  eutectic,  accordingly,  appears  to 
provide  a  coating  for  the  alloy  particles,  which 
effectively  serves  to  prevent  these  particles  from 
going  into  solution  at  an  objectionably  high  rate, 
but  at  the  same  time  this  eutectic  coating  is  so 
shallow  or  narrow  as  not  to  objectionably  decrease 
the  electrical  conductivity  of  the  electrode  as  a 
whole. 

The  cobalt-silicon  anode  is  of  special  advantage 
in  sulphate  electrolytes  containing  appreciable 
amounts  of  nitrates  and  chlorides.  In  such 
electrolytes  lead  anodes  disintegrate  rapidly. 
Lead  anodes  stand  up  more  or  less  satisfactorily 
in  sulphate  electrolytes  free  of  nitrates  or  chlorides, 
but  even  in  such  electrolytes  the  cobalt-silicon 
anode  of  the  invention  is  superior  to  lead  anodes, 
since  the  anode  of  the  invention  possesses  a  higher 
current  efficiency  than  a  lead  anode  and  stands  up 
better  in  all  electrolytes  including  those  for  which 
lead  is  adapted. 

The  electrode  of  the  invention  is  of  particular 
value  when  employed  as  an  anode  in  the  electro- 
deposition  of  copper  from  such  solutions  as  are 
obtained  upon  leaching  Chuquicamata  copper  ores. 
This  electrolyte  contains  primarily  copper  sulphate, 
sulphuric  acid,  and  a  number  of  other  salts,  among 
which  are  included  alkali  nitrates,  sulphates, 
chlorides,  and  iron  sulphates.  In  addition,  the 
electrolyte  may  contain  small  quantities  of 
aluminium,  calcium,  magnesium,  and  potassium 
sulphates. 

With  an  anode  of  the  preferred  composition 
hereinbefore  mentioned,  it  is  found  that  the  loss 
in  electrolytes  of  this  character  at  20°  C.  and  at 
20  amperes  per  square  foot  of  anode  surface,  is 
approximately  0'5  lb.  per  one  hundred  pounds  of 
copper  deposited,  and  that  the  voltage  from  anode 
to  cathode  at  this  temperature  is  about  1'9  volts. 


It  is  found  that  higher  temperatures  give  lower 
corrosion  losses,  which  is  in  contradistinction  to 
the  behaviour  of  ferro-silicon  anodes. 

The  manganese  included  in  the  improved 
electrode  serves  the  purpose  of  a  depolarizer.  In 
an  acid  sulphate  electrolyte  at  a  temperature  of 
from  10  to  15°  C,  the  manganese  goes  into  solution 
as  permanganic  acid.  At  temperatures  of  from  about 
30°  C.  to  60°  C,  this  permanganic  acid  formation 
is  practically  absent,  and  instead  there  is  obtained 
a  heavy  deposit  of  manganic  oxide  on  the  surface 
of  the  anode.  In.  both  cases,  however,  manganese 
dioxide  is  precipitated  or  deposited  on  the  anode, 
but  in  the  case  of  the  warm  or  heated  solution, 
the  deposit  of  manganese  dio.xide  is  more  adherent 
and  there  is  practically  no  loss  of  manganese  in  the 
solution.  This  deposit  of  manganese  dioxide, 
together  with  some  cobalt  oxide,  on  the  anode 
acts  as  a  depolarizer,  and  ensures  the  free  discharge 
or  liberation  of  oxygen  gas  from  the  surface  of  the 
anode.  Moreover,  cobalt-silicon  anodes  made  up 
in  accordance  with  the  invention,  but  without 
manganese,  have  a  tendency  to  corrode  at  the 
solution  surface  line,  and  this  tendency  is  minimized 
by  the  addition  of  manganese  to  the  alloy. 

The  addition  of  chromium  or  other  chromium- 
group  metal  to  the  electrode  acts  to  harden  the 
manganese  o.xide  film  or  deposit  on  the  anode. 
Thus,  the  manganese  dioxide  film  is  more  resistent 
to  abrasion  in  the  case  of  cobalt-silicon-manganese 
anodes  containing  chromium  than  it  is  in  the  case 
of  anodes  of  similar  composition  but  without 
chromium,  tungsten,  molybdenum,  or  uranium. 

It  will,  therefore,  be  evident  that  while  certain 
advantages  of  the  invention  are  obtained  without 
the  inclusion  of  either  manganese  or  a  chromium- 
group  metal  in  the  electrode  the  presence  of  both 
of  these  materials  is  desirable,  since  the  addition  of 
these  materials  imparts  to  the  anode  further 
desirable  properties.  Thus  it  is  found  that  the 
addition  of  chromiuni  to  the  anode  greatly  facilitates 
duplication  of  low-loss,  low-voltage  anodes. 

in  the  production  of  these  anodes  cobalt,  with  its 
normal  impurities,  may  be  employed,  including 
some  small  percentage  of  nickel,  iron,  manganese, 
and  carbon.  Good  results  have  been  obtained  with 
cobalt  containing  around  4  to  l°a  of  nickel  and 
iron  together.  In  the  production  of  the  anodes 
the  procedure  is  to  melt  the  cobalt  and  add  char- 
coal to  increase  its  carbon  content,  or  to 
simultaneously  reduce  a  mixed  oxide  of  cobalt, 
manganese,  and  chromium  (or  other  chromium- 
group  metal).  The  silicon  is  then  added,  together 
with  the  manganese  to  the  molten  cobalt,  but  it  is 
found  that  the  addition  of  the  silicon  to  the  cobalt 
results  in  a  violent  evolution  of  heat,  so  that  care 
should  be  taken  to  avoid  the  addition  of  such  large 
amounts  of  silicon  as  will  result  in  objectionable 
overheating.  The  silicon  can  be  added  gradually 
or  as  carbide  of  silicon,  or  it  may  be  combined  with 
a  small  amount  of  cobalt  and  the  resulting  alloy 
or  mixture  added  to  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
cobalt.  The  violent  evolution  of  heat  which  takes 
place  when  the  silicon  is  added  to  cobalt  is  a  further 
characteristic  of  the  cobalt-silicon  composition 
which  distinguishes  it  from  iron  silicon  compositions. 

The  electrode  of  the  present  invention,  in  addition 
to  its  improved  property  of  resisting  anodic  dis- 
integration or  corrosion,  possesses  in  dilute  sulphuric 
acid  a  relatively  low  anodic  potential.  In  other 
words  the  voltage  between  the  anode  and  a  copper 
cathode   is   relatively     low,   being   approximately 


258 


Tin:    MINING    MAGAZINE 


from  about  1-S  to  about  2-0  volts  at  20°  C.  at  an 
aiuxle  current  density  of  about  20  amperes  per 
square  foot.  This  feature  is  of  particular 
importance  in  the  electrolytic  production  of  copper, 
since  it  is  instrumental  in  determining  the  terminal 
voltage  which  must  be  applied  to  the  electrolysing 
cells.  The  cost  of  electrolytically  precipitating 
copper  from  an  electrolyte  is  proportional  to  the 
voltage  which  must  be  applied,  and  from  the 
standpoint  of  comnierical  economy  it  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  that  the  surface-tension  voltage 
of  the  anode  be  as  low  as  practicable.  The  cobalt- 
silicon  electrode  of  the  present  invention,  com- 
bining as  it  does  a  relatively  low  surface-tension 
voltage  with  very  effective  resistance  to  anodic 
corrosion,  makes  a  very  durable,  economical,  and 
satisfactory  anode  in  the  electrolytic  precipitation 
of  copper. 

The  Separation  of  Minerals. — M  the  meeting 
of  the  Mulland  Institute  of  Mining,  Civil,  and 
Mechanical  Engineers,  held  in  .\ugust  at  Shcttield, 
Stanley  Nettleton  read  a  paper  describing  his 
method  of  separating  minerals,  based  on  their  varying 
coefficients  of  friction.  The  paper  dealt  with  the 
separation  of  stone  from  coal,  but  the  principle 
is  equally  applicable  to  ore-dressing. 

In  the  preparation  of  minerals  for  the  market 
or  for  metallurgical  treatment,  it  is  generally 
necessary  at  some  stage  of  the  process  for  a  sliding 
movetnent  to  take  place  on  a  hard  surface  of  metal 
or  other  material.  This  sliding  may  take  place 
in  screening  and  in  simple  transit  from  one  part 
of  the  plant  to  another,  and  these  sliding  effects 
may  be  utilized  in  order  to  separate  one  class  of 
mineral  from  its  natural  associates  of  lower  value. 
The  inclination  necessary  to  cause  material  to 
move  upon  a  sloping  surface  is  governed  by  a 
number  of  factors  which  have  received  attention 
from  manufacturers  of  mining  appliances,  but  the 
question  of  angle  of  slope  appears  to  be  generally 
solved  by  empirical  methods.  It  has  been  found 
by  experience  that  small  material,  say,  of  h  in. 
diameter,  requires  greater  inclination  to  cause  move- 
ment than  pieces,  sa)',  1  or  2  in.  in  diameter,  and 
that  unscreened  mineral  which  consists  of  fragments 
of  all  sizes  down  to  particles  of  dust  does  not  move 
so  freely  dow-n  a  sloping  surface  as  mineral  which 
has  been  classified  into  grades  of  approximately 
equal  sizes.  The  presence  of  moisture  usually 
tends  to  hold  up  unscreened  mineral  on  an  inclined 
surface,  but  its  effect  is  modified  in  the  case  of 
closely-sized  material  such  as  nut  coal,  ranging 
from  1  in.  to  1 A  in.  in  diameter.  .\s  crushing  is  a 
prominent  feature  in  ore-treatment,  reduction  in 
size  of  mineral  is  rarely  disadvantageous,  and  for 
this  reason  chutes  and  screens  at  metalliferous 
mines  are  generally  placed  at  inclinations  much 
in  excess  of  that  necessarj-  for  free  movement  in 
order  to  avoid  the  possibility  of  holding  up  any  of 
the  mineral. 

Data  on  the  slope  necessary  to  overcome  the 
coefficient  of  friction  of  minerals  is  meagre,  but  the 
subject  has  been  referred  to  by  several  authors. 
Professor  -  Henrj-  Louis  states,  in  "Dressing  of 
Minerals,"  that  "  it  is  necessary  to  distinguish 
bet\veen  the  angle  at  which  a  mineral  just 
commences  to  slide,  and  that  at  which  it  continues 
to  slide  at  a  uniform  velocity  after  it  has  started 
from  rest."  He  gives  the  result  of  determination 
upon  moderately  large  lumps  of  various  minerals 
sliding  upon  a  smooth  steel  plate.  From  his  table 
it  may   be  assumed   that  the  slope  necessary  to 


initiate  movement  may  be  anything  from  24° 
to  31*^,  or  4°  to  11  A°  more  than  that  which  will 
maintain  motion  after  a  mineral  has  commenced 
to  slide  on  an  inclined  plane.  Materials  such  as 
quartz,  coal,  and  limestone  vary  so  much  that 
some  information  is  desirable  on  the  pliysical 
character  of  the  specimen  tested.  Limestones  may 
be  soft  and  friable  or  hard  and  semi-cryst'dline. 
The  term  ''  coal  "  includes  materials  varying  in 
specific  gravity  from  1-15  to  L45,  and  of  widely 
different  physical  character.  Gas-coal  frequently 
breaks  into  fragments  of  more  or  less  cubical  form  ; 
cannel  coal  has  often  a  semi-conchoidal  fracture  ; 
anthracite  breaks  very  irregularly,  and  lamellar 
structure  is  not  unknown  in  lignitic  coal. 

Form,  size,  specific  gravity,  and  hardness  may 
each  have  an  influence  on  the  angle  of  slope  at 
which  a  piece  of  mineral  will  commence  to  move 
or  continue  to  move  when  placed  on  a  smooth 
surface.  Breakage  is  a  matter  of  importance  in 
the  handling  of  coal,  and  the  friction  coefficient 
may  be  a  factor  used  in  the  dry  separation  of  coal 
from  shale.  In  order  to  determine  the  principles 
underlying  the  behaviour  of  coal  and  the  rocks 
with  w-hich  it  is  associated  in  the  mine,  a  large 
number  of  experiments  were  made  on  the  lines 
here  indicated.  Samples  of  materials  were  broken 
and  separated  into  classes  of  approximately 
similar  sizes  by  screening  ;  wire  screens  with  square 
meshes  of  ^'i;,  i,  and  J  in.  were  used  to  make  three 
classes.  It  should  be  noted  that  closeness  of  sizing 
is  governed  to  a  considerable  extent  by  the  form 
which  each  mineral  assumes  when  broken.  Shales 
have  a  tendency  to  break  into  pieces  in  which  the 
length  and  breadth  are  disproportionate  to  the 
thickness,  while  pieces  of  coal  and  anthracite 
usually  assume  a  more  or  less  cubical  or  spherical 
form.  For  this  reason,  on  shaking  coal  and  shale 
over  a  i  in.  mesh,  the  shale  passing  through  the 
screen  will  contain  more  pieces  over  i  in.  in  length 
than  is  the  case  with  coal-sizing. 

A  small  quantity  of  sized  material  was  placed 
gently  upon  an  incMned  sheet  of  plate-glass,  which 
was  tapped  three  times  in  each  experiment.  There 
was  then  noted  the  proportion  of  material  which 
s'id  off  the  inclined  plane.  Results  w'ere  apt  to  be 
rather  irregular,  particularly  near  the  points  at 
which  the  material  did  not  move  at  all,  or  the  whole 
of  it  slipped  off  the  glass. 

The  following  is  an  example  of  a  test.  \  large 
number  of  pieces  of  Yorkshire  bituminous  coal 
were  placed  on  a  sheet  of  glass  3fi  in.  in  length  at 
an  angle  of  22°.  In  placing  material  on  the  inclined 
surface,  each  particle  was  put  in  contact  with  the 
medium  over  which  it  was  to  slide,  so  that  carrying 
and  packing  effects  were  eliminated  as  far  as 
possible.  The  size  of  the  coa!  was  through  f  in. 
and  over  i  in.  mesh,  and  the  percentages  of  pieces 
of  coal  which  moved  to  the  bottom  of  the  plate  on 
tapping  in  nine  experiments  in  these  tests  were 
75,  85,  75.  70,  fi5.  80,  70,  75,  70.     Average,  74%. 

About  700  experiments  were  carried  out  on  a 
considerable  number  of  pieces  of  mineral.  Large 
numbers  of  pieces  were  used  in  each  of  these 
experiments  and  averages  were  taken,  in  preference 
to  a  small  number  of  carefully  selected  specimens 
being  used  which  would  have  given  more  con- 
cordant results.  Owing  to  the  irregular  nature  of 
the  materials  dealt  with  in  practice  it  w-as  believed 
that  the  former  method  would  give  the  more  useful 
results,  although  these  results  would  be  of  a  more 
relative  character.     It  was  found   from  these  that 


OCTOBER,    1921 


259 


the  sliding  of  minerals  over  plane  surfaces  appears 
to  be  subject  to  the  following  laws  .  (1)  Large  pieces 
of  coal  have  a  less  coefficient  of  friction  than  smaller 
ones  ;  that  is,  when  set  in  motion  they  will  contmiie 
to  slide  over  a  plane  which  is  at  a  lower  inclination. 
(2)  Material  which  is  freshly  broken  does  not  slide 
so  readily  over  a  smooth  surface  as  material  which 
has  been  standing  some  time  before  it  is  dealt  with  ; 
apart  from  the  well-known  fact  that  different 
minerals  have  different  coefhcients  of  friction. 

The  force  in  these  experiments  tending  to  move 
a  particle  may  be  taken  as  the  component  of  the 
weight  parallel  to  the  plate  ;  that  is,  the  weight 
multiplied  by  cosine  of  the  angle  of  inclination  of  the 
plate.  The  principles  deduced  have  been  found 
equally  applicable  to  the  sliding  of  minerals  on  steel 
surfaces. 

In  introducing  his  paper,  Mr.  Nettleton  said  his 
object  was  the  separation  of  coal  from  shale  by 
mechanical  means.  If  they  could  have  a  machine 
which  would  deal  with  the  friction  effect  in  such 
a  manner  that  shale  could  be  picked  out  of  coal, 
they  would  have  got  something  of  value  to  the 
raining  community.  These  friction  effects  were 
relative,  and  not  absoUite.  If  they  put  a  quantity 
of  anthracite  and  shale  upon  a  plate  inclined 
at  an  angle  of  19'.  95%  of  the  anthracite  would 
.slide  off,  but  only  5°^  of  the  shale  ;  so  that  they 
would  obtain  a  method  of  separating  the  anthracite 
from  the  shale.  But,  supposing  the  slide  was  taken 
at  20°,  and  vibrated  so  that  the  anthracite  moved, 
then  all  the  anthracite  would  be  moved  off  ;  but 
only  about  12%  of  the  shale  would  move.  Taking 
then  a  case  where  they  had  10%  of  dirt  in  an 
anthracite,  they  would  find  all  the  anthracite  would 
be  removed,  wliile  only  5%  of  the  10%  of  dirt  would 
be  removed.  They  would  thus  get  only  5%  of  the 
10%,  a  negligible  quantity,  of  dirt  remaining  in  the 
cleaned  coal.  These  results  were  taken  on  the  sliding 
effects  upon  a  glass  plate,  but  glass  had  the  same 
frictional  effects,  though  in  a  rather  different  degree 
as  steel.  It  would,  however,  be  impracticable  to 
liave  a  long  steel  slide  over  which  material  had  to  be 
shot,  owing  to  the  cumbrous  nature  of  that  arrange- 
ment. They  could  increase  the  friction  by  passing 
the  material  down  a  moving  surface,  such  as  a  belt, 
so  arranged  that  during  the  passage  over  10  in. 
of  space  the  dirt  would  move  upwards,  say,  50  in. 
By  that  effect  they  would  get  6D  in.  of  friction  on  the 
belt.  The  ne.xt  point  would  be  to  obtain  some 
means  of  removing  the  material  or  avoiding  colliding 
effects,  and  he  got  over  that  difficulty  by  dividing 
the  path  of  friction  into  two  portions,  one  in  a 
straight  line  and  the  other  in  a  moving  surface, 
which,  for  practical  purposes,  was  most  convenient 
in  a  rotating  steel  disc. 

The  author  exhibited  a  small  experimental  model, 
in  which  a  steel  disc,  2  ft.  in  diameter,  was  rotated 
bv  a  motor,  and  material  was  fed  down  a  spout  on 
to  the  disc.  The  coal  went  straight  forward  across 
the  disc,  while  the  shale  turned  off  at  an  angle. 
When  an  arrangement  of  that  kind  was  fixed  up  on 
satisfactory  engineering  principles,  he  said,  it  was 
possible  to  get  almost  a  perfect  separation  of 
anthracite,  say,  from  associated  shale.  By  using 
the  two  sides  of  the  disc,  they  would  double  the 
capacity  of  the  machine,  and  if  they  had  a  vertical 
shaft  it  was  possible  to  have  a  number  of  discs  on 
that  shaft,  6  ft.  or  8  ft.  apart,  and  it  should  then 
be  possible  to  multiply  the  efficiency  of  the  m.^xhine 
twenty  times.  Further  reference  will  be  made  to 
this  paper  in  a  future  issue. 


Hyde's  Welding  Process. — Engineering  for 
September  2  contains  an  account  of  a  process  of 
welding  invented  by  A.  C.  Hj'de,  of  the  Hyde 
\Velding  Co.,  Wolverhampton.  By  this  process  two 
pieces  of  steel  are  joined  together  bj'  means  of 
copper  which  permeates  the  surfaces  a.nd  forms  an 
alloy  of  iron  and  copper.  The  secret  of  getting 
copper  into  such  a  fluid  state  as  to  enable  it  to 
penetrate  the  finest  cracks  and  to  start  molecular 
action  is  to  melt  it  in  an  atmosphere  of  liydrogen. 
The  hydrogen  reduces  any  oxide  on  the  iron  or 
steel,  and  it  also  has  the  remarkable  effect  of  making 
the  molten  copper  as  fluid  as  petrol.  The  copper 
immediately  spreads  over  the  surface  in  an 
extremely  fine  film  and  penetrates  the  space 
between  the  parts  to  be  joined.  It  is  stated  that 
the  joints  obtainable  in  this  way  are  strong  and 
reliable.  Presumably  the  fluidity  of  the  copper  is 
explained  by  the  principle  of  surface  tension,  and 
scientific  investigation  of  the  phenomenon  would  be 
of  great  interest. 

Determination  of  Vanadium. — The  Journal  of 
Industrial  and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  .\ugust 
contains  a  paper  describing  a  method  for  the 
determination  of  vanadium  in  ores  and  metallurgical 
products,  written  by  R.  B.  Schaal,  of  the  Firth- 
Stirling  Steel  Co.,  McKeesport,  Pennsylvania.  The 
author  has  found  the  modification  of  Johnson's 
method  previously  used  at  these  works  uniformly 
low.  The  method  here  described  is  beUeved  to  meet 
all  the  requirements  of  accuracy,  speed,  ease  of 
execution,  and  economy  so  necessary  for  routine 
and  general  use.  The  method  depends  upon  the 
reduction  of  vanadic  acid,  by  prolonged  boiling 
with  strong  hydrochloric  acid,  to  the  tetravalent 
condition,  and  subsequent  reoxidation  with  a 
suitable  solution  of  potassium  permanganate  to 
the  pentavalent  state.  The  reaction  involved  are 
well  known,  and  may  be  stated  as  follows  : — ■ 
V,0,  +  2  HCl  =  V,Oj  -I-  H.,0  +  CI., 
5V,Oj  -I-  2KMn04  -f  6HC1  =  5V.,05  -I-  2KC1  -f- 
2MnClo  +  3H,0. 

This  reaction  is  found  to  run  to  completion  with 
a  sharp  end-point,  in  a  nearly  neutral  solution  con- 
taining a  suitable  excess  of  ammonium  phosphate, 
and  admits  of  the  presence  of  large  amounts  of 
iron,  chromium,  molybdenum,  cobalt,  nickel, 
uranium,  titanium,  or  zirconium,  besides  the 
amounts  of  manganese  usually  present  in  all 
samples.  The  colour  of  ferric  chloride  is  destroyed 
by  the  ammonium  phosphate.  Chromium,  because 
of  its  deep  green  colour,  tends  to  obscure  the  end- 
point.  This  fact  offers  no  difficulty  to  the  chemist 
familiar  with  the  determination  of  chromium  by 
the  ferrous  sulphate-permanganate  method,  the 
end-point  appearing  as  faint  old  rose  reflections 
through  the  green.  The  use  of  an  ordinary  iMazda 
lamp  behind  a  white  screen  clarifies  the  end-point 
to  a  remarkable  degree,  and  the  use  of  this  device 
is  recommended  for  all  samples  containing  3% 
or  more  of  chromium.  Molybdenum  has  been 
present  in  tests  to  the  extent  of  10%,  and  apparently 
interferes  in  no  appreciable  manner.  As  the 
reduction  of  the  vanadium  by  hydrochloric  acid 
is  selective  with  respect  to  molybdenum,  this 
element  remains  in  the  oxidized  state  and  is  not 
affected  by  permanganate  under  the  conditions 
obtaining  in  the  titration.  Cobalt  and  nickel  have 
been  added  in  amounts  up  to  5%  of  each,  the  only 
effect  being  the  production  of  a  slight  green  colour. 
Elements  whose  phosphates  are  insoluble,  or  partly 
so,  under  the  given  conditions,  notably    uranium. 


200 


THK    MlNIXr.    MACAZINK 


titanium,  and  zirconium,  cloud  the  solution, 
but  do  not  otherwise  interfere.  If  present  in 
appreciable  amounts  the  precipitates  may  he 
removed  by  filtration.  By  far  the  most  important 
effect  of  tlie  ammonium  phosphate  is  that  of  con- 
vertins!  any  excess  hydrochloric  acid  prcsi-nt,  above 
the  amouiit  actually  needeil  for  the  completion 
of  the  reaction,  iiito  the  less  highly  ionized 
phosphoric  acid,  and  thus  minimizing  the  danger 
of  action  between  the  excess  acid  and  the 
potassium  permanganate.  It  should  be  pointed 
out  that  excessive  cold  slows  the  reaction  un- 
necessarily. If  conducted  at  20°  C,  however,  the 
reaction  proceeds  with  a  rapidity  which  leaves 
nothing  to  be  desired.  The  end-point  does  not 
disappear,  as  is  the  case  in  titrating  cold  sulphuric 
acid  solutions,  so  slowly  as  to  leave  doubt  as  to 
the  precise  end  of  the  reaction,  but  becomes 
permanent  at  once. 


SHORT    NOTICES 

Estimation  of  Zinc— In  the  Journal  of  luduslrial 
and  Enciiut-ni!-^  Chcmislry  for  August,  M.  Bodansky 
gives  a  method  of  determining  extremely  small 
quantities  of  zinc. 

Concentration  Problems. — In  the  E>i^itieeying 
and  Mining  Journal  for  August  27,  E.  S.  Wiard 
commences  a  series  of  articles  on  preliminary 
roughing  concentration  by  sorting,  jigging,  and 
tabling. 

Nevada  Consolidated. —  In  the  Mining  and 
Sarntific  Prrss  for  September  4,  A.  B.  Parsons 
gives  a  detailed  description  of  concentration  at  the 
mill  of  the  Nevada  Consolidated  Copper  Company. 
Electric  Furnaces. — In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  September  7,  J.  Herlenius  writes 
on  electric  furnaces'adapted  to  the  melting  of  gold, 
silver,  and  other  metals  of  low  melting  point. 

Permanganates.  —  The  Journal  of  Industrial 
and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  September  contains 
a  paper  bv  Wilson,  Horsch,  and  Youtz  describing 
the  experimental  electrolytic  production  of 
permanganates  of  soda  and  potash  from  ferro- 
manganese  anodes. 

Carbonic  Oxide.— In  the  Journal  oj  Industrial 
and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  September,  C.  R. 
Hoover  gives  methods  of  detecting  small  quantities 
of  carbonic  oxide,  small  but  sufficient  to  give 
unpleasant  physiological  effects. 

Aluminium.— In  the  Journal  oj  Industrial  and 
Engineering  Chemistry  for  September,  J.  H.  Capps 
gives  a  method  for  estimating  the  oxygen  content 
in  commercial  aluminium. 

Cornish  Tin  Lodes.— The  September  Bulletin 
of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Jletallurgy  con- 
tains a  paper  by  H.  B.  Cronshaw  on  the  structure 
and  genesis  of  some  tin  lodes  in  the  Camborne 
district. 

Octagonal  Shaft.— A  paper  was  read  at  the 
September  meeting  of  the  American  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineers  by  J.  L.  Bruce, 
giving  particulars  of  a  circular  shaft  lined  with 
timber  arranged  octagonallv. 

Scottish  oil  Boringr— At  the  meeting  of  the  British 
Association  held  last  month,  H.  M.  Cadell  read  a 
paper  entitled  "  Evidence  from  Recent  Bores  in 
the  Carboniferous  Rocks  of  Scotland." 

Stope-Filling. — A  paper  on  hydraulic  stowing  in 
coal  mines,  by  Professor  George  Knox  and  J.  Drum- 
mond  Paton.  appears  in  the  Proceedings  of  the 
South  Wales  Institute  of  Engineers,  just  published. 


and  is  reprinted  in  abstract  in  the  Iron  and  Coal 
Trades  lievieiu  lor  SeiUember  30. 

Flotation  applied  to  Coal.  -A  paper  on  the  froth- 

llotation  of  c.Kil.  bv  I''.  H.  Jones,  appears  in  the 
I'roceedtngs  of  the  Suulh  Wales  Institute  of 
Engineers,  just  published,  and  is  reprinted  in 
abstract  in  the  Iron  and  Coal  Trades  Review  for 
September  3't. 

RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED 

JMF"  A  copy  of  the  specification  of  any  of  the  patents  mentioned  in 
this  column  can  be  obtained  by  sending  Is.  to  the  I'aten'.  Office, 
Southampton  lluilJings,  Chancery  Lane.  London,  H'.C.  2,  with 
a  note  of  the  number  and  year  of  the  patent. 

10,561    of    1920  (141.733).    M.   M.  Merritt 

Soulli  Middleton,  iMassacluisetts.  Improved  clectrc- 
lytie  jilaiil  for  coating  steel  wire  with  copper. 
■  10,573  of  1920  (151,236).  W.  E.  Trent, 
Washington.  A  process  of  treating  materials 
having  a  carbonaceous  content,  more  especially 
coal,  lignite,  and  the  like,  which  consists  in 
subjecting  the  material  in  a  fine  state  of  subdivision 
suspended  in  water  to  the  action  of  a  hydrocarbon 
having  the  property  of  forming  a  dense  agglomerate 
with  the  carbonaceous  particles  to  the  exclusion 
of  the  water  and  non  carbonaceous  particles. 

10,895  of  1920(168,097).  E.  E.  Naef,  Notting- 
ham. Method  of  removing  sulphur  from  copper- 
nicUel  matte  by  melting  with  caustic  soda. 

10,929  of  1920  (168,098).  L.  A.  Wood  and 
iliNERAi.s  Separahon,  I.ii).,  London.  In  the 
flotation  of  oxides  such  as  cassiterite,  introducing 
carbonic  acid  gas  into  the  agitated  pulp  for  the 
purpose  of  preventing  other  ganguc  minerals 
rising. 

12,486  of  1920(142.847).  R.  Walter,  Villach, 
Austria.  Improved  method  of  making  acid- 
proof  alloys  of  silicon  with  iron,  nickel,  and 
chromium. 

13,786  of  1920  (167,863).  Allis  Chalmers 
Manufacturing  Co.,  Milwaukee.  A  roastmg 
furnace  subdivided  into  a  number  of  sections  or 
hearths,  separated  by  doors,  and  arranged  at 
different  levels,  each  section  being  provided  with  an 
independently  operable  set  of  rabbles. 

15,278  of  1920  (167.904).  R.  de  H.  St. 
Stephens,  Camborne,  and  A.  Ewing,  London. 
Improvements  in  the  construction  of  rock-drills, 
particularly  in  regard  to  the  feed  of  water  by 
nreventing  any  admixture  of  air  with  the  water, 
so  that  atomization  or  spraying  is  prevented, 
and  the  flushing  out  of  the  hole  by  the  water 
is  rendered  more  efficient.  The  tube  conveying 
the  water  to  the  drill  steel  is  arranged  coaxially 
with  the  drill  steel  and  the  piston,  and  is 
held  fixed  in  the  anvil  block  into  which  the 
head  of  the  drill  steel  fits,  while  the  piston  slides 
over  the  tube  and  the  end  of  the  tube  beyond  the 
piston  works  through  packing  in  a  gland.  With  this 
construction  the  water  flows  through  a  closed  tubular 
path  to  the  drill  steel,  and  any  entrance  of  air  into  the 
tube,  nr  leakat;e  of  water  therefrom  is  prevented. 

17,723  of  1920  (145,585).  W.  North,  Hanover. 
Electrostatic  precipitation  of  dust  from  gases. 

20,316  of  1920  (148,388).  R.  E.  Bea,  Paris. 
Electric  furnace  for  obtaining  copper  and  oxide 
of  zinc  from  old  brass. 

28.429  of  1920  (167,980).  E.  Leclercq,  Haine 
St.  Paul,  Belgium.  Improvements  in  hammer 
drills,  wherein  the  air-distributing  chamber,  instead 
of  being  arranged  at  the  end  of  the  cylindrical 
body  of  the  drill  and  within  it,  is  arranged  laterally 


OCTOBER,    1921 


261 


of  said  cylindrical  body-  The  distributing  chamber 
is  arranged  between  the  body  of  the  drill  and  a 
laterally  projecting  handle,  and  is  divided  by  a 
partition  into  two  compartments,  one  of  which 
contains  an  automatic  ball-valve  mechanism, 
while  the  other  contains  a  sliding  member,  actuated 
from  the  outside  by  means  of  a  pivoted  thumb- 
lever  to  control  the  feed  of  compressed  air  from  the 
air  conduit  in  the  handle. 

29,191  of  1920  (168,205).  L.  F.  Richard. 
Edinburgh,  and  K.  G.  D.  Small,  London.  Improve- 
ments in  rollers  for  guiding  and  supporting  haulage 
cables  in  mines,  etc.  1 

6,783-4  of  1921  (167.725-6).  A.  H.  Eustis, 
Norfolk,  Massachusetts.  Improvements  in  the 
inventor's  process  for  recovering  sulphurous  acid 
from  furnace  gases. 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

|.5?"Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
through  the  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine, 
724,  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall,  E.C.  2. 

BariumMinerals  1913  1919.  Pamphlet, 26 pages. 
Price  9d.  Piibli<hea  by  the  Imperial  Mineral 
Resources  Bureau. 

Lead  and  Zinc  Ores  in  the  Carboniferous  Rocks 
of  North  Wales.  By  Bernard  Smith.  Paper 
covers,  octavo,  16-  pages,  illustrated.  Price 
5s.  6d.  net.  Vol.  XIX  of"  the  Special  Reoorts  on 
tlie  Mineral  Industry  of  the  United  EZingdom, 
published  b>-  the  Geological  Survey. 

Lead,  Silver-Lead,  and  Zinc  Ores  of  Cornwall, 
Devon,  and  Somerset.  By  Hknry  Dewey.  Paper 
covers,  octavo,  72  pages,  illustrated.  Price  2s.  6d. 
net.  Vol.  XXt  of  the  Special  Reports  on  the 
Mineral  Industry  of  the  United  Kingdom,  published 
by  the  Geological  Survey- 
Lead  and  Zinc  Ores  of  the  Lake  District.  By 
T.  Eastwood.  Paper  covers,  octavo,  60  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  2s.  net.  This  is  Vol.  XXII  of 
the  Special  Reports  on  the  Mineral  Resources  of 
Great  Britain  prepared  by  the  Geological  Survey. 

Transvaal  Chamber  of  Mines  31st  Annual 
Report,  1920.  Cloth,  quarto,  270  ]5agcs.  Published 
by  the  Chamber  at  Johannesburg,  and  at  the 
London  offices  of  the  Chamber,  Salisbury  House, 
E.C.  2. 

The  Working  of  Steel  ;  Annealing,  Heat- 
treating,  and  Hardening  of  Carbon  and  .\lloy  Steel. 
Bv  F.  H.  Colvin  and  K.  A.  Jhthe.  Cloth,  octavo, 
250  pages,  illustrated.  Price  18s.  net.  New 
York  and  London  :   McGraw-Hill  Book  Co.,  Ltd. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

New  Modderfontein  Gold. — The  report  of  this 
company  operating  one  of  the  two  greatest  gold 
mines  in  the  Far  East  Rand,  covering  the  year 
ended  June  30  last,  shows  that  1,222,266  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  and  that  after  the  removal  of  waste 
1,083,100  tons,  averaging  9-96  dwt.  gold  per  ton, 
was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  by  amalgamation 
was  347,855  oz.,  and  by  cyanide  179,622  oz., 
making  a  total  of  527,477'oz.,  being  9-74  dwt.  per 
ton.  The  par  value  of  the  gold  produced  was 
/2,240,000,  or  40s.  lid.  per  ton,  and  the  amount 
realized  was  /2,969,I98,  or  /54s.  lOd.  per  ton. 
The  working  cost  was  £1,270,146,  or  23s.  5d.  per 


ton,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  /1, 699,051,  or 
31s.  5d.  per  ton.  The  shareholders  received 
/1, 400,000,  the  distribution  being  at  the  rate  of 
100%  The  yield  per  ton  was  about  i  dwt.  less  than 
during  the  previous  j-ear.  The  tonnage  milled 
was  114,000  higher.  The  working  cost  per  ton  was 
up  Is.  6d.  On  the  other  hand,  the  premium  realized 
on  the  sale  of  the  gold  was  much  higher  than  during 
the  previous  year,  accounting  for  /75 1,427  put  of 
the  total  profit  of  £1,699,051.  The  development 
operations  have  continued  to  disclose  valuable 
ore.  In  particular  high-grade  ore  over  a  wide 
stoping  width  has  been  found  in  the  area  west  of 
No.  2  shaft  between  the  12th  and  13th  levels. 
This  is  the  most  important  discovery  in  this  section 
of  the  mine.  The  developments  in  the  eastern 
side  of  the  mine  have  continued  to  fulfil 
expectations.  The  total  ore  developed  throughout 
the  mine  during  the  year  was  1,234,100  tons, 
averaging  105  dwt.  per  ton.  The  reserve  is 
estimated  at  8,884,600  tons,  averaging  8-4  dwt. 
per  ton,  figures  much  the  same  as  those  of  the 
previous  year.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  grade 
of  the  ore  treated  continues  to  approximate  more 
closely  to  the  ore  developed  than  to  the  average 
grade  of  the  reserves. 

Modderfontein  East. — This  company  belongs  to 
the  Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  and  was 
formed  in  1917  to  acquire  a  new  lease  area  in  the 
Far  East  Rand  and  to  amalgamate  this  with  the 
properties  of  the  Cloverficld  and  Rand  Klip  com- 
panies. Development  is  proceeding  from  No.  1 
shaft  in  the  Cloverfield  area  and  from  Nos.  2  and  3 
shafts  in  the  leased  areas.  The  report  for  the  year 
end?d  June  30  last  shows  that  20,270  ft.  of  develop- 
ment was  done,  of  which  15,931  ft.  was  on  the  reef. 
Of  the  reef  sampled  51%  proved  payable,  and  the 
reef  disclosure  was  8,130  ft.,  25  in.  wide,  averaging 
15-8  dwt.  per  ton.  The  best  ore  has  been  found 
round  No.  1  shaft,  that  at  Nos.  2  and  3  being  of 
medium  grade.  The  total  ore  reserve  is  estimated 
at  1.61  L700  tons,  averaging  7-7  dwt.  over  57  in. 
During  the  vear  296,987  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  and 
this,  together  with  91,928  tons  from  the  dumps,  was 
sent  to  the  sorting  stations,  when  23%  was  sorted 
out  as  waste.  The  amount  sent  to  the  mill  was 
299,800  tons,  averaging  9-04  dwt.  per  ton.  The 
yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was  .57,397  oz.,  and 
by  cyanide  61,541  oz.,  making  a  total  of  118,938  oz. 
The  revenue  from  the  sale  of  the  gold  was  £662,699, 
or  44s.  6d.  per  ton,  and  the  working  cost  £152,910, 
or  30s.  5d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  working  profit  of 
/209,789,  or  14s.  Id.  per  ton.  The  expenditure  on 
capital  account  during  the  year  was  £379,579,  of 
which  development  represented  £110,480,  and 
plant  most  of  the  remainder.  New  shares  were 
issued,  bringing  in  £317,133.  The  ore  is  still  being 
shipped  for  treatment  to  the  Apex  plant,  which  is 
held  on  lease.  The  plant  of  the  Simmer  Deep  and 
Jupiter  companies  has  been  purchased,  but  its 
erection  on  the  spot  is  deterred  until  financial 
conditions  improve. 

Nourse  Mines. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Central  Mining-Rand  Mines  group,  and  operates 
a  gold  mining  property  in  the  central  part  of  the 
Rand.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30 
last  shows  that  560,009  tons  was  raised,  and  after 
the  removal  of  9%  waste,  508,350  tons  averaging 
6-58  oz.  per  ton  was  sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  of 
gold  by  amalgamation  was  103,155  oz.,  and  by 
cyanide  57,344  oz.,  making  a  total  of  160,499  oz. 
The  sale  of  the  gold  realized    £903,318,  of   which 


202 


Till-:    MINING    MAC.AZINK 


/2'2S.915  acrnied  from  premium.  The  worldiiR 
cost  was,  .7S4,970,  leaving  a  working  profit  of 
/118.3-17.  the  revenue  per  ton  milled  was  35s.  6d., 
the  cost  30s.  lOd..  and  the  profit  4s.  8d.  Of  the 
revenue  per  ton  9s.  represented  premium.  It  will 
be  seen  that  but  for  the  premium,  a  considerable 
loss  would  lia\'c  been  incurrec'.  The  ore  reserve  has 
been  maintained,  and  stands  at  1,5S9,030  tons, 
avera^ini;  (v9  dwt.  per  ton. 

Consolidated  Main  Reef. — This  company  was 
formed  in  ISiW  as  a  roiisnlidation  of  other  companies 
that  had  operated  in  the  middle  west  Hand  since 
ISS."^  and  1893  respectively.  On  the  death  of 
Sir  S.  Keumann  the  control  was  taken  over  four 
years  ago  by  the  Central  Mining  and  Investment 
Corporation.  In  1918  the  adjoinins:  Main  Reef 
West  property  was  absorbed.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that  G34.70,S  tons  of 
ore  was  raised,  and  after  the  removal  of  1 1  %  waste, 
561,800  tons,  averaging  7-39  dwt.  gold  per  ton,  was 
sent  to  the  mill.  The  yield  by  amalgamation  was 
144.250  07.,  and  by  cvanide  52,454  oz.,  making  a 
total  of  190,704  oz.  the  gold  realized  /1, 105.077, 
of  which  /2S2.724  accrued  from  premium.  Th.e 
working  cost  was  {905,952,  leaving  a  working  profit 
of  /199, 124.  The  revenue  per  ton  milled  was 
,393."  4d.,  the  working  cost  32s.  3d.,  and  the 
working  profit  7s.  Id.  Shareholders  received 
/;155,950,  the  dividends  amounting  to  12i"o. 
It  will  be  seen  that  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  gold 
premium  the  year's  working  would  have  resulted  in 
a  loss.  As  compared  with  the  previous  year,  the 
yield  per  ton  was  about  0-7  dwt.  less,  while  the  cost 
went  up  3s.  Id.  .-Vs  regards  ore  reserves  these  are 
calculated  at  l,17fi.5O0,  averaging  7-5  dwt.  per  ton, 
as  against  1,186,000  tons  averaging  7-6  dwt. 
Development  during  the  year  maintained  the  total 
reserve,  but  it  is  stated  that  this  was  in  tlie  nature 
of  selective  development  in  the  most  promising  part 
of  the  mine,  and  that  in  other  parts  it  will  be 
ncces.=;ary  to  press  development  without  delay. 
If  no  large  amounts  of  ore  are  found  in  other  parts 
within  the  next  year  or  so  it  is  feared  that  the  scale 
of  extraction  uill  have  to  be  reduced. 

Transvaal  and  Rhodesian  Estates. — This  com- 
pany was  formed  in  1911,  and  conducts  a  land  and 
mining  business  in  various  parts  of  South  Africa. 
The  chief  mining  interest  is  the  Fred  gold  mine 
in  the  Filabusi  district  of  Rhodesia,  the  report 
now  issued  covers  the  year  1920.  During  this 
time  18,950  tons  of  ore  was  milled  at  the  Fred 
mine  for  a  yield  of  13,971  oz.,  being  an  extraction 
of  14'75  dwt.  per  ton.  The  working  profit  not 
allowing  for  depreciation  was  /29,324.  The  reserve 
at  the  end  of  December  was  48,350  tons,  averaging 
16'2  dwt.  per  ton.  The  accounts  of  the  company 
show  a  balance  of  profit  of  £22,402,  which  is  carried 
forward. 

Mount  Morgan. — The  report  of  this  Queensland 
gold-copper  mine  for  the  half-year  ended  May  31 
.shows  that  operations  were  continued  until  the 
Easter  holidays,  March  24,  after  which  the  low 
price  of  copper  made  it  inadvisable  to  resume 
operations.  During  the  period  of  activity 
87,719  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  of  which  26,852  tons 
was  smelting  ore  and  60,712  tons  concentrating 
ore.  -^t  the  concentrating  plant  60,907  tons 
averaging  1'95%  copper  and  6'1  dwt.  gold  per  ton 
was  treated,  the  products  being  as  follow : 
8,.303  tons  of  jig  concentrates  averaging  1'93% 
copper  and  6'65  dwt.  gold,  8,205  tons  of  table  con- 
centrates  averaging  3-61%   copper  and    13-1  dwt. 


gold,  and  4,089  tons  of  flotation  concentrates 
averaging  15-8'!,,  copper  and  28-25  dwt.  gold.  .\t 
the  smelter  50,108  tons  of  material  was  treated, 
yielding  1,697  tons  of  copper  and  23,777  oz.  of  gold. 
This  material  consisted  of  30.537  tons  of  ore,  which 
yielded  2'43''o  copper  and  7-35  dwt.  gold  per  ton, 
7,837  tons  of  jig  concentrate,  9,563  tons  of  sintered 
table  and  flotation  concentrates,  and  2,118  tons  of 
Many  Peaks  ore.  On  May  31  the  reserve  of  ore  was 
estimated  at  3,257,287  tons,  averaging  2'57";, 
copper  and  6'04  dwt.  gold  per  ton.  The  accounts 
showed  an  income  of  ;£372,571  and  a  net  profit 
of  /13,8!?4  for  the  half-year 

AnantapurGold  Field. — This  company  was  formed 
in  1906  by  John  'J'aylor  iS:  Sons  to  acquire  old 
workings  in  the  Auantapur  district,  Madras 
Presidency,  South  India.  Parts  of  this  property 
have  been  worked  by  subsidiary  companies,  the 
North  Anantapur  Gold  Jlines,  Ltd.,  and  the 
Jibutil  (.-Vnantapur)  Gold  Jlines,  Ltd.,  shares  in 
which  are  still  held  by  the  present  company.  The 
report  for  the  year  ended  March  31  last  shows  that 
dividends,  interest,  etc.,  brought  an  income  of 
£2,395,  against  an  expenditure  of  £973.  At  the 
North  Anantapur  exploration  is  being  done  on 
the  950  ft.  level  south  of  No.  5  shaft,  but  so  far 
with  no  result,  while  at  the  Jibutil  development  is 
in  hand  for  exploring  the  lode  at  and  below  the 
500  ft.  level  from  No.  1  Prospect  shaft.  Nothing 
is  being  done  on  the  company's  own  sections  of  the 
goldfield.  The  directors  are  considering  the 
acquisition  of  shares  in  a  gold-mining  syndicate 
about  to  be  formed  to  test  other  properties,  on 
which  a  favourable  preliminary  report  has  been 
received. 

Arizona  Copper. — The  report  of  this  Edinburgh 
company  operating  at  Clifton,  .■\rizona,  for  the 
year  ended  September  30,  1920,  shows  that 
1,046,331  tens  of  ore  was  raised,  coming  from 
the  individual  mines  as  follows :  Humboldt, 
739,806  tons  ;  Clay  and  Petaluna,  180,948  tons  ; 
Yavapai,  37,053  tons;  Coronado,  51,121  tons; 
Horse-shoe,  5,941  tons;  lease  ores,  31,462  tons. 
Of  this  amount  1,012,040  tens  was  concentrating 
ore  averaging  208%  copper.  The  concentrate 
averaged  6-97%  copper,  and  the  recovery  was 
75-5%.  The  smelter  treated  147,206  tons,  and  the 
output  of  copper  was  17,846  tons  (of  2,000  1b.), 
of  which  13,882  tons  was  electrolytic  and 
3.964  tons  bessemer.  The  output  was  less  than 
normal,  owing  to  curtailment  of  operations  due  to 
the  inability  of  producers  to  market  their  copper. 
The  accounts  for  the  period  showed  a  loss  of 
£319,672,  but  against  this  was  £292,373  excess 
profit  duty  refunded  and  £96,575  reduced  provision 
for  United  States  taxes,  so  that  there  was  an  actual 
profit  of  £69,275.  The  company  also  issues  a 
report  for  the  eight  months  ended  May  31,  1921, 
at  which  date  output  was  suspended  owing  to  the 
continued  fall  in  demand  and  price.  During  this 
time  573,397  tons  of  ore  was  raised,  averaging 
2-15%,  which  on  concentration  yielded  material 
averaging  7'S4%,  with  a  recovery  of  75-3%.  The 
smelter  treated  80,710  tons,  and  produced 
9,275  tons  of  copper.  Experiments  on  flotation 
and  on  the  treatment  of  the  ores  of  lower  grade 
have  been  continued  and  many  improvements 
have  been  introduced  or  suggested.  The  accounts 
for  the  eight  months  show  a  deficiency  of  £254,277. 
Reference  is  made  in  the  Editorial  columns  to  the 
negotiations  for  the  sale  of  the  company's  property 
to  the  Phelps-Dodge  Corporation. 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  White,  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc.,  F.G.S.,  Editor. 


Published  on  the  15th  of  each  month  by  The  Mining  Publications,   Limited, 
AT  Salisbury  House,   London  Wall,   London,   E.C.  2. 

Telephone  :  London  Wall  8938.        Telegraphic  Address  :  Oligoclase.        Codes  :  McNeill,  both  Editions. 

Branch  Offices  '  f^  yt^'^^'R^i^'rhV^"/"""""-  Subscripton  -]  16=-  ?■='  annum  (Single  Copy  Is  6d  ),  including 

t  600.  Fisher  Bdg.,  Chicago.  (  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  5.      LONDON.  NOVEMBER,  1921, 


Price  Is.  6d. 


CONTENTS 


Editorial 

Notes    264 

The  Exhibition  at  Wembley  Park ;  A  Correction  for 
the  Article  on  Trididad  Oilfields;  Unveiling  of 
the  Institution's  Memorial  i  The  Washington 
Conference  and  Oil;  Dr.  J.  D.  Falconer's  Lec- 
tures ;  Articles  on  Petroleum  in  this  Issue. 

Russo-Asiatic  Negotiations 265 

An  account  is  given  of  i\Ir.  Leslie  Urquhart's  abortive 
negotiations  with  the  Soviet  Government  with  a 
view  of  reopening  the  Kyshtim,  Tanalyk,  Ridder, 
and  Kkibastus  mines. 

Ventilation  and  Efficiency 266 

Attention  is  drawn  to  the  article  in  this  issue  by 
Mr.  Bernard  W.  Holman,  and  to  a  paper  read 
last  month  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  before  the  Insti- 
tution of  Alining  and  Metallurgy. 

Shetland  Copper 267 

An  outline  is  given  of  Mr.  H.  H,  Yuill's  report  on  the 
Sand  Lodge  copper  deposit  in  the  Shetland  Isles 
and  of  the  suspension  of  operations  consequent  on 
its  receipt  by  the  directors  of  the  company. 

Review  of  Mining 269 

Articles 
Ventilation  and  Working  Efficiency. . 
Bernard  W.  Holman  273 

The  author  discusses  the  modern  principles  of 
ventilation  and  working  conditions  as  applied  to 
deep  and  hot  mines. 

A  History  of  Mining  in  Chile 

F.  Benitez  287 


Letters  to  the  Editor 
Indian  Mining  Laws  . .  .E 


Oil  in  Sussex  . , 


0.  Murray  293 
.H.  B.  Milner  294 


Book  Reviews 

Griifin's  "  Technical  Methods  of  Analysis  ". . 
B.  Drinkwater  295 

McGrath's  "  Accounting  and  Cost  Princi- 
ples "  A.  Yates  296 

Irvine's  "  First  Aid  and  Rescue  Work  in 
Mining  " , Stanley  Nettleton  296 

Gowland's  "  Metallurgy  of  the  Non-Ferrous 
Metals  " W.H.  Merrett  298 


News  Letters 

Toronto 299 

Porcupine  ;  Kirkland  Lake  ;  Cobalt  ;  Skead  Township. 

Vancouver,  B.C 300 

Consolidated  Mining  and  Smelting;  Van  Roi  ;  Dolly 
Varden  ,  Atlin  Gold  Mines. 

Melbourne 302 

The  Australasian  Institute. 

Personal    304 

Trade  Paragraphs    304 

Metal  Markets    305 

Statistics  of  Production  308 

Prices  of  Chemicals 309 

Share  Quotations  310 

The  Mining  Digest 

Resources  of  the  Mexican  Oilfields 

L.G.  and  S.  Huntley  313 

The  Oilfields  of  Egypt Dr.  W.  F.  Hume  317 

Iron  Ores  in  South-West  Africa 

Dr.  P.  A.  Wagner  319 

The  Pechey  Copper-Leaching  Process 

T.  Blatchford  322 

Grondal  Flotation  Process  in  Germany 

A.  Macoo  323 

Inorganic  Origin  of  Petroleum .  .  .H.  W.  Hixon  324 

Short  Notices    325 

Recent  Patents  Published 326 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 327 

Company  Reports   327 

Blackwiter  Mines ;  Broken  Hill  South ;  Chenderiang  Tin 
Dredging ;  Consolidated  Gold  Fields  o!  New  Zealand  ;  Ipoh  Tin 
Dredging  ;  North  Anantapur  Gold  Mines  ;  Progress  Mines. 


EDITORIAL 


Is  it  too  late  to  ask  tlic  authorities  to 
reconsider  their  decision  to  hold  the 
Great  Exhibition  of  li)2;5  at  W'enibky  Park  ? 
Suiely  this  site  is  not  sutVicientlj'  accessible. 
Many  potential  exhibitors  are  hesitating  for 
this  reason. 

DK.  J.  D.  FALCONER,  the  Director  of 
the  Nigerian  Geological  Survey,  is 
giving  a  series  of  lectures  on  the  Wonders  of 
Geology  at  the  Imperial  College  of  Science, 
South  Kensington.  Many  of  our  readers  will 
no  doubt  be  glad  to  know  of  these  lectures, 
for  they  fill  a  gap  between  a  college  course 
and  lectures  inteiesting  only  to  specialists. 
There  is  no  charge  for  the  course. 


OWING  to  an  error  of  transcription  the 
monthly  output  of  I'rinidad  Lease- 
holds, Ltd.,  was  given  as  15,000  barrels 
instead  of  tons,  in  the  article  by  Mr.  H.  B. 
Milncr  on  the  Trinidad  oil  industry  in  the 
October  issue,  p.  211.  As  this  company  is  the 
largest  individual  producer  on  the  island, 
this  error  of  units  is  particularly  unfortunate. 
We  hope  all  who  keep  the  M.\gazine  will 
make  the  correction. 


THE  approaching  Conference  of  the 
Powers  at  Washington  is  of  direct 
interest  to  mining  engineers,  as  one  of  the 
subjects  to  be  discussed  is  the  "  open-door  " 
in  the  development  of  the  world's  oilfields. 
The  average  Englishman's  attitude  in  this 
matter  is  clear.  He  docs  not  wonder  that 
the  British  Government  and  the  British  and 
Continental  oil  companies  have  felt  com- 
pelled to  protect  themselves  against  the 
notorious  tactics  of  the  Standard  Oil 
Company. 

ON  the  24th  of  this  month  Eari  Haig  is 
to  unveil  the  Memorial  to  the  members 
of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
who  fell  in  the  war.  This  Memorial  has 
been  designed  and  executed  by  Colonel  P.  N. 
Nissen,  whose  artistic  modelling  is  already 
well  known  among  mining  men.  We  post- 
pone a  detailed  description  until  after  the 
ceremonj'  of  unveiling,  but  in  the  meantime 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  sculptures 
are  unconventional,  realistic  rather  than 
symbolic,  and  in  that  way  appeal  strongly 
to  the  emotions  of  those  who  know  the  nature 
of  the  work  which  their  dead  friends  did  in 
the  war. 


ABSTK.VCTS     of     several     articles     on 
])etroleuni    ajipcar    in    our    Mining 
Digest  this  month.    Of  these,  the  description 
of  the  Southern  Mexican  oilfields  will  be  of 
particular  interest  to  investors  and  users  of 
petroleum,  for  it  presents  the  question  in  a 
more  reassuring  manner  than  many  recent 
articles  on  the  subject.    Dr.  Hume's  liistorical 
account  of  the  Egyptian  oilliekls  fills  a  gap 
in  the  general  literature  of  nil  lechiinlogy,  for 
hitherto  published  information  on  these  oil- 
fields has  appeared  in  official  reports  issued  by 
the  Egyptian  Government,  which  are  not 
easily   accessible   to   the   public.     A    third 
article,  written  by  Mr.  H.  W.  Hixon,  deals 
with     speculations     as     to     the    origin     of 
petroleum.      Mr.    Hixon   is   a   distinguished 
metallurgist,   who  is  noted   for  unorthodox 
and  daring  views  in  the  domain  of  economic 
geology.    He  takes  the  side  of  the  inorganic 
theory  of  the  origin  of  petroleum,  and  in  this 
article  he  gives  some  of  his  reasons  for  adopt- 
ing   this    view.      He    is,    of    course,    in  a 
minority,  for  perhaps  only  he  and  Mr.  Eugene 
Coste  argue  that  all  petroleum  comes  from  an 
inorganic  source.     Mr.  Coste  expounded  his 
arguments  in  a  paper  reafl  before  the  Institu- 
tion of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  in  October, 
1911,  so  it  is  not  necessary  to  quote  him  here. 
Other    oil    geologists,    while    admitting    the 
possibility  of  forming  a  series  of  hydrocarbons 
from  inorganic  substances,  are  disposed  to 
attribute  the  origin  of  most  of  the  petroleum 
so     far     known     to     an     organic     source, 
particularly     from    the     animal     kingdom. 
They  rely  largely  on  the  analogy  between  oil 
and  coal,  and  nobody  doubts  the  vegetable 
origin    of    coal.      There    is    one    point    in 
Mr.  Hixon's  argument  which  we  do  not  follow. 
He  says  that  an  oil  containing  no  oxygen 
cannot  come  from  an  organic  source,  and  that 
neither  could  an  oil  which  is  poisonous  to  life. 
In  reply,  we  would  say  that  oils  are  obtained 
containing  no  oxygen   and  poisonous  to  life 
by  the  distillation  of  coal,  which  is  admittedly 
of  vegetable  organic  origin,  so  no  reason  can 
be  given   for  supposing  that   hvdrocarbons 
cannot  be  obtained  from  an  animal  organic 
origin   by  means   of   some   heat  treatment. 
Though  the  inorganic  origin  of  petroleum  has 
few  supporters  among  geologists  the  theory 
is  sound  enough  in  itself,  and  it  only  suffers 
OM'ing  to  the  presence  of  one  more  obvious. 
Arguments  in  favour  of  the  inorganic  theory 
are  always  welcome  in  these  pages. 


264 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


265 


The  Russo-Asiatic  Negotiations 

As  has  been  recorded  already  in  these 
pages,  Mr.  Leshe  Urquhart  and  his  co- 
directors  of  the  Russo-Asiatic  Consolidated, 
which  owns  by  right  the  Kyshtim,  Tanalyk, 
Ridder,  and  Ekibastus  mining  properties 
in  the  old  Russian  Empire,  have  been  in 
negotiation  during  most  of  the  current  year 
with  the  Soviet  Government  or  its  emis- 
saries, with  a  view  to  obtaining  a  return  of 
the  concessions  and  permission  to  recom- 
mence operations.  Mr.  Urquhart  was  in 
communication  with  the  Soviet  emissary  in 
London,  M.  Krassin,  for  several  months, 
and  after  full  discussion  and  reference  to 
headquarters  in  Moscow  a  tentative  agree- 
ment was  reached.  The  position  was  so 
favourable  that  Mr.  Urquhart  left  for 
Moscow  on  August  14.  From  the  time  of  his 
arrival,  August  20,  to  September  12  he  was 
continuously  engaged  in  discussing  the 
proposed  contract  with  the  Technical 
Economic  Commission,  which  was  appointed 
by  the  Soviet  Government  for  this  specific 
purpose.  This  Commission  was  a  large  one, 
and  included  many  men  who  were  of  com- 
mercial and  professional  standing  before 
the  revolution.  The  Commission  had  only 
advisory  duties,  for  the  decision  on  each 
point  was  really  vested  in  three  High  Com- 
missioners, Ministers  of  the  Soviet  Govern- 
ment, who,  in  turn,  had  to  submit  the  draft 
contract  to  the  final  decision  of  the  Council 
of  the  People's  Commissaries,  under  the 
presidency  of  M.  Lenin.  The  draft  contract 
contained  twenty-seven  clauses,  of  which 
eighteen  were  agreed  by  both  parties.  The 
remaining  nine,  as  drawn  up  by  the  Soviet 
Government,  could  not  possibly  be  accepted 
by  Mr.  Urquhart,  and  any  suggestion  or 
expostulation  on  his  part  was  ineffective  in 
securing  a  satisfactory  modification.  He 
returned  to  London,  and,  after  discussion 
with  his  co-directors,  placed  his  views  and 
experiences  before  M.  Krassin.  Subsequently 
he  addressed  a  letter  to  M.  Krassin,  putting 
on  record  an  account  of  the  stumbling-blocks 
in  the  way  of  agreement  with  the  Soviet 
Government.  This  letter  has  been  circulated 
widely  among  shareholders  in  the  Russo- 
Asiatic  Consolidated,  and  among  the  public 
generally.  It  gives  not  only  the  details  of 
these  particular  negotiations,  but  it  reflects 
by  means  of  this  specific  case  the  actual 
attitude  and  ideas  of  the  party  at  present 
in  control  in  Russia  and  Siberia. 

Space  forbids  us  giving  anything  like  full 


quotations  from  this  letter,  but  one  or  two 
points  may  be  mentioned.  For  instance, 
the  royalties  to  be  paid  on  sales  of  products 
were  outrageously  high,  not  only  sufiicient 
to  wipe  out  any  possible  profit,  but  to  cause 
serious  continuous  losses  to  the  company. 
Then,  again,  the  Government  refused  to 
forgo  their  absolute  control  of  labour,  both 
skilled  and  unskilled,  Russian  or  foreign, 
and  asserted  their  right  to  labour  or  military 
conscription,  irrespective  of  the  regular 
occupations  of  the  workmen  and  staff.  Under 
such  a  regime  any  local  organization  of 
the  Soviet  Government  could  take  a  Russian 
employee,  a  professional  man  or  a  highly 
skilled  workman,  away  from  his  job,  and 
set  him   to  clean  the  streets. 

The  crucial  test  of  the  value  of  the  con- 
tract arose  during  the  discussion  of  the 
arbitration  clause.  At  first  sight,  the  proposal 
that  all  disputes  and  misunderstandings  as 
to  the  carrying  out  of  the  contract  should  be 
referred  to  a  permanent  arbitration  com- 
mission of  three,  one  from  each  side  and  one 
neutral  or  foreigner,  should  be  acceptable, 
but  Ml'.  Urquhart  soon  found  from  the 
discussion  that  such  a  Commission  would 
be  ineffective,  because  the  so-called  State 
recognizes  no  contract  between  individuals. 
Communism  does  not  recognize  the 
right  to  private  property  on  which  the 
previous  civil  and  criminal  code  was  based, 
so  magistrates  have  been  suppressed  and 
courts  of  justice  have  been  abolished. 
Nothing  has  been  substituted  for  these, 
except  a  "  Court  of  Revolutionary 
Conscience."  Under  the  new  system  taxes 
have  been  abolished,  as  have  all  laws  and 
regulations  relating  to  mining,  factories, 
customs,  forestry,  and  railways,  and  their 
place  has  been  taken  by  incomplete  decrees 
and  instructions  issued  from  day  to  day. 
Furthermore,  the  communistic  system  does 
not  recognize  any  obligations  between 
individuals ;  thus  no  contract  between 
two  persons  can  be  enforced.  Nor  does  the 
State  itself  recognize  obligation  on  its  part 
towards  individuals  or  subjects ;  on  the 
other  hand,  everybody  is  in  absolute  sub- 
jection to  the  State.  Thus  it  is  obvious  that 
the  Arbitration  Commission  would  have 
virtually  no  status.  The  position  of  a  neutral 
or  foreigner  on  the  Commission  would  be 
impossible,  for  the  Soviet  Government, 
even  if  it  consented  to  his  presence,  would 
hardly  bow  to  his  advice.  As  for  referring 
disputes  to  the  Court  of  Revolutionary 
Conscience,    this  could  not   be  accepted  by 


266 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Mr.  Urquhart,  for  the  members  of  thai 
court  are  admittedly  communists,  and  arc 
of  none  too  high  intelhgencc,  ami  are  lacking 
in  legal  training.  Obviously  their  judgments 
would  aiwaj's  be  prejudiced  against  capital. 

In  his  letter  to  M.  Krassin  Mr.  Urcpihart 
also  makes  reference  to  the  increasing  powers 
of  the  Secret  Pohce,  otherwise  the  Che-ka, 
or  Extraordinary  Commission  for  Combating 
Counter  Revolutions.  This  organization  was 
originally  started  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing 
the  communistic  system  on  the  unwilling 
people,  but  it  subsequently  eleveloped  into 
a  sort  of  predatory  body,  accuser,  judge, 
jury,  and  executioner  all  in  one,  with 
absolute  power  of  life  and  death,  responsible 
only  to  M.  Lenin  and  the  communistic 
leaders.  The  Soviet  Government  itself  is  at 
the  mercy  of  this  body,  and  any  of  its  decrees 
may  be  rendered  inetfective  by  Che-ka,  if 
the  communistic  controllers  think  lit. 

Altogether  the  position  in  Russia  is  such 
that  no  commercial  undertaking  has  a 
ghost  of  a  chance  of  success,  and  the  hopes 
entertained  by  Mr.  Urquhart  of  re- 
establishing his  mining  enterprises  by  the 
aid  of  the  Soviet  Government  have  been 
rudely  dashed.  How  Russia  is  to  be  saved 
and  the  control  of  the  country  placed  in 
better  hands  is  at  present  an  insoluble 
problem. 

Ventilation  and  Efficiency 

In  the  current  issue  we  publish  the  first 
half  of  an  article  by  Mr.  Bernard  W.  Holman, 
Lecturer  in  Mining  at  the  Royal  School 
of  Mines,  on  "  Ventilation  and  Working 
Efficiency."  During  the  last  few  years  the 
sciLntific  aspect  of  working  conditions  in 
respect  of  drj-  and  cool  air  has  received  con- 
siderable attention  in  this  country,  more 
particularly  in  the  workshops  and  factories, 
and  also  more  recently  in  the  coal  mines. 
But  among  metal  miners  the  subject  has 
not  been  widely  studied  on  the  same 
lines.  The  credit  for  the  introduction  of 
these  scientific  investigations  at  gold  mines 
is  due  to  Messrs.  Orenstein  and  Ireland, 
who  have  conducted  many  experiments 
on  the  Rand.  Perhaps  it  would  be  more 
correct  to  say  that  they  were  the  first 
to  give  the  public  the  benefits  of  their 
results,  for  it  is  probable  that  the  studies  were 
started  at  an  earlier  date  by  the  engineers  of 
the  St.  John  del  Rey  Company.  In  the  latter 
case,  however,  verj^  httle  has  been  pubhshed. 
In  a  paper  read  early  this  year  before  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  on  the 


new  shaft  at  the  City  Deep,  Mr.  K.  II.  Clifford 
iliscussed  the  question  in  detail,  and  whetted 
the  apjietite  of  English  mining  engineers 
for  mori'  on  the  same  subject  and  for  an 
exposition  of  the  underlying  principles, 
starting  as  it  were  from  the  beginning.  Many 
members  of  the  Institution  appeared  to  have 
forgotten  that  an  article  on  the  subject  by 
Mr.  David  Penman  had  appeared  in  the 
M.\G.\ziNE  for  June,  1!)2().  This  article  still 
holds  good  as  a  general  introduction  to  the 
subject.  It  was  felt,  however,  that  further 
discussion  of  the  principles  was  desirable, 
and  readers  will  therefore  be  glad  to  have 
Mr.  Holman's  critical  paper  on  the  scientific 
questions  involved.  A  great  deal  of  literature 
has  appeared  in  this  and  other  countries, 
usually  written  by  medical  men  and  seldom 
by  mining  engineers.  Their  books,  reports, 
pami)hlets,  and  articles  arc  scattered,  and  are 
not  easily  traced  or  obtaini-d,  and  when  they 
have  been  secured  the  metal-mining  engineer 
finds  considerable  trouble  in  picking  out  his 
requirements  from  among  the  vast  multitude 
of  records  and  arguments.  Readers  of  the 
Magazink  will  therefore  be  greatly  indebted 
to  Mr.  Holman  for  presenting  the  questions 
in  logically  consecutive  order  and  for  un- 
ravelling so  many  complicated  and  often 
contradictory  views  and  arguments.  In  the 
second  section  of  his  article  there  will  be 
included  a  bibliography  that  will  indicate 
the  lines  on  which  further  and  special  study 
may  be  pursued. 

This  subject  is  still  further  impressed  on  the 
mining  engineer  by  the  paper,  read  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy  held  on  October  27,  by  Dr. 
Leonard  Hill,  the  pioneer  of  the  study  of 
the  science  of  ventilation  and  the  inventor 
of  the  kata-thermometer,  a  small  instrument 
somewhat  like  a  clinical  thermometer,  in- 
tended for  the  purpose  of  estimating  the 
comparative  rapidity  of  the  cooling  effect  of 
air  on  the  human  body.  Those  who  attended 
the  meeting  had  the  additional  privilege  of 
hearing  some  interesting  remarks  by  Dr.  J.  S. 
Haldane,  another  great  authority  on 
atmospheric  conditions  as  affecting  efficiency 
of  work.  Dr.  Hill  and  Dr.  Haldane  differ 
considerably  in  some  of  their  views,  or  at 
least  in  their  method  of  applying  and 
emphasizing  details.  Dr.  HiU  is  a  believer 
in  sunlight  and  fresh  air,  as  well  as  in  the 
prevention  of  an  undue  increase  in  body 
temperature.  On  the  other  hand,  he  has 
shown  that  low  oxygen  content  of  the  air  and 
high  carbonic  acid  content  are  not  necessarily 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


26? 


inimical  to  health.  Ur.  Haldanc  adduces 
evidence  that  the  average  coal  miner  is  as 
healthy  as  the  average  agricultural  labourer, 
and  argues  accordingly  that  comparative 
darkness  and  impure  and  dusty  atmosphere 
are  not  necessarily  harmful  to  the  health 
and  strength  of  the  worker.  He  agrees 
with  Dr.  Hill  on  the  question  as  to  low 
oxygen  content  and  high  carbonic  acid 
content  in  the  atmosphere,  but  he  also 
deprecates  the  objection  to  smoky  and  dusty 
atmospheres,  arguing  that  the  human  system 
can  easily  adapt  itself  to  variations  in  the 
composition  of  the  atmosphere,  and  that 
dust  and  microbes  give  the  phagocytes  of  the 
lungs  excellent  occupation  and  training.  Dr. 
Haldanc  and  Dr.  Hill  were  agreed,  how- 
ever, on  the  main  theme  of  the  latter's  paper, 
that  is  to  say,  the  body  temperature  must 
never  be  allowed  to  rise  imduly  under  any 
circumstances,  though  it  is  onlj'  recently 
that  Dr.  Haldane  has  agreed  with  Dr.  Hill 
that  air  in  motion  rather  than  dry  and  cool 
air  has  the  desired  effect  of  lowering  the 
body  temperature. 

The  subject  of  ventilation  and  working 
efficiency,  as  discussed  by  Mr.  Holman  and 
Dr.  Hill,  is  only  one  of  the  phases  of  the  study 
of  the  human  body  in  relation  to  ventilation 
and  work.  The  presence  of  poisonous  gases 
such  as  carbonic  oxide,  and  of  deleterious  dust 
which  overcomes  the  phagocytes,  are  equally 
important  subjects  of  discussion  ;  and  if  no 
reference  is  found  to  them  in  the  papers 
mentioned  it  must  be  remembered  tliat  it  is 
best  to  discuss  one  thing  at  a  time. 


Shetland  Copper 

In  several  issues  recently  we  have  made 
reference  to  the  venture  undertaken  for  the 
purpose  of  working  the  deposits  of  copper 
ore  at  Sand  Lodge,  near  the  southern  end 
of  the  Mainland  of  the  Shetland  Isles.  In 
the  September  issue  an  outline  was  given  of 
the  history  of  these  workings  extending  over 
a  century,  and  it  was  then  shown  that  in 
spite  of  many  efforts  no  satisfactory  outputs 
had  ever  been  obtained.  Of  the  earlier 
operations  there  are  only  the  barest  records, 
and  details  as  to  the  nature  of  the  work 
done  are  not  now  available.  It  was  not 
until  the  reopening  of  the  mines  in  1S72 
by  Mr.  John  Walker  that  any  reports  were 
published.  From  that  date  to  1879,  when  the 
property  was  sold  to  the  Sumburgh  Mining 
Co.,  Ltd.,  a  number  of  engineers  examined 
the  property,  and  their  reports  were 
sufficiently  favourable  to  warrant  the 
5—3 


flotation  of  this  company.  Yet  in  1881  we 
find  the  resident  manager  referring  to  the 
impossibility  of  making  a  profit  on  inferior 
ores  with  insufficient  appliances,  and  urging 
that  the  shaft  should  be  sunk  deeper  in 
order  to  find  richer  ore.  The  company  did 
not  raise  the  £5,000  which  he  recommended 
for  the  purpose  of  buying  additional  plant 
and  sinking  deeper,  and  the  operations 
accordingly  lapsed.  The  mines  have  been 
examined  since  then  on  more  than  one 
occasion,  and  various  proposals  for  reopening 
have  been  made.  The  reports,  however, 
were  generally  adverse,  and  nothing  was 
done  until  1920.  It  is  interesting  in  this 
connexion  to  record  that  during  the  war  the 
mines  were  suggested  as  a  possible  source 
of  copper,  but  knowing  their  history  the 
authorities  at  the  Ministry  of  Munitions 
did  not  think  it  worth  while  even  to  examine 
the  deposits. 

As  we  have  said,  work  at  the  mines  was 
once  more  started  in  1920.  This  was  under- 
taken by  the  Shetland  Exploration  Syndicate, 
Ltd.,  which  in  August  of  this  year  transferred 
the  properties  to  another  companv,  the  Sand 
Lodge  Mine,  Ltd.  The  reports  on  which  the 
company  was  floated  and  the  operations 
undertaken  were  made  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Garbe. 
After  the  shafts  had  been  unwatered  and  a 
fair  amount  of  machinery  bought,  the 
directors  heard  something  of  the  history  of 
the  mines,  and  considered  it  advisable  before 
they  went  any  further  to  have  a  second 
opinion  on  the  properties.  Mr.  H.  H.  Yuill, 
M.Sc.,  M.Inst.M.M.,  a  partner  in  the  firm 
of  Bainbridge,  Seymour  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  was 
accordingly  asked  to  make  an  examination 
He,  with  his  assistants,  made  a  study  of 
the  geology  of  the  district  and  of  the"  ore 
deposit,  and  systematically  sampled  the 
lodes.  The  result  of  his  investigations  was  so 
unfavourable  that  work  was  immediately 
suspended  and  the  project  abandoned.  His 
view,  expressed  in  a  few  words,  was  that 
"  there  is  no  ore  carrying  payable  values  in 
copper  in  the  Sand  Lodge  mine,  and  no 
mineral  occurrences  exposed  in  the  under- 
ground workings  or  on  the  surface  which 
indicate  that  payable  ore  would  be  disclosed 
by  exploration  work." 

To  give  an  idea  of  Mr.  Yuill's  reasons  for 
coming  to  this  conclusion,  we  give  herewith 
a  summary  of  his  general  statement.  There 
are  two  parallel  lodes,  about  120  ft.  apart, 
known  as  the  West  and  East  lode  respectively. 
The  West  lode  is  from  7  to  12  ft.  wide,  and  has 
been    worked    along    the    strike    by    open- 


2lW 


rill 


MIXTXr.    MAGAZINE 


cut  ami  by  two  inclined  slialls  sunk  to  a 
depth  of  1 10  ft.  At  various  times  between 
1798  and  1880  a  total  of  about  10,000  tons  of 
lode  material  has  been  extracted  and  sold  as 
iron  ore.  A  much  smaller  amount  of  copper 
ore  and  rej^ulus  was  shipped.  The  lode 
material  down  to  the  60  ft.  level  consists  of 
spongy  iron  oxides,  hematite  or  limonite,  witli 
nests  of  malachite  in  vugs,  l^elow  this  level, 
the  lode  material  gradually  changes,  until 
at  96  ft.  it  becomes  crystalline  sidcrite, 
associated  with  calcite  and  dolomite,  and 
containing  disseminated  iron  pyrites  with 
some  copper  pyrites.  The  sampling  of 
accessible  portions  of  the  stopes  and  drives 
gave  an  average  copper  content  of  l'17"o 
over  a  width  of  80  inches.  There  is  no 
workable  tonnage  of  this  ore  developed  and 
opened-up  for  sloping.  The  East  lode  has 
been  developed  by  a  vertical  shaft  and  levels 
have  been  opened  at  230  ft.  and  27o  ft. 
Drives  extend  along  the  lode  in  both 
directions  on  the  230  ft.  level  for  a  combined 
length  of  380  ft.  Of  this  length  80  ft.  at 
the  south  end  carries  only  traces  of  copper. 
Of  the  remaining  300  ft.  the  sampling  gave 
1-21%  copper  over  an  average  width  of 
114  inches.  There  are  no  blocks  of  ore 
developed  and  ready  for  stoping  on.  this  lode. 

As  regards  the  character  of  the  ore,  it  may 
be  said  that  the  ore  extracted  from  the  West 
lode  was  entirely  iron  ore,  and  that  the  copper 
content  was  always  small.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  East  lode  contains  much  sulphide. 
Iron  pyrites  is  disseminated  fairly  regularly 
through  the  siderite,  but  the  chalcopyritc 
occurs  irregularly,  sometimes  on  the  walls 
of  the  lode  and  sometimes  within  the  lode. 

Mr.  Yuill's  report  contrasts  very  strongly 
with  those  written  by  Dr.  J.  B.  Garbe. 
Writing  on  April  4,  Dr.  Garbc  mentions 
veins  of  rich  copper  ore  varying  in  width  fi'om 
15  to  24  inches,  and  carrj'ing  over  20%  of 
copper,  and  veins  of  from  6  to  10  ft.  of  mixed 
ore  averaging  from  3  to  8%  of  copper.  He 
also  states  that  practically  every  foot  of  the 
development  over  1,400  ft.  at  the  240  ft. 
and  300  ft.  levels  shows  payable  copper  ore. 
He  considers  that  the  West  and  East  lodes 
join  at  a  point  between  the  240  ft  and  300  ft. 
levels  from  the  vertical  shaft.  On  the  other 
hand,  Mr.  Yuill's  interpretation  of  the  geology 
is  to  the  effect  that  these  are  two  parallel 
lodes  and  that  there  is  no  junction  in  depth. 
In  estimating  the  ore  reserves.  Dr.  Garbe  takes 
a  measurement  for  500  ft.  along  the  strike 
and  the  depths  on  the  dip  between  the 
surface  and  the  presumed  junction   of  the 


loiles,  reckoning  the  width  of  the  Ea>t  hide 
at  6  ft.  and  that  of  the  West  lode  :>.t  lilt.. 
and  calculates  that  there  is  369,000  tons 
of  ore  in  sight,  fully  developed  and  ready  for 
inmu'diate   mining. 

The  engineers  who  rejjortcd  in  ]879 
appear  to  have  made  an  assumption  on 
somewhat  similar  grounds,  though  the  general 
lone  of  their  reports  was  not  quite  so 
favourable  as  those  of  Dr.  Garbe.  Dr.  Garbe 
also  says  that  the  "  mine  is  fully  proved  and 
developed,  and  is  ready  for  stoping,  with 
an  immediate  production  of  1,000  tons  of 
ore  per  week  ;  a  production  of  500  tons  per 
week  could  be  proceeded  with  almost  at 
once,  and  1,000  tons  as  soon  as  the  equip- 
ment now  being  erected  and  prepared  is 
completed." 

The  treatment  of  the  ore  is  by  no  means 
simple.  Chalcopyritc  is  not  of  much  higher 
specific  gravity  than  siderite,  so  that  water- 
concentration  would  not  be  easy.  Moreover, 
with  so  much  pyrite  in  the  ore,  a  concentrate 
high  in  copper  cannot  be  obtained. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  the  Minerals  Separa- 
tion, Ltd.,  would  care  for  the  ore.  An 
alkaline  circuit  would  be  necessar}-,  and  the 
low  grade  of  the  ore  and  its  limiti-d  extent 
would  not  appeal  to  their  engineers. 
Dr.  Garbe  recommends  roasting,  leaching, 
and  electrolytic  treatment,  but  his  state- 
ment is  sketchy  and  lacking  in  detail.  More- 
over, it  is  to  be  questioned  whether  ore 
containing  so  much  carbonate  and  oxide 
attackable  by  acid  can  be  profitably  treated 
by    acid-leaching. 

It  is  always  a  thankless  task  for  a  mining 
engineer  to  write  a  condemnatory  report  on 
a  property,  and  much  more  so  when  previous 
reports  made  by  other  parties  have  been 
favourable.  It  is  also  unpleasant  for  a 
technical  journal  to  join  in  a  discussion  of  the 
situation  which  so  arises.  We  should  not 
have  referred  to  the  subject  but  for  the  fact 
that  preliminary  notices  foreshadowing  a 
public  issue  of  shares  had  made  their 
appearance  in  the  financial  Press.  The 
directors  now  recognize  that  their  first 
expert  adviser  was  mistaken,  to  begin  with, 
in  his  interpretation  of  the  reports  of  the 
'seventies,  and  that  after  the  workings  were 
unwatered  he  allowed  his  enthusiasm  to 
get  the  better  of  his  judgment  when 
examining  the  pyritic  siderite.  The  directors 
immediately  abandoned  the  idea  of  appealing 
to  the  public  for  working  capital,  and  they 
and  their  friends  have  footed  the  bill  for  the 
expenditure  incurred. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introduction.— Though  business  through- 
out the  country  remains  depressed,  signs  of 
improved  conditions  are  being  seen  here 
and  there.  Tlic  Government  has  at  last 
become  aware  of  the  fact  that  the 
extravagance  of  the  spending  departments  is 
leading  the  country  into  debt,  and  that 
excessive  taxation  is  killing  enterprise.  The 
cost  of  living  and  the  level  of  wages  are 
gradually  falling.  The  prices  of  coal  and 
iron  are  relaxing  somewhat.  The  only 
unpleasant  factor  of  the  situation  is  the 
continued  inability  of  the  coal  miners  to 
grasp  the  position.  They  still  seem  to  con- 
sider themselves  privileged  persons,  outside 
the  influence  of  economic  laws. 

Transvaal. — The  Government  has  now 
taken  a  hand  in  trying  to  solve  the  labour 
question  at  the  mines,  and  both  General 
Smuts  and  Mr.  Malan,  Minister  of  Mines, 
have  discussed  the  matter  with  the  Miners' 
Union.  The  prospects  of  a  recovery  in  dollar 
exchange  and  the  concurrent  disappearance 
of  the  gold  premium  is  the  cause  of  the 
Government  taking  this  step.  Certain 
proposals,  details  of  which  are  not  yet  to 
hand,  were  put  before  the  Union,  intended  for 
the  purpose  of  increasing  the  amount  of 
work  done  by  the  natives.  As  these  were 
taken  to  represent  the  thin  end  of  the  wedge 
in  the  matter  of  removing  the  colour  bar, 
and  the  consequent  diminution  in  the  white 
force,  the  Unions  was  dead  against  them, 
and  the  secretary  said  that  if  the  proposals 
were  persisted  in  the  whole  of  the  white 
miners  in  South  Africa  would  strike  within 
48  hours. 

Of  the  quarterly  reports  issued  by  Rand 
mining  companies  covering  the  period  to 
the  end  of  September,  perhaps  tho.se  of  New 
Modderfontein  and  City  Deep  are  the  most 
interesting.  As  compared  with  the  previous 
quarter,  the  cost  per  ton  milled  at  New 
Modderfontein  was  Is.  7d.  less,  and  of 
3,8.30  ft.  of  new  development  on  the  reef 
2,750  ft.  was  payable,  averaging  37-4  dwt. 
over  19  inches.  At  City  Deep  1,080  ft.  of  new 
development  on  the  Leader  averaged 
28-5  dwt.  over  25-9  inches.  The  profit  for  the 
quarter  was  /210,994,  which  constitutes  a 
record  for  this  company. 

Some  months  ago  we  mentioned  that 
Cornish  miners  now  out  of  work  did  not  care 
*to  go  to  the  Rand.  One  reason  for  not 
wanting  to  go  there  arises  out  of  the  present 


Phthisis  law,  which  provides  that  applicants 
for  work  must  satisfy  the  Medical  Bureau 
that  they  are  not  suffering  from  any  disease 
of  the  respiratory  organs.  It  is  clear  that 
a  Cornish  miner  is  not  inclined  to  travel  to 
Johannesburg  for  medical  examination,  for, 
if  rejected,  he  would  have  to  bear  the 
expense  of  a  futile  double  journey.  The 
Minister  of  Mines  has  now  decided  to  allow 
a  preliminary  examination  in  England,  but 
as  the  result  of  such  examination  is  not  to 
be  considered  final,  the  position  is  not  greatly 
relieved.  Obviously  some  further  con- 
cession will  have  to  be  made  if  Cornish  miners 
are  to  be  attracted  to  the  Rand. 

South-West  Africa.— The  outputs  of  the 
Otavi  mines  at  Tsumeb  arc  being  reported 
once  more.  During  the  six  months  to  the 
end  of  September  the  shipments  were 
19,000  tons  of  ore,  830  tons  of  copper 
matte,  and  150  tons  of  metallic  lead. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  in  Southern 
Rhodesia  during  September  was  returned 
at  52,436  oz.,  as  compared  with  53,200  oz.  in 
August  and  45,471  oz.  in  September,  1920. 
Other  outputs  for  the  month  were  :  Silver, 
12,977  oz.  ;  coal,  54,504  tons ;  copper, 
262  tons  ;  asbestos,  588  tons  ;  arsenic, 
18  tons ;  mica,  4  tons.  No  diamonds  or 
chrome  ore  were  reported. 

The  Gold  Fields  Rhodesian  Development 
Co.  has  made  a  profit  of  £114,064  for  the  year 
ended  May  31  last,  and  has  distributed 
£125,710,  the  dividend  being  at  the  rate  of 
iO%.  Under  present  conditions  this  result 
is  distinctly  satisfactory.  The  company's 
principal  mining  interests  are  in  the  Shamva, 
Falcon,  Asp,  and  Planet-Arcturus  gold  mines, 
and  in  the  Rhodesian  and  General  Asbestos, 
Rhodesian  King  Asbestos,  and  the  Standard 
Arsenic  properties. 

The  Cam  &  Motor  Mining  Company  has 
issued  cable  reports  relating  to  rich  dis- 
coveries on  the  11th  level.  For  135  ft. 
on  the  south  drift  the  average  assay-value 
was  210s.  over  55  inches,  or,  omitting  the 
rich  patches,  50s.  over  the  same  average 
width.  It  will  be  remembered  that  this 
company  recently  resumed  operations  after 
a  spell  of  development  and  a  rearrangement 
of  treatment  plant.  The  returns  for 
September  show  13,900  tons  of  ore  treated 
for  a  yield  of  4,771  oz.  of  gold.  The  par 
value  of  the  gold  is  given  at  £20,233,  and  the 
premium  obtainable  is  estimated  at  £5,500. 


269 


270 


111'.    MINIXi;     MACAZINI" 


Tin-  workiiii,'  cost,  inchuling  (lo\'olopmont 
rotUiiiption,  was  ^lO.'ill,  imd  the  royaltks 
absorhcil  il,2<St),  leaving  a  profit  of  £5,260. 
It  will  hv  swn  that  tiic  proftt  was  about  equal 
to  the  jireiniuni. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  Jumbo 
companj-  acquired  a  new  property  a  year 
or  more  ago,  known  as  the  Tip  '1  op.  Milling 
eonunenced  in  January  of  this  year,  and  until 
June  30,  the  date  of  the  end  of  the  company's 
iinancial  year,  7, 189  tons  of  ore  was  treated, 
yielding  2,628  oz.  of  gold,  which  sold  for 
£13,801,  including  jiremium.  The  directors 
report  that  the  working  cost  is  less  than 
expected,  and  that  development  results 
warrant  further  sinking.  The  company  has 
obtained  options  on  the  Defiance  claims  to 
the  west,  and  prospecting  is  now  in  hand. 

Nigeria. — The  position  of  the  tin-mining 
industry  continues  to  be  very  unfavourable 
and  concentrates  arc  accunuilating  in  many 
quarters.  For  instance,  the  Keffi  Con- 
solidated reports  that  it  has  200  tons  of 
concentrates  on  hand  in  Nigciia.  The 
question  is  often  discussed  by  the  various 
companies  whether  it  would  not  be  politic 
to   curtail    the   output   substantially. 

With  regard  to  gold  mining  in  Nigeria, 
to  which  reference  was  made  last  month, 
the  Naraguta  company  has  issued  an  official 
statement  announcing  the  early  departuie  of 
Mr.  Clyde  Allan  to  Nigeria,  where  he  will 
develop  the  gold  lodes  recently  discovered  at 
Birnin  Gwari.  At  this  juncture  it  is  of 
interest  to  quote  from  Mr.  Allan's  report 
written  in  April  last.  The  prospecting  was 
originally  commenced  on  alluvial  ground, 
and  by  SN-stematic  loaming  a  lode  was 
discovered.  This,  however,  proved  to  be 
too  low  in  content  to  warrant  prospecting. 
Further  work  to  the  north  was  rewarded  by 
better  results.  Good  loams  were  got  about 
^  mile  to  the  north  and  a  costeen  at  a  depth 
of  6  ft.  below  the  surface  disclosed  some  good 
grade  ore.  A  shaft,  known  as  the  A  shaft, 
was  sunk  to  .oO  ft.  to  water  level,  and  a 
cross-cut  east  cut  the  shoot,  which  had  dipped 
out  of  the  shaft  at  35  ft.  This  cross-cut 
proved  the  ore-body  at  this  point  to  be  12  ft. 
wide  and  ranging  in  value  from  3  dwt.  to 
10  oz.  per  ton,  the  values  being  much  higher 
than  near  the  surface.  An  attempt  was  made 
to  sink  A  shaft  below  water,  but  at  60  ft., 
or  12  ft.  below  water  level,  the  water  became 
too  strong  for  the  windlass  to  cope  with  it. 
A  sample  obtained  at  this  depth  showed 
30  dwt.  values  ;  the  corresponding  section 
of     the     lode     at     50  ft.     assayed     11  dwt. 


.Mtliough  the  rii'h  shoo!  al  waUr  IcN'il  is 
not  very  long,  there  is  evidence  that  it  will 
lengtlk'n  as  it  goes  down.  The  ore-body  has 
no  defined  walls.  It  has  been  traced  li\ 
loaming  for  a  distance  of  .3  miles.  Ilu 
installation  of  a  pump  is  necessary  to  prove 
till'  lode  below  water  level.  The  crushing 
plant,  to  which  reference  was  made  last 
month,  consists  of  a  three-stamp  mill. 

Mr.  Clyde  .\llan's  discoveries  have  served 
to  draw  attention  to  the  auriferous  belts  of 
Kano,  Rirnin  Gwari,  llorin,  and  other  places 
in  Nigeria,  and  we  understand  that  several 
l)i-ospecting  parties  are  being  organized  by 
other  companies,  in  particular  by  companies 
hitherto  associated  with  .\ustralian  mining. 
The  fact  that  Mr.  Allan  conducted  his  pros- 
pecting for  lodes  by  "loaming"  shows  that 
lie  is  an  .\ustralian  mining  engineer. 

Australia. — Labour  still  blocks  the  way 
to  a  rrsuniption  of  operations  at  Mount 
Morgan.  Last  month  the  directors  applied 
to  the  Arbitration  Court  for  a  new  scale  of 
wages  20%  lower  than  those  now  ruling.  The 
Court  granted  this  application,  .subject  to 
a  small  government  subsidy  for  the  men. 
The  local  branch  of  the  Australian  Workers' 
Union  has,  however,  refused  to  allow  the  men 
to  resume  work  on  these  reduced  wages. 

The  ore  reserves  at  the  Kalgurli  mine 
being  exhausted,  the  assets  are  being  realized, 
and  notice  has  been  given  for  the  liquidation 
of  the  company.  The  surface  plant  is  being 
bought  by  Oroya  Links  for  £20,000.  This 
latter  company  has  very  large  reserves  of 
ore  that  are  unpayable  with  its  present  plant, 
but  it  is  calculated  that,  by  working  on  a 
larger  and  more  effective  scale  by  the  addition 
of  the  Kalgurli  plant,  satisfactory  profits 
can  be  made. 

We  hear  with  regret  of  the  final  closing 
of  the  Mount  Boppy  mine,  the  chief  gold 
producer  in  New  South  Wales,  and  situated 
not  far  from  the  Great  Cobar  copper  mine, 
now  also  closed.  The  mine  was  acquired 
by  Messrs.  John  Taylor  &  Sons,  who  floated 
a  company  to  work  it  in  1899.  The  total 
gold  output  has  been  /1, 812, 699,  and  the 
dividends  /446,058.  Operations  have  been 
impeded  from  time  to  time  during  recent 
years  alternately  by  floods  and  prolonged 
droughts.  Finally  the  developments  ceased 
to  disclose  ore  either  longitudinally,  laterally, 
or  in  depth.  During  the  past  year  the  mine 
was  kept  going  by  selective  mining  of  the 
reserves.  The  payable  portions  are  now 
exhausted,  and  operations  have  ceased. 
Tlie  compan\'  owns  half  a  million   Ions  of 


NOVEMBER,    1021 


271 


sand  and  slime  residues,  and  these  ate  to  be 
wofked  on  foyalty  terms  conjointly  with 
a  local  company.  The  directors  arc  in 
negotiation  for  the  acquirement  of  another 
property,  which  is  sufficiently  near  to  warrant 
the  transference  of  the  plant  and  machinery. 
As  the  examination  of  the  property  is  not 
yet  concluded,  nor  are  the  terms  of  purchase 
settled,  no  details  are  as  yet  available  for 
publication. 

It  has  been  decided  that  some  of  the 
accumulated  zinc  concentrates  purchased 
by  the  British  Government  under  that 
unfortunate  ten-years'  contract  arc  to  be 
shipped  to  England,  and  offered  for  sale  here 
through  the  British  Metal  Corporation.  It 
is  believed  that  the  Government  will  be 
prepared  to  take  any  price  within  reason, 
so  that  the  public  expenditure  may  be 
recouped  to  someextent,  and  also  that  the  zinc 
smelters  shall  be  able  to  operate  at  a  profit 
and  piovide  work  for  the  men  at  present 
unemploj'ed.  The  zinc  mine  owners  in 
Great  Britain  view  this  policy  with  unabated 
dismay,  but  are  hoping  that  the  Government 
will  be  able  to  do  something  which  will 
bring  emploj-ment  to  the  home  zinc  miners. 

Amalgamated  Zinc  (De  Bavay's)  reports 
by  cable  that,  during  the  half  year  ended 
June  30,  128,646  tons  of  zinc  material  was 
treated  for  a  production  of  37,201  tons  of 
zinc  concentrates  and  815  tons  of  lead  con- 
centrates. The  accounts  did  not  show  any 
substantial  profit,  but  the  directors  have 
decided  to  distribute  a  dividend  of  Is.  per 
20s.  share  out  of  the  equalization  reserve. 

In  a  recent  issue  it  was  announced  that  the 
Mount  Bischoff  tin  mines  in  Tasmania  had 
been  closed,  though  no  definite  reason  was 
assigned  in  the  cable  message.  By  mail  we 
learn  that  the  stoppage  was  caused  by 
exceptionally  severe  snowstorms  which  con- 
tinued for  over  a  week.  Open-cut  working 
and  transport  were  rendered  impossible, 
the  roof  of  the  new  mill  buildings  gave  way, 
and  the  electric  light  and  power  cables  were 
broken.  It  is  feared  that  many  prospectors 
in  this  region  will  have  lost  their  lives  from 
exposure,  and  there  is  also  some  anxiety 
as  to  the  fate  of  the  osmiridium  washers. 

Reports  have  been  received  in  this  country 
of  an  oil  enterprise  on  the  Fitzgerald  River, 
near  Bremer  13ay,  West  Australia.  There 
appears  to  have  been  considerable  excite- 
ment locally,  and  Government  geologists 
were  sent  to  examine.  Competent  mining 
men,  however,  declined  to  believe  in  the 
discoveiy,    even    in    spite    of    the    alleged 


samples.  It  was  ultimately  found  to  be  a 
case  of  salting  of  a  particularly  clumsy 
character. 

India. — Shares  in  a  new  companj'  called 
the  Anglo-Burma  Oil  Co.,  Ltd.,  have  been 
offered  to  the  public  this  month.  The  com- 
pany is  to  acquire  the  shares  of  the  New 
Indian  Petroleum  Co.,  Ltd.,  which  controls 
certain  oil-mining  rights  at  Singu,  Burma  ; 
it  acquires  also  some  oil  lands  in  Trinidad. 
In  both  cases  the  properties  appear  to  be 
only  unproved  prospects.  The  financial 
arrangements  are  complicated,  and  the 
method  of  issuing  the  shares  is  not  an 
attractive  one. 

A  company  called  the  United  Steel 
Corporation  of  India,  Ltd.,  has  been  formed  in 
India  by  Bird  &  Co.,  of  Calcutta,  in  association 
with  Cammell,  Laird  &  Co.,  of  Sheffield. 
The  company  will  take  over  collieries  and 
coalfields  in  Bihar  and  Orissa,  controlled  by 
Bird  &  Co.,  and  will  develop  iron  ore  deposits. 
Works  are  to  be  built  with  a  capacity  of 
600,000  tons  of  pig  iron  per  year,  and  steel 
works  and  rolling  mills  arc  to  be  erected. 

Malaya.  —  It  will  be  remembered  that 
eighteen  months  ago  the  Ipoh  Tin  Dredging 
Company  issued  further  capital  for  the 
purpose  of  extending  operations  and  con- 
structing two  new  dredges.  Unfortunately 
the  slump  in  tin  and  the  impossibility  of 
selling  the  whole  of  the  new  shares  have 
placed  the  company  in  a  position  of  financial 
difficulty,  and  the  company  has  been  unable 
to  complete  payment  for  the  dredges. 
The  company  has  this  month  made  an 
agreement  with  F.M.S.  Timah,  Ltd.,  which 
controls  the  neighbouring  Kamunting  Tin 
Dredging  Co.,  whereby  the  latter  will 
acquire  one  of  the  new  dredges  and  the 
land  which  it  is  intended  to  work. 

Siam. — The  Renong  Tin  Dredging  Com- 
pany made  only  a  small  profit,  /4,028, 
for  the  year  ended  June  30  last,  just  sufficient 
to  pay  the  dividend  on  the  preference  shares. 
The  output  of  the  two  dredges  at  Renong  was 
756  tons,  as  compared  with  433  tons  the  year 
before,  but  any  benefit  derivable  from  this 
big  increase  was  nullified  by  the  drop  in  the 
price  of  tin.  There  was  also  additional 
expenditure  on  a  dam  built  for  the  purpose 
of  diverting  the  river  channel  so  as  to  enable 
one  of  the  dredges  to  work  the  upper  portion 
of  the  valley.  The  third  dredge  has  been 
removed  to  the  Rasa  property,  in  the  State 
of  Sclangor,  acquired  early  last  year.  It 
started  operations  on  March  17,  and  until 
June  30  had  extracted  90|  tons  of  concentrate 


TllK    MIN'INC'.     MAC.A/.INI". 


from  202,650  cu.  yd.,  which  corresponds 
to  a  yield  of  1  lb.  per  yard. 

Cornwall. —  'he  directors  of  ICast  Pool  iS: 
Agar  liave  approved  the  plans  of  the  eiii;ineers 
for  the  sinking  of  the  new  shaft,  and  arrange- 
ments are  atreaily  in  hand  for  a  conniience- 
mont  of  operations.  This  work  will  rtlieve 
the  position  as  regards  unemployment  in 
Cornwall  to  a  certain  extent,  and  the  fact  that 
no  tin  will  be  produced  for  some  time  is  all 
to  the  benefit  of  the  tin  market.  The  decision 
to  start  the  shaft  apparently  indicates  that 
the  proposals  to  join  forces  with  Smith 
Croftv  have  ended  in  nothing. 

The  last  meeting  of  the  Levant  Mining  Co., 
the  old  cost-book  company',  was  held  last 
month,  when  the  final  disposition  of  the 
funds  was  arranged.  The  property  now 
belongs  to  the  new  company,  the  Levant 
Tin  Mines,  Ltd.,  formed  in  February  of  last 
year.  When  the  new  company  was  formed 
the  intention  was  for  Geevor  Tin  Mines, 
Ltd.,  to  provide  working  capital  so  that 
Levant  and  Geevor  could  be  worked  con- 
jointl)'.  Owing  to  the  slump  in  tin,  Geevor 
has  not  been  able  to  provide  the  funds,  so 
Levant  continues  independently,  under  the 
direction  of  Colonel  F.  F.  Oats.  He  has 
bought  the  stamp-mill  from  Tincroft,  and 
will  start  working  ores  accumulated  at  the 
surface  during  long  years.  With  the  income 
thus  derived  he  intends  continuing  develop- 
ment between  the  120  and  170  fm.  levels. 

The  plight  of  Cornish  mining  was  the 
subject  of  a  question  in  Parliament  last 
month,  put  by  Sir  Edward  Nicholl.  The 
Minister  of  Mines  was  not  sympathetic  at 
the  time,  but  it  is  understood  that  he  has 
sent  representatives  to  Cornwall  to 
investigate.  There  have  been  plenty  of 
investigations,  committees,  and  reports 
already,  but  nothing  has  come  of  them,  and 
the  only  recommendation  likety  to  be  made 
by  the  present  investigators,  namely,  an 
amalgamation  of  the  mines,  is  not  likely  to 
be  acceptable  locally. 

North  Wales. — The  Aber-Llyn  company, 
which  was  formed  to  work  a  zinc-lead  mine 
near  Bettws-y-Coed,  has  now  given  up  all 
hope  of  working  this  property  at  a  profit 
under  present  conditions.  The  company 
also  tried  a  china-clay  property  in  Brittany, 
but  soon  found  out  that  there  was  not 
sufficient  material  of  satisfactory  grade. 
Attention  is  now  being  turned  to  two  groups 
of  old  gold  mines,  in  Rhodesia  and  Portuguese 
Zambesia  respectivelj'.  The  former  are  the 
Killarney  and  Hibernia  mines,  and  the  latter 


are  known  as  the  Machinga  and  Mudzi 
River  properties.  Mr.  Stephen  J.  Lett  is  to 
go  out  to  make  investigations. 

Canada.-  A  cable  has  been  received  to  the 
elfect  tliat  vioUnt  rainfall  (or  cloud  burst) 
has  devastated  the  coastal  region  north  of 
Vancouver.  Several  towns  were  over- 
whelmed by  torrents  of  water,  and  in 
particular  ]:^ritannia  Beach  suffered  in  tragic 
manner,  fully  fifty  houses  being  carried  away 
and  many  people  drowned.  The  con- 
centrating plant  ot  the  Britannia  Mining 
and  Smelting  Company,  which  owns  the 
big  low-grade  copper  mine  behind,  wns  built 
at  liritannia  Beach,  but  it  was  burnt  down 
in  ]\Iarcl-,  last.  Details  are  awaited  by  mail 
(jf  this  further  disastei. 

United  States. — The  recent  policy  among 
the  .\merican  oil  magnates  of  squeezing  down 
production  by  lowering  the  prices  to  an  un- 
naturally low  level  has  had  serious  effects  on 
the  .\nglo-United  Oilfields,  Ltd.  This  com- 
]5any  was  formed  in  1919  to  acquire  oil  lands 
in  the  Dallas  field,  Wyoming,  and  its  develop- 
ment work  and  its  contracts  for  the  sale  of 
its  oil  appeared  to  be  perfectly  satisfactory. 
New  shares  were  created  a  year  ago  for  the 
extension  of  the  scale  of  operations.  The 
depression  of  the  price  for  the  crude  oil  to  the 
ridiculous  figure  of  28^  cents  per  barrel 
made  it  quite  impossible  for  the  company  to 
meet  expenses,  let  alone  make  a  profit.  -At 
this  juncture  the  underwriter  of  the  new 
shares  failed  to  carry  out  his  contract,  and 
about  the  same  time  also  certain  creditors 
who  had  advanced  money  for  the  purchase 
of  the  pipe-line  pressed  for  repayment.  In 
order  to  save  the  company  it  has  become 
necessary  to  reconstruct  and  raise  further 
funds.  The  price  obtainable  for  crude  oil  has 
recently  recovered,  and  Mr.  Campbell  M. 
Hunter,  the  company's  technical  adviser,  is 
of  opinion  that  operating  expenses  can  now 
be  met. 

Bolivia. — Last  month  we  quoted  the 
financial  results  of  the  Compagnie  Aramayo 
de  ilincs  en  Bolivie  for  the  year  1920.  The 
chairman,  in  his  speech  at  the  meeting  of 
shareholders,  held  at  the  new  headquarters, 
Geneva,  reported  that  during  the  year  2,011 
tons  of  tin  concentrate  was  produced  and 
973,038  oz.  of  silver.  There  was  no  pro- 
duction of  wolfram  concentrate,  and  as  usual 
no  figures  were  given  for  the  output  of 
bismuth.  He  also  mentioned  that  at  the 
Chorolque  mine,  which  was  previously 
reported  to  be  nearing  exhaustion,  new  ore- 
bodies  have  been  found. 


VENTILATION    AND    WORKING    EFFICIENCY 

By  BERNARD  W.  HOLMAN,  O.B.E..  A.R.S.M.,  Assoc.Inst.M.M..  F.C.S. 

Lecturer  in  Mining,  Roya!  School  of  Mines 
The  author  discusses  the  modern  principles  of  ventilation  and  working  conditions  as  applied  to  deep  and  hot  mines. 


The  Human  Machine.— In  the  case  of  a 
miner  working  underground  wliat  the 
employer  pays  for  chiefly  is  worlc  done.  In 
the  simplest  case,  that 'of  a  miner  hewing 
coal  in  a  colliery,  or  drilling  holes  in  rock  by 
hand  in  a  metal  mine,  this  work  done  is 
chiefly  mechanical  work.  It  is  mechanical 
work  which,  actuaUy,  a  machine  could  do  and 
which  can  be  measured  as  foot-pounds  as  the 
result  of  energy  expended.  Moreover,  the 
miner's  body  in  performing  the  work  under 
such  circumstances  expends  a  given  amount 
of  chemical  energy  by  converting  it  into  heat 
and  kinetic  (motion)  energy,  just  as  a  steam 
plant  or  an  oil  engine  does  when  it  performs 
work,  although  in  the  case  of  the  human  being 
the  change  is  more  truly  a  biochcmic  thermo- 
genesis,  that  is,  it  does  not  conform  to  the 
Carnot  cycle. 

In  a  cool  mine,  as  the  efficiency  of  the 
human  body  is  good,  its  employment  in  place 
of  machinery,  where  either  is  applicable,  is 
determined  chiefly  bj'  the  usual  factors  of 
first  cost  (housing  and  supply),  cost  of  fuel 
and  lubricants  (food  and  drink),  running 
costs  (wages),  and  reliability  (health  con- 
ditions and  strike  frequency).  But  in  deep 
and  hot  mines  the  question  of  actual  efficiency 
becomes  of  paramount  importance,  because, 
like,  say,  a  gas  engine,  the  human  body  will 
only  work  between  certain  temperatures. 

As  water-jacketing  is  not  practicable  in 
the  case  of  the  miner,  we  have  to  confine 
our  attention  to  air  cooling.  Air  cooling  can 
only  be  external,  and  the  air  must  be  used  at 
low  velocities  because  of  the  question  of 
comfort ;  therefore,  it  can  be  seen  at  once 
that  the  upper  temperature  limit  for  cfiicicnt 
work  must  be  very  low.  Unfortunately,  this 
upper  temperature  limit  is  still  further 
reduced  by  the  complex  method  of  burning 
(oxidizing)'  its  fuel  (tissues)  employed  by  the 
human  body. 

Instead  of  completely  burning  a  single 
portion  of  fuel  at  a  time,  as  does  an  oil  engine, 
the  body  partially  oxidizes  minute  portions 
of  a  large  number  of  tissues  at  the  same  time 
by  means  of  the  well-known  reversible  re- 
action :  Haemoglobin  -1-  Oxygen  "tl^  Oxy- 
hacmoglobin. 


I  Tnder  the  conditions  of  concentration  and 
colloid  solution  existing  in  the  human  body, 
this  reaction  cannot  take  place  above  130°  F.. 
else  cessation  (death  from  heart  stroke) 
occurs. 

Moreover,  the  mechanism  for  the  change  of 
heat  into  work  is  controlled  by  reactions  in 
the  brain  (causing  nervous  stimulus  of  the 
respiratory  centre)  instead  of  by  a  metal 
governor.  These  reactions  are  still  more 
subject  to  derangement  by  temperature  rise 
(nervous  fatigue,  and,  at  higher  temperatures, 
fever  and  delirium)  than  are  those  in  the 
blood. 

Hence  it  comes  about  that  accurate 
temperature  control  of  the  body  itself  is 
absolutely  essential  for  work  even  at  normal 
temperatures.  Nature  has  provided  for  this 
by  the  provision  of  an  elaborate  system  of 
glands  for  secreting  on  the  surface  of  the 
body  moisture  which,  on  evaporation,  pro- 
duces a  very  considerable  cooling  effect  owing 
to  the  high  latent  heat  of  vaporization  of 
moisture.  Without  evaporation  but  little 
cooling  effect  is  produced  by  perspiration. 

The  warmer  the  surrounding  air  the  more  of 
this  water  must  be  produced  and  evaporated 
in  order  to  maintain  the  body  at  a  working 
temperature  by  perspiration,  and  the  more 
rapidly  must  the  blood  be  pumped  to  the 
cooled  surface  of  the  body.  Hence  the 
warmer  the  atmosphere  the  greater  is  the 
quantity  of  work  done  in  merely  keeping  the 
body  cool.  Other  secondary  causes  increase 
this  additional  work  even  more,  although,  of 
course,  conduction  and  radiation  also  play 
their  part  in  the  cooling  of  the  body. 

Still  saturated  air  at  the  same  temperature 
as  the  body  produces  no  cooling  effect  what- 
ever, but  still  dry  air,  owing  to  the  motion  of 
the  body  in  work,  might  produce  an  adequate 
cooling  effect  by  evaporation  alone,  because 
naturally  the  dry  air  could  take  up  moisture 
and  thereby  cause  evaporation  of  the 
perspiration.  Thus  it  is  seen  why  such  great 
importance  is  attached  to  the  humidity 
of  the  air  in  a  working  place,  sometimes 
rather  to  the  neglect  of  other  factors. 

On  the  other  hand,  moving  saturated  air, 
so  long  as  it  was  at  a  lower  temperature  than 
the  body,  would  produce  a  cooling  effect  by 

73 


271 


"111 


MININC     MACAZINK 


conduction,  and,  if  a  suflkicnt  (luantity 
jiasscd  over  the  body,  an  adequate  coolintj 
effect  would  be  ]iiod\iced  with  saturated 
air  by  conduction  alone.  Hence  tin-  im- 
portance of  the  velocity  of  an  air  current  as 
well  as  its  humidity  when  considering  its 
cooling  effect.  This  has  no  direct  connexion 
with  the  velocity  necessary  to  supply  an 
adequate  quantitj'  of  fresh  air  for  breathini^ 
purposes.  Of  course,  within  limits,  the  lower 
the  temperature  the  greater  the  cooling  effect 
for  a  given  velocity,  particularly  if  the  air 
is  not  saturated.  The  effect  of  velocity  in 
accelerating  evaporation  is  then  of  prime 
importance.  In  fact,  in  practice  both  velocity 
and  low  humidity  ar(^  employed  where\'er 
possible. 

In  the  stuch'  of  hygienic  vi-ntilalion.  of 
the  three  factors,  humidity,  velocity,  and 
temperature,  most  attention  was  devoted  to 
humidity,  but  in  metal  mine  ventilation, 
where  the  laj'ing  of  dust  may  necessitate  a 
humid  atmosphere,  increasing  attention  is 
now  being  devoted  to  the  effects  of  velocity 
and  temperature  on  the  actual  rate  of  cooling 
of  the  body  surface  and  to  determine  what 
conditions  of  humidify  and  velocity  will  give 
a  healthy  atmosphere  even  when  the  temjiera- 
ture  is  high. 

The  application  of  these  results  in  practice 
is  complicated  by  the  fact  that  although  two 
men  may  be  equall}-  cooled  their  capacity 
for  work  is  not  the  same.  In  a  hot  healthy 
atmosphere  the  sweat  glands  of  one  man 
may  act  almost  automatically  and  his  heart 
do  comparatively  little  e.xtra  work  in  stimu- 
lating increased  subcutaneous  circulation  of 
the  blood,  while,  under  the  same  conditions, 
another  man  may  feel  so  exhausted  that  he 
cannot  work  at  all.  Such  a  mathematically 
difficult  matter  as  a  stone  or  two  of  fat  on 
an  individual  would  quite  invalidate  any  a 
prion'  calculations  as  to  his  thermodynamic 
efficiency  on  a  given  load.  Hence  it  is  readily 
seen  that  it  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  calculate 
or  measure  the  actual  amount  of  work  done  in 
cooling  the  body  under  different  conditions, 
although  the  nett  output  of  work  can,  of 
course,  be  observed. 

The  Ergo.meter. — Of  late  years  attention 
has  been  directed  especially  to  the  actual 
task  of  devising  means  of  measuring  the 
output  of  mechanical  work  of  different 
individuals  as  compared  with  their  fuel 
consumption.  For  measuring  such  output 
of  mechanical  work  various  forms  of  specially 
adapted  dynamometers  have  been  devised, 
called   "  F.rgometers,"  but  for  measuring  the 


corresponding  fuel  consuiniilinn  no  i  lua|)  ami 
handy  a])i)aratus  has  yt  been  evolved.  The 
simple  method  of  subtracting  the  uiuou- 
sumed  fuel  rejected  bj'  the  system  from  the 
food  taken  into  it  gives  no  useful  result 
owini;  to  tlii'  long  and  imlcti  rniinah'  tiiii' 
factor  in\'olved  in  llir  building  u|i  and 
oxidizing  of  individual  tissues,  liflicii'ucy 
determinations  on  this  basis  would  have  to 
be  of  .several  days'  duration  ;  this  and  the 
difficulty  of  allowing  for  periods  of  sleep 
render  the  nu'thod  scientifically  and  com- 
mercially useless  in  mining  practice. 

Another  simple  method  is  to  burn  in  a 
bomb  calorimeter  a  proportional  part  of  the 
day's  rations  of  a  number  of  men,  and 
to  calculate  the  1>.T.U.  supplied  and  com- 
])are  the  result  with,  for  instance,  the  number 
of  inches  drilled  by  hand  in  a  day  on  the  mine 
by  the  men  who  ate  the  food.  Such  results 
are  too  approximate  to  apply  to  the  testing 
of  individuals,  and  are,  therefore,  more  of 
a  check  on  the  food  than  on  the  work. 

The  only  method  of  estimating  individual 
fuel  consumption  that  has  met  with  general 
success  is  based  on  the  measurement  of 
the  amount  of  CO2  expired  by  such  an 
apparatus  as  is  shown  in  Fig.  1,  for  example. 
Like  flue-gas  anal5'sis  its  results  arc  more 
relative  than  absolute.  Also  for  accurate 
work  apparatus  which  is  neither  simple, 
chea]i,  nor  easy  to  manipulate  has  to  be 
employed  to  determine  the  total  amounts 
of  gases  involved  in  an  experiment.  Now 
that  results  (jf  definite  value  have  been 
obtained  a  simplification  and  cheapening  of 
the  apparatus  is  to  be  hoped  for.  A  con- 
siderable advance  in  the  ease  and  accuracy 
of  determinations  has  been  achieved  by 
Professor  Langlois  for  the  French  Depart- 
ment of  \\'ar,  but  no  cheapening. 

With  the  human  machine  the  amoimt  of 
fuel  burnt  cannot  be  calculated  directly 
from  the  amount  of  CO..  produced,  because 
other  fuels  besides  carbon  are  consumed. 
A  factor  called  the  R-Q.  (Respiratory 
Quotient),  the  ratio  by  volume  of  the 
oxygen  consumed  to  the  C0.2  exhaled,  has  to 
be  used.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  not  one 
but  three  kinds  of  fuel  are  oxidized  simul- 
taneously in  the  human  machine,  namely 
carbohydrates,  fats,  and  proteins.  Each  of 
these  takes  a  different  proportion  of  oxygen 
for  its  combustion. 

For  all  carbohydrates  the  R.O.  is  1, 
according  to  the  equation  : — 

QHi-A-f  60.,  =  6C0.,-f  6H.,0 
That    is    to    say,    whc'n    carbohvdrates    are 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


275 


burnt  the  volume  of  carbon  dioxide  produced 
is  identical  with  the  volume  of  oxygen 
consumed. 

For  proteins  and  fats  the  R.O.  is  naturally 
not  so  high,  because  part  of  the  hydrogen 
in  these  compounds  is  available  for  fuel, 
and  therefore  uses  up  oxygen  in  forming 
water.  Professor  Krogh  gives  the  average 
R.O.    for   protein   as   O'SO,    and    for   human 


only  due  to  lack  of  sufficient  practice,  it 
would  be  the  most  efficient  of  all  foods  for 
the  miner.  Bacon  and  ham  have  excellent 
food  values  ;  also  pigs  have  a  more  efficient 
basa!  metabolism  than  men,  and  can  feed 
on  the  waste  products  from  the  manufactuie 
of  beer.  Therefore,  as  a  mining  engineer, 
one  is  tempted  to  desire  a  thcrmo-dynamic 
niiner-bocr-pic;  cvc'c  more  efficient  than  any 


Fig.   1. — Benedict's  Respir.^tion  .Apparatus. 


fat  as  0'71.  The  composition  of  the  latter 
is  taken  as  76-5",3  carbon,  12°o  hydrogen,  and 
ll'.^^o  oxygen. 

Alcohol  contains  still  more  available 
hydrogen  than  fat,  and,  therefore,  has  a 
still  lower  R.Q.,  namely  066,  according  to 
the  equation  : — 

C.,H,OH  +30.,  =  2CO,+3H.,0 
If  it  were  not  for  the  unpleasant  results  of 
drinking   strong   beer    (as   one's   sole    food) 
and   its   only   partial   assimilation,    perhaps 


Diesel-Still  engine.  Unfortunately,  one's 
digestion  will  not  stand  it,  and  in  our 
greatest  mining  country  prohibition  would 
not  allow  it. 

The  figures  given  above  are  for  normal 
temperatures.  The  R.O.  rises  with  increasing 
temperature  and  also  varies  with  the  load 
(amount  of  work  done).  The  following  table 
shows  clearly  how  the  R.Q.  affects  the  cal- 
culation of  the  heat  produced  and  the  food 
consumed.      The    Respiratory    Quotient    is. 


•J7(i 


ill'     MIXINC.     M\(;\ZIN1 


of  course,  also  equal  to  the  ratio  ot  thr 
weight  of  oxygen  consumed  to  the  weight  of 
carbon  dioxide  exhaled. 


Per 

Litre  of  Oxygen. 

K.y. 

Glycogen 

Fat 

Heat 

Catabolizcd, 

Catabolizcd, 

Producocl. 

grammes. 

grammes. 

calories. 

0-71 

onoon 

0-.S027 

4-79,5 

(I-74 

(ii5;4;< 

0-4;i84 

4-829 

O'SI) 

(i-:«s50 

0-3507 

4-875 

0-85 

0-5756 

0-2G30 

4-921 

0-9(1 

0-7861 

0-1753 

4-967 

0-95 

0-99(5fi 

0-0877 

5-012 

'.■00 

1-2071 

0-0000 

5-058 

The  following  figures  are  also  useful  in 
such  calculations  : — 

1  litre  of  oxygen  at  normal  temperature 
andjircssure  (N. T.P.I  weiglis  1- 120  grammes. 

1  litre  of  carbon  dioxide  at  N.T.P.  weighs 
1-965  grammes. 

1  litre  of  nitrogen  at  N.T.P.  weighs 
1-255  grammes. 

1  litre  is  equal  to  0-0353  cubic  feet. 

1  cubic  foot  is  equal  to  28-32  litres. 

1   ounce  —  2835  grammes,    1   granmie 
0-035  oz. 

From  the  above  it  appears  that  if  fat 
only  were  consumed  and  -15  litres  per  hour 
of  carbon  dioxide  were  produced,  a  loss  of 
32  grammes  (1|  oz.)  of  fat  per  hour  would 
result,  and  a  heat  production  of  above 
five  calories  per  minute  might  be  expected. 
This  would  be  equivalent  theoretically  to 
i    horse-power. 

Dr.  Leonard  Hill  mentions  as  large  an 
amount  of  o.xygcn  used  per  minute  as 
3-361  litres  when  bathing  in  rough  cold  sea. 
Taking  this  as  approximately  equivalent  to 
3  litres  per  minute  at  X.T.P.,  with  an  R.O. 
of  0-80,  from  the  above  table  the  heat 
produced  would  be  11-6  calories  or  058  h.p. 
With  33°o  efficiency  (see  later)  this  would 
equal  about  4  h.p.  actually  exerted  in 
mechanical  effort.  This  is  interestingly  near 
to  the  old  figure  of  five  men  to  one  horse- 
power. The  weight  of  carbohydrate  con- 
sum_ed  per  hour  would  be  66  grammes  and  of 
fat  63  grammes,  a  total  loss  of  weight  of  over 
I  lb.  per  hour.  So  high  a  figure  would  only 
apply  to  periods  of  exertion  and  would  be 
far  less  with  the  same  individual  sleeping. 
For  the  resting  body  the  functional  acti\'ities 
amount  to  only  25'';5  of  the  standard 
metabolism.  (Krogh)  ;  but  a  man  in  perfect 
training  may  for  short  periods  of  great 
exertion  have  a  respiratory  metabolism 
twenty  times  the  minimiun  (Krogh). 


In  tireat  Britain  many  measurements  of  the 
output  of  work  have  jjecn  made  for  the  Mine 
Rescue  Ajiparatus  Research  Conunittee.  In 
these  the  "  Cycle  Ergometer  "  of  Professor 
IMartin,  F.R.S.,  was  used  (Fig.  2).  It  is 
fully  described  in  an  ajipendix  to  their 
Second  Re])ort.  It  consists  of  a  cycle  frame 
and  seat  mounted  on  a  stand  witli  a  heavy 
fly-wheel  substituted  for  the  back  wheel  of 
the  bicycle.  Round  the  ily-wheel  passes  a 
brake  strap,  the  ends  of  which  are  connected' 
to  spring  balances  in  the  ordinary  way  so  as 
to  constitute  a  dynamometer  brake. 

Mr.  H.  F.  Bulman  reconunends  a  gear  of 
3J  to  1  with  a  fly-wheel  2  ft.  in  di.imeter,  .so 
that  fifty  revolutions  a  minute  of  the  pedals 
is  equivalent  to  3,500  ft. -lb.,  when  the 
difference  of  tension  on  the  .springs  is  1  lb. 
With  a  dry  belt  various  ranges  of  load  can  be 
obtained  by  slacking  or  tightening  the  belt. 
The  oxygen  consumed  may  be  measured 
through  a  valve  if  compressed  o.xygen  is 
being  used  on  the  tests,  while  the  expired  air 
is  collected  in  a  bellows-shaped  bag  of 
convenient  form  and  su]-)plied  with  a  suitable 
tube,  mouthpiece,  and  nose  clip. 

Fwo  otlur  forms  of  ergometer  have  been 
devised  and  used  by  Dr.  A.  ].  Orenstein,  and 
weie  fully  described  by  him  in  his  recent 
paper  (March)  before  the  Chemical,  Metal- 
lurgical, and  Mining  Society  of  South  Africa. 
One  of  these  is  a  hand-operated  dynamometer 
brake  which  was  calibrated  "  by  substituting 
a  narrow  wooden  pulley  for  the  driving 
crank,  and  of  the  same  radius,  and  driving  the 
machine  by  pulling  a  cord  off  this  driving 
pulley,  the  pull  being  read  on  a  spring 
balance."  This  machine,  which  Dr.  Oren- 
stein calls  his  "  rotary  dynamometer " 
(Fig.  3),  is  very  simple  to  construct  and  u.se, 
but  as  it  is  operated  by  the  hand  and  not  by 
the  feet  it  is  not  easy  to  carry  out  respiration 
tests  simultaneou.sly.  Like  the  Martin 
ergometer  it  measures  work  of  a  purely 
unskilled  nature  and  does  not  imitate  closelj' 
any  operation  carried  out  in  mining. 

To  meet  this  objection,  Dr.  Orenstein 
designed  his  cylinder  dynamometer  which 
actually  registers  the  number  and  force  of 
the  hammer  blows  given  to  a  piece  of  drill 
steel  bearing  on  a  diaphragm  in  a  closed 
cj-linder  containing  boiled  water  (Fig.  1). 
The  variations  in  pressure  in  the  cylinder  are 
recorded  on  an  indicator  diagram  by  an 
ordinary  indicator  as  used  in  steam-engine 
practice. 

This  macliine  has  to  be  of  very  robust 
construction,  which  gives  it  excessive  weight. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


277 


It  was  also  found  to  be  particularly  liable  to 
various  errors  due  to  "  condition  of  jointing 
rings,  slight  obstructions  in  connecting  pipe, 
presence  of  small  bubbles  of  air,  friction  in  the 
indicator  piston,  etc."  This  made  frequent 
calibration  necessary,  and  often  caused  the 
loss  of  a  day's  work.  Nevertheless,  many 
successful  tests  were  carried  out,  the  results 
of  which  aie  given  in  the  exceedingly  useful 
paper  mentioned  above. 


capacity  to  withstand  fatigue,  vaiy  greatly 
in  different  individuals,  and,  what  is  of  first- 
rate  practical  importance,  show  up'in  tests 
of  this  nature.  Hence  these  tests  give  us  an 
insight  into  the  nature  and  effects  of  fatigue 
which  are  shown  to  be  very  similar  to  those  of 
overload  on  an  oil-engine.  A  fairly  heavy 
task'may  be  performed  for  a  short  time  with- 
out causing  any  fatigue,  but  if  it  be  carried 
on   too  long  a  definite  state  of  exhaustion 


Fig. 


-M.\rtin's  Cycle   Ergometer. 


Efficiency  .\nd  the  Individu.\l. — One  of 
the  most  striking  things  about  the  great  mass 
of  work  performed  on  this  subject  of  the 
efficiency  of  the  human  machine  is  the  very 
different  results  obtained  by  different 
observers.  The  results  recorded  (Krogh)  b\' 
admittedly  first-class  observers  using  normal 
subjects  vary  from  2-8  cc.  of  o.xygen  absorbed 
per  kilogram  minute  (0'8  calories)  to  5-5  cc. 
of  o.xygen  absorbed  per  kilogram  minute 
(1'6  calories),  but  these  results  have  often 
been  obtained  by  experiments  on  abnormal 
subjects,  for  instance,  very  ancient  paupers. 

Briefly,  the  degree  of  training,  or  capacity 
for  exertion,  and  the  amount  of  stamina,  or 


occurs,  and  exertion  has  to  be  stopped  until 
cooling  and  re-cleaning  has  taken  place. 
As  is  well  known  a  heavy  task  which  would 
utterly  exhaust  one  man  is  easily  performed 
by  another  who  has  practised  it  often.  This 
is  one  cause  of  the  varying  results  obtained 
by  independent  workers,  but  on  the  same  man 
the  improvement  due  to  training  can  be 
definitely  measured.  Therefore,  having  found 
a  man  to  be  of  good  stamina  and  in  good 
training,  one  can  proceed  to  test  the  effect  of 
physical  conditions  such  as  humidity  and 
velocity  of  air  on  his  working  efficiency. 

Efficiency  and  Physic.m.  Condition?. — 
.Adequate  o.xygen  and  absence  of  poisonous 


27.S 


THE    MIXINC    MA(,\/1M-: 


gases aro obvious  necessities  for  efiieicnt  wmk, 
and  are  readily  tested  for  by  eliemieal  means, 
l)ut  fatigue  and  eorreet  liody  teniiierature  are 
less  readily  estimated.  The  amonnl  of  work 
which  produces  fatigue  is  generally  left  to 
individual  judgment,  tempered  by  a  general 
bonus  on  extra  footage  or  tonnage  (unless  the 
Unions  decree  otherwise),  but  correct  body 
temperature  is  a  matter  of  racial  peculiarity 
tempered  b\'  ventilation.  There  is  a  fifth 
physical  condition  necessary  for  maximum 
efficiency,  and  that  is  optimum  effort.  The 
optinnnn  effort  is  not  necessarilj'  the  greatest 
individual  e.xertion,  but  is  the  best  distributed 
effort  throughout  the  shift  which  will  ]ir()duce 
the  maximum  output  without  pioducing 
fatigue.  This  can  only  be  determined  by 
actual  tests.  The  quantitative  study  of  this 
question  as  applied  to  metal  mining  is  in 
progress  ;  for  instance,  a  stud}'  is  being  made 
of  the  effect  of  short  and  long  rests,  frequent 
and  infrequent,  for  hand-drillers. 

Optimum  effort,  like  fatigue  and  correct 
temperature,  depends  greatly  on  the  jnnity, 
dryness,  and  velocitv'  of  the  air,  in  which  the 
individuals  work  ;  hence  it  comes  about  that 
ventilation  is  now  required  not  only  to 
supply  oxygen  and  to  sweep  out  noxious 
gases,  but  also  to  cool  the  workers  in  the 
manner  which  causes  their  work  to  prodtice 
least  fatigue  in  them.  (See  tests  on 
optimum  speed  of  walking,  p.  17  of  the 
second  report  on  Jline  Rescue  Apparatus.) 
Hence  the  humidity  and  velocity  of  the 
current  receive  as  mucli  attention  now  in 
some  mines  as  its  quantity  and  purity, 
when  considering  the  question  of  whether 
or  net  the  ventilation  is  adequate. 

.Adequate  \'entii..-\tiox. — The  chemical 
theory  was  the  earliest  accepted  explanation 
of  the  injurious  effects  of  inadequate 
ventilation.  It  was  based  on  the  idea  that 
"  the  evil  .smell  of  unclean  and  badly 
ventilated  places  was  evidence  of  a  '  vitiated 
effluvia '  or  volatile  poison  added  to  the 
atmosphere  by  exhaled  or  expired  air," 
and  also  that  the  oxygen  content  of  the  air 
became  unduly  diminished. 

As  exhaled  air  contains  much  carbon 
dioxide,  the  excess  of  CO.^  found  in  a  baclly 
ventilated  place  was  taken  to  be  a  reliable 
indication  of  the  amount  of  this  poison 
present.  Several  Acts  and  Regulations 
based  on  this  idea  allowed  an  excess  of 
CO..  only  a  few  parts  per  10,000.  Many 
hygienists  supposed  CO.2  itself  to  be  a  poison, 
particularly  as  a  large  excess  of  it,  .such  as 
found   in   some   natural   caverns,   will   cause 


df. ilh,  I  h.il  Ihi-^  I. liter  w.is  a  pupular 
delusion  was  demon^trati'd  long  ago  b\'  Ihr 
simple  exjKriment  of  breathing  without  .in\- 
ill  effects  air  with  1%  of  pure  ('()_.  added  to 
it.  .\ny  sincere  investigator  can  satisfy 
himself  that  this  is  so  in  the  congenial 
enviromnent  of  a  brewery,  where  the  air 
often  contains  over  1  %  of  CO.j.  One  per  cent 
i>^,  of  course,  many  times  the  amount 
1  I  lit.OOOths)  fixed  as  the  safe  limit  in  some 
-Vets,  liven  ^%  can  be  breathed  without 
any  ill  effect  being  noticed  until  muscular 
exertion  is  attempted.  Then  panting  ensues, 
merely  owing  to  the  need  for  greater 
pulmonary  ventilation  with  such  air.  More- 
over, in  man  the  blood  keeps  the  pulmonary 
air  constant  at  about  5%  CO.j.  Hence 
carbonic  acid  obviously  cannot  be  a  poison, 
and,  of  itself,  cannot  be  a  cause  of  tlu'  ill 
effects  of  bad  ventilation. 

It  was  also  considered  that  air  in  jjoorly 
ventilated  places  became  badly  impoverished 
in  oxygen,  and  that  this  impoverishment 
caused  harmful  phy.siological  effects.  That 
this  imjjoverishment  is  great  was  directly 
disproved  by  analysis. 

The  diminution  of  oxygen  in  ill-ventilated 
places  is  exceedingly  small,  even  in  a  bad 
stope  or  in  the  most  crowded  room  ;  it  is 
seldom  more  than  one  per  cent.  Such  a  small 
reduction  has  no  harmful  effect.  This  is 
olivious  when  one  considers  that  people  live 
comfortably  at  altitudes  where  the  amount 
(weight)  of  oxygen  per  cubic  foot  is  only 
two-thirds  .  of  that  which  it  is  at  sea- 
level.  With  such  reductions  of  oxygen  the 
pulmonary  ventilation  and  the  circulation 
are  increased,  the  blood  is  thinner,  and  the 
proportion  of  acids  to  bases  in  the  blood 
is  altered  to  compensate  for  the  lactic 
acid  formed.  Hence  diminution  of  oxj'gen 
cannot  be  a  cause  of  the  ill  effects  of  bad 
\-entilation.  This  was  very  clearly  demon- 
strated in  one  of  Dr.  Leonard  Hill's 
experiments,  where  students  were  confined 
in  an  atmosphere  of  only  17%  oxygen, 
so  low  that  a  match  would  not  burn  in  it. 
No  discomfort  was  felt  so  long  as  the  air 
was  kept  moving  by  a  fan,  and  the  cooling 
of  their  bodies  thus  assured. 

The  main  part  of  the  chemical  theoiy, 
the  popular  idea  that  exhaled  air  and 
stagnant  perspiration  contain  a  poison  apart 
from  infection,  is  very  severely  dealt  with 
by  Dr.  Leonard  HiU.  He  quotes  the  work 
of  many  experimenters  to  disprove  it,  and 
concludes  by  saying  "  there  is  no  evidence 
worth  anvthine:  at  all  as  to  the  existence  of 


November,  1021 


279 


tliis  poison."  Certainly  too  man}'  of  these 
experiments  seem  to  have  been  tried  on 
animals.  Even  the  Kenotoxin  of  Weichart 
was  not  tried  on  his  neighbour. 

Dr.  Hill's  own  experiments  on  the  effects 
of  prolonged  breathing  of  exhaled  air  were 
tried  on  guinea-pigs.  Yet  guinea-pigs  are 
so  different  from  human  beings  in  their 
requirements  that  they  can  tolerate  an  ex- 
tremely high  saturation  of  CO,  and  in  his 
experiments  on  them  at  the  bottom  of 
deep  boxes  they  seemed  to  tolerate  all  the 
other  conditions  of  bad  ventilation,  too. 

As  water  infected  with  dead  bacteria 
produces  so  many  unpleasant  effects  it 
is  not  quite  clear  why  air  so  infected  should 
produce  absolutely  none  at  all.  Shivering 
and  headache  are  common  symptoms  of 
bad  ventilation,  and  also  accompany  the 
injection  of  dead  bacteria.  Moreover,  the 
quantities  of  substances  required  to  produce 
biological  effects  are  so  very  small  that  they 
might  easUy  escape  chemical  analysis ; 
for  in.stance,  one  part  of  copper  in  77  million 
of  water  is  toxic  to  spirogyra  in  one  minute. 

Early  medical  writers  who  knew  few 
theories,  but  had  ample  acquaintance  with 
facts,  believed  that  the  "  invariable  result 
of  the  accumulation  of  breath  and 
perspiration  of  human  beings  crowded 
together  and  neglecting  personal  cleanliness 
was  to  produce  plague  and  fever. ' '  This  seems 
a  safer  guide  to  practice  than  the  idea  that  the 
cause  of  such  ill  effects  are  microbes  which 
come   from   somewhere   else,   whether   from 


Fig.  3. — Orenstein's   Rotarv  Ergometer. 

colloid  solutions  or  from  the  survival  of  the 
fittest  is  not  explained.  One  rather  wonders 
whether  a  visit  to  a  dead  end  in  some  metal 
mine  where  hand-drilling  is  being  employed 
on  a  handsome  bonus  system,  and  the  booster 
fan  has  temporarily  broken  down,  would 
overpower  one  not  used  to  such  pungent 
"  non-existence."  The  cause  of  the  physical 
nausea  produced  in  the  visitor,  if  it  is  not 
chemical,  might  be  radio-active  ;  it  certainly 
is  not  psychic.  The  remaining  alternative  is 
that  it  is' physical.  This  is  precisely  the  idea 
which  now  holds  the  field  as  the  explanation 


Fig.  4. — Orenstein's  Cylinder  Ergometer. 


•2S() 


THK    MIX  IXC,    MACAZINE 


of  all  the  effects  of  bail  vtiuilatioii,  aUluiiii;h 
tlic  bacteriological  effect  of  exhaled  air  is 
still  adliercd  to  by  some.  The  chemical 
thcorj',  so  far  as  it  concerns  the  poisonous 
nature  of  pure  carbcn  dioxide,  and  so  far  as 
it  concerns  the  harmful  effect  of  any 
practicable  diminution  of  oxj-gen,  has  been 
completely  disproved,  and  it  has  been 
realized  that  the  ]iro])er  control  of  the  body 
temperature  is  the  important  thing.  Hence 
any  definition  of  adequate  ventilation  which 
is  based  solelj'  on  percentages  of  carbon 
dioxide  and  oxygen  in  the  air  is  not  adequate 
and  may  be  very  misleading. 

Humidity  Theoky. — This  idea  of  the 
phj-sical  nature  of  ventilation  has  been 
developed  along  two  lines.  Firstly,  by  those 
who  considered  the  drying  power  (humidity) 
of  the  air  as  of  most  importance  in  cooling 
the  body  by  promoting  free  perspiration, 
etc.  ;  and  secondly,  by  those  who  placed 
their  faith  more  in  the  free  circulation  of  the 
air,  even  though  it  was  not  very  dry  or  very 
pure.  The  latter  method  is  of  most  interest 
to  metal  miners,  because  they  so  often  have 
to  deal  with  saturated  air  (for  dust)  under- 
ground, and  do  not  need  large  volumes 
except  such  as  are  adequate  for  cooling. 

The  use  of  hygrometers  and  anemometers 
and  the  application  of  the  knowledge  gained 
thereby  to  the  ventilation  of  mines  is  being 
investigated  very  fully  by  the  Committee  on 
the  Control  of  Atmospheric  Conditions  in 
Hot  and  Deep  Mines,  vmder  Pro- 
fessor Sir  John  Cadman.  This  Committee 
has       published       three      reports.  (See 

Bibliographj^)  Dr.  J.  S.  Haldane  had  also 
directed  much  work  on  these  lines  at  the 
Doncaster  Coal  Owners'  laboratory  and 
elsewhere. 

As  has  been  pointed  out  already,  proper 
sweating  is  a  very  effective  method  of  cooling 
the  body,  because  it  makes  full  use  of  the 
latent  heat  of  evaporation  of  the  water. 
So  long  as  the  sweat  can  be  produced  and 
evaporated,  the  less  saturated  with  moisture 
(lower  in  relative  humidity)  the  air  is  at  a 
given  temperature,  the  less  volume  is  required 
for  a  given  amount  of  cooling.  Therefore, 
for  a  given  velocity  and  temperature  the 
lower  the  humidity  is  the  greater  will  be  the 
cooling  power  of  the  ventilating  current.  It 
is  for  this  reason  that  such  great  attention 
has  been  paid  to  the  question  of  humidity 
in  colliery  practice.  In  British  colliery 
practice  for  several  generations  ample 
ventilation  has  been  necessary  in  order  to 
sweep   out    from   the   workings   all   noxious 


and  explosive  gases.  Hence  tin  (luantiiy, 
pvn-ity,  and  velocity  nf  x-cntilating  currents 
has  received  nuich  sliul\'  in  linglaud.  Not 
onlj'  so,  but  owing  to  the  very  high 
geothermic  gradient  in  this  country  (over 
l°h\  for  every  70  ft.,  instead  of  for  every 
251  ft.  as  on  tin-  Rand)  the  /piestion  of 
the  cooling  capacity  of  ventilating  currents 
also  came  early  to  the  fore.  There  are  now 
collieries  working  in  lingland  at  a  dejJth  of 
:i,50()  ft.  where  the  rock  tiinperaturc  is 
about  100''  F.,  a  temperature  which  would 
not  be  reached  on  the  Rand  until  a  depth  of 
nearly  0,000  ft.  Thus  it  comes  about  that 
the  study  of  artificial  ventilation  in  mines 
has  been  left  almost  entirely  to  colliery 
engineers  until  (juite  recent  years.  It  is 
only  during  the  last  ten  years  that  artificial 
ventilation  for  metal  mines  was  introduced 
at  all  generally  in  South  Africa,  and  then  it 
was  chiefly  in  response  to  legislation. 
Natural  ventilation  had  been  found  adequate 
for  depths  of  over  2,000  ft.  even  where  very 
many  natives  were  employed.  It  may 
almost  be  said  that  it  is  only  during  the  last 
five  years  that  copious  artificial  ventilation 
lias  become  a  necessilv  in  many  metal  mines. 
In  such  cases  the  chief  object  of  artificial 
ventilation  is  generally  to  improve  the 
physical  comfort  of  the  men,  and  is  not  the 
maintenance  of  the  purity  of  the  air.  As 
huge  volumes  of  air  are  not  necessary  for 
sweeping  out  natural  gases  from  such  mines, 
the  obtaining  of  the  optimum  combination 
of  humidity,  velocit}',  and  temperature  is 
a  matter  of  considerable  importance. 
Theoretically  each  of  these  three  factors 
can  be  varied  independently  to  obtain  a 
given  cooling  power,  but  unfortunately  in 
many  deep  metal  mines  precautions  have 
to  be  taken  against  dust.  For  this  latter 
purpose  the  crude  but  safe  expedient  of 
spraying  the  workings  liberally  with  water 
is  generally  adopted.  This  limits  the  metal 
mine  in  such  cases  to  the  use  of  air  of  nearly 
maximum  humidity,  while  the  colliery 
engineer  is  free  to  base  his  calculations  on 
the  dryness  at  surface  of  the  air  and  to  take 
precautions  to  prevent  the  unnecessary 
absorption  of  moisture  by  his  ventilating 
current.  It  is  owing  to  these  facts  that  the 
wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometer  has  been 
employed  so  much  by  colliery  engineers, 
to  the  exclusion  of  other  methods  of 
measuring  cooling  power,  while  the  metal 
miner  resorts  to  other  means.  For  example, 
in  Mr.  Clifford's  classical  paper  before  the 
Institution     of     Mining     and     Metallurgy 


NOVEMBER.    1021 


2Sl 


(February,  1021),  any  full  discussion  of 
hvgromcter  and  anemometer  readings, 
together  with  all  talk  of  grains  of  moisture 
per  cubic  foot  of  air  and  of  moisture 
content  charts  are  absent.  The  great 
accumulation  of  recorded  practical  experience 
and  sound  experiment  by  colliery  engineers 
was  of  little  value  to  him  as  far  as  it  con- 
cerned the  cooling  power  of  ventilating 
currents.  Nevertheless,  the  principles  under- 
Iving  the  use  of  the  hygrometer  should  be 
understood  by  all. 

In  the  first  report  of  the  Committee  on 
Hot  and  Deep  Mines,  the  use  of  the  wet  and 
dry  bulb  thermometer  as  a  hygrometer 
is  very  clearly  explained  as  follows  :  — 

The  use  of  the  wet  and  dry  bulb 
thermometer  rests  on  the  fact  that  when 
there  is  a  sufficient  air-current  to  swamp 
the  influence  of  radiation  and  conduction  .  .  . 
a  moist  surface  will  assume  ..."  a  definite 
temperature  between  the  air  temperature 
and  the  dew  point."  i  "  When  no  other 
source  of  heat  or  cold  is  affecting  the  surface 
this  intermediate  temperature  is  known  as 
the  '  wet  bulb  '  temperature,  and  is  the 
temperature  assumed  by  the  bulb  of  a 
thermometer  kept  moist  with  water.  '  It  is 
the  minimum  temperature  to  -which  a  moist 
surface  can  be  cooled  by  the  air  present  at 
the   given    velocity. 

The  skin  temperature  of  a  perspiring  man 
alwa3's  lies  between  the  body  temperature 
and  this  "wet  bulb  "  temperature.  As  long 
as  a  man  is  perspiring  normally  his  skin 
temperature  will  approximate  to  the  wet 
bulb  temperature  more  closely  the  higher 
the  velocity  of  the  ventilating  current. 
Increase  of  velocity,  therefore,  increases 
the  cooling  effect  on  the  skin,  but  increase 
of  humiditv,  shown  by  approximation  of 
the  wet  bulb  temperature  to  the  dry  bulb 
temperature,  considerably  reduces  it  until, 
when  the  air  is  saturated,  olie  has  to  rely 
on  velocity  and  difference  of  temperature 
alone  for  cooling  power. 

In  still  air  Dr.  Haldane  found  that  88°  F. 
during  rest  and  78°  during  work  with 
minimum  clothing  were  the  highest  wet 
bulb  temperatures  a  miner  could  stand 
in  Cornwall  without  profuse  sweating.  (This 
was  independent  of  separate  observations  of 
air  temperature,  absolute  humidity,  dew 
point,  and  velocity.)  In  perfectly  still  air 
Dr.    Haldane    found    that    this    wet    bulb 

*  The  temperature  at  which  water  begins  to 
condense  from  air  of  a  given  moisture  content  is 
called  its  dew  point. 


temperature  was  all-important,  and  that 
even  when  the  air  current  was  too  hot  and 
warmed  a  man  instead  of  cooling  him  this 
warming  depended  on  the  wet  bulb 
temperature  and  not  on  the  air  tempera- 
ture. In  England  the  outdoor  wet 
bulb  shade  temperature  reached  70°  F., 
but  in  moist  tropical  countries  it  reached 
80°  F.,  but  with  dry  tropical  heat  it  may  be 
below  70°,  although  the  shade  temperature 
is  110°  or  more.  Hence,  again,  we  see  the 
importance  of  low  wet  bulb  temperature,  and 
why  in  colliery  practice  so  much  attention 
has  been  devoted  to  keeping  down  the 
wet  bulb  temperature  ;  also  why  the  wet 
bulb  temperature  has  been  taken  as  a 
standard  of  comfort  while  the  study  of  the 
effects  of  increasing  the  velocity  of  the 
air  current  has  been  neglected.  In  fact, 
one  report  of  the  Hot  and  Deep  Mines  Com- 
mittee speaks  of  keeping  the  air  in  motion 
in  all  working  places  as  "  a  subsidiary  aim." 
When  the  metal  miner  has  to  deal  with  a 
hot  deep  mine  it  unfortunately  has  to  be 
his  chief  aim. 

In  colliery  practice,  then,  adequate 
ventilation  can  be  defined  by  the  pre- 
centage  of  foreign  gases  allowable  in  the 
air  and  by  its  wet  bulb  temperature.  It 
is  specially  necessary  to  limit  the  maximum 
allowable  hydrocarbons  because  of  their 
explosive  nature,  and  of  CO  because  of  its 
toxic  effects,  but  in  hot  metal  mines  where 
the  air  is  saturated  such  a  definition  is 
insufficient.  Nevertheless,  in  both  cases 
"  the  problem  of  underground  temperature 
control  seems  to  resolve  itself  into  one  of 
adequate  ventilation." 

Effect  of  Velocity. — How  adequate 
ventilation  can  be  defined  independently  of 
observations  with  a  wet  bulb  thermometer 
in  the  case  of  mines  with  saturated  air 
has  been  fully  worked  out  and  explained 
by  Dr.  Hill  in  his  brilliant  work  the  Science 
of  Ventilation.  This  book  (two  volumes) 
is  a  summary  of  years  of  original  work  by 
the  author  and  his  associates,  both  on  theory 
and  on  actual  experiments.  It  leaves 
out  some  of  the  more  abstruse  theoretical 
considerations  dealt  with  in  the  original 
papers,  and  evolves  clearly  the  author's 
theory  of  the  paramount  influence  of  velocity 
on  cooling  effect.  It  also  gives  details  of  his 
final  triumph,  the  production  of  a  cheap 
and  extremely  simple  instrument,  the 
kata-thermometer,  which  measures  directly 
the  actual  cooling  power  of  a  ventilating 
current  in  terms  of  calories,  or  of  B.T.U.s, 


2S-J 


Till".     MIXlNi;    MA(1\ZINK 


piT  unit  (if  ari'a  I'xposi'd.  ]iasi'd  on  siuii 
Mailings  it  is  jiossibli'  to  givo  a  sinipk- 
ili'tinition  n{  an  adocjuato  ventilation  cuni-nt 
in  a  manner  wliieh  admits  of  fully  saturated 
air  or  of  liigh  wet  bulb  temix'raturcs  quite 
inadmissible  in  still  air,  yet  makes  accurate 
allowance  for  the  compensating  effect  of  the 
velocity  of  the  air. 

This  mode  of  definition  rests  on  the  theory 
that  heat  stagnation  of  the  body  is  th<> 
prime  cause  of  the  discomforts  (headache, 
sickness,  faintncss,  etc.)  resulting  from  bad 
ventilation  and  that  movement  of  air  is  the 
surest  preventive  of  such  stagnation.  Many 
experiments  in  support  of  this  theory  are 
given  by.  Dr.  Leonard  Hill's  report  on 
"  Ventilation  and  the  Effect  of  Wind  " 
(see  Bibliography).  One  of  the  most 
important  of  these  (p.  15)  has  been  often 
quoted.  It  has  been  carried  out  by  eight 
different  investigators  (four  in  England  and 
four  in  Brcshm).  Seven  or  eight  students 
were  shut  in  an  air-tight  chamber  of  only 
three  cubic  metres  capacity  for  half  an  hour. 
In  this  chamber  the  air  could  be  moved  by 
fans  placed  in  the  roof  and  the  temperature 
and  humidity  could  be  varied  as  desired .  The 
CO.,  was  gradually  increased  to  about  4%, 
and  the  oxygen  lowered  to  about  19%, 
the  air  failing  to  support  the  combustion 
of  a  lighted  match.  The  wet  bulb 
temperature  rose  meanwhile  to  over  83°  F. 
W'ith  the  dry  bulb  it  was  a  degree  or  two 
higher.  The  discomfort  was  considerable, 
pulse  rate  high,  faces  flushed  and  moist, 
but  no  headaches.  Stirring  up  the  same 
stale  air  by  means  of  the  fans  gave  immediate 
relief.  The  pulse  rate  was  lowered  from 
f)7  per  minute  to  79,  though  no  fresh  air 
from  outside  was  admitted.  The  air  of  the 
chamber  breathed  by  other  students  outside 
caused  no  discomfort,  whereas  students 
inside  breathing  the  outside  air  before  the 
starting  of  the  fan  felt  no  relief.  This 
experiment  was  a  most  astonishing  refutation 
of  very  widely  acce]ncd  views  on  ventilation. 
Such  excess  of  COj,  diminution  of  oxygen, 
and  high  wet  bulb  temperature  were  each 
suppo.sed  to  cause  the  greatest  discomfort. 
So  they  did  until  the  fans  were  started  up. 
In  every  one  of  the  other  similar  experiments 
putting  on  the  fans  gave  great  relief. 
Moisture  and  warmth  chiefly  cause  the  dis- 
comfort and  incapability  for  work  associated 
with  a  so-called  "  vitiated  atmosphere  " 
when  the  air  is  still. 

The  first  effect  of  heat  stagnation  is  a  rise 
of  the  skin  temperature  of  the  individual  and 


.m  increase  of  pulM'  rate.  l-'<iil(i\\ing  this 
great  extra  work  is  thrown  on  the  heart  in  its 
endeavour  to  keep  the  body  cool  by  ])umping 
as  nuich  blood  as  possible  to  the  surface  of 
the  body.  This  extra  amount  of  work  ma>-, 
of  course,  be  so  great  as  lo  cause  death. 
.American  scientists  have  shown  lliat  llic 
velocity  of  blood-flow  in  the  arm  may  be 
increased  eight-fold  under  such  conditions, 
while  in  cool  air  it  may  fall  to  one-<|iiarter 
the  normal.  Hence  the  great  importance  of 
the  cooling  el'fict  of  an  air  curri'iit  is  apparent, 
particularly  wlicn  manual  work  is  being 
considered  and  the  lieart  is  already  working 
above  normal  load.  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  not 
onljf  clearly  demonstrated  this,  but  he  also 
showed  that  the  ordinary  thermometer,  eitlier 
wet  or  dry,  does  not  show  the  cooling  eff(>ct 
or  heat  loss,  but  only  its  own  temperature. 

While  the  thermometer  is  a  static  instru- 
ment the  human  body  is  a  dj'namic  structure 
continually  producing  and  losing  heat.  For 
example,  on  a  calm  or  on  a  windy  day  the 
wet  or  dry  bulb  theimometer  readings  may 
be  approximately  the  same.  They  may  be 
most  mi.sleading  as  to  the  conducivenesS  of 
such  conditions  to  efficient  metabolism,  and 
they  give  no  indication  of  the  bracing  effects 
so  familiar,  for  instance,  on  a  breezy  day  at 
the  seaside.  A  kata-thermomcter,  on  the 
other  hand,  will  give  quite  different  readings 
under  such  sets  of  circumstances  and  will 
show  clearly  in  which  case  the  cooling  power 
is  greater  and  how  great  it  is.  The  same 
applies  to  two  ventilating  currents  of  different 
humidity  and  velocity.  Similarly  in  the  case 
of  men  working  in  proximity  to  machinery, 
wet  or  dry  bulb  thermometer  readings  give 
no  indication  of  the  cooling  effect  due  to  the 
motion  of  the  air  around  the  machines.  This 
may  be  quite  appreciable  and  its  effect  is  at 
once  shown  quantitatively  by  the  kata- 
thermometcr. 

As  already  mentioned  other  experiments 
carried  out  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  showed  that 
not  only  is  the  utility  of  wet  and  dry  bulb 
readings  often  over-estimated,  but  that  the 
old  ideas  about  excess  of  CO..  and  deficiency 
of  oxygen  can  be  dismissed.  The  prime 
stimulant  to  bodily  metabolism  is  cool  skin 
temperature  which  is  best  obtained  by  the 
motion  of  air  of  suitable  temperature  and 
pref^-ably,  though  not  of  necessity,  fairly 
dry. 

Evaporation  from  the  respiratory  tract  also 
has  a  considerable  cooling  effect  on  the  body 
when  the  air  is  dry,  but  is  not,  of  course, 
much  afifectcd  by  external  motion  of  the  air. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


283 


It  is  also  open  to  argument  whether  warm 
air  in  motion  has  the  same  effect  on  health 
as  cool  still  air  giving  the  same  kata  reading, 
The  mysterious  secondary  effects  of  warming 
or  cooling  the  body  by  radiation  instead  of 
by  conduction  are  little  understood.  Some 
people  certainly  seem  to  derive  increased 
energy  from  the  sunshine  without  increased 
food,  but  sunshine  does  not  concern  the 
average  miner,  although  one  has  heard  of 
patent  foods  which  claim  to  almost  make  the 
prospector  live  on  sunshine,  so  small  is  the 
amount  of  the  food  supposed  to  be  necessary 
for  a  meal.  Perhaps  such  foods,  together  with 
the  stimulus  of  "  the  joys  of  anticipation," 
turn  the  prospector  into  a  species  of  solar 
heat  engine  instead  !  The  effects  on  health  of 
saturated  air  are  merely  mentioned  to  show- 
that  adequate  ventilation  is  not  nearly  such 
a  simple  subject  as  it  seems  when  one 
reads  the  works'  of  any  of  our  leading 
authorities,  but  not  the  work  of  his 
opponents. 

When  we  come  to  the  question  of  testing 
the  degree  of  ventilation  according  to  any 
predetermined  standard  of  adequate  ventila- 
tion we  are  on  much  firmer  ground. 

Testing  Degree  of  Ventil.\tiom. — 
Although  the  chemical  theory  of  ventilation 
is  incorrect  in  so  far  as  it  concerns  impoverish- 
ment of  oxygen  and  the  harmful  effects  of 
small  excess  of  CO-2  above  the  normal 
amount  found  in  our  atmosphere  (0-03%  or 
three  parts  in  10,000),  chemical  tests  are 
useful  to  indicate  the  degree  of  ventilation, 
particularly  where  CO  may  be  generated  by 
the  use  of  large  quantities  of  explosives. 
Carbon  monoxide  (white  damp)  is  a  very 
dangerous  poison  with  a  cumulative  effect  ; 
0-1%  will  quickly  render  a  man  incapable  of 
walking,  while  0-04%  will  produce  the  same 
result  but  more  slowly.  Chemical  tests  are 
stUl  insisted  on  in  many  countries  and  are 
troublesome  on  metal  mines  where  no 
chemist  is  employed.  Carbon  monoxide  is 
particularly  difficult  to  determine  accurately. 
Vogel's  blood  test  is  often  recommended  but 
it  is  only  approximate.  It  is  hardly  suitable 
for  use  in  a  mine.  It  depends  on  the  simple 
fact  that  ordinary  blood  diluted  with  200 
times  its  volume  of  water  gives  a  yellowish 
red  solution  which  turns  pink  with  CO.  Any 
such  pink  solution  obtained  is  compared  with 
standard  colour  solutions  made  up  from  the 
blood  of  mice  poisoned  with  CO.  The 
colouration  of  palladium  chloride  by  CO  has 
been  suggested,  but  it  it  unreliable,  as  other 
organic  substances  give  the  colours  with  this 
5—4 


salt.  The  best  method  is  a  combination  of 
the  palladium  chloride  and  iodine  pentoxide 
methods.  This  gives  accurate  results  but 
requires  expensive  apparatus  and  con- 
siderable analytical  skill,  and  is  therefore  best 
not  attempted  on  a  small  mine. 

Carbon  dioxide,  on  the  other  hand,  can  be 
accurately  determined  fairly  readily  on  a 
mine.  As  big  a  sample  as  possible  should  be 
taken,  its  temperature  and  pressure,  of  course, 
being  noted.  Large  glass  bottles  of  known 
volume  and  a  pair  of  bellows  with  a  sufficient 
length  of  rubber  tube  to  reach  to  the  bottom 
of  the  bottles  may  be  used.  Rubber  stoppers 
are  required  and  particular  care  must  be 
taken  to  keep  the  bottles  dry  and  clean  inside. 
A  sample  having  been  taken,  a  known  volume 
of  potassium  hydrate  solution  is  suitably 
introduced  and  the  bottle  well  shaken,  then 
washed  out.  The  potassium  carbonate 
formed  is  determined  by  titration  with  a 
standard  solution  of  oxalic  acid  which  shows 
the  amount  of  free  potassium  hydrate  left. 
Lime  water  may  be  used  instead  of  caustic 
potash.  The  calcium  carbonate  is  estimated 
by  titrating  back  with  oxalic  acid,  using 
phenol-phthalein  as  an  indicator. 

Humidity  on  a  mine  is  never  determined 
by  analytical  methods.  Advantage  is  taken 
of  published  tables  by  which  the  humidity 
can  be  calculated  from  the  observed  difference 
in  the  temperature  shown  by  an  ordinary  or 
dry  bulb  mercury  thermometer,  and  by 
one  whose  bulb  is  surrounded  by  a  piece  of 
cotton  or  silk  material  which  is  kept  moist. 
The  dryer  the  air  at  a  given  temperature 
the  more  rapidly  will  moisture  evaporate 
in  it,  because  the  greater  will  be  the  cooling 
effect  of  the  air  on  the  wet  bulb  thermometer. 
If  the  air  were  saturated  with  moisture  there 
would  be  no  evaporation  from  the  moist 
material ;  the  wet  and  dry  bulb  thermometers 
would  therefore  then  give  the  same  reading. 
A  pair  of  thermometers  arranged  for  the 
convenient  taking  of  such  readings  is  often 
called  an  hygrometer,  or,  more  descriptivelj^ 
"  a  wet  and  dr}^  bulb  thermometer." 

The  simplest  forms  of  hygrometer  are 
liable  to  errors  due  to  the  accelerating 
effect  of  air  currents  on  evaporation.  The 
best  method  of  ensuring  accurate  readings  is 
to  ensure  a  rapid  circulation  of  the  air 
about  the  hygrometer.  In  practice  it  is 
simpler  to  circulate  the  instrument.  A 
form  of  whirling  hygrometer  (Fig.  5  overleaf) 
is  described  thus  in  the  third  report  of  the 
Committee  on  Hot  and  Deep  Mines.  Two 
accurate  mercury  thermometers,  from  6  to 


281 


nil':    MIX  INT.    MAGAZINE 


G.\  in.  long,  and  witli  narrow  loni,'  bulbs, 
arc  set  in  a  woodi-n  frame.  They  are  fixed 
in  grooves  on  cork  pads  with  seccotine,  and 
further  secured  by  two  metal  bars  set  flush 
with  the  face  of  the  frame.  For  most  of 
the  length  of  the  thermometers  the  groove 
is  cut  right  through  the  wood,  so  that  the 
thermometers  can  be  read  by  holding  them 
against  the  light.  An  oval  hole  is  cut  in  the 
frame  of  the  bulb  of  the  dry  thermometer. 
A  glass  reservoir  for  water  is  fixed  at  the 
bottom  of  the  frame.  Above  the  neck  of  the 
reservoir  the  frame  is  cut  away  round  the 


<^ 


u 


C 


Fig. 


-\\hiri.ing   Hygrometer. 


bulb  of  the  wet  thermometer.  This  bulb 
is  kept  moist  by  a  slip  of  muslin,  which  dips 
into  the  reservoir.  At  the  top  of  the  frame 
two  pieces  of  metal  are  let  into  the  side,  and 
where  they  project  at  the  top  they  are  bored 
to  lake  a  spindle.  The  spindle  and  its 
wooden  handle  are  secured  by  milled  nuts,  so 
that  by  a  movement  of  the  wrist  a  whirling 
motion  can  be  given  to  the  frame.  The  frame 
is  carried  in  a  tin  case,  which  has  a  lid  at 
itr  top.  The  lid  is  secured  over  the  spindle 
with  the  handle  projecting  at  the  side.  The 
length  from  the  spindle  to  the  centre  of  the 
bulbs  of  the  thermometers  is  about  6  in. 
The  hygrometer  may  be  easUy  whirled  at 
200  revolutions  per  minute,  and  the  air 
then  passes  over  the  bulbs  at  the  rate  of 
over  600  ft.  per  minute.  The  prismatic 
type  of  thermometer  has  been  found  easy 
to  read  under  all  conditions,  and  from  40° 
to  110°  F.  has  been  found  the  most  useful 
range  for  underground  work.     For  surface 


readings    tin  rniuiiuUrs    reading    to    below 
freezing-])oint  are,  of  course,  necessary. 

'fhc  above  hygrometer  is  given  as  a  very 
suitable  one  for  mine  work,  though  many 
other  forms  have  been  used.  Some  were 
shown  by  Dr.  Ezer  Griffiths  at  the  Royal 
Society  soiree  in  May  this  year,  but  did 
not  appear  suitable  for  mine  work. 

The  method  of  expressing  the  results 
obtained  has  been  the  subject  of  some  dis- 
cussion. For  general  purposes  of  checking 
the  ventilation  of  a  mine  it  has  been  agreeil 
to  use  grains  of  moisture  per  cubic  foot 
rather  than  the  wet  bulb  temperature,  or 
grains  per  lb.  for  absolute  or  relative  humidity 
or  moisture.  But  in  considering  the  variations 
in  humidity  throughout  a  mine  "  grains  per 
cu.  ft. "is  not  a  sufficient  definition,  for  a  given 
quantity  of  air  naturally  varies  very  greatly 
in  temperature  and  pressure,  and  therefore 
in  volume  as  it  passes  through  a  mine.  For 
example,  a  cubic  foot  of  air  in  a  hot  working 
place  may  be  a  very  different  amount  from  a 
cubic  foot  of  air  at  the  intake  of  the  fan  at 
the  surface,  or  it  may  not  be.  This  will 
depend  on  the  compensating  effects  of  the 
temperature  and  pressure  to  be  considered, 
that  is,  on  the  depth  of  the  mine,  on  the 
barometric  pressure  on  the  day  of 
observation,  and  on  the  surface  and  under- 
ground temperatures,  etc.  Hence  records 
of  humidity  as  the  actual  moisture  content 
in  grains  per  foot  in  different  places  may,  like 
some  pleasures,  have  the  doubtful  virtue  of 
reality,  but  otherwise  be  very  unprofitable. 

The  following  table  from  Dr.  Hill's 
Science  of  Veniilalion  (part  i,  page  98)  gives 
the  maximum  capacity  of  air  at  different 
temperatures  for  holding  water  vapour. 
It  will  be  noted  that  this  capacity  increases 
rapidly  with  increase  of  temperature  : — 


Temperat 

jre 

Maxi 

mum  weight 

of  air 

of  water  in  s;rains 

Degrees 

F. 

per 

cubic  foot. 

.30 

1-94 

41) 

2-8.S 

5(1 

4-08 

60 

.S-7.S 

70 

7-98 

80 

10-9 

90 

14-7 

100 

19-7 

"  Relative  humidity  "  is  the  term  given 
to  the  ratio  of  the  weight  of  water  vapour 
contained  in  a  given  volume  of  air  to 
the  weight  which  this  same  volume  would 
contain  when  fully  saturated  at  the  same 
temperature.  It  is  expressed  as  a  percentage. 
From  the  above  table  it  will  be  seen  that 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


285 


when  the  relative  humidity  is  low  and  the 
temperature  warm  the  capacity  of  the  air 
for  water  is  great ;  therefore  if  in  motion  its 
effect  on  perspiration  is  great.  It  will  be 
found  that  in  all  the  best  work  humidity 
is  expressed  in  grains  of  moisture  per  cubic 
foot  reduced  to  normal  temperature  and 
pressure  throughout,  that  is,  moisture  in  a 
given  mass  of  air,  not  a  given  volume,  is 
recorded  when  results  are  plotted  ;  thus  a 
chart  is  obtained  which  shows  the  amount  of 
moisture  the  air  takes  up  in  passing  from 
place  to  place  in  the  mines,  and  also  gives 
the  absolute  humidity  at  any  place  (Fig.  6) . 


about  his  bare  arms  as  he  works  in  a  dead 
end  where  compressed  air  and  not  velocity 
may  supply  most  of  the  all-important 
cooling  effect.  This  latter  class  of  case  is  of 
much  practical  importance,  and  together 
with  the  whole  question  of  the  effect  of 
clothing  can  be  dealt  with  but  poorly  by 
means  of  the  hydrometer.  Moreover,  even 
in  simple  cases,  it  is  often  very  difficult, 
particularly  with  slow  air  currents,  to 
calculate  the  contributory  cooling  effect 
of  velocity  when  given  it  and  the  hydrometer 
readings.  Some  writers  appear  to  have 
applied   the   mediaeval  principle  of  circum- 


GRAINS    OF    MOISTURE 
PER     CUBIC     FOOT 


,  '-J"!"' 


•?-i-rt-t 


j^-^^ 


;H- 


f-T2=irr 


^r 


.^ 


-y-f= 


■a 


.^^ 


FACE 
RETUfi 


■%—■ 


■^rs^ 


IB  13 


1.  SURFACE. 

2.  PIT-BQTTOM. 

INTAKE  — 
a;     NO.    12    MANHOLE 
4.     1ST    SLIT. 
6.    SRO    SLIT. 

6.  6TH    SLIT. 

7.  7TH    SLIT. 

8.  9TH    SLIT. 

9.  HTM    SLIT. 

10.  60  YARDS    FROM    FACE. 

FACE— 

11.  BY    TRAVELLING-ROAD    GATE. 

12.  BY    SECOND   WGRKING    CROSS-GATE 

RETURN- 
18.    50  YARDS    PROM    FACE. 

14.    BEYOND    FIRST   WORKING    CROSS-GATE. 
18.    BY    1ST   SLIT. 

16.  AT   CROSS    ROADS. 

17.  BEYOND    LAST   SLIT  TO   TRAVELLING-ROAD. 

18.  BEYOND    JUNCTION    OF    RETURN    SPLITS- 
IB.    MOUTHING.    NO.  2   SHAFT. 

DEPTH  OF  SHAFT.    625   YARDS 

INTAKE.    FACE.    AND    RETURN    AT 

APPROXIMATELY    SAME    LEVEL. 


/,ffl/ff         ZjOOO        J,BQO       4;000  £,000       6^000  Y/^PPS 

DISTANCE    FROM    SURFACE 

Fig.  6. — Curves  of  Humidity  on  a  I,evel 


This  is  a  special  advantage  because  absolute 
humidity  has  a  particular  physiological 
significance.  Such  a  chart  combined  with  a 
temperature  chart  will  show  the  loss  of 
cooling  power  of  the  air  as  it  travels  through 
the  workings  provided  the  air  is  circulated 
through  them  at  constant  velocity.  As  this 
is  never  possible,  and,  moreover,  as  the 
velocity  has  such  a  preponderant  influence 
on  cooling  power,  its  variations  must  be 
measured  and  allowed  for. 

Velocity  is  generally  measured  by  means 
of  some  form  of  vane-driven  anemometer, 
which  has  been  previously  calibrated  in 
air  currents  of  known  velocities.  These 
instruments  are  quite  satisfactory  for  main 
levels,  but  give  poor  resulis  with  very  low 
velocities,  still  worse  ones  with  eddy  currents, 
and  none  at  all  with  such  alternating  air 
currents  as  traverse  the  skin  of  a  working 
miner's   body   under  his   shirt   or   circulate 


venting  the  pure  concept.  The  effects  of 
velocity  have  been  ignored  and  humidity 
set  up  in  its  place  as  the  all-important  factor 
in  cooling  effect,  although,  to  quote  Mr.  H.  S. 
Ireland,  "  it  is  almost  impossible  in  connexion 
with  work  in  mines  to  overstate  the 
importance  of  movement  in  the  air." 

All  temptation  for  engineers  to  accept  a 
simple  faith  in  humidity  has  been  taken 
away  by  the  invention  and  perfection  by 
Dr.  Leonard  HiU  of  that  most  convenient  of 
instruments,  the  kata-thermometer.  This 
invention  is  particularly  opportune,  coming 
as  it  does  at  the  very  time  when  the  problem 
of  deep  metal  mining  is  forcing  itself  upon 
the  attention  of  many  engineers. 

The  kata-thermometer  is  a  special 
instrument  which  measures  directly  the 
actual  combined  cooling  effect  on  a  surface 
of  an  air-current  of  given  velocity, 
temperature,  and  humidity  ;    and  also  gives 


2  so 


111      MINING     MAC.AZINE 


the  cooling  effect  due  to  radiation,  con- 
vection, and  evaporation,  without  tiie  use 
of  anemometers  and  wet  and  dry  bulb 
thermometers  or  other  hygrometers.  It 
not  only  gives  a  single  correctly  integrated 
and  ]X'rfectly  intelligible  figure,  but  it  can  be 
applied  to  eddy  currents,  low  velocities, 
and  even  to  still  air.  It  is  so  compact  that 
it  can  be  readily  carried  in  tlie  pocket  and 


Fig. 


-Kata-thermomeier. 


can  easily  be  used  for  taking  observations 
next  the  skin  underneath  a  man's  clothing. 
It  weighs  less  and  costs  less  than  any 
reliable  anemometer  or  hygrometer,  and, 
above  all,  is  extremely  simple  to  manipulate 
and  easy  to  read  in  a  poor  light. 

Also  it  is  extremely  simply  constructed  in 
a  single  piece,  with  no  moving  parts  to  get 
out  of  adjustment.  In  fact,  it  has  been 
so  perfected  and  so  simplified  that  there 
almost  appears  to  be  nothing  in  it  to  write 
about.     A   glance   at   the  history  of  other 


experimenters'  failures  and  a  day  or  two 
digesting  Dr.  Hill's  .'ill  pages  of  The  Science 
of  Venlilalion,  will  soon  convince  the  reader 
of  the  enormous  mass  of  work  which  went  to 
])roduce  this  triumph  of  apjilied  tlu'ory. 
The  theor\'  itself  is  given  in  several  papers 
before  the  Royal  Society  (see  Bibliography), 
and  is  far  from  simple,  so  may  be  omitted 
here,  but  a  description  of  the  instrument 
(Fig.  7)  is  of  more  general  interest. 

It  consists  essentially  of  a  large-bulbed 
alcohol  thermometer  designed  for  the  ready 
measurement  of  its  own  rate  of  cooling 
from  100°  F.  to  95°  F.  This  range  of 
temperature  is  chosen  to  give  a  mean  of 
97-5"  F.  (36-5°  C),  which  is  approximately 
that  of  the  clothed  body  surface.  A 
bulb  about  4  cm.  in  length  and  2  cm.  in 
diameter  of  known  area,  with  a  stem  20  cm. 
long  has  been  found  to  give  a  sufficient 
time-interval  for  accurate  observation  so 
long  as  the  temperature  of  the  air  is  below 
90°  F.  or  over  105°  F.  The  top  of  the  stem 
terminates  in  a  small  reservoir,  which  gives  a 
margin  for  overheating  the  instrument 
without  bursting  the  bulb  and  also  allows 
the  cooling  to  settle  down  to  a  steady  rate 
before  the  100°  mark  is  reached.  A  thin 
muslin  finger  stall  is  supplied  with  each 
instrument  so  that  either  dry  or  ordinary 
wet  kata  readings  can  be  taken. 

The  dry  kata  reading  gives  the  cooling 
power  by  radiation  and  convection,  while 
the  wet  kata  gives  the  cooling  power  by 
radiation,  convection,  and  evaporation,  that 
is,  the  total  cooling  power  of  the  ventilating 
current.  The  dry  kata  reading  is  sometimes 
used  for  quite  a  different  purpose,  namely, 
to  measure  the  velocity  of  air  currents  when 
they  arc  moving  very  slowly. 

(  To  be  totuludcd. ) 


Commercial  Motors. — The  fifth  Inter- 
national Commercial  Motor  Exhibition  was 
held  at  Olympia,  London,  from  October  14  to 
22.  A  large  number  of  motors  were  on  show 
that  are  applicable  for  haulage  to  and  from 
mines,  and  there  were  also  many  tipping  motors 
that  are  in  demand  among  mining  men. 
Among  the  makers  may  be  mentioned  the 
following :  The  Daimler  Company,  Ltd., 
Ransome,  Sims,  &  Jefferies,  Ltd.,  Walker 
Brothers  (Wigan),  Ltd.,  Leyland  Motors,  Ltd., 
Fodens,  Ltd.  ,Tilling-Stevens  Motors,  Ltd.,  The 
Maudslay  Motor  Co.,  Ltd.,  John  I.  Thorny- 
croft  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Karrier  Motors,  Ltd., 
The  Sentinel  Waggon  Works,  Ltd.,  and 
Sheffield  Simplex,  Ltd. 


A     HISTORY    OF    MINING     IN    CHILE 


By  F.  BENITEZ,  A.R.S.M.,  D.l.C,  Assoc.Inst.M.M. 


Introduction. — Mining  is  intimately  con- 
nected with  the  settlement,  development, 
and  even  with  the  discovery  of  all  that 
portion  of  the  American  continent  colonized 
by  the  Spaniards.  Unlike  that  heroic  band 
of  Pilgrim  Fathers,  who  sought  refuge  in 
New  England  to  escape  religious  persecutions 
and  to  be  able  to  follow  in  peace  the  same 
callings  and  occupations  as  of  old,  the  no  less 
heroic  Spanish  adventurers  who  came  to 
America  did  so  with  the  hope  of  quickh' 
bettering  their  fortunes  in  order  to  return 
to  Spain  to  lead  a  life  of  ease  and  luxury, 
or  were  simply  led  there  by  a  spirit  of 
adventure.  Greater  contrast  cannot  be 
imagined  than  that  existing  between  the 
Spanish  Argonauts  and  the  English  Puritans. 
Comparing  Pizarro  and  Cortez,  Valdivia 
and  Almagro,  Ojeda  and  Mendez  with 
Brewster,  Bradford,  Carver,  and  even 
Standish,  we  find  nothing  in  common  in 
both  types  except  the  same  dauntless  energy, 
grim  determination,  and  iinahty  of  purpose. 
There  the  resemblance  ends.  The  Spaniards 
were  primarily  men  of  war,  soldiers  of  fortune 
first  and  last,  seekers  after  something  more 
solid  than  all  the  glory  won  in  France, 
Italy,  and  Flanders.  The  Enghshmen,  deeply 
righteous  and  men  of  peace,  emigrated  in 
search  of  religious  freedom,  the  thing  above 
all  others  that  they  sought.  It  is  well  to 
bring  out  the  great  difference  between  the 
two  types  of  men  who  were  the  progenitors 
of  the  two  great  races  of  the  American 
continent,  because  in  them  we  shall  find 
not  only  the  reason  of  the  great  contrast 
which  the  slow  and  peaceful  settlement  and 
growth  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
offer  to  the  imperfect  and  turbulent  develop- 
ment of  the  Spanish-American  republics, 
but  also  the  key  to  some  of  the  differences 
in  the  psychology  of  the  two  races. 

The  foremost  thought  of  the  early  Spanish 
adventurers  who  came  to  the  New  Continent, 
which  they  imagined  to  be  India  and  the 
islands  of  Japan,  was  to  become  rich  quickly 
in  order  to  return  to  the  Peninsula.  The  idea 
of  settling  in  the  New  World  never  entered 
their  minds,  and  as  agriculture — the  only 
other  possible  occupation  in  a  new  country — 
was  too  slow  and  unrcmunerative  an  under- 
taking for  their  adventurous  and  fickle 
nature,  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  greater 
number  turned  to  mining  as  the  most  rapid 


means    of    acquiring    wealth.      The    great 
quantities  of  gold,  precious  stones,  and  silver 
which  the  Incas  of  Peru  had  accumulated  in 
their  temples  and  palaces,  perhaps  through 
centuries  of  hard  toil,  fired  their  imagination, 
and    a    most    active    and    thorough    search 
for  the  source  of  the  precious  metals  took 
place.    The  story  of  their  adventures  makes 
most  wonderful  reading,  and  for  a  record  of 
mad  audacity,  unbounded  faith,  and  heroic 
courage  it  has  no  equal  in  history.     On  the 
other    hand,    the    Puritans    came    to    New 
England   accompanied  by  their  wives   and 
families.     Their  wish  was  to  settle  quickly 
and  to  form  a  colony  as  soon  as  a  suitable 
site  was  found.     Encumbered  as  they  were 
by  their  women  folk,   they  did  not  travel 
far,    nor    did    they    mix    with    the    native 
population.    The  result  was  that  for  centuries 
the  English  settlers  only  colonized  a  long  and 
narrow   strip   of    land   along     the   Atlantic 
coast  from  the  St.  Laurence  to  the  Savannah 
river,  and  the  rush  westward   came  a  long 
time  after  and  under  different   conditions. 
Very  different  from  this  was  the  colonization 
of    Spanish    America.      Most    of    the    early 
Spanish       soldier-miners       who       followed 
Columbus  were  young  and  unmarried.  Their 
dominating    desire    for    gold    was    for    ever 
compelling  them  to  hunt  for  that  mythical 
El  Dorado,  the  goal  of  their  ambitions,  and, 
as  a  consequence,  in  a  comparativeh'  short 
space  of  time,  little  more  than  a  century, 
they  had  explored  the  greater  part  of  the 
American  continent,  from  Northern  Mexico 
to  Cape  Horn,  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific  coast.    When  tired  and  disappointed 
in  their  search,  they  would  rest  awhile  until 
the  gold  fever  would  take  hold  of  their  souls 
again,   and  their  peregrinations  would  start 
once  more.     We  see,   as  an  example,   that 
many  of  the  soldiers  who  came  with  Valdivia 
for  the  conquest  of  Chile  had  served  with 
Cortez  in    Mexico,   under  Pizarro  in  Peru, 
besides  having  fought  in  Central  America. 
The  Spaniards  married  freely  Indian  women, 
and  the  result  was  a  mixed  race,  Spanish  on 
the  father's  side,   Indian  on  the  mother's. 
Spanish  women  did  not   come  to  America 
in  large  numbers  until  a  great  many  years 
after  the  conquest  was  ended  ;    for  in  those 
early  days  ships  were  scarce  and  small  and 
the  space  available  was  far  too  valuable  to 
waste  on  women  when  men  and  horses,  cattle 


287 


288 


Till      MlNi\(;    MAGAZINE 


and  plants  were  so  badly  needed  to  carry  to 
completion  tlie  forniidalilo  enterprise  Spain 
had  so  lii^htly  and  i!:;norantly  undertaken. 

Another  inijiortant  fact  must  be  taken  into 
consideration  when  linding  reasons  for  the 
great  differences  in  the  development  of 
English  and  Spanish  America.  The  English 
colonists,  as  has  already  been  said,  were 
primarily  farmers.  Agriculture  binds  the 
man  wh.o  cultivates  the  soil  to  his  land,  and 
he  becomes  part  and  parcel  of  it.  He  takes 
root  in  his  ground,  as  it  were,  much  as  the 
trees  and  the  corn  that  he  plants  do  ;  he 
learns  to  love  it,  and  in  the  end  passes  it  on 
to  his  sons,  and  these,  in  their  turn,  to  theirs. 
The  United  States  was  first  a  farming 
country,  then  an  industrial  one,  and  lastly 
mining  developed.  Mining  is  a  permanent 
industry  in  a  particular  place  or  district 
while  the  mines  continue  to  pay.  When  the 
deposits  arc  worked  out  or  become 
impoverished  so  that  the}^  cannot  any  longer 
be  mined  at  a  profit  the  population  tliat 
lived  on  the  mines  moves  elsewhere  and  the 
mining  camp  becomes  deserted.  Some  of  the 
first  Spanish  settlements  were  mining  camps. 
Therefore  they  were  not,  they  could  not, 
be  permanent. 

Gold. — The  early  inhabitants  of  Chile, 
or  "  mapuchcs,"  lived  in  the  Stone  Age,  until 
conquered  by  the  Incas  of  Peru  at  the 
beginning  of  the  fifteenth  century,  from 
whom  they  learned  the  art  of  mining,  ^^'hen 
the  Spaniards  Almagro  and  Valdivia  travelled 
southward  from  Peru  into  Chile  they  did  so 
in  the  hope  of  finding  great  abundance  of 
the  precious  metals,  being  misled  by  the 
wonderful  tales  the  Peruv'ian  Indians  told 
them  about  the  great  wealth  of  gold  Chile 
contained.  They  were  disappointed  in  their 
hopes  of  finding  much  gold  in  Chile,  for,  as 
it  is  well-known,  Chile  is  not  rich  in  the 
yellow  metal.  Only  placer  deposits  wero 
exploited  in  those  days,  the  first  being  that 
of  Marga-Marga  near  Valparaiso.  This  kind 
of  mining  increased  greatly  in  the  second 
half  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  it  is 
calculated  that  in  those  fifty  years  more  than 
72,000  kilograms  of  gold  were  recovered. 
The  system  of  working  the  deposits  was 
extremely  crude  and  very  cheap,  as  all  the 
work  was  done  by  Indian  slaves,  who  received 
no  payment  and  only  the  barest  means  of 
subsistence  from  their  masters.  The  risings 
of  the  Araucanian  Indians  during  the  whole 
of  the  seventeenth  century  compelled  the 
Spaniards  to  exchange  the  pick  for  the  sword, 
and  as  a  consequence  the  production  of  gold 


decreased  lo  aboul  lialf  that  of  thr  jui'vious 
century.  In  the  liiilitecnih  century  tin  re  was 
a  renaissance  of  gold  mining  in  Chile,  brought 
about  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  vein 
deposits.  No  extensive  goldfield  was  found, 
but  many  rich  lodes  were  worked  througiiout 
the  whole  length  of  Chile,  from  Itata  to  the 
Atacama  desert.  The  average  production 
of  gold  is  estimated  to  have  reached  about 
1,000  kilograms  per  year  in  the  first  ninety 
years  of  the  eighteenth  century.  This 
figure  rose  to  2,000  kilograms  ])er  j-ear  in 
the  last  ten  years  of  the  eighleeuth  and  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  but  this 
last  figure  repres(>nts  the  high-water  mark 
in  gold  production  in  Chile. 

The  causes  which  have  contributed  to  the 
decadence  of  gold  mining  in  Chile  have  been 
many.  Chile,  as  has  already  been  said, 
has  never  been  rich  in  gold,  ;ind  although 
its  occurrence  is  widespread  througiiout  the 
country,  the  ores  are  of  low  grade  and  the 
deposits  of  limited  extent.  So  far  no  gold- 
field  worthy  of  the  name  has  been  foimd  in 
Chile.  The  great  impetus  which  gold  mining 
received  under  Spanish  rule  was  due 
primarily  to  the  active  search  made  for  the 
precious  metal  by  the  Spaniards  to  whom 
all  other  things  were  practically  of  no  value. 
This  is  proved  by  the  fact  that  under  the 
Spanish  regime  more  gold  was  produced 
than  has  been  recovered  since.  Free  labour 
in  the  form  of  Indian  slaves,  and  tlie 
rudimentary  and  cheap  methods  of 
exploitation  used  were  also  contributory 
causes  to  active  production  in  the  early  days. 
Thus  the  gold-placers  and  the  richest  and 
most  accessible  vein  deposits  were  worked 
out  first.  Later  the  struggle  for  independence 
coupled  with  the  unsettled  state  of  the 
country  caused  a  reduction  in  output.  Lastly 
the  growth  of  trade  with  foreign  countries, 
a  direct  result  of  the  declaration  of 
independence  and  free  trade,  directed  the 
mining  activities  of  the  country  to  copper 
and  the  nitrate  fields. 

Silver. — Although  more  plentifully  found 
in  Chile  than  gold,  the  Spaniards  gave  very 
little  attention  to  silver,  w-hich  being  devoid 
of  value  to  them  as  a  medium  of  exchangi 
was  not  so  necessary  to  them  as  gold.  More- 
over, silver  is  not  found  in  placer  deposits, 
but  in  veins,  and  as  vein  mining  presented 
to  the  Spaniards,  lacking  as  they  did  even 
the  most  rudimentary  equipment,  an  under- 
taking far  more  difficult  of  solution  than  the 
simple  washing  of  river  gravels  carr3ang 
detrital  gold,   it   is   not    surprising   to  find 


I 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


289 


that  silver  received  no  serious  attention 
under  Spanish  rule.  Even  supposing  that  the 
difficulties  of  mining  the  silver  ores  had  been 
surmounted  satisfactorily,  the  Spaniards 
would  have  been  faced  by  a  still  more 
unsolvable  problem  in  most  of  the  mines, 
namely  the  successful  metallurgical 
separation  of  the  silver  from  the  elements 
combined  with  it.  The  chief  silver  minerals 
found  in  Chile  are  proustite,  pyrargyrite, 
and  cerargyrite,  though  native  silver  has 
been  found  in  great  quantities  occurring 
in  veins  in  limestone. 

The  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century 
marks  the  serious  commencement  of  silver 
mining  in  Chile,  though  in  those  early  days 
a  few  unimportant  deposits  were  worked 
in  the  provinces  of  Santiago  and  Aconcagua 
in  Central  Chile.  Towards  the  end  of  the 
eighteenth  century  the  very  important 
deposits  of  the  department  of  Copiapo  in 
the  province  of  Atacama  began  to  yield  their 
rich  ores,  but  the  great  epoch  of  silver 
mining  in  Chile  does  not  correspond  to  the 
colonial  regime,  but  coincides  with  the 
declaration  of  independence  in  the  nineteenth 
century.  Many  were  the  rich  silver  mines 
discovered  in  Chile  during  the  nineteenth 
century.  That  of  Agua  Araarga  in  Vallenar 
was  the  first  to  be  worked.  Then  followed 
that  of  Arqueros  in  Coquimbo,  and  the 
famous  Chaiiarcillo  and  Tres  Puntas  in  the 
department  of  Copiapo.  Another  famous 
group  of  mines  were  those  of  Huantaiaya, 
near  Iquique.  Caracoles  (1870)  was  another 
famous  silver  district  situated  in  the  province 
of  Antofogasta.  The  Condes  mines  near 
Santiago,  now  worked  for  copper,  yielded 
considerable  quantities  of  gold  and  silver 
from  the  upper  levels.  Of  these  mines  the 
most  famous  and  rich  were  those  of 
Chanarcillo,  which  from  18.32  to  1859 
produced  S60,UU0,000  worth  of  silver.  The 
Huantaiaya  mines  produced  §22,000,000 
of  silver. 

The  value  of  the  production  has,  like  that  of 
gold,  decreased  considerably,  and  silver  mining 
to-day  is  only  a  shadow  of  what  it  was, 
especially  in  the  second  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  when  between  100,000  and 
200,000  kilograms  of  silver  were  produced 
annually.  In  the  present  centmy  the  annual 
production  has  never  reached  more  than 
70,000  kilograms  per  year  (1900  and 
1901).  The  silver  won  lately  has  come  from 
ores  other  than  silver,  especially  since  1916, 
when  out  of  47,500  kilograms  only  10,800 
were    derived    from    silver    mines    proper. 


The  following  table  gives  the  production  for 
the  vears  1907  to  1917  inclusive  : — 


From  Silver 

From  other 

Mines. 

ores. 

Total 

Year 

Kilograms 

Kilograms 

Kilograms 

1907    . 

.      15,542 

3,194 

18,736 

1908    . 

.     23,926 

19,643 

43,569 

1909    . 

.      13,511 

22,397 

35,907 

1910    . 

.      11,964 

22,994 

34,956 

1911     . 

.      11,122 

16,553 

27,675 

1912    . 

9,760 

20,418 

30,178 

1913    . 

.      11,744 

17,507 

29,252 

1914    . 

9,847 

17,598 

27,445 

1915    . 

8,712 

16,525 

25,238 

1916    . 

.      10.780 

36,660 

47,440 

1917    . 

.      10,533 

42,860 

53,393 

Undoubtedly  the  chief  causes  of  the  decline 
in  the  production  of  silver  is  due  to  the 
exhaustion  of  the  bonanzas  found  in  Northern 
Chile,  from  Coquimbo  (latitude  30°  S.)  to 
Iquique  (latitude  20°  S.)  in  the  last  century, 
and  to  the  fact  that  no  new  deposits  of  the 
importance  of  the  old  ones  have  been  dis- 
covered. In  several  districts  the  mines 
were  abandoned  on  leaching  a  depth  of 
500  ft.,  while  in  others  rich  ores  have 
persisted  to  depths  exceeding  1,000  ft. 
To  what  extent  the  mines  were  abandoned 
owing  to  impoverishment  in  depth,  faulty 
management,  or  lack  of  equipment,  is  a 
debatable  point ;  but  the  probabilities  are 
in  favour  of  the  last.  To  those  who  are  well 
acquainted  with  the  primeval  methods  of 
mine  exploitation  still  in  vogue  in  almost 
all  the  Chilean  mines,  where  no  modern 
machinery  is  used  and  no  systematic 
exploratory  and  development  work  is  carried 
out,  it  is  clear  that  only  the  very  rich  ores 
would  pay  to  mine  in  those  days.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  many  mining  engineers  well 
acquainted  with  the  country  that  man\'  of 
the  silver  mines  now  abandoned  and  full  of 
water  would  pay  good  dividends  if  properly 
equipped  and  scientifically  exploited.  Yet 
another  reason  for  the  decreased  production 
is  the  antiquated  method  employed  for 
extracting  the  silver,  namely  amalgamation, 
which  only  gives  a  poor  recovery. 
Cyanidation,  in  spite  of  its  general  application 
elsewhere,  has  yet  to  be  introduced  seriously 
in  Chile.  The  fall  in  the  price  of  silver  has 
been  also  a  contributory  cause  to  the  decline 
in  silver  mining  ;  for  whereas  in  the  second 
half  of  the  last  century,  the  great  epoch  of 
silver  mining  in  Chile,  the  metal  was  quoted 
in  London  around  five  shillings  per  ounce, 
since  1900  it  has  stood  at  about  two  shillings 
previous  to  the  recent  boomi. 

Copper. — For  much  of  the  information 
I  give  here  relating  to  the  histoiy  of  copper 


290 


Till-.    MINING    MAGAZINE 


mining  in  Chile,  I  am  indebted  to  a  most 
interesting  lecture  delivered  by  the  Chilean 
engineer,  Don  Santiago  Marin  Vicuna,  at 
the  National  Library  in  Santiago  dealing 
with  this  subject. 

According  tt)  two  old  Spanish  chroniclers, 
Marino  dc  Lobera  and  Garcilaso  de  la  Vega, 
copper  mining  was  carried  on  in  Chile 
during  the  domination  of  the  I'eruvian 
Incas,  who  extended  their  conquests  to 
northern  Chile  and  taught  their  rudimentary 
art  of  mining  to  their  less  civilized  neighbours, 
or  "  mapauches,"  as  the  aborigines  of  Chile 
called  themselves.  There  is  ample  evidence 
furnished  by  the  discovery  of  very  old 
workings  made  by  the  ancients,  where 
crude  w'ooden  tools  such  as  hammers,  shovels, 
and  gads,  leather  "  capachos  "  or  skin  bags, 
as  well  as  mummies  of  the  Indians  them- 
selves, have  been  found,  that  the  Indians 
mined  for  copper,  probably  in  the  native 
form,  which  they  utilized  for  domestic 
uses  and  for  arms ;  while  the  oxidized 
minerals,  which  are  of  such  abundant 
occurrence  in  the  north  were  used  in  the 
making  of  ornaments.  The  Spaniards, 
however,  paid  very  little  attention  to  copper, 
and  it  was  not  until  1600  that  they  started 
to  mine  for  it.  The  demand  for  copper  in 
Chile  arose  out  of  the  necessity  in  which  the 
Viceroy  of  Peru  found  himself  of  making 
guns  for  the  defence  of  El  Callao  and  other 
ports  in  his  jurisdiction  from  the 
depredations  of  English  corsairs  and  pirates, 
who  in  those  days  infested  the  coasts  of  the 
South  Pacific.  The  metal  was  found  to  be  of 
such  good  quaUty  that  a  demand  for  it 
came  from  Spain  itself  for  the  same  object. 
Though  since  1600  copper  was  mined  in 
Chile  uninterruptedly  the  industry  did  not 
reach  much  importance  until  after  the 
declaration  of  independence  which  opened 
to  Chile  the  markets  of  the  world.  In  those 
early  days  of  copper  mining  only  the  very 
rich  deposits  near  the  coast  were  exploited. 
Many  were  the  causes  which  contributed 
to  the  stagnation  of  the  copper  industry 
in  those  times.  The  means  of  transport 
were  very  inadequate ;  the  demand  for 
copper  was  not  great,  and  its  price  was  low  ; 
the  methods  of  exploitation  were  most 
rudimentary ;  and  last,  but  not  least, 
Spain  levied  a  tax  of  20%  on  all  exports, 
the  so-called  "  quintos  reales."  Strange 
as  it  may  appear  to-day,  copper  could  not 
be  exported  through  any  of  the  Chilean 
ports,  and  had  to  be  sent  either  to  Buenos 
Aires  via  the  Andes  and  Mendoza  on  mule- 


back  or  to  Callao  in  sailing-ships  in  order 
that  the  proper  authorities  might  control 
the  famous  "  quintos."  No  wonder,  then, 
that  under  such  conditions  co])per  mining 
could  ni)t  ]nos])er,  and  that  only  when  the 
declaration  of  indejiendence  brought  about 
the  elimination  of  such  ciiiidisli  and  ])elti- 
fogging  restrictions  could  the  industry  attain 
a  vigorous  and  healthy  development.  During 
the  first  two  centuries  of  copper  mining  in 
Chile,  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth,  the 
production  was  only  70,000  tons,  or  less  than 
a  year's  production  nowadays. 

Vicuna  Mackenna,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  of  Chilean  publicists,  writing 
on  the  growth  of  the  copper  industry, 
described  it  thus  :  "  Copper  was  born  in 
our  mountains  in  a  plebeian  cradle,  and 
thus  lived  for  nearlj'  three  centuries ;  then 
labour,  industry,  commerce,  and  science, 
together  with  liberty,  made  of  it  a  noble 
potentate." 

The  following  table  gives  the  copper 
production  of  Chile  up  to  1918,  in  metric 
tons. 


Years 
1600-1699 
1700-1799 
1800-1899 
1900-1918 


Total  output,  .\nnual  average. 

Tons  Tons 

4,600  .  46 

62,200  .  622 

1,764,680  .      17,646 

850,720  .     47,260 


Totals  .     2,682,000         .       8,434 

Production  from  1898  to  1917. 
Year  Tons       Year         Tons 

1898  .  26,341       1908  .    .  42,097 

1899  .    .  25,719      1909  .    .  42,726 

1900  .    .  27,715      1910  .    .  38,232 

1901  .    .  30,155      1911   .    .  36,420 

1902  .  27,066      1912  .    .  41,647 

1903  .    .  29,923      1913  .    .  42,263 

1904  .    .  31,025      1914   .    .  44,665 

1905  .  29,126      1915   .    .  52,341 

1906  .    .  25,829      1916   .    .  71,289 

1907  .    .  28,863      1917       .  102,527 

It  was  not  until  a  third  of  the  eighteenth 
century  had  elapsed  that  copper  mining 
reached  much  importance  in  the  country. 
The  struggle  for  independence  had  absorbed 
aU  the  energies  of  the  people,  and  the  severe 
taxation  imposed  to  furnish  the  necessary 
funds  for  the  army  and  navy  of  liberation 
had  left  the  nation  very  poor.  Labour  was 
scarce,  too,  for  all  the  manhood  of  the  country 
was  in  arms  against  Spain.  Though  Chile 
achieved  earlier  than  any  other  Latin- 
American  republic  a  stable  form  of  repre- 
sentative government,  and  though  the 
steadiness  of  her  political  institutions  from 
the  earliest  times  offer  to  the  world  the 
only     example     of     a     true     constitutional 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


291 


development  worthy  of  the  name  among 
the  welter  of  revolutions  for  which  the  South- 
American  continent  has  become  famous, 
the  country  cannot  be  said  in  truth  to  have 
reached  political  peace  and  a  definite  form 
of  government  imtil  the  promulgation  of  the 
Constitution  of  1.833.  From  this  date  copper 
mining,  though  subjected  to  periods  of 
depression,  the  causes  of  which  will  be 
analysed  later,  has  reached  great  proportions, 
and  the  total  value  of  the  copper  exported 
in  1918  was  60,000,000  dollars. 

In  the  early  days  only  the  rich  deposits 
situated  near  the  coast  were  worked.  The 
system  used  was  the  open-cut,  and  the 
mines  were  worked  from  the  outcrops  down. 
The  rich  oxidized  ores  were  smelted  in  char- 
coal furnaces  of  oval  shape,  made  from  baked 
earth  and  perforated  at  regular  intervals 
by  a  series  of  holes  to  establish  a  draught. 
Near  the  hearth  there  were  two  openings, 
one  to  tap  the  copper,  and  the  other  to 
admit  an  air-pipe  leading  to  powerful 
bellows  to  increase  the  natural  draught. 
The  ore  and  fuel  were  charged  in  alternate 
layers.  The  wood  used  as  fuel  was  cheap, 
for  in  those  early  days  the  districts  round 
Coquimbo  and  Copiapo,  where  copper  mining 
and  smelting  began,  were  heavily  forested, 
though  to-day  they  are  devoid  of  trees. 
This  early  method  of  smelting  was  essentially 
a  reduction  of  oxidized  ores  by  charcoal, 
and  was  the  only  kind  of  smelting  known 
and  practised  in  Chile  for  over  a  century, 
until  a  distinguished  English  metallurgist, 
Charles  S.  Lambert,  introduced  the  re- 
verberatory  furnace  in  1834.  Chile  owes 
to  Lambert  a  great  debt  of  gratitude,  for 
until  his  arrival  in  the  country  scientific 
and  modern  methods  of  smelting  were  totally 
unknown.  Lambert  was  a  graduate  of  the 
famous  Polytechnic  School  of  Paris,  and  came 
to  Chile  as  assayer  to  an  English  mining 
company  operating  at  Copiapo.  He  was 
long  and  honourably  connected  with  mining 
and  smelting  operations  in  Chile,  where  he 
acquired  a  large  and  deserved  fortune, 
and  he  died  in  London  in  1877.  Besides  the 
reverberatory,  he  also  introduced  the  blast- 
furnace, the  steam-engine,  stamps,  sulphuric- 
acid  making,  concentration,  and  the  use  of 
coal  in  smelting  ;  but  of  all  these  innovations 
none  was  of  surh  paramount  importance  as 
the  reverberatory  furnace,  which  soon  made 
Chile  the  leading  copper-producing  country' 
in  the  world.  At  the  time  of  Lambert's 
death  (1877)  Chile  produced  more  than  half 
the  world's  copper. 


One  of  the  most  famous  copper  mines  of 
Chile  in  those  days  was  that  of  Tamaya,  near 
the  town  of  Ovalle,  in  the  province  of 
Coquimbo.  This  renowned  mine,  reputed  to 
have  been  the  richest  in  the  world,  is  said 
to  have  contained  a  "royal"  or  "mother" 
vein,  fourteen  yards  wide,  with  an  average 
tenor  of  60%  copper.  The  owner  of  the 
property  was  very  successful  in  the  treat- 
ment of  the  oxidized  portion  of  this 
magnificent  ore-body,  but  could  do  nothing 
with  the  ore  from  the  sulphide  zone,  for  in 
those  days  the  smelting  of  sulphide  ore  was 
unknown  in  Chile.  Ludicrous  as  the  fact 
may  appear  to  us  to-day,  sulphide  ore  was 
regarded  as  waste  by  the  miners  of  that 
epoch,  and  was  either  thrown  on  the  dumps 
or  kept  in  the  mines  as  filling  material. 
Therefore,  at  that  time  the  reaching  of 
the  sulphide  zone  was  to  the  miner  the  end 
of  his  mine,  the  death  of  his  hopes.  The 
Chilean  mining  expression,  "  Be  bronceo 
la  mina,"  which  means  that  the  region  of 
sulphide  ore  has  been  reached,  became 
synonymous  with  the  English  "  petering 
out  "  ;  for,  as  sulphide  ore  was  not 
marketable  in  those  days,  from  a  financial 
point  of  view,  the  mine  was  as  good  as 
exhausted.  Lambert,  who  was  already  in  the 
country,  heard  of  the  great  riches  of  the 
Tamaya  mine,  then  famous  throughout 
Chile,  and  visited  it  in  1834.  He  marvelled 
at  so  much  wealth  lying  idle,  both  inside  the 
mine  and  out,  and  proposed  to  the  owner  to 
pay  for  the  ore  at  the  flat  rate  of  an  "  onza  ' 
per  day,  or  seventeen  dollars.  The  owner, 
a  most  worthy  gentleman,  accepted,  not 
without  some  misgivings  as  to  the  right 
mental  balance  of  the  Englishman,  and  in 
order  to  be  in  peace  with  his  religious 
conscience  insisted  that  a  proviso  be 
inserted  in  the  contract  whereby  no  dues 
were  to  be  paid  on  Sundays  or  any  fete 
days  consecrated  to  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church. 

When  the  rich  and  easily  accessible 
deposits  became  exhausted,  the  production 
of  copper  in  Chile  decreased  rapidly,  and  in 
1882  the  United  States  displaced  Chile  as 
the  leading  copper-producing  country  in 
the  world.  In  a  period  of  twenty  years, 
from  1877  to  1897,  the  production  had 
decreased  from  47,000  to  21,000  tons. 

From  this  brief  description  of  the  history 
of  copper  mining  in  Chile,  it  can  be  seen 
that  the  industry  has  been  subjected  to 
many  fluctuations  and  vicissitudes.  Three 
distinct  periods  of  great  activity  in  copper 


202 


THE    MININC.     MACAZINI': 


product  ion  can  be  seen .    The  fust  corresponds 
to    the    exploitation    of    the    rich    oxidized 
portions    of    the    most    accessible    deposits, 
which  were  mostly  situated   in   the  Coast 
Range  or  in  the  spurs  of  the  Andes  tliat 
run  towards  t!ie  coast  and  form  the  transverse 
valleys.      These    rich,    oxidized    ores    were 
smelted  in  charcoal  furnaces.    The  methods 
of   mining   were   most   rudimentary,    as   no 
mechanical     equipment     was     used.       The 
smelting,  too,  was  simplicity  itself.     Labour 
was  plentiful  and  very  cheap,     The  second 
corresponds    to     the    introduction    of    the 
rcverberatory    furnace,    which    allowid    the 
sulphide  ores,  regarded  as  untreatable  until 
then,  to  be  smelted.     In  this  second  period, 
which  lasted  from  1834  to  1880,  the  copper 
produced  came  from  the  zones  of  seconclary 
enrichment    of    the    mines    whose    oxidized 
regions   had   been   worked   in   the  previous 
epoch,    and    from    many    newly    discovered 
deposits  from  which  only  the  richest  ore  was 
taken  out.     All  these  mines  were  situated 
in   regions    of    casv    accessibility ;     for    the 
methods   of    working  were  still    very    little 
better   than   those   of  the  previous  period, 
and  with  any  such  methods  only  rich  ores 
could  pa}-  the  heavy  mining  costs  and  dear 
transport  rates  of  those  days.     From  1880 
to  1908  the  yearly  oiitput  was  much  below 
those  years  when  Chile  occupied  first  place 
among   the  nations   as   a   copper-producing 
country.      The   reasons    for   the    falling   off 
of  production  are  not  difficult  to  discover. 
In    the    first    place    the    richest    and    most 
accessible   deposits   had   been   worked   out. 
Modern    equipment    and    sufficient    capital 
were    lacking,    as    the    nitrate    fields    were 
attracting     preferably     the     local     savings. 
The    railway    system"   of    the    country    was 
very   undeveloped,    and   labour   was   much 
dearer  and  scarcer,  owing  to  the  demands  of 
the  nitrate  fields.     The  last  period  begins 
in   1908,   and  corresponds  with  the  arrival 
in   Chile   of   powerful   foreign    capital,    first 
English' ard 'French,    and   later   American. 
It    is    the    era    of   modern    machinery    and 
methods,  of  the  blast-furnace,  flotation,  and 
lixiviation.       It    is    characterized    by    the 
courage,    energy,    and   method   with   which 
American     capital,     scientifically     directed, 
has  attacked  such  tremendous  undcrtalcings 
as    Teniente,       Chuquicamata,     Potrerillos, 
and  La  Africana.     It  is  the  day  of  the  big 
low-grade  deposits  in  the  inaccessible  regions 
of  tiie  Andes  and  of  sound  scientific  mining 
engineering. 

The   successful    development   of   the   four 


great  American  companies  in  Chile,  two  of 
which  have  reached  the  producing  stage, 
have  proved  conclusively  that  low-grade 
projKwitions  are  just  as  susceptible  of 
proiitable  operation  in  Chile  as  in  the  United 
States,  in  spite  of  th.e  much  greater  natural 
obstacles  to  be  overcome,  distance  from 
base  of  supplies,  and  cost  of  transporting 
the  produce  to  New  York  for  refining  or 
sale,  if  sufficient  capital  is  provided  and  the 
management  is  entrusted  to  engineers  of 
}>roved  ability  and  experience  in  large- 
scale  operations  of  this  kind.  It  is  my 
opinion  that  in  the  future  the  American 
companies  operating  in  Chile  will  be  able  to 
produce  their  copper  for  several  cents  less 
than  those  operating  in  the  United  States, 
probably  at  about  7  or  8  cen,ts  per  lb. 

There  is  no  question  that  local  capital 
would  not  have  dared  to  tackle  such  enter- 
prises as  the  low-grade  copper  deposits 
of  Chile,  which  demand  the  investment  of 
millions  of  dollars  before  the  producing 
stage  is  reached.  Native  capital  is  shy 
and  conservative,  and  though  adventurous 
enough  for  mining  on  a  small  scale,  it  would 
not  have  braved  the  big  undertakings,  where 
the  payment  of  dividends  might  be  long 
deferred,  owing  to  its  lack  of  experience 
in  financing,  engineering,  and  manage- 
ment. 

It  may  be  said  confidently  that  the  bulk 
of  the  copper  produced  in  Chile  in  the  future 
will  come  from  the  large  low-grade  mines. 
Whether  Chilean  capital,  inspired  by  the 
example  set  by  the  American  companies, 
will  take  heart  and  develop  some  of  its  own 
low-grade  deposits  is  a  moot  question.  If 
it  does  it  will  have  to  abandon  its  timorous 
present  methods  of  financing  and  manage- 
ment, and  above  all  repent  of  its  inveterate 
love  of  share  juggling  at  the  Bourses,  of  which 
we  have  had  so  many  glaring  examples  of 
late.  Mining,  we  all  know,  is  a  legitimate 
gamble.  Tlie  phrase  has  so  often  been 
repeated  and  accepted  by  everybody  that  it 
has  become  a  common  truism ;  but  its 
meaning  only  holds  true  so  long  as  the 
interests  of  the  shareholders  are  dutifully 
safeguarded  bj'  directors  and  management 
alike.  \\'hen  these  inflate  or  depreciate,  bull 
or  bear  the  stock  of  a  mining  company  to 
further  their  own  ends,  the  operation  is 
neither  mining  nor  gambling.  It  simply 
becomes  common  straight  swindling.  There 
has  been  loo  much  of  this  sort  of  thing  in 
Chile  of  late.  The  sooner  it  is  abandoned 
the  better  for  all  concerned. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


293 


Mining  Condition?  in  Chilf. — From  the 
conquest  to  the  declaration  of  independence, 
mining  in  Chile,  as  well  as  in  all  the  other 
Spanish  colonies  in  America,  had  to  bear  a 
very  heavy  duty  in  the  form  of  the  famous 
and  much  hated  "  quintos  reales,"  which 
consisted  in  the  payment  to  the  Spanish 
Royal  Exchequer  of  20%  of  the  total  value 
of  the  mineral  prodiiced.  Mining  was  a 
profitable  undertaking  in  spite  of  such  a 
burdensome  load,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the 
miner  could  draw  upon  a  large  and  cheap 
supply  of  Indian  labour.  This  labour  was  so 
cheap  that  it  received  no  payment  in  cash,  and 
only  sufficient  food  to  keep  it  alive.  Towards 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  slavery 
was  abolished  in  Chile.  After  the  abolish- 
ment of  slavery  the  wages  paid  to  the  Indian 
and  "  mestizo  "  miners  were  very  low,  and 
not  until  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century 
did  they  rise  perceptibly.  The  rise  in  wages 
coupled  to  the  gradual  descent  in  the  price 
of  silver  at  that  time  caused  a  slump  in  the 
production  of  that  metal.  The  fluctuations 
in  the  price  of  copper  also  militated  against 
the  steady  production  and  growth  of  the 
copper-mining  industry ;  and  though  the 
miner  after  1810  was  no  longer  compelled 
to  pay  the  exacting  tribute  of  20%  to  Spain, 
this  advantage  was  offset  by  the  rise  in  wages 
and  the  low  price  of  the  metals. 


In  those  early  days  the  production  was 
greatly  encouraged  by  the  very  cheap  means 
of  transport,  for,  though  the  roads  were  very 
bad  and  far  between,  the  miner  was  entitled 
by  law  to  graze  his  animals  in  neighbouring 
pastures  without  any  payment  on  his  part. 
The  wood  for  smelting  the  ores  could  also 
be  obtained  for  nothing  from  the  near-by 
forests  round  the  districts  of  Coquimbo  and 
Copiapu,  in  those  days  plentifully  supplied 
with  trees,  though  to-day  sadly  deforested 
by  the  wanton  and  blind  destruction  brought 
about  by  the    local  smelters. 

All  the  gold  produced  in  Chile  in  early 
times  was  recovered  by  the  Indians  in  the 
"  batea,"  the  Spanish  equivalent  of  the 
English  pan.  Not  until  the  seventeenth 
century  did  the  "  trapiche  "  or  crude  fore- 
runner of  the  Chilean  mill  make  its 
appearance.  In  the  eighteenth  century 
amalgamation  was  introduced  in  Chile, 
chiefly  in  connexion  with  the  extraction  of 
silver  from  its  ores.  Copper  ores,  until  the 
introduction  of  the  reverberatory  furnace, 
were  always  smelted  in  the  crude  mud-baked 
furnaces  already  described.  The  mining 
and  raetaUurgical  methods  employed  until 
recent  times  have  always  been  of  the  crudest. 
According  to  a  historian,  even  in  the  early 
days  of  the  nineteenth  century,  there  was  not 
a  single  trained  metallurgist  in  Chile. 


LETTERS  TO  the  EDITOR 

Indian  Mining  Laws 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — Your  Editorial  and  extract  from  the 
Journal  of  Indian  Industries  and  Labour 
set  out  the  principles  that  govern  the  granting 
of  prospecting  licences  and  mining  leases 
in  British  India,  and  present  the  views  of 
the  Government  of  India  on  its  own  laws. 

Having  been  mining  for  some  years  in  this 
country  1  think  it  desirable  that  the  views  of 
some  of  those  who  have  to  work  under  these 
laws  should  also  be  presented,  and  that 
certain  failings  in  them  should  be  pointed  out. 

Too  much  is  left  to  the  discretion  of  the 
Deputy  Commissioner  or  Collector  of  a 
district,  who  is  not  infallible,  and  the  rules 
are  not  sufficiently  binding  to  prevent 
favouritism,  influence,  or  persuasion  from 
affecting  decisions. 

To  commence  with,  anyone  is  at  libcrt}^  to 
explore  for  minerals,  but  no  discoverer  is 
allowed  to  take  out  a  licence  or  lease  on  what 
he  has  found  unless  he  be  granted  a  certificate 


of  approval  from  Government,  that  is,  the 
Deputy  Commissioner  or  Collector  of  the 
district.  In  other  words,  that  he  be  con- 
sidered by  this  individual  to  be  a  "  fit  and 
proper  person/' 

Cases  have  arisen  in  which  certificates  of 
approval  have  been  held  under  some 
collectors  and  renewal  refused  under  others, 
and  vice  versa.  Also  a  person  while  working 
for  a  firm  may  be  considered  "  fit  and 
proper,"  but  may  be  no  longer  so  when  he 
wishes  to  do  some  prospecting  on.  his  own. 
In  the  event  of  a  refusal,  appeal  can  be  made 
to  the  local  Government,  but  the  chances 
are  greatly  in  favour  of  the  district  official 
being  supported,  and  the  Government  are 
not  obliged,  and  often  decline,  to  give  any 
grounds  for  such  refusal.  If  prospecting 
is  to  be  stimulated,  the  finder  should  be  in 
a  position  to  reap  the  reward  of  his  labour. 
Where  the  application  for  a  prospecting 
licence  has  to  go  up  to  the  local  Government, 
the  licence  may  take  anything  from  six  to 
eighteen  months,  or  even  longer,  before  it  is 
executed. 


29-1 


nil      MlNlNc;     M  ACAZINH 


No  limit  is  placed  on  the  area  taken 
up  under  a  prospecting  licence,  with  the 
result  that  a  big  company  can  tie  up  such 
parts  of  the  country  as  seem  desirable  for  a 
period  of  three  years. 

In  mining  leases,  the  royalties  discriminate 
between  precious  stones,  gold  and  silver, 
and  other  metals  and  minerals,  while  that  on 
iron  ore  is  absurdly  low  even  allowing  for 
a  desire  to  stimulate  the  iron  and  steel 
industry  of  India.  The  minimum  rates  can 
be  exceeded  in  the  event  of  the  deposit 
proving  to  be  of  more  than  normal  value, 
which  is  not  only  ambiguous,  but  would 
seem  to  preclude  the  miner  or  investor  from 
reaping  the  full  benefit  of  the  occasional 
windfall  and  encouragement  necessary  for 
further  effort  alluded  to  in  your  Editorial. 
In  the  event  of  any  disputes  occurring 
regarding  licences  or  leases  the  decision  of  the 
local  Government  is  final,  though  it  has  no 
official  with  sufficient  technical  knowledge 
to  arrive  at  a  correct  decision,  the  Mines 
Department  being  under  the  Government 
of  India. 

Turning  to  prospecting  and  mining 
generally,  encouragement  varies  with  the 
officer  in  charge  of  the  district,  and  the 
backing  behind  the  prospector ;  while 
travelling  in  areas  remote  from  the  railway 
is  practically  dependent  on  the  support  of 
the  local  authorities. 

Again,  in  some  districts  where  roads  have 
been  made  these  are  closed  to  both  lorry 
and  tractor  traffic  when  no  other  routes  are 
available,  and  one  is  obliged  to  fall  back 
on  the  prehistoric  bullock  cart,  v,-hich  makes 
mining  impossible. 

The  lack  of  encouragement  to  the  small 
prospector  and  his  inability  to  procure  a 
Licence  has  often  in  this  country  led  to  the 
premature  flotation  of  large  companies, 
before  the  necessary  development  work 
has  been  done,  with,  generally,  disastrous 
results. 

E.  O.  Murray. 

Takanagar,  September  27. 


Oil  in  Sussex 

The  Editor  : 

Sir — The  recent  reports  in  the  daily  Press 
of  the  occunence  of  oil  in  a  water-well  at 
Bosham,  near  Chichester,  recall  to  mind  a 
similar  discovery  at  Peterborough  some 
years  ago,  when  a  leakage  from  surface  stores 
caused  the  "  mysterious  "  accumulation  ; 
in  this  more  remarkable  instance  in  Sussex 
we  are  informed  that  over  100  gallons  of  oil 


have  been  obtained,  and,  further,  that  there 
are  no  contiguous  stores  from  which  it  could 
possibly  have  been  derived.  Under  these 
circumstances  the  belief  has  grown  that  the 
occurrence  is  a  natural  one,  and  already  an 
inspector  from  the  Petroleum  Department 
has  paid  a  visit  to  the  well. 

In  the  West  Sussex  Gazette  of  October  13 
last,  a  short  account  of  this  visit  to  the 
Bosham  well  was  given,  and  it  was  stated  that 
"  the  inspector  made  no  definite  pronounce- 
ment on  the  subject,  but  it  was  gathered 
that  he  was  distinctly  of  opinion  that  the 
oil  is  '  natural  oil,'  and  not  the  result  of  some 
fortuitous  leakage  from  surface  stores." 
This,  of  course,  is  yet  another  example  of 
that  curious  optimism  prevalent  whenever 
a  new  "  oil  discovery "  is  made  in  this 
country,  an  optimism  which  takes  no  account 
whatever  of  the  obvious  technical  difficulties 
existent.  The  result  is  that  there  are  already 
people  who  believe  that  at  Bosham  wc  have 
a  potential  British  oilfield,  and  who  are 
presumably  only  waiting  in  anxious 
anticipation  of  the  prospectus  of  the  company 
which  might  possibly  be  formed  to  under- 
take its  development  !  Let  us  glance  briefly 
at  the  scientific  facts. 

Bosham  is  actually  situated  on  chalk, 
here  brought  to  the  surface  by  an  east- 
west  fle.xure  known  as  the  Portsdown 
Anticline  ;  we  may  regard  this  fold  as  a 
subsidiary  clement  of  the  main  Weald 
structure  ;  it  has,  in  fact,  a  tectonic  relation- 
ship to  the  main  chalk  outcrop  of  the  South 
Downs.  We  may  therefore  admit  the 
existence  of  a  favourable  structure  to  oil 
accumulation  at  Bosham,  but  that  is  un- 
fortunately as  far  as  we  can  agree  with  the 
"  optimists."  Chalk  and  oil  do  not  mix, 
either  phj^sically  or  genetically.  This  may 
seem  an  unpardonable  platitude,  but  the 
remark  is  necessary,  since  under  no  circum- 
stances can  the  oil  be  indigenous  to  the  chalk 
at  Bosham,  the  latter  rock  being  essentially 
a  permeable  deep-water  deposit.  WTience  can 
the  oil  have  come  ?  If  a  natural  occurrence, 
it  must  have  been  derived  from  a  much  older 
stratigraphical  horizon.  We  may  rule  out 
at  once  the  Lower  Cretaceous  beds,  as  these 
are  quite  barren  of  oil  wherever  met  with 
in  South-P^astern  England.  We  have,  there- 
fore, to  estimate  the  probabilities  of  the 
Jurassic  rocks,  more  especially  the 
Kimmeridge  Clay,  that  inevitable  "  bonanza" 
of  the  advocates  of  oil-finding  in  Eastern 
and  South-Eastern  England.  Now,  quite 
apart  from  the  facts  that  the  Kimmeridge 


NOVEMBER.    1921 


295 


Clay  is  lithologically  unsuited  to  the  existence 
of  large  quantities  of  oil,  since  it  contains  no 
intercalated  sand  lenses  as  storage  pools, 
and  that  nowhere  in  this  country  has  it  yet 
yielded  even  a  small  amount  of  natural 
crude  oil,  its  great  depth  of  location  beneath 
Bosham  is  such  as  to  preclude  the  very 
slightest  chance  of  the  oil  having  migrated 
thence  to  its  present  position,  particularly 
when  we  consider  the  intervening  impervious 
horizons  such  as  the  Purbeck  shales.  Weald 
and  Gault  Clays.  Thus  geologically  the 
possibilities  of  this  oil  being  a  natural 
occurrence  are  practically  negligible. 

To  the  writer  a  simple  explanation  of  the 
facts  presents  itself.  Bosham  has  a  tidal 
creek,  which  drains  into  the  Chichester 
Harbour,  the  latter  having  direct  com- 
munication with  the  Channel.  In  these  days 
of  oil-fired  ships  and  oily  sea-water,  floating 
oil  may  well  occur,  and  under  favourable 
tidal  circumstances  find  its  way  to  Bosham 
Creek.  Local  contamination  of  water  wells 
would  ensue  if  by  any  means  the  tidal 
water  got  access  to  the  ground  water,  by 
no  means  an  impossibility  in  an  area  situated 
as  Bosham  is.  Whatever  be  the  explanation, 
however,  it  is  certain  that  on  geological 
grounds  no  natural  accumulation  of  oil  can 
be  expected  here,  and  the  public  would  be 
well  advised  to  accept  this  and  any  future 
reports  of  a  like  character,  with  the  utmost 
reserve. 

H.    B.    MiLNER. 

London,  October  25. 


BOOK    REVIEWS 

Technical  Methods  of  Analysis.  Edited 
by  R.  C.  Griffin.  Cloth,  octavo,  660 
pages,  illustrated.  Price  33s.  New 
York  and  London :  McGraw-Hill  Book 
Company. 

This  work,  the  latest  member  of  the  well- 
known  "  International  Chemical  Series," 
constitutes  "  a  representative  selection  of 
analytical  methods  which  have  been  adopted 
as  standard  procedures  in  a  large  commercial 
laboratory  engaged  in  technical  analysis." 
In  view  of  the  enormous  field  covered  to-day 
by  the  term  "  technical  analysis,"  it  is 
obvious  that,  to  keep  the  bulk  of  the  work 
within  reasonable  limits,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  describe  the  processes  in  sufficient 
detail,  some  of  the  sections  escape  the 
thoroughness  of  treatment  to  be  found  in 
larger  works.  Nevertheless,  in  some 
600  pages  the  author  has  contrived  to  include 


a  vast  amount  of  information  upon  subjects 
of  great  diversity. 

The  work  is  divided  into  eleven  chapters, 
each  of  which  is  devoted  to  a  particular 
branch  of  analysis.  In  some  of  these  chapters 
the  necessary  compression  has  resulted  in 
unevenness  of  treatment,  but  in  most 
instances  the  omissions  are  not  serious.  The 
first  chapter  deals  with  the  preparation  of 
reagents,  standard  solutions,  and  indicators, 
and  with  the  care  of  platinum  ware.  Then 
follows  a  chapter  on  general  inorganic 
analyses,  where  in  forty  odd  pages  a  number 
of  typical  determinations  are  given,  including 
such  diverse  materials  as  table  salt,  native 
sulphur,  and  agricultural  insecticides.  In 
the  next  forty  pages  methods  are  given  for 
the  examination  of  thirteen  organic  com- 
pounds  of   commercial   importance. 

The  section  of  the  analysis  of  metals  is 
one  which  betrays  lack  of  uniformity  in 
treatment.  The  whole  range  of  metallurgical 
analysis,  both  ferrous  and  non-ferrous,  is 
disposed  of  in  sixty  pages.  The  sampling 
of  iron  and  steel  receives  little  more  than 
one  page.  One  reliable  method  is  given  for 
each  constituent  of  straight  steels  and  pig, 
while  alloy  steels  are  adequately  treated. 
Brasses,  bronzes,  white  metals  of  all  types, 
and  nickel  silvers  receive  detailed  con- 
sideration. The  commercial  analysis  of 
spelter  is  described,  but  no  reference  is  made 
to  crude  or  refined  copper,  soft  lead,  or  the 
various  grades  of  gold  and  silver  bullion. 
This  chapter  confines  its  attention  to  the 
metals  themselves,  and  omits  the  con- 
sideration of  the  metallic  ores,  with  the 
exception  of  those  of  tin.  We  should 
hesitate  to  employ  the  method  given  in  the 
latter  case  for  any  but  the  cleanest  or 
richest  of  materials,  although  the  situation 
is  saved  by  a  reference  to  the  assay  of  solder, 
described  elsewhere  in  the  chapter. 

Succeeding  chapters  deal  with  solid,  liquid, 
and  gaseous  fuels,  paint,  oils,  fats,  waxes, 
soaps,  paper,  materials,  textiles,  and  food- 
stuffs, while  in  a  final  chapter  devoted  to 
"  Miscellaneous  Analyses "  we  find  such 
strange  bedfellows  as  boiler  waters,  leather, 
soldering,  paste,  and  portland  cement.  The 
presentation  of  the  book  is  admirable, 
in  the  style  familiar  to  the  readers  of  the 
previous  works  of  the  series.  The  book  is 
not  free  from  the  orthographical  blemishes 
common  to  most  books  of  American  origin, 
while  here  and  there  a  looseness  of  expression 
is  noticeable,  not  such,  however,  as  to  be 
of  serious  import  in  a  book  of  this  nature. 


296 


THliJ^MlNINC.    MAC.AZINH 


No  attoinjit  has  boon  made  to  iinludc  tho 
trcatmoiit  of  j;as  anaJysis,  or  tln^  analysis 
of  niiiurals,  metallic  ores,  rocks,  the  rare 
metals,  or  of  organic  dyes  and  drags,  nor  has 
space  permitted  any  mention  of  the 
theoretical  aspect  of  the  subject.  While 
much  has  of  necessity  been  omitted,  the 
methods  given  are  in  the  main  up  to  date 
and  sound.  The  information  given  is 
supplemented  by  numerous  references  to 
current  literature,  and  to  government 
publications,  while  the  omi.ssions  are  com- 
pensated for  by  an  excellent  bibliography  of 
all  branches  of  chemical  analysis.  Though 
both  the  student  and  the  specialist  may 
occasionally  seek  for  information  in  vain, 
the  book  should  prove  of  value  for  genera) 
reference. 

15.    DrINKW  ATER. 

Mine  Accounting  and  Cost  Principles. 

By    T.     O.     McGr.mh.       Cloth,     octavo, 

260    pages,    illustrated.      Price    24s.    net. 

New   York    and   London  :     McGraw    Hill 

Book  Company. 

The  exploitation  of  large  mining  fields, 
the  operating  of  low-grade  mines,  and  the 
control  of  a  number  of  mines  by  one  com- 
pany from  a  central  office,  have  all  assisted 
the  growth  of  a  highly  organized  method  of 
mine  accounting  and  costing.  Within  the 
British  Empire,  mining  fields  such  as  the 
Witwatersrand,  Kalgoorlie,  and  Kolar,  have 
done  much  to  place  mine  accounts  and  mine 
book-keeping  on  a  regular  basis.  In  the 
present  work  Mr.  T.  O  McGrath,  an 
experienced  American  mine  accountant, 
presents  details  of  American  mine  accounting 
and  cost  principles.  The  object  of  the 
author,  as  set  forth  in  the  preface,  "  has  not 
been  to  exhaust  the  subject  of  accounting  and 
costing  as  applied  to  mining,  but  simply 
to  state  the  principles  and  to  present  sufficient 
forms,  charts,  records,  and  procedure  to 
illustrate  how  the  principles  are  applied  in 
actual  practice."  Articles  have  appeared 
from  time  to  time  in  American  technical 
papers  giving  details  of  accounting  and 
costing  at  different  mines,  but  in  this  book 
the  general  principles  of  the  subject  are 
given  clearly  and  conciseh^,  and  an  appeal 
is  made  for  the  standardization  of  this  branch 
of  American  mining  administration.  The 
author  frankly  admits  the  difficulty  of 
appIjTng  one  method  and  set  of  forms  and 
charts  for  all  mine  accounting,  and  the 
impossibility  of  attempting  such  a  thing  for 
costing,  but  at  least  there  are  certain  general 


jirineipU's  tliat  can  be  foliciwcd  in  every 
instance  which  will  facilitate  comparison 
at  different  mines. 

Mr.  McGrath  deals  with  his  subject  in  an 
interesting  and  orderly  manner;  first,  in 
order  to  determine  the  basis  of  the  accounting, 
the  business  is  analysed  and  a  statement  of 
the  principles  of  the  mining  business  is 
drawn  :  second,  charts  of  accounts  are 
created  which  correctly  reflect  these 
principles  upon  the  ledger  ;  third,  schedules 
are  drawn  showing  the  charges  and  credits 
to  these  accounts  to  ensure  uniformity  and 
correctness ;  fourth,  books  and  records  are 
created  that  will  allow  the  compiling  of 
operating  and  business  data  so  as  to  give 
a  balance-sheet  showing  the  true  condition 
of  the  business  and  a  profit  and  loss 
statement  that  gives  the  results  of  a  period's 
operation.  The  section  on  cost  accounting 
deals  with  units  of  organization  of  work 
and  e(]uipment,  expense,  cost  factors  of 
production  and  o])eration,  and  time,  and 
closes  with  examples  of  compiling  the  costs. 
The  book  should  be  very  useful  to  mine 
accountants  and  mining  engineers.  The 
McGraw-Hill  Book  Company  are  the 
publishers  and,  as  is  usual  with  this  firm,  the 
book  is  handsomely  bound  and  printed  in 
clear  type  on  good  paper. 

A.  Yates. 

First  Aid  and  Rescue  Work  in  Mining. 

By  Louis  G.  Irvinh,  ;\I.A  ,  M  D.     Limp 
cloth,  pocket  size,  360  pages,  illustrated. 
Price,   8s.  6d.  net.     Johannesburg  :     The 
South     African      Red     Cross      Society  ; 
London  :    The  Mining  M.^gazine. 
Although   statistics   show   that   from   the 
standpoints    of    health    and    safety    mining 
compaies     very     favourably     with     other 
industrial  occupations,  all  serious  attempts 
to    increase    the    efficiency    of    emergency 
work  in  dealing  with  accidents  are  worthy 
of  attention.    Promptly  applied,  a  knowledge 
of  first  aid  may  sometimes  save  a  limb  and 
may  not  infrequently  save  a  life.     Efficient 
first    aid    often    prevents    dangerous    con- 
sequences following  upon  an  injury,  and  will 
always   tend  to  lessen  pain   and    suffering. 
These  facts  are  so  generally  admitted  that 
they   are    recognized   in    the    legislation    of 
those  countries  where  mining  is  an  industry 
of    importance.      Successful   candidates    for 
competency    as    mine    managers    in    Great 
Britain    must    possess    some    knowledge    of 
first  aid,  and  in  the  Union  of  South  Africa, 
on  mines  employing  over  500  persons,  every 


I 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


297 


official  fa  term  which  includes  even  the  chief 
surveyor,  the  foreman  smith,  and  the  mine 
sampler)  is  required  to  be  in  possession  of  a 
certificate  from  a  recognized  ambulance 
association  testifying  that  the  holder  is 
qualified  to  render  first  aid  to  the  injured, 
with  special  reference  to  mining  accidents. 

In  Great  Britain,   the  Colonies,   and  the 
United  States  much  valuable  work  has  been 
done    by    associations    specially    formed    to 
promote  the  study  of  first  aid  work  on  mines. 
As      an      excellent      example      of      these 
organizations,  attention  may  be  drawn  to  the 
Yorkshire     Collieries     Ambulance     League. 
Founded     in      1906,      it      endeavours      to 
disseminate  knowledge  of  ambulance  work 
by  public  competitions  and  exhibitions  by 
teams  of  mine  workers.     The  competition, 
as  far  as  possible,  is  confined  to  practical 
mining  work,   and   members  of  each   team 
competing  for  the  shield  and  medals  must 
be  emploj'ed  at  some  one  mine  in  Yorkshire. 
Associations  on  somewhat  similar  lines  exist 
in  manj'  other  important  mining  fields,  as 
in   the  Transvaal.    The  South  African  Red 
Cross  Society  has  done  much  to  minimize 
the  effects  of  accidents  on  the  Rand,  and  at 
the    request   of    their  Executive  Committee 
Dr.  Louis  Irvine,  in  1913,  prepared  a  small 
volume  on   First  Aid  in  Mining.     It  was 
realized  that  in  the  mining  industry  there 
were  liable  to  occur  many  accidents  on  which 
there  was  little  or  no  specific  information 
in    the    first    aid    manuals    in    general    use. 
Among  these    may   be    mentioned   blasting 
and       "  gassing "       accidents,       due       to 
irregularities  in   the  use  of  explosives  and 
cyanide  poisoning  on   gold  mine  reduction 
works.     The  transport  of  injured  is  also  a 
subject    which    demands    special    attention 
underground,  for  it  may  be  necessary  to  take 
a  patient  through  passages  of  small  sectional 
area  at  any  inclination  from  the  horizontal. 
The  publication  of  eight  years  ago  was  only 
intended  to  deal  with  the  requirements  of 
metalliferous   workers.      Dr.    Irvine's   latest 
work  is  much  more  extensive  in  character. 
It  deals  with  general  practice  and  accidents 
peculiar    to    both    coal    and    metalliferous 
mining,    in   a   volume   of   350   pages.      The 
book,  however,  may  be  conveniently  carried 
in  the  pocket.     Part  I,  General  Course  in 
First  Aid,  may  be  regarded  as  an  excellent 
manual  for  the  requirements  of  the  general 
reader  and  for  those  studying  for  ambulance 
team     competitions.       The     avoidance     of 
technical  details  of  anatomy  and  physiology, 
as  far  as  possible,  adds  considerably  to  the 


value  of  what  is  by  no  means  an  elementary 
treatise.  Part  II  deals  with  First  Aid  and 
Rescue  Work  in  mines.  The  divisions  in 
mining  practice  which  have  long  existed 
between  coal  and  metalliferous  work  are 
being  gradually  broken  down,  to  the 
advantage  of  both  sections  of  the  community, 
and  engineers  may  claim  that  each  branch 
of  the  profession  is  learning  much  from  the 
other.  j\Ietal  miners  may  be  surprised  to 
find  that  accidents  from  explosions  from 
firedamp  have  occurred  in  gold  mines  on 
the  Rand  and  in  Australia.  Though  the 
coal  miner  may  not  run  much  risk  of 
"  gassing "  by  fumes  from  explosives,  he 
may  with  advantage  learn  what  are  the 
possibilities  of  danger  in  this  direction. 

Dr.  Irvine  deals  with  the  causes  and 
effects  of  gas  and  coal-dust  explosions  and 
what  methods  may  be  adopted  for  the 
prevention  of  underground  fires  and 
explosions.  He  states  that  the  chapter  in 
his  book  on  the  "  Use  of  Rescue  Apparatus 
in  Coal  Mines  "  is  intended  to  be  a  general 
indication  of  the  scope  and  necessary 
limitations  of  self-contained  breathing 
apparatus,  with  descriptions  of  the  most 
important  types.  In  35  pages  of  a  small 
book  he  gives,  however,  much  more  than  the 
preface  would  lead  the  reader  to  expect. 
It  is  more  than  a  practical  introduction  to 
the  subject,  and  for  those  who  wish  to  make 
a  further  study  of  mine  rescue  work  he  gives 
a  list  of  pubhcations  which  maj'  be  studied 
with  advantage. 

In  a  prefatory  note  to  the  book.  Dr.  J.  S. 
Haldanc,  whose  valuable  work  for  the 
reduction  of  mining  dangers  is  well  known, 
says  :  "I  most  heartily  commend  the  book 
to  all  English-speaking  mining  communities." 
Readers  will  generally  endorse  this  statement. 
It  is  a  first-class  textbook  for  the  miner 
who  wishes  to  specialize  on  first  aid.  It  is 
difficult  to  point  out  defects  in  this  admirable 
publication  from  South  Africa,  and  critics 
will  find  little  for  discussion,  but  one  or  two 
points  may  be  raised. 

Ammonia  and  bicarbonate  of  soda  are 
mentioned  as  suitable  reagents  for  the 
treatment  of  stings  by  insects,  such  as 
wasps,  bees,  and  mosquitos.  As  it  is 
frequently  stated  elsewhere  that  the  poison 
from  bees  and  wasps  are  of  different 
character,  being  acid  and  alkaline 
respectively,  different  treatment  is  desiiable. 

It  is  a  pity  that  a  book  of  3 18  pages,  which 
merits  long  and  careful  study,  and  may  be 
frequently     used     for     reference     purposes. 


298 


THt;    iMlNlN(,     MAGAZINE 


is  not  given  a  hcttiT  binding  tliaii  (hat 
which  may  be  described  as  hnip  cloth. 
In  many  instances  the  volume  may  sutler 
disintegration  before  the  reader  throws  it 
aside  as  of  no  further  value,  so  it  is  to  be 
hoped  that  in  a  future  edition  this  admirable 
treatise  will  appear  in  a  covering  worthy  of 
the  author's  efforts. 

Stanley  Nettleton. 

The    Metallurgy    of    the    Non-Ferrous 
Metals.       Hy    Professor   W'illi.am    Gow- 
L.-VND.     Cloth,    octavo,    6;U    pages,    with 
numerous     diagrams     and     illustrations. 
Third   edition.     Price  ;50s.  net.     London  : 
Charles  Griflin  &  Co.,  Ltd. 
The  first  edition  of  this  work  was  published 
in  May,  1914 ;    the  second  appeared  during 
the  war,  in  October,  1917  ;    while  the  third 
edition  has  just  passed  through  the  printer's 
hands  ;    there  is  thus  an  interval  of  seven 
years  since  the  tirst  appearance  of  this  book. 
During   this   interval    great  advances  have 
been  made  in   the  metallurgy  of  the  non- 
ferrous  metals,  and  it  has  been  the  author's 
aim    that    the    present    edition    shall    be 
absolutel}'  up  to  date  in  every  respect.     A 
careful  perusal  of  the  book  will  show  how 
thoroughly  this  has  been  done. 

In  tlic  second  edition  Professor  Gowland 
considerably  expanded  the  sections  relating 
to  copper,  zinc,  nickel,  and  gold,  and  many 
descriptions  were  added  of  the  actual 
equipment  and  practice  at  typical  works. 
Fortunately  this  excellent  method  of  in- 
dicating the  principles  on  which  new  pro- 
cesses depend  has  been  further  extended  in 
the  present  edition. 

The  book  is  divided  into  eighteen  sections 
under  the  following  headings  :  I,  Refractory 
Materials  ;  II,  Roasting  ;  III,  Fluxes  and 
Slags  ;  IV,  Copper  ;  V,  Lead  ;  VI,  Gold  ; 
VII,  Silver  :  VIII,  Platinum  ,  IX,  Mercury  ; 
X,  Zinc  ;  XI,  Cadmium  ;  XII,  Tin  ;  XIII, 
Nickel  ;  XIV,  Cobalt ;  XV,  Antimony  ; 
XVI,  Arsenic;  XVII,  Bismuth;  XVIII, 
Aluminium.  The  plant  and  processes  des- 
cribed are  illustrated  by  no  less  than  217 
diagrams. 

In  the  section  dealing  with  refractory 
materials,  an  account  is  given  of  zirconia, 
which,  until  comparatively  recent  times, 
was  considered  one  of  the  rare  oxides.  This 
mineral  is  now  found  in  large  quantities  in 
Brazil,  Ceylon,  Australia,  and  other  parts  of 
the  world  ;  it  is  one  of  the  best  refractories 
known,  and  is  particularly  useful  for  certain 
classes  of  electric-furnace  work.     The  causes 


of  the  failure  of  silica  bricks  at  very  high 
temperatures  are  also  discussed. 

Under  roasting  the  o])eration  of  nodulizing 
notation  concentrate  is  described.  The 
jirocess  was  originally  used  for  certain  classes 
of  iron  ore,  but  has  since  been  adapted  to  the 
agglomeration  of  sulphide  concentrates  by 
heating  them  in  revolving  cylindrical 
furnaces. 

In  connexion  with  the  metallurgy  of 
copper,  it  is  shown  that  the  rcverberatory 
is  rapidly  displacing  the  blast-furnace  owing 
to  the  use  of  powdered  coal  and  oil  as  fuel. 
However,  the  blast-furnace  will  not  be 
completely  eliminated,  as,  especially  in 
many  small  works,  and  even  in  large  ones, 
there  are  conditions  when  the  blast-furnace 
can  be  advantageously  used.  The  rapid 
advance  of  the  flotation  process  for  the 
concentration  of  copper  ore  is  largely 
responsible  for  the  increased  use  of  the 
rcverberatory,  since  the  concentrates  are  very 
finely  divided  and  are  therefore  unsuitable  for 
smelting  in  a  blast-furnace. 

An  interesting  description  is  given  of  the 
Bunker  Hill  smelter  and  refinery  at  Kellogg, 
Idaho.  Here  the  furnace  product  is  not 
shipped  as  lead  bullion,  but  is  further  treated 
and  is  eventually  marketed  as  refined  lead, 
silver,  and  gold.  This  plant  is  the  newest  and 
most  complete  of  its  kind  in  the  United 
States. 

The  author  points  out  that  the  chief  recent 
advances  in  the  metallurgy  of  gold  have  been  : 
(fl)  The  introduction  of  precipitation  by 
charcoal  at  Yuanmi,  West  Australia ;  {b) 
The  use  of  cyanide  solution,  followed  by 
sodium  sulphide  solution  for  the  extraction 
of  gold  in  a  carbonaceous  schist  ;  (c)  A 
modification  of  Miller's  process ;  {d)  The 
increased  use  of  the  Crowe  process.  The 
last-mentioned  process  consists  in  removing 
all  the  dissolved  air  from  pregnant  cyanide 
solution  by  breaking  it  into  a  spray  and 
submitting  this  spray  to  reduced  pressure 
produced  by  a  vacuum  pump.  The  occluded 
air  is  thus  removed  from  the  solution. 
Dissolved  oxygen  in  the  presence  of  zinc 
causes  re-solution  of  the  precipitated  gold 
or  silver,  hence  the  advantage  of  its  elimina- 
tion. The  gold  and  silver  are  subsequently 
precipitated  by  means  of  zinc  dust. 

In  the  section  relating  to  the  treatment  of 
mercury  ores,  important  innovations  are 
described,  especially  the  revolving  cylindrical 
furnaces  at  the  ISfew  Idria  mine  and  a 
Herreshoff  furnace  at  New  Almaden. 

Under  zinc,  a  description  is  given  of  the 


NOVEMBER.    1921 


299 


new  electrolytic  plant  of  the  Anaconda 
Company,  and  of  the  new  plant  of  the  New 
Jersey  Zinc  Company  for  the  preparation  of 
zinc  oxide.  Accounts  are  also  given  of  new 
furnaces  for  roasting  and  distillation. 

The  work  as  a  whole  is  particularly  free 
from  errors,  typographical  and  otherwise, 
while  its  value  is  enhanced  since  the  author 
has  taken  great  care  to  give  in  the  text  the 
source  of  each  quotation  and  illustration. 

Professor  Gowland  states  in  the  preface 
that  his  purpose  in  preparing  this  edition  has 
been  "  to  make  it  a  useful  standard  of 
reference  to  the  principles  on  which  metal- 
lurgical operations  are  based  and  their 
application  in  modern  practice,  both  to 
students  and  metallurgists  engaged  in  their 
profession,  and  it  is  his  earnest  hope  that 
this  aim  will  be  attained."  We  are  confident 
that  this  desire  will  be  more  than  fulfilled. 
Further,  we  would  congratulate  the  author 
on  the  production  of  a  volume  which  is  not 
only  of  the  utmost  value  to  the  student  but 
also  to  the  professional  metallurgist. 

W.  H.  Merrett. 

1.^*  Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  under  the  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  Th^  Mining  Magazine  724,  Sahsbury  House,  London 
Wall,  London,  E.G.  2. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

TORONTO 

October  10. 

Porcupine. — For  some  time  there  have 
been  serious  apprehensions  of  a  shortage 
of  electric  power  during  the  coming  winter, 
which  would  considerably  curtail  mining 
operations.  Owing  to  the  drought  which 
prevailed  during  the  summer  the  level  of  the 
lakes  and  streams  was  unusually  low,  but 
recent  heavy  rainstorms  have  somewhat 
improved  the  situation.  The  demands  of  the 
mining  companies  for  power,  however,  are 
about  2.5°o  greater  than  last  year,  so  that  it 
is  still  somewhat  doubtful  whether  an 
adequate  supply  can  be  regarded  as  assured. 
The  power  company  is  building  a  dam  which 
is  planned  to  raise  the  main  storage  area 
by  10  ft.,  but  it  can  hardly  be  completed 
in  time  to  be  of  service  this  year.  The  leading 
producing  companies  are  preparing  to  install 
auxiliary  steam  plants  in  case  is  should  be 
found  necessary. 

The  Domes  Mines,  in  driving  on  the  7th 
level,  has  encountered  a  large  ore-body,  the 
gold  content  of  which  is  stated  to  average 
$40  to  the  ton.  It  is  of  irregular  outline, 
extending  more  than  .'iO  ft.  in  one  direction. 


but  its  dimensions  have  not  yet  been 
determined.  The  ore-bodies  which  are 
being  opened  up  on  the  1,150  ft.  level  have 
been  found  to  extend  downward  for  at  least 
200  ft.  A  rise  is  being  made  from  the  1,300  ft. 
level  on  which  development  will  be  pushed 
before  sinking  deeper.  The  mill  is  treating 
about  1,000  tons  per  day,  with  mill-heads 
averaging  S7'50. 

The  Hollinger  Consolidated  is  handling 
an  average  of  3,500  tons  of  ore  daily,  and  is 
planning  to  increase  the  capacity  of  its  mill 
to  about  5,000  tons  per  day,  provided  the 
necessary  power  can  be  obtained,  by  the 
addition  of  a  ball  and  rod  mill  grinding 
equipment.  It  has  now  a  force  of  about 
1,800  men  employed. 

The  Mclntyre  is  clearing  the  site  for  its 
new  mill  extension,  but  delaying  construction 
operations  until  conditions  as  to  power 
supply  become  more  settled.  The  company 
has  purchased  a  large  quantity  of  machinery 
for  an  auxiliary  power  plant  as  a 
precautionary  measure  against  a  shortage. 
Ore  is  being  taken  out  at  a  depth  of 
approximately  1,700  ft.  of  a  high  average 
gold  content,  surpassing  that  obtained  from 
the  upper  levels. 

The  Allied  Porcupine  Gold  Mines  has  now 
unwatered  the  Three  Nations,  and  is 
planning  extensive  diamond-drilling  and 
development  work  on  the  200  ft.  level. 
Work  has  been  resumed  on  the  Hayden- 
Porcupine,  which  has  been  closed  down  for 
some  years.  Extensive  development  dis- 
closed mineralized  bodies  of  exceptional 
width  carrying  low  gold  content.  Diamond- 
drilling  is  in  progress  on  the  Rochester, 
which  is  under  option  to  the  Nipissing  of 
Cobalt,  with  encouraging  results.  A  shaft 
is  being  sunk  on  the  March  Gold.  Operations 
have  been  resumed  at  the  Davidson  Con- 
solidated. Lateral  v/ork  is  being  carried  on, 
and  a  contract  has  been  let  for  extensive 
diamond-drilling. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  Lake  Shore  during 
August  produced  $42,274  from  the  treat- 
ment of  1,979  tons,  being  an  average 
extraction  of  $21 -36  per  ton.  The  mill 
ran  92-33%  of  the  possible  running  time. 
The  shaft  of  the  Wright-Hargreaves,  now 
lown  400  ft.,  will  be  put  down  to  800  ft., 
with  stations  for  levels  at  intervals  of  100  ft. 
The  mill  is  now  treating  an  average  of 
160  tons  of  ore  daily,  with  mill  heads 
averaging  $15  per  ton.  The  Kirkland  Lake 
is  taking  out  ore  from  the  900  ft.,  stated  to 
run    $40  to   the  ton.     The  mill  is  treating 


300 


TUK    MININC,    MAGAZINE 


135  tons  iLiily.  Good  progress  lias  been 
made  in  the  construction  of  the  Outario- 
Kirkland's  mill.  The  heavy  machinery 
is  now  installed  and  the  mill  will  be  ready 
for  operation  in  about  six  weeks.  There  is 
a  large  supply  of  ore  in  readiness,  stated  to 
carry  about  $15  in  gold  per  ton.  At  the 
Goodtish  mine  a  shaft  is  down  about  150  ft. 
on  a  vein  showing  gold  across  a  width  of 
6  ft.  A  good  discover}'  has  been  made  on 
the  Granby-Kirkland  property,  where  a 
vein  has  been  uncovered,  showing  rich  gold 
content  over  a  width  of  5i  ft.,  with  wall- 
rock  well  mineralized.  Surface  exploration 
on  the  King-Kirkland  has  exposed  32  veins, 
enabling  the  management  to  select  the  most 
desirable  location  for  a  central  shaft,  which 
will  shortly  be  put  down.  Sinking  operations 
are  in  progress  at  the  Comfort-I\irkland, 
where  an  electrically  driven  plant  has  been 
installed.  The  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary 
(1919)  has  decided  to  deepen  the  No.  3 
shaft  on  the  Burnside  70  ft.,  so  as  to  make 
it  a  central  shaft  for  the  operation  of  both 
the  Burnside  and  the  Tough-Oakes.  The 
Sj'lvanite  is  putting  down  a  new  shaft,  and 
abandoning  the  old  workings,  which  are 
considered  too  small.  A  meeting  of  the 
shareholders  of  the  Teck-Hughes  will  be 
shortly  called  to  ratifj^  an  agreement  with  the 
bond-holders  for  the  reorganization  of  the 
company,  which  is  stated  to  be  satisfactory 
to  the  majority  shareholders.  Conditions 
at  the  mine  continue  favourable.  The 
addition  to  the  mill,  which  will  bring  its 
capacity  up  to  160  tons  per  day,  is  expected 
to  be  in  operation  before  the  end  of  the  year. 
CoB.\LT. — Conditions  in  the  silver-mining 
industry  are  steadily  improving  with  the 
increasing  price  of  silver  and  the  decline 
in  the  cost  of  materials.  The  Nipissing  is 
producing  silver  at  a  cost  of  between  30  and 
35  cents  per  oz.,  and  the  operating  expenses 
of  the  Mining  Coporation,  Coniagas,  and 
O'Brien  are  well  under  60  cents  per  oz., 
leaving  a  good  margin  for  profit.  The 
production  of  the  Nipissing  for  August  was 
estimated  at  a  value  of  $197,536,  of  which 
§172,516  was  silver  and  $25,020  cobalt. 
A  new  vein  found  at  the  second  level  of 
shaft  No.  63  was  driven  on  for  80  ft.,  of  which 
60  ft.  had  an  average  assay  of  2,500  oz. 
over  a  width  of  3  in.  The  La  Rose  Con- 
solidated is  now  producing  silver  from  four 
mines,  which  are  yielding  about  130  tons 
of  ore  daily.  The  vein  opened  up  at  the 
570  ft.  level  of  the  Violet  property  is  yielding 
some  high-grade  ore,  and  a  large  tonnage  of 


good  milling  ore.  The  shareholders  of  the 
Oxford-Cobalt  have  authorized  the  purchase 
of  the  Waldman  property,  and  two  other 
claims,  bringing  their  total  area  up  to 
100  acres.  IJquidation  proceedings  in  con- 
nexion with  the  Bailey  Cobalt  Mines,  Ltd., 
which  were  begim  ten  years  since,  were 
concluded  last  month,  when  the  shareholders 
authorized  the  directors  to  make  application 
to  terminate  the  winding-uj)  process.  The 
directors  were  authorized  to  receive  from  the 
liquidation  125,000  shares  of  the  stock  of 
Bailey  Silver  Mines,  Ltd.,  to  hold  for  the 
beneiit  of  the  Bailey  Cobalt  shareholders. 
The  report  of  the  Bailey .  Silver  Mines  for 
September  shows  that  the  earnings  of  the 
Bailey  mill  were  approximately  §13,389, 
from  the  treatment  of  ■1,-166  tons  of  ore. 
The  Right  of  Way  company  is  in  financial 
difliculties,  having  debts  of  $31,000  and  no 
funds  on  hand.  J.  P.  Langley  has  been 
appointed  receiver. 

Skead  Tow-Mship. — An  important  ore- 
zone  has  been  discovered  on  L.S.  30,  one  of 
the  properties  of  the  Skead  Gold  Mines, 
Ltd.  Eight  parallel  veins  have  been  found 
within  a  width  of  225  ft.,  having  an  average 
width  of  14  in.  One  vein,  which  has  been 
stripped  for  900  ft.,  shows  an  average  gold 
content  of  $29  per  ton.  A  mining  plant 
will  be  installed  and  active  development 
undertaken. 


VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

October  12. 

CONSOLID.\TED    MlNING    AND    SMELTING. — 

A  conference  was  held  recently,  at  the  Hume 
Hotel,  Nelson,  between  the  president,  general 
manager,  and  comptroller  of  the  Con- 
solidated Mining  and  Smelting  Company  and 
representatives  of  the  individual  mine  owners 
in  the  Slocan  district,  for  the  purpose  of 
arranging  a  new  schedule  of  smelting  charges. 
The  conference  was  convened  at  the  request 
of  the  officials  of  the  Consolidated  Company, 
which  means  that  it  is  in  the  market  for 
custom  ores  once  again.  Since  the  beginning 
of  the  present  year  the  smelting  company  has 
offered  no  inducement  to  independent  mine- 
owners  to  ship  ores  to  Trail,  as  it  would  pay 
for  the  metal  contents  of  such  shipments  only 
in  warehouse  receipts,  upon  which  the  mine- 
owners  were  unable  to  raise  any  funds  at  the 
local  banks.  The  result  has  been  that 
practically  all  production  ceased,  although 
several  companies  continued  development  of 
their  properties  on  a  reduced  scale.  At  the 
conference  the  company  made  a  tentative 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


301 


offer  to  pay  for  95%  of  the  silver  content, 
based  on  "  New  York  Foreign  "  quotations, 
and  90°,'-,  of  the  lead,  based  on  London 
quotation,  until  such  time  that  the  domestic 
demand  should  be  equal  to  the  production, 
when  Montreal  quotations  are  to  replace 
London  ones,  regardless  of  the  zinc  content  of 
the  ore.  Such  payment  is  to  be  made  90  days 
after  the  day  of  sampling,  but  if  requested  the 
company  will  give  90  day  notes  on  the  day 
of  sampling.  These,  of  course,  would  be 
readily  discounted  at  the  local  banks.  In 
the  matter  of  rate  of  exchange  on  the  sale  of 
silver,  the  company  is  to  receive  3%,  and 
everything  over  that  percentage  is  to  go  to 
the  shipper.  The  new  schedule  will  give 
shippers  several  advantages  over  the  old  one, 
which  inflicted  penalties  for  zinc  in  excess  of 
10%,  such  penalties  increasing  with  the 
increase  in  the  zinc  content.  The  company 
has  reduced  its  proportion  of  the  advantage 
of  the  exchange-rate  from  5  to  3%.  Several 
of  the  mine-owners  feel  for  the  moment  that 
the  offer  is  too  good  to  be  true,  but  if  the 
company  lives  up  to  its  offer  the  new  schedule 
undoubtedly  will  give  a  considerable  fillip  to 
mining  in  the  Kootenays. 

The  ore  receipts  at  the  Trail  smelter  for 
the  first  nine  months  of  this  year  amounted  to 
307,493  tons,  and  have  surpassed  all  previous 
records  for  the  period.  The  receipts  for  the 
first  nine  months  of  last  year  amounted  to 
251,735  tons,  and  those  for  the  similar  period 
of  1919  totalled  258,323  tons.  Nearly  98% 
of  the  ore  received  this  year  has  come  from 
the  company's  own  mines. 

The  Consolidated  Mining  &  Smelting 
Company  has  come  in  for  a  good  deal  of 
criticism  for  its  attitude  in  pushing  develop- 
ment and  production  at  its  own  mines  and  at 
the  same  time  refusing  to  buy  ore  from  the 
independent  operators.  Undoubtedly  it  has 
been  very  hard  on  the  latter,  but  un- 
questionably it  has  been  beneficial  to  the 
mine  and  smelter  workers  of  the  Province,  as 
it  is  doubtful  whether  the  independent 
operators  could  have  kept  their  mines  running 
in  the  face  of  the  depressed  condition  of  the 
metal  market  in  the  same  way  that  the 
Consolidated,  backed  by  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway,  has  been  able  to  do.  It  is  to  be 
hoped,  now  that  the  company  is  in  the  market 
again  for  lead  and  copper  ores,  that  the 
independent  owners  will  bury  the  hatchet  and 
combine  with  the  company  to  thoroughly 
re-establish  the  mining  industry  of  the 
Province. 

During  the  first  six  months  of  the  present 


year  the  Consolidated  Company  produced 
about  24,000,000  lb.  of  lead  and  26,000,000  lb. 
of  zinc,  compared  with  26,474,652  lb.  lead 
and  38,995,390  lb.  of  zinc  for  the  whole  of 
last  year.  The  company  has  an  immense 
stock  of  zinc  on  hand,  but  about  only 
14  million  pounds  of  lead,  or  about  four 
months  normal  domestic  demand.  The 
Canadian  lead  market  is  a  good  deal  stronger 
than  the  zinc  one,  and  the  fact  that  the 
Sullivan  ore  averages  about  18%  of  zinc  and 
12%  of  lead  probably  has  been  one  of  the 
factors  that  has  brought  the  company  into 
the  market  again  for  silver-lead  ore,  for  by 
smelting  a  considerable  proportion  of  lead 
ore  with  Sullivan  ore  it  will  be  possible 
to  maintain  the  lead  production  without 
appreciably  increasing  the  large  stock  of  zinc 
on  hand. 

Van  Roi. — Clarence  Cunningham,  one  of 
the  principal  Slocan  mine  operators,  has 
relinquished  his  option  on  the  Van  Roi  mine 
at  Silverton.  Mr.  Cunningham  obtained  an 
option  on  this  property  for  §225,000  in  1916, 
paying  a  large  instalment  two  years  later. 
Since  that  time  payment  has  been  made  only 
in  royalties  on  ore-shipments.  All  told, 
some  §350,000  worth  of  ore  has  been  taken 
from  the  mine  since  Mr.  Cunningham  took 
control,  and  the  owner  of  the  property  has 
benefited  to  the  extent  of  about  $150,000. 
The  Van  Roi,  hke  the  Le  Roi  No.  2,  is  con- 
trolled in  London,  and  these,  it  is  beheved, 
are  about  the  only  two  mines  that  are  so 
controlled  out  of  a  large  number  that  at  one 
time  were  directed  from  London  offices. 
Since  the  erection  of  the  flotation  plant  the 
Le  Roi  No.  2  has  been  sending  regular  ship- 
ments of  concentrate  to  the  Trail  smelter,  so 
it  is  likely,  now  that  Mr.  Cunningham  has 
relinquished  his  option,  the  London  company 
will  operate  the  mine  itself.  Douglas  Lay, 
who  is  managing  Le  Roi  No.  2,  at  one  time 
was  manager  of  the  Van  Roi  mine. 

Dolly  Varden. — The  Taylor  Mining  Co. 
has  reopened  the  Dolly  Varden  mine  and  the 
18  miles  of  railway  connecting  the  mine  with 
tide-water  at  Alice  Arm.  Though  work  will 
be  confined  principally  to  development,  it  is 
expected  that  some  4,000  tons  or  ore  will  be 
shipped  to  the  Granby  smelter  at  Anyox 
before  snow  closes  the  railway  again 
for  the  winter.  This  generally  happens 
about  the  first  week  in  December.  About 
thirty  men  have  been  taken  on  the  pay- 
roll, and  when  the  railway  is  closed  half  of 
these  will  be  transferred  to  the  Wolf  mine, 
also   owned   by   the   Taylor   company,    and 


302 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


development  is  to  be  continued  ;it  Imili  iniius 
throug;hout  tlie  winter.  One  of  tlie  com- 
pressors is  hein^  nio\-cd  from  tlie  Dolly 
Varden  to  the  Wolf,  and  the  hydro-electric 
power  station  that  was  constructed  last  j'ear 
will  operate  all  the  machinery  at  both  mines. 
Atli\  Gold  Mines. — The  action  of  the 
Engineer  Mining  Co.  against  J.  A.  Frascr, 
administrator  of  the  estate  of  James 
Alexander,  involving  the  owncrshij)  of  the 
Engineer  mine  at  Atlin,  one  of  the  richest 
lode-gold  mines  in  the  Province,  has  been 
decided  in  favour  of  the  .-Mcxander  estate, 
the  judge  ruling  that  the  action  had  been  too 
long  delayed,  and  should  have  been  brought 
during  the  life  of  the  late  Captain  Alexander. 
The  plaintiff  company  claimed  that  Captain 
Alexander  and  his  associates  jumped  the 
claims  and  evi-ntuall}'  obtained  Crown  grants 
to  them.  The  company  claims  to  have 
expended  $40,000  on  the  property.  Be  this 
as  it  may,  Captain  Alexander  operated  the 
property  for  a  number  of  years  and  took  a 
considerable  amount  of  gold  from  it  by  the 
crudest  of  appliances.  The  ore  is  rich  nuggcty 
gold  ore,  and  much  of  the  gold  was  recovered 
by  crude  crushing  and  revolving  in  a  clean-up 
barrel  with  mercury.  The  Jlining  Corpora- 
tion of  Canada  became  interested  in  the 
property  and  sent  engineers  to  examine  it, 
and  it  was  while  returning  from  this  examina- 
tion that  Captain  Alexander,  his  wife,  and  the 
engineers  lost  their  lives  in  the  sinking  of  the 
Princess  Sophia.  Since  that  time  the  mine 
has  been  almost  continuously  in  litigation. 
Notice  has  been  given  that  the  present 
decision  is  to  be  appealed. 


MELBOURNE 

September  6. 

The  Austr.\lasiax  Institute. — The  1921 
meeting  of  the  Australasian  Institute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgy  commenced  on 
Monday,  August  22,  at  University  Chambers, 
Sydney.  Mr.  G.  C.  Klug  (Vice-President) 
occupied  the  chair,  and  in  his  opening 
remarks  apologized  for  the  unavoidable 
absence  of  the  President  (Professor 
Chapman).  After  the  formal  opening,  the 
business  meeting  adjourned  until  2  p.m., 
and  members  proceeded  to  the  Mining 
Museum  in  George  Street,  where  an  inspection 
was  made  of  the  magnificent  collection  of 
rocks  and  minerals  on  view  there. 

During  the  day  a  conference  was  held  to 
consider  proposals  to  form  an  Engineering 
Council,  composed  of  representatives  from 
the    three   Federal   Institutes,    namely,    the 


Institution  nf  Engineers  (Austral!. i),  the 
.Australian  Chemical  Institute,  and  the 
.Australasian  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy.  Messrs.  G.  C.  Klug  and  A.  S. 
Kenyon  attended  as  representatives  of  the 
Institute  ;  Dr.  T.  Cooksey  and  Mr.  H.  G. 
Smith  representing  the  Australian  Chemical 
Institute  ;  Messrs.  D.  F.  J.  Harricks  and 
G.  A.  Julius  representing  the  Institution  of 
ICngineers,  Australia.  After  a  full  dis- 
cussion, the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously    adopted  : — 

(1)  That  a  Federal  Council  be  formed 
by  representatives  of  the  Institution 
of  Engineers  (Australia),  the  Australian 
Chemical  Institute,  and  the  Australasian 
Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  herein- 
after referred  to  as  the  constituent  bodies, 
and  that  the  name  of  the  Council  shall  be 

The  Federal  Engineering  Council, 
Australia."  Subject  to  the  unanimous 
approval  of  the  councils  of  all  the  con- 
stituent bodies,  other  Federal  Technical 
Institutions  may  be  admitted  to  member- 
ship. 

(2)  That  the  objects  of  the  Council  shall 
be  to  consider  and  act  upon  matters  of 
common  concern  to  the  technical  professions 
and  to  co-ordinate  the  activities  of  the  bodies 
represented  on  all  questions  of  national 
and  general  importance. 

(3)  That  the  Council  shall  consist  of  three 
representatives  from  each  of  the  con- 
stituent bodies,  such  representatives  to  be 
elected  annually. 

(4)  That  the  Council  shall  elect  a  president 
from  among  its  members,  and  shall  appoint 
such  officers  and  make  such  rules  for  the 
conduct  of  its  business  as  may  be  found 
necessary.  The  Council  shall  elect  its 
president  within  one  month  of  taking  office. 

(5)  That  the  headquarters  of  the  Council 
shall  be  Sydney. 

(6)  That  the  Council  shall  have  no 
jurisdiction  over  the  internal  affairs  of  any 
constituent  body,  but  its  decision  upon 
matters  referred  to  it  for  decision  by  the 
whole  of  the  constituent  bodies  shall  be 
adopted  by  all  such  bodies. 

(7)  That  the  Council  shall  meet  to  deal 
with  any  question  which  may  be  referred  to 
it  by  any  constituent  body,  and  in  any  case 
shall  meet  at  least  once  annually.  Where 
a  representative  is  unable  to  attend  any 
meeting  of  the  Council  the  constituent  body 
that  he  represents  shall  have  power  to  appoint 
a  substitute  for  that  meeting. 

(S)   That  notice  of  any  question  referred 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


303 


to  the  Council  by  one  of  the  constituent 
bodies  must  be  forwarded  to  the  secretary 
of  each  of  the  other  constituent  bodies  at 
least  one  month  before  the  meeting  of  the 
Council  at  which  the  question  is  to  be  dis- 
cussed ;  this  period  may  be  varied  only  with 
the  consent  of  all  the  constituent  bodies. 

(9)  That  the  constituent  bodies  shall 
meet  the  cost  of  the  Federal  Council  in  equal 
proportions,  and  it  is  considered  that  the 
contribution  should  not  exceed  /25  per 
annum  from  each  constituent  body.  The 
travelling  expenses  of  delegates  shall  be 
met  by  their  respective  institutions. 

(10)  That  any  constituent  body  may  with- 
draw from  the  Council  by  giving  twelve 
months'  notice,  and  after  the  expiry  of  that 
period  it  shall  be  relieved  of  all  further 
obligations  to  the  Council. 

It  was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  three 
professional  bodies  represented  at  the  con- 
ference be  urged  to  take  immediate  action 
in  the  matter,  so  that  the  Federal  Council 
may  be  formed  at  the  beginning  of  the  year 
1922,  and  the  chairman  subsequently 
announced  that  the  conference  regarding  the 
proposal  had  been  very  successful,  and  it  was 
■  almost  certain  that  a  Federal  Engineering 
Council  would  be  constituted.' 

It  was  resolved  that  it  be  a  recom- 
mendation to  the  Council  of  the  Institute 
that  the  ordinary  meeting  for  1922  should 
be  held  at  Port  Pirie,  South  Australia.  It 
was  also  mentioned  that  the  Council  was 
considering  the  practicability  of  holding  the 
ordinary  meeting  for  1923  in  New  Zealand, 
so  as  to  dovetail  with  the  meeting  of  the 
Australasian  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science. 

It  was  urged  that  the  Institute  should 
secure  greater  recognition  by  the  Federal 
and  State  Governments.  One  of  the  principal 
reasons  for  obtaining  this  recognition  was, 
it  was  urged,  to  prevent  reports  by  incom- 
petent persons  being  used  for  the  flotation  of 
mining  and  industrial  companies.  The 
chairman  explained  that  the  proposed 
Federal  Council  would,  when  constituted, 
be  a  power  for  good  in  this  matter. 

The  papers  presented  for  discussion  were  : 

"  Mechanical  Methods  for  Allaying  Dust." 
By  P.  H.  Warren. 

"  The  Artificial  Ventilation  of  the  Broken 
Hill  Propirietary  Mine."    By  R.  T.  Slee. 

"  Ventilation  :  Metalhferous  Mines."  By 
T.  G.  Hanton. 

"  A  Proposed  Copper  Metallurgical 
Process."    By  P.  Burbidge, 


"  The  Use  of  Explosives  in  Steel  Works." 
By  R.  T.  Sice. 

"  Description  of  New  Plant  at  South  Mine, 
Broken  Hill."  By  W.  E.  Wainwright  and 
J.  C.  Cunningham. 

"  Determination  of  Minute  Amounts  of 
Lead  in  Water,  with  Notes  on  certain  causes 
of  Error."  By  D.  Avery,  A.  J.  Hemingway, 
and  V.  G.  Anderson. 

On  Tuesday,  the  23rd,  the  Institute 
excursion  to  Lithgow  took  place,  and  the 
visit  was  chiefly  occupied  in  visiting  the  works 
of  the  Hoskins  Iron  and  Steel  Co.  The 
business  is  owned  and  operated  by  Mr.  C.  H. 
Hoskins  and  members  of  his  family.  The 
capital  of  the  company  is  £2,500,000,  and 
there  are  approximately  2,500  men  employed 
at  the  present  time,  but  with  the  extensions 
that  are  contemplated  in  the  near  future 
this  number  will  be  considerably  increased. 
The  various  plants  operated  by  the  company 
are  as  follows  : — 

The  main  iron  and  steel  works  are  situated 
at  Lithgow,  on  the  Blue  Mountains,  96  miles 
west  of  Sydney,  at  an  elevation  of  3,000  ft. 
above  sea  level.  An  engineering  and  cast- 
iron  pipe  works  are  situated  at  Sydney,  and 
Rhodes,  a  suburb  of  Sydney.  A  colliery 
comprising  5,000  acres  of  coal  land,  together 
with  coking  plant  is  situated  at  Dapto,  on 
the  coast,  56  miles  south  of  Sydney  in  the 
southern  coalfield. 

The  company  has  recently  purchased 
400  acres  of  land  on  the  coast  at  Port  Kembla, 
8  miles  distant  from  the  above  colliery 
and  coking  plant,  with  a  view  to  establishing 
a  modern  steel  works  to  allow  for  future 
extensions  whenever  required.  One  of  the 
directors  has  just  returned  from  an  extensive 
tour  of  England,  the  United  States,  and 
Canada,  where  he  gathered  information 
regarding  the  most  modern  iron  and  steel 
plants,  in  order  that  the  new  plant  on  the 
coast,  together  with  numeroxis  jdterations 
and  extensions  to  the  existing  plant  at 
Lithgow,  should  be  along  the  most  modern 
lines. 

The  company  is  practically  self-supporting 
for  all  its  raw  materials,  as  it  owns  numerous 
iron  ore  properties  in  New  South  Wales 
and  Tasmania,  together  with  extensive  coal 
properties  and  limestone  deposits. 

In  addition  to  the  above  they  also  own 
several  manganese  ore  properties,  containing 
ore  of  very  high  quality,  from  which  many 
thousands  of  tons  of  high-grade  ferro- 
manganese  have  been  produced  during  the 
past  five  years. 


301 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


The  company  holds  numerous  iron  ore 
properties,  which  together  are  estimated 
to  contain  between  80,000,000  and 
100,000,000  tons  of  good  ore.  The  ore  for 
the  present  steehvorks  at  Lithgow  is  drawn 
from  Talhiwang,  100  miles  north-west  ; 
Carcoar,  80  miles  south-west  ;  and  Cadia, 
100  miles  south-west  of  Lithgow.  The  first- 
mentioned  ore  is  a  magnetite,  containing 
60°o  of  iron ;  the  latter  two  deposits  are 
red  hematite,  containing  57-58%  of  iron. 
Numerous  other  deposits  are  also  held 
about  100  miles  south-west  and  south  of 
Lithgow. 


PERSONAL 

W.  J.  Barnett  is  on  a  visit  to  British  Columbia, 
where  he  is  examining  alhivial  gold  properties. 

John  A.  Bevan  left  last  month  for  Roumania. 

C.  W.  Boise  has  returned  from  a  visit  to  the 
Akim  diamond  fields.  West  Africa. 

Sir  RonERT  Borden,  recently  Premier  of  Can.ada, 
has  been  elected  a  director  of  the  British  America 
Nickel  Corporation. 

Vicars  W.  Boyle  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

J.  E.  Breaket.l  is  expected  from  West  Africa. 

C.  V.  CoRLESs,  manager  of  the  Mond  Nickel  Co.'s 
mines,  has  returned  to  Canada  after  a  brief  visit  to 
England. 

W.  Dempster  has  gone  to  Kamptee,  Central 
Provinces,  India. 

J.  B.  Dennison  has  left  for  Mexico. 

G.  A.  Harrison  has  returned  from  Roumania. 

Harley  E  Hooper  has  joined  the  stati  of  the 
Department  of  Mining  in  the  Melbourne  Technical 
School. 

Erle  Huntley  has  been  appointed  general 
manager  of  the  Laloki  copper  mines,  Papua. 

Dudley  J.  Inskip  leaves  for  South  Africa  on 
the  23rd. 

Lionel  Lindsay  was  married  to  Miss  Kathleen 
Yone  Kennedy  on  October  25  at  St.  Peter's,  Cranley 
Gardens,  South  Kensington. 

'SI.  C.  H.  Little  is  here  from  Italy. 

Bernard  MacDonald  has  opened  an  office  at 
Parral,  Mexico,  as  consulting  mining  engineer. 

C.  T.  Madig.\n  has  been  appointed  lecturer  on 
geology  in  the  .Adelaide  University,  as  assistant  to 
Sir  Douglas  Mawson. 

E.  Maxwell-Lefroy  has  returned  to  Burma 
from  a  tour  in  .\ustralia.  New  Zealand,  Java,  and 
the  Malay  Peninsula. 

J.  Q  Mitchell  left  on  October  19  for  West 
Africa. 

W.  A.  Pope  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

R.  W.  Pringle  is  examining  the  Umvukwe 
chrome  deposits,  Rhodesia. 

G.  E.  Stephenson  is  home  from  New  Zealand. 

D.  A.  Thomson  is  here  from  West  Africa. 

Dr.  R.  C.  Wallace  has  resigned  as  Commissioner 
of  Northern  Manitoba,  and  has  returned  to  his 
position  at  the  University  of  Manitoba. 

Louis  A.  Wright  has  left  Italy  and  expects  to 
return  to  the  United  States  about  December  1. 


Joseph  W.  Richards,  professor  of  metallurgy  in 
the  Lehigh  University,  died  on  October  12  in  his 
58th  year.  Ho  was  well  known  on  this  side  as 
author  of  the  books  Ahimiiiitiin  and  Metallurgical 
Cakiilalions. 

Ciiari.es  W.  Whitley,  vice-president  of  the 
.\nierican  Smelting  &  Refining  Co.,  died  on 
October  9,  aged  50.  He  was  for  some  years  well 
known  as  the  representative  of  this  company  at 
Salt  Lake  City. 

Dr.  William  Speirs  Bruce  died  at  Edinburgh 
on  October  .31  after  a  long  illness,  at  the  age  of  54. 
He  was  one  of  our  foremost  explorers  in  the  Arctic 
and  .\ntarctic  regions,  and  his  contributions  to 
the  geology  of  Spitsbergen  are  well  known  to  our 
readers. 


B.  Range,  the  chief  engineer  to  the  Burma  Ruby 
Mines,  Ltd.,  died  last  month. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

The  Westinoiiouse  IClectric  International 
Company,  of  East  Pittsburgh,  and  2,  Norfolk  Street, 
Strand.  London,  W.C.  2,  send  us  particulars  of  their 
Midget  Storage  Battery  Locomotive. 

Hyatt,  Ltd.,  of  Thurloe  Place,  South  Kensington, 
London,  S.W.  7,  send  us  a  copy  of  their  new 
sectional  catalogue  dealing  with  the  application  of 
Hyatt  Roller  Bearings  to  colliery  tubs  antl  mine  cars. 

G.  A.  Harvey  &  Co.  (London),  Ltd.,  of  Woolwich 
Road,  London,  S.E.  7,  send  us  new  lists  of  a  great 
variety  of  their  manufactures  :  screens  of  all  kinds 
for  mines  and  quarries,  oil-storage  tanks,  steel 
ventilating  pipes,  steel  hoppers,  etc. 

RusTON  and  Hornsby,  Ltd.,  of  Lincoln,  will  be 
well  represented  at  the  Public  Works,  Roads,  and 
Transport  Exhibition  to  be  held  at  the  .Agricultural 
Hall,  London,  from  November  17  to  25.  They  will 
make  a  special  show  of  their  excavators  and  road 
rollers. 

The  Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co., 
Ltd.,  of  Trafford  Park,  Manchester,  and  4,  Central 
Buildings,  Westminster,  send  us  their  pamphlet 
7,855/2,  relating  to  the  choice  of  motors  forindustrial 
work  ;  also  a  leaflet  dealing  with  their  Cosmos 
vacuum  and  gas-filled  incandescent  electric  lamps. 

The  Hardinge  Company,  of  120,  Broadway, 
New  York,  and  11,  Southampton  Row,  London, 
W.C.  2,  send  us  their  new  catalogue,  No.  9,  dealing 
with  pulverized  fuels.  Particulars  are  given  of  the 
application  of  the  Hardinge  conical  mill  to  the 
production  of  pulverized  coal,  which  nowadays  has 
so  many  important  applications. 

Edgar  .\llen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  the  Imperial  Steel 
Works,  Sheffield,  send  us  their  new  pamphlet 
relating  to  carbon  tool  steels.  This  pamphlet  gives 
practical  hints  on  points  deciding  when  it  is 
economical  to  use  carbon  tool  steels,  and  gives  full 
working  instructions,  together  with  many  tables 
and  details  bearing  on  this  subject. 

T.  Cooke  &  Sons,  Ltd.,  of  the  Buckingham 
Works,  York,  and  3,  Broadway,  Westminster,  send 
us  their  new  catalogue  of  surveying  instruments. 
This  catalogue  is  of  particular  value  to  the  mining 
engineer,  as  it  not  only  contains  a  description  of 
a  great  variety  of  old  and  new  instruments,  but 
gives  full  descriptions  of  all  the  novelties,  and 
scientific  explanations  of  new  principles. 

Hadfields.  Ltd.,  of  the  East  Hecla  Works, 
Tinsley,  Sheltield,  will  be  well  represented  at  the 
Public  Works,  Roads,  and  Transport  Exhibition  at 
the  Agricultural  Hall,  Islington,  which  will  be  open 
from  November  17  to  25.  This  firm  supply  much 
plant  and  machinery  used  for  traction  oa  roads. 


I 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


305 


such  as  manganese  steel  rails,  tyres,  axles,  etc. 
Their  machinery  is  also  of  great  value  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  paving  materials,  their  breakers  and  crushers 
being  in  general  use  for  the  production  of  both 
macadam  and  smaller  material. 

HoLMAN  Brothers,  Ltd.,  of  Camborne,  send  us 
a  new  pamphlet  describing  their  Type  3  drill- 
sharpener.  This  pamphlet  give?  full  details  of  the 
operation  of  this  important  adjunct  to  mine  plant, 
with  particulars  of  its  special  advantages  and 
method  of  using.  They  also  send  us  a  pamphlet 
on  their  tools  and  plant  suitable  for  colliery  equip- 
ment, namely,  haulages,  air-compressors,  coal- 
washers,  coal  cutters,  coal  picks,  and  rock-drills. 
Other  new  pamphlets  deal  with  the  Holman- 
Taquali  log  saw  and  with  china-clay  plant. 

John  &  Edwin  Wright,  Ltd.,  of  the  Universe 
Works,  Birmingham,  send  us  their  list,  No.  100, 
which  deals  with  the  cross-sections  of  a  great  variety 
of  wire  ropes,  with  explanations  of  their  particular 
applications.  They  also  send  us  their  pocket 
instrument,  called  the  "  Caliper-Clinometer,"  which 
is  intended  for  the  measurement  of  the  mclination 
of  ropes  and  their  diameter,  and  for  the  inside 
measurement  of  the  pulley  grooves.  Reference  is 
made  to  this  instrument  in  the  column  devoted  to 
Recent  Patents  Publi.shed,  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 

Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Stockton-on- 
Tees,  and  5,  Victoria  Street,  Westminster,  send  us 
a  leather  case  for  the  shelf  containing  a  set  of  their 
new  pamphlets  relating  to  a  number  of  their 
specialties,  as  follow  :  Headgears,  cages,  etc.  ; 
coal-screening  and  .sorting  plant  ;  pulley-blocks  and 
hoi.sts  ;  steel  chimneys  and  tanks  ;  blast-furnace 
plant  ;  Mar:us  screens  and  conveyors ;  Nissen 
stamp-mills  ;  coal-shippers  and  hoists  ;  Stanley 
cage  props  ;  Simple.x  air-locks  ;  pit-cages  ;  Lowden 
patent  dryer  ;  Colorado  convertible  discharge  ball- 
mill  ;  Akins  classifier  ;  Notanos  patent  rotary 
dryer  ;  cement  works  plant ;  iron  castings  ;  and 
the  King  grinding  pan. 

The  Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tooi.  Co.,  Ltd., 
of  170,  Piccadilly,  London,  W.,  send  us  particulars 
of  a  new  type  of  electric  hammer,  adapted  for  both 
stone  and  iron  work,  which  they  are  now  intro- 
ducing. A  practical  electric  hammer  has  been 
the  object  of  much  investigation.  The  firm  can 
safely  claim  to  have  achieved  a  result  which  will 
satisfy  the  discriminating  user.  The  stone  hammer 
is  suitable  for  nearly  all  classes  of  stone  working, 
and  gives  excellent  results  when  used  for  carving, 
channelling,  and  large  lettering  work.  Trials  have 
demonstrated  that  it  does  the  work  about  four  or 
five  times  faster  than  hand  labour,  with  much 
more  satisfactory  results,  owing  to  ease  of  control 
and  convenience  of  the  tool.  The  weight  is  5  lb., 
and  the  overall  length  IIJ  inches.  The  light 
riveting  and  chipping  hammer  has  been  through 
long  and  severe  tests,  and  the  results  obtained  are 
thoroughly  satisfactory.  In  addition  to  the  fore- 
going uses,  this  electric  hammer  makes  an  efficient 
tool  for  drilling  holes  through  concrete,  stone,  or 
brickwork  when  fitted  with  suitable  bits.  It  has 
already  been  used  for  this  purpose  with  very 
satisfactory  results.  The  weight  is  7  lb.,  and  the 
overall  length  13^  inches. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing 
Co.,  of  East  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  send  us 
particulars  of  the  contract  they  have  secured  for 
the  supply  of  the  equipment  to  electrify  the  Chilean 
State  Railway  between  Valparaiso  and  Santiago, 
and  the  Los  Andes  branch.     This  contract  covers 


the  most  important  railway  electrification  under- 
taken since  the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  the  largest 
ever  undertaken  by  an  American  firm  outside  of  the 
United  States.  The  main  line,  which  is  116  miles 
long,  is  now  under  steam  operation,  and  is  the  most 
important  railway  line  in  Chile.  It  connects  the 
leading  seaport  (Valparaiso)  with  the  capital 
(Santiago),  while  the  line  to  Los  Andes  is  28  miles 
long  and  forms  the  Chilean  State  Railway  section 
of  the  trans-continental  line  to  Buenos  Aires. 
The  equipment  to  be  furnished  consists  of  eleven 
local  passenger  locomotives,  fifteen  road  freight 
locomotives,  seven  switching  engines,  and  five 
sub-stations  of  4,000  k.w.  capacity  each.  The 
3,000  volt  direct  current  system  will  be  used  and  will 
be  of  American  character.  Owing  to  the  abundance 
of  water  power  in  Chile,  and  the  high  price  of  fuel, 
all  of  the  Chilean  railroads  will  eventually  be 
electrified,  and  the  present  project  is  the  first  step 
in  this  process. 

METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
kept  fairly  firm  until  towards  the  middle  of  October, 
when  prices  tended  to  recede.  The  firmness  at  the 
beginning  of  the  month  was  partially,  at  least,  due 
to  the  rise  in  the  price  of  electrolytic  in  New  York, 
where  13  cents  was  touched.  There  appeared  to  be 
a  little  increase  in  American  consuming  demand, 
which  might  have  justified  a  small  rise  in  the  cent 
price,  but  the  suspicion  was  current  on  the  London 
market  that  the  movement  was  more  or  less 
artificial.  In  the  meantime,  the  German  mark 
began  to  fall  to  unprecedented  levels,  with  the  result 
that  purchases  by  that  country  in  America  had  to  be 
restricted.  An  immediate  consequence  was  a  weaker 
tone  on  the  New  York  market,  which  was 
sympathetically  reflected  in  London  values.  What- 
ever may  be  said  of  the  ultimate  future,  there 
certainly  seems  little  to  encourage  purchasers  at  the 
moment.  Consuming  demand  in  this  country  can 
only  be  described  as  unsatisfactory,  while 
Continental  inquiry,  though  at  times  moderate, 
has  suffered  from  the  adverse  exchanges.  In  the 
United  Kingdom  stocks  of  standard  are  gradually 
increasing,  and  seem  likely  to  continue  doing  so 
owing  to  the  warehousing  of  old  metal  which  has 
been  converted  into  rough  copper.  Meanwhile, 
despite  drastically  curtailed  output  in  the  United 
States,  the  large  stocks  in  existence  there  prevent 
the  curtailment  in  production  being  felt. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper  :  October, 
1921,  £67  8s.  Id.  ;  September,  1921.  £6S  Os.  lid.  ; 
October,  1920,  £93  10s.  Id.  ;  September,  1920, 
£96  13s.  4d. 

Tin. — Values  on  the  standard  market  in  London 
fluctuated  somewhat  during  October,  but  on  bal?.nce 
prices  were  practically  unaltered  on  the  month. 
The  statistics  published  at  the  end  of  September, 
indicating  a  substantial  increase  in  the  visible 
supplies  of  tin,  had  little  adverse  effect  on  values, 
probably  because  it  was  felt  that  the  present  low 
quotation  discounts  most  of  the  adverse  factors. 
A  favourable  feature  during  the  month  was  the 
improving  demand  from  the  British  and  American 
tinplate  works.  The  real  malady  of  the  tin- 
producing  industry  is  under-consumption  rather 
than  over-production,  and  any  broadening  of 
genuine  demand  is  therefore  to  be  welcomed. 
Continental  demand  was  on  a  moderate  scale, 
though  the  weakness  in  the  mark  curtailed  German 


306 


nil':    MININC.     MACAZINIC 


Daily  London  Metal  Prices:    Official  Closing 

Copper,  Lead,  Zinc,  and  Ti  n  per  LonK  Ton 


COPPKK 

SUndard  Casb 

Standard  (3  mos.) 

Elwtrolytic 

Wire  Bars 

Best  Selected 

Oct. 

f 

s. 

d.        C    s- 

d.      £    s. 

d.         £     s. 

d. 

£    s- 

d.         £    s. 

i.  \    £    s. 

d.          C    s. 

d. 

£    s. 

d. 

£    s.  d. 

11 

iy.> 

7 

6  to  00  10 

0     70    7 

6  to  70  10 

0 

75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0  1  75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

70    0 

0 

to 

71  10    0 

12 

Cii 

5 

0  to  OO  10 

0  ;  70    5 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10 

0   to  77  10 

0     76  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

—  - 

— 

13 

tJS 

7 

0  to  C.S  10 

0  1  Oi)  10 

0  to  oa  12 

0 

75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0     7B  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

— 

— 

14 

07 

12 

0  to  67  15 

0  '  tW  15 

0   to  68  17 

6 

74  10 

0  to  70  10 

0     75  10 

0  to  70  10 

0 

08  10 

0 

to 

7li  10    0 

17 

ea 

7 

0   to  00  10 

0     67  12 

6  to  07  15 

0     74    0 

0  to  70    0 

0  1  75    0 

0  to  71;   0 

0 



— 

18 

65 

15 

0  to  Oli    0 

0     67    0 

0  to  67    5 

0 

73    0 

0  to  75    0 

0     74    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

66    0 

0 

to 

68    0    0 

19 

IW 

0   to  6<i    7 

0     67    5 

0  to  67  10 

0 

73    0 

0  to  75    0 

0  1  74    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 



— 

80 

66 

5 

0   to  BO  10 

0  i  67  10 

0  to  67  12 

() 

73    0 

0  to  75    0 

0  1  74    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 



— 

21 

60 

0 

0  to  60     2 

0  1  07    2 

0  to  07    5 

0     711    0 

0  to  75    0 

0     71     0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

G7    0 

0 

to 

00  0  0 

24 

68 

2 

6  to  68    5 

(1     07     2 

6  to  07    5 

0 

72  10 

0  to  74  10 

0     73  10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

— 

— 

25 

66 

0 

0  to  60    2 

6     07    0 

0  to  67    2 

6 

72  10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

73  10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

00  10 

0 

to 

08    0    0 

26 

tw 

5 

0  to  K)     7 

0     66    5 

0  to  66    7 

6 

72    0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

73     0 

0  to  74     0 

0 

— 

— 

37 

65 

10 

0  to  65  12 

0 

60  12 

0  to  60  15 

0 

72    0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

73     0 

0   to  74     0 

0 

— 

— 

28 

65 

13 

0  to  65  17 

6 

66  15 

0  to  66  17 

6 

72    0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

73     0 

0  to  74    0 

0 

60    0 

0 

to 

68    0    0 

31 

Nov. 
1 

66 

2 

6  to  66    5 

0 

67    0 

0  to  67    5 

0 

72  10 

0  to  74  10 

0 

74    0 

0  to  74  10 

0 

— 

— 

66 

5 

n  to  66    7 

6 

67    2 

6  to  67    5 

0 

73    0 

0  to  75    C 

0 

74    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

60  15 

0 

to 

08  15     0 

2 

67 

0 

0  to  07    2 

0 

57    7 

0  to  67  10 

0 

73  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 



to 

— 

3 

60 

15 

0  to  66  17 

0 

67     5 

(1  to  67    7 

6 

73  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0   to  75  10 

0 



to 

4 

eo  15 

0  to  66  17 

6 

67    2 

0  to  67    5 

0 

73  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 

74  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 

67    0 

0 

to 

G9    b    0 

7 

65  17 

6  to  06    0 

0 

60  10 

0  to  fO  12 

0 

73  10 

0  to  75  10 

0 

71  10 

0   to  75  10 

0 

— 

to 

— 

8 

66 

5 

0  to  66    7 

6 

00  15 

0   to  66  17 

6 

73    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

74    0 

0   to  75     0 

0 

CO  10 

0 

to 

68  10    0 

9 

GO 

0 

0  to  06    2 

6 

60  12 

0  to  60  15 

0 

73    0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

74     0 

0  to  75    0 

0 

purchases.  America,  on  the  whole,  bought  little, 
the  risine;  tendency  in  stcrlins;  being  partly 
responsible.  The  Straits  sold  pretty  freely  during 
the  month,  and  a  feature  was  the  arrival  of  good 
lines  of  Banca  tin  in  this  country.  Stocks  in  the 
United  Kingdom  are  increasing,  while  the 
Federated  ^lalay  States  Government  has  stil!  to 
find  a  favourable  opportunity  of  disposing  of 
its  large  holding.  There  are  indications  that  pro- 
duction in  the  Federated  Malay  States  and  Batavia 
is  to  be  cut  shortly,  and  unless  consumption 
increases  this  appears  inevitable.  Output  in 
Nigeria,  Bolivia,  and  Cornwall  continues  to  be 
drastically  curtailed,  and  should  a  serious  restriction 
in  the  East  take  place,  the  general  position  might 
inspire  more  confidence  than  seems  at  present 
justified. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  .  October, 
1921,  /156  10s.  ;  September,  1921,  /156  !7s.  6d.  ; 
October,  1920,  /258  8s.  8d.  ;  September,  1920, 
£270  7s.  3d. 

Lead. — Steadiness  was  the  chief  characteristic 
of  the  London  lead  market  last  month,  and  prices 
underwent  very  little  alteration,  although  they 
closed  slightly  higher  on  balance.  Demand  from 
English  consumers  tended  to  decline,  but  this  was 
compensated  for  during  the  first  half  of  the  month 
by  an  active  inquiry  from  Germany.  The  sub- 
sequent decline  in  the  mark,  however,  compelled 
German  buyers  to  restrict  their  purchases,  and  but 
for  the  firm  attitude  of  holders,  prices  might  well 
have  weakened.  Arrivals  of  fresh  metal  continued 
scanty  and  erratic,  and  dealers  and  consumers, 
unable  to  obtain  delivery  of  shipment  lead  owing 
to  steamer-discharging  delays,  were  compelled  to 
cover  their  requirements  by  purchasing  ex-ware- 
house. This,  coupled  with  consumers'  general 
policy  of  buying  only  for  immediate  delivery, 
maintained  the  premium  on  early  delivery  metal. 
In  the  United  States  the  market  was  firm,  thanks 
to  a  good  domestic  demand.  British  dealers 
encountered  fairly  stiff  competition  on  the  Continent 
from  American  interests,  although  no  offers  were 
made  on  the  London  market.     Some  Burmese  and 


Australian  metal  came  forward  during  the  month, 
but  not  in  sufficient  quantities  to  compensate  for 
the  shortage  of  Spanish  lead  ;  the  outlook,  however, 
seems  favourable  towards  larger  arrivals  from  the 
two  first-named  countries-  in  the  near  future.  As 
regards  Mexico,  the  position  there  seems  to  be 
improving,  but  no  metal  has  so  far  come  out  on  the 
London  market. 

Average  price  of  soft  pig  lead  :  October,  1921, 
/23  10s.  8d.  ;  September,  1921,  /22  19s.  5d.  ; 
October.  1920,  /35  2s.  Id.  ;  September,  1920, 
/;35  7s.  6d. 

Spelter. — Values  on  the  London  spelter  market 
underwent  little  change  during  October,  although 
sentiment  was  inclined  to  be  changeable.  At  one 
time  values  tended  to  case  off,  owing  to  fears  of 
larger  offerings  from  Germany  in  consequence  of 
the  weakness  of  the  mark,  but  the  non-realization 
of  such  apprehensions  infused  a  little  more 
confidence.  An  encouraging  factor  during  the 
month  was  the  continuance  of  the  improved  demand 
from  British  galvanizers.  Producing  countries 
were  verj'  reserved  in  their  attitude,  and  very  little 
metal  was  offered  by  either  Belgium,  Nor,vay,  or 
Germany.  Some  French  spelter,  however,  was 
sold  to  this  country,  havin<;  possibly  been  set  free 
by  arrivals  of  spelter  from  Germany  under  the 
Wiesbaden  agreement.  The  situation  in  Upper 
Silesia  must  continue  to  affect  the  market  position 
to  some  extent ;  under  the  League  of  Nations' 
frontier  decision,  all  the  spelter  works  and  nearly 
all  the  zinc  mines  are  granted  to  Poland.  German 
stocks  are  believed  now  to  be  of  fairly  manageable 
proportions,  while  Belgium,  whose  production  is 
steady  around  5,000  monthly,  does  not  seem  to 
have  much  metal  to  spare.  In  the  United  States  the 
market  has  been  firm,  with  a  fair  demand,  and  stocks 
are  trending  downward*.  There  appear  to  be 
good  prospects  of  a  resumption  being  made  shortly 
in  the  English  spelter  industry,  the  Board  of  Trade 
having  arranged  for  supplies  of  Australian  zinc 
concentrates.  Towards  the  end  of  the  month  the 
demand  from  gaivanizers  became  less  pressing  and 
values  eased  slightly. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


307 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  :  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 

Spelter) 

Gold 

Soil  Foreign 

English 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

i     s- 

d.   £  s. 

d. 

£  s. 

d. 

i   ?• 

d.    i    s. 

d. 

£  s. 

i.          i     s. 

d. 

i     s. 

d.    I      s. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

Oct. 

23  5 

0  to  23  0 

0 

24  10 

0 

26  12 

6  to  27  0 

0 

155  12 

6  to  1.55  17 

6 

158  2 

6  to  158  7 

B 

42i 

42i 

106  8 

11 

23  10 

0  to  23  5 

0 

24  lu 

0 

20  12 

6  to  27  0 

0 

155  15 

0  to  150  0 

0 

158  5 

0  to  158  10 

0 

425 

42g 

. — 

12 

23  17 

6  to  23  I'J 

0 

24  15 

0 

26  12 

6  to  27  0 

0 

155  10 

0  to  155  15 

0 

157  17 

6  to  158  0 

0 

423 

42§ 

107  2 

13 

23  17 

6  to  23  10 

0 

24  15 

0 

26  10 

0  to  26  17 

0 

155  5 

0  to  1.55  10 

0 

157  12 

6  to  157  15 

0 

42J 

42^ 

108  5 

14 

23  17 

G  to  23  10 

0 

24  15 

0 

26  2 

6  to  26  10 

0 

1.57  10 

0  to  157  15 

0 

159  15 

0  to  160  0 

0 

42J 

42 

105  4 

17 

23  15 

0  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

26  2 

6  to  26  10 

0 

157  5 

0  to  157  10 

0 

159  10 

0  to  159  15 

0 

40S 

405 

104  i 

18 

23  15 

0to23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

26  2 

6  to  20  10 

0 

156  15 

0  to  157  0 

0 

159  0 

0  to  159  5 

0 

395 

39b 

105  7 

19 

23  15 

0  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

26  7 

0  to  20  15 

0 

157  5 

0  to  157  10 

0 

150  12 

6  to  159  15 

0 

40J 

40, 

104  9 

20 

24  0 

0  to  23  15 

0 

25  0 

0 

26  7 

6  to  26  15 

0 

158  5 

0  to  15S  10 

0 

160  10 

0  to  160  15 

0 

40| 
404 

40 

104  0 

21 

24  2 

6  to  23  15 

0 

25  0 

0 

20  5 

0  to  26  10 

0 

158  0 

0  to  153  5 

0 

100  10 

0  to  160  15 

0 

39 

104  8 

24 

21  2 

6  to  23  17 

6 

25  0 

0 

25  17 

6  to  26  5 

0 

156  10 

0  to  156  15 

0 

158  15 

0  to  159  0 

0 

39i 

38 

104  4 

25 

24  2 

6  to  23  15 

0 

25  0 

0 

25  15 

Oto26  5 

0 

155  10 

0  to  155  15 

0 

158  0 

0  to  158  5 

0 

391 

39i 

104  2 

28 

24  0 

0  to  23  12 

6 

25  0 

0 

25  17 

6  to  2(S  7 

0 

156  10 

0  to  156  15 

0 

158  17 

8  to  159  0 

0 

40 

39J 

104  5 

27 

24  0 

0  to  23  15 

0 

25  0 

0 

25  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

156  0 

0  to  156  5 

0 

158  5 

0  to  158  10 

0 

40? 

40i 

104  10 

28 

24  0 

0  to  22  12 

6 

25  0 

0 

26  0 

0  to  26  10 

0 

156  10 

0  to  156  15 

0 

158  15 

0  to  158  17 

6 

40J 

39i 

104  9 

31 

Nov. 

23  17 

6  to  23  10 

0 

25  0 

0 

26  2 

6  to  26  12 

6 

155  10 

0  to  1.55  15 

0 

157  15 

0  to  158  0 

0 

401 

39S 
391 

104  9 

l' 

23  12 

6  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

28  0 

0  to  26  12 

6 

155  0 

0  to  155  5 

0 

157  5 

0  to  157  in 

0 

.40J 

104  10 

2 

23  12 

6  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

25  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

155  5 

0  to  155  10 

0 

157  10 

0  to  157  15 

0 

40} 

398 

104  7 

3 

23  12 

6  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

25  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

156  15 

0  to  157  0 

0 

15S  10 

0  to  158  15 

0 

?Sl 

39} 

104  4 

4 

23  15 

0to23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

25  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

158  10 

0  to  158  15 

0 

160  0 

0  to  160  5 

0 

39 

381 

104  4 

7 

23  15 

0  to  23  7 

6 

24  15 

0 

25  15 

0to26  7 

6 

158  10 

0  to  158  15 

0 

100  10 

0  to  160  15 

0 

393 

39 

104  3 

8 

23  17 

6  to  23  10 

0 

25  0 

0 

25  10 

0to26  5 

0 

157  5 

0  to  157  10 

0 

159  5 

0  to  159  5 

0 

3Sl 

381 

104  2 

9 

Average  price  of  spelter:  October,  1921, 
/26  10s.  7d.  ;  September,  1921,  /26  10s.  8d.  ; 
October,  1920,  ^AO  5s.  6d.  ;  September,  1920, 
£40  5s.  6d. 

Zinc  Dust. — Rather  more  inquiry  is  reported. 
Prices  are  slightlv  easier  on  the  month  :  Australian 
high-s;rade  £50, 'American  92  to  94%  £47  10s., 
and  English  92  to  94%  £45. 

Antimony. — Values  are  lower,  as  follows : 
English  regulus,  ordinary  grades,  £35  to  £38, 
special  brands  £36  5s.  to  £40,  and  98  to  990'o  £25 
to  £28.     Foreign  is  about  £24  10s. 

Arsenic. — Cornish  white  is  nominal  at  about  £40 
per  ton,  f.o.r.  Cornwall. 

Bismuth. — The  price  is  steady  at  7s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Cadmium. — The  market  is  quiet  and  the  quotation 
unchanged  at  6s.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — There  is  no  change  to  report. 
Domestic  producers  quote  £120  for  home  and  £125 
for  export  business,  while  foreign  metal  is  still 
ofiering  around  £100  f.o.b.  Continent. 

Nickel. — Producers  here  are  nominally  asking 
£190  for  home  and  export,  but  foreign  metal  is 
obtainable  at  well  below  this. 

Cobalt  Metal. — Inquiry  is  quiet,  but  the  price 
ts  unchanged  at  14s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide. — There  is  not  much  business 
passing.  Black  oxide  is  priced  at  10s.  9d.  and  grey 
at  12s.  per  lb. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — Manufactured 
platinum  is  quoted  at  £20  5s.  and  raw  metal  at 
£18  per  oz.  Palladium  is  unchanged,  with  manu- 
factured at  £18  to  £20  and  raw  at  £14  to  £15  per  oz. 

Quicksilver. — At  the  moment  the  market  is 
steady,  though  business  is  only  moderate.  The 
price  is  £9  10s.  to  £9  12s.  6d.  per  bottle. 

Selenium. — Powder  is  quoted  at  9s.  6d.  per  lb. 

Tellurium. — The  quotation  is  lower  at  70s.  to 
SOs.  per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — Values  are  easier  at  £28 
to  £30  per  ton,  for  both  home  and  export  business. 

Manganese  Ore. — The  price  has  fluctuated,  but 
is  lower  on  the  month  at  Is.  2d.  c.i.f. 

Tungsten    Ore. — Business    is    quiet,    and    the 


quotation  steady  at  12s.  6d.  to  13s.  c.i.f.  for  65% 
WO.,. 

Molybdenite. — The  price  of  85%  is  steady  at 
37s.  6d.  to  40s.  c.i.f.,  nominal. 

Chrome  Ores. — The  market  is  idle,  the  quotation 
being  lower  on  the  month  at  £4  to  £4  5s.  c.i.f. 

Silver. — Values  receded  during  the  month  on 
balance,  despite  an  upward  reaction  towards  the 
close,  owing  to  steady  selling  by  India.  The 
market  received  some  support  from  Chinese 
purchasers.  On  October  1  spot  bars  were  quoted 
at  42|d.,  eased  to  41Jd.  on  the  6th,  firmed  up  to 
423d.  on  the  8th,  and  after  falling  to  A2\d.  on  the 
10th,  rose  to  42Jd.  on  the  13th.  By  the  19th  the 
price  was  down  to  39|d.,  followed  by  40|d.  on  the 
20th  and  39Jd.  on  the  25th.  Some  support  then 
pushed  the  price  up  to  41|d.  on  the  29th,  but  the 
quotation  closed  lower  on  the  31st  at  40Jd. 

Graphite. — Business  is  quiet  and  values  nominal 
Sellers  still  quote  Madagascar,  80  to  90%,  at  £20 
to  £25  per  ton  c.i.f. 

Iron  .4nd  Steel. — The  recovery  in  the  iron  and 
steel  trades  is  proceeding  at  a  slow  rate,  and  the 
number  of  blast-furnaces  in  operation  is  being 
increased  only  gradually.  Pig  iron  prices  have 
been  reduced,  however,  in  the  hopes  of  attracting 
buyers.  No.  3  Cleveland  is  now  quoted  at  110s. 
for  the  home  trade,  whilst  115s.  is  asked  for  export. 
The  Continent  is  still  in  a  position  to  undercut  for 
shipment  business.  Hematite  is  weak,  and  worth 
scarcely  more  than  120s.  A  lew  small  parcels  have 
been  going  into  home  consumption,  but  export  trade 
is  practically  stagnant.  In  the  finished  departments, 
a  big  effort  has  been  made  to  stimulate  trade  by 
cutting  prices,  and  home  trade  quotations  are 
roughly  £3  down  at  £10  section  basis.  So  far, 
however,  it  has  had  little  effect.  Export  business 
is  slow  in  spite  of  repeated  reductions,  and  the 
Continent  is  still  able  to  secure  the  cream  of  the 
export  business.  If  costs  came  down  to  a  reason- 
able level,  British  makers  would  undoubtedly  come 
into  their  own  again,  for  many  schemes  are  being 
held  up  until  preference  can  be  given  to  our  home 
works. 


;i().s 


THE     MININC.     MACAZINK 


STATISTICS 


Prodvciioh  or  Gold  in  rnt  TRANSVAiiL. 


Rand 


Else- 
where 


Oi. 


Oi. 


Total 


Oi. 


Price  ot 
Gold  per  or.. 


September,  1920. .'  665,486  I     16,687  682,17a  llfi 

Ociober   645,819  16,65:3  '   662,472  117 

November   ,  618,525  15,212  633,787  117 

December 617,549  14,666  632,215  115 


Toul,  1920   7,949.038 

January,  1921  ...I  637,425 

Febniary  643,767 

March 656,572 

April 665,309 

May    671,750 

June.... 603,383 

July    673,475 

.-August 695,280 

September ,  674,157 


204,587  8.153,625 


14,ia'< 
14,370 
14,551 
16,073 
16,026 
15,107 
10,080 
16,296 
16,939 


651,693 
588,137 
671,123 
681,382 
687,776 
678,490 
689,555 
711,520 
691.C9G 


105  0 

103  9 

103  9 

103  9 

103  9 

107  6 

112  G 
111 


110  0 


Nativks  Employed  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


Gold 
Diines 


September  30,  1920 . .  163,132 

October  31 1  159,426 

November  80 158,773 

December  31  159,671 

January  31,  1921   . . .  165,287 

February  28    '  171,518 

March  31   174,364 

April  30   172,826 

May  81  170,595 

June  .80    168,152 

July  81 160,990 

August  31 '  169,008 

September  30    1  171.912 


Coal 
mines 


Diamond 
mines 


Total 


13,716 
13,858 
14,245 
14,263 


4,323 
4,214 
3,504 
3.340 


181,171 
177,498 
176,522 
177,274 


14,541 

14,697 

14,906     1 

14,908 

14,510 

14,704 

14,688 

14,446 

14,244     I 


3.319 

183.147 

1,612 

187,827 

1,364 

100,634 

1,316 

189,050 

1,302 

180,407 

1,317 

184,173 

1,246 

182,933 

1,207 

184,601 

1,219 

187,375 

Cost  and  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled    from   official   statistics    published   by    the   Transvaal 
Chamber  of  Mines. 


Tons 
milled 


Work'g 
Yield         cost 
per  ton    per  ton  [ 


Work*g 
profit 
per  ton 


Total 

working 
profit 


Sept.,  1920...  1,9.50,410 

October 1,871,140 

November  . . .  1,799,710 

December  . . .  1,797,970 


s.  d. 

38  11 

39  9 

40  2 
39  11 


s.  d. 

25  6 

26  1 
26  3 
26  8 


_L 


s.  d. 

13  5 

18  8 

13  1 

13  3 


January,  1921 

February 

March 

April 

May  .. 

June  .. 

July... 

August 


1,895,235  j 

1,575,320 

1,958,730 

1,921,815 

1,955,357 

1,960,349 

2,010,236 

2,050,722 


35    0 
35    6 


34 
34 
85 


85  10 
37  2 
37    3 


26  3 
28  6 
26    1 

25  10 

26  2 
25  10 
25  7 
25    4 


8  9 

7  0 

8  4 

8  7 

9  1 

10  0 

11  7 
11  U 


1.276.369 
1,278.885 
1,255,749 
1.198.672 


829.436 
550.974 
813.636 
854.533 
889,520 
979,769 
1,163,565 
1.226.282 


Prodcction  op  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1920 


1921 


£ 

January 211,917 

February 220,833 

March    225,808 

April   213,160 

May 218,037 

June 214,213 

July 214,919 

August 207,339 

September 223,719 

October 204,184 

November 180,462 

December  158,835 

Total  I  2,499,408 


oz. 
43,428 

oz. 

46,9.56 

44.2,37 

40,810 

45,779 

31,995 

47.000 

47,858 

46.266 

1       48.744 

45,054 

49,466 

46,208 

51,564 

48,740 

53,200 

43,471 

52.436 

47,343 

— 

46,782 

— 

46,190 

Transvaal  Gold  Oi;th)t«, 
August 


Treated 
Tons 


Aurora  West 

Braknan  

City  Deep    

Cons.  Langlnngte   

Cons.  Main  Reef 

Crown  Mines 

D'rb'nRoodcpoortDcep 

Fast  Rand  P.M 

Ferrcira  Deep  

GcduM 

Gcldenluiis  Deep 

Glynn's  Lydenburg    . .  , 

Goch 

Government  G.M.  Ar^as 
Kleinfontein    .... 
Knii^ht  Central. . . 
Langlaaiite  Fstate 
I-iiipaard's  Vlei  . . 

Meyer  vt  Charlton 

MoHdcrfontcin 

Modderfontein  B    

Modderfontein  Deep  . . 
Modderfontein  East. . . . 

New  Unified    

Nourse  

Primrose    

Randfontein  Central    . . 

Robinson 

Robinson  Deep 

Roodepoort  United    . . . 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack 

Springs     

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  Ryn   

Van  Ryn  Deep   

Village  Deep    

West  Rand  ConsoHdated 
Witw'tersr'nd  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhuter 


11,0.50 
58,000 
90,000 
44,000 
48,000 

196,000 
27,000 

120,500 
34.,500 
44,.500 
50,097 
3,44li 
17„5I)II 

145,000 
60,900 
29,200 
41,300 

l5!r,(iii 

1U(I,(X)I) 
OU.OOO 
44,400 
27,300 
11,500 
45,000 
22,800 

135,600 
40,000 
61,600 
23,000 
60,200 
53,700 
41,500 
10,200 
15,600 
33,400 
53,300 
50,000 
32,500 
41,300 
31,000 
32,300 


Yield 
Oz. 


£16,100* 

22,578 

87,664 

£72,502* 

18,058 

57,829 

0.608 

33,300 

11,328 

15,621 

13,593 

£7,124: 

£21,39(1' 

£327,065' 

13,670 

7,228 

£70,320' 

£L's,2fi5' 

£-l.''.,544' 

4S,114 

31,452 

24,818 

12,310 

£13,892* 

14,688 

£27,927* 

£218,405* 

7,(>29 

17,871 

£24,931* 

13,441 

13,772 

18,179 

5,491 

£27,27U 

£53,010* 

£103,428' 

16,490 

£49,909* 

£58,779* 

9,423 

8,217 


September 


Treated 
Tons 


•  Gold  at  £5  lis.  6d.  per  oz.     t  £5  10s.  per  oz. 
§  £5  8s.  3d.  per  oz. 


10,800 
57,500 
89,000 
44,000 
50,000 

193,000 
24,350 

124,000 
32,200 
45,000 
49,520 
8,675 
17,100 

140,OCO 
49,700 
28,600 
41,C*0 
22,2(X) 
13,200 

101,(X)0 
59,000 
43,000 
25,000 
1(1,900 
41,200 
20,700 

130,000 
40,000 
63,600 
22,()00 
.54,(100 
55,200 
36.250 
10.200 
15,445 
31,630 
4(i,400 
48,100 
32,000 
40,000 
83.6.30 
32,200 


Yield 
Or. 


£15,115t 

22,113 

85,729 

£72,037t 

17,719 

58,984 

9,602 

83,652 

10,206 

16,185 

12,080 

£7,I02S 

£20,280t 

£318,760t 

13,017 

0,761 

£68,91 2t 

£27,020t 

£42,180t 

46,994 

30,780 

28,355 

0,791 

£I3,9o8t 

15,002 

£23,71.5t 

£202,792t 

7,701 

1B,4S0 

£23,188t 

13,676 

18,298 

16,075 

5,513 

£27,9985 

£50,287t 

£144,0()0t 

15,308 

/48,092t 

£56,758t 

9,717 

7,939 


}  £5  9s.  9d.  per  oi. 


Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


Cam  &  Motor   

Falcon    

Gaika  

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo   

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-Arcturus   

Rezende 

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva    

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian 


18,000 

16.024 

3.788 

6,268 

1,580 

2,473 

.5,170 

5,600 

5,800 

307 

53,750 

1,450_ 

'  Also  255  tons  copper.       t  At 
§  Gold  at  £5  10s.  per  oz. 


August 


Tons 


Oz. 


4.355 

3,34611 

1,323 

5,817 

476 

£3,054 

4,901 

2,495 

2,650 

355 

£42,6695 

£4,641+ 


September. 


Tons 


18.900 

15,419 

4,098 

6,013 

1.300 

2,473 

4,950 

5,700 

5,700 

270 

55,300 

1,620 


Oz. 


£24,50U 
2,672* 
1,873 
6,304 
504 
£3,054 
4,418 
2,611 
2,607 
805 
£42,945t 
£4,981t 


par.  II 

t  Gold  at 


Also  270  tons  copper 

£5  OS.  per  oz. 


552,498 


429.035 


West  Afhicak  Gold  Ootpots. 

August 

September 

Treated 

Value 

Treated 

Value 

Abbontiakoon 

Tons 

8,000 
6,239 

7,356 

800 

8,094 

8,340 

Oz. 

£18.853' 
2.496 

7.760 

£3,440t 

£15.507' 

2.065 

Tons 

6.825 
6.397 

7,683 

695 

8,122 

3,300 

Oz. 

£13,393' 
2,596 

Ashanti  Goldfields   

7,203 

£3,117t 

£14,594' 

2  097 

Prestea  Block  A 

•  At  par.        t  Including  premium. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


309 


WssT  Australian  Gold  Statistics.— Par  Values. 


,  Reported 

'  for  Export 

Oz. 


Delivered 

to  Mint 

Oz. 


Total 
Oz. 


Par 
Value  £ 


Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


January,  1921 
February   . . . 

March 

April 

May 

June 

July 

August 

September. . . 
October 


523 
684 
10 
607 
474 
153 

1/641 
110 
380 

1,910 


50,934 
26.872 
47,875 
46,602 
47,638 
23,194 
44,917 
51,731 
50,728 
51,286 


.51,457 
27,556 
47,885 
47,209 
51,503 
28,347 
46,558 
51,841 
51,108 
53,196 


213,574 
117,050 
203,401 
200,635 
217,495 
120,410 
197,774 
220,205 
217,092 
225,959 


.\ustralian  Gold  Outputs. 


West 
Australia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

£ 

January  . 

51,458 

4,587 

4,582 

20,4G3 

February. 

27,557 

10,940 

9,046 

21,575 

March  . . . 

47,886 

12,383 

6,690 

24,344 

April  .... 

47,273 

5,954 

2,591 

34,101 

May    .... 

48,113 

10,280 

2,077 

1.5,356 

28,347 

10,431 

1.602 

11,640 

July 

55,207 

5,528 

1,531 

16,416 

August.. . 

8,941 

1,413 

15,946 

September 

— 

— 

— 

16,942 

October    . 

— 

— 

— 

November 

— 

— 

— 

— 

December 

— 

— 

— 

Total  . . 

206,841 

69,047 

29,532 

176,983 

Australasian  Gold  Outpuis. 


August 


September 


Tons 

Value  I 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

6,217 

8,313!l 

5,789 

7,512|| 

Blackwater  (N.2.)    .... 

2,805 

5.405' 

3,159 

6,372* 

Gold'n  Horseshoe  (W.A) 

10,512 

5,483{ 

10,128 

5,325} 

Grt  Boulder  Pro.  (W.A.) 

9,438 

29,4941! 

8,312 

27,01411 

Ivanboe  (W.A.) 

16,126 

6,185{ 

14,804 

6,041} 

KalgurU  (W.A.)    

— 

— 

— 

%S 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.) 

6,765 

15,701111 

6,550 

12,229tll 

Mount  Boppy  (N.S.W.) 

4,405 

l.llU 





Oroya  Links  (W.A.)  . . . 

1,033 

8,14Bt|| 

1,541 

7,61Stll 

South  KalgurU  (W.A.)  . 

7,862 

12,70011 

7.610 

13,53211 

Waihi(N.Z.) 

14,197  1 

4,480J 
14,S20§ 

4,236 

(  3,540} 
1  35,144§ 

„  Grand  Juoc'n  (N.Z.) 

6,380  \ 

1,499} 
3,344§ 

6,280 

(  l,771t 
1     4,321§ 

Vuanmi(W.A.) 

6,393 

18,757*<J 

'  Including     premium  ;      t  Including    royalties  ;      t  Oz.     gold  J 
§  Oz.  silv^er  ;   ]]  At  par.     6  Profit,     d  Four  months. 

Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 


August 

September 

Tons 

Value  C, 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 

254§ 

283§ 

El  Oro  (Mexico)    

34,700 

196,000} 

34,250 

201,000* 

Esperanza  (Mexico)    



300t} 

. — 

43St} 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 

2,160 

8,608* 

1,780 

7,536* 

Keeley  Silver  (Canada)  . . 

— 

100,050§5 

— 

— 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico) . . 

— 



— 

— 

Mining  Corp.  of  Canada    . 

8,435 

132,521§§ 

— 

— 

Oriental  Cons.  (Korea)  ... 

16,433 

76,C55t 

— 

83,775t 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)    

7,100 

2,3701 

6,500 

2,375'! 

Plym'th   Cons.    (Calif'mia 

8,200 

6,913» 

8,5C0 

10,082* 

St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil). 

— 

43,000* 



39,300* 

Santa  Gertrudis  (Mexico) 

29.762 

16,227} 

29,817 

17,000} 

Tomboy  (Colorado)    

18,000 

69.000} 

18.000 

73,000t 

•  At  par.     t  U.S.  Dollars.      }  Profit,  gold  and  silver.     11  Oz.  gold. 

§  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.      §§  Oz.  silver. 
Pato  (Colombia) :  8  days   to  September   21    S26,027   from  61,04t 

cu.  yd.  ;    12  days  to  October  3,  530,515  from  90,200  cu.  yd. ; 

18  davs  to  October  21,  $14,772  from  137,238  cu.  yd. 
Nechi  (Colombia) :  22  days  to  October  1,    S19.649  from   177,358 

cu.  yd. ;  10  days  to  October  11,  521,331  from  73,335  cu.  yd. 


Balaghat    

Champion  Reef  . . 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur 
Nundydroog  . . . , 
Ooregum  ^j^^j^^^ 


August 


Tons 
Treated 


3,300 

12,127 

17,313 

700 

9,100 
12.900 


Fine 
Ounces 


2,361 
4,322 

10,498 
904 

•  5,370 
8.543 


September 


Tons 
Treated 

3,200 

11,650 

17,417 

700 

8,771 
12,900 


Fins 
Ounces 

2,563 
4,848 
10,531 
893 
5,318 
8.434 


Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


January  . . . 
February  . . 

March    

April   

May 

June 

July 

August  . . . . 
September  . 

October 

November  . 
December  . 

Total  . 


1917 


Oz. 

44,718 
42,566 
44,617 
!  43,726 
42,901 
42,924 
42,273 
42,591 
43,207 
43,041 
42,915 
44,883 


1918 


520,362 


Oz. 

41,420 
40,787 
41,719 
41,504 
40,8.39 
41,264 
40,229 
40,496 
40,088 
39,472 
.36,984 
40,149 


485,236 


1919 


Oz. 

38,184 
36,384 
38,317 
38,248 
38,508 
38,359 
38.549 
37,850 
36,813 
37,138 
39.628 
42,643 


461,171 


1920 


1921 


Oz. 

39,073 
38,872 
38,760 
37,307 
38,191 
37,864 
37,129 
37,375 
35,497 
35,023 
34,522 
34,919 


444,532 


Oz. 

34,023 
32,.529 
32,576 
32,363 
32,650 
32,207 
32,278 
32,498 
32,642 


293,787 


Base  Metal  Outputs. 


August   j    Sept. 


Arizona  Copper Short  tons  copper    . . . 

(  Tons  lead  cone.    . . . 
British  Broken  Hill   ....  Tons  zinc  cone 

1  Tons  carbonate  ore 
Broken  Hill  Prop '  Jons  lead  cone.    . . . 

(  Tons  zmc  cone 


Burma  Corporation. . 
Hampden  Cloncurry 


Broken  Hill  South   Tons  lead  cone. 

( Tons  refined  lead 

I  Oz.  refined  silver 

'  Tons  copper    . . . . 

I  Oz.  gold  

I  Tons  copper  . . . . 
Mount  Lyell      J  Oz.  silver  

I  Oz.  gold   

Mount  Morgan    J  Jons  Copper 

1  Oz.  gold   

»•    .t  I,    1       till  I  Tons  lead  cone 

North  Broken  Hill ,  j^^^  ^^^^  cone. . . 

Pilbara    Tons  copper  ore 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill     Tons  lead 

(  Tons  lead  cone.  . 
Sulphide  Corporation  . .  -,  -y^^^  ^i„^  ^odc  .. . 

Tanganyika Tons  copper 

_.      _  ..  ( Tons  zinc  cone 

Zmc  Corporation |  ^^^  jjaj  ^^^^     . 


2,935 

2,598 

260,900 


470 

14,056 

342 


1,200 
1,170 
90 
1,569 
2,089 
3,739 
2,952 
9,805 
967 


1,117 

4,322 

2,940 

2,534 

294,102 


602 

20.152 

412 


1,200 
1,360 
75 
1,J31 
1,922 
3,230 
2,783 
9,4fl0i 
902 


Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc..  into  United  Kingdom. 


August    I  September 


Coal Tons 

Iron  Ore  Tons 

Manganese  Ore    Tons 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites   Tons 

Copper  Ore,  Matte,  and  Prec Tons 

Copper  Metal     Tons 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons 

Tin  Metal Tons 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet Tons 

Zinc  (Spelter) Tons 

Quicksilver Lb. 

Zinc  Oxide Tons   . 

White  Lead     Cwt.    . 

Bary tes,  ground    Cwt.    . 

Phosphate      Tons   . 

Sulphur Tons   . 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt.    . 

Petroleum 

Crude    Gallons; 

Lamp  Oil     Gallons; 

Motor  Spirit Gallons 

Lubricating  Oil   Gallons 

Gas  Oil  Gallons 

Fuel  Oil    CallonsI 


167,133 

20,194 

36,997 

89,379 

6,039 

3,731 

16,375 

19.520 

1,074 

8,515 

8,317 

5,760 

1,231 

2,320 

2.086 

1,974 

10,845 

11,954 

3.907 

4,480 

112 

7,800 

509 

474 

2,705 

4,344 

28,714 

32,892 

15,697 

42,249 

19,197 

57,411 

9,501,804 

11,166,374 

9,784,263 

8,663,040 

21,146,947 

20,024,380 

2,176,031 

1,239,582 

11,301,765 

7,530,440 

52,422,202 

46,421.748 

310 


THK    MINING     MAGAZINE 


Outputs  of  Tin  Mining  Companibs. 
la  Tons  of  Conccntralc. 


Nigeria ; 

Associated  Nigerian    

Disichi  

Boogwclli 

ChampioD  (Nigeria)    

Dua  

Ex-Lnnds  

Filaiii 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated    . . . 

Gurum  River  

Jantar 


Jos 


Kaduna  

Kaduna  Prospectors  

Kano  

Ketfi  Consolidated     

Lower  Hisicbi 

Lucky  Cliance   

Minna    

Mongu  

Naraguta 

Naraguta  Extended    

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  Bauchi 

Offin  River 

Ray6eld    

Ropp 

Rukuba  

South  Bukeru 

Sybu    

Tin  Fields 

Yarde  Kerri   

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang 

Gopeng    

Idris  Hydraulic 

Ipoh 

Kamuntiog 

Kinta 

Lahat 

Malayan  Tiu 

Pahang      

Kambutan    

Suneei  Besi    

1  ekka    

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Cornwall : 

East  Pool   

Geevor 

South  Crofty    

Other  Countries  : 

Aramayo  Mines  (Bolivia) . 

Berenguela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania)    

Deebook  Ronpibon  (Siam)  .  . 

Leeuwpcort  (Transvaal)  .... 

Macready  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rooibery  Minerals(Transvaal) 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)   

Toogkah  Harbour  (Siam)  . . . 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)   


J"iy 


Tons 

is 


20 

ll 
13 

li 
131 


23 
3i 


37 
60 
20 
8 
65 

37 

118 

4 

16 

8 
6 


89 

17J 

22 

35' 
53t 
86J 
214 
14 
47 
37 
20 
32 


August 


Tons 
36 


13 
6 
1 


45 

50 

24 

9 

825 

26 
128 


11 

7 

89 

19} 

19J 

3d? 
431 
83| 
216 
15 
48 
37 
36 
30 


Sept. 


Tons 
40 


30 

6J 

3 
12 

"oi 

17i 
12J 

21 
51 


47J 
50 
25 

S3i 

24 

165 

5 

13 

14 

7 

75* 
89 
203 
IS 
74* 
355 
472 
77i 
226 
151 
46' 
39 
30 
17 






— 

— 

— 

— 

180 
28 

23 

174 
28 
10 
245 

200 
32 
13 
30 

— 



— 



. 

— 

75 

50 

1341 

123 

Ill 

50 

121 

113 

905 

50' 

102J 

84 

~~* 

~ 

*  Three  months. 

Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
In  lone  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 
Noll. — The$e  figures  arc  trtkm  from  Ike  monthly  rdurr.s  made  ty 
individual  companies  reporling  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
85%  o/  the  actual  outputs. 


1916 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

January  .... 

..       531 

667 

678 

613 

547 

438 

February   . . . 

.!       528 

646 

OOS 

623 

477 

270 

March 

.  1      547 

655 

707 

606 

505 

445 

,       486 

555 

584 

546 

467 

394 

May 

.        536 

509 

525 

483 

383 

337 

..        510 

473 

492 

484 

435 

423 

July    

..        506 

479 

545 

481 

484 

494 

..        408 

551 

.571 

616 

447 

477 

September  . . 

..       535 

538 

520 

561 

528 

695 

October    

..1      584 

578 

491 

625 

62o 

— 

November   . . 

..        679 

621 

472 

536 

544 

— 

December  . . . 

..|      654 

655 

518 

511 

577 

— 

Total 

..!   6,594 

6,927 

6,771 

6.^ 

6,022 

3,953 

Production  of  Tin  in  FrPFRATrD  Malay  Statis. 
I'slimatid  ;il  70%  ol  Concentrate  shipped  to  Smelters 


I 


January  . . 
February  . 
March  . . . 
April  .... 
May  .... 
June 

July 

August  . . . 
September 
October  . . 

November 
December. 


Long  Too- 

1917 

1918 

1019 

1920 

1921 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

3,55S 

8,030 

8,765 

4,265 

8,298 

2.755 

8,197 

2,784 

8.014 

8,1  U 

3,280 

2,000 

2,819 

2,770 

2,190 

3,251 

8,308 

2,858 

2,606 

2,092 

3,413 

3,832 

8,407 

2,741 

2,884 

8,489 

8,070 

2,877 

2,940 

2,752 

3,263 

8,373 

8,750 

2,824 

2,784 

3,413 

8,259 

2,956 

2,7SG 

3,051 

3,164 

8,167 

3,161 

2,734 

2,838 

3,436 

2,870 

3,221 

2,837 

-* 

3,300 

3,132 

2,972 

2,578 

— 

3,525 

3.022 

2,409 

2,838 

— 

39,833 

37,370 

30,935 

34,928 

25,050 

Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  Tons. 


Aug.  31 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  .... 
Ditto,  Landing  and  in  Transit 
Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Landing 

Straits,  Afloat    | 

Australian.  Afloat   

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto,  Afloat I 

Billiton,  Spot   

Bilhton,  Afloat 

Straits,     Spot     in     Holland     and 

Hamburg    

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     

Total  Afloat  for  United  States    . . . 
Stock  in  America 


1,811 
590 

3,994 

1,025 
190 

4,003 
807 
397 

100 


650 
3,689 
1,761 


Total   I    19,037 


Sept.  30 


1,748 
510 

■4,226 

2,000 
100 

3,934 
054 
241 
1.30 


425 
4,603 
1,756 


Oct.  31 


20,777 


2,168 

968 

5,194 

1,655 

176 

3,916 

1,260 

126 

63 


840 
4,497 
2,041 

22,891 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.    Long  tons. 


August 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Shirments  from  : 

995 
1,580 
.590 
950 
75 
490 

587 

1,870 

3,0C0 

430 

616 

'     25 

390 

324 

1,675 

2,076 

775 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

475 

50 

210 

Imports    of     Bolivian    Tin     into 

1,275 

Supply : 

3,165 

75 
276 
966 
928 

5,300 
25 

100. 
1,086 
811 

4,525 

50 

63 

1,976 

Standard  

2911 

Total  

5,409 

7.321 

6,903 

Consumption: 

2,004 

389 

3,320 

511 

1,707 

329 

2,605 

940 

1,808 

Dutch 

American . . . 

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 

255 

2,280 

446 

Total 

6,224 

5,581 

4,879 

NOVEMBER,    1921 


311 


OuiPUTs  Reported  by  Oil-producing  Companies. 


....Tons.. 

Barrels 

Barrels 

July 

August 

Sept. 

Anglo-Egyptian 

Anglo-United    

14,682 

9.900 

22,225 

22,234 

79,569 

13,340 

236 

93,421 

9,323 

2,053 

1,371 

18,730 

18,892 

2,983 

14,324 

9,5.50 

94,398 

27,013 

81,40) 

13,340 

305 

96,001 

9.169 

?„588 

1,286 

22,760 

11,800 

4,291 

13,451 
9,500 

48,305 

Astra  Romana 

Britisti  Burmah   

Tons.. 

Barrels 

Tons.. 

74,940 

Dacia  Romana 

Tons   . 

Barrels 

278 
97,118 

....Tons.. 

8,631 

Roumanian  Consol  . . . . 

Tons. . 

Tons. . 

2,276 

Tons.. 

19,485 

Trinidad  Leaseholds    . . 
United  of  Trinidad    . . . 

Tons.. 

Tons.. 

10,950 
5,700 

•     Quotations   ok  Oil   Companies*   Shares. 
Denomination  of  Shares  £1  \mless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo- American   

Anglo- Egyptian  B    

Anglo-Persian  1st  Pref 

Anglo-United,  Wyoming    

Apex  Trinidad    

British  Borneo  (10s.) 

British  Burmah  {8s.)   

Bunnah  Oil 

Caltex($l)    

Dacia  Romano   

Kern  River,  Cal.  (10s.) 

Lobitos,  Peru    

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ( $5)   

Pref.  (§5)     

North  Caucasian  (10s.) 

Phcenix,  Rouraania 

Roumanian  Coasi^lidated .... 

Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden)    35 

Scottish  American 

Shell  Transport,  Ord. 

.,       Pref.  (£10) 

Trinidad  Central 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

United  British  ol  Trinidad 

Ural  Caspian     

Uroz  Oiihelds  (10s.) 


Oct.  6 

Nov.  7, 

1921 

1921 

£  s. 

d 

f 

s. 

d. 

4    0 

"i 

4  16 

3 

1    2 

•"• 

1 

2 

6 

1     1 

3l 

1 

1 

9 

3 

"1 

K 

1  13 

9I 

1 

12 

6 

8 

9 

6 

6 

17 

6 

1 

0 

0 

4     17 

6 

5 

15 

1) 

3 

H 

3 

U 

17 

6 

13 

9 

19 

3 

1 

1 

3 

4    0 

0' 

3 

15 

11 

3  10 

l)i 

3 

7 

6 

3    7 

6: 

3 

2 

6 

13 

!) 

11 

3 

8 

3 

7 

3 

8 

6 

6 

9 

35    5 

0 

36  10 

11 

2 

»i 

2 

0 

4     5 

fll 

4  12 

6 

8    2 

6 

a 

2 

6 

2  10 

» 

2 

12 

6 

1  15 

n 

1 

12 

6 

13 

9 

12 

6 

12 

6 

H 

0 

6 

0 

6 

0 

Dividends  Declared  bv  Ml-jing  Companies. 


Date 


Oct.  19  . . 

Oct.  19  . . 

Oct.  19  . . 

Oct.  19  .. 

Oct.  20  . . 

Oct.  21  .. 

Oct.  22  . . 

Oct.  22  . 

Oct.  24  . 

Oct.  27  . . 

Oct.  28  . , 

Oct.  23  . 

Nov.  1  . 


Nov. 
Nov. 
Nov. 


Coropany 


Par 

Value  of 
Shares 


Wolhuter  Gold 

Ginsberg  Gold 

Goldtields  Rhodesian 

Bunnah  Oil 

Premier  Diamond 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

Waihi  Gold 

Deebook  Dredging 

Scottish  AustraUan 

El  Oro 

Gold  Coast  .\malg  imated  . 

St.  John  del  Rey 


Borax  Consolidated  , 

Lonely  Reef 

Gaika  Gold 

Aramayo  Mines 


a 
a 

lOs. 

£1 

Pref.  .5s. 

a 

10s. 

£1 

a 

£1 
£1 

(Ord.£l 

'I  Pref.£l 

iDef. 

■Ord.£l 

£1 

£1 

23  fr. 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


9d.  less  tax. 

Is.  lOd.* 

6d.  less  tax. 

2s.  less  tax. 

125%  less  tax 

Is. 
Is.  tax  paid. 

6d.t 
2J%  less  tax. 
Is.  tax  paid. 
2!%  less  tax. 
9d.  less  tax. 
Is.  tax  paid. 

Is.  less  tax. 
15%  less  tax. 
74%  less  tax. 

.•to' 


Second  and  final  distribution  on  liquidation, 
t  Refund  of  capital. 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.     November  7. 

These   quotations   are   not    absolute ;     they    vary   £ 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running, 

Acetic  Acid,  40% per  cwt. 

80% 

,,  Glacial per  ton 

Alum    

Alumina,  Sulphate ■ 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb. 

0880  solution    per  ton 

,,  Carbonate per  lb. 

,,         Chloride,  grey   per  ton 

,,  „       pure    per  cwt 

,,         Nitrate  per  ton 

„  Phosphate    

,,         Sulphate    „ 

.\ntimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb. 

,,  Sulphide,  Golden ,, 

Arsenic,  White  per  too 

Barium  Carbonate >, 

Chlorate per  lb. 

Chloride per  ton 

,,      Sulphate  

Benzol,  90"!i per  gal. 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI , 

,,  Liquor,  7%    >, 

Borax „ 

Boric  Acid  Crystals , 

Calcium  Chloride   , 

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60% per  gal. 

,,  „    crystallized,  40    per  lb. 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  ton 

Citric  Acid per  lb. 

Copper,  Sulphate  . .     per  ton 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100";'(,    per  lb. 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    , 

Iodine per  oz. 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton 

,,     Sulphate    , 

Lead,  Acetate,  white „ 

„     Nitrate   

,,      Oxide,  Litharge „ 

„      White   

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   ,, 

„      grey  80%    

Magnesite,  Calcined 

Magnesium,  Chloride  ,, 

,,  Sulphate    ,, 

Methylated  Spirit  04=  Industrial per  gal. 

Nitric  Acid,  80°  Tw. per  too 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb. 

Phosphoric  Acid per  ton 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb. 

,,  Carbonate per  too 

Chlorate  per  lb. 

Chloride  80% per  ton 

„  Hydrate  (Caustic)  90% , 

Nitrate       

„  Permanganate per  lb. 

,,  Prussiate,  Yellow , 

Red 

Sulphate,  90% per  ton 

Sodium  Metal per  lb. 

,,       Acetate    per  ton 

„       Arsenate  15% ,, 

„       Bicarbonate    ,, 

„       Bichromate     per  lb. 

,        Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton 

(Crystals)   

Chlorate per  lb. 

Hydrate,  76% per  ton 

,,       Hyposulphite   „ 

Ni'tratc,  96%    , 

„       Phosphate , 

,,       Prussiate per  lb. 

Silicate per  ton 

Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    ,. 

,,  ,,       (Glauber's  Salts)    

,,      Sulphide    , 

,,      Sulphite 

Sulphur,  Roll   

,,       Flowers   „ 

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65= 

,,  ,,       free  from  Arsemc,  144    ...        „ 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30?© - 

Tartaric  Acid    per  lb. 

Turpentine per  cwt, 

Tin  Crystals per  lb. 

Titanous  Chloride „ 

Zinc  Chloride per  ton 

Zinc  Oxide , 

Zinc  Sulphate 


ccording 

to 

£    s. 

d. 

1    2 

6 

2    5 

0 

60    0 

(1 

16    0 

II 

14  10 

0 

2 

'> 

28    0 

11 

4 

37    0 

0 

3    5 

0 

45    0 

0 

85    0 

0 

13  10 

0 

1 

6 

1 

3 

38    0 

0 

10    0 

0 

11 

16    0 

II 

8    0 

n 

3 

(1 

56    0 

(1 

16     0 

n 

6    0 

(J 

31    0 

II 

65    0 

0 

9    0 

<) 

1 

7 

61 

i  10 

.1 

o 

5 

30    0 

0 

IH 

7* 

1 

li 

8    U 

0 

3    0 

0 

45     0 

I) 

47    0 

0 

38    0 

c 

44    0 

(1 

8     0 

u 

11     0 

0 

21     0 

0 

12    0 

0 

8    0 

0 

5 

u 

30    0 

0 

9 

40    0 

II 

H 

23    0 

0 

6 

12    0 

0 

33    0 

0 

49    0 

(1 

1 

3 

1 

3 

2 

3 

16     0 

(1 

1 

4 

m   0 

0 

31     0 

0 

12     0 

0 

7 

15    0 

U 

7    0 

U 

4 

26  15 

0 

16    0 

1) 

15    0 

0 

22    0 

0 

7 

11  15 

0 

3  10 

0 

5     0 

0 

22    Q 

0 

12  10 

0 

13    0 

n 

13    0 

0 

24    0 

n 

6    5 

n 

7  10 

(1 

1 

n 

3    9 

0 

1 

5 

1 

0 

22  10 

(1 

41    0 

0 

17    0 

0 

312 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

Shares  arc  £1   par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOLD,    SILVER, 
DIAMONDS: 

Rand  : 

Brakpan , 

Central  Mining  (£8) , 

City  &  Suburban  (£4) 

City  Deep , 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields , 

Consolidated  Langlaagte 

Consolidated  Main  Reef , 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (lOs. 

Crown  Mines  (10s.) , 

Daggafontein , 

Durban  Roodenoort  Deep 

East  Rand  Proprietary , 

Fcrreira  Deep , 

Geduld , 

Geldenhiiis  Deep , 

Government  Gold  Mining  Areas    , 

Johannesburg  Consolidated , 

Kleinfontein 

Knight  Central 

Knights  Deep 

Langlaagte  Kstate   

Meyer  &  Charlton 

Modderfontein,  New  (10s.) 

Modderfontein  B  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  Deep  (5s.) 

Modderfontein  East 

New  State  Areas 

Nourse 

Rand  Mines  (5s.)  

Rand  Selection  Corporation 

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson  (£5) 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)   

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack  

Springs 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  Gd.) 

\'an  Ryn 

Van  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

West  Springs 

Witwatersrand  (Knight's) 

Witwatersrand  Deep 

Wolbuter 

Other  Tr.\nsvaal  Gold  Mines  : 

Glynn's  I.ydenburg 

Sheba  (os.) 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates  . 

Diamonds  in  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  6d.)  

Rhodesia  : 

Cam  &  Motor 

Chartered  British  South  Africa  . . 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phoenix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

Rezende 

Shamva 

Willoughby's  (10s.)  

West  Africa  : 

Abbontiakooa  (10s,) 

Abosso 

Ashaati  (4s.) 

Prestea  Block  A 

Taquah 

West  Australia  : 

Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks  .... 

Bullfinch 

Golden  Horse-Sboe  Ho) 

Great  Boulder  Proprietary  (2s.)  . 

Great  FingaU  (10s.) 

Hampton  Properties  .- 

Ivanhoe  (£5) . .  .^  . . , 

Kalgiirli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)   . . . 

Sons  of  Gwalia    

South  Kalgurli  (10s.)     


Nov.  5. 

Nov. 

7, 

1920 

1921 

(   s. 

d. 

f 

s. 

d. 

3    0 

0 

2 

10 

0 

8    2 

(i 

« 

0 

0 

7 

0 

2 

e 

2  15 

0 

2 

5 

0 

1     5 

0 

1,5 

0 

10 

3 

12 

« 

I'l 

fi 

9 

ti 

1     1 

6 

14 

0 

2  12 

« 

1 

15 

0 

12 

« 

2 

6 

5 

0 

5 

0 

» 

() 

4 

G 

12 

0 

8 

li 

2    7 

(i 

2  16 

3 

8 

0 

5 

0 

4    5 

0 

3  18 

9 

1    G 

(1 

1 

1 

3 

G 

(i 

5 

3 

4 

0 

4 

U 

6 

SI 

— 

15 

0 

11 

(> 

4  12 

fi 

4 

0 

0 

3  15 

0 

3 

13 

9 

1  15 

0 

1 

G 

3 

2    5 

0 

2 

3 

9 

1    3 

SI 

9 

0 

1  11 

3 

1 

2 

G 

10 

0 

9 

0 

2  IS 

S) 

2 

1 

3 

3    7 

fi 

2 

1(1 

(1 

14 

0 

10 

(1 

7 

0 

9 

(1 

12 

G 

8 

S) 

17 

0 

13 

(1 

3 

9 

2 

G 

2    2 

(i 

1 

18 

H 

15 

n 

10 

0 

lU 

(1 

14 

G 

15 

0 

12 

(1 

3  15 

0 

3 

8 

9 

9 

3 

8 

0 

17 

fi 

11 

3 

15 

0 

12 

G 

8 

0 

8 

0 

5 

0 

4 

3 

13 

n 

8 

S) 

1 

SI 

1 

3 

10 

0 

8 

U 

ifi  in 

0 

10  17 

G 

3  15 

0 

2 

5 

(1 

U    0 

0 

5 

0 

0 

10 

n 

10 

0 

15 

II 

1(1 

9 

13 

0 

4 

i) 

13 

0 

1(1 

3 

17 

(1 

12 

G 

2  17 

fi 

2 

3 

SI 

2  15 

(1 

3 

5 

0 

1  12 

fi 

1 

1(1 

0 

5 

G 

3 

G 

3 

fi 

2 

3 

11) 

(1 

K 

G 

16 

fi 

13 

9 

2 

3 

1 

9 

13 

0 

8 

G 

3 

n 

2 

0 

3 

II 

1 

9 

3 

o 

1 

0 

15 

0 

11 

3 

6 

9 

5 

9 

1 

G 

1 

0 

7 

fi 

4 

3 

1     2 

fi 

18 

SI 

13 

« 

17 

(1 

14 

3 

7 

G 

6 

n 

3 

G 

5 

6 

8 

0 

Gold,  Silver,  cont. 

Others  in-  Australasia  : 

m.ickwatcr,  New  ZcaLind 

Coiisniidatcd  G.F.  of  New  ZcaLlnd... 

Mount  Doppy,  N.S.W.  (10s.) 

Progress,  New  Ze.il.ind 

Waihi,  New  Zealand 

Wailii  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lnd.. 
America  : 

Buena  Ticrra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

Kl  Uro,  Mexico 

Hsperanza,  Mexico 

Frontino  \  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Le  Koi  No.  2  {.^5),  British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  Kl  Oro,  Mexico  .... 

Neclii  (Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Oroville  Uredginb",  Colombia      

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California. 

St.  John  del  Key,  Brazil    

Santa  Gertrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  : 

Lena  Gcldfields 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balaghat  (10s.) 

Champion  Reef  (2s.  Gd.) 

Mysore  (10s.) 

North  .^nantapur 

Nundydroog  (10s.) 

Ooregum  (Ids.) 

COPPER : 

Arizona  Copper  (5s.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India.. 

Esperanza,  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  ... 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal ' 

Messina  (5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  (£2),  Cape  Province ' 

Rio  Tin  to  (£5),  Spain I 

Russo-Asiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia | 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  ..! 

LEAD-ZINC :  \ 

Broken  Hill  ;  \ 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hili  Block  10  (£10) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  {15s.) 

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia; 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees) 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)  

TIN: 

Aramayo  Mines,  Bolivia 

Bisichi  (10s.),  Nigeria  

Briseis,  Tasmania 

Dolcoath.  Cornwall 

East  Pool  {5s.).  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.).  Nigeria  .... 

Geevor  (lOs.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredging,  Malay  

Kamunting,  Malay 

Kinta,  Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Naragiita,  Nigeria 

N.  N.  Bauchi,   NigeriadOs.l 

Pohang  Consolidated  (5s.).  Malay . . . 

Rayheld.  Nigeria 

Renong  Dredijing.  Siam 

Ropp  (4s  ).  Nigeria 

Siamese  Tin,  Siam     ... 

South  Crofty  (os.).  Cornwall    

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall    

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taiping,  Malay  

Tronoh,  Malay    


Nov.  6, 
1020 

£   8.  d. 

8  8 

3  0 

6  0 

1  9 

1  10  0 

8  9 

11  3 

12  9 


IS 

1  10 

10 

5 

7    0 

8 

1 


1     2 

1  10 

2  10 

1  1 

2  5 
2    2 


15  9 

16  3 
1    0  G 

10  0 

15  0 

10  0 

8  0 

2  3 

13  9 

4  0 

5  3 
13  3 


2    1  3 

1    0  0 

5  0 

12  6 

1  10  0 

5  6 

1  5  0 
1    0 


15    0 
13 


12    6 
10    0 


10    9 


3    7    6 
10    0 


0 

2  G 

10  3 

2  6 

10  0 

1  15  0 
15  0 

2  10  0 

2  0  0 
1  13  9 

18  9 

11  3 
4  3 

10  3 
8  0 

1  15  0 

8  9 

3  2  6 

11  9 
15  0 

12  6 

1    2  6 

1    7  6 


17  6 

I    7  G 

29    0  0 

13  3 

11  3 

17  G 

1  12  U 


Nov.  6, 
1821 

£    s.  d. 

2  6 

2  6 
8 

1  3 

1    1  S 

7  0 


1    9 

a  6 

9    0 
13    6 


4 
1    0 
8 


2  1 


27  0 
6 
5 

7 
18 


3  15    0 


15    0 

G    0 
5    0 


G 
0 

0 
3 
6 
6 
5  6 
11    6 


7 
10 


17    6 
10    0 


0 
0 
0 
3    0 

10  0 
12    6 

11  3 
17    6 


10  3 

IS  9 

1  10  0 

10  0 

1  10  0 

1 


10    0 
9    0 


5    0 


1  15  0 
4  0 
2    6 


3 
1 

2 

1  12 

10 

1    0 

1  12    6 

17    6 

8    9 

12 

1 


1 

17 
4 

1  15  0 

3  6 

5  0 

15  0 

1     1  3 

1     1  3 


THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING,  METALLURGY,  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents   on   mining   and  metallurgical  subjects,  and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 

RESOURCES    OF    THE    MEXICAN     OILFIELDS 


A  paper  on  this  subject,  by  L.  G.  Huntley  and 
Stirling  Huntley,  appears  in  the  September  issue 
o£  Mining  and  Metallurgy,  the  monthly  organ  of 
the  American  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgical 
Engineers.  It  has  been  written  as  a  counterblast 
to  recent  articles  which  predicted  an  early 
exhaustion  of  many  of  the  areas  in  the  so-called 
southern  fields  of  the  Tampico-Tuxpam  district, 
and  which  were  interpreted  in  many  quarters, 
rightly  or  wrongly,  to  indicate  an  approaching 
collapse  of  the  Mexican  oil  industry.  The  object 
of  the  present  paper  is  to  show  that  the  life  of  the 
Mexican  oil  industry  will  be  a  long  one,  and  that 


area  originally  underlain  by  oil  was  625  hectares, 
with  a  vertical  height  to  the  crest  of  the  structure  of 
350  ft.  at  the  highest  point. 

The  Amatlan-Naranjos-Zacamixtle  is  the  next 
independent  pool  south  of  the  Tepetate-Chinampa. 
It  is  cut  off  from  the  field  to  the  north  by  a  sharp 
saddle  or  fault,  and  is  separated  from  the  Cerro 
Azul  pool  to  the  south  by  a  low  saddle,  which  is 
also  probably  accompanied  by  faulting.  While 
there  are  several  domes  along  this  crest  which  may 
be  separated  by  faulting,  it  is  considered  a  single 
producing  unit  in  this  paper.  Up  to  July  1,  1921, 
this       district       had       produced       approximately 


Fig  1. — Diagrammatic  Cross-Section  of  Tampico   Emb.wment 
Showing  main  structural  features  and  intrusives,  in  their  relation  to  present  and  future  oil  development. 


Mexican  oil  will  continue  to  be  a  large  factor  in 
the  market  for  an  indefinite  time  after  the  areas 
forming  the  subject  of  the  previous  articles  have 
been  drained. 

The  author  first  describes  the  various  producing 
areas  of  the  southern  fields.  The  first  of  the  large 
wells  was  drilled  in  1908  at  Dos  Bocas.  This  ran 
wild  for  two  months  and  then  turned  to  hot  salt 
water,  which  it  has  continued  to  produce  ever 
since.  Several  nearby  smaller  wells  were  flooded 
with  salt  water  at  the  same  time,  and  the  poo! 
ceased  to  produce.  There  is  thus  no  history  ot 
production  upon  which  to  base  comparisons  with 
other  fields.  This  is  the  farthest  north  of  the 
structures  that  lie  along  the  crest  of  the  main  fold 
which  intersects  the  coast  at  this  point. 

The  initial  well  of  any  importance  drilled  on  the 
Tepetate-Chinampa  structure  was  Juan  Casiano 
No.  7,  drilled  in  1910.  This  well  produced  from  the 
pool  without  competition  until  1917,  when  several 
other  pipe  -  lines  were  completed,  and  the 
Huasteca  Petroleum  Co.  shipped  appro.ximately 
85,000,000  barrels  of  oil  from  the  pool,  out  of  a  total 
of  approximately  126,000,000  produced.  The  pool 
was  finally  flooded  in  1920.  The  salt-water  table 
moved  up  the  flanks  of  the  structure  with 
remarkable  regularity  as  the  oil  was  drawn  off. 
Starting  from  the  2,175  ft.  contour  below  sea-level, 
it  moved  gradually  up  to  the  crest,  where  the  pay 
formation  lay  at  an  elevation  of  approximately 
1,800  ft.   below  the  same  datum.     The  estimated 


120,000,000  barrels  of  oil.  The  salt-water  table 
had  risen  on  the  northern  end  of  the  pool  from  the 
—  2,150ft.  contour  to  the  —1,660  ft.  contour, 
while  on  the  southern  end  in  lower  Amatlan,  where 
the  crest  reaches  a  height  represented  by  — 1,550  ft. 
contour,  the  salt  water  had  barely  passed  the 
1,800  ft  contour,  as  shown  in  Fig.  2.  On  the 
southern  end,  this  rapid  depletion  was  largely  due 
to  low  porosity.  In  July,  there  was  an  area  of 
about  750  hectares  still  producing  in  both  bsctions, 
with  a  vertical  oil  height  averaging  110  ft.  It  is 
estimated,  therefore,  that  on  the  above  date  there 
were  approximately  50,000,000  barrels  of  oil 
remaining  in  the  pool.  At  that  time  practically 
all  shipments  had  been  suspended  on  account  of  the 
Mexican  Government's  high  export  taxes.  At  the 
rate  at  which  it  was  being  drained  in  January, 
1921,  400,000  barrels  per  day,  it  would  last 
approximately  125  days  ;  at  the  rate  at  which 
shipments  were  made  in  May,  1921,  the  field  will 
not  be  drained  until  the  middle  of  1922.  It  is  to  be 
expected  that  all  companies  having  producing  wells 
within  the  limits  of  this  pool  will  take  most  of  their 
oil  from  these  wells  while  the  pool  lasts,  reserving 
for  the  future  their  wells  in  less  competitive  fields. 
The  companies  that  control  wells  in  Toteco  and 
Cerro  Azul  are  apparently  following  this  obvious 
policy.  As  regards  the  Cerro-Azul-Toteco  pool, 
the  crest  of  the  structure  reaches  a  considerably 
higher  vertical  elevation  above  the  salt-water  table 
than   those   to   the   north,   which   have  just  been 


313 


31 1 


Tin-:    MIXIXC,    MAGAZINE 


discussed,  the  highest  contour  apiiarently  bein^ 
—  1,350ft.  The  estimated  area  is  apjiroxiinaUly 
1,350  hectares,  with  a  vertical  oil  column  of  450  ft. 
This  greater  vertical  height  of  the  structure  repre- 
sents a  correspondingly  greater  cubical  contents 
per  hectare.  By  comiiarison  with  the  Tepetate- 
Chinampa  held,  it  is  therefore  estimated  to  contain 
a  reserve  of  150,000,000  barrels,  making  allowance 
for  large  amounts  of  gas  in  the  reservoir  in  Toteco. 
.\bout  54,000,000  barrels  have  been  produced, 
the  greater  part  of  which  has  come  from  the 
Huasteca  Petroleum  Co.'s  No.  4  well  in  Cerro 
.■\zul,  which  was  drilled  in  1914.  This  pool 
will  be  only  partly  competitive,  as  there  are  only 
three  companies  represented  by  leases  and  wells, 
although  other  claimants  exist  and  may  possibly 
obtain  representation  through  title  litigation. 

The  Potrero  del  I.lano-Alazan  pool,  after 
producing  appro.ximately  117,000,000  barrels  of 
oil,  finally  went  to  salt  water  in  1918.  Since  that 
time,  however,  by  pinching  in  old  wells  and  drilling 
strategic  locations,  a  considerable  daily  production 
has  been  worked  up,  which  was  still  maintained  in 
July,  1921.  The  highest  producing  contour  in  this 
pool  was  about  1,750  ft.  below  sea-level  on  the 
.A.lazan  end. 

In  the  Tierra-Blanca-Chapapote  pool,  the  first 
well  was  completed  in  May,  1921.  The  Tamasopa 
lime  lies  at  appro-ximately  2,000  ft.  below  sea- 
level  in  this  well.  In  case  the  general  salt-water 
level  is  the  same  on  this  fold  as  in  the  pools  to  the 
north  (  —  2,250),  the  amount  of  oil  to  be  obtained 
is  relatively  small.  However,  this  remains  to  be 
determined.  The  territory  is  controlled  by  the 
Huasteca  Petroleum  Co.,  and  it  will  therefore  be 
a  non-competitive  pool. 

The  producing  formation  in  the  Alamo  pool  is 
a  limestone  some  distance  above  the  Tamasopa. 
Several  pays  are  encountered,  and  at  least  two 
distinct  grades  of  oil.  Salt  water  has  seriously 
invaded  the  small  producing  area,  and  the  wells 
were  stripping  appro.ximately  7,000  barrels  per  day 
before  the  shutdown.  The  pool  has  produced  about 
35,000,000  barrels  of  oil,  but  probably  without 
affecting  the  nearby  Tierra  Blanca  reservoir. 
The  Alamo  pool  is  controlled  by  the  Penn-Me.K 
Fuel  Co.,  and  therefore  is  non-competitive. 

One  well  on  the  Molino  pool  has  been  drilled  into 
a  pay  reservoir  in  the  Tamasopa,  at  a  depth  of 
2,710  ft.  ;  this  is  the  lowest  producing  big  well  in 
the  Tampico  Embayment.  It  is  rated  as  a 
20,000  barrel  well,  or  better,  but  produces  a  heavy 
viscous  oil  of  about  1 1°  Be  gravity,  which  it  has  been 
impossible  to  pump  to  the  coast.  Conditions  are 
more  complex  m  the  Tuxpam  River  district  than 
in  the  region  to  the  north.  A  good  well  has  just 
been  drilled  in  the  Zapotal  tract,  south  of  the  river, 
which  produces  a  light  oil  in  what  is  apparently 
the  San  Felipe  series  above  the  Tamasopa.  It  was, 
however,  drilled  deeper  into  the  salt  water. 

The  Panuco  River  pools  lie  along  the  crest  of  a 
broadly  plunging  arch,  and  produce  both  from  the 
San  Felipe  and  the  Tamasopa  formations.  While 
locally  there  seems  to  be  a  general  salt-water  table 
below  which  no  oil  will  be  found,  the  porosity  of  the 
lime  seems  to  be  the  main  factor  in  determining  its 
productivity  in  any  particular  area.  Neither  the 
Panuco  nor  the  Topila  districts  has  been  finally 
delineated  by  dry  holes,  and  there  is  good  reason 
to  believe  that  not  only  will  they  be  extended,  but 
that  new  areas  will  be  brought  in  along  the  broad 
crest. 


The  value  of  any  comparison  of  leases  located  on 
the  crest  of  the  lolds  in  this  region  depends  on  the 
amount  o(  oil  the  owners  of  such  leases  can  ship 
and  sell  by  nu-ans  of  their  pipe-lines  and  organization 
duriii;;  the  lime  the  total  amount  of  oil  is  being 
depleted  by  all  companies  producing  from  the  same 
pool.  Also,  certain  wells  at  the  extreme  crests  are 
found  to  continue  producing  for  long  periods  when 
pinched  in  after  the  field  as  a  whole  is  flooded. 
Companies  that  control  such  wells  have  a  valuable 
asset  as  they  may  in  the  end  give  greater  returns 
than  the  original  wells. 

After  the  Chinampa  pool  was  drained,  several 
wells  at  the  crest  were  able  to  strip  substantial 
amounts  of  oil  by  jiinching  in  the  wells,  and  this 
is  also  being  done  at  Potrero  and  .Mamo.  It  is 
expected  that  the  Amatlan  lield  will  also  offer  the 
same  possibilities.  Meanwhile,  the  Panuco  River 
fields  to  the  north  have  not  been  delimited  by  dry 
holes,  and  continue  to  produce  substantial  amounts 
of  oil,  with  the  probability  of  increase  in  the  future 
both  in  number  and  area.  This  may  be  shown  as 
follows  : — 


Daily   Production   by    Fields   early   in 

1921    before 

Market  Decline. 

n.irrcU 

Per  Day. 

Panuco  River  Fields 

.     145,000 

Amatlan-Naranjos-Zacamixtle 

.    400,000 

Cerro  .\zul-Toteco 

.       30,000 

Alamo            ..... 

10,000 

585,000 

Less  Amatlan  in  125  days  will  lower  p 

ro- 

duction  to  ...  .     1,S5,000 

But  this  disregards  oil  reserves  from  various 
sources,  which  may  therefore  be  added  and 
summarized  as  follow?  :  — 

Estimated  Possible  Daily  Production  by  Fields  after 
Amatlan  Goes  to  Salt. 

Barrels. 
Panuco  River  Fields  ....  145,000 
Tepetate-Chinampa  (stripping)  .  .       10,000 

Naranjos-Amatlan-Zacamixtle  (stripping) .      20,000 
Cerro  Azul  (3  companies)  .  .  .     140,000 

(probably  greater  on  account  of  sales 
to  other  companies) 
Tierra  AmariUa  (stripping)        .  .  .       10,000 

Potrero  Alazan  (stripping)         .  .  .       10,000 

Alamo  (stripping)    .....        7,000 
Tierra  Blanca  (non-competitive)        .  .      60,000 

(depending  on  company  policy) 

Total  ....    382,000 

Estimating  the  life  of  Cerro  Azul  and 
Tierra  Blanca,  with  an  estimated  reserve  of 
200,000,000  barrels,  at  1,000  days,  on  the  assumption 
that  they  produce  at  the  combined  rate  of 
200,000  barrels  per  day  after  the  Amatlan  pool  is 
drained,  at  the  time  of  their  being  finally  flooded, 
they  in  their  turn  should  strip  10,000  barrels  or  more 
per  day  each  from  wells  on  the  crests.  This  reserve 
will  be  partly  sold  to  other  companies  and  therefore 
will  probably  be  pulled  on  much  faster  than  this. 
While  it  is  impossible  to  say  how  long  this  stripping 
can  go  on,  there  is  good  evidence  that  such  wells 
will  be  long  lived,  as  they  are  probably  fed  by  oil 
working  up  the  flanks  of  the  structure  over  the 
entire  former  producing  area.  Much  of  this  oil 
must  have  been  cut  off  by  the  sudden  flooding  of  the 
pools,   and  will   now   be  largely   available   to  such 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


315 


Fig.  2. — Structural  Contours   of 
Southern  Oilfields. 


Fig.  3. — Tampico  Fmbayment,  showing  main  Structural 
Fe.\tures  with  relation  to  Pools. 


strategic  wells  as  those  mentioned.  This  will 
make  it  possible  to  estimate  that,  after  all  the 
southern  pools  have  been  flooded,  there  will  still  be 
a  production  in  the  Mexican  fields  of  250,000  barrels 
per  day  at  the  end  of  1,000  days  from  July  1,  1921, 
on  the  assumption  that  the  new  drilling  in  the 
Panuco  River  field  increases  production.  This 
alone  is  sutficicnt  to  be  a  considerable  factor  in  the 
oil  market,  particularly  the  fuel-oil  market.  Mean- 
while, it  can  be  assumed  that  prospecting  will  have 
probably  extended  the  producing  areas  in  the 
Panuco  River  district,  and  those  to  the  south  and 
west  of  the  Alamo.  In  the  latter  region  there  are 
good  indications  that  there  will  be  found  pools  of 
relatively  light  oil  in  sand  and  limestone  formations 
above  the  Tamasopa  as  well  as  in  the  latter 
formation  itself.  In  the  case  of  the  probable  pools 
yielding  from  reservoirs  above  the  Tamasopa,  these 
will  undoubtedly  have  smaller  wells  producing  over 
a  longer  period  of  time  in  comparison  with  the 
large  Tamasopa  wells  to  the  north.  It  is  even 
possible,  if  later  and  higher  prices  warrant  it,  that 
this  region  will  see  pumps  installed  for  the  first 
time  in  Mexcio. 

5—6 


The  present  reserves  in  producing  pools  may  be 
shown  as  follows  : — 


Barrels. 
50,000,000 
150,000,000 
50,000,000 


Amatlan-Zacamixtle 
Cerro  Azul-Toteco    . 
Tierra  Blanca 
Panuco  River  pools 

(Have  not  been  limited  and 
seem  capable  of  considerable 
extension) 

Total      .  .  .     250,000,000   plus 

These  amounts  disregard  later  recoveries  from 
the  same  areas  through  stripping  wells,  as  the  factor 
used  in  the  calculations  was  derived  from  the  data 
in  the  Tepetate-Chinampa  area,  wliich  exclude 
later  recoveries. 

The  authors  proceed  to  discuss  the  geological 
factors  involved.  The  oil  from  the  fields  in  the 
Tampico  Embayment  has  practically  all  been 
produced  from  porous  limestone  near  the  top 
of  the  Tamasopa  limestone,  or  from  that  limestone 
itself.  This  limestone  is  not  naturally  porous, 
but  has  been  channelled  by   underground  water. 


:5iG 


THE    MINING    M\(.\ZI\1". 


apparently  associated  with  the  i^yncous  iiitru<;iiins 
of  late  Tertiary  ago  which  arc  common  in  the  lield. 
Such  cavities  and  channels  are  filled  with  oil  on 
the  crests  of  some  of  the  main  foUU  in  the  region, 
and,  as  would  be  expected,  are  tilled  with  water 
down  the  dip  on  the  flanks  of  the  folds  and  in  the 
basins.  The  large  wells,  however,  are  entirely 
dependent  on  the  porosity  of  the  limestone,  and, 
as  this  porosity  is  apparently  associated  with  the 
basaltic  rocks  found  in  certain  parts  of  the  region, 
it  would  seem  to  follow  that  where  such  intrusions 
were  not  present,  or  were  infrequent,  the  limestone 
would  be  non-porous  and  wells  non-productive 
or  less  productive.  These  conditions  seem  to 
prevail  in  the  Tempoal  Valley,  and  also  north  of 
the  Tamesi  River  toward  the  Rio  Grande,  where 
intrusives  are  not  only  relatively  scarce  but  in 
most  cases  are  older  in  age  than  those  to  the  south. 
Thus,  while  a  few  seepages  exist  north  of  the  Tamesi 
Valley,  and  also  in  the  Temporal  Valley,  they  are 
as  a  rule  small  and  "dead,"  or  merely  veins  of 
asphalt  or  grahamite,  as  though  leakage  had 
long  ago  dissipated  any  possible  underground 
accumulations  of  oil.  The  relative  lightness  of  a 
few  of  these  seepages  in  comparison  with  those 
found  along  the  crests  may  be  accounted  for  by 
considering  them  as  filtered  through  a  considerable 
vertical  column  of  shale. 

The  migration  of  all  fluids  in  the  sedimentary 
formations  in  the  Tampico  limbayment  must  have 
been  generally  westward,  that  is  to  say,  from  the 
deep  region  of  high  rock  pressures  on  the  Gulf 
side  in  the  direction  of  the  mountain  outcrop  to 
the  west.  Any  interruption  to  this  migration 
must  have  been  either  the  tops  of  folds,  where  the 
formations  were  sufficiently  porous  to  catch  and 
retain  the  oil  above  the  general  salt-water  body, 
or  fracture  or  fault  zones  which  allowed  it  to  escape 
to  the  surface,  or  both.  In  the  Tampico  Embayment 
there  exists  a  line  of  folding  flanking  the  coast, 
where  both  conditions  e.xist.  In  fact,  the  groups 
of  numerous  live  seepages  at  the  surface  were  the 
first  evidence  of  the  fold  itself  noticed  by  the  early 
exploiters  of  the  field.  Only  remnants  that  could 
spill  across  the  low  places  in  the  arch  could  get  by 
this  first  line  of  folding.  Immediately  west  of  the 
crest  of  this  first  arch  the  number  and  size  of  these 
igneous  intrusions  increase  greatly,  and  as  each 
intrusion  of  basalt  cutting  through  the  upper 
formations  is  an  outlet  for  the  leakage  of  any  oil 
underground,  the  territory  to  the  westward  suffers 
from  the  following  disadvantages  : — 

(a)   Less  oil  from  migration  ; 

(6)  More  dissipation  through  having  to  pass  a 
zone  of   intrusives   in   migrating  westward  ; 

(c)  General  synclinal  conditions  favourable  for 
water  accumulation  rather  than  oil,  especially  as  the 
outcrop  of  the  sandy  San  Felipe  is  open  to 
infiltrating  waters  on  the  west  at  an  elevation  that 
would  give  it  a  head  ; 

[d]  Pro.xiraity  to  mountain  folding,  with  its 
accompanying  heat  and  pressure,  which  may  have 
destroyed  some  of  the  oil  reservoirs. 

The  Tempoal  Valley  suffers  from  all  of  these 
disadvantages,  but  good  structures  on  the  flanks 
of  such  a  basin  may  be  expected  to  produce  oil  in 
relatively  small  amounts,  even  with  a  comparatively 
low  porosity  of  the  Tamasopa.  The  drilling  carried 
on  by  the  Pearson  interests  at  San  Pedro  showed 
what  may  be  expected.  Such  areas  will  be  valuable 
as  the  older,  more  prolific  fields  become  exhausted, 
particularly  since  this  is  a  very  high-grade  oil. 


The  considerations  tliat  were  disadvantages  to 
the  Tempoal  Valley  make  the  crest  of  the  I'anuco 
arch  appear  very  attractive  for  the  future.  In  the 
Panuco  field,  and  the  surrounding  district,  the  oil 
accumulations  seem  to  be  comparatively 
independent  of  local  structure  and  to  be  governed 
by  the  local  porosity  of  the  limestone.  If  this 
holds  true  generally,  there  will  be  a  great  deal 
more  oil  produced  from  this  region,  as  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  Rmbayment  area  this  broad 
arch  constitutes  the  first  barrier  to  the  migration 
of  oil  from  the  east  and  the  south-east.  The  oil 
found  apparently  increases  in  specific  gravity 
from  the  Panuco  River  to  the  north.  That  found  at 
Los  Esteros  w'ill  barely  flow. 

North  of  the  Tamesi  River  the  Tamasopa  lime 
outcrops  in  the  Sierra  Tamaulipas,  an  uplift  which 
occurred  during  late  Cretaceous  times.  Thus,  this 
has  been  a  leakage  zone  for  a  wide  area  of 
sedimentarics  for  a  much  longer  time  than  leakage 
has  been  going  on  in  the  southern  fields  through  the 
recent  basaltic  intrusives.  The  same  conditions 
hold  true  of  the  zone  immediately  Hanking  the 
mountain  outcrop  of  the  Tamasopa,  which  bounds 
the  Tampico  I^mbayment  to  the  west  and  south. 
Prospecting  in  such  areas,  between  the  first  barrier 
to  the  east  ami  the  Tamasopa  outcrop  to  the  west 
should  wait  for  the  distant  future. 

From  available  surface  evidence,  and  drilling 
that  has  been  done  up  to  the  present  time,  it  seems 
probable  that  the  T^os  Bocas-Alamo  fold  is  plunging 
steeply  south  of  the  Tuxpam  River.  This  would 
necessarily  leave  a  gap  in  the  main  line  of  folding 
across  which  westward  migrating  oil  could  pass, 
to  be  caught  by  structural  folds  lying  at  the  head 
of  the  sub-embayraent  west  of  this  gap.  Since 
certain  of  these  folds  are  well  marked,  and  have 
seepages  and  basaltic  intrusives  near  their  crests, 
they  certainly  give  promise  of  favourable  results 
when  tested.  These  various  favourable  conditions 
are  less  in  degree  than  on  the  structures  along  the 
present  producing  fold  to  the  north  and  the  strategic 
position  of  these  folds  is  not  so  good  ;  but  they 
constitute  the  type  of  structures  that  will  be  tested 
in  the  future.  The  chances  seem  good  for  bringing 
in  fair-.sized  wells  of  lighter  oil  than  the  present 
fields  yield. 

As  previously  stated,  to  the  south  of  the  .A.lamo 
the  evidence  seems  to  indicate  that  the  main  fold 
is  plunging  rapidlv,  and  will  not  connect  directly 
with  any  fold  in  that  direction.  However,  in  the 
region  between  the  Tecolutla  and  Cazones  Rivers, 
a  relatively  sharp  fold  is  found,  which  brings  the 
Tamasopa  lime  within  drilling  distance  of  the 
surface.  This  fold  apparently  constitutes  the  first 
barrier  fold  east  of  the  coast  in  this  region,  and  as 
it  contains  both  seepages  and  recent  intrusives 
along  its  crest  should  constitute  a  good  reservoir 
for  oil.  To  the  west  and  south-west  of  the  barrier 
fold  the  Tamasopa  is  exposed  at  the  surface,  as  is 
also  the  San  Felipe.  This  territory  cannot  be 
considered  particularly  favourable,  even  though 
numerous  seepages  are  found  close  to  the  mountain 
front.  The  general  strike  of  the  folding  changes 
abruptly  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Xautla  River, 
bringing  the  Tamasopa  close  to  the  surface  along 
a  fold  with  a  N.E. — S.W.  axis,  which,  together 
writh  the  eastward  limestone  front  to  the  south  in 
the  vicinity  of  Misantla,  limits  the  Tampico. 
Embayment  in  this  direction. 

In  general,  it  may  be  predicted  that  any  folds  that 
bring  the  main  reservoir  rocks  within  drilling  depth. 


NOVEMBER,    1021 


317 


along  a  zone  flanking  the  coast,  and  which  do  not 
at  the  same  time  have  their  reservoir  exposed, 
should  be  the  best  prospects  for  the  development 
of  oil  production.  The  Furbero  field  produced  from 
a  volcanic  sand  found  in  the  Mendez  shales,  a 
considerable  distance  vertically  above  the 
Tamasopa,  while  the  recent  well  drilled  by  the 
Penn-Mex  Fuel  Co.  at  Zapotal  encountered  several 
good  pay  sands  before  reaching  the  Tamasopa 
limestone.  .Such  folds  in  the  e.xtreme  southern 
end  of  the  Tampico  F.mbayment  area  have  the 
following   advantages  : — 

(a)  Well-defined  structures  in  the  same  general 
region  that  has  already  produced  oil  ; 

(b)  Presence  of  typical  surface  evidence  in  the 
way  of  live  seepages  and  recent  igneous  intrusions, 
which  in  the  northern  districts  are  accompanied 
by  porous  Tamasopa  limestone  underground  ; 

(c)  Relatively  shallow  drilling  depth  at  crests  ; 
{d)   Same     relative     strategic     position     as     the 

present  producing  fold  north  of  the  Tuxpam  River  ; 

(f)  Possibilities  of  additional  oil-bearing 
formations  above  the  Tamasopa.  Both  the  San 
Felipe  and  overlying  shales  contain  frequent  beds 
of  sand  in  this  region  south  of  the  Tuxpam  River. 

The  authors  conclude  by  saying  that  it  seems 


probable  that  the  present  fields  will  continue 
to  produce  oil  in  large  quantities  during  the  time 
necessary  to  carry  on  pro-specting  for  additional 
pools.  Certain  of  the  areas  now  being  explored  or 
already  in  the  hands  of  strong  companies  offer 
excellent  possibilities  for  the  development  of 
important  production.  However,  the  opening  up 
of  these  new  fields  will  require  new  roads,  railways, 
and  pipe-lines,  which  will,  in  general,  be  longer  and 
more  expensive  than  the  existing  system  of  trans- 
portation, and  some  of  which  will  in  all  probability 
have  to  be  operated  as  units  separate  from  those 
alrpady  installed.  The  existing  transport  system 
must  in  large  part  be  liquidated  out  of  the  present 
producing  fields.  Costs  of  producing  and  operating 
will  be  higher  than  in  the  past,  wells,  in  general, 
will  be  smaller,  fields  will  be  more  disconnected. 
It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  oil  in  most  new 
pools  will  be  of  a  higher  grade  These  conditions 
will  probably  force  upon  tlie  operators  the  use  of 
co-operative  or  common  carrier  pipe-lines,  rail- 
roads, telegraph  lines,  etc  In  other  words 
producing  conditions  will  be  more  nearly  like 
those  of  the  United  St-ates  than  has  hcretefoTe 
been  <"he  case.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  authors  are 
fairly  optimistic  as  to  the  future  of  these  oilfields. 


THE    OILFIELDS    OF    EGYPT 


At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Petroleum 
Technologists  held  on  October  11,  Dr  William 
Fraser  Hume,  director  of  the  Geological  Survey 
of  Egypt,  read  a  paper  on  the  Egyptian  Oilfields. 
We  give  an  abstract  herewith  : — 

The  presence  of  petroleum  in  Egypt  was  known 
from  very  early  times,  its  occurrence  on  the  surface 
of  pools  at  Gebel  Zeit  being  recognized  by  the 
Romans,  who  named  the  locality  Mons  Petrolcits. 
This  now  famous  spot  is  situated  at  about  163  miles 
south-east  of  Suez  on  the  western  shore  of  the 
Gulf  of  Suez,  and  at  the  foot  of  a  range  some 
1,400  ft.  in  height.  When  the  Societe  Soufriere 
began  the  exploitation  of  sulphur  on  the  peninsula 
of  Gemsa  in  1865,  about  12  miles  south  of  Gebel 
Zeit,  tunnels  were  made  into  the  gypsum  containing 
sulphur  close  to  the  sea-shore.  Considerable  interest 
was  aroused  when  petroleum  was  found  to  be 
floating  on  the  sea-water  which  had  collected  in 
these  e.xcavations.  The  interest  of  the  Egyptian 
Government  in  these  oil  occurrences  began  in  1884 
when  M.  de  Bay  called  attention  to  the  presence 
of  petroleum  in  the  old  workings  at  Gemsa  and  at 
Gebel  Zeit.  It  was  arranged  that  he  should  under- 
take borings  at  these  localities.  The  first  boring 
reached  a  supply  of  oil  at  106  ft.,  yielding  25  barrels 
a  day,  while  a  second  well  reached  1.37  ft.,  yielding 
500  cubic  metres  a  day  of  mixed  oil  and  water. 
The  Government,  however,  did  not  proceed  further 
with  the  venture.  In  1.S86  an  expedition  was 
organized  under  L.  H.  Mitchell,  who  was  sub- 
sequently joined  by  Colonel  Stewart,  the  British 
Consul-General  at  Odessa.  Their  results  were 
embodied  in  two  reports,  which  contained  valuable 
data  as  to  the  distribution  of  petroliferous  deposits 
in  Egypt.  In  1896  a  new  period  of  activity  com- 
menced with  the  formation  of  the  Geological 
Survey  under  Captain  (now  Colonel)  H.  G.  Lyons. 
In  this  year  began  the  sy.stematic  geological 
examination  of  Egyptian  territory,  which  has 
continued  with  increasing  precision  and  detail  up 
to  the  present  day.    This  study  led  to  the  foundation 


of  the  present  phosphate  and  magnanese  industries 
but  the  visits  to  Gemsa  and  Zeit  led  to  pessimistic 
conceptions  of  the  oilfield  possibilities.  New 
impetus  was  given  to  prospecting  when  the  Depart- 
ment of  Mines  was  founded  in  1906  under  John 
Wells.  Gemsa  in  particular  was  opened  up,  and  in 
April,  1908,  the  first  flowing  well  came  in.  A 
number  of  companies  were  formed  in  rapid 
succession  after  the  initial  success  at  Gemsa,  tiut 
the  failure  of  their  efforts  led  to  stagnation  so  far 
as  companies  were  concerned,  though  the  researches 
of  the  Government  to  obtain  further  light  continued 
with  unabated  vigour.  The  opening  up  of  the 
famous  Hurghada  oilfield  further  south  again 
encouraged  private  enterprise,  which,  though 
checked  by  the  war,  has  now  been  resumed  with 
great  energy. 

With  regard  to  the  boring  operations  begun  in 

1908,  No  1  well  made  good  progress  through  dark 
limestone  with  subsidiary  clays,  and  w?s  drilled 
successfully   to  an  oil  rich  in  benzine  on   April   1, 

1909.  Other  wells  followed  in  fairly  rapid 
succession,  the  first  four  being  all  oil  producers,  but 
of  the  twenty-one  wells  drilled  only  seven  actually 
yielded  petroleum,  and  of  these  only  three  were  of 
first-class  character.  Though  the  oil  itself  was  of 
valuable  quality  the  supply  fell  off  somewhat 
rapidly,  and  at  the  present  time  only  one  well 
occasionally  has  a  small  and  very  temporary 
production.  The  first  geological  results  obtained 
were  of  a  puzzling  character.  While  the  first  well 
was  entirely  in  limestone,  those  following  showed 
alternations  of  gypsum  and  limestone  in  varying 
proportions.  The  oil-yielding  zone  was  found  to  be 
a  narrow  belt  bordering  the  sea  ;  to  the  westward 
of  it  the  limestone  diminished,  the  gypsum 
increasing  in  importance,  while  finally  salt  in  great 
masses  became  the  essential  feature  in  a  boring 
made  to  test  the  main  anticline  near  Gemsa  Bay. 
The  petroleum  was  apparently  present  in  porous 
calcareous  members  of  a  thick  gypsum  limestone 
series,   the  age  of  which   has   now  been  definitely 


318 


MIX  INC.    MAGAZINE 


deto.rmincil  as  uot  earlier  than  the  Lower  Miocene. 
Immediately  an  underlying  sandstone  was 
eneountercd  (presumably  the  Nubian  sandstone 
formation),  the  presence  of  oil  was  replaced  by  that 
of  water. 

The  years  1908  to  1913,  inclusive,  were  marked 
by  an  effort  to  determine  the  oil-producing 
possibilities  of  a  number  of  small  anticlines  present 
on  the  main  coast  of  Egypt,  near  Gemsa,  and  on  the 
adjoining    islands,    Mr.    John    Wells    commenced 


Mcditerrevnean    Sea- 

yderusalem 

\  1    -i^ 

^SYRIA 

\ 

\ 

^Cairo             \ 

\ 

\            Suez  ( 

Ak^ba 

\\    SINAI     Ul 

1     ^ 

Gebel  Zeir\>\ 

J.. 

W 

Gemsa'K 

\h 

urghada 

Siouf'\ 

E      g\Y 

P        T            ( 

Red 
\  Sea. 

.  Khar^a 

( 

\ 

Edfu^ 

0                       50 

too 

Scale  of  Miles          -Assouan 

Map  showing  position  of  Egyptian  Oilfields. 

operations  almost  simultaneously  at  Ras  Bahar 
(February  23,  1910),  Gaysum  Island  (March  and 
April,  1910),  and  Jubal  Island  (June,  1910),  these 
being  conducted  on  behalf  of  the  African  Prospecting 
Syndicate  and  Eastern  Petroleum  Company 
respectively.  At  the  same  time  (June  27,  1910), 
the  Egyptian  Oil  Trust  began  boring  on  Urn  el 
Haimet  Island,  situated  eastward  of  Gemsa,  and 
separated  from  it  by  a  relatively  shallow  sea  channel. 
The  results,  if  instructive  from  the  point  of  under- 
ground structure,  were  most  disappointing  as 
regards  oil  possibilities.    At  Ras  Bahar  the  deeper 


No.  1  bore  traversed  nearly  3,000  ft.  of  alternating 
gypsum,  shale,  and  salt  ;  on  Gaysum  the  same  salt- 
containing  series  began  at  4S()  ft.  below  surface, 
the  salt  (sometimes  in  continuous  masses  over 
200  ft.  in  thickness)  alternating  with  shales  and 
gypsum  to  the  depth  attained.  2,668  ft.  In  the 
Jubal  Island  the  results  were  different,  where  the 
earlier  borings  began  in  gypsum,  then  passed 
through  dolomitic  limestones  which  contained 
petroleum  in  small  quantity.  No  large  supplies 
had  been  met  with  before  red  granite  was  entered. 
Five  other  borings  undertaken  on  this  island  showed 
increasing  thicknesses  of  shale  and  gypsum  away 
from  the  centre  of  the  dome.  The  Um  el  Haimet 
borings  equally  indicated  the  presence  of  salt  zones, 
their  alternation  with  gypsum  and  clay,  and  in 
addition  the  presence  of  granitic  sands  of  varying 
thickness  distributed  between  1,280  and  1,710  ft. 
below  surface. 

Drilling  in  1911  and  1912  revealed  the  jnesence 
of  the  gypsum,  clay,  and  salt  series  at  Ramin  Island, 
near  the  south  end  of  Gebel  Zeit,  and  also  at  the 
extreme  northern  end  of  that  range,  north-west 
of  Ras  Dib,  near  where  the  valley  Wadi  Dara 
enters  the  sea.  As  none  of  these  salt-containing 
bores  have  shown  any  satisfactory  indications  of 
petroleum,  it  remains  doubtful  at  present  whether 
such  anticlines  as  those  above-mentioned  would 
yield  results  if  the  deeper  strata  were  penetrated. 
Another  series  of  borings  begun  in  1910  were  in  the 
meanwhile  presenting  records  of  a  different 
character,  these  being  sunk  at  various  localities 
at  the  southern  end  of  the  Gebel  Zeit  peninsula. 
The  first  was  located  near  the  surface  seepage,  and 
was  carried  to  a  depth  of  610  ft.,  when  it  was 
abandoned  on  meeting  the  igneous  rocks.  Two 
others  were  begun  on  a  small  anticline  north  of 
Zeitia  Harbour  in  April,  1911,  and  closed  clown  in 
March,  1912.  In  these  borings  limestone  played  an 
important  part,  and  some  thin  bands  were  saturated 
vrith  petroleum,  but  these  were  not  of  sufficient 
thickness  to  be  producers.  A  fourth  was  begun  in 
June,  1912,  and  small  thicknesses  of  salt  were 
encountered.  The  work  was  abandoned  at  1,322  ft., 
when  granite  was  recorded  as  having  been  entered. 
So  far  the  borings  had  thrown  but  little  light  on  the 
deeper-seated  structure,  but  one  sunk  on  the  western 
side  of  the  Zeit  range,  early  in  1913,  went  through 
a  more  normal  succession,  such  as  was  indicated 
at  the  surface.  Beneath  a  considerable  thickness 
of  gypsum  and  clay  followed  a  fairly  thick  limestone 
which  contained  a  certain  amount  of  petroleum. 
Drilling  was  continued  to  1,193  ft.,  when  the  Nubian 
sandstone  was  entered,  a  strong  supply  of  "water 
being  then  encountered.  The  effort  was  then 
discontinued.  This  boring,  it  should  be  stated, 
was  well  down  the  western  limb  of  the  anticline. 

Up  to  this  date  the  efforts  to  develop  the  minor 
anticlines  had  failed  both  on  the  Egyptian  mainland 
and  on  the  islands,  the  only  oil  obtained  being 
along  a  line  at  Gemsa,  which  did  not  display  striking 
anticlinal  characters.  In  none  of  the  localities 
tried  were  there  any  surface  indications. 

In  1909  it  fell  to  the  author's  lot  to  push  south- 
ward to  the  Hurghada  anticline,  and  in  March, 
1911,  his  interest  was  greatly  aroused  by  the 
discovery  of  an  oil-smelling  limestone  in  the  western 
anticline  of  Hurghada.  From  this  time  onward,  the 
Egyptian  Government  paid  special  attention  to  the 
Hurghada  area.  The  Anglo-Egyptian  Oilfields, 
Ltd.,  was  also  attracted  to  the  region.  The  success 
of  this  enterprise  is  now  a  matter  of  history,  a  series 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


319 


of  gushers  being  obtained  from  late  in  19! 3  to  the 
present  day. 

Until  1912  the  geology  of  the  oilfield  region 
remained  wrapped  in  a  considerable  amount  of 
obscurity.  New  data  were,  however,  obtained  in 
that  year,  which  threw  a  flood  of  light  on  many 
points  hitherto  obscure.  During  the  author's 
expedition  of  that  year  a  young  Arab  chainman 
found  a  number  of  sea-urchins  in  a  limestone  under- 
lying the  great  gypsum-clay  series  in  Wadi  Kabrit, 
at  the  northern  end  of  the  Zeit  range,  and  further 
up  the  valley  a  rich  fauna  in  the  same  formation 
was  obtained  containing  such  typical  Miocene 
fossils  as  Aturia  aturi  and  Tercbratula  Miocenica. 
These  were  identified  as  belonging  to  a  period 
transitional  between  the  lower  and  middle  Miocene, 
and  in  this  connexion  it  may  be  recalled  that  the 
late  Professor  Suess  regarded  Aturia  aturi  as  the 
type  fossil  of  the  Schlier  shallow-water  formation 
which  forms  the  lower  section  of  the  middle  Miocene 
in  Austria.  This  settled  any  controversy  as  to  the 
age  of  the  gypsum  bordering  the  Red  Sea. 

When  examining  the  oilfield  area  about  1905-6, 
Dr.  Erb  and  John  Wells  found  that  a  series  of  marls 
underlying  the  gypsum  in  Gebel  Zeit,  and  in  places 
over  one  hundred  feet  in  thickness,  were  filled  with 
the  minute  tests  of  the  foraminifer  Globigerina. 
This  interesting  formation  was  subsequently  proved 
to  extend  throughout  the  Gebel  Zeit  range.  The 
Petroleum  Research  studies  in  1918  indicated  the 
Miocene  succession  to  be  as  follows  : — 

Upper  gj-psum  beds. 

Intergypseous  clays  and  limestones. 

Lower  gypsum  beds. 

Globigerina  marls. 

Lower  Miocene  limestones,  with  flint  con- 
glomerates at  the  base. 

The  Gemsa  oil  was  undoubtedly  obtained  from 
porous  limestones  belonging  to  the  above  series, 
and  it  is  to  this  source  that  geologists  look  for 
any  benzine-rich  light  oils  that  may  yet  be  found 
in  Egypt. 

The  most  important  advance  in  the  knowledge  of 
the  distribution  of  oil  in  Egypt  was  indicated  when 
the  geologist  of  the  Anglo-Egyptian  Oilfields,  I^td., 
was  permitted  to  disclose  some  of  the  results  of  his 
investigations  at  Hurghada  to  the  author,  in  return 
for  information  supplied  regarding  the  surface 
structure  at  Gebel  Zeit.  On  comparing  notes  it 
was  found  that  all  representative  members  of  the 
Zeit  series  were  represented  in  the  underground 
succession  at  Hurghada,  including  such 
characteristic  members  as  the  globigerina  marls  and 
the  flint  conglomerate.  Beneath  the  conglomerate 
was  a  succession  of  fine  sands  and  carbonaceous 
shales  similar  to  beds  well  known  in  Upper  Egypt 
as  members  of  the  upper  Cretaceous  formation.  The 
lighter  oils  were  found  associated  with  calcareous 


strata  in  the  Miocene  gypsum-limestone  series, 
the  heavier  oils  being,  on  the  other  hand,  present 
in  the  fine-grained  Cretaceous  strata. 

This  interesting  conclusion  brought  the  oil  geology 
of  Egypt  proper  into  relation  with  that  of  the  Sinai 
Peninsula.  In  1888  Colonel  Stewart  learnt  that 
petroleum  was  frequently  found  floating  at  low 
tide  on  the  sea  at  Abu  Durba,  twenty-five  miles 
north-westward  of  Tor,  the  quarantme  port  of 
Sinai.  Oil  seepages  were  also  noted  on  the  shore 
near  Gebel  Tanka,  north  of  Abu  Zenima,  this  leading 
to  boring  operations  in  August,  1910.  The  deepest 
of  these  reached  a  depth  of  2,930  ft.  Commencing 
in  beds  of  Eocene  age  it  traversed  the  whole  of  the 
fossiliferous  Cretaceous  strata,  finally  entering  the 
Nubian  sandstone.  An  oil-j'ielding  layer  was  struck 
between  three  and  four  hundred  feet  from  the 
surface,  but  as  the  supply  was  only  three  barrels 
a  week  the  enterprise  was  eventauUy  abandoned. 
The  Petroleum  Research  study  of  the  Egyptian 
Government  was  extended  to  the  Sinai  Peninsula 
in  1917-18,  detailed  examinations  being  made  of 
the  Abu  Durba  and  Tanka  areas.  It  was  evident 
that  petroleum  had  been  present  in  both  the  Eocene, 
Cretaceous,  and  Nubian  sandstone  formations, 
oil-rock  being  found  at  several  horizons.  The  most 
consistent  development  is  in  the  Cenomanian  strata 
immediately  above  their  junction  with  the  Nubian 
sandstone.  On  the  other  hand,  where  the 
fossiliferous  Cenomanian  strata  are  not  present, 
having  passed  into  the  sandstone  type,  the  first 
limestone  or  marly  strata  above  the  sandstone 
show  evidence  of  the  former  presence  of  oil,  or  it 
may  be  present  in  the  underlying  sandstone.  Thus 
indications  of  the  former  presence  of  petroleum 
have  been  noted  in  almost  every  member  of  the 
Cretaceous  and  Eocene  succession.  Moon  and 
Sadek  have  found  repeated  indications  of  its  wide 
distribution  in  the  Cenomanian  strata  of  North 
Sinai  ;  at  Abu  Durba,  where  the  lowest  fossiliferous 
limestone  is  Turonian,  the  sandstone  immediately 
below  is  highly  bituminous,  and  has  been  proved 
still  to  contain  thick  liquid  petroleum  at  only  a 
few  feet  below  the  surface  ;  at  Abu  Zenima  the 
oil-impregnated  strata  are  at  a  higher  Cretaceous 
horizon,  the  Santonian,  while  in  the  Tanka  area 
Eocene  beds  have  both  yielded  petroleum  in  borings 
and  have  also  been  highly  impregnated  with  oil 
near  the  surface.  The  Cenomanian  strata  of  Sinai 
are  the  lowest  in  the  geological  scale  to  contain 
indications  of  petroleum.  The  Jurassic  strata  in 
the  northern  hills  of  Sinai  are  in  lithological  structure 
most  favourably  developed  to  act  as  oil  repositories, 
yet  careful  search  has  not  yielded  the  slightest 
evidence  of  the  former  presence  of  petroleum  in 
them.  The  same  holds  true  for  the  Carboniferous 
strata  in  Western  Sinai,  and,  so  far  as  known, 
Wadi  Araba  also,  on  the  Egyptian  side. 


IRON     ORES     IN    SOUTH-WEST    AFRICA 


In  the  South  African  Journal  of  Industries  for 
September,  Dr.  Percy  A.  Wagner  gives  an  account 
of  iron  ore  deposits  in  the  Namib  desert,  from  10 
to  16  miles  to  the  south-east  of  Walfish  Bay.  He 
finds  that  the  ores  are  highly  siliceous,  and  not 
suitable  under  present  conditions  for  use  as  a  source 
of  iron. 

The  Namib  desert  is  for  the  most  part  flat  and 
featureless,  and,  apart  from  its  waterless  character, 
easy    to    traverse.       To    reach    it,    however,    it  is 


necessary  to  cross  the  great  belt  of  sand  dunes 
extending  along  the  coast  from  the  neighbourhood 
of  Luderitz  Bay  to  the  Swakop  River.  The  belt 
is  at  its  narrowest  in  the  area  under  review,  but  none 
the  less  offers  a  most  serious  obstacle  to  transport, 
and  the  only  practicable  method  of  getting  the  iron 
ore  to  Walfish  Bay  would  be  by  aerial  tramway. 
The  deposits  are  all  of  sedimentary  origin,  and, 
with  one  exception — a  deposit  of  magnetite-garnet 
rock — consist     of     itabirite      belonging      to      the 


;i20 


Tin:  MIXING  MAGAZixr: 


Fundamental  Complex.  The  itabirite  forms  narrow 
belts  rarely  exceeiliiig  50  ft.  in  thickness,  which  in 
some  instances  run  almost  in  a  straight  line  for 
considerable  distances,  while  in  other  instances  the 
outcrop  as  a  result  of  foKling  and  faulting  follows 
a  sinuous  course.  The  itabirite,  being  more  resistant 
to  atmospheric  weathering  than  the  other  members 
of  the  Fundamental  CompIe.\,  gives  rise  to  low  black 
ridges  and  kopjes  which  stand  out  prominently 
from  the  light-coloured  surface  of  the  Naniib. 
Another  consequence  of  the  highly  resistant  nature 
of  the  ore  is  that  the  slopes  of  such  kopjes,  and  in 
some  instances  even  the  fl.ats  surrounding  them, 
are  covered  with  black  ironstone  rubble,  giving  the 
inexperienced  observer  an  exaggerated  idea  of  the 
extent  of  the  deposits.  Five  separate  occurrences 
were  examined.  The  itabirite  everywhere  presents 
much  the  same  features,  ar\d  in  regard  to  several 
of'thc  occurrences  it  is  highly  probable  that  they 
are  repetitions  by  folding  of  the  same  bed.  One 
of  the  most  interesting  points  brought  out  by  the 
writer's  investigations  is  that  there  are  fairly 
extensive  ancient  workings  on  at  least  two  of  the 
occurrences.  These  take  the  form  of  shallow  pits 
and  trenches,  now  for  the  most  part  filled  with 
coarse,  wind-blown  sand.  They  are  no  doubt 
attributable  to  Hereros  and  Berg  Damaras — skilled 
workers  in  iron — who  inhabited  the  Walfish  Bay 
territory  until  about  the  year  1840,  when  they  were 
driven  northward  by  the  Hottentots  of  the  so-called 
Red  Nation  under  the  redoubtable  Jonker  Afrikaner. 
The  ore  was  probably  smelted  at  Rooibank  on  the 
Kuiseb  with  charcoal  made  from  camel  thorn  or 
other  hardwood  trees  growing  in  the  river-bed. 

In  its  more  typical  development  the  itabirite 
is  a  regularly  banded  blackish  rock  composed 
essentially  of  iron  oxide  and  quartz,  for  the  most 
part  segregated  in  well-defined  layers,  but  some- 
times intimately  intermingled.  The  individual 
layers  range  in  thickness  from  a  fraction  of  a 
millimetre  to  6  centimetres.  The  iron  oxide  is 
mainly  specularite  occurring  in  the  form  of  thin 
plates  and  scales  from  02  to  0'8  millimetre  in 
diameter,  arranged  parallel  with  the  banding  or 
foliation.  In  addition  to  the  normal  specularite 
there  is  ahvaj'S  present,  in  the  form  of  small  grains 
and  crystals,  a  variety  of  greyish  lustrous  hematite, 
which  may  be  martite  pseudomorphous  after 
magnetite.  It  forms  impersistent  layers  up  to 
4  millimetres  in  thickness.  Magnetite  itself  is  only 
very  sparingly  present  in  these  rocks.  The 
siliceous  or  quartzitic  bands,  which  vary  in 
colour  from  pale-grey  to  dark-bluish  grey,  are 
composed  essentially  of  a  mosaic  of  interlocking 
grains  of  quartz  from  0-2  to  1  millimetre  in  diameter. 
Many  of  the  larger  quartz  grains  are  seen  under  the 
microscope  to  enclose  tabular  crystals  of  specularite 
arranged  parallel  to  the  schistosity,  clear  proof  that 
the  recrystallization  of  the  quart.-;  occurred  during 
or  subsequently  to  the  foliation  of  the  rock.  Some 
varieties  of  the  itabirite  contain  a  small  proportion 
of  brov/nish-red  garnet  (almandine)  in  the  form  of 
irregular  grains  generally  enclosing  quartz  and 
specularite.  The  garnet  is  sometimes  imbedded 
in  the  iron  oxides,  but  more  usually  occurs  in 
association  with  quartz  in  lenticular  eyes  lying 
parallel  v,rith  banding.  Other  accessory  minerals 
present  in  small  amounts  are  apatite  and  rutile. 

On  Von  Broen's  claims,  situated  about  ten  miles 
south-east  of  Walfish  Bay,  a  bed  of  itabirite 
traceable  over  a  distance  of  about  1,600  yards 
builds  a  conspicuous  row  of  black  kopjes  running 


in  a  N.IC.-S.W.  direction  along  th<!  edge  of  a  broad 
expanse  of  gravel-covered  desert  known  as  the 
Plum  ;  the  kopjes  themselves  flanking  a  low, 
rugged,  quartzite  plateau.  The  itabirite  bed  appears 
to  range  in  thickness  from  (5  ft.  to  fully  80  ft.,  (he 
reason  of  this  great  variation  not  being  apjiarenl. 
It  is  intercalated  with  dark,  fine-grained  quartzite, 
containing  a  good  deal  of  specularite  in  the  form 
of  minute  grains  and  scales.  The  quartzite  is  seen 
at  several  points  to  be  intersected  by  veins  of  coarse 
pink  pegmatite  with  which  the  veins  of  pegmatitif 
quartz  occurring  in  the  it.ibirite  are  no  doulit 
connected.  In  the  first  kopje  the  strike  ranges  from 
N.W.-S.E.  to  N.N.W. -S.S.E.,  the  dip  being  toward 
the  north-east.  In  the  next,  situated  about 
100  yards  to  the  north-east,  the  strike  is  north- 
cast  to  south-west,  and  the  dip  apparently  vertical  ; 
beyond  this  the  bed  strikes  toward  the  north,  and 
then,  again,  follows  a  N.N.E.-S.S.W.  course.  To  the 
north  east  of  the  fifth  kopje  the  bed  is  cut  off  l>y 
a  fault,  and  on  the  sixth  it  is  seen  to  be  dis])oscd  in 
tile  form  of  a  closely  compressed  fold,  the  dip  being 
practically  vertical.  In  the  seventh  ko|>je  the  stril<e 
is  N.R.-S.W.,  then  approximately  north  and  south  ; 
in  the  four  most  northerly  kopjes  the  strike  is  more 
regular  toward  the  north-north-east,  the  dip  being 
almost  vertical.  The  first  and  eighth  kopjes  are 
most  prominent,  and  on  these  there  are  extensive 
ancient  workings.  The  ore  is  very  variable  in 
character  ;  it  is  made  up  of  alternations  of  iron- 
rich  and  iron-poor  layers,  the  former  rarely 
exceeding  a  few  inches  in  thickness.  It  is  thus 
possible  to  obtain  from  the  same  outcrop  all 
gradations  from  pure  iron  ore  composed  almost 
entirely  of  specularite  to  quartzite  almost  free  from 
specularite.  The  average  grade,  such  as  would  be 
obtained  by  mining  on  a  large  scale  without  sorting, 
is  distinctly  low.  Thus  an  average  sample  of  the 
ironstone  building  the  first  hill  showed  on  analysis: — 


Fe 
Sib., 
I' 
5 


/o 
37-7 
46-8 
01.5 
0-25 


This  material  cannot  be  classed  as  iron  ore.  By 
selective  mining  and  sorting  a  much  better  quality 
of  ironstone  could  be  obtained,  but  it  is  very  doubt- 
ful whether  in  any  circumstances  a  grade  of  over 
53%  could  be  maintained,  as  a  picked  sample  of 
the  best  ore  exposed  on  Hill  No.  7  only  showed 
53-29f,  of  iron  and  19%  of  silica,  and  a  sample  of 
picked  ore  analysed  some  years  ago  in  the  State 
Laboratory  at  Hamburg,  53-1%  of  iron  and  21% 
of  silica. 

A  sample  oi  itabirite  from  Von  Broen's  claims 
which  was  sent  to  Germany  for  analysis  some  years 
ago  was  found  on  analysis  to  contain  1-8  oz.  of 
silver  per  ton  and  traces  of  gold.  This  led  to  the 
deposit  being  tested  for  precious  metals  by  the 
engineers  of  the  Deutsche  Kolonial  Gesellschaft 
fiir  Siid-west  Afrika.  A  bulk  sample  was  taken 
and  analysed  with  the  following  result  :  Iron 
26-3%,  gold  nil,  silver  nil,  platinum  ml,  so  that  in 
this  sample  none  of  the  precious  metals  sought  was 
present.  The  sample  from  Hill  No.  1  taken  by  the 
writer  was  found,  on  the  other  hand,  to  contain 
1  -3  dwt.  of  silver  and  3-5  dwt.  of  gold  per  short 
ton.  It  would  appear,  therefore,  that  small 
quantities  of  gold  and  silver  are  sporadically 
scattered  through  the  itabirite,  as  is  also  the  case 
with  some  of  the  itabirites  of  Brazil  and  with  some 
of  the  banded  ironstones  occurring  in  the  Union  and 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


321 


Southern  Rhodesia.  The  amounts  of  the  precious 
metals  indicated  by  the  analyses  are  insufficient, 
however,  to  warrant  the  expectation  that  either  of 
them  will  be  found  anywhere  to  be  present  in 
profitable  quantities. 

On  Murray's  claims,  situated  two  miles  due  south 
of  Von  Broen's.  there  is  a  long  low  ridge  built  up  of 
a  persistent  vertical  bed  of  banded  itabirite  about 
600  yards  in  length  strilcing  N.E.-S.W.,  which  for 
part  of  its  length  is  paralleled  on  the  south-east 
by  a  shorter  bed  of  the  same  rock.  It  is  probable 
that  here  are  the  two  limbs  of  a  very  steep  fold, 
pitching  toward  the  south-south-west,  but  this 
could  only  be  established  by  trenching.  There  are 
fairly  considerable  ancient  workings  now  filled  with 
coarse  sand  along  the  crest  of  the  ridge.  The  width 
of  the  ironstone  ranges  from  20  yards  downward. 
It  is  made  up  of  alternations  of  specularite  and 
quartzitic  matter,  the  latter  being  in  some  instances 
of  a  cherty  nature.  Here,  as  on  Von  Broen's  claims, 
it  is  possible  to  pick  out  specimens  of  very  pure 
iron  ore  composed  almost  entirely  of  specularite, 
but  the  average  grade  is  not  very  high.  A  sample 
taken  by  the  writer  of  ore  of  more  than  average 
richness  and  probably  fairly  representative  of  the 
grade  that  might  be  maintained,  if  selective  mining 
and  sorting  were  practised,  gave  on  analysis  the 
following  result  :  — 

% 
.     57-7 


Fe 

SiO.2 

P 

S 


17-6 
0-05 
0-35 


A  representative  sample  of  the  ore  analysed  by 
George  T.  Holloway  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  London, 
showed  : — 


46-390;, 


FcjOa        . 

.    65-32   ) 

Total   iron 

FeO 

0-90  ) 

SiOa 

.    32-87 

AloOs       . 

.       0-69 

S 

.      0-094 

Mn 

.      0-048 

Ti 

— 

Ca 

— 

Mg 

— 

Total 


99-92 


A  picked  sample  of  the  rich  ore  showed 


Fe 

SiO.2 

P 


61-94 
11-45 

0-07 


A  mile  to  the  south  of  this  there  is  a  long  black 
outcrop  formed  by  what  may  be  a  repetition  by 
folding  of  the  same  bed.  The  ore  here  is  much 
richer  in  garnet,  this  being  the  occurrence  in  which 
the  itabirite  encloses  lenticular  bands  of  a  very 
coarsely  crystalline  aggregate  of  lustrous  specularite, 
garnet,  and  bluish-grey  quartz.  A  sample  of  the 
more  typical  itabirite  gave  on  analysis  : — 


About  2i  miles  to  the  south-east  there  is  a  similar 
but  smaller  hematite  occurrence.  The  ore  is  again 
composed  essentially  of  quartz  and  specularite, 
but  also  contains  dark  brownish-red  garnet  as  an 
accessory  constituent.  It  forms  a  vertical  or  steeply 
dipping  bed  some  hundreds  of  yards  in  length  and 
apparently  averaging  about  6  ft.  in  thickness. 
The  strike  is  from  north-east  to  south-west.  A 
fairly  representative  sample  of  the  ore  was  found  on 
analysis  to  contain  : — 


Fe 

SiO.2 

P 


48-4 
26- 1 

0-05 
0-06 


Fe 
SiO., 
P 
S 


41-2 
30-8 
0-06 
0-09 


The  last  of  the  itabirite  occurrences  to  be  examined 
is  situated  about  41  miles  north-west  of  Rooibank. 
It  is  a  steeply  dipping  bed  apparently  ranging  in 
thickness  from  5  to  10  ft.,  the  outcrop  of  which  can 
be  traced  for  about  a  mile.  The  itabirite  is  inter- 
bedded  with  coarsely  crystalline  white  limestone 
containing  a  number  of  interesting  contact 
minerals.  The  ore  is  very  variable  in  character  and 
its  iron  content  probably  ranges  from  50%  to  10% 
and  less.    A  fairly  representative  sample  showed  ; — 

o/ 
/o 

Fe     .  .  .     38-2 

SiO.,  .  .     44-5 

P       .  .  .0-1 

S        .  .  .0-3 

A  short  distance  to  the  south  of  this  is  a  narrow 
belt  of  a  coarsely  crj-stalline  magnetite  ore  forming 
a  succession  of  low  hog-backs,  the  total  length  of 
outcrop  being  about  400  yards.  The  ore  is  a  coarse 
aggregate  made  up  in  variable  proportions  of 
magnetite  in  cr5'Stals  and  pieces  up  to  1  in.  across, 
brownish-red  garnet,  and  quartz,  the  magnetite 
predominating.  It  is  in  places  distinctly  banded, 
but,  as  a  rule,  the  banding  is  barely  perceptible. 
The  grade  is  again  very  variable.  A  representative 
sample  showed  : — 


Fe 
SiO., 
P 
S 


52-2 
25-8 
0-10 
0-30 


The  magnetite  rock  is  intercalated  with  crystalline 
limestone  and  lime  silicate  rocks. 

Notwithstanding  the  unfavourable  geographical 
situation  of  the  deposits,  it  would  have  been 
practicable  had  any  of  them  contained  really  large 
quantities  of  high-grade  ore,  that  is,  ore  containing 
not  less  than  60%  of  iron  and  not  more  than,  say, 
4°o  of  silica,  to  export  this  ore  at  a  profit  from 
Walfish  Bay.  Actually,  however,  while  two  of  the 
deposits — namely,  those  on  Von  Broen's  and 
Murray's  claims  • —  are  of  fairly  considerable 
magnitude,  none  of  them  is,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  writer,  capable,  even  with  selective  mining 
and  sorting,  of  yielding  commercial  quantities  of 
ore  averaging  over  53  to  57%  of  iron  and  under 
17  to  19%  of  silica.  Ore  of  this  grade,  being  in 
normal  times  worth  only  from  15s.  to  £\  per  long 
ton,  c.i.f.,  European  and  American  ports,  could 
not  possibly  be  exported  at  a  profit,  as  the  cost  of 
mining,  sorting,  and  transport  to  Walfish  Bay  would 
be  at  least  10s.  per  ton.  To  send  it  by  rail  to  the 
smelting  works  at  Pretoria  and  Vereeniging  would 
be  equally  impracticable,  as  immense  supplies  of 
this  grade  are  available  in  the  Transvaal.  To  smelt 
it  on  the  spot  is  quite  out  of  the  question.  The 
deposits  are  thus  evidently  not  worthy  of 
exploitation  as  a  source  of  iron  at  present. 


322 


THE    MININ'G    MAGAZINE 


THE    PECHEY    COPPER-LEACHING    PROCESS 


\n    the    luly   issue   our  West  Australian   corre. 
spomlcnt  gave  the  latest  news  about   the  Whim 
Well  and  Mons  Cupri  copper  deposits  in  the  north- 
western   part     of     West    Australia.      Since    ihvn 
report    on    this    district    by    T.    Blatchforil,    the 
Assistant     State     Mining     Engineer,     has     been 
pubhshed.     We  extract  herewith  his  remarks  on 
the    Pechey  process,  as    used  at  these  mines  for 
extracting     copper     from     the     dump     ores.     As 
mentioned  in  July,  the  point  of  the  process  is  the 
use  of  sulphurous  acid  in  altering  ferric  sulphate 
to  ferrous  sulphate.     The  process  has  been  used  at 
tlie  Mount  Hope  copper  mine  in  New  South  Wales, 
and    the    information    given    by    Mr.     Hlatchford 
combines  the  experience  of  Mr.  Audlcy  Smith,  of 
Mount  Hope,  and  of  the  engineers  at  Whim  Well. 
But  Mr.  Blatchford  is  doubtful  about  the  process, 
and     recommends     further     official     investigation. 
.\t  Whim  Well  the  practice  begins  with  3  to  4  tons 
of  sulphuric  acid  being  diluted  and  poured  over 
ore    in    leaching    vats    containing    ore    averaging 
6%  of  copper  in  the  form  of  carbonates  and  oxides. 
The  object  of  the  leaching  vat  is  twofold.     In  the 
first  place  the  ore  used  is  the  finer  and  richer  portion 
of  the  dump,  so  the  action  of  the  solutions  is  more 
rapid   and   more   copper   is   dissolved.      Secondly, 
the  oxygen  of  the  ore  acts  as  a  powerful  oxidizer 
to  form  ferric  sulphate.     The  resulting  solutions, 
on  being  drawn  off,  contain   free  sulphuric  acid, 
copper  sulphate  (the  amount  of  copper   depending 
on  the  grade  of  the  ore  and  length  of  time  of  contact), 
and    varying    proportions    of    ferrous    and    ferric 
sulphates.       The    proportion    of    ferric    to    ferrous 
sulphate  depends  on  the  amount  of  oxygen  which 
had  been  obtained  from  the  air  during  the  time  the 
solutions  were  percolating  through  the  ore  ;    also 
as  will  be  pointed  out  later  on,  to  the  amount  of 
oxygen  derived  from  the  copper  oxides  dissolved. 
It  is  a  good  practice  to  have  all  the  ferrous  converted 
to  the  ferric  state.     Assuming  this  is  the  case,  or 
nearly  so,  the  solutions  are  then  fit  to  be  passed 
over  pyritic  filters  to  reduce  the  ferric  salts  back 
to  the  ferrous  state,  and,  at  the  same  time,  liberate 
some     portion     of     the     sulphuric     acid     to     aid 
precipitation  of  the  copper  on  the  scrap  iron,  and 
also  to  prevent  the  precipitation  of  iron  with  the 
copper,  which  is  the  case  in  the  presence  of  any 
appreciable     amount     of     ferric     sulphate.       The 
pyritic  filters  mentioned  are  vats  with  false  porous 
bottoms,  on  which  is  placed  the  pyritic  ore  ;    the 
flow  of  the  solution  is  down  a  pipe  and  up  through 
the  pyritic  ore,  passing  from  one  vat  to  another 
through  the  series. 

In  perfect  practice  all  the  ferric  salts  should  be 
reduced  to  a  ferrous  state  before  entering  the 
precipitation  vats.  If  much  ferric  sulphate  is 
present,  there  is  always  the  danger  of  forming 
basic  ferric  sulphates,  which,  though  soluble  in 
sulphuric  acid,  are  liable  to  be  discharged  from 
.solution  when  the  acidity  is  reduced  below  a  certain 
point. 

The  following  equation  illustrates  the  ideal 
reaction  in  the  pyritic  filter  : — 

2FeS.,  +  11   Fe.  (SOj),  +  12    H.,0  =  24  FeSO, 

+  I2H2SO., +  S 
In    oractice   the   following   are   typical    analyses 
of  what  may  be  considered  fairly  normal  working 
solutions   wlien   copper  is   present   as   chalcopyrite 
in  the  sulphide  ore  : — 


Entering  filter 
Leaving  filter 


Copper 

grains  Ferrous  l-'crric  I'rec 

per  Kal.  Iron.  Iron.  II-:SOi. 

20-98  13-32  15-6(i  K-lID 

.39-64  2510  1-74  2000 


The  solutions  from  the  pyritic  filter  are  passed 
over  scrap  iron   and  leave  with   increased   ferrous 
salts,  little,  if  any,  free  sulphuric  acid,  and  copper 
sulphate       practically       absent.      The        copper 
precipitated  in  the  vats  forms  a  precipitate  con- 
taining  about   70%    metallic   copper.      From    the 
precipitating  vats  the  solutions  are  passed     over 
the  big  dumps  of  broken  ore  in  order  to  dissolve 
more  copper  and  gain  oxygen  to  convert  the  ferrous 
salts  back  to  the  ferric  state.    In  the  dump  sulphuric 
acid  is  probably  generated  to  a  slight  extent  by 
the    formation    of   basic   sulphates    by    hydrolytic 
action.      The   solutions   leaving   the   dump   should 
therefore    contain    more    copper   sulphate,    almost 
no  free  sulphuric  acid,  and  a  very  much  increased 
proportion    of    ferric    sulphate.      Before    returning 
the  solutions  from  the  dump  to  the  leaching  vats 
the  cvcle  is  completed  by  first  passing  them  through 
what  is  known  as  a  converter  vat.    This  vat  is  deep 
in  proportion  to  its  width,  12  ft.  by  10  ft.,  and  is 
provided  with  an  air-lift  and  a  filter  bottom,    on 
which  is  laid  a  layer  of  stones.      The  air-lift  is 
external  and  connected  to  the  bottom  of  the  vat 
from  the  outside.     SO.,  fumes,  which  are  generated 
by   burning   sulphur   in   a   closed    vessel   with    air 
supplied  under  pressure  from  an  air  compressor, 
are  passed  down  a  central  tube  in  the  vat  to  under- 
neath the  filter  bottom.     They,  therefore,  naturally 
ascend  through  the  liquid  in  the  vat.     The  object 
of  the  filter  bottom  and  stones  is  to  break  up  the 
gas  so  that  it  will  not  concentrate  in  any  particular 
portion  of  the  solution  in  the  vat,  but  be  uniformly 
distributed  throughout.    The  chemical  action  which 
takes  place  here  is  represented  as  follows  : — 
Fe.,  (SOj).,-fS02  +  2H.,0  =  2  FeSO,-t-2  H,,  SO4 
The    leaching    vats    at    Whim    Well,    already 
described,  are  three  in  number,  and  are  calculated 
to  hold  45  tons  of  ore  when  full.     The  dimensions 
are  20  ft.  by  4  ft.     Twenty  vats   ■  ft.  by  6  ft.  were 
installed  in  precipitation ,  but  five  of  these  are  now  used 
as  pyritic  filters,  and  fifteen  only  for  precipitation. 
Dump  leaching  is  carried  on  in  a  similar  method  to 
that  in  the  Kio  Tinto  process.    The  top  of  the  dump 
is   divided   into   small   paddocks    10  ft.    by   4  ft.   in 
area  and  the  solution  is  poured  into  the  paddocks 
in  rotation.      A  constant  flow  of  solution  is  not 
effective.      What    is    wanted    is    an    intermittent 
flooding   and   drying.      A   block  of  the  ore,   even 
weighing    many    pounds,     when    saturated    with 
solution  and  allowed  to  dry  soon  becomes  green 
on  the  outside.     The  copper  has  been  attacked  by 
the  acid,  and  the  soluble  salts  come  to  the  surface 
by  capillary  action.     Subsequent  floodings  dissolve 
and  convey  these  salts  away  to  the  precipitation 
vats.     The  air-lifts  are  made  of  earthenware  pipes. 
In  the  dump-leaching  a  series  of  paddocks  have 
been  top-dressed  with   pyritic  ore  to  increase  the 
iron  sulphates,  and  when  working  properly  should 
be  a  further  means  for  generating  sulphuric  acid. 
Omng  to  the  corrosive  nature  of  the  solutions  and 
the   benefit   derived    from   aeration,   pipes   are   not 
used,   and   all    liquors  are  circulated   by   means  of 
hardwood  launders,  except  the  air-lifts,  which    at 
present  are  earthenware. 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


323 


The  process  as  described  and  used  at  Whim  Well 
is  based  on  actual  practice  at  Mount  Hope,  in  New 
South  Wales,  where  40,000  tons  of  waste  dump 
containing  3-2°o  of  copper  has  been  actually 
treated,  the  percentage  of  copper  in  the  dump  being 
reduced  to  1%.  This  work  has  extended  over  a 
period  of  six  years'  intermittent  treatment.  Though 
the  process  here  has  proved  an  undoubted 
commercial  success,  considerable  advances  in  the 
treatment  have  since  been  made  by  the  patentees. 
It  has  been  found  in  practice  that  the  original 
process,  though  giving  the  required  reactions,  was 
slow,  and  by"  adopting  certain  alterations  in  the 
mechanical  handling  of  the  material  to  be  treated, 
the  solutions  could  be  made  more  active,  and 
brought  up  to  a  more  concentrated  form. 

The  author  then  gives  an  account  of  the  practice 
at  Mount  Hope.  The  essential  point  in  the  success- 
ful working  of  the  Pechey  process  is  the  formation 
of  ferric  sulphate.  To  effect  this  the  method  of 
treatment  as  adopted  at  Mount  Hope  is  based  on 
the  fact  that  if  ferrous  sulphate  solutions  be  agitated 
with  sulphur  dioxide  and  air,  in  the  presence  of 
copper  oxide,  the  following  action  takes  place 
rapidly  as  follows  : — 

4FeS04-l-4SO„  +  30.,  +  2CuO  =  2Fe2{SOj)3+2CuS04 
and  Fe,  (S04)s  +  S02+2  CuO  =  2  CuSOj-f  2  FeSOj. 

The  speeding  up  of  the  reaction  is  due  to  the 
presence  of  the  copper  oxides  in  a  fine  state  of 
division.  From  a  chemical  point  of  view  the  action 
is  the  same  as  in  vat  leaching.  Water  being  always 
present  in  excess  in  the  event  of  the  copper  oxide 
being  insufficient  to  produce  chemical  equilibrium 


in  accordance  with  the  foregoing  equations,  the 
result  would  doubtless  be  as  occurs  in  the  con- 
verter ;  Fe.,(S04^3  -[-  SO,  +  2  H.,  =  2  FeSO^  + 
2  H.iSO.,.  There  is  probably  always  free  sulphuric 
acid  in  the  solution  when  the  jjrocess  is  in  operation. 
The  mechanical  device  to  effect  the  speeding  up  is 
as  follows  :  The  ore  is  fine  ground  and  treated  in 
a  series  of  Pachucas,  the  pulp  being  agitated  with 
air  and  SOo  gas.  By  adopting  the  slime  treatment 
in  the  Pechey  process  the  extraction  of  the  copper 
is  more  rapid,  the  copper  is  accumulated  to  a 
higher  percentage  in  the  solutions,  which  can  be 
more  concentrated  than  in  ordinary  leaching, 
precipitation  in  the  scrap  iron  is  more  perfect, 
and  the  copper  cement  is  higher  grade. 

The  chemical  reactions  in  the  process  are  not 
quite  clear,  and  the  literature  on  the  subject  is 
far  from  being  complete.  The  treatment  being  a 
comparatively  recent  process,  there  appears  to 
be  much  still  open  for  discussion  and  investigation 
For  instance,  the  formation  of  basic  sulphates  in 
the  solutions  wlien  charged  with  ferric  sulphates 
is  in  no  instance  referred  to,  and  3,s  this  reaction 
will  be  dependent  large!}'  on  percentages  of  free 
sulphuric  acid  and  temperatures,  it  may  have  quite 
an  important  bearing  on  the  costs  and  adjustments 
in  the  treatment.  The  class  of  sulphide  ore  used  in 
the  pyritic  filters,  control  of  solution  going  to  the 
precipitating  vats  to  obtain  a  high-grade  cement, 
etc.,  need  investigation.  Mr.  Blatchford  has 
discussed  the  subject  freely  with  the  chemists  in 
the  Geological  Survey  and  recommends  that  they 
be  called  in  to  investigate  the  points  referred  to 
above,  as  well  as  any  others  which  may  arise. 


Grdndal  Flotation  Process  in  Germany. — .\.Macco, 
in  Metall  und  Erz  tor  May  8  last,  gives  an  account  of 
Grondal  flotation  plants  in  Germany.  According 
to  the  author  most  of  the  experiments  in  flotation 
had  lapsed  into  quietude  before  the  war,  a  quietude 
from  which  they  were  a,wakened  in  the  endeavour 
to  meet  war  necessities.  In  1918  the  Boxbach 
Company  operating  near  Breidenbach  in  the 
Biedenkopf  district  applied  Grdndal  machines  to 
the  concentration  of  poor  copper  ore.  This  equip- 
ment was  followed  with  one  of  similar  machines 
at  Gottesgabe,  near  Roth,  in  the  same  neighbour- 
hood, to  recover  fahlerz.  Later,  in  January,  19L'0, 
the  Grondal  flotation  equipment  erected  at  the 
Friedrich-August  works,  near  Nordenheim,  for 
war  purposes  was  put  into  use  by  Beer,  Sondheimer 
and  Co.,  of  Frankfort,  for  large-scale  experiments 
upon  the  Rammelsbcrg  lead-zinc  ore.  Finally, 
a  fourth  Grondal  equipment,  begun  during  the  war 
by  the  Antweil  Co.  at  its  Wilhelm  mine  in  the  Upper 
Ahr  valley,  and  completed  with  the  co-operation 
of  the  Stolberg  Lead  and  Zinc  Co.,  was  brought 
into  commercial  operation. 

Of  these  equipments  the  position  now  is  that  the 
Boxbach  Company,  working  on  a  small  deposit, 
has  stopped  ;  Gottesgabe  awaits  the  development 
of  a  deeper  level  ;  the  equipment  at  Friedrich- 
August  is  temporarily  out  of  commission  while 
certain  defects  are  being  made  good  ;  and  that  at 
the  Wilhelm  mine  awaits  the  completion  of  secondary 
plant.  Though  this  is  not  a  rosy  picture,  the  author 
considers  the  e.\:periences  obtained  are  worth 
recording. 

All  four  plants  were  worked  by  froth-flotation 
brought  about  by  the  entry  of  air  from  below  under 


pressure.  Oil  and,  exceptionally,  chemicals  in 
small  amounts  were  added,  the  latter  partly  to 
assist  froth  formation  and  partly  to  obtain  the 
necessary  discriminating  surface-tensions.  In 
preparation  the  ore  was  reduced  in  wet  ball-mills 
and  tube-mills  to  about  120  to  200  mesh.  The  oil, 
to  the  extent  of  about  0-2  to  0-3  kilograms  per  ton 
of  ore,  was  added  in  the  tube-mill  and  the  chemicals 
just  before  passing  into  the  flotation  machine. 
The  consistency  of  the  pulp  entering  these  machines 
was  a  normal  one  for  flotation. 

Each  Grondal  machine  consists  of  a  row  of 
agitation  boxes  with  narrow  frothing  boxes  attached 
in  front.  In  the  bottom  of  each  agitation  box  the 
air  enters  through  a  rose-head  of  large  diameter 
under  pressure  sufficient  to  overcome  the  column 
of  pulp  above,  this  column  being  about  3  ft.  deep. 
After  agitation  the  pulp  passes  out  of  the  agitation 
box  into  the  frothing  box  through  a  slit  situated 
near  the  top  of  the  pulp  column.  From  the  frothing 
box  the  froth  overflows  into  a  launder  over  a  lip 
the  height  of  which  is  adjustable  by  slats,  while 
the  gangue  particles  sink  upon  a  bottom  inclined 
longitudinally  in  the  direction  of  the  pulp  flow, 
being  thereby  directed  into  the  next  agitation 
chamber.     The  cycle  then  begins  afresh. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  illustration  the  agitation 
box  continues  below  the  frothing  box,  and  it  seems 
likely  that  sand  will  collect  above  the  air  entry. 
It  is  not  clear  just  how  the  fine  division  of  the  air 
is  brought  about.  Probably  the  top  of  the  rose- 
head  is  made  of  a  porous  medium  or  has  holes  in  it. 
It  is  also  possible  that  sand  collected  over  tliis  rose- 
head  may  assist  in  finely  dividing  the  air. 

Each  agitation  box  is  about  6  ft.  high  and  about 


:v2i 


mii    .MINI.NO    MAGAZINK 


20  ill.  siilo.  square  in  soclion  aixl  with  pyramidal 
bottom.  ICacli  consumes  about  25  to  30  cu.  ft. 
of  free  air  per  minute.  In  a  complole  maohine 
8  to  12  such  single  cells  are  assembled  in  series  and 
the  power  required  for  air  is  about  6  horse-power. 
At  Roxbach  the  equipment  consisted  of  one  machine 
with  S  cells  ;  at  ('lottesgabe  of  two  machines,  each 
of  10  cells  ;  at  Friedrich-.Vugust  of  six  machines 
each  of  12  cells  ;  and  at  Wilhelm  of  one  machine 
of  12  cells.  The  capacity  of  the  equipment  at 
Gottesgabe,  using  onlv  one  machine  (the  other 
being  held  in  reserved,  was  about  100  tons  per  day  ; 
that  at  Friedrich-.\ugust.  with  its  six  machines  all 
in  use.  was  about  the  same  figure,  this  lower  capacity 
being  due  to  the  fact  that  Rammelsberg  ore  carries 
as  much  as  50"o  of  sulphides,  whereas  at  Gottesgabe 
the  sulphides  amounted  to  only  6%.  The  results 
obtained  at  Boxbach  were  :  A  concentrate  assaying 
20  to  2,S%  of  copper;  a  tailing  assaying  O'l  to 
Q\5%  ;  and  a  recovery  of  90",,  from  a  feed  assaying 
1-56%  of  copper.  At  the  Wilhelm  mine,  where  the 
ore,  'in  addition  to  chalcypyrite,  carried  also 
fahlerz,  pyrite,  and  galena,  the  recovery  of  the 
copper  was  90%  from  a  2%  ore,     At  Gottesgabe, 


Section  A:A 


The   Grondal  Flotation  Cell. 

where  the  ore  consisted  chiefly  of  fahlerz  with  much 
iron  oxide,  both  containing  copper,  the  concentrate 
obtained  assayed  about  30%  of  copper  and  4,000 
to  5,000  gram's  of  silver  per  ton,  from  a  feed  which 
averaged  1-5%  of  copper  and  145  grams  of  silver  ; 
the  copper  in  the  iron  oxide  was  not  recovered. 

At  Friedrich-August.  treating  the  complex 
Rammelsberg  lead-zinc  ore,  the  endeavour  was  to 
reduce  the  barite  from  37 °o  in  the  raw  ore  to  about 
5%  in  the  concentrate.  The  following  figures 
represent  some  of  the  results  obtained  : — 

Zn.       Pb.       Ag.  BaSOj. 
oz. 
4-5      37 
5 


Feed 

Concentrate  .  . 


0/ 

/o 
21 


U 


34 


Tailing . 


83 


Recovery  per  cent  87-5  90  90 
The  author  considers  that  though  in  smelting 
such  a  lead-zinc  concentrate  there  would  be  con- 
siderable loss,  yet  in  view  of  the  removal  of  the 
barite  the  result  might  be  regarded  as  satisfactory. 
In  these  large-scale  tests  several  thousand  tons  of 
ore  were  treated  and  the  plant  is  still  running. 
The  concentrate  is  smelted  in  the  company's  own 
smelter,  which  does  not  yet  receive  the  foreign 
ores  it  did  before  the  war. 

Finally,  the  author  is  of  opinion  that  the  results 
obtained  from  this  flotation  process  justify  the  hope 
that  by  it  the  production  of  base  metals  from 
German  ores  will  be  substantially  increased  and  the 


oppressive  dependence  upon  foreign  ores  to  that 
e.^tent  relieved. 

It  may  be  remarked  that  there  is  no  statement 
in  this  article  acknowledging  that  flotation  is  a 
process  discovered  and  developed  outside  Germany. 
The  impression  obtained  by  reading  the  article  is 
that  in  the  application  of  flotation  Germany  is  very 
backward. 

Inorganic     Origin     of      Pelroleum.  —   In       the 

En'iinecring  and  Minin:;  Joiinul  lor  October  15, 
Hiram  W.  Hixon  refers  to  the  theory  of  the  inorganic 
origin  of  petroleum,  of  which  he  is  a  backer.  His 
remarks  arise  out  of  a  discussion  of  a  pajjer  by 
A.  G.  Wolf  on  salt-mining  in  Louisiana,  which  was 
published  in  the  issue  of  the  Journal  for  July  2. 
Mr.  Wolf  gave  a  description  of  the  salt  domes  of  the 
Gulf  Coast,  and  he  said  that  the  origin  of  these  salt 
domes  is  an  unsettled  question,  ilie  theories  of 
formation  varying  from  evaporation  of  sea  water  to 
the  intrusion  of  salt  in  a  molten  or  plastic  state. 
Mr.  Hixon  proceeds  to  elaborate  a  new  theory,  as 
follows  :  The  increase  of  temperature  with  depth 
will,  at  some  depth  moderate  compared  to  the 
earth's  diameter,  result  in  a  critical  temperature 
for  all  matter.  Thereafter  all  of  the  interior  mass, 
below  a  depth  of,  say,  200  or  300  miles,  will  be  in 
a  gaseous  condition,  and  denser  than  the  solids 
that  will  form  out  of  it.  Gravitational  compression 
is  the  cause  of  the  density,  and  the  conditions  of 
equilibrium  make  it  necessary  that  the  interior 
mass  shall  be  denser  than  the  crust  of  solids  which 
rests  upon  it.  All  known  elements  can  be  volatilized 
in  the  electric  arc,  which  is  supposed  to  have  a 
temperature  of  about  5.000°  C.  With  an  increase 
of  1°  C.  per  100  ft.  of  depth,  or,  say,  .50°  C.  per  mile, 
the  temperature  of  the  electric  arc  would  be  equalled 
at  a  depth  of  100  miles. 

A  critical  temperature  for  any  substance  is  the 
temperature  above  which  that  substance  is  in  a 
gaseous  condition  regardless  of  pressure.     Having 
passed  the  critical  temperature  of  all  matter,  the 
interior  mass  of  the  earth  is,  therefore,  in  a  gaseous 
state,  and  by  the  conditions  of  equilibrium,  is  shown 
to  be  denser  than  the  solid  crust  which  floats  upon  it. 
The  crust  floats  on  the  gaseous  interior  for  exactly 
the  same  reason  that  ice  floats  on  water  :    that  is, 
because  it  expanded  when  it  changed  for  a  gas  denser 
than  a  solid  to  a  solid,  due  to  secular  cooling.     This 
expansion  on  change  of  state  is  the  active  cause 
which  tears  apart  the  cold  crust  in  long  rift  cracks 
and  furnishes  a  path  of  least  resistance  for  volatile 
material  in  the  interior  to  reach  the  surface.     As 
expansion  is  in  three  dimensions,  it  follows  that  there 
should  be  two  sets  of  such  cracks  at  right   angles 
to  each  other,  and  at  the  intersection  of  these  cracks, 
which  have  been  called  lines  of  erogenic  movement, 
the  salt  domes  are  found.     The  seal  or  cap  rock 
is  due  to  some  elastic  member  of  the  geological 
section,  probably  shale,  which  will  stretch  under 
pressure  without  fracture.     The  volatile  material, 
consisting    of    salt,    sulphur,    and    petroleum,    and 
sulphuric  gases,  comes  up  along  the  cracks  as  the 
path  of  least  resistance,  and  being  under  a  rock 
pressure  equal  to  the  depth  from  which  it  comes, 
is  capable  of  making  room   for  itself   and  doming 
up   any   rock    mass   which   will    not   crack.      The 
alignment  of  the  salt  domes,  as  shown  by  Mr.  Wolf, 
is  characteristic  of  all  the  others,  and  is  explainable 
on  the  basis  of  the  rift  cracks  as  above  described. 
These  rift  cracks,  rift  valleys,  and  graben  are  much 
more    numerous    than    generally    supposed.      For 
example,  there  is  a  series  of  them  in  East  Africa, 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


325 


which  is  occupied  by  lakes  extending  from  Lake 
Nyassa  tlirough  Lake  Tanganyika  and  the  great 
Rift  Valley,  the  Red  Sea,  and  Dead  Sea,  over 
five  thousand  miles  in  length.  In  the  United  States 
there  is  the  block  faulting  of  the  Great  Salt  Lake 
Basin,  the  basin  of  Death  Valley,  Yosemite  Valley, 
and  Lake  Tahoe,  as  well  as  the  basin  of  Lake 
Superior.  The  explanation  of  these  dropped  blocks 
is  to  be  found  in  the  slumping  down  of  segments 
between  cracks,  or  the  dropping  of  wedge-shaped 
pieces  on  the  sides  of  rift  cracks.  The  cracks  them- 
selves are  caused  by  the  expansion  of  the  sub- 
crustal  material  in  changing  from  a  gaseous  state 
denser  than  the  solid  to  a  solid.  Where  there  is 
no  cap  rock  which  will  stretch  without  fracture, 
the  crack  extends  through  to  the  surface,  and 
anything  of  a  gaseous  nature  which  comes  up  the 
crack  escapes  into  the  atmosphere,  and  is  blown 
about  and  dissipated.  The  cap  rock  or  seal  above 
the  crack  is  an  all-important  condition  for  the 
accumulation  of  the  salt,  sulphur,  and  oil  in  the 
salt-domes. 

The  process  by  which  the  salt,  sulphur,  and 
petroleum  are  ,  accumulated  and  condensed  is 
expressible  in  one  word  :  sublimation.  It  is  well 
known  that  salt  and  sulphur  come  from  the  interior 
and  are  a  part  of  the  material  extruded  from 
volcanoes,  but  it  is  not  so  commonly  known  that 
petroleun\  is  also  of  inorganic  origin.  Illustrating 
the  differences  between  petroleum  and  organic  oils, 
whether  animal  or  vegetable,  the  following  list 
may  be  studied  to  some  advantage  by  those  who 
hold  that  petroleum  is  of  organic  origin  : 

(1)  All  organic  oils,  whether  animal  or  vegetable, 
have  both  the  elements  of  water,  H  and  O,  as  a  part 
of  their  composition.  This  makes  these  oils 
carbohydrates.  The  oxygen  cannot  be  driven  off 
unless  the  oil  is  destroyed  by  heat.  Petroleum,  on 
the  other  hand,  has  no  oxygen  in  its  composition, 
and  is  a  mixture  of  hydrocarbons  of  the  composition 
expressed  by  the  formula  C„Hoi,-)-2- 

(2)  All  organic  oils,  and  organic  matter  generally, 
are  good  fertilizers,  and  promote  plant  growth. 
Petroleum  kills  all  plants,  and  is  used  to  kill  weeds 
and  grass  on  roads  and  railways. 

(3)  Organic  oils,  both  animal  and  vegetable, 
have  food  values  for  animals  and  men.  Petroleum 
has  no  food  value,  and  the  lighter  hydrocarbons, 
.such  as  kerosene  and  gasolene,  are  poisonous, 
and  are  used  as  insecticides. 

(4)  All  organic  oils  when  boiled  with  caustic 
soda  and  potash  yield  soap  and  glycerine. 
Petroleum  does  not. 

(5)  Organic  oils  when  exposed  to  sun  and  air 
become  rancid.  Petroleum  evaporates,  but  does 
not  become  rancid. 

These  radical  differences  of  composition  and 
properties  show  plainly  a  difference  of  origin.  If 
petroleum  were  of  organic  origin,  it  would 
undoubtedly  have  oxygen  in  its  composition,  as 
oxygen  is  inextricably  connected  with  all  processes 
of  organic  growth  and  decay.  If  petroleum  were  of 
organic  origin,  it  would  have  some  of  the  properties 
of  organic  oils,  and  it  has  none  of  them  except  an 
oily  texture,  and  other  things  than  oils  have  that  ; 
for  e.xample,  concentrated  sulphuric  acid. 

To  deny  the  organic  origin  of  petroleum  demon- 
strates nothing  ;  it  is  essential  to  the  development 
of  a  logical  theory  concerning  its  genesis,  to  prove 
that  it  can  be  of  inorganic  origin. 

It  was  found  several  years  ago  that  meteorites 
which  were  freshly  fallen  had  hydrocarbons  of  the 


petroleum  type  as  a  part  of  their  composition. 
Reference  to  this  may  be  found  in  Chamberlin 
and  Salisbury's  "  Geology,"  in  that  part  which 
deals  with  the  planetesimal  hypothesis.  If  the 
earth  be  conceived  to  be  an  aggregation  from 
planetesimals  or  meteorites,  we  can  at  once  see 
why  it  should  have  hydrocarbons  in  its  gaseous 
interior.  The  hydrocarbons  and  many  other 
gases  would  be  held  there  by  the  power  of  diffusion, 
which  may  have  placed  them  there  originally  in 
case  the  planetesimal  hypotheses  be  not  correct. 
As  between  the  gaseo-molten  theory  or  the 
planetesimal  hypothesis  there  is  no  difference  as 
regards  the  presence  in  the  earth's  interior  of 
hydrocarbon  and  all  other  gases,  including  steam, 
for  volcanic  action. 

Applying  the  theory  of  the  origin  of  the  salt 
domes  and  the  inorganic  origin  of  petroleum,  as 
outlined,  to  the  Appalachian  oilfields,  the  following 
differences  arise,  due  to  the  absence  of  "  sands  " 
in  the  Gulf  Coast  section  :  The  salt,  petroleum,  and 
sulphur  are  confined  to  the  domes  or  their  immediate 
flanks.  In  the  Appalachian  oilfields  the  rift  cracks 
end  in  "  sands,"  which  are  porous  and  allow  the 
oil,  gas,  and  salt-water  to  spread  out  laterally  under 
large  areas  covered  by  an  impervious  blanket  seal 
of  shale,  which  has  stretched  under  the  pressure  of 
the  overlying  rocks  and  prevented  the  cracks  from 
extending  further  upward.  The  oil  and  gas  spread 
from  the  rift  crack  source  laterally,  and  not  up  the 
flanks  of  the  anticlines  or  toward  the  centre  of  a 
dome,  as  supposed  by  the  advocates  of  the  organic 
theory.  The  anticlines  and  domes  are  also  the 
direct  result  of  elevation  by  reduction  of  density 
due  to  the  local  accumulation  of  leavening  gases 
and  light  material.  In  fact,  the  cart  has  been  placed 
before  the  horse,  and  effect  has  been  mistaken  for 
cause.  The  domes  and  anticlines  are  not  the  cause 
of  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas,  but  the  effect 
of  that  accumulation  over  the  rift  cracks,  which  are 
invisible,  but  none  the  less  there. 


SHORT    NOTICES 

Mine  Ventilation.  —  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  held  on 
October  27,  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  presented  a  paper 
on  "  Ventdation  and  Human  Efficiency." 

Decay  of  Mine  Timbers. — In  the  Engineering 
and  Miiihig  Joiii'ual  for  October  8,  Daniel  Harring- 
ton writes  on  the  decay  of  mine  timber  in  return 
air  courses,  and  methods  of  prevention. 

Nordberg  Winding  Engine.  — •  Engineering  for 
October  21  describes  and  illustrates  the  Nordberg 
compound  winding  engine  at  the  Homestake  mine. 
South  Dakota. 

Conveyors. — .\t  the  meeting  of  the  Ne-.vcomen 
Societs',  held  on  October  12,  G.  F.  Zimmer  read  a 
paper  on  the  history  of  continuous  conveying 
devices.  An  abstract  of  the  paper  is  given  in  The 
Engineer  for  October  14. 

Air-Compressor. — Engineering  for  October  14 
contains  an  article  describing  a  6,400  cu.  ft.  air- 
compres'^or,  made  for  the  New  Mndderfontein 
gold  mine  by  Belliss  &  Morcom,  Ltd.,  of 
Birmingham. 

Mine  Pumps. — In  a  paper  read  before  the  South 
Sta'lordshirc  and  Warwickshire  Institute  of  Mining 
Engineers  held  on  October  10,  S.  H.  Cashmore 
gave  particulars  of  the  Feuerhcerd  pump  for  use 
in  mines. 


326 


THE    MIXING    M.\r,.\ZINF. 


Mine  Sampling.— In  the  Fiigineenng  and  Milling 
Joiinuil  lor  October  1,  B.  G.  Anderson  describes 
the  sampling  mcthoils  employed  at  the  disseminated 
copper  deposits.  Tyrone.  >;e\v  Mexico,  belonging  to 
the  riielps  llodyeCorporation. 

Dredging  Efficiencies.— In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  October  22,  C.  W.  Gardner 
commences  an  article  on  drilling  results  and 
dredginy  returns. 

Prospecting. — In  Economic  Geology  for  August, 
.\ug\istus  Locke  writes  philosophically  on  "  ore- 
hunting." 

Copper  Leaching.— In  the  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  October  15.  Joseph  Irving  describes  the 
copper-precipitation  process  and  plant  at  Copper 
Canvon.  Nevada. 

zinc  Smelting.— In  the  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  September  10,  Evans  W.  Buskett 
wrote  on  the  smelting  of  zinc  ores  in  a  blast-furnace 
under  pressure.  In  the  issue  of  October  15, 
B.  M.  O'Hara  gives  a  bibliography  of  the  subject, 
showing  that  previous  experiments  had  shown  the 
idea  to  be  incapable  of  application. 

Ferro-Vanadium. — The  Journal  of  Industrial 
■jind  Engineering  Chemiitry  for  October  contains 
a  paper  by  G.  L.  Kelley  and  others  on  the 
determination  of  vanadium  and  chromium  in 
ferro-vanadium  by  electrometric  titration. 

Archeean  Sulphides  of  Sweden  and  Finland. — 
In  Economic  Geology  tor  August,  Per  Geijer  writes 
on  the  .Nrrhiean  sulphide  ores  oi  Sweden  and 
Finland,  noting  particularly  the  Orijarvi  district 
in  South-west  Finland  The  term  Fenno-Scandia 
has  recentlv  been  proposed  for  the  geological 
region  comprising  the  Scandinavian  peninsula  and 
Finland. 

Gold  Deposits  in  British  Guiana.^In  a  paper 
presented  at  the  nieetmg  of  the  Institution  of 
Mining  and  Jletallurgy  held  on  October  27,  J.  N. 
Justice  described  the  geology  of  a  gold  deposit  on 
Eagle  Mountain  in  British  Guiana,  near  the  con- 
fluence of  the  Potari  and  Essequibo  Rivers. 

Bolivian  Tungsten.  —  The'  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  tor  September  24  reprints  a  paper 
by  F.  L.  Hess,  presented  at  a  meeting  of  the  Society 
of  Economic  Geologists,  describing  tungsten  deposits 
in  Bolivia. 

Tin  in  China.— At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution 
of  Marine  Kngincers  held  on  October  11,  W.  Srmplc 
read  a  paper  on  the  mining  and  treatment  ol  tm 
ore  in  Kotchiu,  Yunnan. 

Almaden  Quicksilver  Mine.  —  In  Economic 
Geology  for  August,  Courtenay  De  Kalb  describes 
the  Almaden  (uucksilver  mine,  Spain,  and  F.  L. 
Ransome  writes  on  the  ore  of  this  mine. 

Borax  in  Nevada. — In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  October  1,  Hoyt  S.  Gale 
describes  the  newlv  discovered  colemanite  deposit 
at  Calh-ille  Wash,  Clark  County,  Nevada. 

Oil  in  Guatemala.  —  In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Jottrna'  for  October  1,  A.  H.  Redfield 
discusses  the  possibilities  of  finding  petroleum  in 
Guatemala 

Oilfield  Losses. — At  the  m(>eting  of  the  Institution 
of  Petroleum  Technologists  held  on  Kovember  8, 
A.  Beeby  Thompson  read  a  paper  on  the  Elimination 
of  Oilfield  Losses. 

W.  J.  Loring. — The  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  October  15  gives  a  biographical  sketch 
of  W.  J.  Lonng. 

L.  D.  Ricketts.  —  The  Mining  and  Scientific 
Press  for  October  1  contains  an  account  of  an  inter- 


view with  Dr.  L.  D.  Ricketts,  written  by  T.  A. 
Rickard.  Dr.  Ricketts  is  Known  in  connexion 
with  his  mining  and  metallurgical  work  at 
copper  mines  in  .\rizona  and  Sonora. 


RECENT    PATENTS    PUBLISHED 

B^T"  A  copy  of  the  sprcificalion  of  any  of  thr  p.itntli  mcntionrd  in 
this  column  can  he  obtained  by  sending  is.  to  the  Patent  Office, 
Southampton  IiuiUinf;s,  Clutncery  Lane,  London,  W.C.  2.  ^ith 
a  note  oj  the  number  and  year  of  the  patent. 

7.663  of  1920  (169,188).  Scovill  Mani;- 
F.^CTURiNG  Co.,  Newhaven,  Connecticut.  Electric 
melting  furnace  for  copper  and  other  non-ferrous 
metals. 

8,359  of  1920  (168,927).  E.  Edser  and  L.  A. 
Wood,  London.  A  jjroccss  for  the  concentration 
of  ores,  particularly  those  containing  cassiterite 
or  wolfram  together  with  colloidal  metallic  oxides, 
such  as  those  of  iron  and  aluminium,  which  consists 
in  mixing  the  finely  pulverized  ore  with  water, 
preferably  soft  water,  adding  a  deflocculating  agent, 
such  as  sodium  silicate  or  silicic  acid  salt,  thus 
freeing  the  particles  from  one  another  so  that 
certain  ore  particles  will  sink,  while  the  said  colloidal 
particles  remain  in  suspension,  removing  the 
suspension  from  the  settled  product  and  subjecting 
the  latter  to  treatment  by  a  flotation  process. 

1 2,368  of  1 920  (1 68,627).  A.  H.  Eustis, Norfolk, 
Massachusetts.  Improvements  in  the  method 
of  removing  sulphurous  acid  from  smelter  smoke 
by  dissolving  in  water  and  afterwards  recovering 
by  the  action  of  heat  and  vacuum. 

14,800  of  1920  (144.278).  United  Filters 
Corporation  and  E.  J.  Sweetland,  New  York. 
Improvements  in  the  construction  of  pressure 
filters  of  the  leaf  type. 

14.885  of  1920  (146.939)  and  15,732  of  1920 
(146,942).  W.  !•:.  Trent,  Washington.  In  the 
smelting  of  ores,  introducing  them  into  the  furnace 
in  a  fine  state  of  division  together  with  reducing 
gases,  and  introducing  at  the  same  time  jets  of 
water  to  be  used  partly  for  controlling  the 
temperature,  and  partly  as  a  reagent  ;  also  methods 
of  collecting  the  products  of  reaction. 

14,944  of  1920  (168,643).  P.  Danck\v.\rdt, 
Denver.  Method  of  producing  anhydrous 
aluminium  chloride,  particularly  for  recovering 
this  compound  used  in  the  production  of  petrol 
from  mineral  oils. 

15,121  of  1920  (144,306).  American  Smelting 
and  Refining  Co.,  New  York,  and  G.  C.  Howard, 
Tacoma.  Method  of  producing  elemental  .sulphur 
from  sulphurous  acid  recovered  from  smelter 
smoke  by  passing  the  acid  gas  mixed  with  air 
through  incandescent  coke. 

15,122of  1920(168,420).  American  Smelting 
and  Refining  Co.,  New  York.  Machine  for  stacking 
bars  and  slabs  of  metal  coming  from  the  casting 
machines. 

15,356  of  1920  (168,429).  A.  R.  Mangnall, 
Chester.  Improvements  in  the  inventor's  machine 
for  boring  through  soft  earth  without  removing 
the  earth. 

15,519  of  1920  (168.434).  J-  W.  Moff.att  and 
W.  F.  Sutherland,  Toronto.  Furnace  for  reducing 
metals  from  oxide  without  fusion,  and  subsequently 
melting  the  product  electricallv. 

15,646  of  1920  (168,977).  W.  C.  Heraeus  Co., 
Hanau,  Germany.  Method  of  securing  punty  and 
regularity    of     characteristics    of    certain    metals 


NOVEMBER,    1921 


327 


used    in    the    manufacture    o£    thermo-couples    for 
pyrometers. 

16,017  of  1920  (167,917).  J.  Adair,  Taunton. 
Construction  of  heated  chambers  for  drying  china 
clay. 

16,461  of  1920  (145,431),  Anschutz  &  Co., 
Kiel.  Method  of  keeping  vertical  bore-holes  in 
true  alisjnmcnt. 

16,495  of  1920  (145,433).  W.  Breil,  Essen. 
Method  of  constructing  concrete  shaft-linings 
which  will  be  watei-tight. 

16,586of  1920(169,247).  E.  E.  Naef,  Notting- 
ham. For  the  production  of  metallic  nickel  and 
nickel  salts,  the  treatment  of  finely  divided  nickel 
sulphides  with  solid  caustic  alkalies,  or  mixtures 
thereof  with  any  or  all  of  the  following  substances  : 
Sodium  carbonate,  common  salt,  sodium  sulphate, 
sodium  sulphide,  calcium  oxide  and  hydroxide, 
at  fairly  low  temperatures,  250°  to  600°  C.  :  with  or 
without  the  addition  of  finely  divided  coal,  and  in 
presence  or  absence  of  hydrogen  or  gases  containing 
such,  or  in  presence  of  both  coal  and  hydrogen. 

17.092  of  1920  (169,288).  E.  W.  Wilkinson, 
New  York,  and  Minerals  Separation,  Ltd., 
London.  Method  of  producing  frothing  agents 
suitable  for  the  flotation  process  by  subjecting 
certain  organic  substances  such  as  kerosene,  to  a 
partially  decomposing  heat  in  the  presence  of  air. 

17,765  of  1920(169,301).  Hoyangsfaldene 
Norsk  Aluminium  Co.,  Christiania.  Process  of 
producing  alumina  from  clay,  characterized  by  the 
combination  of  the  operations  of  decomposing  a 
potash- bearing  clay  with  sulphuric  acid,  lixiviating 
the  decomposition  product,  precipitating  potash 
alum  from  the  solution,  decomposing  the  potash 
alum  by  heating,  whereby  potassium  sulphate  and 
alumina  are  obtained,  separating  the  potassium 
sulphate  from  the  alumina  by  lixiviation,  recovering 
potassium  sulphate  from  the  solution,  and  adding 
a  portion  of  the  potassium  sulphate  to  a  sulphate 
solution  obtained  by  decomposition  of  a  further 
portion  of  potash  bearing  clav. 

18,179  of  1920  (145, 789»'.  G.  Bonnard,  Plom- 
biere.St.  Michel,  Savoy,  France.  Process  for  refining 
tin  and  antimony  by  the  action  of  dry  chlorine 
on  the  crude  metal,  so  obtaining  anhydrous  liquid 
chlorides. 

18,398  of  1920  (146,410).  C.  Clerc  and 
A.  Nihool,  Paris.  Manufacture  of  pure  zinc 
sulphide  by  the  action  of  hydrogen  sulphide  upon 
a  slightly  acid  solution  of  a  zinc  salt  with  addition 
of  magnesia  or  an  appropriate  magnesium  salt 
such  as  magnesium  carbonate  in  such  proportions 
as  to  allow  a  small  proportion  of  acid  to  remain 
free  in  the  solution  at  the  end  of  the  operation. 

19,159of  1920 (168,479).  G.R.Brown, Sydney. 
Machine  for  electrostatically  separating  finely 
divided  ores. 

19,956  of  1920(147,903).  Metallbank  und 
Metallurgische  Gesellschaft,  Frankfort.  Use 
of  lithium  for  alloying  with  aluminium  to  increase 
its  mechanical  strength. 

20,023  of  1920(148,122).  L.  Hackspill  and 
C.  St.ackling,  Strasbourg.  Manufacture  of  sodium 
and  other  alkali  metals  by  the  reaction  between 
the  chloride  of  the  metal  and  calcium  carbide, 
conducted  dry  under  considerable  heat. 

20,170  of  1920  (148,242>.     Chemischk  Fabrik 

Rhenania     and     G.     A.     Voerkelius,     Stolberg. 

Compound     fertilizer     made     by    the    action     on 

phosphate  of  nitric  acid  and  potassium  sulphate. 

21,033  of  1920(14  9,247).    J.  Simon,  Frankfort. 


A  process  for  the  chloridizing-roasting  of  burnt 
pyrites,  wherein  the  material,  mixed  with  salt  and 
with  less  than  2%  of  coke  breeze,  is  roasted  on  the 
counter-current  principle  in  an  air-tight  stationery 
shaft,  by  means  of  air  under  pressure  passing 
upwards  through  the  apparatus,  while  the  com- 
pletely roasted  material  is  mechanically  removed. 

21,921  of  1920(168,497).  J.  &  E.Wright,  Ltd., 
and  J.  W.  A.  Rule,  Birmingham.  A  pocket 
clinometer  and  caliper  gauge  combined,  suitable 
for  measuring  the  inclination  of  ropes,  their 
diameter,  and  the  deoth  of  pulley  grooves. 

26,091  of  1920 (168,781).  F.Pratt,  Treherbert, 
Glamorgan.  A  safety  device  for  automatically 
applying  the  brake  to  winding  engines. 

27,132  of  1920  (168,731).  W.  H.  Boorne, 
London.    Furnace  for  oxidizing  tin. 

29,215  of  1920(153,297).  Farbenfabriken  F. 
B.AYER,  Cologne.  Precipitating  sulphur  from 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  by  mixing  with  air  and 
precipitating  on  porous  carbon. 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

Ui5*Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
through  the  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine, 
724,  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall,  E.C.  2. 

Some  Principles  Governing  the  Production  of 
Oil  Wells.  By  Carl  H.  Beal  and  J.  O.  Lewis. 
Bulletin  194,  published  by  United  States  Bureau 
of  Mines. 

Underground  Conditions  in  Oilfields.  By  A.  W. 
Ambrose.  Bulletin  195,  published  by  the'  United 
States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Silver  Ores.  By  H.  B.  Cronshaw.  Paper  covers, 
152  pages.  Price  6s.  net.  Prepared  under  the 
direction  of  the  Mineral  Resources  Committee  of 
the  Imperial  Institute.     London  :    John  Murray. 

Petroleum.  Paper  covers,  110  pages.  Price  5s. 
net.  Prepared  under  the  direction  of  the  Mineral 
Resources  Committee  of  the  Imperial  Institute, 
jointly  with  His  Majesty's  Petroleum  Department, 
with  the  co-operation  of  H.  B.  Cronshaw.  London  : 
John  Murray. 

Detection  and  Estimation  of  Platinum  in  Ores. 
By  C.  W.  Davis.  Technical  paper  270,  published 
by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Flotation  Tests  of  Idaho  Lead-Zinc  Ores.  By 
C.  A.  Wright,  J.  G.  Parmelee.  and  J.  T.  Norton. 
Bulletin  205,  published  by  the  United  States 
Bureau    of   Mines. 

Mica,  Bauxite,  Borax,  Corundum,  and  Garnet. 
By  Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown.  Being  Bulletins  12  and 
15  on  Indian  Industries  and  Labour,  issued  by  the 
Government  of  India.  London  :  India  Govern- 
ment's Department  of  Commerce  and  Industry, 
60.  Winchester  House,  E.C.  2. 

Geology  of  the  Diamond-bearing  Gravels  of 
the  Somabula  Forest.  By  A.  M.  Macgregor. 
Bulletin  8  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Southern 
Rhodesia. 

COMPANY    REPORTS 

Chenderiang  Tin  Dredging. — This  company  was 
formed  by  Bright  -i  Calbraith,  Ltd.,  in  1914,  to 
acquire  alluvial  tin  ground  in  Chenderiang  Valley, 
Perak,  Federated  Malay  States.  A  bucket-dredge 
started  work  in  April,  1915.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  March  31  last  shows  that  the  dredge 
treated  965,000  cu.  yd.  of  ground  and  extracted 
339  tons  of  tin  concentrate,  the  yield  averaging 
0-79  lb.  per  yard.     The  output  from  the  hydraulic 


328 


MINIM.     MAdA/lXl': 


elevating  section  :»n(.I  from  tributers  was  104  tons, 
so  that  the  total  output  was  443  tons.  The  com- 
pany's income  was  ;£50,406.  and  the  net  profit  was 
;^5,251.  out  of  which  /3,727  has  been  applie;!  to 
the  extinction  of  the  balance  of  the  cleveloi.mont 
account. 

Ipoh  Tin  Dredging. — This  company  was  formed  in 
1913  to  acquire  alluvial  tin  property  at  Lahat,  in 
the  Kinta  Valley,  I'erak,  I'cderatod  Malay  States. 
A  bucket-dredge  started  work  in  August,  1^15, 
and  two  more  dredges  were  ordered  later.  The  com  • 
pany  is  controlled  by  the  Borneo  Company,  Ltd., 
and  I..  G.  Attenborough  is  the  manager.  The  report 
now  issued  covers  the  fifteen  months  ended  March  31 
last.  During  this  time  656,700  cu.  yd.  of  ground  was 
treated,  for  a  production  oi  215  tons  of  tin  con- 
centrate, being  a  yield  of  0'73  lb.  per  yard.  The 
amount  of  ground  treated  was  below  normal.  owi!!g 
to  the  limestone  pinnacles  being  high  and  also 
owing  to  the  ineflftciency  of  the  pumps.  On  the 
other  hand  the  yield  per  yard  was  considerably 
higher  than  during  1919.  The  accounts  show  an 
income  of  /37,036  from  the  sale  of  tin  concentrate, 
and  an  adverse  balance  of  /1 ,429.  Further  informa- 
tion is  given  in  the  Review  of  Mining. 

Consolidated  Gold  Fields  of  New  Zealand. — 
This  company  was  formed  in  1896  to  acquire  from 
the  late  David  Ziman  certain  gold-mining  properties 
in  the  Reefton  district  of  New  Zealand.  The  com- 
pany floated  off  the  Progress  and  Blackwater 
properties  as  separate  companies,  and  continued 
to  work  the  Wealth  of  Nations  mines  itself.  The 
Wealth  of  Nations  was  closed  in  1918,  owing  to  a 
fire.  The  report  for  the  year  1920  shows  that  the 
mine  has  been  drained  and  partly  repaired,  but  that 
a  resumption  of  operations  is  not  yet  possible.  The 
ore  reser\'e  remains  as  reported  at  the  end  of  1919, 
namely  16,044  tons,  averaging  11-58  dwt.  gold  per 
ton.  The  accounts  show  a  loss  of  £12,108  for  the 
year.  As  the  year  commenced  with  a  credit 
balance  of  £19.476,  the  year  ends  with  a  credit 
balance  of  £7,368.  Progress  Mines. — Mining 
operations  were  suspended  at  the  end  of  August, 
1920,  as  the  results  of  development  above  the 
1 1  th  level  were  not  promising.  When  economic 
conditions  allow,  it  is  intended  to  sink  deeper. 
During  the  eight  months  from  January  to  August, 
1920,  the  amount  of  ore  raised  was  8,102  tons, 
from  which  gold  worth  £12,619  was  extracted. 
The  working  cost  was  £15,509.  leaving  a  working 
loss  of  £2,889.  Blackwater  Mines. — The  amount 
of  ore  treated  during  the  year  was  24.468  tons, 
yielding  gold  worth  £5?,607  The  working  cost  was 
£-15,317,  leaving  a  working  profit  of  £13,290. 
Development  continues  to  give  satisfactory  results, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  year  the  reserve  was  estimated 
at  86,600  tons,  averaging  8-47  dwt.  per  ton. 

Broken  Hill  South. — This  company  wa?  formed 
in  1893  to  work  silver-lead-zinc  deposits  at  the  south 
end  of  the  Broken  Hill  range.  New  South  Wales. 
Operations  were  suspended  from  .A.pril,  1919, 
to  November,  1920,  on  account  of  labour  troubles. 
In  July,  1919,  a  large  part  of  the  surface  plant  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  time  from  then  until  the 
end  of  the  strike  was  occupied  in  the  work  of 
reconstruction.  The  report  now  issued  covers  the 
year  ended  June  30  last.  This  records  that  the 
flotation  plant  treating  dump  slime  was  restarted 
on  November  15,  1920,  mining  operations  resumed 
on  December  20,  and  one  section  of  the  recon- 
structed concentrating  plant  put  to  work  on 
January   24,    1921.      On   January   25   the   smelting 


plant  of  the  Broken  lUll  .\ssociated  Smelters  at 
Port  Pirie  sutlered  serious  damage  by  lire,  so  it 
was  not  possible  to  send  the  lead  concentrates 
thither  for  treatment.  The  Sulphide  Corporation, 
however,  undertook  to  treat  a  limited  amount  of 
these  concentrates,  along  with  similar  concentrates 
from  other  mines,  at  the  Cockle  Creek  smelters. 
From  March  2  to  29  ojicrations  ceased  at  the 
mine  and  mill  on  account  of  coal  shortage,  but 
from  the  latter  date  operations  have  been  continued 
on  the  basis  of  half-time  one-shift  per  day.  During 
the  period  covered  by  the  report,  37,923  tons  of 
ore  was  raised  from  the  mine  and  sent  to  the  con- 
centrators, where  the  following  products  were 
obtained  :  5,981  tons  of  lead  concentrate  averaging 
63-4",',  lead,  86%  zinc,  and  27-3  oz.  silver  per  ton  ; 
24.667-  tons  of  zinc  tailing,  averaging  17-3"(,  zinc, 
3-6%  lead,  and  4-3  oz.  silver  ;  and  5,682  tons  of 
slimc  averaging  13-2%  lead,  14%  zinc,  and  10-3  oz. 
silver.  The  current  slimc  was  treated  for  lead, 
producing  1,027  tons  of  concentrate,  averaging 
54-7°o  lead,  10-9%  zinc,  and  45-6  oz.  silver  ;  the 
zincy  residue  averaging  14-7%  zinc,  4%  lead,  and 
2-6  oz.  silver.  There  was  also  treated  54,804  tons 
of  dump  slime,  averaging  11%  lead,  13-4%  zinc, 
and  7-9  oz.  silver,  for  a  yield  of  7,299  tons  of  lead 
concentrate  averaging  47-2%  lead,  15-1%  zinc,  and 
41-2  oz.  silver;  the  zincy  residue  averaging  13-2% 
zinc,  5-4%  lead,  and  2-7  oz.  silver.  The  zinc 
tailing  (other  than  slime)  obtamed  from  the  treat- 
ment of  the  crude  ore,  24,667  tons  (as  before 
mentioned),  was  delivered  to  the  Amalgamated 
Zinc  (De  Bavay's),  and  1.58,908  tons  of  dump  tailing, 
averaging  16-9%  zinc,  6%  lead,  and  3-9  oz.  silver, 
was  delivered  to  the  Zinc  Corporation.  The 
accounts  show  a  loss  of  £56,701,  and  in  addition 
£55,207  was  written  off  for  depreciation  of  plant, 
and  £13,333  was  allowed  for  debenture  redemption, 
provision  for  these  two  items  coming  from  the 
reserve  fund.  The  ore  reserve  remains  at  3,500,000 
tons,  as  no  great  amount  of  development  has  been 
possible  lately. 

North  Anantapur  Gold  Mines. — This  company 
was  formed  in  1908  by  John  Taylor  &  Sons,  as  a 
subsidiary  of  the  Anantapur  Gold  Field,  Ltd.,  for 
the  purpose  of  working  old  gold  mines  in  Madras 
Presidency,  India.  Milling  commenced  in  1910. 
Additional  capital  was  raised  in  1911  by  the  issue 
of  preference  shares  for  the  purpose  of  increasing 
development.  The  scale  of  operations  and  profits 
was  never  large.  Four  years  ago  developments 
began  to  give  poor  results,  and  the  output  has 
decreased  ever  since.  The  report  for  the  year  ended 
June  30  last  shows  that  8,800  tons  of  ore  was  raised 
and  treated  in  the  stamp-mill  for  a  yield  of  9,977  oz., 
and  that  9,800  tons  of  sand  and  slime  yielded 
965  oz.  In  addition  357  oz.  -w-as  obtained  by  re- 
treatment  of  dump  material,  bringing  the  total 
yield  to  1 1,299  oz.  This  gold  was  sold  for  £61,823, 
of  which  about  £13,000  represented  premium.  The 
working  profit  w-as  £.30,354,  out  of  which  £14,374 
has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate 
of  27 J%  on  the  £25,000  preference  shares,  and  7i% 
on  the  £91,253  ordinary  shares.  Mining  operations 
during  the  year  have  not  resulted  in  the  discovery 
of  any  further  ore-bodies  of  value  and  the  reserve 
at  June  30  was  only  7,000  tons.  There  remains 
40,000  tons  of  sand  on  the  dump  to  be  re-treated. 
In  all  probability  mming  operations  will  have  to 
cease  shortly.  The  company  has  interests  in  copper 
deposits  in  the  Chota  Nagpur  district,  which  are 
now  being  investigated. 


tut  Mining  magazine 


Mining  Machinery 


Fraser   &    Chalmers 
Water  Jacketted 
Blast   Furnace. 


SMELTING. 

Fraser  &  Chalmers  Engineering 
Works  were  among  the  pioneers 
of  modern  water-jacket  blast 
furnace  and  converter  construc- 
tion. Their  experience  extends 
upwards  of  40  years,  and  they 
have  been  closely  associated 
with  the  improvements  that 
have  taken  place  in  design  and 
construction  of  smelting  and 
bessemerizing  plant  during  that 
period. 

Mechanical  Roasting  Furnaces, 
Sintering  Pots,  Reverberatory 
Smelting  and  Refining  Furnaces, 
Tin  Smelting  Plant,  Lead  de- 
silvering  and  Refining  Plant, 
Faber  du  Faur  Retorting 
Furnaces,  etc. 


\ 


9 


Fraser  &  Chalmers 
'/^  Copper  Converter. 


'////, 


%M 


^'"IIIU 


'lllllli 


Fraser  &  Chalmers 
Slag  Car. 


FRASER  8.  CHALMERS  ENGINEERING  WORKS 


PROPRIETORS 


ERITH.KENT 


THE    OENERAU    ELECTRIC    CO,  LTD 


LONDON    OFFICE  ; 
MAGNET    HOUSE,    KINGSWAY.    W.C.  2. 


6—1 


THE    MIXIXr.     MAGAZINK 


I  No    Need  | 

I  To    Use   German   Type   of   Machines  1 


MAGNETIC 
SEPARATORS 

for 
ALL  TRADES 


m  m  = 

%  INVENTED    gS  = 

^  AND  BUILT    p  = 

gS  IN  BRITAIN    %  = 


I  "Rapid''  Electro -Magnetic 
I  Ore  Separator 


(Thompson-Davies  Patent) 


=  We     will    guarantee    our 

=  Type    "  O "   Separator    to 

s  give    equal   efficiency,  as 

^  a  minimum,  to  the  German 

M  Apparatus. 

M  SIMPLE   IN   OPERATION. 

M  ALL  TUNING  UP  MAY  BE  DONE 

^  WHILST  MACHINE  IS  WORKING. 

=  NO  FLIMSY  CROSS  BELTS. 


=  AN 


ABSOLUTE    MINIMUM 
OF   DUST. 


=  EVERY  PART  IS  EASILY  ACCESSIBLE. 

^  SEPARATING  MAGNETS  CAN   BE  SET 

=  FINER  THAN  ANY  OTHER    MACHINE 
=  ON  THE   MARKET. 


For  the  separation  of  feebly  magnetic  ^ 

ores: — Wolfram-tin,  Wolfram-bismuth,  ^ 

Monazite   Sands,   Sidente    from    Zinc  ^ 

Blende,  etc.,  and  Ores  consisting  of  par-  ^ 

tides  of  different  magnetic  permeability.  ^ 

We    shall    be    pleased    to    demonstrate    a   Machine  at  ^£ 

work,  preferably  on  inquirers'  own  samples.  ^ 

Inquiries  should  be  accompanied  by  information  as  to  = 

quantity   to   be   treated   per   hour,  as   several   sizes   are  ~ 

listed,  and    the    capacity  varies  according  to  ihe  Ore.  = 

Beware     of    exaggerated    statements    as    to    output    of  ^ 

other  makes.  = 

THE   RAPID   MAGNETTING  | 

MACHINE   COMPANY,   LTD.  | 

Magnet  Works,   52,  Lombard  St.,  Birmingham  = 

Telephone:    Mid.   837.  = 


llllll 


THE    MINING  "^MAGAZINE 


]  ^^    NOTHING'S  I  I 

•/"OO    HARD    FORS~^0 
<^  MARSDEN'S 


E 


H.R.MARSDEN  Ll£  111 

LEEDS  3 


TUK    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Ropeways,    Limited 

CONSTRUCTORS     OF    AERIAL     ROPEWAYS 


mi 

f^^ 

1 

mm 

y^^ 

n 

1 

■>^>yi^^jifl|^^^B^BI 

LOADING    STATION,    SALTORE    COLLIERY,    SITARAMPORE,    BENGAL,    INHIA. 

•^RZ^yl.        ELDON  STREET  HOUSE,  SOUTH   PLACE,  LONDON,  E.C.2. 

London."  SPANISH    OFFICE  :    No.    3,    PLAZA     CIRCULAR,     BILBAO. 


Telt^hone : 
Central 
12780 


BROOM  &  WADE,  L^.P 

AIR    COMPRESSORS 


5  to  1,000  cub.  ft. 


Offices   &   Works: 

HIGH      WYCOMBE 


ROBUST    CONSTRUCTION 

TOTALLY    ENCLOSED 

EXCEPTIONALLY     LARGE    WATER 
COOLING    SURFACES 

SPECIAL    VALVES 

EFFICIENT    LUBRICATION 

IMPROVED  METHOD  OF  QOVERNINQ 


HIGHEST    EFFICIENCY 


LOWEST    UPKEEP 


ABSOLUTE     RELIABILITY 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


BOVING  &  CO.,  LTD. 


1         "._.-- 

^M 

^ 

Wb 

WATER    POWER    STATION    OF    MOUNT    LYELL    MINING    CO. 
Head    1,050  ft.,  output    10,000  B.H.P. 

WATER  POWER  PLANT 

TURBINES        PIPE   LINES 

SINKING    PUMPS 


Head  Office: 

(Dept.  8) 

56,   KINGSWAY, 

LONDON, 

W.C.2. 

Works : 
STOKE-ON-TRENT, 

STAFFS. 


Agents: 
GLASGOW  : 

T.  G.   Lennard, 

30,  Wellington  Street. 

MANCHESTER  : 

R.   Millett, 

30,  Cross  Street. 

NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE  : 

J.  R.  Slracher  Wilson. 

3,  St.   Nicholas   Bldgs. 


Tin:     MIXINC.     MAC.AZIXK 


Made  in  Quantities. 

FEATURES:— Light  Weight,  High  Speed,  Low  Air 
(  onsumption,  and    Economical    Upkeep. 

Many  Thousands  in  Use  for  picking  out  small 
seams  of  Coal,   Dirt  Bands,  etc. 

Jlik  fo'  our  Catalogue   "  R" 

ATLAS     DIESEL     COMPANY,     LTD. 

35,  SURREY  STREET,  LONDON,  W.C.2. 


telegrams: 

dieselmot,  estrand   londom 


telephone:  Central  9067. 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE. 


Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,Ltd. 

THORNABYON-TEES    and    STOCKTON-ON-TEES. 


Large 

Screening 

Area. 


High 

Crushing 

Efficiency. 


NISSEN 


PATENT 


STAMPS 


Low 

Maintenance 

Cost. 


Low 

Power 

Consumption. 


INSTALLATION   AT   NEW    MODERFONTEIN, 


London  Office:  5,  VICTORIA  STREET,  WESTMINSTER,  S.W. 


Telephone  No.  270    Victoria. 


Telegrams:  "  Teesdale   Vic,   London." 


TllK     MlNlNr,     M/U.A/lNIi 


"Sentinel" 
Air 
Compressors 

Some  special  features  : — 

Simple  in   Design. 
Economical  m  Operation. 
Small   Foundations. 
Durable — Minimum  of  Repairs. 
Automatic — 

No  Attendance  Necessary. 


Steam   Driven  Compressor -5.000  cubic  ft.  capacity 


Alley   &   MacLellan,   Ltd. 

SENTINEL     WORKS,     GLASGOW. 


HAARLEM, 
HOLLAND. 

Tel. — ' '  Werfconrad. 

Haarlem." 
Codes— Lieber'i,  A. B.C. 
(5(hEd.l.Moreing&NeaI. 


WERF  CONRAD 


BUILDERS   OF 


LONDON,    E.C. 

Agenis:  Marine  Worki. Lid. 

Friars  House, 
39-41,  New  Broad  St. 

Telegrams — 

"  Dredgcraft.  Ave. .London." 

Phone-Cily  257. 


Bucket   Dredge  at  Work  in  Nigeria. 


Gold  &  Tin  Dredges,  Hydraulic  Sluicing  &  Elevating  Plant 

Sole   Makers  of  the  Original    BANKA   HAND   DRILL   FOR    PROSPECTING. 


10 


THIi     MINING     MAGAZINE 


^'sSS^-■' 


i 


<xS 


Write  for   this  ! 


Every  Mining  Engineer  wishing  to  have  the 
latest  information  about  machinery  for  the  reduction 
of   ores,   etc.,  should    refer   to    the   handbook 

Edgar  AUen 

"Crushing  and   Grinding 
Machinery      (My  niustrated). 

Contents : 


The  Edgar  Allen  Engineering  Dept. ; 
Experimental  Plant  at  Customers' 
Service  ;  Ore  Crushers  &  Stone- 
Breakers,  advantages  of  different 
types  ;  Complete  Specifications  ; 
Portable  Plants  ;  Types  of  Crushing 
Rolls  and  Special  Uses  ;  Types  of 
Mechanical  Feeders  ;  Ball  Mills, 
Construction    and    Uses  ;    the 


Pulverizing  Cylinder;  Tube 
Mills;  Different  Methods  of 
Grinding  ;  the  Combination  Mill  ; 
Disintegrators;  Separators, 
Different  Types  ;  Screens,  Revolv- 
ing and  Telescopic  ;  Conveyors, 
Spiral-,  Belt-,  Gravity-Bucket-, 
Shaking,  etc..  Revolving  Dryers, 
Automatic   Measurers,  etc. 


To  save  the  unnecessary  expense  of  sending  tKe  whole  catalogue  to 
engineers  interested  in  only  one  or  two  of  the  machines  with  which 
it  deals,  it  has  been  split  up  into  separate  sections,  each  dealing  with 
certain  types.  Fill  up  the  Request  Form,  and  the  section  in  which  you 
are  interested  will  be  sent  at  once. 


1 


M^ 


^•*^l 

#. 


#^ 


.KM 


Edaac  All-in 


Request   Form. 

Please  send  me  the  section  of  your  Catalogue  A. 

dealing  with  . 

^ame 

t^liCine  or  Company 


11 


Tin:    MiNixr,    M.\(,A/i\i': 


Look  to  your  Roofs  ! 


No  back  pressure  is 

created  by  the 

Stiirtevant  Exhaust  Head. 


(I,  Are  they  being  damaged  by  con- 
densed water  from  a  steam  discharge? 

(I.  All  atmospheric  exhaust  pipes 
should  be  fitted  with  a  Sturtevant 
Exhaust  Head  a  simple  device  that 
removes  all  the  moisture  from  the 
steam  without  creating  any  back 
pressure.  Neglect  of  this  elementary 
precaution  may  cause  endless  ex- 
pense in  repairs  to  roofs  and  walls. 

Write  for  descriptive  leaflet  ^*  H  1  1 8  1 

Si  urievani 

Engineering    Co.,     Ltd., 

M7.  Queen  V'ldoria  St..  London,  L,.C.  4. 


L 


MINERALS    CONCENTRATION    CO.,    LTD. 

4,     LONDON     WALL     BUiLDlNGS.     LONDON.     E.G.  2. 

CONCENTRATION     OF     ALLUVIAL     GRAVELS,    Etc. 

PATENT      ROTARY     CONCENTRATOR. 


ALTOM.ATIC    EXTRACTION    AND    DELIVERY    OF    ORE. 


PHONE:     LONDON     WALL.     1276. 


CONTINUOUS    OPERATION    24    HOURS    PER    DAY. 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 

:.tlllllrllllll1IIIHIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllinillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll MnMHIHIIinilNIMniMlinHIMirilMlinMIIIIMIMIIIMMIIIIIMIIIIlllMlllllllllirilllMllillllllllllllllllllllllMIIIIIIMIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIinlltMllt^ 


JJ 


^^  Compactum 

Chilling,   Freezing,   and   Cold 
Storage   Plants. 


Refriserated  Larder  and  Ice-making  Box. 


Invaluable  for  Warm  Climates 

Write   for  particulars. 


On  Admiralty,  India,  War  Office,  and   Board  of  Trade  Lists. 


JOHN   KIRKALDY,   LTD. 


HEAD    OFFICE: 


(Established  1809.) 


101,  LEADENHALL  STREET,  LONDON,  E.G.  3. 

Works:    BURNT   MILL,   near   HARLOW,    ESSEX.    ENGLAND. 

Telegraphic  Addresi:    "Compactum,  London."  Telephone  No.:    Avenue  1223  (Worki:    Harlow  5). 


iiiiiiiiiiitiriiiiiiiiiitiiiiiMiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiMiiiiiiiMiiiiHiiiiniiiiiiiiiiMiMii MnirMiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiniMiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiii. 

13 


Till.     MININC,    MAC.AZINI': 


FLATT£li£D  SmNB 


have  the  cachet  of  individuahty  and  merit,  and  embody 
every   known   improvement  m  Wire  Rope  construction, 

JOHN  &  EDWIN  WRIGHT,  Ltd.,  Universe  Wire  Rope  Works,  BIRMINGHAM. 


CEMENTATION 


IF 


You    Expect   to    Encounter   Water 
You    HAVE    Feeders   of   Water 
PUMPS   are    required 
PUMPING    Entails   Useless   Cost 
water    Exists   in    Shafts   or    Levels 
it  would  be  beneficial  to  stop  such 


WATER 


WHY  NOT 


AVAIL  YOURSELF  OF  THE   SERVICES   OF  the    PROVED 
HIGH    PRESSU RE   CEMENTATION    PROCESS? 

SUCCESSFUL  RESULTS  GUARANTEED. 

SHAFT  SINKING,  DAMS,  WET  SHAFT  LININGS,  SHAFT  REPAIRS 

DEFECTIVE    BORE    HOLES    AND    ROADWAYS    IN    FIRE    AREAS. 

FERRO  CONCRETE  SHAFT  LINING 


RECORD  OF  BRITISH  W/ORK 
THE 


Shaft  Sinking  with  Cementation 
Underground  Dams  do. 

Wet  Shaft  Linings  do. 


23  Shafts 
30  Dams 
44  Shafts 


FRANCOIS 


DONCASTER,    ENGLAND. 


•PHONE    413. 


CEMENTATION    COMPANY,    LTD. 

Directors  :   J.  A.  Agnew.  F.  W.  Baker,  H.  N.  Berry,  L.  Chevrillon  (French),  A.  S.  Elmore.  A.  J.  Francois  (Belgian). 

H     F.  Marriotl. 


14 


THE    MINING  MAGAZINE 


Angle  Compound  Air  Power  Service 


Angle    Compound    Compressors    will  :- 


Provide  a  constant,  reliable  air  power  supply. 

Cut  in  half  the  floor  space  devoted  to  Com- 
pressors. 

Cut  in  half  your  foundation  and  installation 
charges. 

Permit  ready  adaptation  to  any  form  or  ar- 
rangement of  power  drive. 

5.  Lower  your    horse   power  per   100  feet  of  air 

compressed. 

6.  Operate  efficiently  at  partial  loads. 

7.  In  the  "  twin  "  direct  motor  driven  units,  avoid 

excessive  "  peaks  "  in  the  power  inflow. 
S.   Require  minimum  attendance  and  repair. 

Why  not  post  yourself  further  ?     Ask  fo 


4. 


"Reasons  Why" 

Angle  Compound  design, 
with  its  compactness,  its  sim- 
plicity, and  its  exact  balancing 
of  reciprocating  parts  and 
forces,  makes  some  of  these 
advantages  possible. 

Sullivan  wafer  plate  valves, 
total  closure  unloader,  high 
pressure  relief  valve,  separate 
cylinder  liners,  liberal  cooling 
area,  automatic,  positive  lu- 
brication, and  Sullivan  skill 
and  thoroughness — these  are 
other  factors  going  to  make 
the  whole  of  Angle  Compound 
Air  Compressor  satisfaction. 


r  Bulletin   701— B. 


.  OFFICES 

iieajo 

^■In.  Boalon, 


Ul 


I   H  .CU. 
Deny 


.  D.l- 


iT.    Dutulh. 


E 


El  P.M.  Huntington. 
W  V>  ,  Joplm.  Jun- 
.au.  Kr.o>v>ll«.  N<w 
York.  Pitltburih 
Si     Loux.  Salt    Laite, 

Spohan* 


COMPRESSORS  AIR   UFT  DIAMOND   DRILLS 

FORGE  HAMMERS         COAL  CUTTERS        ROCK   DRILLS 


SHARPENERS  FORGES 

DRILLING  CONTRACTORS 


MACHINERY  COMPANY 

Salisbury  House,  London  E.C.2. England. 


I 


FOREIGN 
SALES  OFFICES 

Algiers.  Bruxrll, 
Calcutta.  Chnttianii. 
Durban.  Natal.  Hava- 
na. Lima,  London, 
Madrid.  Mciico  City, 
Pan*.  San  Juan.  San- 
tiaEo,  Shanghai.  Syd- 
NSW  .Toliyr. 


Tor 
Tur. 


Tun 


15 


nil     MiNi\(.    m.\(;a/i\"I': 


DREDGES 


For 
GOLD 


ctf^ 


For 
TIN 


"EMPIRE"    PROSPECTING    DRILLS. 


PLACER   MINING    EQUIPMENT. 


Write  for  the  Catalogues. 


NEW    YORK    ENGINEERING    COMPANY 


2,    RECTOR    STREET 


NEW    YORK,    USA 


The  Citj'  of  San  Francisco,  after 
two  years  of  experimenting  witli 
various  types  of  machines,  have 
decided  that  the  Myers  -  Whaley 
Shovelling    and    Loading    Machine 


13 


is  the  best,  and  recently  placed  an 
order  for  Nine  additional  machines, 
thus  making  in  all  no  less  than  13 
niacliines  on  the  undertaking  of  cut- 
ting the  great  Iletchy  Hetcliy  tunnel. 


MYERS-WHALEY    COMPANY,    INC., 

KNOXVILLE,    TENN.,    U.S.A. 


FREDK.   A.   PERRY. 

63.  QUEEN  VICTORIA  ST.. 

LONDON,  E.G. 4. 
SOLE  AGENT  FOR  THE  U.K. 


16 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


BUCYRUS  DREDGES 

Are    Digging   in   all   parts   of    the 
World  for  Tin,  Gold,  Platinum,  etc. 


7n  cu.  ft.  DreHge  complete  for  Andrada  Mines,  operating  in  Portuguese  East  Africa. 

GOOD    ALL    ROUND 


Chief  among  the  reasons  why  the  Bucyrus  Company  has  durmg  the 
past  quarter  of  a  century  gamed  a  reputation  as  bemg  one  of  the  fore- 
most manufacturers  of  dredgmg  machinery  m  the  world  is  this — 
every  dredge   is  buih   to  withstand   the   strain   of   hard  digging. 

The  wearing  parts,  like  bucket  lines,  tumblers,  etc.,  are  made  o(  alloy  steels  developed 
especially  to  insure  the  maximum  life  ol  these  parts. 

The  ability  of  Bucyrus  Dredges  to  solve  any  dredging  problem  has  been  proven 
by  the  strongest  test  of  all — PERFORMANCE — which  is  confirmed  by  the  records 
which  they  are  making  in  South  America,  Federated  Malay  States,  Slam,  Africa, 
Russia.  Alaska,  and  other  parts  of  the  world. 

ENGLAND:  Bucyrus  Company.  London.  BRITISH  AFRIC.4  :  Fraser  &  Chalmers  (South  Africa),  Ltd.,  Johannesbure 
FRANCE:  Brunner&Marchand,  Paris.  BELGIUM  :  P.  &  M.  Dutry  &  Cd.  Brussels.  HOLLAND  :  Wynmalen  &  Haus- 
mann,  Rotterdam.  SPAIN  :  Gumersindo  Garcia.  Madrid.  ITALY  :  Ine.  F.  Fiorenlini  &  Cie.,  Rome.  PORTUGAL  : 
Monteiro  Gomes.  Limitada.  Lisbon.  NORWAY:  Pay  &  Brincli.  Kristiania.  SWEDEN  A'<tiebolaBel  Jarnvagsmaterial. 
Stockholm.  FINLAND:  Akiiebolagel  Maskinaffar  Osakeyhlio,  Helsingfors.  AUSTRALIA:  Wra.  Adams  &  Co..  Ltd., 
Sydney.  JAPAN  ;  Mitsui  &  Co.,  Ltd.. Tokio,  SIAM  :  D.  Couper-Johnslon  &  Co..  Bangkok.  FEDERATED  MALAY 
STATES:  The  Borneo  Company.  Ltd..  Singapore.  INDIA:  McLeod  &  Co.,  Calcutta  and  Bombay.  NEW  ZEALAND; 
BlairReed&  Co..  Lid. .Wellington.  PHILIPPINE  ISLANDS:  Frank  B.lngersoll,  Manila.  COLOMBIA  :  We.selhoe(l  & 
Poor.  Barranquilla  &  Bogata.    VENEZUELA  :  Wesselhoeft&  Poor  Caracas. 

We  also   build  Steam  and  Electric  Shovels,  Dragline  Excavators  of  all  types   and   sizes. 

BUCYRUS   COMPANY 


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(Regiatered  Trade  Mark  ; 


•BUCYRUS.") 


South  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  U.S.A. 


Cable  Address  : 
"Bucyrus.    South    Milwaukee." 


® 


Till"   MlS;iN-('.   MAC.AP^IXK 


7ft.  HARDiNGE  MILL 

The    above    Bntish-built    Mill    embodies 

new  features  in  design.      Note  the  large 

diameter    trunnions    for    handling    large 

tonnages  of  coarse  feed. 

This  Mill  has  been  ordered  by  an  English 

Company  to  grind  3"  hmestone.    Hardinge 

Mills    are    built    in    sizes    ranging    from 

3'  in  dia.  to    10'  in  dia. 


Prompt  Deliveries. 


Reduced  Prices. 


:EQKLDNl}DKm:i 


NEW     YontC       N     V  120     BROADWAV 

OEMVER     COLO,   FIRST    NATIONAL   BANK    BUILDING 

SPOKANE    WASH  .    QUO   NATIONAL   BANK   3UILDING  , 

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tHE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


PNEUMATIC    ROCK 

DRILLS 

for  Mine   and   Quarry   Work.     Also  for  Road 
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ideal  tool  for  removing  surface  pavement  m  laying  conduit  for  telephone  and 
circuits  and  in  the  construction  of- gas  and  water  mains. 

Wrile.  for    'Parliculars. 


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EGYPTIAN     HOUSE,     17  O,    PICCADILLY,    W.  1. 
Branches  and  Agencies  all  over  the    World. 


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Tin-:     M1X1N(",    MACAPTNE 


TELEGRAMS : 
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AERIAL  ROPEWAYS 


TELEPHONE : 
Av.    2108 
(3    LINES) 


AERIAL  ROPEWAYS 

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REGISTERED  OFFICES:  72,  MARK   LANE,  LONDON,  E.G. 3. 
WORKS:       MILLWALL,        LONDON,      E.14. 


THE  DORRCO  PUMP 


For  controlling  and  ele- 
vating the  discharge  from 

Dorr  Thickeners.  Simple 

to    operate    and     requires 
very  little  power. 

As  used  in  the  Dorr 
System  of  Continuous 
Countercurrent  Decanta- 
tion. 

Is  in  successful  operation 
in  many  different  types  of 
metallurgical  and  chemical 
plants  for  handling  both 
dilute  and  thick  sludges. 


No.  4   Quadruplex  Self-conlained. 


THE    DORR    COMPANY, 


DENVER,     U.S.A. 
1009,     17th    Street. 


Engineers, 

16,    South    Street, 
LONDON,    E.C. 


NEW    YORK,    U.S.A. 
lOl,    Park    Avenue. 


20 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Diamond  Rock- Drilling 
Machinery 


(System — Craelius) 


SWEDISH    DIAMOND    ROCK-DRILLING    MACHINERY 
AT    WORK    AT    SHIMONOSEKI    STRAITS    IN    JAPAN. 


Svenska  Diamantbergborrnings  Aktiebolaget 

"  The  Swedish  Diamond  Rock-Drilling  Co.,  Ltd." 


Telegrams : 
'  Adamante.  Stockholm." 


STOCKHOLM, 


SWEDEN. 


Codes : 
A.B.C.(5th  Edition). 
McNeill  (1908  Edition). 


21 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


ii^.^iii.5£l'<i» 


w 


THE  NICEP  COMPANY 


LIMI 


TIN   MINING 
INDUSTRY 

The  Company  has  a  fully- 
equipped  Mining  Depart- 
ment and  is  prepared  to 
provide  staff  for  Mining 
proper!  i  e  s,  undert  ak.e 
Assays,  etc. 


NIGER   RIVER 
RANSPORT  SERVICE 


REGULAR  Service  of  First-Ciass 
Steamers  between  Burutu  (Forcados) 
and  Baro  (Kano  Railway  Termi- 
nus), calling  at  the  following  intermediate 
Ports  :  Assay,  Aboh,  Onitsha,  Idah,  and 
Lokoja. 

Passengers  and  Cargo  Services  connect  wilh  both 
oulward  and  homeward  Steamers  at    Forcados. 

Passengers  for  Northern  Nigeria  and  ihe  Tin  Fields 
travel  by  "The  River  Roule."  thus  avoiding  tran- 
shipment and  ensuring  comfort,  promptitude,  and 
economy. 

LOWEST  POSSIBLE  THROUGH    RATES  QUOTED 

ON  TIN    ORE    FROM    MINING    PROPERTIES   TO 

LIVERPOOL    WAREHOUSE. 

Terms  and  Conditions  for  Transport  of 
Passengers   and  Cargo   on  application. 

The  Niger   Company,    Ltd. 

Central    Buildings,    Blackfriars,    E.C.  4. 

Cable  Address:  "  Nigrelia,  London." 

The  Niger  Company,  Ltd.,  Burutu  (Forcados), 
Nigeria,  West  Africa. 

Cable   Address;   "Nigrelia.   Burulu." 


22 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


The   NEW   HARDY 
"WATER-JACK"  ROCK  DRILL 

for  Driving,  Raising,   Sloping 


Construction 
of  valve  ensures 
durability  and 
efficiency. 


Front  head 
of  machine 
fitted  w^ith  re- 
newable bush- 
ing for  square 
or  octagon 
shanks. 


No    collars 
on  steels. 


Sole  Makers- 


The  Hardy  Patent 


No  dust 
problem  ;  w^ater 
is  fed  through 
the  anvil  block 
and  steel  to  the 
bottom  of  the 
hole. 


Up,  dow^n, 
inclined,  or  flat 
holes  driven 
with  equal 
facility. 


Co., 


ShefTield,   Eng^land 


LTD. 


Branch    Office  :    17,   Queen   Victoria    Street,   London 


TUF    MINlXr,    :\I\C,AZINF, 


f    NICKEL    ANODES    (Rolled   and  Cast). 
99  100  NICKEL   SHEET   AND   STRIP. 

I    NICKEL   ROD   AND   WIRE. 

NICKEL  SALTS  (for  Nickel  Plating,  etc.)  99  100% 

COPPER  SULPHATE  "Maple"  Brand  (Powder  or  Crystals)  98/99 

The  MOND  NICKEL  Co.,  Ltd. 

39,    Victoria    Street,    LONDON,    S.W.I. 


1^ — -^ 

1 

^fi 

^^^lW^ 

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li 

The 


"CURVILINEAR" 


ORE 

CONCENTRATOR 

has 

NO    WEARING  PARTS. 

A    HALF-SIZE    TABLE    WITH    FULL-SIZE    CAPACITY. 

The    "Curvilinear"    is    an    Australian    Invention,    for    which    Letters    Patent    have    been    granted. 

Now  that  the  merits  oF  this  Concentrator  are  becoming  more  widely  known  and  appreciated,  it  is  no 
longer  looked  upon  as  a  freak.  On  the  contrary,  many  mining  engineers  are  quite  enthusiastic  about  it, 
especially  for  concentratmg  very  fine  material. 

Considering  that  the  "Curvilinear"  is  only  half  the  size  of  standard  tables,  yet  has  greater  efficiency, 
makes  it  a  very  economical  and  attractive  proposition. 

Price,  packed,  £90:    shipping  measurement,  70  cu.  ft.  ;    weight,   15  cwt. 

Manufactured  only  by 

GUTHRIDGE,  LIMITED,  Mining  Engineers,  SYDNEY,  N.S.W. 

(AUSTRALASIAN    AGENTS    FOR    THE    DORR    COMPANY). 

Cable  Address:    "Patience.  Sydney."  All   Codes. 

LONDON    AGENTS  :      JAMES    SMITH      &     PARTNERS.     LTD..     36.     CAMOMILE     STREET.     E.G.  3. 

Ask  for  New  Bulletin  No.  6. 


24 


Air  Compressors 

VERY  HIGH  Mechanical  efficiency  is 
ensured  in  Sandycroft  Air  Compressors. 
Designed  to  deliver  the  largest  possible 
volume  of  air  per  unit  of  space  occupied, 
construction  embodies  all  the  latest 
improvements. 

Air  valves  and  passages  have  exception- 
ally large  areas — giving  unrestricted  flow 
to  the  air.  A  system  of  complete  water- 
jacketing  gives  maximum  cooling  effect. 
The  vertical  position  of  the  valves  on  the 
sideof  thecylinder  makes  the  whole  of  the 
cylinderhead  available  for  water-cooling. 
Large  bearing  surfaces,  automatic 
splash  and  forced  lubrication,  and  perfect 
balance  and  proportion  of  moving  parts 
ensure  thorough  efficiency. 
Sandycroft  Air  Compressors  require 
practically  no  attention  and  can  be  safely 
left  in  chargeof  inexperiencedattendants. 
Being  totally  enclosed,  the  bearings  are 
fully  protected  against  grit  or  oil. 
Manufactured  in  a  range  of  varying 
sizes  and  capacities. 


Cofiiplcte 
Milling  Equipinciits 

Every  possible  mining  need  can  be 
filled  fiom  the  .S.indycroft  Works 
from  complete  equipments  down  to 
the  smallest  individual  unit. 


Crushing  and   Ore 

Dressing   Plants. 

Prospecting  Outfits. 

Screens. 

Stamp  Mills. 

Trommels. 

Tube  Mills. 

lircikers. 

Chile  Mills. 

Rolls. 

Agitators. 

Hall  Mills. 

Classifiers. 

Pans,  etc. 

Concentrators. 

Pumping  and  W 

inding  Engines. 

Metallurgical   Plant. 

Electric  Motors. 

Electric  Starters. 

( Generators. 

Phase  Advancers. 

SandvcroftB 

LONDON  &_ CHESTER 

Head  Office:  4,  Broad  Street  Place,  London,  E.G.  2. 

Works  :  Sandycroft,  Chester. 


TITK    :\ITXINr,    MAGA^INfi 


(Trade  MSrkJ 


ROLLER  BEARINGS 


for  Trucks.  Trnnis.  Tub.s 
&  Light  Railways. 

50%.  Sc\vii\g  in  Haulage  Costs. 

Double    the    number    of    trams    per    trip    without     extra 

power.      This  important    economy  results    from    jusi    four 

Hyatt   Beariiiss  on  each  tram. 

Each     bearing    holds    sufficient    lubricant     for    weeks     of 

operation,   and   the   spiral    rollers  distribute   the   lubricant 

to  every   part   of    the  bearin;;. 

Hyatt    Bearings    play    a   definite   and   important   part   in 

an  economically  worked  mine. 

HYATT  LIMITED. 

4  Thurloe  Place.   5  Kensing|-on. 
LONDON    .     S.W.7. 


NOBEL  INDUSTRIES,  LIMITED 

MANUFACTURERS   OF   EVERY  TYPE  OF  EXPLOSIVE   FOR 
MINING   AND    BLASTING   PURPOSES. 

DETON'.ATORS,  SAFETY  FUSE,  ELECTRIC  DETONATORS, 
AND  ELECTRIC  POWDER  FUSES.  SUPPLIERS  OF  CABLE, 
BATTERIES,  AND  EVERY   SHOT-FIRING    ACCESSORY. 


Agencies  tlirougliout  tlie  United  Kingdom  and  in  most  Foreign  Countries. 

Descriptive  Pamphlets  free  oa  request  from  the  Advertising  Department, 
Nobel  Industries,  Ltd.,  5,  Palace  Street,  London,  S.W.  i. 
Heaa  Office : 

6,  Cavendish  Square,  London,  W.  1 . 


•.iO 


The  Mining  Magazine 


W.  F.  \\'hite.  Managing  Director. 


Edward  Walker,  M.Sc,  F.G.S,,  Editor. 


Published  on  the   15th  of  each  moiitli  by  The  Mining  Publications,   Limited, 
AT  Salisbliry  House,   London  Wall,   London,   E.C.  2. 


Telephone  :  London  Watt  8938. 


HRANrH  OEFirF.;  '  *20,  Market  Street,  San  Francisco. 
BRANCH  offices  ^  ^^^  yj^^^^.  g^^  _  cWcago. 


Telegraphic  Address  :  Oligociase.        Codes  :  McNeiU,  both  Editions. 

SUBSCRIPION  1 16s.  per  annum  (Single  Copy  Is  6dO,  including 
1  postage  to  any  part  of  the  World. 


Vol.  XXV.    No.  6.       LONDON,  DECEMBER.  1921, 


Price  Is.  6d. 


C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S 


Editorial 

Memorials  to  the  Dead 330 

Particulars  are  given  of  the  two  Jleniorials  erected 
by  the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  and 
the  Institution  of  Mining  Engineers,  respectively, 
in  the  honour  of  their  members  who  fell  in  the 
Great  War,  with  an  account  of  the  ceremony  of 
unveiling  performed  by  Earl  Haig. 

The  Huelva  Rocks  and  Ores 332 

A  paper  on  this  subject  was  read  by  Mr.  Henry  F, 
Collins  before  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy  at  the  November  meeting.  The 
editor  gives  an  outline  of  Mr.  Collins's  suggestions 
with  regard  to  the  processes  of  enrichment  of  the 
pyrites. 

The  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  Fossils. . .   333 

Brief  mention  is  made  of  the  animal  remains  found 
in  the  limestone  caves  at  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill, 
in  particular  of  the  prehistoric  human  skull. 

James  Wickett 334 

The  editor  records  his  appreciation  of  the  beneficent 
life  of  the  Redruth  stockbroker  who  did  so  much 
for  Cornish  and  Malayan  mining. 


Review  of  Mining 

Articles 

Mining  Possibilities  in  Burma. 


335 


Harry  D,  Griffiths  339 


The  author  shows  that  the  mineral  resources  of 
linrma  are  not  fully  appreciated  by  the  general 
public,  and  presents  evidence  that  there  are  many 
opportunities  for  profitable  ventures,  particularly 
in  connexion  with  gold- dredging. 

Ventilation  and  Working  Efficiency. . 
Bernard  W.  Holman  350 

The  author  discusses  the  modern  principles  of 
ventilation  and  working  conditions  as  applied  to 
hot  and  deep  mining. 

Book  Review 

Rickard    and     others'     '*  Concentration     by 
Flotation  " 358 

News  Letters 

Perth,  W.A 361 

Oil  ill  the  Kimberley  District. 


PAGE 

Toronto 363 

Porcupine  ;   Kirkland  Lake  ;    Cobalt ;    West  Shining 
Tree. 

Vancouver 364 

The    Britinnia  Disaster i    Cariboo j    Sheep    Creek; 
Oil  Activities. 

Personal    366 

Trade  Paragraphs    367 

Metal  Markets    367 

Statistics  of  Production  370 

Prices  of  Chemicals 373 

Share  Quotations  374 

The  Mining  Digest 

Mineral  Resources  of  Uganda 

E.  J.  Wayland  and  W.  C.  Simmons  375 

Genesis  of  Spanish  Pyrites .H.  F.  Collins  380 

Corbould's  Copper  Extraction  Process 

P.  Bmbidge  381 

Petrol  from  Natural  Gas.^.  Beeby  Thompson  385 

Occurrence  and  Origin  of  Helium 

G.  S.  Rogers  386 

Mining  in  British  Guiana 387 

Flotation  for  Rand  Ore E.  Homersham  387 

Nickel  Metallurgy W.  Kent  and  R.  J.  Gill  388 

Treatment  of  Electrolytic  Zinc  Residues  .  . .    388 

Short  Notices    389 

Recent  Patents  Published 390 

New  Books,  Pamphlets,  etc 390 


Company  Reports   391 

Bisichi  Tin  ;  Burma  Corporation  ;  Gaika  Gold  ;  Glynn's 
Lydenburg;  Luipaards  Vlei;  North  Broken  Hill;  Simmer  & 
Jack  ;  Weardale  Lead. 


EDITORIAL 


Memorials  to  the  Dead 

On  Novoinhci'il,  l-itkl-Matshal  ICarl  ILuk 
iinvoilcd  the  Memorials  erected  in  the  honoiu- 
of  the  members,  associates,  and  students  of 
the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metalhngy, 
and  of  the  members  of  the  Institution  of 
Mining  Engineers  who  fell  in  the  Great  War. 

After  brief  intro- 
ductory remarks  by 
Mr.  F.  W.  Harbord. 
president  of  the  In- 
stitution of  Mining 
and  Metallurgy,  and 
by  Colonel  \V.  C. 
Blackett,  president 
of  the  Institution  of 
Mining  Engineers, 
Earl  Haig  said  : — 

"  Two  good  rea- 
sons urged  me  to 
accept  3'our  invita- 
tion to  come  here 
to-day  to  unveil 
these  two  Memorials 
toyourgallant  dead. 

"The  first,  and 
more  general  one,  is 
that  on  all  such 
occasions  I  am  able 
to  pay  personal 
tribute  to  a  section 
of  those  many  thou- 
sands of  brave  men 
who  fought  under 
my  command  in 
France,  and  under 
my  command  paid 
the  last  and  greatest 
sacrifice  that  love  of 
King  and  Country 
can  demand  of  true 
and   loyal   citizens. 

"  The  least  that  I 
can  do,  I,  who  act- 
ing myself  in  the 
asked  and  obtained 


The  Memorial  erected  by  the  Institution  of 
Mining  Engineers. 


execution  of  my  duty, 
so  much  from  them  in 
the  execution  of  theirs,  is  to  join  with  those 
who  knew  and  loved  them  in  honouring  their 
names. 

"  My  second  and  more  particular  reason  for 
wishing  to  come  here  is  that  you  afford  me 
the  opportunity  to  say  a  few  words  of  especial 
thanks  to  a  body  of  men  whose  work  in  France 


seldom  (hiw  upon  ilsill  nnuli  notice  or  glory 
at  the  time  ;  but  was  surjxissed  by  none  in 
the  diiuands  it  made  u])on  tin:  skill,  courage, 
and  resolution  of  the  individual  concerned 
or  in  the  service  it  rendered  to  the  Army  as 
a  whole. 

"  One  thinks  naturally  of  the  battle  of 
Mcssines,     and    of    the    mighty    series    of 

explosions  that  tore 
great  gaps  in  the 
German  line  on 
June  7,  1917,  and 
gave  the  signal  for 
one  of  our  most 
successful  attacks. 
That  was  the  work 
of  the  special  ser- 
vices to  which  you 
sentso  many  gallant 
men  ;  and  it  was 
indeed  a  signal 
triumph  of  British 
mining  in  war.  Yet 
few,  I  think,  outside 
those  who  took  part 
in  the  work  or  saw 
and  benefited  by  its 
results,  realize  the 
immense  amount  of 
steady  and  per- 
sistent toil,  in  every 
circumstance  of 
peril,  surrounded  by 
danger  in  a  form 
that  might  well  ap- 
pal the  stoutest- 
hearted,  that  went 
to  the  preparation 
of  that  triumph. 
Fvw,  I  know,  realize 
how  vast  and  how 
important  to  the 
safety,  comfort,  and 
success  of  our 
troops,  was  the 
other  work  of  our  miners  ;  work  that  was 
little  commented  upon  in  the  Press,  but  yet 
went  on  steadily  and  continuously  day  after 
day  and  year  after  year  all  along  the  I3ritish 
front. 

"  There  was  no  truce  at  any  time  to  the 
warfare  that  went  on  underground  ;  no  re- 
spite from  the  toil  that  the  needs  of  the  Army 
imposed  upon  those  who  were  the  masters 


330 


DECEMBER,    I'J'il 


331 


of  the  art  of  digging  underground.  Only, 
there  were  periods  of  redoubled  activity, 
or  more  than  common  strain.  Every 
offensive  undertaken  by  us,  right  up  to  the 
days  of  the  last  great  series  of  advances, 
meant  a  fresh  call  upon  the  energy,  industry, 
and  courage  of  these  special  services  upon 
whom  the  due  preparation  of  those  offensives 
so  largely  depended.  Tunnelled  approaches 
had  to  be  constructed 
for  great  distances, 
dug-outs  built  for 
headquarters,  dress- 
ing-stations, and  shel- 
ter generally.  Every 
big  offensive  made  de- 
mands of  this  kind. 
An  immense  amount 
of  work  was  done  for 
the  Somme.  The 
preparations  for  the 
battle  of  Arras  at- 
tracted little  atten- 
tion compared  with 
those  for  the  Messines 
battle,  but  were  no 
less  valuable.  Then, 
later,  when  the  day 
of  the  elaborately 
mounted  attack  was 
over,  the  tunnelling 
companies  found  a 
new  work,  hardly  less 
arduous  or  dangerous, 
in  the  discovery  and 
removal  of  many 
thousands  of  German 
mines. 

"  I  am  talking  to 
those  who  themselves 
know  something  of 
these  things  ;  but  it 
is  right  that  others 
should  know,  too,  and 
here  where  you  are 
met  to  pay  a  last 
honour  to  comrades.  The  Memorial  erected 
members  of  your  In-  Mining  .ind 

stitutions      who 

actually  accomplished  these  things  and  died 
nobly  in  the  doing  of  them,  I  am  glad  to 
thank  anew — not  for  myself  only,  but  on 
behalf  of  the  whole  Army — a  most  gallant 
body  of  men. 

"  This  is  an  occasion  for  deep  sympathy 
with  those  who  have  lost  so  much  and  see 
in  these  memorials  the  commemoration  of 
their  private  sorrow.     It  is  an  occasion,  too, 


for  admiration  and  gratitude  towards  men 
who  gave  so  much,  all  that  men  could  give, 
for  the  liberty  and  honour  of  their  fellow- 
countrymen.  It  is  more  even  than  that.  It 
is  an  occasion  for  us  who  remain  to  take 
courage  from  the  example  of  those  who  have 
so  bravely  gone  before  us.  The  cause  for 
which  these  honoured  dead  gave  the  last 
full  measure  of  their  devotion  is  still  ours  to 
uphold.  The  task  to 
which  they  gave  their 
lives  is  laid  upon  us 
and  our  children  to 
complete. 

"  Therefore  as  days 
go  by  we  should  look 
upon  these  memorials 
with  quiet  sorrow,  but 
with  lasting  pride. 
They  should  be  to  us 
lessons  not  only  of 
what  men  have  done, 
but  of  what  true  men 
can  do.  Then  shall 
we  and  generations 
to  come  after  us  draw 
hope  and  inspiration 
;^  from   the  memory  of 

what  these  men  ac- 
complished in  the 
strength  of  their  faith 
and  patriotism.  So 
that  in  the  days  of 
difficulty,  now  and 
hereafter,  the  great 
commonwealth  of  na- 
tions to  which  we  all 
belong,  which  we  all 
love,  shall  never  lack 
for  men  who  will — as 
did  these  whose  names 
are  here  written — 
count  their  own  lives 
as  nothing  in  their 
country's  service." 


BY  THE   Institution  of 

Metallurgy.  The  Memorials  are 

installed  in  the  hbrary 
of  the  pew  house  of  the  two  institutions  in 
City  Road.  That  of  the  Institution  of  Mining 
Engineers  consists  of  a  mural  plaque  of 
marble,  on  which  is  a  draped  female  figure  in 
bronze.  Underneath  is  a  bronze  plate 
bearing  the  dedicatory  inscription,  and  on 
the  marble  are  carved  the  names  of  the  fallen. 
The  rising  sun  about  the  base  of  the  figure 
is  done  in  gold  mosaic.     The  sculptor  was 


XVI 


Till-;     MININt.     MAL,.\ZINE 


l\Ir.  Allan  ('i.  W'voii.  Tlu-  Monioiial  civctixl 
by  tho  Institution  of  Mining  and  Mctallurj;y 
was  dcsifjncd  and  cxocutod  by  Lieut. - 
Col.  Peter  N.  Nisscn,  a  member  of  council 
of  the  Institution.  Colonel  Nissen's  idea 
was  to  portray  the  work  done  by  the 
tunnellcrs,  and  the  main  figure  represents 
a  second-lieutenant  in  the  act  of  exploding 
a  mine.  For  the  purpose  of  description  of 
this  memorial  we  cannot  do  better  than 
quote  some  verses  written  by  a  visitor 
who  was  present  at  the  unveiling  ceremony. 

THE    MEMORIAL 

erected  by  the 

Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 

To  THEIR  Glorious  De.'XD. 

Would  they,  the  brave  ones  early  dead  and  K"'i''> 

Desire  that  we  should  carve  their  names  in  stone, 

Krcct  memorials  in  their  honour,  and 

Inscribe  their  deeds  upon  the  roll  of  fame  ? 

With  humble  self-effacement  they  might  say 

That  they  did  not  regret  the  sacrifice, 

They  only  fought  for  duty,  not  for  praise, 

That  those  who  fought  and  lived  deserve 

An  equal  recognition  ;     or  they  might 

Prefer  the  glory  to  be  given  to  Him 

Who  sent  them  strength  and  heart  to  lay  the  foe 

And  so  preserve  the  freedom  of  the  world. 

Thus  is  the  monument  designed  to  show 

The  work  the  miners  did  throughout  the  war. 

That  both  their  friends  and   those   who  follow  on 

Shall  look  on  it  with  thankfulness  and  pride. 

To  render  glory  unto  God  we  need 

No  sculptured  figure  with  symbolic  aim  ; 

Sufficient  is  the  record  of  good  deeds. 

Portrayed  by  deft  and  reverential  hands. 

But  best  of  all  to  please  both  dead  and  quick 

Is  that  the  monument  should  be  designed 

By  one  who  was  himself  upon  the  field 

And  could  present  the  actual  scenes  of  war. 

High  on  a  pedestal  of  malachite 

Stands  a  young  officer  of  engineers. 

With  strained  attention  ready  to  explode 

The  charge  and  force  the  climax  of  attack  ; 

The  boots,  the  mud,  the  sand-bags,  and  the  tins 

.Show  the  environment  in  which  he  worked. 

The  sculptor  has  recorded  other  scenes. 

Familiar  to  the  miner  in  the  war. 

In  bas-relief  in  panels  'neath  the  plinth  ; 

Field  and  machine  guns,  scouting  aeroplanes, 

A  Flanders  road  with  all  its  trees  destroyed, 

A  bridge  to  span  a  Belgian  waterway, 

A  tunneller  listening  with  the  geophone, 

A  warship,  and  a  poison  chemist's  den  ; 

The  habitations  on  the  firing  line 

In  which  the  men  took  cover  or  sought  rest : 

The  unseen  hut,  the  dug-out,  and  the  house 

Battered  by  shell  and  falling  to  the  ground. 

On  silver  plates  are  cut  the  names  of  those 

WTio  died,  with  glowing  words  of  true  regret. 

The  bronze,  the  malachite,  the  silver,  all 

Suggest  the  missions  of  the  fallen  men 

Before  the  battle  called  them  to  the  front. 

Complete  it  stands  upon  a  base  of  oak. 

Oak,  British  oak,  that  still  denotes  the  strength 

And  steadfastness  of  Britain's  sons. 

Farewell  !    Yet  not  farewell,  ye  noble  dead, 

your  name  shall  surely  live  for  evermore  I 


The  Huelva  Rocks  and   Ores 

The  pajier  reati  by  Mr.  Ilenrv  1'".  ("ollins 
before  the  Institution  o\  Mining  and  Metal- 
lurgy on  November  17,  entitled  "  The  Igneous 
Rocks  of  the  Province  of  Huelva  and  the 
Genesis  of  the  Pyritic  Ore-bodies,"  is  an 
important  contribution  to  the  study  of  the 
economic  geology  of  that  celebrated  mineral 
region.  The  ])roblem  of  unravelling  the 
nature  and  sequence  of  the  great  variety  of 
igneous  rocks  found  there  and  the  origin  of 
the  ore  deposits  has  never  received  the 
attention  of  the  mining  companies  working  in 
the  South  of  Spain  in  the  way  it  deserved. 
The  reason  for  this  neglect  is  to  be  found  in 
the  fact  that  the  ore-bodies  are  too  large  and 
continuous  to  require  the  aid  of  science  in 
their  discovery.  It  was  rather  the  jiroljlem 
of  dealing  with  the  ores,  from  tlie  standpoint 
of  the  metal  and  chemical  industries,  that 
called  for  close  study  of  the  companies. 
In  other  words,  it  was  the  destination,  not 
the  origin,  of  the  ores  that  absorbed  attention. 
The  chief  literature  on  the  subject  hitherto 
published  has  come  from  Spanish,  German, 
Swedish,  and  French  geologists,  of  whom 
Gonzalo  Tarin,  Vogt,  and  Klockmann  are  the 
best  known ;  and  in  the  early  days  the 
only  contributions  of  note  coming  from  an 
Enghshman  were  those  by  the  late  Mr.  J.  H. 
Collins,  father  of  the  present  author.  Some  of 
these  writers  took  the  view  that  the  deposits 
were  of  sedimentary  origin  contemporaneous 
with  the  enclosing  slates  ;  others  that  they 
were  formed  by  magmatic  segregation  from 
the  igneous  rocks  ;  while  the  Spanish  and 
French  geologists  mostly  adhered  to  the 
view  that  they  were  in  the  main  vein  de- 
posits formed  by  ascending  solutions.  Of 
geologists  with  more  modern  ideas  who  have 
visited  Huelva  province,  the  first  to  write  a 
convincing  account  of  the  rocks  and  ores  was 
the  late  Dr.  A.  M.  Finlayson,  then  a  student 
at  the  Royal  School  of  Mines.  Finlayson 
was  a  young  New  Zcalander,  and  he  under- 
took, while  at  South  Kensington,  the  petro- 
graphic  study  of  a  number  of  mineral 
districts  for  the  purpose  of  winning  his 
D.Sc.  of  London.  It  is  a  remarkable  circum- 
stance that  he  should  have  grasped  the 
meaning  of  the  Huelva  rocks  and  ores  in  so 
short  a  time,  and  that  so  young  a  man 
should  write  a  paper  that  almost  immediately 
was  accepted  as  a  classic.  His  untimely 
death  early  in  the  war  was  regretted  by  all 
who  knew  him,  for  it  is  clear  that  mining 
geology  thus  lost  one  who  promised  to  become 


DECEMBER,    1921 


333 


an  exponent  of  the  highest  rank.  His  work  at 
Huelva  was  confined  to  only  one  part  of 
the  mineral  zone,  and  some  of  his  con- 
clusions, of  minor  importance,  were  based  on 
incomplete  data  ;  but  in  spite  of  this  draw- 
back his  exposition  of  the  geology  of  the 
district  is  nowadays  universally  taken  as 
a  convenient  basis  for  the  study  of  these 
rocks  and  ores. 

The  paper  written  by  Mr.  Henry  F. 
Collins  represents  the  results  of  his  detailed 
investigations  during  the  eight  years  of  his 
management  of  the  Huelva  Copper  and 
Sulphur  Company's  group  of  mines.  His 
intention  was  to  prepare  a  geological  map  of 
the  whole  mineral  province,  but  his  limited 
leisure  during  mine  management  and  the 
extraordinary  complexity  of  the  rocks  com- 
bined to  make  it  impossible  for  him  to 
complete  his  task  before  leaving  Spain. 
He  had,  however,  collected  a  vast  amount  of 
evidence  which  enabled  him  to  draw  certain 
conclusions  with  regard  to  the  nature  of  the 
rocks,  and  the  history  of  the  ore-bodies. 
This  evidence  and  his  arguments  based 
thereon  form  the  substance  of  the  present 
paper.  Extracts  from  the  paper  are  given 
in  the  Mining  Digest  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 

Mr.  Collins's  evidence  generally  confirms 
Finlayson's  main  conclusions,  but  in  some 
cases  his  new  evidence  tends  to  modify 
them  in  detail.  He  entirely  confirms 
Finlayson's  conclusions  as  to  the  origin  of  the 
ore  :  "  The  ore-bodies  are  in  the  main  replace- 
ments of  zones  of  rock,  which,  owing  to 
crushing  and  shearing,  or  to  other  causes,  was 
specially  permeable  to  the  passage  of 
mineralizing  solutions."  Mr.  Collins  adds  to 
this  general  conclusion  that  the  ore-bodies 
are  sometimes  replacements,  not  merely  of 
the  crushed  and  sheared  zones  of  a  particular 
rock,  but  also  of  narrow  residual  belts  of 
slate  or  schist  that  had  become  enclosed 
between  two  similar  or  dissimilar  dykes  of 
igneous  rock ;  and  that  replacement  has 
occurred  in  many  instances  at  a  contact 
between  slate  or  schist  and  igneous  rock  ; 
moreover,  that  there  is  plenty  of  evidence  of 
the  gradual  replacement  of  rock  by  ore, 
particularly  in  the  schists,  where  the  banded 
structure  is  still  preserved. 

An  interesting  part  of  the  paper  is  that  in 
which  Mr.  Colhns  advances  theories  to 
account  for  the  various  enrichments  of 
copper  in  the  pyrites,  in  addition  to  the 
theory  of  secondary  enrichment  already  well 
known.  As  the  enrichments  referred  to  by 
Mr.  Collins  took  place  during  the  formation  of 


the  deposits  or  shortly  afterwards,  he  calls 
them  "  primary  "  enrichments.  He  divides 
them  into  two  classes,  those  coming  from  deep- 
sea  ted  sources,  and  those  coming  in  laterally. 
As  regards  the  former,  he  holds  that,  as  the 
circulation  of  the  mineralizing  solutions 
became  less  violent  owing  to  cooHng  and  to 
the  local  cessation  of  earth  movement,  the 
solutions  became  relatively  more  highly 
charged  with  copper  than  with  iron,  and 
produced  local  primary  impregnation  in 
the  pyrites  already  deposited.  As  to  the 
latter,  he  believes  that  an  enrichment  with 
chalcopyrite  has  in  many  cases  been  effected 
through  the  infiltration  of  solutions  laterally 
from  the  dykes  of  diabase  and  porphyry 
which  so  frequently  run  parallel  to  the  lodes 
at  a  short  distance  from  them.  These 
theories,  especially  the  latter,  have  helped 
in  locating  the  parts  of  the  ore  dejjosits  richest 
in  copper,  and  therefore  deserve  serious 
consideration. 

There  are  one  or  two  other  points  in  con- 
nexion with  Mr.  Collins's  paper  to  which 
attention  may  be  drawn.  One  is  his  implied 
protest  against  the  recommended  abandon- 
ment of  the  term  "  diabase  "  by  the  com- 
mittee of  British  petrographers.  A  second 
is  the  author's  analysis  of  the  rocks  for 
pyrites  and  chalcopyrite,  which  shows  the 
remarkably  regular  presence  of  these  minerals 
throughout  the  igneous  rocks  and  slates. 
The  full  significance  of  the  condition  thus 
revealed  is  by  no  means  clear  ;  at  any  rate, 
it  is  on  a  par  with  the  results  obtained  by 
Lincoln  and  others  that  gold  and  silver  are 
to  be  found  in  all  igneous  rocks.  It  would 
appear  to  confirm  Mr.  Collins's  theory  of 
lateral  primary  enrichment.  A  third  item 
of  note  is  the  author's  statement  that 
throughout  the  various  igneous  masses  signs 
of  contact  metamorphism  are  by  no  means 
plentiful.  This  revives  the  query  that  has 
often  been  given  a  place  in  our  pages  as  to 
the  possibihty  of  molten  matter  passing 
through  solid  rock  without  affecting  its 
surface  in  any  way  ;  but  this  is  too  big  a 
subject  to  broach  on  this  occasion. 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  Fossils 

The  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  mine  is  not 
only  noted  for  its  ores  containing  lead,  zinc, 
and  vanadium,  but  it  has  provided  many 
interesting  studies  for  the  zoologist  owing  to 
the  immense  collection  of  animal  remains 
found  in  the  caves.  Some  years  ago 
Messrs.  Franklin  White  and  F.  P.  Mennell 
wrote  of  the  discoveries  here.    Cave-hunting 


334 


Till 


MINIXC.     MAC  iA/ INI 


provides  tlii-  romance  of  gooloj^ical  study, 
and  in  this  country  the  limestones  of  York- 
sliire  and  Durham  have  become  famous  in 
this  connexion.  At  Rhodesia  Broken  Hill 
the  caves  have  yielded  fossils  for  years,  and 
many  of  these  have  been  sent  to  the  Natural 
History  Museum  at  South  Kensintiton,  but 
hitherto  the  bont's  discovered  have  been  the 
remains  of  animals  closely  related  to  those 
that  now  live  in  the  district.  The  importance 
of  these  caves  has  jumped  suddenly  to  the 
front  by  the  discovery  of  a  skull  of  a  pre- 
historic man.  This  was  uncovered  by  Mr. 
\\'.  E.  Barren,  a  member  of  the  staff  of  the 
company,  and  it  was  brought  to  London  by 
Mr.  Ross  Macartney,  the  manager.  It  now 
lies  at  the  Natural  History  Museum,  where  it 
is  attracting  the  attention  of  the  zoological 
savants.  Communications  relating  to  its 
antiquity  have  appeared  in  the  Times 
and  Nature,  emanating  from  Dr.  Smith 
Woodward,  Dr.  Elliott  Smith,  Sir  E.  Ray 
Lankester,  Sir  Arthur  Keith,  and  others. 
These  authorities  agree  that  the  skull 
belonged  to  a  being  combining  human  and 
ape-like  characteristics,  but  far  nearer  to 
any  modern  type  of  man  than  to  the  ape. 
Comparisons  are  made  between  this  skull 
and  those  discovered  at  Piltdown,  in  Java, 
in  South  Africa,  and  in  the  caves  of  Belgium 
and  France,  and  as  far  as  can  be  gathered 
the  judgment  is  that  the  Rhodesian  skull 
belongs  to  a  new  type  and  is  perhaps  later 
than  the  others  named. 


James   Wickett 

The  late  Mr.  James  \\'ickett,  who  died  at 
his  home  at  Redruth  on  November  12,  at  the 
the  age  of  79,  was  one  of  the  best  friends  of 
metalliferous  mining  that  ever  lived,  from 
the  points  of  view  alike  of  the  professional 
man,  the  miner,  and  the  investor.  He  never 
claimed  to  be  brilliant  and  never  aspired  to 
be  smart,  but  he  had  a  sound  knowledge  of 
the  business  of  mining,  and  a  conscientious 
and  altruistic  method  of  dealing  with  the 
three  classes  of  people  connected  with  this 
industry.  He  was  always  an  optimist,  but 
never  altowed  his  natural  inclination  to  believe 
in  and  hope  for  the  best  to  bias  his  judgment. 
The  object  of  his  investments  in  mining  was 
to  reap  a  reward  in  the  way  of  dividends 
earned  by  extracting  metals  from  the  ground, 
not  to  seek  to  create  a  boom  in  his  shares 
and  unload  on  his  clients  and  the  public  ; 
and  all  his  recommendations  as  regards 
purchases  of  shares  were  based  on  the  same 
lines.     His    cHents    looked    for    the    profits 


out  of  diviiknds  and  fioni  llie  cajnlal 
appreciation  of  their  holdings  arising  solely 
from  the  intrinsic  worth  of  the  mines.  He 
had  no  parent  financial  company  to  float  and 
control  his  Malayan  group  of  tin  mines,  so 
that  shareholdi'rs  were  not  saddled  with  big 
]iromotion  and  agency  expenses  and  com- 
missions, and  the  market  for  the  .shares  in  the 
mining  comiianies  was  free  and  not  influenced 
by  the  Stock  Exchange  requirements  of  such 
a  parent  company.  The  working  costs  at 
the  mines  were  always  kept  within  reasonable 
limits,  and  the  charges  for  administration  at 
till'  home  offices  were,  we  almost  might  say, 
ridiculously  low.  In  this  policv  he  was  well 
backed  by  the  engineers,  willi  whcim  he  was 
so  long  associated. 

At  tlie  meetings  of  the  companies  of  which 
he  was  chairman  he  many  a  time  gave 
reminiscences  of  his  early  experiences.  He 
used  to  tell  how  his  father  made  money  out 
of  Tincroft  in  its  palmy  days,  and  that  he 
was  indebted  for  his  liberal  education  to  the 
funds  thus  made  available.  Then  he  told  of 
his  first  business  engagement  with  Mr.  J.  M. 
\\'illiams,  of  Gwennap,  and  of  his  position  as 
confidential  agent  with  Williams,  Foster  & 
Co.,  of  Swansea.  For  forty-two  years,  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  he  conducted  a  stock- 
brokers' business  at  Redruth,  most  of  the 
time  being  associated  with  Mr.  Samuel 
Abbott,  and  latterly  with  his  sons,  Mr.  Tom 
Wickett  and  Mr.  Stanley  Wickett. 

It  is  about  thirty  years  since  the  firm  of 
Osborne  &  Chappel,  of  Ipoh,  Perak, 
approached  him  with  the  view  of  obtaining 
capital  to  increase  the  development  of  the 
property  now  so  well  known  as  the  Gopeng. 
After  careful  study  and  inquiry  he  and  his 
friends  subscribed  the  £5,000  required,  and 
thus  laid  the  foundation  of  a  business  that 
has  had  many  and  varied  beneficent 
influences  in  mining  circles,  both  in  this 
country  and  the  Malay  Peninsula.  The 
Gopeng  has  paid  handsome  dividends  for 
thirty  years,  and  promises  a  further  life  of  at 
least  fifty  years.  Other  successful  enter- 
prises have  followed,  of  which  the  Tekka, 
Tekka-Taiping,  Rambutan,  and  Pengkalen 
are  the  best  known.  As  for  the  future,  Mr.  F. 
Douglas  Osborne  succeeds  to  the  chairman- 
ship of  the  Malayan  companies,  and  he  and 
his  partners,  Mr.  Chappel,  Mr.  Mair,  and 
Mr.  Glenister,  will  continue  to  exercise  the 
technical  control,  while  Mr.  Wickett's  sons 
will  still  attend  to  the  financial  and  the 
stockbroking  sections  of  the  bu.siness.  The 
high  traditions  are  safe  in  their  hands. 


REVIEW    OF    MINING 


Introductory.— The  signing  of  a  pre- 
limniaiy  treaty  with  Sinn  Fein  has  given 
general  satisfaction  in  commercial  circles,  for 
it  is  felt  that  with  Ireland  settled  it  will  be 
possible  for  the  Government  to  devote  more 
attention  to  the  man}'  financial  problems  in 
this  country  awaiting  solution.  Let  us  hope 
that  the  treaty  will  prove  acceptable  to  all 
Irishmen,  and  that  the  new  proposals  will 
be  given  a  fair  chance  by  everybody.  In 
mining  circles  the  most  interesting  feature 
of  the  month  is  provided  by  the  arrange- 
ments for  gold  prospecting  in  Nigeria.  The 
metal  markets  have  been  more  cheerful,  and 
the  prospects  for  the  resumption  of  copper 
mining  in  America  are  distinctly  brighter. 

Transvaal. — News  as  to  labour  conditions 
on  the  Rand  continues  to  be  of  varied 
character.  The  Government  announcement, 
to  which  reference  was  made  last  month, 
did  not  have  as  much  impression  on  white 
labour  as  was  hoped  at  the  time.  The 
unions  are  now  engaged  in  disputing  multi- 
farious points  of  detail.  In  particular,  there 
has  been  a  strike  at  Crown  Mines,  and  the 
operations  were  entirely  suspended  for  a  time. 
Cable  messages  and  other  news  sent  to 
London  do  not  elucidate  the  position,  e.xxept 
that  a  conference  has  been  called  between 
the  Chamber  of  Mines  and  the  unions  with 
a  view  to  discussing  possible  economies. 

The  question  of  all-slim.ing,  with  or  without 
ehmination  of  amalgamation  and  stamps, 
continues  to  present  a  subject  for  discussion 
in  this  country,  where  no  e.xact  details  of  the 
new  proposals  are  obtainable.  The  latest 
pronouncement  on  the  subject,  received  by 
cable  from  South  .\frica,  comes  from  Mr.  J.  G. 
Lawn,  who  mentioned  in  his  speech  at  the 
meeting  of  the  Johannesburg  Consolidated 
Investment  Company  that  the  New  State 
Areas  plant  would  embody  the  principle  of 
all-sliming.  The  new  plant  will  have  a 
capacity  of  .30,000  tons  per  month,  and  it  is 
to  be  ready  early  in  1923.  Speculation  as  to 
the  nature  of  the  process  is  naturally 
attractive  to  the  average  metallurgist,  and 
in  this  case  the  question  is,  first,  whether  there 
will  be  any  amalgamation,  and,  second, 
whether  the  cyaniding  will  be  done  in  vats 
or  by  the  counter-current  system. 

The  meeting  of  the  Consolidated  Gold 
Fields  was  the  occa.sion  of  another  attack 
on  the  directors  by  ^Ir.  Aubrev  Hvman, 
a  stockbroker  with  Johannesburg  con- 
ne.xions.  It  is  just  eight  years  since  he  made 
a  similar  onslaught.  On  the  present  occasion 
he  had  omitted  to  till  the  company's  require- 


ments as  regards  qualilication  for  voting  or 
speaking  at  the  meeting,  but  by  the  grace  of 
the  board  and  of  the  shareholders  he  was 
permitted  to  make  his  speech.  Nobody, 
however,  came  to  his  support  in  moving  the 
resolution  he  had  prepared,  so  the  matter 
dropped. 

Owing  to  continued  losses,  production  at 
the  Rooibcrg  tin  mines  was  suspended  at 
the  end  of  September  until  the  tin  market 
recovers.  Development  is  being  continued, 
as  also  is  the  sluicing  of  alluvial  deposits. 

Rhodesia. — The  output  of  gold  during 
October  was  returned  at  53,424  oz.,  as  com- 
pared with  52,436  oz.  in  September  and 
47,343  oz.  in  October,  1920.  The  outputs 
of  other  products  of  Southern  Rhodesia 
during  October  were :  Silver  13,342  oz., 
coal  49,306  tons,  copper  271  tons,  asbestos 
629  tons,  arsenic  112  tons,  and  mica  21  tons. 

The  meeting  of  the  Gaika  company,  one  of 
the  Gold  Fields  Rhodesian  Development 
group,  was  occupied  in  much  the  same  way  as 
that  of  the  Consolidated  Gold  Fields.  Here 
Mr.  Stanley  Edwards  agitated  for  a  change 
of  control,  and  the  basis  of  his  complaint  was 
the  old  one  about  the  disadvantages  of  a 
controlling  company  watching  the  share 
market  as  well  as  managing  the  mine.  There 
is  no  denying  the  fact  that  a  parent  company, 
as  a  dominant  shareholder  in  a  subsidiary, 
has  an  advantage  in  the  share  market  over 
the  other  shareholders,  and  it  is  therefore 
easy  to  fling  unpleasant  accusations  broadcast 
though  not  so  easy  to  produce  definite 
evidence.  In  this  case  the  decisions  as  to 
mine  policy  depend  on  current  development 
owing  to  the  erratic  nature  of  the  ore-bodies, 
and,  moreover,  Mr.  Cyril  Parsons,  the  con- 
sulting engineer,  is  not  a  man  to  write  reports 
to  order,  so  that  the  present  hints  are  out  of 
place.  However,  when  the  voting  came,  it 
was  found  that  the  shareholders  wanted  a 
change  in  the  directorate,  so  Mr.  Edwards 
was  elected  in  the  place  of  Mr.  James 
Prinsep,  the  chairman.  We  understand  that 
Mr.  Edwards  is  now  desirous  that  two  other 
Gold  Fields  directors  shall  resign,  and  that 
Messrs.  R.  Rawdon  Johnson  and  H.  W. 
Edncy  shall  join  the  board. 

West  Africa. — The  reports  of  Prestea 
Block  A  and  .\bbontiakoon  for  1920  were 
issued  early  this  month.  As  mentioned  some 
time  ago  the  labour  scarcity  on  the  Gold 
Coast  hit  the  gold  mines  badly  last  \'ear. 
Prestea  Block  A  treated  115,670  tons  during 
the  year,  yielding  gold  worth  £256,678,  of 
which  £"61,923  represented  premium  ;  against 


335 


331) 


11 


MIMNc,     .MAl.AZlM:; 


this  wiTi'  costs  of  /'2N(>,(i()0.  At  Alibontiakoon 
SI,1SI):>  tons  of  oil.'  yavc  gold  worth  /j2l)().7;!S, 
of  which  ;;{,"17,0>S2  accrued  from  picniiuni, 
while  the  costs  were  £187, 112.  The  ore- 
reserve  position  at  Prestea  Block  A  is  giving 
rise  to  great  anxietj'.  Developments  at 
Abbontiakoon  have  added  considerably  to 
the  reserve,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  lode 
has  not  yet  been  found  on  the  Uith  level. 

Nigeria. — The  Bisichi  company  has  issued 
a  statement  relating  to  the  exceptionally 
important  developments  on  one  of  its 
properties,  which  was  originally  secured  for 
the  company  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Hooke  when  he 
w-as  in  charge.  It  will  be  remembered  that 
about  a  year  ago  this  company  absorbed  the 
properties  of  its  neighbours,  w-hicli  were 
under  the  same  control,  the  l-'orum  River, 
Ninghi,  and  Northern  Nigeria  Trust.  The 
rights  to  the  particular  property  in  question 
were  held  jointly  by  the  Bisichi  and  Forum 
River  companies.  Since  the  amalgamation 
this  ground  has  been  systematically  tested 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  H.  E.  NichoUs,  of 
the  firm  of  Lake  and  Currie.  The  area  is 
SJ  square  miles  in  extent,  and  is  flat  in  the 
centre,  with  slightly  undulating  country 
bcj'ond.  The  Forum  River  and  its  tributaries 
wind  through  the  flats.  On  the  northern 
bank  of  the  present  river  there  is  an  old  river 
bed  more  or  less  parallel,  and  it  is  this  ground 
that  received  first  attention.  By  the  end  of 
June  the  deposit  had  been  proved  for  a 
distance  of  4,330  ft.,  averaging  970  ft.  wide, 
to  a  depth  of  21  ft.  In  all  577  bores  and  pits 
were  sunk,  and  it  is  calculated  that  the  area 
so  tested  contains  3,266,740  cu.  yd.  averaging 
3  lb.  of  cassiterite  per  yard.  Further  pitting 
has  since  been  done,  and  the  results  appear 
equally  good,  though  exact  data  are  not  yet 
available.  There  remain  lengths  of  I  and 
i  mile  respectively  at  the  two  ends  still  to 
be  prospected,  and  also  the  flats  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river.  This  discovery  is  the 
most  important  made  on  the  Bauchi  P'ateau 
for  several  years. 

Prospecting  for  lode  gold  in  the  belts 
passing  from  south-west  to  north-east 
through  Jebba,  Birnin  Gwari,  and  Kano 
continues  to  form  an  important  feature  of 
interest,  and  a  number  of  exclusive  pro- 
specting licences  have  been  applied  for.  On 
these,  working  options  have  been  granted  to 
several  Nigerian  and  West  Australian  com- 
panies, among  the  latter  being  the  Great 
Boulder  Proprietary,  whose  manager,  Mr. 
Richard  Hamilton,  has  sent  over  one  of  his 
trusty    prospectors,    Mr.    James    Shea,    to 


I'ouduct  the  search  on  behalf  of  this  company. 
Of  individuals  participating  fmancially  in 
the  prospecting  of  tliis  belt,  Mr.  John 
Waddington  deserves  special  mention.  He 
and  Mr.  Hamilton  rely  on  Mi.  Shea  for  a 
sound  judgment  as  to  liie  practical 
possibilities  of  the  new  gold  areas,  and  there 
will  be  no  rash  promotions  as  far  as  they  are 
concerned.  It  is  generally  believed  that  other 
individuals  and  companies  taking  interests 
in  the  same  district  will  adopt  the  same 
cautious  attitude. 

The  Nigerian  Chamber  of  Mines  has  been 
pressing  for  reductions  in  charges  of  various 
sorts  incidental  to  tin  mining.  A  reduction 
in  smelters'  returning  charge  from  £14  to  £10 
per  ton  has  been  secured  for  next  year,  and 
there  seems  a  probability  of  railway  rates 
lieing  reduced  before  long. 

Australia. — The  companies  at  Broken  Hill 
consider  that  metal  prices  have  recovered 
sufficiently  to  warrant  some  extension  of 
mining  operations.  The  British  Broken  Hill  is 
to  restart  mining,  and  the  North  and  South 
mines  are  to  increase  their  output.  At  the 
British  mine,  recent  development  at  depth 
has  given  excellent  results,  particularly  on 
Nos.  11  and  12  levels. 

During  the  year  ended  September  30  the 
Mount  Lyell  company  smelted  45,235  tons 
of  North  Lyell  ore,  93,107  tons  of  Mount 
Lyell  ore,  and  14,343  tons  of  concentrate. 
The  yield  of  blister  copper  was  5,786  tons, 
containing  5,738  tons  of  copper,  178,380  oz. 
silver,  and  4,744  oz.  gold.  Recent  diamond- 
drilling  has  indicated  the  presence  of  a  large 
amount  of  additional  ore.  The  profit  was 
£51,830,  but  owing  to  present  general  con- 
ditions no  dividend  is  paid.  The  directors 
are  now  applying  to  the  Arbitration  Court 
for  a  reduction  in  wages  to  agree  more  nearly 
with  the  reduced  cost  of  living. 

The  Electrolytic  Zinc  Company  of  Austral- 
asia announces  that  the  first  unit  of  the  new 
plant  at  Risdon,  Tasmania,  started  running 
on  November  22.  The  horse-power  of  this 
unit  is  15,000,  and  the  yearly  output  of 
zinc  is  estimated  at  between  20,000  and 
22,000  tons.  The  second  unit,  of  similar 
capacity,  will  be  ready  in  about  a  year's 
time.  The  company  will  require  additional 
capital  to  complete  the  plant. 

Owing  to  the  excessive  cost  of  supplies  and 
labour,  it  is  no  longer  possible  to  win  ore  at 
a  profit  at  the  Bullfinch  mine,  and  all 
operations  have  been  suspended  for  a  time. 
Options  have  been  secured  on  territory  in  the 
Nigerian  gold  belt. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


337 


Hampton  Celebration  announces  that  a  mill 
is  to  be  erected,  with  a  capacity  of  100  tons 
per  day.  This  should  be  ready  to  start  in 
April.  The  proved  ore  above  water  level 
is  estimated  at  50,000  tons,  and  out  of  the 
profits  accruing  from  its  treatment  funds  are 
to  be  applied  to  sinking  the  main  shaft  further 
and  testing  the  lode  in  depth. 

Papua.— As  the  results  obtained  by  the 
joint  venture  of  the  British  and  Australian 
Governments  for  exploring  for  oil  in  Papua 
have  not  been  satisfactory,  the  British 
Government  has  withdrawn  from  the  scheme, 
but  the  Australian  Government  intends  to 
continue  the  investigations. 

Burma. — The  report  of  the  Burma  Corpora- 
tion for  1920,  just  published,  is  not  exactly 
cheerful  reading,  but  in  the  present  circum- 
stances of  the  world's  metal  trade  this  is  only 
to  be  expected.  Particulars  of  output  and 
reserves  are  given  elsewhere  in  this  issue. 
Conditions  have  rendered  it  necessary  to 
postpone  the  erection  of  a  new  smelter,  and 
to  suspend  the  construction  of  the  zinc  works 
and  the  development  of  the  Namma  coalfield. 
Thus  the  company  finds  it  is  obliged  to  con- 
tinue the  policy  of  smelting  ores,  and  later 
concentrates,  high  in  lead  and  silver.  The 
report  does  not  mention  the  fact  that 
Mr.  E.  P.  Mathcwson,  the  doyen  of  American 
metallurgists,  is  now  in  Burma,  sizing  up  the 
position  from  both  the  technical  and  com- 
mercial points  of  view.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  the  board  will  take  his  advice  and  give 
him  a  free  hand.  There  is  one  point  in  the 
report  of  Mr.  R.  G.  Hall,  who  recently 
completed  his  service  as  engineer  in 
charge,  that  has  proved  disconcerting  to 
shareholders  ;  we  refer  to  his  remarks 
about  the  difficulty  in  securing  suitable 
labour.  This  question  has  not  been  men- 
tioned in  previous  reports,  but  it  is  fully 
appreciated  by  those  who  know  Burma, 
and  has  often  received  attention  in  the 
Magazine,  particularly  in  contributions  by 
Dr.  A.  M.  Einlayson  and  Mr.  H.  D.  Grifiiths. 
As  regards  the  Bawdwin  mines,  there  is  no 
suitable  local  labour,  and  the  Yunnanese 
who  come  to  the  mines  in  seasonal  ebb  and 
flow  cannot  be  induced  to  stay  in  Burma 
during  the  rainy  season  from  June  to  October. 
The  Burma  Corporation  is  now  endeavouring 
to  form  settlements  of  members  of  tribes 
from  the  borders  of  the  Shan  States  and 
Yunnan.  We  believe  that  these  tribes,  which 
are  neither  Shan  nor  Yunnanese,  formed  one 
of  the  difficulties  when  the  boundary  between 
Burma  and  China  was  settled,  for  each  party 


wanted  to  hand  over  the  territory  to  the 
other  owing  to  the  tribes  not  being  amenable 
to  discipline.  It  is  gratifying  to  find  now 
that  these  races  are  showing  signs  of  being 
desirous  of  settling  down  to  industrial  life. 

Elsewhere  in  tliis  ifeue  we  publish  an 
article  by  Mr.  Harry  D.  Griffiths  on  the 
mineral  resources  of  Upper  Burma,  in  which  he 
draws  attention  once  more  to  the  possibilities 
in  connexion  with  the  gold  dcpo.sits  of  that 
country.  Upper  Burma  is  a  comparatively 
new  country  as  far  as  British  mining 
operations  are  concerned.  It  was  annexed 
in  1885,  and  for  some  time  afterwards  it 
was  so  unsettled  as  to  be  unfit  for  outsiders. 
In  1892  the  Indian  Government  geologists 
had  decided  that  King  Thebaw's  gold  mines 
were  not  worth  acquiring  on  pubhc  behalf. 
With  such  a  judgment  circulated  broad- 
cast it  was  clear  that  private  enterprise 
would  not  be  able  to  raise  adequate  funds 
for  prospecting  and  exploitation.  Con- 
sequently the  early  pioneers,  such  as  Messrs. 
C.  M.  P.  Wright,  A.  H.  Bromly,  and  Trafford 
Wynne,  worked  under  every  sort  of  dis- 
advantage, and  had  some  pretty  hard  things 
to  say  of  Government  methods.  In  fact, 
the  last  named  put  it  on  record  at  a  meeting 
of  the  North  of  England  Institute  of  Mining 
and  Mechanical  Engineers  in  1896  that  the 
word  "  absurd  "  was  the  only  one  suitable 
for  describing  the  mining  laws  and 
regulations  imposed  by  the  Indian  Govern- 
ment. Things  have  improved  lately,  as 
Mr.  Griffiths  mentions,  and  there  is  now 
more  encouragement  for  mining  operations. 
Means  of  communication  also  have  been 
improved,  and  fevers  can  be  more  easily 
combated.  There  has  never  been  any  doubt 
as  to  the  great  extent  of  the  alluvial  and 
cluvial  gold  deposits,  but  nowhere  have 
deposits  been  found  that  can  be  called  rich. 
Mr.  Griffiths  makes  no  claim  for  any  such 
deposit,  and  looks  to  bucket-dredging  on  a 
large  scale  as  the  means  for  profitable  work. 
When  the  Indo-Burma  Oilfields,  Ltd., 
was  formed  last  year  the  intention  was  to 
start  work  on  the  company's  main  property 
in  Yenangyaung.  Owing  to  the  delays  in 
receiving  the  plant,  the  engineers  occupied 
themselves  in  prospecting  the  company's 
properties  at  Yenanma  and  Padaukpin, 
and  the  results  were  so  satisfactory  that  well- 
sinking  was  commenced  at  those  centres 
instead  of  at  Yenangyaung.  The  reports  now 
being  received  relating  to  oil-flow  are  most 
encouraging.  The  company  has  made  a 
rearrangement  of  its  policy.     It  will  confine 


338 


HI':     MIXINC,     MAC.  AZINIC 


its  drilling  oiHMations  to  Ycnannia  and 
Padaukpin,  and  has  made  a  deal  wluTi-by 
its  Ycnangyaung  property  will  be  drilled 
on  a  co-operative  basis  by  the  Yomah  (Ml 
Co.  The  refining  is  also  to  be  done  conjointly 
with  the  Yomah,  anil  a  company  called  the 
United  Refineries  Burma,  Ltd.,  has  been 
formed  to  inaugurate  and  carry  on  this  work 
at  Rangoon.  Dr.  .Murray  Stuart,  late  of  the 
Geological  Survey  of  India,  has  been 
appointed  geologist  to  the  company.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  Dr.  Arthur  Holmes  is 
geologist  and  also  manager  of  the  Yomah. 

The  British  Burmah  Petroleum  Companj' 
is  issuing  £(500, ()()()  iSj"o  second  mortgage 
debentures  for  the  purpose  of  financing 
ail  augmented  development  and  drilling 
programme,  both  at  Ycnangyaung  and  at 
properties  in  a  hitherto  undeveloped  oil 
area  ;  also  for  the  purpose  of  completing  the 
electric  installation  in  the  field  and  to  extend 
and  modify  the  plant  at  the  refinery. 

Malaya. — During  the  year  ended  July  31 
the  output  of  tin  concentrate  from  the 
Pahang  Corporation's  mines  was  2,269  tons, 
extracted  from  169,931  tons  of  ore.  In 
addition,  1-13  tons  was  obtained  from  alluvial 
ground,  making  the  total  2,412  tons.  The 
tonnage  was  less  than  during  the  previous 
three  years,  but  the  yield  per  ton  higher. 
The  cost  continued  to  increase,  and  the  fall 
in  the  price  of  tin  had  a  serious  effect  on  the 
income,  so  that  the  profit  was  only  £9,260, 
as  compared  with  £152,279  during  the 
previous  year.  Development  in  depth  has 
.still  been  restricted  owing  to  water  troubles, 
but  as  the  new  pumps  are  now  on  the  spot 
a  resumption  may  be  expected  shortly.  The 
reserve  is  estimated  at  over  three  years' 
supply  to  the  mill. 

Canada. — As  mentioned  in  a  recent  issue, 
Mr.  W.  H.  Goodchild  was  commissioned  to 
make  a  geological  examination  of  the  Tough- 
Oakes,  Burnsidc,  and  Sylvanitc  properties 
belonging  to  the  Kirkland  Lake  Proprietary. 
He  has  now  returned,  and  is  submitting  a 
report.  Both  he  and  Mr.  S.  C.  Thomson, 
the  consulting  engineer,  consider  the  present 
developments  most  encouraging.  There  is 
strong  hope  that  it  will  be  possible  to 
start  milling  by  the  end  of  March. 

United  States. — The  Tomboy  company 
has  suffered  during  the  last  few  years  from 
the  worries  that  are  general  among  gold  mines 
in  the  United  States,  namely,  increase  of 
cost  of  labour  and  supplies  without  any  com- 
pensating advantage  accruing  from  a  gold 
premium.     The  report   for  the  year  ended 


June  30  last  shows  that  during  the  first 
]>art  of  the  year  the  policy  was  to  work  as 
much  of  the  better  grade  ore  as  possible, 
and  to  restrict  the  tonnage  ;  subsequently  the 
new  manager,  Mr.  N.  F.  Kelsey,  found  that 
the  best  ore  was  rajiidly  diminishing,  so  he 
adopted  the  policy  of  working  a  maximum 
amount  of  average  ore.  The  total  ore  milled 
was  197,.").')7  tons,  an  increase  of  .")1, 191  tons 
as  compared  with  the  previous  year.  The 
yield  of  gold  as  bullion  and  in  concentrates 
was  worth  £223, 691,  and  the  working  profit 
was  £18,006.  After  allowances  for  depre- 
ciation and  taxes  the  year  ended  with 
an  adverse  balance  of  £2,681.  During  the 
last  year  or  two  development  has  necessarily 
been  restricted,  owing  to  lack  of  suitable 
labour,  and  in  addition  many  of  the  workings 
fell  into  disrepair.  Development  of  the 
Virginius  vein,  which  contains  ore  of  a  better 
class,  is  now  being  pushed,  and  it  is  hoped 
this  source  of  ore  will  be  available  shortly. 

Mexico. — The  directors  of  the  El  Oro 
company  report  that  conditions  in  Mexico 
have  improved  recently,  and  that,  in  con- 
sequence, the  costs  have  been  reduced 
§100  per  ton.  Thus  it  has  been  possible  to 
work  ore  of  lower  grade.  During  the  year  to 
June  30  last,  gold  worth  §2,515,416  was 
extracted  from  383,043  tons  of  ore,  resulting 
in  a  profit  of  $357,010,  or  £95,202,  Railway 
profits  were  £54,273,  and  interest  and 
dividends  brought  £31,124.  The  company 
is  saddled  with  big  taxation,  having  to  pay 
§333,297  in  Mexico  and  £56,800  here.  The 
shareholders  received  £57,375,  being  at  the 
rate  of  5%.  Owing  to  poor  results  and  the 
great  heat,  development  has  been  abandoned 
on  the  2,200  ft.  level  on  the  San  Rafael  vein. 
The  reserve  is  estimated  at  282,124  tons, 
averaging  S7-96  in  gold  and  2-11  oz.  silver. 

China.  —  The  Chinese  Engineering  & 
^Mining  Company  reports  that  th(.'  net  profits 
of  the  Kailan  Mining  Administration  (the 
company  that  controls  the  marketing  of  the 
coal  produced  by  this  company  and  the 
Lanchow  company)  for  the  year  ended 
June  30  were  §7,313,448,  of  which  the  com- 
pany's share  was  §3,850,012,  equivalent  to 
£527,371.  Out  of  the  profit  £261,220  was 
allocated  to  British  taxation  accounts,  and 
£308,000  was  distributed  as  dividend,  being 
at  the  rate  of  22%  tax  paid.  The  sales  of 
coal  by  the  Kailan  Administration  during  the 
year  were  3,775,379  tons.  Investigations 
are  still  proceeding  with  regard  to  the 
establishment  of  an  iron  works  at  Chin- 
wang-tao. 


MINING    POSSIBILITIES    IN    BURMA 


wolfram  rapidly  decreased  and  the  price 
quoted  for  tungsten  ore  very  quickly  became 
nominal.  By  the  end  of  1919  it  is  reckoned 
that  the  Government  had  on  hand  some 
6,000  to  10,000  tons  of  wolfram,  which 
presumably    it     proceeded     to    sell.       The 


By   HARRY   D.  GRIFFITHS.  A.R.S.M.,  M.lnst.M.M..  M.lnst.C.E. 

The  Author  shows  thai  the  mineral  resources  ot  Burma  are  not  fully  appreciated  by  the  general  public,  and  presents 
evidence  that  there  are  many  opportunities  tor  profitable  ventures,  particularly  in  connexion  with  gold-dredgmg. 

Introduction. — Burma  attained  some 
fame  as  a  mineral-producing  country  during 
the  Great  War,  when  the  production  of 
wolfram  under  pressure  from  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  Province  was  brought  up  to  a 
high  figure.  Many  of  the  mercantile  firms 
in  Rangoon,  which  previously  had  not  been 
particularly  interested  in  mining  operations, 
were  urged  to  devote  some  of  their  capital 
to  the  mining  of  wolfram.  The  industry  was 
controlled  by  the  Government,  which  bought 
the  tungsten  ore  at  a  price  of  .57s.  6d.  per 
unit,  and  made  also  an  allowance  to  cover 
the  ifuctuatuig  price  of  the  rupee.  Many 
properties  in  the  district  of  Tavoy,  Lower 
Burma,  were  equipped  and  manned  by  the 
best  available  labour,  and  by  the  beginning  of 
1918  the  production  of  that  district  was  at 
the  rate  of  over  6,000  tons  per  annum, 
practically  equal  to  the  pre-war  production 
of  the  world. 

In  most  instances  the  ore  was  obtained 
from  surface  quarrying  of  the  veins,  and  very 
little  underground  work  was  done.  Advance 
development  was  totally  neglected,  and  the 
mines  had  only  a  hand-to-mouth  existence. 
The  cost  of  labour  and  material  having 
largely  gone  up  during  the  war,  the  mining 
enterprises  at  the  best  just  paid  their  way, 
.and  it  is  very  doubtful  if  the  commercial 
'firms  engaged  made  a  10%  profit  on  their 
outlay. 

The  price  guaranteed  by  the  Government 
was  to  continue  until  twelve  months  after 
the  end  of  the  war,  and  on  the  strength  of 
this  several  of  the  regular  mining  companies 
enlarged  their  equipment  and  staff  so  as  to 
place  themselves  on  a  footing  appropriate 
to  their  resources.  Less  than  six  months 
after  the  Armistice,  the  Government  with- 
drew their  guarantee  and  offered  a  com- 
pensation commensurate  with  what  each 
mine  should  have  produced  during  the  full 
period.  The  compensation  was  liberal  in 
the  case  of  individual  mines  or  miners 
that  had  no  outlay  in  machinery  and  plant, 
but  proved  totally  inadequate  for  those 
serious  enterprises  that  had  spent  large  sums 
of  money  in  equipping  themselves  in  a  proper 
workmanhke    fashion.       The    demand    for 


Map   of   Burma. 

quotation  promptly  dropped  to  about 
12s.  6d.  The  result,  as  far  as  Burma  was 
concerned,  was  a  practical  stoppage  of  the 
industry. 

That  a  partial  stoppage  was  to  eventuate 
sooner  or  later,  even  with  a  fair  price  for 
the  metal,  was  foretold  by  the  writer,  who 
pointed    out     that    surface    scratching    of 


339 


310 


Till':    iMIMNd     MAiiAXIXl': 


lodes  could  not  last  long  win  ii  no  ckxclop- 
mont  in  depth  luid  hvcn  undcitaki'n.  Mad 
the  local  Govcinniont  insisted  npoii  a  per- 
centage of  the  profit  obtained  by  the  small 
owners  being  devoted  to  underground 
development,  a  potential  industry  would  have 
been  established,  and  would  have  been  in  a 
position  to  restart  as  soon  as  prices  hail 
again  become  reasonable.  As  it  is,  however, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  serious 
enterjirises  already  mentioned,  the  wolfram 
industry  of  Jiurnia  will  not  be  of  any  im])ort- 
ance  in  the  future  Unless  a  large  amount  of 
capital  be  put  into  develojament  and  plant. 

The  few  companies  which  are  still  holding 
on  manage  to  do  so  on  account  of  the  tin 
ore  which  exists  in  connexion  with  their 
wolfram  deposits.  The  largest  producing 
mine  yields  ore  containing  half  tin  and  half 
wolfram,  and  the  next  one  in  importance  is 
now  working  the  foot  of  a  detrital  talus, 
which  produces  practically  clean  tin  ore. 

The  production  of  tin  in  Burma  has 
never  been  an  important  one,  as  for  many 
years  the  only  tin  ore  exported  was  that  which 
occurred  with  the  wolfram,  and  from  which 
it  was  separated.  During  the  early  part  of 
1920  the  abnormal  price  prevailing  for  tin 
induced  a  search  for  tin  ore,  and  led  to  many 
discoveries  being  made,  which  will  be  referred 
to  later. 

As  regards  other  base  metals,  Burma  has 
proved  itself  of  some  importance.  The 
company  operating  the  Bawdwin  mines 
has  spent  a  lot  of  capital  in  opening  out 
and  equipping  the  well-known  deposit  of 
zinc-lead-silver  ore.  The  development  con- 
tinues in  a  most  satisfactory  manner,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  on  completion  of  their 
new  smelter  a  handsome  profit  will  be 
obtained.  Gold  mining  has  also  been  tried 
in  the  past,  but  owing  to  a  concatenation 
of  adverse  circumstances  has  not  been 
profitable  and  came  to  a  stop. 

The  present  position  of  Burma  as  far  as 
metal  mining  is  concerned,  is  therefore 
that  it  is  undoubtedly  a  metal-bearing 
country,  but  that  it  has  not  yet  given  any 
profit  on  the  capital  invested  in  mining.  This 
fact  has  led  a  good  many  engineers, 
after  a  short  sojourn  in  the  country,  or  the 
examination  of  some  particular  spot,  to 
state  that  Burma  is  not  a  mining  country. 

The  writer  has  now  been  in  continuous 
and  intimate  touch  with  Burma  for  the  last 
eight  years,  and  has  probably  done  more 
individual  prospecting,  testing,  and  develop- 
ment than  any  other  engineer,  and  he  has 


come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  are  many 
mining  propositions  capable  of  bi'ing  worked 
profitably.     These  will  be  describeil  later. 

Some  of  the  main  drawbacks  to  mining 
have  been  the  difiicultics  of  comnumications, 
and  the  reluctance  of  the  Government  of 
India  to  allow  any  adequate  expt'nditurc  on 
roads  and  tracks  to  mining  districts.  It  is 
a  pleasure  to  state,  however,  that  the  local 
Government  seems  disposed  now  to  help 
the  development  of  the  country  by  every 
possible  means.  A  new  post  of  Development 
Connnissioner  has  been  created,  and  already 
it  has  shown  its  anxiety  to  be  of  all  possible 
help  to  the  industries  of  the  country. 
Questions  relating  to  mining  are  now  con- 
sidered by  the  Development  Commissioner, 
instead  of  going  through  the  routine  of  several 
other  dejjartments,  whose  decisions,  owing  to 
want  of  intimate  knowledge,  were  slow  and 
mostly  unfavourable  to  the  miner.  Mining 
matters  are  promptly  attended  to  by  the 
Development  Commissioner,  whose  depart- 
ment is  provided  with  special  powers  and 
funds  to  be  devoted  to  any  urgent  work. 
It  generally  took  from  two  to  three  years  for 
an  application  for  a  mining  lease  to  be 
signed  and  delivered.  Now  it  can  be  all 
fixed  up  inside  of  si.x  months. 

Causes  that  h.ave  retarded  Mining 
Development. — Before  considering  a  mining 
country  it  is  essential  to  carefully  consider 
the  reasons  why  the  pioneer  mining  com- 
panies have  failed  to  make  good.  Un- 
fortunately this  is  not  often  done,  and  the 
layman,  judging  by  past  results  only,  is 
prompt  and  emphatic  in  his  condemnation. 
Burma  has  had  to  struggle  through  all  the 
same  difficulties  as  other  mining  countries 
have  had  to  contend  with,  and  is  still  under  a 
cloud.  There  is  not  any  doubt  whatever  that 
with  a  little  more  confidence  in  the  industry 
and  its  present  leaders,  Burma  will  emerge 
from  the  cloud,  and  will  become  an 
important  factor  in  Imperial  production. 

The  foremost  industry  of  the  country,  that 
is,  the  petroleum  industry,  has  been  the 
only  one  so  far  that  has  gone  prosperously 
from  the  start.  Its  success  has  undoubtedly 
diverted  a  lot  of  capital  which  otherwise 
might  have  found  its  way  into  prospecting 
mining  ventures.  That  industry  is  still 
making  vast  strides.  Systematic  search  is 
conducted  continuously,  and  new  discoveries 
of  oilfields  are  being  made.  Virgin  oil 
ground,  in  the  writer's  opinion,  exists  west 
of  Mandalay  and  the  Irrawaddy,  also  in  the 
Upper  Chindwin,  and  recently  a  discovery 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


FLOTATION        PROCESSES 


These  processes  are  world  renowned  and  have  revolutionized  Metallurgical  practice. 
Their  success  is  due  to  their  high  efficiency  and  economy. 

COMPLEX    REFRACTORY    ORES. 

High-grade  concentrates  recovered  from  complex  sulphide,  carbonate,  oxide  ores. 

Over  70.000,000  tons  of  ore,  including  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  zinc,  molybdenum, 
graphite,   etc.,  are  so  treated  annually. 

COAL    RECLAMATION    AND    ASH    REDUCTION. 

Coal  in  dumps  and  current  waste  recovered  as  a  product,  with  ash  contents  reduced 

to  a  minimum. 

Inferior  coal  enhanced  in  value. 

METALLURGICAL    COKE. 

Coal  cleaned   by  flotation    produces    Metallurgical    Coke  of  the  highest  quality,    great 

strength  and  coherence,  less  than  3  %  ash. 

84  tons  of  this  coke  are  equivalent  to  at  least    100  tons  of  coke  made  from  mine  coal. 

Flotation  gives  a  product  of  under  4  %  ash  from  coal  of   1 3  to  20  %  ash. 
Small  costs  for  reagents,  power,  maintenance. 

The  latest  improvements  in  the  art,  the  accumulated  experience  of  years,  the  advice 
and  assistance  of  Engineers  and  Metallurgists  fully  experienced  in  flotation  may  be 
obtained  from 

MINERALS    SEPARATION,    LTD. 

62,    LONDON    WALL,    LONDON,    E.G.  2. 

Experimental    works    and   laboratories    are   maintained   on   a  large  scale   in    London,    in 
North  and  South   America,  m  Australia,  and  on  the  Continent. 


Inquiries  for  Australasia  should  be 
addressed  to — 

Minerals  Separation  and  de  Bavay's 

Processes  Australia  Proprietary,  Limited, 

Collins  House,  Collins  Street, 

MELBOURNE,  Victoria,  Australia. 


Inquiries  for  North  America  and  Cuba 

should  be  addressed  to — 
Minerals  Separation   North  American 
Corporation. 
61 ,  Broadway, 

NEW  YORK.   N.Y..   U.S.A. 


6—3 


27 


MIX  INC.     MAC.AZINE 


HADFIELDS    Ltd. 


\\  iitknipn  cinploycd 

dunnfi  the  War  ; 

o\rr    IS.OOO. 


I^iJn^ 


^Pl 


n 


m 


East  Hecla  and  Heda  Works,  Sheffield. 


HADFIELD'S 

.^\\\\\\\\\vU////////. 

T-c^  HECLA  18  f-- 

HOLLOW  and  SOLID 

Mining  Drill  Steel 

A  HIGH  QUALITY  STEEL  FOR  ROCK 
BORING  DRILLS,  AND  THE  BEST 
OBTAINABLE  FOR  GENERAL  USE 
IN   MINES   AND  QUARRIES. 

The  illustration  on  the  left,  which  is  reproduced  from 
a  photograph,  shows  a  Drill,  after  being  tested,  of 
Hadfield's  "HECLA  18"  Hollow  Drill  Steel  in  a 
"  Simplex "   Hammer   Drill   on    Shap   Granite. 

Two  minutes  after  the  beginning  of  the  test  the  Drill 
had  penetrated  to  a  depth  of  1 3  inches,  compared  with 
10  inches  for  Drills  of  ordinary  composition,  and  the 
former  tool  was  in  better  condition  than  the  latter  at  the 
end  of  the  test. 


MINING  REQUISITES 

OF  EVERY    DESCRIPTION 

Shoes  and  Dies.  Cam  Shafts,  Jaw  Faces, 
Crushing  Rolls.  Grizzley  Bars,  Cones, 
Concaves.  Elevator  and  Conveyor  Links. 
Mining    Wheels    and    Axles    a    Speciality. 


Se^LE     .MAKERS     OF     HADFIELD'.S     PATENT 

Manganese  Steel 

The    Supreme    Material  for  Railway  and 
Tramway  Special  Track-work  ;  also  wear- 
ing parts  of  Stone  Breaking,  Ore  Crushing 
and  other  Machinery. 


Workf  nrea  : 
over  200  acrei. 


bS*^      '"», 


(Oi^/ 


?<»i 


U 


9. 


f 


(Tr.ide  !M.irk.) 


DECEMBER,    1921 


341 


of  oil-shales,  reputed  to  be  higher  in  oil 
contents  than  the  Scottish  shales,  has  been 
made  in  the  Moulmein  district.  The 
Akayab  district,  also,  has  not  yet  said  its 
last  word.  If,  therefore,  the  oil  industry 
could  legitimately  be  classed  as  a  mining 
industry,  Burma  would  indeed  be  reckoned 
as  a  foremost  mining  country. 

The  jadeite  mining  industry  is  unique  to 
Burma,  but  owing  to  the  condition  under 
which  exploitation  is  allowed,  there  is  no 
room  for  any  investment  or  commercial 
expansion  in  that  line,  and  the  Government 
derives  little  from  this  source.  The  ruby 
industry  has  been  carried  on  for  many  years 
past,  but  of  late,  owing  to  conditions  created 
by  the  war,  it  has  not  been  remunerative. 
The  gem-bearing  ground  is  very  far  from 
being  exhausted,  and,  in  fact,  new  ground  is 
constantly  being  opened  out,  and  there 
can  be  little  doubt  that  the  industry  will 
soon  again  become  a  profitable  one.  In 
the  base-metal  line,  one  of  the  most 
important  deposits  in  the  world  of  zinc- 
lead-silver  ore  has  been,  as  already 
mentioned,  opened  out  in  a  very  extensive 
way  at  the  Bawdwin  mine.  Lead  and 
silver  only  are  being  extracted  at  the  present 
time  at  a  very  substantial  profit,  and  as 
soon  as  the  new  smelter  is  completed  the 
production  will  be  on  a  very  large  scale, 
and  the  shareholders  will  receive  hand- 
some dividends  on  their  investment.  Had 
it  not  been  for  the  unavoidable  delays  due 
to  the  war,  to  the  subsequent  dislocations 
of  home  industries,  and  lack  of  Government 
assistance  in  the  way  of  providing  means 
of  communication,  that  result  would  have 
been  achieved  by  this  time. 

The  wolfram  mining  industry  has  had  to 
contend  with  many  difficulties  in  the  shape 
of  patchiness  of  the  lodes,  pinching  or 
impoverishment  in  depth,  inefficient  labour 
and  management,  want  of  necessary 
machinery,  etc.,  and  can  be  said  to  have 
been  remunerative  only  during  the  period 
of  the  war.  The  best  and  most  durable 
mines  have  been  exploited  by  means  of 
English  capital,  but  the  bulk  of  the  war 
production  has  been  produced  by  individuals 
or  small  local  concerns  working  small  reefs 
and  patches  at  the  surface.  On  resumption 
of  mining  when  the  rise  in  the  price  of 
wolfram  has  taken  place,  those  properties 
only  which  have  been  scientifically  equipped 
and  managed  will  be  successful. 

Tin-mining  has  become  a  regular  industry 
only    since    the   end    of    the   war,    and    the 


practical  cessation  of  wolfram  mining.  Most 
of  the  tin  now  produced  is  obtained  from 
alluvial  ground  and  eluvials.  Tin-dredging 
h.as  been  carried  on  very  successfully  for 
many  years  in  the  Tavoy  district  by  two 
enterprising  miners.  Some  two  years  ago 
this  enterprise  was  acquired  by  one  of  the 
leading  mining  companies  in  Rangoon, 
who  at  once  proceeded  to  erect  a  large  and 
up-to-date  bucket-dredge.  This  dredge  com- 
menced operations  this  year  when  the  price 
of  tin  was  favourable,  and  gave  magnificent 
returns,  which  should  have  enabled  the 
company  to  distribute  immediate  dividends. 
Unfortunately  the  price  of  tin  suddenly 
dropped  down  to  an  undreamed  of  figure, 
and  has  since  continued  at  that  low  level, 
so  that  although  the  returns  even  now  more 
than  cover  the  costs,  dividends  are  not  likely 
to  be  forthcoming  until  the  price  of  tin 
reaches  at  least  £175.  Had  it  not  been 
for  this  misfortune  the  tin-dredging  industry 
would  bv  now  have  firmly  established  itself 
as  a  remunerative  one.  This  desideratum 
is,  however,  only  postponed,  and  is  sure  of 
achievement. 

One  other  large  company  which  was 
working  wolfram  had  to  cease  that  class 
of  v.-ork  when  there  was  no  market  for 
wolfram.  Fortunately,  however,  a  tin 
deposit  has  been  discovered  at  the  foot  of 
the  huge  talus  which  provided  most  of 
the  wolfram,  and  all  the  hydraulicking  plant 
was  turned  on  to  it.  The  tin  production 
soon  become  an  important  one,  and  at  the 
price  then  prevailing  for  tin  a  handsome 
profit  was  in  view.  The  sudden  drop  in  the 
price  since  the  beginning  of  this  \^ear  has, 
however,  destroyed  the  hope  of  dividends, 
and  the  mine  can  now  no  more  than  pay 
its  way. 

Two  other  large  companies  working  on 
wolfram-tin  ores  have  had  lately  to  cease 
operations  for  the  same  reasons,  although 
they  had  been  dividend-paying  concerns 
previous  to  that. 

Some  years  ago  attention  was  paid  to 
gold  mining,  and  four  dredges  were  put  to 
work  in  the  upper  reaches  of  the  Irrawaddy. 
This  work  was  carried  on  with  variable 
fortune.  The  operations  were  confined  to 
the  actual  river-bed,  and  apparently  little 
was  thought  of  the  gold  wash  in  the  bank. 
The  work  of  the  dredges  was  very  irregular 
owing  to  machinery  troubles,  and  to  time 
being  wasted  in  working  round  the  river 
bars  to  look  for  intervening  pockets  ;  and 
although  at  times  one  dredge  could  return 


342 


111 


MINIM.    M.\(V\;^1\"K 


1,000  oz.  per  month,  the  operations  as  a 
whole  were  unprolitable  and  came  to  an  end. 
The  reasons  ascribed  for  this  failure  appeal' 
to  be  many,  among  which  were  suspected 
gold  thieving,  expensive  management,  over- 
stafling,  and  poor  knowledge  of  gold  deposits. 
The  failure  of  this  concern  put  a  complete 
stop  to  all  gold-prospecting  operations  in 
Burma,  and  created  a  strong  adverse  feeling 
towards  gold  mining. 

At  about  the  same  time  another  property, 
which  had  been  inspected  and  reported  upon 
favourably  by  two  well-known  and  trust- 
worthy engineers,  was  lloatcd,  and  a  dredge 
was  ordered.  The  dredge  was  duly  received 
in  Rangoon  and  then  forwarded  on  to  the 
spot.  The  only  way  to  reach  the  property, 
however,  was  by  going  up  a  small  and 
shallow  river  sonie  120  miles.  This  journey 
could  only  be  accomplished  during  the  rainy 
season,  when  the  river  Ix'came  practically 
a  swift  rushing  torrent.  The  machinery 
placed  in  shallow-draft  country  boats  began 
its  journey,  and  a  succession  of  accidents 
deposited  it  all  at  the  bottom  of  the  river. 
No  part  of  this  machinery,  it  is  beUeved, 
ever  reached  the  property,  and  another 
disappointment  was  thus  added  to  the 
experience  of  the  gold-mining  investor. 

One  gold-quartz  proposition  was 
capitalized,  equipped,  and  started.  The 
returns  were  sutficient  to  enable  paying 
back  a  debenture  issue,  and  dividends  to 
the  shareholders,  when  suddenly  the  manage- 
ment reported  that  the  reef  had  "  dropped 
down  "  too  deep  to  be  exploited  successfully, 
and  the  concern  was  wound  up  before  the 
investor  had  had  his  investment  returned 
in  full.  Thus  was  one  more  nail  added  to 
the  coffin  of  gold  mining,  but  it  is  only  fair 
to  say  that  the  pioneers  of  this  venture 
worked  under  very  disadvantageous  condi- 
tions and  discouragements. 

Recently  a  well-known  engineer,  repre- 
senting the  biggest  gold-mining  firm  in 
India,  visited  this  mine,  and  it  is  whispered 
that  after  having  put  in  a  short  cross-cut 
he  struck  the  faulted  reef  and  obtained  high 
values.  In  any  case  the  fact  is  that  active 
development  has  since  been  carried  on  at 
that  mine,  and  that  considerable  extension 
of  development  is  being  considered. 

Several  other  occurrences  of  gold  have  been 
reported,  but  owing  to  there  being  no 
adequate  means  of  communication,  and  alack 
of  confidence,  the  schemes  for  exploitation 
came  to  nothing. 

Taken  as  a  whole,  therefore,  but  with  the 


exceptions  mentioned,  mining  in  Burma  has 
not   been  tackled  properly  and  seriously. 

Minerals  in  Burma. — -That  Burma  is 
destined  to  become  a  mining  country  is 
shown  by  tlie  following  list  of  metals  and 
minerals  that  are  now  being  exploited,  or 
whose  existence  has  been  delinitely 
ascertained  ; — 

(1)  Now  being  exploited  (mineral  oil 
excepted)  :  Wolfram,  tin,  lead,  copper, 
zinc,  silver,  gold  (by  natives),  jadeite, 
rubies,  and  zircons. 

(2)  Ascertained  or  in  course  of  develop- 
ment :  Gold,  platinum,  bismuth,  antimony, 
graphite,  oil-shales,  coal,  etc. 

The  writer  has  explored  many  parts  of 
Burma,  and  his  observations  have  led  him  to 
the  conclusion  that,  outside  of  present 
exploitations,  great  possibilities  exist  (in 
order  of  importance)  in  gold,  platinum,  and  tin. 
The  list  may  not  be  a  very  large  one 
when  compared  to  some  other  countries, 
but  it  makes  up  in  containing  those 
particular  metals  for  which  there  is  at 
present,  or  soon  will  be,  a  great  demand. 

Gold.— All  the  early  explorers  are 
unanimous  in  mentioning  the  occurrence  of 
gold  in  many  parts  of  Burma,  and  at  the 
present  time  there  are  many  thousands 
of  natives  working  gold  in  many  directions. 
The  production  from  this  source  does  not 
appear  in  the  Government's  official  returns, 
for  the  good  reason  that  it  is  not  declared, 
and  finds  its  way  out  of  the  country  or  to 
the  local  bazaars  without  any  benefit  to 
the  Government.  It  will,  however,  astonish 
many  to  see  what  the  official  gold  production 
has  been  during  the  last  few  years,  in  spite 
of  the  fact  that  only  at  the  most  two  properly 
constituted  companies  were  at  work.  The 
production  has  been  as  follows  : — 

Value  per 
Estimated 
Value  in 


Year. 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
191S 
1916 
1917 
1918 
1919 
Totals  and 
Averages 


Ounces. 

621 

2,301 

3,837 

6,950 

8,488 

5,996 

6,421 

5,068 

5,393 

3,704 

3,182 

1,892 

1 ,078 

171 

38 


Rupees. 

36,278 

1,32,830 

2,23,844 

4,59,060 

4,91,972 

3,45,740 

3,65.662 

2,90,058 

3,11,501 

2,14,425 

1,85,025 

1,15,638 

63,718 

11,089 

3,421 


ounce  in 

Rupees  and 

Annas. 

58     6 


57 
58 
66 
58 
57 
56 
57 
57 
57 
58 
61 
59 
66 
90 


11 

5 


8 
14 

3 
12 
14 

2 

o 

14 
14 


55,140         32,50,261       58  14  =  £4. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


343 


The  gold  occurrences  of  Burma  can  be 
classed  into  three  groups  :  The  Upper 
Chindvvin,  the  Bhamo  district,  and  the 
River  districts. 

Upper  Chindwin. — In  this  district  the 
older  rocks  are  covered  by  an  enormous 
area  of  a  loose  conglomerate  which  carries 
gold.  The  denudation  flow  has  apparently 
been  from  north-east  to  south-west  to  the 
Uyu  Chaung  (a  tributary  of  the  Chindwin 
River),  which  can  be  considered  as  the 
southern  limit.  The  conglomerate  com- 
prises enclosures  in  the  shape  of  well- 
rounded  boulders  of  all  the  older  rocks  to 
be  found  in  the  vicinity,  including  boulders 
of  jadeite,  as  well  as  granites,  quartzites, 
and  other  rocks,  which  so  far  have  not  been 
found  in  that  part  of  the  country.  In  some 
instances  this  detrital  deposit  attains  an 
enormous  thickness,  and  in  a  portion  of  the 
right  bank  of  the  Uyu  can  be  seen  rising 
perpendicularly  for  300  ft.  from  the  river's 
edge.  The  boulders  are  generally  cemented 
by  fine  grit  and  sand,  with  little  clay,  but 
in  places  iron  infiltrations  have  taken  place, 
and  have  transformed  the  conglomerate  into 
a  hard  one. 

Subsequent  denudation  has  bared  the 
underlying  country  rock  in  places,  and  has 
caused  a  concentration  of  the  gold  aU 
along  the  Uyu  Chaung  and  its  tributaries 
on  the  right  bank.  Every  creek  on  this  bank 
is  prolific  in  gold,  and  many  hundreds  of 
Cochins  exploit  it  after  each  rainy  season.  In 
some  of  these  two  natives,  fossicking  among 
the  boulders  produced,  at  the  time  of  the 
writer's  visit,  from  ^  to  1  oz.  per  day.  In 
these  small  valleys  and  creeks  the  writer 
found  gold  in  all  parts  of  the  conglomerate, 
and  many  cross-sections  tested  gave  an 
average  of  3  to  (5  grains  per  yard. 

The  particular  feature  of  the  gold  is  that 
it  ii  almost  invariably  associated  with 
platinum.  The  average  sample  taken  by  the 
writer  yielded  75%  gold  and  25%  platinum, 
which  could  easily  be  separated.  The 
fineness  of  the  gold  is  between  825  and  900. 
The  washing  of  the  conglomerate  bulk 
samples  was  done  in  a  very  rough  sluice- 
bo.\,  cut  out  solid  from  a  small  tree,  and,  of 
course,   the  fine  gold  was  not  recovered. 

Along  the  course  of  the  Uyu  River  there 
are  many  bars  running  across,  above  and 
below  which  coarse  gold  and  platinum 
are  found.  An  attempt  has  been  made 
to  exploit  these,  either  by  diverting  the 
river,  or  by  means  of  divers,  but  owing  to 
the  presence  of  large  boulders  the  operations. 
6—4 


as  was  to  be  expected,  were  not  successful. 
There  are  also  many  "  flats "  along  this 
river  in  which  the  conglomerate  is 
exposed,  and  which,  given  a  sufficient  area, 
would  render  dredging  operations  possible. 
In  many  parts,  the  conglomerate  could  be 
exploited  by  hydraulicking,  but  the  difficulty 
lies  iii  the  want  of  storage  places  for  water. 
Near  the  river  itself  water  could  always  be 
obtained  by  pumping,  but  this  method  would 
probably  not  prove  remunerative.  The 
writer  has  only  explored  a  small  portion  of 
the  area,  but  has  seen  sufficient  to  con- 
vince him  that  further  systematic 
exploration  will  reveal  many  portions  worth 
exploiting.  The  boulders  of  jadeite  in  the 
conglomerate  occur  mostly  to  the  south  of 
Tamaw,  where  the  celebrated  jadeite  has 
been  exploited  for  many  years.  They  are 
not  very  numerous,  but  make  up  by  their 
being  of  large  size,  and  containing  the  dark 
green  variety  of  jadeite  so  much  prized  by 
the  Chinese,  and  which  is  now  unobtainable 
in  the  Tamaw  mines,  and  realizes  a  high  figure. 
In  this  particular  portion  of  the  gold  con- 
glomerate, it  has  been  reckoned  that  the 
realization  of  the  jadeite  boulders  would 
cover  the  costs  of  hydraulicking,  leaving  the 
gold  as  profit. 

In  contemplating  exploitation  of  the 
Upper  Chindwin  conglomerate  some  serious 
drawbacks  will  have  to  be  reckoned  with 
and  overcome.  During  the  monsoon  season 
communication  with  either  Mogaung  or 
Myitkyina  is  almost  impossible,  owing  to 
lack  of  roads,  bridges,  etc.,  and  at  other 
times  the  whole  of  the  traffic  is  done  by 
mule  transport.  A  remedy  to  this  state  of 
affairs  is  not  impossible,  but  it  would 
necessitate  assistance  on  the  part  of  the 
Government.  Fever  is  bad  in  the  district, 
and  the  whole  native  population  for  that 
reason,  and  also  because  no  work  is  possible 
during  the  rains,  migrates  en  bloc  to  higher 
ground,  to  return  when  the  sun  again  shmes. 
The  local  inhabitants  do  little  cultivation, 
and  confine  their  efforts  almost  exclusively 
to  working  the  jadeite  deposits,  which 
absolutely  belong  to  their  chiefs,  who  only 
pay  a  small  royalty  to  the  Government. 
They  would  not  do  for  steady  employment, 
but  Yunnanese  coolies,  who  are  physically  a 
fine  race,  with  greater  powers  of  endurance 
than  the  local  natives,  could  be  obtained  in 
any  number  from  across  the  eastern 
border.  These  Yunnanese  have  the  monopoly 
of  mule  transport  in  that  part  of  Burma, 
and   stream    across    the    border   with    their 


Ill 


nil 


MININC.     MACA/IXl 


hundreds  of  ponies  wlien  the  rains  cease. 
The  local  natives  are  peaceful  enough,  as 
long  as  there  is  no  interference  in  what  they 
consider  their  rights,  and  it  is  certain  in 
the  case  of  some  properties  on  the  Uyu 
River,  where  they  now  exploit  the  gold 
in  the  creeks,  that  some  amicable  arrange- 
ment would  have  lu  i)r  brought  about 
before  starting  work  on  a  huge  scale. 

These  drawbacks  are,  after  all,  no  greater 
than  miners  have  encountered  in  other 
countries,  and  with  a  little  perseverance  and 


Fig.  1. — Gold  Wash   in  Terrace  above 
River  Level. 

tact  can  be  overcome,  but  so  far  they  have 
been  sufficient  to  retard  enterprise. 

In  addition  to  the  syndicate  which  was 
formed  to  exploit  the  Uyu  river  bed,  only 
one  other  local  syndicate  has  made  an  effort 
at  exploitation.  The  failure  of  the  latter 
was  not  due  to  the  poorness  of  the  gold  wash, 
but  to  the  difficulty  of  impounding  water 
for  hydraulicking  in  quantity  sufficient 
to  last  over  the  dry  season,  and  want  of  cash 
to  hold  on  until  the  next  rains  arrived.  In 
these  two  cases,  again,  local  want  of  con- 
fidence in  gold-mining  seriously  interfered 
with  the  securing  of  valuable  data. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  detailed  Geological 
Survey,  which  is  extending  in  that  direction, 
will  give  valuable  indications   as   to  likely 


gold  dejiosits,  as  it  did  in  the  case  of  wolfram 
and  tin  in  Lower  Burma. 

Bhamo    District.— The   district   is   very 
easily  accessible  and  possesses  rough  tracts 
running    parallel    to    the    Irrawaddy    and 
skirting  the  foot  of  the  hills  that  rise  from 
the  Irrawaddy  basin  to  China,  and  several 
of  the  trii)utarirs  of  the  Irrawaddy  can  be 
utilized  for  trans]X)rt  of  maeiiinery.     Several 
tracks  also  radiate   from    P.hamo   to  China 
(Yunnan)    across   the   hills,  and   during   the 
dry  season  a  large  amount  of  traffic  to  and 
from  China,  by  pony  transport,  takes  place. 
The    hills    form    the    eastern    edge    of    the 
Irrawaddy  basin,  which  at  one  time,  between 
tlu^  first  and  the  second  defile,  was  probably 
a  huge  lake,  the  western  shore  being  repre- 
sented by  the  range  of  hills  running    south 
from     Myitkyina.       Several     rivers     whose 
source  is"  in  "the   high  country  of    Yunnan 
have    cut    their    way    through    the    ranges, 
flowing  in  a  westerly  direction,  and  cutting 
through    the   fiats   until    they   reached    the 
Irrawaddy.    A  large  flow  of  denudation  has 
taken    place    from    east    to   west,    and   has 
resulted  in  the  deposition  of  a  dctrital  gold 
wash    all    over    the    western    flank    of    the 
hills,   over  a  distance  of  many  miles,   say, 
from   Mandalay   to   Myitkyina.     This  wash 
has  filled  in  the    inequalities  of   the  slopes 
until  the  rivers  and  streams  flowing  west 
have  cut  through.     The  principal  of  these 
rivers  are  from  south  to  north,  the  Shweli, 
which  merges  into  the  Irrawaddy  south  of 
Katha,  the  Taping  River,  24  miles  north  of 
Bhamo,    the  Mole  River,    30   miles  further 
north,    and    the    Namsang  River,  a  further 
12  miles.     The  original  denudation  brought 
the  detrital  matter  right  into  the  Irrawaddy 
lake,  where  with  the  assistance  of  the  sub- 
sequent streams  it  became  a  typical  alluvial 
deposit,   filling  up  the  lake  and  producing 
the   present   flats.     This   alluvial   has   been 
spread  right   across   the  basin   to   the  hills 
west   of   the   Irrawaddy.      For  many  years 
past    the    terraces    of    the    original    detrital 
wash  have  been  exploited  on  the  flank  of 
the  hills  by  natives.     The  flanks  are  dotted 
by  innumerable  pits   and   quarries,   but   in 
the  flats,  owing  to  their  being  waterlogged, 
no  work  has  been  done.     The  gold  wash  in 
the  flats  is  undoubtedly  a  re-sorted  deposit, 
from   which    have   been    eliminated   certain 
enclosures  of  friable  and  easily  decomposed 
rocks,  which  arc  found  in  the  original  deposit 
in   a  very   decomposed  state,    thus  leaving 
water-worn    enclosures    such    as   quartzites, 
hard  schists,  and  quartz. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


345 


A  difference  in  the  appearance  of  the  two 
kinds  of  wash  will  be  evident  from  the 
accompanying  photographs.  Nos.  1  and  2 
show  quarries  in  the  terraces  high  above 
water-level,  and  No.  3  the  re-sorted  wash 
on  the  river  bank. 

The  writer  has  put  in  more  than  two  years 
of  exploration  of  these  deposits,  and  is  still 
wondering  why  such  enormous  wealth  has 
so  long  remained  undeveloped.  The  detrital 
terraces  are  richer  than  the  re-sorted  wash 
in  the  flats,  and  where  tested  by  extensive 
sluicing  have  yielded  a  value  of  8  to  11  grains 


in  this  district  have  been  taken  up  and 
thoroughly  tested  by  an  enterprising  local 
syndicate,  called  the  Tavoy  Tin  Syndicate, 
which  had  been  formed  originally  to  look 
for  alluvial  tin  deposits  in  the  Tavoy  district. 
The  syndicate's  work  in  this  line  will  be 
detailed  further  on.  The  three  gold 
properties  have  been  selected  at  those 
points  where  the  Taping,  Mole,  and  Namsang 
Rivers  emerge  from  the  hills  on  to  the  flats, 
and  where  naturally  the  greatest  amount  of 
concentration  of  the  re-sorted  deposit  has 
taken  place,  and  the  prospecting  has  fully 


I'lr 


-GoLD  \\as}i  i.x  Terrace  3n  ,  r.  above  River  Level. 


per  cubic  yard.  A  large  number  of  bores  in 
the  flats  have  given  an  average  of  6  to  8  grains 
per  cubic  yard,  and  have  proved  conclusively 
that  from  the  foot  of  the  hills  the  bed-rock 
slopes  at  a  very  slight  angle  so  that  at 
a  distance  of  2i  miles  it  lies  at  a  depth  of 
only  60  ft.  This  helps  to  support  the  con- 
tention that  the  flats  were  at  one  time 
represented  by  a  shallow  lake,  and  that 
there  is  an  untold  quantity  of  ground  to  be 
worked  at  very  reasonable  depth. 

The  feature  of  the  re-sorted  wash  is  that 
at  all  points  it  carries  gold  from  its  very 
top,  and  the  increase  of  contents  with  depth 
is  very  rapid. 

The     three     most     important     properties 


confirmed  the  deductions  of  the  syndicate's 
engineer.  All  these  properties  •  contain 
terraces  of  the  original  wash,  as  well  as 
a  large  extent  of  the  re-sorted  wash.  For 
instance,  the  Mole  property  contains  over 
150  million  cubic  yards  of  6  grain  wash, 
the  Taping  property  30  million  cubic  yards 
of  old  terraces  of  a  value  of,  say,  8  grains 
(some  spots  yielded  1  dwt.  12  gr.)  and 
2,000  acres  of  dredging  wash,  and  the 
Namsang  property  has  some  3,000  acres  of 
wash.  These  three  properties  are  the  only 
ones  which  have  been  taken  up  so  far,  and 
they  show  as  mere  dots  on  the  map  of  the 
area  that  is  covered  by  gold  wash. 

The  local   prejudice   against   gold   is   still 


nir. 


Till'.    MININC.     MACAZINF, 


so  strong  that  in  all  probability  Ihc  capital 
needed  for  tlie  exploitation  of  these  properties 
will  have  to  be  secured  abroad.  Tempting 
offers  from  America  have  been  reci'ived 
for  the  purchase  of  these  properties,  but, 
imfortunatel}',  the  Burma  laws  do  not  allow 
any  foreigner  to  hold  more  than  a  -lO"/,', 
interest  in  a  mining  propertj',  and,  of  course, 
American  money  could  only  be  put  up  on 
the  condition  of  American  control. 

It  is  quite  certain  that  had  such  an 
extensive  field  been  found  anywhere  in  or 
near  the  United  States  dozens  of  powerful 
dredges  would  have  been  at  work  long 
ago.  The  bucket  -  dredging  conditions 
throughout  the  district  arc  ideal,  good 
even  soft  (decomposed  schists)  bottom,  no 
clay,  no  large  boulders,  no  sunken  logs, 
water  for  paddocks  always  abundant.  The 
terrace  and  re-sorted  wash  is  quite  loosely 
cemented,  and  in  no  place  so  far  has  any 
laterite  been  found.  The  gold  is  generally 
line,  but  easily  concentrated,  and  has  a  fine- 
ness of  900  to  925.  An  occasional  trace  only 
of  platinum  has  been  spotted,  but  galCna 
very  rich  in  silver,  native  silver,  etc.,  are 
found  in  the  concentrate. 

The  writer  has  explored  the  hills  right  up 
to  the  China  border,  but  has  failed  to  locate 
any  veins,  the  denudation  of  which  might 
account  for  the  presence  of  the  gold  in  the 
wash.  In  fact,  the  boulder  enclosures  of  the 
wash  are  mostly  of  rocks,  which  only  occur 
a  long  wa}'  east  in  the  high  mountains  of 
Yimnan.  The  failure  of  proving  the 
existence  of  gold  reefs  is  of  no  consequence 
when  one  considers  the  huge  amount  of 
detrital  gold  which  is  begging  to  be  extracted. 
The  writer  is  confident  that  in  time  the 
Bhamo  district  will  become  an  enormous 
goldfield. 

The  Shweli  river  joins  the  Irrawaddy 
through  a  series  of  hills,  below  the  great 
Irrawaddy  basin.  It  does  not  emerge  into 
extensive  flats  like  the  properties  described, 
but  along  its  course  it  has  many  basins  or 
fiats,  filled  in  with  wash  of  high  value.  The 
successful  exploitation  of  these  is  dependent 
upon  their  extent  and  contents,  and  also 
on  their  accessibility.  At  the  present  time 
access  to  these  fiats  is  difficult,  and  often 
several  ranges  of  hills  have  to  be  traversed 
to  reach  them,  but  there  is  no  doubt  that 
in  the  future  the  present  difficulties  will 
be  surmounted. 

The  River  Districts. — These  may  be 
said  to  comprise  the  river  and  immediately 
adjoining  flats  of  the  Irrawaddy  from,  say. 


100  niiKs  north-east  of  Myitkyina  to  the 
second  ilelile  south  of  Bhamo,  and  the  whole 
of  the  course  of  the  Sahvin  River  with  all 
its  tributaries  inside  the  borders  of   Burma. 

As  already  described,  a  serious  attcm])t, 
I'nding  in  failure,  has  in  the  jxist  been  made 
to  exploit  the  Irrawaddy  bed  in  the  vicinity 
of  Myitkyina.  'Jhe  probable  reasons  of  tlu' 
failure  have  been  described,  and  it  has  struck 
the  writer  that  the  work  has  been  too  much 
localized  in  a  southerly  direction  from 
Myitkyina,  where  both  banks  of  the  river 
arc  rocky  and  eventually  rise  to  form  the 
first  defile,  and  that  sufficient  attention  has 
not  been  paid  to  the  flatter  portions  to  the 
north,  where  the  banks  of  the  river  show 
a  re-sorted  wash  similar  to  that  of  the 
Bhamo  district.  A  broad  view  of 
exploitation  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
considered,  and  the  greatest  effort  was 
directed  to  the  cleaning  out  of  the  rich 
pockets  in  the  actual  bed  of  the  river. 

Wash  is  also  obtained  south  of  the  first 
defile  mentioned,  and  is  undoubtedly  the 
western  continuation  of  that  obtained  in 
the  eastern  portion  of  the  basin.  This  wash, 
being  in  some  instances  15  miles  away  from 
the  point  where  it  began  to  be  re-sorted, 
may  not  prove  as  high  in  value  as  at,  say, 
the  Mole  River,  but  there  is  no  evidence  to 
show  that  it  is  of  unprofitable  value.  The 
fact  that  at  Mole  River  the  wash  at  a 
distance  of  2 J  miles  from  the  foot  of  the 
hills  does  not  show  any  appreciable  decrease 
in  value,  as  compared  to  the  nearer  ground, 
would  give  hopes  that  even  much  further 
away  it  would  probably  still  be  rich  enough 
to  justify  exploitation.  The  flats  above  the 
defile  have  a  better  chance  as  they  are  very 
much  nearer  to  the  foot  of  the  hills, 
over  which  the  wash  has  poured  west. 

In  places,  owing  to  the  inequalities  of  the 
old  lake  bottom,  the  wash  wiJl  be  found  to 
extend  beyond  practical  dredging  depths, 
but  it  is  thought  that  the  majority  of  it 
will  be  obtained  within  50  to  70  ft. 

Below  the  second  defile,  and  for  some 
considerable  distance  to  the  south,  gold 
wash  is  occasionally  seen  in  the  bank  of  the 
Irrawaddy,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
confluence  of  the  Shweli  river. 

On  looking  at  a  map  of  the  country,  it  is 
at  once  seen  that  the  name  of  many  of  the 
villages,  streams,  hills,  etc.,  begin  with  the 
prefix  "  Shwe  ",  which  in  Burmese  means 
gold  or  golden,  and  this  goes  to  show  that 
for  many  generations  the  presence  of  gold 
has  been  ascertained. 


I 


DECEMBER,    1921 


347 


Fig.  3. — Gold  Wash  in  River  Banks 


Fig.  4. — Two-foot  Sluice-box  used  in  Bulk 
Sampling. 


Fig  S. — Dredging   Flats   of  Bhamo    District. 


••118 


Till'     MIMNt,     M  \(",.\/I\"I': 


All  the  early  explorers  who  attempted  to 
penetrate  China  by  following  the  course 
of  the  Salwin  River  have  reported  large 
native  gold  workings  all  along  its  banks. 
Later  exploration  has  shown  that  gold  is 
still  being  worked  on  many  of  the  tributaries, 
either  just  above  water-level  in  the  low 
ground  or  up  the  hills  at  a  considerable 
height  above. 

Unfortunately  the  river  Salwin  is  very 
difficult  to  navigate,  owing  to  its  many 
rapids,  etc.,  and  its  access  from  the  Burmese 
side  is  a  very  difficult  one,  owing  to  the  rough 
nature  of  the  country  which  has  to  be 
traversed.  Some  of  the  smaller  rivers  west 
of  the  Salwin  and  running  parallel  to  it  have 
been  proved  to  contain  gold.  In  fact,  one  or 
two  properties  have  actually  been  tested 
by  boring  and  quarrying,  and  have  shown  the 
re-sorted  wash  to  be  of  about  the  same  value 
as  that  in  the  Bhamo  district.  As  far  as  can 
be  ascertained,  there  are  only  a  very  few 
places  where  intense  reconcentration  in 
certain  creeks  has  made  the  gold  contents 
sufficient  to  repay  individual  diggers,  and 
most  of  the  deposits  will  only  prove 
remunerative  on  being  worked  on  a  large 
scale  by  up-to-date  methods. 

The  occurrences  thus  described  are 
sufficient,  it  is  thought,  to  dispel  all  doubts 
as  to  the  presence  of  gold  in  remunerative 
quantities  in  Burma. 

Tin. — A  systematic  search  for  tin  can  only 
be  said  to  date  from  the  end  of  1919. 
Previous  to  that  j'ear  very  little  work  was 
done  on  tin  deposits  and  the  Burma  output 
was  practically  all  obtain  ed  from  the  separation 
of  the  tin  ore  occurring  with  the  wolfram. 
Dr.  J.  Coggin  Brown,  whose  name  is  very 
familiar  to  the  readers  of  these  columns, 
happened  at  that  time,  and  since  early  during 
the  war,  to  be  mining  adviser  and  chief 
inspector  of  mines  to  the  Government,  and  in 
that  capacity  examined  geologically  the  whole 
of  Lower  Burma.  He  particularly  pointed 
out  such  places  in  the  Tavoy  district  where 
alluvial  tin  might  be  looked  for,  but  did  not 
get  very  much  response  from  prospectors. 
At  that  time  the  Tavoy  Tin  Syndicate  had 
begun  its  existence,  and  was  prospecting  or 
securing  such  properties  as  would  be  likely 
to  prove  tin-dredging  propositions. 
Prospecting  was  done  on  eight  different 
properties.  In  every  instance  tin  wash  was 
obtained.  With  the  exception  of  one  or  two 
properties,  however,  the  tin  ore  proved  to  be 
unevenly  scattered,  and  the  wash  in 
quantities  too  small  to  justify  exploitation. 


The  one  exception  proved  tn  l)i'  a  II, il  in  the 
Pauktaing  River,  below  the  poiuL  wluri-  a 
.suction-cutter  dredge  had  worked  successfully 
for  several  years.  Hundreds  of  bore-holes 
proved  the  value  of  the  ground  to  be  |  lb. 
]ier  cubic  yard  of  70%  cassiterite.  As  far  as 
the  writer  has  been  able  to  ascertain,  not 
many  dredging  properties  will  bo  fovuid  in  the 
Tavoy  district,  but  there  are  many  detrital 
deposits  containing  tin  which  will  lie 
exploitable   by  hydraulicking  methods. 

The    tin    resources   of   Burma    are    found 
principally  south  of  the  Tavoy  district,   in 
the  Mergui  district.     Here  tlie  topographical 
conditions    are    somewhat    different.       The 
detailed  geology  is  also  different,  and  more 
akin  to  that  encountered  in  the  Federated 
Malay  States.     Limestone,   pegmatites,   and 
phyllites  make  their  appearance,  but  granite 
intrusions  arc  few.     In  many  parts  of  the 
district  these  older  rocks  are  covered  over 
by  Tertiary  deposits.     In  the  hilly  ground 
north  of  the  Tenasserim  river,  wolfram  lodes 
have    been    worked,    and    all    the    streams 
flowing  to  the  river  to  the  south,  or  to    the 
sea  to  the  west,  contain  patches  of  tin  wash. 
Many  of  these  are  exploited  by  individual 
miners,  and  are  made  to  pay  for  themselves, 
but   it  is  doubtful   whether   there   arc   any 
patches    large    enough    to     justify    bucket 
or   suction   dredging.     South   of  the  Tenas- 
serim,  the  Mergui  series  appear  to   contain 
more    quartzites   and   phyllites.     These    are 
generally  largely  impregnated  with  tin,  in  the 
shape  of  well-defined  crystals  along  all  the 
bedding-  and  cross-planes,  forming  in  places 
a  regular  stockwork.     This  cassiterite  is  of 
great  purity  and  very  black.      In  parts  of 
the     district,     the     denudation     of     these 
quartzites,    sandstones,    and    phyllites    has 
resulted  in  some  important  alluvial  deposits, 
and  extensive  talus  on  all  the  western  slopes 
of  the  ranges.    Another  prolific  source  of  tin 
in  the  district  is  the  presence  of  large  masses 
and     intrusions     of    pegmatites.       At     the 
surface    these   are   highly   decomposed   and 
can  easily  be  washed  down,  but  in  depth  they 
become  so  hard  as  to  necessitate  blasting. 
Near  the  surface  these  pegmatites  yield  from 
1    to   3  lb.    per   cubic  yard,    and   in   depth, 
where  tested,  the  maximum  value  has  been 
5  lb.     The  denudation  of  these  has  filled  in 
many  depressions  in  the  valleys  with  a  wash 
carrying  tin  in  profitable  quantities.     Many 
of  these  fiUcd-up  basins  are  worth  exploiting 
by  dredging  methods.    Going  further  to  the 
south,  there  are  numerous  flats,  valleys,  etc., 
both   on   the  mainland  and  in   the  islands, 


DECEMBER,    1921 


349 


containing  tin  wash,  and  this  continues  to 
Victoria  Point,  the  southern  boundary  of 
Burma,  just  beyond  which  the  Renong 
Company,  the  Siamese  Tin  Syndicate,  etc., 
are  being  operated  so  successfully.  It  can, 
therefore,  be  said  that  the  whole  of  the 
country  south  of  the  Tenasserim  to  the 
border  is  tin  bearing. 

The  means  of  communication  overland 
are  nil,  and  the  country  is  gradually  being 
penetrated  from  the  sea  border. 

One  of  the  most  important  discoveries  of  tin 
in  the  district  is  the  Thabawleik  mines, 
which  lies  some  70  miles  from  the  sea-coast, 
and  is  reached  by  navigating  up  the 
Tenasserim  and  Little  Tenasserim  rivers. 
Here  an  enormous  valley  is  filled  in  with 
typical  alluvial  tin  wash,  of  a  depth  of 
15  to  25  ft.  The  deposit  is  very  even  and  has 
been  actually  shown  to  exist  over  many 
hundreds  of  acres.  A  large  number  of  bore- 
holes have  given  an  average  of  l'4  1b.  of 
75%  cassiterite  per  cubic  yard.  The  whole 
of  this  deposit  lies  on  Tertiary  and  Devonian 
rocks  lying  horizontally,  and  which  contain 
important  seams  of  coal.  One  of  these 
being  opened  up  by  the  Thabawleik  mines 
for  their  own  use  is  of  excellent  quahty,  and 
much  superior  to  the  Rawang  coal,  which 
is  so  extensively  used  by  the  dredging  com- 
panies in  the  Federated  Malay  States. 
It  is  supposed  to  be  of  Devonian  age,  and  on 
analysis  by  a  specialist  gave  the  following 
results  : — 

o/ 
/o 

Moisture .T'S" 

Volatile  hydrocarbons 3-' '5 

Fixed  Carbon 47'5° 

Ash 1505 

loo-oo 
Calorific  Vahie  12,214  B.T.U. 

The  coal  gives  62-55%  of  good  hard  cake 
carrying  2-33°o  of  sulphur. 

Above  this  property  a  huge  talus  at  the 
foot  of  the  hills  carries  cassiterite  in  large 
quantities  up  to  15  lb.  per  cubic  yard,  and 
the  slopes  of  the  hills  show  stockworks 
in  sandstones  capable  of  exploitation  by 
hydraulicking. 
"  The  writer  is  convinced  that  this  part  of  the 
Mergui  district,  down  to  the  south  boundary, 
is  destined  to  become  in  the  near  future  a 
very  important  tin-field.  Its  development 
is  necessarily  slow,  owing  to  the  difficulties 
of  access  and  the  limited  amount  of  local 
cash  available  for  exploration,  but  it  is 
satisfactory  to  note  that  a  certain  amount  of 


exploration  is  already  taking  place,  which  is 
financed  from  abroad,  and  success  will 
inevitably  be  achieved  in  the  near  future. 
Till-  ]\Irr,i;ui  district  is  destined  to  help  the 
Empire  maintam  its  preponderance  in  the 
world's  tin  production,  in  spite  of  many 
difficulties  which  may  be  encountered.  The 
only  thing  needed  is  fresh  capital,  which  a 
small  country  like  this  cannot  itself  furnish, 
and  which  it  must  try  and  secure  abroad. 
The  conditions  of  tenure  of  mining 
ground  in  Burma  are  not  at  all  onerous,  the 
titles  are  unchallengeable,  and  the  Govern- 
ment royalties  are  very  much  less  than  in 
any  other  country.  For  instance,  gold  is 
subject  to  a  royalty  of  2i%  ad  valorem,  tin 
and  wolfram  to  30  rupees  per  ton.  Ground 
rent  and  quit-rents  are  also  charged  for,  but 
for  any  producing  property,  in  which  the 
amount  of  royalty  exceeds  the  total  of  the 
rent,  only  the  royalty  is  payable,  and  vice 
versa.  The  royalty  on  coal  is  6  annas  per 
ton,  and  only  2  annas  for  coal  used  on  the 
property  itself. 

Co.^L. — So  far  this  has  never  attained  a 
place  in  the  products  of  Burma.  Inland 
the  industries  are  dependent  upon  a  very 
large  and  cheap  supply  of  wood,  and  on  the 
sea-border  a  good  deal  of  coal  imported 
mostly  from  India  is  used. 

Huge  deposits  of  mostly  Tertiary  coals 
have  now  been  ascertained,  and  some  of  them 
are  now  being  opened  out,  in  such  districts 
as  are  handy  to  meet  local  demand.  The 
coal  everywhere  appears  of  very  serviceable 
appearance,  and  similar  to  that  described 
above.  Owing,  however,  to  its  light  specific 
gravity  and  low  calorific  value,  it  cannot 
be  expected  to  compete  against  Indian 
coal  for  bunkering.  It  will,  however,  serve 
for  coke  making,  use  in  smelters,  on  rail- 
ways, river  boats,  and  in  all  the  numerous 
rice,  oil,  timber,  and  cotton  mills  of  the 
country. 

Conclusion. — The  subject  of  Burma's 
mining  future  has  of  necessity  been  dealt 
with  very  briefly  m  the  above  notes,  but  it  is 
hoped  that  it  may  draw  the  attention  of 
our  leaders  of  industry  to  a  bright  prospect. 
British  mining  enterprise  has  never  been  one 
afraid  of  difficulties,  and  the  few  drawbacks 
of  Burma  will  be  considered  as  very  small 
compared  to  others  which  have  been  success- 
fully surmounted.  A  handsome  reward 
awaits  the  enterprising  miner  and  investor. 


VENTILATION     AND    WORKING     PZFFICIENCY 

By  BERNARD  W.  HOLMAN.  O.B.i:..  A.R.S.M..  Assoc.Inst.M.M..  I'.C.S. 

Lcclurer  in    Mining,  Royal  School  of    Minci 
Tlie  Author  discusses  the  modern  principles  of  ventilation  and  working  conililions  as  appliL-d  to  deep  and  \\ol  mines. 

(Concluded  front  November  issue,  page  286.) 


The  Usk  of  the  K.\t.\-thermometer. 
— To  use  the  instrument  for  measuiing 
purposes  the  bulb  is  heated  in  warm  water 
at  about  80"  C.  (this  can  be  carried  about  in 
a  Thermos  flask)  until  the  spirit  (coloured 
red)  rises  into  the  top  reservoir.  The  column 
must  be  free  from  bubbles,  and  care  must 
be  taken  not  to  let  the  top  reservoir  fill, 
otherwise  the  instrument  may  burst.  The 
instrument  is  then  allowed  to  cool,  and  the 
time  in  seconds  taken  in  cooling  from  the 
100°  mark  to  the  95°  mark  is  noted  with  a 
stop  watch.  The  first  reading  should  be 
neglected  so  as  to  allow  the  glass  time  to 
get  into  equilibrium.  The  mean  of  three  or 
five  readings  may  then  be  taken  as  desired. 
This  mean  time  (T)  divided  into  the  factor 
(K)  of  the  particular  instrument  gives  the 
cooling  power  (H)  directly  in  millicalories 
per  square  cm.  of  cooling  surface  per  second. 
One  millicalorie  per  square  cm.  per  second 
is  equal  to  0-4  milli  B.T.U.  (thousandths 
of  a  British  Thermal  Unit)  per  square  foot 
per  second.  Each  instrument  is  carefully 
calibrated  by  the  makers  and  the  factor 
(K)  engraved  on  the  back  of  the  stem.  This 
factor  is  determined  by  observing  the  dry 
kata  cooling  power  in  still  air  at  a  standard 
temperature,  t.  When  the  temperatures 
are  expressed  in  degrees  Centigrade,  and 
365  is  the  mean  temperature  of  the  kata 
during  the  observation  time  T,  the  factor  is 
given  by  the  empirical  formula  K  =  0'27 
(36-5  —  t)  T.  But  we  also  have  by  definition 
K=Hd  T,  where  Ha  is  the  dry  cooling  power. 
If  the  difference  between  this  mean 
temperature  and  the  temperature  of  the 
working  place  be  expressed  by  0,  we  get 
the  dry  kata  cooling  power  H  in  milli- 
calories per  square  cm.  per  second  represented 
by  the  formula  Hj  =  0-270,  where  the  air 
is  still,  but  when  it  is  moving  Dr.  Leonard 
Hill  found  by  experiment  that  Hj  = 
(0-27  t  4-  0-49  Y"-')  0,  where  V  is  the  velocity 
of  the  air  current  in  metres  per  second 
(1  metre  per  second  =  2  24  miles  per  hour). 
Hence  if  &  is  known  the  velocity  of  the  air 
current  can  be  determinr'd  by  taking  the  dry 
kata  reading.  This  method,  as  has  been 
already  mentioned,  is  useful  for  measuring 


very  low  vtlocities,  but  breaks  down  with 
an  alternating  or  badly  eddying  current. 
With  low  continuous  cut  rents  an  acciu'acy  of 
10"o  may  be  expected,  as  compari'd  with  only 
80"„-100"n  with  an  anemometer.  The  only 
method,  then,  is  to  supply  heat  at  a  known 
rate  to  the  air  current  electrically ;  or  to  use 
a  hot-wire  anemometer.  Further  ex]-)eriiuents 
gave  the  ecjuation  :  - 
H,,  =  Hj  (0-27+0-49  V"--)-|-(0-0S+()-10  V"-3) 

(F  -f)K 
where  H„  is  the  wet  kata  cooling  power, 
F"  =  vapour  tension  of  saturated  air  at 
36'5°  C,  and /=  vapour  tension  of  the  air 
observed.  From  this  equation  the  cooling 
power  due  to  evaporation  only  (H„.  —  H,i)  is 
seen  to  be  represented  empirically  bj' 
(0-08  +  0-10  V"-'),!.  It  may  be  noted  that 
0-26  metres  per  second  was  the  lowest 
observed  velocity,  but  the  mean  experimental 
results  agreed  well  with  this  equation  up  to 
4  metres  per  second  (9  m.p.h.)  which  is  more 
than  concerns  mine  ventilating  engineers. 

These  formula;  (with  more  places  ot 
decimals  than  are  given  here)  are  based  on 
tests  carried  out  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  for  his 
papers  before  the  Royal  Society  and  for  his 
book,  The  Science  of  Ventilation.  The 
experiments  were  made  chiefly  at  East 
London  College.  Subsequent  experiments 
which  agreed  well  with  each  other  were  made 
at  the  National  Physical  Laboratory  in  their 
4  ft.  and  7  ft.  wincl  tunnels,  and  at  Oxford 
with  a  rotating  arm  machine.  These  tests 
may  be  taken  as  more  reliable  than  the  earlier 
ones,  and  give  : — 

For  velocities  greater  than  1  metre  per 
second  : — 

H,i  =  fO-13  -f  0-47  V"-')0. 

H„,  =  (0-10  +  1-10  Y''-"')0'. 
and   for  velocities  less    than    1    metre    per 
second  (200  ft.  per  minute)  : — 

Ha  =  (0-2  -\-  0-4  W"-")e. 

H„.  =  (0-35  +  0-85  V°-'-')e'. 
where  e'  =  (36-5°  C.  —  t'),  t'  is  the  wet  bulb 
temperature  of  air  in  degrees  centrigrade,  and 
V  equals  the  velocity  in  metres  per  second. 

These  two  latter  formulse  expressed  in  feet 
per  minute  and  degrees  Fahrenheit  become  : — 


350 


DECEMBER,    1921 


351 


Hd  =  (0-11  +  0016  V-^'-ja 

H,,  =  (0-19  +008  V''-''')^'. 

It  will  be  observed  that  with  the  aid  of 
the  above  formula  the  wet  kata  cooling 
power  can  be  calculated  if  the  temperature, 
vapour  tension,  and  velocity  are  known.  In 
the  case  of  surface  conditions  the  prevailins; 
wet  kata  cooling  power  could  be  calculated 
from  the  published  meteorological  records  if 
the  wind  was  steady  and  the  effect  of  sun- 
shine was  neglected.  The  effect  of  depth  or 
increased  barometric  pressure  is  naturally  to 
increase  the  cooling  power.  The  percentage 
change  in   cooling  power  is   approximately 


How  cooling  power  varies  withvelocity  and 
temperature  is  shown  from  the  latest 
determinations  in  Fig.  8.  Fig.  9  shows  the 
curves  connecting  cooling  power  and  velocity 
as  arranged  for  the  estimation  of  the  latter. 

Application  of  the  Kata-Thermometer. 
— The  most  immediate  use  of  the  kata- 
thermometer  in  mining  is  for  the  purpose  of 
investigating  the  cooling  effect  obtainable 
in  hot  mines  from  artificially  produced  air 
currents  and  the  reduction  of  body  clothing. 

Mr.  E.  H.  Chfford,  in  his  paper  on  the 
City  Deep  (see  Bibliography)  shows  what  a 


1.5     le    17    16     19   20  HI    aa   25  S'^  £3   £6  27  £0  £9   50  51   C 

air  temperatvre 
Fig.  8. — Kata  Temperature- Velocity  Curve. 

one-fourth  the  percentage  change  in  pressure. 
The  formula  which  has  been  checked  by 
experiment  is  : — 


H.  =  J  H,  (1 


^P> 


Conversely  cooling  power  decreases  with 
altitude.  At  the  altitude  of  the  Rand  where 
the  pressure  is  about  20%  lower  than  at  sea- 
level  the  cooling  power  will  be  but  five  per 
cent  lower  than  at  sea-level,  an  amount  which 
can  be  neglected  for  most  practical  purposes, 
particularly  as  the  formula  only  applies  to 
cooling  in  still  air.  For  the  case  of  the  Rand 
Mr.  H.  S.  Ireland  gives  the  modified  dry 
kata  formula  as  : — 

^  =  0-26 +0-44  V°-^ 

orHd=(O-26-fO-44V°-^)0. 


J 

~h 

lO 
9 

1 

1 

/ 

1 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

1 

/ 

b 

1 

/ 

/ 

^ 

i 

f 

a 

1 

V 

^ 

/ 

f 

i 

/ 

/ 

/ 

/ 

^ 

ii 

/ 

o 

o  e  o-s  oi  OJ  o6  0-7  oeo9   lo    ii    le    15  i '^  I6    16 
VALUES  OP  % 

Fig,  9.  — Kata  Cooling  Power-Velocity  Curve. 

useful  guide  kata  readings  may  be  when  one 
has  to  deal  with  a  saturated  atmosphere. 
Kata  readings  do  not  give  an  exact  index  of 
physiological  effect,  but  they  do  give  actual 
cooling  power,  and  that  has  been  .shown  to  be 
the  chief  factor  influencing  the  capacity  for 
physical  work.  On  the  City  Deep  a  wet  kata 
reading  of  15  millicalories  per  square  cm. 
per  second  was  considered  the  lower  limit 
for  physical  work,  while  30  was  taken  as  the 
upper  limit.  The  best  conditions  for  physical 
work  without  much  clothing  corresponded  to 
a  reading  of  20.  Wet  kata  readings  were 
considered  most  because  on  this  mine  it  is 
necessary  to  keep  the  air  saturated  for  the 
purpose  of  allaying  dust.  The  foregoing 
figures  assume  the  absence  of  excessive 
velocity  or  excessive  dryness,  both  of  which 
are   injurious,    even   though    the   wet    kata 


;?r»2 


Till':    MINIM,     MAi.AZlM': 


loadiii!;  bi"  satisfactory.  Wln-ro  clothing'  is 
worn.  wlu'tluT  it  bo  wi't  or  dry  prolouiuily 
at^'cct.s  the  actual  coolins;  jwwcr  of  any  given 
air  current  on  the  body.  With  warm  air 
this  difference  between  actual  and  indicateil 
cooling  power  is  greatest  with  light  wet 
clothing  in  dry  air  and  least  with  no  clothing 
in  saturated  air.  Generally  speaking,  a  wet 
kata  reading  of  about  20  or  a  dry  kata 
reading  of  about  10  indicates  satisfactory 
conditions  for  phj-sical  work  with  little 
clothing.  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  gives  dry  10  and 
wet  30  to  35  for  manual  work.  Jlr.  H.  J. 
Ireland  finds  6  and  18  respectively  suflicieiit 
for  a  slightly  clothed  native. 

The  basal  metabolism  of  the  average  man 
when  breathing  20  cubic  feet  per  minute  will 
correspond  to  a  heat  loss  of  about  one 
millicaloric  per  square  cm.  of  body  surface 
per  second.  Waste  may  bring  this  up  to 
three  millicalories  when  breathing  60  cubic 
feet  of  air  per  minute.  The  rise  of  body 
temperature  itself  to  about  102°  F.  during 
muscular  exertion  facilitates  cooling  con- 
siderably where  conduction  is  relied  on. 

It  is  true  that  in  the  general  ventilation 
of  a  mine  a  quantity  of  air  sufficient  to  keep 
the  mine  at  a  low  enough  temperature  must 
be  supplied,  as  velocity  cannot  always  be 
varied  from  place  to  place.  But  the  kata- 
thermometer  supplies  the  means  of  testing 
reliably  where  this  velocity  is  too  low  or 
where  the  air  has  warmed  up  too  much  for 
efficient  work  as  distinct  from  prevention  of 
work.  Such  readings  could  well  be  marked 
on  the  mine's  quarterly  ventilation  plan.  An 
air  current  at  nearly  the  same  temperature 
as  the  body  is  far  less  noticeable  than  an 
appreciably  slower  one  at  a  much  lower 
temperature.  This  point  is  important  in 
considering  the  comfort  of  the  worker. 

In  the  case  of  metal  mines  situated  in 
places  where  considerable  seasonal  variation 
takes  place  in  surface  humidity  and 
temperature  and  where  the  mine  air  is  not 
saturated  with  moisture  owing  to  the 
necessity  for  allaying  siliceous  dust,  the 
kata-thermometer  may  be  employed  to  effect 
great  economies  in  the  quantity  of  air 
required  for  efficient  work.  Owing  to  the 
comparatively  few  deep  metal  mines  being 
worked  as  yet  this  has  not  been  made  the 
object  of  much  study.  The  number  of  such 
deep  mines  nmst  unfortunately  increase 
greatly  in  the  near  future. 

In  such  cases  a  continuous  record  of  the 
cooling  power  of  the  air  in  the  main  levels 
might  be  found  of  value.    For  such  purposes 


an  instiument  called  a  "  Caleometer  "  has 
ahead\'  been  designed  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill 
and  Mr.  (),  W.  (irifhth.  It  is  an  electrical 
instrument  which  automatically  measures 
as  electrical  energy  the  amount  of  heat 
energy  required  to  kee])  a  small  coil  of  wire 
at  body  temperature,  and,  therefore,  can 
record  the  cooling  effect  of  the  air  current  in 
which  the  coil  is  placed.  (This  instrument  is 
made  by  Robert  W.  Paul,  of  the  Newton 
Avenue  Woiks,  New  Southgate,  London,  N.) 
The  record  of  up  to  eight  coils  in  di.rferent 
places  can  be  taken  on  the  same  roll.  For 
a  record  corres])onding  to  wet  kata  rt'adings 
the  coil  is  surrounded  by  a  ta])e  hanging  in 
a  pot  of  water.  The  ordinary  kata-thermo- 
meter is  also  made  in  a  recording  form  by 
the  same  company. 

.'\ctual  observation  (Daniel  Harrington)  on 
the  miners  themselvc's  has  shown  that  a 
minimum  air  velocity  of  25  ft.  j)er  minute  is 
most  desirable  in  even  cool  dry  mines  (dry 
bulb  temperature  of  75°  F.)  for  efficient  work, 
but  that  a  velocity  of  100  ft.  per  minute  is 
required  where  the  humidity  is  over  85%. 
In  hot  wet  mines  a  velocity  of  over  500  ft. 
per  minute  may  be  required.  It  was  found 
that  men  could  work  without  inconvenience 
in  velocities  as  high  as  1,000  ft.  per  minute, 
and  this  in  spite  of  an  oxygen  depletion 
of  1%  (the  air  containing  20%  oxygen 
instead  of  21%  as  at  surface)  and  a  CO.j 
content  of  0-30%  or  more. 

The  utility  of  the  kata-thermometer  for 
checking  such  results  is  great,  particularly 
where  saturated  air  at  about  blood 
temperature  has  to  be  used  and  is  circulated 
at  high  velocities  by  small  fans  and  canvas 
tubing.  .A  reduction  of  the  relative  humidity 
from  saturation  by  even  a  sni.3ll  amount,  say 
to  95%,  renders  the  effect  of  velocity  far 
more  pleasant  to  the  worker.  The  subject  of 
retaining  such  a  reduction  without  interfering 
with  the  allaying  of  dust  was  dealt  with  in 
the  discussion  on  Mr.  Clifford's  paper  before 
the  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
(March,  1921),  and  is  a  matter  which  requires 
investigation  more  urgentlj''  the  deeper  and 
hotter  our  mines  become.  Such  investiga- 
tions are  rendered  far  easier  of  prosecution 
by  the  invention  of  the  kata-thermometer. 
In  Mr.  Harrington's  paper  (p.  21)  on  Ventila- 
tion and  the  Use  of  Small  Fans  (see 
Bibliography)  this  instrument  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  used.  In  another  paper  on  the 
use  of  booster  fans  where  the  air  was  above 
blood  temperature,  the  wet  bulb  temperatures 
were  taken  as  the  index  of  cooling  effect  and 


DECEMBER,    1921 


353 


the  volume  of  air  necessary  to  keep  down  this 
temperature  was  measured.  The  amount 
found  necessary  was  600  cubic  feet  per  man 
per  minute,  instead  of  tlie  400  cubic  feet  used 
elsewhere  in  the  mine.  Of  course,  where  tlie 
general,  as  distinct  from  the  local,  ventilation 
of  a  wet  mine  is  increased,  a  slight  reduction 
of  temperature  is  caused  by  the  concomitant 
increase  in  the  quantity  of  water  evaporated 
underground  to  give  a  saturated  condition  of 
the  air.  Only  0-30  grm.  is  required  to  cool  one 
cubic  metre  of  air  1°  C.  Mr.  C.  Mezger  gives 
the  following  example  to  show  the  order  of 
effect  to  be  expected  from  this  cause. 
Assuming  the  temperature  at  bank  and  shaft- 
bottom  to  be  respectively  10°  C.  and  19'5°  C, 
and  the  saturation  90%  in  both  cases,  the 
absorption  of  moisture  per  cubic  metre  of  air 
will  be  6-6  grammes  consuming  3-96  calories  : 
the  temperature  will  therefore  be  lowered 
13-2°  C.  Auto-compression  in  the  shaft  and 
friction  and  conduction  throughout  the  mine 
have  a  warming  effect.  Therefore  the  actual 
reduction  in  air  temperature  is  naturally  less 
than  the  calculated  fall.  The  effect  on  the 
body  of  air  temperature  (but  still  more  of 
velocitj')  is,  of  course,  modified  by  clothing  as 
it  hinders  both  evaporation  and  conduction. 
This  can  be  investigated  quantitatively  by  the 
kata-thermometer.  The  instrument,  with  a 
light  wire  shield,  can  readily  be  placed  between 
the  skin  and  the  clothing  of  a  man.  The 
heat  loss  of  the  human  body  lightly  clothed 
is  approximately  one  sixth  of  the  dry  kata 
cooling  power  where  this  is  normal,  and  is 
about  60%  of  the  heat  loss  of  the  naked  body. 
In  estimating  the  total  heat  loss  advantage 
may  be  taken  of  the  empirical  rule  :  surface 
in  square  metres  =  0'r23W3  for  men  where 
W  is  the  weight  in  kilogrammes,  but  the 
subject  is  a  rather  complicated  one.  In 
Chapter  VIII,  Vol.  II,  of  The  Science  of 
Ventilation,  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  gives  a 
summary  of  the  present  knowledge  on  this 
subject,  but  in  the  case  of  hot  and  deep  mines 
it  may  be  assumed  generally  that  for  manual 
work  clothing  will  be  discarded. 

In  connexion  with  the  subject  of  kata 
cooling  powers  interesting  tests  have  been 
carried  out  (Zuntz)  on  the  amount  of  water 
vapour  (perspiration)  lost  from  the  body 
during  exertion.  In  tests  on  a  number  of 
fully  equipped  men  in  uniform  the  thinnest 
only  lost  953  grammes,  while  the  fattest 
lost  2,575  grammes  of  moisture.  Taking 
800  grammes  loss  per  1,000  calories  expended 
in  saturated  air  at  50°  F.  as  the  standard,  the 
amount  was  diminished  4  grammes  for  each 


1  "v,  reduction  in  dryness  and  70  grammes  for 
each  unit  increase  in  wind  velocity  (on  a  scale 
of  ten  units).  A  rise  in  temperature  increased 
the  loss  by  onlv  0-2  grammes  per  degree 
Fahrenheit. 

These  tests  confirm  the  importance  of 
velocity  as  shown  by  the  kata-thermometer, 
but  also  show  that  at  moderate  temperatures 
training  has  a  far  greater  influence  than  cither 
humidity,  velocity,  or  change  in  temperature. 
This  is  curious  considering  how  many  a  good 
old  Cornish  miner  is  not  exactly  slim.  Still, 
fatness  is  partly  a  thermal  reserve  for  heavy 
work,  and  is  not  entirely  due  to  lack  of 
fitness.  A  normal  man  carries  about  18% 
of  fat,  which  on  a  weight  of  11  stone  corre- 
sponds to  a  thermal  reserve  of  about  12,000 
calories,  three  days  full  food  supply. 

.\s  temperature  increases  the  influence 
of  humidity  and  velocity  on  perspiration 
becomes  greater  in  proportion,  so  that  the 
taking-off  of  clothes  is  essential  in  hot  places 
in  order  to  obtain  full  advantage  of  the 
ventilation.  Where  cooling  by  conduction 
and  convection  has  to  be  relied  on  this  is 
even  more  necessary,  as  the  clothes  hold 
a  layer  of  insulating  air  in  contact  with  the 
skin.  (See  Science  of  Ventilation,  Vol.  II.) 
Different  materials  act  differently  in  this 
respect. 

Application  of  the  Ergometer.— -With 
regard  to  the  individual  efficiency  of  work 
performed  in  hot  and  deep  mines,  the 
working  efficiency  of  the  miner  is  not  only 
affected  by  the  temperature,  velocity, 
humidity,  and  composition  of  the  air  in 
which  he  works  and  by  the  approximation 
to  optimum  effort  which  he  exerts  and  by 
the  amount  and  condition  (wet  of  dry)  of 
his  clothing,  but  also  by  his  fitness  and 
stamina,  as  influenced  by  his  health,  general 
h3'gienic  conditions,  diet,  acclimitization, 
physical  training,  and  individual 
idiosyncrasy.  Interest  in  the  work,  con- 
tentment, and  an  adequate  wage,  combined 
with  the  absence  of  any  artificial  enhance- 
ment of  his  standard  of  living  (for  instance, 
meat,  boots,  and  bicycles  for  Kaffir  boys) 
are  also  necessary  factors.  The  length  of 
time  worked  underground  and  the  number 
and  duration  of  rests  during  the  shift  also 
affect  the  efficiency  on  a  given  output. 

Of  the  above  factors  only  those  dealing 
with  adequate  ventilation  can  be  measured 
with  the  kata-thermometer.  The  remaining 
factors  at  first  appear  hopelessly  numerous 
and  diverse,  but  their  sum  total  effect  can 
be  estimated   by  means    of    measuring    the 


354 


Till'     MIMNC.     MAGAZINE 


niccli.inical  efficiency  of  the  man  and  liis 
degree  of  liability  to  fatigue.  l'\itigue  is 
here  used  in  tlie  nudical  sense  to  mean  that 
condition  of  the  body  which  results  from  too 
heavy  a  demand  for  physical  work  havins; 
been" made  on  it,  that  is  a  load  wb.ich  lias 
caused  an  additional  consum])lion  of  actual 
nitrogenous  musc\ilar  tissue  as  distinct  from 
a  mere   oxidation   of    the    stored    fat    an<l 


tinuously.  If  rest,  sulTuient  lo  allnw  for 
the  restorati<jn  of  tlie  purilN'  of  the  blood, 
is  not  allowed,  j^eneral  fatigue  results,  which 
affects  the  whole  body  and  may  even  cause 
death.  ]")r.  Orenstein  says  the  chief  results 
of  over-fatigue  "  are  lassitude,  loss  of  mental 
alertness,  craving  for  stimulants,  decreased 
resistance  to  disease,  increaseil  liability  to 
chill,    nervous    irritability,    discontent,    and 


Fig.  10 Ergometer  for  Muscular  Fatigue 


Fig.  11. — Ergographs. 


carbohydrate  (glycogen).  Nervous  fatigue, 
the  saturation  of  the  blood  with  CO.^,  and 
the  production  of  lactic  acid  and  other 
deleterious  substances  in  the  blood  from  only 
partially  oxidized  tissues  are  other  physical 
accompaniments  of  fatigue.  When  fatigue 
has  commenced  a  man  is  positivel}?  unable 
to  work  at  his  proper  efficiency,  and  his 
expenditure  of  physical  and  nervous  energy 
on  a  given  amount  of  work  increases  con- 


lowering  of  efficiency   in 


the 


an   enormous 
performance  of  work." 

Hence  the  determination  of  the  conditions 
causing  fatigue  must  go  hand-in-hand  with 
determinations  of  mechanical  efficiency,  and 
are  particularly  important  in  determining 
the  fitness  of  a  man  for  special  exertion, 
as  in  mine-rescue  work  or  hand-drilling. 

An  absence  of  protein  in  the  diet  is  one 
cause    of    fatigue.      Protein    was    for    long 


DECEMBER,    1921 


355 


regarded  chiefly  as  a  fuel  for  the  muscles,  and 
100  grammes  (3J  oz.)  per  day  was  laid  down 
as  the  minimum  necessary.     Its  function  is 
reall}'  to  replace  worn  muscular  tissue.     It 
has   been   shown    (Cathcart,    1912,    p.    109) 
that  so  long  as  the  task  does  not  result  in 
excessive  fatigue   (overload)   no  increase  of 
nitrogen    content    can    be    detected    in    the 
urine  as  due  to  such  work,  altho\igh  it  has 
often  been  stated  that  the  nitrogen  content 
of  the  urine  is  proportional  to  the  amount 
of    work    done.      Hindhede    (1913),    of    the 
Nutrition  Institute  of  Copenhagen,   canied 
out   observations   on    a   man    (11    stone   in 
weight)  who  worked  as  a  mason  and  labourer 
for  95  days  on  a  diet  containing  only  IJ  oz. 
of  protein  equivalent   to  only   170  calories 
out  of  a  total  of  5,000  calories,  the  energy 
value  of  his  daily  diet.    Its  "  specific  dynamic 
energy "    certainly   makes   a   larger     ration 
desirable,  but  such  a  ration  does  not  prevent 
an  increase  of  the  nitrogen  content  of  the 
urine  being  used  as  an  index  of  overload 
on  the  human  machine,  nor  make  the  nitrogen 
content  proportional  to  the  total  work  done. 
The    most    direct    method    (Fig.    10)    of 
determining   muscular   fatigue   (see   Mosso's 
book  on  Fatigue)  is  by  the  use  of  ergographs 
or  charts  showing  the  time  taken  to  com- 
pletely  fatigue  a  given  set  of  muscles  by 
repeatedly     contracting     them,     and     also 
showing  the  relative  force  of  the  contraction 
for  a  given  amount  of  energy  in  each  con- 
traction.    In  Fig.   11,  it  is  seen  that  fifty- 
two    contractions    were    performed    before 
the  muscles  were  completely  fatigued.    Two 
hours  were  required  for  complete  recovery. 
If  only  half  the  number  of  contractions  had 
been    performed    the    muscles    would    have 
required  but  one-quarter  the  time  to  recover  ; 
moreover,    the   amount   of  work  performed 
would  have  been  not  half,  but  appro.ximately 
two-thirds  of  the  whole  (see  Dr.  Orenstein's 
paper).     The  application  of  such  results  to 
manual   labour   problems   is   obvious.     The 
acceleration  of  fatigue  by  rise  of  temperature 
can  also  be  tested  in  this  manner,  but  such 
results  give  local  not  general  fatigue,  and  do 
not    indicate     the    degree     of    mechanical 
efficiency. 

.  From  what  has  been  said  earlier  in  this 
article,  it  might  be  expected  that  increased 
consumption  of  protein  would  also  be 
indicated  by  a  fall  in  the  R.O.,  and  that 
this  fall  would  afford  an  index  of  fatigue, 
but  this  is  masked  in  practice  by  a  quite 
large  drop  in  the  COo  content  of  the  expired 
air,    due    to    the    lung    ventilation    being 


incapable  of  supplying  the  increased  demand 
of  the  over-loaded  human  machine  for 
o.xj'gen.  and  also  due  to  the  dilution  of  the 
expired  air  by  hard  panting.  On  normal 
heavy  loads  oxygen-want  causes  quick 
and  rather  shallow  breathing,  owing  to  the 
effort  to  get  an  increased  volume  of  air  into 
the  lungs.  Similarly  on  overloads  in  normal 
air  oxygen-want  causes  the  same  effect. 
A  high  atmospheric  content  of  CO.^  on  normal 
loads,  be  it  noted,  causes  deep,  slow 
breathing,  due  to  the  effort  to  obtain  greater 
pulmonary  ventilation. 

It  is  for  these  reasons  that  plotting  the 
percentage  of  CO2  in  the  exhaled  air  against 
load  gives  such  useful  results  when  the 
ergometer  is  being  used  in  conjunction  with 
determinations  of  the  Respiratory  Quotient 
for  estimating  the  mechanical  output  and 
efficiency  of  an  individual. 

The  percentage  of  COo  in  exhaled  air 
increases  with  the  load  from  about  4% 
up  to  about  7%  on  full  load  ;  if  the  load 
be  increased  further  the  percentage  of 
CO2  falls  for  the  reasons  already  mentioned. 
Hence,  on  plotting  the  results  obtained  for 
a  given  individual  a  dome-shaped  curve  is 
obtained.  (See  Fig.  12,  next  page.)  The  rate 
of  doing  work  indicated  at  the  crest  of  this 
curve  makes  the  change  from  load  to  overload 
and  the  commencement  of  fatigue  ;  that  is, 
the  man  can  sustain  loads  up  to  the  crest 
load  for  some  considerable  time,  as  his 
o.xygen  input  is  adequate  to  deal  with  such 
rates  of  work,  but  he  can  only  bear  loads 
slightly  above  the  crest  value  for  a  short 
period.  (Second  Mining  Rescue  Apparatus 
Report,  p.  55.) 

The  most  remarkable  thing  about  such 
curves  is  the  striking  way  in  which  they 
show  not  only  the  strength  and  the  stamina 
(power  of  supporting  sustained  physical 
effort)  of  a  man,  but  also  his  degree  of  fitness 
(physical  training  for  heavy  work).  This 
latter  is  arrived  at  by  testing  the  man  with 
both  ordinary  and  oxygen-enriched  air. 
Wlien  ordinary  air  is  breathed  during  exertion 
the  man  in  good  physical  training  exhales 
a  higher  percentage  of  CO.,  and  a  lower  per- 
centage of  oxygen,  and  also  breathes  less  air 
for  a  given  consumption  of  oxygen  or  out- 
put of  work  than  does  the  man  in  bad 
training.  The  fit  man  not  only  works  at  a 
higher  food  efficiency,  but,  on  a  given  load 
more  completely  utilizes  the  air  he  breathes. 
But  when  he  is  tested  with  enriched  air  he 
shows  but  little  increase  in  the  CO,  content 
of   his    flue-gases.      In    fact,    enriching    the 


356 


Till'.     MININT.     MAC.AZINI': 


oxygen     above     60°'o     seldom     gives     an\- 
advantage  at  all  with  a  fit  man. 

A  man  who  is  in  bad  training,  on  the  other 
hand,  immcdiatclj'  responds  on  load  to 
enrichment  of  the  air  supply,  and  on  pure 
oxygen  almost  catches  up  the  trained  man, 
so  far  as  his  thermal  efficiency  is  indicated 
by  the  percentage  of  CO.,  expired.  The 
crest  load  of  a  man  on  ordinary  heavy  work 
(1,800  ft. -lb.  in  Subject  I  and  6,100  in 
Subject  II,  Mg.  12)  is  sometimes  expressed 
as  a  percentage  of  10,000  ft. -lb.,  an  arbitrarily 
chosen  crest  load,  and  called  his  percentage 
fitness.  This  is  a  purely  relative  figure.  A 
more  useful  method  of  expressing  the  fitness 
of  a  subject  is  to  divide  the  crest  ordinate  of 
the  air-curve  by  that  of  the  oxygen  curve, 
3"75°(,  CO.j  being  chosen  as  the  datum  level 

SUBJECT  1  . 

8 


dfU'iiniiKitions  witli  tlie  cycle  ergometer 
i)V  Professor  Henry  Hriggs  give  a  figure  of 
about  23^0  crest  efficiency  for  average 
citizens,  and  'M%  for  fit,  trained,  manual 
workers  ;  37%  is  his  highest  recorded  figure. 
The  average  of  Professor  Langelois' 
determinations  in  France  is  about  33%, 
while  Benedict  and  Cathcart  got  about  33% 
quite  independently  in  America.  This  is 
a  high  figure  compared  with  a  steam  engine 
at  Vl%.  but  the  human  machine  cannot 
maintain  crest  loads  for  21  hours  a  day. 
The  steam-engine,  on  the  otluT  hand,  requires 
no  sleep. 

Professor  Waller  and  Miss  (i.  de  Decker 
have  gone  somewhat  fmther  (sec 
Bibliography),  and  have  investigated  tlie 
physi(3logical     cost     of     iiiuseular    woik    in 

SUBJECT  H. 


-J 

I' 

I. 

I 

to 
tc  , 
<^:  • 
o 

v~ 

^j 
(C 
kj 
!». 


/ 

"~  -^ 

/ 

^ir 

-^ 

^ 

/ 

~ 

■\  ~~~~  -. 

4 

4/ 

4 

V 

0  3000  6000  9000 

FOOT-  POUNDS  PEP  MINUTE 

Fi.;.  Vl.~ 


0  3000  6000  3000  12000 

FOOT-  POUNDS   PER  MINUTE 
-Ergometer   Curves 


from  which  to  measure.  By  this  method 
the  fitness  of  Subjects  I  and  fl  are  46°, {,  and 
100%  (a  sedentary  person  and  a  special!}' 
selected  instructor  in  physical  drill  re- 
spectively) instead  of  50°,j  and  70%  by  the 
arbitrary  method.  By  the  former  method 
the  fitness  of  a  healthy  working  miner  is 
generally  about  75%  (Briggs).  This  method 
of  measuring  fitness  by  physiological  response 
to  o.xygen  during  muscular  exertion  really 
tests  the  fitness  of  the  lungs  alone.  Where 
these  are  fit  the  rest  of  the  body  is  generally 
fit,  but  apart  from  this  the  test  is  particularly 
valuable  in  mine-rescue  work  and  in 
determining  the  fitness  of  a  man  for  work  in 
high  altitudes  or  at  great  depths. 

With  regard  to  the  thermal  efficiencj'  of  the 
human    machine,    as   distinct    from    fitness. 


various  different  industries,  and  the  calories 
consumed  per  square  metre  of  body  surface 
per  hour  on  both  piece  work  and  time 
work. 

Determinations  on  the  cycle  ergometer, 
combined  with  observations  of  the  R.(}., 
may  thus  be  most  useful  in  mining  work 
for  testing  not  only  the  strength  of  a  man 
but  also  his  capacity  for  heavy  exertion  and 
the  amount  by  which  his  output  can  be 
increased  by  training.  The  value  of  such 
tests  for  men  in  the  Army  has  been  recognized 
in  France,  where  tests  are  made  on  the 
capacity  of  men  to  march  at  varying  speeds 
with  different  weights  of  equipment  in 
flat  and  hilly  country.  A  travelling  escalator 
belt,  whose  inclination  and  speed  can  be 
varied,  is  used   so  that  the  man  marching 


DECEMBER,    1921 


357 


remains   at   a   constant   distance   from   the 
C0.>  recorder  (Professor  Langelois). 

In  mining,  working  efficiency  tests,  as 
mentioned,  already  find  a  use  in  testing  men 
for  mine-rescue  work  and  for  work  at  liigh 
altitudes.  The  greatest  practical  use  for 
such  tests  seems  to  be  on  the  one  hand 
for  determining  the  effects  of  diet,  training, 
depth,  temperature,  and  adequate  ventilation 
on  the  working  efficiency  and  stamina  of 
selected  men,  particularly  with  a  view  to 
employment  in  hot  and  deep  mines,  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  such  tests  should  be 
useful  in  testing  the  efficiency  and  fitness 
for  mining  work  of  freshly  recruited  white 
labour  and  of  natives  from  new  areas.  The 
old  method  of  trial  by  death  rate  on  large 
batches  of  native  labour  recruited  from 
new  areas  is,  at  times,  troublesome  and 
expensive. 

A  study  of  the  amount  of  effort  expended 
is  the  first  step  after  hygienic  conditions 
have  been  obtained,  then  the  optimum  effort 
and  the  rests  and  amount  of  work  per  shift. 
After  that  comes  the  basic  economic  question: 
does  the  human  machine  pay  better  than 
electricity  or  compressed  air  under  the 
given  circumstances  ? 

One  of  the  simplest  cases  in  which  it  does 
not  as  a  rule  pay  is  that  in  which  the  human 
machine  is  used  instead  of  mechanical 
haulage  for  taking  men  to  and  from  their 
work  in  deep  mines.  It  is  for  the  mining 
engineer  to  decide  this. 

In  the  words  of  one  of  our  greatest  pioneers 
in  this  new  branch  of  mine  engineering,  the 
effect  of  physical  conditions  on  human  work- 
ing efficiency:  "It  is  felt  that  both  the 
apparatus  and  the  theories  have  reached  a 
stage  of  development  in  which  they  can 
be  presented  to  the  mining  world  for 
verification  and  modification." 

Bibliography. 
Herewith  is  a  list  of  books  and  papers 
that    may    be    consulted    in    studying    this 
subject.    Papers  particularly  useful  to  mining 
men  are  marked  with  an  asterisk. 

The  Human  Machine. 

*The    Human    Machine.        By    Professor    Henry 

Briggs,    A.R.S.M.      The    Mining    Institute    of 

Scotland,    February    5,    1921.       Reprinted    in 

the  Colliery  Guardian  for  February   U,    I9.;i, 

p.  413.     Discussion,  October  14,  1921,  p.  1,072. 

*The  Respiratory  Exchange  of  Animals  and  Man. 

By  A.  Krogh.    Longmans,  7s.  6d. 

The     Physiology     of     Protein     Metabolism.       By 

E.  P.  Cathcart.    Longmans,  7s.  6d. 
Oxidations  and  Reductions  in  the   Animal   Body. 
By  D.  D.  Dakin.     Longmans,  7s.  6d. 


Principles  of  General  Physiology.  By  W.  M. 
Bayliss.     Longmans,  3f)s. 

Reports     of     Industrial     Research     Board.       By 
'Professor  Waller.     For  the  latest  of  these  see 
the  British  Medical  Journal  for  May  7,   1921, 
p.   669. 

"  The  Oxidases  and  other  Oxygen  Catylists  con- 
cerned in  Biochemical  Oxidations  "  By  J.  H. 
Kastle.  Bulletin  59,  Hygienic  Laboratory, 
Public  Health  and  Marine  Hospital  Service  of 
U.S.A. 

Physiological  Economy  in  Nutrition.    By  Russel  H. 
Chittenden,   1905.      Heinemaun. 
*The  Physiology  of  Industrial  Organization.     Pro- 
fessor  Jules   Amar.      The  Library  Press,   30s. 
Ki^viewedm  Engineering,  January  3,  1919,  p.  21. 

Effects  of  Oxygen  Deficiency  on  Small  Animals 
and  Men.  Technical  paper  No.  122.  Bureau 
of  Mines,  Department  of  "interior,  U.S.A.,  1915. 

The  Ergoincter. 

*Second    report    of    the    Mine    Rescue    Apparatus 

Committee,  1920.      H.M.  Stationery  Office,  2s. 

*.\  Contribution  to  the  Study  of  Mine  Atmospheric 

Conditions   on   Fatigue.      By   A.    J.   Orenstein 

and    H.    J.    Ireland.       Journal    of   the    South 

African    Institution    of    Engineers.      Vol.    xix, 

March,    1921,   p.    126,   and   Vol.    xx,   October, 

1921,  p.  44. 

Mine  Rescue  Work.     By  H.  F.  Bulman.      Crosby 

Lockwood.     1 2s.  6d. 
Testing  the  Human  Machine.     Scientific  American, 
September,  1921,  vol.  125,  p.  187. 

Ventilation. 
*  Reports    of    the    Committee    on    the    Control    of 
Atmospheric    Conditions    in    Hot     and     Deep 
Mines.      First  report,   Inst.   Min.    Eng.,   April, 

1920,  p.    231.       Second    report,    June,    1920, 
p.  323.     Third  report,  June,  1921. 

Metal    Mines    Ventilation.     Engineering,    August, 

1920. 
Ventilation  in  Metal  Mines.      By  D.   Harrington. 
Engineering    and    Mining    Journal,    April    30, 

1921,  p.  735. 

The  Cooling  Effect  of  Ventilating  Current.  By 
C.  Hezger.  Colliery  Guardian,  July  22,  1921, 
p.  235. 
*Ventilation  in  Metal  Mines.  By  D.  Harrington, 
Bureau  of  Mines,  Department  of  Interior, 
U.S.A.     Technical  Paper,  No.  251,  1921. 

The   Kata-Thermnmeter. 

*The  Kata-Thermometer  and  its  Practical  Uses 
in  Mining.  By  H.  J.  Ireland.  Journal 
of  the  Chemical,  Metallurgical,  and  Mining 
Society  of  South  Africa.  Vol.  xxi,  November, 
1920,  p.  84. 

*The  Science  of  Ventilation.  By  the  Medical 
Research  Committee  (Dr.  L.  Hill).  H.M. 
Stationery  Office.  Vol.  i,  1919,  10s.  ;  vol.  ii, 
1920  (Theory),  6s. 

♦Report  on  Ventilation  and  the  Effect  of  Open  Air 
and  Wind  on  the  Respiratory  Metabolism. 
Local  Government  Board,  1914.  H.M. 
Stationery  Office,  9d. 
Dr.  Leonard  Hill's  paper  in  the  Phil.  Trans. 
Roy.al  Society.  Series  B,  vol.  ccvii,  pp.  183- 
221,  or  separately  as  B.  339,  price  3s.  See 
also  "  The  Effect  of  Velocity  on  Cooling 
Effect,"  pp.  198-203,  and  "  Heat  Loss  at 
Body  Temperature  by  Convection,  Radiation, 
and   Evaporation." 


358 


nil.     MINIM,     MAt.AZJM'; 


The    Kata  Thermometer.      Mining   and   Scientific 

Press.     September  17,  1921,  p.  387. 

♦Scheme  for  workiny  the  City  Deep  Mine  at  a  depth 

ot    7.01)0  ft.      Hy    v..    II.  Clillord.      Institution 

of   Mining     ami    Metallurgy.       Bulletin     197. 

February,     1921  ;     Discussion,    Bulletin     198, 

March.  1921. 

The   Comfort  Meter  Leaflet.     Given  by  James  j. 

Hicks   of   8.  Hatton   Garden,    Ji.C,   with   the 

Kata-Thermonieter,  when  purchased. 

In    the    foregoing    works    various    useful 

references  to  the  Journal  of  Physiology,  the 

American      Journal      of     Physiology^     tlie 

Proceedings  of  the  Physiological  Society,  the: 

Proceedings  of  the  Institute  of  Hj'gicnc,  and 

the  Year  Book  of  the  Carnegie  Institute,  will 

be    found.      A    short    bibliograjihy    of    the 

subject  is  given  by  Dr.  Leonard  Hill  in  the 

Philosophical    Transactions    of     tlie    Koyal 

Societj'  already  quoted. 

-Vniong  the  chief  actual  workers  on  this 
subject  are  Dr.  Leonard  Hill,  F.R.S.,  of 
the  Medical  Research  Council,  Pro- 
fessor   Henry    Briggs,    D.Sc,    A.R.S.M.,    of 


JCdinburgh,  Dr.  J.  S.  Haldane,  F.R.S.,  ol 
O.xford,  Sir  John  Cadnuui,  of  liirininghani 
University,  Professor  IC.  P.  Cathcart,  D.Sc, 
of  Glasgow,  Professor  Waller,  of  the 
University  of  London  (The  Industrial 
Research  Board),  Professor  Martin,  of  the 
Lister  Institute,  and  Professor  Macdonald, 
late  of  SlulVu'ld,  now  Professor  of  Physiology 
at  Liverpool.  In  America  Professor  V.  G. 
P>t'nediet  and  Dr.  W.  Atwatcr  have  done 
much  laboratory  work  on  this  .subject  at 
the  Carnegie  Institute,  Boston,  for  various 
United  States  Government  Departments. 

The  pioneer  workers  on  the  apjilication  of 
this  work  to  metal  mines  are  Dr.  A.  J. 
Orenstein,  C.M.G.,  M.D.,  etc.,  and  Mr.  H.  J. 
Ireland,  M.B.E.,  B.Sc,  of  the  Transvaal 
Chamber  of  Mines. 

New  papers  by  any  of  the  above  authors 
on  the  subject  of  Ventilation  and  Efliciency 
can  be  relied  on  to  be  of  interest  to  mining 
engineers. 


BOOK    REVIEWS 

Concentration  by  Flotation.  Compiled 
and  edited  by  T.  A.  RicK AKD.  Cloth,  octavo, 
690  pages,  illustrated.  Price  42s.  net. 
New  York  :  John  Wiley  cS:  Sons  ;  London  : 
Chapman  &  Hall,  Ltd. 
Just  as  there  have  been  continual  legal  and 
commercial  disputes  about  flotation,  so  have 
there  been  plenty  of  antagonistic  views 
among  writers  in  the  Press  and  among  com- 
pilers of  books,  when  deahng  with  this 
subject.  Most  of  the  literature  so  far  made 
accessible  to  the  public  has  come  from  the 
United  States  or  from  American  authors, 
and  the  views  expressed  and  the  information 
given  by  these  writers  are  almost  always 
unfavourable  to  the  status  of  Minerals 
Separation,  Ltd.  This  company  has  secured 
the  validity  of  its  patents  in  all  the  courts  of 
the  world,  after  very  lengthy  arguments,  so 
that  ex  parte  statements  in  the  Press  and  in 
books  with  regard  to  the  history  of  the 
invention  no  longer  really  serve  a  good 
purpose.  On  the  other  hand,  the  fact  that 
Minerals  Separation  exercises  its  monopoly 
to  the  fullest  extent  allowable  by  law, 
naturally  raises  considerable  opposition  and 
ill-feeling  among  its  past  and  present 
enemies,  so  that  post-patent  agitation  arises 
urging  that  the  possession  of  such  a  monopoly 
is  contrary  to  public  policy.  It  is  also 
questioned  whether  the  ownership  of  patents 
by    a   corporation   which    means    to   derive 


its  benefits  entirely  from  licences  was  con- 
templated when  the  original  patent  laws 
were  drawn  up.  Thus  the  opponents  of 
Minerals  Separation  would  wish  to  put  the 
company  in  the  position  of  Shylock,  who  is 
first  told  that  the  "  law  allows  it  and  the 
court  awards  it,"  and  afterwards  is  informed 
that  if  he,  an  alien,  attempts  to  collect  his 
dues,  he  will  be  outlawed  for  conspiring 
against  the  worthy  citizens  of  a  great  State. 
No  doubt  in  many  quarters  there  is  an  out- 
cry against  the  business  and  legal  methods 
of  Minerals  Separation ;  but  after  all  the 
law  is  on  its  side,  and  that  not  through  any 
accidental  circumstance. 

We  have  said  that  most  of  the  literature 
on  flotation  comes  from  the  opposite  camp. 
Much  of  it  is  published  with  the  intention  of 
belittling  the  claims  of  the  patentees  to 
greatness  ;  some  is  published  to  give  helpful 
information  as  regards  both  practice  and 
theory ;  and  some  is  obviously  intended 
to  draw  discussion  and  obtain  records  of 
experience  from  other  investigators.  It  is 
a  pity,  of  course,  that  Minerals  Separation 
does  not  allow  its  engineers,  chemists,  and 
physicists  to  write  articles  for  the  Press 
and  to  publish  records  of  experiments  and 
authentic  accounts  of  the  origin  of  the  various 
improvements  in  the  process,  for  thus  many 
lacun;e  would  be  filled  and  there  would  be 
a  variation  in  tne  atmospheric  effects. 
Iving  John  and  Louis  XI  suffered  in  the 
estimation  of  posterity  because  they  allowed 


DECEMBER,    1921 


359 


their  enemies  to  write  the  history  of  their 
times  without  protest  or  counterblast  ; 
in  the  same  way  Minerals  Separation  takes 
no  steps  to  tell  the  true  and  full  inside  story 
of  the  development  of  flotation. 

Thus  it  comes  about  that  we  have  a  book 
on  flotation,  edited  and  compiled  by 
Mr.  Rickard,  which  is  like  the  play  of  Hamlet 
without  the  Prince  of  Denmark  as  one  of 
the  characters.  There  is  a  vast  amount  of 
history,  theory,  and  practice  in  its  pages, 
but  being  written  without  the  aid  of  the  chief 
inventors  and  investigators  there  are  many 
places  where  the  information  is  incomplete 
and  even  inaccurate.  Moreover,  the 
arguments  and  the  interpretation  of  the 
history  are  admittedly  and  obviously  hostile 
to  Minerals  Separation  and  its  technical  staff. 
If  the  reader  bears  the  foregoing  remarks 
in  mind  he  will  find  much  useful  aid  and  help 
in  the  pages  of  the  book.  It  must  also  be 
mentioned  that  as  the  book  consists  of  a 
reprint  of  a  great  variety  of  articles  by  many 
authors  published  in  the  Mining  and 
Scientific  Press  during  the  years  1915  to 
1920,  the  quality  of  the  reading  matter  is 
variable,  and  separate  sections  are 
occasionally  contradictory,  no  attempt 
having  been  made  to  co-ordinate  or 
reassemble  the  subject  matter  of  the  articles. 
In  all  forty  articles  have  been  reprinted 
in  this  book.  Of  these  eight  are  contributed 
by  Mr.  Rickard,  while  other  weU-known 
names  in  the  list  of  contributors  are  Ralston, 
Glenn  Allen,  Clennell.  Hebbard,  Shellshear, 
Henderson,  Evan  Simpson,  and  Coghill. 
Mr.  Rickard  writes  on  the  history  of  flotation, 
the  principles  of  flotation,  and  flotation 
litigation.  He  also  contributes  descriptions 
of  practice  at  Utah  Copper  and  of  the 
smelting  of  flotation  concentrates  at  Garfield. 
There  are  articles  on  testing  ore  for  flotation, 
the  disposal  of  flotation  residues,  the  flotation 
of  oxidized  ores,  the  Bradford  process,  the 
Horwood  process,  the  flotation  of  silver  ores, 
the  cyanide  treatment  of  flotation  concen- 
trates, and  several  others  of  similar  practical 
character.  The  remaining  papers  deal  with 
the  theory,  and  this  section  of  the  book  is 
the  weakest. 

To  proceed  now  to  a  few  details  that 
deserve  criticism.  In  the  first  place  the 
glossary  at  the  beginning  of  the  book  is 
quite  unworthy  of  the  subject,  and  the  reader 
is  apt  to  wonder  whether  the  errors  are  due  to 
ignorance  or  to  blunders  on  the  part  of  the 
stenographer  and  the  typist.  It  is  surely 
not  necessary  to  define  such  words  as  buoy, 

6—5 


skin,  scum,  agitation,  emulsion,  molecule, 
grease,  froth,  pulp,  metallic,  gangue,  bubble, 
fat,  and  film.  With  regard  to  "  skin,"  this 
word  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  "  scinn,"  ice.  The  word  "  ice  " 
has  been  copied  from  an  etymological 
dictionary,  and  should  be  "  Ice.,"  which  is 
a  contraction  for  "  Icelandic,"  and 
evidently  refers  to  the  remainder  of  the 
quotation  from  the  dictionary,  which  has 
been  lost  during  its  transmission  to  the 
glossary.  The  definition  of  oleic  acid  given 
in  the  glossary  says  that  it  is  the  "  fatty  acid 
contained  in  olive  oil  combined  with 
cresoline."  Presumably  "  cresoline  "  should 
read  "  glycerine,"  but  even  so  olive  oil  is 
not  combined  with  glycerine.  Then,  again, 
the  word  "  flotation  "  is  said  to  be  derived 
from  the  French  "  flottaison,"  the  meaning 
of  which  is  given  as  "  water-line."  This  is 
not  the  meaning  of  the  French  word.  Any- 
way the  English  word  was  not  derived  from 
the  French,  but  was  invented  at  home. 

When  we  get  to  the  definitions  of  the  more 
technical  words  such  as  colloid,  adsorb, 
surface-tension,  and  gel,  all  we  need  say 
is  that  most  physicists  will  not  agree  to  the 
wording. 

In  Mr.  Rickard's  history  of  flotation  we 
miss  any  reference  to  Jason's  expedition  to 
capture  the  Golden  Fleece,  which  is  generally 
held  to  indicate  the  accumulation  of  gold 
particles  on  sheep-skins  placed  in  the 
auriferous  rivers  of  Asia  Minor  during 
flood-time.  Then,  again,  it  is  impossible 
to  accept  the  statement  that  it  is  due  to  the 
"  patient  empiricism  of  Hoover,  Callow, 
and  other  technicians  "  that  flotation  was 
developed  as  a  workable  process,  for,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  Mr.  T.  J.  Hoover  was  engaged 
by  Minerals  Separation  some  time  after  the 
process  had  been  proved  to  be  a  success, 
while  Mr.  Callow  only  appeared  on  the  scene 
in  1913.  If  the  expression  "  and  other 
technicians  "  had  been  expanded,  and  the 
names  of,  say,  Mouldcn,  Hebbard,  Chapman, 
Bradford,  Horwood,  Broadbridge,  and  Shell- 
shear  had  been  added  in  front  of  Hoover  and 
Callow,  the  real  case  would  have  been 
presented.  Another  statement  in  this  section 
of  the  book  to  which  exception  may  be  taken 
relates  to  the  origin  of  the  slide  machine 
used  in  testing.  Mr.  Rickard  says  that  this 
"  machine  was  designed  by  Hoover  and 
perfected  by  many  others."  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  machine  was  designed  by 
Mr.  Sulman,  and  the  first  was  made  by 
Mr.    Picard    before    Mr.    Hoover    had    any 


3ti0 


Tin:     MLMXC,     .MAC.AZINE 


connexion  with  flotation.  Tliis  original 
machine  was  exhibited  in  e\'idencc  during 
the  htigation  in  the  Uniteil  States. 

As  has  already  been  said,  the  sections  of 
the  book  devoted  to  the  theory  and  physics 
of  flotation  arc  the  weakest.  Here  we  miss 
any  article  by  Dr.  Wilder  D.  Bancroft,  who 
knows  more  about  the  subject  than  anyone 
else  in  the  United  States.  There  are  brief 
references  to  i:)r.  Bancroft's  evidence  against 
Minerals  Separation  in  the  American 
litigation,  but  a  summary  of  his  evidence, 
or,  better,  a  special  article  by  him,  would 
have  added  greatly  to  the  value  of  the  book. 

The  theory  of  flotation  demands  an 
extensive  acquaintance  with  the  most 
intricate  problems  in  physics  and  chemistry, 
and  as  the  articles  on  flotation  in  the  volume 
under  review  have  not  been  written  by 
trained  physicists,  a  high  standard  of 
accuracy  could  hardly  be  anticipated.  I"or 
the  most  part  the}'  have  been  written  by 
authors  who  are  groping  after  an  elementary 
knowledge  of  the  scientific  aspect  of  the 
question.  Perhaps  the  best  paper  is  that  on 
"  Molecular  Forces  and  Flotation,"  b}' 
Coghill,  but  much  of  this  article  is  devoted  to 
exposing  fallacious  statements  which  could 
scarcely  be  entertained  by  anyone  con- 
versant with  the  fundamental  laws  of  physics. 
It  is  noticeable  that  Coghill  gives  a  fairly 
accurate  account  of  the  mechanism  involved 
in  the  flotation  of  solids  denser  than  water 
at  the  surface  of  water  ;  his  explanation 
serves  to  show  that  these  particles  do  not 
float  by  adsorption. 

Anderson's  paper  contains  a  number  of 
mis-statements,  a  few  of  which  may  be 
mentioned.  On  page  286  it  is  stated  that 
"  a  bubble  of  air  is  spherical  in  shape,  and 
this  shape  can  only  be  maintained  if 
the  external  pressure  exceeds  the  internal 
pressure."  The  reverse  is  the  fact ;  of  course, 
the  internal  pressure  must  exceed  the  external. 
On  page  278  it  is  stated  that  "  all  acids  will 
lower  the  surface-tension  of  water."  Rontgen 
and  Schneider  have  found  that  as  the  con- 
centration of  sulphuric  acid  in  water  increases 
the  surface-tension  rises,  until  the  liquid 
contains  about  48%  of  acid,  and  then 
decreases  as  the  concentration  of  the  acid 
increases.  A  70%  solution  of  sulphuric  acid 
in  water  has  a  surface-tension  almost 
identical  with  that  of  pure  water.  This 
statement  is  not  a  mere  slip,  as  the  action 
of  acid  is  likened  to  that  of  oil  on  page  279. 

Hardy  Smith's  paper  contains  many  wild 
and  misleading  statements.     The   statement 


(page  2G9)  that  "  the  surface  of  the  liquid 
in  contact  with  the  particle  nnist  be  con- 
siilered  as  tending  to  have  surface-tension, 
although  the  tendency  is  opposed  by  the 
adhesion  "  is  really  quite  incomprehensible, 
although  Hoover's  book  on  Concentrating 
Ore  by  Flotation  is  quoted  in  support.  The 
statement  (page  271)  that  contaminating 
agents  are  added  so  as  to  comiteract  the 
difference  in  vapour  pressures  of  large  and 
small  bubbles  in  order  to  prevent  them  from 
coalescing,  has  also  no  foundation  in  fact ; 
a  contaminating  agent  will  reduce  surface- 
tension  of  a  bubble  and  so  slightly  reduce  the 
pressure  of  the  gas  contained  therein,  but 
its  effect  on  vapour  pressure  is  negligible.  The 
statement  that  the  siu'facc-tension  becomes 
zero  at  the  boiling  point  (I'age  273)  is,  of 
course,  quite  inaccurate,  and  is  contradicted 
by  Coghill  on  page  302.  On  page  275  we 
find  the  statement  :  "As  soon  as  a  bubble 
has  expanded  to  an  appreciable  size,  the 
vapour  pressure  of  the  liquid  is  in  excess  of 
that  necessary  to  balance  the  surface- 
tension,  and  the  bubble  expands  so  rapidly 
that  it  literally  explodes."  No  such  explosion 
occurs,  and  the  vapour  pressure  of  the  li<]uid 
has  nothing  to  do  with  the  stability  of  a 
bubble.  On  page  274  diagrams  are  given 
showing  mineral  particles  enclosed  in  bubbles 
just  as  they  might  be  in  glass  bulbs; 
elementary  observation  shows  that  such 
conditions  never  occur. 

Mr.  Rickard's  article  on  the  Principles  of 
Flotation  contains  several  very  questionable 
statements.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the 
surface  layer  of  a  liquid,  instead  of  being 
denser  than  the  rest  of  the  liquid,  as  stated 
on  page  57,  is  really  less  dense.  The  state- 
ment (page  61)  that,  when  an  alcohol  is 
added  to  water,  the  change  of  viscosity 
enables  a  froth  to  be  formed,  cannot  be 
supported.  The  stability  of  an  armoured 
bubble  (page  63)  is  not  due  to  viscosity. 
This  can  be  understood  best  by  a  simple 
analogy.  It  would  be  impossible  to  build 
a  bridge  using  only  liquid  cement,  but,  by 
the  aid  of  stones,  the  building  of  the  bridge 
is  rendered  easy.  The  statement,  page  73  : 
"  Any  substance  that  will  lower  the  surface- 
tension  of  water  and  be  adsorbed  by  mineral 
particles  would  appear  to  promote  flotation  " 
is  not  correct ;  some  substances,  such  as 
tannic  acid,  do  both,  with  the  result  that 
flotation  is  rendered  impossible.  It  is  stated 
on  page  75  that  "  the  needle  that  floats  on 
tap-water  will  sink  in  distilled  water; 
although    contaminants    have    lowered    the 


DFXEMBER,    1921 


361 


surface-tension  of  tap-water,  it  has  more 
sustaining  power  on  account  of  its  aeration." 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  a  needle  will  float  on 
distilled  water,  if  this  is  not  contaminated 
by  grease,  as  often  is  the  case,  and  the  surface- 
tension  of  tap-water  is  not  lower  than  that 
of  distilled  water ;  finally,  the  sustaining 
power  derived  from  aeration  is  a  myth.  On 
page  77  is  found  the  statement  :  "No 
longer  is  the  mineral  supposed  to  be  buoyed 
by  the  bubbles,  as  if  tied  to  a  cork,  but  the 
minute  particles  of  mineral  are  believed  to 
be  drawn  into  the  bubble  film."  This  state- 
ment is  in  direct  contradiction  with  the 
explanation  given  by  Coghill ;  it  also  involves 
a  still  more  fundamental  fallacy.  In  a  foot- 
note on  page  76  it  is  stated  that  the  layer  of 
liquid  subject  to  surface-tension  has  a  thick- 
ness less  than  the  radius  of  molecular  action, 
and  the  "  bubble  film "  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Rickard  obviously  refers  to  the  layer 
subject  to  surface-tension.  Various  estimates 
of  the  radius  of  molecular  action  have  been 


given,  and  these  vary  between  10^"  cm.  and 
10""  cm.  According  to  Langmuir's  recent 
theory  the  layer  responsible  for  surface- 
tension  is  only  one  molecule  thick.  Taking, 
however,  the  largest  estimate  of  the  thickness 
of  a  surface-layer,  namely  10"'^  cm.,  the 
diameter  of  a  slime  particle  that  could  pass 
through  a  200-mesh  screen  would  be  about 
five  thousand  times  as  great  as  the  thickness 
of  the  bubble  film  into  which  it  is  believed 
to  be  drawn. 

Instances  such  as  those  given  above  could 
be  multiphed,  but,  without  going  further, 
it  will  be  conceded  readily  that  explanations 
involving  so  many  mis-statements  of 
fundamental  principles  which  could  have 
been  avoided  by  reference  to  ordinary  text- 
books on  physics  are  not  likely  to  carry  much 
weight. 

1^^  Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  under  the  heading 
"  Book  Reviews  "  can  be  obtained  through  the  Technical  Book- 
shop of  The  Milling  Magazine,  724,  SaUsbury  House,  London 
Wall,  London,  E.C.  2. 


NEWS    LETTERS 

PERTH.    W.A. 

October  20. 

Oil  in  Kimberle'v  District. — Much  has 
been  heard  of  the  discovery  of  indications 
of  petroleum  deposits  in  Kimberley  district, 
in  the  north-east  section  of  West  Austraha. 
A  statement  has  been  made  on  this  subject 
by  Professor  Sir  Edgeworth  David,  who  has 
recently  been  making  investigations.  This 
statement  is  the  first  connected  and  rehable 
account  of  what  is  going  on,  and,  moreover, 
it  discusses  the  find  in  conjunction  with 
other  investigations  elsewhere  in  Australia. 
It  is  therefore  worth  quoting  in  full  here. 

The  area  so  far  preliminarily  tested  is 
at  Price's  Creek,  to  the  east  of  the  junction 
of  Christmas  Creek  with  the  Fitzroy  River. 
This  is  approximately  200  miles  south-west 
of  the  area  where  the  asphalt  glance  has  been 
found,  and  about  160  miles  in  a  direct  line 
south-east  from  Derby,  and  roughly  250 
miles  south-west  from  Wyndham.  At 
Price's  Creek  indications  of  oil  are  now 
forming  in  small  seepages  which  yield  a 
distinct  smell  of  petroleum.  At  one  spot 
on  the  Rough  range  in  this  vicinity  the  grass 
will  not  grow  on  account  of  the  oil  seepage. 

While  Mr.  Blatchford  was  at  Price's 
Creek  Mr.  Freney  had  a  bore  put  down 
by  hand  on  the  adjacent  hill  to  a  depth  of 
'M  ft.     Mr.   Blatchford  watched  closely  the 


minutest  details  of  this  boring,  and  collected 
all  the  samples  and  brought  them  under  seal 
to  Perth.  There  they  were  tested  by  Dr. 
Simpson,  who  found  that  true  mineral  oil 
was  present,  although  in  small  quantities,  the 
proportion  increasing  slightly  with  depth. 
The  mineral  oil  is  there  contained  in  sandstone 
and  thin  limestone.  The  actual  weight  of  the 
oil  compared  with  that  of  the  rock  is  only 
one  part  in  4,000,  but  this  relatively  small 
amount  should  be  sufficient  to  supply 
quantities  which  under  favourable  con- 
ditions for  concentrating  and  observation 
may  be  sufficiently  extensive  to  be  of 
economic  value. 

As  regards  the  structure  of  the  Kimber- 
ley oil-bearing  region,  Mr.  Blatchford's 
observations  and  reports  show  that  broad 
gentle  arches  exist  over  a  very  wide  area 
in  this  district.  For  example,  at  Mount 
Wynne,  which  is  about  100  miles  west-north- 
west of  Price's  Creek,  there  is  an  anti- 
clinal arch  upon  which  is  situated  a  hot 
spring,  with  a  temperature  of  about  110°  F., 
yielding  continuous  bubbles  of  gas.  It  is 
not  yet  certain  that  this  is  oil  gas,  but  it  is 
certain  that  the  anticlinal  structures  extend 
throughout  the  whole  of  the  area  between 
Price's  Creek  and  Mount  Wynne.  Tests 
are  being  made  of  this  gas. 

As  regards  the  geological  age  of  the  strata 
at  Kimberley  which  have  yielded  traces  of 
oil   and    asphalt,    Mr.    Blatchford   considers 


.i(>2 


Till'     MINING     MAGAZrNP: 


that  tlic\'  are  of  Lower  Carboniferous  age, 
that  is,  of  an  antiquity  greater  than  that  of 
the  coalfields  of  Newcastle,  Irwin  River, 
the  Collie,  and  so  on,  and  probably  at  least 
six  times  as  old  as  tlie  water-bearing  strata 
in  the  great  artesian  basin  of  Central 
Australia.  In  tliis  latter  basin  at  Roma. 
(Queensland,  a  considerable  volume  of  natural 
gas  has  been  evident  at  intervals  for  many 
years  past.  Mr.  Henderson,  the  (iovernnient 
Geologist  of  that  State,  has  said  that  while 
the  bulk  of  the  gas  is  methane,  there  is  also 
present  some  gas  derived  from  petrol. 
Mr.  Cameron,  the  Assistant  Government 
Geologist  there,  has  spent  .some  time  in- 
vestigating the  cjuestion,  and  he  is  strongly 
of  the  opinion  that  theri>  is  oil  under  Roma. 
The  gas,  however,  was  ta])ped  at  a  depth  of 
no  less  than  3,700  ft.  below  the  surface, 
and  as  artesian  water  in  considerable 
volumes  was  struck  at  a  higher  level,  it  was 
found  extremely  difficult  to  materially  reduce 
the  great  pressure  of  water  in  this  bore  so  as 
to  admit  of  the  gas  forcing  its  way  to  the 
surface  without  hindrance.  If  oil  really 
exists  in  this  region,  and  the  pressure  of  the 
gas  is  insufficient  to  lift  a  column  of  water 
3,700  ft.  high,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take 
measures  to  seal  off  the  artesian  water  in  future 
boring,  so  that  the  gas  may  be  allowed  to  rise. 

Expressed  in  terms  of  actual  years,  the 
Roma  deposit  may  date  back  to  the  order  of 
something  like  50  millions  of  years  ago, 
while  that  of  Kimberlcy  would  be  at  least 
300  miUions,  but  the  great  antiquity  of 
this  area  does  not  preclude  the  possibility 
of  oil  occurring  in  probably  payable 
quantities.  In  North  America  and  Canada 
large  important  oilfields  are  found  in 
rocks  not  only  of  the  Lower  Carboniferous 
age  like  those  of  Kimberley,  but  in  even 
older  rocks  such  as  the  Devonian,  Silurian, 
and  Cambrian,  while  the  indications  at 
Kimberley,  both  as  regards  the  genuine 
mineral  quality  of  the  oil  and  the  structure 
of  the  rocks  containing  it,  appear  to  be 
quite  feasible. 

To  judge  by  the  reports  of  Mr.  Maitland 
and  his  officers,  the  public  may  be  cautioned 
against  assuming  that  necessarily  there  will 
be  a  payable  oilfield  in  that  region.  In 
many  parts  of  the  world,  for  example  in 
New  Zealand  and  Papua,  even  stronger 
indications  of  oil  have  been  known  to  exist 
for  some  scores  of  years,  and  yet  up  to  the 
present  all  attempts  to  work  these  deposits 
successfully  have  failed.  In  the  case  of 
Papua  there  is  no  question  that  there  exists 


a  continiialion  eastwards  of  the  great  oil 
belt,  only  ])erhaps  about  a  tenth  as  old  as 
that  of  Kimberley,  which  runs  from  lUunia 
through  Sumatra,  Java,  Borneo,  and  Timor 
to  Dutch  New  Guinea  and  Papua.  There 
are  numerous  actual  oil-bearing  springs 
and  oil-gas  wells  in  Papua,  .\ccording  to 
Mr.  Hlatchford's  examination  the  Kimberley 
icgion  is  far  more  settled  in  its  sinictures 
than  that  of  Pa])ua  and  so  should  have  the 
advantage  over  the  latter  region. 

The  next  step  to  the  possible  develojiment 
of  Kimberley  should  be  an  immediate 
careful  geological  survey  to  locate  at  once 
the  most  favourable  anticlinal  arches  for 
prospecting  operations.  Many  oilfields  have 
been  given  a  bad  name  through  hasty 
prospecting  in  wrong  places.  So  soon  as  this 
survey  by  comixtent  geologists  shows  the 
most  favourable  lines  for  boring,  bores 
should  be  put  down,  and  a  plant  provided 
capable  of  drilling  to  considerable  depths. 
If  necessary,  the  boring  should  go  to  some 
thousands  of  feet.  The  di.scovery  at  Kim- 
berley, so  far  as  is  known,  is  the  first 
recorded  occurrence  of  true  mineral  oils 
in  Australia,  and  while  caution  is  needed, 
the  prospects  from  a  geological  point  of  view 
appear  to  be  distinctly  encouraging.  If 
payable  oil  is  struck  there  anywhere,  it  will 
probably  be  found  to  extend  over  a  con- 
siderable area. 

Further  interesting  and  encouraging  in- 
formation regarding  the  prospects  of 
discovering  mineral  oil  in  the  North-West  is 
contained  in  an  interim  report  by  the 
Assistant  Government  Geologist  (Mr.  T. 
Blatchford)  on  what  is  known  as  "  Oakes's 
Find  "  in  North-East  Kimberley,  which 
was  laid  on  the  table  in  the  Legislative 
Assembly  on  October  11  by  the  Minister  for 
Mines,  Mr.  J.  Scaddan.  After  explaining 
at  the  outset  that  Oakes's  Find  is  situated 
about  half  a  mile  up  the  Negri  River  from  the 
junction  of  that  stream  with  the  Ord  River, 
about  1-i-  miles  down  stream  from  the  spot 
where  the  Ord  River  Sration-Wyndham 
Road  crosses  the  Negri,  the  report  proceeds 
to  deal  extensively  with  the  geology  of  the 
neighbourhood.  Later,  Mr.  Blatchford 
points  out  that  the  find  was  first  brought  to 
departmental  notice  by  Mr.  Oakes  forwarding 
samples  of  glance  pitch.  That  discovery, 
says  Mr.  Blatchford,  is  certainly  the  most 
definite  surface  indication  of  mineral  oil 
residue  that  has  been  found  in  West 
Australia.  There  is  every  reason  to  believe, 
he  says,  that  the  pitch  has  come  in  the  form 


DECEMBER,    1921 


363 


of  mineral  oil  from  unexposed  underlying 
beds,  which  has,  by  a  process  of  inspissation, 
left  the  pitch  residual  behind  filling  the 
cavities  in  the  rock  through  which  it  has 
migrated.  The  question  now  is  to  ascertain 
whether  the  oil  still  exists,  by  means  of  a 
systematic  survey. 


TORONTO 

November  9. 

Porcupine. — The  mine  managers  have  for 
some  time  been  anxiously  considering  the 
power  situation,  fearing  a  repetition  of  the 
experience  of  last  winter,  when  operations 
were  greatly  curtailed  owing  to  a  shortage  of 
electric  energy.  These  apprehensions  have 
been  allayed,  so  far  as  the  near  future  is  con- 
cerned, by  the  official  announcement  of  the 
Northern  Canada  Power  Co.  that  they  have 
now  sufficient  water  in  storage  to  supply  the 
Porcupine  mines  with  power  until  the  end  of 
March.  A  big  dam  has  been  completed  near 
the  head  of  the  Mattagami  River,  which  will 
back  up  the  water  for  about  30  miles,  and 
raise  the  level  about  10  ft.  While  an  ample 
supply  may  thus  be  assured  for  present 
requirements,  it  is  realized  that  the  existing 
sources  of  supply  are  inadequate  to  meet  the 
greatly  increased  demands  resulting  from  the 
steady  expansion  of  the  gold-mining  industry, 
and  that  the  projects  of  leading  companies  for 
greatly  increasing  their  output  cannot  be 
carried  out  unless  more  power  can  be  secured. 
The  question  is  now  being  closely  considered 
by  the  power  company  and  the  mining 
interests  concerned. 

The  Hollingcr  Consolidated  during  October 
treated  108,024  tons  of  ore,  being  an  average 
of  3,858  tons  per  day.  The  management 
has  planned  the  sinking  of  a  six-compartment 
shaft  to  a  depth  of  approximately  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile,  considerably  lower  than 
has  hitherto  been  attempted  in  connexion 
with  Canadian  gold  mining.  It  is  proposed  to 
increase  the  capacity  of  the  mill  to  about 
6,000  tons  of  ore  daily  by  a  change  in  the 
grinding  equipment,  replacing  the  200  stamps 
now  used  with  ball  mills.  The  company  is 
now  employing  1,970  men,  and  has  upwards 
of  100  machines  in  operation  underground. 

A  statement  covering  the  operations  of  the 
Dome  Mines  for  the  si.x  months  ended 
September  30,  shows  a  total  income  of 
$513,863.  Deductions  for  taxes,  deprecia- 
tion of  plant,  and  exhaustion  of  mine, 
totalling  §369,712,  leave  a  profit  of  $144,151. 
During  September  the  tonnage  handled  was 
over  1,000  tons  daily,  yielding  approximately 


$7  per  ton.  A  large  ore-body  found  on  the 
7th  level  yielding  high-grade  ore  has  been 
proved  by  diamond-drilling  to  extend  down- 
wards for  at  least  150  ft.,  but  owing  to  its 
irregular  shape  its  extent  at  depth  is  yet 
uncertain. 

Work  has  been  resumed  at  the  Davidson 
with  George  E.  Bent  as  manager.  High- 
grade  ore  has  been  encoimtered  in  driving  on 
the  600  ft.  level.  Diamond-drilling  is  in 
progress  to  prove  the  main  ore-body  at  depth 
before  proceeding  with  shaft-sinking  and  the 
erection  of  a  mill.  At  the  Mclntyre  some 
difficulties  have  been  experienced  in  the 
treatment  of  the  ore  from  the  lower  workings 
owing  to  the  occurrence  of  carbon  in  the  ore. 
Various  experiments  have  been  tried,  and 
it  is  now  believed  that  a  process  of  oil 
flotation  can  be  successfully  adopted.  The 
Premier-Paymaster  is  now  in  operation.  The 
occurrence  of  a  large  ore-body  has  been 
proved,  which  has  been  opened  up  on  the 
200  ft.  level.  The  shaft  will  be  put  down 
further.  The  Beaumont  will  explore  the 
property  at  depth  bj^  diamond-drilling  before 
attempting  further  extensive  development. 

KiRKLAND  Lake. — The  output  of  the  four 
producing  mines  of  this  camp  amounts 
approximately  to  $5,000  daily,  which  is 
hkcly  to  be  largely  increased  next  year  when 
additional  mills  will  be  working.  The  Lake 
Shore  during  September  produced  $40,928 
from  the  treatment  of  1,622  tons  of  ore,  the 
average  extraction  being  $25-23  per  ton.  A 
dividend  of  2%,  the  third  disbursement 
during  the  present  year,  has  been  declared. 
The  Tcck-Hughes  is  developing  the  rich  ore- 
body  occurring  on  its  fourth  level,  the  down- 
ward continuation  of  which  has  been 
established.  Development  work  towards 
this  body  is  being  pushed  on  the  lower  levels. 
An  electrically  driven  mining  plant  is  being 
put  in  operation  on  the  Sylvanite  for  sinking 
a  new  thrcc-compartmcnt  shaft.  At  the 
Bidgood  the  main  shaft  is  being  put  down  to 
the  400  ft.  level  to  open  up  at  that  depth  the 
ore-bodies  developed  on  the  300  ft.  level. 
The  Kirkland  Lake  mine  is  treating  upwards 
of  4,000  tons  per  month,  and  development  on 
the  900  ft.  level  has  placed  a  quantity  of 
high-grade  ore  in  sight.  The  Granby- 
Kirkland  is  showing  up  well  under  develop- 
ment, 14  veins  having  been  found,  one  of 
them  about  6  ft.  wide  carrying  good  gold 
content.  The  shareholders  of  the  Montreal- 
Kirkland  have  decided  to  resume  operations 
and  authorized  the  sale  of  75,000  shares  of 
treasury  stock  to  raise  the  necessary  funds. 


361 


Tin:     MlXIXf,     MM.A/INI'. 


Lardkr  Laki:.— The  past  fmv  weeks  hayc 
witncssed  a  great  increase  of  activity  in  this 
district.  Hundreds  of  claims,  wliich  bad  been 
abandoned  after  the  boom  of  twelve  years 
ago  subsided,  ha\-e  been  restaked,  and  pro- 
spectors arc  now  eagerly  searching  any  small 
areas  which  may  have  been  overlooked. 
The  Costello  vein,  a  strong  body  of  highly 
silicilied  basalt,  varying  from  15  to  00  ft.  wide, 
which  has  a  known  length  of  1  mile  and  is 
stated  to  carry  gold  in  commercial  quantities, 
extends  over  several  properties,  and  is  being 
opened  up  by  the  Canadian  Associated 
tioldiields  and'  the  Crown  Reserve.  The 
foniagas,  of  Cobalt,  has  entered  the  held, 
and  taken  over  300  acres  on  option. 

Cobalt. — The  Nipissing  during  September 
mined  ore  of  an  estimated  net  value  of 
$197,536,  and  shipped  bullion  from  Nipissing 
and  custom  ore  of  an  estimated  net  value  of 
$164,405.  The  new  vein  found  in  August 
has  been  driven  on,  and  a  section  of  60  ft., 
3  in.  wide,  contains  ore  averaging  2,500  oz.  to 
the  ton.  During  the  first  nine  months  of  the 
year  the  company  produced  approximately 
2,022,000  oz.  of  silver,  which  is  15%  less  than 
the  output  of  last  year  for  a  corresponding 
period.  The  decrease  in  value  is  about 
a  million  dollars. 

The  gross  earnings  of  the  Bailey  custom 
mill  in  October  were  §14,363  from  the 
treatment  of  4,787  tons  of  ore.  The  shaft 
of  the  Victory  is  being  sunk  from  the  300  ft. 
level  to  a  depth  of  500  ft.  A  cobalt  vein 
showing  some  silver,  2  to  5  ft.  in  width,  has 
been  encountered  at  the  185  ft.  level,  which 
is  to  be  tapped  at  the  500  ft.  level.  The  Right 
of  Way  Co.  has  been  declared  insolvent  and  is 
being  wound  up.  The  Peterson  Lake  has 
adopted  a  new  scheme  of  financing  by  the 
issue  of  silver  certificates  bearing  10";, 
interest  and  redeemable  in  two  years. 
The  company  pledges  its  silver  reserves  as 
security  for  the  payment  of  the  certificates 
when  due.  It  is  hoped  to  raise  $100,000  in 
this  way.  The  shaft  on  the  Waldman 
property  of  the  O.xford-Cobalt  is  down  70  ft., 
at  which  point  the  vein  is  reported  to  be 
strong,  carrying  considerable  cobalt.  The 
annual  statement  of  the  Hudson  Bay  for  the 
year  ended  August  31  shows  a  loss  of  S20,347. 
Work  on  the  Chambers-Ferland  mine  has 
been  suspended. 

West  Shixing  Tree. — There  has  latterly 
been  some  renewal  of  activity  in  this  area, 
which  is  attracting  a  good  deal  of  attention 
as  a  field  for  investment.  The  Hollinger  Con- 
soHdated,  of  Porcupine,  has  taken  over  thirteen 


claims  on  (iranilc  Lake  on  option,  and  will 
make  a  test  of  the  property  by  diamond 
drilling.  A  (juartz  vein  14  ft.  wide  runs 
across  the  group.  An  I'^nglish  syndicate  has 
purchased  outright  the  Kingston  property, 
comprising  120  acres,  at  a  price  stated  to  be 
the  largest  ever  jxrid  for  any  propeity  in  the 
district.  The  .Atlas  will  shortly  be  reopened 
and  the  shaft  put  down  to  a  depth  of  300  ft., 
the  necessary  funds  having  been  secured  by 
a  sale  of  treasury  stock.  i\t  the  White  Rock 
a  vein  has  been  stripped  for  600  ft.,  and  a 
shaft  put  down.  On  driving  at  the  05  ft. 
level  the  vein  was  found  to  have  widened 
from  2  to  0  ft.  and  to  carry  ore  averaging 
$12  per  ton. 

VANCOUVER,  B.C. 

November  11. 
TiiK  ISkitannia  Disaster. — Heavy  rains 
throughout  nearly  the  whole  of  the  southern 
part  of  British  Columbia  between  October  12 
and  28  have  done  an  immense  amount  of 
damage   to   property   and   have   completely 
isolated  the  cities  of  Vancouver  and  Victoria 
from  communication  with  Eastern  Canada. 
In  many  places  the  rainfall  for  the  16  days 
was  in  excess  of  10  inches,  while  on  the  28th 
the  fall  in  some  places  amounted  to  3  inclies. 
Disaster  fell  with  a  particularly  heavy  hand 
at  Britannia  Beach  on  the  night  of  October  28, 
when  at  half-past  nine  part  of  the  Britannia 
Mining    &    Smelting    Company's    water-im- 
pounding  system   collapsed,   and  a  roaring 
torrent  of  water  swept  down  the  mountain 
and  through  the  settlement,  carrying  houses, 
trees,  and  everything  in  its  path  into  Howe 
Sound,  and  leaving  a  tangled  mass  of  ruin 
in  its  wake.     Men,  women,  and  children  to 
the  number  of  not  less  than  forty  were  either 
crushed  by  the  falling  timbers  of  their  homes 
or  carried  into  the  Sound  to  be  drowned. 
For  several  days  before  the  catastrophe  the 
company  had  kept  a  constant  patrol  on  the 
banks  of  the  creek,  to  see  that  everything 
was    kept    clear,    but   it    appears    that    the 
continuous  rains  had  caused  landslides  in  the 
higher  reaches  of  the  creek,  and  these  must 
have  formed  an  immense  dam  at  some  point, 
which  suddenly  gave  way,  and  the  torrent  of 
water  brought  down  an  enormous  quantity  of 
debris,  breaking  down  some  of  the  dams  and 
forcing  the  water  out  of  others.      Both  of  the 
men  that  were  patrolling  the  creek  at  the 
time  were  drowned,  evidently  in  an  effort  to 
warn  their  fellow  workmen  and  their  families 
in  the  settlement  below.     The  first  rush  of 
w^ater  put  the  electric-lighting  plant  out  of 


DECEMBER,    1921 


365 


commission,  and  the  darkness  added  to  the 
confusion. 

This  is  the  third  serious  calamity  that  has 
befallen  the  Britannia  Mining  &  Smelting 
Company  and  its  employees  within  the  last 
seven  years.  In  the  spring  of  1915  an 
avalanche  of  snow  and  earth  slid  down  the 
mountain  side,  demolished  the  boarding- 
house  and  eight  other  buildings,  collapsed  the 
aerial  tramway,  and  killed  54  men  who  were 
in  the  boarding-house  at  the  time.  Last 
February  fire  destroyed  the  2,500  ton  mill, 
which  was  the  largest  mill  and  the  first 
flotation  plant  to  be  erected  in  the  Province. 
On  the  day  before  the  catastrophe 
Britannia  Beach  was  rejoicing  over  the 
rescue  of  two  miners,  who  had  been  trapped 
by  a  cave  in  the  3,100  level,  and  who  had 
been  rescued  by  the  indomitable  pluck  and 
energy  of  their  fellow  workmen,  after  con- 
tinuous hard  work  in  relays  for  eight  days, 
without  taking  time  to  support  dangerous 
ground.  The  rescued  miners,  who  had  been 
without  food  all  this  time,  were  able  to 
walk  out  of  the  mine,  and,  after  a  meal  and 
a  night's  sleep,  were  little  the  worse  for  their 
harrowing  experience. 

Cariboo. — What  promises  to  be  an  im- 
portant new  placer-gold  discovery  has  been 
made  recently  at  Cedar  Creek,  Quesnel  Lake, 
in  the  Cariboo  district.  The  original  dis- 
coverers have  cleaned  up  a  considerable 
quantity  of  gold  by  rocking,  and  the  whole 
creek  has  been  staked  in  bench  claims. 
Unfortunately  the  wet  weather  set  in  before 
the  extent  of  the  pay-streak  could  be 
determined,  none  but  the  original  discoverers 
succeeding  in  reaching  bedrock. 

A.  Sanders,  who  has  been  prospecting  for 
the  mother-lode  of  the  Cariboo  placers  for  the 
last  three  seasons,  has  made  a  promising 
discovery  on  Proserpine  mountain,  near 
Barkerville,  consisting  of  a  30  ft.  belt,  which 
on  the  surface  is  composed  of  oxide  of  iron 
intercalated  with  numerous  quartz  veinlets. 
At  fairly  shallow  depths  the  oxide  turns  into 
sulphide.  The  gold  seems  to  be  contained 
in  the  oxide,  rather  than  the  quartz.  Assays 
of  the  oxide,  which  always  gives  a  long 
tail  on  panning,  have  ranged  between  S380 
and  §450  per  ton.  It  is  Hkely,  of  course,  that 
there  has  been  a  surface  concentration,  and  it 
is  improbable  that  these  values  will  be  found 
in  the  sulphide  ore.  A  trial  shipment  is 
being  taken  out,  but,  with  the  present  con- 
dition of  the  roads,  it  will  be  some  time  before 
it  can  be  sent  to  the  smelter. 

Sheep  Creek. — There  has  been  a  marked 


revival  of  gold  mining  in  the  Sheep  Creek 
district,  some  35  miles  from  Nelson.  The 
Nugget  Gold  Mines,  Ltd.,  which  is  operating 
the  Nugget  and  Mother  Lode  groups,  restarted 
early  in  the  season,  and,  despite  a  stop  of 
some  six  weeks  on  account  of  a  shortage  of 
water,  has  produced  $60,000  worth  of  gold 
up  to  date  this  year.  There  are  seven  veins 
on  the  property,  but  only  two,  the  Nugget 
and  the  Mother  Lode,  have  been  developed 
to  any  extent.  These  veins  have  been 
developed  to  a  depth  of  1,000  ft.,  and  the 
company  is  about  to  start  another  tunnel, 
which  will  cut  the  veins  at  1,500  feet.  The 
mine  is  equipped  with  a  ten-stamp  mill, 
pebble  mill,  and  cyanide  plant.  No  gold  is 
recovered  by  amalgamation.  The  plant  is 
operated  by  water  power  obtained  from 
Sheep  Creek,  which  generally  fails  for  a 
month  or  six  weeks  during  the  heart  of  the 
summer. 

Oil  Activities. — The  California  oil  com- 
panies appear  suddenly  to  have  reahzed  that, 
with  the  price  of  coal  still  ranging  from  |12  to 
S13  per  ton  in  Victoria  and  Vancouver,  and 
with  the  considerable  shipping  business  that 
takes  place  from  these  ports,  there  is  a  big 
opportunity  for  the  sale  of  oil.  Recently  the 
Union  Oil  Co.  bonded  the  British  Columbia 
Refineries  property  on  Burrard  Inlet,  and 
purchased  the  old  Kirkpatrick  shingle  mill, 
which  is  to  be  converted  into  a  distributing 
station.  In  all  probability  a  modern  refinery 
will  be  built  on  the  British  Columbia 
Refineries'  property.  Directors  of  the  Shell 
Oil  Co.  were  in  Victoria  last  week,  negotiating 
for  a  site  on  the  old  Songhees  Indian  reserve, 
near  the  city.  The  Canadian  Pacific  com- 
pany's new  ocean  liners,  which  are  to  be  put 
into  commission  next  year,  are  oil-burners, 
and  those  already  in  use  are  to  be  ronverted 
into  oil-burners :  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway's  coastal  boats  also  are  being  con- 
verted into  oil-burners ;  add  to  this  the 
industrial  and  domestic  demand,  which  is  ever 
growing,  and  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  likely 
that  there  will  be  a  good  market  for  oil  in 
the  coast  cities  of  British  Columbia. 

The  exploration  for  oil  in  the  Canadian 
North-west  has  been  disappointing.  Nothing 
new  has  been  found  at  Fort  Norman,  and  the 
original  discovery  well  has  not  yet  been 
developed  into  a  commercial  producer.  The 
Imperial  Oil  Company,  undaunted  by  failure 
to  date,  is  not  only  continuing  the  explora- 
tions in  the  province  of  Alberta,  and  in  the 
North-west  Territories,  but  has  started  geo- 
logical reconnaissances  in  British  Columbia, 


366 


Tin 


MINIM,     M\(;\/INI': 


ami  if  tlicsc  {;ivc  piomisiii!^  results  the  groniul 
will  be  tested  by  drills  next  year. 

Probably  one  of  the  most  favourable 
indications  that  the  Imperial  company 
has  met  up  to  now  has  been  at  Ponce  Coupe. 
There  the  company  has  been  sinkini:  since  the 
middle  of  the  summer,  and  at  a  tle])lh  of  some 
1,800  ft.  struck  a  strong  flow  of  "  wet  "  gas, 
estimated  at  about  two  million  cubic  feet 
per  daj'.  Drilling  was  stopped  and  the  boiler 
was  moved  back,  as  it  was  feared  that  the 
fire  might  ignite  the  gas.  After  this  had  been 
done  the  drill  was  re-started,  and  had  been 
in  operation  only  15  minutes  when  a  still 
stronger  flow  of  gas,  estimated  at  eight 
million  cubic  feet  per  day,  was  struck.  This 
gas  is  still  blowing  off  as  vigorously  as  when 
first  struck,  and  it  is  so  "  wet  "  that  it  has 
the  appearance  of  steam  coming  from  the 
21  in.  bore.  It  is  proposed  to  cap  this  gas, 
and  use  it  as  fuel  for  drilling  a  number  of 
other  holes.  Pouce  Coupe  is  situated  far 
more  conveniently  as  regards  transport  than 
many  of  the  other  places  where  the  company 
has  been  exploring.  It  is  on  the  Pouce 
Coupe  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Peace  River, 
and  is  only  about  75  miles  from  a  branch 
line  of  the  Canadian  National  railway  system, 
and  already  a  survey  has  been  made  to 
connect  Pouce  Coupe  witli  that  system. 

A  large  number  of  oil  claims  have  been 
staked  near  Terrace  and  Burns  Lake,  both 
on  the  Grand  Trunk  Pacific  railway,  and  both 
places  are  to  be  tested  by  one  or  two  drills 
next  year.  Companies  have  been  organized 
and  the  drilling  outfits  purchased  for  this 
work.  The  Provincial  Government  has 
sunk  two  or  three  bores  in  the  vicinity  of 
Hud.son's  Hope,  in  the  Peace  River  district, 
but  has  obtained  no  results. 


PERSONAL 

Clyde  Allan  left  last  month  for  Nigeria. 

Ernest  Bottoms  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

George  Bottoms  is  expected  from  Nigeria. 

Vicars  W.  Boyle  has  returned  to  Nigeria. 

Sir  John  Cad  man  has  been  appointed  chief 
technical  adviser  to  the  Anglo-Persian  Oil  Company. 
He  is  now  in  the  United  States. 

G.  W.  Campion  is  here  from  West  Africa. 

A.  B.  Climas  has  left  for  the  Ervedosa  tin  mines, 
Portugal. 

A.  W.  CoOKE  is  back  from  Alaska. 

W.  H.  Cusworth  has  been  appointed  works 
manager  for  Hadfields  (Australia),  Ltd.,  Sydney. 

Dr.J.  R.  F.\LCONER  is  returning  to  Nigeria  next 
month. 

R.  J.  Frecheville  has  moved  his  office  from 
Salisbury  House  to  ,S,  London  Wall  Buildings. 

O.  T.  Gorton  has  returned  to  Portugal. 


W  .  |.  1  IrMPllKllcs  has  led  fur  rrcslr.i.  West 
AlrH.i.' 

11,  K.  lluESTON  is  expected  from  Nigeria. 

C.  K.  JoBLiNG  has  left  for  West  Africa. 

S.  J.  Lett  has  left  for  Rhodesia  and  Zambesia. 

W.  J.  I.ouiNC.  was  I'lectcd  for  a  second  year  as 
president  of  Die  .'\merican  Mining  Congress. 

Ross  Macartney  is  here  from  Rhodesia. 

B.  Hope  Nicolson  has  left  for  Nigeria. 

I''.  Douc.LAS  Osborne  has  been  elected  chair- 
man of  the  Gopcng,  Tekka,  and  other  Malayan 
tin  mining  companies,  in  succession  to  the  late 
James  Wickett. 

R.  W.  Palmer,  of  the  Geological  Survey  of 
India,  has  been  appointed  lecturer  in  geology  in 
the  Manchester  University. 

W.  Pellew-Harvey  has  retuiiied  from  Australia 
by  way  of  Canada. 

J.  H.  Rich  is  returning  to  Tronoh. 

William  Russell,  of  the  Dorr  ('o.,  is  on  a  visit 
to  South  Africa,  and  is  not  expected  to  return  before 
February. 

R.  R.  Simpson  has  been  appointed  Chief  Inspector 
of  Mines  in  India. 

Dr.  L.  Dudley  Stamp  has  resigned  as  demon- 
strator in  geology  at  King's  College,  London,  and 
is  leaving  for  Burma  to  undertake  geological 
advisory  work. 

Dr.  F.  L.  Stillwell  has  resigned  as  geologist 
to  the  Bendigo  .Amalgamated  Goldfields,  Ltd., 
and  is  now  intending  to  visit  South  Africa,  North 
.America,  and  London. 

Ralph  S.  G.  Stokes  has  sailed  for  South  Africa. 

E.  O.  Teale  is  expected  from  Tanganyika 
Territory. 

R.  .\rthur  Thomas  has  been  on  a  professional 
visit  to  Upper  Silesia. 

A.  Beeby  Thompson  has  gone  to  Burma  for  the 
.Anglo-Burma  Oil  Company. 

W.  E.  Thorne  has  returned  from  Nigeria,  and 
has  gone  to  California. 

George  H.  Thurston  is  back  from  India. 

E.  R.  Weidlein  has  been  appointed  director  of 
the  Mellon  Institute  of  Industrial  Research, 
Pittsburgh. 

R.  B.  Wham  has  returned  from  Nigeria. 

Alpheus  F.  Williams  is  here  from  South  Africa 
and  i'^  going  to  the  United  States. 

W.  R.  Wolton  has  left  the  Poderosa  company, 
and  has  joined  the  staff  of  the  Corocoro  copper 
mines,  Bolivia. 

Arthur  Blackman,  a  London  solicitor,  well- 
known  for  his  excellent  work  in  connexion  with 
mining  companies,  died  on  December  3,  after  a 
long  illness. 

F.  E.  .\rmstrong,  professor  of  mining  in  the 
University  of  Sheffield,  died  on  October  28  at  the 
early  age  of  42.  He  had  extensive  experience  in 
coal-mining  in  this  country,  and  also  in  Mexico 
and  British  Columbia.  Not  qualifying  for  war 
service,  he  volunteered  for  ambulance  duty  at  the 
front,  and  remained  in  France  for  three  years. 
Subsequently  he  returned  to  take  control  of  the 
labour  section  of  the  Coal  Mines  Department  of 
the  Board  of  Trade. 

E.  Windsor  Richards  died  on  November  12  at 
the  age  of  90.  In  early  days  he  was  connected 
with  the  Tredegar  Iron  'Works,  and  later  became 
chief  engineer  at  the  Ebbw  Vale  Steel  Works. 
From  1876  onwards  he  was  general  manager  and 
subsequently   chairman   of   directors   of   Bolckow, 


DECEMBER,    1921 


367 


Vaughan  &  Co.,  of  Middlesbrough.  His  chief 
service  to  metallurgy  was  the  development  of  the 
Gilchrist-Thomas  basic  liesscmcr  process.  He  was 
a  past-president  of  the  Iron  and  Steel  Institute  and 
the  Institution  of  Mechanical  Engineers. 

Henry  Wilson  Fox  died  in  London  last  month, 
aged  58.  He  was  educated  at  Cambridge  and  was 
called  to  the  bar  by  Lincoln's  Inn.  Subsequently 
he  went  to  Johannesburg  as  a  member  of  the  staff 
of  the  Consolidated  Gold  Fields.  He  assisted 
John  Hays  Hammond  in  framing  the  Rhodesian 
mining  laws,  and  among  ether  and  various  activities 
he  was  editor  of  the  South  African  Alining  Journal 
and  public  prosecutor  for  Rhodesia.  He  returned 
to  England  in  IS97  and  was  later  appointed  manager 
for  the  British  South  Africa  Company,  with  which 
he  had  ever  since  been  connected. 


TRADE    PARAGRAPHS 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  International 
Co.,  of  New  York  and  London,  send  us  their 
monthly  magazine  for  December,  and  also  circulars 
relating  to  the  wide  applications  of  electricity. 

The  Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing 
Co.,  of  East  Pittsburgh,  U.S.A.,  send  us  their 
Christmas  number  of  Contact,  a  paper  giving  the 
popular  side  of  the  firms'  many  manufactures. 

Vanadium,  Ltd.,  of  64,  Victoria  Street,  West- 
minster, agents  in  this  country  for  the  Vanadium 
Corporation  of  America,  have  issued  an  illustrated 
booklet  giving  particulars  of  the  corporation's 
mining  and  dressing  plant  in  Peru. 

Bells'  United  Asbestos  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Southwark 
Street,  London,  S.E.  1,  send  us  their  new  catalogue 
relating  to  their  Poilite  sheets  and  tiles.  Poilite  is 
made  of  asbestos  and  portland  cement,  and  is 
extensively  used  in  building  construction  where 
freedom  from  fire  risks  is  desirable. 

Boving  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  56,  Kingsway,  London, 
W.C.  2,  announce  that  they  have  a  complete  new 
set  of  lantern  slides  showing  examples  of  modern 
water-turbines  and  hydro-electric  installations 
suitable  for  lecture  purposes.  These  shdes  are 
available  for  lending  to  institutes,  technical 
schools,  etc. 

Edgar  Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  the  Imperial  Steel 
Works,  Sheffield,  send  us  a  copy  of  the  Edgar  Allen 
News  for  December.  This  contains  articles  on 
modern  electric  furnaces  for  heat  treatment,  and  steel 
castings  for  cement-making  machinery,  and  on 
certain  points  in  connexion  with  the  care  and 
treatment  of  drill  steels. 

.A  double-acting  two-stage  air-compressor  made 
by  the  Atlas-Diesel  Company,  of  Stockholm 
(London  office:  35,  Surrey  .Street,  Strand),  is 
described  and  illustrated  in  Engineering  for 
November  11.  This  is  said  to  be  the  largest  air- 
compressor  ever  made  in  Sweden.  It  was  bnilt  for 
one  of  the  iron-mining  companies  in  Swedish 
Lapland. 

Daniel  .Adamson  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  of  Dukinfield, 
near  Manchester,  send  us  their  new  catalogue 
entitled  "  Cheap  Power  for  Every  Need."  This 
gives  details  of  steam  turbines,  turbo-blowers, 
turbo-pumps,  turbo-generator  sets,  condensing 
plant,  Lancashire  and  Cornish  boilers  and  boiler- 
house  plant,  piping  installations,  chimneys,  boiler 
setting,  and  everything  for  traction,  lighting,  and 
indu5trial  supply. 

HoLMAN  Brothers,  Ltd.,  of  Camborne,  have 
won  a  notable  success  with  their  "  C.H.2  "  ciadle 


hammer  drill  at  the  Van  Ryn  Deep.  The  results 
are  believed  to  constitute  a  world's  stoping  record. 
The  following  are  the  details  :  Period,  September  2 
to  October  1,  1921  ;  number  of  machines,  3  : 
working  shifts,  26  ;  machine  shifts,  78  ;  total 
fathoms  broken,  248  ;  fathoms  per  machine  shift, 
3-18  ;    stope  width  69  inches. 

H.  R.  Marsden,  Ltd.,  of  Leeds,  were  well 
represented  at  the  Public  Works,  Roads,  and 
Transport  Exhibition  held  last  month  at  the 
Agricultural  Hall,  Islington,  specializing  in  their 
breakers  intended  for  producing  stone  suitable  for 
roads.  Their  Blake-Marsden  "  X  "  type  is  a 
breaker  intended  for  heavy  duty  ;  its  desi.gn  is 
simple,  the  construction  strong,  the  adjustment 
easy,  and  it  is  economical  of  power.  The  jaws  are 
in  two  equal  pairs,  instantly  reversible  top  to 
bottom  respectively,  thus  ensuring  maximum 
working  life  ;  the  main  bearings  are  away  from 
the  dust,  the  working  parts  are  accurately  machined, 
and  the  frame  is  strengthened  by  ribs  extending 
round  both  sides  and  front.  The  Blake-Marsden 
"  Y  "  type  is  an  eccentric-motion  machine,  and  is 
designed  to  combine  strength,  simplicity,  and 
efficiency.  The  jaws  are  arranged  as  in  the  "  X  " 
type.  "The  pitman  has  special  arrangements  for 
lubrication  :  the  renewal  of  working  parts  is 
simple  ;  and  strengthening  ribs  extend  all  round 
the  frame. 


METAL    MARKETS 

Copper. — The  standard  copper  market  in  London 
was  steady  during  November,  such  price  movements 
as  took  place  being  comparatively  small.  Though 
sentiment  became  slightly  more  optimistic  on  the 
good  American  advices,  little  encouragement  was 
offered  by  the  aspect  of  the  position  in  this  country, 
where  consuming  demand  continued  unsatisfactory. 
As  already  indicated,  the  market  here  was 
dominated  by  the  firmness  in  the  United  States, 
where  the  cent  price  of  electrolytic  rose  from 
13  cents  to  13.f  cents  during  the  month.  The 
.American  revival  is  undoubtedly  genuine  ;  domestic 
demo.nd  has  broadened  substantially,  and  this, 
coupled  with  quite  a  good  export  business,  is 
responsible  for  the  appreciable  increase  recently 
recorded  in  sales.  That  sentiment  has  taken  a 
decidedly  good  turn  in  America  is  shown  by  the  fact 
that  rumours  have  been  current  that  some  of  the 
mines  now  closed  might  shortly  reopen.  Il  appears 
unlikely,  however,  that  such  mines  will  resume 
operations  before  the  spring  or  summer  of  next 
year.  Producers  in  the  United  States,  meanwhile, 
have  gained  control  of  the  market  there,  and  values 
are  likely  to  be  steady,  if  not  firm,  in  the  near 
future.  It  might  have  been  expected  that  values 
of  standard  would  advance  in  sympathy  with 
New  York,  but  any  possibility  of  a  substantial 
rise  here  was  scotched  by  the  firmer  tendency 
of  the  sterling  exchange.  .An  event  of  note  during 
the  month  was  the  liquidation  of  the  whole  of  the 
British  Government  stocks  of  copper,  amounting 
to  some  9,000  tons. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  copper : 
November,  1921,  ^66  13s.  6d.  ;  October,  1921; 
£67  8s.  Id.  ;  November,  1920,  /84  18s.  6d.  ; 
October,  1920,  /;93  10s.  Id. 

Tin. — The  tendency  in  the  standard  tin  market 
in  London  during  the  past  month  was  distinctly 
towards  higher  levels,  and  on  balance  values  closed 
at  a  substantial  advance.     Various  factors  assisted 


:iC8 


1111':    MINING     MACAZINK 


Daily   London  Mktal  Prichs  :    Official  Closing 
Copper,  Lead,  /inc,  and  Tin  per  I-on«  Ton 


Coppnii 

St.ind.ud  Cask 

Standard  (3  mos.) 

Electrolytic 

Wire  Dars 

Best  Selected 

Nov. 

t     *• 

d. 

i    s. 

d. 

£    s.   d.         £    s. 

d. 

I    ». 

d.         i    s. 

d. 

£    3.    d.         £ 

s. 

d. 

£     5. 

d. 

£  J.  d. 

10 

136    5 

0 

to  66    7 

6 

07    0    0  to  07    2 

0 

74    0 

0  to  70    0 

0 

75    0    0  to  70 

0 

0 



11 

liO  10 

u 

to  06  12 

6 

07    5    0  to  07    7 

0 

74    0 

0  to  70    0 

0 

75    0    0  to  76 

0 

0 

07  10 

0 

to 

00  10    0 

14 

67    0 

0 

to  67    2 

6 

07  15    0  to  07  17 

0 

75    0 

0  to  77    0 

0 

76    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 

— 

— 

15 

(X)  15 

0 

to  06  17 

n 

07  12    0  to  07  15 

0 

75    0 

0  to  77    0 

0 

76    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 

68    0 

0 

to 

70    0    0 

in 

66  i:j 

6 

to  6()  I'l 

0 

67  12    6  to  (>7  15 

0 

75    0 

0  to  77    0 

0 

70    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 





17 

6U    i> 

0 

to  06    2 

0 

67    0    0  to  07    2 

6 

71  10 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0  to  70 

in 

0 





18 

•X  10 

0 

to  66  12 

0 

67    7    (1  to  07  10 

0 

74  10 

0  to  70  10 

u 

75  10    0  to  70 

10 

0 

67    0 

0 

to 

OU    0    0 

21 

66    7 

6 

to  60  10 

0 

07    7    0  to  67  10 

0 

74  10 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0  to  70 

10 

0 

— - 

— 

22 

66  12 

G 

to  66  15 

0 

07  12    0  to  (i7  15 

0 

74  10 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0  10  70 

!0 

0 

67     0 

0 

to 

09    0    0 

23 

6«  15 

0 

to  06  17 

6 

07  12    0  to  07  15 

0 

75    0 

0  to  7(i  10 

0 

76    0    0  to  70 

la 

0 

— 

— 

24 

06  12 

6 

to  66  15 

0 

07  15    0  to  07  17 

6 

75  10 

0  to  77    0 

0 

76  10    0  to  77 
70  10    0  to  77 

0 

0 

. — 

— 

25 

6(>  15 

0 

to  06  17 

6 

07  15    0  to  07  17 

6 

75  10 

0  to  77    0 

0 

0 

0 

67  10 

0 

to 

69  10    0 

28' 

67    7 

6 

to  67  10 

r 

OS    7    0  to  OS  10 

0 

75  10 

0  to  77    0 

J) 

70  10    0  to  77 

0 

0 

— 

— 

29 

67  10 

0 

to  07  12 

0 

08  10    0  to  68  12 

6 

75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

70  10    0  to  77 

10 

0 

68  10 

0 

to 

70  10     0 

30 

Dec. 

1 

S7    0 

0 

to  67    2 

6 

68    0    0  to  68    2 

6 

75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

70  10    0  to  77 

10 

0 

— 

— 

67    2 

0 

to  67    5 

0 

68    n    0  to  08    2 

0 

75  10 

0  to  77  10 

0 

70  10    0  to  77 

10 

0 



to 



2 

67     0 

0 

to  07    2 

0 

87  17    6  to  68    0 

0 

75    0 

0  to  77    0 

0 

76    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 

68    0 

0 

to 

7(1    0    u 

5 

07    2 

B 

to  67     5 

0 

08    0    0  to  68    2 

6 

75    0 

0  to  77    0 

0 

70    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 



to 

ti 

67    5 

0 

to  67    7 

6 

08    2    0  to  OS    5 

0 

75    n 

0  to  77    0 

0 

76    0    0  to  77 

0 

0 

08    0 

0 

to 

70    0    0 

7 

67    7 

6 

to  07  in 

0 

68    5    0  to  t'8    7 

0 

75    0 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0  to  70 

10 

0 



to 

8 

67    2 

0 

to  67    5 

0 

68    2    0  to  03    5 

0 

75    0 

0   to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0   to  70 

10 

0 

— 

to 

— ■ 

0 

66  15 

0 

to  66  17 

0 

07  15    0  to  67  17 

0 

75    0 

0  to  70  10 

0 

75  10    0  to  70 

10 

0 

67  10 

0 

to 

60  10    U 

to  bring  about  the  better  tone.  It  had  been  felt 
for  some  time  past  that  the  price  of  tin  in  London 
was  decidedly  low,  and  that  whatever  adverse 
elements  the  situation  might  contain  were 
sufficiently  discounted  in  the  depressed  quotation. 
With  this  state  of  opinion  prevalent,  the  bad 
statistical  position  was  practically  ignored,  while 
confidence  was  evident  in  an  early  establishment 
of  something  approaching  equilibrium  between 
supply  and  demand.  This  optimism  was  duly 
justified,  for  the  statistics  published  at  the 
beginning  of  December  revealed  an  appreciable 
decrease  in  visible  supplies  during  the  month 
under  review.  Meanwliile.  licmand  from  British 
tinplate  works  continued  fairly  satisfactory,  and 
towards  the  end  of  the  month  America  came  in 
as  a  buyer  on  a  good  scale  despite  the  f.act  that 
the  sterling  exchange  was  moving  unfavourably 
for  the  United  States.  This  would  indicate  the 
extent  of  the  present  revival  in  the  American 
tinplate  trade.  There  was  a  fair  Contmental 
demand  during  the  month.  Sales  in  the  Straits 
were  on  a  good  scale  during  the  first  two  weeks  or 
so,  but  later — as  is  so  often  the  case  when  the 
London  market  looks  like  being  in  for  a  substantia) 
rise — sellers  there  became  more  reserved.  Batavia 
and  China  sold  practically  nothing  during  the 
month. 

Average  price  of  cash  standard  tin  :  November, 
1921,  /159  Os.  2d.  ;  October,  1921,  /156  lOs.  4d.  ; 
Noveniber,  1920,  /241  5s.  6d.  ;  October,  1920, 
/258  Ss.  8d. 

Lead.- — The  London  lead  market  was  con- 
sistently firm  during  the  month.  Holders  appeared 
to  have  the  situation  well  under  control,  and  with 
arrivals  of  fresh  metal  restricted,  values  naturally 
had  a  hardening  tendency.  There  was  a  diminution 
rather  than  an  increase  in  the  volume  of  English 
consuming  demand,  but  a  fairly  keen  inquiry  from 
the  Continent  resulted  at  times  in  a  very  active 
business  on  'Change.  At  the  present  time  there  is 
little  doubt  that  Europe  generally  is  suffering  from 
a  shortage  of  supplies,  and  Germany — herself  a 
producer — is  buying  largely.     There  is  very  little 


Spp.nish  metal  arriving  at  British  ports,  the  bulk 
of  current  shipments  going  to  the  Continent ; 
and  although  some  American  lead  has  been  coming 
in,  the  quantities  involved  have  been  insufficient 
to  turn  the  scale.  Prospects  of  any  increase  in 
arrivals  in  the  near  future  are  poor  ;  for,  although 
it  is  understood  that  metal  is  afloat  from  Australia, 
Burma,  and  Africa,  the  amount  involved  is  not  very 
large.  There  is  little  doubt  that  so  far  as  the  English 
consuming  trades  are  concerned,  lower  prices  are  a 
necessity  ;  and  from  this  point  of  view  every  rise 
in  the  price  is  to  be  regretted. 

Average  price  of  soft  Dig  lead  :  November,  1921, 
^24  4s.  lOd.  ;  October,  1921,  /23  10s.  8d.  ; 
November,  1920,  /32  5s.  6d.  ;  October,  1920, 
f35  2s.  Id. 

Spelter. — Sentiment  on  the  London  spelter 
market  was  rather  changeable  during  November. 
Tlie  tendency  of  values  at  the  beginning  of  the 
month  was  somewhat  easy,  owing  to  fears  of  larger 
shipments  from  Silesia  on  the  transfer  of  the  spelter 
mines  and  works  there  from  Germany  to  Poland, 
while,  furthermore,  the  fact  that  arrivals  during 
October  were  comparatively  heavy  was  not  without 
its  influence.  During  the  middle  of  the  month, 
however,  a  steadier  tone  was  evident,  while,  later, 
sentiment  became  more  optimistic  and  values  rose, 
a  small  advance  on  the  month  being  registered. 
On  the  whole,  the  situation  during  the  inonth  under 
review  experienced  a  little  improvement.  Demand 
from  English  galvanizers  continued  fairly  satis- 
factory, and  although  there  was  perhaps  no  actual 
shortage  of  supplies,  holders  at  no  time  displayed 
much  eagerness  to  offer.  As  a  matter  o:  fact,  stocks 
in  the  United  Kingdom  are  still  dwindling,  which  is 
a  good  indication  of  the  present  ratio  of  demand 
and  supply.  As  has  been  the  case  for  some  time 
past.  Continental  producers  offered  very  little, 
and  it  is  fairly  obvious  that  consumers  there  are 
absorbing  the  bulk  of  the  output.  It  is  worthy  of 
note  that  the  Belgian  output  is  slowly  broadening. 
Nothing  materialized  during  the  month  from  the 
scheme  to  resume  operations  at  the  Engli-sh  smelters, 
but  it  is  possible  that  a  restart  may  be  made  in  the 


DECEMBER,    1921 


369 


Prices    on    the    London    Metal    Exchange. 
Silver  per  Standard  Ounce  ;  Gold  per  Fine  Ounce. 


Lead 

Standard  Tin 

Silver 

Zinc 

Spelter) 

Gold 

Sort  Foreign 

EngUsh 

Cash 

3  mos. 

Cash 

For- 
ward 

I     s. 

d.       I    s. 

_ 
d. 

I    s.d. 

i    ?• 

d.             £      5. 

d. 

i     s. 

i.          I      s. 

d. 

C        5. 

d.         £     s. 

d. 

d. 

d. 

s.  d. 

Nov. 

24    0 

U  to  23  12 

6 

25    0    0 

25    7 

6  to  26    5 

0 

156    7 

6  to  150  10 

0 

158  12 

6  to  158  13 

0 

39 

385 

104    2 

10 

24     2 

6  to  23  13 

0 

25    0    0 

25  12 

6  to  26  10 

0 

158    0 

0  to  158    5 

0 

160    0 

0  to  160    3 

0 

38| 

3si 

38 

104   6 

11 

24     2 

G  to  23  15 

0 

25    0    0 

25  15 

0  to  26  12 

6 

157  13 

0  to  157  13 

0 

159  12 

6  to  159  15 

0 

37J 

104    5 

14 

24    7 

(i  to  23  17 

6 

25    5    0 

25  17 

6  to  20  12 

6 

157    7 

0  to  157  10 

0 

159    7 

6  to  159  10 

0 

388 

372 

103    9 

15 

24    7 

0  to  23  17 

6 

23    5    0 

25  17 

6  to  26  12 

6 

157  15 

0  to  158    0 

0 

159  15 

0  to  100    0 

0 

3Sa 

37h 

103    6 

16 

24    5 

0  to  23  15 

0 

25    5    0 

25  17 

0  to  20  10 

0 

139    5 

0  to  139  10 

0 

161     5 

0  to  101  10 

fi 

383 

383 

102    8 

17 

24    5 

U  to  23  15 

0 

25    5    0 

25  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

13S  15 

0  to  159    0 

0 

100  13 

0  to  101     0 

0 

39 

385 

103    0 

18 

24  10 

0  to  24    0 

0 

25  10   0 

25  13 

0  to  26    7 

6 

160  12 

6  to  160  15 

0 

162  10 

0  to  162  15 

0 

39.1 

385 

102  11 

21 

24  15 

0to24    5 

0 

25  15   0 

23  17 

6  to  20  10 

0 

161  10 

0  to  101  15 

0 

103     5 

0  to  103  10 

0 

38 

37} 

103    3 

22 

25    5 

0  to  24  12 

6 

26    5    0 

2G  17 

6  to  26  10 

0 

160  10 

0  to  160  15 

0 

162    5 

0  to  162  10 

0 

381 

3SJ 

J02U 

23 

25    2 

6  to  24  10 

0 

20    5    0 

26    5 

0  to  26  15 

0 

100  10 

0  to  160  15 

0 

102  10 

0  to  162  13 

0 

381 

375 

102  11 

24 

23  10 

6  to  24  15 

0 

26  15    0 

26     5 

0  to  20  15 

0 

101  10 

0  to  101  15 

0 

163  10 

0  to  103  15 

0 

37S 

372 

102  11 

25 

25  17 

0  to  25     5 

0 

27    0    0 

26    7 

0  to  20  17 

0 

163  10 

0  to  163  12 

0 

135    5 

a  to  105  10 

0 

37S 

37Z 

103    0 

28 

26    0 

0  to  25    5 

0 

27    0    0 

26    7 

6  to  20  15 

0 

103    5 

0  to  163  10 

0 

165    0 

0  to  105    5 

0 

37i 

37^ 

103    2 

29 

2S    0 

0  to  25    3 

0 

27    0   0 

26    7 

6  to  26  17 

6 

162  10 

0  to  162  15 

0 

164  10 

0  to  164  15 

0 

37i 

37i 

102  11 

80 
Dec. 

1 

26    0 

0  to  25    3 

0 

27    0   0 

25  10 

0to27    0 

0 

163     3 

0  to  163    7 

6 

165    2 

6  to  163    7 

6 

373 

37J 

102    7 

25    5 

0  to  24  12 

6 

26  10    0 

28    5 

0  to  26  15 

0 

164  12 

6  to  164  17 

6 

16(i    5 

0  to  166  10 

0 

37i 

37} 

101    3 

2 

25    7 

fi  to  24  10 

0 

26  10   0 

26    5 

0to20  15 

0  i  167     0 

0  to  187    2 

6 

!08  15 

0  to  108  17 

0 

368 

363 

101    8 

5 

25    7 

0  to  24  12 

6 

26  10    0 

26    2 

6  to  20  15 

0 

167  17 

0  to  168    0 

0 

100  10 

0  to  169  12 

0 

30a 

361 

101    2 

0 

25  12 

6  to  24  13 

0 

20  15    0 

26    5 

0  to  26  17 

6 

167    5 

0  to  167  10 

0 

ion    0 

0  to  109    5 

0 

301 

36 

100  0 

7 

25  10 

Oto24  15 

0 

26  15    0 

26    7 

6  to  26  17 

6 

166     0 

0  to  166     5 

0 

168    0 

0  to  168     5 

0 

34?, 

34i 

10011 

8 

25  10 

0  to  24  15 

0 

2C  15    0 

23  10 

0  to  26  17 

6 

IfiS    2 

6tol6S    5 

0 

109  13 

0  to  170    0 

0 

34a 

34J 

100  3 

9 

near  future.  Meanwhile,  the  big  Risdon  plant  in 
Australasia  has  commenced  production.  The 
market  in  America  was  firm  during  the  first  part  of 
the  month,  but  later  on  fell  away  somewhat.  In 
view  of  the  advance  in  sterling,  this  brings  the 
possibility  of  American  offerings  to  this  country 
appreciably  nearer. 

Average  price  of  spelter:  November,  1921, 
/26  43."  lOd.  ;  October,  1921,  t26  10s.  7d.  ; 
November,  1920,  /35  Us.  7d.  ;  October,  1920, 
;£40  5s.  6d. 

Zinc  Dust. — Prices  are  steady  ;  Australian 
high-grade  /50,  American  92  to  94%  /47  IDs.,  and 
English  92  to  94°^  £45  per  ton. 

Antimony. — Quotations  are  a  little  easier  as 
follows  :  English  regulus  ordinary  brands  ^^34  to 
£37,  special  brands  £'35  5s.  to  £39,  and.  98  to  99% 
/25  to  £28.  Foreign  ma.terial  is  quiet  at  £22  to 
£14  IO3.  for  spot. 

Arsenic. — The  price  of  Cornish  white,  99%, 
is  well  maintained  at  £42  lOs.,  delivered  London. 
Foreign  material  is  cheaper. 

Bismuth. — Holders  continue  to  quote  Vs.  6d. 
per  lb. 

ft'  Cadmium. — Business  is  a  little  better  at  the 
unchanged  price  of  Be.  per  lb. 

Aluminium. — Home  producers  still  ask  £120 
for  home  and  {125  for  export  business ;  foreign 
metal  can  be  had  at  £95  f.o.b.  Continent. 

Nickel. — Domestic  makers  ask  £185  for  both 
home  and  export  business ;  foreign  material, 
however,  is  offering  at  about  £175. 

Cobalt  Metal. — The  market  is  quiet,  with  the 
price  at  14s.  per  lb. 

Cobalt  Oxide  — Values  are  unaltered  at  IO3.  9d. 
for  black  oxide  and  !2s.  per  lb.  for  grey. 

Platinum  and  Palladium. — The  market  is 
steady  ;  manufactured  platinum  £19  lOs.  per  oz., 
raw  £18  ;  manufactured  palladium  £19  IO3.,  raw 
£13  to  £14. 

Quicksilver. — Towards  the  end  of  November 
the  leading  interests  advanced  their  price.  The 
present  quotation  for  second-hand  material  is 
about  £10  7s.  6d.  per  bottle. 


Selenium. — The  price  of  powder  is  9s.  6d.  per  lb . 

Tellurium. — Sellers  quote  70s.  to  80s.  per  lb. 

Sulphate  of  Copper. — The  price  is  easier  at 
£27  to  £28  for  both  home  and  export  business. 

Mang.\nese  Ore. — Business  is  quiet,  the 
quotation  being  Is.  2d.  per  unit  c.i.f. 

Tungsten  Ore. — A  weak  market  at  around  12s. 
c.i.f.  for  65%  WO3. 

Molybdenite. — Values  have  weakened  and 
sellers  of  85%  would  now  accept  30s.  to  32s.  6d.  c.i.f. 

Chrome  Ores. — Business  is  quiet  and  the 
quotation  nominal  at  £4  to  £4  5s.  c.i.f. 

Silver. — The  price  of  spot  bars  on  November  1 
was  40Jd.  Some  support  from  China  was  seen, 
and  the  quotation  rose  to  40^d.  on  the  2nd. 
Subsequently  the  price  fluctuated  within  narrow 
limits,  falling  to  38Jd.  on  the  12th.  A  rise  then  took 
place,  and  on  the  19th  and  21st  39Jd.  was  quoted. 
By  the  26th,  however,  the  price  was  down  again  to 
37|d.,  owing  to  absence  of  support.  On  the  .30th 
the  closing  quotation  was  37id. 

Graphite. — Sellers  now  ask  £20  to  £23  c.i.f. 
for  Madagascar  80  to  90%.     Business  is  quiet. 

Iron  and  Steel. — It  was  expected  that  further 
reductions  in  pig  iron  quotations  would  be  delayed 
until  ne.xt  month,  so  that  when  it  was  announced  at 
the  end  of  November  that  pig  iron  would  be  cheaper, 
a  certain  amount  of  surprise  was  evident.  No.  3 
Cleveland  G.iM.B.  is  now  £5  a  ton,  representing  a 
fall  from  £11  5s.  at  the  beginning  of  the  year. 
Business,  however,  has  been  slow,  and  it  remains 
to  be  seen  whether  buyers  will  be  sufficiently 
attracted  to  place  substantial  orders.  Hematite 
has  been  weak  owing  to  the  competition  among 
makers  to  find  buyers  of  their  products  as  they  are 
made,  rather  than  have  to  put  iron  into  stock. 
Italy  has  bought  a  little,  while  South  Wales  has  also 
been  a  purchaser.  East  Coast  mi.xed  numbers  are 
flat  at  107s.  6d.  to  110s.  As  regards  finished 
material,  a  little  more  business  has  been  coming 
in,  but  works  are  still  only  partly  employed. 
Continental  business  is  waning,  owing  to  increasing 
difficulties  in  procuring  supplies,  except  for  far 
forward  dates,  from  that  side. 


370 


MININT,      MAl.A/lNI'. 


STATISTICS 


I'RODVCIION  or  GOID  IN    iim 

Tkansvaai.. 

i     Rand 

Ehc- 
wliere 

Total         Trice  ol 

Ol. 

Ol. 

Or.        Gold  per  on. 

October.  1920 

November   

becciubcr 

645,819 
618,525 
C17,.M9 

16.653 
15,212 
14,060 

s.     ri. 
662,472           117    6 
f  33,737           117    6 
632,215           115    0 

Total,  1920   7,949,038 

Jonuory,  1921  ..•:  637,425 

Febniary   ,  543,707 

March 650,572 

April 005,309 

Mav    671,7.W 

Jmie....   063,383 

luly    073,475 

AiiRust 095,230 

September 674,157 

October    OiU  1,348 


204,587    ;8,15S,025 

— 

14,108 

051.593 

105    0 

14,370 

588,137 

103    9 

14,551 

071,123 

103    9 

16,073 

081,882 

1C3    9 

10,020 

687,770 

103    9 

15,107 

078,490 

107    0 

10.080 

089,555 

112    6 

10,290 

711,520 

HI    0 

10.939 

691,000 

110    0 

17,477 

707,825 

103    0 

Natives  Employed  in  the  Transvaal  Mines. 


1       Gold             Coal 
mines          mines 

Diamond 
mines 

Total 

October  31,  1020  ... .     159,420 

November  30 158.773 

December  31  159,671 

13,858 
14,245 
14,263 

4,214         177,498 
3,5C4         176,522 
3,840         177,274 

January  31,  1921   ...     165,287 

February  28    171,518 

March  31    '    174,364 

14,541 
14,097 
14,900 

2,319         18,3,147 
1,612          187,827 
1,364         190,634 

Anril  30               172.826 

14,008           1,316      1    180,050 

May  31    170.595 

June  30    108.152 

lulv  31            100,009 

14,510 
14,704 
14,688 
14,440 
14,244 
13,936 

1,302 
1,317 
1,246 
1,207 
1,219 
1,223 

180,407 
184,173 
182,933 

August  31 100,008 

184,601 

September  30    ,    171,912 

October  31     1    175,331 

187,375 
190,490 

COST  AND  Profit  on  the  Rand. 

Compiled    from   official   statistics    published   by    the 
Chamber  of  Mines. 


Transvaal 


Work'g  I  Work'g       Total 
Yield         cost         profit-    !    working 
per  ton    per  ton     per  ton  '      profit 


1  s.  d. 

October,  1020    1,871,140  1  39    9 

November  . . .    1,799,710  40    2 

December  ...    1.797,970  39  11 


January,  1921  1,895,235  i 

February 1,. ^75,320 

March    1,95.8,730 

April     1,901.815 

May 1.955.357 

June I  1,960,349 

July 1  2,010,230 

August I  2,050,722 

September  ...!  1,997,080 


35  0 

35  6 

34  5 

34  5 

35  3 
35  10 
37  2 
37  3 
30  8 


s.  d. 

20  1 

26  3 

20  8 


20  3 
28  6 
26    1 

25  10 

26  2 
25  10 
25  7 
25  4 
25    2 


s.  d. 

13  8 

13  1 

13  3 


{. 
1,278,385 
1,255,749 
1,193,672 


8 

9 

829,430 

7 

n 

550,974 

R 

4 

813,636 

8 

7 

854,533 

9 

1 

889,520 

10 

(1 

979,769 

11 

7 

1,163,505 

11 

11 

1,226,282 

11 

6 

1,151,127 

Production  of  Gold  in  Rhodesia. 


1919 


1920 


1921 


January  . . . 
February  . . 
March    — . 

April   

May 

Jime 

July 

August  . . . . 
September  . 
October  ... 
November  . 
December  . 

Total  . 


£ 
211,017 

22n,as5 

225,808 
213,160 
218,057 
214,215 
214,919 
207,339 
223,719 
204,184 
186,462 
158,835 


oz. 
43,428 
44,237 
45,779 
47,000 
46,266 
45,054 
4fi,2(« 
48,740 
45,471 
47,343 
40,782 
46,190 


2,499,498 


552,498 


oz. 
46,9.56 
40,810 
31,995 
47,858 
48,744 
49,406 
51,564 
.53,200 
52,430 
53,424 


Transvaal  Goid  Outphs. 

I  SrptcniluT  ] 


October 


Aurora  West 

Drakpan  

City  Deep    

Cons.  Lanelaayte   

Cons.  Main  Kecf 

Crown  Mines 

D'rb'nKoodcpoortDcep 

F.ist  Kand  P..\l 

Fcrreira  Deep  

Geduld 

Geldenhuis  Deep 

Glynn's  I.ydcnburg    ... 

Goch  

Government  C.M.  Areas 

Kleinfontein    

Knight  Central 

Langlaa^te  Estate  , 
Lnipaard's  Vlei  .... 
Mcyrr  vS;  Charlton  .  . 
Mo;ldcrfontein,  New 
Moddcrfontcin  H  . . 
Mudderfontein  Deep 
Mo<idcrfontcin  East. 

New  llnified    

Nouiise  

Primrose    

Randfontein  Central 

Robinson 

Kobinson  Deep  .... 
Roodepoort  United 

Rose  Deep 

Simmer  &  Jack I 

Springs    

Sub  Nigel 

Transvaal  G.M.  Estates. 

Van  Ryn   

Van  Ryn  Deep  

Village  Deep    

West  Rand  Consolidated 
Witw'tersr'nd  (Knights) 
Witwatersrand  Deep  . . 
Wolhuter 


rrcated 

Yield 

Treated 

Yield 

Tons    \ 

Oi. 

Tons 

Oi. 

10,800 

i:i0,145t 

10,130 

£13,872« 

57.500 

22,113 

58,(KI0 

22,435 

80,000 

30,729 

90,000 

87,097 

44,000 

£72,037t 

45,100 

jC08,0'J9» 

50,000 

17,719 

50,000 

17,038 

193,000 

58,984 

198,000 

59,831 

24,350 

0,502 

27,000 

0,OIKI 

124,000 

33,052 

127,000 

38,270 

32,200 

10,206 

32,500 

10,070 

45,(«0 

16,185 

46,500 

17,282 

49,520 

12,680 

47,321 

12,591 

8,075 

<:7,102§ 

4,003 

£8,000! 

17,100 

£20,280t 

17,200 

£ly,544« 

140,000 

£318,700t 

140,000 

£3(J9,n87« 

49,700 

13,017 

51,000 

13,912 

28,000 

6,761 

2S.50O 

6,572 

41,000 

j(;68,012t 

43,600 

£60,1  UO* 

22,200 

£27,020t 
^42,1  sot 

21,100 

£23,80(i* 

13,200 

14,5M 

£43,133* 

101,000 

46,994 

107,000 

40,278 

59,000 

30,730 

59,(X)0 

•   30,061 

43,000 

23,355 

43,300 

24,110 

25,(HI0 

9,791 

27,000 

9,724 

10,900 

fl3,9.58t 

11,200 

£13,488* 

41,200 

15,002 

44,500 

14,767 

20,700 

f25,715t 

21, two 

£23,326* 

130,000 

£202,792t 

118,500 

£180,830* 

40,000 

7,701 

40,200 

7,989 

03,000 

18,480 

61,3C0 

19,167 

22,000 

iC23,188t 

20,500 

£20,(;03* 

54,000 

13.076 

57,700 

13,977 

55,200 

13,298 

60,000 

13,941 

30,250 

16,075 

41,400 

17,507 

10,200 

5,513 

10,200 

5,810 

1.5,445 

£27,9981 

16,040 

£27,C59t 

31,030 

£50,287t 

33,300 

£47,9911' 

40,400 

£144,960t 

53,400 

£151.944* 

48,100 

15,308 

53,200 

10.750 

32.000 

;£48,092t 

34,100 

£40,974* 

40,000 

£56,758t 

40,500 

£52,200* 

33,630 

9,717 

33,170 

9,785 

32,200 

7,939 

33,200 

8,005 

•  Gold  at  £5  3s.  per  oz.     t  £5  10s.  per  oz.    t  £5  Is.  Od.  per  oz. 
f  £5  8s.  3d.  per  oz. 


Rhodesian  Gold  Outputs. 


Cam  &  Motor    

Falcon    

Gaika  

Globe  &  Phoenix 

Jumbo    

London  &  Rhodesian  . . 

Lonely  Reef 

Planet-Arcturus   

Rezende  

Rhodesia  G.M.  &  I.     . . 

Shamva    

Transvaal  &  Rhodesian 


September. 


Tons 


Oz. 


13,900 

15,419 

4,098 

0,013 

1,300 

2,473 

4,950 

5,700 

5,700 

270 

55,300 

1,620 


£24,50n 

2,672* 

1,373 

6,304 

504 

£3,054 

4,418 

2,611 

2,607 

305 

£42,945t 

£4,981t 


Oz. 


13,000 

4,823 

15,890 

2,92.511 

4,181 

1,400 

0,241 

6,061 

1,6,50 

505 

3,554 

£4,135 

5,100 

4,010 

6,010 

2,530 

5,800 

2,761 

310 

316 

56,600 

£42,129§ 

*  Also  255  tons  copper.       t  At 
§  Gold  at  £5  25.  Od.  per  oz 


par.  II  Also  275  tons  copper. 

t  Gold  at  £5  5s.  per  oz. 


West  African  Gold  Outputs. 


September 


Tons 

Abbontiakoon !  6,825 

Abosso  :  6,397 

Ashanti  Goldfields   j  7,685 

Obbuassi    I  095 

Prestea  Block  A I  8,122 

Taquah 3,300 


482,459 


•  At  par.        t  Including  premium. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


371 


West  Australian  Gold  Statistics. — Par  Values. 


,  Reported 

for  Export 

Oz. 

Delivered 

to  Mint 

Oz. 

ToUl 
Oz. 

Par 
Value  £ 

February.  1921 

March 

April 

May 

684 
10 
607 
474 
153 

1,641 
110 
380 

1,010 
156 

26,872 
47,875 
46,602 
47,638 
28,194 
44,917 
61,731 
50,728 
51,286 
46.429 

27,556 
47,885 
47,209 
51,503 
28,347 
46,558 
51,841 
51,108 
53,196 
46,585 

117,050 
203,401 
200,635 
217,495 
120,410 

July 

197,774 
220,205 

September 

217,092 
225,959 

November    

197,879 

Australian  Gold 

Outputs. 

West 
AustrJilia 

Victoria 

Queensland 

New  South 
Wales 

1921 

oz. 

oz. 

oz. 

I 

January  . 

51,458 

4,587 

4,582 

20,463 

February. 

27,557 

10,940 

9,046 

21,575 

March  .  . . 

47,880 

12,383 

6,690 

24,344 

April 

47,273 

5,954 

2,591 

34,101 

May    

48,113 

10,280 

2,077 

15,356 

June 

28,347 

10,431 

1,602 

11,640 

July 

4(5,558 

6,528 

1,531 

16,416 

August. . . 

51,842 

8.941 

1,413 

15,946 

September 

— 

— 

— 

16,942 

October    . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

November 

— 

— 

— 

— 

December 

— 

— 

— 

— 

Total.. 

349,034 

69,047 

29„532 

176,983 

Australasian  Gold  Outputs. 


September 

Oct 

;ber 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Tons 

Value  {. 

Associated  G.M.  (W.A.) 

5,789 

7,51211 

6,176 

7, 58811 

Blackwater  (N.Z.)    

3,159 

6,372' 

3,262 

6,549* 

Gold'n  Horseshoe  (W.A) 

10,128 

5,325} 

10,194 

6,376{ 

Grt  Boulder  Pro.  (W.A.) 

8,312 

27,01411 

9,333 

32,6651! 

Ivanhoe  (W.A.) 

14,804 

6,041t 

15,031 

6,030t 

KalgurU  (W.A.)    

— 

2,2076 

— 

— ^ 

Lake  View  &  Star  (W.A.) 

6,550 

12,229tll 

5,339 

13.27211 

Mount  Boppy  (N.S.W.) 

— 



Oroya  Links  (W.A.)  . . 

1,541 

7,61Sti: 

1,415 

7,521t|l 

South  KalgurU  (W.A.) 

7.610 

13,53211 

7.542 

13,95411 

Waihi(N.Z.) 

4,236 

1    3,540t 
1  35,144§ 

13,560  \ 

3,752i 
19,S38S 

„  Grand  Junc'n  (N.Z.) 

6,280 

1     4,321§ 

5,910  1 

l,494t 
4,1SS§ 

Yuanmi  (W.A.) 

6,393 

18,757'd 

'  Including     premium  ;      t  Including    royalties  ;      t  Oz.     gold  ( 
§  Oz.  silver  ;   ||  At  par.     b  Profit,    d  Four  months. 


Miscellaneous  Gold  and  Silver  Outputs. 

September 

October 

Tons 

Value  £ 

Tons 

Value  f, 

Brit.  Plat.  &  Gold  (C'lbia) 

283P 

imp 

El  Oro  (Me.\ico)    

34,250 

2Cl,000t 

33,250 

118,000t 

Hsperanza  (Mexico)    



438e 



l,584e 

Frontino  &  Bolivia  (C'lbia) 

1,780 

7,536* 

1.950 

8,002* 

Keeley  Silver  (Canada)  . . 

— . 

— 



102,000s 

Mexico  El  Oro  (Mexico) . . 

— 

— 



— 

Mining  Corp.  of  Canada    . 

— 

148,892s 



— 

Oriental  Cons.  ( Korea)  . . . 

19,398 

83,775t 



92,870t 

Ouro  Preto  (Brazil)    

6,500 

2,37511 

7.100 

2,350 

Plym'th   Cons.    (Calif'mia 

8,5CX) 

10,082* 

8.500 

8,600* 

St.  John  del  Rey  (Brazil). 

— 

39,.500* 

— 

43,500* 

Santa   Gertnidis    (Mexico) 

29,817 

17,009t 

29,927 

13,161t 

1  omboy  (Colorado)    

18,000 

73,C00T 

18,000 

78.500t 

•  At  par.     t  U.S.  Dollars.     J  Profit,  gold  and  silver.     ]!  Oz.  gold. 

P  Oz.  platinum  and  gold.       s  Oz.  silver.       e  Profit  in  dollars. 
Pato  (Colombia):   :J2  days  to  November  12,  $10,6%  from  128,251 

cu.   yd. 
Nechi    (Colombia) :     31    days   to   November    14,    519,727    from 

28U,111  cu.  yd. 


Indian  Gold  Outputs. 


Balaghat    

Champion  Reef  . . 

Mysore 

North  Anantapur 
Nundydroog  . . . , 
Ooregum 


September 

October 

Tons 

Fine 

Tons 

Fine 

Treated 

Ounces 

Treated 

Ounces 

3,200 

2,563 

3,300 

2,371 

11,050 

4,848 

11,766 

4.869 

17,417 

10,531 

17,512 

10.504 

700 

898 

500 

602 

8,771 

5,318 

9,011 

5,344 

12,900 

8,484 

12,900 

8,496 

Production  of  Gold  in  India. 


1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

Oz. 

January  

44,718 

41,420 

38,184 

39,073 

34,028 

February  . . . 

42,500 

40,787 

36,384 

38,872 

32„529 

March    

44,617 

41,719 

38,317 

38,760 

32.576 

April    

43,726 

41,504 

38,248 

37,307 

32.363 

May 

42,001 

40,889 

38,008 

38,191 

32,6.56 

June 

42,924 

41.264 

38,359 

37,864 

32.207 

July  

42,273 

40,229 

38,549 

37,129 

32,278 

August 

42,591 

40,496 

37,850 

37,375 

32,498 

September  . . 

43,207 

40,088 

36,813 

35,497 

32,042 

October 

43,041 

39,472 

37,138 

35,023 

32,186 

November  . . 

42,915 

36,984 

39.628 

34,522 

— 

December   . . 

44,883 

40.149 

42,643 

34,919 

— 

Total   .. 

.520,362 

485,236 

461,171 

444,532 

325.973 

Base  Metal  Outputs. 


Sept.      October 


Broken  Hill  Prop. 


Burma  Corporation. 


f  Tons  lead  cone.    . 
I  Tons  zinc  cone.  . . 

Broken  Hill  South    . . .  .Tons  lead  cone.    . . . 
I  Tons  refined  lead 
1  Oz.  refined  silver 
( Tons  copper     .... 

Mount  I.yell      -  Oz.  silver   

{  Oz.  gold    

iLT     it,  r>     1        TT-n  '  Tons  lead  cone. . . . 

North  Broken  Hill ,  ^ons  zinc  cone. . . 

Pilbara    Tons  copper  ore .... 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill     Tons  lead 

c.  1  v-j    ^  ,■  I  Tons  lead  cone,     . 

Sulphide  Corporation  . .  -j  ^^^^  ^.^^  ^^„^    _  _ 

Tanganyika Tons  copper 

™.      ^             .■  [  Tons  zinc  cone. . . 

Zmc  Corporation   |  .^^^^  ,^^j  ^^^^      _ 


1,117 

1,312 

4,322 

5,798 

2,949 

3,627 

2,534 

3,198 

294,102 

401,300 

602 

610 

20.152 

17,519 

412 

382 

1.200 

1,240 

1,360 

1.340 

75 

5S 

1,J31 

1.320 

1,922 

1.84G 

3,230 

3.085 

2,783 

2.807 

9,400 

9.000 

902 

791 

Imports  of  Ores,  Metals,  etc.,  into  United  Kingdom. 


I  September      October 


Iron  Ore   Tons 

Manganese  Ore    Tons 

Iron  and  Steel     Tons 

Copper  and  Iron  Pyrites    Tons 

Copper  Ore,  Matte,  and  Prec Tons 

Copper  Metal     Tons 

Tin  Concentrate      Tons 

Tin  Metal Tons 

Lead,  Pig  and  Sheet - Tons 

Zinc  (Spelter) .Tens 

Quicksilver Lb. 

Zinc  Oxide Tons 

White  Lead     Cwt. 

Barytes,  ground    Cwt. 

Phosphate      Tons 

Mica      Tons 

Sulphur f Tons 

Nitrate  of  Soda Cwt.    . 

Petroleum  :  Crude Gallons; 

Lamp  Oil      Gallons 

Motor  Spirit Gallons; 

Lubricating  Oil    Gallons 

Gas  Oil    Gallons 

Fuel  Oil    Gallons, 

Paraffin  Wax  Cwt.    .[ 

Turpentine   Cwt.    . 


89.379 

140,508 

3.731 

3,164 

206,127 

172.769 

19,520 

21.030 

8,515 

3,257 

5,700 

6.869 

2,320 

1,524 

1,974 

3.735 

11,9,54 

0,225 

4,480 

11,078 

7,800 

10,202 

474 

358 

4,344 

6,369 

32,892 

34.228 

42,249 

29.256 

96 

91 

. — 

497 

57,411 

148,138 

11,160,374 

15,432,610 

8,668,040 

8,558,514 

20,024,380 

21,049,631 

1,239,582 

5,351.509 

7,530,440 

5,269,963 

46,421,748 

54,178.363 

37,550 

62,269 

1.5,038 

58,886 

372 


Till-:    MINlNf.     MAGAZINE 


OuTi-UTS  or  Tin  Miniso  Compakius. 
In  Toil!  ol  Coiicciilralc. 


Production  op  Tin 

l;sli[iMt«l  at  70%  of 


Nigeria  : 

Aswciated  Nigerian    

Bisichi  

Bongwclli     

Ch»iin>ion  (Nigeria)    

Dua   

Ex-Lands   

Filani 

Gold  Coast  Consolidated    . . . 

Gurtim  Klvcr  

Jantar 

Jos  

Kaduna  

Kadiina  Prospectors  

Kano  

Ketli  ConsolidatiKl    

Lower  I^i^icbi 

Lucky  Chance    

Minna    

Mongu  

Naraf  uta 

Naraguta  Kxtended    

Nigerian  Consolidated 

N.N.  nauchi 

Offin  Kiver 

Rayfleld    

Ropp 

Rukuba  

South  iiukeru 

Sybu    

Tin  1-ieIds 

Yarde  Kerri  

Federated  Malay  States : 

Chenderiang 

Gopeng   

Idris  Hydraulic 

Ipoh 

KamuQtiog 

Kinla 

Lahat 

Malayan  Tin 

Pahang      

Kambiitan    

Sunyei  Besi    

1 ekka    

Tekka-Taiping 

Tronoh    

Other  Countries : 

Aramayo  Mines  (Bolivia). . . . 

Berenguela  (Bolivia)  

Briseis  (Tasmania)     

Deebook  Konpibon  (Siam)  . . 

Leeuwpoort  (Transvaal)  — . 

Macreedy  (Swaziland) 

Renong  (Siam) 

Rnoiberg  Minerals{ Transvaal) 

Siamese  Tin  (Siam)  

Tongkah  Harbour  (Siam) 

Zaaiplaats  (Transvaal)   . . 


August 

Tons 

30 


23 
13 

6 

73 


45 

GO 

24 

9 

82J 

26 
128 


11 
7 


89 
191 
195 

35? 

43; 
83J 
216' 
15 
48 
37 
36 


174 
28 
10 
21J 


111 
.50 
121 
113 


Sept. 


Tons 
40 


30 

ei 

3 
12 

17J 
12J 


21 
51 


475 

50 

25 


83] 


24 

165 

5 

13 

14 
7 

75* 

39 

20J 

IS 

74« 

355 

47; 

77i 
220 
151 
48' 
39 
30 
17 

200 
32 
13 
30 
93* 

905 

50 

1021 

84 


Oct. 


Tons 
45 


61 
2 

11 

8 
19 
13J 

20 
8i 


00 
50 
25 
6i 
55 

20 

133 

1 

11 

15 
7 


92 
ISl 

25J 

415 
53i 
77i 
211 
18 
48 
39 
23 
15 

220 
29 
20 
30 


841 

119 

GO 


Three  months. 


Nigerian  Tin  Production. 
In  long  tons  of  concentrate  of  unspecified  content. 
Kote.—Tktse  fii^ures  are  takm  from  the  moiiMy  returr.s  made  hy 
individual  companies  reporling  in  London,  and  probably  represent 
85%  o/  the  actual  outputs. 


1916" 

1917 

1918 

1919 

1920 

1921 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tons 

Tods 

January  

531 

667 

67S 

613 

647 

438 

528 

646 

668 

623 

477 

370 

March 

547 

655 

707 

6nfi 

505 

445 

April 

486 

555 

5S4 

546 

467 

394 

May 

536 

509 

625 

4S3 

383 

337 

510 
506 
498 

473 
479 
551 

492 
545 
.571 

484 
481 
616 

435 
484 
447 

423 

lulv    

494 

477 

535 

538 

521) 

561 

.628 

595 

October    

584 

578 

491 

625 

62o 

546 

November   .... 

679 

621 

472 

536 

544 

— 

December 

654 

655 

518 

511 

577 

— 

Total 

6,594 

6,927 

6,771 

0,685 

6,022 

4,499 

■                            I  1017 

Tons 

January 3,558 

1-ebrnary 2.755 

March    3.280 

April    3,251 

May !  3,413 

June 3,489 

July S,2,'-)3 

August '  3,413 

September 3,154 

October 3,430 

November I  3,300 

December 3,525 

i  39,833 


IN  FnonRATBO  Malav  Statks. 
Concentrate  shipped  to  Smellers 
Long  'Ions. 

1920         1921 


1918 


37,370 


1019 


Tons 

Tons 

8.030 

3,765 

8,197 

2.734 

2,609 

2,819 

3,308 

2,858 

8,332 

8,407 

3,070 

2,877 

3,373 

3,7!)fi 

8,2.59 

2,956 

3,157 

3,161 

2,870 

8,221 

3,132 

2,972 

3,022 

2,409 

36,935 


Tons 

4,265 
8,014 
2,770 
2,600 
2,741 
2,940 
2,824 
2,786 
2,784 
2,837 
2,573 
2,838 


34,928 


Tons 
8,298 
8,111 
2,190 
2,602 
2,884 
2,752 
2,734 
3,051 
2,338 
3,161 


28,211 


Stocks  of  Tin. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co. 


Long  Tons. 


Straits  and  Australian  Spot  ... 
Ditto,  handing  and  in  Transit 
Other  Standard,  Spot  and  Landing 

Straits.  Afloat    

Australian.  Afloat    

Banca,  in  Holland 

Ditto,  Afloat 

Billiton,  Spot   

BiUiton,  Afloat 

Straits,     Spot    in     Holland     and 

Hamburg    

Ditto,  Afloat  to  Continent     . . . 
Total  Afloat  for  United  States 
Stock  in  America 


Total  ■     20.777 


Sept.  30 


1,748 
510 

4,226 

2,000 
190 

3,934 
954 
241 
130 


425 
4,663 
1,756 


Oct.  31 


2,168 

968 
5,194 
1,655 

175 
3,916 
1,250 

126 
63 


840 
4,497 
2,041 


22,891 


Nov.  30 

2,112 

483 

5,948 

1,060 

70 

4,360 

2611 

121 

31 


900 
4,(i71 
1,316 


22,247 


Shipments,  Imports,  Supply,  and  Consumption  op  Ti.n. 
Reported  by  A.  Strauss  &  Co.     Long  tons. 


Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov. 

ShiDments  from  : 

Straits  to  U.K. 

1,870 

a,ix)o 

430 

615 

25 

390 

324 

1,675 

2,075 

775 

475 

50 

210 

1,275 

1,395 
1,985 

685 

Straits  to  other  places    

Australia  to  U.K 

250 
150 
800 

Imports     of     Bolivian     Tin     into 
Europe 

977 

Supply : 

5,300 
25 

100 
1,085 

811 

4,525 
50 
63 

1,975 
290 

4,005 

150 

31 

1,233 

Standard 

559 

Total     

7,321 

6.903 

6,o;is 

Consumption: 

1,707 

329 

2,605 

9M 

1,808 
255 

2,280 
446 

2,330 

427 

American     ,, 

Straits,  Banca  &  Billiton,  Con- 

3  250 
675 

Total 

.'■,,581 

4,8?9 

6.682 

DECEMBER,    l92l 


373 


Outputs  Reported  by  Oil-producing  Companies. 


Tons.. 

August 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Aoglo-EgyptiaQ 

14,324 

13,451 

12,865 

AagJo-Uaited    

Barrels 

9,550 

9,500 

10.500 

Apex  Trinidad      

.    ..Barrels 

94,398 

48,305 

9,100 

Astra  Romana 

Tons.. 

27,013 

— 

— • 

British  Bumiah   

Barrels 

81,40'i 

74,940 

70.412 

Caltex    

Tons. . 

13,340 
305 

12,630 
278 

13,032 

Dacia  Romaaa 

Tons  . 

250 

Kem  River 

. . . .  Barrels 

96,001 

97,118 

106,790 

....Tons. . 

9,169 
?,.')88 

8,(31 
2,276 

8,911 

Roumanian  Consol  . . . . 

Tons.  . 

2,222 

Santa  Maria      

Tons.. 

1,286 

— 

1,357 

Steaua  Romana      

Tons.. 

23,760 

19,485 

19,331 

Trinidad  Leaseholds    . . 

Tons.. 

11,800 

10,950 

11,900 

United  of  Trinidad    ... 

Tons.. 

4,291 

5,700 

6,215 

Quotations   of   Oil   Companies*   Shares. 
DenominatioQ  of  Shares  f^i  unless  otherwise  noted. 


Anglo-American   

Anglo- Egyptian  B    

Anglo-Persiau  1st  Pref.  . . . 

Apex  Trinidad    

British  Borneo  (lOs.) 

British  Bumiah  (8s.)   

Burmah  Oil 

Caltex  ($1)    

Dacia  Romano   

Kem  River,  Cal.  (lOs.) 

Lobitos,  Peru    

Mexican  Eagle,  Ord.  ($5)   . 

Pref.  ($5) 
North  Caucasian  (10s.)  . . . . 

Phoenix,  Roumania    

Roumanian  ConsoUdated  . . 
Royal  Dutch  (100  gulden) 

ScottL'^h  American    

Shell  Transport,  Ord 

„       Pref.  (£10) 

Trinidad  Central 

Trinidad  Leaseholds 

United  British  of  Trinidad 

Ural  Caspi<in     

Uroz  Oilfields  (IDs.) , 


Nov.  7 

Dec.  e 

, 

1921 

1921 

£  s. 

d. 

£     s. 

d. 

4  16 

» 

5    5 

0 

1    2 

fi 

1  10 

0 

1    1 

9 

1    3 

0 

1  12 

« 

2    0 

0 

6 

6 

11 

3 

1    0 

0 

16 

3 

5  15 

(1 

5    15 

0 

3 

0 

3 

0 

13 

9 

15 

0 

1    1 

3 

19 

6 

3  15 

(1 

4  10 

0 

3    7 

6 

4    1 

3 

3    2 

(i 

3  18 

9 

11 

3 

12 

6 

7 

3 

6 

6 

6 

9 

8 

0 

36  10 

(1 

36    0 

0 

2 

0 

2 

0 

4  12 

n 

4  15 

3 

8    2 

fi 

8    5 

0 

2  12 

H 

3    7 

6 

1  12 

fi 

1  10 

3 

12 

6 

15 

1) 

8 

1) 

It 

3 

6 

0 

7 

0 

Dividends  Declared  by  Mining  Companies. 


Date 


Nov.  15  . 
Nov.  IG  . 
Nov.  19  . 

Nov.  21  . 


Nov.  21 
Nov.  23 
Nov.  23 
Nov.  24 
Nov.  30 
Dec.  5 
Dec.  6 
Dec.  9 
Dec.  y 
Dec.      y 


Company 


New  Heriot 

Great  Boulder  ...... 

Siamese  Tin 

Pengkalen    

Tekka-Taiping 

Cassel  Cyanide 

Pahang  Consolidated 
Ashanti  Goldfields  . . 
Central  Mining     .... 

Ivanhoe  Gold 

Shell  Transport  .... 
Sulphide  Corporation 

Pato  Mines 

Oroville  Dredging  . . 


Par     I 

Value  of, 
Shares  I 


Amount  of 
Dividend 


£1 
2s.  6d. 

£1 
I  Pref. 
10rd.£l 

£1 

5s. 
Pre£.il 

4s. 

£8 

£5 
Ord.£l 
Pref.£l 

£1 

£1 


6d.  less  tax. 
2s.  less  tax. 

5%  less  tax. 

3d.  less  tax. 

8d.  less  tax, 
3J%  less  tax. 
25%  less  tax. 

6s.  tax  paid. 
Is.  6d.  less  tax. 

2s.  tax  paid. 
5% 

7s.  less  tax. 

9d.  less  tax. 


*  Second  distribution  on  liquidation. 


PRICES    OF    CHEMICALS.     December  7. 

These   quotations   are   not    absolute ;     they    vary    according 
quantities  required  and  contracts  running. 

Acetic  Add,  40% P^  <^w'* 

80% M 

,,  Glacial per  ton 

Alnm    ,, 

Alumina,  Sulphate ,, 

Ammonia,  Anhydrous per  lb. 

„         0880  solution per  ton 

„         Carbonate per  ib. 

„         Chloride,  grey   per  ton 

,,  „       pure    per  cwt. 

,,  Nitrate    per  ton 

,,  Phosphate , 

,,  Sulphate     ,, 

.Antimony,  Tartar  Emetic per  lb. 

„  Sulphide,  Golden „ 

Arsenic,  White  per  ton 

Barium  Carbonate , 

„       Chlorate per  lb. 

,,       Chloride per  ton 

,,       Sulpliate   , 

Benzol,  90% per  gai. 

Bisulphate  of  Carbon per  ton 

Bleaching  Powder,  35%  CI 

Liquor,  7%    , 

Borax , , 

Boric  Acid  Crystals   ,, 

Calcium  Chloride   

Carbolic  Acid,  crude  60% per  ga! 

„  „    crystallized,  40' per  lb. 

China  Clay  (at  Runcorn) per  tun 

Citric  Acid per  lb. 

Copper,  Sulphate per  ton 

Cyanide  of  Sodium,  100%    per  lb. 

Hydrofluoric  Acid    , ,, 

Iodine per  oz. 

Iron,  Nitrate per  ton 

,,     Sulphate    ...        ,, 

Lead,  Acetate,  white , 

„     Nitrate   , 

„     Oxide,  Litharge ,, 

„     White   

Lime,  Acetate,  brown   ...        ,, 

„      greySO%   .. 

Magnesite,  Calcined 

Magnesium,  Chloride , 

,,  Sulphate    „ 

Methylated  Spirit  01'  Industrial per  gal. 

Nitric  Acid,  B0°  Tw per  ton 

Oxalic  Acid per  lb. 

Phosphoric  Acid per  ton 

Potassium  Bichromate    per  lb. 

„  Carbonate per  ton 

,,  Chlorate    per  lb. 

„  Chloride  80% per  ton 

„  Hydrate  (Caustic)  00%   

Nitrate       

,,  Permanganate per  lb. 

„  Prussiate,  Yellow , 

Red 

„         Sulphate,  90% per  ton 

Sodium  Metal per  Ib. 

,,       Acetate    per  ton 

„      Arsenate  45% 

„      Bicarbonate    , , 

„      Bichromate     per  lb. 

„      Carbonate  (Soda  Ash)  per  ton 

„  „         (Crystals) , 

„      Chlorate per  lb. 

Hydrate,  76% per  ton 

,,      Hyposulphite   „ 

Nitrate,  96%    

,,       Phosphate ,. 

„       Prussiate per  lb. 

,,      Sihcate per  toa 

„      Sulphate  (Salt-cake)    ,, 

„  „       {Glauber's  Salts)    „ 

„      Sulphide    » 

„      Sulphite  ...   

Sulphur,  Roll   „ 

„       Flowers   

Sulphuric  Acid,  Fuming,  65^  „ 

„  ,,      free  from  Arsenic,  144"  ...        „ 

Superphosphate  of  Lime,  30% 

Tartaric  Acid    per  lb. 

Turpentine    per  cwt. 

Tin  Crystals per  lb. 

Titanous  Chloride ,, 

Zinc  Chloride per  ion 

Zinc  Oxide „ 

Zinc  Sulphate 


f    s. 

d. 

1     2 

6 

2    5 

0 

58    0 

0 

16    0 

0 

14  10 

0 

2 

2 

28    0 

0 

4 

37    0 

0 

3    5 

0 

40    0 

0 

75    0 

0 

14  10 

0 

1 

6 

1 

3 

40    0 

0 

10    0 

0 

11 

15    0 

0 

8    0 

0 

3 

0 

56    0 

u 

16    0 

(I 

6    0 

0 

31    0 

0 

65    0 

(1 

9    0 

y 

1 

7 

6i 

1  10 

il 

5 

29    0 

0 

1U 

V4 

1 

0 

8    0 

0 

3    0 

U 

43    0 

0 

46    0 

u 

37    0 

0 

44    0 

(! 

8    0 

0 

11     0 

0 

21     0 

0 

V?.    0 

0 

8    0 

0 

5 

u 

28    0 

0 

9 

33    0 

0 

8 

23    0 

0 

K 

12    0 

0 

33    0 

0 

49    0 

0 

1 

1 

1 

3 

2 

3 

IS    0 

0 

1 

4 

27    0 

1) 

42    0 

0 

12     0 

0 

V 

15    0 

U 

7    0 

(1 

4 

26  13 

0 

16    0 

U 

15    0 

U 

20    0 

u 

7 

11  15 

0 

4    0 

0 

5    0 

0 

22    0 

n 

12  10 

0 

13    0 

0 

13    0 

(» 

24    0 

0 

6    5 

0 

5  10 

(1 

1 

5 

3  11 

0 

1 

5 

1 

0 

22  10 

fl 

41     0 

0 

17    0 

0 

371 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


SHARE    QUOTATIONS 

Shares  are  £i  par  value  except  where  otherwise  noted. 


GOI.n,    SILVER. 
DIAMONDS: 
Rand  : 

BraKpnn 

Dec. 
1920 

/C    s. 
2  17 
7    5 
G 
2    7 

1  1 
15 
13 
18 

2  7 
10 

6 
7 
8 

2  8 
6 

4    2 

1     4 

6 

4 

13 

3 

4    7 

3  8 

1  10 

2  2 
1     1 

1  7 
8 

2  8 

2  15 
11 

7 
12 
IG 

3 

1  15 
13 
16 
13 

3  12 

8 
IG 
12 
C 
5 

10 
9 

13    0 
3    0 

G  10 

S 
13 
10 
11 
1',) 

2  lu 
2  15 
1  10 

2 

7 
15 

2 
11 

3 

3 

2 

17 

6 

1 

3 

6 

1    2 

12 

13 

2 

1 

6 

G 

7, 

d. 
6 

0 

e 

6 
3 
0 
0 
8 

e 

0 
0 
0 

fl 

9 
0 

e 

u 

3 
G 
9 
0 
6 
9 
0 
6 
3 
6 
6 
9 
0 
6 
G 
6 
3 
0 
6 
9 
6 
9 
G 
G 
3 
G 
6 
3 

0 
G 

0 
0 
0 

r, 

G 

(i 

0 
G 
0 
0 
0 

G 
6 
0 

0 
3 

0 
0 
3 
6 
9 
G 
9 
3 
G 
G 
0 
6 
6 
0 
6 

Dec.  C, 
1921 

C   s.  d. 
2  10    0 

Central  Mining  (£8) 

6    5    0 

City  &  Suburban  IL4) 

2    9 

2    5    n 

Consolidated  Cold  I'iclds 

13    9 

Consolidated  LanKlaaj;te 

13    9 
9    G 

Consolidated  Mines  Selection  (10s.)  . 

14    0 
1  17    0 

Daggafonlein 

2    6 

4    G 

5    0 

7    G 

Geduld 

2    0    3 

5    0 

Goveniment  Gold  Mining  Areas    . . . 

Johannesburg  Consolidated 

Kleinfontein 

4    2    6 

1    1    G 

5    3 

Kuij;lit  Central 

4    6 

11     G 

I.uipaards  \'lei   

3    0 

Meyer  &  Charlton 

4    0    0 

Modderfontein,  New  (10s.) 

3  15    0 

Modderfontein  B  (5s.) 

17    6 

2    2    6 

Modderfontein  East 

7    G 

113 

2    2    G 

Kand  Selection  Corporation 

2  10    0 
10    0 

Robinson  (fS) 

9     Q 

Robinson  Deep  A  (Is.)  

7    G 

Rose  Deep 

13    G 

Springs 

1  18    9 

11  3 
14    6 

12  0 
3    8    9 

8    6 

Sub-Nigel 

Union  Corporation  (12s.  Gd.) 

Van  Ryn 

\'an  Ryn  Deep 

Village  Deep 

11    3 

12    G 

WolLuter 

8    3 
4    C 

8    0 

OrHER  Tr.\nsvaal  Gold  Mi.nes  : 
Gh-nn's  I.ydenburg 

Transvaal  Gold  Mining  Estates 

Diamonds  i:»  South  Africa  : 

De  Beers  Deferred  (£2  10s.) 

Jagersfontein 

7    6 

9  10    0 
2    2    6 

Premier  Deferred  (2s.  Gd.)  

Rhodesia  : 
Cam  &  Motor 

4    5    0 

9    G 
11    G 

4    3 
10    0 

Chartered  British  South  Africa 

Falcon 

Gaika 

Globe  &  Phanix  (5s.) 

Lonely  Reef 

2  3    9 

3  5    0 
1  to   0 

2    0 

Rezende  

Shamva 

West  Africa  : 
Abbontiakoon  (10s.) 

At>osso 

G    6 

14    G 

1    6 

8    6 

3    3 

Ashanti  (4s.).. 

Prestea  Hlock  A 

West  Australia  : 
Associated  Gold  Mines 

Associated  Northern  Blocks 

2    0 
1    0 
12    6 
5    6 
1    0 

Golden  Horse-Sboe  (/51 

Great  B.iulder  ProprTetary  (2s.)  . . 
<~,T-^t  F'ne'-U  (10s) 

Hampton  Properties  .^ 

4    3 

Ivanhoe(£5) 

Kal^nrli 

Lake  View  Investment  (10s.)  

17    G 

17    3 

7    0 

'   n 

Oroya  Links  (5s.) 

Sons  of  Gwaba    

South  Kalgurli  (10s.)     

1    3 
3    6 
7    6 

tiOLi),  Silver,  cont. 

Others  in  Australasia  : 

lUackwater,  New  Zealand 

Waihi,  New  Zealand 

VVaihi  Grand  Junction,  New  Z'lod.. 
America  : 

Buena  Tierra,  Mexico 

Camp  Bird,  Colorado 

El  Uro,  Mexico 

Esperanza,  Mexico  

Erontino  &  Bolivia,  Colombia 

Kirkland  Lake,  Ont.ario 

Lc  Roi  No.  2  (ih),  British  Columbia 

Mexico  Mines  of  lil  Oro,  Mexico  .... 

Nechi  (Pref.  10s.),  Colombia 

Orovillc  Dredginj^,  Colombia      

Plymouth  Consolidated,  California. . 

St.  John  del  Key,  Brazil    

Santa  Gertrudis,  Mexico 

Tomboy,  Colorado 

Russia  ; 

Lena  Goldfields 

Orsk  Priority 

India  : 

Balagbat  (10s.) 

Chatnpion  Reef  (2s.  Gd.) 

Mysore  (10s.) 

North  .\nantapur 

Nundydroog  (10s.) 

Oorcgnm  (lOs.) 

COPPER : 

Arizona  Copper  (fjs.),  Arizona 

Cape  Copper  (£2),  Cape  and  India... 

Esperanza,  Spain 

Hampden  Cloncurry,  Queensland  ... 

Mason  &  Barry,  Portugal 

Messina  (5s.),  Transvaal 

Mount  Elliott  (£5),  Queensland 

Mount  Lyell,  Tasmania 

Mount  Morgan,  Queensland 

Namaqua  {£2),  Cape  Province 

Rio  Tinto  {i5),  Spain 

Russo-.-Vsiatic  Consd.,  Russia 

Sissert,  Russia 

Spassky,  Russia 

Tanganyika,  Congo  and  Rhodesia  .. 

LE.\D-ZINC: 
Broken  Hill  : 

Amalgamated  Zinc 

British  Broken  Hill 

Broken  Hill  Proprietary 

Broken  Hill  Block  10  (£1U) 

Broken  Hill  North 

Broken  Hill  South 

Sulphide  Corporation  (15s.) 

Zinc  Corporation  (10s.) 

Asia; 

Burma  Corporation  (10  rupees) 

Russian  Mining 

Rhodesia  : 

Rhodesia  Broken  Hill  (5s.)  

TIN: 

Aramayo  Mines,  Bolivia 

Bisichi  (IDs.),  Nigeria 

Briseis,  Tasmania , 

Chenderiang,  Malay 

Dolcoath.  Coniwall 

F-ast  Pool  (5s. 1.  Cornwall 

Ex-Lands  Nigeria  (2s.),  Nigeria  . . . . 

Geevor  (ills.),  Cornwall 

Gopeng,  Malay 

Ipoh  Dredeing,  Malay  

Kamunting,  Malay 

Kinta.  Malav 

Lahat,  .Malay 

Malayan  Tin  Dredging,  Malay 

Mongu  (10s.),  Nigeria 

Naragittq,  Nieeria  

N.  N.  Bauchi,   NigeriadOs.) 

Pahang  ConsoUdated  (5s.),  Malay... 

Rayfaeld.  Nigeria  

ReDong  Dredijing.  Siam 

Ropp  (4s  ).  Nigeria , 

Siamese  Tin.  Siam ...... 

South  Crofty  (5s.).  Cornwall 

Tehidy  Minerals.  Cornwall 

Tekka,  Malay 

Tekka-Taiping,  Malay  

Tronob,  Malay    


Dec.  7, 
1020 

£    ».  d. 

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1  10  0 

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3 

THE    MINING    DIGEST 

A  RECORD  OF  PROGRESS  IN  MINING.  METALLURGY,  AND  GEOLOGY 

In  this  section  we  give  abstracts  of  important  articles  and  papers  appearing  in  technical  journals  and 
proceedings  of  societies,  together  with  brief  records  of  other  articles  and  papers ;  also  notices  of  new 
books  and  pamphlets,  lists    of  patents    on    mining    and  metallurgical  subjects,   and  abstracts  of  the  yearly 

reports  of  mining  companies. 


THE    MINERAL    RESOURCES    OF    UGANDA 


The  first  annual  report  of  the  Geological  Depart- 
ment, Uganda  Protectorate,  covers  the  year  ended 
March  31,  1920,  and  it  is  written  by  E.  J.  Wayland 
and  W.  C.  Simmons.  Chief  and  Assistant  Geologist 
respectively.  We  give  herewith  some  quotations 
relating  to  the  general  geology  and  the  mineral 
occurrences.  One  part  that  we  omit  deals  with  the 
theory  of  the  Rili  Valley.  It  may  be  mentioned 
here  that  the  Rift  Valley  was  the  subject  of  a  paper 
by  Mr.  Wayland  read  before  the  Royal  Geographical 
Society  last  month. 

Geology. — The  rocks  of  Uganda  may  be  divided 
among  eight  age-groups.  They  are  dealt  with  in 
the  order  of  their  comparative  antiquity,  which  is 
as  follows  ; — 

(1)  The  Archajan  Complex. 

(2)  The  Argillite  Series. 

(3)  The  Post-Argillite  Intrusives. 

(4)  The  Older  Lateritic  Deposits  and  Associated 
Gravels. 

(5)  The  Mount  Elgon  Series. 

(6)  The  High-level  Gravels  and  Recent  Lateritic 
Deposits. 

(7)  The  Mufumbiro  Volcanics. 

(8)  Recent  Deposits. 

(1)  The  basement  of  Uganda,  like  that  of  Africa 
in  general,  is  composed  of  a  series  of  very  ancient 
crystalline  rocks,  which  are  almost  certainly 
Archaean  in  age.  Among  them  a  moderately  fine 
grained  biotite-gneiss,  or  gneissose-granite,  is 
conspicuous  ;  but  associated  with  it  are  many 
other  types  of  granitic,  foliated,  and  schistose 
rocks,  most,  if  not  all,  of  which  may  be  paralleled  in 
other  parts  of  the  continent.  The  biotite-gneiss 
frequently  contains  monazite  and  zircon,  so  that 
material  for  an  age-determination  by  radio-active 
methods  is  not  lacking.  Quartz-schists  and  mica- 
schists  are  both  present.  In  the  former  the  ferro- 
magnesian  constituent,  which  is  always  recessive, 
is  represented  by  a  white  mica,  commonly  sericite, 
while  both  biotite  and  normal  muscovite  schists 
occur.  Near  Seconyoni,  Archaean  outcrops  display 
some  highly  cnmipled  sericite-schists,  which  are 
probably  the  metamorphic  equivalents  of  highly 
felspathic  quartzose  rocks.  In  some  parts  (north- 
east of  Soroti,  for  example)  every  gradation  can  be 
traced  between  a  biotite-schist  and  an  augen  gneiss 
on  the  one  hand,  and  between  the  same  augen  rock 
and  a  porphyritic  granite  on  the  other.  Rocks  with 
well-developed  augen  structure  are  of  local 
occurrence  ;  a  tine  example  is  to  be  seen  near 
Moroto  Post.  It  occurs  in  association  with  what 
may  be  provisionally  regarded  as  a  sheared 
pegmatite,  and  consists  of  greyish  felspar  pheno- 
crysts,  with  indefinite  boundaries,  merging  mto  a 
white  granular  felspathic  matrix,  which  is  divided 
by  dark  mica  flakes  into  eye-shaped  pieces  varying 
in  length  from  half  an  inch  to  several  inches. 
The  irises  of  many  such  "  eyes  "  are  represented 
by  grey  felspar  phenocrysts.      Imbedded   in     the 

6—6 


more  micaceous  parts  are  reddish  to  mauve  crystals 
of  zircon,  which  may  reach  a  quarter  of  an  inch  in 
length. 

More  or  less  hornblendic  rocks  are  common  in  the 
Archaean  group,  as  are  hornblende-schists,  and 
hornblende  -  epidote  -  schists.  These  are  well 
developed  in  the  Eastern  Province,  where  actinolite 
and  kyanite  schists  occur,  as  do  sillimanite-bearing 
rocks,  and  dolomitic  marbles.  The  granites  and 
gneissose-granites  sometimes  contain  (as  at  Soroti. 
for  example)  dark  inclusions  of  an  older  basic  rock, 
the  composition  of  which  has  yet  to  be  determined. 
Many  of  the  porphyritic  granites  show  a  very 
remarkable  parallelism  of  the  phenocrysts,  traceable 
over  wide  areas  and  coincident  with  the  strike  of 
the  country. 

While  no  order  of  sequence  of  the  Archaean  rocks 
is  yet  certainly  known,  there  is  some  evidence  for 
supposing  the  more  schistose  representatives  to 
occur  with  the  dolomites  in  the  upper  part. 

Intruded  into  the  Archaean  complex  is  a  pyroxene 
granite,  bearing  strong  resemblance  to  the 
charnockite  of  South  India  and  Ceylon.  In  general, 
it  appears  to  be  pre-argillite  in  age,  but  Mr.  Simmons 
has  recorded  an  instance  where  a  pyroxene-bearing 
granite  has  apparently  been  intruded  into  a  post- 
argilUte  fault  ;  the  field  relations  of  this  occurrence, 
however,  are  not  verj'  distinct. 

Gabbros  and  diorites  occur  in  the  Archaean  group, 
and  a  highly  quartzose  frequently  finely  jointed 
and  much  crumpled  rock  is  characteristic. 

In  many  places  pegmatites,  which  may  be  more 
or  less  normal  or  may  be  differentiated  into  highly 
quartzose  and  highly  felspathic  reefs,  cut  across 
or  run  parallel  with"  the  foliation  of  the  gnei.sses 
and  schists.  The  local  abundance  of  pegmatites  in 
the  ancient  crystalline  complex,  and  their  almost 
entire  absence  in  the  neighbouring  argillites,  suggests 
a  pre-argillite  age  for  these  intrusives.  A  few 
instances  of  normal  pegmatites  cnttmg  the 
argillites  are  known,  but  these  may  be  correlated 
with  a  later  granite. 

The  most  extensive  development  of  Archaean 
rocks  in  the  country  appears  to  be  in  the  Northern 
and  Eastern  Provinces.  They  occur  in  many 
places  in  the  Buganda  and  Western  Provinces, 
faulted  in  among  the  argillites  and  coming  to  grass 
in  blocks  and  ridges,  particularly  in  connexion  with 
the  curious  low-lying  areas  described  under  the 
name  of  "  arenas."  Traced  in  a  westerly  direction, 
through  the  Buganda  and  Western  Provinces,  the 
crystalline  rocks  become  increasingly  conspicuous 
and  occupy  successively  higher  altitudes,  until 
Ruwenzori  is  reached,  where  they  attain  their 
maximum  height  in  the  continent  of  Africa. 

(2)  Resting  unconformably  upon  the  foliated  beds 
of  the  Archa;an  is  the  Argillite  Series,  a  thick  series 
of  clay-like  rocks  varying  considerably  in  com- 
position and  colour.  Although  those  strata  among 
them  that  have  suffered  little  from  the  more  drastic 


375 


376 


THM    MlNIXr.    MACAZINK 


forms  of  inetamorpliism  vary  considerably  in 
appearance  "antl  hardness,  gradations  between 
extreme  types  are  so  common  that  tliere  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  series  is  essentially  one,  and 
although  they  vary  in  composition  from  practically 
pure  hydrated  silicate  of  alumina  to  a  hiKhly 
siliceous  deposit,  the  gradations  arc  so  fine  that  there 
is  no  alternative  but  to  adopt  a  single  name  for  the 
whole.  Since  clay  is  no  longer  a  term  of  chemical 
significance,  the  name  .\rgillitc  Series  is  tentatively 
proposed  in  recognition  of  the  essentially  clay-like 
or  shale-like  appearance  of  the  majority  of  its 
members.  The  name  is  purely  provisional,  and  has 
obvious  disadvantages  ;  it  will  be  replaced  by 
another  when  the  age  of  the  beds  is  known.  It  is 
probable  that  they  will  turn  out  to  be  of  Karoo  age. 
Red  and  brown  are  the  more  usual  colours  of  the 
clay  members  of  the  Argillite  Scries,  but  grey, 
yellowish  shades,  banded  white,  blue,  and  black 
arc  among  the  variations  recorded.  The  rocks  are 
extremely  fine  grained  and  rather  absorbent,  a 
characteristic  -which  is  noticeable  in  the  more 
siliceous  varieties.  They  do  not,  as  a  rule,  display 
jointing  to  any  marked  extent.  Hollow  cavities 
resembling  the  salt  pseudomorphs  of  the  British 
Trias  are  locally  abundant. 

Interbedded  with  the  clay  rocks  are  quartzites, 
conglomerates,  and  sandstones.  The  first  of  these 
frequently  carry  pyrites  and  pyrrhotite  scattered 
through  them  ;  the  second  often  resemble  very 
closely  the  banket  of  the  Rand  ;  while  the  last 
recall  some  beds  of  the  millstone  grit  of  Britain. 

(3)  The  Post-.\rgillite  intrusives  may  be  broadly 
divided  into  acid  and  basic  groups.  Among  the 
former  quartz  reefs  are  the  most  obvious,  since  they 
do  not  laterize  and  often  stand  out  in  bold  relief 
from  the  red  soil  surrounding  them.  Frequently 
they  carry  iron  ores  which  sometimes  become  very 
conspicuous  ;  hematite  is  the  commonest  of  these 
ores.  It  often  happens  that  hematite  is  replaced 
by  goethite  at  the  surface.  Ouartz-tourmaline  reefs, 
associated  with  highly  tourmalinized  argillites,  are 
locally  developed,  while  pegmatites  and  tourmaline- 
pegmatites,  in  which  the  tourmaline  seems  to  take 
the  place  of  mica,  are  known.  Large  granitic 
intrusions,  probably  laccolitic  in  form,  make  their 
presence  felt  in  some  areas  ;  with  them,  probably, 
the  smaller  and  more  highly  differentiated  intrusives 
are  genetically  connected.  The  intrusions  belonging 
to  the  basic  group  are  chiefly  of  the  nature  of 
diabases,  picrites,  and  pyroxenites.  The  basic 
intrusives  generally  give  rise  to  a  brilliant  red 
soil,  which  appears  to  be  extremely  fertile.  Not 
infrequently  they  can  be  traced  for  a  mile  or  more 
in  approximately  straight  lines.  One  of  these 
picrite  dykes  holds  back  the  Nile  at  the  Ripon  Falls, 
another  at  the  Owen  Falls  near  by. 

(4)  The  Older  Lateritic  Deposits,  which  do  not 
appear  to  be  forming  to-day,  cap  flat-topped  hills 
which  characterize  Uganda  and  the  adjoining 
countrj-.  They  do  not  present  any  exceptional 
petrographical  features,  and  may  be  matched  in 
many  other  places  in  the  tropics. 

(5)  With  the  exception  of  a  basement  of 
sedimentary  (often  conglomeratic)  beds,  which  in 
all  probability  do  not  strictly  belong  to  the  series, 
the  Mount  Elgon  Series  consists  entirely  of  volcanic 
rocks. 

(6)  As  regards  this  division,  high-level  gravels 
and  silts  are  very  extensively  developed  in  Uganda  ; 
they  are  associated  with  all  the  larger  rivers  and 
lakes,    and    are    found    at    varying    levels    up    to 


the  4,000  ft.  contour  in  the  case  of  the  old  lake 
deposits.  They  are  to  he  found  in  small  feeder 
valleys,  where  they  may  be  more  than  4,000  ft. 
above  sea-level,  as  well  as  flanking  large  river 
valleys.  In  all  instances  investigated  at  present 
the  main  dejiosits  have  been  shown  to  rest  on  old 
valley  or  lake  bottoms  above  those  of  the  present 
waters.  The  bottom  gravels  arc  flood-like  in 
character,  and  the  pebbles  are  often  highly  polished. 
Terracing  occurs,  two  terraces  being  generally 
traceable.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  terraces  are 
carved  out  of  the  gravel  deposits  by  descending 
rivers  ;  they  are  not  cut  out  of  the  rocks.  The  fact 
that  pot-holes  are  .sometimes  to  be  found  on  the 
ancient  bottoms,  which  are  overlapped  by  reason 
of  the  great  horizontal  spread  of  the  alluvials  above 
them,  suggests  that  at  one  time  the  rivers  rose  con- 
.siderably  ;  in  which  case  we  should  expect  to  find 
corroborative  evidence  in  the  lake  depressions. 
The  Albert  Nyanza  affords  a  good  example  ;  an 
old  lake  bottom  (mud)  well  above  the  ])resent  level 
of  the  water  and  extending  landwards  to  the  base 
of  the  escarpment  is  overlain  by  extensive  alluvial 
deposits  which  attain  an  altitude  of  more  than 
100  ft.  above  lake  level  ;  they  arc  horizontally 
stratified,  and  are  composed  of  a  heterogeneous 
collection  of  boulders,  stones,  sand,  and  clay. 
The  boulders,  which  are  generally  subangular, 
grow  less  common  as  the  series  is  ascended.  The 
horizont.al  stratification  shows  that  the  beds  are  not 
talus  accumulations  ;  while  their  constitution 
declares  them  to  be  of  the  nature  of  flood  deposits. 

(7)  The  Mufumbiro  volcanoes  rise  from  a  plain 
well  below  the  general  level  of  the  country  to  the 
east  and  north  of  it.  The  cones  are  well  formed  and 
large,  the  greatest  (Karissimbi),  situated  within  the 
boundaries  of  the  Belgian  Congo,  reaches  an 
altitude  of  14,630  ft.  They  bear  all  the  indications 
of  recency,  and  one,  Namlagira  (?  Namalagira), 
also  in  Congo  territory,  is  still  mildly  active.  As 
the  necessary  materials  for  the  production  of  good 
petrographical  sections  are  yet  awaited  little  has 
laeen  done  in  the  matter  of  detailed  rock 
determination,  but  it  would  appear  from  a  few 
specimens  examined  that  a  good  deal  of  the  Kigezi 
lava  is  of  the  nature  of  olivine  basalt.  It  is  to  be 
noted,  too,  that  the  olivine,  which  is  sometimes 
present  in  individuals  of  i  in.  or  more  in  length, 
is  remarkably  fresh,  while  the  lavas  and  ashes 
themselves  can  be  shown  to  have  been  spread  over 
a  landscape  which  is  essentially  that  of  the  present 
day.  They  cover  soils  which  must  be  com- 
paratively recent.  At  the  junction  of  the  soils  and 
the  volcanic  deposit,  springs,  the  result  of  rain 
soakage  through  the  latter,  make  their  appearance. 
When  the  volcanic  beds  overlying  such  a  soil  happen 
to  be  ash  beds  they  tend  to  slide  over  the  surface 
of  the  soil,  which  is  rendered  slippery  by  the 
percolating  water,  and  come  gUding  down  to  lower 
levels  as  land  slips.  Larger  falls  may  be  expected. 
Not  all  the  craters  in  Kigezi  are  of  the  usual  lava- 
emitting  type.  Many  of  them,  especially'  those 
situated  close  to  and  among  the  surrounding 
argillite  hills,  are  explosion  craters  blown  through 
the  rocks  ;  they  have  emitted  large  quantities  of 
ashes  and  bombs  which  now  cover  the  country  for 
miles  around.  Craters  of  this  type  probably  repre- 
sent an  early  phase  in  the  volcanicity  of  the  region. 
It  would  appear  that  these  explosions  were  due  to 
steam  generated  from  water,  which  once  occupied 
the  depression  in  which  the  craters  now  stand. 
The  eruption  started,  in  fact,  in  the  floor  of  a  lake, 


DECEMBER,    1921 


3-77 


UGANDA 
PROTECTORATE 

Scale  of  Miles 

10  W  60  BO 


TANGANYIKA 
lERRlTOfff 


the  remnants  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen  around 
the  volcanoes.  The  lava  cones  were  formed  sub- 
sequently, probably  immediately  after  the 
explosion  phase.  Many  of  the  explosion  craters 
were  obliterated  by  the  immense  flows  of  lava  which 
were  subsequently  poured  out.  No  doubt  many 
passed  from  explosion  craters  into  lava  craters  ; 
some,  however,  chiefly  those  in  among  and  against 
the  hills,  were  preserved  by  virtue  of  their  screened 
position.  There  is  evidence,  too,  to  show  that  the 
main  cones  in  the  vicinity  gave  vent  to  three 
outpourings  of  lava,  for  they  are  still  to  be  traced 
in  horizontal  sheets,  whose  edges  form  step-like 
terraces  one  above  the  other  running  east  and  west 
and  facing  northwards.  Exactly  when  the  major 
outpourings  took  place  in  the  Kigezi  district  is 
uncertain,  but  the  most  conspicuous  are,  geologically 
speaking,  very  recent.  Sections  are  not  wanting 
which  show  that  the  present  scenery  and  soil  are 


continued  beneath  the  ashes  and  lavas,  and  it  can 
hardly  be  doubted  that  most,  if  not  the  whole,  of 
the  deposits  have  been  spread  over  the  area  within 
human  times.  But  it  is  possible  that  those  situated 
further  west  are  directly  connected  with  the 
formation  of  the  West  Rift,  with  which  the 
earliest  outpourings  might  be  contemporaneous. 

Other  volcanic  rocks,  some  of  which  are 
moderately  recent,  are  to  be  seen  in  the  extreme 
west  of  Ankole  and  along  the  eastern  side  of 
Ruwenzori  to  some  way  beyond  Fort  Portal. 
Here,  too,  explosion  craters  are  common,  though 
small  lava  cones  occur  as  well.  At  Kichwamba, 
on  the  eastern  side  of  Kazinga  Channel  between 
Lakes  George  and  Edward,  the  eruptions  belong 
to  two  distinct  periods  ;  for  the  sub-aqueous 
tuffs  by  which  the  older  volcanics  are  repre- 
sented have  been  drilled  through  by  explosions, 
a    few    of    which    have    produced    large  circular 


:^78 


THE    MINIXc;    MAf.AZIXE 


chimneys  witli  vertical  sides.  A  good  many 
of  these  craters  hold  water,  tlierehy  giving 
rise  to  the  famous  crater  lakes  of  the  district  ; 
one  of  these  contains  water  rich  in  soda  and  other 
salts.  Near  Fort  Portal  volcanic  tnfls  containing 
the  impression  of  fossil  leaves  can  be  seen  over- 
lying ancient  lake  deposits,  which  are  now  high  and 
dry  above  the  neighbouring  streams.  Most  of  the 
tuffs  contain  a  high  percentage  of  calcium  carbonate. 
It  is  probable  that  the  older  tuffs  of  Ankolc,  which 
form  the  western  fault  escarpment  of  the  rift  in  this 
part,  are  connected,  as  may  be  those  of  Klgon, 
with  earth-movements  that  preceded  and 
eventually  led  up  to  the  final  phase  in  the  formation 
of  the  African  rift  valleys.  Provisionally,  at  any 
rate,  the  older  Ankole  tuffs  may  be  correlated  with 
the  Mount  Elgon  lavas,  while  the  newer  tuffs 
and  more  recent  cones  of  Ankole  and  of  Toro  may 
be  grouped  with  the  Kigezi  volcanics.  Whether 
the  Congo  volcanoes  are  situated  within  the  rift 
depression  or  not,  it  is  impossilile  to  say,  but  there 
i.s  no  evidence  to  .show  that  the  high  ground  to  the 
east  of  the  Mufurabiro  mountains  in  Uganda  is 
separated  from  tlie  low  country  frimi  which  the 
volcanoes  rise  by  a  fault ;  indeed,  there  is  evidence 
to  the  contrary. 

(8)  The  Recent  Deposits  consist  of  the  usual 
clays,  muds,  sands,  and  gravels  forming  at  the 
present  day.     They  call  for  no  special  remark. 

The  Kafu  Alluvial  Deposits. — Investigations 
were  made  of  the  geology  of  the  Hoima  district, 
Bunyoro,  in  order  that  some  evidence  might  be 
obtained  as  to  likely  deep-lead  deposits.  The  Kafu 
river  is  a  big  swamp  system,  and  though  it  contains 
little  water  now,  except  when  heavy  rains  have 
flooded  the  papyrus-choked  swampy  flats,  and 
never  any  big  flow,  yet  it  is  obvious  from  the  size 
of  the  flat  valley  and  the  extent  of  the  flood  gravel 
deposits  that  it  must,  at  one  time,  have  been  a  big 
river.  The  present  Kafu  rises  in  a  system  of 
swamps,  from  which  also  the  Nkussi  river  runs 
the  opposite  way  into  Lake  Albert.  It  has  been 
pointed  out  by  the  geologists  that  the  Kafu  must 
have  risen  at  one  time  on  the  dome  which  has  been 
let  doAvn  by  the  rift  faults  to  form  the  Lake  Albert 
depression,  and  the  River  Nkussi  has  captured  the 
head-waters  of  the  Kafu  and  now  flows  back  into 
the  depression.  The  K^afu  deposits  have  been  found 
to  contain  small  quantities  of  gold  and  more 
appreciable  amounts  of  stream  tin,  so  that  these 
problems  are  not  of  purely  academic  interest,  but 
beccSme  of  the  utmost  importance  in  trying  to  locate 
richer  deposits  of  these  minerals. 

The  Kafu  is  now  a  papyrus-choked  swamp, 
varying  in  width  from  a  third  to  half  a  mile  and 
more,  and  with  a  small  water  channel  in  the  centre. 
The  papyrus  stands  either  in  stagnant  or  feebly 
running  water  or  in  moist  clay,  according  to  the 
season  or  situation.  At  the  sides  are  clay  flats 
overgrown  with  rank  grass  and  studded  with 
acacia-thorn  and  other  swamp-loving  trees,  and 
at  the  margins  of  this  flat  are  slopes  of  gravel 
which  spread  out  to  the  valley  sides.  The  valley 
is  of  small  slope  and  it  is  always  difficult  to  draw 
a  boundary  between  the  laterite  deposits  of  the 
sides  and  the  true  alluvials.  Near  the  Kafu  ridge 
on  the  Kampala-Hoima  Road,  the  river  deposits 
are  about  2  miles  wide,  and  this  is  about  the 
average  width,  though  they  may  extend  to  3 
miles  or  narrow  to  only  a  few  hundred  yards,  as  at 
the  Mugabi  ridge.  The  Kafu  having  been  once 
a  vigorous  stream  able  to  transport    huge    flood 


gravels  and  deposit  them  over  its  bed,  it  follows 
that  the  ancient  gravels  (or  rather  the  gravels  of 
the  middle  period,  the  most  ancient  being  in 
terraces  at  the  sides)  might  lie  at  the  bottom  of  its 
valley  under  the  later  clay  deposits,  if  its  history 
since  the  loss  of  its  watershed  had  been  simply  a 
dying  off  in  the  flow  of  water  and  a  consequent 
"  su<ldi:ig-up  "  of  tlie  channel.  Tliis  is  only  ])artly 
the  case,  anil  thougli  it  has  not  been  ffnind  possible 
to  prospect  the  swamp  near  the  river  in  the  papyrus- 
belt  by  pits,  owing  to  flooding,  yet  such  evidence 
as  is  obtained  points  to  the  probability  that  the 
present  stream  deposits  'n  the  centre  of  the  r'ver 
are  the  lowest,  though  the  ancient  gravels  are  found 
to  lie,  under  a  thickn'e.ss  of  clay  up  to  20  ft.,  at  a 
level  which  is  below  the  present  stream  bottom, 
but  not  nece.ssarily  below  the  present  or  recent 
erosion  valley,  which  is  now  filled  with  mud.  This 
is  a  point  which  will  be  easy  of  investigation  when 
it  is  possible  to  put  some  small  trial  bores  in  the 
papyrus-belt.  The  rather  hopeful  results  that  are 
detailed  here  have  been  obtained  from  prospect 
pits  only,  on  such  sites  as  it  was  found  possible  to 
dig  them. 

The  Chief  Geologist,  during  his  preliminary 
reconnaissance,  had  put  two  pits  on  the  Singo 
side  of  the  Kafu,  one  near  the  river  and  another 
a  mile  away  on  the  gravel  terrace,  and  he  obtained 
a  concentrate  with  small  quantities  of  gold,  which 
led  to  his  pronouncing  the  gravels  hopeful.  The 
Assistant  Geologist  was  therefore  instructed  to 
carry  on  with  the  prospecting  of  the  gravels,  and  he 
started  excavation  on  the  Bunyoro  as  well  as  on 
the  Singo  side  of  the  river,  where  the  Kampala- 
Hoima  road  crosses  it.  The  Bunyoro  side  is  very 
different  from  the  Buganda  side  at  this  place, 
for  whereas  on  the  Singo  side  the  gravel  flat  is  a 
mile  wide,  and  the  3,600  contour  lies  3  miles  up 
from  the  stream,  on  the  Bunyoro  side  the  flat  is 
narrow  and  the  3,600  contour  is  only  a  mile  off. 
The  first  pit  on  the  Bunyoro  side  bottomed  on  a 
white  quartz  reef  at  9  ft.  in  the  gravel  of  the 
terrace  and  yielded  no  gold,  while  on  the  Singo  side 
the  thin  gravels  just  below  the  terrace  yielded 
only  minute  traces  of  gold.  It  was  then  decided 
to  dig  a  pit  through  the  lay,  nearer  the  stream  on 
the  Bunyoro  side.  This  pit  showed  15  ft.  of  stiff 
clay,  which  was  most  difficult  to  excavate,  but  at 
the  bottom  a  gravel  averaging  6  in.  thick  was 
struck,  which  rested  on  the  decayed  gneiss,  a 
mixture  of  kaolinized  felspar  and  quartz  which  had 
been  found  in  all  the  other  pits,  and  which  at 
depth  becomes  harder  and  merges  into  more  easily 
recognized  gneiss.  The  bottom  gravel  here  yielded 
fine  gold  and  a  few  coarser  grains,  which  gave 
distinct  encouragement  to  continue  prospecting. 
A  pit  was  now  put  at  the  edge  of  the  swamp  on  the 
Bunyoro  side,  and  it  was  here  found  that  after 
passing  through  5  ft.  of  clay  there  was  a  sand  bed 
of  9  ft.  6  in.  thickness  on  the  gravel  bed,  which  was 
only  6  in.  thick,  and  rested  on  a  broken-down 
mica-schist  in  place  of  the  gneiss.  The  gravel 
contained  boulders  of  small  size  and  yielded  a 
much  greater  quantity  of  gold,  though  actual 
amounts  were  still  far  from  approaching  payable 
values.  The  gold  occurs  in  little  flattened  grains, 
two  or  three  of  these  grains  of  gold  in  every  pan, 
and  tine  gold  in  appreciable  amount.  On  the 
Singo  side  other  pits  failed  to  yield  more  than  small 
traces  of  gold,  so  work  "was  now  confined  to  the 
Bunyoro  side,  and  pits  were  put  as  near  the  present 
river-bed  as  the  water  would  allow.      The  beginning 


DECEMBER,    1921 


379 


of  the  rains  hindered  the  work  at   this  stage  and 
pit  sites  had  to  be  chosen  on  the  drj'er  places  in  the 
sides.     Pit  1 1  was  350  ft.  up  stream  from  Pit  fi,  and 
it  yielded  concentrate  in  much  greater  amount  from 
a  grave!  and  boulder  bed  that  was  only  3  in.  thick 
overlain  by  3  ft.  of  clay  on   1 1  ft.  6  in.  of     sands, 
which  were  easy  to  remove.     This  concentrate  was 
sent  to  headquarters,  and  the  Geologist  was  able  to 
make    a     separation    with    the    somewhat    crude 
apparatus   at   his   command,   and   found   that   this 
concentrate  which  was  obtained  from  6J  cu.  ft.  of 
gravel,  overlain  by  370  cu    ft.  of  barren  deposits, 
weighed  865  grammes,  of  which  about  1 20  grammes 
(or  4i  oz.)  were  tin  and  the  gold  rather  less   than 
one  grain.     Among  the  gold  was  one  larger  grain 
than  usual,  about  J  in.  long.     It  has  been  calculated 
from  these  figures  that  the  values  obtained  for  the 
pay  dirt  were  about  Is.  6d.  to  the  cubic  yard  for 
this   pit,   and   it   is   to    be   noticed    that   the   over- 
burden here  is  quite  barren  but  easy  to  remove. 
Other  pits  were  put  down  near  this  site,  and  about 
the  same  amounts  of  concentrate  obtained,  but  the 
best  results  were  from  Pit  15,  which  was  200  yards 
up  stream  from  11  ;    here  18  in.  of  the  gravel  was 
overlain    by    15  ft.    of   stiff   grey   clay,   which   was 
difficult  to  remove.    The  gravel  was  thicker  and  the 
yield   of  concentrate  per  yard   considerably  more, 
and  gold  about  the  same      Pits  further  up  stream 
failed  to  yield  any  more  concentrate  or  gold,  as  it 
seemed   that   the  deep  channel   had   swung   away 
out  from  the  Bunyoro  shore.    The  ancient  meanders 
of  a  sudded-up  river  whose  channel  is  filled  with  clay 
deposits  are  difficult  to  follow,  and  to  expedite  the 
work   simple   boring   apparatus   would   have   much 
helped.     Pit   16  was  about  350  yards  up  from   15, 
and  yielded  a  little  less  concentrate  and  about  the 
same  quantity  of  gold  from  a  gravel  bed  3  ft.  6  in. 
thick  under   1 1  ft.  of  clay.     Because  it  was  found 
that  the  deep  channel  now  swung  away  from  the 
Bunyoro   side   a   move   was   made   up   stream    to 
Mugabi,    where    a    ridge    of    quartz-gneiss    strikes 
across   the   stream   and   the   Kafu   swamp   narrows 
down  to  250  yards  across,  though  the  ridge  is  also 
breached  in  another  place  north  of  the  Kafu,  and 
the   river   must   once   have   used   both   gaps.      The 
Mugabi  site  was  chosen,  partly  because  it  was  the 
only  place  accessible  to  the  Kafu  about  there,  and 
partly  because  it  seemed  that  evidence  would  be 
there  obtained  as  to  whether  the  old  valley  was 
eroded  deeply  or  not     The  Mugabi  ridge  must  have 
held  up  the  river  and  caused  a  back-water,  so  that 
the  usual  gravels  were  not  deposited  there,  or  have 
been  removed  later.    The  lead  was  partially  located 
well  out  in  the  swamp  (as  far  out  as  a  pit  could  be 
dug),   and   the   usual   concentrate   with   gold   was 
obtained  in  small  quantity  in  a  coarse  sand  and 
boulder  bed  overlain  by  16  ft.  of  moist  clay.     A  line 
of  pits  was  dug  parallel  to  the  Mugabi  ridge,  behind 
it,  and  extending  from  the  Kafu  to  past  the  other 
gap,   now  occupied   by  only  a   small  swamp.      No 
further  traces  of    gold,  and  only  small  patches  of 
the  gravels  were  located  in  these  pits,  thus  proving 
that  the  lead  lies  out  in  the  centre  of  the  Kafu  at 
this  place.     Rains  had  now  begun  to  delay  the  work 
very  much,  and  it  was  found  advisable,  for  the  want 
of  boring  apparatus,  to  leave  the  Kafu  and  take  up 
the  geological  survey  of  part  of  Bunyoro. 

The  concentrates  from  the  pits  nearest  to  the 
swamp  from  the  whole  length  of  the  river  prospected 
are  very  uniform  in  character.  They  consist 
essentially  of  the  following  ; — 


Dark    grains,     black,     brown,    etc.  :      Ilmenite, 
magnetite,  tin-stone,  monazite,  etc. 
Pink  grains  :    Garnet. 
Bright  red  grains  :    Garnet,  etc. 
Gre^n  grains  :    Epidote  and  diopside. 
Colourless  grains  :    Zircons,  apatite,  quartz,  etc. 

The  concentrate  also  yielded  gold  in  coarse 
grains,  of  two  types,  flattened  discoidal  and  much 
worn,  and  also  more  irregular  shaped  grains,  with 
always  very  fine  gold.  On  the  average  it  seems  to 
consist  of  about  one-seventh  part  of  its  weight  of 
tin -stone  and  to  yield  about  two  or  three  grains  of 
gold  to  the  cubic  yard.  So  that  the  value  of  a  cubic 
\'ard  of  the  gravel  is  probably  about  Is.  6d.,  but  the 
thick,  barren  overburdens  decrease  this  value 
very  much. 

The  gravel  consists  almost  wholly  of  quartzose 
rocks,  either  pure  colourless  quartz,  or  white,  yellow, 
and  brown  quartz,  and  quartzites  of  various  types, 
and  differing  much  in  the  coarseness  of  grain.  The 
pebbles  are  nearly  all  round  or  ellipsoidal  and  very 
much  waterworn,  so  much  so  that  the  few  fragments 
that  are  not  waterworn  can  be  soon  sorted  out. 
These  angular  ones  vary  in  size  from  boulders  a 
foot  in  diameter  to  minute  fragments,  and  consist 
of  the  following  :  .A.  hard,  red,  siliceous  rock, 
resembling  an  impure  jaspar,  agate  fragments, 
a  few  black  siliceous  rocks,  fragments  of  quartz, 
and  a  few  odds  and  ends.  These  angular  fragments 
occur  sparingly  in  the  terrace  gravels,  but  are  more 
abundant,  though  never  very  abundant,  in  the 
gravel  from  the  bottom  of  the  valley.  There  they 
occur  with  boulders  usually  cuboidal  in  shape,  and 
with  partly  rounded  edges  in  some  cases.  Practically 
all  the  sources  of  these  boulders  have  been  located 
close  above  their  place  of  occurrence.  For  instance, 
"  greenstone  "  from  an  outcrop  between  the  river 
and  the  road,  gneiss  of  hard  quartzose  type  from  a 
ridge  striking  across  the  river  2  miles  up  from 
the  road,  quartzose  boulders  from  the  Mugabi 
ridge,  etc.  Also  all  the  other  subangular  fragments 
(with  the  exception  of  the  agate  and  jasper  not 
located,  but  suspected  to  occur  in  the  Argillite 
Scries)  can  be  ascribed  to  sources  not  far  distant 
from  the  place  in  the  river  bed  where  they  are  found. 
The  gravel  always  has  a  quantity  of  quartz  in  it, 
varving  in  size  from  the  largest  pebbles  down  to 
the  minutest  sand,  and  quite  commonly  the  gravel 
has  also  a  clayey  matrix  binding  it  into  a  hard  mass; 
but  in  most  of  the  pits  yielding  the  best  con- 
centrates the  clay  is  absent,  and  the  bed  is  a  brilliant 
yellow  sandy  gravel.  Some  of  the  pebbles  in  the 
bottom  gravel  bed  are  highly  polished,  and  a  few 
stone  tools  of  human  workmanship,  also  polished 
by  Nature  subsequently  to  the  working,  were  found 
in  the  gravel  in  Pit  15.  The  pohshing  in  not  easy  to 
explain,  but  it  is  best  exhibited  by  hard  siliceous 
vellow-ochreous  pebbles  from  a  rock  probably 
belonging  to  the  Argillite  Series,  and  there  are  most 
of  them  to  be  found  in  pits  where  the  floor  is  an 
altered  mica  schist.  The  occurrence  of  Palaeolithic 
implements  in  the  auriferous  gravel  in  Pit  15  is 
interesting,  and  serves  to  prove  that  the  bed  was 
deposited  either  during  or  subsequent  to  the 
Pal.Teolithic  age.  Very  much  more  data  are  needed 
before  the  sequence  of  events  in  these  river  deposits 
can  be  unravelled,  however. 

(To  be  conliiiued.) 


:?,so 


Jini    MIXINC,     MACAZINi: 


GENESIS    OF   SPANISH    PYRITES 


At  the  meeting  of  the  Institution  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy,  held  on  November  17,  H.  V.  Colhns 
presented  a  paper  entitled  :  "  The  Igneous  Kocks 
oi  the  Province  of  Huelva  and  the  tK-ncsis  of  the 
Pyritic  Ore-bodies."  We  give  herewith  the 
summary,  followed  by  extracts  from  the  paper 
relating  to  the  author's  suggestions  as  to  methods 
of  enrichment.     Firstly  the  summary  : — 

The  igneous  rocks  of  the  province  comprise  con- 
temporaneous lava-flows,  tuffs,  and  ashbeds,  as 
well  as  the  granites,  diorites,  diabases,  and 
porphyries  described  by  previous  writers.  They 
all  show  a  certain  similarity  marking  them  out  as 
belonging  to  a  definite  petrographical  province, 
particularly  in  regard  to  the  universally  low  pro- 
portion of  alkalis  and  high  proportion  of  iron,  and 
to  the  general  occurrence  of  oligoclase  and  augite 
as  the  predominant  felspathic  and  ferro-magncsian 
constituents  respectively,  the  latter  being  in  great 
part  altered  to  chlorite. 

All  the  rocks  contain  notable  quantities  of 
copper,  zinc,  and  pyrites  as  accessory  constituents. 

The  diabases  and  porphyries  are  most  closely 
related  to  the  ore-bodies  ;  they  appear  to  belong 
to  the  same  general  period,  antedating  that  of  the 
latter,  and  to  exhibit  almost  every  gradation  in  com- 
position between  a  basic  olivine-dolerite  and  a 
siliceous   trachyte-porphyry. 

As  to  the  relative  ages  of  the  igneous  rocks,  it  is 
easy  to  dogmatize  but  thoroughly  unsafe  to  do  so 
in  the  absence  of  more  detailed  study  and  definite 
information.  The  author  was  formerly  inclined 
to  consider  the  granite  as  the  earliest  in  point  of 
time  of  the  intrusions,  and  the  diabase  as  the  latest, 
but  only  from  analogy  and  on  general  grounds, 
since  evidence  is  lacking  to  justify  any  positive 
pronouncement  on  the  subject. 

The  pyritic  ore-bodies  have  been  formed  by 
gradual  replacement  along  shear-zones,  mostly  at 
or  very  close  to  contacts  between  the  tilted 
sedimentary  rocks  and  the  porphyries  and  diabases. 
The  sheared  rock  replaced  is  in  most  cases  slate, 
but  sometimes  porphyry.  The  solutions  that 
efiected  the  mineralization  doubtless  had  their 
origin  in  the  underlying  magma,  from  which  all  the 
igneous  rocks  now  visible  at  surface  were  derived 
by  differentiation. 

The  pyrites  formed  bj'  the  primary  replacement 
was,  beyond  the  influence  of  superficial  secondary 
(chalcocite  and  covellite)  enrichment,  almost 
invariably  poor  in  copper  (2°^  and  under,  generally 
under  1%). 

As  the  circulation  of  mineralizing  solutions 
became  less  violent,  owing  to  cooling  and  to  the 
local  cessation  of  earth  movement,  the  solutions 
became  relatively  more  highly  charged  with  copper 
than  with  iron,  and  produced  local  primary 
impregnation  in  the  pyrites  already  deposited, 
which  may  be  called  "  deep-seated  primary  enrich- 
ment." 

A  further  enrichment  with  chalcopyrite  has  been 
in  many  cases  efiected  through  the  infiltration  of 
solutions  laterally  from  the  dykes  of  diabase  and 
porphyry  which  so  frequently  run  parallel  to  the 
lodes  and  at  a  short  distance  from  them  ;  this  may 
he  termed  "  lateral  primary  enrichment." 

We  proceed  to  quote  the  author  in  detail  as  to 
the  enrichments  mentioned  in  the  preceding  two 
paragranhs. 


Tlu'  occurrence  and  extent  of  what  is  ordinarily 
known  as  secondary  enrichment  in  these  pyrilcs, 
lodes,  and  masses,  due  to  the  percolation  down- 
ward of  .solutions  containing  copper  sulphate  deriveil 
from  the  leaching  out  of  the  gossan  zone,  or  of  tlu^ 
portion  of  the  lode  removed  by  denudation,  and  the 
precipitation  of  the  copper  (chiefly  as  chalcocite) 
upon  the  underlying  unaltered  pyrites,  are  already 
sufficiently  well  known.  The  extent  to  which  the 
enrichment  has  progressed  downward  depends 
partly  upon  the  depth  of  ore  leached  or  denuded 
away,  and  partly  upim  the  height  of  the  outcrop 
above  the  local  drainage  level  of  the  near-by  ravines. 
It  is  too  often  assumed,  however,  that  all  local 
enrichments  of  the  ore-bodies  owe  their  origin  to 
this  cause,  and  that  the  course  of  the  enriching 
solutions  has  been  invariably  downwards.  The 
author  distinguishes  in  these  ore-bodies  two  other 
kinds  of  enrichment  which,  although  both  posterior 
in  their  occurrence  to  the  formation  of  the  masses, 
may  yet  be  called  "  primary  "  to  distinguish  them 
from  that  resulting  from  the  purely  "  surface  " 
agencies  referred  to.  These  he  refers  to  as  "  deep- 
seated  "  and  "  lateral  "  primary  enrichment 
respectively. 

In  the  first-named  type  the  primary  chalcopyrite 
may  take  the  form  of  myriads  of  interlacing  strings 
and  small  patches  distributed  over  a  considerable 
area  of  the  cupreous  pyrites,  or  it  may  form  bunches 
many  pounds  in  weight  of  nearly  pure  chalcopyrite. 
The  author  believe'!  that  this  first  type  owes  its 
origin  to  the  gradual  dying  out  of  energy  and  falling 
off  of  the  iron  and  sulphur  contents  in  the 
mineralizing  solutions,  accompanied  with  a  lowering 
of  temperature  due  to  cooling,  coupled  probably 
with  a  lowering  of  pressure,  the  result  of  contraction 
and  possibly  also  ot  denudation.  The  first  solutions 
were  most  highly  charged  with  iron  and  sulphur, 
and  the  first  process  of  mineralization  was  to 
produce  enormous  quantities  of  the  pyntous  slates 
(with  all  proportions  of  pyrites  from  20%  up  to 
>^0°<)),  which  are  found  everywhere  throughout  the 
district,  and  which  are  known  as  "azufrones"; 
these  are  invariably  poor  in  copper.  They  are 
frequently  found  on  the  margins  of  lodes,  but 
frequently  alone  in  large  masses  unaccompanied  by 
workable  ore-bodies.  This  first  stage  of 
mineralization  was  probably  rapid,  and  brought 
about  by  the  circulation  of  large  volumes  of  solution 
highly  charged  with  sulphur  and  iron.  As  cooling 
proceeded  in  the  intruded  and  underlying  magmas 
the  solutions  carried  a  less  proportion  of  iron  and 
sulphur,  and  became  more  highly  charged  relatively 
with  copper,  thus  depositing  concurrently  the 
intimate  mixture  of  pyrites  with  chalcopyrite 
which  is  known  throughout  the  world  as  cupreous 
pyrites.  The  richness  in  copper  of  this  primary 
ore  very  likely  depended  largely  upon  the  rapidity 
of  its  deposition,  for  even  if  the  solutions  every- 
where carried  about  the  same  amount  of  copper 
(a  surmise  which  would  appear  to  derive  some 
support  from  the  relatively  uniform  copper  contents 
of  all  the  eruptives  in  this  petrographical  province), 
a  higher  grade  of  cupreous  pyrites  might  be 
deposited  from  solutions  carrying  less  iron  and 
sulphur  or  circulating  less  rapidly  and  vice  versa. 

An  interesting  fact  in  connexion  with  this  type 
of  "  deep-seated  primary  "  enrichment  is  that  with 
the   chalcopyrite    is   frequently    associated    blende 


DECEMBER,    1921 


381 


and  galena  in  notable  quantities,  as  well  as  more 
rarely  tetrahedrite  and  bournonite.  The  two 
former  minerals  occasionally  predominate  over  the 
pyrites,  makin  a  complex  banded  ore,  which  when 
rich  in  copper  and  comparatively  low  in  lead  and  zinc, 
is  often  smelted  for  its  copper  contents,  but  when 
high  in  zinc  and  lead  is  sold  for  shipment  to  works 
that  make  a  specialty  of  extracting  these  metals. 
When  neither  the  copper  nor  the  zinc  is  high  enough, 
these  ores  are  sorted  out  from  the  copper  ores  and 
form  a  waste  product  of  the  mining  operations. 

The  other  type  of  "  primary  "  enrichment  to 
which  attention  should  be  drawn  is  of  a  very 
different  nature,  and  lends  itself  to  much  interesting 
speculation  in  regard  to  the  channels  taken  by  the 
mineralizing  solutions.  Thirty  or  more  years  ago 
a  Spanish  engineer  first  drew  attention  to  the  fact 
that  in  a  considerable  number  of  cases  the  ore 
appeared  to  be  richer  in  that  part  of  a  pyrites 
mass  which  was  nearest  to  the  dykes  of  porphyry 
or  diabase  that  so  frequently  run  parallel  with 
the  lodes.  The  author  has  examined  many  of  the 
ore-bodies,  with  special  attention  to  any  shoots 
of  ore  that  might  be  noticeable  and  to  their  possible 
origin.  Shoots  distributed  longitudinally  are  not 
very  common,  and  they  appear  to  be  always 
explainable  on  the  theory  of  reopening  and  later 
mineralization.  Apart  from  these,  however,  there 
are  many  examples  of  transverse  shoots,  and  these 
appear  to  be  generally  associated  with  transverse 
joints  running  from  wall  to  wall,  somewhat 
obliquely.  Such  transverse  joints  are  sometimes 
very  frequent,  and  they  are  very  often  filled  with 
a  mixture  of  chalcopyrite,  quartz,  and  other 
minerals. 

The  author  gives  a  number  of  instances,  of 
which  those  at  the  San  Platon  mine  are  from  the 
point  of  view  of  lateral  enrichment  more  interesting 
than  almost  any  others  in  the  province.  There  are 
at  least  four  principal  ore  lenses,  overlapping  both 
in  dip  and  strike,  and  they  occur  wholly  in  the  slate 
formation,  a  large  dyke  of  porphyry  showing, 
however,  on  the  hanging-wall,  north  side,  at  about, 
100  yards  distance.  In  the  old  mine,  worked  by 
open-cut,  only  one  lode  was  known  (the  southern- 
mo.st),  the  other  two  beine  "  blind."  At  the  capping 
of  these  two  lodes  they  are  very  narrow  and  consist 
of  cupreous  schists  and  complex  zincy  ore  with 
some  chalcopyrite,  but  soon  widen  and  yield  rich 
cupreous  pyrites.  The  extreme  northernmost  lode 
or  lens,  for  instance,  where  first  discovered  by 
cross-cutting  on  the  fifth  floor,  was  little  more  than 
a  joint,  as  on  the  fourth  floor  ;  on  the  sixth  floor, 
however,  it  widened  out  to  1  m.  to  5  m.,  yielding 
ore  of  4%  to  8%  copper.  The  main  or  south  lode 
yielded  rich  ore  (4%  to  6%)  at  surface  from  the 
opencut,  being  secondarily  enriched  with  chalcocite, 
but  at  the  fifth  floor  this  ore  contains  only  0-8% 


copper,  and  at  the  sixth  only  0-.30%.  At  the  fourth 
floor  on  the  south  or  foot-wall  side  it  contains 
0-8%  to  1%  copper  ;  on  the  north  or  hanging-wall 
side  1J%  to  2%.  .'Ml  the  lodes  show  many  trans- 
verse joints  from  wall  to  wall,  nearly  at  right 
angles,  but  there  is  little  sign  of  motion  in  these 
and  practically  no  joint  filling  ;  the  transverse 
joints,  however,  mark  off  transverse  blocks  in  the 
ore-body,  each  of  which  is  either  richer  or  poorer 
than  the  adjoining  block,  that  is,  there  appears  to 
have  been  impregnation  by  chalcopyrite  subsequent 
to  formation,  and  limited  in  a  sense  longitudinally 
to  the  ore-body  by  the  cross-joints.  Like  the  south 
lode,  the  other  two  show  more  chalcopyrite 
impregnation  on  the  north  or  hanging-wall  than 
on  the  south  or  foot-wall,  the  average  difference 
being  about  1%,  for  instance,  2J%  copper  on  the 
hanging  side,  and  1J%  on  the  foot-wall.  A  still 
more  interesting  feature  is  that  the  west  end  of 
each  lens  is  always  rich  and  the  east  end  invariably 
poor  Upon  closer  examination  it  appears  that  it 
is  always  the  part  of  each  lens  which  is  overlapped 
by  the  next  that  is  rich.  Taking,  for  instance,  the 
second  or  so-called  north  lode,  this  is  rich  through- 
out on  the  fifth  floor  (the  north  lode  being  always 
1  %  richer  on  the  average  than  the  foot-wall  side) 
and  does  not  much  fall  off  in  grade  on  the  si.xth 
floor  until  the  northernmost  or  new  lode  comes  in 
to  overlap  it  at  its  eastern  end.  Similarly  with  the 
other  lenses,  as  each  becomes  overlapped  on  its 
strike  and  dip  by  the  next  successive  lens  (the 
general  axis  of  all  the  lenses  being  on  a  line  pitching 
steeply  to  the  NNE.),  it  becomes  impoverished  in 
copper,  or  rather  it  is  only  the  part  of  each  lens 
not  so  overlapped  that  has  become  enriched.  The 
foregoing  facts  can  only  be  explained  upon  the 
assumption  that  there  has  been  a  chalcopyrite 
enrichment  which  has  come  in  laterally  from  the 
north  side  of  all  the  ore-bodies  alike,  that  is  from  the 
porphyry  dyke,  which  is  a  very  prominent  feature  in 
the  landscape  about  a  hundred  yards  to  the  north 
of  the  ore  -  bodies.  Since  the  enrichment  is  of 
chalcopyrite  and  not  of  chalcocite,  it  must  be 
considered  as  primary  in  the  sense  of  not  being  due 
to  the  superficial  agencies  that  have  caused  the 
ordinary  secondary  enrichment. 

In  connexion  with  this  lateral  secretion  theory, 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  the  author  has  shown  that 
the  whole  of  the  rocks  of  the  mineral  belt  of  the 
province  of  Huelva,  whatever  their  origin  and 
composition,  and  whether  comparatively  near  to 
ore-bodies  or  remote  (in  some  cases  at  a  distance 
of  many  miles),  contain  both  copper  and  pyrites. 
It  is  noteworthy  also  that  it  is  by  no  means  those 
rocks  which  are  nearest  to  the  ore-bodies  that  con- 
tain the  highest  proportion  of  these  ore-forming 
constituents  ;  in  several  instances,  indeed,  the  con- 
trary would  appear  to  be  the  case. 


CORBOULD'S  COPPER  EXTRACTION  PROCESS 


The  Proceedings  of  the  Australasian  Injtitute  of 
Mining  and  Metallurgy  No.  42,  1921,  contains  a 
paper  by  Percy  Burbidge  describing  the  process 
for  leaching  low-grade  copper  sulphide  ores,  worked 
out  by  W.  H.  Corbould,  manager  of  the  Mount 
Elliott  mine,  Queensland.  This  process  was 
mentioned  in  the  Mount  Elhott  company's  last 
vcarly  report,  to  which  reference  was  made  in  the 
Magazine  for  January  of  this  year,  and  it  is  believed 


that  it  will  be  applicable  to  the  large  reserves  of 
low-grade  ore  available  at  that  company's  mines. 
The  essentials  of  the  process  are  as  follows  : — 

(1)  Fine    grinding    followed    by    a    sulphatizing 
roast. 

(2)  Agitation  with  acid  solution  produced  within 
the  process  by  electrolysis. 

(3)  Purification  of  a  portion  of  the  mother  liquor 
and  electrolytic  deposition  of  the  contained  copper, 


382 


111!       MINIM,     MAt.AZlNI': 

n 


Fig.  1. — Revolving   Roasting    Furnace   for  Corbould's   Process. 

1. — Furnace.    2.— Charing   gates.     3.— Roasting   chamber.      4.— Fitter   boxes.      5.— Worm   drive.      6.— PyTometer.     7.— Stuffing   box. 

S.— Exhaust   valve.      9 Exhaust   fan.     10.— Pressure   v.ilve.     11.— lilower.     12.— .Mr   receiver.     13.— V.irial)le  cam   gear.     14.  — Flue. 

j5._Xon.return  valves  for  air  pressure  to  advance  to  fitters  and  check  exhaust  being  drawn.  16.— Tunnel  and  drag  conveyer. 
17.— Charge  bin.  18. —By-pass  for  SO2  gas.  19. — Section  of  re-inforced  moulded  radiating  tubes— moulded  in  short  lengths  laced  on 
12  steel  rods— full  length  of  roasting  furnace.  .■\s  each  section  is  placed  in  jjosition  slag-sand  concrete  under  pressure  forced  in  holes  to 
fill  space  between  steel  rods  and  walls  of  holes.  Inside  tube  lined  chrome  brick.  20.— Supporting  struts  for  radiating  tubes.  21.— Safety 
valves.  22. — Guide  ring  rendering  safety  valves  inoperative  in  down  position.  23.— Section  of  porous  fitters.  24. — Fuel  gas  cleaning 
plugs.     2.J. — Gas  burner.     26.— Pons  for  conveying  waste  gas  from  radiating  tubes  to  slack. 


thereby  producing  sufficient,  free  sulphuric  acid  in 
solution  for  the  next  charge  of  calcine  and  further 
requirements. 

(4)  Partial  purification  of  the  remaining  mother 
liquor,  together  with  the  first  wash  solutions  and 
precipitation  of  the  copper  content  as  hydrate 
by  milk  of  lime. 

(5)  Dissolution  of  the  copper  in  the  hydrate 
precipitate  by  means  of  a  solution  of  ammonia, 
followed  bj'  distillation  of  the  ammonia  liquor, 
producing  pure  copper  oxide,  and  recovering  the 
ammonia  by  condensation. 

(B)   Reduction  of  copper  oxide  to  metallic  copper. 

(7)  Treatment  of  the  residue  from  (5)  for  the 
production  of  a  by-product  and  the  recovery  of 
any  remaining  copper. 

(8)  Treatment  of  the  washed  slime  residues  from 
the  ore  charge  for  gold  and  silver  by  the  cyanide 
process. 

(9)  Use  of  producer  gas  for  the  whole  of  the 
metallurgical  operation  as  heating  gas  and  to 
provide  sulphate  of  ammonia. 

The  dried  ore  is  crushed  to  1  in.  size,  and  then 
ground  to  30  mesh. 

As  regards  roasting,  the  essential  requirements, 
temperature  control  and  large  capacity,  demand  a 
radical  departure  from  existing  types,  and  to  obtain 
them  the  furnace  shown  in  Fig.  1  was  evolved. 
In  the  operation  of  this  furnace  the  ore  charge  is 
subjected  to  heat  by  radiation  and  conduction 
through  the  internal  tube  system,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  alternate  pressure  and  exhaust  through  the 
filter-boxes.  The  Corliss-type  gear  is  so  arranged 
that  a  rapid  change  from  pressure  to  exhaust  or 
change  of  r.atio  of  duration  of  pressure  and  exhaust 


can  be  effected  by  means  of  the  adjustable  duplicate 
cams.  This  arrangement  has  great  advantages  in 
heating  up  the  charge  to  the  reaction  temperature 
(about  56()°  C.)  without  the  danger  of  over-roasting, 
and  allow.-^  the  charge  to  be  maintained  at  the  correct 
temperature  during  the  time  necessary  to  complete 
the  catalytic  action.  During  the  first  stage  of  the 
roasting  the  valves  may  be  set  to  produce  a  gas 
rich  in  sulphur  dioxide,  which  will  be  compressed 
and  stored  for  use  in  a  later  stage.  When  sufficient 
gas  has  been  thus  obtained,  the  cams  may  be 
quickly  adjusted  while  the  furnace  is  in  motion  to 
introduce  more  air. 

The  furnace  is  heated  by  gas  as  shown,  and  the 
products  of  combustion  pass  forward  and  back 
along  the  internal  tubes,  thence  by  further  pipes 
along  the  wall  of  the  furnace  and  finally  to  the 
stack.  This  arrangement  allows  of  a  high 
temperature  at  the  point  of  combustion  without 
overheating  the  ore  bed.  The  air  delivered  to  the 
ore  charge  is  pre-heated  by  passing  through  the 
stack,  thus  further  utilizing  the  waste  heat  of  the 
combustion  gases.  In  operation,  the  furnace  is 
charged  about  half-full  and  revolved  at  a  speed 
of  a  quarter  to  half  a  revolution  per  minute.  The 
completion  of  the  roast  is  ascertained  by  with- 
drawing samples  of  the  charge  from  conveniently 
arranged  plugs,  and  making  a  simple  test  of  the 
amount  of  water-soluble  copper.  The  finished 
charge  is  released  by  turning  down  the  furnace 
over  the  tunnel  provided  with  a  flight  conveyor 
and  opening  the  discharge  gates. 

The  hot  calcine  passes  to  the  cone  mixer,  to  which 
is  simultaneously  added  sufficient  sulphuric  acid 
solution  to  form  a  I   to  1  pulp  for  the  dissolving 


DECEMBER,    1921 


383 


fcfJltr      - 


Fig. 


-Dissolving   and   Washing    Plants   for   Corbould's   Process. 


tanks.  For  an  ore  containing  5%  copper,  the  stock 
solution  made  up  from  by-passed  electrolyte  will 
contain  about  3-5<"„  free  H.,S04  (100%)  and  about 
1%  Cu.  FijT.  2  shows  the  dissolving  tank.  The 
tank  is  charged  through  the  launder  (1)  arranged 
to  distribute  pulp  evenly  round  the  tank.  Light 
slimy  liquors  or  wash  waters  flow  under  arches 
(2)  through  sand  into  the  annular  compartment  (3) 
and  over  adjustable  sills  (4)  into  circulating  box 
compartment  (5),  and  are  forced  up  by  an  air  lift  (6) 
through  the  acid-proof  stuffing  box  (7)  and  four- 
way  piece  (8),  thence  along  pipes  (9)  to  vertical 
pipes  (10)  in  wooden  vertical  agitating  arms  (11), 
and  from  thence  the  cycle  is  repeated.  Agitating 
arms  (lli  are  held  in  cast-steel  sockets  (12)  fastened 
to  the  revolving  girder-frame,  supported  in  the  centre 
on  ball-bearings  (13)  mounted  on  the  central  pillar 
(14).  The  outer  periphery  of  the  revolving  frame 
is  supported  on  wheels  (15)  running  on  a  circular 
rail  round  the  top  of  the  tank.  Two  wheels  are 
geared  to  electric  motors  (16).  After  the  driving 
motors  have  been  stopped,  mother  liquor  or  various 
slimy  wash  solutions  flow  to  box  compartment  (5) 
for  slimes  from  annular  compartments  (3)  to  be 
sent  back  to  the  dissolving  tank.  Air  is  then 
shut  off,  and  the  liquor  in  the  tank  allowed  to 
settle,  which  settled  liquor  is  now  drawn  off  over  two 
central  adjustable  sills  (17)  into  the  annular  com- 
partments (3)  to  flow  into  box  compartments  [5] 
thence  through  cock  (IS)  to  filter  to  clarify  liquor. 
In  discharging,  air  lifts  (19)  are  in  duplicate.  The 
pulp  from  the  air  lifts  goes  to  a  cone  settler  to 
denude  it  of  coarse  sand.  The  overflow  from  the 
settler  goes  to  a  Dorr  thickener.  The  overflow 
from  the  thickener  gravitates  back  to  the  dissolving 
tank  to  provide  water  to  complete  the  emptying 
of  the  tank.  The  last  water  in  the  tank  is  dis- 
charged through  the  sluice-valve  (20). 

Air,  preheated  by  waste  heat  from  furnaces  or 
gas  coolers,  is  used  in  the  air  lifts.  Copper 
sulphate  and  oxide  being  much  more  soluble  in 
hot  solutions  than  in  cold,  the  utilization  of  heat 
in  this  way  causes  a  great  reduction  in  the  time  of 
contact  necessary.  All  wash  solutions  go  to 
separate  tanks,  the  second  wash  solution  becoming 
the  first  wash  for  the  following  cha.rgc,  and  so  on, 
with  the  exception  of  the  solution  required  for  the 


gas  plant.  Clean  water  is  used  for  the  final  wash, 
and  owing  to  the  use  of  milk  of  lime  precipitating 
the  copper  from  solution,  a  most  efficient  washing 
of  the  residues  may  be  conducted,  which  in  other 
methods  would  be  impossible  on  account  of  the 
accumulation  of  a  large  tonnage  of  solution  too  low 
in  copper  to  be  utilized  profitably. 

The  quantity  of  mother  liquor  taken  for  separate 
treatment  is  calculated  so  that  the  amount  of  copper 
contained  will  provide  by  electrolysis  only  sufficient 
free  H.jSOj  for  the  following  purposes  : — 

{a)  To  dissolve  the  acid-soluble  copper  in  the 
ore  charge. 

(6)  To  react  with  all  the  acid-consuming  minerals 
such  as  the  carbonates  of  lime  and  magnesia  which 
remain  unaltered  after  a  sulphatizing  roast. 

(c)  To  acidulate  the  following  mother  liquor  after 
neutralizing  the  purifying,  before  sending  it  to  the 
electrolytic  tanks. 

(d)  To  dissolve  the  small  percentage  of  copper 
and  iron  remaining  in  the  CaSOj  residue  from  the 
ammonia  treatment. 

The  liquor,  as  calculated  for  the  above  require- 
ments, is  run  to  a  special  cone-bottomed  vat  and 
subjected  to  thorough  oxidation  by  compressed 
air.  Very  finely  divided  (slimed)  carbonate  of 
lime  is  gradually  added,  only  sufficient  in  total 
quantity  to  neutralize  the  free  H2SO4  and  precipitate 
the  greater  proportion  of  the  iron  or  other  impurities. 
The  precipitate  is  filtered  off  and  washed  in  an  acid 
filter  press,  the  filtrate  being  returned  to  the  same 
vat  and  the  washings  sent  to  the  main  wash- 
solution  storage-vats.  The  residue  is  treated  later 
and  marketed  as  a  fertilizer. 

Agitation  is  recommenced  in  the  same  vat,  the 
temperature  maintained,  and  according  to  the  iron 
remaining  in  solution,  a  calculated  amount  of  pure 
CuO  from  the  ammonia  process  is  added,  pre- 
cipitating the  iron  after  the  well-known  reaction  of 
Hofman.  The  residue  is  filtered  off  and  washed  as 
before,  but  in  this  case  it  is  returned  to  the  furnace 
bins  for  roasting  with  the  next  ore-charge,  the  iron 
of  the  residue  remaining  insoluble  and  the  copper 
being  recovered  in  the  dissolving  tank. 

The  purified  solution  of  CuSOj  is  now  acidulated 
by  means  of  by-passed  electrolyte  to  the  extent 
of   1%   free  H2SO4  and  is  sent  to  the  electrolytic 


3S1 


MlMNu     M  \(,.\/lNl'. 


tank  house.  Hlcctrolysis  is  coiulucloil  witli  a 
current  of  12  amperes  per  sq.  ft.  of  c.ilhodo  surface, 
the  anodes  beiuK  of  graphite  and  with  arrange- 
ments for  introducing  S(\.  gas  under  pressure  into 
Urn  electrolyte  for  depolarization.  In  the  pretence 
of  SO3  the  electrolysis  of  CuSOj  solution  results 
in  the  production  of  23  lb.  of  free  H.jSOj  per  lb. 
of  copper  deposited.  L'sing  this  factor  {2-3),  the 
amount  of  free  acid  to  be  produced  is  calculated  in 
advance,  all  electrolyte  being  by-passed  from  the 
tank  house  with  a  copper  content  of  2%.  On 
account  ot  the  iron  in  the  electrolyte  being  main- 
tained below  0  2%  (20  gm.  per  litre),  it  is  possible 
to  use  graphite  anodes  yielding  about  3  lb.  of  copper 
per  kw.-hour  with  a  current  density  of  12  amperes 
per  sq.  ft.  Current  ctliciency  is  thus  kept  high,  a 
most  important  consideration  wdiere  power  is 
expensive. 

The  first  wash  solutions,  together  with  the 
remaining  portion  of  the  mother  liquor,  go  to  a 
similar  cone  vat  where  they  are  given  the  same 
treatment  with  air  and  carbonate  of  lime  for 
neutralization  and  ])artia'  precipitation  of  the 
iron  or  impurities.  After  the  residue  is  filtered 
out  and  w-ashed  as  before,  the  warm  solution  is 
agitated  with  gradual  additions  of  milk  of  lime  to 
produce  as  near  as  possible  a  selective  action, 
that  is,  to  precipitate  most  of  the  remaining  iron 
with  very  little  copper.  The  precipitate  from  this 
treatment  is  filtered  off,  the  filtrate  returned  to  the 
vat  and  the  residue  sent  to  the  furnace  bins  with  the 
next  ore-charge.  Further  milk  of  lime  is  added, 
until  all  the  copper  is  precipitated  as  hydrate,  which 
readily  settles  and  filters  in  a  warm  solution.  On 
filtering  the  clear  solution  is  utilized  to  make  up  the 
stock  solution  for  the  following  roasted  ore-charge 
by  diluting  the  calculated  quantity  of  acid 
electrolyte  by-passed  from  the  tank  house. 

The  filtered  residue,  a  concentrate  of  all  the 
copper  of  the  above  solutions  in  the  form  of  hydrate 
together  with  CaSOj  and  a  little  iron  is  immediately 
transferred  to  a  sealed  agitation  vat  and  agitated 
with  a  solution  of  ammonia.  The  ammonia  solution 
of  a  strength  slightly  in  excess  of  two  parts  of 
NHg  (100%)  to  one  part  of  copper  by  weight, 
rapidly  dissolves  the  copper  hydrate,  and  on  com- 
pletion of  the  dissolution,  the  pulp  is  forced  through 
a  filter-press,  the  filtrate  passing  to  a  steam-jacketed 
still.  The  first  washings  of  weaker  ammonia 
solution  are  also  passed  to  the  still,  and  subsequent 
ores  are  stored  for  use  on  the  next  charge.  All  these 
operations  are  conducted  in  an  ammonia-tight 
system,  the  storage  vats  for  the  weaker  washings 
being  arranged  so  as  to  be  hermetically  sealed. 
The  treatment  in  the  still  consists  simply  in  forcing 
steam  into  the  copper-ammonia  solution  and  con- 
densing the  ammonia  driven  off,  the  still  being 
heated  by  steam  in  the  jacket.  The  distillate  is 
stored  in  steel  tanks  for  the  following  charge.  When 
complete  elimination  of  the  ammonia  is  effected, 
the  steam  is  shut  off,  the  precipitate  allowed  to 
settle  and  the  clear  solution  decanted  through  a 
filter  to  the  coolers  at  the  gas  ])lant,  where  the  CaS04 
in  solution  is  concentrated.  On  the  solution 
becoming  saturated  the  CaSOj  drops  out,  is 
recovered,  and  converted  to  pure  plaster  of  Paris. 
.\ny  ammonium  sulphate  in  solution  is  similarly 
recovered. 

The  settled  precipitate  of  CuO  is  washed  by 
decantation  and  the  amount  required  for  the 
purification  of  the  mother  liquor  for  electrolyte  is 
withdrawn    to    storage.      The    remainder    of    the 


CuO  is  conveyed  to  a  small  revolving  furnace  similar 
to  the  roasting  furnace,  where  it  is  healed  in  an 
atmosphere  of  water  gas.  The  reduced  material 
is  conveyed  to  a  melting  furnace  where  the  metal 
is  fused,  jioled,  and  cast  into  ingots  as  best  selected 
copper.  This  method  of  reduction  obviates  the 
production  of  a  ijuantity  of  hi,i.;h-grade  copper  slag. 

The  washed  residue  from  the  ammonia  treatment 
is  discharged  to  a  mixer  and  sufficient  by-passed 
electrolyte  is  added  to  dissolve  the  contained  iron 
and  copper  hvdrates  and  convert  the  little  ammonia 
still  remaining  into  sulphate.  The  pulp  is  filtered 
and  the  residue  of  CaSO,,  is  washed  and  treated  with 
previous  CaSOj  residues  for  the  manufacture  of 
fertilizer.  The  filtrate  and  washes  are  treated 
selectivelv  with  milk  of  lime  to  eliminate  iron.  The 
precipitHtc  resulting  is  returned  to  the  furnace  with 
the  next  ore-charge.  A  portion  of  the  solution  is 
now  passed  through  the  ammonia  absorbers  of  the 
producer  gas  plant.  The  NH.,  of  the  water  gas 
combines  with  the  CUSO4  in  solution,  producing  the 
characteristic  azure-blue  colour.  On  transferring 
this  blue  solution  back  to  the  remaining  portion  ot 
treated  solution,  the  cop])cr  in  both  portions  is 
immediately  thrown  down  as  hydrate,  which  is 
filtered  off,  dried,  and  conveyed  to  the  reducing 
furnace  to  be  converted  to  metal  by  water- gas. 
The  filtrate  is  now  concentrated  to  recover 
ammonium  sulphate,  a  portion  of  which  product 
is  heated  with  lime  to  obtain  ammonia.  Purified 
weak  wash  solutions  from  the  dissolving  tank  are 
given  a  similar  treatment  to  the  above  when 
required  to  absorb  the  balance  of  NH,,  produced 
from  the  coal.  .\ny  excess  of  ammonium  sulphate 
above  that  required  to  make  up  the  waste  of 
ammonia  in  the  process  is  disposed  of  as  fertilizer 
with   the   CaSO^. 

In  most  cases  the  precious  metals  in  the  ore  are 
combined  with  the  copper  minerals,  and  after  the 
extraction  of  the  copper,  the  gold  and  silver  con- 
centrate in  the  slime.  On  agitating  this  slime  with 
cyanide  the  precious  metals  are  extracted  together 
with  some  copper,  of  which  there  remains  about 
0-3%  in  the  tailing. 

To  start  up  operations  a  special  charge  is  roasted 
and  the  water-soluble  copper  extracted.  After 
purifying  the  liquor  obtained,  a  small  quantity  of 
purchased  acid  is  required  for  the  necessary 
acidulation  and  the  subsequent  electrolysis  will 
provide  free  acid  for  the  future  operation  of  the 
plant.  The  ammonia  required  will  have  to  be 
procured  until  the  producer  gas  plant  is  in  operation, 
after  which  the  lo.sses  to  be  made  up  will  be  no  more 
than  in  good  freezing  plant  practice.  Water  con- 
sumption will  be  the  amount  of  moisture  discharged 
with  the  residues,  the  amount  evaporated,  and  the 
waste  steam  of  the  power  plant  not  condensed, 
including  that  required  in  the  producer  plant. 
Solutions  after  treatment  with  milk  of  lime  are 
perfectly  free  of  copper.  The  CaSOj  formed  in  the 
hot  solutions  causes  no  trouble  in  pipe  lines. 
Throughout  the  process  all  solids  filter  readily. 
Keagents  are  regenerated  or  converted  to  by- 
products. There  are  no  foul  solutions,  no  solutions 
are  discarded,  and  no  copper  is  tied  up  in  unfinished 
products.  The  process  is  a  chemical  one,  and  each 
step  may  be  calculated  chemically.  If  excess 
CaCOa  be  used  to  purify  solutions,  the  excess  will 
be  coated  with  an  o.xide  of  copper.  Coarse  CaCO.s 
has  little  or  no  action  in  purifying.  Milk  of  lime 
should  be  as  free  as  possible  of  CaCOs.  Solutions 
of  CuSO^  should  be  warm,  not  boiling,  when  under 


DECEMBER,    1921 


385 


treatment.  Milk  of  lime  should  be  gradually  added, 
otherwise  precipitation  is  impeded  and  excess  of 
lime  precipitate  is  accumulated.  Copper  hydrate 
precipitate  should  not  be  kept  too  long  before 
treatment.  Ammonia  solution  for  dissolving  should 
be  about  20%  NKj  and  only  the  final  wash  for  the 
residue  from  the  ammonia  treatment  should  be 
clean  water.     Previous  washes  should  all  be  weak 


ammonia  solutions,  otherwise  Cu  is  precipitated  out 
of  solution.  As  power  is  expensive  at  most  mines, 
it  is  much  cheaper  to  produce  electrolytic  copper 
from  a  portion  only  of  the  liquors  as  required  to 
produce  the  necessary  H.^SOj,  and  to  convert  the 
e.xcess  copper  in  solution  to  oxide,  thence  to  metal, 
than  to  electrolyse  the  whole  of  the  solutions  from 
the  ore  charge. 


Petrol  from  Natural  Gas. — In  his  paper,  read 
before  the  Institution  of  Petroleum  Technologists 
on  November  8.  A.  Beeby  Thompson  reviewed  the 
question  of  prevention  of  waste  in  oilfields,  and 
mentioned  a  great  variety  of  ways  in  which  waste 
may  be  eliminated.  One  of  hiS  points,  well  known 
to  American  oil-men,  but  usually  neglected  else- 
where, was  that  petrol  or  gasoline  can  be  recovered 
from  the  gas  coming  from  the  oil-wells.  We  quote 
herewith  Mr.  Beeby  Thompson's  reminder  on  this 
subject  : — 

There  are  few  oilfields  which  do  not  yield  gases 
containing  hydrocarbons  that  can  be  recovered  by 
absorption  or  condensed  to  a  liquid  form  by  com- 
pression, refrigeration,  or  both.  During  the  early 
career  of  oilfields  the  gaseous  products  may  be 
very  largely  methane,  but  there  is  usually  also  a 
portion  of  the  higher  homologues  of  the  paraffin 
series,  and  their  proportion  increases  with  the 
development  of  the  field.  The  largest  amount  of 
condensable  hydrocarbons  are  present  where  a 
partial  vacuum  is  applied  to  the  wells,  that  is, 
when  a  field  is  approaching  exhaustion.  Subjected 
to  pressure  or  refrigeration,  or  both,  hydrocarbons 
whose  boiling  points  fall  below  the  temperatures 
and  pressures  applied  are  liquified,  and  on  exposure 
to  atmospheric  conditions  they  do  not  entirely 
revert  to  the  gaseous  form.  Generally  on  liberation 
from  the  high-pressure  condenser  they  boil,  and 
the  losses  may  be  considerable,  but  if  the  lighter 
fractions  are  allowed  to  escape  slowly  without  too 
violent  agitation  of  the  mass  a  varying  quantity 
of  a  fairly  stable  product  remains.  The  weathering 
of  gasoline  products  extracted  by  pressure  is, 
however,  a  wasteful  procedure,  as  with  some  gases 
the  greater  part  may  spontaneously  volatilize, 
leaving  but  a  small  fraction  of  that  produced. 
It  is  by  blending  with  heavier  refinery  distillates 
that  the  condensates  of  gas  plants  can  most 
economically  be  retained  and  marketed.  Mixed 
in  suitable  proportions  with  heavier  gasolines  they 
will  lighten  the  gravity  and  not  raise  the  vapour 
tension  of  the  whole  beyond  that  dictated  by  caution 
or  permitted  by  law.  The  rising  price  of  gasolme 
in  the  United  States  has  caused  those  casing-head 
gases  rich  in  gasoline  to  become  a  valuable  and 
most  sought  for  commodity,  and  high  prices  have 
been  paid  for  installations  that  had  secured  gas 
rights  over  large  areas  at  low  rates. 

The  usual  compression  plants  consist  of  compound 
compressor  units  of  200,000  to  5,000,000  cubic 
feet  per  day  at  130  to  300  lb.  pressure,  either  direct 
or  belt  driven  from  gas  engines  using  some  of  the 
treated  gas.  The  compressed  product  is  passed 
through  a  water-cooled  condenser  from  which  the 
condensate  is  automatically  trapped,  while  the 
escaping  dry  gas,  after  being  e.xpanded  in  a  chamber 
forming  the  last  section  of  the  cooler,  is  led  away 
for  fuel  requirements.  Only  careful  consideration 
of  each  individual  case  will  make  it  possible  to  say 
what  gasoline  contents  can  be  made  payable  in 
any  particular  area,  as  it  depends  upon  the  cost  of 
collection  or  purchase  of  gas,  facilities  for  blending 


and  transporting  the  desired  products,  the  cost  of 
installing  the  plant,  and  the  uses  for  residual  gas. 
Rarely  can  compressor  plants  be  profitably  operated 
with  gas  containingTess__than^one_gallon  of  gasoline 
per  1,000  cubic  feet. 

Some  gases  containing  sulphur  products  cause 
such  rapid  corrosion  of  the  valves  and  cylinders 
that  the  use  of  compressors  is  impossible,  and  at 
other  times  large  percentages  of  carbon  dioxide, 
or  nitrogen  or  of  air,  in  the  case  of  air  propulsion, 
may  render  compression  unprofitable"even  if^the'gas 
contains  heavy  hydrocarbon  vapours.  Such  factors 
as  the  foregoing,  together  with  the  impossibility 
of  profitably  treating  low-grade  gases,  led  to  the 
introduction  of  absorption  processes  which  are  now 
displacing  the  compression  and  refrigeration  types. 
Most  absorption  processes  rely  upon  the  absorptive 
properties  of  certain  petroleum  distillates  for 
lighter  hydrocarbons,  which  later  can  be  expelled 
by  heating,  and  the  recovered  absorbent  after 
cooling  used  over  and  over  again  ;  indeed,  a  con- 
tinuous cycle  can  be  maintained  of  absorbing, 
expelling,   and   returning   the   chilled   absorbent. 

By  means  of  ab.sorption,  gases  can  be  profitably 
treated  under  favourable  circumstances  with  con- 
tents as  low  as  1  pint  per  1 ,000  cubic  feet.  Inflowing 
gas  under  as  high  a  pressure  as  possible  is  allowed 
to  meet  a  descending  flow  of  suitable  absorbent 
in  vertical  towers  where  convenient  baffling  is 
interposed  to  ensure  intimate  contact  of  the  two 
fluids.  The  liquid  from  the  towers  is  conducted  to 
a  still,  where,  during  passage  through  a  series  of 
chambers,  its  light  contents  are  expelled  by  heat, 
and  the  freed  absorbent  is  returned  to  the  towers, 
being  subjected  to  cooling  in  its  progress.  By 
counter-flow  arrangements  the  outflowing  hot 
liquid  is  made  to  heat  up  the  inflowing  absorbent. 
Even  with  this  process  the  gasoline  is  often  wild, 
and  unless  somewhat  intricate  complications  are 
included  that  provide  for  the  condensation  and 
return  to  the  circuit  of  products  evolved  on  release 
of  pressure  much  light-density  petrol  is  lost.  The 
process  does,  however,  appear  to  yield  a  more  stable 
product  than  compression,  and  varying  methods 
of  absorption  undoubtedly  influence  the  quality 
of  the  product. 

One  step  further  has  now  been  reached  by  the 
discoveries  of  Messrs.  Burrell  it  Oberfell,  who,  by 
using  "  activated  "  charcoal  as  an  absorbent,  are 
able  to  obtain  a  much  larger  proportion  of  stable 
gasoline  products  than  by  any  other  process, 
larger,  indeed,  than  that  theoretically  attainable 
by  past  recognized  methods  of  testing.  A  con- 
densation of  carbon  molecules  has  been  suggested, 
but  it  is  likely  that  the  difference  is  due  to 
mechanical  features.  This  recent  development 
opens  up  a  new  line  of  study  that  may  influence 
the  future  of  this  indu.stry. 

As  already  stated,  at  present  practically  no 
treatment  of  gas  for  gasoline  contents  has  been 
undertaken  on  a  large  scale  outside  America. 
In  1919  no  less  than  300,000,000  gallons  of  casing- 
head  gasoline  was  produced  in  the  United  States, 


;}86 


ill 


.MlNlNc,     .MAt.AZJNE 


being  about  K<'\,  i>l  ilu'  nx.il  gasoline  prndiictioii, 
ultliuugh  only  a  part  of  the  gas  available  had  been 
so  far  treated.  The  value  of  this  gasoline  con- 
stituted much  more  than  the  13%  of  the  total 
United  States  gasoline  values,  which  later  were 
estimated  at  45%  of  the  value  of  all  American 
produced  oil  products  in  1919,  although  its  quantity 
represented  but  25%  of  the  crude  produced. 

From  numerous  tests  made  it  is  clear  that  the 
gaseous  emanations  of  most  oilfields  contain 
products  that  would  well  repay  their  extraction, 
provided  there  were  convenient  means  for  their 
disposal,  and  it  is  this  latter  feature,  which  has 
probably  been  one  of  the  chief  hindrances  to  obvious 
savings  that  are  annually  being  accentuated  by 
the  rising  prices  of  petrol. 

Occurrence  and  Origin  of  Helium. — Professional 
Paper  Xi>.  121,  issued  by  the  United  States 
Geological  Survey,  and  written  by  G.  Sherburne 
Kogers,  is  the  most  complete  monograph  on  helium 
yet  published.  It  gives  a  detailed  review  of  the 
history  of  the  discovery  of  this  gas,  with  full 
references,  and  it  contains  also  the  results  of  the 
author's  studies  of  the  occurrence  of  helium  in 
natural  gas.  The  author's  brief  r6sum6  of  the 
occurrences  and  theories  as  to  origin  are  repro- 
duced   herewith. 

Helium  constitutes  from  0-5  to  2%  of  certain 
nitrogen-rich  natural  gases  in  Kansas,  Oklahoma, 
and  Texas,  and  occurs  in  smaller  proportions  in  the 
gases  of  many  other  districts  in  the  United  States. 
"The  gases  richest  in  helium  are  confined  to  strata 
of  upper  and  middle  Pennsylvanian  age  and  occur 
close  to  the  surface,  the  hehum  content  usually 
decreasing  v\-ith  increasing  depth.  Gases  containing 
from  0-25  to  0-5°(,  of  helium  occur  in  the  lower 
Pennsylvanian  (Carboniferous)  of  the  Mid- 
Continent  area,  in  the  Mississippian  and  Silurian 
of  Ohio,  and  in  the  Cretaceous  of  Montana,  although 
in  general  the  pre-Pennsy!vanian  gases  are  poor 
in  helium,  and  the  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary  gases 
carry  only  traces  or  none  at  all.  The  helium-rich 
areas  are  not  marked  by  igneous  activity  or  by 
unusual  structural  conditions.  There  is  no  evidence 
as  to  whether  or  not  the  rocks  in  these  districts 
are  abnormally  radio-active. 

Helium  has  been  detected  in  European  natural 
gas  in  proportions  as  great  as  0-38%.  The  richest 
gas  was  found  in  a  deep  test-hole  in  Alsace,  probably 
in  lower  Mesozoic  strata  ;  the  Tertiary  gas  in  this 
locality  is  very  poor  in  helium  and  the  Tertiary 
gases  of  Germany,  Austria,  Italy,  and  Tran- 
sylvania are  also  poor.  The  helium  content  of  these 
gases  appears  to  vary  roughly  as  their  radio-activity. 

A  great  variety  of  minerals  have  been  found  to 
contain  at  least  traces  of  helium,  and  apparently 
only  a  few  species  are  helium-free.  Minerals  rich 
in  the  radio-elements  may  contain  several  times 
their  own  volume  of  helium  ;  ordinary  rock- 
forming  minerals  are  usually  poor.  In  general  the 
amount  of  helium  in  a  mineral  is  proportional  to 
its  radio-activity  and  increases  with  age,  indicating 
that  the  helium  has  been  generated  by  the  decay 
of  the  radio-elements  ;  but  certain  beryls  contain 
far  more  helium  than  can  be  explamed  in  this  way. 

The  gases  of  French  and  Belgian  coal  mines  carry 
helium,  and  though  the  proportion  is  small  the  total 
volume  emitted  yearly  is  large.  The  coals  them- 
selves are  very  poor  in  the  radio-elements,  and 
helium  is  evidently  not  being  generated  in  the  coal 
nearly  as  fast  as  it  is  being  emitted.  There  is, 
therefore,  no  evidence  to  connect  the  helium  in 
the  mine  gases  -ivith  radio-activity. 


The  gases  of  many  Kuropean  mineral  springs 
contain  helium  in  i>rt)por(iiius  as  great  as  10%. 
The  volumes  of  helium  emitted  yearly  by  some  of 
the  springs  represent  all  the  helium  that  would  be 
generated  yearly  by  many  tons  of  radium  :  hence 
this  helium  like  that  in  mine  gases,  probably  repre- 
sents the  overflow  or  leakage  of  a  great  under 
ground  accumulation.  Furthermore,  the  proportion 
of  helium  in  the  gases  bears  no  relation  to  their 
radio-activity. 

Small  proportions  of  helium  occur  in  the  gases 
of  certain  Italian  fumaroles,  where  there  is  no 
evidence  to  connect  it  directly  with  radio-activity. 

Helium  constitutes  0-0004%  of  the  atmosphere 
near  the  earth's  surface.  In  the  upper  atmosphere 
its  proportion  is  greater. 

Helium  is  a  prominent  constituent  of  the  solar 
chromosphere  and  of  many  nebuUe  and  stars, 
though  the  r.adio-clements  have  not  been  identified 
with  certainty  in  any  celestial  bodies. 

As  the  radio-elements  generate  helium  in  the 
course  of  their  spontaneous  disintegration,  each 
occurrence  of  radio-active  material  connotes  the 
presence  of  helium  ;  but  the  radio-elements, 
because  of  their  activity,  can  be  detected  in  far 
smaller  (juantities  than  can  the  helium  to  which 
they  give  rise.  The  radio-elements  are  very  widely 
disseminated  through  terrestrial  materi.ils,  being 
present  in  minute  proportions  in  practically  all 
minerals  and  rocks,  in  the  atmosphere  and  in  river 
and  ocean  water.  Most  petroleum  and  natural 
gas  apparently  contain  some  radium  emanation. 
The  helium  generated  by  the  radio-elements  dis- 
seminated through  ordinary  rocks  amounts  to 
almost  half  a  cubic  foot  per  year  per  cubic  mile  of 
rock. 

From  the  foregoing  evidence  certain  broad  con- 
clusions may  be  drawn  as  follows  : — 

The  helium  in  most  minerals  is  probably  of  radio- 
active origin  ;  and,  as  the  radio-elements  are  dis- 
siminated  through  ordinary  rocks  in  proportions 
sufficient  to  generate  large  volumes  of  helium  in 
the  course  of  a  few  million  years,  much  of  the 
helium  in  rocks  has  probably  also  originated 
through  radio-activity. 

As  helium  is  very  prominent  in  celestial  bodies, 
whereas  the  radio-elements  are  not,  it  is  probable 
that  helium  can  and  does  occur  in  the  universe 
entirely  apart  from  the  radio-elements,  and  that 
these  elements  may  be  regarded  as  compounds 
of  helium  and  lead  which  form  only  under  certain 
conditions.  Accordingly,  much  of  the  helium 
in  the  earth  may  never  have  been  associated  with 
the  radio-elements  and  may  therefore  be  primordial 
helium. 

As  the  volumes  of  helium  in  some  mineral-spring 
and  mine  gases  are  so  large  that  incredible  quantities 
of  the  radio-elements  would  be  necessary  to  generate 
the  helium  as  fast  as  it  is  emitted,  it  is  probable 
that  there  are  great  stores  of  helium  underground, 
the  leakage  or  overflow  of  which  appears  in  the 
spring  and  mine  gases.  These  stores  of  "  fossil  " 
helium  may  be  accumulations  of  the  small  volumes 
liberated  by  the  disintegration  of  radio-elements 
through  geologic  time,  or  they  may  in  large  part  be 
primordial.  The  helium  in  natural  gas  may  there- 
fore be  primordial  or  it  may  have  been  liberated 
through  the  decay  of  the  radio-elements.  As  a 
great  volume  of  helium  is  contained  in  the  atmos- 
phere there  is  the  third  possibility — which  is  not 
concerned  with  the  ultimate  origin  of  the  element — • 
that  the  helium  in  natural  gas  has  in  some  way 
been  derived  from  the  atmosphere. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


387 


Mining  in  British  Guiana. — ^We  extract  the 
following  paragraphs  from  the  report  of  the  Lands 
and  Mines  Department  of  British  Guiana  for  the 
year  1920  :— 

The  output  of  gold  for  1920  from  all  sources  was 
12,692  oz.,  of  the  value  of  ^46,803,  being  a  decrease 
of  3,524  oz.  on  the  production  for  1919.  The 
decrease  is  due  to  the  fact  that  fewer  persons  were 
engaged  in  the  gold-mining  industry  than  formerly 
owing  to  the  high  price  of  provisions,  which  rendered 
it  more  or  less  impracticable  for  the  small  claim 
holder  and  tributer  to  make  a  profit  ;  also  to  the 
fact  that  the  diggers  who  formerly  worked  gold 
were  attracted  to  the  diamond  fields  by  the  high 
price  that  ruled  for  precious  stones  during  the  early 
part  of  1920.  A  number  of  men  were  also  influenced 
to  stay  on  the  coast  lands  by  the  satisfactory  rate 
of  wages  obtainable  on  the  sugar  estates  and  sea 
defence  works. 

An  amount  of  6,454  oz.  was  produced  by  placer 
washing,  a  decrease  of  3,998  oz.  on  the  production 
for  1919. 

The  Guiana  Gold  Company  operated  m  the 
Konawaruk  River  wnth  four  dredges,  and  the 
Minnehaha  Development  Company  operated  with 
one  dredge  in  the  Mahdia  Creek.  The  gold  obtained 
by  these  two  companies  from  dredging  during  the 
year  was  6,238  oz.,  an  increase  of  1,001  oz.  on  the 
previous  year's  production.  The  Commissioner  is 
of  opinion  that  dredging  is  the  most  suitable  method 
of  winning  gold  from  the  larger  creeks  and  flats 
with  deep  overburdens  in  the  auriferous  portions 
of  the  Colony.  The  substitution  of  a  tax  on  profits 
in  lieu  of  a  royalty  charge  in  the  case  of  gold  won 
by  dredging  will,  it  is  confidently  hoped,  act  as  an 
incentive  and,  in  time,  when  the  financial  slump  at 
present  existing  throughout  the  world  has  passed 
away,  mining  capitalists  will  turn  their  attention 
to  gold  dredging  and  hydraulicking  on  a  large  scale 
in  this  Colony. 

No  quartz  mining  operation  were  carried  out 
during  the  year.  In  No.  2  Mining  District,  however, 
explorations  were  carried  out  by  the  Minnehaha 
Development  Company  in  the  vicinity  of  "  Look 
and  Weep,"  Upper  Minnehaha  Creek,  with  a  view 
of  ascertaining  whether  the  values  of  ore  existing 
in  that  locality  and  the  neighbourhood  would 
warrant  milling  operations  being  carried  out  on  a 
large  scale.  The  result  of  such  investigations  were 
not  made  pubhc  by  the  end  of  the  year. 

During  the  year  234,456  diamonds,  weighing 
39,362  carats,  of  an  estimated  value  of  /21 1,829, 
were  declared  at  the  Department.  Of  these 
144,348  stones  weighing  25,898  carats  were  from 
the  Mazaruni  Rive'r ;  54,404  diamonds  weighing 
9,444  carats  were  from  the  Puruni  River  ;  22,386 
diamonds  weighing  2,738  carats  were  from  the 
Cuyuni  River,  and  13,318  diamonds  weighing 
1,281  carats  from  the  Potaro  River.  The  notable 
features  with  regard  to  the  year's  production  are 
the  working  of  diamonds  on  the  Potaro  River, 
between  Kangaruma  and  Amatuk,  and  the  large 
increase  in  the  total  production  for  1920,  amounting 
to  149,990  stones  weighing  22,656  carats  over  the 
output  for  1919.  These  diamonds  were  all  from 
alluvial  workings  and  the  entire  output  averaged 
six  to  the  carat,  but  there  were  many  stones  of  a 
carat  and  over.  The  sixteen  largest  stones  presented 
at  the  Department  during  the  year  weighed 
respectively  21ft,  9}(|,  91,  9^g,  Si,  H,  8,  7i,  6|. 
6i,  Sfs,  5i,  5i-'g,  5i,  5i,  5iV  carats. 

The    Demerara    Bauxite    Company  earned    on 


mining  operations  at  .\kyma,  Demerara  River, 
throughout  the  year.  The  construction  of  the 
light  railway  from  Akyma  to  Mackenzie  and  the 
erection  of  the  crushing,  washing,  and  drying  plants 
at  Mackenzie  were  completed  during  the  year,  all 
of  which  contributed  to  the  more  expeditious 
and  economical  handling  of  the  ore.  The  total 
quantitvof  dehydrated  ore  shipped  during  the  year 
was  31,379  tons'. 

Examinations  for  oil  on  behalf  of  D.  E.  .Alves,  of 
London,  were  made  in  the  North-West  District  and 
other  parts  of  the  Colony  by  B.  F.  Macrorie  and 
J.  .A.  Bullbrook.  Their  results  were  not  made  public 
during  the  year,  but  it  was  generally  understood 
that  the  opinion  of  the  experts  was  unfavourable 
as  to  the  occurrence  of  mineral  oil  in  the  Colony. 
It  is,  however,  worthy  of  record  that  no  prospecting 
bore-holes  were  put  down  and  that  this  opinion  is 
therefore  based  solely  on  the  surface  examinations 
made,  coupled  with  the  results  of  previous  similar 
investigations  by  G.  B.  Reynolds,  made  in  1919. 

Flotation  for  Rand  Ores. — Interest  in  the 
application  of  flotation  to  Rand  ores  has  been 
revived  recently,  and  the  paper  by  F.  Warten- 
weiler,  quoted  in  our  .September  issue,  has  helped 
to  draw  attention  to  this  subject.  E.  Homersham 
lately  went  to  Johannesburg  as  representative  of 
Minerals  Separation,  Ltd.,  and  a  laboratory  has 
been  opened  there.  Mr.  Homersham  gives  some 
particulars  of  tests  in  the  South  African  Mining 
and  Engineering  Jourml  for  October  22. 

(1)  Crude  ore  from  mine  :  Assay-value  of  ore, 
9-9  dwt.  ;  ore  crushed  to  80  mesh  ;  value  of  con- 
centrates, 65-9  dwt.  ;  percentage  of  concentrate 
caught,  14-8;  residues,  0-42  dwt.  ;  recovery, 
98-5%  ;  cost  of  reagent,  7d.  per  ton. 

(2)  Slimes  untreated  :  Assay-value  of  slimes, 
1-34  dwt.  ;  assay-value  of  concentrates  caught, 
7-2  dwt.  ;  percentage  of  concentrates  caught, 
16-4%;  residues,  0-20  dwt.  ;  recovery,  88-1%; 
cost  of  reagent,  4d.  per  ton. 

(3)  Black  Reef  tailings  ;  Assay  of  crude  sample, 
245  dwt.  ;  assay-value  of  concentrates,  24-6  dwt.  ; 
percentage  of  concentrates  caught,  8-6%  ;  residues, 
0-42  dwt.  ;  recovery,  86-3°o  ;  cost  of  reagent, 
Sd.  per  ton. 

(4)  Sand  residues  from  Rand  ore:  (1)  The  first 
tests  were  on  sand  as  received  without  further 
grinding.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  concentrating 
by  flotation  the  free  mineral  consisting  of  iron 
pyrites.  The  concentrates  averaged  10  dwt.  in 
value,  and  were  about  6°o  of  the  bulk  treated. 
The  original  value  of  sand  in  this  test  was  1-4  dwt. 
and  the  residues  averaged  0-85  dwt.  It  was  quite 
clear  that  a  large  proportion  of  gold  was  locked  up 
in  sands  and  could  only  be  floated  by  further 
grinding.  (2)  The  next  test  was  made  as  follows  : 
Assay  of  crude  sand,  1-75  dwt.  ;  concentrates, 
12-6  dwt.  ;  percentage  of  concentrates  caught, 
10-3  ;  residues,  0-45  dwt.  ;  recovery  by  flotation, 
74T%  ;  crushing,  80  m.esh ;  average  cost  of 
reagents  4d.  per  ton. 

In  view  of  the  above  results,  even  allowing  for 
the  cost  of  regrinding  sand,  it  appears  probable 
that  these  particular  sand  residues  can  be  profitably 
retreated  by  flotation. 

A  fairly  large  scale  test  of  i  ,870  lb.  run  in  London 
recently  gave  a  0-55  dwt.  residue  on  a  grade  of  ore 
assaying  22  dwt.  If  the  ore  had  been  of  a  lower 
grade,  undoubtedly  a  far  lower  residue  would 
have  been  obtained  ;  as  it  is,  this  result  indicates 
a  recovery  of  from  96  to  98%.     From  tests  done 


^ss 


THE    MININ(^.    MAC.AZINE 


in  Johannesburg  .and  in  Limilou  it  appears  probable 
that  on  a  4  chvt.  ore  a  residue  of  0-15  to  0-2  dwt.  may 
be  looked  for,  the  residue  rising  more  or  less  slowly 
as  higher  grade  ore  is  treated. 

It  is  believed  that  the  process,  if  applied  to 
current  reduction  works,  wovdd  mean  a  large  saving 
in  working  costs.  Instead  of  treating  the  whole  of 
the  crude  ore  by  cyanide,  it  is  believed  from  the 
results  obtained  up  to  date  that  a  10%  concentrate 
can  be  obtained  containing  from  9.3  to  97%  of 
the  gold  in  the  ore,  and  that  this  concentrate  can 
be  easily  Irr.iUil  by  the  ordinary  cyanide  method. 

Nickel  Metallurgy. — The  Bullclin  of  the  Canatlian 
Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy  for  November 
contains  two  brief  notes  on  points  relating  to  the 
smelting  of  nickel-copper  «orc3  in  the  Sudbury 
district. 

William  Kent  writes  on  a  false  chute  for  skimming 
converters  used  at  the  smelter  of  the  International 
Nickel  Company.  With  the  large  basic-lined 
copper-converters  now  in  use,  the  common  practice 
is  to  do  all  charging,  skimming,  and  casting  through 
the  throat  of  the  converter.  Most  of  these  converters 
are  rotated  by  means  of  electrically  operated  worm 
gear,  and  it  is  possible  to  turn  them  through  a 
complete  revolution.  The  converters  at  the 
International  Nickel  Company's  smelter,  however, 
are  turned  by  means  of  cables  actuated  by  pistons 
in  horizontal  cyhnders,  and  hence  the  extent  of  the 
rotation  is  limited  by  the  stroke  of  the  piston. 
Owing  to  this  method  of  rotation,  the  skimming 
and  casting  have  to  be  done  through  a  chute  at  the 
side  of  the  shell.  The  limited  extent  of  the  rotation 
also  renders  it  necessary  to  have  the  opening  through 
the  shell,  at  this  chute,  about  .30  in.  high,  in  order 
to  be  able  to  carry  the  converter  full  of  matte  while 
blowing,  and  to  be  able  to  drain  out  the  last  of  the 
finished  matte  when  casting.  Before  charging  the 
converter  the  opening  in  the  shell  is  blocked  up  with 
magnesite  brick  to  within  about  6  in.  of  the  top, 
the  chute  outside  being  filled  with  clay  to  the  same 
height.  A  cake  of  clay  covers  the  remaining  opening 
during  the  blow  and  is  removed  when  ready  to  skim. 
During  the  successive  skims  the  slag  running  over 
the  clay  in  the  chutes  permeates  it  and  bakes  it  to 
such  an  extent  that  a  very  hard  mass  is  formed. 
When  ready  to  cast,  about  three-quarters  of  the 
matte  is  poured  from  the  converter  in  the  same  way, 
tending  to  still  further  harden  the  clay.  To  drain 
out  the  final  quarter  of  the  matte,  it  is  necessary  to 
dig  the  clay  out  of  the  chute  and  remove  the  bricks 
from  the  lower  part  of  the  breast  opening.  The 
removal  of  the  clay  entailed  a  good  deal  of  hard 
work  with  bars  and  hammers,  and,  in  addition, 
caused  considerable  delay.  All  this  is  now  obviated 
by  the  use  of  a  false  chute,  which  fits  just  inside 
the  fixed  chute  and  does  not  interfere  with  the 
regular  procedure  in  any  way.  The  false  chute  is 
provided  with  short  chains  at  the  corners,  and_when 
the  time  comes  for  the  removal  of  the  clay,  the 
crane  comes  along  and  lifts  out  both  chute  and  clay, 
leaving  the  breast  exposed.  It  is  then  only  necessary 
to  remove  the  bricks  and  complete  the  casting. 
When  cold  the  false  chute  is  easily  cleaned  out  and 
is  again  ready  for  use. 

R.  J.  Gill  read  a  paper  on  improvements  to 
settlers  at  the  British  America  Nickel  Corporation's 
smelter  at  Nickleton.  The  settler  practice  at  the 
British  America  smelter  is  somewhat  unusual  for 
the  Sudbury  district.  A  great  portion  of  the 
matte  is  tapped  from  the  settler  by  means  of  so- 
called  syphons.    The  principle  is  similar  to  that  of 


the  Orford  settler,  or  of  the  Watson  settler.  The 
last-named  is  a  modification  of  the  Orford  used  at 
the  I.advsmith  plant  of  the  Tvee  Copper  Company. 
At  Nickleton  the  10  by  30  ft.  settlers  ari'  lined  with 
chrome  brick.  The  Uoor  is  made  up  of  three  courses 
of  chrome  brick  laid  on  0  in.  of  fireclay.  The  top 
and  bottom  courses  are  laid  on  edge,  and  the  inter- 
mediate course  flat.  The  walls  are  three  bricks 
thick,  the  outside  row  being  firebrick.  An  additional 
row  of  chrome  brick  was  added  for  part  of  the  height 
of  the  wall,  as  the  settler  must  always  contain  about 
10  in.  of  matte.  The  front  wall  was  also  increased 
in  thickness  to  about  2'2  in.  The  shell  of  the  settler 
is  J  in.  steel  plate.  Originally  there  were  four  matte 
tap-holes  at  the  front  and  two  slag  overflow 
openings  at  the  back.  To  convert  the  settler  into 
a  syphon  settler  a  wall  of  chrome  brick  15  in.  thick 
was  built  across  the  settler,  a  little  over  2  ft.  from 
the  front  w?ll.  A  wall  at  right  angles  to  this  divided 
the  portion  thus  cut  off  into  two  wells.  For 
admitting  the  matte  an  opening  approximately 
24  in.  wide  bv  8  in.  high  was  left  in  each  of  these 
w-ells  at  the  floor  of  the  settler.  Thus,  so  long  as  the 
matte  level  in  the  main  settler  is  kept  above  the 
opening,  no  slag  can  enter  the  well.  An  opening 
was  made  in  the  front  wall  just  deep  enough  to 
ensure  that  when  the  bath  in  the  settler  is  raised  by 
blocking  the  slag  overflow,  the  matte  will  flow  out 
of  the  well  into  a  launder  from  the  top  of  the  settler. 
The  flow  of  matte  is  stopped  without  difficulty 
by  opening  the  slag  overflow  and  letting  the  bath 
down.  Two  of  the  original  tap-holes  are  retained, 
one  from  each  well.  Magnesite  blocks,  8  by  8  by 
8  in.,  are  set  in  these,  without  a  cooling  jacket  of 
any  kind.  They  are  held  in  place  by  cast-iron  plates 
secured  by  wedges.  .\11  the  matte  drawn  from  the 
settler  must  pass  through  the  openings  into  the 
bottom  of  the  wells  ;  but  after  several  months  of 
service  the  brick  in  the  arch  over  the  opening 
showed  little  sign  of  wear.  Owing  to  the  large 
quantity  of  matte  and  the  inferior  quality  of  the 
refractories  at  hand,  it  was  extremely  difficult  to 
keep  the  tap-holes  in  good  condition.  This  syphon 
was  devised  to  overcome  this  trouble,  and  has  been 
a  complete  success.  The  tap-holes  are  now  kept 
open  more  for  use  in  case  of  an  emergency  than  for 
any  other  reason.  The  matte  well  shows  no 
tendency  to  chill,  due  probably  to  the  fact  that  it  is 
contained  in  the  settler  ;  the  only  loss  of  heat 
by  radiation  is  through  the  thick  front  wall. 

Treatment  of  Zinc  Residues.  —  Chemical 
Engineering  ani  Alining  Review  (Melbourne)  for 
August  gives  some  particulars  of  the  direct  method 
of  dissolving  fume  in  acid  adopted  in  the  treatment 
of  zinc  residues  at  the  works  of  the  Electrolytic 
Zinc  Company  of  Australia,  Risdon,  Tasmania. 
In  the  electrolytic  method  of  treatment  the  con- 
centrates are  first  roasted  and  then  leached  with 
sulphuric  acid  solution.  The  residue  left  after  the 
leaching  operation  contains  a  certain  amount  of 
zinc,  together  with  lead  and  other  metals,  and  it  has 
been  customary  to  treat  this  residue  for  the 
formation  of  fume  by  mixing  it  with  a  reducing 
agent,  such  as  coke,  and  subjecting  the  mixture  to 
a  blast  of  air  on  a  Wetherill  grate  or  some  such 
suitable  furnace.  This  fume  is  sometimes  sold  as 
a  leaded  zinc  pigment,  but  is  often  leached  with 
sulphuric  acid  to  produce  electrolytic  zinc.  The 
method  of  fuming  as  applied  to  the  residue  from  the 
leaching  operation  has  also  been  applied  directly 
to  the  ore  either  roasted  or  unroasted.  Various 
patents  have  been  taken  out  for  processes  aiming  at 


DECEMBER,    1921 


389 


the  conversion  of  zinc  into  fume,  and  its  collection 
therefrom.  In  1904  (Commonwealth  264)  J.  C. 
Clancy  proposed  blowing  sulphide  ore  into  a  highly- 
heated  chamber  to  transform  the  zinc  sulphide  into 
oxide,  which  would  be  condensed  and  leached  out 
with  HoSOj.  In  1907  Hommel  and  Sulman 
(Commonwealth  10,362)  patented  an  elaborate 
process  in  which  the  sulphide  ore  is  roasted  and 
mixed  with  coal  and  suitable  fluxes,  placed  in  a 
furnace  on  heated  fuel,  and  air  blown  through. 
The  zinc  is  recovered  from  the  condensed  fume  by 
leaching  with  sulphuric  acid.  J.  H.  &  P.  M.  Gillies 
(Commonwealth  171)  in  1916  proposed  to  fume 
lead  and  zinc,  leaching  the  zinc  from  the  condensed 
fume  with  HoSOj.  Another  patent  (Common- 
wealth 6,456)  "taken  out  in  1918  by.  the  same 
investigators,  related  to  a  similar  leaching  process. 
Laist,  of  Anaconda,  patented  a  combination  leaching 
and  smelting  process  for  electrolytic  zinc  residues 
in  1917  (Commonwealth  6,018),  in  which  the  residues 
are  dried,  mixed  with  fine  coal,  and  smelted  to 
produce  a  matte,  slag,  and  fume  containing  the  lead 
and  zinc,  which  is  collected  and  leached  with  dilute 
H.^SOi  for  the  recovery  of  the  zinc.  In  all  these 
methods,  however,  the  expensive  means  of  collection 
by  bag-houses  or  electrical  precipitation  have  been 
involved.  In  cases  where  it  is  subsequently  intended 
to  leach  the  fume,  it  would  be  a  matter  of  great 
benefit  if  the  above  methods  of  treatment  were 
modified  so  that  in  this  fuming  operation  the  bag- 
house  or  similar  collecting  means  were  replaced 
by  a  cheaper  method.  Experiments  have 
accordingly  been  carried  out  by  the  Electrolytic 
Zinc  Co.,  at  Risdon,  with  a  view  to  evolving  a 
process  by  means  of  which  the  fume  may  be 
directly  leached  without  the  intervention  of  a 
bag-house  or  other  collecting  means.  The  resulting 
new  treatment,  which  is  proposed  to  be  put  into 
operation  on  a  large  scale,  consists  in  passing 
fume  from  the  Wetherill  furnaces  upward  through 
a  tower  checkered  with  suitable  packing  to  give 
a  large  area  on  contact  and  to  prevent  accumulations 
of  the  insoluble  portion  of  the  fume.  Down  this 
tower  H.,SOj  solution  (spent  electrolyte)  is  caused 
to  flow  against  the  ascent  of  the  fume  so  as  to  be 
brought  mto  intimate  contact  with  them,  causing 
the  soluble  constituents,  which  consist  principally 
of  zinc  compounds,  to  be  dissolved  in  the  descending 
solution,  which  is  run  into  a  receptacle  at  the  bottom 
of  the  tower.  The  solution  and  solid  residue  thus 
collected  are  treated  by  known  metallurgical 
methods  for  the  recovery  of  their  valuable  metal 
contents. 

SHORT    NOTICES 

Rapidity  of  Boring.  In  the  Iron  and  Coal 
Trades'  Review  for  November  11,  A.  E.  Ritchie 
gives  comparisons  between  British,  German,  and 
American  boring  practice,  exemplifying  his  points 
by  reference  to  bore-holes  in  the  Kent  coalfield. 
British  boring  was  too  slow,  and  on  the  other  hand, 
German  boring  was  too  rapid  for  securing  satis- 
factory records  of  the  strata  passed  through. 
The  Sullivan  Machinery  Co.,  of  Chicago,  has  done 
rapid  work  in  this  country,  and  though  not  quite 
so  rapid  as  the  German  firms,  gives  better  geological 
records. 

Diamond  -  Drilling.  In  the  Colliery  Guardian 
for  November  4,  J.  A.  MacVicar  gives  some  records 
of  experience  in  boring  in  the  United  Kingdom  by 
means  of  the  Sullivan  diamond-drill. 


Ventilation  at  Broken  Hill. —  At  the  meeting 
of  the  .\ustralajian  Institute  of  Mining  and 
Metallurgy,  held  in  August,  a  paper  was  presented 
by  R.  T.'  Slee,  describing  the  ventilation  system 
at  the  Broken  Hill  Proprietary  mine. 

Acidity  of  Mine  Waters.  In  a  paper  published 
in  the  September  issue  of  the  Journal  of  the 
Chemical,  Metallurgical,  and  Mining  Society  of 
South  .\frica,  F.  W.  Watson  and  R.  K.  Cooper 
revive  the  question  of  the  neutralization  of  acids 
in  mine  waters. 

Air-Lift  for  Tailings.  In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  November  19,  H.  G.  S. 
.\nderson  describes  the  air-lift  for  raising  tailing  at 
the  Chino  copper  mine,  New  Mexico. 

Broken  Hill  South.  —  At  the  meeting  of  the 
Australasian  Institute  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy 
held  in  August,  W.  E.  Wainwright  and  J.  C. 
Cunningham  presented  a  paper  describing  the  new 
concentration  plant  at  the  Broken  Hill  South  mine. 

Filter-Presses.  The  Journal  of  Industrial  and 
Engineering  Chemistry  for  November  contains 
reports  of  a  great  many  articles  on  filter-pressing 
practice  presented  at  the  meeting  of  the  American 
Chemical  Society  held  in  September. 

Chloridizing-Volatilization.— In  the  Engineering 
and  Mining  Journal  for  November  2,  H.  R.  Layng 
gives  some  instructions  for  improvements  in 
the  methods  of  conducting  the  chloridizing 
volatilization  process,  in  particular  with  the  object 
of  preventing  accretions. 

Sulphuric  Acid. — In  Chemical  and  Metjllurgical 
Engineering  for  November  9,  A.  M.  Fairlie  com- 
mences a  series  of  articles  on  modern  improvements 
in  the  method  of  producing  sulphuric  acid. 

Uranium  Steel.  In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  October  26,  H.  S.  Foote  discusses 
the  properties  imparted  to  steel  by  varying  per- 
centages of  uranium. 

Chromium  Steel.  In  Chemical  and  Metallurgical 
Engineering  for  November  2,  F.  P.  Zimmerli 
gives  a  historical  bibliography  of  chromium  steels. 
This  bibliography  gives  a  brief  abstract  of  most 
of  the  entries. 

Determination  of  Chromium.  The  Journal  oj 
Industrial  and  Engineering  Chemistry  for  November 
contains  an  article  by  G.  L.  Kelly  and  J.  A.  Wiley 
on  the  determination  of  chromium  in  ferro- 
chromium   by   electrometric   titration. 

Radium.  In       Chemical      and      Metallurgical 

Engineering  for  November  2,  H.  D.  d'Aguiar 
describes  the  method  of  producing  radium  com- 
pounds in  America. 

Cornish  Geology.— The  Geological  Magazine  for 
November  contains  a  paper  by  E.  H.  Davison  on 
the  primary  zones  of  Cornish  lodes. 

Grecian  '  Magnesite.— In  the  Engineering  and 
Mining  Journal  for  November  12,  H.  C.  Boydell 
gives  an  account  of  the  magnesite  deposits  in  the 
island  of  Euboea,  Greece. 

Tin  in  Queensland.  The  Queensland  Govern- 
ment Mining  Journal  for  September  contains  a 
report  by  E.  C.  Saint-Smith,  Government  Geologist, 
on  the  Ewan  Tin  Syndicate's  properties  in  the 
Kangaroo  Hills  district. 

Uganda.  —  The  Geographical  Journal  for 
November  contains  an  account  of  the  Lake  .Mbert 
Rift  Valley,  Uganda,  by  E.  J.  Wayland,  Govern- 
ment Geologist. 

Low -Temperature  Carbonization.  The  Iron 
and  Coal  Trades  Review  for  November  11  publishes 
a  report  made  by  Sir  Percy  Girouard  on  the  process 


300 


Tin:  MiNi.w;   .mac.azixe 


and  plant  of  the  Low  Toniperature  Carbonization 
Co.,  Ltd.,  at  Uarnslcy,  the  present  company  that 
niake.'i  "  eoahle." 

Coalite.  I\iigi>ieerii>g  for  October  28  gives  an 
ilhistratod  description  of  the  plant  of  Low 
Temperature  Carbonization,  Ltd.,  at  Barnsley, 
which  make's  coa'ite  and  various  by-products. 

Venezuelan  Petroleum. — The  Ungiiuering  and 
Mi>in:g  Joiiiiut!  for  Noveml'er  12  publishes  an 
oflicial  report  by  A.  H.  RecUieUl  on  the  petroleum 
industry  of    Venezuela  during  the  year  1920. 

Colorado  Shale  Oils.  In  Chemical  and 
Mdiilliirgiidl  I'ltgiiiccriiig  for  October  19  and  26, 
A.  J.  Frank  gives  an  account  of  the  oils  obtainable 
from  Colorado  shnles. 

Gas  from  Wood  Refuse.  The  Engineer  for 
November  IS  describes  a  gas  producer  designed  for 
using  waste  wood,  made  by  Ruston  &■  Hcrnsby, 
Ltd..  of  Lincoln. 

C.  W.  Purington.  The  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  November  5  gives  a  brief  biography 
of  C.  W.  Purington. 

Alfred  James. — The  Engineering  and  Mining 
Journal  for  November  19  contains  a  biographical 
notice  of  Alfred  James. 


RECENT  PATENTS  PUBLISHED 

Hl^"  A  copy  of  tkf  specification  of  any  of  the  patents  mentioned  in 
this  column  can  be  obtained  by  sending  Is.  to  the  Patent  Office, 
Southampton  liuildings,  Chancery  Lane,  London,  W.C.  2,  tvith 
a  note  of  the  number  and  year  of  Ifie  patent. 

6,921  of  1920(169,467).  Chemische  Fabrik 
Rhen.\nia,  .\achen.  Germany.  Method  of  re- 
covering sulphur  from  sulphuretted  hvdrogen. 

10,078  of  1920  (169,473).  J.'  &  A.  Ross, 
Uddington,  Scotland.  Signalling  apparatus  for 
mines. 

10,293  of  1920  (170,026).  C.  E.  Cornelius, 
Stockholm.  Furnace  for  treating  zinc  dust  for  the 
production  of  spelter. 

16,587  of  1920(169,764).  E.  E.  N.\ef,  Notting- 
ham. In  the  manufacture  of  copper  the  treatment 
of  finely  divided  copper  sulphides  with  solid  caustic 
soda  or  potash,  or  mixtures  thereof  with  any  or  all 
of  the  following  :  sodium  carbonate,  common  salt, 
sodium  sulphate,  sodium  sulphide,  calcium  oxide 
and  hydroxide,  at  temperatures  generally  from 
300°  to  800°  C,  with  or  without  the  addition  of 
finely  divided  coal,  or  in  presence  of  hydrogen 
and  gases  containing  such,  or  in  presence  of  both 
coal  and  hydrogen. 

18,669  of  1920  (146.814).  Maschinenfabrik 
Westf.-^li.iv.  Gelsenkirchen,  Germany.  ,  A 
channelling  rod  for  mining  machines  of  the  rod 
tvoe. 

"18,979  of  1920  (147,030).  K.  H.  Westling, 
San  Francisco.  Method  for  producing  pure 
manganese  dio.xide. 

19,253  of  1920  (147,186).  P.  Schermuly, 
Frankfurt-am-Main,  Germany.  A  new  form  of 
divining  rod. 

19.363  of  1920  (147,457).  .\mpere  Gesell- 
SCHAFT,  Berlin.  Method  of  producing  a  tungsten- 
iron  allov  used  in  the  jewellery  trade. 

19.364  of  1920  (147,458).  Ampere  Gesell- 
SCH.\FT,  Berlin.  Method  of  producing  ferro- 
chromium  low  in  carbon. 

19,755  of  1920  (147,752).  W.  P.  Thompson, 
Liverpool.     Method  of  making  white  lead. 

19,959  of  1920(170,082).  Metallbank  and 
Metallurgische  Gesellschaft,  Frankfurt-am- 
Main,      Germany.       Method    of     producing     zinc 


oxide  by  precipitation  from  sul])hate  solutions 
sull'iciently  free  from  sulphate  of  lime  to  make  it 
suitable  for  smelting  (or  zinc. 

20,248of  1920(148,334).  M.  SciiLiJTTUK,  Berlin. 
.\n  electroplating  process  for  producing  a  I'lrmly 
adhering  deposit  of  tin. 

20,522  of  1920  (148,539).  Spkengluft 
Gesellschaft,  Charlottenburg,  Germany.  Method 
of  making  cartridges  of  carbonaceous  matter 
suitable  for  absorbing  liquid  air,  to  be  used  for 
blasting  purposes. 

20,526  of  1920  (148,543).  A.  R.  Ahrendt  & 
Co.,  Berlin.  ..\pparatus  for  producing  a  respirable 
air  from   liquid   air. 

20.518  of  1920  (148,535).  C.  A.  Baldus  and 
.A.  KoWASTCii,  (■h.uli)llenburg,  Germany.  Fuses 
for  igniting  blasting  cartridges  in  which  liquid 
aid  is  used. 

20,525  of  1920  (148,542).  P.  MEFFERT.Coblenz. 
Germany.  Iiiqiroved  receptacles  for  holding 
blasting  cartridges  containing  liquid  air. 

20,885  of  1920  (170,100).  L.  H.  Diehl, 
Darmstadt,  (Icrmany.  The  treatment  of  material 
containing  iron  and  zinc  in  a  blast-furnace,  so  as 
to  recover  the  zinc  by  volatilization  and  the  iron 
bv   reduction   and    melting. 

21,787  of  1920(170,404).  L.  A.  LEVvand  K.  H. 
D.wis.  London.  A  respirator  useful  in  atmospheres 
containing  carbonic  oxide. 

21,988  of  1920(170,651).  W.  K.  Nettle,  P. 
Seiuv,  J.  Blvthe,  and  J.  H.  IIolman,  Johannes- 
burg. Mechanism  for  supplving  water  to  rock- 
drills. 

25,892  of  1920  (170,474).  Badische  Anilin  & 
SoD.\  Fabrik,  Ludwigshafen  am  Rhein.  A 
fertilizer  consisting  of  ammonium  sulphate  and 
ammonium  nitrate.  [This  mixture  is  said  to  be 
explosive  and  to  have  caused  the  disaster  at 
Oppau.l 

29,801  of  1920  (163,023).  Rhenisch- 
Nassauische  Bergwerks  und  Hijtten  Gesell- 
schaft, Stolberg,  Rhineland,  Germany.  Improved 
methods  of  rabbling  in  Spirlet  roasting  furnaces. 

13,621  of  1921  (164,725).  Societe  d'Electro- 
Chimie  et  D'ELECTRo-.MiiTALLURGiQUE,  Paris. 
Improvements  in  the  electrolytic  method  of 
producing  iron. 


NEW  BOOKS,  PAMPHLETS,  Etc. 

fc=5'Copies  of  the  books,  etc.,  mentioned  below  can  be  obtained 
through  the  Technical  Bookshop  of  The  Mining  Magazine, 
724,  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall,  E.G.  2. 
Catalogue  of  British  Scientific  and  Technical 
Books.  Prepared  by  a  Committee  of  the  British 
Science  Guild.  Cloth,  octavo,  390  pages.  Price 
10s.  net.  London :  The  British  Science  Guild, 
6,  John  Street,  Adelphi,  London,  W.C.  2.  This  is 
an  ambitious  work,  but  covers  far  too  much  ground, 
ranging  from  dermatology  and  aeronautics  to 
textiles  and  tobacco  culture.  Then,  again,  a  cata- 
logue is  of  no  use  to  English  readers  unless  it  includes 
American  books.  The  classification  is  by  no  meaiis 
perfect,  and  the  preface  acknowledges  this 
difficulty  ;  but  we  did  not  expect  to  find  Julian 
and  Smart's  Cyaniding  Gold  and  Silver  Ores  under 
the  heading  of  ore-dressing. 

Preliminary  Report  on  Petroleum  in  Alaska. 
By  G.  C.  Marti.x.  Bulletin  719  of  the  Unf.ed  States 
Geological  Survey. 

Mineral  Industry  of  the  British  Empire  :  Phos- 
phates. Pamphlet.  70  pages.  Price  2s.  net.  London  : 
Imperial  Mineral  Resources  Bureau. 


DECEMBER,    1921 


391 


Geology  and  Mineral  Resources  of  the  Serb- 
Croat-Slovene  Slate.  By  D.  A.  Wray.  Foolscap, 
paper  covers,  110  pages,  with  maps  and  other 
illustrations.  Price  3s.  6d.  net.  London  :  The 
Department  of  Overseas  Trade.  This  is  a  report 
prepared  for  the  British  Economic  Mission  to  Serbia, 
by  a  member  of  the  Geological  Survey  of  Great 
Britain. 

Practical  Chemistry  of  Coal.  By  A.  E.  Findlev 
and  R.  Wiggington.  Cloth,  octavo,  150  pages, 
illustrated.  Price  1 2s.  6d.  London  :  Benn 
Brothers,  Ltd. 

Geological  Survey  of  West  Australia.  Bulletin 
79  :  Mining  Geology  of  Comet  Vale  and  Goongarne, 
by  J.  T.  JuTsoN  ;  Bulletin  80  :  Mining  Centres  of 
Quinn's  and  Jasper  Hill,  by  F.  R.  Feldtmann  ; 
Bulletin  81  :  The  Warriedar  Gold-Mining  Centre, 
by  F.  R.  Feldtmann. 

Permeation  of  Oxygen  Breathing  Apparatus 
by  Gases  and  Vapours.  By  A.  C.  Fiei.dner, 
S.  H.  Katz,  and  S.  P.  Kinney.  Technical  Paper 
272  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Miners'  Consumption  in  the  Mines  of  Butte, 
Montana.  By  L).  Harrington  and  A.  J.  Lanza. 
Technical  Paper  260  of  the  United  States  Bureau 
of  Mines. 

Relative  Safety  of  Brass,  Copper,  and  Steel 
Gauzes  in  Miners'  Flame  Safety  Lamps.  By  L.  C. 
Ilsley  and  A.  B.  HookliR.  Technical  Paper  228 
of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines. 

Income  Tax  Guide,  1921.  By  H.  W.  Palmer. 
Price  Is.  net.  London  :  The  Financial  Times. 
The  incidence  of  the  income  tax  does  not  become 
any  the  less  inexplicable,  nor  does  the  tax  itself 
grow  any  less  burdensome,  and  we  should  be  grateful 
to  those  who  try  to  help  us  to  bear  and  to  understand 
one  of  the  most  serious  of  hfe's  many  troubles. 
The  management  of  the  Financial  Times  have 
produced  a  new  and  revised  edition  of  their  Income 
Tax  Guide,  which  tells  us  all  about  income,  excess 
profits,  and  corporation  taxes,  what  to  pay,  and 
how  to  obtain  relief,  with  tables  and  examples. 
The  booklet  is  based  throughout  on  official  data, 
is  thoroughly  up  to  date,  and  is  so  written  that  it 
may  be  understood  even  by  those  to  whom  the  mere 
mention  of  income  tax  involves  an  immediate  and 
dermanent  clouding  of  the  brain. 


COMPANY    REPORTS 

Weardale  Lead. — This  company  has  been  working 
lead  mines  in  Weardale,  County  Durham,  since 
1883.  The    control    is    in    Newcastle-on-Tyne, 

Professor  Henry  Louis  is  consulting  engineer, 
and  H.  S.  Willis  is  manager.  The  report  for  the  year 
ended  September  30  shows  that  owing  to  the  fall 
in  the  price  of  lead  it  became  necessary  to  restrict 
operations  to  the  more  profitable  places.  Inaddition, 
the  mines  were  entirely  idle  for  twelve  weeks  owing 
to  the  coal  strike.  The  output  of  lead  concentrate 
was  1,563  tons,  and  of  fluor-spar  6,870  tons,  com- 
paring with  2,774  tons  and  9,374  tons  during  the 
previous  year.  The  accounts  show  a  loss  of  ;£10,828 
on  working  account,  and  ;*^8,229  has  to  be  provided 
for  income  ta,x.  On  the  other  hand,  /8.821  pre- 
viously paid  as  excess  profits  duty  has  been  recovered. 
The  year  began  with  a  credit  balance  of  ;^4,005, 
and  ^2,936  was  received  as  dividends  on  invest- 
ments. The  year  ended  with  a  deficit  of  /3,286. 
The  question  of  wages  has  been  frequently  dis- 
cussed with  the  men,  and  the  latter  have  agreed  to 

e— 7 


reductions  in  keeping  with  the  general  state  of  the 
labour  market.  Some  substantial  economies  have 
been  effected  by  the  installation  of  electric  haulage 
and  new  dressing  plant.  These  two  facts  encourage 
the  directors  in  the  belief  that  profits  will  be  made 
once  more  in  the  early  future. 

Burma  Corporation. — The  history  of  the  various 
companies  that  have  successively  operated  the  lead- 
zinc-copper-silver  deposits  at  Bawdwin,  Northern 
Shan  States,  are  already  sufficiently  well  known, 
so  that  no  reference  to  earlier  reports  is  necessary 
here.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  property 
was  transferred  in  December,  1919,  to  a  company 
registered  in  Rangoon.  The  report  now  issued  by 
this  company  covers  the  year  ended  December, 
1920.  During  this  period  93,038  tons  of  ore, 
averaging  38-1%  lead,  23-6%  zinc,  0-4%  copper, 
and  37-3  oz.  silver  per  ton,  was  sent  to  the  smelter  ; 
and  30,424  tons,  averaging  33-8%  lead,  24-5%  zinc, 
0-2%  copper,  and  31-7  oz.  silver,  was  sent  to  the 
concentrators  for  the  separation  of  the  sulphides. 
The  first  unit  of  the  water-concentration  plant  was 
started  in  July,  1920,  but  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
suitable  labour  only  a  few  machines  were  started  at 
a  time.  In  fact  the  work  throughout  the  vear  was 
in  the  nature  of  training  labour.  The  flotation  plant 
was  not  started  until  1921.  During  1920  the  smelter 
treated  136,450  tons  of  material,  averaging  29-57%, 
15-5%  zinc,  and  26-72  oz.  silver  per  ton,  and 
28,484  tons  of  lead  bullion  was  produced.  The 
refinery  produced  23,821  tons  of  lead  and 
2,869,727  oz.  of  silver.  The  reserve  is  estimated  at 
4,429,458  tons,  averaging  25-3%  lead,  17-7%  zinc, 
and  23-2  oz.  silver  per  ton  ;  of  this  total  335,681  tons 
is  copper  ore  averaging  11%  copper,  12-8%  lead, 
7-7%  zinc,  and  23-2  oz.  silver.  Owing  to  the 
depressed  position  of  the  metal  market,  it  has  not 
been  possible  to  proceed  with  various  expansions 
contemplated,  and  it  has  been  necessary  to  continue 
the  policy  of  obtaining  an  income  by  the  treatment 
of  the  sections  of  ore  richest  in  lead  and  silver. 
The  contemplated  yearly  output  is  45,000  tons  of 
lead  and  4,500,000  oz.  of  silver.  The  construction 
of  the  zinc  works  in  India  has  been  suspended  owing 
to  the  Government  withdrawing  its  financial 
help  and  owing  to  the  Tata  Company  being  desirous 
of  limiting  its  participation.  Also  the  construction 
of  the  new  smelter  is  deferred,  and  the  development 
of  the  Namma  coalfield.  For  the  first  time  in  the 
reports  the  labour  position  is  mentioned,  and  the 
conditions  revealed  are  not  calculated  to  comfort 
the  shareholders.  Reference  to  this  matter  is  made 
elsewhere  in  this  issue.  The  report  also  mentions 
that  the  engagement  of  R.  G.  Hall  as  resident- 
manager  was  not  renewed  when  his  term  expired 
in  September,  1921,  and  that  P.  E.  Marmion  has 
been  appointed  to  the  position.  The  accounts  show 
receipts  of  £1,081,380  (with  the  rupee  at  Is.  4d.) 
derived  from  the  sale  of  lead  and  silver,  and  a  net 
profit  of  /246,770,  which  was  carried  forward. 

North  Broken  Hill. — The  report  now  issued 
covers  the  year  ended  June  30,  1921.  Operations 
were  resumed  on  a  restricted  scale  when  the  long 
strike  terminated  on  November  10,  1920,  the 
restriction  being  necessary  owing  to  the  low  price 
of  and  poor  demand  for  lead,  together  with  the 
high  wages  and  costs  and  the  limited  capacity  for 
smelting.  The  result  of  the  operations  from 
November  to  the  end  of  the  company's  financial 
year  was  a  loss  of  /62,242,  without  any  provision 
for  depreciation,  taxes,  or  royalty.  After  the  fire 
at   the   Port    Pirie   smelters    of    the    Broken    Hill 


302 


Till':    MIXIXC".     MACAZrVE 


Associated  on  January  25,  lead  concentrate  was 
sent  to  the  Cockle  Creek  works  of  the  Sulphide 
Corporation  (or  treatment.  During  the  year 
43.0'21  tons  of  ore  was  raised  from  the  mine,  and 
3'2,;W0  tons  was  treated  at  the  concentrators, 
which  produced  6,461  tons  of  lead  concentrate, 
averaging  evS-S";,  lead,  7-3"ja  zinc,  and  28'4  or.. 
silver  per  ton,  and  6,010  tons  of  zinc  concentrate 
averaging  48-1 '];,  zinc,  7-4  "„  lead,  and  96  oz.  silver. 
The  old  contract  by  which  the  zinc  tailing  was 
delivered  to  the  Amalgamated  Zinc  (Dc  Bavay's) 
for  treatment  expired  on  April  30,  1919,  a  few 
days  before  the  commencement  of  the  long  strike. 
On  the  resumption  of  operations,  the  company's 
new  plant  was  started,  and  both  lead  and  zinc 
concentrates  are  now  produced.  .^s  already 
mentioned,  the  year's  work  ended  in  a  loss  of 
/62.242,  but  as  there  was  another  item  of  income, 
2^70,370,  derived  from  the  sale  of  concentrates 
produced  before  the  strike,  there  was  an  actual 
credit  balance  of  /8,128. 

Bisichi  Tin.  —  This  company  was  formed  in 
1910  to  acc)uire  alluvial  tin  properties  south-cast 
of  Bukeru,  on  the  Bauchi  Plateau,  Nigeria.  Toward 
the  end  of  1920  the  properties  of  adjoining  com 
panics,  the  Forum.  Ninghi,  and  Northern  Nigeria 
Trust,  were  absorbed  with  the  object  of  securing 
greater  economy  in  administration.  The  report 
now  issued  covers  the  year  1920.  During  this 
time  the  output  at  the  Bisichi  section  was  133  tons 
of  tin  concentrate,  and  the  output  at  the  acquired 
properties  was  128  tons.  The  working  result  was 
a  loss  of  /2,498.  Accompanying  the  directors' 
report  is  one  bv  Lake  &  Curric,  engineers  to  the 
company,  dated' October  31,  1921.  H.  E.  NichoUs, 
partner  in  this  firm,  has  recently  returned  from  a 
visit  to  the  properties  extending  over  five  months. 
This  report  shows  that  on  E.P.L.  1060  of  the  Forum 
section  prospecting  by  bores  and  pits  has  recently 
proved  ground  estimated  to  contain  6,747  tons  of 
cassiterite.  This  discovery  will  have  an  important 
bearing  on  the  future  operations  of  the  company. 

Lulpaard's  Vlei. — This  company  has  operated 
property  in  the  far  west  Rand  since  1888,  and  the 
control  is  now  with  the  Hamilton-Ehrlich  group. 
Operations  have  never  been  very  profitable,  and  no 
dividends  have  been  paid  since  1916.  The  report 
for  the  year  ended  June  30  last  shows  that 
206,695  tons  of  ore  was  sent  to  the  mill,  where 
48,152  oz.  of  gold  or  4-66  dwt.  per  ton  was  extracted 
by  amalgamation  and  cyaniding.  The  gold  was  sold 
for  ^269,867,  or  26s.  Id.  per  ton,  the  price  realized  • 
averaging  112s.  Id.  per  oz.  The  working  costs  was 
;^253,712,  or  24s  6d.  per  ton,  leaving  a  working 
profit  of  /16,154,  or  Is.  7d.  per  ton.  Other  items 
of  revenue  brought  the  profit  to  /22,960,  from  which 
is  deducted  ;^  17,584  allowed  for  depreciation.  The 
reserve  is  estimated  at  624,766  tons,  a  reduction 
of  77,081  tons  on  the  year.  Additional  areas  on 
the  west  have  been  acquired  during  the  year, 
and  these  are  estimated  to  contain  260,000  tons  of 
ore.  Connexion  with  these  deposits  is  being  made 
from  the  main  workings  on  the  12th,  14th,  and 
17th  levels.  The  position  at  the  mine  depends  on 
the  gold  premium  and  on  the  prospect  of  a  reduction 
in  white  wages.  It  is  not  considered  likely  that  the 
cost  of  stores  will  drop  appreciably. 

Simmer  &  Jack. — This  company  belongs  to  the 
Consolidated  Gold  Fields  group,  and  has  worked 
an  outcrop  mine  in  the  Central  Rand  since  1887. 
For  the  last  six  years  or  so  the  dividends  have  been 


to  be  developed  other  than  that  recently  acquired 
from  the  Simmer  Deep  and  Jupiter  companies. 
The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30  las!  shows 
that  784,200  tons  of  ore  was  mined,  anil  after  the 
rejection  of  waste,  702,000  tons  was  sent  to  the 
mill.  The  yield  of  gold  by  amalgamation  was 
93,474  oz.,  aiul  by  cyanide  67,247  oz.  ;  in  addition, 
86  oz.  was  recovered  in  by-products,  bringing  the 
total  to  160,807  oz.  The  revenue  from  the  sale 
of  gold  was  /890,83),  of  which  /21 1,766  accrued 
from  premium.  The  working  cost  was  (771,580, 
leaving  a  working  profit  of  /1 19,253.  The  yield 
per  ton  at  par  was  19s.  4d.,  and  the  premium  6s., 
making  a  total  yield  of  25s.  4d.  The  cost  per  ton 
was  21s.  lid.,  leaving  a  profit  of  3s.  5d.  It  will  be 
seen  that  w-ithout  the  premium  a  loss  of  2s.  7d.  per 
ton  would  have  been  incurred.  The  shareholders 
received  ,.(75,000,  the  dividend  being  at  the  rate  of 
2i%.  During  the  year  the  development  disclosed 
payable  ore  over  .594  ft.,  averaging  13-7  dwt.  over 
33  in.  The  reserve  at  June  30  was  estimated  at 
1,081,000  tons,  averaging  5-71  dwt.  over  76  in. 
The  sinking  of  the  Rhodes  incline  shaft  has  been 
completed  to  the  39th  level.  The  ore  from  the  claiziis 
acquired  from  the  Simmer  Deep  and  Jupiter  will 
be  hoisted  through  this  shaft. 

Glynn's  Lydenburg. — This  company  has  worked 
gold  mines  in  the  Lydenburg  district  of  the  Trans- 
vaal since  1895.  The  Transvaal  Consolidated  Land 
and  Exploration  Co.,  Ltd.,  are  the  secretaries,  and 
the  Central  Mining  and  Investment  Corporation, 
Ltd.,  has  technical  control.  The  report  for  the 
year  ended  July  31  shows  that  40,140  tons  of  ore 
was  sent  to  the  mill,  and  that  5,957  oz.  of  gold  was 
extracted  by  amalgamation  and  9,347  oz.  by 
cyanide,  making  a  total  of  15,304  oz.,  equal  to 
7'62  dwt.  per  ton.  The  revenue  derived  from  the 
sale  of  the  gold  was  £86,358,  including  premium, 
and  the  working  cost  was  /70,853,  leaving  a  working 
profit  of  /15,504.  It  will  be  seen  that  but  for  the 
premium  there  would  have  been  a  loss.  Dividends 
at  the  rate  of  8|%,  absorbing  /1 4,875,  have  been 
distributed.  The  directors  have  adopted  a  policy 
involving  a  considerable  increase  in  prospecting 
and  development,  and  it  is  probable  that  for  some 
time  all  the  profits  will  be  allocated  to  this  purpose. 

Gaika  Gold. — This  company  was  formed  by 
the  Rhodesian  E.xploration  and  Development  Co., 
in  1902,  to  work  a  gold  property  near  the  Globe 
and  Phrenix,  in  Rhodesia.  Control  passed  to  the 
Gold  Fields  Rhodesian  Development  Company  in 
1912.  The  report  for  the  year  ended  June  30  .shows 
that  40,127  tons  of  ore  was  raised  and  treated, 
vielding  9.156  oz.  of  gold  bv  amalgamation  and 
5,824  oz.  by  cyanide,  a  tota'l  of  14,980  oz.  The 
income  derived  from  the  sale  of  the  gold  was 
;(82,580,  of  which  about  /19,000  represented 
premium.  The  profit  was  £32,613,  and  /34,186 
has  been  distributed  as  dividend,  being  at  the  rate 
of  12J%.  The  ore  reserve  at  June  30  was  estimated 
at  73,000  tons,  averaging  13-2  dwt.  per  ton,  as 
compared  with  64,000  tons,  averaging  15-7  dwt. 
the  year  before.  There  has  been  much  discussion 
lately  as  to  whether  it  would  not  be  possible  to 
increase  the  tonnage  and  assay-value  of  the  ore 
treated,  but  Cyril  E.  Parsons,  the  consulting 
engineer,  is  against  such  a  policy,  as  he  holds  that 
the  position  does  not  warrant  such  an  increase. 
At  the  meeting  of  shareholders  held  last  month  the 
agitators  for  an  increase  carried  the  day,  and  their 
leader  was  elected  to  the  board.  Reference  to  this 
matter  is  made  in  the  Review  of  Mining. 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


BISICHI   TIN   COMPANY,   LTD. 


Directors:  James  Gardiner  (ChainitiDi).   W.    S.  Coutts,    W.  Graham.    H.  E.  Nicholls,  A.  li.  Young.     Eiii;i>iters  : 

Lake  &  Currie.       Secre/ary :  W.   W.    Kvans.       Office:  33,   Cornhill,    London,    E.G.  3.       Formed  1910;  alisorljed 

the  Forum  River,  Ninghi,  and  Northern  Nigeria  Trust  companies  in  1920.      Capital  Issued:  ^372,039. 

Business :  Operates  alluvial  tin  properties  on  the  Bauchi  Plateau,  Nigeria. 

The  tenth  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Eisichi     nevertheless  the    additions  to  the  reserves  proved 


Tin  Company  (Nigeria).  Ltd.,  was  held  on 
November  30  at  the  Cannon  Street  Hotel,  London, 
E.G.,  Mr.  James  Gardiner  (Chairman  of  the  com- 
pany) presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts  for  the  year  1920,  said  that  the 
delay  in  submitting  these  was  due  entirely  to  the 
protracted  nature  of  the  liquidation  of  the  accounts 
of  the  absorbed  companies,  the  final  audit  of  which 
had  only  just  been  completed.  The  issued  capital 
now  stood  at  ;{^372,039,  the  increase  being  due  to  the 
purchase  consideration  for  the  absorbed  com- 
panies, full  details  of  which  were  issued  at  the 
time  the  amalgamation  was  carried  into  effect. 
The  item  under  the  heading  contingent  liability 
represented  a  liability  not  in  cash  but  in  fully-paid 
shares  in,  and  contingent  only  on,  the  Lan- 
carrow  property  in  Cornwall  being  floated  as  a 
separate  concern.  Although  the  item  had  been 
inserted  at  the  request  of  the  auditors  it  was  in 
reality  no  liability  at  all.  The  exploration  account 
showed  an  increase  of  about  /8,500,  but  this  was 
money  well  spent,  and  the  progressive  policy 
adopted  by  the  directors  in  respect  of  acquiring 
new  areas  had  been  fully  justified  by  the  very 
large  additions  to  reserves. 

There  were  remarkable  developments  which  had 
taken  place  since  the  occasion  of  their  last  meeting. 
This  was  dealt  with  in  the  report  of  their  engineers, 
Messrs.  Lake  &  Currie,  which,  for  the  purpose  of 
giving  the  fullest  and  latest  available  information, 
had  been  brought  as  nearly  up  to  date  as  possible. 
At  the  last  annual  meeting  reference  was  made  to  an 
area  then  held  jointly  with  the  Forum  Company,  and 
which  was  now,  of  course,  wholly  their  own  property, 
which  promised  to  develop  into  one  of  considerable 
value,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  satisfaction 
that  he  was  now  able  to  tell  shareholders  that  these 
anticipations  had  not  only  been  realized,  but  that 
the  discoveries  had  been  so  highly  important  as  to 
exceed  even  their  most  sanguine  expectations. 
The  ground  in  question  held  under  exclusive 
prospecting  licence  1060  was  large  in  extent  ;  to 
be  exact,  it  had  an  area  of  3'87  square  miles.  On 
a  small  portion  of  this  there  had  already  been 
proved  by  prospecting  no  less  than  6,747  tons  of 
concentrates  (70%  metal),  the  gross  value  of  which, 
even  at  the  price  of  tin  ruling  to-day — namely, 
£163  per  ton — was  no  less  than  /750,000  sterling. 
Attention  was  drawn  by  their  engineers  to  the  fact 
that  this  was  a  continuous  deposit,  and  in  that 
respect,  as  far  as  they  were  aware,  the  largest  of  its 
nature  yet  discovered.  At  any  rate,  it  was  one  of 
the  chief,  if  not  the  most  important,  of  the 
discoveries  made  in  Nigeria.  The  possibilities  of 
this  area  were  by  no  means  exhausted,  and  he  had 
every  confidence  that  prospecting,  which  was  still 
being  carried  out,  would  eventually  substantially 
increase  the  figure  given. 

While  this  discovery  was,  of  course,  the  most 
important    development    during     the    last    year. 


on  other  sections  of  their  property  were  by  no  means 
negligible,  and  a  total  of  nearly  1 1 .000  tons  of  proved 
reserves,  with  a  gross  value  at  to-day's  price  of  the 
metal  of  almost  ;(^1, 250,000  sterling,  was  a  figure 
which  could  be  viewed  with  complete  satisfaction. 

One  other  point  was  the  fact  that,  apart  from  the 
potentiahties  of  the  very  large  areas  ot  new  ground 
yet  to  be  tested,  the  possibilities  of  the  old  leases 
were  by  no  means  exhausted,  for  already  in  several 
instances  payable  ground  had  been  found  to  exist 
where  it  was  least  expected.  In  the  statement  of 
reserves  in  the  report  no  allowance  was  made  for 
ground  known  to  be  payable  but  not  sufficiently 
tested  to  enable  definite  calculations  to  be  made, 
and  therefore  the  figure  given  might  be  taken  as  a 
strictly  conservative  one.  Although  work  had 
been  restricted  in  other  directions,  prospecting 
was  being  continued,  and  also  the  development  of 
the  various  areas  by  construction  of  dams  and 
leats  was  in  force,  so  that  they  might  be  in  a  position 
to  increase  output  and  take  advantage  of  any 
improvement  in  the  price  of  the  metal. 

Another  subject  to  which  he  wished  to  refer  was 
one  which  affected  not  only  their  own  company, 
but  also  the  industry  as  a  whole.  Just  as  in  the 
Malay  States,  where,  with  the  working  out  of  the 
shallower  deposits,  hand  labour  had  perforce  to 
be  superseded  by  mechanical  appliances,  so  was 
history  repeating  itself  in  the  case  of  Nigeria.  Here, 
again,  the  more  easily  won  tin  was  becoming 
exhausted,  and  what  might  be  termed  the  transition 
stage  in  methods  had  now  been  reached.  In  future 
mechanical  methods  must  be  increasingly  adopted, 
and  with  this  would  arise  the  serious  question  of 
motive  power.  This  could  only  be  effected  by  three 
agencies — namely  oil  fuel,  coal,  and  water-power, 
the  first  of  which  was  almost  ruled  out  by  its 
prohibitive  cost,  while  cheap  coal  from  the  Udi 
field  would  not  be  available  until  the  mining  field 
had  been  connected  with  it  by  the  railway  now 
under  construction,  a  matter,  however,  of  some 
years  yet.  There  remained  the  third  source,  and 
those  companies  who  had  water  to  generate  power 
were  singularly  fortunate,  and  it  was  therefore  a 
matter  of  congratulation  that  their  own  properties 
were  very  favourably  situated  in  this  respect,  a  fact 
which  would  undoubtedly  facilitate  the  economic 
development  and  exploitation  of  their  very  e.xtensive 
areas  of  ground. 

In  conclusion,  without  wishing  to  assume  the 
role  of  prophet — indeed,  he  would  be  a  rash  man 
who  would  indulge  in  prophecies  under  existing 
circumstances — he  ventured  to  say  that  when  the 
present  world-wide  state  of  depression  came  to  an 
end,  as  come  it  must,  tin  would  be  one  of  the  first 
commodities  to  be  favourably  affected  by  the 
improvement,  and  that  their  company  would  be  in 
a  position  to  reap  its  full  share  of  the  benefits 
resulting  from  an  improvement  in  conditions. 

Mr.  \V.  S.  Coutts  seconded  the  resolution,  and  it 
was  carried  unanimouslv. 


29 


THE   MINING    MAGAZINE 


IDA   H.   MINING  CO.,   LTD. 


Pirulon:  Sir  George  C.   Denton  (C/iainiian),  John  Waddingtoii,  St.  John  Winnc,   A.  O.   Caulk')'.     Sfor/aiy : 
P.   S.   Fitzer.      Offiic :    Blomfield  House,   London  Wall,   London,   E.G.  2.      J'onmd   1900;    ri-coustrurlcd    UVJO. 

Capital  Issued :  /^46,742  in  shares  of  5s.  each. 

Business:  Conducts  exploration  work  in  Nigeria. 


The  first  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Ida  H. 
Mining  Co.,  Ltd.,  was  held  on  November  29,  at 
Blomfield  House,  London,  EC.  2,  Sir  George 
C.  Denton  (Chairman  of  the  company)    presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts  for  the  year  ended  April  30 
last,  said  the  directors'  views  on  the  question  of 
the  Monguna  area  were  fully  set  out  in  the  report. 
Personally,  he  tliought  Mr.  Wham  showed  that  a 
satisfactory  condition  of  affairs  existed  on  that  part 
of  their  property,  and  he  believed  there  was  a  good 
future  for  the  company  there,  provided  that  the 
price  of  tin  did  not  fall  lower  than  it  was  at 
present.  If,  as  time  went  on,  circumstances 
justified  the  erection  of  the  pipe-line  recommended 
by  Mr.  Wham,  he  had  every  reason  to  believe  that 
the  development  of  this  area  would  prove  a  success. 
They  would  notice  from  the  report  that  they  had 
some  ten  tons  of  tin  in  Nigeria.  So  far  they  bad 
not  sold  it,  because  the  price  of  tlie  metal  had  been 
very  low,  but  as,  even  at  the  present  rate,  it  should 
realize  between  /700  and  /800.  it  might  be  desirable 
to  have  it  sent  home  at  an  early  date. 

He  wished  lie  could  give  as  good  an  account  of 
the  Damo  area.  They  would  no  doubt  remember 
that  when  the  Ida  H.  Mining  Company  was  formed 
the  directors  had  before  them  excellent  reports  on  it. 
Unfortunately,  the  manager  whom  they  sent  out, 
and  who  came  to  them  with  very  good  testimonials, 
had  failed  to  discover  tin  in  payable  quantities. 
Naturally,  the  directors  had  done  their  best  to 
investigate  matters,  with  the  result  that  they  found 
views  of  a  very  conflicting  nature  were  held  on  the 
point.  After  careful  inquiry  the  directors  were  not 
satisfied  that  the  manager  might  not  have  been  too 
hasty  in  his  conclusion,  and  for  that  reason  it  was 
their  intention  to  adopt  the  course  mentioned  in 
their  report. 

Shareholders  would  be  aware  that  there  were  said 
to  be  very  favourable  prospects  for  gold  mining  in 
Nigeria,  and  in  this  connexion  they  had,  through 
the  good  offices  of  Mr.  John  Waddington,  been 
fortunate  enough  to  secure  a  year's  option  over  one 
square  mile  in  what  was  known  as  the  Jebba  district. 
From  information  that  had  reached  him  he  believed 
that  this  ground  had  a  future  before  it,  and  he  was 
told  that  an  eminent  geologist  had  formed  a  very 
favourable  opinion  of  it  and  had  even  gone  so  far 
as  to  say  that  if  the  quartz  shown  him  came  from 
Jebba — which  it  did — it  was  the  most  important 
discovery  that  had  ever  happened  in  Nigeria. 
They  had  not  been  behindhand  in  this  matter,  and 
he  beheved  that  Ida  H.,  being  one  of  the  first  in  the 
field,  had  the  right  to  expect  that  its  square  mile 
would  be  very  favcurably  situated,  as  selections 
were  made  in  the  order  in  which  prospectors  com- 
menced operations. 

So  far  he  had  refrained  from  referring  to  the 
very  depressed  conditions  of  all  commercial  under- 
takings at  the  present  time  and,  having  regard  to 
the  cost  of  production,  the  ruinously  low  price  tin 
was   realizing.     It    was    a    little    better    now,    and 


they  hoped  the  trouble  might  be  only  tcn>]iorary 
and  that  there  would  be  a  further  improvement  in 
the  tin  market  at  an  early  date,  but  low  prices  had 
gone  on  for  some  time  now  and  they  seemed  rather 
firmly  established,  he  was  sorry  to  say.  It  was 
true  that  the  Nigerian  Government,  recognizing  the 
position,  had  granted  concessions  in  respect  of 
royalties  and  rents  which  must  be  of  great  assistance 
to  the  tin  industry  and  they  were  thankful  to  them 
for  what  they  have  done,  but — and  it  was  a  big 
"  but  " — the  railway  freights  were  still  very  high — 
exorbitantly  so,  he  was  told — when  compared 
with  those  ruling  in  other  colonies.  At  present  he 
was  afraid  there  was  not  much  use  in  agitating  for 
a  reduction,  but  the  matter  must  not  be  lost  sight 
of  and  if  a  favourable  opjiortunity  arose  for  a 
representation  to  the  Government  advantage  should 
be  at  once  taken  of  it  and  the  Colonial  Office 
approached. 

Mr.  C.  G.  Lush,  the  company's  consulting 
engineer,  said  that  the  report  on  Damo  was  most 
disappointing  to  himself,  because  they  had  such 
men  as  Mr.  Carpenter,  who  worked  the  property  on 
tribute  and  who  found  it  highly  payable  ;  they  had 
Mr.  Roche,  a  very  successful  miner,  working  his  own 
property  in  Nigeria,  and  who  had  been  there  for 
some  15  years,  and  who  in  consequence  of  his 
working  his  own  property  was  worth  more  than  he 
was— he  had  made  /20,'000  to  £30,000  in  Nigeria 
through  working  tin  economically — and  who  said 
this  was  a  very  good  property  ;  and  then  they  had 
Mr.  Speed,  who  said  the  property  was  good.  "There- 
fore he  thought  that  the  views  of  their  late  manager 
were  wrong.  He  would  remind  them  that  in  the 
early  days  of  Nigeria  the  first  men  who  went  there 
said  there  was  no  payable  tin  in  the  place.  He  could 
mention  dozens  of  mines  which  had  been  turned 
down  in  Nigeria  which  afterwards  proved  highly 
payable,  so  be  thought  that  their  late  manager  had 
made  a  mistake  and  the  sooner  they  got  another 
man  there  the  better.  If  he  might  make  a  sugges- 
tion to  the  directors  he  would  like  them  to  select 
Mr.  Wham,  if  he  had  the  time  to  undertake  the  work. 
Then  there  was  a  reference  made  to  the  gold.  In 
1914  he  went  out  there  andsawtv^o  areas  owned  by 
the  Champion  Company,  and  he  could  not  under- 
stand why  those  areas  were  not  developed.  There 
were  places  where  free  gold  is  found  in  the  outcrop. 
The  Champion  Company  took  some  5,000  odd  ounces 
of  alluvial  out  of  the  river,  which  cut  through  the 
reef.  In  any  other  country  they  would  have  had 
a  shaft  sunk  before  this.  However,  there  were  great 
prospects  for  gold  in  Nigeria,  but  like  other  countries 
there  would  be  good  patches  and  bad  patches. 

Mr.  R.  B.  Wham  said  that  one  of  his-  main 
ideas  in  coming  home  was  to  try  and  push  along 
the  pipe-line,  by  means  of  which  they  could  further 
prospect  their  Monguna  leases,  and  also  produce 
tin.  They  had  a  very  good  show  out  there,  but  it 
wanted  further  prospecting. 

The  resolution  was  seconded  by  Mr.  St.  John 
Winne,  and  unanimously  carried. 


30 


THE   MINING   MAGAZINE 


INDO-BURMA  OILFIELDS   (1920),   LTD. 


Direc/on:  Earl    of  Denbigh 
C.   Perkins,   R.   F.   M.   Scott. 


The  first  annual  general  meeting  of  the  Indo- 
Burma  Oilfields  (1920),  Ltd.,  was  held  on 
December  1  at  Winchester  House,  London,  E.C.  2, 
the  Earl  of  Denbigh  (Chairman  of  the  company) 
presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts  to  March  31,  1920,  referred  to 
the  change  made  by  the  directors  in  the  pro- 
gramme of  the  company  from  what  was  outlined 
in  the  prospectus  issued  when  the  company  was 
formed.  The  prospectus  declared  the  policy  of 
the  company  to  be  the  development  of  its 
Yenangyaung  well  sites.  The  Yenangyaung  field 
was  well  known  as  an  oi!  producer,  and  it  was  from 
that  field  that  most  of  the  oil  in  Burma  had  been 
derived.  Orders  were  placed  both  in  this  country 
and  America  for  the  heavy  machinery,  tools,  etc., 
for  the  work  to  be  done  on  these  sites.  Like  all 
other  companies  during  the  year  1920  this  company 
had  great  difficulty  in  getting  delivery  of  the 
machinery  and  plant  ordered  by  it,  and  in  the 
meantime  the  local  staff  were  able  to  give  more 
attention  to  the  company's  outside  areas, 
particularly  Yenanma  and  Padaukpin.  As  a  result 
of  a  detailed  examination  of  these  areas  they 
strongly  urged  the  board  to  drill  trial  wells  on  them. 
Mr.  Davies,  the  company's  geologist,  agreed  with 
these  recommendations  while  not  in  any  way 
receding  from  the  opinion  he  had  expressed  as  to 
the  value  of  the  company's  Yenangyaung  well 
sites.  Information  was  also  received  from  reliable 
sources  that  the  production  from  the  Yenangyaung 
field,  as  proved  by  recent  drilling,  had  shown  a 
serious  decline.  After  giving  the  matter  the  fullest 
and  most  anxious  consideration,  and  believing  it  to 
be  in  the  best  interests  of  shareholders  to  get  oil 
at  the  earliest  possible  date,  the  directors  authorized 
work  to  be  started  at  Yenanma.  The  first  well 
drilled  came  in  with  a  production  of  6J  barrels  per 
day  at  690  ft.,  against  the  prospectus  estimate  ot 
3  barrels.  Seventeen  wells  had  been  drilled  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  No.  1  well,  and  the  results  were 
set  out  in  their  technical  adviser's  report.  Four 
further  wells  were  being  drilled,  and  the  results 
might  be  received  at  any  time.  Oil  had  been  struck 
in  every  well,  the  six  best  giving  results  of  12,  14, 
18,  25,  30,  and  45  barrels  per  day  respectively. 
Results  from  three  wells  had  been  cabled  since  the 
report  was  issued  ;  No.  20,  which  produced  1 1 J 
barrels  per  day,  No.  21  producing  18  barrels,  and 
No.  22  producing  30  barrels. 

In  the  Padaukpin  area,  work  was  commenced  in 
No.  1  well  in  January,  1921,  and  in  No.  2  well 
some  little  time  later.  It  was  subsequently  dis- 
covered, as  the  result  of  a  large-scale  survey,  that 
the  centre  of  the  dome  was  situated  on  an  area  of 
1-8  square  miles  contiguous  to  the  company's 
original  area.  This  area  was  the  property  of  a 
Burmese  syndicate,  from  whom  the  company's 
managing  agents  obtained  an  option  to  purchase  at 
the  price  of  £17,500,  and  they  had  now  turned  the 
whole  of  this  area  over  to  the  company  at  the  price 


Chairman),  Lt.-Gen.   Sir  E.   A.  Althani.  Gen.   Sir  Bindon   Blood,   H.   G.   Latilla, 
Secretary :  '^.  J.    Sneddon.      Office:    Finsbury  Pavement   House,    London,    E.C.  2. 
Formed  192C.     Capital  Issued:  /;i  ,380,000. 

Business :  The  development  of  oil  lands  in  Burma. 

they  paid  for  it,  subject  only  to  the  same  royalty 
as  is  payable  in  respect  of  the  original  area.  Five 
sites  were  located  on  that  area,  and  No.  3  well  struck 
the  oil  at  a  depth  of  1,414  ft.,  the  yield  being  63 
barrels  per  day.  No.  I  well  was  drilled  to  1,950  ft., 
when  on  account  of  bad  caving-in  it  was  decided  to 
abandon  it.  No.  2  well  had  now  reached  a  depth  of 
782  ft.,  No.  4  well  a  depth  of  1,450  ft.,  and  might 
strike  the  oil  at  any  time.  No.  5  had  reached 
705  ft.,  and  No.  6  100  ft.  The  rig  was  erected  on 
No.  7  well.  This  was  very  satisfactory  and  the 
company  was  to  be  congratulated  in  owning  a 
property  of  such  great  possibilities. 

The  satisfactory  results  from  the  Yenanma  and 
Padaukpin  areas  fully  confirmed  and  justified  the 
change  of  programme  in  making  the  development  of 
these  areas  the  principal  work  of  the  company,  but 
the  directors  had  no  intention  of  allowing  their 
valuable  well  sites  at  Yenangyaung  to  lie  dormant. 
As,  however,  the  Yenanma  and  Padaukpin 
operations  could  be  controlled  easily  and  satis- 
factorily from  a  central  base  at  Thayetmyo,  the 
starting  of  work  at  Yenangyaung  would  have  meant 
the  duplication  of  staff,  stores,  machine  shops,  etc. 
The  company  had  a  short  time  before  completed 
negotiations  with  the  Yomah  Oil  Co.,  Ltd.,  for  the 
erection  of  a  joint  refinery,  and  as  the  Yomah 
Company  were  drilling  at  Yenangyaung,  an  arrange- 
ment was  made  with  them  to  drill  a  number  of  the 
company's  sites  on  a  co-operative  basis. 

As  regards  the  refinery,  on  making  careful  search 
for  a  suitable  site,  it  was  found  that  the  Yomah  Oil 
Company  had  already  acquired  the  best  site  which 
could  be  discovered  anywhere  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  Rangoon.  That  company  had  already  ordered 
a  considerable  amount  of  material,  and  eventually 
it  was  decided  to  join  with  them  in  the  erection  of 
a  co-operative  refinery.  A  separate  company 
known  as  the  United  Refineries  Burma,  Ltd.,  was 
registered,  two-thirds  of  the  capital  being  found  by 
their  company,  and  one-third  by  the  Yomah  Oil 
Company,  the  profits  to  be  divided  in  accordance 
with  the  amount  of  crude  oil  passed  through  the 
refinery  by  the  respective  companies.  The  first 
unit  of  this  refinery  was  nearing  completion 

Further  money  had  to  be  found,  particularly 
for  the  company's  share  of  the  refinery,  and  an 
issue  of  ;£250,000  ten  per  cent  First  Mortgage 
Convertible  Debenture  Stock  was  made  at  the  end 
of  September  last.      This  was  all  taken  up. 

He  was  assured  that  taking  a  moderate  view 
the  company  could,  beginning  early  in  the  New  Year, 
count  on  earning  profits  of  ^^10,000  per  month, 
which  sum  would  be  progressively  increased  as 
production  increased.  With  regard  to  the  future 
programme,  work  would  proceed  with  the  present 
plant  at  Yenanma  and  Padaukpin  continuously. 
The  company's  experts  have  the  fullest  confidence 
in  the  future  of  the  company,  and  so  had  every 
member  of  the  board. 

Lt.-Gen.  SirE.  A.  Altham  seconded  the  resolution, 
and  it  was  carried  unanimously. 


31 


nil.     MINING     MAt.AZlNl' 


PREMIER    OIL   CO.,    LTD. 

Directors-    V.    II.    Il.imilton   (C/;<i/V/«<J«),  J.   Fairbairn,  C.  IVikins,  II.    Auerlwch,   H.  G.   Latilh,  A.  Wliitlakor, 
E    I'aix      Sfcrrtarv:  R.  Stanley  Williams.      Oy/firr.'  62,  London  Wall,  LoikIoii,  K.C.  2.    /•'oz-wfu' 1919,  as  a  recon- 
struction of  the    r'reniier  Oil  &   Pipe  Line  Co.,   Ltd.      Cipilal  issimi:     £i,\')1,bl\    10s.   in  shares  of  15s.   each. 
Business:    Has  large  holding  in  a  French  company  owning  oil  properties  in  Galicia  and  Czecho- Slovakia. 
The  first  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the  Premier      capital  upon  wells,  altho\igh  they  were  advised  that 


Oil  Company.  Ltd.,  was  held  on  December  9  at 
River  Plate  House,  Finsliurv  Circus,  London,  F..C., 
Mr.  F.  H.  Hamilton  (Chairman  of  the  company) 
presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts,  said  that  when  the  present 
company  was  formed  the  Germans,  or  rather 
neutrals  under  German  control,  had  physical 
possession  of  the  properties  in  Galicia,  largely 
through  subsidiary  companies  or  individual  repre- 
sentatives who  wore  entirely  under  their  control. 
The  old  Premier  Company,  of  which  this  company 
was  the  successor,  was  in  debt  to  the  extent  of 
considerably  over  /100,000  before  the  war  to  the 
German  groups.  ~  Subsequently  this  company 
succeeded  in  getting  Polish  sequesters  appointed 
to  carry  on  the  business  of  the  company.  At  an 
extraordinary  general  meeting  of  the  company, 
held  in  June  of  last  year,  certain  proposals  for 
carrying  through  the  sale  to  a  French  company 
were  "placed  before  shareholders,  and  were 
unanimously  adopted,  and  the  directors  reported 
in  a  circular  dated  February  2  of  this  year  that 
the  arrangements,  as  authorized  at  the  meeting  in 
June,  had  been  carried  into  effect,  and  that  the 
French  company  had  entered  into  possession  of  the 
prooerties  early  this  year. 

The  reports  upon  the  properties  in  Galicia, 
now  published,  were  of  very  detailed  character 
They  included  one  report  from  Mr.  Campbell 
Hunter,  who  was  appointed  as  the  company's 
representative  to  report  independently  of  the 
French  company,  and  another  from  Mr.  H.  Vilter, 
general  manager  of  the  French  company. 
Altogether  they  carried  things  down  to  the  be- 
ginning of  October,  and  presented  a  clear  and 
detailed  picture  of  the  position  and  of  the 
progress  that  had  been  made  during  the  first  three- 
quarters  of  the  year.  Broadly  speaking,  the  record 
was  a  highly  satisfactory  one,  especially  when  it  is 
borne  in  m'ind  that  it  was  only  during  this  year 
that  the  French  company  assumed  control.  Pro- 
duction was  increasing,  an  active  drilling  programme 
was  being  maintained,  a  large  scheme  of 
electrification,  which  would  effect  important 
economies,  was  making  good  progress,  and  for  the 
months  for  which  the  French  company  had  com- 
plete figures  satisfactory  profits  were  earned.  The 
difficult  task  of  reorganizing  the  very  intricate 
machinery  of  the  company  had  been  tackled  with 
energy  and  intelligence,  and  to-day  they  had  a 
working  organization  absolutely  second  to  none  in 
Galicia. 

A  question  of  great  importance — namely,  the 
prolongation  of  leases — had  been  settled  in  a  highly 
satisfactory  manner.  As  the  report  showed,  a 
certain  number  of  the  leases,  the  most  important 
of  which  was  that  of  the  State  Land  Territory, 
had  but  a  short  time  to  run.  In  the  case  of  the 
State  Lands  between  five  and  six  years  remained — 
far  too  short  a  period  to  justify  the  expenditure  of 


the  ground   was  rich.     Owing  to  energetic  repre- 
sentations made  to  the  Polish  Government,  which 
were  strongly  supported  by  the  representative  of 
the  French  Government  in  Warsaw,  the  leases  had 
now  been  extended  for  a  further    period  of  twenty 
years  from  the  date  of  the  expiration  of  the  original 
lease,  against  a  cash  payment  of  1,000.000  francs. 
Favourable  arrangements  had  also  been  made  with 
regard  to  the  other  leases,  but  the  contract  with  the 
Polish    Government   regarding   these    State   lands 
was  of  the  greatest  importance  and  should  secure 
to   the   French   company   a   large   and   increasing 
production  from  this  source  alone  for  many  years 
to  come.     Of  course,  the  extravagant  and  almost 
grotesque  variations  in  the  Polish  exchange  was  a 
disadvantage,  but  this  might  easily  be  exaggerated. 
.■\s   regards  the   relationships   between   the  com- 
pany and  the  F'rcnch  Premier  Company,  it  might 
be  well  to  point  out  with  some  precision  what  they 
actually   were.      They   owned   about   3,S%    of   the 
ordinary  capital  and  about  40°o   of  the  parts  de 
fondateurs,    or,    as    they    might    be    termed,    the 
deferred  capital  of  the  company.     The  control  of 
this,  the  English  Premier  Company,  was,  of  course, 
vested  absolutely  in  its  shareholders.     The  control 
of  the  French  company  was  secured  to  the  French 
group?,  not  merely  by  the  fact  that  they  held  a 
majority  of  the  shares,  but  specifically  under  clauses 
in  the  agreement  of  sale.    This  company,  however, 
had  four  directors  upon  the  board  of  the  French 
company,  and  the  French  company  had  two  repre- 
sentatives, Messrs.  Auerbach  and  Paix,  upon  this 
board.     The  relationships  between  the  two  com- 
panies were    therefore    of  necessity  very  intimate, 
and  during  all  the  stress  of  the  extremely  difficult 
time  through  which  they  had  been  passing,  and  the 
complicated     adjustments     necessitated     by     the 
transfer  of  the  properties  and  various  contracts, 
the  relationships    had  up  to  the  present  been  of  a 
frank  and  cordial  character. 

It  was  desirable  at  this  meeting  that  they  should 
consider  very  briefly  the  results  of  this  transfer 
to  the  French  company,  with  all  its  advantages 
and  disadvantages  in  the  light  of  the  experiences 
of  the  last  twelve  months.  The  present  board  was 
responsible  for  it  in  a  very  special  sense.  They 
advocated  the  policy,  found  the  buyers,  and  finally 
they  conducted  the  very  intricate  negotiations,  here 
and  in  Paris,  over  a  period  of  some  eight  months. 
If  the  policy  was  a  wrong  one  they  had  no  one  else 
than  themselves  to  blame.  They  could  best  answer 
the  question  by  asking  what  would  have  been  the 
situation  to-day  if  they  had  preserved  the  previous 
status.  Obviously  they  would  not  have  been  in 
possession  of  the  properties.  They  would  still 
have  been  held  by  the  sequesters  representing  the 
Polish  Government,  and  they  would  have  had  not 
a  shadow  of  right  to  control  their  policy.  Govern- 
ment representatives,  whether  Polish  or  British, 
were  not  the  ideal  managers  of  any  industrial 
enterprise,  and  in  this  case  the  sequesters  laboured 


32 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


under  peculiar  disadvantages.  They  could  not 
find  the  capital  to  carry  out  the  reorganization  that 
was  imperatively  necessary-,  and  they  were,  more- 
over, hampered  by  a  rather  dangerous  political 
movement  which  had  for  its  object  the  expropriation 
of  the  properties  in  the  interests  of  Polish  subjects. 
Had  they  preserved  the  old  status  they  would 
have  been  deprived  of  the  backing  and  influence  of 
the  French  Government,  which  was  by  far  the  most 
important  political  factor  in  Poland  to-day,  and  had 
been  in  one  way  and  another  of  great  service  to  the 
company,  and  they  would  not  have  obtained  the 
extension  of  the  concession  on  the  State  Lands. 
The  only  alternative  way  of  terminating  the  regime 
of  the  sequesters,  with  all  its  risks,  was  by  means  of 
a  litigation  before  the  Arbitral  Tribunal  under  the 
conditions  provided  for  by  the  Treaty  of  Peace  with 
Austria.  There  were  a  large  number  of  cases  still 
awaiting  decision  by  that  tribunal,  and  it  seemed  to 
them  that  it  might  well  be  years  before  their  case 
was  heard.  At  the  best  it  would  have  been  a  terribly 
expensive  process,  and  they  would  have  been  under 
the  disadvantage  of  fighting  not  merely  Germans, 
but  powerful  neutrals  to  whom  the  Germans  had 
nominally  at  least  sold  and  resold  the  control. 
Finally,  they  would  at  the  best  have  been  forced 
to  repay  the  money  which  the  old  Premier  Company 
owed,  whicli  would  have  necessitated  a  further 
reconstruction  of  this  company,  and,  above  all, 
there  was  only  too  good  reason  to  fear  that  by  the 
time  they  gained  possession  of  the  properties  they 
would,  in  the  absence  of  development  and  capital 
expenditure,  hai-e  deteriorated  enormously.  Those 
were  the  factors  which  influenced  the  board 
in  taking  the  line  they  did.  It  was  not  an  easy 
line  at  the  time  they  took  it,  because,  apart  from 
anything  else,  it  necessitated  negotiations  in  London, 
Paris,  Berlin,  Warsaw,  and  Switzerland,  and  the 
adjustment  ot  a  number  of  complicated  interests  ; 
but,  looking  back  after  nearly  twelve  months,  they 
had  even  less  doubt  than  they  had  when  they  asked 
the  shareholders'  sanction  for  it  that  it  was  well 
worth  the  trouble,  and  that  only  by  this  means  was 
this  company  saved  from  another  and  perhaps 
disastrous  reconstruction. 

The  remaining  question  of  practical  importance 
related  to  their  future  policy.  Certain  shareholders 
had  suggested  to  the  board  that  as  the  Galician 
properties  had  been  sold  an  immediate  distribution 
of  assets  might  be  made.  Even  if  that  course  were 
desirable,  which  in  their  view  it  was  not,  it  was 
quite  an  impossible  one  at  present,  and,  moreover, 
it  would  not  be  possible  in  any  circumstances  for 
two  or  three  years.  Under  French  law  they, 
as  vendors,  did  not  receive  negotiable  documents  of 
title,  or,  in  other  words,  marketable  shares,  until 
two  years  after  the  registration  of  the  company. 
In  the  meantime  they  were  merely  registered  as 
entitled  to  .receive  certain  shares  in  the  French 
company.  They  would  not  be  absolutely  handed 
over  to  them  until  the  end  of  next  year.  Moreover, 
they  obviously  could  not  distribute  their  20,000 
parts  de  fondateurs  and  ordinary  shares  of  the 
denomination  of  500  francs  among  their  12,000 
shareholders.  The  only  possibility  was  that  they 
should  sell  them  and  distribute  the  proceeds  over 
a  certain  term.  As  he  had  already  said,  that  process 
could  not  be  commenced  for  another  year,  and  in 


dealing  with  so  large  an  amount  it  would  inevitably 
take  a  long  time.  Their  own  view  was  decisively 
against  this  policy  of  wholesale  realization.  For  one 
thing  they  had  high  hopes  of  the  future  of  the  French 
company,  and  they  considered  that  it  had  an 
excellent  chance  of  developing  into  one  of  the  most 
powerful  and  profitable  combinations  operating  in 
Central  Europe.  It  had  valuable  oil  lands,  extensive 
pipe-lines,  a  considerable  portion  of  the  refinery, 
strong  resources,  energetic  management,  and  a 
strong  financial  and  political  backing.  Even  to 
talk  of  wholesale  realizations  at  a  period  of  acute 
depression  such  as  they  were  now  passing  through 
and  at  a  time,  moreover,  when  the  company  was 
making  rapid  and  substantial  progress  was  a  grave 
mistake.  At  the  same  time  they  were  not  blind  to 
the  advantage  of  some  kind  of  capital  distribution, 
and  although  nothing  could  be  done  in  that  direction 
at  present,  it  did  seem  that  if  conditions  were 
favourable  a  fairly  substantial  distribution  might  be 
possible,  while  still  leaving  this  company  with  an 
important  holding  in  the  French  company,  and 
leaving  it  as  an  active  organization  apart  from  and 
outside  the  French  company. 

They  had  the  bulk  of  their  money  on  deposit 
at  short  notice,  or  on  good  security.  The  only 
important  exception  to  this  was  that  they  had 
underwritten  and  purchased  some  £'80,000  of 
10%  debentures  in  tlie  Indo-Burma  Oil  Company. 
The  exception  was  apparent  rather  than  real, 
because  the  debentures  were  redeemable  in  three 
years  at  110.  They  had  no  doubt  either  of  the 
soundness  of  the  security  or  of  the  wisdom  of  the 
transaction.  Two  of  their  directors — one  of  whom 
was  Mr.  Perkins,  who  was  managing  director  of  the 
company — were  also  directors  of  the  Indo-Burma 
Company.  They  went  carefully  into  the  question 
of  security,  and  they  were  convinced  that  the  margin 
for  an  issue  of  /250,000  was  ample,  that  the  con- 
vertible rights  carried  by  tlie  debentures  might 
easily  become  very  valuable,  and,  of  course,  the 
return  allowing  for  the  underwriting  commission 
and  the  price  of  redemption,  was  an  exceptionally 
good  one.  Moreover,  they  had  availed  themselves 
of  the  opportunity  of  securing  free  of  cost  an  option 
to  acquire  what  were  reported  to  be  valuable 
oil-bearing  areas  in  Burma.  So  far  nothing  had 
been  done  here,  and  no  expense  had  been  incurred, 
but  they  proposed  almost  immediately  to  send  out 
the  best  independent  experts  they  could  secure  and 
get  their  own  reports  upon  these  areas.  They 
had  reason  to  believe  that  the  oil  business  in  Burma 
was  only  in  its  infancy,  and  they  had  knowledge  that 
certain  important  groups  were  actively  engaged 
in  exploitation  schemes  in  that  country.  Burma 
had  many  advantages.  Generally  speaking,  the 
oil  was  of  the  highest  grade,  was  obtainable  at 
shallow  depths,  and  commanded  a  ready  market. 
Moreover,  Burma  was  under  the  British  flag.  The 
areas  under  offer  had  been  taken  up  during  the  last 
four  years,  as  a  result  of  much  effort,  and  under  the 
best  local  advice  available.  Before  embarking 
upon  any  programme  of  development  they  would 
send  out  their  own  experts  and  be  guided  by  what 
they  told  them. 

Mr.  J.  Fairbairn  seconded  the  motion,  and  after 
the  Chairman  had  answered  questions  from  share- 
holders it  was  carried  unanimously. 


33 


nil      MINING    MAC.A/.INE 


LUIPAARDS   VLEI    ESTATE  AND   GOLD   MINING   CO..    LTD. 

Dirutors :    Sir  Lcisli   Iloskyns  {CAairman),  VV.    Dereliixin.   !•'.   II.   Il.->mill<m,   K.  Turk.     .Scrilaiy :    \V.   Siiiiih. 
Ojliy:  lOniul  II,  Aiisliii  Kiiiiis,  London,  K.C.  2.      />»vw(i' 1888,  rcoonsliuctc-d  1896.      Citpila! /ssiicti:  ^472,01.'; 

debentures  uutstandinij  ;^,S,S.90,S. 
Business:  Operates  a  jjold  niijie  in  tlie  Western  Rand. 

The  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the   Luipaards  revenue.    The  rc-cstimato  m.adc  by  the  manager  mi 

VIoi  Kstate  and  Gold  Mining  Co.,  Ltd.,  was  held  June   30  last  showed   fully-developed   pay   ore   in 

on   November  30  at  Winchester  House,   London,  the  mine  amounting  to  624,766  niillipg  tons,  of  an 

K.C,   Sir  Leigh   Hoskyns,   Bart.    (Chairman  of  the  average  value  of  520  dwt.  per  ton,  and   partially- 

company),  presiding.  developed  ore  amounting  to  84,.S64  milling  tons  of 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the  pay  ore,  of  an  average  value  of  .S-7I  dwt.  per  ton. 

report  and  accounts  for  the  year  ended  June  30  Although  there  had  been  crushed  during  the  year 

last,  said  that  the  improvement  in  the  profit  and  nearly   2U7.lt()()   tons,   the   ore   reserves   showed    a 

loss  account  over  the  two  previous  years  was  con-  reduction     agamst     the     previous     year    of    only 

siderable.     There  was  a  net  profit  of  £22,960,  com-  77,081  tons.    The  board  were  inclined  to  attach  some 

pared    with    a   loss   during   the    previous   year   of  importance  to   the    acquisition   which    was  made 

£'2,596,  and  a  loss  of  £'5,316  during  the  year  before.  some    nine     months    ago    of    twenty-two    claims 

This  result  was  partly  due  to  the  effect  of  the  price  adjoining  the  property  on  the  western  side.    Those 

which  was  obtained  for  the  gold,  the  average  for  the  claims  would  add  some  260.000  tons  of  pay  ore  to 

year  having  been  /5   Vis.    l'07d.     It  was  further  the  reserves  not  included  in  the  above-mentioned 

due  to  the  fact  that  they  had  virtually  suspended  figures,  and  adding  those  twenty-two  claims  to  the 

development  from  July  1,  1920,  and  it  was  further  ore  reserves  in  other  jiarts  of  the  mine  they  had  a 

due  to  the  retrenchment  scheme,  which,  in  agree-  total     reserve     representing     nearly     four     years' 

nient  with  the  mine  workers,  was  instituted  in  May  crushing.     It  was  the  intention  to  give  increased 

of  last  year,  and  which  had  brought  about  a  con-  attention  in    the  near  future    to  the  development 

siderable  reduction  in  the  number  of  white  men  of  the  Battery  Reef  sections  of  the  property.     This 

employed  in  the  mine.     The  gradual  reduction  of  company,  together  with  all  the  low-grade  mines  on 

working  costs,  both  as  to  labour  and  stores,  might  the  Rand,  had  been  passing  through  several  years 

be  regarded  as  permanent,  but  development  could  of  acute  depression,  but  there  was  ever)'  reason  to 

not,  of  course,  be  suspended  indefinitely,  and,  in  think  that  the  clouds  were  passing. 

fact,  they  had  already,  since  July  1  last,  resumed  Mr.  W.  Dereham  seconded  the  motion,  and  the 

development,  and  were  paying  for  it  out  of  monthly  report  and  accounts  were  adopted. 


WITBANK  COLLIERY.   LTD. 

{Incorporated  in  the   Transvaal, ) 


EXTRACTED    FROM    THE  ANNUAL   REPORT 
for  the  Year  ended  August  31,  1921, 


Issued  Capital,  £350,000  in  350,000  Shares  of  £1  eac^. 

Directorate  :  Sir  I larrv  Ross  .Skinner,  Kt.,  M.Inst.C.E.  (Chairman),  Sir  Evelyn  Wallers,  K.B.E.,  E.  V..  Izod, 
M.B.E.  iMana:;in^  Director],   Major  C.  S.  Goldman,   P.   Dreyfus,  Sir -\be  Bailey,   Bart.,   K.C.M.G.,      M.L.A., 

J.  Jeppe,  C.B.E.,  H.  A,  Rogers. 


£  s.    d. 

Total  profit  for  the  year       ...               ..                 ...               ...               ...  ...               ...  ...               ...            155,952      9      3 

Balance  unappropriated  at  August  31,  1920         ...               ...               ...  ...               ...  ...               ...             97,751      0    10 

Making  a  total  of                 ,.               ...               ...  ...               ...  ...               ...            253,703     10       1 

This  amount  has  been  dealt  with  as  follows  : — 

Expended  on  Capital  Account  less  Sale  of  Township  Stands  and  Freehold  Property  (£7,765 

ISs.  Id.)          ...                ...                ...               ...               ...               ...  ...                ...  £14,034    9     1 

Government  Taxes                  ...               ...               ...               ...               ...  ...               ...  17,217     2    8 


Dividends  declared  during  the  year ;— No.  32  of  \1\  *?o  and  No.  33  of  15  %    ... 

Leaving  a  balance  unappropriated  of 

Diiring  the  year  1,117,680  tons,  including  105,277  tons  of  duff,  were  despatched  from  the  Colliery,  being  an  increase  of  122,091 
tons  as  compared  with  the  previous  year. 


31,251 

11 

9 

£222,451 
113,750 

18 
0 

4 
0 

£108,701 

18 

4 

The    full    Report   and    Accounts    may    be    obtained    from    the    London    Secretaries,    A.    Moir    &    Co., 
1,   London  Wall  Buildings,   London,   E.C.  2. 

34 


THE    MIXING    MAGAZINE 


NEW    MODERFONTEIN    GOLD    MINING    COMPANY,  LIMITED. 

Directors:  Sir  Evelyn  Wallers  (Chairman),  J.   R.   I.eisk,   Sir  H.   Ross  Skinner,  J.   G.   Currey,  C.  S.   Goldman, 

S.  C.  Black,   R.   W.   Ffennell,  W.   T.   Graham.       Secretaries :  Rand  Mines,   Ltd.     Head  Office:   Johannesburg. 

London  Office:  1,  London  Wall  Buildings,  E.G.  2.     Foimed  1888.     Capital:  /1,400,000. 

Business :  Operates  a  gold  mine  in  the  Far  f^ast  Rand. 

The  twenty-fourth  ordinary  general  meeting  of     directe.-l  attention  to  the  encouraging  values  which 


New  Modderfontein  Gold  Mining  Co.,  Ltd.,  was 
held  in  Johannesburg  on  November  4,  Sir  Evelyn 
Waiiers,  K.B.E  ,  presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report  and  accounts  for  the  year  ended  June  .'50 
last,  said  that  the  position  must  have  given  share- 
holders the  greatest  satisfaction.  The  scale  of 
operations  and  the  total  working  profit  derived  from 
those  operations  were  the  greatest  ever  obtained 
by  the  companv.  Thev  milled  during  the  year 
1,0.S3.000  tons,  yielding '9-741  dwt.  per  ton,  repre- 
senting an  increase  in  tonnage  milled  of  114, .500, 
and  a  decrease  in  grade  of  0-58  dwt.  per  ton.  The 
latter  point  was  a  desirable  feature  of  the  year's 
work,  because,  although  the  value  of  the  ore  mmel 
was  still  somewhat  above  the  avcage  value  of  the 
ore  reserves,  it  was  decidedly  below  the  average 
value  of  the  tonnage  developed  during  the  year. 
The  number  of  fine  ounces  recovered  was  527,477, 
with  a  total  extraction  of  just  under  98%,  which 
constituted  extremely  good  metallurgical  practice. 
The  price  obtained  for  the  product  was  appreciably 
higher  than  for  the  previous  year,  namely, 
^5  12s.  7d.  per  fine  ounce,  as  against  £5  2s.  .3d.  for 
1919-20.  Obviously  this  factor  had  a  very  marked 
effect  upon  the  profit.  Working  costs  increased  by 
Is.  6d.  per  ton  milled,  but  notwithstanding  this  fact, 
combined  with  the  decrease  in  y-ield  of  0'58  dwt. 
per  ton,  the  final  working  profit  showed  .an  increase 
of  7d.  per  ton.  The  total  profit  for  the  year  was 
£1,720,202  17s.  4d.,  of  which  £751,427  was  obtained 
from  the  increased  price  of  the  product  above 
standard  price.  The  appropriation  account  showed 
that  they  commenced  the  year  with  a  credit  balance 
of  £344,025  13s.,  and  this  amount  added  to  the 
year's  profit  and  including  a  small  amount  of 
/763  12s.  9d.  in  respect  of  forfeited  dividends, 
gave  for  disposal  a  total  of  £2,064,992,  3s.  Id.  The 
distribution  had  been  as  follows  : — 

/  s.     d. 

Dividends  Nos.  29  and  30     .     1,400,000     0     0 

Government  and  Provincial 

Taxes      ....        297,950     9     5 

Net  Capital  Expenditure 
after  allowing  for  Bewaar- 
plaatsen  receipts       .  .  60,193     3     7 

Balance  unappropriated  and 

carried  forward         .  .        306,848  10     1 

£2,064,992     3     1 

Development  operations  during  the  year  were 
carried  on  with  activity,  and  showed  a  substantial 
increase  as  compared  with  the  preceding  year. 
The  total  footage  was  20,165,  of  which 
approximately  14,000  ft.  developed  ore,  and  the 
remaining  6,000  ft.  was  in  the  nature  of  dead  work 
and  the  various  purposes  connected  with  the 
handling  of  the  ore.  'The  results  achieved  by  this 
work  in  all  directions  were  entirely  satisfactory  as 
to  the  values  exposed.    They  had  from  time  to  time 


were  likely  to  be  met  with  in  the  western  and  south- 
western sections  of  the  mine,  and  the  work  which 
they  were  able  to  do  j-ear  by  year  confirmed  in 
a  very  gratifying  way  the  opinions  expressed.  Thus, 
on  the  13th  level  west  good  values  were  disclosed 
after  passing  through  a  dyke  and  were  referred  to 
at  the  last  annual  meeting.  These  values  had  been 
energetically  followed  up  during  the  year  w'hich  he 
was  reviewing,  and  resulted  in  the  development  in 
that  locality  of  302,800  tons  of  ore  of  a  value  of 
9'7  dwt.  over  82  inches.  On  the  eastern  side  of  the 
mine  the  result  of  the  work  carried  out  was  equally 
satisfactory,  and  the  final  outcome  of  the  year's 
development  operations  was  that  all  ore  mined  was 
replaced,  and,  indeed,  the  ore  reserves  at  8,884,600 
tons  of  a  value  of  8-4  dwt.  showed  some  little  increase 
in  tonnage  when  compared  with  the  previous  year. 

The  total  available  area  of  the  mine  was  1,264 
claims.  Of  these,  361  claims  were  worked  out, 
but  still  contained  a  number  of  valuable  pillars  ; 
378  claims  represented  the  intact  developed  area, 
and  525  claims  still  remained  to  be  developed. 
In  other  words,  about  28%  of  the  property  had  been 
worked  out,  and  72%  remained,  which  included, 
of  course,  the  developed  area  representing  30%. 

The  health  conditions  of  the  mine  were  in  first- 
class  order,  having  been  commented  on  by  the 
District  Inspector  of  Jlines  in  very  appreciative 
terms,  and  he  could  say  with  the  utmost  confidence 
that  the  general  underground  position  was  in  most 
excellent  shape.  On  the  surface  a  similarly 
gratifying  situation  was  met  with.  The  increase  to 
the  eastern  reduction  plant,  which  brought  their 
total  capacity  up  to  at  least  10.5,000  tons  per  month, 
was  completed  during  the  year,  at  the  very- 
moderate  cost  of  £14,000  and  was  now  running  well. 

The  other  items  of  importance  on  capital 
expenditure  were  £22,000  expended  in  providing 
additional  houses  for  married  employees,  and 
£16.700  for  extension  to  their  w-ater  system.  In 
regard  to  this  latter  item  they  had  had  some  anxiety 
in  the  dry  season  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  number 
of  consumers,  of  whom  they  were  one,  drawing 
water  from  the  President  Dam  had  appreciably 
increased.  They  therefore  considered  it  prudent  to 
spend  this  money  on  making  the  position  secure, 
by  connecting  up  their  storage  reservoirs  with  the 
Rosherville  Dam.  For  the  current  year  no  capital 
expenditure  of  any  particular  importance  was  con- 
templated. 

In  order  to  bring  the  information  up  to  date, 
he  would  briefly  review  the  salient  features  of  the 
work  since  the  close  of  their  financial  year,  that  was 
during  the  last  four  months.  The  native  labour 
force  had  continued  to  hold  up  well,  and  their 
tonnage  milled  had  steadily  progressed.  In  July 
the  figure  was  96,000  ;  August,  100,000  ;  Septem- 
ber, 101,000  ;  and  in  October  they  reached  a  total 
of  107,000.  W'orking  profits  had  been  respectively 
£141,800,  £153,100,  £142,900,  and  £138,000.  There 
was  naturally  some  decrease  in  profit,  due  to  the 


6—8 


34.\ 


I  111- 


IM.NG    MAGAZINE 


• ...  ,uxiitial  {all  m  the  price  of  gol.l,  but  the 

ellcct  vil  the  rcvUiction  in  the  price  of  their  proihict 
had  been  counteracted  in  a  very  satisfactory  way 
by  the  increase  in  the  tonnage  milled.     Working 
costs  during  the  last  (our  months  had  shown  an 
encourai;iiis  decrease  ;   the  figures  for  the  respective 
months  per  ton  milled  were  22s  9d.,  22s.  4d..  22s  2J., 
and  21s.,  as  compared  with  the  average  (or  last  year 
of  23s.  5-.Sd.     The  development  work  since  July  last 
had  also  been  very  energetically  pushed,  and  they 
had  averased  well  over  2.200  ft.  per  month.     The 
values  exposed  on    the  whole    had   been  of  high 
grade,  both  east  and  west.    There  were  (our  winzes 
not  yet  very  far  advanced  going  down   from  the 
14th'  level   and   constituting   their  present  lowest 
working— two  on  the  west  side  of  the  circular  shaft 
and  two  on  the  east  side  ;    three  of  those  winzes 
were     exposing     ore     of     an     average     value     of 
approximately    1.000    inch-dwt.      At   the    present 
footage  rate  practically  the  whole  of  the  mine  above 
the   14  th  level  would  be  completely  developed  in 
about   two   years'   time,   and   the   scheme   for  the 
development  of  the  mine  below  the  14th  level  to 
the    southern    boundary    was    already    rcceivmg 
attention,  although  there  was  ample  time  in  which 
to  formulate  their  plans.     In  any  case  the  problem 
was  one  of  comparative  simplicity.     Considerable 
attention  was  being  given  to  the  cleaning  up  of  the 
old  workings,  and  to  facilitate  tliis  work  a  sand- 


lilling  scheme  of  some  magnitude  was  now  bein.i; 
put  in  hand  on  the  upper  levels  on  the  east 
of  the  mine  ;  at  (he  same  time  ojiportunity  would 
be  taken  to  further  prospect  a  few  isolated  blocks 
o(  ground  which  h;ul  licen  le(t  standing  in  the  past 
as  of  (loubKul  payability. 

At  the  last  annual  meeting  reference  was  made  to 
the  question  o(  the  enemy  shares  vested  in  the  Cus- 
todian o(  luiemy  I'roperty.  The  company  made  an 
otter  for  those  shares,  which  was  not  accepted. 
They,  therefore,  still  remained  in  the  hands  of  the 
Custodian,  but  shareholders  might  rest  assured 
that  the  directors  were  care(ully  watching  the 
situation,  and  i(  there  was  any  possibility  o(  acting 
in  their  interests  on  a  satisfactory  basis,  the 
opportunity  would  not  be  lost. 

All  that  he  had  said  indicated  again  in  an  un- 
raistakeablc  manner  not  only  the  extraordinary 
soundness  and  strength  of  position  of  the  mine,  but 
also  the  excellence  o(  the  year's  work  o(  the  general 
manager,  Mr.  Miles  Sharp ;  the  underground 
mana.ger.  Mr.  Tillard,  and  the  staff  and  employees 
generally.  Mr.  Stuart  Martin  continued  to  act  as 
the  consulting  engineer  with  conspicuous  success. 
Shareholders  would,  he  was  sure,  join  with  him  in 
recording  their  very  keen  appreciation  of  their 
services. 

Mr.  S.  C.  Black  seconded  the  motion,  and  it  was 
carried  unanimously. 


NOURSE  MINES,   LIMITED. 

Directors:    E.   G.   Izod  (Chairman),  W.  T.  Gr.iham,   H.    Nourse,    A.    V.    Mullins     W.    Dereham,   G.  S.   Kort, 

Sir  Evelyn  Wallers,   S.  C.   Black,   E.  J.  Kenaud,   F.   Raleigh.      Secrelarics :    Hand  Mmes,   Ltd.       Head  Office: 

Johannesburg,     /-"o/wfrf  1894.  Capilal  Issued :  i?>2',9,l\. 

Business:  Works  a  gold  mine  in  tlie  central  Rand. 

The    twenty-fifth   ordinary    general    meeting    of  from  entering  their  workings,  and  they  accordingly 

\ourse   Min4    Ltd.,   was   held   in    Johannesburg,  purchased  for  ;^5,500  the  claims  and  water-right 

on  November  4,  Mr.  E.  G.  Izod,  M.B.E.,  presiding,  mentioned.     By  suitable  attention  to  the  surface  of 

The  Chairman,  m  moving  the  adoption  of  the  the  ground  so  acquired,  they  had  been  able  sub- 
report  and  accounts  for  the  year  to  June  30,  said  stantially  to  reduce  the  water  handled  by  their 
that  the  profit  earned  was  /U8,347,  a  substantial  pumping  plant,  and  the  saving  m  pumping  costs 
increase  of  /30,377  over  the  figure  for  the  pre-  had  already  been  more  than  the  expenditure  on 
ceding  year  In  spite  of  a  slight  fall  of  01 46  dwt.  the  acquisition  of  the  claims  and  water-rights, 
in  the  yield,  working  revenue  increased  from  33s.  Id,  The  profits  earned  for  July,  -'\ugust  September, 
o  35d^6s.  per  ton  milled,  due  entirely  to  the  higher  and  October  of  this  year  totalled  /34  274.  Working 
price  obtained  for  the  gold.  Working  costs  increased  costs  at  an  average  of  31s.  9d.  per  ton  milled  were 
by  Is  5d.  per  ton  mUled,  due  very  largely  to  the  higher  than  the  average  for  the  financial  year 
increased  cost  of  stores,  the  amount  spent  under  covered  by  the  report  and  accounts,  and  it  was 
this  heading  being  /49,845  in  excess  of  that  spent  only  the  maintenance  of  the  high  price  obtained  (or 
for  the  previous  ySar.  In  his  last  speech  he  referred  the  gold  that  had  enabled  them  to  make  profits, 
to  the  attention  which  was  being  given  to  the  water  Work  on  the  programme  in  connexion  with  No  1 
position.  On  a  mine  like  the  Nourse,  ^vith  what  was  shaft  South  bourse  was  poceeding  satisfactorily 
virtually  an  abandoned  outcrop  mine  above  it.  This  shaft  reached  the  horizon  of  the  27th  level  i 
the  problem  of  dealing  with  water  was  always  a  July,  and  the  27th  leve  cross-cut  had  already 
serious  one.  With  the  completion  of  the  centrifugal  advanced  approximately  130  ft  out  of  a  total  ot 
pimping  unit  they  were  able  to  deal  with  all  their  about  800  ft.  necessary  to  strike  the  ree  .  The 
preT»nt  water  and  have  a  substantial  margin  in  25th  level  cross-cut  from  this  shaft  had  advanced 
hand  for  emergencies.  Realizing,  however,  that  80  ft.  and  was  expected  to  strike  the  reef  at  about 
Vurther  precautions  might  be  taken  to  minimize  350  ft  from  the  shaft.  The  new  large  Ward- 
the  water  danger,  they  investigated  the  surface  of  Leonard  winder  on  the  surface  at  this  shaft  had  been 
the  New  Heriot,  which  mine  ceased  pumping  working  satisfactorily.  Development  continued  to 
ooeraHons  more  than  twelve  months  ago.  They  be  promising.  On  the  western  side  of  the  mine  in 
decided  thaT  if  they  could  obtain  cont?ol  of  the  the  No.  2  South  Nourse  section,  the  Main  Reef 
water-rioht  on  the  New  Heriot,  to.gether  with  certain  Leader  disclosures  were  good, 
stfrface  daims,  which  were  fo^  disposal,  they  could  Mr  S.  C.  Black  seconded  the  motion,  and  it  was 
probably  prevent  a  large  amount  of  surface  water  carried  unanimously. 

34b 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


CHINESE    ENGINEERING    AND    MINING    CO..    LTD. 

Directors:  W.  Y.  Turner  (Cliairman).,  F.  Cattier,  Edmund  Davis,  E.  de  Wouters,  E.  Francqui,  L.  Jadul, 
Col.  H.  A.  iMicklem,  Lord  Soulhborough.  Ageitl  and  General  Manager  in  China:  Major  Walter  Nathan. 
Secretary:  A.  W.  Berry.      Office:  22,  Austin  Friars,  London,  E.G.  2.     Formed  \')\2.      Capital  issued:  £1,400,000  ; 

debentures    ;£1,008,000 
Business :  Operates  coal  mines  in  North  China  ;  is  also  interested  in  iron  deposits. 
The  ninth  annual  ordinary  general  meeting  of  the     /200,000,   paid   on   December    17,    1920,   and   the 


Chinese  F.ngineering  and  Mining  Co.,  Ltd.,  was  held 
on  Monday,  December  12,  at  Winchester  House, 
London,  E.C.,  Mr.  W.  F.  Turner  (Chairman  of  the 
company)  presiding. 

The  Secretary  (Mr.  Alfred  W.  Berry)  having  read 
the  notice  convening  the  meeting  and  the  auditors' 
report, 

The  Chairman  said  :  The  distinguishing  feature 
of  the  report  and  accounts  for  the  year  ended  on 
June  30  last,  which  we  submit  to  you  to-day,  is 
that,  while  owing  mainly  to  the  fall  in  the  average 
rate  of  exchange,  they  deal  with  smaller  figures  than 
those  of  the  preceding  year,  the  net  result  is  equally 
satisfactorj-.  For  the  year  ended  June  30,  1920, 
we  paid  a  dividend  of  30%,  free  of  income  tax, 
on  a  share  capital  of  ;£1, 000,000.  The  balance 
dividend  of  12%  which  we  propose  to  declare  to-day 
will  make,  with  the  interim  dividend  of  10%  paid 
in  May  last,  a  total  of  22%,  free  of  income  tax, 
on  the  increased  capital  of  £1,400,000,  so  that  we 
shall  be  distributing  /30S,000  in  dividends,  against 
£300,000  in  the  preceding  year.  It  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  400,000  new  shares  did  not  con- 
stitute any  addition  to  the  working  capital  of  the 
company.  It  was  merely  the  capitalization  of 
profits  which  had  accumulated  during  past  years. 

The  net  profit  of  the  Kailan  Mining  Adminis- 
tration, after  providing  for  interest  on  the  6% 
Kailan  bonds,  redemption  of  bonds  for  the  year, 
reserve  for  depreciation,  and  the  profit  to  which  the 
Chihli  Government  is  entitled,  was  $7,313,448, 
against  a  net  profit  of  $8,917,456  for  the  preceding 
year.  This  result,  as  you  will  have  seen  from  a  later 
paragraph  in  the  report,  is  due,  not  to  any  falling 
off  in  the  demand  for  coal,  but  solely  to  difficulties 
in  regard  to  railway  transport,  and  it  compares 
very  favourably  witli  the  profit  of  about  $6,000,000 
two  years  ago. 

Our  share  of  the  profit  amounts  to  $3,850,012. 
We  were  careful  to  point  out  to  you  at  the  meeting 
last  year  that  the  profits  of  that  year  had  been 
largely  increased  by  the  high  rate  of  exchange  which 
had  prevailed  throughout  the  year.  The  average 
rate  for  the  past  year  shows  a  reduction  of  about 
2s.  per  dollar,  and  the  amount  brought  to  credit 
of  our  profit  and  loss  account  therefore  works  out, 
including  interest  in  China,  at  £564,723.  Interest 
in  Europe  is  £72,221,  and  there  are  some  small 
items  which  bring  up  the  total  to  £641,469. 

Expenses  in  Europe  are  larger  than  before,  as 
I  told  you  they  would  be.  There  is  a  donation  of 
£5,000  to  the  China  Famine  Relief  Fund,  which  was 
reported  at  the  last  meeting  ;  exchange  amounts  to 
£16,259,  and  there  is  a  loss  of  £11,942  on  the  sale 
of  5%  War  Loan.  Two  of  these  items,  amounting 
to  nearly  £17,000  will  not  recur.  The  net  balance 
of  profit  on  the  year  is  /587,994. 

You  will  find  a  statement  in  the  accounts  showing 
the  disposal  of  the  profit  balance  at  June  30,  1920, 
the  chief  items  being  the  final  dividend,  which  was 


£400,000  which  was  applied  in  making  fully  paid 
the  400,000  shares  of  £1  each  allotted  on  May  12 
last,  pursuant  to  the  resolutions  of  the  extra- 
ordinary general  meeting  held  on  January  4,  1921  ; 
the  £37,784  remaining  is  brought  into  the  following 
year.  We  have,  therefore,  a  total  credit  to  profit 
and  loss  of  £625,779.  Income  tax  absorbs  £1 12,316, 
excess  profits  duty  requires  £122,304  to  bring  up 
the  reserve  to  the  required  figure  of  £189,000,  and 
corporation  profits  tax  is  £26,600.  These  three 
items,  making  a  total  of  £261,220,  form  our  con- 
tribution to  the  Inland  Revenue,  and,  as  you  see, 
they  amount  to  almost  exactly  45%  of  the  year's 
profit.  The  interim  dividend  of  10%,  free  of  income 
tax.  paid  on  May  23  last,  was  £140,000,  so  that  we 
have  a  balance  of  £224,559  to  deal  with  to-day. 

I  have  already  said  that  we  propose  to  declare  a 
balance  dividend  of  12%,  free  of  tax,  payable  to- 
morrow, the  1.3th  instant.  The  further  remuneration 
to  which  the  directors  are  entitled  under  the  Articles 
of  Association  is  £9,133,  and  we  propose  to  write  off 
the  whole  of  the  expenses  in  connexion  with  the 
increase  of  capital  (consisting  chiefly  of  stamp 
duties),  amounting  to  £25,685,  so  that  there  will 
be  a  balance  of  £21,740  to  be  carried  forward  to  the 
current  year.  This  result  is  more  gratifying  when 
one  bears  in  mind  that  the  profits  have  had  to  bear 
a  charge  of  £122,000  for  excess  profits  duty,  and  that 
the  company's  liability  to  that  impost  ends  with 
these  accounts.  The  company  will  have  paid  in  all 
for  excess  profits  duty  over  £1,400,000. 

As  regards  the  balance  sheet,  there  are  only  one 
or  two  items  to  which  I  need  refer.  The  first  is  the 
increase  of  the  share  capital  from  £1,000,000  to 
£1,400,000.  On  the  other  side  of  the  account  you 
will  see  that  our  loan  account  to  the  Kailan  Mining 
Administration  has  been  increased  from  £50,000 
to  £152,000,  a  sum  of  £102,000  having  been 
provided  by  us  and  a  similar  amount  by  the 
Lanchow  Mining  Company  for  further  working 
capital  of  the  Kailan  Mining  Administration.  It  is 
quite  likely  that  we  may  very  shortly  ha  .-e  to  con- 
tribute another  £100,000  of  working  capital. 

The  next  paragraph  of  the  report  relates  to  excess 
profits  duty  and  the  directors'  remuneration. 
There  is  a  provision  in  the  Finance  Act  of  1916  to 
the  effect  that  a  company  may  recover  from  the 
directors  the  amount  of  excess  profits  duty  payable 
by  the  company  in  respect  of  any  increased 
remuneration  above  a  certain  limit.  The  object 
of  the  section  was  to  prevent  salaries  or 
remuneration  of  employees  or  directors  being  in- 
creased capriciously  for  the  purpose  of  reducing  a 
company's  liability  to  excess  profits  duty.  No 
consideration  of  that  sort  arises  here.  The  effect 
of  the  section  in  our  case  would  be  to  defeat,  to  a 
certain  extent,  the  object  of  the  resolutions  passed 
by  the  shareholders  last  year,  and  it  would  operate 
inequitably  as  between  the  individual  directors  who 
are   concerned.      The    amount   involved   is   about 


35 


nil 


MIMNU     MAe-AZlNM 


/2.000.     It  is  therefore  propose:!  that  the  section 
shall  not  be  actctl  upon. 

The  next  paragraph  deals  with  the  business  done 
by  the  Kailan  ^linin.t;  Administration  dnrinR  the 
year.  The  sales  of  coal  amounted  to  3,77.S.l)00  tons, 
a  reduction  of  235.000  tons  compared  with  the 
preceding  year.  This  is  not  due  to  any  falling  off 
in  demand  for  coal.  It  is  entirely  a  question  of 
railway  transport. 

Major  Nathan  reports  as  follows :  "  The 
reduction  recorded  in  sales  is  duo  to  the  following; 
reasons  :  The  internal  troubles  which  occurred  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  last  financial  year  and  the 
beginning  of  this  affected  the  transportation  of 
coal  for  nearly  six  months,  military  interference  on 
the  railway. and  movements  of  troops  decreasing 
the  number  of  cars  available  for  the  coal  traffic. 
No  sooner  were  the  troubles  due  to  these  causes 
overcome  than  the  famine  in  Central  China  was 
again  responsible  for  a  reduction  in  our  coal  traffic, 
owing  to  the  demands  made  on  the  railway  for 
the  export  of  grain  from  Manchuria  for  the  relief 
of  famine  sufferers.  These  two  reasons  alone  were 
sufficient  to  cause  the  reduction  in  sales  which  has 
been  experienced  during  the  year.  The  actual 
carrying  capacity  of  the  railway  has  not  been 
greatly  increased,  the  supply  of  trucks  and  loco- 
motives having  been  practically  stationary  during 
that  period.  At  the  present  time  conditions  are 
still  unsatisfactory,  although  there  is  an  improve- 
ment on  our  experience  in  the  early  part  of  the 
finan-ial  year  under  review.  Towards  the  end  of 
the  financial  year  a  great  improvement  was 
noticeable,  largely  due  to  the  use  by  the  Peking- 
Mukden  railway  of  cars  belonging  to  the  Peking- 
Hankow  line,  and  for  a  short  period  we  were  able 
to  move  by  rail  an  average  of  about  15,000  tons  per 
day.  As  a  result  of  a  traffic  conference  between 
the  various  lines  the  supply  of  these  cars  has 
been  much  reduced  and  the  average  at  the  present 
moment  may  be  said  to  be  about  12,000  tons  per 
day,  including  a  traffic  of  about  1,000  to  1,500 
tons  per  day  carried  by  our  own  cars  to 
Hsnkochw^ang  and  Hanku,  from  whence  the  coal 
is  shipped  by  boat  to  Tientsin.  We  were  enabled 
to  increase  our  traffic  in  this  way  by  a  purchase 
of  200  small  cars  from  the  railway  which  they  had 
thrown  out  of  use.  The  burden  of  my  monthly 
reports,  as  will  have  been  noticed,  has  practically 
always  been  the  same,  namely,  the  want  of  cars 
and  consequent  inability  to  keep  pace  with  the 
demand.  It  has  been  my  great  endeavour  to 
persuade  the  railway  to  double  the  track  between 
the  mines  and  Chinwangtao  and  to  purchase 
sufficient  rolling  stock  to  meet  our  demands  for 
transport  facilities,  and  I  am  pleased  to  say  that 
I  have  at  last  been  successful  in  inducing  the 
authorities  to  carry  'out  the  doubling  of  the  track 
and  also  the  supply  of  further  locomotives  and 
cars.  The  effect  of  the  latter  will  be  seen,  I  hope, 
towards  the  end  of  the  present  calendar  year,  but 
that  of  the  former,  I  anticipate,  not  before  the 
end  of  1922  at  earliest." 

Now  as  regards  the  prospects  of  the  current 
year.  Major  Natha!'.  writes  :  "  Sales  of  coal  have 
been  limited  only  to  our  transport  facilities,  and 
therefore  no  comparison  can  be  made  with  former 
years  as  to  the  possibility  of  increase  if  facilities 
iiad  been  available  for  the  transport  of  our  coal 
by  rail  to  Chinwangtao  to  meet  the  demand.     It 


can  only  be  said  that  we  were  obliged  to  neglect 
or  entirely  abandon  any  attempts  to  develop  our 
overseas  market.  The  same  condition  will  ajiply 
to  a  certain  extent  during  the  present  yar,  but 
the  quieter  conditions  now  prevailing  in  the  country 
will  undoubtedly  have  the  effect  of  allowing  of 
a  considerable  increase  in  our  sales  compared  with 
last  year.  At  the  tnne  of  writing,  in  the  first  tiiree 
months  of  the  financial  year  1921-22,  our  sales 
have  augmented  by  a  quarter  of  a  million  tons 
as  compared  with  the  same  period  in  1920-21. 
Although  these  lig'ires  are  not  likely  to  be  main- 
tained throughout  the  whole  year,  there  is  no  reason 
to  expect  that  our  sales  will  not  be  considerably 
higher  than  in  the  year  under  review." 

The  stock  of  coal  at  the  latest  date  we  have  was 
about  370.000  tons.  Our  output  capacity  is 
15.000  tons  daily,  and  Major  Nathan  states  that, 
given  fair  labour  conditions,  he  has  every  expecta- 
tion of  reaching  a  total  production  ot  over  four  and 
a  half  million  tons  during  the  current  financial  year. 
The  coal  in  sight  at  June  30  last  is  given  as 
24,435,000  tons.  The  yards  at  the  port  of 
Chinwangtao  have  been  extended  to  allow  the 
handling  of  15,000  tons  of  coal  per  day  and  the 
storing  of  260,000  tons.  The  sales  of  coal  during 
the  first  twenty-three  weeks  of  the  current  year 
amount  to  1,841,000  tons,  as  compared  with 
1,521,000  tons  for  the  same  ^jeriod  last  year,  an 
increase  in  round  figures  of  320,000  tons.  The 
average  rate  of  exchange  for  the  present  financial 
year,  so  far  as  it  has  gone,  is  approximately  2s.  9d. 
per  dollar,  and  does  not  differ  materially  from  that 
of  the  preceding  j'ear.  The  business  prospects, 
therefore,  are  entirely  satisfactory. 

At  the  last  general  meeting  we  explained  at  some 
length  the  position  of  matters  in  regard  to  the 
project  for  the  establishment  of  iron  works  at 
Chinwangtao.  The  matter  has  been  followed  up 
throughout  the  past  year  and  considerable  progress 
has  been  made.  Mr.  David  Roberts,  of  Cardiff, 
wdio  is  a  well-known  blast-furnace  engineer,  went 
out  to  China  on  behalf  of  Messrs.  Riley  &  Horbord, 
to  inspect  and  decide  upon  the  best  available  site 
for  the  proposed  works.  A  satisfactory  site  has 
been  chosen,  and  the  necessary  arrangements  in 
regard  to  it  are  in  progress.  Further  investigations 
are  proceeding,  especially  in  regard  to  certain 
deposits  of  iron  ore  and  the  treatment  of  them.  These 
may  still  take  a  considerable  time,  and  until  they 
are  completed  a  definite  scheme  cannot  be 
formulated  and  adopted.  In  the  meantime  the 
prices  of  labour  and  materials  are  falling,  and  it  is 
expected  that  there  will  be  a  saving  of  several 
hundred  thousand  pounds  in  the  ultimate  outlay 
for  plant,  compared  with  the  figures  which  we 
had  before  us  a  year  ago.  I  now  move  :  "  That 
the  directors'  report  and  accounts  to  June  30, 
1921.  be,  and  they  are^reby,  received  and  adopted, 
and  that  a  final  divideftd  be  declared  of  12%,  free 
of  income  tax,  making  22%  for  the  year,  free  of 
income  tax.  payable  on  December  13,  1921." 

Colonel  H.  A.  Micklem,  C.B.,  C.M.G.,  D.S.O., 
formally  seconded  the  resolution,  which  was  then 
put  to  the  meeting  and  carried  unanimously. 

The  retiring  directors  (Mr.  Felicien  Cattier, 
Colonel  H.  A.  ilicklem,  and  Mr.  W.  F.  Turner) 
haying  been  re-elected,  and  the  auditors  (Messrs. 
Annan,  Dexter  &■  Co.)  reappointed,  the  pro- 
ceedings terminated. 


36 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


SOUTH    WEST    AFRICA    CO.,    LTD. 

Diiectors  :    Ednuinti   Davis  {Chairman),   Sir   Henry   Birchenough,  F.    Eckstein,  D.    O.    Malcolm,   H.    P.    Rudd, 

Admiral  Sir  E.   J.  \V.   Slade.     Secretary:  C.   Launspacli.      Office:  1,   London  Wall  Buildings,   London,    E.C.  2. 

Formed  1S92.      Capital:  £2,000,000  ;  issued  £1,750,000. 

Business :    Owns  land,  mining,  and  railway  rights  in  Damaraland,  South  West  Africa. 
The  annual  general  meeting  of  the  shareholders  in      to-day's  date.    In  those  circumstances  the  directors 


the  South-West  Africa  Company.  Ltd.,  was  held  on 
December  6,  at  Winchester  House,  London,  E.C., 
Mr.  Edmund  Davis  (Chairman  of  the  company) 
presiding. 

The  Chairman,  in  moving  the  adoption  of  the 
report,  said  that  their  original  claim  in  respect  of 
amounts  held  on  deposit  in  Berlin,  and  sums  which 
accrued  to  the  company  during  the  war  period, 
had  been  dealt  with  at  various  dates.  Their  con- 
cession was  a  direct  grant  from  the  German  Govern- 
ment, and  covered  such  e.xtensive  rights  that  at  a 
later  date  the  company  agreed  to  some  modifica- 
tions, and,  in  exchange  for  the  rights  they  waived, 
were  granted  joint  interest  with  the  German 
Government  in  the  mineral  rights  of  Ovamboland, 
a  territory  covering  about  20,000  square  miles. 
It  was,  therefore,  impossible  to  understand  how  the 
Union  Government  of  South  Africa,  which  held  a 
mandate  over  South-West  Africa,  could  justify 
their  action  in  confiscating  the  mineral  rights 
covered  by  the  company's  concessions.  As 
shareholders  were  aware,  the  Government  had 
cancelled  the  whole  of  the  company's  rights  with  the 
exception  of  its  title  to  about  1,600,000  acres  of 
freehold  land  and  a  certain  exclusive  right  in  regard 
to  mineral  areas.  The  accounts  presented  on  that 
occasion  were  up  to  December  .31,  1920,  but,  of 
course,  they  in  no  way  reflected  the  position  as  at 


desired  to  set  out  what  would  probably  be  the 
position  as  soon  as  effect  had  been  given  to  the 
transaction  relating  to  payments  under  their  claim 
and  to  the  purchase  of  shares  by  the  company. 
In  the  first  instance  thev  might  take  it  for  granted 
that  at  any  rate  1 ,200,000  of  their  shares  would  be 
acquired  by  the  company,  though  the  actual 
number  might  be  slightly  in  excess  of  that  figure. 
Those  shares  had  been  acquired  from  the  Public 
Trustee  at  lis.  6d.  per  share,  with  a  formal  approval 
of  the  Board  of  Trade,  which  was  subject  to  passing 
the  necessary  resolution  adopting  new  articles  of 
association.  Taking  the  figure  1,200,000  shares 
as  being  correct,  those  would  be  added  to  the 
unissued  capital,  thus  reducing  the  issued  capital 
to  £560,000  in  .shares  of  £1  each.  Against  that 
capital  they  would  have  their  British,  Colonial, 
and  foreign — other  than  German  and  Hungarian — 
investments,  which  at  to-day's  market  price  were 
worth  about  £516,000.  To  that  should  be  added 
other  items  bringing  the  total  to  £673,027.  Of 
course,  due  consideration  would  be  given  when 
framing  their  next  accounts  to  the  land  sales 
account,  which  was  really  a  reserve  account,  and 
stood  at  £84,503,  and  their  balance  of  profit 
£95,238. 

Mr.  F.  Eckstein  seconded  the  resolution,  which 
was  carried. 


A  Treatise  on  Petroleum 

By  Sir   BOVERTON   REDWOOD,   Bart., 
D.Sc,  F.R.S.E.,  Assoc.Inst.C.E.,  F.I.C. 


JOOK-SHO5; 

liiiii'ii.'ii^Mj^jm 


FOURTH    EDITION.      Thoroughly  revised  and  enlarged.      In  Three  Volumes,  with  many 
new  Maps,  specially  prepared  for  this  edition.,     Illustrated.     Bibliography,  etc. 

PRICE    £5    5s.        Postage:  Inland,    Is.   6J.  ;    Abroad,  5s. 

CONTENTS  —Section  I  :  Historical  Account  of  the  Petroleum  Industry.  Section  II  :  Geological 
and  Geographical  Distribution  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas.  Section  III  :  The  Physical  and  Chemical 
Properties  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas.  Section  IV:  The  Origin  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas. 
Section  V :  The  Production  of  Petroleum,  Natural  Gas,  and  Ozokerite.  Section  VI  :  The  Refining  of 
Petroleum.  Section  VII  :  The  Shale  Oil  and  Allied  Industries.  Section  VIII  :  The  Transport, 
Storage,  and  Distribution  of  Petroleum.  Section  IX  :  The  Testing  of  Crude  Petroleum,  Petroleum  and 
Shale  Oil  Products,  Ozokerite,  and  Asphalt.  Section  X  :  The  LIses  of  Petroleum  and  its  Products. 
Section  XI :  Statutory,  Municipal,  and  other  Regulations  relating  to  the  Testing,  Storage,  Transport, 
and  Use  of  Petroleum  and  its  Products.     Bibliography.     Appendices.     Index. 


The  most  comprehensive  and  complete  treatise  on  Petroleum.     Giving  a  clear 
and  reliable  outline  of  the  growth  and  present  day  condition  of  the  entire  world. 

Kindly    Order    From 

THE  TECHNICAL   BOOKSHOP  (Book  Dept.  of  "The  Mining  Magazine  "), 
724,    Salisbury    House,    London,    E.C.  2. 


37 


THE     MINING     MAGAZINE 


IMPORTANT  NEW  BOOKS. 


CONCENTRATION     BY     FLOTATION. 

Compiled  and  Edited  by  T.  A.  Rickard,  A.K.S.M.,  M.I.M.M., 

M.A.I.M.E. 

700  pages,  illustrated.     Price  42s.  net.     Postage,  inland    Is., 

abroad   Is.  3d. 

A  compilation  of  articles  appearing  in  the  Mining  and  Scientific  Press  from  1915  to  1920.     More 
nas  been  published  on  this  subject  by  thi'  Mininy  ami  Sciontitic  Press  than  by  any  other  paper  or  society. 

THE    METALLURGY    OF    THE    NON-FERROUS    METALS. 

By  William  Gowland,  F.K.S.,  A.K.S.M. 
Third  Edition.     Thoroughly  revised  and  enlarged.     630  i  at;os,  217  illustrations,  and  five  folding  plates. 

Price  30s.     Postage,  inland  Is.,  abroad  Is.  4d. 
This  absolutely  authoritative  work  has  been  brought  right  up-to-date  and  should  be  in  the  hands  of 
all  mining  engineers  and  metallurgists.     

THE  METALLURGY  OF  THE  COMMON  METALS. 

Gold,  Silver,  Iron,  Steel.  Copper,  Lead,  and  Zinc. 
By  Leonard  S.  Austin,  fornitrl>   Professor  of  Mitallur','v  and  Ore  Dressing,  Michigan  College  of  Mines. 
Fi'fth  Edition.     Revised   and  enlarged.     615   pages,      llluslratc-d.     Price  42s.   net.     Postage,  Inland,  Is.  ; 

Abroad.  Is.  3d. 


GEOLOGY    OF    PETROLEUM. 

By  W.M.  Harvey  Emmons.  Professor  of  Geology  and  Mineralogy,  University  of  Minnesota. 
624  pages,  254  maps  and  illustrations.     Price  36s.  net,  post  free. 
This  book  presents  a  perspective  of  the  geology  of  petroleum.     It  is  intended  as  a  textbook  for 
students  and  also  a  manual  for  the  practising  geologist  who  is  undertaking  the  study  of  a  field  new  to  him. 

OIL    FIELD    PRACTICE. 

Bv  DORSEY  Hagkr. 
First  Edition.     310  pages.     Pocket 'size,  flexible.      Illustrated.     Price  18s.  net,  post  free. 
Published  as  a  supi)lement  to  the  author's  former  book,  "  Practical  Oil  Geolo.gy  ",  by  approaching 
problems  from  different  angles,  the  points  under  discussion  are  considerably  emphasized. 

OIL  LAND  DEVELOPMENT  AND  VALUATION. 

By  R.  P.  McLaughlin. 
200  pages,  illustrated.     Price  18s.,  post  free. 

FIELD     METHODS     IN     PETROLEUM     GEOLOGY. 

By  G.  H.  Cox,  Ph.D.,  E.M.,  C.  L.  Dake,  and  G.  A.  Muilenburg. 
305  pages.  Pocket  Size,  Flexible,   50  illustrations.       Price  243.,   post  free. 
A  systematic  discussion  of  the  minutiae  of  field  procedure  as  it  applies  to  the  highly  specialized 
branch  of  petroleum  geology. 

THE     TECHNICAL     EXAMINATION     OF     CRUDE     PETROLEUM, 
PETROLEUM     PRODUCTS,     and     NATURAL     GAS. 

By  Wm.  Allen  Hamor  and  Fred.  Warde  Padgett. 
591   pages,   144   illustrations.     Price  36s.   net,  post  free. 

PRACTICAL     CHEMISTRY     OF     COAL     AND     ITS     PRODUCTS. 

By  A.  E.  FiNDLEY,  B.Sc,  A.I.C.,  and  R.  Wigginton,  B.Sc,  A.R.C.S. 
144  pages,  illustrated.       Price  12s.  6d.  net.      Postage,  inland  5d.,  abroad  8d. 

MONOGRAPHS     ON     MINERAL     RESOURCES     WITH     SPECIAL 

REFERENCE    TO    THE     BRITISH     EMPIRE. 

Silver  Ores.      By  H.  B.  Cronshaw,  B.\.,   Ph.D.,   A  K.S.M.      Price  6s.  net. 

Petroleum.  „  „  „  „      5s.     ,, 

Oil  Shales.  „  „  „  „     5s,     „ 

Postage  on  any  one  of  the  above  monographs,  inland  3d.,  abroad,  6d. 

THE  TECHNICAL  BOOKSHOP  (Book  Department  of  "The  Mining  Magazine") 

724,    SALISBURY    HOUSE,    LONDON    WALL,    LONDON,    E.C.  2, 


38 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


Professional 

f    Directory 

ADCOCK,   S.    R., 

Metallurgist,  Assayer,  and  Sampler, 

AtlaB  Court,  St.  Helens,  Lanes. 

BATTEN,   H.    L., 

Mining  Engineer, 

611.  Pender  Street,  W..  Vancouver,  B.C. 
Cables:  AlamorR.                 Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 

ADDICKS,   Lawrence, 

Consulting  Engineer, 

51,  Maiden  Lane,  New  York. 
Cables  :    Galie,  New  York. 

BEATTY,  A.  Chester, 

25.  Broad  Street,  New  Y'ork. 
No  professional  work  entertained. 

AGNEW,    John    A.,         3700  London  Wall. 
Mining  Engineer, 

1,  London  Wall  Buildings,  London,  E.C.2. 
Cables:   Lingulina,  London. 

BELLINGER,    H.   C, 

Metallurgical  Engineer, 

Chile  Exploration  Co., 
120.  Broadway.  New  Y'ork. 

AGUiLAR-REVOREDO,  J.    F., 

Consulting  Mining  Engineer 

Examination.  Valuation  and  Development  of  Mines 
in  Bolivia.                           Casilla  176,  Oruro,  Bolivia. 
Cables:  Revoredo.  Ornro.                      Usual  Codps. 

BLANKINSHIP,   J.    W., 

Consulting  Plant-Pathologist. 

Speciality- 
Smoke  and  other  Industrial  Injury  to  Vegetation. 
2.T35,  Hilgard    Ave..  Berkeley.   California.  U.S.A. 

ALDRIDGE,   Walter   H., 

Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineer, 

41,  East  42nd  Street,  New  York. 

BOISE,   Charles  W., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Foreign  Exploration, 
Room  1507-14    Wall  Street,  New  York. 
Cables:  Mukeba. 

ALLEN,  Reginald  F., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Tin  and  Gold,  bode  and  Alluvial, 

Kingsdown  (Hewas  Water)  Tin  Mines,  Ltd.. 

St.  Austell.  Cornwall. 

BOTSFORD,   R.   S., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Room  2083.  50,  Church  Street.  New  York  City. 
2,  Drapers  Gardens.  London.  E.C.  2. 

ATTENBOROUGH,   Leonard    G., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Speciality  :    Alluvial  Tin. 
Ipoh.  Perak.  Federated  Malay  States. 

Code:  McNeill  lOns. 

BOYLE,   Vicars  W., 

Mining  Engineer, 

24,  Coleman  Street,  London,  E.C. 2. 

BAIN,    H.    Foster, 

Mining  Geologist, 

Director  U.S.  Bureau  of  Mines, 
Washington.  D.C..  U.S.A. 

Tel.:  London  Wall  6940. 

BROADBRIDGE,  Walter, 

Chief  Engineer, 

Minerals  Separation.  Ltd.,  62.  London  Wall,  E.C. 
Cable:  Rillstope.  London. 

d.  w.  TEALE.     H.  H.  YuiUL.     Tel. :  LondoH  Wal  130117. 

BAINBRIDGE,  SEYMOUR,  &  Co., 

Mining  Engineers,             Ltd., 

645-647,  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall.  E.C.2. 
Cables:  Basera.                                           Usual  Codes. 

BRODIE,  Walter  M., 

Mining  Engineer  and  Metallurgist, 

47,  Cedar  Street,  New  Y'ork. 

ROGERS,  MAYER.  &  BALL.                 Cable  :  Alhasters. 

BALL,  Sydney,  H., 

Mining  Geologist, 

42,  Broadway,  New  York. 

201,  Devonshire  Street.  Boston. 

Tel  ■ 
BROWN,    R.    Gilman,  London  Wall2776. 
Mining  Engineer, 

Pinners  Hall,  Loudon,  E.C.2. 
Cable:  Argeby.                                         Usual  Codes. 

BANKS,  Charles  A., 

Mining  Engineer, 

612.  Pacific  Building.  Hastings  Street,  W.. 

Vancouver.  B.C. 

Cables:  Bankea.                   Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 

BROWNE,  Spencer  C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

2.  Rector  Street,  New  York  City. 
Cables:  Spenbrowne.  New  Y'ork. 

39 


THK    MIXINT.    MAGAZINK 


PhOFESSIONAL 


DIRECTORY 


DURCN. HERS 

BURCH, 

Croc 
Cnlilp  :  Buri 

MtV.   A   WMITB 

Albert, 

CunsultlflK 
kcr  BtiiMiiiK 
h. 

Engineer, 

8nn  Frnnoifico. 
ll.im 

1  Codoa. 

BURCH,  H,  Kenyon, 

Consultlni;  Bnglneer, 

ConeuntriitiiiK   nfi>Hrlinent, 

Phelps-Dudut!  Corporation, 

SVArrcn,  Arizonn. 


CALLOW,  J.  M., 

I'res.  General   Engrlneerintc  Co., 

ConsultlnK  Aletallurgical  Enjfineers. 

Room    aOit!— No.  l'2i».  Hioadway,  Ni.\v  York. 

ir>9.    Pierpont   Street.  Salt  Lake  City.  Utfth. 


DONALD   r.  CAMPBEUL. 


W.  S.  OIFFORO. 


CAMPBELL  &  GIFFORD, 

Cunsiiltin);   tnj^ineers. 

Hydro-electricDovf  lo|inient\  Klectro-metallurgy. 
17.  Virtoria  Strnpt.  T.onrion.  R.W.I. 


CAMPBELL,  J.  Morrow, 

Alining  Geologist  and  Engineer, 

Messrs.  Steel  Brothers  &  Co.,  Ltd.. 
Rangoon.  Burma. 


CANNING,  A.  R., 

Mining  Engineer, 

P.O.  Jos. 

Nigeria. 


CHANNING,  J.  Parke, 


Mining  Engineer. 

61.  Broadway,  New  York. 

Code  :  Bedford  McNeill. 


CLAUDET,    F.,    Limited,  centmuioo. 

Assayers  and  Samplers. 

6,  Coleman  Street,  London,  E.G.  2. 

Cable;  Assaying  Ave.  Usual  Codes. 


COBBE,    H.    N.   G.,  '-L'el.:  Victoria  2944 

Mining  Engineer, 

Albany  Chambers, HG.iOrk  St.. Westminster,  S.W.I 

(Renamed  1920,  Petty  France.) 
Cables:  Trainahlp.  Usual  Codes 


COLLBRAN,  Arthur  H., 

Mining  Engineer 

Seoul,  Korea. 


COLLINS,  George  E., 

Alining  Engineer, 

Boston  Buildiug.  Denver. 
Cable:  Colcamac.  Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


Tel.  :  London  Wall  2778. 

COLLINS,  Henry  F., 

Mining  and  Aletallurgical  Engineer. 

66,    Finsbury   Pavement,  London,  E.G. 2. 


COLLINS,  W.    F., 

Con  sit  It  tn^  AllnluK  iS;  A\c(allurglcal  Engineer, 

I'l'kiiiif ,  China. 
Cables:  Collins,  iVkinK. 


CRANSTON, 

Ml 
l'J13.  lloliait  HdK.. 
and  2,  Re 
Cnble  :  RecrnnR. 

Robt. 

^InK  BnK 

M'2.  Murk 
ctor  Street 

E., 

n«er 

^  Kt.. 

.  N.'\v 
Code 

Sun  FraTiciBCO, 
York. 
McNeill.  1908. 

F.  A.  cuTTEN.  w.  H.  cuTTEN.  Tel.  I  Holbom,  OO'J* 

CUTTEN,  Brothers, 

Alluvial    Dredging  &   Mining  Engineers. 

liankChninl.erN.:(2'.(.  High  Hnlburn,  London, W.Cl. 
Cal)les:  Ncttnc.  London.  Usual  Co<len. 


DAVIDSON,  A.  A., 

Alining  Engineer, 

Associated   Nigeria  Tin  Mines,  Ltd., 
Jos,  Northern  Nigeria. 


DEGENHARDT,  W.  R., 

Mechanical  Engineer 

iMniinE  Work), 

1,  London  Wall   Buildings,  London,  E.G. 2. 

Uonal  Godew. 


DENNIS,  Clifford  G., 

Alining  Engineer, 

Crocker  Building,  San  Francisco,  California. 
Cable:  Terlinquite.  Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


DICKERMAN,  Nelson, 

Mining  Engineer, 

The  Insurnnce  Exchange, 
San  Franci>co,  California. 
I      Cable:  Deerhndrfr. Code:  McNeill.  T90P. 


ARTHUR  DICKINSON.    ST  A  N  LE  V  C.  BU  LLOCH.  Ttil.  l 

DICKINSON  &  BULLOCK,  '^""S/"" 

Mining  and  Metallurgical   Engineers, 

Speciality— Ore  Trealmtnt. 

Fitisliiiry   House.  Blomfiekl  Street.  London.  E.G. 'J 

Cal.li--     I'ikart'ii]      Codes:  ADC   .'.th  ed  .  McNeilKbotln-ils  > 


DIXON,  Clement, 

Mining  Engineer. 

Managing  Director,  The  Cyprus  Asbestos  Co.,  Ltd., 

Amiandos  on  Troodos,  Cyprus. 
Cables:  r>ixnn.  Nicneiia,  Cyprus.  


DORR   COMPANY,  The 

J.  V.  N.  Uorr.  President, 

Hydrometallurgical  and  Wet  Chemical  Engineers. 
Denver New  York London. 


DRESSER,  John  A., 

Mining  Geologist, 

601,  Eastern  Townships  Bank  Building. 
Montreal.  Canada. 


DUDLEY,  H.  C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

704,  Lonbdale  Building. 
Duluth,  Minnesota. 


■10 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


PROPesSIONAL 


omccToRY 


PARISH,  John   B., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Office  :  58, Sutter  Street.  San  Francisco,  California. 
Residence ;  608, Stanford  Court,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 
Cable:  Farisli. 


Tel.  • 
FIELD,    T.    Lees,  London  Wall  5773. 

Mining  Engineer. 

24,  Coleman  Street,  London,  F,.C.2. 


FISHER  &  LOWRIE, 

Consulting  Geologists  and    Fuel    Ens^ineers, 

First  National  Bank  Iliiildini;,  I'envcr.  Colurado. 

4-2.S-'2r.,  llroad  Street.  New  York. 

826.  Great  Southern  Life  BuildiuK,  Dallas.  Texas- 

CiiMe;  Caflshnil rsiml  Coties. 


FLOWERDEW,  A.   H., 

Consulting:  MlnJngr  Engineer, 

Kuala  Lumpur.  Federated  Malay  States. 

Code  :  Broomhairs  (Imp.  Comb.) 


FORD,  S.  H., 

Mining  Engineer, 

19.  St.  Swithin's  Lane.  Loudon,  E.G.  4. 


FOWLER,  Samuel  S., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Nelson,  British  Columbia. 


Cables :  Fowler. 


Usual  Codes. 


FRASER,  Colin, 

Mining  Geologist, 

c/o  Broken  Hill  Associated  Smelters  Propy.,  Ltd., 

Collins  House,  Melbourne,  Victoria,  Australia. 

Code:    McNeill.   190R. 


GAHL,  Rudolf, 

Consulting  Metallurgist. 

801,  Equitable  Building, 

Denver,  Colorado,  U.S.A. 


GEPPERT,  Richard  M., 

Mining  Engineer, 

c/o  The  Miniiio  Maqazine,  T2i,  Salisbury  House. 
London,  E.C.*2. 

Code:  McNeill,  both  editions. 


GRIFFITHS,  Harry  D., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Wolfram,  Tin,  and  AUuvials, 
63.  Merchants  Street,  Rangoon,  Burma. 
Cables  :    Hargrif.  Rangoon. 


HALL,  R.  G., 

Mining  and  Metallurgical  Engineer. 

Complex  Ores, 
Address  and  Cables  :  Namtu.  Burma. 

Codes:  Broomhall.  A. B.C..  McNeill. 


T.   C-    F.    HALL, 

p.  E 

RAINE. 

Tel  ■ 

HALL  & 

RAINE, 

London  Wall  5'229. 

Consult 

Pinners  Hall, 
Cables:    Astatki, 

ng  Mining  Geologists, 

Austin  Friars,  London,  E.C.2. 
London. 

Tel.: 
Victoria  1707. 


EDWARD   RILEY  A   HARBORD. 

HARBORD,   F.  W., 

Metallurgist. 

16.  Victoria  St..  S.W.KV 6.  Finsbury  Square.  E.G. 2. 
Cable:    Harbordlab.  Code:    Bedford  McNeill. 


HARRIS,  C.  M., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Bank  N.S.W.  Chambers.  Box  294.  Perth, 

Cables:         Western  Australia.        Code: 

Homeric.  Perth.  Broonihatl's  (Imp.  Cnmb.l 


BURCH,    HERSHEV.   &   WHITE. 


HERSHEY,  Oscar  H., 

Consulting  Mining  Geologist, 

Crocker  Building,  San  Francisco.  California. 
Cable:    Hershey.  Code:    Bedford,  McNeill. 


HODGE,  Edwin  T., 

Consulting,  Geological,  and  Mining  Engineer, 

Standard  Bank  Building, 
Vancouver,  British  Columbia. 


Tel.:    London  Wall  3700. 

HOFFMAN,  John  D., 

Mining  Engineer, 

1,  London  Wall  Buildings.  London,  E.G.  2. 

Usual  Codes. 


HOFFMAN,  Ross  B., 

Mining  Engineer, 

228.  Perry  Street.  Oakland,  California. 
Cable:  SiberhofT.  Code:  McNeill,  1908. 


'I'el.  ;    East  3.S4. 

HOLLOWAY,Georg^eT.,&Co.,Ltd. 

Metallurgists  &  Metallurgical  Engineers. 

13.  Enimett  Street.  Limebouse.  London.  E.  14. 
Cable;  Neolithic.  London.    Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


HOOKE,  A.  W., 

Mining  Engineer, 

c/o  The  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy, 
Cleveland  House.  225.  City  Road.  London.  E.C.I. 


■  ■.#•»..«•». K ■  ^ B-k    ^-i  ■  ■       Tel.  :  London 

HOOVER,  Theodore  J.,     waii  3700. 

Mining  Engineer, 

1.  London  Wall  Buildings,  London,  E.G. 2, 
and  Mills  Bdg.,  San  Francisco,  California, 
Cahle  :    Mildalon. 


HOWIE,  A.  S., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Gabilla  No.  1507,  Lima,  Peru. 
Cables:  Howie,  Lima.  Code:  Bentley's. 


HUESTON,    H.    F.,                CaWe:  Hueston, 

Mining  &  Consulting  Engineer, 

.los.  Nortbern  Nigeria. 
Representative  in  Nigeria  of  Alhivials  Mining  Machinerj 
Codes:  Broomliall's  Imperial  CoInI>illation  an.l  Bentlei 

Jos. 
Co. 

HUNT,  Bertram, 

Metallurgist. 

c/o  The  Dorr  Company, 

16,  South  Street,  London, 

E.C.2. 

Till':    MININT,     M.U'.AZINI': 


PROFESSIONAL 


HUNTER,  H., 

Mlnlni  Engineer  and  Metallurgist, 
ISI.  ITphomimolii.  S.  Chonio, 
IlilinsllL'Ku.  (lankn.  .l«imn.  


HUSTON,   H.  L., 

Mlnlne  Knglneer, 
lai.  Calilonuu  Sticot.  tfRii  Fraiicieco,  Cnl. 
Cable:  Hamston. 


HUTCHIN,  H.  W., 

A>saycr, 

Laboratory,  TuckiiiBliiill,  Camborne,  Cornwall. 


HUTCHINS,  John  Power, 

Consulting  Mining  Kngineer, 
Room  3700,  120,  Broadway,  New  York  City. 


ILES,  J.  M., 

Mining  Engineer, 

c/o  Rayfleld  (Nigeria!  Tin  Fields,  Ltd., 
Capel  House,  New  Broad  Street.  London.  E.C.2. 


G.  J.  INDER.   D.  D.  HENDERSON.  J.  T.  DIXON.        \v„l  J  ^.^n.VI 

INDER,   HENDERSON,  &  DIXON, 

Consulting  Engineers, 

1,  London  Wall  Buildings.  London,  E.C.2. 
Cables:  Inderdaml. fsiial  Codes. 


DUDLEY  d.   INSKIPP.      JOHN  A.  BEVAN. 


Tel. 


INSKIPP  &  BEVAN,  '^°'"'°"  ^^*" 

Mining  Engineers,  "■'™' 

1,  Broad  Street  I'lace,  London,  E.C.2. 
Cable:  Monazite.  Usual  Codes. 


JANIN,  Charles, 

Mining  Engineer, 

716,  Kohl  Building.  San  Francisco. 
Cable:  Charjan.  Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


JOBLING,  Charles  E., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Prestea  Block  A.  Ltd.,  Prestea, 
Gold  Coast  Colony.  West  Africa. 


JOHNSON   &  Co.,    H.    H., 

Consulting  Mining  &  Mechanical  Engineers, 

51)60,  Broad  Street  Avenue,  London,  E.G. 2. 

riS,  Sule  Pagoda  Road.  Rangoon,  Burma. 

Cables:    Frangema.  London  and   Burma. 


KEENE,   Amor   F., 

Consulting  Engineer, 

233,  Broadway.  New  York. 
Cables:  Kamor.  New  York. 


KING, 

Ml 

63, 

E. 
ning 

Morst 

S.,               Tel.:  Hampstead 

Engineer  &  Metallurgist, 

ead  Mansions.  Elgin  Avenue, 
London,  W.'.i. 

8309. 

DIRECTORY 


KINZIE,    Robert   A., 

AllnliiK  l:ntc)ncer, 

First  Niitional  Bank  UuildlnR. 
Hnii  I'lanciHCO.  Ciilifoniift. 


H.  W.  LAKE.      H.  E.  NICHOLLS. 

LAKE   &   CURRIE, 


Tol.  : 

London  Wnll  fi3;i9. 


Mining  &  MetnllurKical  Hntrlneerd, 

Ilnm.l  Mrrti   Av,-mn  .   lUmiillcia  Hln-il.   I.uiiduii,  K.C,'^. 
Cftbl(!»  :   CoHitiTlU'.  l.omUin. 
CihIi-x:    nnwmliHll— liftdford  McNeill— A  H.C.  fttli  o<l. 


H.  W.    LAWS.       W.    R.   nUMBOLD.       R.    H.  JOHNSON. 

^      «    _         Ti-I.  :  Lniidon 

LAWS,  RUMBOLD,&Co.,  waii  628L 

Mining  Engineers, 
Cable:       052,  Salisbury  House,  London.  B.C.  2 
Swnlmuronm.     Cmles:   Urooiiilinll  A- McNeill.  lilOH. 


LEHMANN,    Andrew  W., 

Mlnin^r  Engineer, 

c'u  Messrs.  Pretot.  I'tuitaine.  &  Co., 
Casilla  ^2,  Valparaiso.  Chile. 


LEWIS,   Arthur   E., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Ipoh.  Perak.  Federated  Malay  Stales 


LEWIS,    H.   Allman, 

iMining   Engineer, 

Cochabaiuba.  Bolivia. 

Code:   McNeill,  190R. 


LITTLE,    M.   C.    H., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Merano,  Trentino.  Italy. 


LORAM,    S.    H., 

Mining  Engineer, 

c'o  Gibhs  ct  Co..  Valparaiso,  Chile. 


Tel.: 
London  Wall  3'JOO. 


BEWICK.  MOREING,  &  CO. 

LORING,    E.   A., 

Mining  Engineer, 

62.  London  Wall,  London,  B.C. 2. 
Cables:   Ringlo.  Usual  Codes 


LORING,    FRANK   C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

Sun  Life  BuiMing.  Toronto,  Ontario.  Canada. 


LORING,   W.  J.,   Mining  Engineer, 

614,  Crocker  Bdg.,  San  Francisco.  California. 
London  Office:  c/o  Bewick.  Moreing,  &  Co.. 

G2,  London  W'all,  London,  F,.C.2. 
Cable:  Wantoness. Usual  Codes. 


LOVELL,   Gerard, 

Mining  Engineer, 

10,  Phayre  Street,  Rangoon, 

Burma  Finance  and  Mining  Co.,  Ltd., 

Cables:  Buflmicold.  Burma  Corporation.  Ltd. 


42 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


PROFESSIONAL 


LOW,  V.   F.   Stanley, 

Mining  Engineer, 

Choi-ry  Oicliard, 

Chorley  Wood,  Herts. 


LUCKE,    P.    K., 

Consulting  Mining  Engineer, 

Avenida  Isabe"  L,a,  Catolica  25. 

Mexico  City.  Mexico. 
Cnhles-  IiHcke.MexicoC.ity.  Code:  BedfnrdMcNeill. 


LUSH    &  SON,   C.   G., 

Mining  Engineers, 

Speciality— Alluvial  Mining. 
2,  Broad  St.  Place,  London,  E.C.2 
Cable  :  Rosintin. ^ 


Tel.  : 
City  6743. 


MACARTNEY,   Ross, 

Mining  Engineer, 

Broken  Hill.  Northern  Rhodesia,  South  Africa. 
Cables:  Zincorons. 

Codes:  Broonihall  Imperial  Combination. 


MACFARLANE,  George, 

Mining  Engineer, 

63,  Broad  Street  Avenue.  London,  B.C. 2. 

Code:  Broomhall's  Imp.  Com. 


MARSTRANDER,   Rolf, 

Mining  Geologist. 

Kulhuset.  Teleniarken, 
Norway. 


MATHEWSON,    E.    P., 

Consulting  Engineer. 

Non-Ferrous  Metallurgy. 
42,  Broadway,  New  York  City. 
Cables :  Bigsmoke. 


ROGERS,   MAYER.  &    BALL. 

MAYER,    Lucius   W., 

Mining  Engineer, 

42,  Broadway,  New  York. 
201.  Devonihire  Street.  Boston 


Cable:  Alhasters. 


MAYREIS,    L.  J., 

Mining  Engineer  and  Metallurgist, 

c/o  Burma  Mines.  Ltd.,  JaniBhedpur.  India. 


Tel.: 
London  Wall  2;ni. 


McCarthy,  e.  t 

Mining  Engineer, 

10.  Austin  Friars.  London,  E.C.  2. 


McDERMOTT,   e.   d., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Rakha  Mines  P.O.,  District  Singhbhum, 
Chota  Nagpur.  India. 


MERCER,   John   W., 

Alining  Engineer, 

Mills  Building.  Broad  Street,  New  York. 
General  Manaeer.  South  American  Mines  Co. 


43 


DIRECTORY 


MERRILL,  Charles  W., 

Metallurgist, 

Cable:    121,  SecondStreet,  San  Francisco.    Codes: 
Lurco.  Bodtoid  McNeill.  Moreing  &  Neal. 


MILLS,   Edwin   W., 

Mining  Engineer, 

1.  Nan  Chin  Tze,  Peking.  China. 
Codes :  Bentleys.  Western  Tiiioii  1.",  letter  Edn.).  McNeill.  190H, 
Telenranis :  Milliiittiin.  Pekini:-  


MITKE,   Chas.   A., 

Consulting  Mining  Engineer, 

Mining  Methods.     Mine  Ventilation. 
Bishee.  Arizona.  U.S.A. 

MUNRO,   C.    H., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Ipoh,  Perak,  Federated  Malay  States. 

Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


NEWBERRY,   Andrew   W., 

Mining  Engineer. 

2,  Rector  street.  New  York. 
Cables  :  Awnbry.  New  Y'ork. 

Code:  Bedford  McNeill 


NISSEN,    P. 

M 

New  Broad 
Cables  :  Nissenut 

N., 

ning  Eng 

St.  House, 
.  London. 

ineer. 

London 

Tel. : 
Central  6989. 

.  E.C.2. 

PALMER,    R.    E., 

Mining  Engineer. 

3,  Lombard  Street,  London,  E.C.  3. 
Cable:  Cypalmeru.  Usual  Codes. 


REGINALD   PAWLE.       HENRY   BRELICK.       LondOn    iVall 

PAWLE  &  BRELICK,  4825. 

Mining  Engineers, 

4,  London  Wall  Buildings,  E.C.2. 
Cable:  Platoons. Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


_     _  'i'el-: 

PAYNE,    F.  W.  &  -R.,     London  Wall  72;j6. 

Dredging  Engineers, 

02,  London  Wall,  London,  E.C.2. 
Cables:    Panedrp.i.  Code:    Bedford  McNeill. 


PAYNE,   Henry   Mace, 

Consulting  Mining  Engineer, 

"Machinery  Club."  50,  Church  Street.  New  York. 
Cables:  Macepavne.  New  Y'ork.  Usunl  Codes. 


Tel. :  London  Wall  8003- 

PELLEW-HARVEY  &  Co., 

Mining  Engineers, 

f)2,  London  Wall,  London,  E.C.2. 
Cable:  Abafada.  Usual  Codes. 


Tel.  :  London  Wall   0940. 

PERKINS,  Walter,  G., 

02,  London  Wall,  E.C.2. 
Cables:  Ochonidyelo. 


Till-;    MIM.NL.    AlAi.AZlNE 


PROFESSIONAL 


OIRECTOftV 


PICKERING,   J.   C, 

CiMisiillint:  MiiiiuK  BnKincer, 
Avcnida  jRures  SW,  Mexico  City,  Mexico. 
Crvhlcs:   Kerinepip.  


PITKIN,    Lucius,    Inc., 

XNclRhers.  Samplers,  and   Assayers  of 
Ores   and    Metals  of   all   descriptions. 

47.  Kulton  Slrpet.  Now  York.  N.V. 
Cullies :  Niktiii. 


HOWARD    POILLON. 


C.  M.  POiniEH. 


POILLON   &   POIRIER, 

Mining  Engineers, 

42.  Broadwny,  New  York  City. 


POPE,  Wallington   A., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Nitieria. 

Specinlity:   Reports  Hnil  ManaKenient. 

c/oBninbri<ik'o.  Seymour  .V  Co  . Ltd.. 6415 Salielmry  House. E.C.5 


POWELL,    Frank   B., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Apartado  1%.  Meilellin.  Rep.  de  Colombia, 

Soiitli  America. 

Cables:    Powell.  Marmato.  Code  :  Bentley'! 


PRICHARD,   W.   A., 

Alining  Engineer, 

Colomliia  Corporation  Limited, 
Apartado  172.  Medellin.  Colombia. 


PRISK,  Thomas   H., 

Mining  Engineer, 

"KinKSfield,"  Coleway.  Coleford.  Glos. 


PROBERT,    Frank   H., 

Mining  Geologist, 

University  of  California,  Berkeley,  California. 


PURINGTON, 

c 

w 

■J 

5 
Cables  : 

Mining  Engi 

Sodomsky  Pereulok 
Fedora. 

neer, 

Vlad 

vostok. 

ROBERT   H.   RICHARDS. 


CHARLES   E.    LOCKE. 


RICHARDS  &   LOCKE, 

Mining  Engineers.     Ore  Dressing. 

Tests  for  design  of  flow-sheets. 
Pi9. Massachusetts  Ave..Cambridce39,Mass.,U.S.A. 


Tel.  : 
RICHARDSON,  W.W.,  London  WaI11276. 

Mining  Engineer, 

4.  London  Wall  Buildings.  E.G. 2. 

Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


RICKARD,    Edgar, 


Mining  Engineer, 

42.  Broadway.  New  York. 


Tel.:  London 
Wall  7K70. 


RIDGE  &  Co.,  H.  M., 

Alining  Engineers. 

Spornihty  :      Hiim>  Mt-tals. 

2.  Hniat  Winchoster  Street,  London,  K.C.2. 

Wire:    Uidgonne. ITsual  Codes 


ROBINSON,   Ray   C.   N.,  &  Co., 

Mining  Engineers, 

K\nmiiiiition.  Itcvi'loiuuciit.  Hii'l  .Muniiui-nit'Ut  of  ProuortinH. 
62,  Queen  Victoria  Street,  London,  E.G. 4. 
Cnlil. K  :   Yendys,  London. 

CoJ^m:  r.nioniliftll  and  Pcdfonl  MpNoiU. 


ROOEnS.    MAVER.  &    BALL. 


Cable:  Alhasters. 


ROGERS,    Allen, 

Mining  Engineer, 

42.  Jiroadway,  New  York. 
201.   Devonshire  Street.  Boston. 


ROGERS,    John    C,    Mining  Engineer, 

Copper  Clilt.  Ontario,  Canada. 

Examination  and  lOxploration  of  Mining  Properties 

with  a  view  to  purchase. 

Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


RUTHERFORD,    Forest, 

Consulting  Metallurgical  Engineer, 

120,  Broadway,  New  Y'ork. 

Milling  and  Smelting  of  Ores, especially  of  Copper. 

Ore  Smelting  Contracts. 


SAUNDERS,  T.   Skewes, 

Mining  Engineer. 

University  Club. 
Bucareli  35,  Mexico  D.P.,  Mexico. 


SCOTT,   Herbert   K., 

Mining  Engineer, 

OR.  Cheapside.  London,  E.G.  2 
Cable  :  Jacntinga.  


Tel.: 
City  87iU. 


SCOTT,  Jas., 

Mining  Engineer  and  Geologist. 

Examinations  and  Valuations  in  B.E.A.. 

Uganda,  and  Tanganyika  Territory. 

P.O.  Box  (',22.  Nairobi,  Konya  Colony.  B.E..^. 


SEARS,  Stanley  C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

Reports,  Consultation,  and  Management. 
705,  Walker  Bank  Building.  Salt  Lake  City. 

Usna]  Codes. 


SEGSWORTH,   W.    E., 

Mining  Engineer, 

103,  Bay  Street,  Toronto,  Canada. 
Cable:  Segsworth.  Usual  Codes, 


SELKIRK,  W.  &  GRAY,  London  Wall  906. 

Mining  Engineers, 

4.  Broad  Street  Place,  London.  E.G. 2. 
Tel.  &  Cables  :  Code  : 

Mineralize.  London. Bedford  McNeill.  1908. 


SHALER,    Millard    K., 

Mining  Geologist  and  Engineer, 

66,  Rue  des  Colonies, 
Brussels,  Belgium. 


44 


THE    MINING     MAGAZINE 


PROFESSIONAL 


DIRECTORY 


SIMPSON,   W.    E., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Amos.  Quebec,  Canada. 

Fundicion  de  Los  Arcos.  Toluea,  Mexico. 

P.O.  Box  160.  Cobalt.  Ontario. 


SNELLING, 

A-    P 

•J 

Mechanica 

Engineer, 

Mongu  IN 

igeriat 

Tin  Mines  Ltd. 

Jos,  Northern 

N 

geria. 

STEVENS,   Blarney, 

Consulting  Mining  Engineer, 

20.  Nassau  Street,  New  York  City. 


Cablts  :  Niinnstim-n.  Lonaon  Tel.:  London  Wall  2198. 

STINES,   Norman  C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

4.  Moorgate  Street.  London.  E.C.2. 
Codes:  McNeill  (both  editions)  and  Bentley's. 


STRAUSS,   Lester   W., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Casilla  514.  Valparaiso.  Cbile. 
Cable:  Lestra.  Code:  Bedford  JIcNeill 


SUBBAIYER,  A.   S., 

Consulting  Geologist 

(Formerly  of  tbe  Geological  Survey  of  India). 
25.  KatchaleswaraAgraharain.  G.T.Madras.  India. 


Tel 

.:  City  4214. 

TAYLOR   & 

SONS, 

John 

G 

Queen  Street  Place. 

London, 

E.C.4. 

Cable ; 

Rolyat. 

BAINBRIDGE.   SEYMOUR.  &  CO..    LTD.  Tel,  : 

TEALE,    J.    W.,  London  Wall  3667. 

Mining  Engineer, 

645-647.  Salisbury  House,  London  Wall.  B.C.  2. 
Cables  :  Bascra.  Usual  Codes. 


THOMPSON.   O., 

Mining  Engineer. 

Amelia  Mines,  c/o  Post  Ottice,  Abakalilii. 
Southern  Nigeria. 


THORNE,   W.    E., 

Mining  Engineer, 

Santa  Cruz,  California. 

Code:  McNeill,  lilOK. 


Tel.:  Bank  42'J. 

THURSTON, 

George 

H., 

Electrical  an 

i  Mechanica 

1  Engineer. 

».  Old  Je 

wry.  London. 

B.C.  2. 

Cable:  Thermidor. 

TITCOMB,    H.   A., 

Mining  Engineer. 

c/o  A.  Chester  Beatty.  2.i.  Broad  Street.  New  York. 
Code  :  McNeill,  both  editiona. 


TURNER,    H.   W., 

Mining  Geologist, 

Cable;      Mills  Building,  San  Francisco. 

Latite.    Codes:  Bedford  McNeill,  and  Broomhall. 


TYRRELL,  J.    B., 

Mining  Engineer  and  rjeologist, 

Speciality;  Canadian  Minitig. 

534.  Confederation  Life  Bdg.,  Toronto,  Canada. 

Cfthle  :  Tyrrfll. Usnal  Codes. 


VENABLES,    H. 

Consulting  and 

P.O.  Box  210 
Cable:  Venables. 

L., 

Mining  Er 

Oruro,  Bol 

gineer, 

via. 
Usual  Cotles. 

WITH  GEORGE  T.  HOLLOWAY  &  CO.,  LTD.  Tsl.: 

WAGNER,   William    G.,  East 384. 

Metallurgist, 

13,  Emmett  Street,  Liniehouse,  London,  E.14, 


Tel.:  London  Wall  2860. 

WEATHERBE,   D'Arcy, 

Mining  Engineer. 

14.  Coptball  Avenue.  London.  E.C.2. 
Cable:  Natchekoo. London.        And  Peking. China. 


WESTERVELT,   William  Young, 

Mining  Engineer. 

Fifth  Ave.  Guaranty  Building.  622,  Fifth  Ave., 

New  Y'ork. 

Cable:  Casewest,  Code:  Bedford  McNeill. 


HERSHEY,  BURCH,  &   WHITE. 

WHITE,    Lloyd   C, 

Consulting   Engineer, 

Crocker  Ruildiny,  San  Francisco. 

TTfinal  Code^. 


WHITEHEAD,    P.   C, 

Mining  Engineer, 

Gold  and  Tin.        —         Lode  and  AH 
P.O.  Jos.  Northern  Nigeria. 
Calilft'j:  Dnanieetin.  Job.               Code:   B 

uvial. 
oomb 

ill. 

WILLIAMS,   A.    H., 

Mining  Engineer, 

c/o  The  Institution  of  Mining  and  Metallurgy. 
225,  City  Road,  London.  E.C.I. 

Code:  A. B.C.  5th  edition. 


WILLIAMS,   Gerard   W., 

Mining  Engineer. 

c/o  T.  Lees  Field.  24, Coleman  Street.  London.  E.C.i 


WISEMAN,    Philip, 

Mining  Engineer. 

1204.  Pacific  Mutual  Life  Bldg..  Los  Angeles. 

California. 

Cable  :  Filwineman. Usnal  Codes. 


WITH  JOHN  TAYLOR  &   SONS. 


Tel.  :  City  4214. 


WOAKES,   Ernest   R., 

Mining  Engineer. 

6.  Queen  Street  Place.  London.  E.C.4. 


45 


nil':      .MINIM.     MACAZINK 


PROFESSIONAL 

DIRECTORY 

WOLF,    Harry   J., 

Mininti  KnRlnccr, 

IJ.  liioivtUvuy.  N*'w   Vtuk. 
Cables:   Minowolf.              Cuilu:  Uudfoixl  McNeill. 

WRIGHT,   Charles  Will, 

iM  i  n  1 II K   1:  ii  t;  1  n  l*  c  r , 

IJ...   Via  Del  ■rmuiK-,  Uuiin*,   Uiily. 

C'odo  :  Hontloy'H. 

POPE  VKATMAN.                                                      COWIN  8.  BERRV. 

YEATMAIM    &    BERRY, 

CunsulliiiK   MiiiiiiK   HnKint:ers, 
l^xnniiiiiitioii.  Development,  and 
^lanaKeinent      of      Properties. 

Room  ir.04,  1G5,  Broadway.  New  York. 
Cable:  Ikoiia.                       Code;  Bedford  McNeill. 

YOUNG,    E.   J., 

Consulting;  (icnlu^lst  and   Kntflnccr. 

OfTlcos  ami  Laboratory  : 
Story  Bdg.,  Los  Angeles.  California,  U.S.A. 

Examinations  and  Reports  on  till  Mineral 

Deposits,  Formations,  and  Processes 

of  I'jXtraction. 

THE    MINING     ENCfNEERS'     HANDBOOK 

By  Robert  Peele. 

9,3*0  iWKPs;  lIliistititiHi              FUxiMe  ItimlinK 
Price:  JO  shillini.'».                  i'osUnt' :  liiliimi.  l/-;  Abroml.  I'l. 
TheTechnioal  Book'^bop.7'24.Sali8huryHonse,F..C  2 

20  years'  experience  in  llie  Western  Slates, 

Pacific  Coast  States.  U.S.A.,  Mexico, 

and  Centriil  America. 

GERHARD  &  HEY  Ltd.  \T.'^?i 

GREAT  ST.   THOMAS  APOSTLE   (off  Cannon   Street),     1      OIVOOM  PP/t 

Also  Liverpool,  Manchester,  Hull,  Southampton,    &c.         Lj  VV  ll   L/ V_/ 1^  ^       t-.v^.  4 

EXPERTS  in  TRANSPORTATION  of  DREDGERS  and  all  MINING  PLANT 

Tel<-er»ms      ■■Ct:KH.•\RDE^■.■•  Telenl1n^p^:  Central   3706  i8  linesl. 


WATER    TURBINES 

PIPE     LINES MONITORS 


SALTERNS,  LTD., 


PARKSTONE,    DORSET, 
ENGLAND. 


SOCIETE  GeNERALE  PES  MiNERAlS. 

Head  Office:  — 

1,   Quai   Marcellis,   LIEGE  (Belgium). 

Felecrams  :  "Marlier.  Livge." 


C  AP  IT  A  L:-Fr.  25,000.000 


NON-FERROUS   METALS   &   ORES. 

Speciality  : 

BELGIAN   VIRGIN   SPELTER, 
ZINC  SHEETS,  KATANGA  TIN,  etc. 


AERIAL 
ROPEWAYS 

Any  System. 

BRITISH    ROPEWAY 
ENGINEERING  Co.,  Ltd. 

7,  Mincing  Lane,  London,  E.C.3. 

Telephone:   Central   11250. 


■COLO  DREDGES I 
Yuba  Hydraulic  Dredges 

Yuba  Centrifugal  Pumps 
Yuba  Ball  Tread  Tractors 

The  Yuba  Manufacturing  Company 

Marysville,  California. 


IG 


THE    MINING    MAGAZINE 


GEORGE  T.   HOLLOW  AY  &  CO.,  LTD. 

CONSULTING     METALLURGISTS,     CONSULTING     CHEMISTS, 
ASSAYERS,     METALLURGICAL    &    CHEMICAL     ENGINEERS, 

13,  EMMETT  STREET.  LIMEHOUSE,  LONDON,  E.14. 


ORE     TESTING     WORKS: -- Crushing.     Grinding. 
Sampling,  Ore  Dressing.  Magnetic  Separation,  Leach- 
ing, Cyaniding,   and   Smelting  Plant. 

TRIALS  &   INVESTIGATIONS  carried  out  on  the 

laboratory  and  COMMERCIAL  SCALE.  Treatment 

charts  devised. 


Telephone    . 

hiland  Tele^-ams 

Cables 

Codes 


EAST  384, 

"  Neolithic,   Pop,    London.' 
"  Neolithic,   London," 
Bedford     McNeill's, 


ZINC 


SPELTER 
ZINC  DUST 


<:Jha|> 

and  TEES 


ZINC     PRODUCERS'     ASSOCIATION 

Collins  House,    PTY.   LTD.  *-^'  Austin  Friars,  /"VA 

Melbourne.                     '                 '       London,  E,C,2.  fA'Z  j 

Zinc  Ores  and  Concentrate..                            Electrolytic  Zinc.  V^'\.X 

Spelter.              Zinc  Dust.              Granulated  Zinc.  Brand. 

AUSTRALIAN     HIGH-GRADE    ZINC. 

—  Containing    99-95%     Metallic    Zinc— quoli:d    lor    direct    ship-  Entirely 

BRANDS      ment  to  South   Africa.  India,   New   Zealand,  the  Far   East,  etc.  British. 
Contractors  7vitJt  H.M.   Board  of  Trade. 


WfWAVrWfvfrfrffi 


I  •••••••••••••••••••••! 


lif'*****^-*--^ 


G.  A.  HARVEY  &  CO.  (LONDON),  LTD. 

WOOLWICH     ROAD,    S.  E,  7. 


City  Office:  5,   LAURENCE  POUXTXEY  HILL,  E.C.  .f. 

METAL  PERFORATORS  &  WIRE  WEAVERS. 


KERITE 

Insulated  Wires  and  Cables 

Aerial,     Interior 
Underground,  Submarine 

for  Power,  Lighting,  Telegraph, 

Railway,  Signal,  Motor  Ignition 

and  Service  in  Mines 

^^"^  Kerite  insulation  is  different 
^®^  in  its  composition  and  char- 
^feCP  acteristics  from  the  ordinary 
rubber  insulation.  It  is  a  qual- 
ity product — not  a  first  cost  proposition. 
Its  continued  and  increasing  use  over 
the  past  half  century  testifies  to  its 
superiority  and  economic  advantages. 

KERITE  ^Si^li^^COMPiafir 

30  Church  St.,  New  York,  U.S.A. 
Cable   Address:     KERITE,    New    York 


PRECIOUS  METALS 

Bought  for  prompt  cash  in  raw  and 
"  scrap  "  forms. 
Assayed   and  Analysed. 
Manufactured  for  all  industrial  pur- 
poses— as  metals, alloys  or  chemicals. 
Write  to 

loKnSoiiVaittKevefS  Itc 


TH!  WORLDS CLEAKINO  HOUSE  FOR  THf  PIlFCIOllSO  HARF  MtTAlS 


HATTON  GARDEN 
l_ONDON.    E.C.I 


LONDON. MANCHESTER. 
BIRMINGHAM  .BURSLEM 


47 


THE     MINING    MAGAZINF- 


Agitators 
LXin  Co. 


BUYERS'    DIRECTORY. 


PACK 


Ball  Mills 

Alien  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar 

Fr,isfr  &  Chalmers  Eng.  Works 

H.udiiige  Co 

Head.  Wrishtson,  &  Co.,  Ltd.  . . 

M.irsdcn,  Ltd.,  H.  K 

Sandycrott,  Ltd 

WiUley  Co.,  Ltd 


Bearlnes,  Ball 

Skefiio  Ball  Bearing  Co.,  Ltd. 

Bearings.  I^oller 

Hratt,  Ltd 


BlowinK  Eneines 

l-raser  A;  Chalmers  Eng.  Works   . 

Cementation  .      „     •    . 

Francois  Cementation  Co.,  Ltd.   . 

Cement  Machinery 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar     

He.id,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd.  . . . 
Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd. 


Classifiers 

Dorr  Co 

Sandycrott.  Ltd 

Coal  Cutters 

Atl.is  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd. 

IngersoU-Rand  Co 

Sullivan  Machinery  Co 


Compressors 

Alley  &  MacLellan,  Ltd 

Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd.'. 

Broom  £:  Wade,  Ltd 

Con.  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd.. . 
Denver  Rock  Drill  Mfg.  Co.  . . 
Fraser  &  Chalmers  Eng.  Works 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 

Sullivan  Machinery  Co 


Concentrators 

Eraser  &  Chalmers  Eng.  Works    . 

Gutliridge,  Ltd 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 

Minerals  Concentration  Co.,  Ltd. 
Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd. 
Wilfley  Co.,  Ltd 


511 
15 

10 
H 
6 
19 
2 
3 
52 
.5(1 
25 
15 

3 

24 
52 
12 
12 

t 


Convertors 

Eraser  &  Chalmers  Eng.  \\  orks 

Conveyors 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd.    . 

Sandvcroft,  Ltd 

WUfley  Co.,  Ltd 


Cooling  &  Freezing  Plant 

Kirkaldy,  John,  Ltd 


Cyanide  Plants 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

Distilling  Machinery 

Kirkaldy,  John,  Ltd 


Dredges.  Gold  and  Tin 

Bucyrus  Co 

New  York  Engineering  Co. 

Werf  Conrad    

Yuba  Manufacturing  Co.  . . 


Drill  Sharpeners 

Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 

Denver  Reck  Drill  Mfg.  Co. 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co 

Sulhvan  Machinery  Co 


Drills,  Diamond  and  Core 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co 

Sullivan  Machinery  Co 

Swedish  Diamond  Dr'l'g  Co.,  Ltd. 


Drills,   Placer  Mining  and         i*'i 
Prospecting 

New  York  Engineering  Co Ui 

Werf  Conrad    lU 

Orilis.  Kock 

Atl.is  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 8 

Climax  Rock  Drill  &  i;ng,Wks.Ld.  (<l 

Con.  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd 10 

Denver  Rock  Drill  Mfg.  Co 2 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd 23 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 52 

IngcrsoU-R.'md  Co 5U 

Sullivan  Machinery  Co 15 

Dryers 

Electro-.Metals,  Ltd ' 

Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.    ..  '.■ 

Electrical  Machinery 

Metro-\ickcrs  Elcc.  Co.,  Ltd 1 

Electrical  Supplies 

Mctro-\'ickers  Elec.  Co.,  Ltd 1 

Explosives 

Nobel  Industries,  Ltd 2(i 

Hlotation  Process 

Minerals  Separation,  Ltd 2* 

Furnaces.  Roasting  &  Smelting 

Eraser  &  Chahners  Eng.  Works   . .  6 

Head,  Wrightson  &  Co.,  Ltd.    . .  ;■ 

Oas  and  Oil  Engines 

Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 8 

Con.  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd 19 

Metro-Vickers  Elec.  Co.,  Ltd 1 

Grinding  Pans 

Hohnan  Bros.,  Ltd .'2 


Quarrying  Machinery  i"*r,it 

Con.  Pneumatic  To.il  Co.,  Ltd 11^ 

DtnviT   Rwk  Drill  MIg.  Ci 2 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd 23 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co 50 

M.arsden,  Ltd.,  H.  K 5 

Sullivan  Machinery  Co 15 

Kock  Breakers 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edg.ar   11 

Eraser  &  Chalmers  Eng.  Worlts   . .  3 

Hadfields,  Ltd 28 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 52 

Marsden,  Ltd.,  H.  R B 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 25 

Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.  .  12 

Rolls 

Alien  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar  11 

Hadfields,  Ltd 28 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 52 

Marsden,  Ltd.,  H.  I<     5 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 25 

Stiu-tcvant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd.   .  12 

Wilfley  Co.,  Ltd t 

Hopes.  Wire 

Cradock  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  George " 

Wright,  John  &  Edwin,  Ltd U 

Ropeways  and  Cableways,  Wire 

British  Ropeway  Eng.  Co.,  Ltd.   . .  40 

Bnllivants'  Aerial  Ropeways,  Ltd.  20 

Cradock  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  George • 

Kerite  Wire  and  Cable  Co 47 

Ropewa>*s,  Ltd 6 


Head  Gears 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 

Hoists 

Denver  Rock  Drill  Mfg.  C  o. 
Sullivan  Machinery  Co 

Ice  Making  Machinery 

Kirkaldy,  John,  Ltd 


Magnetic  Separators 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar  

Eraser  &  Chahners  Eng.  Works   . 
Rapid  Magnetting  Mac.  Co.,  Ltd. 

Manganese  Steel 

Hadfields,  Ltd 


Metal  Perforators 

Harvey,  G.  A.,  &  Co 47 

Mining  Tools 

Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 8 

Denver  Rock  Drill  Mfg.  Co 2 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd 23 

Ore  Bags 

Low  &  Bonar,  Ltd 

Ore  Dealers  &  Mineral  Brokers 

Bath,  Henry,  &  Son,  Ltd * 

Johnson,  Matthey  &  Co..  Ltd 47 

Mond  Nickel  Co.,  Ltd 24 

Societe  Generate  des  Minerals 4i; 

Ores,  Testing  of 

HoUoway,  Geo.  T.,  &  Co.,  Ltd.  ...     4i 

Pipe,  Hydraulic  » 

Boviiig  &  Co.,  Ltd 7 

Power  Transmission 

Cradock  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  George * 


Prospecting  Contractors 

Swedish  iSiamond  DrT'g  Co.,  Ltd.  21 

Pumps 

Alluvials  Mining  M'ch'y  Co.,  Ltd.  .  • 

Boving  &  Co.,  Ltd 7 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co .50 

Ruston  &  Homsby,  Ltd 41) 

Wilfley  Co.,  Ltd t 

•  November  Issue,     t  October  Issue. 


Screening  &  Picking  Plants 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd. 


9 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 25 

Wilfley  Co.,  Ltd t 


Shoes  and  Dies 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar  . . 

Hadfields,  Ltd 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 


Shovels.  Electric  and  Steam 

Bucyrus  Co 

Myers- Whaley  Co 

Ruston  &  Hornsby,  Ltd 


Slime  Thickeners 

Dorr  Co 


Spelter 

Zinc  Producers'  Assn.  Pty.,  Ltd.  . 

Stamp  Batteries 

Eraser  &  Chalmers  Eng.  Works    . 
Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd.  . . . 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 

Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd. 

Steel 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar  

Hadfields.  Ltd 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd 


U 
28 
52 


17 
16 

40 

20 

47 


52 
25 
12 

11 
52 
23 


Testing  Works 

Holloway,  Geo.  T.,  &  Co.,  Ltd.  . . . 

Transport 

Gerhard  &  Hey,  Ltd 

Niger  Co.,  Ltd 


46 

22 

Tube  Mills 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar  11 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd 0 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 25 

Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd..  12 

Water  Turbines 

Boving  &  Co.,  Ltd 7 

Salterns,  Ltd 46 

Winding  Engines,  Steam  &  Electric 

Eraser  &   Chalmers  Eng.   Works  3 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 52 

Sandycroft,  Ltd 25 

Wire  Weavers 

Harvey,  G.  A.,  &  Co 47 


•iS 


The  mining  magazine 


ALPHABETICAL    LIST    OF    ADVERTISERS. 


Name 

Allen  &  Co.,  Ltd.,  Edgar 

Alley  &  MacLellan,  Ltd 

Alluvials  Mining  Machinery  Co.,  Ltd 

Atlas  Diesel  Co.,  Ltd 

Bath,  Henry,  &  Sod,  Ltd 

Boving  &  Co.,  Ltd 

British  Ropeway  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd 

Broom  &  Wade.  Ltd 

Bucyrus  Co 

Bullivants'  Aerial  Ropeways,  Ltd 

Buyers'  Directory 

Climax  Rock  Drill  &  Engineering  Works,  Ltd 

Company  Meetings  and  Reports 

Consolidated  Pneumatic  Tool  Co.,  Ltd     

Cradock,  George,  &  Co.,  Ltd 

Denver  Rock  Drill  Manufacturing  Co 

Dorr  Co 

Electro  Metals,  Ltd 

Francois  Cementation  Co.,  Ltd 

Eraser  &  Chalmers  Engineering  Works      

Gerhard  &  Hey.  Ltd 

Guthridge,  Ltd 

HadfieM's,  Ltd. 

Hardinge  Co 

Hardy  Patent  Pick  Co.,  Ltd 

Harvey,  G.  A.,  &  Co 

Head,  Wrightson,  &  Co.,  Ltd 

Holloway,  Geo.  T.,  &  Co ,  Ltd 

Holman  Bros.,  Ltd 

Hyatt,  Ltd 

Ingersoll-Rand  Co 

*  November 


Pace  Name 

U  Johnson,  Matthey,  &  Co.,  Ltd 

10  Kerite  Insulated  Wire  &  Cable  Cof 

*  Kirkaldy.  John,  Ltd 

8  Low  &  Bonar,  Ltd 

*  Marsden   Ltd.,  H.  R 

7  Metropolitan-Vickers  Electrical  Co.,  Ltd 

'10  Minerals  Concentration  Company,  Ltd 

6  Minerals  Separation,  Ltd 

17  Mond  Nickel  Co.,  Ltd 

20  Myers-Whaley  Co 

43  New  York  Engineering  Co 

ol  Niger  Company,  Ltd 

20-37  Nobel  Industries,  Ltd. 

19  Professional  Directory 

*  Rapid  Magnetting  Machine  Co.,  Ltd 

2  Ropeways,  Ltd 

20  Ruston  &  Homsby,  Ltd 

*  Salterns.  Ltd 

U  Sandycroft,  Ltd 

3  Skefko  Ball  Bearing  Co.,  Ltd 

4ij  Soci6te  G^nerale  des  Minerals 

24  Sturtevant  Engineering  Co.,  Ltd 

28         Sullivan  Machinery  Co 

IS  Swedish  Diamond  Rock  Drilhng  Co.,  Ltd 

23  Technical  Bookshop 37, 

47  \Verf  Conrad 

9  Wilfley  Co..  Ltd 

47  Wright,  John  &  Edwin,  Ltd 

52  Yuba  Manufacturing  Co 

26  Zinc  Producers'  Association  Pty.,  Ltd *« 

50 

issue,     t  October  issue. 


Pace 
47 
47 
13 

* 

5 

1 

12 

27 

24 

16 

16 

22 

26 

39-46 

4 

6 

49 

40 

25 

« 

46 
12 
15 
21 
38,49 
10 

4- 

14 

4(1 
47 


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49 


Till-:     MlMNt.     .MAGAZlNli 


CAMERON  PUMRS 

stand  rough  xisage 


The  Cameron  vertical  Plunger 
Sinking  Pump  for  sinkmg  mme 
shafts  is  without   equal. 

Certain  m  operation. 
Capable  of  handling  gritty  water. 
Has  no  exposed  parts  liable  to  break. 
Takes  up  the  least  room  in  the  shaft. 
Requires  little  attention. 
Above  all,  it  stands  the  roughest  usage 
without  injury. 

There  are  no  more  satisfactory  Pumps. 

Catalogue  M.M.  7204  forwarded  on  request. 


In^ersoU-Rand  Company 

Limited. 

165  QueenVictoria  Street,    LONDON.E.C4 

GLASGOW.  20 RenfrewStrecl.  ^-i.'ii'.Oio.^,        MAT<CHES7ER:i96Deansjate. 


10 


50 


TN 

1 

M655 

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Mining  magazine 


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